The Galyan Gang

My new dress

2012-01-09T09:09:00.000-08:00

I might have just bought this dress just because of the name. There is a whole south pacific line and I seriously felt homesick just looking at all the pictures of the beaches and north short. Hawaii will always hold a very special place in my heart. Do you think I could go barefoot to church? She looks so cute like that.

Aloha from Shabby Apple.

After I bought the dress (a birthday gift) Shabby Apple sent me a link that said if I give my friends a link to shabby apple they will give my friends 15% off and me $20 gc. So just in case you want a new dress and want 15% off HERE YOU GO FROM SHABBY APPLE.

New Years Eve

2011-12-31T23:35:00.000-08:00

The Holladays hosted a great new years eve party at their house this year. We ate very good food and treats and played games and watched the ball drop. My favorite thing to do is play games … I think I need to start a monthly game night or something … once a year isn’t enough! I brought my camera but realized as I was grabbing my bag to leave that we didn’t take one picture of the night. So here is just 3 out of the 12 that were there. ;)

This is the problem with asking tired husbands to take a picture. We were all looking in different directions at different cameras. Not one good one!

Christmas Day

2011-12-27T12:57:00.000-08:00

Christmas morning was fun. We opened Santa gifts and did a little ear piercing (pic of Andee holding her dolls hand during said surgery), we ate our traditional waffle sticks breakfast and then headed to church. After church we opened the rest of the gifts and got ready for Christmas lunch at our house. We played with toys and just enjoyed being together. So lucky to have my mom here with us from Utah and my niece Ryanne. We finished the day with a Galyan gift exchange at the Sr’s home – fun fun day. I want to be ready for Christmas before Thanksgiving this year … do you think that will ever be possible?!?! I would love less stress to enjoy the holiday better and remember the real reason for this season!

Christmas Eve in Visalia

2011-12-26T12:51:00.000-08:00

Such a fun day. As per tradition we had Chinese food for lunch (that was seriously amazing!) and then this year we went to Aunt Pats house to open presents. Its fun now that the kids are getting older that they are actually remembering their cousins and enjoying playing together. Bella fits in between Lucy and Andee and Jack is between Andee and Cody in age but they both take the height of their Dad and tower over the Galyan kids. They all have so much fun together. After all the presents we eat Aunt Peggy’s famous apple dumplings. (My favorite part!) The kids played a little longer and then we took off to see if we could see Rudolph's nose in the sky while we made the drive home.

Thank you so much Aunt Pat and Peggy for planning such a fun day and for all the toys!!!

Our Family Pictures

2011-12-25T21:30:00.000-08:00

Picture above is a result of the ducks … he loved those things!

Bo loves the above pictures because he said it looks like Cody is doing a “what's up, look at me with all the ladies!”

Love the picture of the three sisters.

And this picture as the grand finale … the ONLY picture of just Neil and I.

Pictures by photographer Stephanie Stepp. She just graduated from photography school in Ventura and you can find her on Facebook. We love her and are so grateful she made the drive to shoot our family. She did a great job!

Merry Christmas 2011

2011-12-24T09:51:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas Friends and Family

So what's been happening?

Gracie … is LOVING first grade, her new teacher and her new school. She has made good friends and enjoys reading, writing and especially drawing. She attempted soccer again this year but now tells us that “soccer just isn’t my thing”. She now is thinking that maybe gymnastics, singing or piano will be her next adventure. She is my biggest helper – loves to take care of a crying child or help me with dinner. We love this little 7 year old. Don’t worry she still has her sass and drama.

Lucy … is loving Kindergarten as well. She is a very creative thinker and speller. Her teacher loves it. She is loved by everyone in her class and her older sisters class. She also tried soccer this year and decided she liked the sport but not the competition. She loves to sit and read and I often find her alone looking through textbooks or drawing and writing stories. She has a very fun personality. You think she is sweet and angelic but don't turn your back … she likes to get people riled up and knows exactly what buttons to push to keep her siblings watching their backs. She always has her Dad laughing!

Andee … is exactly what a typical three year old is. ALWAYS asking “why” and very independent! She started preschool this year but by the end of October I decided to keep her home with me. She did like school but likes to be home with me just as much. I love having the time to be just her and I while Cody naps during the day. She is very adventurous and isn’t afraid of anything. Our climber and jumper and acrobat. We love her free spirit and curly hair!

Cody … 18 months old and ALL BOY! Its crazy how different he is compared to his sisters. He loves all balls and trucks and animals. He likes to be with his sisters and when they are playing dress up he jumps right in but instead of wearing heels for being pretty he puts them on and goes straight to the tile to see how much noise he can make as he stomps and stomps and stomps. He is a blast and I am trying as hard as I can to keep him my baby but he just keeps growing. We love having a boy.

Neil is keeping very busy at work home and church. He is serving as the gospel doctrine teacher and the stake financial clerk. He is continually working on projects at home (so grateful for his handyman-ness!) and being the best dad ever. Neil continues to love surfing more than anything else and did get quite a few chances to surf this year anytime a good swell came in. He is the best husband ever.

ME? Don’t know … can’t remember. Feels weird to not be announcing that we have another baby coming. I am good. Happy – VERY happy and loving life. Loving being a mother. Loving serving the young women at church. Loving Neil. Life is good.

We love and miss you all!!!

The Galyan’s

I guess Cody just added to my Christmas list …

2011-12-20T20:42:00.001-08:00

…Now I need some new makeup! Thanks Cody … you little turd!

What’s going on?

2011-12-19T08:34:00.001-08:00

It is cold outside … which has brought the colds inside. Neil and I figured out that we have already spent about $500 on copays this season. I have been back and forth to the Dr’s taking one after another. I even went to the Dr with a bad ear infection – I hate going to the Dr. Its been real I tell ya. We all have had it and still not everyone is well. We are all just kind of hanging in there. So the lack of pictures and post is just a result of sick kids. Hopefully we can all get over it so we can enjoy Christmas … IN 6 DAYS!!! ahhh!!!!

Our new favorite drink …

2011-12-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

“Green'” smoothie

4-5 frozen strawberries

1/2 cup frozen berries

1/4 cup frozen blueberries

1 banana

1/4 cup plain yogurt

2 T honey

protein powder (optional – sometimes we do it sometimes we don’t)

vanilla (I use a pump of sugar free vanilla syrup because my vanilla is the real loaded (vodka) kind!)

big ol’ handful of fresh spinach

and milk, juice or water to mix to your desired consistency.

Neil and I have been having these for breakfast every morning for the past week. I LOVE them. I seriously crave them. My kids love them too. And they are super good for you so I just keep making them. When else would they eat a full serving of fruit and veggies with no sugar or dressing to disguise it?

Picking out the tree …

2011-12-03T12:15:00.001-08:00

We took our annual trip to the home depot to pick out our Christmas tree (still mad at Target for getting rid of their garden shop!) though a Christmas tree farm sounds way more romantic and fun. Quick and close to home so that’s good. ;) If we showed them a tree they loved it … everyone the same. I on the other hand am a little more choosey! We got a good one though. ;)

Maybe the next post will have it all decorated!

My sweet Young Women …

2011-11-30T12:06:00.000-08:00

Not that I would ever volunteer to be the young womens president but I do love these girls and I love love love the people I get to work with. I am always learning … both from the girls and the other leaders … and for that I am very grateful. Tomorrow I am teaching and the lesson is about “Our purpose” it has caused me to reflect a lot about life and the choices we make and why. I hope that I can help these girls know how much our Father in Heaven loves them and how important they are … how the choices we make affect more than just ourselves … and what a difference they can make in so many lives!

Setting up the lights …

2011-11-26T12:10:00.000-08:00

Teaching his son very young how to help put up the lights! Yikes! ;)

That boy has no fear!

Thanksgiving …

2011-11-25T11:39:00.000-08:00

We had such a fun and crazy and delicious Thanksgiving this year.

In attendance were the Bryd family, Bo, Mimi and Dale, Neil Sr and Gaye and of course us! That 19 balls of fun!

On the menu: Turkey (Neil Sr smoked it and it was the most delicious turkey that ever was cooked!) Ham, mashed potatoes, funeral potatoes, gravy, lion house rolls (wish I hadn’t ever tried that recipe … I am going to be a blimp by Christmas because I can’t stop making them) homemade cranberry sauce, relish tray, raspberry jello casserole, stuffing, green beans, deviled eggs, yams (used my Grandmas recipe – calls for equal parts yams and apple pie filling – yum!) and banana cream, pumpkin and cherry cheese cakes for pies (thank you Mimi!). We were supposed to have creamed corn bread casserole thing but I forgot to make it. It was fine though because as you could see we had plenty of food!

I do love this time of year but wonder what the heck we do it all for? We spend tons of time and money to make this huge meal … then stuff ourselves until our bellies hurt … then have to clean it all up. Then I remember that it brings families together, helps us reflect on the things we are thankful for, and prepares our hearts for Christmas. I love the holidays!

Real life …

2011-11-17T11:36:00.001-08:00

This morning I was cleaning off the table and when I looked up at the kids I had to laugh because this little back shot of the kids is so real to personality right now. Gracie always has to be first and so that is why she is sitting where she is. She also thinks she is a princess so must sit in comfort – hence the pillow pet under bum. Lucy doesn’t really care she just wants to eat. Andee is naked with crazy hair (totally her personality) but wants to be so much like her older sisters that she has the same cereal as one and gets a blanket to sit on like the other. And Cody just wants to be doing what the girls are doing so he pushed a chair in between them so he could eat with them.

Gotta love how different they all are!!!

Side note …this morning everything was wrong in the world when it came time to get ready for school. I was getting upset and started threatening beatings if they wouldn’t behave. When 3 of them were crying for various reasons (none of them beaten …yet) I decided that was it. I just became totally over the top excited about everything. If one would complain about the way I did their hair I hugged them and thanked them for thanking me for doing their hair and told me how happy I was that they appreciated what I did. When one started crying because the other took the bow that they wanted … I jumped up and down for joy that one of my kids was so happy they were crying. You get the point … I reacted opposite of what was going on … boy were they confused. They were crying with a smile. I seriously started cracking up about it. It was awesome. It finally did work. They all started laughing and forgot about how awful their lives were. I am sure they left for school this morning thinking their mother had lost it.

Warming up our toes

2011-11-14T11:21:00.000-08:00

On Monday night the kids wanted to have FHE by the fire. The girls were warming up their toes and Cody went over to join them. I totally cracked up. He has no idea what they are doing – he just knows it must be fun if its what everyone else is doing. Hope that doesn’t continue with everything in life!

Painting the house numbers

2011-11-12T11:16:00.000-08:00

eleven eleven eleven at eleven eleven

2011-11-11T12:02:00.001-08:00

Today we had big plans to go to up to the church for the annual flag raising ceremony/tribute to vets complete with 2 trumpets playing patriotic songs (my favorite part) and donuts (the kids favorite part) and then later in the morning to go to the veterans parade down town so we could pay our respect and tribute to the veterans … well that all fell out the window when the flu bug showed its head about midnight last night. Three of the four are hovering the toilets. Fun times. Not really.

So yesterday when I was thinking about our fun day I planned to take a picture on this 11/11/11 at 11:11am and I imagined four little kiddos sitting in patriotic clothes on the curb on the sidelines of the parade … but instead you get this … because that’s what they are all doing. Toilet bed toilet bed. Me? Laundry. ;)

I do want to give a big ol’ shout out to the veterans though. I am so very grateful for our military and the freedoms we have because of them. My father and father in law and both my grandfathers served in the military. I am so thankful for this wonderful land that we live in. God bless America – land that I LOVE!!!

Turkey nails

2011-11-09T11:48:00.000-08:00

Have I ever talked about my desire to be a cosmetologist? Its true I really would love to go to beauty school. Maybe I will someday. Who knows. For now I get lots of practice with the kiddos. Today turkey nails. Head on middle and the rest are feathers. The girls really got a kick out of it. ;)

Times three ;)

back dating posts

2011-11-05T14:45:00.001-07:00

I have been posting to catch up and back dating my posts so click on the titles to read my new posts.
The old mans retirement party
Labor day camping
Helping Dad
Shoe Envy
Halloween 2011
Lucys Award
Gracies true feelings about soccer
Gracie and Lucy soccer update

Gracies true feelings about soccer …

2011-11-05T13:47:00.001-07:00

Found some more pictures that I couldn’t leave out … the way she really feels.

But she whistles a different tune if she gets to spray her hair a different color. Boy was she happy after this.

And here is her very handsome (tough) coach.

Shoe Envy

2011-11-04T14:06:00.000-07:00

Is it bad to be jealous of my kids shoes?

Our Halloween–3 little pigs and the BIG BAD wolf

2011-10-31T13:41:00.000-07:00

Those first two were taken Friday night at our ward trunk or treat. I was Mary Poppins – well attempted to be. ;)

Cody loved being the big bad wolf. The girls would shrill and run away when he put his hat on and he loved that. If you asked him what a wolf would say he would howl – it wasn’t too big and bad though … it was very high pitched. ;)

The kids were so excited and would not sit still! I could not get one good picture so here is the real deal for you. The first night we painted noses on but that turned out to be itchy and so Halloween night we tried markers. The markers stayed on a bit better but also made them all look like they had a cold for a few days. ;)

Two minutes after this picture was taken, Andee threw up. She spent the day doing that. Fun times. ;) We did end up going to the Holladay party for a little bit though. It was very fun … good food, good people, good trick or treating … good night.

Another year of soccer

2011-10-29T13:23:00.000-07:00

Gracie and Lucy both played soccer this year. We have no idea why we signed Gracie up again - she promised that she really wanted to play this year. Well turns out she didn’t. We forced her to finish the year but announced at the awards/party thing that she is now retiring. Everyone was bummed that Neil wouldn’t be coaching next year. No action shots because she really didn’t have much. She would get out of the way when the ball came towards her and picked a bunch of flowers. Everyone would cheer like the dickens if she actually ran toward the crowd or did a throw in. :) It was funny and frustrating. ;)

Neil was the best coach. The girls on the team absolutely loved him and he made soccer so much fun. The warm ups were the most fun before the games. He would blow his whistle and drill them military style. All the parents would crack up and the girls had a blast.

Lucy played this year for the first time. We thought for sure that she would be our soccer star. Well she wasn’t. With the under5 team they wouldn’t practice during the week, they would just come Saturdays to the park and practice first and then do a little scrimmage. She started great. Did great during the practice and then when the game started she took off with the ball and scored the first goal. She was so excited. Then the next kick off the other team got the ball and she got frustrated and pretty much quit from there. She did less than Gracie … she would lay down during the games. ;( We also made her finish the season. Sort-of.

Needless to say we will not be signing anyone up for soccer next year. Although it breaks Neils and I heart because we absolutely loved the game. Oh well. You win some you lose some. ;) We are holding out for Andee and Cody still.

(I am ashamed to admit that I don’t have one picture of Lucy playing soccer or in her uniform. Hopefully the team pics will come soon and I can post it then.)

He loves me …

2011-10-28T15:58:00.001-07:00

Today I left my kitchen a MAJOR disaster. Like MAJOR! I had a date with Mimi and wasn’t looking forward to coming home to clean it and get ready for our ward Halloween party. Well when I got home this is what I found …

(Yep that’s even dinner in the crock pot!) He loves me!!!

Lucy's first award at school

2011-10-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

Lucy casually came home from school and told me that the principle came into her class and gave her a trophy and award today at school. She said she got it for being the best writer in her class. ;) She was very excited. When I asked about the trophy she said she keeps it on her desk for a week and then next week someone else gets an award for something else. I thought that was a very cute tradition!

The same day I got a text from another mom in Gracies class and she told me Gracie got a 100% on her fall benchmark. Apparently her daughter did as well and told her mom right away. Gracie didn’t tell me anything about it until I asked! Wonder what else happens at school that I don’t know about?

Lucy and her color time …

2011-10-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

All Lucy ever wants to do is color. And write. First thing she does in the morning, after school, before dinner, after dinner, before bed … she is always coloring. So when Cody and Andee were napping and I asked Lucy what she wanted to do with just her and I, her answer was of course color! I drew while she drew but then when she saw that I wasn’t using colors she quickly took care of that for me. ;) It is so much fun to watch these kids turn into who they are.

Love the late start days ….

2011-10-20T09:47:00.001-07:00

… because you have time to make breakfast like this! (Once a month the schools start 2 hours later … at first it was hard but I am now loving it!)

Crazy or protective?

2011-10-18T09:44:00.000-07:00

Getting a back ground check from a fellow bus driver, looking the bus drivers in the eye, telling them that you have a child on that bus, following the bus on the full route watching the kids get off and looking at their parents too, making sure they are driving safe and kids are behaving on the bus … I might be crazy but I just love those kids so much that I HAVE to protect them.

And what did I decide? Both will ride the bus in the morning … its just the two of them and they go straight to school. Lucy will ride home but Gracie will be picked up by me. ;) 4:10 is just too late to be getting home from school and the kids on the bus were crazy …moving seats, hanging out the windows … and the neighborhoods were very rough. They are just too little … I need them home safe with me. ;)

Halloween at our house

2011-10-17T17:23:00.000-07:00

I don’t have tons of storage space at my house (maybe because I have so many kids?) so I don’t have very many Halloween decorations … I love them but where would I keep them the 11 other months of the year? This year I had a brilliant idea though … how about make things I already have be Halloween! Here is my first attempt. The girls got a total kick out of it!

Marker on the glass! I guess I still do have a little bit of crafty in me even though I never get to show it anymore!

Beach break …

2011-10-16T21:43:00.001-07:00

We had a little mini vacation with our good friends the Holladays. Its was everything I love so it really was perfect … lots of good food, shopping, walking hand in hand with my man, antique stores, little bit of beach (would have liked a little more of that), cupcakes, The Palms (where Stephanie Holladay ordered a STEAK!!! I could not believe it! In our 2+ years of friendship I have never ever seen her eat red meat. And we have eaten together millions of times!) and good company. It was great. Really great.

…just a side note … I am not a big shopper – meaning I don’t ever buy a lot of stuff but I LOVE to “shop” without kids. It is so great to be able to look and browse and not worry about the mischief my kids are getting into. I love to look at window displays and check out all the stores. I don’t want lots of stuff – just want the chance to look every once in a while. :)

…and p.s. no I am not making a pregnant announcement – I guess my body just likes looking that way. :/

Play dates at the park

2011-10-11T21:21:00.000-07:00

I have a VERY special friend from Russia. She is my YW secretary. I LOVE her. She is very affectionate and because my mother and sisters are so affectionate she just feels like home to me. And because my sisters and mother are so far away, it fills a void to have Yana in my life. She has one son and he is almost exact same age as Cody. We are hoping that Darian and Cody are best buds growing up so we try to get these two little guys together as often as we can. ;)

So here are some pictures from our outing at the park one day … Yana is so very good at remembering to bring her camera … and it was fun to actually have some proof that I indeed exist and interact with my children.

Boys!!!

2011-10-10T18:55:00.001-07:00

Boys are SO different than girls!!! But … I do LOVE IT!!!

Helping Dad

2011-10-08T14:43:00.000-07:00

I have spent the last half hour trying to find the picture I have of Gracie in this exact position in diapers helping Neil plant the back with winter grass … but can’t find it. There is something that is so much fun about pushing that dropper. ;)

The Bathroom is Finished!

2011-10-06T21:47:00.001-07:00

We’ve been working on the bathroom for quite a while now. When we moved in it needed a lot of work. It had all kinds of issues. We ended up taking out a pocket door, replacing all of the plumbing (from galvanized to copper), put in a new tub, tile, fixtures and window. Here are some before and after shots.

Before with the pocket door.

Demo help from the Elders (Whimpy & Alphin)

Down to the studs.

Finished!

The girls (and boy) are super happy to finally be able to take a bath again! Justin helped tons too. Thanks Justin.

1st Day of school … take two!

2011-10-04T21:45:00.001-07:00

No its not a super late post. It’s a current one.

It’s a big ol fat story about a little girl who was struggling in 2nd grade, parents who were very concerned and prayed a lot and made a decision based on what was best for the child, millions of school admins and district people who kept saying no, a mama bear finding her voice and a papa bear stepping in to support, a new test, and FINALLY a YES … which meant moving to a new school and new grades. So here is Lucy's first day of Kindergarten at her new school and Gracie’s first day of FIRST grade at her new school. Both very happy girls and super excited to be wearing uniforms!!! ;)

They both got very good teachers. Lucy got the musical one and Gracie got the one that was also teaching the only other kid we know in the entire school!

Guess what? The SQUEAKY wheel gets the grease! And God answers prayers!!!

And finally … (as if this were a Grammy speech) … I would like to thank the many people who helped me these past couple of weeks. I know lots of prayers were said, lots of advice and encouragement was given and lots of support and love was felt. Thank you so much!!! (You know who you are!)

Love me some conference weekend!

2011-10-02T21:28:00.000-07:00

I love love love conference weekend. Lots of family time. Lots of spiritual time. Lots of good food. And this time it was lots of walks in the wagon before between and after the sessions. I love my little family!

“Gracie’s Girls” Night Out

2011-09-24T21:19:00.000-07:00

This picture cracks me up because the nice lady is trying to talk to Gracie but she doesn’t understand her so she keeps asking her “huh?” … ;)

The whole night was seriously a blast. These are all Gracie's besties but all the girls only knew Gracie … you would have never guessed it 5 minutes into the fun – they all acted like they had known each other for years. It was SO CUTE! Lots of holding hands and giggling and hand clappy games.

Gracie’s Birthday

2011-09-22T21:48:00.001-07:00

Its been pretty exciting at our house lately. A certain little someone had a big fat birthday. If you don’t know who it is … just come by – she will tell you who!

Gracie was so excited to turn seven! The second she woke up she was all grins and wanted praise and congratulations. I loved it.

Breakfast of choice this year: Eggs, bacon and toast.

Morning photo shoot …

Her first choice for birthday dinner was a McDonalds happy meal. We convinced her that a happy meal would be better for lunch. We would bring it to school even! She loved that idea!

I am not ashamed to admit that this is her first ever happy meal. (What? I’m thrifty!)

Dinner was Chinese food. She loves her some pan fried noodles!

And for dessert … mini cupcakes. (My new favorite thing!)

Seven for my seven year old:

1. She is my companion. Almost the entire time she is home she is within arms reach to me. If I am cooking in the kitchen, she is drawing on the counter. If I am doing something on the computer, she is playing with a toy on the floor next to me. If I am outside, so is she. She loves to be home because that is where I am. Honestly I think I made her that way by dragging her with me every step I took when she was a baby … but even more honestly, I don’t regret it!

2. She loves loves loves to draw and is very good at it. Her clothes and accessories are always drawn with tons of detail. Her writing always has swirls and tails and the dots on I’s are hearts. The girls always have tons of makeup and fancy clothes. The houses almost always have ruffled curtains and pictures on the outside walls.

3. She is all things girly! Her favorite gift this year was a three pack of little girl sport bras. (more like half camisoles) She honestly didn’t care about anything else once she saw those. It cracks Neil and I up.

4. Her most favorite thing in the world is one on one time. She loves it with any adult but knows that Grandma is usually the easiest so has it pretty often with her. She loves to be at Grandpa and Grandmas house by herself and to spend the night there is heaven. (And from what she tells me about what her nights are like there … I think I want to spend the night too! From foot rubs to back massages to 20 books read and laying with her until she is asleep … sounds pretty good to me too!)

5. Her favorite girl friends are Kaela (known since infants) Bella (from Pre-K) and Elyse (whom she gets to see the most often because their mothers are such good friends). They are who she invited to the “Gracie’s Girls” night out happening this Friday night! She is so excited!!!

6. Something quirky about this girl … she has to get dressed the second she wakes up. She did not get this from me! She gets dresses all the way to her shoes with a bow in her hair. (Lucy on the other hand would never get dressed if we didn’t force her.)

7. She is very kind. Like when her Dad is working in the yard or on the house she will always bring him an ice water without ever being asked. She likes to make my bed before me to surprise me. And loves to help Andee or Cody if they are upset.

We love this little girl so much! I feel blessed that Heavenly Father sent us this sweet little spirit. We love you Gracie Mae!

Oh my goodness I have puppy fever!!!

2011-09-18T19:43:00.001-07:00

And I really was going to get one but didn’t speak fast enough! 9 puppies gone in one day!!! Now I am regretting it but it must not have been meant to be. Bummer! I thought that it might cure my baby hunger. What do you think?

I probably shouldn’t have already come up with a name! ;)

Constitution 101

2011-09-14T23:20:00.001-07:00

Tomorrow morning (Sept 15th) Hillsdale College is starting a free online course about the constitution. It’s a six week class and you can watch the whole thing online (once you register).

A friend and I were just talking about starting a group and learning about the Constitution but then we found this and we are so excited! It starts tomorrow and its FREE. What is your constitution IQ? Will you join me???

Here is the link if you want to sign up: http://constitution.hillsdale.edu/

First Day of Preschool

2011-09-07T10:34:00.000-07:00

We had one excited 3 year old today! Andee had to wear her hello kitty shirt just like her sisters did on their first day of school. ;) Can't wait to pick her up to find out how she did and what she thought.
We didn't put Gracie and Lucy into preschool until the year before Kinder but because Andee was speech delayed they encouraged me to put her into a preschool with other 3 year olds that talk well so that she could learn from them. A couple months after we had her speech evaluation she found her words. ;) Oh well.

Labor Day weekend camping

2011-09-06T14:27:00.000-07:00

While at girls camp, Stephanie and I decided that we needed to bring our families with us to big meadow. We decided labor day weekend would be perfect. So we loaded up the two cars and the truck and headed up the mountain. We got there a little later than planned so ended up setting up by headlight. All turned out perfect though.

I love to camp. Love the outdoors, all the uninterrupted family time and being “unplugged” but the nights kill me. Its so cold and long. But the days make it worth it because we make so many fun memories.

First camping ouwee … and the little guy who helped her get it. ;)

Cody loved the cows.

Love the dirt mustache. And love that we brought the swing camping.

While we were packing up to leave we gave the kids a bucket and had them walk back and forth from the faucet to the fire pit to put it out. It kept them busy for at least an hour. It was brilliant.

This is the big area where the girls all meet at camp for devotionals and roll call … hopefully we can compare this to a similar picture in a few years when they are at girls camp together. :)

The kids weren’t too sure about the portable potties when we got there but they did love the signs, memorized them and demanded a picture of them before we left.

Could be a very fun tradition. ;)

Speghetti Sauce

2011-08-30T22:07:00.000-07:00

Not bad for a first timer huh? 48 tomatoes and 5 hours in the kitchen ... it was delicious. More to come ...

Crazy idea? What do you think?

2011-08-23T05:44:00.000-07:00

Their room has white walls … its almost painful for me… I need some color and stuff on the walls! Wouldn’t this be totally fun but also very functional?

First day of School

2011-08-22T20:17:00.001-07:00

Well the “back to school fairy” came again and did not disappoint. All three girls woke up super excited to see their clothes laid out for them and presents for school. (Neil bought them all hello Kitty shirts for the first day as a surprise and boy were they happy!)

Lucy … super excited about Kindergarten!

Andee showing Gracie how to just smile at the camera … she is in this super photogenic stage – where Gracie on the other hand is acting like a spaz and won’t let me take a decent shot. ;)

Gracie … the big second grader.

On the way to school.

Both were draggin until I finally took their backpacks from them and then they grabbed hands and ran!

It was crazy … Lucy was super excited all morning but once we got into the class she was totally nervous and wouldn’t take and definitely wouldn’t smile. (p.s. I hate to leave the class when they are all scared and sad!)

Gracie wasn’t excited 2nd grade. She was very nervous and tried to hide behind my leg when the teacher invited her to sit down. I snuck this picture on the way out … she doesn’t look very happy does she?

After school Gracie told me that she cried a little bit because she didn’t want me to leave but then after a while she was fine. She doesn’t think she will be nervous tomorrow.

Lucy said that Kindergarten was fun but also a little boring. :) She says she doesn’t have a friend yet but there is one boy in her class named Bark. ;)

First day of school but last day of the Melansons! :( We have had so much fun playing with them for the last two weeks, it was very hard to see them go. Kate and Andee are quite a pair and Allie & Gracie and Luke & Lucy played so well together too. Why does our family have to live so far away?!?!? We really miss them already.

Happy Haircuts …

2011-08-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

Brilliant idea to set the kid in a mud puddle while you give him a haircut.

Not brilliant for the Dad to start the lawn mower mid cut. :)

Out came the clippers!

As you can see … he likes it!

The old mans retirement party

2011-08-19T14:58:00.000-07:00

I very affectionately call my father-in-law “old man”. He likes it and I like to tease him. He recently retired from the rail road and I had to throw him a party … and I knew he wouldn’t want it so I made it surprise. He and his buddies meet for lunch everyday at Wendy's so I sent them all an invite and decorated pajama theme. (The reason for the pajama theme is because now the old man never gets out of his pajamas!)

He was clueless and didn’t get it for the longest time. His friends were clapping and hooting and hollering at him but he never got it – they tease each other so much that there behavior was just natural I guess. We finally had to tell him and make him look up at the balloons. ;) We sure do love that guy and we are glad that he is now home more to play with us!

Galyan Family Reunion … Carpinteria, CA

2011-08-16T22:29:00.000-07:00

I was going to break it down by day but with over 1300 photos taken in 5 days … I think I will just give you the highlights and print an entire book for my family. :)

2011 Highlights

Basically everyday went like this:

Neil gets up at 530 to surf and takes his Dad along (to save him just in case he gets a cramp or something) and Michael went with them one morning too to give surfing a shot too.

The rest of us get out of bed at various times and eat breakfast.

As soon as the guys get home they pack the truck with all the beach guys and head over to the beach to set up.

The Moms get the kids in suits and sunscreen and pack up lunch.

Moms and kids load up and head to the beach.

Arrive to perfect set-up.

Play hard until about 4.

Moms pack up kids and head home to get them showered and start dinner.

Guys load up all the beach stuff and head home.

Guys “shower” in the hot tub while dinner is cooking.

We all eat, play some games, watch some movies.

Bed.

Start over.

(So apparently I uploaded too many pictures and it forced me to do an album … okay so 61 pictures is alot! ... click view slide show ... enjoy!)

Carpinteria

VIEW SLIDE SHOW

DOWNLOAD ALL

The Melansons and Sr’s left on Friday … our family stayed on a couple more days. Post to come! ;)

Flower

2011-08-15T22:25:00.001-07:00

Neil took this picture on our trip to Carpinteria. He is pretty proud of it. Click on it to see it clearer.

A Good Day

2011-08-06T16:24:00.001-07:00

Today was a perfect Saturday. The kids and I had finished all the laundry, cleaned the house from top to bottom and had done all of the grocery shopping Friday so today was less busy than most weekends. (Pictures of the kids and I cleaning the floors – funny story … I handed all the girls a mop rag and grabbed one myself and we all started scrubbing … you would not believe the fit that Cody had when he realized he had been left out! I thought he would be happy just watching but he turned out to be quite the little helper!)

Today started with cleaning the church and then doing all the outside work at our house. Neil did the lawns while I took out the squash and watermelon. It was tons of work. Tons. Now we are just left with tomatoes and one jalapeno plant. It looks so much better up there without the squash and watermelon taking over the entire garden. We had no idea we had so many watermelon hiding up there!

After we all got cleaned up we went out to lunch and then shopping for treats for when Kim's family gets here. Now I am posting this while the kids rest, Neil is finishing his lesson for tomorrow and then we will have a family movie night. I love days like this! We served, we got stuff done, we were together as a family…Life is good.

Little Lucy is FIVE!!!

2011-08-02T22:48:00.001-07:00

This girl is one sweet thing! This is basically our day through pictures. Birthday breakfast and gifts. Photo shoot with Mom (she liked to shout happy birthday while I was trying to take pictures – which makes for some funny faces!). Shopping for a birthday outfit … started out at target but ended up buying cute dress and jammies at costco. Went to airport to see an amazing young man off on his mission to Mexico. Lunch at chick fil a with Mimi and Dale (not pictured). Picking out fish for new tank at Pets Mart (2 glow lites, one Dalmatian molly, and Sebastian the crab!). Play date with Pollock girls (not pictured). Dinner of “chicken bones” with Mimi, the Sr’s, Uncle Bo and the Holladay's. More presents. Daddy O’s yogurt. Cuddles with Mom.

5 fun things about this FIVE year old:

1. She is addicted to warm chocolate milk. Just one cup a day. Milk warmed first, then ovaltine added, then sippy lid on top. (She wants it first thing in the morning but will ask all day long until she gets it … and if she is getting into bed and realizes she still hasn’t had it – she will keep persisting.)

2. She would like to stay in her jammies all day. If forced to get dressed – it’s a pain. She takes after her father in her being very particular about her clothes. She has to have her shorts and pants fit her at just the right spot. Her shirts have to cover her belly when she raises her arms and she will not wear a tank top to help that situation. She loves skirts but has requirements with them too. She loves wearing yellow and looks great in it.

3. She is an amazing little artist and writer. She is drawing pictures way beyond what her age level should be and her writing is meticulous. She has bubble writing down perfect and wants to start with cursive. She loves to color, draw and write. She has started writing stories and her spelling is so cute … you have to sound out each letter for it to make sense. It really is cute. She can’t wait for kindergarten!

4. She is so tiny. Still weighing in at barely over thirty pounds, wearing size 8 shoe and can fit into size 2T shorts. People are surprised all the time to hear how old she is. She is short and petite.

5. Lucy is a lover. She loves loves loves to cuddle. (Still has a stubborn side for sure but it might be easing up a bit…) Loves to be in your lap …reading, coloring, or just talking.

We love that little Lucy so much! Can’t believe that we brought her home FIVE years ago! How did that fly by so quickly???

Bo Bo’s Birthday

2011-08-01T23:20:00.000-07:00

(here is a picture of Bo with kids after his birthday breakfast!)

This boy. Love him. Drives me crazy but makes me laugh and my kids absolutely adore him! He is getting old … late twenties! My baby brother is in his late twenties! That’s weird … I feel like I am still 25!

27 things about Bo Bo …

Turned 27 today!
Loves playing games
Loves watching movies
Served a mission in North Carolina … speaking Spanish
Super super good with kids (in the fun uncle way – not the changing diapers way!)
Picks flowers/weeds for a living.
Graduated BYU-Hawaii
Was a cheer-leader at BYUH. (Meaning he did flips and threw girls in the air.)
Currently plays on a outdoor soccer team.
Tells the best stories (like reenacts the whole thing with sound effects and everything)
Best friends with Sam (his best friends dog)
Has visited 5 different countries
Fell in love with the orphans in the Philippines.
Wears those weird shoes with toe groves that feel like being bare foot.
Loves being active outside.
Is an entrepreneur – just hasn’t found his nitch yet.
Is a pretty good singer and likes music.
Knows the thriller dance and performed with 200 other people in college. (even wore red leather pants!)
Grows a pretty mean beard.
This boy can eat! Loves Mexican, seafood and bbq. He also cooks and bakes pretty well.
His love language is “quality time”.
Favorite dessert is ice-cream but it gives him terrible gas. :)
My friends say he is handsome. ;)
Bo is very creative … in writing, drawing, crafty stuff, singing …
Wants to be a husband and father and I think he will be excellent at both.
He has always treated me more like a mother than a sister. I have liked that role but like most mothers and sons - wish he would just listen to me!
He is crazy loyal and expects the same in return.

Home from camp …

2011-08-01T19:54:00.001-07:00

This was my doodle memories of camp this year. I like that there is a little bit of everyone in that picture. And this doodle is because I didn’t take my camera … so this is what you get instead. What a year … what a crazy fun year!

Water fun

2011-07-22T15:09:00.001-07:00

Monday I decided to be super productive … I mowed the lawn, gave the dog a bath and set up the pool for the kids – all before noon. :) Then I sat around for the rest of the day! NOT!!! I am crazy busy trying to get ready for camp next week…so the rest of the day I ran errands and shopped and gathered camping supplies.

Even if mom is busy the kids got to have some fun though right? Cody loved being the man in charge of the hose!

The girls would run down the hill holding hands and jump in together … loved the funny faces of them when they would land!

Then on Wednesday we had the Delgado's over for slip-n-slide fun … seriously the best $12 you can spend for the summer!

Gotta love the sisters glasses too!

Our first watermelon …

2011-07-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

We finally picked it. The kids were overjoyed. And it was very juicy and the texture was good … just wasn’t very sweet. Maybe we took it off too soon? Who knows! We really don’t know much about being farmers – we just pretend to know what we are doing! Gracie actually picked out these seeds at the store … planted them and now thinks she is a watermelon expert because they took over the entire garden! ;)

And Neil now thinks that he should be the photographer in the family with these next two photos …

So should we tell him that its just the great camera and cute kid or let him think it was all him??? :)

A weekend away with my love …

2011-07-18T14:25:00.000-07:00

I will be at girls camp for our actual anniversary so we took advantage of a free weekend and headed off to the beach … just the two of us. It really was the best time. He got up early and surfed, I slept in, we ate at great restaurants, shopped for fabulous bargains, laid in the sand, I read and he studied. It was so nice to browse at stores and not worry about kids screaming and just have the chance to talk and talk with Neil. I really really really love that guy. So glad that he picked me! What a lucky girl I am.

And I imagine this one being used at our 50 year anniversary … in 2053! (in just 42 years)

Gracie’s Garden Shop

2011-07-14T04:06:00.000-07:00

Shortly after we planted our summer garden, Gracie came home from school with this grand idea to have a vegetables stand. She helped quite a bit with the picking out which plants to plant and the planting and stuff so I told her that it would be fine. Last week we had tons of vegetables to harvest and it was more than we could eat so Gracie asked if she could sell them. Normally we would just give it to neighbors and friends but we thought it would be a good learning experience for her.

She made $20 bucks! She was happy as a lark. (That’s 60 veggis!) It was super cute to see her try to sell and then turn shy. She did get quite a few tips as well though. It was also fun to see that people were seriously excited to eat some home grown veggies.

When she got home she set aside her tithing and then this afternoon she decided she wanted to tag along when I went shopping. She loved having her own money to buy things with.

She bought a swimsuit ($7) and hairband ($3) and a cinnamon sugar pretzel ($1) and seriously acted like she was on top of the world. :)

Little Miss Gracie …

2011-07-13T16:01:00.001-07:00

This little girl found out that her cousin cut her hair up to her shoulders and donated her hair to locks of love. After teller her about the kids that receive the hair … Gracie determined that she was going to do the same thing! Broke my heart! ;( I love love love her long hair. But she was absolutely sure and kept telling me “Mom, its just hair … it will grow back!”

14 inches later!!!

And she is right … its just hair. And she looks absolutely adorable and I actually like that it makes her look younger! I love that little Gracie girl and she is constantly teaching me. She did something great.

A month in pictures …

2011-07-12T17:22:00.001-07:00

I keep putting off blogging because I have so many posts to do. I finally decided just to wrap them all into one and get it done. (I haven’t printed last years book yet because I still haven’t finished last summers posts – picking up on an annual problem here with summer posting!)

Okay here we go ….

Going Away Princess Party for our little Ashlyn who is growing up and moving away to nanny and then attend BYUI. :(

Here is a little update on the summer garden – onions harvested and the watermelon is still growing.

I learned how to make this amazing bread … just four ingredients and five minutes a day. Look it up on you-tube its awesome. (Search Artisan bread in five minutes a day.) Gracie made some homemade honey butter to go with it and lets just say that these two loaves here lasted about 10 minutes before they were completely devoured.

Lucy got her first black eye from her brother. Took his skull right to her eye.

Lucy found this teeny tiny egg in the backyard by the garden. She made a nest for it and put it on the fence railing to see if the mama bird would come back for it. She is such a thoughtful little thing.

The last week of June we got some fun visitors come to stay the weekend. Beki brought Nana back and brought the boys to play with cousins. Always love playing with cousins!

What is it with naked boys spying on the neighbors?

Gracie finally saved enough money to buy herself some fake nails. The girl could not have been happier! :)

Bo came over on Sunday for dinner and we had a little family pickup soccer game. It was Neil and I against Bo and Beki. I have so much fun playing soccer. (Even in a dress and barefoot!)

Cody is still such a happy little man. I finally had enough with all the medications and still tons of ear infections so I took him off and took him to our favorite Chinese medicine doctor. He actually is an acupuncturist but we go to him often for his herbs and natural remedies. He put Cody on some herbs and almost instantly it made a difference. He hasn’t complained since!

As soon as Beki left I had to get busy on another project before my mom and I could leave town. I made 50 custom birthday party hats with the invitation printed on the back. Super cute but took tons of time.

Immediately after I delivered the party hats we got in the car and headed to Utah. We stayed the night in Vegas at Bethlys house. First thing in the morning the girls got their suits on and went for a swim. It really wasn’t even eight yet. Funny girls.

We made it to Utah the next day and played and played. The girls loved staying at Nanas appartment. She has an ipad, a swimming pool, an ipad, movies, and ipad … (picking up on their favorite thing yet? Gosh I don’t know what we are going to do with our time when she leaves!) We had family reunions with the Bowmans and I even had a little mini reunion with my roommates from BYUH. Super good times and like always the time goes too fast but your always ready to be home too!

Nana didn’t have a high chair of course so the best place we found to feed Cody was the kitchen sink. He would stay put until he was all done and then we could strip him of his diaper and give him a bath … it was genius!

Okay that is it. I do have a couple more pictures to post but they need their own post so check it out later!

Remember me by…

2011-06-23T20:34:00.001-07:00

I have known 3 people who have lost loved ones this past week. It has made me think about life and think about death and think about what people must miss in the loved ones they lost. Usually I tear up when I hear about anyone dying or watch it in a movie – I just get really emotionally involved and put myself in their situation and think what I would be feeling if it was happening to me. I understand that we have to die and everyone dies and that we will see them again … the part that’s hard is that what about now? What about all the time they/we have to be without them?

Thinking about all this lately has most recently made me wonder about my turn. Its made me wonder what my children would remember about me if I died today. (I figure my children would miss me most.) The reason its not Neil is that I feel like he knows me the best … he has seen my best and worst and loves me and forgives me and sees my potential. And he is old enough to remember most of it. But my children …they have only had me for a time. And they are learning so much everyday that there is only so much they can remember.

As I was singing Ariel's song for the third time while “painting” Andee’s face to sleep, I wondered if she would remember that I did this every night. (Its relatively a new thing – 10 minutes doing this is way better than 2 hours of sending her back to bed.) Or would she remember that I was a yeller. Would she remember that I loved to dance and sing with them or would she remember that I lost my patients easily. Would she remember that I read them the scriptures every night or would she remember the million times I returned her to her bed with another threat of a spanking. Would she remember the house being tidy and organized or would she think of my constant reminding/nagging to keep it that way. Was I on the sidelines or in the game? Cheering on the sides or texting on my phone? Do they get enough attention or do they wish for more from me? Am I selfish or there for them?

Its time again for a look around. What am I doing? Am I doing enough? What could I do better? Life is short. What am I going to be remembered for?

I picked the picture because most people in my ward say that that is the way they will always know me - pregnant! Or fat and sassy. :)

Fathers Day 2011

2011-06-22T22:59:00.001-07:00

Fathers Day interviews 2011

I followed Neil's fun idea and asked the girls a few things about their Daddy on Fathers Day. Outside was probably not the best place to do it … too many distractions and to much grass to pull up to really get some honest answers. ;) Better luck next year.

Neil truly is the best Dad to these kiddos. Never treats childcare as my responsibility only – he helps 100% the minute he walks thru the door. The other day I was thinking about how Cody has totally been his baby – if Cody is sick (which is quite often) and has restless nights … Neil is the one that stays up with him and sleeps with him in the upright position so he can breath. When Cody was on medication and had a huge list of things that had to be done before bedtime … Neil did it all. He had a perfect routine with him on getting him to bed without crying and on his own. Cody loves Neil more than me for sure. A little sad but I am glad that Neil gets to have that opportunity to have a babies love like that. Its cute. Loved it with my girls. :) Neil always makes it a priority to have fun with the kids everyday. It can’t be all work no play, gotta be lots of outside time doing fun things. He is so good at dropping everything to paint finger and toe nails and likes to shop for them more than I do.

I was a lucky lucky lucky girl to get this guy! And my kiddos were just as lucky! He is the best!

Summer guest needs a guest room …

2011-06-21T15:36:00.001-07:00

Because my mom is a teacher she gets the summer off. I couldn’t stand the thought of her being there all by herself all summer so I invited her to spend her summer with us. Super excited that she said yes. Then I realized I needed a place for her. She couldn’t necessarily sleep on the couch for six weeks! So the nursery/office/ craft room needed to turn into the nursery/ craft room / guest room. I forgot to take the pictures until after I had moved the crib to the other side of the room and moved the big ol’ honkin’ desk and chair and computer stuff out but you get the gist of it here. Toilet belongs in bathroom of coarse but that is under construction (for just a few more days!) and found a home here. Anyway here is the before:

And here are the after shots:

Even though my craft stuff had been organized a little better I still thought it looked better covered up. Nothing a sheet can’t fit (temporarily!).

My all time favorite piece in the room is that white wardrobe. It used to be my grandmothers and she gave it to my Dad who didn’t really like it and used it in his garage for storing tools. When he moved to Colorado he was going to throw it away but I begged him to bring it to me. I saw the great potential in it. Again I forgot to take a real before picture but here it is after we took the drawers and doors off. It was in pretty bad shape but isn’t the end result wonderful? I say “we” but honestly my father in law did the whole thing. He is amazing and did an awesome job restoring it. We bought new knobs and drawer boxes because the originals were so badly warped but everything else is original – even the mirror. I LOVE it.

After:

I love the way the room turned out. Love the orange and white and blue. Now just to make a quilt. :) (always something right?)

Peeping Cody

2011-06-19T14:14:00.001-07:00

Swimming Lessons 2011

2011-06-19T13:52:00.001-07:00

Friday was the last day of swimming lessons this year. The girls had tons of fun.

This year Andee learned how to jump in and swim all the way across the deepend. She also learned how to jump off the diving board and swim to the side by herself.

Here is Lucy going for it.

Gracie was in the older kids class this year and the swim teacher made them put these big rubber bands around their feet to help them learn the butterfly stroke. Even though its seems like it would be hard, they all did really well.

Cody looks like he’d like to join the fun. Next year Cody!

Uncle Bobo & the Horned Toad Lizard

2011-06-19T13:33:00.001-07:00

Bo came by a week or so ago and brought the kids a surprise. He caught two of them. One escaped the first night and we let the other go in our garden. Surprisingly the girls really loved them. Even Gracie!

Here are a few pictures.

One of the reasons I love living in sunny California

2011-06-10T22:05:00.001-07:00

Nothing better than tree ripened organic fruit …especially if its free from your friends backyards!

I consider fresh fruit one of my favorite blessing and a huge benefit to living in California. All this sunshine is so good for growing! We currently have in our kitchen: potatoes, black berries, lemons, cilantro, apricots, artichokes, peppers, squash and zucchini that were ALL picked a few days ago (at most!) and it was all picked ripe and ready to eat.

Hopefully our trees and plants will be producing enough to share within the next couple years!

Here is a look at our garden pictures right now: (seems to be growing awesome but the tomatoes and peppers just need some sunshine!)

berriesbaby watermelon (they are taking over the box and soon the garden! – see below:)zucchini and squashmissing the citrus in the far left but then watermelon & cantelope box, apricot tree, salsa garden box, saturn peach tree, squash and zucchini box then finally the avocado tree.

It is so rewarding to eat what you grow. Even though ours is such a small scale it still feels and tastes so good!

Summer Schedule …

2011-06-09T09:37:00.001-07:00

Remember just a little while ago when I was talking about how ready I was for school to be out? When I thought that it would mean less running around and more being home without a schedule? Well that turned out to be a big fat hoax.

I forgot about the swimming lessons. The swimming lessons that are on the other side of town. The swimming lessons that one has in the morning and two have in the afternoon. The swimming lessons that seem to be taking up the whole day. Poor Cody is in his car seat a ton and then the stroller so he doesn’t jump into the pool while watching his sisters.

The girls are doing awesome…but I really can’t wait for the schedules to be gone! ;) One more week. :)

FYI … do you ever find yourself always thinking that life will be easier when _____________(fill in the blank)? Me too. I should stop that!

{Updated Mothers Day Post}

2011-06-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

Just so all you google readers know...all three videos are up now.

(Letti - do you like the special brackets in my title? I learned that from you. :) Remember when I made you banana bread?)

Neil

First Grade Graduate

2011-06-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

Another year done. This little girl couldn’t be happier to be a second grader in August!

Mothers Day 2011

2011-06-04T16:10:00.001-07:00

I know this post is way late but better late than never, right? As you all know, I'm not the normal blogger in this household but I decided to give it a whirl. Hence the reason for a Mothers Day post well into June. I interviewed the girls about their mom and the results are in the videos. Enjoy.

Jill is the best mom ever. No offense to all of the other "best moms ever" out there but she really does have all of you beat. I didn't interview the boy this year for lack of response but hopefully he will be included next year. The girls weren't sure about some things about Jill but they were all very confident they knew her favorite drink. Happy Mothers Day Jill! We all love and appreciate all you do.

Love - Neil, Gracie, Lucy, Andee, and the boy.

P.S. I'm not too sure what Gracie found in her shirt but I think she took care of it.

Sewing Lessons

2011-06-03T14:15:00.001-07:00

This is little Kate. She helps me with the kiddos sometimes. She is a crafter which makes her special to my heart. She is so cute! Seriously so cute. Her little personality …adorable. She wants to learn to sew. I offered to show her a few things and make a few things over the summer. Our first project was this cute little apron. With just a scrap of a couple fabrics (thanks Jocelyn!) we made it in about an hour (with several interruptions in the middle!). She loved it. My favorite part is the cute tie on the side.

I think I will make myself one too. Maybe with a little bit more grown up material….because I am so mature. Or not.

Then Miss Gracie decided that she wanted to learn to sew. She made a cute little hand stitched quilt a couple months ago but she says she is ready for the machine. Gracie decided she wanted to make a doll quilt. Again just a small scrap from Jocelyn – we found this vintage fairytale fabric that was just the right size.

You couldn’t tell from the front but the back shows that we even did a little quilting. ;)

Perfect size for her favorite doll. Look she even got all crazy with a zigzag edge!

Groupon

2011-06-03T07:16:00.000-07:00

Do you Groupon?

Yesterdays deal (still going on thru today only) is a photo book with Mix Book. For $15 you get $50 towards purchases. This is a really good deal. You can buy 2 ... one for you one for your friend. (or spouse!) ;)

Get wanted to let you all know about it. Here is a link http://www.groupon.com/r/uu30302905 .
Check out the mixbook website to see how it works. Its the only site I know of that lets you use already designed layouts and back grounds (all VERY cute) AND lets you just start from a blank canvas and design your own with digital graphics and scrapbooking supplies. It really is cool.
Check it out.

Here is the groupon for mixbook ... ends tonight (friday) at midnight.

SCHOOLS OUT FOR SUMMER!!!

2011-06-02T22:18:00.001-07:00

BOO-YAH!!!

Seriously I was so ready for school to be out this year. Ready for no schedules and less time in the car picking up and dropping off. Ready for lazy days in the sun. Seriously weather … will you warm up already? Bring on the sunshine please. My tomatoes need you. My white legs need you. The sprinklers and blow up pool? Ready.

Back to the school thing … Gracie had a rough start at the beginning of first grade and I honestly considered holding her back. She was struggling reading which made her struggle in math because it was all word problems. I am happy to report that she did make it, we didn’t hold her back but encouraged her to not quit when the word was hard. She was definitely lacking in confidence. Hurt me as a mother to watch. How do you show your kid how amazing they are? But after a few months and her teacher coming back from maternity leave …reading finally clicked for her and it is fun listening to her read everything. She is even the family scripture reader every night. Love it.

Lucy is also done with preschool. She is SO ready for kindergarten. Everyday she asks me if it is time for kinder yet. (Gonna be a long summer?) She loves to look at books, write and draw. She is a smart cookie. Really going to be weird to have two at school in the fall. We even signed Andee up for preschool (per Dr and speech testers request) and I will only have one kid home with me! Wah!!!

This is Gracie's kindergarten teacher but the last week of school was spirit week and the kids had different dress up days. This day was dress like your favorite teacher day … Isn’t that funny? She had “chicken hair”, her play cell phone, and a Starbucks cup to finish the ensemble. Ms. Huckaby actually sent me this picture because she was so excited about how well they matched. Hopefully Lucy gets Ms. Huckaby next year – we sure do love her.

Principle Retirement Gift

2011-05-31T22:53:00.000-07:00

Now time for the big reveal …. what has been keeping me so busy? The gift and party for our principle who is retiring this year! Awesome principle, fantastic with the kids and teachers and staff. The teachers all pulled together to get her a gift and she had an adult retirement party at her house but I wanted something that the kids could do for her to show their appreciation. So I planned a milk and cookies retirement party and put together this quilt for her.

We decorated with school color balloons and asked parents to bring cookies and milk.

She cried. That means she liked it!

Fathers and Sons campout …

2011-05-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

Our ward had the annual fathers and sons campout last Friday night. Because Letti was in town Neil took Cole with him as well. I was so surprised when Neil first told me that the campout was coming up and that he wanted to take Cody. He seems too little to leave the house for the night without me. Guess not. They all had a blast and both boys were perfect. Neil said Cody went to sleep on his lap while watching the fire. He slept good and had fun playing with the boys. Here we go growing up too fast again!

test

2011-05-29T18:48:00.000-07:00

learning to make my pictures bigger .... what do you think?

My kids have the coolest Dad!!!

2011-05-28T23:15:00.000-07:00

I learn so much about parenting from Neil. He is such a cool Dad. He will always stop what he is doing to do something fun with the girls. He thinks of things that never even cross my mind. Like when the air mattress got a hole…instead of immediately throwing it away (what I would have done) he takes it outside and lets the girls play on it for a while.

Neil decided that the kids needed a swing so he build one. Its fun but a little dangerous so not something that the girls can do on their own … he always stops to take them outside to swing. I keep putting them off and do it just a couple times a day. What lucky kids I have.

Bug Museum field trip ...

2011-05-23T22:28:00.000-07:00

Very cool little museum.
We got a private tour and learned all about the bugs in our area. It started with this entomologist that would go to the farms and tell the farmers what kinds of bugs where eating their crop and how to kill them. Then he found these cool pink lady lady bugs and started showing his friends. Word got around and he decided to open a shop... its been 40 years now.Lucy got super brave and let an African stick bug crawl up her arm. All fun and games until its tries to touch her neck! Another little girl tried to put one on Andees face - after that she wouldn't go near it.After the museum we went to a nearby park for a picnic. Lucys preschool teacher brought everyone a postcard and some bug juice to drink!
It was a perfect field trip. Short and sweet. ;)

My baby is one!!!

2011-05-20T23:02:00.000-07:00

This is what I felt like he was saying to me:

"Dad? Whats Mom doing?"

"What? What am I supposed to do with that?"
"Seriously I just want to eat."
"Why are you still here? I am eating!"
Actually I hope his thoughts are nicer than that but his face is so serious in the morning. He is just like his look alike ... no one talk until I have eaten!
He chose brownies for his birthday cake. I obliged.
But I did make him a special one.
We had a small family party ... bbq'd hamburgers and hotdogs, made mac salad and chips.
He had zero hesitation digging right into his "first" cake.
He loved it. And when he was done Neil asked me to get one last picture. As soon as I got the camera out ... he rubbed his eyes!
Gross!
And this is what he does when you ask him how old he is. Isn't he the cutest little guy ever!!!

He has me. I LOVE that little man!

Finally ... A TOOTH!

2011-05-19T09:35:00.000-07:00

Little man is turning one tomorrow and he finally got his first tooth. Of course he won't let you near it but I felt it.
I have been an emotional wreck lately with this one. He is walking. Not nursing (only one day now but still!). Now has a tooth. And tomorrow will be one. I don't have a baby anymore! No one needs me. Whaaaahhhh!!! Its just so weird. I love my babies but they keep growing up to quickly! Where is the slow down button???

Whats been up ...

2011-05-17T08:30:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I helped the YW in my ward put on a yard sale to try and raise funds for girls camp this year. (And by that I mean I put on a yard sale and the girls showed support!) :) It was a TON of work. Members of our ward started bringing things by a couple weeks prior and I was amazed at how quickly my garage filled up. (It was so hard to not be able to park in the garage!) Friday night we took everything down to the church and more members brought more stuff (larger items) and we set everything up on tables inside the church and started pricing. We left at 1030pm totally pooped. 430am back out the door - grab donuts and go back up to the church and pull all the set up tables out to the lawn by the street. We put an ad in the paper and on craigslist and had signs out. People were taking things out of my arms before I could even get them out there before 6am. It was crazy. Tons of people came. At about 1030 we put a sign out that said free ... it was either them haul it away or us ... and we ended up with only 3 loads to goodwill at the end. All was cleaned up and we were out of there by 1145. We made all the money we need for camp!!! Like almost to the dollar! I am so happy that it all worked out so well. Hard work - learned a lot - probably won't do it again but it was a success! ;)

Now this week we started a big project for Gracies principle that is retiring this year. Thats what I will be doing for the next two weeks!

Thoughts on Motherhood

2011-05-08T12:42:00.000-07:00

I have had wonderful examples of mothers in my life that have each brought a unique perspective and attribute that I want to carry into my own mothering style.
My mother is the ultimate example of selfless service. She always put our needs in front of her own and sacrificed so much for us. She was a single mother and I seriously don't know how she even did it. She taught us to be strong and never back down. She still wrestles her brothers to this day and won't back down because she is a girl. I have never felt like I couldn't do something that a boy could do ... my mother knew how to do anything that was normally a "mans job". I am so glad to be strong like that. (I think of her when I am carrying in groceries - trying to bring it all in the house in one load rather than make a couple trips! :))
My step-mother was never a "step-mother" in the way the world portrays them. She was always kind and loved us very much. She is VERY organized and remembers everything. I want to be like that. I am not doing very well but I am trying. She makes my Dad very happy and is always a good sport when he is teasing or acting like a supreme commander (even though we know she is just letting him pretend!).
My mother-in-law is also someone I try to be like. She is always serving people. She will help in any and every thing whether you ask her to do it or not. She is extremely dependable and loyal. We often tease each other that we must have been separated in the spirit world because we are so much alike but truthfully she is much better person and mother than I could even try to be. I appreciate the mother that she was in raising such an amazing man. Neil is incredible and I know that he learned much from his mother.
One other mother that I often can relate to and love to take direction from is Marjorie Hinckley. Anytime I hear or read something that she said I instantly love it. I have read this quote from her several times but yesterday was reminded of it again. I just love it. And I too want to be that woman she is speaking about.
This is what she said:
"I don't want to drive up to the pearly gates in a shiny sports car, wearing beautifully, tailored clothes, my hair expertly coiffed, and with long, perfectly manicured fingernails.
I want to drive up in a station wagon that has mud on the wheels from taking kids to scout camp.
I want to be there with a smudge of peanut butter on my shirt from making sandwiches for a sick neighbors children.
I want to be there with a little dirt under my fingernails from helping to weed someone's garden.
I want to be there with children's sticky kisses on my cheeks and the tears of a friend on my shoulder.
I want the Lord to know I was really here and that I really lived."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Here is one more:
"Be a Mother who is committed to loving her children into standing on higher ground than the environment surrounding them.
Mother's are endowed with a love that is unlike any other love on the face of the earth."
— Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Happy Mothers Day

Andees Birthday

2011-05-07T21:32:00.000-07:00

So as I was getting ready to post this I realized that I have a certain sister in law who high jacked my camera card and instead of just copying the photos I had and saving them onto her laptop … she took them and left me with no evidence of the very fun day we had with Andee Sue.

On Thursday (May 5 – birthday) we went to chick-fil-A for lunch because Andee loves the play yard. She also loved that she had a friend. (Kim & Mike took the older two to Disneyland and left Kate with Grandma and Grandpa. It was so fun to have Kate.)

On Friday we had the family party because the cousins were back from Disney. We went to Pump it Up and seriously had a blast. Kim and I and Gaye even got in on the action (PICTURES TO FOLLOW WHEN MY SIL GIVES ME MY PHOTOS!) afterward we set up the blowup pool in the backyard and let the kids play hard. Dinner at Loma Linda with special Owl cupcakes … Andee went through both cupcake books and picked out the easiest ones! yay for me!

Andee had a great two days of birthday. We sure do love that Andee Sue. She might be my hardest so far but I think its because she had a hard time talking at first. She thought if she talked louder we might be able to understand her language. haha. Now it is definitely getting better. She is talking so good and constantly cracks us up. Man I love that girl.

Birthday Sneak Peak

2011-05-05T21:17:00.000-07:00

I don't have all the pictures on my computer now but just wanted to document the day before I forget it. Andee was so happy all day.
Usually she comes into my room in the morning and starts yelling at me but today she climbed in bed with me and squeezed my cheeks and said, "I wuv you mommy!" and kissed me. I was so happy. I was thinking yeah she woke up out of the "trying twos" and is now a terrific three year old. Next second she starts yelling at me and telling me to get up and make her breakfast! ;) Oh there she is! ;)
Breakfast - powdered white hostess donuts
Playing with Kate at Grandpa and Grandmas house (Bonus big kids were gone so Andee got Kate all to herself!)
Lunch with Dad at Chic-fil-a and an hour more in the kids club.
Swimming in the blow-up pool
A little down time watching polar express? I don't know. ;)
Noodles for dinner
More presents
Ice Cream and singing Happy Birthday
Catching Ladybugs
Sleep (in Moms bed :))

Andee really is a sweet sweet girl but she definitely keeps us on our toes.
I have recently figured out that if I keep her busy she throws way less tantrums and stays out of a lot more trouble. I seriously can stop her mid tantrum if I ask her to help me do something.
Andee has also started talking so much more. Everyday I notice a huge difference from just the day before. I am no longer the only one who knows what she is saying. :)
Her favorite things to do: color, play with her sisters, watch movies, eat noodles, go to the park, sleep with Mom.

More tomorrow with Birthday part 2 and hopefully some pictures.

We have a birthday tomorrow ...

2011-05-04T08:39:00.000-07:00

We are so excited!!!

Spring Break

2011-04-27T15:06:00.000-07:00

This year for our after-tax-season retreat and spring break we fled to Lettis house. Perfect location because she is closer to the beach( equals more surf for Neil), the kids get to play with their cousins, I get to shop, talk and play with Letti and Neil gets to surf and play a round of golf with Darian. Fun for everyone! They also have a trampoline which is a big fat treat.
And a swing set with a slide to play on!
Letti captured this awesome picture of Neil with the girls.

Extra bonus ... Easter with the Byrds. It was so fun for me to get out of the house after being cooped up for four months. Thanks again Byrds for hosting us for our retreat this year! The kids are already asking when we can go back.

Freezer sandwiches for school lunch

2011-04-27T13:38:00.001-07:00

Did you know there is only 27 days of school left? Seriously!
In trying to be organized and simplify things a little bit so I premade Gracies pb&j's for the rest of the year. I bought a loaf of bread, made the sandwiches, cut them in half because that is all she will eat, put them in ziplocs and froze them.
This morning it was so nice to just grab a sandwich out of the freezer. :) By the time lunch rolls around it will be thawed and ready to enjoy!
One trick is to spread peanut butter on both sides of the bread so the jelly doesn't soak through and make a sticky mess.
I put them all back into the bread bag to keep them contained in the freezer.
Much cheaper and better than an uncrustable but just as convenient!
Next I am going to try a meat and cheese....I will let you know how it goes.

Happy Easter from our gang!

2011-04-24T13:51:00.000-07:00

Lucys new smile

2011-04-23T15:54:00.000-07:00

Yes here she is...with strawberries and everything. She loves her new smile. She looks in the mirror and laughs for joy at her new smile. She is such a sweet little girl. The tooth fairy came but she didn't care just like Gracie didn't. Oh well!
Like I expected when she got home I put on a strong face and was super excited because she was so happy but I quickly ran to lock myself in the bathroom and let it all out. I cried and cried then looked up into the mirror and saw myself cry. I suddenly thought about it ... seriously Jill ... you are crying over a missing tooth! Its a tooth! She isn't dieing of cancer or anything life threatening ... she is happy and totally healthy. Snap out of it!!! So I sucked it up and got over it. Petty I know.
But anyway ... here she is. I love her new smile.