Monday, March 1, 2010

For Safety Purposes

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These beautiful smiling girls greet me every morning with giggles and hugs. And yes, they’re still wearing Christmas pjs. Why not? They still fit and they’re cute, comfy, and warm.

Mischief Monkey Masie has been climbing up everything. Here she is in Lyla’s crib. Masie climbed up and in while I was in the laundry room and Lyla was having her morning nap. Lyla is sitting up on her own and thinking seriously about crawling, so we lowered her crib mattress a bit. Masie can also climb into her own bed, but thank heaven, she hasn’t figured out how to climb out.

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Masie has also been climbing up into Miles’s loft bed. She can get up either by using the ladder or by climbing up the footboard. The problem is that she can easily get up, but she doesn’t yet know how to get down.

So we decided for safety’s sake, we had to lower Miles’s bed. Now he’s got a canopy bed with a fun hiding place underneath.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

Just a trim


Saturday, February 20, 2010

New Obsession

So my obsession lately has been this digital scrapbooking kit.

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It's beautiful and fun, and as you can see

has become my new background.

Go and download your own for free!

*Emrie

Monday, February 15, 2010

My Sweethearts

 Valentine's Day PrintValentine's Day2 Print FRAMED KIDS with Lollipops

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Valentine’s Getaway

I left my girls overnight for the first time last night to spend an uninterrupted night out with this hunky guy. I’ve been away from Miles before, but it’s been a long time. (Pictures aren’t the best b/c I was using my cell phone.)

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It was exactly what we needed. My mom, my brothers Hansan and Dallan, and my brother Richard and SIL Jena tag teamed as sitters, so our kids were greatly entertained and well taken care of.

We started the evening with dinner at the rotating restaurant atop the Hyatt called the Compass.

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We had as an appetizer the yummiest butternut squash soup with pumpkin seed oil and homemade marshmallows. It was like having dessert before our meal. I wish I had that recipe.IMG00093-20100212-1837

Before my main course arrived, our server brought a platter of beautiful and huge handled steak knives and asked which one I would prefer. Have to say that’s the first time I’ve been asked to choose a knife. I chose the one with the pretty pearl handle.

We went from the Hyatt across the street to Symphony Hall for Ballet Arizona’s performance of The Sleeping Beauty. This picture is from when we saw the Nutcracker back in December. We were hooked and decided to go again. The Phoenix Symphony played amazingly the works of Tchaikovsky.

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The ballet lasted till almost 11 which is late for us early birds. We both got pretty drowsy by Act III, but I caught a second wind during the last Act IV. The dancers were amazing.

From there, we crossed the street again and stayed the night at the Hyatt and slept in. The real reason I wanted to get away.

Thanks to my husband for a wonderful night away with amazing entertainment and fantastic company. Let’s do it again soon :)

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Reasons to Celebrate

Sometimes I feel like the luckiest girl…

1. Another excuse for the kids to go in the backyard and play.DSC_6237

2. Australia Day with this great familyDSC_6264DSC_6260DSC_6250

3. Which isn’t complete without Lara’s yummy Aussie food

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4. My little brother’s birthday

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5. String cheese!

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6. I’m not just celebrating Richard’s birth, but also his new job (just a few hours a month) as my office assistant! I am the luckiest girl. He’s going to be taking a huge load off my back. Thank you!

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7. Curls!

&

8. Uncles!

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Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Carting It

Today was the first time I went grocery shopping without my double stroller.

This is a huge deal.

Imagine mischief Masie in Target without a belt, leash, or arm around her. When I shop with all the kids, I plan to only buy enough things to fit in the bottom of the stroller. It has a large basket so it’s usually sufficient. This trip I didn’t have a choice.

I needed a shopping cart.

Lyla had to take the front of the cart with the buckle(where I covered it with the baby cover, so many germs, gross! That’s probably the real reason I haven’t used a cart in so long.) Masie and Miles were both riding in the back. Hold on! Once the cart got too full Miles had to walk. He was ok with it after a few minutes.

We made it through an hour of shopping.

Masie only opened one container of baby food (carrots) and made vampire teeth impressions through the top of one yogurt. She got hold of the eggs, but I was able to rescue them.

I was sure the experience would scar me, but I’m feeling empowered and may try it again. In a few weeks.

Pony-time

   Hair

We all love and adore Masie beautiful curls. But the time has come when they’re getting in the way of some of her activities.

Mostly swimming.

She ends up with an eyeful of tresses every time she comes out of the water. So, yesterday I pulled her hair into its first ponytail.

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Miles thought it was hilarious.

“Masie is SO cute, Mom!”

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After naptime I decided to try again.

She went with the half-pony to swim lessons. I need more training and I’m sure I’ll get it with my 2 girls and the different textures of their hair.

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Yesterday was Australia Day.

Luke and Miles wouldn’t leave the house without showing off their Aussie pride.

Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!!

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Not to be left out.

Lyla so very happy and beautiful on Sunday.

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Love it!

Sunday, January 24, 2010

Playing Around

It’s been a while since I told you how much fun we have at our house. Lately, (well, since Lyla’s arrival) we’ve been home-bodies. It’s easier for me and more fun for the kids to entertain them at home or at the parks around our home.

I am always grateful when Luke is home to help play with kids. Both Masie and Miles took hard spills at the park last week, it really scared me. I’m realizing doing the park on my own isn’t safe right now because I can’t keep track of my three young kids. We’ve just bought a fun climbing playhouse for our backyard that isn’t as tall as the parks play area. It will make me feel much better knowing that Masie won’t be able to climb so high, so falls won’t be as dangerous. Can’t wait for our new toy to arrive in the mail!

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Masie and Miles love the tramp we got a few months ago. I didn’t want a tramp yet because I thought our kids were still too young. Well, the toy kind of fell into our hands when I pool customer of ours couldn’t pay their past due balance. They asked if we could trade their brand new trampoline for the amount they owed. It was a great exchange.

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Lyla can’t jump yet, but it won’t be long. She gets to swing in our porch swing while the older two jump. She loves it!

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What child doesn’t love bath time?!? Our kids love to play and usually stay in the water until it gets so cold I call it quits.

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Miles and Masie have a thing with aprons right now. Miles likes to wear mine, and Masie likes to wear Miles’s Home Depot apron. In the picture she also added a bib :)

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An empty box… better than any toy you could pay for.

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Lyla is starting to like the big kid toys. Masie is loving playing dress up with bracelets and necklaces and shoes and hats and skirts… Miles continues to love to read, but he’s also moved on to computer games. He knows the proper way to start up the computer, open the internet, type in www.pbskids.org, get to the games he wants, exit all programs when he’s done, and shut down the computer.

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We also love our food. Masie loves breakfast and will gobble down half a banana, a whole wheat waffle with jam, a little bit of cereal, and still want two scrambled or fried eggs.

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Miles’s new obsession is popcorn. Traditionally in my family, we all love popcorn and we would eat it almost every night. My dad would pop it and add plenty of butter and salt. I haven’t done a great jump of continuing on the popcorn tradition, but it has been Miles to get me addicted again. Most nights he has the dining room chair pulled up to the microwave and has chosen his bag and gotten out his bowl before asking, “Mom, can we have popcorn tonight?”

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Love it!

Friday, January 22, 2010

Sunday Shoot

I just think my kids are gorgeous.

Especially dressed for church on Sundays.

Sunday in January Print

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Digiscrapping

I love to play with my pictures in Photoshop.

I wish I had more time to do it. I’m so far behind with my scrapbooking.

Here are some pages that I made using the lasso tool.

Fun stuff!

All of the backgrounds on the pages are also photos from our Christmas decor.

Christmas 2009 Miles PrintChristmas 2009 Masie Print  Christmas 2009 Lyla Print