Aloha from Florida!

Yum...

2011-10-12T22:04:00.000-04:00

Claire-Marie is a champ when it comes to eating. So far she loves everything I've offered her. She'll even eat peas... even the left overs pulled straight out of the fridge without warming it up. I hope that's foreshadowing easier mealtimes in my future! I already have enough picky eaters.

Yes, this girl loves to eat. When I feed her she acts as if she hasn't had a meal in days!

And when she's done, I feel like she's still begging for more!

"FEED ME!"

Twinners...

2011-10-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

We were watching TV the other day and I thought, "Hey, Caleb has that same shirt!" Funny.

A Walk in the Rain...

2011-10-08T23:23:00.000-04:00

It was an overcast day. It'd been sprinkling here and there. Then the rain really started coming down. As it started to pour Marcus ran up to me. I thought I would hear the words, "That's scary," but instead I heard, "I want walk." Puzzled I repeated what he said, "You want to go for a walk??? Outside??? In the rain???" Yes, of course!

We're very coordinating today. Blue and red jacket...

With TWO blue and red slippers...

A complete outfit...

Of course, in our house, pants are not necessary for a complete outfit. If you haven't heard me say this before, it's because we like to live green. We like to conserve our resources by producing less laundry :) Yes. That's it.

Nevertheless, it was a pleasant little walk in the rain with my sweet little boy.

The Park...

2011-10-07T19:00:00.001-04:00

It's been cooling down. It's great. We actually have been having some nice park weather days. So why not go to the park? Well that's what we did.

Beautiful Claire-Marie:

Bat-Iron Caleb:

and Sidekick Robin:

As we were getting ready for the park, I asked Caleb if he could grab some clothes for Marcus. I was a little bothered by the combination that he choose (red shirt, blue shorts... well, they do both have yellow. But still. Not that clothes have to be matchy-matchy, but I just wasn't a fan of those two items together). But my lack of fondness quickly changed when I saw what Caleb had picked out for himself. Even though Marcus' shirt and shorts weren't a pair, he and his brother were.

And here's another pair (and these don't usually make it together often... example 1 and example 2):

But I guess super heroes don't need shoes:

Because super heroes fly, not walk:

==============================================================

================[ the rest of my picture-posting illness ]================

==============================================================

(Caleb eating dinner... of course not sitting down)

*****

("Take that!")

(Cindercaleb has lost his {rubber} slipper)

*****

(Claire having fun on the swing)

*****

(Caleb can always make friends with anyone, anywhere)

*****

(The always adorable Mar-Mar)

(The End)

I'm Sick...

2011-10-07T18:28:00.001-04:00

I'm sick. Let me explain...

I love my kids. They're just so cute! I can't stop taking pictures of them! And I can't tell you how hard it is choosing which pictures to post. I promise I go through them and narrow it down. I do! But even after weeding out the so-so shots there is still so many left! I just can't choose which pictures are the best... because they look so cute in all of them. That's right... I have picture-posting diarrhea.

I believe pictures are the best part of checking out a blog. But too many pictures... in a single post... is just too much. And multiple pictures of the same exact shot... eh! But, like I said, I'm sick.

You'll just have to deal with my picture-posting diarrhea until I recover from this illness. Who knows, maybe I'll be on the mend soon, or maybe it's a lingering bug. We'll see. Till then, you'll just have to look at a hundred pictures of the same shot, where they might be making just slightly a different smile than in the shot before, and you'll just have to read my mile long posts with fifty pictures and only two words. I mean, hey, I have 3 kids now! That's 3 times the cuteness! How am I supposed to choose!?!

I'm sick. But no need to send cards or flowers... just lots of comments should do ;)

The Other Morning...

2011-10-06T20:39:00.000-04:00

Marcus woke up and pulled up his pillow and blanket on the living room floor to watch some "buh-bouse" (i.e. "clubhouse"... or Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). When Caleb woke up he asked Marcus if he could snuggle next to him. Marcus agreed and then Mom proceeded to tell the boys how cute they were snuggled there together. Caleb says, "Take a picture, take a picture!" Which of course is exactly what I was thinking of doing, but was talking myself out of because I knew once I got the camera out that Marcus would not cooperate:

Yeah, that's what I thought. That's okay though. I got some sweet smiles from the cooperative son:

And he found someone else to snuggle with:

So the morning continued on. I was in the bathroom trying to get ready for the day when Marcus comes running in yelling "Triangle! Mom, Look! Triangle!" (Well, that's what it translates to). He held up his poptart and again says, "Look! Triangle!"

(See, uncooperative...)

I was so shocked, not only that he knew what a triangle was, but that he was smart enough to make his poptart into a triangle (or at least recognize it when it got to that point, whether he made it that way purposely or not).

I've found out since then that he knows more shapes too. He also knows some colors as well. I guess all that "buh-bouse" is paying off.

Baby Wants to Run...

2011-10-05T22:59:00.000-04:00

I said to a friend the other day that Claire-Marie is 5 1/2 months going on 2 years! This little girl can NOT slow down and is anxious to grow up! Here's a trick she learned a couple of weeks ago:

That's right, my baby can stand! ...and she's not even 6 months yet! So crazy! What's next? Is she going to want to date now too!?

Some one please tell her to stop growing up!

Well, I do enjoy walking in her room in the morning and seeing this:

I guess my little ones just don't want to stay little. What's a mama to do?

PERFECTION!!!

2011-09-21T16:18:00.000-04:00

I got an exciting package a couple weeks ago. SHOES!!! Not for me, but for my sweet baby girl. I've been on the hunt for some shoes for her, but couldn't find what I was looking for. And when I thought there was no hope...

PERFECTION!!!

I had pictured her wearing sandals exactly like those. Thank you Margene for saving the day! (And thank you Faith and Kenna for sharing you no-longer needed shoes with us!)

There were a couple other awesome pairs in the package too! I'll have to share those later :)

Decorating...

2011-09-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

Caleb called me from his room the other day and showed me how he "decorated" his room.

It kind of looks like things might just be thrown wherever, but one must know what it usually looks like to then recognize the attention he has given to each detail.

I just noticed the blue ring carefully placed on the side of the bookcase while looking at the above photo:

He stood up cards and pictures I had just sitting in a pile waiting to be put up:

(Caleb and Scarlett)

Not sure what these are, but again, carefully placed:

Notice the fire-streamer-thingies (yes, that's their technical names) draped carefully on each side:

Kids are just so dang cute. The new things they do. The things they learn. The personalities that shine through.

Just last night Caleb was cleaning up the playroom. He showed me how he sorted everything. I mean, I'm still trying to find a permanent place fore everything, and although not everything has a home, there are certain things that go in certain places... and Caleb knows that for the most part. But I guess what impressed me the most was that he used the word "sort," and then made a new home for most things. But he definitely did sort them. And he explained his whole process to me. The balls go over here, and the stuffed animals go over here, and the hard things go here (there were lots that fell within that category).

He's been such a big helper lately. He cleans with a smile on his face. Sometimes he gets mad when you try to help him clean up. And then, at times, he gets a taste of how mom feels, when he works so hard to clean up... and Marcus comes along... and in one fell swoop... well, you know the rest.

C'est la vie.

The Gift...

2011-09-19T12:50:00.001-04:00

Since it's National Sewing Month, I decided that Scarlett's birthday gift should be something sewn. I saw these cute shorts and thought I'd try them out:

http://mama-says-sew.blogspot.com/

The instructions did not have exact measurements, plus I was trying to make it for a 5 year old instead of a baby, but I think they turned out alright. If I had a bit more time (and more energy and patience) I would've tweaked them a bit.

I asked Caleb if he would try them on so I could see if how they fit. His sudden reply was "Those are for girls!" I did everything I could to try to convince him. I told him no one would know, only mommy would see, I tried to bribe him... but no. He knew better.

I paired it with a cute top I found and a bracelet I made:

I bought yarn with the intention of making a bracelet like this:

...but it just wasn't looking right with the yarn I got. So I did my own design. It was simple to make. I made a large chain (didn't count, just measured it twice the size of the finished bracelet, plus a little more to add room for the twists) and then went back and did a row of double crochets. Then I folded it in half and made it twist with itself. Just tacked it together with a couple of stitches to help it hold it's shape and fastened it off with a button embellishment.

Hope she likes it!

Fun at a Birthday Party...

2011-09-19T11:45:00.000-04:00

Caleb got invited to an awesome birthday party at Bricks 4 Kidz. It was for a girl from his preschool class. Caleb had a great time. Tons and tons of legos... what more could a little boy wish for!?

I was excited to take him because I knew how much fun he would have, and also because I was excited for him to see his classmate, Scarlett, again. The two of them are so cute together.

Sadly she doesn't go to the same elementary school so this is the first they've seen each other in months. But kids are great that way. They played as if not a day had gone by.

Lately, Caleb's been a little sensitive at times (still adjusting to full days of school and what not), and he got really upset when a little boy took something he was playing with. I tried consoling him with no success, but when Scarlett saw how sad he was she did everything she could to make him feel better. She went and found some other cool pieces just for him. He felt better after that.

I loved how they spent the majority of the time playing together.

There were so many fun activities for the kids to do. They did scavenger hunts for candy and lego cars in the big lego tables:


On your mark, get set....

GO!!!!

The each got to build their own mini figure. They raced their lego cars:

They had a zip line set up for the minifigures:

(Caleb's minifigure getting ready for the ride)

And lots more fun things! Even Claire had a good time just watching all the excitement.


(just woke up from a power nap)	(feeling more awake)

When it was time for cake the birthday girl was not happy that her seat was not next to Caleb, but as the birthday girl she had a special seat in front of the birthday cake. I thought it was cute. That's what these two are together... cute.

National Sewing Month...

2011-09-18T00:28:00.000-04:00

It's that time of year again! Sewing Month! I have many projects in mind that I'd like to do... we'll see what actually gets done with in the month, but for starter's I'll share a project with you that I'm so excited about. I actually made this back in July but I think as part of sewing month I'll blog about some past sewing projects as well as some current.

Caleb's Scripture Bag:

I had been thinking up the design for Caleb's scripture bag for a bit before I actually made it. I was so excited to put it together. It was Saturday evening and I was trying to finish the last little bit before I went to bed. I was getting tired and debated whether or not to call it a night or finish up. I decided I had to finish because I couldn't wait for a whole week till the next Sunday for him to take his new bag with him. So I pushed through and got it all ready. Then next morning I was so excited to show him. I put his Book of Mormon in along with a little hymn book that he loves to keep with him. I also put in his scripture pencils he'd gotten from the bishop for his birthday.

I was happy to see him share in my excitement. Then we all finished getting ready and piled into the car to head for church. We were about a minute or two out when I turned to Caleb and said "Where is your scripture bag?" His reply... "Aw, I forgot it!" WHAT!? And we were already running late. I was so excited to get it done, and I stayed up just to finish it! Even though we were running late... I made Darren turn around so we could go back and get it :)

There are so many things I love about his bag, but my favorite part is that it's made out of Daddy's old clothes. A dress shirt and a pair of jeans that had holes in them:

I also love the Angel Moroni on the front and his initials on the back (freezer paper stenciled... I'll share more freezer paper projects later!):

The front flap has hidden magnetic closures:

The back flap is actually a pocket:

And there's a pocket hidden on the inside as well:

Look at this stud! When we got to church he was showing everyone his new bag. It made me so happy to know he really does love it as much as I do!

Hurricane Irene...

2011-09-17T20:49:00.001-04:00

(Aug 26)

It was a very crazy week for us. Getting settled after vacation, having summer come to an end, school starting! And on top of all that a hurricane threat. We were lucky to have the hurricane change course and miss us completely, but it sure made for an interesting walk to the bus stop.

Looking down one end of the street you see gloomy black clouds:

And down at the other end was clear blue sky:

Satellite image:

Side by side comparison:

The weather that day was actually quite nice considering a hurricane potentially was supposed to come wipe our house out. About a half hour after dropping Caleb off it started pouring but that only lasted about 10 minutes.

And it sprinkled a little bit through out the day:

(going to pick up Caleb at the bus stop)

But not much:

(waiting for Caleb sans umbrella)

I'm so grateful that we are safe and everything turned out fine, but it was a nice reminder to work on our emergency preparedness.

Kindergarten Begins!!!

2011-09-17T19:52:00.005-04:00

(Aug 24&26)

Can't believe my baby boy is getting so big and so grown up. He's starting a new phase in his life which will be the biggest part of his life for years and years to come.

Every time I see a newborn baby I can't believe how small they are and how small we all start off. Caleb, not even 6 pounds, seemed so small and fragile. He'll never be that small again. They only get bigger! Now my 36 pound baby is not so small and fragile anymore. He's becoming more independent than I'm ready for.

Although there are times where he is eager to push his independence (like wanting to cook dinner all by himself with absolutely no help, or going to the bathroom by himself when we're in the opposite corner of the store), it surprised me that this always-so-confident boy had just the tiniest bit of nerves just before he got on the school bus for the first time.

I was a bit nervous myself. I knew that everything would be fine, but it's a big step for us both to take. Caleb went to preschool last year, but that was nothing compared to kindergarten. He was dropped off and picked up right at his classroom. It was 3 hours long. He came home for lunch. Now he eats lunch at school. He's gone for 7 hour. And I send him away on the bus.

As we waited for the bus that first morning he asked me how he was going to find his classroom. I explained to him that if he couldn't remember he had a name tag on that he could show anyone and they would help him find his way.

It all happened so fast. Didn't really get the pictures I wanted. Didn't get a hug and kiss before he boarded the bus. I didn't even get to wave goodbye, and then he was gone.

(coming home from the hospital)

I anxiously awaited for my baby to come home. I watched the clock all day to make sure I was back at the bus stop on time. The day went very slow.

(coming home from school)

And then he was back. We had both survived. Not that I had to worry about him, I knew he'd do great. And he did.

And so this new chapter in our lives begins...

Ah!!!!!!

2011-09-17T19:43:00.000-04:00

I am SOOOOOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOoooooo far behind! I can't take it anymore. I wanted to get all caught up and that's never gonna happen because I keep getting further and further behind! I just have to start with right now, and try to cover the past year (plus some) later. If I don't get my current posts up now, it just makes my to do list get longer and longer and longer! Hopefully I can do this!

St. Augustine...

2011-07-09T21:51:00.008-04:00

(April 2011)

Last time my parents came it rained and Rained and RAINED! We didn't get to do as much as I would have liked. I'm happy the weather was much more agreeable this time around. Well, if you can call it "agreeable." Maybe I should say it was definitely "sunny." Yes, lots and LOTS of SUN. It was quite HOT, which also makes it hard to get out and do stuff, but I think it's more manageable than rain. So... we took a trip to St. Augustine to walk the famous George Street:

After scrolling through all the pictures I wondered how Darren and Caleb happened to avoid the camera in every single shot. Well, I guess that's easy to do when you're not there. I forgot we snuck out while they were at work and school. But don't worry, they got to join in on many other fun things! (...posts to come)

Easter!!!

2011-07-06T23:56:00.009-04:00

(April 2011)

For some reason I haven't been very good at planning for Easter the last couple of years. Luckily we did a little better this year. We actually had our egg hunt on Easter. Plus, we were able to enjoy some extra company!

On your mark...

Get set...

GO!!!

One of my favorite parts about Easter this year was the chocolate marshmallow eggs. We had these every Easter growing up, and it's a tradition I'm excited to continue with my kids.

I also caught some shots of the Easter Bunny!!! (These actually weren't taken on Easter. I forgot I had gotten this hat with some other hand-me-downs. I wanted to make her a cute little bunny hat and didn't get around to it, so when I rediscovered this one I took some pictures of what she would've/should've worn on Easter.)

Claire's Blessing...

2011-06-28T22:18:00.001-04:00

(April 2011)

Claire-Marie was blessed on April 24th, Easter Sunday.

Auntie Laryssa:

Great Aunties Peggy and Phyllis:

Grandma and Grandpa Crouch:

The family:

Group shot:

We also tried to get a shot of the grandparents with the grandkids. This one turned out alright:

There were about ten others that looked something like this:

It's a GIRL!!!

2011-06-26T23:51:00.012-04:00

(April 2011)

...and what a big girl too! Here's the final shot of me just moments before leaving for the hospital.

Claire-Marie Brinne Salomons was born April 6th, 2011 at 1:33pm measuring 21 inches and weighing 9lbs 14oz!!!

All my babies have shocked me with their birth weight. I could've sworn Caleb was going to be at least 8 pounds, and he weighed only 5lbs 12oz. I knew Marcus would be bigger, but never knew he would be 9.5 pounds! And Miss Claire-Marie, I can't believe she was pushing almost 10 pounds!!!

Her birth was the most emotional for me. Heck, the entire pregnancy was the most emotional for me. Poor Darren had to deal with all my breakdowns. I think that was my main difference in carrying a girl. Don't know if I'm making this up, but I feel the extra estrogen from the womb took effect over me.

Big Brother Marcus wasn't too interested in Claire at the hospital, but laid claim over her once at home. His feelings for her still go back and forth. I know he loves her, but there's still some jealousy (it's tough being the middle child). Sometimes when she cries he'll bring her a blanket and try to tuck her in, other times he stops me in my tracks as I go to grab her and begs to be carried because "No! I baby!"

But Big Brother Caleb! Never has jealousy been an issue for him. He LOVES babies! Especially 'his' babies. He was always good when Marcus was little. Such a big helper! He was so cute throughout my pregnancy. When he'd come home from school he'd talk to my belly and tell 'baby sister' what he did that day. Sometimes he'd show her pictures he'd made. Plus there were never ending amounts of kisses for baby too... and that's still true.

All of my kids look quite different from each other as babies. I was just looking at some pictures from Caleb's birth, and everything about him is complete opposite of Claire. But the one thing I don't understand is, if they all look different, how come they all look just like their dad!

While Claire is the first to get my dark hair, her hair is nothing like mine. It's quite full and thick, and it's CURLY!!! Never would I imagine having a curly haired child, especially looking at my first two, but I love it!

Speaking of hair, this area will be a whole new experience for me. Hair bows, headbands, braids and pigtails... Even her beanie at the hospital was given a girlie touch.

Only hours old and Claire-Marie was already so popular. We were shown much love from visitors and phone calls. Here's a shot of my dear friends who dropped by to say hello to our newest bundle of joy.

Here is Claire's best friend. I know they hung out in heaven together, watching over their mommies, just waiting for their turn on earth.

(Baby Nohemi, 2 months old)

And here she is ready to leave the hospital and looking months old already. My big girl looking so pretty in pink. I think we're ready for all the pink!

P.S You have to watch is amazing video made by Daddy:

Beginning...

2011-06-26T23:09:00.001-04:00

I have many updates posts I need to get to. Ha, "many" is an understatement. But who knows when I'll get to these "many" updates posts. Hopefully one day, and when I do I'll be inserting them (date-wise) after this post. But I think there are some individuals out there who'd appreciate if I start with more recent events, so they can see their little girl before she's not so little anymore. So, let's begin...

Who's who?

2010-11-02T19:47:00.008-04:00

Boy do I have some catching up to do! But, of course, this wouldn't be my blog with out a million update posts all at once. I'll have to get to that later. I think I'd like to start with our current month. Well, actually it's November now. I'm going to cover October first (before we rewind all the way back to May).

So lets start out with this:

Can you tell me who is who?

Just Hanging Out...

2010-07-17T14:49:00.008-04:00

At the house:

(Caleb and his new buddy: Ariihau)

(Lovin's from Grandpa)

(KISSES!! I was always getting kisses from these two and I loved it!)

(awww, so precious)

At the Bartons:

All the grandkids:

Baby Thomas...

2010-07-15T19:08:00.001-04:00

(Special Ocassion #2)

Thomas Kahuapohaihiki'iapa'a Apele Barton

May 25th
7lbs 9oz
19.5 in

Waiting room:
(We completely took over the waiting room. Children were not allowed in to see the baby. I don't know if there just wasn't anyone else that needed to use the waiting room, or if they just took one look at all our kiddies and found elsewhere to wait. I'm happy it was an actually room with a door that we could close. It helped to contain our madness.)

At home:

The Beach...

2010-07-13T19:18:00.002-04:00

For the whole month we were in Hawaii we made it to the beach a total of ONE time. We were quite busy (and it's not like there aren't beaches in Florida). Next time, however, I will definitely schedule more time to take a dip in the beautiful Pacific.

Whoops, I forgot some...

2010-07-12T20:01:00.001-04:00

Whoopsie! Rewind back to Oahu. (Here's some pictures I forgot. There's too many to keep track.)

Cinco de Mayo:
For Marcus's actual birthday Darren's mom made enchilada's and a special #1 cake for Marcus:

Marcus the Monkey:
Marcus refuses to be small. He'll climb and climb to get what he wants (which is something he is doing as I type). He'd love to push the chair to the window and balance on the arm rest to take a peek at the doggies.

Passing of Grandma Salomons:
While in Oahu we received the unfortunate news of the passing of Darren's paternal grandmother. We were to leave for Big Island in a few days, but Darren took a detour to Canada so he could attend his grandma's funeral and spend time with family.

(the nephews asking Uncle Darren when he'll be coming)

Alicia:
Alicia is the twin sister of my very dear Julie. We both had to cross the Pacific Ocean in order to meet. We were able to have lunch at Macky's (the best shrimp truck ever!) and we spent some time with her little girl so the grown-ups could jet ski.

(photo from Alicia's blog)

Grandpa and his boys...

2010-07-08T19:39:00.000-04:00

Silly boys (who interrupted Grandpa's nap) :

Pretending to sleep:

How many grandkids can fit in Grandpa's chair???

All of them!!!

More Birthday...

2010-07-07T18:34:00.010-04:00

(Special Occasion #1 continued)

When we got to the Big Island we decided to have a little get together with the family to shower Marcus with more gifts.

Grandma on clean up duty:

Reflection off the bar:

Playing/enjoying Scene-It:

Up close and personal:

I wonder...
a) ... why Caleb is so sad:

b) ... if Marcus is checking out a booger:

My personal photographer:

The live band:

Party Party!!!

2010-06-22T14:09:00.001-04:00

(Special Occasion #1)

This past year has gone by so fast. Marcus is a year old already. It was great to celebrate his birthday with family and old friends.

Hele to HAWAII!!!

2010-06-17T15:37:00.000-04:00

It had been too long since we'd been home for a visit. It was perfect timing because of a couple of special occasions (posts to come soon), plus it's always great to see family and friends.

Playing tourist at Waikiki:

Checking out the vines:

Waikiki Aquarium:

Caleb as part of the Shark Jaws Exibit:

I Always Bring the Essentials!!!

2010-06-11T11:25:00.039-04:00

When going on vacation there are bound to be things we forget to bring with us, but as long as I have these two (and the proper travel documents) I know we'll make do.

Wonder where I've been the last month? Just wait and I will show you!

What's for dinner?

2010-04-25T18:34:00.006-04:00

Looks like we're having some Marcus tonight! And apparently he thinks it's hilarious.

But seriously, look at that cuteness. Couldn't you just eat him up too!?

My Lovely Weeds...

2010-04-22T20:05:00.001-04:00

Never have weeds seemed so precious than they did today. Hand picked by my sweet little boy, given with such excitement. Such a lovely arrangement with various selections. My heart is smiling. (I guess now you know I've been slacking on my yard work, but I'm so glad I did)

(April 21st 2010)

We're at the bottom...

2010-04-21T17:57:00.005-04:00

... of our fourth jar of baby food! Dad (of course) had the special touch and got him to finish his first jar last night. I think this means he's feeling better. Woohoo!

7 going on 10 (or more)!

2010-04-19T23:06:00.005-04:00

Marcus hasn't been feeling well the past few days. He's generally been really happy, no fever, but he won't eat and has been having major diarrhea. Poor guy. Yesterday his main outfit during church ended up being nothing but his birthday suit and a diaper. He had a little explosion that dirtied everything he was wearing including his socks!

I've been waiting for his appetite to pick up and the diarrhea to die down, but today was day five! I called the doctor and asked if I should bring him in and they said yes (I wonder if they always say yes, just to be sure and to reduce liability, and steal more of my money...anyway...). We went in to see the doctor and with in the first minute of being there she opened his mouth and I was blown away! How did I not see those gigantic teeth coming in at the back of his mouth! I wouldn't want to eat anything either if I had tender gums like that. His top molars are coming in on both sides and the doctor said his bottom ones are likely coming in too even though we can't see any swelling. She said teething can cause diarrhea (and it probably doesn't help that he doesn't eat anything and will only nurse).

It's nice to know what's going on with my baby. I feel a little silly that I didn't discover this on my own. I often look in his mouth but never pulled back his cheeks in such a way that would reveal such useful information.

Go ahead and count those pearly whites!

There's seven! But not for long. With two molars(at least) and the bottom right one soon to be peaking through, he will have quite the set of chompers. Now I just need to figure out how to get him to broaden his diet. He's seem quite apposed to anything that's not mush. Oh, if he only knew what he's missing!

FINALLY!!! IT'S A MIRACLE!!!

2010-03-23T20:29:00.002-04:00

I am all caught up!! YES!!! Feel free to take your time reading through my million update posts... or feel free to skip over them all together. I wish I could've just skipped past doing them to finally get back to present blogging, but if I didn't do it now, it never would've happened, and all those cute pictures would've been wasted. So... let's just hope that the next time you hear from me will be sooner than two months.

Rewind: Caleb's Song...

2010-03-23T20:28:00.002-04:00

(February 2010)

All afternoon I've listened to this. He's gotten a lot better. At first I couldn't even recognize the song.

(This is the song he was singing.)

Rewind: Soccer Playground...

2010-03-23T20:27:00.001-04:00

(February 2010)

Caleb used to have soccer practice at the other end of the neighborhood. There is also a playground there. To distinguish between the one by us and the one over there we have 'our playground' and Caleb calls it 'my soccer playground' (in my head I can hear his little voice "Which playground? My sotter playground?"). Today we rode our bikes to the soccer playground.

Rewind: Girl's Night...

2010-03-23T20:26:00.001-04:00

(February 2010)

We had a Girl's Night at my house and watched this:

I love Love LOVE this movie. If you are a Pride and Prejudice fan I highly recommend it. (If you have Netflix, it's one of their Instant-Play movies) It's the P&P story with a whole new twist. We also had lots of tasty treats to munch on while we enjoyed our movie:

(No, those are not brownies. They're peanut butter bars. Thanks Kacey)

(Cupcakes from Pollyanna)

(Avocado Truffles)

(Turtles, recipe found here)

Rewind: Mini Luau...

2010-03-23T20:25:00.000-04:00

(February 2010)

It was my turn to host playgroup this week. I decided to have a mini luau. We strung paper leis, ate fruit salad, and made an ocean-in-a-bottle:

(I love this photo. This is the classic Caleb face he gives when you ask him too look at you. He raises his eye brows really high and then looks out of the corner of his eye where he wants to be looking.)

Rewind: The Ball Pit..

2010-03-23T20:24:00.002-04:00

(February 2010)

Caleb has a ball pit that's never been pulled out since we last moved. I decided to just sell it since we don't use it anymore. I put it up on craigslist using a standard product image I found online. Someone emailed me back asking if I had any real pictures of it. So I pulled it out, blew it up, and threw some balls in to snap some photos.

No pictures were taken. Just video...

Needless to say I'm not selling it. The sound of those giggles are just too precious. Marcus especially loves it. I moved it into Marcus's room one day to get it out of the way and I kind of forgot about it. While working around the house I could hear some type of screaming sound coming from the other room. I thought they were screams of distress, but as I got closer, I realized they were squeals of delight. Many squeals of delight, with grinning from ear to ear, and lots of giggles. Makes me feel guilty for even thinking of getting rid of it.

Rewind: Darren's Birthday...

2010-03-23T20:23:00.001-04:00

(February 2010)

So I tried to plan a little get together for Darren's birthday, but what I didn't realize was that evening was when the Superbowl was on. Whoops. But we had a good time anyway. We had good food (including teriburgers and sweet potato fries to name a few), and for dessert we made MALASADAS! We had a bit of difficulty finding the right temperature for the oil (because the numbers on my skillet are all scratched off), but there was plenty of dough (and then some) to experiment a little before finding perfection.

I wasn't thinking and didn't take any pictures. Here's one that Darren snapped of the malasada-making. Too bad I didn't get a picture of the birthday boy on his birthday. Whoops again.

The one success of the evening, no "whoops" required, was Darren's gift. I compiled a book of letters written to Darren (not old letters, but letters written specifically for his birthday book). Thank you to all who contributed! I'm so pleased with how it turned out!!!

Rewind: :)

2010-03-23T20:22:00.000-04:00

(February 2010)

Smiley faces all around... that is what I love.

Rewind: To Nap Or Not To Nap...

2010-03-23T20:21:00.000-04:00

(January 2010)

Pretty much all of Caleb's friends his age stopped napping over a year ago, but Caleb definitely still needs his. Otherwise this is what happens:

Rewind: Marcus's "Baby" Quilt...

2010-03-23T20:20:00.002-04:00

(January 2010)

Remember this post? Well, only now have I finished Marcus's "baby" quilt. And I say "baby," because my big boy is not a baby anymore. I wanted to do something a little different and I wanted to use a few different fabrics, so I decided to do an argyle style quilt. It really shouldn't have taken me so long to finish it, but for some reason it did. I think one reason it took so long is because I kept running in to problems and instead of just persevering, I'd put it away for awhile. One of my problems was that I sewed all of my diamonds together and realized I should have put some type of interfacing on the back. In order to do my yellow and white embroidery stitch I needed something to stabilize my fabric... hence the packaging tape. I'd run a strip of packaging tape where I was going to sew. Then I'd crease it down the middle which held a line that I'd use as my guide. Then I'd rip it away when I was done. This worked quite nicely, except I'd definitely recommend Scotch brand packaging tape. I had some other type I used in the beginning and it left a lot of gooey residue all over my quilt. And to explain the peach jar, I learned this trick from my grandma. The embroidery stitching used a lot of thread so I bought a big spool of thread (like the ones you use on a surger), but the spool is to big to sit on the top of my machine. If you just sit it inside the jar and then thread your machine as usual, your problem is solved. I'd never heard of anyone else doing this, but I recently saw this on Martha Stewart.com. Funny.

Rewind: Caleb's Campfire...

2010-03-23T20:19:00.001-04:00

(January 2010)

I let Caleb on the back porch to play and I noticed he was making a rock pile. I don't like him playing with rocks (for obvious reasons) so I went out to tell him to put them back, but he was adamant that he had to have them. He was making a "campfire." I thought it was so cute so I asked if he wanted to roast marshmallows. I gave him a skewer and some mini-marshmallows and there he sat...

Rewind: Robots...

2010-03-23T20:17:00.001-04:00

(January 2010)

For Christmas Caleb got these really cool block/lego thinggies called TRIO by Fisher Price. They're really fun to build with. It also came with this book that gives you instructions on how to build different things. I kind of ignored the book and thought Caleb probably wasn't old enough to use it yet. Well, the boys found it and then came to show me their 'robots.'

This is from the book:

And here's their robots:

Pretty darn good for three year olds!

Rewind: What do you think???

2010-03-23T20:16:00.002-04:00

(December 2009)

It's probably time for a trim.

Rewind: Can't resist...

2010-03-23T20:15:00.000-04:00

(December 2009)

Our coffee table in the living room seems to be the favorite baby spot:

Even other babies who come to visit can't seem to resist.

Rewind: A Mother's Touch...

2010-03-23T20:14:00.000-04:00

(December 2009)

A mother's touch, no matter how hard I try, could never have this result:

I'm definitely jealous!

Rewind: We Have Playgroup Everyday...

2010-03-23T20:13:00.000-04:00

(December 2009)

At the end of November I started tending a couple of boys. One is Caleb's age and one is Marcus's age. Now I have a little taste of what it's like to have twins... two sets! It actually has been really good. Caleb loves having a friend to play with, and it's a great learning experience. Now he has more time to practice sharing, and other social skills.

Today we went to the playground:

(aren't these the cutest socks ever!)

Rewind: Christmas...

2010-03-23T20:12:00.001-04:00

(December 2009)

No big trips anywhere this year for Christmas. This was our 2nd Christmas by ourselves. We're slowly building up our Christmas decorations and Christmas traditions. One tradition we started last year was to have a fire on Christmas Eve to roast marshmallows while we tell the story of the birth of Christ.

We didn't get much pictures from Christmas day, but here are the few we got.

(Santa also brought Mommy and Daddy bikes too! Marcus got a trailer
that hooks on to our bikes [it seats 2, and can also be converted into a jogging stroller])

This was our first year to make Christmas dinner on our own. I was glad to find it wasn't as difficult as I thought it would be, but one thing I did learn... Christmas dinner is better when shared with company. Something definitely noted for next year.

Rewind: Playgroup...

2010-03-23T20:11:00.000-04:00

(Dec 18th 2009)

We had a very tasty Christmas playgroup this week:

Check out the rest of the pictures!

Rewind: Bet you wish you had a Julie...

2010-03-23T20:10:00.000-04:00

(Dec 9 2009)

My friend Julie takes such good care of me. One day she came over to hang out, and ended up cooking me dinner, just because. I wish I could describe how flavorful and delicious this dish was, but I'm horrible with words. Let's just say, it was better than a restaurant. I just couldn't get over how amazing it tasted. One thing that shocked me was that this masterpiece was created from things in my pantry. I had all the ingredients on hand. Makes me feel sad for Darren. I wish I could cook like that for him every night. My kitchen holds great potential... I just need the right recipes... plus cooperative kids.

Maybe if I had less of this...

I might have the motivation to put together a decent meal.

Rewind: Thanksgiving...

2010-03-23T20:09:00.000-04:00

(November 2009)

We weren't doing any big trips this year for Thanksgiving. And even though we didn't have any family around, it was wonderful spending Thanksgiving with friends.

Julie and her beautiful turkey...
(doesn't this look like a photo out of a magazine)

Some more of the wonderful food:

Julie also had some of her students over. These guys are so nice and so funny (and great cooks ...that's their dish directly above). It was really great to meet all of them:

Rewind: The Tiger Is On The Prowl...

2010-03-23T20:08:00.000-04:00

(November 2009)

Introducing...

MARCUS THE TIGER:

Grrr...

I'm coming to get you...

ROAR!!!

Marcus doesn't always crawl on the flats of his feet, but today he did. I thought it was funny because he was wearing his Tigger outfit. I wish I got a better shot from the rear. He's got a little tail printed on his onsie. So cute!

Rewind: Stuck...

2010-03-23T20:07:00.000-04:00

(November 2009)

Back in September I said "[Marcus] is quite the expert roller now. I've been waiting for him to learn a new trick, but I guess he's content with rolling for now." Of course once you say something, the opposite always happens (which isn't always bad). Immediately after that post Marcus learned a new trick and perfected his scoot. (I'm trying to remember if we got that on video... I'll have to go check later). He quickly progressed from scooting to an army crawl, and by the beginning of November he was a professional crawler.

With his new method of transportation I find him in all corners of the house. One place in particular is here:

Under our dining stools...

I got a happy look for that shot, but most of the time this is what he looks like...

I don't know why he keeps crawling under there. He can never get out himself. I've seen him try to climb over the bars to escape, in which case he ends up high centered or makes it over enough to get his hands on the floor with his feet kicking in the air. I always quickly rush to the rescue (with not enough time to snap a picture... darn).

This whole thing kind of reminds me of the time where Caleb got stuck under a stool after learning how to crawl:

There wasn't enough room to stand up, but he got stuck because he didn't know how to reverse himself out of there. I think he quickly learned not to get in such situations. But Marcus on the other hand, can't keep himself away those stools. I've never seen him stand up while on the outside of the stool, only when he's underneath it. One day he'll learn. If not, I'll just rename my chairs to 'baby prison'.

Rewind: Good Morning Marcus!

2010-03-23T20:06:00.003-04:00

(Nov 17th 2009)

This is how Marcus greets me in the morning. He can pull himself up now. It's exciting to see my baby grow, but since this new milestone he doesn't fall asleep as easily. No more protesting laying down, but on up on two feet... makes it a little more difficult to fall asleep.

Rewind: Maggiano's...

2010-03-23T20:05:00.000-04:00

(October 2009)

Maggiano's is a great family-style-dining restaurant. I'm getting hungry thinking of all the great food they have there. Stuffed mushrooms, fried zucchini, baked ziti... Mmmm.

Birthday girls:

Sleepy Owen:

Silly Caleb:

Squirmy Marcus:

Maggiano's 1st-timers:

Rewind: The Beach...

2010-03-23T20:04:00.000-04:00

(October 2009)

The weather was beautiful, so the beach was a must. First we stopped at Publix for some goodies for a picnic. I LOVE Publix. This is one of the things I love...

Free cookies for the kiddies. It's a good treat for well behaved little boys... OR a good distractions to keep little boys well behaved. (I also love their shopping cart, another thing to help keep little boys well behaved while Mommy does her shopping.)

Oh and another great thing about Publix... their deli (you can see a glimpse of it behind these cuties). Publix is definitely a have-to for all my visitors. There is just so much I love about it.

And off to the beach we go...

...to enjoy our Publix palate pleasers...

...and build castles out of... SHELLS!?

Yep, shells. Our beach is covered in shells. There is a bit more sand closer to the shoreline, but there's plenty of shells mixed in there too.

Rewind: Savannah...

2010-03-23T20:03:00.001-04:00

(October 2009)

We also took the gang up to Savannah while they were here. I got to be the chauffeur of our car, and I realized, that was the farthest I have ever driven...170 miles. It's not the farthest I've traveled in a car, just the farthest distance traveled when I was the actual driver. Pathetic, I know. Actually, the most pathetic part is that 170 miles is the farthest by a long shot. At first I was thinking, 'Savannah's not much more of a drive than Orlando.' ... I've never driven to Orlando. Then I was thinking 'Savannah's not much longer of a drive than from Kona to Hilo' (the mileage doesn't compare, but driving time is about the same) ...I've never driven to Hilo either. I've had my license almost a decade now, what have I been doing? I guess I'm just a pro at being a passenger. I must've been excited about my first big journey because the next time I headed up north I headed that same direction(towards Savannah), missing the airport exit AND the one after... only to find that the next exit wasn't for another 7 miles, then to have to turn around and travel another 9.5 miles to get to the proper exit. Thank goodness my friends still made their flight after the scenic detour I took them on.

ANYWAY... Savannah... we took the Oglethorpe Trolley Tour.

I have to say, I don't think our tour guide was as funny as he thought he was, but the beauty of Savannah made up for his lame jokes.

I think my favorite part of our visit to Savannah has been looking back through the pictures. Chenoa, how you bring a smile to my face :)

And some more pictures from our expedition:

Rewind: St. Augustine...

2010-03-23T20:02:00.000-04:00

(October 2009)

Rewind: Home and Family...

2010-03-23T20:01:00.000-04:00

(October 2009)

While Darren's family was here, our house was busy busy. I know the boys enjoyed spending time...

with Cousins:

and Aunties:

And Grandma:

AND flying kites:

Rewind: More from Disney...

2010-03-23T20:00:00.000-04:00

(October 2009)

Yeay! I got my hands on some more pictures for you. Here you go:

My favorite Disney Parade of all time:

Mouseketeers:

More shark chow:

It's a Small World:
The best part.

Stroller parking:
This is where we left the little ones when we wanted to go on the "big people" rides. Sometimes we left a supervising adult too.

Knocked out:
We had too much fun. The little ones just couldn't keep up! ...Actually I have to confess, that was me at one point too. If you ever need a nice place to refresh your energy, Club Cool at Epcot is the perfect spot. They have complimentary soda samples from around the world... AND a nice quiet hallway in the back with a very cushy bench. Great spot for a power nap :)

All of us:

My house during the day:

My house at night:

Ha, Ha, Ha...

2010-03-23T19:59:00.001-04:00

I bet you thought after spitting out those 13 posts I was all caught up. Well, you were wrong! That was only half of what I wanted to catch up on... hence this long break from blogging yet again. It's just so overwhelming that it's hard for me to get started. But I'm in the zone now so lets do this!

UPDATES!!!!

2010-01-18T14:26:00.000-05:00

Updates, updates, and more updates!!!

I'm getting all caught up. Check out the archives (on right) to make sure your not missing anything. I'd recommend reading everything in order (rather than from top to bottom, which is reverse chronological order). Use the archive links to help you navigate or scroll to the bottom and click 'older posts'.

Rewind: So Long Soccer...

2010-01-18T13:51:00.006-05:00

(Nov 7th 2009)

Soccer season is officially over. It's kind of sad, but a relief at the same time. Practices were always a lot of fun, but game time was a different story.

I loved it when this happened:

(break away by Caleb)

And this:

(goal kick)

I was even satisfied with this:

(running... within some vicinity of the ball)

But more often than not, this is what was happening:

(coaches placing Caleb where he needed to be because he's too distracted to get into position)
(...before kick-offs and such, not during an actual play)

(off in la-la land)

(water breaks... whenever he felt)

My cute little soccer player. The coaches would just laugh and say, 'I bet he'll be the all star on the team in a few years.' I do look forward to next season to see how much he'll have grown.

(at least three of his teammates are missing in this picture)

So. It is time. To put the cleats away. Until next fall.

Yes, quite often it was a headache trying to get Caleb to focus, but I know he had fun. I'm reminded of a Publix commercial that always makes me laugh:

So long Soccer Season. See ya in a few.

Rewind: Happy Halloween!

2010-01-18T10:17:00.001-05:00

(Oct 31st 2009)

I didn't really plan for Halloween this year since we dressed up in matching outfits with Darren's family at Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween party. So our costumes were a little last minute, but it worked out fine.

At Disney we bought Marcus this cute little Tigger onesie. We decided it was festive enough, especially with Pooh sitting next to him:

I used part of my outfit from the Halloween party:

And for Caleb... I had in mind a way to whip up a quick Dash (from the Incredibles) costume, BUT Caleb said he'd rather be a pirate. It was easy enough to pull together, but it makes me laugh. Most of his pirate costume is made up from his church clothes. He has on his church shoes, his church pants, and his white collared shirt. We just added his white "I *heart* Mom" shirt underneath, tied a bandanna around his head, a sash around his waist, put a sword in his hand, and gave him a bit of scruff:

Rewind: The Park...

2010-01-18T10:04:00.000-05:00

(Oct 15th 2009)

There's another little park just down the street from our place. We decided to switch it up a bit today rather than go to our usual playground:

Rewind: Disney World...

2010-01-18T03:07:00.011-05:00

(October 2009)

Darren's family came to visit so we spent a week at Disney. I'm not very good at taking pictures when we're out and about like that, but we had to get a picture of us with Lilo and Stitch, of course:

Here's a picture of Darren and Marcus getting eaten by Bruce:

And Caleb testing his driving skills:

Disney World was quite fun this year. We went to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party. If you ever get a chance to go, I'd DEFINITELY recommend it. The lines to all the rides were short. Everyone was trick-or-treating. And the Villain Parade is now my favorite Disney parade.

And one other thing that made Disney fun this year is that we always got picked to participate in the different shows. Caleb got to help out with the Slapstick Studios show. Uncle Colin was chosen to help with the Backlot Tour's clip. ( I need to upload videos of these later )

Caleb also was chosen to ask a question to Crush at Turtle Talk. This is a fun show. You go in a room and sit on some benches in front of a big screen. The children gather up front and sit on the floor. Caleb wanted to sit up front with the rest of the kids so I went and sat with him. Turtle Talk is real-time animation with live conversation. He talks to that specific audience. He'll pick out volunteers from the audience to ask him questions and then answers them. As all the little kids were sitting there, bouncing up and down with their hands raised so that Crush would choose them to ask a question, I saw Caleb's hand go up. Before I could get him to put his hand down, Crush called on him. They brought the mic over so Caleb could ask his question and Caleb said, ". . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ." NOTHING! I knew he didn't have a question, and I didn't have a question in mind. I tried to think,'What on earth do I want to ask a sea turtle?' I decided I needed to just think of anything so that he could answer and we all could move on. I settled on the lame-o question "What's your favorite color?" and whispered to Caleb to repeat it into the mic. In response to my lame-o question, I expected a lame-o answer, but on the contrary, his response was quite entertaining. His favorite color, of course, was green. But he went on to explain why his favorite color was green. He likes green because that's the color of seaweed, a big part of his diet. And actually the seaweed is what helps give him his green color. He in return asked Caleb what he liked to eat. With a little prompting from mom we were able to answer "Chicken nuggets." Crushed laughed and said something like, "Ah, that's nice. ....but ....what's a chicken? ...........and what are it's nuggets?" Clever. Then he went on and asked Caleb if he ever gets the bubbles after eating chicken nuggets. I was a little confused and during my hesitation to answer Crush continued by saying, "Sometimes I get the bubbles," as tiny bubbles shot out of his behind. Never expected that, but it was hilarious.

Rewind: ...And Then Some

2010-01-18T02:59:00.006-05:00

(Sept 2009)

Many happenings from UT.

Cabellas:

Mount Timpanogos Temple:

Provo Temple:

Brick Oven:

Tracks:

Church History Museum:

Conference Center:

Dinner at The Mayan:

Aquarium:

Boondocks:

Uncle Patrick's:

Mo' Bettah Steaks:

Asa's 1st Bday:

Talent Show:

Family Pictures:

Around the house:

Rewind: More Utah...

2010-01-18T02:41:00.008-05:00

(Sept 2009)

Caleb and his "first cousin once removed" really hit it off. Can you tell why:

Marcus was a hit too.

Logan came to visit us when Marcus was born. He must have felt a connection with him because during our trip he claimed possession over Marcus and kept calling him "MY Marcus".

Mckenna, while very shy through out our visit, has formed a special bond with Marcus also. She always asks about him and calls him on her play phone.

And of course Grandpa can't get enough of him either.

Rewind: Family Pictures...

2010-01-18T01:32:00.009-05:00

(Sept 2009)

Remember those family photos I wanted to take every month... well, needless to say it's not been happening. We are however keeping up with our biannual quota.

(Uh, yeah, the kids were a little uncooperative...)

Sadly these pictures didn't happen out of my diligence in working towards my goal. It was part of a planned shoot to get a picture with all of the Crouch Family.

This is all of my immediate family:

And this is all my extended family (on my Dad's side):

(...if I'm even using those terms correctly ["immediate" and "extended"]. Family relations are so hard to understand and explain. For example, I often use the term "second cousin" when it's actually my "first cousin once removed." This is a pretty good explanation of how your related to someone. Does it make sense when I look at the chart... of course. Will I remember correctly how I'm related to someone or be able to figure it out with having the chart in front of me...Hah, yeah right. Anyway...)

Here were a couple other pictures taken that day:

(Yes, my younger sister is really that much taller than I am.)

(Caleb and his new best friend, Brandon)

Rewind: Cruizin' the Town...

2010-01-18T00:47:00.006-05:00

(Sept 2009)

While in Utah we rode tracks into SLC.

(Artistic photo taken by Caleb)

We walked around temple square:

We stopped by the Conference Center. But my favorite part of this venture was the Church History Museum. They had a cute little children's area with lots of fun little activities set up for the kids.

They had a little nursery/doctor's area:

A Build a Temple area with the coolest wooden blocks:

They had a dress up area with a stable and a manger. They had some coloring stations where you could make rubbings of the CTR symbol in all different languages. I can't even remember all the cute little fun things they had for the kids to do, but the Church History Museum is definitely on my list for the next time we go to Utah.

Rewind: Salomons Reunion...

2010-01-18T00:26:00.004-05:00

(Aug 2009)

There was never a dull moment on our trip to Canada. We had a handful of large events that happened all in one weekend. Darren's Grandpa's birthday party, a Celebration of Life and Love for our dear family friends, and the Salomons Reunion.

Darren's dad is one of seven boys. Here's that leg of the family, all of us in red:

Darren's grandpa was one of six (I think). Here's the rest of the gang:

(Play Where's Waldo and see if you can find us. [click the picture to enlarge])

Rewind: Papa's 80th...

2010-01-17T23:42:00.005-05:00

(Aug 2009)

While we were in Canada we had a birthday party for Darren's grandpa. Although his birthday was earlier in the year, he had a larger celebration while the fam was in town. There was lots of delicious food, friends and family from all over, some delightful entertainment, and cake!

(Great Grandma and Great Papa)

(Caleb and Auntie Carlie)

(Cousin Owen enjoying some cake)

(The Birthday Boy treating us to a few songs)

The weather during our trip was quite pleasant with the one exception of the day of the party. So no pictures of Mommy or Marcus because we were hiding in the kitchen trying to keep warm, but here are some very sweet pictures of Marcus and Great Papa from later that day:

Rewind: Calgary Zoo...

2010-01-17T20:52:00.019-05:00

(Aug 2009)

The first thing we did after arriving in Canada was hit up the Calgary Zoo. We met Darren's dad and siblings there.

Do you see the moose?

Here's Caleb and Marcus with their cousin Owen:

My favorite part about the zoo is the giraffes...

...Or is it the Koalas...

...Or the joeys???

Seeing the grizzly-wranglers is always fun.

We saw a Daddy-wrangler too!

Just some other random pictures from the zoo:

Uncle Colin & Caleb

Grandpa Dale, Daddy, Auntie Carlie, Caleb, Uncle Colin, ...Marcus, and Mommy

Ram - Caleb

Caleb's Shadow (picture taken by Caleb)

Cousins :)

Miss Me???

2010-01-17T20:12:00.003-05:00

Well, I'm back and I've had it. We are getting all caught up starting....

NOW!!!

(I hope you don't feel bombarded by the next twenty-or-so posts that are coming real soon)

Some shut eye for now...

2009-11-17T00:13:00.000-05:00

Hopefully more tomorrow... One day I'll get all caught up.

When you organize your kitchen...

2009-11-17T00:07:00.009-05:00

Your counters look like this:

And your pantry looks like this:

I'm very thankful for my helpers :)

The Great Outdoors...

2009-11-16T23:49:00.004-05:00

The end of the year is approaching fast so we had to sneak in a camping trip before it gets too cold. This past weekend we headed over to Anastasia State Park. Again, forgot my camera, but the Porters brought theirs.

Rewind: Late Night Visitor...

2009-11-16T22:58:00.007-05:00

After I'd finished baking cookies the other night, I went to the bedroom to hit the hay. Thank goodness I thought it was a bit warm that night. Normally I'd jump straight into bed, but I needed to flip on the light to find the remote for our fan. That's when I met my late night visitor... sitting on my bed. I don't know how he snuck in and found his way to my room, but there he was. I can only assume he was Roger's cousin. This LIZARD was sitting pretty on MY bed. Darren was too slow arriving to my rescue and Roger's cousin had decided to play hide and seek. I left Darren and Caleb to take care of things. It wasn't long before Caleb won the game. I have no idea how he spotted him.

The flash from the camera makes him stand out in this picture, but in the light of my bedroom he completely blends in. It's kind of funny though... out of all the places he choose to hide he choose a plant, a fake plant, but it's the closest thing to what he's used to.

Thank goodness for little observant eyes. I don't know if I could have gone to sleep if we hadn't have found him. It's one thing to have a lizard in the house, but finding him in my bed leaves me a little uneasy.

...guess I've been away from Hawaii for too long. Lizards in the house creep me out.

Rewind: Yeay for the Holidays!

2009-11-16T22:20:00.004-05:00

(Nov 11)

The holidays are approaching and I LOVE it! I got my first taste of holiday goodness during my day at Julie's... good food, good treats, great company! Just Fabulous! I of course forgot my camera :( But you can check out the happenings here.