A Quick Update...

Madi

Favorite Food: Mac & Cheese, pancakes and apples
Favorite Treat: M&M's
Favorite Color: Pink (Purple is 2nd)
Favorite Song: I Love to See the Temple
Favorite Animal: Zebra
Favorite Character: Cinderella
Favorite things to do: Dance and pretend she's a ballerina, do flips over the closet rod, play games and do puzzles

Madi had her first play date without me last week.  She went to Ella's house and had so much fun!  If I ask for her help I can expect on of two responses: "No way" or "Of course".  She has a brilliant memory and brings up things from a year ago or longer when you are talking to her.  She wants to know everything and asks "Why" 5,932,851,647 times a day.  She loves to play with Easton most of the time.  She can be such a good little helper but has also been testing her limits lately.  She likes to stay up and as soon as Derrick gets home from work she tells him she wants to stay up.  She is excited for primary.  Nursery has been a struggle and she hasn't wanted to go for the last few months because of a bully.  She even fakes being sick or tells me she's tired to try to get out of going.  She loves to pretend and is really starting to use her imagination.  I love to her in her room playing.  I wish I could record her without her knowing.  It is such a fun age!

Easton

Favorite Food: ANYTHING
Favorite Treat: ANYTHING
Favorite Book: Brown Bear, Brown Bear
Favorite Animal: Horse
Favorite Character: Mater & Lightening McQueen
Favorite things to do: Read stories, play with cars, make messes and play with Madi

Easton is heading full force into the toddler stage.  He is starting talk more and more every day.  He is ALL boy.  He carries a car around with him all day long.  (I like this because someday I will tell him about his biological Grandpa and how he always carries a Hot Wheels car in his pocket)  He is IN LOVE with Cars, Mater and McQueen.  He is a non stop munch mouth and eats anything he can find.  He loves balls and animals and knows most of his animal sounds and of course what a car and train say.  He adores Madi and likes to rough house.  He is quick to give loves and kisses if he gets too rough but seems to have to do that often.  He head butts everything!  He is such a sweet heart and has a smile that melts my heart!

 

It is such a joy and great blessing to be their mom.  I love that I am able to be home with them and spend these cherished moments with them.  Some days they push me to the edge of my sanity but the hugs, kisses and I love you's make every minute of that worth it.  They are my miracles and I am so grateful for both of them!

Ogden's Christmas Village...

On December 2nd, we decided to check out Ogden's Christmas Village.  It was a fairly nice day, not freezing, and we had heard lots of good things about it. 

We got some things done that morning. ate lunch and then we were off and ready to go! 

This is the first time we have been.  We went around two, so the lights were on but it wasn't dark yet. 

It was so fun!  They have a bunch of cute, little houses decorated by different businesses and sponsors, representing countries from around the world. 

Madi and Easton loved looking in each window!  It was perfect for little kids! 

I love this picture of Easton!  He is such a cutie!!!  I can't get enough of this little man. :D 

It is nice to be with Derrick.  The kids have really missed him lately, especially Madi.  He has been a little busier with work, his calling and visiting mom and has not seen the kids as much as normal.  Madi asks me all through out the day if it is time for daddy to come home yet. 

My little princess is so cute!  Love this picture.   

To make it even better... there was a park!  The kids played on the slides and enjoyed some time outside.  It was a wonderful day at something we will plan on doing every year! 

Phone photos...

Most of these pictures are just the random, every day stuff.  I am glad to have a camera on my phone that allows me to take a picture anywhere.  It is no secret that Madi LOVES zebra.  So, when I saw this Santa hat I had to get a pic!

Even in the cold, chilly winter Madi and Easton beg to jump on the trampoline.  They are going to be so sad when we take it down for the winter. 

I recently replaced all my makeup.  Derrick told Madi she could have my old stuff.  I threw away a lot of it but gave her the blush and a couple eye shadows.  Doesn't she look beautiful? 

The whole Elf on the Shelf is so popular this year.  I like the idea of the elf watching and reporting to Santa, but thought the elf was hideous!  Christina and I picked up a few Rosetta dolls and I made them some cute elf outfits to wear.  I think they turned out so much cuter than the one at the store and mine costs less than $10 instead of the $30 for the book and elf at the store. 

So I did really well at the no pop thing for a little over a year.  Then we had a hard week at the end of October and had little to no sleep for a few days.  That did it, I caved.  I have enjoyed my guilty pleasure so many times since and am back to craving my Mt. Dew.  The other day in particular, I really wanted one.  I thought it would be good for us to all get out and go for a short walk to the 7-11.  It was quick walk on the way there and was lightly sprinkling.  By the time we came out it was a pretty good drizzle and I totally didn't factor in the fact that poor little Easton can't walk and slurp his Slurpee at the same time.  It took us about 15 minutes to walk there and 40 to walk home!  Won't be doing that walk again until it warms up a little.  The kids sure loved it though! :D 

My sister, Annie, gave me a box of shoes that she was sending to the DI.  As soon as I set the box down, Madi pulled out these silver, sparkly shoes.  She calls them Dorothy shoes and plays with them almost every day.  She wears them all around the house and even asks to wear them when we go places.  She is in LOVE with these shoes and keeps telling me "These are mine mom, ok?"  It is so cute.  Thanks Annie for the shoes!  Of, and every girl needs to accessorize, floaties happened to be the accessory of choice this day. :D 

My little Easton boy has figured out how to take his clothes off.  I frequently find him with pants off or an arm out or shirtless.  On this particular day, he kept taking his arms out and letting his shirt hang around his waist.  This was the third time he had done it that day.  After that, I gave up.  :D 

Madi has been such a picky eater when it comes to dinner time.  She is never hungry and then as soon as it is time for bed, she is starving!  Surprised? NO!  So, we give her an apple and send her to bed.  I was laying with her and she was eating her apple while we were talking.  All of the sudden I hear heavy breathing and turn to look at her and my angel had fallen asleep mid conversation, apple in hand.  Such a precious girl!  So glad I get to be her mommy. 

Super Saturday...

I LOVE Super Saturday! It is a day I look forward to all year. One of the ladies in our ward is EXTREMELY talented and super awesome and does it for us every year. This year was no disappointment. Since Christina was here for the funeral, Liseanne even did a last minute order (and really, it was last minute). She's a total rockstar! These are the projects I did this year...

 

 

I made a snowman door hanger too, but haven't taken a picture yet. :D



Happy Thanksgiving...

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving with LOTS of family!  We began our day at my aunt Jalene's.  We looked through ads and got ready for a day of fun and lots of food.  After the kids were dressed and ready I had hoped to get a good picture of the two of them.  Madi was a doll and did so good even though she was freezin' in the shade. 

My cousin Corbin wanted a picture too.  Madi LOVES playing with Corbin and staying at Aunt Jalene's. :D 

Unfortunately, Easton was less then cooperative.  It was his nap time and he was letting us know.   

Look how handsome Derrick is.  I married one good lookin' guy! 

There was about 40 people coming for dinner at Jalene's.  Good thing she has a big house.  It was fun to be around my cousins and aunts and uncles. 

Since Easton was so tired and dinner wasn't quite ready, we gave him a roll and put him to bed.  I am positive that it made Derrick and my Thanksgiving a much more pleasant day. 

Hanging out with Aunt Tiffy and Whitney... 

These are three of my cousins, L to R: Jace, Jeff and Bryanna 

Nicholas, Christina and their family was here from WA for Thanksgiving.  It was fun to see them again.  Miss Whit is getting so big.  It is crazy to see how grown up she is getting.  I'm turning into one of those old people that used to make me crazy, you know the one, "you are just getting so big.  It seems like yesterday you were just..."  Yep.  That's me.   

And Brenton... 

Another of Whitney.  I'm not sure where Caitlyn was.  I somehow missed a picture of her.    

Madi all ready to eat! 

After lunch we sat around and chatted, made shopping lists and before you know it, it was time for round two.  Off to the Baum's Thanksgiving dinner!  We are big enough of a group that we had it at the church.  It was nice to see everyone.  I am not sure why I have so few pictures from there.  Probably because I was chatting it up!  I did get a couple of Easton though.  Apparently we were not getting started quick enough.  He found a table in the back and grabbed the cube of butter.  Yum! :P

After another fabulous meal, Christina and were off for our adventure.  We started at Toys'R'Us.  I wanted to be one of the first 200 in line to get the $30 goody bag and we actually made it!  There wasn't anything too great for the ages of my kids, but it did have some fun little stocking stuffers.  After we snagged our goods and waited and waited and waited to check out, we drove by Wal-mart and decided to go there later since it was still a mad house. 

Chris, Annie, Tiff and Rick had set up the fire pit at Sports Authority, so we headed that way to meet them and Nicholas.  They were one of the first groups in line.  Sports Authority was giving gift cards to the first 80 people age 18 and older in amounts from $10 to $500.  We played games, made friends with the people around us and had some good laughs.  The best part of the night was the "crazy lady".  

Just after 10:00, a woman came to our group and said she had counted and was # 82 in line.  She wondered how strict they would be about the age requirement because there was obviously people under the age of 18 in front of her.  I suggested she walk up and down the line pretending to be an employee and let people know that they would be checking IDs.  She walked back to her spot.  Around 10:30 employees started to show up.  Next thing we know, the woman is knocking on the door repeatedly until someone comes and answers.  She asked them if they would be handing out tickets to the first 80 people so that people couldn't save spots.  They hadn't planned to but said they would.  She returned to her spot and about ten minutes later came back to the doors, knocking again.  She asked them when they planned to do this.  They told her they would do it soon.  She stood there at the door until someone came out with a stack of business cards.  It was probably 15 to 20 minutes.  The woman followed the employee as she handed tickets to our group.  When she turned to go to the next group, the lady said to the employee "I didn't see you check any of there IDs."  The employee looked at her and said "They are all obviously over the age of 18."  Since I just can't keep my mouth shut, I said to the lady "You better go get back in your spot.  You wouldn't want to miss your ticket."  She came over to me and said "I'm going to have to watch her if I'm going to get a ticket."  We all were appalled by the craziness of this woman.  When the employee was walking back into the store, I said "I just have to ask, did the crazy lady get a ticket?"  She said "Unfortunately yes" in a very annoyed way.  We all laughed and laughed about the crazy lady.

After we got our GC (We each got $10) Christina and I made a mad dash across the street to Kohl's.  Long lines and lots of laughs later, we all me at IHOP for a 1:00am pick me up.  After we ate most went home.  Christina and I did not.  We hit Wal-mart. Macy's, Shopko, K-Mart, another Wal-mart, Target and then stopped to drop our bags at Jalene's before we were off to the outlets.  We got home around 9:00, slept a few hours and then  hit Hobby Lobby, the Dollar Store and Target.  It was a crazy, fun night of shopping and I so enjoyed it!  Can't wait until next year!

Funnies, quotes and little things...

I try to write down, post it on FB or at least remember some of the funny things the kids say and do.  Lately it seems like there has been a bunch.

As soon as Madi wakes up she asks for cereal.  I am pretty sure she would live on it if I would let her.  She always tells me she wants a lot, and a lot of milk.  The other day she said something after I poured the milk and was getting so frustrated because I was not understanding what she was saying.  After a few guesses I figured it out.  "I want a lotter!"  She felt I didn't give her enough milk.  :D

Madi and I baked cookies a couple weeks ago.  After we were done Madi turned climbed on the counter and went to turn on the disposal.  Derrick asked her what she was doing and she said something about the eggs.  Derrick said "Oh, the egg shells?" and she quickly responded "No, the egg wrappers", obviously annoyed by his "lack of knowledge".

I babysit a little girl named Ella once in a while.  Last month she was here and I was on my hands and knees mopping the floor.  She says "Um Melissa, you look like Cinderella."  Hope she meant in the stunningly beautiful way. :D

Driving in the car and this is the conversation...
Me: You're my angel.
Madi: No I'm not.
Me: Are you my princess?
Madi: Yep. I'm supposed to have a crown.
When my brother was here for my grandma's funeral, my nephew was upset about something so my brother asked him what was wrong. His response... ”Easton is chewing on me.” 

Easton has become a dare devil.  He is climbing on counters, in my sinks and going down the stairs on his tummy, head first.  He eats EVERYTHING.  I mean that literally.  In fact today, I was changing his diaper.  Rolled it up and put it to the side while I was putting the new one on.  Easton grabbed it, stuck his finger in and yep, he ate it.  YUCK!!!!!  I wish I had got a picture of his face as he spit out his nastiness!  So gross!!!

I know there are more things but it is past my bed time.  I'll have to think about it a little and do some more tomorrow.

Projects Galore...

I have all sorts of projects going on right now.  I have been working on some books for Christmas gifts (finally ordered tonight :D), quiet books for the kids for Christmas, crafts and started a new project today of refinishing some things for Madi's room. 

I am totally stoked about the last one.  One of our good friends was dejunking and getting rid of things they no longer needed and we scored a headboard, a cedar chest and some picture frames.  I also got a large, chunky frame from my sister last week that is going to go great with it.  I am sooo excited to get going on this!  Thanks Lani and Christina!

Playin' at the Park...

Madi and Easton always love the park.  It's even more fun when friends come to play with us too!  Ella came and we met up with Chani, Guire and Nash for a picnic and sunshine!

Easton LOVES the steering wheels on the playground.  He spins the wheel and says a real deep "Vroom, vroom"!  So cute!!! 

Peek-a-boo!