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

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Merry Christmas!

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Wednesday, December 23, 2009

A Few Videos of Our Cute Kids

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Eternal Family

We made it to the Mesa Temple on Saturday to have Lyla sealed to us for time and all eternity. It was a beautiful ceremony and I was happy to have several of my family members there to attend. Then Sunday Luke blessed Lyla in church…

so many family photos this month!

We feel so fortunate to know that we will be a family forever.

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Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Reading at 3

Miles can read, or he’s fairly sure he can.

He likes to spell out the word for me before he says it.

“H” “U” “G” “G” “I” “E” “S”

and then he yells out, “WIPIES!”

or

“P” “H” “I” “L” “L” “I” “P” “S”

and yells, “LIGHTS!”

but my favorite is

 

“x” “h” “i” “l” “a” “r” “a” “t” “i” “o” “n”

and he calls out,

 “SHOES!”

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Finalization

Officially Lyla is a member of our crew!

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We finalized Lyla’s adoption in Judge Peuler’s cambers on Friday.

It went so smoothly. We are so very blessed.

We were lucky to get help with the kids from the judge, our attorney, and our agency’s representative. Lyla sat back in her stroller (a new side-by-side purchased just for this trip) and watched the proceedings. She was an angel. Miles was very much the little gentleman, and I only had to remind him 5 times to “shhh” while we answered all the questions. Masie was trouble… And nearly swallowed our representative’s beaded bracelet.

We gladly, gratefully, and teary-eyed agreed to take on all responsibility of Lyla’s future.

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We spent the rest of our time in Park City relaxing and playing. (I know you’re all laughing at me. You really can relax with 3 kids… during naptime.) It was so cold. Friday morning was 7 degrees. It was too cold for the girls to be outside for longer than half an hour, but the boys went out and played for a couple hours each morning. Not enough snow to ski but just enough for a little sledding.

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And my brother Taylor came to hang out with us. Love him!

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