Four Jingle Bells

We have some wonderful friends who let us use their beach house for a few days this year. We are so grateful for their sharing! We were planning on us all going on Thurs night, but I got thinking and we would have gotten their at midnight, so decided to go a day earlier. We got everyone all packed secretly and I told the kids Wed morning that we were going to go on a surprise. After about an hour, everyone was getting restless, but I just kept telling them that it was going to be worth it! Hailey even started crying. I did feel kind of bad, but I knew it would be worth it!! We stopped in Barstow at the "train McDonalds" Sadly, the air conditioning was out and it was boiling hot in there, but the kids didn't notice one bit! They had a great time. Spencer was so excited to eat on a train. Hailey wanted to take a picture by Ronald, but she sure didn't want to sit by him! I drove up to the coast and said "We're here!" The kids screamed out "The ...

Another fun week down. I love my kids. They are so fun and creative! We had friends to dinner, had a Father's day celebration at my sister's house and Blake's crowning moment was getting an XBOX 360. I might shoot myself for allowing it, but what's done is done! I thought I got a picture of Blake with the kids but I didn't. If only my family wouldn't run around in their underwear all day! But I can't blame them. it's 105 something degrees today! Blake is a great day: playful, fun, and loving. He has actually taught me a lot about being a mom. We all love him!! We made these plant heads. They have already started sprouting. We put thyme in them so we can use it later. Hailey even drew a picture about it which made me feel pretty great! This was our fun treat for the week: cake mix cookies. Soooo, soooo yum! I have tried other recipes but this is the best. Cake mix, half cup oil, 2 eggs,mix. Roll into balls. 350 for 8 minutes. Try not to eat th...

Hailey with glasses. And missing teeth. She has to wear a patch on her left eye for four hours a day to help with ambolism. She also has astigmatism. Poor girl!! With mine and Blake's bad eyes, she didn't have a chance!! At least she is adorable in them. We went to our friend's pirate birthday party. The kids love dress up! I made this, my friends!! And I got five compliments on it. Not bragging, just excited I made something that didn't LOOK homemade!

I am trying to keep track of our summer so I can turn it into a little book for us and I HOPE I can make this a tradition! On Saturday and Sunday, we mostly hung around. Blake had just gotten back from business and Hailey was out of town with Grandma, so we just recuperated from his week long trip. Today we made some fruit dip. Easiest recipe ever: instant vanilla pudding and cool whip. You can use sugar free and doesn't taste any different! My kids all love it. It's how I trick them into eating fruit. I went to the bathroom and come out to Brooke digging in to the dip. She was nice enough to wipe her face after though. She cracks me up! We washed the car the other night. The kids had fun. The kids slept in. The mom was happy! We went to the pet store, Halloween store (party city) and got donuts. All part of our bucket list. We all had a great time. The kids were so obedient. I even got some errands squeezed in without too many issues!! Sometimes I miss not having a smal...

This is our true first real summer with Hailey being out of school and all. I am determined to have fun and enjoy and try hard not to wish my kids were in school. There is such a short time when they are at home with me, only five years, and I have so much I need to teach them! It's good to have the summer to refocus and reteach and relearn. I love my kids and I am grateful for school, so they can learn from others besides me. But I also love our time home together, cuddle time, hang out time, reading, you get the idea. Of course, not every day is a picnic. Some days, I am about to disown one (or all) of my kids. But, so far, this week it has been great. Enough said, here is our summer bucket list! 1) Bubbles 2) Movies at the park 3) Water Balloons 4) Mall-go to Disney store and hot dog on a stick 5) Smoothies/Muffins night once a week. We have a tradition of doing this. I love trying new muffins! 6) Make slime 7) Homemade slip n slide 8) Go to DI....the kids think it's a g...

Hailey's hillbilly smile. I love it! I think a kid missing a mouthful of teeth is one of the cutest things .And her new glasses. She has to wear a patch for 4 hours a day, to hopefully correct some of her vision issues. Spencer and cousin Zach. What a long road they have travelled. From biting, hitting, hurting to this. They are the big guys in their families. Big guys with big hearts. What Hailey came up with during quiet time. She is so creative! I wish we had enough money to put her in every creative class she wanted to be in. But then we would miss times like these. And we would all be very tired! Brooke and Spencer playing babies. Brooke is so so obsessed with babies. I think she's trying to tell me something! Spencer is going to be such a great dad someday. He is such a softie, just like his own dad. End of the year party for Spencer's preschool class. It has been so good for him. He has learned so much and learned to share and be nice to kids. Doing his show and ...

Blake and Spencer went with my dad on his father's and son's campout. I was so proud of him!! He was such a big boy and snored all throughout the night, keeping Blake up, but they made it! Spencer got to play with a bunch of wood they had so he was in heaven. Before the campout. Have you ever seen a cuter hat on a cuter kid?! We had a very rainy day so Hailey took advantage of it and ran all through the rain forever and had hot chocolate right after! The fun of youth! Hailey came out of the shower a few weeks ago and said she wanted to donate her hair. I was so proud of her! I had talked to her for a long time about it, but she never wanted to. She loves her fun, short hair. Grandma and Grandpa rode their bikes over a few weeks ago and surprised the kids. They were so excited! We went to the mountains with our cousins during Spring Break. Nothing like a few hours in the mountains to tire the kids out! Here they are after the mountains. I just loved this photo! Ethan a...

Having Blake out of town is an interesting adventure. Honestly, I love the time with the kids. I love playing outside, going out for special treats, going on walks, having our own schedule. And oh heaven, when they go to bed. So far, I have watched You've Got Mail, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility. Still on the list another version of Pride and Prejudice, Eat, Pray, Love and Clueless! Did I mention I made a belt. Yes, you heard me, I made a belt! And got five compliments on it, I might add! But somehow, in all the excitement and fun we have had, it just isn't the same without Blake. No dad has come home at 6 to share in the work. No dad to encourage me to make dinner. No husband to make me think, "Hmmm, maybe I should get dressed today." Don't get me wrong, the first few nights have been pretty ok. Who would argue with alone time after 14 hours of non-stop talking, wiping noses and bums, cleaning messes, hugs and kisses?! But tv shows we watch to...

My mom and Sarah came over during Spring Break to make some yum o cookies and play with us. the kids loved it! Grandm and Grandpa rode their bikes over one day When Nanah and Papa came to visit a few months ago. Love them!

After trying to grow grass from sod in the desert, we finally gave in and paid someone to put grass in. It took about 4 hours. Wish we would have bit the bullet earlier! It has been wonderful. The weather has been unseasonably cool and lovely. Somehow it's easier to play on grass than on dirt! This bubble bottle is now full of all of our sidewalk chalk courtesy of Brooke and too much time on her hands! Spencer being an airplane! How in the world did she end up with that hair?!

Today, I went to wake up my 3 year old and 1 year old. Planned on making it a regular wake up: cuddles, drink, snacks. Then off to laundry. Today was different though. Something in the air? Summer approaching? Unmotivated mama? I brought my 1 year old, whom we fondly refer to as Brookie Cookie, into my 3 year old's room, who we fondly refer to as Spenc-a-roni. Big sister, Hailoo Bailoo was on hand as well. Hailey decided to do an interesting interprative/ballet/modern/wild redhead dance, while we watched giggling from Spencer's plastic blue car bed. This turned into a tickle fight, which turned into "Give me 5, up high, down low, too slow.", which turned into a tickle fight. Nothing can compare to the giggles of my chubby baby with her budha belly or the "MORE tickles" from my sweet blue eyed Spencer. Hailey might be the trickiest and sneakiest "up high, down low" player ever! Life is good and everything is right in the world when schedule...