Sunday Snapshot

London and myself.

Buzz Lightyear ride, Disneyland

November 2010

Uhhh...pretty sure the scores were switched here :)

Jonah- like you've never heard it before

My MIL emailed this to me (thanks!):

http://vimeo.com/16404771

I would go to church EVERY week if I could hear it told like that!  What an inspiring little girl.  I've got no more excuses for the 'Mormon Monotone', I'm determined to liven things up a bit when I deliver my next talk.

And while I'm on the topics of religion and water, last Saturday Nathaniel was baptized, and we blessed Jack in our home.

I was feeling overwhelmed, so we kept it very small and simple, inviting only parents and siblings; even so, we still had a houseful!  I think it's amazing to watch how families grow and expand over the years.  This is a world of change, and that is the only thing that is certain in this life.

I'm just trying to keep adapting to it, and keep on counting my blessings as I go along.  

Blushing, Laughing, Smiling

I'm blushing.

My dear friend, The Purse Blogger  (Laura) is featuring me as her 'favorite lady of the week' today.  Yipeee!!  Stop by her awesome blog, check it out, and tell her we're all friends.  She is one of the best bloggers on the net, and is my favorite lady of the week (month, year..) for sure.



I'm  laughing.

I opened windows media player after my husband had been using my laptop, and noticed that the last thing which had been played was a video with a....well, questionable title.  I wanted to know (WTH?!) my DH had been watching, but I couldn't get it to come up.  I was filled with suspicion, but I stayed calm.  And carried on.  I visited You tube and typed in the title, holding my breath.

This is what it turned out to be:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccwJbANT1d0

I guess I'm the perv.

I'm smiling.

Smiling over a talented, generous blogger who who makes fantastic signs like this:

and gives them away. I printed up the Thanksgiving one she made, framed it, and put it on my dining room table- it looked fantastic.  I'll be switching it out with this one today. Get yours HERE. 

I'm shopping.

Target has Super Scribblenauts (ds game) for $22 on sale today, and I've got to get a copy for Nathaniel- it's the one thing he really wants for Christmas, and Santa's got to come through.

Also, my friend Jen told me about THIS DEAL for (generic but cute) pillow pets.  $8.05 with free shipping.  You can't beat that.

Peace out.

Sunday Snapshot

Nathaniel finds a starfish

Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma, Ca.

November 21, 2010

Sunday Snapshot

My next door neighbor, Grant, finds an abandoned recliner and brings it home in style.

Summer 2009

(I laugh every time I see this image) 

Join in the fun.  It's so easy. 

We heart IKEA

...beacuse:

• IKEA is completely kid-friendly.  It's a hands-on, try it out, sit-on-it, lay-on-it, swing-on-it kind of store. 

 

• They have free child care.  You can drop your little ones off at their "Smal land" for up to an hour if you would rather shop in peace.  (There is a height requirement and I think they have have to be potty trained, too)

• If the childcare is full, you can check out a hand-held video game system for your little one's enjoyment. 

• IKEA has everything.  The place is huge. HUGE. I still get lost there. However, it's a happy kind of lost, because there is so much to look at while you figure out where you are.

• Princess cake from their cafe. YUM! This is a small round marzipan cake.  It costs about $1.29, and it tastes like heaven. Someone once told me it's made with rose water. What else can make you feel like a princess more than eating something made from roses?

• The prices are sooo low, it's a bargain hunter's dream.

• I always seem to leave IKEA filled with ideas and inspiration. I love it!

• The last reason we love IKEA is...you can take all the pictures you want without scary security guys threatening to take away your camera.

Sunday Snapshot

Sunday Snapshot

 Nathaniel

At the Salt Flats

October 2010

Be cool like JEN :

This family

This boy:

 just wants to eat.  All.the.time.  And it is beginning to show. He's got the double chin, the little rolls on his thighs, and a loud, healthy cry. If his appetite keeps up, we'll soon be sending him to Hollywood for Stay Puft Marshmallow or Michelin Man auditions.

This older brother:

 is golden.  Just golden. He had a bad dream and came downstairs crying early this morning.  He is such a tender child.  He let me know on the way to school this morning that he's tired of sitting in a booster seat. "When can I sit in a regular seat, Mom?" 
"When you're nine." 

This one: 

 Has lost every privilege she has (TV, video games, friends) with her 'screaming at the top of her lungs' fits.  Luckily bubble baths are not considered a privilege in this house.

Here's to hoping she alters her attitude and earns them back.

 The milkaholic's passed out on the swing in the middle of the afternoon.  




 And this one:

 is making me think maybe-just maybe- he'll turn out to be worth all the grief he's given me.

And now, I'm off to teach this who's boss:

 (it's me, in case you were wondering)

Blogger's GNO

I had the awesome opportunity to host Girl's Night Out recently.  It was a blast (once we broke the ice....wait, what ice? There was no ice.)

There was something so refreshing about sitting down face-to-face with these women and just connecting and communicating.   These women are all amazing- deep, thoughtful, witty, fun to be around, and they brought great food.

You all are welcome back anytime.  Especially if you saw my shower that I hadn't cleaned in (mumblemumble) months, and refrained from judging :) (You'll all be proud to know I actually did scrub it down this week.)

I think you should check out these ladies:

From left to right:

 TYLAINE  
notquitesoquietstilljustsosweet

CARRIE   
awesomechickanddoesshewanttojoinalocalphotoclubwithme?

CRYSTAL  
yeahshesagorgeousmillionairebutwe'renotintimidaed'causeshe'ssodangnice!

 AMY  
she'sthethoughtfulintellect


MONICA
savvyandfashionableandprettybutnotasnobjustshyandI'mblownawaybywhatshedonatedbutI'mnottelling

LAURA
givingtrustworthysweetkindandmybbf(bestbloggyfriend)sorryshe'smineyoucan'thaveher

and, almosthotterthanPepperJack  KYANN. makesmelaughtruenonstopentertainmentandtoughasnails

I don't know wth happened to the link text size there- be assured the smaller type chicks are as rad as the large type.  And isn't that true in real life, too?

Awesome ladies. Awesome blogs. Stop by and tell 'em I sent you.

Oh, and if you attended, feel free to grab the photo (I dont have all of your email addresses)


MMMMwah!

Sunday Snapshot

His first Halloween costume

A Jalapeno Pepper

October 2010


Now link up and show me what you are made of.  Unless you're too lame to create the easiest post ever. 

Just do it

I got this from Heather at FAMILY VOLLEY.  It reminds me of a Nike ad I used to have- inspiring.

I had a great time chilling with some IRL bloggers last weekend- watch for the post on it soon.

(I swear I'll send those pics out even sooner you awesome chicks)

October is supercrazybusy for me, I'm hoping things will calm down in November.   Just hoping.

On Winter

Today I will be joining Follow Me Friday for the first time, and, of course, will be joining Glamazon's Friday Confessional.  Click HERE to play along.

I confess:

• I love October, but it comes with a sad reminder that summer is giving up, and winter will soon reign with frost and dirty gray snow.
•  I hate winter.  Hate it.
• The cold makes my nose run, and my feet take hours to warm up after a good chill.
• In Utah we have something called 'inversion' where the air gets trapped in the valleys and becomes putrid; a literal health hazard to breathe.
• The Native Americans used to call it 'white death'.
• After the inversion has begun, the air grows chokingly thicker, and the sun dimmer and dimmer until, sometimes, at high noon I can look up and wonder if I am seeing a street light through fog, and question if the sun was just part of a dream I once had. 
• As if the days weren't short enough in January already.
• And I sigh, and stay indoors, and pray for a storm, for some wind to come and clean up our state,
• while the politicians make laws that prohibit the poor from using their fireplaces on red burn days, yet allow the toxic oil refineries to keep going, to continue their huge smoke columns pumping caustic fumes into the air night and day.
• That billowing black smoke and it's accompanying stench represent everything that is wrong with America.
• Is it any wonder that seasonal depression originated in Utah?
• I hate winter.
• Did I already say that?
• Well, I do.  I hate it.

Here's to hoping fall will hang around as long as possible.

-Kellie

Pumpkin Point Farm

We made our annual trip to PUMPKIN POINT FARMS   yesterday. It was a beautiful day for hanging out at the pumpkin patch.

Oh, it was so much fun!   The kids claimed their own miniature wheelbarrow and wheeled it around looking for the perfect Halloween pumpkin. 

London chose her pumpkin within the first minute, while Nathaniel spent a long time inspecting the different varieties, and finally selected one with a curly stem.

Cousin Lizzy, Nathaniel, and London

Rich's Mom, 'Grandma Eilene', is friends with the family who owns the farm, and she takes all the grandkids (5 of them now!) there to pick pumpkins every year. I didn't think we were going to be able to do go this year; Grandma Eilene actually had a brain hemorrage 3 weeks ago, and only got out of the hospital last Monday.  She has had an absolutely miraculous recovery, which we are all grateful for.

And so we played in the pumpkin patch..

Jack the Pumpkin King observes the patch from the comfort of his stroller.  It's good to be king.

London LOVES her cousin Emmy

Aaaahhh!!!  RUN!!! It's a child of the corn!!

Oh, WHEW!  It's just Nathaniel.

Grandma Eilene and Grandpa Paul

Happy October.

-Kellie