halloween

You know you are still young when you want to trick or treat in the pouring rain.

You know when you are old when you try bribing your kid with anything they want to not go out in said pouring rain.

Happy Halloween.

6.

(image by Jennifer Eliason)

Still can't believe it.

My baby is 6.

6 YEARS OLD PEOPLE!

Where did the time go seriously.

I swear she was just this... Over night she seemed to really grow up, and become our big girl. I was just telling my sista how every stage of her life has been fun, and I have always looked forward to what was to come. The 6 year old stage is no exception. I love watching her learn, grow, make friends, and mature.

Things that she loves right now...

Spongebob...always has loved him...wondering if she will ever grow out of him. Probably not.

silly bandz, who isn't, right?

Littlest Pet Shop

Her BFF today is Brooklyn.

Her favorite food is still shrimp.

She talks, cries, and is downright loud when she sleeps...just ask Grandma about it. ;)

Savannah...we love and adore you. Thank you for being the bestest big sister ever, and bestest little friend we have! If you could make this next year go by a little slower so we can enjoy you at 6 as long as possible...that would be awesome!

Happy Birthday Punk!

Mama, Daddy, and Devers!

christmas shopping.

Please don't leave me any hater comments, because I said Christmas before October is even over. Last year I put my Christmas tree up half way through October, and I have no regrets about it. This year will be different, because of our sweet little crawling baby boy Vin. He will love to destroy our tree, but we will still be putting it up...Santa can't come without a Christmas tree!
Today I went into the store to find some Halloween stuff last minute, and to my surprise I found all the bins filled with Christmas stuff instead of the Halloween stuff I was expecting! It made my day.
I decided today this year is going to go a little differently. I am going to start early on my Christmas shopping. I am usually one of those last minute shoppers...I'm talking the week of Christmas. It isn't because I like to procrastinate, it is because I always get so excited I end up giving all the presents to everyone way. too. early. =)
The other thing that is going to be different this year...I will be shopping online. I never thought I would ever be able to say that. I like going into the store, and shopping...but I don't like the lines with a restless baby.
So, I will be buying the barstools from here for that one person, the stroller for another little person, and that toy for a bigger-little person!
Who has already started shopping? Who is done? You go getters you!

32.

Paul turned 32 today.
He doesn't look a day older than 19 to me. =)

(Paul's birthday in 1998...mighty fine lookin' man!)

I was thinking of doing a list of 32 fascinating facts about Paul, but honestly it would just embarrass him...so I won't! I find ways to embarrass him enough without doing it on my blog too!

I guess you could say that we really have started to grow old together. *insert giggle here* Way back in 1998 we celebrated Paul turning 20, and here we are celebrating 32. I don't know why it feels like such a milestone. Maybe because in just 6 short months I will be out of my twenties...and joining the 20+10 crowd. We will both have spent all of our twenties together in wedded bliss. *insert another giggle here*

I love you, Paul! Happy Birthday. Glad that we can chalk up another year. You definitely are aging to perfection. Oh, and I have to thank you for your awesome genes that you pass on to our babies...because darn you can make some cute ones!

Fotofly

All my friends have been raving about Fotofly.

I finally went to find out for myself what all the talk was all about.

Let me sum it up for you...Fotofly deserves all the hype it has been getting...and some!

Just take a looksie...

Really...does it get any cuter than this?

Thank you Fotofly for capturing such cute moments between my children, and my niece!!

school pictures

I am such a newbie when it comes to this school stuff.

I guess I didn't realize I would have to pay for the school pictures before they are taken.

Why I didn't remember that, I dunno. Maybe because I didn't have to worry about coming up with the money.

So, just in case the pictures don't turn out...I took a bunch of Van before I dropped her off at school.

She sure is a pretty little thing.Love her to pieces.

oh hi.

Remember me? No. Oh, I am the girl that wouldn't go a day without updating my blog, and now look at me...days go by without one word typed, not one picture uploaded, and absolutely no motivation to do it. Doesn't seem much like me, I know.

I really do have 31 reasons to love October...even though I am stuck on like 11 or something. One of those reasons is all the celebrating. With Paul and Van's birthdays days apart (reason 12 and 13 for liking October) we tend to celebrate for weeks. It is the only way to go, I think. Sooo, that is where I have been. Playing, celebrating, playing some more...and planning celebrations.

We are going to Frightmares (reason 14 that October is the best) for the 2nd year in a row this weekend. That makes it a tradition in my book. Van got her birthday pictures taken (reason 15), and tomorrow is school picture day...some how that makes her officially a Kindergartener.

We had a birthday party (reason 16) while my MIL was here, and Van got all the Littlest Pet Shop a little girl could handle...until she gets more! =) Man I still can't believe my little girl is gonna be 6. That is just reDONKulous!

If anyone is still reading my ramblings, I will be back. I always come back. I just can't stay away...

Until things slow down and I have a minute to gather my thoughts, go ahead and comment to win something sweet.

Much Love...

oh and I will leave you with a picture, because I can't resist showing off my precious babies in their cute match-E, match-E pj's.

i always have an excuse

When I was off the weight loss band wagon...I decided to do a couple of food reviews. Both of which have given me stuff to giveaway, and I can't stand to not share.

Pillsbury now has refrigerated baked goodies for people like me that don't bake. ;) We tried both the Sweet Moments Molten Lava Brownies and the Bite-Size Brownies, which were layered with fudge, and wrapped in a chocolaty coating. My MIL liked the brownies the best, and I liked the Molten Lava best...but really we didn't have a problem sitting around eating chocolaty goodness.

What’s even sweeter is that you can now deliver special “Sweet Moments” to someone who you know could use an indulgent escape, by stopping by Pillsbury and Pillsbury’s Facebook page to send a special e-card with a coupon for $1.50 off one package of Pillsbury Sweet Moments Brownies. You’ll also receive another coupon for yourself. This is only good through October. I will also be giving away a prize pack. ;) Has anyone else noticed how the self serve yogurt places are popping up everywhere? TCBY asked my family to come try out their frozen yogurt, yovana yogurt, smoothies, and their completely radically cool drink machine. On a totally different note...I LOVE THE ORANGE COUCH they have. It is seriously such a cute enviroment, and conveniently located by the Fashion Place mall.

Who doesn't love a place where you get to control your own portions, and add all the toppings your little heart desires? I love it...all the chocolate yogurt and gummy bears I can handle.

I am giving away 5, $5 gift certificates.

Let the commenting begin.

TCBY has provided the gift certificates, and when the winners are selected through random.org they will send them out to the winners.

Pillsbury provided me with a prize pack for myself through My Blog Spark, as well as one for my reader.

a change.

This morning I woke up feeling like a different woman.

I can't explain it, but I had a pep in my step...some would say.

I fell off the weight loss band wagon, sigh.

Now I am back.

Please don't tell me I'm pathetic, I already know. I don't have self control.

We have family pictures November 13th, I would like to think I could lose a bit before then so I would actually like the result of said photo shoot.

I want to be a good example for my children.

I want to be a cute Mom.

I can't use the "I just had a baby excuse!"

I need to get active for my mental state of mind.

When I look at these two, I have motivation that I can do it...

Please sit back and enjoy the weight loss roller coaster with me.

reason 11

who can resist pumpkin chocolate chip bread...

reason 10

bowling alley starts to get busy.

reason 9

the baking begins.

pretend I didn't mention I was ever on a diet. ;)

reason 8

pumpkins randomly sitting everywhere.

an excuse with reason 7

October has lots of dates to celebrate. One of those days is my MIL's birthday. Her birthday present from us was a plane ticket to come take care of our kids...sweet of us huh!? I mean who doesn't want to spend their vacation time watching babies. ;) So these past days have consisted of 3 date nights with Paul, sleeping in, eating, and relaxing...and not much blogging or Facebook. It was truly lovely. Which brings me to reason 7...

I am going to make it a tradition my MIL comes to Utah for her birthday in October...making October that much better!

Thank you Mom for coming and playing oodles of Candyland, Guess Who?, and I Spy. Thank you for rocking Vin for hours, new toys and clothes, and watching our babies while we played til the wee hours of the morning.

reason 6

Snuggling under warm blankets.

reason 5

no one questions why I am wearing orange,

or cracks jokes about if I am going hunting.

reason 4

being able to enjoy a bike ride on a cool afternoon...

reason 3

a funky pedi is acceptable.

reason 2

LDS General Conference

31 things I {heart} about October.

Every day I am posting a picture of why I think October is the best month of the year.

Reason 1: Dressing this kid in funny shirts that say..."Daddy's Little Monster!"

happy breast cancer awareness month!

Just a random factoid...if you breastfeed it decreases your chance of getting breast cancer. Just another reason why I {heart} breastfeeding!