My Story

Love that girl!

2012-02-07T16:03:00.001-07:00

Just try not to smile when you watch this. I dare you!

Miss Maya

2012-02-07T14:42:00.006-07:00

I haven't posted much about the life of Miss Maya, so here she is over the course of her lifetime. She's sweet and charming and happy. She's been a tremendous blessing in our lives. You would think that adding a third kid to our already hectic life would add to the mass chaos going on. She doesn't. There is something about this girl that has calmed us all down. She has the sweetest, most serene presence. Something about her reminds me to stop and smell the roses, and don't sweat the small stuff. When we chose her middle name (Grace), I told Trevor that I had a feeling she was going to be our saving grace. In many, many ways, she has been. I needed her. She wasn't in our plans for a few more years, but I am certainly grateful that God had his plans. He knew this family needed her and we needed her now.

Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

2012-01-11T10:43:00.005-07:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. Trevor and I were so excited to see Allie's face with her new kitchen that we slept on the couches just in case we'd miss it. I woke up way before them, though, so we could've just slept in our bed. Either way, we had a beautiful Christmas morning. The kids got spoiled, I got to relax, and we all got to enjoy good friends and wonderful kids.

Poor girl

2012-01-11T10:35:00.002-07:00

Some of my favorite and most cherished times are in the morning when we all hang out in bed. I get the feeling it isn't always Maya's. Poor girl is never left alone. She's always bombarded.

4th child or 2nd 1st?

2012-01-11T10:22:00.002-07:00

We've been keeping a secret; Trevor was expecting. But he gave a beautiful and easy birth to a gorgeous toddler girl. We're not sure what to call her. For now, we've been calling her goofball.

Can you blame them?

2012-01-11T10:10:00.003-07:00

*Objects in pictures may appear much cleaner than they actually were

Is it just me or does Mikey's left hand in the last picture look like it has frostbite?

Allie or Maya?

2011-12-31T12:42:00.003-07:00

One is Allie. One is Maya. Which is which?

Allie's Third Birthday

2011-12-31T10:54:00.007-07:00

Allie had her third birthday! I can't believe we've had her for three years! She turned three smack dab in the middle of moving, and we just had Maya, so I wanted to keep it very simple, but also wanted to make it special. I was a little sad not to throw her a party with her friends. I know she would have loved that, but I had enough on my plate. To make it special, my mom, Trevor, and I snuck in her room the night before while she was sleeping and put balloons and streamers everywhere. My mom taped a crown and a new princess dress to the side of the pack and play so she saw that first thing when she woke up. When she woke up she was very excited and kept exclaiming "It's my bird day! It's my bird day!" She immediately put the dress and crown on. As soon as that dress was on, she looked at me and said "I need to dance." So, we put some music on and danced. After breakfast, we all headed to the children's museum and spent most of the morning there. After naps and dinner, Tristan and Tiffany also joined us for cake and presents.

If you want to hear the cutest way to say "Tinkerbell" then this movie is for you!

We sure love our little princess. She has been a tremendous blessing and a joy every day.

I couldn't decide

2011-12-30T13:46:00.002-07:00

I couldn't decide which video is better, so I had to post both. My boy is so sweet. He makes my day.

Halloween 2011

2011-10-26T10:00:00.004-06:00

I'll admit, I went a little lame and uncreative this year. Between having a baby and moving, I just didn't have it in me for Halloween too. That makes my heart sad since it's one of my most favorite holidays, but what can you do? I had a full plate. I was already planning on making a couple of tutus for Allie's birthday, so I made this blue and green one a little early. Gammer Ruth bought Allie some fairy wings, so it was pretty simple to do. Allie was in heaven. She's been obsessed with "Twinkerbell" lately and was more than happy to be a fairy.

Last year, Gammer Ruth also sent a bunch of dress up clothes for Allie's birthday. One of which was a dog costume. Mikey fit in it this year, so voila, that was done too. Trevor was a hunter and Mikey was his hound dog. Trevor took the kids to our church Trunk or Treat/Halloween Party last night. He said the kids had a blast. He lost Allie for a little while. He found her in a room that had nothing but black lights and music for the youth to dance. He said she was going crazy with the dance moves. Why does that not surprise me? I sent Trev with the camera, but he forgot to get it out at the party. They had a blast anyway. A big thank you to the E family that helped out my hubby with taking the kids to the cars and getting candy! Sad I couldn't come, but there's always next year and there will be one more cute kid to dress up!

Maya Grace has arrived!

2011-10-21T12:35:00.008-06:00

Maya Grace was 4 days overdue, but she finally decided to come meet us on Oct 17th. She weighed 7 lbs 11 oz and was 20.5 inches long. I went into labor at 7:59 am and had her three hours later at 10:58. It was a long labor. Longer than her older siblings combined. I'm kind of thankful for it though, since I was so worried about making it to the hospital and I went into labor during rush hour. So, I suppose three long hours was a blessing, but we still would've had plenty of time if it would've been half that long. I didn't know I could scream like that on the last push. I bet the whole hospital heard me. ha ha! But once she came out, she let out a few wails and calmed right down. And that's how she is. She's mostly calm, she'll cry to let you know she needs something, and then she calms down. Unless you take too long. She's already a heavy sleeper.

Mikey and Allie can be screaming their lungs out, and she doesn't even flinch.

We chose to be surprised on knowing the gender, but I wasn't surprised when Trevor announced that we had a girl! The pregnancy was just like Allie's, so I was pretty certain she was a girl. Trevor and I had not been able to agree on any name. Not one single one. I was voting for June, and he liked London. Neither of us would budge. We'd suggest other names but the other would dislike it even more. Finally, we basically quit discussing names and hoped one would come to us once we saw the gender and the face. Not long after she was born, Trevor stared at her for a while and suggested Maya. That name had never crossed either of our minds. It never came up in discussion, but as soon as he said it, I knew that was what she was supposed to be called. She looked like a Maya to me. We had some trouble picking out a middle name, but Grace also felt very right and true to her. We are so very in love with our newest member of our family. Allie loves her sister and constantly wants to help wrap her in blankets and put hats on. Mikey likes to kiss her, but he's not sure what to do with her if she makes any sort of noise, and he gets bored with her quickly. He wants her out of the way so he can play. ha ha. She'll be more fun to him someday, maybe. Happy Birthday Maya, and welcome to the world!

Happiness is.....

2011-10-08T13:26:00.000-06:00

...seeing the world in a new way...like from the ice cream maker's point of view

...reading a book while snuggling with my munchkins

....waking up to find a bed intruder.

...a caterpillar. It's even better to hear Allie try to say caterpillar.

Tutu

2011-10-08T12:45:00.000-06:00

I found a tutu tutorial that looked simple enough, and it was! I did this tutu while watching a movie with my hubby and some friends, so it was pretty fast too! (Note: on the tutorial it says she uses 50 yards of tulle, but I think that's a typo. I used 5 and it was plenty.) I made this one for Allie's best friend's birthday. I plan on making Allie a few for her birthday in a few weeks (IF I can even wait that long! I'm to excited to dress my little princess up!). When Allie saw this one, she flipped out and had a very hard time letting me wrap it.
I think she'll like hers.

I only had Christmas wrapping paper, so I turned it over and let Allie color on it. I actually liked it.

Twinker Litter Star

2011-10-08T12:30:00.000-06:00

Just thought you could use a sweet voice in your life. I know I can.

Today

2011-08-19T13:35:00.005-06:00

Today we needed something to keep our little hands busy so we would stop fighting and stop driving mommy crazy. Mommy borrowed some of Daddy's shaving cream. We had a blast!

This'n That

2011-08-19T12:44:00.006-06:00

Allie loves to wear Daddy's safety goggles. She refuses, however, to take a good picture.These two love to kiss. They are so funny.
The next few pictures demonstrate how cute our kids are for church. Mikey got a 'new' outfit (handed down from cousin Nash) and he just looked so stinking dapper in it that Trevor couldn't help but do a photo op.

Since I am nesting and we are moving, I've been thinning out a lot of our junk. I took a load to Goodwill, but ended up coming home with more than I donated! One steal I could not pass up was these kids sized deck chairs for $4 dollars each. The kids LOVE them. Mikey especially learned how easy they are to push around and climb up on to reach greater heights.
The best friends like to cuddle and watch a movie when they're sick.
Give this boy a soft blanket, and he's out in a heartbeat.

She looks like a work of art the way her hair is flowing all around. She is a work of art.
Allie loves my high heeled boots. It's hilarious to watch her walk around in them. She kind of looks like a goat.

I love my goofballs more than anything. I'm so glad they are such good friends.

Making tortillas one day, I turned around to find the one I had rolled out had finger marks in it. I cooked it anyway. Trevor and I are convinced there are racoons in our apartment. There's always little hands getting into things, carrying things off, and stashing them in random places. Whatever these little creatures are, they sure are quick and they sure are silent. (And I'm guessing they sure are cute, too!)
You should've heard the song she was composing! It was...magical. Notice she must have her composing boots on.
Love them. Love them, love them. Love. Them.
Allie loved the fireworks at the 4th of July. Just listen to her little voice in this clip. She was so much fun!

Surprise!

2011-08-14T06:31:00.001-06:00

My in-laws have been planning to come visit. We had a surprise waiting for them.

Take me out to the ball game!

2011-07-13T13:06:00.003-06:00

Trevor's school offered $5 per ticket to the St. Louis Cardinals game. $10 date? Why yes, I think we will!
We decided to get a few extra and take our friends the Elders out. (Maybe to make up for that lip reading episode a few weeks ago?)
And our friends Tristan, Tiffany, Mindy, and Jerry got to hang with us too.
We didn't win, but it was close those last two innings. So close that we actually paid attention! I was just happy to get out of the house and child free for a while. We had a blast. The best part of the night was on the walk back to the car, we spotted a tow truck with the tow part sticking way up. He was caught under a stop light and after much trying, finally got in under (after some damage to his truck AND the stop light). But only 10 feet in front of the light was the overpass for the train. And there was no way he was making it under that. It got even better when two drunk guys decided to *help* and tried to direct traffic. I thought the one man was going to get hit by a car. Several times.

Mikey's Numero Uno

2011-07-12T11:28:00.003-06:00

Mikey turned one in April. I know, I know, it's a little late. But here you go anyway!

Mikey was extremely enjoyable to watch. We tried to get a "before" picture of the cake with him in the background, but he clawed at it immediately. I'm not even sure he gave us time to sing to him! He loved it. And we love him.

Mikey has been the most enjoyable kid. We've been so blessed to have him for this past year! He's always happy and always smiling. He has been a bright ray of sunshine! He is a mama's boy, and I don't mind. He said "Mom" before he said "Dad." After those two, his first word was "Boo!" He loves playing peek-a-boo and he loves to scare us too. So it's been a very useful word to him. He also says dog, ball, that, no, tickle, and bye. If he sees anyone at all kiss, you can bet he'll be puckering up immediately and coming to give you a big wet one. And I mean wet. He's a huge tease. He knows what to do when you tell him to spank Daddy. Like any brother, his favorite person to tease is his sister. He loves Allie and finds nearly everything she does hilarious. They are best friends. Happy Birthday, little man. We love you more than anything!

A bit of Wisdom

2011-07-10T08:54:00.005-06:00

In May, we headed down to my best friend Katie's (the one who is responsible for Trevor and I meeting) house for a week. Mostly we went so her dad could remove my wisdom teeth, but also for a little r&r. It was exactly what we needed (aside from all the pain in my head). Katie was living with her parents on their horse farm while her husband was deployed. Allie loved helping feed the horses in the morning. They also have chickens that she loved to gather eggs from. Along with that, they have a bunch of dogs that run around the property and in the house. I mostly slept and healed, so Trevor had both of the kids. Allie was in heaven! Animals, no mom, and all dad. What more could she want? One morning, Katie ran in all excited. A horse just had a baby! We rushed to the barn to find the new little one. We missed the actual birth by 15 or 20 minutes, but the umbilical cord was still attached and we got to witness her first steps. That was awfully exciting. I love the miracle of new life!

Katie's family has these little trucks for farm work. Allie loved to ride along and help. Or, when the day's work was through, Trevor and her would go on an evening ride through the country. She really loved it. I have a strong feeling Trevor enjoyed it as well.

Trevor found a modeling opportunity with the new spring flowers. And Allie loves to pose. (Remember, I was down for the count, so Allie's hair didn't get done for the entire week. Poor thing hates it in her face.)

Allie and Trevor got to ride horses.

Mikey loved having all those dogs around. Loved it. Especially the dog in this video. He was just the right height and LOVED to lick. When dogs go to lick Mikey, he opens his mouth as wide as possible. It's pretty gross.

Notice in the video Mikey's long locks. We cut them while we were down there. He's such a handsome little man. He loved the walker and the wide expanse of hardwood floors in that house. He even took his first steps while we were down there as well. We were there for mother's day. Katie got her mom this hammock. It was a popular spot for us. The kids were being SO cute with their little bodies laying next to each other, playing and giggling. I ran to get the camera, but the second they saw it they started trying to escape. I made them lay back down, and this is what we got. So much for that moment. Makes me laugh anyway.

That little vacation really wore them out.

The Sculpture Park

2011-07-10T08:30:00.003-06:00

We took a day to walk around the sculpture park near us. It was really neat and a lot of fun. I didn't have my camera out much, but here's a few of the sights.Allie has been so obsessed with "happy saces" that this one made her giggle incessantly.

This sculpture was huge! It's made from old oil tankers. If you look closely, there are two men at the bottom, just for reference to size.
My favorite work of art.

The Botanical Gardens

2011-06-14T12:00:00.004-06:00

I was surprised to see that the botanical gardens weren't just plants. They had a really fun children's area with slides, caves, tree houses, boats, bridges, and all sorts of fun hands on activities. One that the girls loved was a little replica of how the panama canal works. They loved playing in the water and making the boat go in and out. We didn't get to spend much time in the children's area because several schools were there on field trips so the girls were getting lost and trampled a lot. But we'll definitely be back.

All throughout the gardens, there were different types of huts the kids could play in. I wish I would've gotten some pictures. I hardly got my camera out. Pictured below is a hedge maze. Someday I'd love to be in one I can't see out of, but it was a lot of fun for the toddlers.

All around the hedge maze was this fun little fountain. The girls got a kick out of it. There was one arc that was lower than the rest, so if you didn't watch it, you'd get hit in the face. I wonder if they did that on purpose just for a laugh?

Mikey mostly enjoyed the fine dining.
Part of the Japanese Gardens. It was much more beautiful than this picture lets on.

Mikey Can Walk This Earth

2011-06-06T13:52:00.004-06:00

First, it started with his dinosaur he got from Grandma and Grandpa for his first birthday. He loves it and uses it all the time.

Next came some help from Daddy and Allie. But mostly Allie, I'm sure. They loved walking around like this. (I'm not so sure Mikey did. Allie tends to drag him around more. She seems so eager to get him walking.)
Next, he decided to finally take the big leap. Trevor and I had been trying to get him to take his first steps for weeks and he refused. If he saw us get a few feet apart and "assume the position," he'd automatically get jelly legs and flop to the ground. There was no way we were going to make him and he meant it. One day at our friend Alpha's house on May 4th, I was sitting on the floor and he had pulled himself up on an end table. I wasn't paying any attention to him, but suddenly he started walking towards me. I tried to show Trevor, but Mikey would get so excited that he'd stiffen up his whole body and fall over. It was a few days before Trev got to see.

This was Mikey today. One month and two days after first steps. He loves to practice. Loves it. He loves going back and forth between Trevor and I. He doesn't love going between the couch and I as much, but he'll do it anyway.

Trouble maker

2011-05-22T11:04:00.004-06:00

Mikey is so very mobile. But he sure gets into a lot! He got himself wedged between Allie's bed and her rail. He wasn't very happy about it.

He also really likes the bathroom. At least the toilet lid was down or it could've been much worse.
Yep. Into everything.

But how could I possibly get mad at a face like this?

Tired boy

2011-05-22T09:30:00.001-06:00

He fell asleep putting food in his mouth. Isn't he so sweet?

Jason's House

2011-05-21T20:01:00.003-06:00

In March, the kids and I went to Utah for a few weeks. We had such a blast seeing everyone. First stop was Uncle Jason's house. Allie took to Jason immediately. The kids were always fighting over his lap. I love these four. A lot.
We have such decisions to make. Trevor and I don't love Utah the most of the places we've lived. We don't want to raise our kids there, but watching Allie and Mikey enjoy their cousins and bask in all of their grandparents' attentions and affections made me seriously rethink our permanent home possibilities. We still have a few years to decide, but we'll have fun where we are in the meantime!

Leah's House

2011-05-21T17:37:00.003-06:00

I love these three. Allie loved her Nash. She stayed by his side the whole time.
I got to see my Ella. This girl is my very bestest friend of all time. I love her so dearly!

We turned on some pumped up jams for cleaning. Allie and Nash were pumped!

A big reason I wanted to go to Utah was because I needed to meet my newest niece Miss Lucy Love. She was completely worth it. She's about the giggliest baby I have ever seen. No wonder. She's got LOTS of entertainment at the Higgfarm. I love her too much! Meeting her almost made it worse because now that I've gotten to know her, I miss her.

Some Cool Things

2011-05-21T17:33:00.002-06:00

Allie loved carrying this giant fox around. It looked so funny watching her little body trying to lug that thing around.Granny's new couch is very static-y.

Mikey was almost OCD about getting the balls in the pockets.

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far

2011-05-21T17:23:00.003-06:00

I grew up in these hills. I love them so much. I miss them almost as much as I miss my family. Allie also loved them. She climbed every rock in sight. We never made it far, but it was still such a blast.
It wore her out well too.

Some Collages

2011-05-21T17:14:00.002-06:00

Allie would NOT leave Curtis alone. She was absolutely obsessed.Allie asked to hold Mikey. When I put him next to her, she started yelling "Cammer! Cammer, Mommy!" (Camera) Like I NEEDED to take pictures of them. I did.

More of the kids

2011-05-21T17:10:00.001-06:00

She apparently knows what mascara is.
They both fell asleep in the swings. It was about the cutest thing I've ever seen. I love those two little bodies.

Photo Op

2011-05-21T17:01:00.002-06:00

The lighting was just right and I couldn't help myself. Could you if you had such a gorgeous and photogenic daughter? Some of these are getting framed.

This one is the background on our laptop. My favorite part? Her shoes are on the wrong feet. She's so imperfectly perfect!
Oops. Forgot to rotate. Still cute.

Trike Ride

2011-05-21T16:33:00.001-06:00

Allie and I enjoyed the mild evenings in Curtis' tricycle. Mikey enjoyed them in Granny G's arms. I'm sure she hated it too.

Txt U L8R

2011-05-21T16:04:00.002-06:00

My in-laws came to visit. We were having so much fun that this is the only picture I took. It was too cute watching Allie hang out with her Aunt Marissa.I was curious whether Allie would remember her grandparents. When they walked in the door, she didn't skip a beat. She grabbed Michael's hand and took him straight to the toy room downstairs. They were so involved in their play, they didn't even notice Marissa and I sneak down and watch them for a while. She loved swimming at their hotel with them and didn't want to see them go. I almost didn't see her the whole time they were there. She loves her grandparents and sure loves to bask in all their attention.

I am very very sneaky sir

2011-02-25T11:52:00.002-07:00

Allie is such a wonderful sister. I'm always impressed with how willing she is to share with Mikey (now if only I could get her that willing with her toys and other kids). Yesterday, I gave her a graham cracker. She immediately handed it to Mikey and then asked for another. She always makes sure he has something to eat before she does. Well, unless it's candy.

The Johnny Jumper

2011-02-25T11:20:00.001-07:00

Thanks to my wonderful and innovative hubby, we finally found a way to enjoy our Johnny jumper. And we enjoy it to its fullest!

Date Night

2011-02-24T13:23:00.001-07:00

Trevor and I have started a babysitting group. There are 4 couples, including us, that take everybody's kids one weekend night a month while everyone else goes on dates. I love it. One night of chaos for 3 free date nights? I'd say it's a deal! We also bought a groupon for blacklight mini golf for two for only $9. I'd say that's a pretty good cheap date! And to spice things up, we dressed each other. The mini golf was inside a huge outlet mall. So afterwards, we walked around to see what the mall had to offer. Everyone one that passed us would make comments on how "fresh"we looked. Two black girls walked by us and one said "Y'all look Fresh!" and her friend looked us up and down and said "Mmmhmmm. To death!" So we not only had a cheap date but we achieved something I never thought possible. We looked fresh to death. Date night well spent.

My Sweet Little Man

2011-02-24T13:12:00.000-07:00

I enjoy him way too much. He's almost too happy.

Girly Curly Hair

2011-02-24T13:10:00.000-07:00

Seriously. Those curls kill me. She's way too cute!

My Little Chef

2011-02-24T12:58:00.003-07:00

We found this apron in a box of clothes. Allie is always putting it on and bringing me my apron while saying "I want to cook!" She loves helping me cook. Especially if it involves flour.

Babysitting

2011-02-24T12:04:00.003-07:00

These are the girls I babysit. Aren't I such a great babysitter? ha ha.

Allie loves to carry around Bethany's back pack. Bethany got jealous, so she used my scripture case instead. The girls like to dance together. They are so funny.

The City Museum

2011-02-24T10:57:00.007-07:00

This is the City Museum! It is one of the funnest places I've ever been to. We had so much fun, we barely took any pictures. We took zero in the caves, which is my favorite section. It has a 10 story slide (I giggle like a little girl the whole way down), and a million little tunnels to crawl through. It's also a favorite because it is mostly dark, and Trevor and I like to pop out of the tunnels and scare the living daylights out of people. It's hilarious. The room we have the most pictures of is my favorite too. It's so beautiful and will be some inspiration for my house in the future. I'm going to have a white ceiling like that. Inside the white ceiling, you can see bubbles. That's because all throughout the ceiling is the McDonald's playplace tubing that you can crawl through and discover new things. The first visit, we went with our neighbors Tristan and Tiffany. Tiffany and I would watch the kids while the guys ran off and played. Then they'd come back and we'd get to run off and play. We discovered very narrow tunnels and holes we could barely squeeze through. We went home and put the kids to bed and got a sitter and went back to play some more. We would take the guys to some of the really tight squeezes we could barely get through, and laugh our heads off as we watched them try to get their broad shoulders through.

Another inspiration for my home was the sponge room. I want one. Building blocks are expensive and they hurt when thrown at your face. But sponges? I figured if I buy a package or two every time I go grocery shopping, it'd add up eventually. And I can put them in a vacuum space saver bag and store them easily. I want one of those rooms.

Another wonderful attraction was the worst juggler ever. If you look at the picture with him and Trevor and Allie, you'll notice his right wrist is wrapped in some cloth. He cut a pretty good sized gash in it while juggling machetes. There was a lot of blood. It was great. But I was impressed that he didn't stop the show. I kinda wished he would have.

My only real complaint about the museum, is that you crawl around so much that your knees are black and blue. So, when I took my friend Katie a few weeks later, we taped socks to our knees. It worked like a charm!The slide in this video starts on the third floor and ends on the first floor. It's a blast and you can get going really fast. I highly recommend it.

Think outside the box

2011-02-24T10:06:00.002-07:00

More Sweet Dancing

2011-02-24T09:35:00.001-07:00

Sometimes, I think these two enjoy each other too much.

Wild Lights

2011-02-24T08:48:00.000-07:00

We went to the Wild Lights at the zoo just a few days after Christmas. It was a lot of fun. Freezing, but a lot of fun. The kids enjoyed themselves and it was nice to get out. The lights were pretty, but once you've seen the Christmas lights at Temple Square, it's hard to think anything else comes close.

The Wicked Witch of the West

2011-02-24T08:37:00.002-07:00

I found her. Sad to see her go.

I'm dreaming....

2010-12-28T13:30:00.006-07:00

I got the white Christmas I was hoping for. Which, I'm told, is rather rare for this area. So, obviously, I'm very loved by someone upstairs. We spent the late morning playing in the snow. It was fun.

Christmas Videos

2010-12-28T13:19:00.003-07:00

The best and only way to test out a new beautiful dress - interpretive dance
This section is the present opening so the grandparents can see the kids' faces of the presents they sent. Thanks and enjoy!
From Granny G:

From Grandma and Grandpa Williams:

From Great Grandma and Grandpa:(Allie's reaction cracks me up)

"Wake up!!"

2010-12-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

Allie's favorite game.

"Thank you, Mom!"

2010-12-15T08:31:00.002-07:00

Allie wanders around all day thanking me. I love it. Trevor gets jealous. He tries hard to get her to say "Thank you, daddy!" But she'll only thank mom. I love hearing her little sweet voice forming sentences. Lately, she's been a stinker when the camera comes out (which is why there is so much of Mikey and so little of her), but one of these days I'm going to get her to talk to the camera so you can hear all the words she's picked up.

Mikey's Awakening

2010-12-11T13:32:00.003-07:00

At the request of my mother, I would like to show you the typical mood in which Mikey wakes.

Mikey's first bubble volcano

2010-12-11T10:35:00.001-07:00

As his very first bubble volcano, it was serious business.

I know it's a bit blurry, but I love these little bodies.

My favorite people

2010-12-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

Allie crawled in bed with Mikey.

We'll put the full length mirror at the bottom of the couch. It entertains Mikey for hours.

Mikey loves helping daddy with homework. I love my boys.

Mikey and his mood swings

2010-11-18T22:16:00.001-07:00

WARNING: THIS VIDEO MAY BREAK YOUR HEART!!! VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

My Baby Girl is 2!

2010-11-09T12:03:00.000-07:00

Allie just had a birthday. She is officially terribly two! What a great two years it has been! This girl is bursting with personality. She loves her brother. She loves to be a clown. She believes all little girls are called Emma (Her cousin, our neighbor's girl, and another friend she plays with once a week are all Emmas. She only has one friend that is not an Emma). She loves dogs. She loves "annie" (candy) and "ilk." She's sweet and compassionate. Wild and crazy. Active, but a bookworm. Hungry for everyone elses food. Curious and thoughtful. Assertive and independent.

A few highlights:
Allie will say no to everything. We think it's funny. We often ask her "Allie, do you want to play?" "No!" "Do you want some juice?""No!" "Do you want candy?" "No!" Then she paused as revalation crossed her face and she slowly nodded. "Annie?"

She screams "Boo!" at every living creature.

Whenever we go outside, she gets on her belly to say "Hi" to something under the bushes.

She says "Kank Eww!" (Thank you) a minimum of 10 times for everything.

She refuses to wear pants. Dresses and skirts only.

I wore a headband. Allie got so excited about it. Every time she looked at me she'd exclaim "Ooooh!" and do her 'I'm so pretty' dance.

This was Mikey tonight.

2010-10-28T21:33:00.003-06:00

Right before bed. These kids are the best toys ever.

Halloween 2010

2010-10-28T11:52:00.004-06:00

This was our themed costume. I spent so much on the dori head a couple of years ago that I decided I couldn't wear it only once. That, and it was easy. For Trevor, we just taped a bunch of twisty balloons to his body to make him an anemone. For Mikey, I cut a hole in a nemo stuffed animal that I've had for a while and took some of the stuffing out. For Allie, I hot glued some ripped up bath poofs to a shower cap and pinned it on a dress. They were a hit (and it all cost around $10! Not bad for four of us!).

I love my sweet jellyfish. She even jumped everywhere she went so it looked like a jellyfish swimming. I only safety pinned the jellyfish on her dress, but she liked all the pink poofy tentacles so much that I think I'm going to permanently sew them on.

My pumpkin. Trevor's pumpkin got sacrificed in the making of mine. Thanks honey.Allie's pumpkin.

Not sure who's pumpkins this was, but I thought it was funny. It reminded me of Curtis.

Quick Meal

2010-10-25T15:24:00.002-06:00

Here is one of my favorites.

Put some crackers in a ziploc bag. We use whole grain saltines, but you can use regular, or Ritz, or Club, or whatever you like. Add some seasoning. I use italian, sage, garlic salt, and whatever else smells good. Crush together in sealed bag, either with a rolling pin, or your fists.

Stab chicken breasts with a fork and cover in milk. I do this and marinate it in the milk overnight. Doing so produces creamy, juicy chicken. But even just soaking it in milk for a few minutes helps.

Place chicken breasts in ziploc bag and shake.

Place chicken breasts on pan. Pour some of the bigger cracker pieces onto the breasts.

Bake at 350 for 10-15 min on each side.

It's simple and delicious! I also love to put dried spinach in with the crackers and seasonings too. We love to serve with tortellini or couscous and salad. Enjoy!

Dragon Slayer

2010-10-25T09:04:00.000-06:00

Some faves

2010-10-23T10:08:00.003-06:00

Easter

2010-10-21T08:03:00.000-06:00

This was Allie's easter dress this year.

2010-10-21T08:00:00.000-06:00

Sleep like a baby

2010-10-21T07:58:00.001-06:00

Mikey loves to sleep with the top of his head nuzzled into something. He'll nuzzle under my pillows to fall asleep. When we went to a cabin a few weeks ago, I woke up to find he had wrapped the top sheet around his face two times before he fell asleep. He woke up and freaked out when I took it off. He'll do it with his blanket too. It scares me that one day I might wake up and find he suffocated in the night.

This Boy

2010-10-20T21:31:00.000-06:00

This boy has a hold on my heart like no other boy in the world has. I love him and he loves me. He's so delightful to be around.

Bath time

2010-10-20T21:27:00.000-06:00

My back is not aligned so it's hard to bend over the tub right now. Can't wait for the Chiropractor in a few more days! I put Mikey in the tub in the sink. He goes to bed earlier, so I figured I'd bathe him and Trevor could bathe Allie in the actual tub. Next thing we know, Allie has stripped and gotten up in that tub with him. ha ha. We can't keep her from water or her brother. It's simply too much if they're both together.

My tornadoes

2010-10-20T21:23:00.000-06:00

I love my little tornadoes. They're worth all the mess. I love watching their little bodies sitting and playing with toys together. They are too cute for one mothers heart. I think it would burst if I didn't have all of you to share them with. They're just too much!

This was Allie yesterday.

2010-10-20T20:59:00.002-06:00

She was so cute just walking around, I had to take a video. If you listen, at first she says "Hanket" (blanket). Then she says "Bop. Go" (stop. go) repeatedly. It's a game we constantly play on walks. She loves seeing what her words can do. So I oblige. I can't help myself. It's just so fun to see her say a word and study the effect it has on me and the rest of the world.

This time, she dressed herself. This is what she picked. It was much too cold a day for this dress, and it's a size or two too big still, but does that matter to an almost two year old? She refused a coat as well. Sheesh. I think we've got another Olivia on our hands. Little divas. I love them to death!

This was Allie today.

2010-10-17T21:12:00.003-06:00

2010-10-16T13:22:00.001-06:00

Mud puddles

2010-10-15T04:45:00.002-06:00

The beginning of the summer, it rained for about three weeks straight. Allie LOVED the mud puddles in our driveway. But Allie has a meltdown if her shoes get dirty. Next best thing? Mom's shoes. Mom's shoes are perfect for muddy wetness!

Our neighbors

2010-09-19T13:51:00.003-06:00

In Idaho, we lived near a llama farm. We became good friends with the people there, and Allie completely took to them. We couldn't get her to sit with us in church because she insisted on sitting with our neighbors. We went and saw the llamas almost daily. These pictures are from the first time Allie saw the llamas. We were so surprised because she didn't act scared in the least. She was kissing them immediately. I, on the other hand, was very apprehensive. Llamas don't like to be pet. If you hold your hands out, they won't come near you. But, if you put your arms behind your back and lean forward, they're more than happy to kiss you. Allie loved it. For me, it was scary to have such big creatures coming at your face. We learned, with time, that llamas are very kind natured (to humans at least) and have very soft noses and lips for kissing.

My boy

2010-09-09T14:15:00.002-06:00

This is the way Mikey is pretty much all the time. He's always so happy. I love him to death! I just took this video like three minutes ago and had to share. Enjoy.

Past times

2010-08-31T12:24:00.005-06:00

We used to live within walking distance of the Snake River. We'd love walking down to the river and throwing rocks. Allie goes ballistic over this activity! What is it about rocks and water for toddlers? She can never get enough.

Behind

2010-08-31T11:25:00.002-06:00

When we moved to Rigby, we didn't have the internets. As a result, we got horribly behind on our lives. Now that we have the wonderful web, I'm going to try to catch up. It may take a while and I may only be able to post one or two things a day, but it'll get done.

In the mean time, we're loving our new place. It has a big deck that for now is our empty box stashing area, but soon we will save up and buy a bbq and maybe a hammock. The kitchen has the most counter space we've ever had (but that's not hard to beat). It has 2 bathrooms, laundry and storage room, and outdoor storage. The kids' room is spacious (as compared to the shoe box they were living in before). And last but not least, our bedroom. It's the biggest room in the house. It's exactly what we wanted so Trevor can have his homework/office space in there. His desk tends to be very messy, so it's nice that the mess will be hidden away from guests. Also, we'll be able to close and lock our door so the kids won't be able to get into his stuff and tear up his homework. We also have a clubhouse with gym, hot tub, and pool.

We really lucked out on neighbors. Directly below us are mormons. We're really pleased about that, not only because they're mormon, but we won't have neighbors smoking downstairs. So our apartment won't have that smell wafting up. We also share a wall with another mormon family that just moved here to also go to Chiropractic College. They're really nice and we hit it off with them immediately. All three of us mormons moved into this building within the last two weeks. There aren't any others in the entire complex. Or neighborhood for that matter.

The only thing is that there's a mentally disabled fella who tends to get out of his apartment and wander. I don't really mind him except for he tends to like standing in front of our building and wailing. He lets out this noise that sounds like a wailing child mixed with a moaning cat mixed with a goat. It's awful. And creepy. He also stands at our windows and stares at us. It's kinda weird. I've quit opening the blinds. Which makes me sad because it is so beautiful and green here!

When we're all unpacked, I'm gonna post some pictures. You should see our back yard! It's such a gorgeous forest! In the mean time, enjoy my catching up posts.

Best Toys Ever

2010-08-25T08:09:00.001-06:00

The kids were so entertaining last night. I just had to share. The camera will only be tipped for a little bit.

My Boys

2010-08-21T15:21:00.000-06:00

Ilove them

Closing Chapter

2010-08-18T00:24:00.003-06:00

Today is our last day in our Idaho chapter. 5th state in 4 years of our relationship. Apparently we like to move. I have to say I'm really relieved to finally close this chapter. It was a really rough, but good one. Our Utah and Texas chapters knocked us off our feet and we had some really hard times. I wouldn't say we hit rock bottom, but it was probably a sandy bottom with lots of annoying pebbles with some sharp points and broken glass once in a while. But it could've been a lot worse. Idaho was good. We got back on our feet, but it sure was a lot of hard work to get there. This year has left me feeling exhausted but overall happy. We're doing much better than we were when we arrived, so I can't complain. We did it and we lived through it and we came out on top. So in the morning, we move on to conquer our next mountain. I know it's going to have a lot of challenges too, but I can't wait to overcome them with my best friend. Sorry there's no pictures of my kids on this post. I made Trevor promise this next mountain will have the internet so I can post more often and watch our nieces and nephews grow from the computer screen. And curse you Lucy for not coming while I was around. You'll probably come tomorrow after I leave. But I love you anyway. Especially if you have curls like Nash.

Marital Wisdoms

2010-08-06T17:29:00.002-06:00

I sent an email to a friend having some troubles, and I thought maybe I should post it on here. I know I haven't been married that long (3 years) but I've learned so very much that I'd thought I'd share. Then maybe someone can learn through my mistakes instead of the hard way. I'm not perfect at these, but I try and that's what counts.

· Gratitude for what he did do goes much farther than bringing up what he didn’t.

When Trevor and I were engaged, I heard over and over again that the first year is training for the rest of your life. So, I got in ‘training mode’ once we were married. If Trevor did the dishes, I thought I’d train him by asking him why he didn’t sweep the floor too. That way, next time, the whole kitchen would get clean. Right? Wrong. There wouldn’t be a next time. Do you know why? Because by pointing out what wasn’t done I was sending the message that what he actually did do wasn’t good enough. After months of sending the message that everything he did wasn’t ever good enough, he quit trying altogether. He didn’t just quit trying to do chores, he quit trying to please me and quit trying to be married. I don’t blame him. I’d quit too if I never felt good enough for him. I found that when he’d do the dishes, instead of noticing the floor, I’d think “Wow! He did the dishes! That’s one more thing I don’t have to do. Now all I have to do is sweep! He saved me so much time!” And I’d thank him for those dishes so sincerely, because he really did help. After that, I had a much happier husband (and marriage) and a much cleaner house. He wants to please me (and your husband wants to please you!) but it’s awfully hard if he never sees me pleased and doesn’t know how to do it. When you go to bed at night, try thanking him for everything he’s done that day. He’ll love it, and you’ll love him more.

· Don’t change him

This is a sore subject for me. I get really annoyed at my gender over this. So, please don’t take this as any sort of personal attack because I’m speaking in generals here. Generally, I see so many women date and enjoy their men but the second they get their claws into him and get that commitment, they go about trying to change him (I was guilty too!). Things once found endearing suddenly become enraging. And he needs to change that now! The poor fella! Once again, we send the message that he isn’t good enough. I’ve learned men are, for the most part, pretty straight forward. They aren’t nearly as complicated as we are. They come as they are. There is no pretense. That was good enough when you’re dating, but suddenly it’s wrong once married? I realized that I chose him. And when I chose him, he was absolutely wonderful. We got those rings on our fingers, and guess what? He still is wonderful! Trevor showed me who he is, take it or leave it, and I took it. I should like it. I should like him! When I stopped trying to change him (like making him sweep the floor), it was so much easier for our love to grow and flourish. Laugh at his little quirks. Don’t change them. Laugh that he can be “such a guy.”It’s ok for him to be. He is so absolutely wonderful just the way his is. Even if he might be stubborn, or not rinse the toothpaste out of the sink, or leave his socks on the floor. I think those are the things I would miss if he were gone. I love him because of those things. Not in spite of them. Embrace him, completely embrace and accept and cherish every little thing about him. You might be surprised how much he’ll change for the better on his own.

· It’s the little things

Remembering that he likes raspberry jam more than strawberry, prefers the toilet paper to be over and not under, or that he likes his clothes hung in order of button ups, polos, and t-shirts might be silly to me and don’t take much extra time to do, but it can mean a lot to him. A little can go a long way. When I know he’s had an especially hard day, making his favorite dinner or desert or rubbing his feet, or even just letting him relax without me for at least 20 minutes also goes a very long way with him. Even if I’ve had a long and hard day, it makes mine better to make his better.

· It takes two to tango. Marriage is never just one.

Blame is so very easy to place, but if you look closer, you’re both probably wrong in some way. Sure, his wrong might be much more blatant, but you might’ve done some subtle wrongs. For instance, lets say a husband has an affair. Of course that is wrong! But where is the wife’s fault in this situation? Perhaps she constantly sent the message that he wasn’t good enough. She never stopped nagging him. She neglected his needs and didn’t try to make him happy. The kids left her feeling so drained at the end of the day, that she didn’t have time for him or his needs. He just felt like that “one more thing” on her list. Not her prince charming, but her chore. He goes to work day in and day out and comes home to a grumpy unfulfilling relationship. Just to wake up and do it all over again. Then there’s this secretary (I know, cliché, but work with me here) who laughs at his jokes, appreciates how hard he works, and finds him valuable. It’s just an innocent friendship at first, but the more he does his daily grind, the more attractive this friendship becomes. He’s been lonely for years, but now he has someone to talk to, who will take the time to listen to him. At some point, that friendship develops into something more. Of course it should’ve never happened, but maybe if his wife took the time to listen to him, laugh at his jokes, saved some energy for him, appreciated his hard work, and left him feeling generally fulfilled, he’d stay loyal to her for as long as he lives. What he did was wrong, but what she did was too. I know that particular example doesn’t apply to you (and I pray it never will!) but all I’m saying is, try not to place blame, and focus on the little things you do. It could prevent little things from developing into big things.

· It’s easy to find faults and shortcomings.

Don’t point them out. And don’t focus on them. Period. Have an attitude of gratitude and it’ll be much easier to overlook those things. You wouldn’t want him to point yours out, so do the same for him.

· Date. Date. Date. Date. Date! Again I say date!

Be his sweetheart. Feel like you’re 16 again. Flirt. By all means flirt! Try to go on a date once a week, but at the very least, twice a month. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive. Just set aside special time for each other. Every Wednesday night, Trevor and I take the trash out to the curb. Romantic huh? Ha ha. It really is. We hold hands and talk and look at the stars. Once we get it to the curb, we walk around our yard or lay in the grass and just be together while our kids snooze inside. It doesn’t cost us anything, but I look forward to Wednesday nights more than anything! (Don’t worry, we do go on real dates too). All I’m saying is take time to be a couple. Especially once you have kids. You gotta be able to switch from mommy to sweetheart again. He needs that and so do I.

I hear from couples that “We got married too fast. We didn’t take the time to get to know each other.” That may be true, but it’s not too late. Just because you are married doesn’t mean you can’t date and get to know each other better. Connect and reconnect all over again. Plan some dates and ask him out. It’ll take some of the pressure off him too.

· Never, Never, NEVER participate in “bitchfests.”

Please excuse my language, but if you participate in those, what do you think you become? A b****! These might seem harmless but they are more harmful than you might realize. These fests only make you focus on the negative traits your husband might have. It puts you in a foul mood. When he does something that bugs you (and now you’re more likely to notice) you’re going to make a mental note and look forward to bringing that up with your girlfriends again. This is poison to your marriage. Don’t do it! I know it’s tempting, but just don’t! When a girlfriend does try to start, listen politely, sympathize, and be thankful you have such a wonderful husband. Do not open your mouth against him. Not only do these fests poison your attitude, but what would it do to him if he happened to overhear what you are saying? All I know is that if Trevor overhears what I’m saying, it’s gonna be something I want him to hear. Hurting him just isn’t worth fitting in.

· I know you might hate it, but you have to ask for what you want.

I struggle with this one. I hate asking for what I want. I wish Trevor could read my mind. I think he wishes that too, sometimes. But he can’t. He tries his best, but it just doesn’t happen. I have to speak up! It’s not fair to him when I get mad at what isn’t really his fault.

· Put him first and foremost!

Put him before yourself. Before your family (he’s the one you should cleave unto, remember?). Before your work. Before your car, dog, friends, whatever. Put him first! Make sure he knows it. If you have a problem, ask for his help. Not your friends. Not your moms. His. I know this doesn’t apply to you yet (I hope it will someday, though). But do not sweep him under the rug to tend to the kids. Your first and foremost obligation is to him. I’m not perfect at this (or anything on this list for that matter) and Trevor understands that the kids have urgent needs now, but at the end of the day, leave some time and energy and patience for him. He needs it and he deserves it. Make sure you leave the kids (or for now, work, friends, family) behind and go on a date with him and put him first.

· A happy wife is invaluable.

He’s been with cranky idiots at work all day, but if he knows his wife is waiting for him with a smile and a kiss, he looks forward to getting home all day long. Don’t bombard him right away. Let him relax. Kiss him. Hug him. Tell him you love him. I’ve made it a goal to drop everything when he gets home. If I’m on the phone, I hang up. I stop cooking dinner, setting the table, chasing the kids, whatever I’m doing. I stop and I smile and I kiss him and hug him and make sure he knows he’s welcome and loved in his home. I might only be able to give him two seconds, or maybe 10 minutes, but just to stop and do that little thing is his whole world. Work has drained him. I don’t need to too.

If I’ve had a bad day and need to vent, I just tell him I need to vent when he gets home. That way he’s aware of my needs, but also knows that I think his are important. And when he’s relaxed and unwound, he’s ready and more willing to listen to me vent. Now, there are days where I can’t give anymore. One those days I’ve also found it helpful to call him a few minutes before he gets off or on his way home and tell him I’ve had it and need a break immediately. That way he’s prepared to take the kids or listen to me when he gets home and doesn’t feel suddenly bombarded at the door.

· Nagging does nothing.

I used to nag and nag and nag and then ask “Why isn’t that done yet!?” But I’ve learned and realized that he’s an adult. If I ask politely, and not demand, that something get done, it will. He’ll get to it. Even if it’s not when exactly I wanted it to get done. I need only ask once and then thank him later when it is done. He might need polite reminding once in a while, but trust that he’ll do it and leave him alone. He’s more likely to do it, and do it happily.

· Last, but certainly not least, he needs some good lovin’.

Be his lover. Every day, if possible. It’s good for the body, the soul, and the marriage.

Mommy's little helper

2010-06-08T13:20:00.003-06:00

Allie really is the best helper ever. I sure love having her around.

If you're a stickler for sanitation, then you probably don't want to eat here. She personally spit shines everything that comes through the rinse and tests each bowl on her head.

Panic

2010-06-08T13:13:00.003-06:00

I lost Allie one day. I looked all around the house and couldn't find her. We have two deep ditches that run through our yard and live on a fairly busy street and she knows how to open the screen door. After 10 or 15 minutes of looking for her, checking the doors, checking the yard and still not finding her, I started to panic. I went back in the kitchen and heard a faint singing. I followed the sound down the hall and I found her!

My little busy body

2010-06-08T13:05:00.003-06:00

Allie keeps a tight schedule. She rolls tortillas, puts dishes away, and talks to Granny G all at the same time. I don't know how she mulitasks so well.But no matter how busy she is, she always makes time for her best friend.
The were laying on the bed nose to nose and being so cute, so I grabbed the camera and snapped a picture and this is what came out.

Allie's new skill

2010-06-08T13:01:00.001-06:00

While I was in the shower, Allie finally figured out that she could push the chair up to the counter and reach even more things. What did she reach for first?
Chocolate Chips

Allie

2010-05-09T21:15:00.001-06:00

Allie discovered the joy of jumping of the couch onto pillows.

Dancing Queen

2010-05-09T21:13:00.000-06:00

Who needs tv when I have these two around?

My kiddos

2010-05-09T20:50:00.000-06:00

More Spikey Mikey

2010-04-24T14:20:00.004-06:00

Our first family photo. I'm so glad I get to look so good in my favorite gown.

Trevor was lucky enough to catch a smile on cameraAnd I was lucky enough to get his scrunchy eyebrows. haha. I love that face so much!

Happy Birthday to my boys!

2010-04-21T06:36:00.005-06:00

Yesterday, for Trevor's birthday, I decided to give him his first son. We welcomed Michael Dean into the world at 7:57 pm. I went into labor at 6:54. An hour and three minutes isn't bad, I say! It was a beautiful and smooth birth. He is so beautiful! 6 lbs 10 oz. 19 inches. I can't believe how much he looks like Allie did. I also can't believe I am a mother of two now.

He rolls his little lip a lot. It breaks my heart.

Peek a boo

2010-04-13T23:06:00.001-06:00

This video is a little bit old, but I found it today and thought I'd share. Poor Harley. He's such a good dog and puts up with Allie so well. I think mostly because she likes to throw her meals to him.

Laundry

2010-04-08T16:10:00.000-06:00

Laundry is not my favorite chore, but I do have a favorite load.

38 Weeks

2010-04-08T12:54:00.003-06:00

Just waiting on Mikey.

And yes, I know I'm huge.

Allie

2010-04-08T12:46:00.004-06:00

This is what happens before Trevor bathes Allie.
This is what happens when Trevor bathes Allie. Oh she's so beautiful! We're gonna have to frame some of these photos.

Allie loves stuffing other people's faces

2010-04-08T12:39:00.000-06:00

Bedtime

2010-04-08T12:37:00.000-06:00

Sometimes I wonder why it takes so long to get this kid in her pajamas.

Easters

2010-04-08T11:41:00.009-06:00

Easter has always been my favorite holiday. The weather is (supposedly) getting better, there's baby animals all around, the little girls are so cute in their new dresses, and there's always lots of chocolate. This Easter has been one of the best. Mostly because I have a sweet girl to enjoy it with. She seemed to like Easter just as much as her mom does. She got into it, and she loved all the activities.

Clean up- the story of my life

2010-04-08T11:05:00.004-06:00

Clean up after dying the easter eggs. Allie busied herself by making a pool in the kitchen.

Allie is such a tease. She'd wait until her cousins would come close to the sink and then she's splash them. She thought that was the funniest thing. The kitchen was covered by the time we were done.

Easter egg hunt

2010-04-08T10:34:00.004-06:00

The cousins enjoying their spoils away from the little toddler hands. I don't blame them. Allie kept stealing eggs from their baskets. They were so nice that they let her too.
Allie got SO into the easter egg hunt. She loved finding things and picking them up. Also, I think the excitement of the other kids really got her into it, too. She probably picked up the least amount of eggs, but she got so excited she also picked up toys and legos and whatever else she could find that would fit in her basket. Her basket was by far the fullest.

Allie and Matthew

2010-03-29T19:19:00.001-06:00

This is Allie's most adoring fan, Matthew. Everthing she does is hilarious to him.

Fred

2010-01-24T09:43:00.003-07:00

Last night, Trevor took me on a really fun date. We went to a barbershop quartet festival featuring the world championship group Fred. They are so funny. I had such a blast and laughed my head off. Here's a video of a song they sang.

Belly picture!

2010-01-18T15:35:00.001-07:00

Here is the next little maniac coming to our family soon!

I made a book!

2010-01-18T15:08:00.012-07:00

So, I pretty much haven't sewn anything since 7th grade home ec. So it's been like a decade. I really want to learn to sew again. so I decided to start with an activity book for Allie and future children (if it lasts through Allie.)

The cover has hands that move.

The first page has a girl with changeable eyes and lips. You can also do her hair. Adjacent is different shapes and colors Allie can match.

The next page has laundry she can take out of the laundry basket and hang on clothespins. Next to that is a mailbox where the flag can move, and she can open and close the door. I'll put letters or envelopes or treats in there each sunday.

The next two pages have a "garage" for a matchbox car and a little town to drive through.

The next page cracks me up. It's my bearded man. You can either pull on his hair or his beard to make it grow. Next to him are several pockets you can button, latch, velcro, snap, tie, buckle, and so on.

Next is a grocery bag she can pull various fruits and veggies out. After that is Noah's Ark with a pocket she can unzip and discover lots of animals.

Last but not least, the credit. A special thanks to Grandma K and Ruth for donation of material. To Ruth and Rachel for all the help (again I can't sew OR thread a surger!). It would've been an utter disaster without you two.To my in-laws for putting up with the mess for a few weeks. And last but not least, Ruth, Rachel, Granny G, and Leah for all the brainstorming and good ideas for pages.