Makeovers

My girls favorite thing to do lately is to give themselves makeovers. And let me tell ya, they always end up looking amazing. All they need is a little eye shadow and some nail polish and they are entertained for quite a while. ANTM watch out!!

The whole make-over thing is starting to rub off on Kash. After the girls finished painting each of their fingernails a different color they left all the nail polish out. Well along comes Kash and instead of giving his finger nails a makeover, he decided to give my bathroom cabinets a make-over with hot pink fingernail polish. It looks amazing. But not as good as his whole foot did the other day when he painted it with purple nail polish. And let me tell you, he was proud as punch of the job he did.

Willie Wonka

Meet Violet. Violet Beurogard. The past 6 months we have heard a lot of lines from the play "Willie Wonka". Haylie auditioned to be in the community play and got the part of Violet, the gum chewer. I was very hesitant to let her go in the play but after years of begging to be in one and some persuasion from my Mom I decided to let her try out. I was actually gone the weekend of try outs and I told her if she really wanted to do it she had to find her own song to sing and find a poem to recite and find her own way to the auditions. (nice mom!) And this was all one day before the auditions. Well she did and she ended up getting one of the main parts which she (and my Mom) were thrilled about. It did end up being a good experience for her. She really enjoyed it and made some good friends doing it. The last two weeks were pretty brutal but we made it threw. There were many late nights and then she still had to go to school the next morning. And unfortunately she inherited grumpiness and tears when she gets too tired from my side of the family.

Here is Haylie and her friend Corrine or "Veruca". They spent alot of time together at the play.

I think Haylie did a great job, especially since she has never done anything like this before. Her costume wasn't her favorite but it worked great for the part. At the end of her last scene she ends up blowing up like a blueberry so her dress needed to be a little puffy. There is an air costume underneath that ends up blowing up. I don't know if Haylie will end up doing anything like this again, but if not I think she learned alot from the experience.

Party time

I am so excited it's the last day of school!! So are the kids.

No more making lunches, no more backpacks in the entrance, no more papers and notes and more papers coming home, no more searching frantically for socks, no more getting up early, no more trying to remember every ones schedules and field trips and swim days, no more phone calls from school from kids that have forgotten things, and no more signing planners!!!

On a side note I can't believe how much Briggs has grown this year. His feet are seriously the same size as mine and he has past Haylie in height now.


Skylie's last day was two weeks ago. She loved kindergarten. It's been nice having her home so she can entertain Summer for me. Her she is on her last day. And yes she insisted on wearing those jewels on her forehead to school. Beautiful!

Skylie and her friend Brooke. They kept doing these weird poses. I didn't get one normal picture of them!

Well I'm looking forward to two months of no schedule, warm weather (hopefully), swimming, camping, and playing!!

Dance recital

This year Skylie took dance lessons out in HillSpring. Sarra and I took turns driving out every Tuesday and it was well worth it. She had so much fun and the teachers were so good. For the last month of lessons they performed at all the old folks homes in the area. I thought that this was a really fun idea because they got to wear their costumes so many times and got to perform their dances way more. Skylie's favorite part was of course getting make-up on.

Here's a few pictures from the recitle and other performances.

These were my favorite costumes. So cute. I stole these from Sarra's blog. (thanks!!)

Skylie and Jane are such good little friends. They had so much fun together.

I love how pretty much every kid is doing something different in this picture!

My organized child

So Kash's favorite thing lately seems to be lining his toys up in a perfect row.

He seems to think it as much fun to do it as it is to play with his toys.

A while back we were at my parents house and discovered this....

I really think the only reason he asked for this orange was to line them up. He didn't even eat one piece of it.

Steve will be so happy if Kash's obsession with organizing stays.

And I don't know why, but I thought it was so funny when I came into the kitchen one day and found this random elephant hanging out on the chair.

I guess rules are meant to be broken.

So I just broke my number one rule. No pets aloud. Ever. My kids have been begging me for a dog or a cat forever. I will never give into one though. They want a hamster or a lizard or a bunny. Then they started asking for a fish. I told them no forever but they would not stop begging. So I finally told Haylie and Micah if they could keep their room spotless for one month then I would get them a fish. Well they tried and tried but just couldn't do it. So I finally shortened it to two weeks. It took them a while but they finally did it. So here it is....

The lady at the store did tell me they like to hide behind plants. I guess she was right. Haylie and Micah are so excited. I told them I will not do anything to take of this fish. They have to feed it, clean the tank, and whatever else needs to be done with it.

Swim lessons

So I am the type of person that hates change and hates trying new things. If I go out to eat I always order the same things. I have a routine at home that I like to stick to. I do the same workouts all the time. So I surprised myself and others this week when I decided to take adult swim lessons. Not only is this something I have never done, but I really don't like swimming. At all. I don't like being wet, I don't like being cold, I don't like jumping in the water. I don't even know how to dive, or swim besides a little doggy paddle thing I do.

Well last night was day two on the lessons and I am actually really enjoying it. I have discovered a couple things that actually makes swimming a little more enjoyable for me. One, I have never worn goggles before or even opened my eyes under water. I usually squeeze my eyes closed in a panic when I am in the water and wearing the goggles helps a ton so I can actually see whats going on. And I never knew before to blow out of my nose once in a while, I kept getting water in my nose and choking. And like I mentioned before, I always panic under the water and can't relax, well I find if I force myself to try and relax it is much better.

My kids are being so funny about this whole thing though. Here are some of the comments I've had to listen to over the last few days:

"But Mom, why do you need to take swimming lessons?"
"Mom, do you really need to wear that cap on your head?"
"Your wearing goggles???"
"So are you taking swim lessons so that you will be more fun when we go swimming like Grandma and Leslie? They are really fun to swim with. They play with us and stuff."
"Mom, I thought people only wore those caps when.....well, never mind."
"So why are you taking swim lessons again?"
"I really want to see you wearing that cap."
And Micah told me that Haylie said my swim suit was ugly. When I asked her about it she got mad at Micah, "Micah you weren't supposed to tell her!
These comments don't make me feel self conscious at all! haha.

I'm NOT a good blogger

How in the world did I ever have time to blog before??? I'm seriously struggling right now to even read other people's blogs, let alone write on my own. I do have lots of things to blog about, a few b-days, a really embarrassing story, a couple awards the kids have got, a really gross story, a couple fun trips we've gone on, mother's day, easter holidays, dance recital, the list goes on and on- but unfortunatly I can't find the time to sit and write about it. I'm hoping that this will get me motivated to make the time. So stay tuned!!!

Hit by the plague

"Sick as a dog", "dropping like flies", "I feel like death". These all accurately describe what has been going on in our house over the last week. As of today, this plague that has been sweeping threw the whole town has hit all of our kids. Steve and I haven't got it yet....knock on wood. It has actually been a pretty peaceful week. I have been making sure the kids are getting their doses of tylenol and antibiotics, and they have been doing a lot of this....

And a lot of this......

( Yes, there is a child under this blanket)

Well I'm hoping there is an end in sight and everyone will get feeling better.

On a happy, fun, relaxing, non-sick note, I went up to Edomonton this last weekend with Brette. It was my cousin Christie's reception, so we decided to go up to it and make a weekend of it. It was really fun to get away. We did alot of shopping. And that about sums it up. We shopped until the stores closed on Friday, got up Saturday first thing and started again. Shannon and one of my good friends Hilorie met up with us Saturday, and we went to West Ed which was an absolute zoo. I could not believe how many people were there. It was a really fun weekend and I think every Mom needs to get away without kids once in a while. It was great to see some cousins and I could not be happier for Christie. She looked amazing!

Must of been Really Tired!

So my kids have fallen asleep in some random places before but I think this one tops them all....

Love so many things about this....

1. That it happened when Steve was home with the kids.

2. I know it sounds mean but I love picturing Steve on a search all over the house to find Kash, including walking right past him at one point, to find him asleep on the counter. This kind of stuff usually only happens to me.

3. Love thinking about what was going threw Kash's mind when he decided the counter was as good a place as any to go to sleep.

4. Love that Steve actually took a picture of it.

You've got to try this

I'm not one to post recipes on my blog, mostly because I don't have that great of recipes I guess. But this is one that everyone needs to have. I used to make it all the time but I think I ate it too often and got sick of it, so I took about a year break from it. Well I made it yesterday and it's just as good as I remember it. Everyone in the family loves it, it's healthy, and easy.

Granola

5-6 cups of oatmeal

1 cup shredded coconut

1 cup raisin (I always use craisins)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds

(I put pumpkin seeds in mine too)

1 cup sliced almonds (I cut whole almonds into chunks)

2-4 tsp cinnamon

1 cup honey

1/3 cup olive oil

Mix this all together and bake at 325 for 25 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes. When it's done you need to let it sit on the cookie sheet for a while. It's really good just plain or mixed with yogurt.

Some days are crazier than others

So while I was eating breakfast today I decided to take a look at my calendar and see what's going on for the week. And boy do I have a "fun" week ahead of me. Every day is packed with stuff going on. Now I know that no one is probably that interested in the glamorous life that I lead, but here is a little peek to what's in store for me tomorrow.......

7:30-Briggs has to be to choir

7:30-8:15 I will sneak to the gym and hope that girls will be ready for school when I get back.

8:15 -quick scripture study and get girls off to school

get things cleaned, kids bathed, myself showered.

9:55-Briggs class sings in festival

10:45-Micah class sings

11:10-Haylie's class

12:00-Get Skylie off to kindergarten

2:15-pick Skylie up from school and get her ready for dance

2:30-Skylie leaves for dance in HillSpring, luckily I don't have to drive!

3:15-kids home from school, we all know the madness this brings

3:30-Haylie piano

4:30-5:30 Briggs champs

4:45-Skylie home from dance

5:30-6:30-Haylie has champs

5:30-6:00-parent teacher for Skylie

6:30-8:30-Haylie play practice

7:00-Haylie has to perform at the gymnastics finale

Hopefully I can squeeze making and eating supper in somewhere. And most importantly, watching the biggest looser with Becca sometime in the evening.

Anyways, that's my day! Glad they aren't all like this.

Converstaions

Well I really need to get blogging again, even if it is just so that no one has to see that "Haylie is 11" ever again. There's lots I need and should blog about, but for my own entertainment I'll just write about a conversation I heard the other day. Cause those are my favorite.

Me: If you could be any dinosaur which one would you choose?
Skylie: Ummm, a tyrannosaurus. What would you want to be Summer?
Summer: Umm, I think a dragon.
Me: Why would you choose a dragon?
Summer: Cause I could blow fire.
Skylie: But then you would kill people.
Summer: No, I would only kill bees. And robbers.

I don't know why but Summer is always so concerned about robbers lately. She is always asking questions about them. Do robbers run fast? Are robbers girls or boys? Do robbers live here? Why are you locking our door? Is it to keep the robbers out? What do robbers look like?

Another conversation that happened a while ago when Skylie and I were putting the nativity away.

Skylie was putting away the donkey and says to me, "Mom, I know how to say donkey in french."
(I'm thinking what in the world is she going to say and where did she hear it.)
Me: Oh, how do you say it?
Skylie: Donk.

Haylie is 11!

I can't believe that Haylie is 11! Crazy! For her birthday we really didn't do a whole lot. Every year I always try and have a party for her but since it is right in the middle of Christmas holidays no one is ever around. So this year I decided I just couldn't do it. We were out at my parents house on her birthday and I did try and make it fun for her. But it was pretty low key.

For her birthday she got slippers, a shirt and a scentsy warmer.

Luckily Shannon and her family got there that day to add a little excitement to Haylie's day. They conveniently got there just in time for ice cream cake. I love the cake that Steve picked out for her. It is so Haylie.

11 facts about Haylie:

1. She always does her own hair and has for a while now. She loves trying new things with it which takes a while some mornings. Seems like we are always waiting for her to finish her hair.

2. Loves babysitting and has been asked a few times to babysit for others.

3. She loves sitting and talking with me. And always as lots of questions for me. Which I love. I hope that as she gets older that she will still do this.

4. Loves anything with a peace sign.

5. She auditioned for the play Willy Wonka and got in. She could not be happier.

6. She just had her first basketball game and loved it.

7. Has an obsession of buying ear rings. The crazier and weirder, the better.

8. Would eat fries and gravy and chicken fingers every meal if I let her.

9. Loves hanging out with her friends. Every Friday is a friend day.

10. Loves gymnastics and tumbling.

11. Is such a fun, friendly girl.

I was looking threw pictures and found these from when we were out at my parents. The kids wanted to go outside but it was really windy and blowing snow all over. So Matt put goggles on the kids and we sent them out.

After all the work of getting them bundled and these goggles on I thought they would last maybe 4 minutes out in that freezing wind. But the goggles must of really worked cause they lasted at least 30 minutes. I don't know why I get the giggles every time I look at these pictures. They just look so cute and funny walking around with those goggles covering their faces.

I also get the giggles thinking of Brette and Leslie working hard on their ransom notes to the girls.

Beads. Everywhere.

It's a good thing that I'm not a very busy Mom. And that my house is so clean that I'm always looking for extra jobs to do. Otherwise it would have been really annoying cleaning up all these beads. There were plenty more other than here, they were scattered all over my basement and in my laundry room too. It's been kind of fun finding more and more everyday. You know, just gives me something to do.

This could of been a huge disaster. Luckily it wasn't too bad.

And luckily he decided to clean it up himself.

Biggest party of the year!

New Years Eve this year we went out to my parents to party. Now that the kids are getting older we let them stay up and have fun with us. Here's some of the highlights of the night. Here is most of us. Not sure why my Mom and Dad and husbands aren't in it.

Started off the night with some good food. I love that the kids are scattered all over the floor eating. Only a couple pop spills which was pretty good.

Us sisters usually see eye to eye on most things. The balloon drop, not so much. But once the smart one got involved we figured out how to do it. And I must say, it was the most exciting event of the night.

We played a few games. There were a few party poops but we won't mention any ones names. I only wish that I had gotten pictures of the dance party on the wii after. I'm pretty sure the boys are thankful for that, my Dad and Steve in particular.

We gave the kids the job of making noise makers. It kept them occupied for hours. Some of them got a little creative.

And you can't have a new years party without a pinyata. Luckily there were no casualties this year.

The after math. Beans and rice everywhere although they don't show up great in the picture. Balloons everywhere.

Thanks for having us Mom and Dad!!