The Pitts Family

Watch and be amazed

2012-02-02T20:46:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I am back to post something super important.
Change your life important, people.
These next few anticdotes will make you laugh, perhaps cry, and maybe even pee your pants a little.
Just take my word for it.
And prepare to be here for a few minutes.
Minutes well worth it.
What am I talking about?
I'll just come out and say it:
YouTube.
I am not typically a watcher of YouTube, but every once in a while something crosses my path and then I have to tell everyone I know to watch it too, while simultaneously confirming to them what a weirdo I am with my immature sense of humor.
Well, having said that, let's move along.

Numero uno: The Honey badger.
As a preface to this video, please pardon the narrator's French.
And by French, I absolutely mean profanity.
He drops the F-bomb twice.
So if you don't like cursing (I for one, love it) then you may just want to watch it anyway.
It is effing hilarious.

The Honey Badger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r7wHMg5Yjg

(Just copy and paste the link I guess, 'cause I am not much of a computer techie and don't know how to post videos. Sorry I am such a loser.)

Next on the ticket?
The Sexy Sax Man.
You may have seen the spin-off on SNL, but this is much better.
So. Funny.

Sexy Sax Man

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaoLU6zKaws

And lastly is the band Walk Off The Earth.
This video isn't so much funny as it is awesome.
They all have really cool scratchy, sexy voices.
And are all playing the guitar ... the same guitar.
My dad and Heather showed me this one and I watched it like half a dozen times.
A little part of me wishes I could scream-sing too.

Somebody That I Used to Know - Walk Off The Earth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d9NF2edxy-M

You're welcome.

So. Long .

2012-01-09T16:17:00.000-08:00

So I am back for what is becoming a bi-monthly check in.
If that.
We are living in an actual house here in Eugene, with a lot more square footage and a second bathroom.
Cleaning it is obviously taking all my extra time.
That and playing on my new Kindle Fire.
Which is why I cannot blog.
So be forewarned that this is a catch-up post and will be approximately 52 pages long (or the equivalent) with far too many pictures.
Where to begin?
How about a Christmas butt shot.
You're welcome Dad.

The cute grandpas and all the kids watching Merry Madagascar.
For the twelfth time.
In fact, I am pretty sure we all had this little treasure memorized by the time Christmas was over.
Next was gingerbread houses (or hot glue-gunned graham cracker houses, whatev,)
And a picture of the other Uncle Scott (a.k.a. Mitchell Mitchell) taking a picture.
His pics were far superior to my little snapshots.
Look at that rad camera.

Ezra's candy-laden house.
Now watch carefully.

3.5 seconds later the candy has disappeared.
If that isn't a guilty face than I'm a monkey's uncle.

Ryan and Annie posing with their masterpieces.
This year, the older girls were able to decorate their houses all by themselves!

This is what my dad was doing while we were ~~laughing/screaming/listening to carolers singing at the door~~ decorating said gingerbread houses.
Yeesh.
I think one grandchild may have even given him a pile driver to the groin yet he continued to sleep.
It had been a very long day.

On Christmas eve, the kids opened their special jammies.
For the first time, we had our own little Christmas at home.
We watched a sweet video about the birth of Christ, and put out cookies and milk for Santa.
Every year the holidays get better and better.
The older the kiddies get, the more excited they become which in turn leads to loads more fun.

Christmas morning was also spent at home.
Ezra received a bike from ~~craigslist~~ Santa.
He also received a dart gun, which I certainly regret buying because it inspired Scott to go purchase a second one with which he may or may not hide behind the couch waiting for me to come out of the bathroom only to shoot me in the head like the child he is.
That and I find those damn neon-orange suction darts in every crevice of this house.
And p.s., Ezra's helmet is indeed an angry gorilla face that is truly heinous and has been banished to the garage.
Ryan received a lot of Ariel the Mermaid paraphernalia.
As well as a treasure box I lovingly made for her to keep ~~every single thing anyone has ever given her~~ keepsakes in.
Papa and Heather also gifted the kids with a lot of fun new games.

Scotty looking handsome, and possibly gearing up for another round of Hungry, Hungry Hippo.

And a partridge in a pear tree.

Moving on.
Baby Micah has started solids.
He was not impressed at first, and lets face it, still remains unimpressed.
Swallowing the food still continues to be a challenge.
He spends the majority of the time spitting it out onto his hands and smearing it around on his face and in his hair.
You know, typical baby stuff.

What did I tell you.
Not. Impressed.

And on the hair front, Ryan is still growing hers out.
We tried experimenting with the straightening iron, just for kicks, and Ryan loved it.
She kept running her fingers through her hair and examining herself in the mirror.
She couldn't believe how "long" her hair looked.
She is the prettiest little thing I have ever seen.
I can't stand it.
So cute.
Seriously, I can't stop staring.
And Auntie Britney made her a Rapunzel crown with hair to tide her over until her hair reaches the desired length.

And one, no two, more shots of the big little boy.
He is learning to sit up, sorta.
We are still working on our posture.
And the boppy is to prevent us from tipping over.
And on a fun side note, this little maniac has started screaming.
On purpose, for fun.
Screaming because he has discovered his voice box and finds pleasure in exercising his vocal range.
Screaming for hours on end in an octave I am sure only dogs can hear which absolutely does not make me want to throw myself in traffic.

And what would my post be without a picture I took of myself.
But in my defense, I have very few shots of the two of us.
And none of me with my new ombre hair.
I am so trendy.
Holla.

We are not dead

2011-12-13T22:31:00.000-08:00

It has been a month.
A month of fun.
And, apparently, no blogging.
In fact, the more time that passes, the more I avoid blogging due to the sheer size of the post that will inevitably need to be written.
Not because I feel there are droves of followers awaiting my witty repartee but because my camera is becoming clogged with photos and I need to put them somewhere.
Somewhere for ~~bored friends/family to see~~ documentation.
So without further adieu, I will now give you the Reader's Digest version of all our shenanigans.

In keeping with tradition, a pic of Britney, Kari, and myself at Breaking Dawn.
We have been to see all the previous movies together, and this time Heather (who has so generously lent us her home, which is for sale ... and if you would like to buy it, call me) and her cousin Heidi joined us.
Three words: Best. One. Yet.
Yes, I may be a bit of a Twi-hard.
And yes, my shirt says Team Edward.
Don't judge.
Thanksgiving was delicious (have I mentioned my sister is a genius in the kitchen? Well, she is. Go to her blog www.eatitupfood.blogspot.com and you will see why. You're welcome)
So dinner was amaaawwww-zing.
This is the only picture I managed to capture in focus.
Yes, I am a stellar photographer.
Loved spending time with my family and all the sibs.

Christmas tree decorating was a little hectic.
The kids started the evening by running in manic circles in anticipation of the festive fun.
After I yelled at them to stop and that we would certainly not be having any fun, they started yanking out ornaments left and right.
You woulda thought it was speed decorating at the pace we ornamented that tree.
There was no messing around.

p.s. Never mind that I had a lapse in judgment when getting dressed that morning. What am I wearing, and why does my hair look like Flock of Seagulls?
I am never wearing those pants again.
There are no words.
After, we had hot chocolate and cookies.
Well, basically the kids ate all the marshmallows off the top of the drink, scarfed a handful of cookies, and then continued their frenzied race around the house.

Except my angel Micah.
He watched, happy and drooling in his bumbo.

And fiiiiinally, we took some family photos.
We haven't taken any since Ezzy was about 10 months old.
And we have all changed quite considerably since then.
That, and we have added a whole new person to the family.
I have included a few of my favs.

I am not sure what I am doing with my foot here.

There are at least 30 more where that came from.

The rest of my time I spend with my sister and her kids (crafting, chit-chatting, doing Jillian Michaels' workout video, and visiting Goodwill).
And my husband.
Who is able to come home every night, without having to study.
It's glorious.
It's like having a real job, except that we pay for him to work.
Anyway.
There we go.
All caught up.
And I am pooped.
Good-night!

Spectacle?

2011-11-15T22:09:00.000-08:00

Here are my new specs.
I love them.
They are a little retro.
But still modern.
I really like the cat-eye silhouette.
And black glasses go with everything.

And the other pictures?
Mostly to tease Scott.
He makes fun of me for taking too many pictures of myself.
But in my defense, he never snaps 'em so I need to document myself, myself.
Am I the only one who does this?

Whatev.
This was supposed to be my model pose, but now that I look at it, I realize I have two chins.
Cute.

A few things

2011-11-14T22:06:00.000-08:00

1. Halloween (yes I am still blogging about it) was a success. My children made quite the haul. We still have at least 8 pounds of candy sitting around that will probably find its way to my love handles.
2. My friends are incredible. They took such good care of my and my kids while Scott rotated in Tacoma. Our time here in the Grove would not be what it is if not for them. (Does that sentence even make sense?)
3. I hate my neighbor.
4. Okay, hate is kind of a strong word; let's just say I will not miss her or the music that she plays loud enough for us to listen to as well.
5. All hours of the day and night. When does she sleep?
6. Ryan got her ears pierced for her fifth birthday. It was all her idea. She begged and begged. Really. She literally said, "I'm begging you." She was really excited, until this point:

And even though I held her hand,

the grape lollipop was ultimately what took the pain away. (p.s. She loves her new earrings and doesn't remember it hurting. Whew.)

I love how cute they are on her. So pretty.
7. I cannot for the life of me, get Ezra to eat dinner. Most nights he elects to go to bed hungry rather than eat what I fixed for him. Waffles, macaroni and cheese, it doesn't matter. It makes me livid. I end up stomping into the kitchen and flinging his food into the sink all the while trying to convince myself that his reaction to my cooking must be induced by a sensitive gag reflex. That boy.
8. I am getting excited to move down to Eugene (temporarily) for Scott's third rotation. Two words: washer. dryer. That and I will be 15 miles away from my sister! Oh the fun we will have!
9. I must go to bed. Micah has been nursing a cold and hasn't been sleeping very well. If I don't hit the hay soon, I will be regretting it come morning.
p.s. I got new glasses that I have yet to take a picture of. But they will knock your socks off. Scott is still scratching his head. hehe

It's coming

2011-11-08T21:50:00.000-08:00

My brilliant Scotty, fixed my camera (that Ryan dropped on the ground while snapping pics of herself) by unscrewing the whole thing into 6,972 little pieces and then putting it all back together.
So all the pictures of Ryan crying while getting her ears pierced, and the kids dressed up for trick-or-treating will be yours to enjoy as soon as they are uploaded.
Tomorrow perhaps.
I am pretty tired.
And watching Dancing with the Starts: The Results.
Nancy Grace, kiss your dancing career goodbye.
Watching you was a little painful.

A Halloween sneak peek

2011-10-26T22:10:00.000-07:00

Every year (well for the last four years) we have attended the university PAVA Halloween party.
I can't remember what PAVA stands for, but it translates loosely as the "lonely optometry wives' club."
Except for we ain't really lonely 'cause we have each other.
Anyway, it is always a hit and we love it because it gives us another chance to dress up, eat candy, and gawk at everyone else's stellar costumes.
I kinda dropped the ball this year.
Make that every year.
I had every intention to create mind-blowing outfits and yet I still ended up pulling something together in the last minute ... made with felt (which any dummy can do).
Let's just say, no minds were blown.
But, hey, I have a newborn so, whatever.
And you best believe that I will use that excuse for as long as I can about whatever I can.
What? I haven't shaved my legs in 6 months? I can't, I have a baby.
And I don't make dinner any more? Or show up to church on time? I can't, the baby needs me.
Juuuust kidding.
Anyway, I wanted them to at least coordinate ...

So we took a cue from their personalities.
Only joking.
The baby has a little devil costume too.
I will have to get a picture of that on the actual holiday when we go trick-or-treating.

And here is a picture of "the gang."
These are the kids we play with every day (R to L: Ryan, Dawson, Ezzy, Harper, and Sophie).

And these are the mommies.
And two of my besties, Tracy and Lyndsie.
Aren't they beautiful?
Yes. They. Are.
I only hang out with pretty people.
I also didn't realize my hair looked that dark.
And look, my 'stach is fading! Holla.

And last but not least, a picture of my big boy.
He missed the festivities because he was on a playdate with my friend Jenny (thank you!) but don't you worry, he will be decked out for the next go around on Monday.
Is he not the most darling 3-month-old?
I do not believe how big he is getting!

He is a really good boy!
And very talkative.
Boy, he was talking my ear off all evening.
Speaking of which, I am quite tuckered out, but I will be back with more pics and all the deets on our upcoming move to Eugene for rotation # 3!

Things I know you are dying to know

2011-10-19T21:58:00.000-07:00

I have been trying to post about once a week.
And even though my life is riddled with riveting events (like for instance yesterday when I had to take my baby back to our apartment to change his clothes and possibly give him a bath because he had pooped up his back only to discover that I had been locked out by my four-year-old when she had returned for a string cheese, and then proceeded to try to jimmy the lock with a Safeway club card all while my three-year-old was brawling with a neighbor boy over a discarded/broken water gun), I thought I would refrain from regaling my loyal readership with yet another tale of an inept mother who struggles to keep her wits about her.
Even though that's kinda what I just did.
Anyhoo, instead I thought I'd share a few thoughts slash pictures.
Really there is no connection between any of the following tidbits other than that they all occurred in my head.
This is often how I start my day.
Once Ryan is off to preschool, me and the boys go on a jog.
Here's a little look-see of the babes all bundled up in our buffalo blanket (it isn't made of a buffalo, but has the outline of one printed on it ... weirdest Christmas present to date.)
They are both very good.
Ezra talks non-stop (while pointing out every bird/squirrel/vehicle that crosses our path) and Micah sleeps non-stop.

Once Ryan returns, we head to the park if it's sunny.
This entire park full of kids is produced from the following small group of women:

And there are at least half as many children, not pictured, behind me playing "school" in the grass.
We're not messing around.
It makes for a lot of friends for me and for my kids, and lets be honest, we go to the park just as much for me as for them.
Probably more for me.
So I can talk to other adults.
And so we're not sitting around at home bugging each other.
And lastly, a picture of my celebrity crush:

Yes, Cee Lo Green.
Doesn't he have the friendliest smile?
Scott is aware of how I feel about Cee Lo.
I get the feeling he isn't much threatened by my infatuation.
These are the things we talk about when spending time together.
That, and which couples in our ward we think are hot.
And what would happen if a super virus spread throughout the world killing everyone but our family and it were up to us to repopulate earth.
And why polygamy was invented.
And the pros and cons of different dog breeds.
We are really mature and only talk about the important topics.
The things that really matter.
And all the things I discussed today definitely matter.

Just a little longer

2011-10-11T23:10:00.001-07:00

It is so nice when Scott is home.
I feel less stressed.
I am not so completely outnumbered.
I have a little time to myself.
I don't have to wipe everyone's buns after they go potty.
This rotation is nearly over.
I. can't. wait.
We are headed to Eugene, as a family, and I am looking forward to a little more balance.
And hopefully a few dates with the hubs.
And maybe more of this ...
I know our kids are super excited.
I can't imagine why.
Don't they look to be having the time of their lives?

At least they are holding hands.

This kid ...

2011-09-29T22:10:00.000-07:00

Is going to be the death of me.
In fact, I am feeling a little comatose right now.
History's longest week has yet to draw to a close.
And next week will surely prove to be just as draining.
Chasing this wild man around is truly exhausting.
I have no photographic evidence of our adventures because I am too busy disinfecting scrapes, kissing his humongous head after yet another bonk, and yelling at him to stop jumping on a discarded mattress someone left next to our dumpster that cats have been mating on.
That and I am too embarrassed to admit that we do indeed live in a complex that not only turns a blind eye to residents discarding their crusty furniture on the lawn but that he managed to rip off his shoes and socks and leap onto said furniture before I could stop him.
It is government-subsidized housing.
In my defense.
I don't know what to say about the cats.
Anyway, not only did I have to drag him off the mattress, twice, but then he tells me he was definitely not jumping on it.
Even though I saw him do it.
And we made direct eye contact.
It is all so illogical.
There are no words.
And that was only Monday.
The rest of the week has proved to be just as disgusting ... and irritating.
Last night he stepped on Ryan's glasses (although in his defense, she broke the number one cardinal rule of responsible eye wear care and left them on the ground) and broke off one of the arms.
Now she has a very fashionable pair of opera glasses that will definitely need to be replaced.
Then he crawled into bed with me only to wet it several hours later.
And when I say wet, I really mean drench.
It smelled spectacular.
And then, as I was washing the pee bedding, after hauling it to the on-site laundry facility this morning, he comes to tell me that he has accidentally spilled his entire bowl of cereal (with milk) and is very sorry.

Needless to say, today I didn't get a shower but have freshly laundered sheets.
And a small pile of grass-stained clothing I need to pretreat after our trip to the park.
What is that endearing saying about boys being boys?

I don't know.
What I do know is that he is sound asleep, uninjured, fully fed, clean, and knows he is loved so the day wasn't a total wash.
He is a handful.
And a little bit of a maniac.
He farts on purpose and laughs.
But he makes me smile.
And I can't imagine my days without him.
I could do without some of the antics, but I keep telling myself I will miss them when they pass.

Preschool ... and a disciplinary chart

2011-09-21T21:24:00.000-07:00

I love a new year!
I feel like that instead of celebrating New Years on January 1st, we should party in September.
The real holiday is too close to Christmas anyway.
I digress.
The fall just feels like beginnings to me and I am super excited to have a baby in "school."
She is super excited too.
Just look at that mug:
(She was much more excited than her apprehensive look implies).
Ryan now attends Wonder World preschool.
She loves it!
She jumps out of bed each morning , gets dressed without being told, and screams at Ezra to shake a leg.
Ezra doesn't need any persuasion.
He wishes that he attended too.
He tries to bolt in to her classroom when we drop her off, and I have to drag him out ... crying.
It is actually quite sad. Poor second baby.
I try to tell him that being at home with Mommy will be more fun.
But neither of us really believes that.

Showing off our first-day-of-school outfit and a sticker she received in class.
Isn't she darling?
And with a new school year, comes a crack at a new disciplinary tactic: positive reinforcement.
It is a revolutionary idea.
Scott and I were discussing our parenting techniques and decided that threating the children with vinegar and a visit from Nanny McFee wasn't cutting it.
I don't want my kids to be ill-behaved.
And I don't want to be that mom.
The disheveled one that all other's look at with pity as all my children simultaneously pitch a deafening fit in the paper towel aisle at Walmart as I am scream-whispering for them to be quiet or else, while frantically/haphazardly throwing various items into the cart, which in turn leads to overlooking the one object that we came to Walmart to buy, which then results in a mad dash back through half the store, which produces the opportunity for one particularly clumsy boy to mash his head into someone else's shopping cart, which only triggers a fresh outburst from said boy, who in turn scares the baby that has just barely managed to fall asleep. All we needed was toilet paper for crying out loud.
Anyway, hopefully this new reward system will be effective.
We picked three things for them to work on.
At the end of each day they can earn a total of three stickers for good behavior, and once their chart is full, they can pick out a treat at the dollar store. (Nothing but the best for our kids.)
Hopefully, this will encourage Ryan to stay in bed at night and Ezra to eat his dinner, among other things.
So far, so good.
It has only been one day.

And finally, to tie into our new beginnings theme, I made some new headbands for Ryan to wear to school.
See what I did there?
They were really easy, and really cute.
So cute that I took them and wore them myself.
Well, I tried that "hippie-type" look with it wrapped around my forehead, but probably looked like a fool.
Maybe it would work if it had more flowers on it.

Well, here's to a happy new year!

Beachtastic

2011-09-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

We finally made it to the beach.
For the first time this year.
Even though we live but a mere hour from the coast.
But at least we saved it for the only true scorching week of the summer.
And our trip out there didn't disappoint.
And it was windy, cold, and damp.
My kind of weather.
Those conditions, however, didn't keep the kids (or husbands) from donning their swimsuits and braving the frigid water.
I did not. (I like the cold, but I ain't crazy.)
Instead, I snapped a few distant pictures of my family enjoying the sand.
I will spare you a shot of me in my swimsuit with an uncharacteristically generous amount of cleavage (a perk to nursing ... I guess?)
Barf.
Anyhoo, we had BBQ ribs (which sadly fell in the sand, but were still delish) on our teensy grill (which sadly fell apart in the sand, right before we threw the corroded piece of crap in the trash),
and flew our enormous kite (which ended up crashing down on a passerby once the wind died ... hehe).

Here is the fam.
Floating our bath toys down an errant river that empties into the ocean.

And I've also included a picture of the ground, where someone wrote "LOSER" in the sand.
'Cause that's how I roll.
All in all, it was a success.
And I have a car filled with 15 pounds of sand to prove it.
And on an unrelated topic, this is the first picture I have captured of all three of my children together.
And they are naked.
Classy.
And to round out this incredibly riveting post, I have included a picture of Micah along with my baby announcement.
I have been told that he looks a lot like me.
I tried to match the black & white effect used on my ol' baby picture of yore, but didn't quiiiite do it.
You get the idea.
Micah:
Me:
Just for funsies.

What we be doing

2011-08-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

Well it has been four grueling weeks since Micah was born.
Just kidding.
No, I really am not.
However, the adjustment necessary when adding another baby to your family is becoming less painful and more enjoyable.
I am sleeping better and crying less.
I mean, HE ... he is sleeping better and crying less.
And as for the older kids, they are getting their fill of Sesame Street and Jurassic Park.
But in between nursing and nursing, we try to fit in a few fun things.
I am becoming more confidant in venturing out by myself and the three.
That, and Scott is gone on rotations, so I have no other option.
We have blessed said baby, hit up a few spray parks (to beat this unbearable 85 degree heat ... I am not being sarcastic but wholeheartedly serious. I feel like Pedro on Napoleon Dynamite and want to shave my hair off just to cool down), and enjoyed a few regular parks as well.
In fact, on our last visit to our neighborhood playground, I was chatted up by a talkative local (translation: creepy loner) and now have a new BFF.
Theron and I are thisclose.

Ryan at the park.
I love everything about this picture.
Her smile, which is absolutely posed.
Her killer haircut; it suits her to a tee, and I luurve it so very much.
And the perfect cat-eye glasses.
Could she be any trendier?
Why actually yes. She is also sporting a sweet romper.
Wish that was made in my size.

Ezra's small birthday party.
Admittedly, he got a little short-changed this year in the celebration department.
Hopefully next year, things will be a little less hectic (and sweaty) and we can have a big blowout.

Blowing out his candles after singing happy birthday to himself.

And Micah, asleep in his bouncer.
He loves to be swaddled like a burrito and in this seat.
He is seriously cute.
Yeah ... that's all I got.

Birthday Boy

2011-08-18T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ezra turned 3 on Monday!
I cannot believe how grown up he is!
It was pretty low-key.
Just me and the kiddies.
We started off the day by going to the store for doughnuts and chocolate milk.
Ezzy picked out the messiest one and ate only the sprinkles off the top.
Then we spent some time at the park while I tried to coax out of him a list of his favorite foods.
I told him that he could pick what we had for dinner.
A special treat for his birthday.
He said that he really wanted french fries and a banana.
So that is what we had.
McDonald's fries and bananas.
So healthy.
He is truly the funniest boy.
He is also very athletic.
In fact, he is getting a little set of his very own (real) golf clubs for his birthday.
He loves golfing.
He insists we watch it every Sunday after church (snore).
He also loves the movie Jurassic Park.
I dare say it is his favorite.
And as for other favorites, he also loves the tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.
He picks it every night for his bedtime story.
He loves getting wet, whether it be in the tub or at the spray park,
probably because it involves being nudey.
He eats raisin toast for breakfast every morning and loves to snuggle.
He also must wear his baseball hat everywhere, just like daddy.
And he claims his name is really Ife (pronounced life without the "L").

He is such an awesome part of our family.
I cannot imagine my life without him in it!
Happy Birthday Fezzy Wig.
We love you.

Micah Grayson Pitts

2011-08-07T10:43:00.000-07:00

He arrived Thursday, July 28 at 7:48 in the evening.
7 pounds, 14 ounces. 20 inches long.
The delivery was pretty short.
Less than 6 hours from induction to delivery.
A bit more traumatizing however.
My epidural didn't kick in until about 20 minutes after Micah came quietly into the world.
Apparently he was saving up his screams to unleash at home.
At 3:30.
Every. Morning.
But I digress.
Here is the obligatory shot everyone takes immediately following the birth.
I look nuts.
Kinda like Ozzy Osbourne with the eyeliner.
But everything went really smoothly.
I am so grateful for the undramatic (is that a word?) experience.
Micah is perfect.
Ryan is a little bit more enthused about our baby than Ezra.
She is very helpful and sweet.
Ezzy pretty much just ignores Micah altogether.
But in a non hostile sort of way.
I think he is just unimpressed.

Here is the babe.
He is so handsome.
At first I thought he looked a lot like Ezra, but he is slowly developing his own look.
His eyes are a dark grayish blue and he has a dimple in his right cheek.
Love that.
I hope when he plumps up it is more noticeable.
He is a great nurser.
And by great I really mean he nurses all the live long day, and is pretty much upset if he isn't nursing, or sleeping.
This is probably a better depiction of who he is right now.
Such a sweet face, but so fussy.
His sleeping schedule is a little backwards as well.
He sleeps like a champ during the day, and, let's just say, he struggles to relax as well during the night.
But last night we may have had a breakthrough.
Hopefully it will be a habit for many nights to come.
Crossing my fingers there are no more sob sessions in the wee hours of the morning, for either of us.
Hence why I can finally sit down to type a quick note.
This is literally the first chance I have had to function coherently.

But he's worth it.
Just look at that sweet thing.
Oooohhh, there's his dimple.
See it?
In the words of my daughter, "I just can't stand it."
We just love him.
Welcome home, Micah.

Okay, one more ...

2011-07-27T21:11:00.000-07:00

Belly shot, that is.
Why?
Because secretly I wanted to show off my cute shirt.
That, and I have not one, tiny creative brain cell left in my head.
I cannot, for the life of me, think of one new thing to post about.
I am actually becoming bored with this post as I write it.
I might just be a big baby whiner and spend all my spare time thinking about how much I want to have this baby,
on the outside of me.
Not that I am not grateful for his wiggly baby self cooking away in there,
but I am ready.
Told you.
Big whiner here.

The final countdown ...

2011-07-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

So this week has been a busy one.
We had major guests.
One of my best friends from college flew in from D.C. and she (Alisa), Britney, and I were able to meet up for dinner.
And by meet, I really mean that her, her sweet hubs, and baby drove all the way to my ~~shoebox~~ apartment to eat my lumpy, overcooked pasta ponza.
They even pretended to like it.
Such good friends.
At least, Britney made some delish bread sticks and I managed to cut up a watermelon satisfactorily, so it wasn't a total wash.

Me (yes, perhaps my hair makes me look as if I am an extra in The Wedding Singer), Britney (who looks amazing after having a baby 5 seconds ago), and Alisa (always gorgeous no matter her hair style, bah).

After they took off, Britney stuck around with her kids for another 3 days.
I love when she comes to visit, and never really feel like we have enough time to play.
Despite the fact that we had 5 kids to manage all 4 or under, we were still very productive.
And by we, I really mean Britney.
She helped me sort baby clothes, did my laundry, painted my toenails, and stayed up until 2 a.m. every night talking, all why I grumped around complaining about my sore back.
I think I am starved for attention.
And sympathy.
But we also fit in a picnic at the park and a trip to the bins.
What are they bins, you ask?
The "bins," as we fondly refer to it, is the Goodwill Distribution Center.
It's only the most undignified, frenzied, glorified dumpster diving adventure you could ever hope to experience.
And we had tremendous luck.
We spent a combined total of 12 smackers and walked away with at least 25 items of ca-ute clothing.
Looky at this amazing jacket.
Practically new.
Swear.
Not to mention a cute pair of Calvin Klein slacks, a maternity shirt, and a dress for Ryan.
Anyway, having her here was so fun and gave me a needed boost into last-minute nesting mode.
I am being induced on the 29th (fingers crossed).
Which means that this could potentially be my last belly shot.
I am almost 38 weeks, and I believe my facial expression says it all.
Here's hoping I will be sharing a baby with you soon.
Then I can fit into the aforementioned jacket!

Wedding wrap-up

2011-07-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

This last weekend was a little hectic.
My Dad was remarried and we all traveled down to Eugene to join in the festivities.
We arrived on Thursday and stayed through Sunday, only to come home to a Fourth of July celebration.
And wouldn't you know, but I only took three pictures the whole dang weekend.
And they had very little to do with what actually took place.
Yes, I am on top if it like that.
I like to rely on others to document my family's happenings, and then forget to ask them for the pictures later, resulting in some fraudulent behavior that usually involves stealing pictures off my sister's blog.
So you will get a quick wedding rundown followed by a few obscure photos.
Friday was the rehearsal/rehearsal dinner.
The kids were all participants in the actual ceremony.
They had matching garb and everything.
Maybe I will dress them back up in their clothes and make them reenact their parts, so I can get a fake picture.
Ezra was the ring bearer and Ryan was one of four flower girls.
Aside from Ezzy flagrantly swinging the ring-laden pillow as he danced down the aisle, I think they played their parts well.
The ceremony was very nice, tasteful, simple.
Just right.
And the reception was held at an art gallery and was very pretty.
The best part was seeing all our friends and my siblings with their families.
I wish we could get everyone together more often.
And of course no vacation would be complete without the utter disregard of our children's sleeping schedules.
Let me just say, that by the time we pulled away on Sunday afternoon, my kids were really fun to be around and absolutely did not sit in the tub later that night sobbing for no apparent reason while I sudsed them up.
But it was a very nice affair and it was doubly nice to have Scott there the whole time!
And as for the Fourth of July, we basically relaxed, slept in, and then went with a whole gaggle of friends to a fireworks display later that evening.
Just imagine a huge baseball field filled with families starring into the night's sky.
'Cause I don't have a picture of that either.
Now on to the best part:
My kids riding a merry-go-round.
They had this gigantic carousel at the pizza place where the rehearsal dinner was held.
Doesn't my Dad look tan?

We also snuck in a little movie/swim time on Saturday after the reception.
The kids were waiting for us to fill up the pool.
I think they were watching Frosty the Snowman?
And Scott was babysitting.

And one shot of them in the pool.
They were complaining of the water being to cold and grass getting stuck to their feet.
Babies.
Just kidding.
All in all, any weekend I can spend with family is a good weekend.
Thanks to all the special family who came up.
You know who you are.
p.s. Did you see that my sidebar indicates I only have 28 days left?
I am so excited, because if this baby was sitting any lower, his arm would be dangling out.
Sorry for that.

Summer has come at last

2011-06-26T15:54:00.000-07:00

The story of my life.
I am surrounded by maniacs.
Luckily these maniacs are related to me or I might be tempted to lock myself in my room, while huddling in a corner, only to pretend I am alone.
That may or may not be how I spend my evenings.
What am I saying?
Anyway, this week we spent a lot of time outdoors.
We went strawberry picking at Duyk's Peachy Pig Farm.
I have no idea why on earth it is called that.
And collected 12 pounds of freezer jam-bound berries.
We also visited several parks and even hit up McMenamins for happy hour.
And no I wasn't there for the cocktails.
Remember I am pregnant.
Oh, and the church frowns on becoming inebriated.
But the company was good.
As you can see.
And the plus side to all that vitamin D?
My kids were zonked by the days end.
They slept great, I slept better, and everyone was much happier.

Yes, that is Ezra in my bed and Ryan (and her Heffalump) in Ezra's bed.
That arrangement seems to produce the best results.
And that way Scott's side is all warmed up for him when he returns on the weekends.

And as for Ezzy's head, it is healing quite nicely.
The scar is already starting to disappear.

Which is good because now I can use my spare time to tend to a humongous cement burn Ryan procured while riding her bike.
Yeesh.
But other than that, all is well.
Scott will be coming home for almost a whole week, which we will spend celebrating my father and Heather's wedding.
It may be a little crazeeee but we are looking forward to it.
I can only imagine how incredible I am going to look 8 months pregnant in the July heat posing for their pictures.
Grody.
Have a great week!

A busy one

2011-06-14T20:30:00.000-07:00

Well, the last few days were quite a doozy.
Starting Friday we had visitors up from Eugene.
Five of them.
So that is a total of nine people in our shoe box of an apartment.
And you know, it went really well.
So well in fact, that we have already scheduled a follow-up visit.
I love when my sister is here!
It started off with a bang.
We spent Friday night in the E.R.
This little monkey was jumping on my bed, when he whacked his forehead on the headboard and split it wide open.
Being the together mom that I am, I started screaming hysterically and running around frantically wringing my hands.
Britney, however, grabbed Ezra, applied pressure to his wound whilst blood was squirting all over her clothes, and headed straight for the car.
And hour and a half and six stitches later, we made it home.
Ezzy was fine and hasn't really complained of his "owie" since.
Our baby Frankenstein will be good as new on Saturday when Scott removes his stitches.

Luckily, the rest of the weekend was all uphill from there.
Britney threw me a baby shower on Saturday with some of my girlfriends here in Forest Grove.
I have no pictures.
Obviously.
But it was perfect.
All of Britney's events are a smash and this was no exception.
She is so talented, and had some talented help.
Thaaaaaank yooooou (imagine this in a high sing song voice).
Then we spent the remainder of our time just hanging out, staying up late, eating popcorn, and even made a trip to Red Robin (courtesy of a Mother's Day prezzie from my Dad and Heather - thank you - muah!).
Then once the festivities died down, the weekend wrapped up, and everyone split we took a trip to the dentist.
I only have a picture of Ezra during this escapade.
The reason for this is that he was calm.
Ryan was not.
I had Ezra go first because he is too little to think about being nervous.
He sat there contently grinning like a fool and watching Sponge Bob Square Pants.
But once it was Ryan's turn (even though, mind you, she watched Ezzy's whole pain-free appointment) she began hyperventilating and screaming.
Once we closed the door, to avoid scaring anyone else, and I restrained her the cleaning continued.
Then she slowly realized that her panic was unnecessary.
Yeesh, what a drama queen.

And just for good measure, I added this pic of the two maniacs relaxing after their bath right before I put them to bed and then did a celebratory dance.
Made it through another day.
Whew.

This week

2011-06-10T11:44:00.000-07:00

It's official.
Mostly.
He's in undies.
And doing quite well.
Knock on wood.

And in unrelated news, Ryan has taken a recent liking to Bob Ross.
She insists on painting with him while Ez takes a nap.

I know.
She has awesome hair.
We are looking forward to the weekend.
Britney and her fam are coming to visit, along with Scotty.
It will be a house full, but we are excited.
Next week, I will try to share a little more.
I had some spectacular finds at the Goodwill and a project or two up my sleeve.
Perhaps I can talk about those.
Have a fabulous Friday!

Food for Thought

2011-05-27T17:12:00.000-07:00

Nothing really new to report.
Our first week of rotations went fairly well.
Only about 723 more to go.
And because I have nothing interesting to share, I will therefore be pestering you with some rather obscure thoughts.
Numero uno, I may or may not have felt a little smug when Scott told me he needed to finish vacuuming and organizing his closet before leaving his "dorm" at the VA hospital, and that his non-married roomies were, for lack of a better word, slobs.
Once you get used to a certain standard of cleanliness, there is no going back.
Even if it is a slightly neurotic and unrealistic standard.
Set by one's wife.
I am just saying.
And may I just say pregnancy flatulence is borderline out of control.
TMI? Sorry. You know you all had it.
And as far as my mothering skills are concerned, I feel they may be deteriorating in relationship with Scott's departure.
For ever day he is away, my patience shrinks exponentially smaller.
Good thing he will be home on weekends.
And speaking of haircuts or lack thereof, Ryan is begging to grow out her hair.
Is it mean to force her to keep her perfectly adorable style?
I mean, I know what is best and will also be held responsible when she looks back on childhood pictures of herself.
Plus, if her hair is anything like mine, she will end up with a head of hair as thick as a My Little Pony's mane. (That one is for you Tracy :)
So to wrap things up, here are a few photos of my latests acquisitions:

A super cute hammered metal vase.
I am not sure how I lived without it before.
I smile every time I see it.
And the best part is that I got in on sale at Target and purchased it with a gift card. Booyah.

And a little footstool. I have yet to determine what material it is made out of, but it looks like leather and wipes off easily. $4 at Goodwill.
Fun.
Well, I am off. Scott is returning any minute and I can't wait.
I will probably kiss his face off.

And so it begins

2011-05-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

Scotty left on Friday for Tacoma.
And six months of craziness starts now. Ready go.
It is only day three and I am so over it.
What was I thinking?
Anyway, we don't have much to report around here.
The most exciting thing to happen is Ezra's semi-regular bowel movements.
That and I saw Water for Elephants last night with some girlfriends.
So good.
As if I need more reasons to love Robert Pattinson.
Oh and I was able to attend Relief Society today for the first time in 7+ months.
That is noteworthy I suppose.
Hmmmm, I am really reaching here.
According to my blog sidebar I only have 74 days left of pregnancy!
So here comes the belly shot.
It has been about 8 weeks since the last HOT picture.

I think I am about 30 weeks along, 10 more-ish to go. I think it sounds shorter in months (2) so that is how I count it.
And here is a picture I forced my kids to take. I instructed them to hold hands and be happy, dammit. Ryan's smile looks a little strained.
They are getting so big, I cannot believe it.
Please stop growing.
Oh well, once we add to our brood, I am sure I will be happy they are a little bigger.
And by the way, I like the names Micah, Jude, Graham, and Hudson.
Scott isn't a fan of any of them.
I told him that it is therefore his job to come up with stellar name.
We'll see.
Gotta be off.
Peace out.

Week off ...

2011-05-12T12:51:00.000-07:00

Scott has been home the entire week!
This is a Christmas miracle of sorts.
The down side is that he will soon be gone all week, every week.
For. six. months.
However, it has been nice having my honey home.
To help nurse a bunch of sick kids back to health.
And give me back rubs.
Last night, Scott got to take Ryan to the E.R. at 1:00 a.m.
It was her first ear infection, and she was screaming bloody murder.
I thought the neighbors were going to come knocking, to see who was strangling our child.
But after 45 minutes and a good dose of drugs, she was sleeping like a lamb.
And as a side note, Ezzy is still refusing to go #2.
Awesome.
My kids are super fun to be around right now.
Oh well, I am sure we are on the mend.
And I have no pictures, yet again.
Obviously.
And on a happy note, my fugly baby bangs are growing out.
This is how I measure my days now.
That is where the time continuum starts.
Almost six weeks since the hack job, and six weeks closer to have a grown-up hairstyle again.
I know I am pathetic and need a hobby.

Crappiest. day. ever. literally

2011-05-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

So we have been sorta busy. (Too busy to take pictures apparently).
It started with a potty training test run.
Ezra has been asking me to change his diaper frequently and exhibits signs of discomfort if I don't do it right away.
He is quite insistent.
So I thought perhaps he would rather wear undies and be dry and comfy all the time.
And he took to it rather well.
The first day he had one tiny accident but successfully used the potty five, I say 5, times!
He was enthusiastic and loved his ca-uuute underwear.
What is it about a tiny person in tiny underoos?
Anyway, the next day was different.
He was annoyed and wouldn't sit on his potty.
And every day since he has been unwilling to cooperate.
Except to tell me when he needs to go but and how much he doesn't want to go on the potty.
Plus he defiantly held his ... well, poo for four days.
Finally after trying to coax him to use his diaper with no avail, Scott administered a suppository.
It was traumatizing for all three of us.
Traumatizing, yet quickly effective.
So effective in fact, that I became the potty as he shat all over my leg, the carpet, Scott's shirt, and everywhere else within a 5 foot radius.
It was awful.
That was on Saturday.
Scott's birthday.
Happy Birthday to him.
He said it was definitely his crappiest birthday ever.
Pun intended.
However, as soon as we emptied an entire bottle of carpet cleaner on the floor and had baths, we proceeded to do Scott right and fix up a cake and decorations.
I didn't take pictures because Scott isn't a huge fan of celebrating his big day and I was in my skivvies.
Anyway, other than that we have been enjoying Scott's time off before he heads to Tacoma for his first rotation.
After passing his 1st set of boards with flying colors he is starting his final year in optometry school!
We are so proud of him and all his hard work.
What a smarty-pants.
This year will be a little hairy.
More on that later.
I am feeling a little lazy and secretly want to watch Dancing with the Stars.
But I will leave you with one happy little picture ...

I can barely stand it. So. dang. cute.

A big weekend

2011-04-27T15:54:00.000-07:00

I finally got off my patootie and am sitting down to write the post I don't really wanna write.
This last weekend marked a really big day for our family;
My mom's passing, one year ago.
Has it really been a year?
I sometimes still don't really believe it happened at all.
That Friday, April 23, was without a doubt the worst day of my life.
And every day since then has been just as hard.
I lost my mom, my best friend, and my mentor.
She is the most incredible woman I have ever know, and dare I say, will ever know.
I miss her every day.
I want to call her every day.
I have so many questions, and fun experiences, and not-very-important tidbits I wish I could share.
And sure, she is "always with me," but I would really prefer her here in person.
I have never known loss like this and find myself in tears almost every day.
And yet, I know there is hope.
I guess it was fitting that this weekend also included Easter.
Our Savior's sacrifice for us all is the ultimate gift of hope and love.
We can be an eternal family and see my mom again because of the Atonement.
I am grateful for my family, for my husband, and kids.
This year and brought us closer together.
I feel that now I try harder to cherish every day with the people I love.
We started off the weekend by dashing down to Eugene and basically opening the door to our car and throwing the kids out at my Dad's for him (and mostly Heather) to watch so Scott and I could go out on a date.
We were also celebrating our wedding anniversary (8 years)!
We wanted to make the weekend as busy as possible.
So we went to dinner at a little place called Johnny Ocean's.
It was mostly island-inspired foods but don't worry, I found the biggest cheeseburger on the menu and devoured it in about 2 minutes (literally).
Then we went to see the play "Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street," at the community theater.
It was really good, disgusting fun.
The following day we went on a walk commemorating my mother, organized by one of her best friends.
We had a great turnout.
It was beautiful and sunny, and although Ezra screamed bloody murder the whole time, it was the perfect way to celebrate my mom.

My brother, his daughter Adelaide, Brit and Olivia, and me and my Elvis-like pompadour. Barf.
After that, we packed a picnic lunch and drove to the Cottage Grove cemetery to visit mom.
The weather was nice, and we just spread out and ate and chatted for hours while the kids roamed around.
It was really peaceful.
On Sunday, we attended church and the kids went decked out in new Easter clothes (Thank you Heather!). So cute. Look at that tie.

This was the best family shot we got (sorry honey). And yes, that is me and not Edna Mode from the movie The Incredibles. I officially hate my short bangs.

Then the kids enjoyed an Easter egg hunt, scarfed 10 pounds of candy, and then we all jumped back into the car to drive home.
It was a busy weekend, but couldn't have been any better.
I still feel a bit sleep deprived and emotionally drained so I apologize for the lackluster post.
I promise to get my wit on next time.

A visit

2011-04-19T21:46:00.000-07:00

We had a few visitors yesterday.
And any change in routine becomes the highlight of our week.
My dad and his fiance Heather dropped by for a little dinner,
and a little racing.
My kids seem to be starved for attention and convince anyone within earshot to watch all their talents.
And since Ryan's new trick is bike riding ...
well you get the picture (Ezra feels he is faster on foot).
We enjoyed our short visit.

And on the home decorating front, I finally redid our living room wall.
Again.
I just get tired of having things the same all the time.
And plus I thought the first arrangement was barfy.
Anyway, it keeps me busy whilst my hubby is toiling at school.

I like it way better.
The frames are not as close together as they appear in this picture.
It looks like I nailed them all on top of each other.
I must be at a weird angle.
They look better in person.
Come over and you will see for yourself.
And while I am day dreaming about my wall decor ...

I would like one of these.
Isn't that mirror amazing?
Only a mere 250 smackaroos.
Ahhhh, well a girl can dream.
And that folks, is all that happens around here.

Twinsies

2011-04-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

I got my hair cut.
It was turning into a mullet.
Between that and my mexi mustache I was starting to resemble Joe Dirt.
So I don't know what I was thinking and zipped to the hairdresser on the way home from the grocery store with both kids in tow.
I am not sure what I thought they would do while I got my hair done.
They started off quiet, sitting in the chairs designated for waiting customers.
Angelic.
That lasted about 10 minutes.
Then Ezra started getting squirmy.
And Ryan started in with the running commentary.
It sort of resembles tattling and sounds like this:
"Mommy, Ezra is taking off his shoes. And his socks."
"Mommy, Ezra is crawling all over the chairs."
"Mommy, now he is licking the carpet."
"He found a fruit snack under the chair, with hair on stuck to it."
"He's eating it."
Helplessly, I am yelling warnings and instructions from the chair, while the hairdresser is becoming increasingly flustered.
Frantic for us to leave, as Ezra is now eying all the shelves displaying hair products, she snips my bangs, and rips off the cape.
I hurriedly pay and we make our escape.
Then I come home to style my freshly shorn hair, I realize that I have been given baby bangs.
So that is how Ryan and I became twins.
I love the cut, but may have to grow out the front a bit.
And I am never taking my kids with me to get my hair cut again.
Ever.

Rolling right along

2011-03-30T20:27:00.000-07:00

I am not sure if anyone is interested in "belly shot"-type pics, but I rather enjoy looking at others' myself, so I thought I would post one every now and again.
This is me at 22 weeks.
Kind of an obscure week to document, not really noteworthy for any reason but I forgot to take a picture at 20 weeks (the beginning of the fifth month for normal people that don't count in weekly increments.)
Don't mind my Sponge Bob triangle hair, I am having issues.
I also realized that I look as if I am leaning way back to make the bump appear larger.
I am not sure what that was about.
Anyway, I also seem to be working on a skin mustache as well.
With Ezra I developed "pregnancy mask" (which is real, and not a made up name for not waxing/bleaching one's upper lip) and I believe that I am again enjoying that aberration.
I can't help but point it out to everyone I talk to, although Scott says if I didn't draw attention to my 'stache no one would notice.
Whatev.
So here we are, almost six months, and I could swear I have been pregnant way longer.
But everything is going well, so I am not complaining.
Other than contemplating my skin whiskers, and indulging the usual pregnancy nesting instincts (I am totally redoing my living room wall) I'd have to say there isn't much going on.
Ryan started swimming lessons and loves them.
I accidentally deleted the only picture I got of her whilst trying to keep Ezra from pitching himself into the pool.
He desperately wanted to be included.
He cried for a good 15 minutes about wanting to attend "Ezzy's swim class."
Poor baby, maybe next year.
It is hard to be 2.
So I am determined to take more pictures, and do more interesting things worth blogging about so I can keep the posts a comin'.
Stay tuned ...

Spring BREAK

2011-03-23T21:58:00.000-07:00

Break being the key word.
And boy did I need a break.
Because don't we all need a break every once in a while?
Yes. The answer is yes.

And this week was mine. Three and, a very important, half days of aloneness.
No kids, no hubby, no nothin'.
This may not sound like much but I tell ya, I am a whole new woman.
(I have been kind of a wreck lately.)
In fact, I haven't had a single night all to my lonesome since I birthed Ryan.
Four and a half years later, I am enjoying quiet.
And I have tried to take full advantage of the down time, because with numero 3 on the way it won't be happening again for what I fear may be a long time.
Don't get me wrong.
I love my family, but I also love that they are visiting grandparents in Seattle without me.
And I have been able to tackle some very important tasks while passing the time:
lots-o-sleeping,
nice long walks at what ever time I want,
polished my toes and fingernails,
visiting the Goodwill,
watching a super trashy, girliest movie,
mad dash to Ikea for some essentials,
enjoying treats without having to share,
and lots-o-sleeping.
Thanks Scotty.

Kind of a sad one

2011-03-14T22:45:00.000-07:00

I miss my mom.
I think about her every day, all day.
I think about how everything would be better or easier with her here.
I think about how I am having a baby that will never know her, how amazing she is, how beautiful she was, and how she was an expert at all things domestic.
And hate that my children will only remember what I tell them they had with her.
I wish I could ask her all my parenting questions.
Why won't my kids mind me?
What are the best ways to find balance while being a mother, wife, and woman?
And why when I look at my living room gallery wall, does it seem off? Too many pictures?
What am I going to do with three kids? By myself, while Scott is away on rotations?
You always came to help me 'til I was back on my feet.
And what should I do with my hair? I know you hate it when I pull my short hair into a stubby piggy.
I wish you could be here to cut it.
To talk to.
To call every day.
I hate that I am jealous when I hear other girls talk about their moms.
I wish it were them and not me.
I know that is mean.
But I always thought what I had I would always have.
We were supposed to grow old together, to start a interior design firm.
You have been gone a long time.
Almost a year, next month.
And yet I still cry myself to sleep every night.
I know I am blessed.
That I am who I am because I am Sharen's daughter.
I can do hard things.
Because that is how she raised me.

We're having another ....

2011-03-07T21:43:00.000-08:00

BOY!
Woo to the hoo!
We are super excited!
Now Ezzy will have a little more male company.
He always seems to be outnumbered.
We have a lot of play dates with Ryan's girlfriends and their little sisters.
And with all female cousins, he is always the designated the "bad guy" or "monster," which results in a bunch of screaming girls running away from him.
Sad.
But now he will have someone else to race cars with, throw things at, and jump off every piece of furniture with.
I would include a picture, but the ultrasound was very, shall I say, explicit?
Is that the right word for super detailed, no-way-of-mistaking his bits and pieces?
Let's just say I did not need the ultrasound technician to clarify the sex of the baby.
Yay!
Everything looked great, and he is in perfect health!
Ryan was a little disappointed because she was really hoping for another girl (which she wanted to name Flashy.)
But that is okay.
While Scott is taking our boys fishing and camping, Ryan and I can do fun things together.
Just us girls.
I am really excited.
We're half-way there.
Now to think of a name ...

This post is super long

2011-03-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

What? I haven't blogged in forever?
Well, I would blame it on my pregnancy, but that is one of my biggest pet peeves.
People blaming things on being preggo.
I mean, you kinda know what you signed up for when you do the deed, right?
We always have stuff going on.
Making excuses ain't gonna get ya anywhere.
Speaking of preggo, we will find out the sex of the babe tomorrow!
Anyway, I digress.
So I haven't blogged because I was outta town and doing lots of other exciting things.
A few of which I will share.
And the rest of the pics included are also important.
Very important.
First of all, I had a birthday. It was a fairly significant one because this is the last year I will be able to say I am in my late twenties.
Next year I will be ... (whisper) 30!
Anyway, I spent my special day at the temple with the hubby, my sister and her honey.
Then I was treated to Chevy's for lunch.
Chevy's is delectable.
It is my favorite restaurant and I could easily devote an entire post to their salsa and tortillas alone.
But I will spare you and just insist that if you ever have the chance you must picky promise to try it.
And yes, a picture of me blushing wildly under a tacky sombrero while being humiliated with a cheesy birthday song at the restaurant exists but will not be making an appearance.
You're welcome.
I won't fail to mention my b-day dinner Scott cooked me the night before which was also delish.
He looked up the recipe for my favorite burger from Red Robin and recreated it, fries an all.
And did all the laundry.
And watched the kids so I could take a super long, much-needed nap.
It was awesome.
Anyway moving on.
If you are still reading, it will get better, promise.

On to other news, Ryan has to wear an eye patch for the next month a couple of hours a day.
I am sure you can imagine how much she loves that.
But it is to be short-lived and will help her left eye to focus better and be stronger.
What a sweet, little pirate.
And I think she looks doubly cute in this picture because I just gave her a haircut, and I just love her baby bangs.
She is showing off her new Rupunzel doll.

And not to be forgotten. Ezra and his handsome light bulb head. In fact Scott thinks he looks a little like this guy ...

Megamind.
But I think that Ezra's head looks that way because of his haircut.
It is somewhat military-esque.
Plus he is really smart (I am talking about Ezra, not Megamind).
So perhaps his brain needs a larger cavity to hold it.

And speaking of hair ...
Mine is slowly getting longer.
Just look at those piggies.

I aspire to have hair like this ...
Only dark brown.
So cute right?
This is Hayley Williams from Paramore, if you are wondering.

And this is one of those other important photos.
I got this faux bamboo tray at Goodwill for like a dollar.
I think it will be awesome once I have given it a shiny coat of white lacquer.
I needed something for my coffee table, you know to hold the remotes, magazines, etc.

And last but not least, another important tidbit, this cd is amazing.
I absolutely love Glee.
The show is my fav and is the only one I watch religiously and then think about for days after.
My sister gave me this cd on my trip down the Eugene this week (which was really fun).
I listed to it on the way home, twice.
She is the only one that shares my obsession for this show.
I love this cd because it has a little bit of everything.
And the cast is so talented.
You should watch this show...

right after you enjoy a meal at Chevy's.
I'm off to clean my kitchen and get the kids ready for bed.
Goodnight!

Snow, who cares?

2011-02-28T21:51:00.001-08:00

So it snowed here.
Which is and isn't that big of a deal.
Scott and I do not think it is a big deal. (Why am I even blogging about this? Oh yeah, because there are very few things that really are a big deal going on around here, so I must exploit the little things.)
Especially the amount we get here.
But a light dusting that is melted by lunch is top-story-broadcast-worthy news covered on every local station.
Apparently to those living in the Land of Ports, it is a big deal.
We were promised a HUGE storm, and woke up to a few inches that was ne'er to be seen again come nightfall.
But it was enough to shut down the entire school district for the day and give my kiddos a good hour of entertainment.

Ryan wanted to try making a snow angel.
I am not even sure where she got the idea.
I am pretty sure I have never talked about snow angels, but nevertheless she plopped herself right down and knew just what to do.

As you can see, the snow is already disappearing.
And yes that is a large, pointy snowball in Ryan's hand which subsequently got lodged in my jacket collar.

And Ezra is hesitantly enjoying the snow.
I managed to force on a smallish pair of gloves to cover his hands this time, avoiding the painful screaming that resulted the last time he tried to make a "snowman ball" with bare, frozen, red little fingers.
He is quite stubborn.
This time he consented to the mittens, but refused his boots and snow pants.
Silly, wet child.
Oh well, we all had fun.
And then went inside, took off our wet clothes and ran around in our underwear the rest of the day.

New trick

2011-02-22T21:43:00.000-08:00

Ryan has a new trick.
She can ride her two wheeler on just that, two wheels.
No baby, foofy training wheels for this pro.
It didn't take long and required no effort on my part aside from moral and emotional support.
We were tipped off by some friends on how to go about this adventure, which by the way I am sure I didn't master until at least age seven.
But she insisted.
We were told to remove her pedals and the training wheels and let her glide around for a week or two pedal-less.
So after a few soggy weeks, with her insisting we venture outside at every cloud-break she had had enough balancing practice and we reattached the pedals.
And wah-lah!
She literally got onto her bike, pushed off, and started pedaling.
No wobbles.
No crashing.
No me-running-behind-with-my-hand-on-the-seat-keeping-balance-bologna.
All I did was watch in stunned silence, regain my composure, and start clapping wildly.
It was a proud moment.
My baby isn't a baby and can, if so inclined, ride off into the sunset (not that I would allow that, she is after all only four.)
So I ran back inside the house (while she remained unsupervised in the parking lot) and asked Scott to step away from his pot of boiling food on the stove and watch this. (We are very responsible people, and truth be told our apartment is like two steps from the parking lot.)
Anyway, she kept zooming around while we cheered.
And that, they say, is that.

Look at that she can even pose and ride at the same time. My talented little peanut.
And, no, for those with a sharp eye, that is not her purple princess bike but a smaller, pinker, borrowed bike.
We struck a deal with some friends and traded bikes for the summer so she would have something littler to practice on.

Riding on two wheels is just so easy!

And here are the babes, "racing." Which really isn't racing at all because Ezra won't even use his pedals and just Flintstones his trike around. But nonetheless, at least they are playing nicely together.

And a cute shot of Ezzy. He is just so dang cute. And insists on wearing that hat all. the. time. He wants to look like daddy. In fact, the other day he came to wake me up for his breakfast in his pjs and you guessed it, his hat.
Good grief.
Silly boy.
They are just so grown up.
Wish they would slow down.

Last but not least ...

2011-02-18T14:12:00.001-08:00

I think that everyone who reads this blog may already be aware ...
but we are cooking baby #3.
I am 16 weeks along and just saw my doctor today for the first time (I am thinking perhaps I waited a little long to schedule.)
Luckily, because I am a little behind in my visits, my doctor squished a bunch of procedures all together and I was able to finish the blood work, the ummm ... woman's exam (fun!), hear the heartbeat, and schedule the ultrasound in one shebang.
So, we will know whether we are having a girl or boy in about three weeks.
(Unbeknownst to Scott, I already have the name picked out for any scenario. Will he agree? Most likely not. I am sure all of my choices will have some bizarre affiliation to some childhood bully/teacher/librarian that will have ruined that particular name forever.)
And no, it doesn't really matter to me as long as it's healthy.
I already have one of each so there is no pressure to make one sex over the other.
Not that I can really control all that business.
Anyway, we are excited.
The expected date of arrival?
August 4!?!
Our family will be complete.

Fiiiiinally ...

2011-02-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

My bed.
He's here.
Yes, I think it's a he.
And he is bliss.
And in my mind his name is Ned.
Ned the Bed.
If I could stay in bed all day I would.
But then my children would keep coming in asking for toast and to watch Alice and Wonderland and why it is that I am still in bed, and telling me I am taking so long to get up.
Kinda like this morning when I tried to sleep in.
So I just op for going to bed early just so I can lay there, grinning.
Pictures to come soon.

Just waiting

2011-02-06T21:35:00.000-08:00

Waiting.
Waiting.
For.
My.
Bed.
Yeah, it was supposed to be here on Friday.
At the latest.
And when I called to find out where it was, they reassured me it would be here by the following Wednesday.
Have I mentioned that I have been waiting?
For, like, almost a month?
Well, when I told Scott the news, he was less than pleased.
He is just as excited as me to sleep in heavenly, cloud-like bliss.
And for what it cost, it better feel like a damn cloud.
Anyway, he called Mattress World and gave them a piece of his mind.
He told them their tardiness was unacceptable and that we deserved a discount.
Oh, and we will get that discount.
Scott made them promise.
I am a little upset.
I actually had a dream the other night that my new mattress was here and I was sleeping on it.
It was nice.
So, that is all for now.
Obviously my life is not too exciting since I am just sitting around on pins and needles waiting for my purchase to arrive.
That and taking care of my kids.
Who are getting over an eye infection.
Fun.

Bespectacled

2011-01-26T13:46:00.000-08:00

Way better than bedazzled. (17 Again ... anyone?)
And much cuter.
Especially with the cat-eye silhouette.
Isn't she the most darling thing that 'ya ever did see?
The glasses were a compromise.
Ryan insisted on the pink.
I insisted on the retro-ish frames.
I just don't want her to grow up, look at pictures, and curse me for allowing her to walk around looking like Sally Jesse Rafael in huge coke-bottle glasses (I may still be harboring a few insecurities).
They had to be stylin'.
Okay granted, anyone who uses the word stylin' obviously needs lessons on how to be cool.
Anyway ... that's the big new 'round here.
Adios.

The January blaaaahhhhsss

2011-01-16T20:34:00.000-08:00

Hey loyal readers (imaginary high five to all four of you).
I got nothin'.
Really I have nothing to say but don't like when people with cute blogs stay away too long without some little tidbit. (Of course I think my own blog is cute. I read it all the time and laugh at all my funny, witty jokes.)
Anyhoo, we have been doing a whole lot of stayin'-in-the-house.
Not very exciting.
I have to beg friends to come over and talk to us just to break things up.
It has been very dreary outside, which doesn't really bother me as much as restrict our activities.
So we sit around and watch movies, jump on the bed, pick our noses (sometimes it is necessary), play Chutes and Ladders (which I might add is like the longest child's game ever invented. Have you ever played? And finished?), and just generally get on each others nerves.
Scott and I have also been dreaming of ways to spend the money we don't have.
And as for having no money, I am getting pretty tired of it.
It is hard to be impoverished.
I can't wait for school to be over. It seems like we have been going f-o-r-e-v-e-r.
Oh wait .... silly me, we have.
Oh well enough venting, because someday Scotty will be a doctor (which I may have previously mentioned I will insist everyone call him by his official title) and we will get to see him again.
And I can shop at Goodwill without feeling guilty.
But in the meantime, we will just hang out on our new bed!
Yes, we are actually getting a new bed.
I have been waiting and saving a really long time!
This is really big news 'round here.
Ooooohhh I can't wait. But alas I must.
It will not be here for a few more weeks and then I will post pictures.
I may even give it its own post!
And maybe its own name!
Anyway, until then a few shots of our recent "activities."

A blurry picture of my kids eating a snack and zoning in front of He-man. I have not forgotten my resolve to keep my kids from watching too much TV and feel like I have been doing a pretty good job ... except for here.
Sitting in a box. Because we can fit, I guess. This is what happens when I insist the kids "find something to do."
Getting married. Love the gloves especially. And yes I had to be the groom.

And what have I been up to? Just growing out my hair, again. It is coming along quite slowly. So I look a little like Justin Bieber.
Oh well.
Well, I am off to bathe the kids and then coax them into bed (even though they both took a four hour nap and are probably not tired in the least).
But in my own defense, I was exhausted and needed a nap as well.
Nursery really takes it out of me.
Bye!

Resolutions

2011-01-02T18:59:00.000-08:00

Do I even dare?
I rarely ever commit to a New Year's resolution, but as I was cruising around the blogosphere and talking with others it seemed like the thing to do.
And why not?
I love a good challenge.
Or a reminder to do things that I should be doing anyway.
So I am thinking along these lines:
- drink 8 glasses of water a day. (I may have read somewhere or possibly made up that eight 8-oz. glasses of water really isn't necessary, due to the water in food and other drinks, but really when is more water a negative ... unless you are purposely trying to become intoxicated and in that case it is bad.)
- be on the computer less. (It is kinda a time suck. I have recently started using it only once the kids are in bed, except right now, but even then there are many more enlightening or productive things I could be doing ... or I could RELAX, which is what I really should be doing. And let's face it, I deserve it.)
- read my scriptures every day/night. (Why don't I do this anyway? Slacker.)
- keep my kids from watching unhealthy amounts of television. (Repeat to oneself: The TV is not a babysitter. No pointing fingers, you know you do this too.)
- enjoy motherhood. (I love being a momma, but don't feel like I really relish in the everyday. I mean these are what the memories are made of people. Plus my kids deserve to see a happy, engaged parent instead of a zoned-out, distracted, nose-to-the-grind mother. I am lucky to be at home with my kids!)
- gossip less. (I do not want to be that girl.)
So, I guess this is more of a personal reminder list, but maybe if it is published for all the world to see I will stay more motivated. Oh, yeah, I am also resolving to growing my hair out again.
I know.
I can't help myself.
Happy New Year!
again.

Christmas roundup

2010-12-31T16:22:00.001-08:00

Well, we managed to visit both Eugene and Seattle, visit ALL of our immediate family members, and have lots of freakin' holiday fun.
In 7 days.
It was a little crazy, well honestly ... a lot crazy, but worth all the driving around.
We started in Eugene two days before Christmas.
We decorated gingerbread houses, Scott went skiing with Rex, we made treats, ate lasagna, refereed kids, and geared up for our big feast on Christmas eve.

The night before Christmas was spent eating an enormous cheese tray, and bon-bons, and sugar cookies; plus we did a little cooking in order to prepare our traditional Mexican spread.
Britney basically orchestrated an incredible meal in my mother's stead, but it wasn't without a little stress and some dragging of the brothers from the x-box to come in the kitchen an help already ... what are we in high school and we can't stop playing mindless video games whilst the women-folk sweat and toil over the stove?
I mean really!?!
Anyway, everything is under control.
The dinner was a success.
And yes, I ate too many chips and salsa and was stuffed to the gills halfway through dinner.
Never mind dessert.
Although I managed to struggle through that as well and try all four pies.
Anyway, we set out treats for Santa, plugged the kids into a movie, and played games.

Christmas morning, was a tornado of wrapping paper because the kids are finally old enough to understand what is happening.
Ezra was gifted a lot of trucks and boy-ish toys (which is great because I feel a little sorry for him when he is walking around on Ryan's princess heels back home).
Ryan was also given a lot of accessories.
And Scott got zhu-zhu pets. I mean he got them for the kids, not himself. Silly me.
We had a great time and really appreciated all of Britney's hard work, and my Dad and Heather's thoughtful gifts.

But it was time to go to Seattle. Like as soon as we opened the presents we dashed out the door for a fun four-hour drive.

We made it just in time for another big dinn-ah. Courtesy of Scott's sister, we enjoyed a Hawaiian turkey wrapped in palm leaves.
Scott's whole fam was there which was fun because it has been at least four years since all five siblings were together under one roof.
So we spent the next four days playing with cousins, visiting China town in Seattle, enjoying the snow, and watching movies.
Plus, I managed a three-hour marathon of Keeping up with the Kardashians while nursing the flu.
All those shenanigans had my children in a sugar-induced, sleep-deprived wreck by the time we headed back home, exactly a week after the celebrations began.
So we are back.
We are still trying to get back on to some sort of schedule.
And my house is badly in need of a good cleaning.
And if you read through this very long-winded post, well than thanks for indulging me.
Happy New Year!

Skate World

2010-12-20T19:02:00.000-08:00

Sooo, we took our kids roller skating.
Now you may be thinking that roller skating is so '80s, and you would be right.
I think that was the last time I went; which is unfortunate because it is really fun (the '80s and roller skating ... actually I have thought for some time that I really should have been a teenager in the 1980s, with the hair, the clothes, the music ... but I digress, that is a whole other post.)
Anyway, Ryan has been begging to go for months and now that Scott has some serious time off for Christmas we can act like a family and do things together.
And, I have secretly been eying Skate World for even longer.
It was super fun; just as amazing as I remembered it being in grade school.
Ryan and I were the only ones that actually skated.
I am not even sure what would have happened if we had put skates on Ezra.
Most likely a serious head injury.
And Scott manned the camera.
Ryan started off a little shaky but really got the hang of it by the end of our session.
And the "DJ" played some really good music too.

Yes, it looks as if we are pros; maybe not quite to the caliber as the gentleman behind us but you gotta start somewhere.

One of many spills. in fact, about a half hour into our adventure I was starting to worry that I would yank Ryan's arm our of her socket while trying to "save" her from falling. Luckily, she improved and my assistance became unnecessary.

This is what Ezzy was doing while Ryan and I circled the rink. I don't think he knows he isn't actually playing. He also spent a fair amount of time cheering us on at the side of the floor, giving us high-fives and clapping.

He was a good sport about being sorta left out. He just ran around jumping off those carpeted, putting-your-skates-on benches.

And there she is: going solo. She really did improve quite significantly by the end and managed a half-lap on her own. We only had one big fall which resulted in moment of discouragement. Ryan insisted her "buns hurt and she needed a rest." But after a pep talk from Daddy and a small rest of our buns we hit the floor again. I also managed a few laps on my own. Going around with Ryan was really fun, but painfully slow, so I insisted I needed a few laps to myself so I could feel the wind in my short hair. I would post a picture of that as well, but Scott only took a few and, for whatever reason, they were all close-ups of my butt. And no one wants to see that. Not even me.
Anyway, all in all I think our little escapade was a success.
It was definitely the perfect start to our vacation.

Just in time for the holidays

2010-12-14T20:19:00.000-08:00

So the other day Scott and I were scouring the house over looking frantically for our debit card.
Our only debit card.
You see, we share one in order to curb spending and make it easier to keep tabs on purchases.
And just as we were beginning to panic, thinking we lost it and some stranger was giddily blowing through our meager savings, we found it.
In. The. Toaster.
How, pray tell, did this happen?
Well, I don't know actually.
All I know is that I caught Ezra on the counter trying to retrieve a juice box from the cupboard and the rest, they say, is history.
It turned into a twisted, shriveled ghost of a card.
It was like that shrinky-dink material that withers to half its side.
Needless to say, I ordered another one and we will be getting it in the mail mere days from Christmas, and have we even started our Christmas shopping?
No. The answer is no.

p.s. I took a picture to post but then had a panic attack thinking some very clever thief could somehow decipher the mangled image and then really steal my moola. So I opted to leave it out. Even though I think that blogs without pictures can be kinda boring.

A little ketchup ...

2010-12-09T20:54:00.001-08:00

Where to begin?
I have actually been contemplating that question for days.
But then I promptly become overwhelmed and lay down.
After I lay down, I fall asleep.
So therefore the blogging doesn't get done.
Not that I expect this to be a crushing blow to many a reader, but I'd like to think of this as my own little journal of sorts, and quite possibly a small measure of enjoyment for others in my life.
So let's get on with it.
The short, short version.
Here is Thanksgiving; or at least the only picture I bothered to take of my family enjoying the feast we shared with our friends. The spread turned out fabulously. (Ryan made the little hand-turkey place cards).

Oh yeah, we moved too. Right before Thanksgiving. I never promised this post would be in chronological order. In this picture you can see a little of our new pad. Although we obviously have all the same stuff so it might not look that different. But we can definitely feel the difference. It is a town-home style. So we have 2 floors, 3 bedrooms, tons more storage (well pretty much any storage is way more), and more living room space to clutter up with toys. Plus, we pay nothing to live here! I know. Pretty incredible. How is that possible you may say? I say who cares?
Here is our tree. I think it is my best one yet. And it isn't real, which I really like better. I mean you don't have the fragrant woodsy aroma which accompanies an authentic tree but I also vacuum less and we can leave it up while we are gone on vacay without the fear of coming home to a spindly tree trunk surrounded by a huge pile of brown needles. Thank you Tara and Dave. And don't the twigs I added look nice? I think they add a little dimension, a little texture. Scott has told me that he can definitely learn to live with them. Oh brother.

A random shot of our gallery wall; with a few errant decorations. Scott was co-mastermind of this little display. Unless you think it's weird. Then it was definitely all him. Just kidding. We worked on decorating T-O-G-E-T-H-E-R. It is apparently more important to him than I originally assumed.
Playing with play dough in the hallway. I make them take off their clothes because they always get gobs of it stuck to their pants and socks. I made sure to turn the heater up. But it was short-lived anyway because Ezra cries every time his creations are squished, which is sorta inevitable.

And this little pic is a peak at my advent calendar/pocket garland I made to help us count down to the big day. This year I filled it with candy, but as they grow older I think I want to include a small scripture in each pocket as well, in order to emphasize the reason for the season.

A close up. I am not that crafty so I like to show off when I make anything. Up next: Christmas stockings. If they turn out I will include a picture of them as well.

And last but certainly not least, Scott and I went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1 with friends. I love Harry Potter. I have loved them since I was a child, because I was still a child, or at least a teen when the Potter mania began. Now I know I have professed my undying love for all things Twilight, but my heart still has room for Harry and his friends as well. Anyway, it was amazing. That is all I can think to say.
I. am. tired.
And this post is becoming quite long.
And I am going to recommit to blog more regularly. Mostly so that I don't turn into a rambling fool.

Long story short

2010-11-28T12:00:00.000-08:00

We just moved to a new apartment.
It took forever to get settled.
We still don't have internet (I am stealing this connection right now ... sorry Sierra).
We have been kinda busy.
I am going to write an awesome post complete with pictures,
tomorrow,
because we WILL have internet.
Or else.

The Birthday Girl

2010-11-03T20:53:00.000-07:00

Somebody pinch me.
I could swear I just gave birth to a 6 lb. 11 oz., screamin', wiggly, baby girl yesterday.
How could this be?
Ryan is now a headstrong, smarty pants, wiggly four-year-old!
Where did the time go?
We are so proud of her. She is clever, funny, enjoys working on her "preschool" workbook, and very much enjoys being entrusted to do "grownup" tasks. She is very helpful to mommy, and even helps to discipline Ezra. Yeesh.
She is a good big sister and a good minder. She catches on quickly; and is very loving.
She is a night owl, and is great at coming up with excuses as to why it is imperative she get out of bed.
We love this big girl, and couldn't imagine our lives without her in it.

Here she is before her party in her "birthday" shirt. We put this stretchy top on her every year and snap a picture. Should make for a fun collection once she gets older (if she continues cooperating. I wager it might be harder to convince her to play along once she reaches her teens.)

I made owl cupcakes for her friend party. We had 11 little kids over on her actual birthday for a get together. We would have invited more had we been able to fit another little body, but it was chaotic (and fun) as is, so it is just as well.

This is just a taste of the mania that was her party. Oh, just kidding. All the kids were very well-behaved and were good sports about my attempt at a party activity. We made "monster mouths" out of apple slices, peanut butter, and a generous assortment of candy (thanks in large part to our trick-or-treating loot). The kids enjoyed it, hopefully. Thanks for the idea Britney!

And our birthday girl. If the smile looks a little frantic and forced it could be the overload on sweets or the last few days finally catching up to her. We enjoyed a visit from Scott's parents over the previous weekend to start off the festivities. She was treated to Red Robin, flowers, and prezzies. Her favorite being a pillow pet (we finally gave in to her unrelentless begging) pictured behind her in the first photo. Those activities coupled with all the Halloween fun, and it's a wonder she had as much energy as she did. I know I am pooped out. Still.
But she is worth.
Oh is she worth it.
Happy Birthday my baby peanut!
We love you so much!

Halloween and such

2010-10-31T19:03:00.000-07:00

Betcha can't guess what we were for Halloween?
Yep. Yoda and The Tooth Fairy.
And yes, the only thing they have in common are that they are both fictional, small, and perhaps magical.
But who needs coordinating costumes anyway?
The important thing is that Ezzy's bald head was toasty in his Yoda hat and Ryan was allowed to wear her tutu in public.
Everyone wins.
Plus, I made (assembled) they costumes myself and that definitely makes up for not carving pumpkins (which I don't really like doing anyway; I mean, what is so fun about it? ... just sayin'.)

Our festivities began by attending a school Halloween Party (thrown by the optometry wives' support group) with dinner, games and a costume contest.
By the end of the event, Yoda looked more like a monk in a brown tunic after shedding 85 percent of his costume and Ryan was wearing only a leotard.
Basically it was a success.
And then the following week we went to our ward's trunk-or-treat bash.
Essentially, everyone in our church congregation shows up in the parking lot of the building we worship in, pops open their trunks (decorated for the occasion), and hands out candy to the "trick-or-treaters."
We like it 'cause it's a safe, friendly atmosphere where you can load up on candy in record time, show off your costume for hundreds to admire and be home an hour later.
We don't mess around at these things.
It is all about efficiency.
And as for the ACTUAL day of Halloween, Scott dressed our kids for the third time, and took them trick-or-treating to a few people we know (namely the sweet old lady that lives in the apartment below us.) Little do they know, that I am handing out the candy they scored at the previously mentioned activities to kids a-knocking at our door. I mean, how much candy to they really need? In my opinion, none. Right moms?
It is the experience that counts anyway.

And after all that partying, it is time for a nap.
When I look at this picture, all I can think is: I wish I were him. He's so content, so cozy, so relaxed, and has an awesome pajama set with army men on them. And who doesn't love an afternoon nap on the sofa with your favorite blankie.

And what we do on a normal, semi-boring day is play outside in our parking lot's largest puddle (which is undoubtedly laced with a ton of gasoline) in the rain. It isn't much, but they like it. And if we waited to go outside only when it was sunny, we would never go out.

Well, my husband just returned from said trick-or-treating without the kids, so I should probably go. Good grief.
Happy Halloween!!

You know you're a redneck when...

2010-10-20T21:35:00.000-07:00

you have a fender in your closet ...

and the rest of a car's innards in the corner. I kid. I do not believe that we are true rednecks, but if I have to spend many more nights tripping over buckets and such on my way to get my beauty sleep I'm going to end up with more than a motor oil-induced high. Here's crossing our fingers that the engine rebuild is finished soon.

And onto other unrelated autumn festivities:

Our kids attended their first costume party. It was a pirate birthday bash thrown for some of their friends. It was really fun to see 20 mini pirates invade our local park but made it hard to keep track of the kids under their buccaneer disguise. (I tried to give Ezra a Captain Hook 'stach, but he ended up looking like a Frenchman. However, he did manage to keep his makeup smudge-free and looked just as debonair when the celebration was over.)

Ryan and I made wax leaves. I got the idea from a friend (thanks Jen) and they turned out very life-like. Super pretty and easy-peasy to boot.

This isn't really autumn related but is just another testament as to why I love the Goodwill. Could this picture frame be any cuter? It is mega heavy too, definitely worth more than the .99 cents I payed for it. It was a steal and I love it with all my heart. Suckas.

Some cookies we decorated with friends during our annual (two years in a row definitely qualifies as an annual event) Halloween get-together. I do not claim to be a decorating expert but I wanted proof that I do creative, fun things with my kids sometimes, hence the semi-boring pictures. And by the way, Ezra has managed to pick off all the candy corns from said cookies behind my back in a sneaky-like fashion.

And last but not least, another shot of the kids for good measure. They insist on being snuggled before they go to sleep. And because I am a genius (and slightly impatient) I showed them that they could snuggle together instead of with me (that way I could catch up on my blogging). Don't worry, I do do most of the snuggling myself but some nights I am snuggled out and need a little down time. I mean, I love these babies, but I love me some Modern Family and ice cream too.

And finally, a little memo:
To the men that own and supervise the management of Parkview apartments: As much as you think you are so clever with your micro-managing and intolerance, I believe that your poor people skills and snobbery with eventually catch up to you. It will translate into unhappy tenants and less money in your pockets. And since money and appearances seem to be all that matters, at the expense of disgruntled employees and unpopular reputations, you will undoubtedly end up with just those things and nothing else. It is disappointing to have to deal with men with limited perspective and little common sense. Why blow something completely out of proportion when all you have to do is simply ask? (Debbie, this certainly does NOT mean you.)
Well, on that happy note, I must push off and head to bed. Nighty-night happy readers!

Family Mugs

2010-10-14T10:41:00.000-07:00

So I thought I would play a little game I saw on a few other awesome blogs;
And since this blog is definitely awesome, I figured I would join in.
It goes a little something like this:

I always ... I always am in a perpetual state of growing out my hair, have popcorn for lunch, find something worth buying at the Goodwill (whether or not I am permitted to bring it home), read People Magazine during my popcorn lunch (so I like trash magazines, everyone has a vice), cut my children's hair and nails (like all the time ... like borderline obsessive), look forward to my hubby to COME HOME from school, exercise five days a week, read Farmer Boy every fall (see Little House on the Prairie series).

I sometimes ... I sometimes feel like a productive, patient, energetic mother (mostly I feel like I am hanging on by my fingernails), watch historical documentaries with Scotty (mostly so I can spend time with him, and only a little 'cause I kinda like 'em), understand what Ezra is saying, bite my nails, think I might want one more baby ... someday, get asked by strangers if I am half Asian (really).

I never ... forget to make my bed (remember the obsessive personality I alluded to earlier?), look forward to summer with any kind of zeal (I am sure I have made my hatred for hot weather very clear), get any less than 20 kisses apiece from my babies each day (I am one lucky momma), get tired of scouring design blogs, get embarrassed (I have been seen naked by strangers on more than one occasion, accidentally, plus I am clumsy and trip a lot), spend more than a few hours away from my kids (literally ... I have never even spent a night away from them), forget how blessed I am.

Now on to the mugs:
My handsome baby Ezzy. What a ham. He is getting so big, I can't stand it. Really, Ezra, slow down.

Look at those cheeks, and that curly hair. I may be a little biased but I really do think that Ryan may be the cutest girl ... ever. And this is my blog so there.

My handsome, and dirty husband. That is his new obsession right behind him. I am trying to play the supportive wife, but I ain't gonna lie, the grease that ends up in our house as a result of this new hobby has been giving me anxiety. However, he is really happy and very handy (doing all the automotive work himself) so I try to keep my hyperventilating to a minimum.

And this is me. And yes I chopped my hair. It isn't the first time I have had a pixie, but every time is very freeing. I like it a lot. I believe that a short 'do can be both feminine and young. Right?

Have a great weekend! Up next: Halloween costumes. They are amazing. I am on top of it this year and the kids are all set.

A few thoughts ...

2010-09-27T23:06:00.000-07:00

A few errant thoughts for you ...
I want to cut my hair, again.
I am quite shallow and actually put myself to sleep with thoughts of sophisticated, fun haircuts.
So this is what I am thinking:

I definitely think I am going to do it. Soon.
Onto other unrelated news, this little beauty is for sale.
Alas, my sweet, pink hog is getting the 'ole heave-ho.
Not for any reason other than lack of use.
I have kids, a busy husband who spends the majority of his time at school, and no side-car. hehe
So we posted it on Craigslist. No takers yet. Anyone need a scooter named Hope?

And this one we did sell. Today. It only took Scott a few hours to get a bite on this one. The price must have been right. We are saying adios to him tomorrow. A very small man came to purchase him this evening. I am not sure how he will ride this beast of a bike. But I can't say I am sad to see this one go. I will admit I was super scared every time Scott took it out. (Not that I had no confidence in his driving, just other people.)

And all these transactions made this possible:*

Or at least a 1962 Thunderbird that needs a little TLC. It is Scott's "new" car. The supra is falling a-part! So our solution was to get an older car to replace it. But at least it is a car that has attitude. It's cool and the price was good.

So that is what is happening in our 'hood.
p.s. Sorry that this post is super lame. It is really muggy in our apartment and while that has nothing to do with the "cool" factor of this post, somehow it has everything to do with it. I cannot seem to compose a coherent thought. I am so uncomfortable. It is almost October for crying out loud.

* This is not the actual car sitting outside our apartment. But it is the same model and does look like this without the perfect shiny paint job.

The desk

2010-09-16T16:56:00.000-07:00

So with the changing of seasons, I often get a new burst of motivation to tackle some projects that have been sitting on the back-burner (translation: I have finally worn Scott down enough to permit me to overhaul a piece of furniture that was "fine" before).
Case in point: the desk.
Barf.
It was a nondescript, old-lady, with curly-Q details, shiny, monstrosity.
It was "fine" according to my supportive hubby.
But for those of you who know me well, fine just isn't fine.
If I have to keep it, use it, and/or look at it, it has to be more than fine.
Plus, really, if I get an idea into my head, it will just fester until I bring it to fruition.
Scott is probably exasperatingly nodding his head.
And I got the idea into my head that the desk needed a little spruce.
And was I right or was I right? Just take a look for yourself:

Okay, it may actually look worse than usual because I had already emptied out it's contents and stripped the paint off one of the drawers. But I am sure you can get the idea of how hideous it was. So that was the "before."

This is me taking a picture, again, of myself as I slave over the eye sore at 10:30 p.m. Really this is not optimal painting procedure, seeing as it was super dark outside, but that is virtually the only time I have to really work without the kids running wild all over our parking lot. As you can see, excitement is evident. Right now I am thinking, "When is this going to be done?" and "I really need a shower because it has been a few days." (I become a little single-minded when involved in a project.)

This is the "after." I think it looks TOTALLY different. You may not notice the subtle differences, so allow me to point them all out. The embellishments are gone. The middle drawer has been removed (I think it opens it up, gives it a more contemporary look, and brings up the height). The desk is also two-toned now. I stripped the paint off the top and painted it an almond color, then sanded and painted the remainder of the desk a flat black.

After all that, I painted two coats of polyurethane on the top to protect it from wear. So that is that. It looks much better, to me, and I did it all by my lonesome. Next up: the dresser is getting a makeover as soon as it stops raining.

Things that make me happy

2010-09-04T21:45:00.000-07:00

This week has been a good one.
Lots of things went my way.
So therefore, I will proceed to list off things that make me happy,
mostly because I want to show off.
So firstly, roses. Roses make me happy. Not only do fresh flowers add a little somethin' to my table, but they are even better when gifted from my husband FOR NO REASON WHATSOEVER! Score.

Secondly, a clean house. This makes me really happy, particularly if it gets done early enough in the day to enjoy it before it gets deflowered by my family. Look at my zombie children watching Reading Rainbow. On cleaning day, they definitely get their fair share of PBS.

Thirdly, this lovely really-nice-indoor-outdoor-fabric-bought-for-super-duper-cheap-on-clearance. I salivate over the beautiful cobalt blue color and fun trellis pattern. And to top it off, I repurposed this once picnic tablecloth into pillows, all by my lonesome! I literally giggle with giddiness every time I walk into my living room. Yes, I am that lame. And no, it apparently doesn't take that much to make me happy.

This requires no explanation.
Although, it must be Lucerne from Safeway because it tastes the least low fat. And I have done extensive research. Swear.

This little face. And the fact that he is sitting with his legs tucked up inside his shirt. So cute, or so sad that I don't dress him in pants while at home and he may actually be cold. Sorry Ezzy.

And this little face too. Ryan is getting funnier and funnier every day. The other day while over dinner, she said, "Daddy, I need to tell you something." Scott replied, "yes?" And Ryan responded, "You're hairy." This was said in all seriousness, and with no prompting whatsoever from me. It almost came as an afterthought, like she'd been saving it all day and just remembered then. YEesh.

Anything related to organization makes me very happy. There is nothing better that emptying out your whole kitchen/desk/closet, throwing half of whatever objects are filling said space, and reorganizing it all. Just me? Alrighty then.

Great design. I love design. Someday I will decorate houses other than mine, and maybe even get paid to do it! I would love to get a Master's in interior design in the future. But until then, I will just keep pawing through every design magazine I can get my hands on, surfing the design blogosphere for far to long in the evening after the kiddies go to bed, and continue experimenting on our home. I love myself a good mixture of textures, prints, neutrals, and something industrial for fun, kinda like this:

So the morale of this post is really that I am happy. Life is hard and sad things happen but everyone has reasons to be happy. I feel blessed every day. Life is to be celebrated.

Summer is oooooover ....

2010-08-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

Can I just say that I am really looking forward to the school year.
And it's not because Scott goes back to school and I get much more done and the kids aren't nearly so wound up ... okay it is that too.
But in all seriousness, I crave the normalcy and schedules that typically accompany the new year.
I can't wait to have the kids in bed at the same time every night, dinner at the same time, with Scott focused (and his distracting mornings of Maury Povich and internet surfing which prevent me from any productivity whatsoever so over) .... theoretically.
Plus, I like that it always feels like the beginning of something.
I get excited to tackle projects, recommit myself to take the kids to library story-time every week, and this year I am going to organize/teach a pre-preschool for Ryan.
I feel like pawing through our apartment and purging it of any clutter, and making soup.
And, can I also just say, I love fall.
The colors, the sweaters, jeans, cool weather, rain.
I am a sucker for it all.
I feel like running outside with my arms thrown wide open and belting U2's, "Beautiful Day."
But that might result in a few rude stares and I am not looking to ruin anyone's loverly autumn.
I am actually feeling slightly harebrained and perhaps I didn't get enough sleep, and I am listening to some sort of techno music on Pandora, so that might explain this strange post.
Anyway, a few random pictures from the last week or so.

Ezra was gifted two new Lightening McQueen lego sets for his birthday from Auntie Britney and Papa. Let's just say these fun toys have been the source of many a fight around here, which basically means they are a hit.

We finally moved Ezra into his "big boy" bed. He is now sleeping in Ryan's bed and she has moved to the top bunk. Fun for all. However, on the first night that we tried this arrangement, I came in to check on them and found this scene: apparently Ezra needed some extra snuggling.
And let me tell you, it was quite the feat getting Ryan into her bunk while dead asleep. My babies are so darn cute.

p.s. A few other tidbits to end our summer on a high note: (the last one being the most serious problem)
1) Scott's car is broken and needs a new starter
2) He also lot his friggin' wedding ring while fishing in the ocean ... awesome
3) When I went to get my hair trimmed, the stylist cut my bangs too short and now I look like Edna from the "Incredibles."

Birthday weekend

2010-08-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday to my BEST friend and sister, Britney!
Here's looking at you kid!
I love you (insert high sing-song voice).

Happy Birthday Ezra!

2010-08-14T21:44:00.000-07:00

My baby is TWO!
Ezra is officially out of babyhood!
He has reached the terrible twos (in fact, I believe he is ahead of the curve and reached them some time ago).
I am a teensy bit sad that he is no longer a baby.
Has that gloom translated into the desire for a third baby?
Hell to the no.
Someday ...
Anyway, even though my sweet newborn has grown into a crazy, monster-child I just can't get enough of him.
He is so funny.
He is so stinkin' handsome.
And all boy, thru and thru.
He loves trucks, tractors, airplanes, basically anything that goes vroom.
He also loves destruction, hitting things with sticks, getting dirty, jumping off anything that will make me scream, electronics, and antagonizing Ryan.
He toots ... on purpose ... and then laughs.
He loves movies and can aptly work all of our home theater equipment.

And now, onto the inevitable: a little reminiscing.

On this blistering day two years ago, Ezra came screaming into this world (well, perhaps that was me or coulda been the newbie EMT who requested to observe his first live birth).
Right from the start, he was a good baby, very happy.
And still is.
Look at that sweet face, and Ezzy is so absolutely adorable too.

My babies are always so bald. Look at that snot-shoot ... he definitely got that from me.

Today we took him to the beach to celebrate his b-day and beat the heat. He loved it. Both the kids had a blast, until Ryan had to go the bathroom and we spent 10 minutes trying to convince her to squat in the ocean. That ended with everyone in tears and a trip to the nastiest port-a-potty on the entire Oregon coast.

This is pre-potty discussion. She spent the first 20 minutes splashing and boogie-boarding in the frigid water, and she liked it.

Ezra snacked with Grandma on the rocks. The tide was very high so we camped out up here.

After returning from the beach, we had a little fiesta outside on the lawn with prezzies and cupcakes. It was 342 degrees inside our apartment so we opted to party in the lot. Look at that face, tell me that isn't the cutest mug you ever saw!

Was not a fan of the party favors, which is why we kept blowing them in his face, hehe.

He is playing with the frosting not snuffing out the candles with his fingers. He got a soccer ball and a new puzzle for his birthday.
Happy Birthday Ezra, my sweet snuggler, my life is so much sweeter because of you.
We love you SO much.
Thank you for being our baby.

Bikes, trikes, and automobiles

2010-08-04T13:06:00.000-07:00

Ryan got a new bike.
Ezra inherited her old trike.
There are automobiles in the background of most of our pictures because my kids spend their days playing in a parking lot.
We spent the morning outside, enjoying the overcast skies and breaking in our new wheels.
Well, new to us anyway.
We purchased Ryan's "princess" bike from a nice old man advertising on craigslist.
I felt a little guilty about presenting her with a bike that is a little worse for wear,
that is until she crashed it twice in 20 minutes.
Then I was patting myself and Scott on the back (metaphorically) for getting a bike that will no doubt receive a few more battle scars.
And since I have now realized this entire post is made up of corny cliches,
I also tooted my own horn while crossing my fingers no one would get hurt.
And no good morning ride is complete without a photo shoot.
And no good photo shoot is complete without me taking a picture of myself;
at least according to Scott.
Mark my words.

July

2010-07-30T15:15:00.001-07:00

So I was looking through my pictures to see if I had anything worth writing about and found, like, three strange pictures, that are completely unrelated to each other and do not at all document our recent family activities.
In the last month, we have visited Eugene (yes again), rearranged our entire apartment, (all four of us can now live almost exclusively in one room ... the one with the air conditioner), visited Seattle, watched Eclipse (the most important item on this list ... just kidding ... okay no I am not), attended my 10-year-high school reunion (my camera pooped out and I got zero pictures, which is fine because I didn't recognize very many people even after only 10 years!), and played hard in the oppressive heat (to me anything over 85 is boil-an-egg-on-my-head-while-in-my-apartment discomfort).
Our summer is nearing it's close and we have yet to go to the beach, go camping, go to the farmer's market, or get shaved ice ... summer must-dos.
We have been traveling a lot to be with family.
In fact, as I sit here, Scott is once again in Seattle with Ryan at a pro golf tournament.
And while that sounded like a bucket-o-fun, I opted to stay at home with Ezzy and just take care of one maniac, plus I had some furniture to polyurethane. Yippeee!
So in conclusion, I am going to post the few said pictures of nothing in particular, I am high from the fumes in this apartment, and I need to take Ezra out to enjoy some fresh air because I cannot let him watch Cars all the live-long day.
Happy summer!

One picture from the reunion. These girls were my best friends in high school and we still see each other every few months. It may look like a rare photo op, but it isn't. We hang out fairly regularly. It was still fun to see them along with a few other classmates. I think the reunion was a success. I looked at pictures of me from high school (barf) and definitely feel I stepped it up for this get together. I mean it is important to look better at these things, right?

A random shot of the kids at lunch. I was trying to take a picture of Ezra's new chair that Brady helped me to paint (I love it). And no, Ezra did not join the military, I just like his hair short. And yes, I feel the need to defend myself.

A generation shot. We visited Scott's grandpa in Olympia over the Fourth of July weekend. Four generations; don't my kids look happy?

And last, but certainly not least, me in my Twilight shirt. I wear it every time I see the movies in the theater, even if I am by myself, which was the case for Eclipse. I opted to go alone as opposed to going with someone that would not be as giddy about the movie as I was. I don't want to hear a sigh of pity as I squeal with excitement when Edward appears on screen. I am kinda a twi-hard fan.

Super lame

2010-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

So I have been a super lame blogger lately.
I have every intention of posting something exciting and witty,
and then ... I just don't.
I don't even really have much of an excuse.
I mean, I want to ... and I have some semi-cool pictures
but then I let my camera battery die, or I accidentally erase them
or better yet, I forget to take some in the first place.
But, all excuses aside, I am going to think of something clever to do with my erratic collection of photos and download them babies ...
after our company goes home,
and possibly after my ten-year class reunion this weekend?
So to my three readers ... stay tuned :)

The Bastings come to town!

2010-07-01T15:30:00.001-07:00

So Britney and her family came to Forest Grove.
They stayed for three glorious days.
We had so much fun.
A trip to the zoo, staying up late for movies every night, screaming kids, morning runs, even a birthday party made their trip a blast (okay maybe not the screaming kids part).
We all squished into our shoebox-sized apartment and it was quite cozy.
We love to spend time with them and I am always sad when we part ways.
But we will be together again in a few weeks!
I have a 10-year reunion to attend.
Yikes.
So we will see the fam soon enough.
Thanks for coming to see us Britney & Rex.
We love you!

A little trip

2010-06-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

We went to Eugene again!
You cannot tell from the look on Ezra's face, but everyone had a great time!
I love LOVE hanging out with Britney.
I wish I could hang out with her everyday, all day ... forever.
Our plan is to one day live in the same town where our husbands will have awesome jobs and we can open a bakery together.
My best friend.
Anyway, I love to hang out with my dad and Brady too.
In fact, Brady ... thank you so much for all your help with my never-ending amount of home improvement projects I drag with me to Eugene every time.
We are talking toxic amounts of spray paint.
Anyway, we were busy, busy the whole time.
A bbq, smore's, yard work, a movie with my Dad (The Losers ... so good), thrifting, a 10 mile bike ride, and cooking (thank you Britney for the BEST tortillas I have ever sunk my teeth in).
I feel so happy when I am there and love to spend time with the fam.
The only downer was that my Scotty couldn't come, darn school.
But all in all, a great week with an uneventful drive (thank goodness).

p.s. Scott is currently fixing the xbox after watching a repair tutorial online; the car is in the shop and is being fully covered by the phone-talking-bonehead who hit me; my neck feels much better, thank you; and Eclipse is coming out in a little over two weeks ... things are looking up.

Quick update

2010-06-07T13:31:00.000-07:00

So the running total is:
2 flat tires
1 busted trunk/bumper
1 ticket for failing to wear a seatbelt (even though the seatbelt was in use)
1 red ring of death (our xbox 360 pooped out)
1 case of whiplash, coupled with a splitting headache.

So we have had an awesome week.
I thought that bad things happened in threes.
Uh huh.
On the bright side, we have our health, and ... well we are blessed in lots of ways.
I am just super grumpy and can't think of them right this second.
But they are there.
I am sure things will look up from here.
Knock on wood.

Memorial Weekend fun

2010-06-04T09:36:00.001-07:00

On our way home from a quick trip to Seattle, we ended up on the side of this road ...

with our trunk emptied onto the side of the freeway ... due to a flat tire.
Not only did our tire pop, but our spare popped too, 15 minutes later.
Double the fun.
So we hobbled along the side of the road, at 8 miles an hour, on a deflated spare, until we reached here ...

a parking lot in the middle of nowhere. Luckily this parking lot was attached to a Safeway, Subway, McDonalds, and gas station (with plenty of space to ride our scooter while passing the time as we waited for Scott's mother to drive 2 hours south to rescue us.)

Seven hours later we made it home. And then Scott returned to our deserted car the next day and replaced the tire and brought our car home to us. However, the fun continues. Because, of course, the next day I was rear-ended and now our car is crunched and I am wrestling with the insurance companies to get our vehicle back in tip-top shape. Never mind that I am suffering from a super great case of whip lash and the trip I was planning to Eugene is on hold.

Why is that when it rains it pours?

Barenaked Ladies

2010-05-24T21:47:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about myself nude (you can all breathe a sigh of relief),
I am referring to the band.
You know.
The Barenaked Ladies.
Britney and I went to their concert last night.
It was bittersweet.
Bitter because we were going to my mom's concert.
Meaning, it was her birthday present from my dad, purchased a long time ago;
And my dad gifted the tickets to Britney and I, so that they wouldn't go to waste.
But also sweet because, well, it was SWEET.
We lOvE the Barenaked Ladies.
They are so fun to watch.
We have all their cds (my mom made sure of that).
They are talented, funny and incredibly entertaining.
My mom and dad's seats were amazing.
And their fan base is awesome.
All different types of people, with a lot of energy!

Right before the concert started. We took at least a dozen of ourselves, and were probably starting to annoy the people sitting behind us. And yet, this picture is still fuzzy?

We were only like 8 rows back! And to make it even better, everyone in front of us sat for the majority of the concert, while we insisted on standing/dancing for the whole thing. This in turn forced everyone behind us to do the same ... heh heh.

The whole concert was awesome! It was nonstop fun!

A little fancy lighting at the end. These letters lit up during the encore. I loved going with Britney. She is my best friend, and doing anything with her is fun. Thanks for going with me Britney. And thank you for the tickets, Daddy. Next time, we are all going together!

Happy Birthday to Scott

2010-05-19T21:07:00.001-07:00

I am such a bonehead.
I cannot believe that I did not also mention Scott's b-day.
Yay. Just a little one.
Scott doesn't really like celebrating it.
Especially now that he is getting so "old."
Oh brother.
31 is the new 21 in my opinion.
I mean I am definitely still young and I am only a few years younger than Scott.
So happy belated birthday in the blogosphere (we did actually celebrate it with a delish blueberry pie on the actual b-day).
Love you so much Sweetie.

A little catch up ...

2010-05-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

These last few weeks have been like a dream.
A bad one.
However, there are some good moments to celebrate as well.
Life does have to go on.
So one day that deserves honorable mention was our anniversary.
We have now been married for 7 years!!
It just gets better and better.
I am sure I love him more now than when we got hitched.
I am not sure how he feels because I am positive I have become more neurotic but he keeps putting up with me:)
So we went out to dinner for cheeseburgers ('cause we love 'em and nothing says romance like a greasy burger and fries.)
Then we went to see Percy Jackson and the Lightening Thief.
It was fab, though I knew it would be because I read the book and I like that mythology stuff.

Then next on the agenda was Scott's White Coat Ceremony.
Scott's not one to make a big trumpeting deal out these kids of things, but it was huge.
It is the mark of his becoming an optometric intern and actually treating patients.
He received his first "doctor" coat (complete with embroidered name)!
He is halfway done with his graduate work and we couldn't be more proud!
What a great guy!
A super husband, awesome dad, and brilliant doctor-to-be.
p.s. only 2 more years of school! Whoo to the hoo!

Donning his first white coat! Yay honey! Yes that was me embarrassingly screaming at the top of my lungs when your name was called.

Posing. The doctor and his wife. I am sure I will insist everyone call him Dr. Pitts when we are through with this. What with all the time, work, and money we're investing. Yeesh.

Random shot of me with one of my best friends, Sierra. Mmwahh. Her husband and Scott in what some might call a bromance. (Sierra, I really do love your bangs this length, by the way).
Yes I cut my hair, I couldn't stand it.

Sharen Beard

2010-04-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

My mom is my best friend.
She passed away on April 23, 2010.
It was the darkest day I have ever experienced.
It was unexpected and sudden.
We didn't know that she had acute leukemia, she didn't know.
Just within a matter of hours, my life changed, my family's life changed.
A piece of my heart is gone. The part that remains hurts.
I had no idea the kind of pain that comes with losing someone you love so hard, someone you want to be just like, someone who is the best example of what a mother is.
Mommy, I miss you so much. I feel lost. I need you here and I hate that you aren't.
I love you so much, and am so grateful for the amazing woman that you are.
I believe in the plan of salvation and know I will see you again;
I just wish I didn't have to wait so long to hug you.
Just know that you are everything.
Good bye Mommy.

Went down to Eugenie

2010-04-20T19:58:00.000-07:00

I am just now catching up.
The kids and I went down to Eugene 2 weeks ago.
Woo to the hoo!!
It was so much fun.
We love visiting the fam.
The kids always have such a good time and I get a little mini vacay from cooking and laundry.
Plus I just love to have girlie time with my sister and mom.
I miss them all the time. They are my besties.
We had lots of yummy food, did a craft (it's not quite done), went to the movies, cut and colored hair, played games and saw my brothers.
It was so fun and relaxing (imagine that line in a sing-song voice).

All the kids in their cute Easter clothes, made by my amazing momma. They were actually very cooperative for their 'shoot.'

They also enjoyed a second easter egg hunt in matching jammies (also made by my mom ...thank you so much).

All ready for church. I look monstrously tall. Perhaps my heels created this illusion. We captured everyone but my Scotty who was back home working hard at school :(

Thanks for having us family, we love you and had a great time!!!

Easter Eve

2010-04-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

We started our Easter festivities today.
We opted for the usual ... egg dying and egg hunt shebang.
I am not too creative when it comes to holiday activities.
I have every intention of preparing a bunch of fun crafts and food,
I look at blog after blog of go-getter moms that decorate and celebrate for weeks before,
but ultimately we just do the traditional thang.
But the kids loved it and so did we.
We started with the egg dying:

As you can see here, our colored dyes ready to go. Scott mixed these concoctions, so I am not really sure what the color in the middle is? Gross.

This is what Ezra was doing during the egg decorating. Oh well.

Ryan had a blast. She dyed and decorated most of the eggs with Lightening McQueen stickers.

A family pic missing my little Fezzy wig.

Yeesh. Scott and his alien egg.

Then we headed outside in the blistering cold and whipping winds to hunt for eggs.
We combined forces with our good friends the Nelsons, Baileys and Garliks.
This was definitely good news for the kids because is resulted in a 170+ egg hunt for 6 1/2 kids.
I overheard one dad excitedly tell his 2-year-old that the Easter bunny came and pooped all the eggs out on the lawn for them to find!
I didn't realize this is how the Easter bunny operated.
Anyway, it was definitely a hit.
Ryan found a lot of eggs (it helped that the Easter bunny pooped most of them in plain sight) and Ezra actually got into it as well.
They both came home with a pretty good haul.

Here she is preparing for the hunt. It was seriously cold and actually started to rain.

Ezra tripped over these roots several times but wouldn't give up until he had every egg by this tree.

At the end of the 4 minute hunt. I thought what with the enormous amount of eggs it would have lasted longer, but apparently I underestimated the speed at which little children can spot and retrieve candy. (From left: Jenna, Reagan, Hannah, Ryan, and Cade.)

Tomorrow we will focus on the spiritual (and more important) aspect of Easter: the Savior and His sacrifice for us all. Happy Easter all!

The Pittock Mansion

2010-03-27T15:20:00.000-07:00

We went here today.
The Pittock Mansion is an amazing house overlooking the city.
It is massive (which I suppose is why they call it a mansion).
It was built in 1915, and was quite innovative for the time.
It was really fascinating.
The kids, however, did not share my sentiment.
So we enjoyed part of the tour until Ezra discovered the marble staircase and then we tried to quickly peak into the remainder of the rooms while manning the death steps in order to keep him from dying.
And Ryan told me 4 minutes after we got there that this outing was taking "forever," and she was ready to go.
Overall it was a great activity.
We went with some friends and Rosette and then had a picnic afterward.
Ahhhh.
A good day in Oregon.
See how much fun we are having?

Any ideas?

2010-03-21T21:15:00.001-07:00

This is the scene at our dinner table every night.
Actually this is the scene and HOUR AND A HALF after dinner is over.
Every night.
I think on this particular night I served shrimp pasta Alfredo and broccoli.
I know! How dare I feed my child something so revolting!
In fact, the night before I dared to make cheese/egg sandwiches with smoothies,
and yet her buns were still sitting in her chair 45 minutes later.
Argh.
I don't know what to do.
So stubborn.
Any ideas? Holla!

Ezra finished his dinner and is now gloating. Just kidding. He is just a little ham :)

Two pirates and their booty

2010-03-14T18:58:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, I left the kids with Scott while at the mall.
He volunteered to take them so that Rosette and I could browse,
by ourselves.
They were left to their own devices for two hours.
When they met up with us, they had some new loot in tow:
Ryan was carrying a lollipop the size of her head (I am not exaggerating),
and two foam pirate swords (who even knew there was a pirate store at the mall?).

(She is naked because of the sticky, grossness that covers her from head to foot after licking that darn thing.)

Perhaps I was dreaming, but I remember specifically having had a conversation with Scott about finances where he mentioned something about only buying the essentials.
Or maybe I remember the conversation from somewhere else.

Tea Time

2010-03-11T13:13:00.000-08:00

Just enjoying a healthy ((and filling!)) lunch together.
p.s. it was water

Big girl "lipstick"

2010-03-10T13:14:00.000-08:00

So it really isn't lipstick per se, though it is maybe a little stickier and pinker than I originally thought upon purchase.
But it doesn't really matter because the purpose with which it serves is worth the gummy mess it leaves behind.
You see, it was the motivating factor behind finally ridding ourselves of the binky.
Yes, *shrug,* she still used a binky ... but only at night.
However, a 3 1/2-year-old holding a binky in her mouth is quite ridiculous-looking.
Even a very beautiful 3 1/2-year-old.
So I sat her down and we talked about why binkies are really for babies.
And you certainly aren't a baby.
You are a sunbeam, you go potty in the toilet, and can write, and color, and call people on the phone.
Babies cannot do those things.
"And babies cannot wear lipstick," she replied.
Yes! That's it.
She loves "lipstick," which is basically Auntie's lip gloss.
So I promised she could pick out a pink, shiny "lipstick" to use at night instead of a binky.
And that was that.
I have heard only a few times that she still loves her binky "so much" and misses it.
But no tantrums, hysterical fits or fighting over that darn binky.
Better late than never.
And now we are free!

Happy Birthday to me!

2010-02-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

Hahaha
I love celebrating my birthday.
I am not one of those people that shies away from making a big hoopla out of my special day.
I am not hesitant to tell everyone I see that day that it is my birthday.
So that is why I can appreciate my friends and family around me that indulge my need for attention.
And they never disappoint.
My mom and Britney sent me presents that arrived right on time!
A New Moon game (that Rosette and I played that evening);
And new slippers, jewelery, and gift card from my parents (I used the gift card to get some great anti-aging cream, yes, I believe that I am old enough to be using that stuff, and a new shower curtain. These purchases may sound weird, unless you know me well.)
And Scott is getting me New Moon on blu-ray (March 20!).
And Rosette gave me a professional massage (MUCH needed and definitely appreciated ... Bobby you are very lucky).
And my children gave me a long day of extra whining.
I reminded them numerous times that it was my birthday and therefor should not have to listen to their shrill screeching, but I don't think they understood.
But that night we went to The Cheesecake Factory (made possible by Auntie Marlene and Uncle George.)
It was nice to have time to ourselves.
Sometimes I forget that I am also a wife and still young (and attractive ... heheh) woman who needs a night on the town.
I love my birthday.
And I don't feel a day over 25.

Auntie Rosette

2010-02-22T10:27:00.001-08:00

Auntie Rosette has been staying here with us for the last two months.
Why I haven't done this post earlier, I do not know.
We love having her here.
All of us.
The kids looove their auntie.
In fact, Ryan's first question anytime we come home or wake up is, "Where's Auntie?"
She is the easiest house guest we have ever had.
And no, Bobby, we are not even the tiniest bit sick of her :)
We have actually asked ourselves, "What will we do when she leaves?"
She is so amazing with our kids.
I often go in to check on Ryan in the wee hours of the morning to find Auntie asleep and snuggling with her (upon Ryan's request.)
It is many a night that Scott and I hear Ryan singing, "Auntie Rose-eeette, will you come down here with me?" (They share a bunk bed).
Supposedly there is a scary, red cat lurking in the room in the middle of the night and it can only be ignored when snuggling.
Anyway, through all this rambling I am basically trying to say that we love Auntie and are glad she is here with us, if only for a few more months!

Any time we leave the kids with Rosette, the kids don't even bat an eye as we leave. This is monumental, since Ezra screams in nursery even with us in there.

M.I.A.

2010-02-15T18:27:00.000-08:00

I was just cruising through our posts and noticed a trend.
Scott is missing from the majority of our pictures.
This is not on purpose.
He is still very much a part of our family.
But he is at school a lot, busy stuffing his brain full of medical information.
He is studying to be an eye doctor.
We are proud of him and hope to one day have him around a little more.
And anyway, most of my posts are inconsequential and are usually of us at home doing nothing exciting or of me taking pictures of myself.
See following entry ...

Viola!

2010-02-15T18:01:00.001-08:00

I have finally completed a sewing project!
I only do "crafting-type" projects that are quick and require the skill level of a 3-year-old.
This Happy Birthday sign was just such an activity.
I got the idea from a friend, who is an excellent seamstress, and she probably whipped hers out in 15 minutes;
I, however, have been working on it for 3 weeks ... at least.
But I think it turned out great (if you don't look too closely).
I have such a good time making it, I am going to make one with Ezra's name on it and again one for Ryan.
And who knows, maybe I will just get carried away, and before you know it, everything in my house will be labeled.

This is my banner in all it's glory. I even sewed around all the letters even though I used heat 'n bond to adhere them to the backing.

This is what I looked like after finishing. Astonished, maybe confused that I managed to avoid sewing over my fingers or breaking my machine. Chapped lips, nice.

This is how Ezra felt about my project. Not really, he makes this face every time I say "cheese."

My New-ish Clock

2010-02-05T13:59:00.000-08:00

Scotty got me this amazing clock for Christmas.
Actually he got me a gift card for the exact amount of the clock.
Same thing.
He knew I would get this.
It is really BIG.
Which is perfect because I love HUGE wall decor.
The bigger the better.
It is over two feet tall.
I tried to take a picture of myself standing next to it (in order to illustrate his size ... yes it is a he).
But I looked like a fool.
Anyway, not that exciting to some, but to me it is definitely big news.
p.s. Aren't the colors great?

Two monsters

2010-01-23T15:39:00.000-08:00

Ezzy sleeps with his little orange monster every night/day.
He is a gift from Nanny.
He has 2 ferocious teeth (the monster, not Ezra) which Ezra strokes in order to fall asleep.
It is too cute.

I'm growing out my hair...

2010-01-13T20:41:00.001-08:00

Which is a big deal for me.
Definitely blog-worthy.
It is so dang hard.
And it takes so long.
This is the longest it has ever been in my adult life.
We'll see how it goes.

Scott's adventures

2010-01-10T12:38:00.000-08:00

This is a family blog.
Having said that, I feel it only appropriate that I document not only my activities with the kids
but Scott's adventures as well.
And yesterday was just that: an adventure.
My loverly hubby woke up early with the kids, encouraging me to sleep in.
This was nice until I woke up and found that sometime that morning, unbeknownst to me, a tornado had ripped through our living room, leaving toys, socks, panties and food in it's wake.
Oh brother.
He then watched them yet again so I could go to Real Deals.
I selected an amazing clock I'd had my eye on (yes Sierra, that one) with a gift card that Scott had "coincidentally" put the exact right amount on.
Thank you honey.
Upon my return, Scott then sweetly volunteered to take the kids to the movies.
Where the Wild Things Are was playing at McMenamins.
At 3:00. Scott took Ryan with a bag of snacks and drinks to the show.
They didn't return until 7:00!
Come to find out, Ryan only made it through half of the movie (Scott said she couldn't follow the storyline and grew bored) so he took her to Joann's instead?
He thought he would find a craft that Ryan and I could do together once he starts school (awww).
However, once they reached the store, the bathroom was calling.
They filed into the restroom after a man that, and I quote, "crapped a cow."
Apparently the stench was so nauseating that Ryan began to dry heave, then promptly threw up her lunch of pepperoni pizza on Scott's shirt.
Then the combination of vomit and old-man poo was too much for him and he barfed as well.
This he told us after returning home with Ryan and necklace-making materials in tow.
However, before regaling us with his account, he went out the car to find all those craft materials (because Ryan had insisted on holding them and then lost them) only to find his best flashlight burned out.
So defeated, he came upstairs to lie on the couch where he quickly received an elbow to the crotch from a clumsy 3-year-old.
And yet, he remained upbeat, albeit smelly and hurting.
We love you Scotty.
You are a great daddy and husband.

2010

2010-01-03T01:07:00.000-08:00

This year is going to be a good one.
I can feel it.
I am excited to watch my family grow.
And to be that much closer to Scott's graduation.
And we are going to have fun.
Yep.
And as for my resolution?
I am determined to drink 8 glasses of water a day.
Not impossible.
Here's to a great new year, my family!
I love you Scott, Ryan and Ezzie.

Fun, Family Christmas

2009-12-28T21:20:00.000-08:00

Well, it started off fun.
We were feeling optimistic.
It was an ambitious celebration and we were including a lot of people.
Everyone was trying, everyone wanted it to go smoothly;
But as far as those things go, it turned ugly.
I mean, it isn't Christmas without a heated political debate, hurt feelings and grouchy kids right?
Wrong.
A broken-down car, stolen GPS system and my family not speaking to me must be added to the list to round out the holiday.
Super fun.

Just practicing ...

2009-12-20T19:07:00.000-08:00

I insist that I feed myself, despite the fact that most of it ends up on the table.
In fact, if I am not permitted to feed myself I will scream and trash around;
And that spoon I am holding, well lets just say it will become a speeding missile aimed at your head.
But obviously I am successful at getting my way.
See my smile?

Nudie

2009-12-11T14:31:00.000-08:00

So I went outside to do a quick vacuum of the car (it was time to suck up all those raisins and fishie crackers),
while the kids were upstairs watching me from the window.
I got the car all nice 'n clean in record time
only to come upstairs and find all our toys dumped out and scattered to the four corners of the apartment,
the Christmas tree desecrated with various decorations stripped off and broken,
Ezra chewing on an empty toilet paper roll
and Ryan sitting on the couch with bare buns - actually buck naked from the waist down.
I swear I was only out there a few minutes.
A very few.
At least no one was upset or hurt, which is rare even when I am present.
My children are so strange.

Holiday Cheer

2009-12-07T19:06:00.001-08:00

Ahhh, Christmas is upon us.
And the Pitts household is in full holiday swing.
The merriment of the season has consumed our family.
In fact, as Scott lugged the Christmas tree through the door,
there were cries of terror as Ezra burst into tears;
And once we began trimming said tree, Ryan also had a conniption fit when I added a purdy ribbon garland (that in my opinion adds more visual interest) saying that it was ugly
and she wanted it removed immediately;
And if that weren't proof enough that our happy family is full of Christmas cheer,
I am listening to peels of laughter ... of wait .... hang on .... nevermind.
Those happy giggles were just interrupted by squeals of frustration and a panicked yelp.
What I thought was a peaceful daddy-daughter water-coloring session quickly turned into a Technicolor warzone as Ezra disrupted the paints, thus smudging Scott's rainbow,
which he actually then balled up and threw out of irritation all while Ryan screamed at the top of her lungs for me to rescue the watercolors on the kitchen floor.
Yeesh.
My family is so dramatic.
Oh well, we are trying.

Ryan was actually very careful and deliberate when hanging her ornaments. They were evenly spaced and everything.

Ryan and I decorated the tree as a duo. Scott is recovering from Bronchitis and wasn't as enthusiastic about the tradition this year. Poor baby. (Hey we match, that was not planned.)

And Ezra ate bananas and watched Baby Einstein because he was following Ryan around pulling every ornament off as soon as she would hang it and frankly I just wanted to knock the activity out and get it done.
Ahhhh .... relaxin'

Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T16:20:00.000-08:00

School break.
Tillamook Cheese Factory.
Moe's famous clam chowder.
Homemade turkey dinner (by me!).
Pie at a friend's house.
Scum.
Black Friday shopping.
Scored two great coats for the kids.
Playing lots of Candyland.
Movies.
Popcorn.
Playing outside in the chilly weather (wearing the new coats ... of course).
Snuggling in bed.
A great Thanksgiving!

p.s. no pictures ... oops.

2009-11-23T21:35:00.000-08:00

So the countdown has ended.
Britney and I had been waiting many, dare I say, hundreds of days for New Moon to open.
And so it did last weekend.
For those of you who are wondering what New Moon is ...
you must leave this blog immediately and ne'er return.
In fact, we are no longer friends.
You are dead to me.
Just kidding.
(I'm not.)
Anyway, I am ( well let's be honest) obsessed with the Twilight series.
I love them.
I love them all.
I mean, I haven't embarked on a pilgrimage to Forks and I don't really believe that vampires exist, but the books and movies are soooo good.
Plus it's fun to have something to be silly about.
I went to Eugene to watch it with Britney (who shares the same enthusiasm for the series that I do) and have a New Moon party.
It was so fun.
Of course the movie was definitely the highlight.
It was fabulous.
I was not disappointed in the least.
In fact the only letdown was that Britney and I couldn't hide out in the theater and watch it again.
I really could go on and on about how much it was perfect.
I am not even embarrassed.
Oh wait, I already have.
Well, I did other things this weekend with the fam.
However much they pale in comparison with my movie, I will address them.
Heheheh.

We had a mini-Thanksgiving. And by mini I mean that it was basically a full-blown Thanksgiving except that my Scotty couldn't be there so it wasn't a real Thanksgiving. But the food was delish.
This was a tasty apple cake my mom made. It was so good you wanted to just bite right in ... kinda like Bryce did.

The best picture I got from the photo shoot we stage every time we get the kids together. They were super happy.

This is the line Britney and I waited in to get into the theater. It wasn't too bad. And the wait was worth it!

Before we left, we had to get a picture in our matching TEAM EDWARD t-shirts.

All the girls we went to see the movie with. Amy is on the end, and actually yelled at someone for using their cell phone during the film. Now that is dedication. Next is Kari, Lauren (Bryce's cute girlfriend) my mom, and Britney. So fun. Thanks Brit!!
Now the next countdown begins ...
Eclipse opens this summer!

Happy Birthday ... again

2009-11-14T10:31:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. It has now been almost 2 weeks since Ryan had her birthday.
I don't even have a really good reason for not posting her pics.
Just being lazy.
But her party went so well, and we got so many cute photos that to not post them would be doing everyone a great disservice.
Just kidding. {However, I would have liked to invite more people. Mostly my friends. But our shoe box-sized apartment was already bursting at the seams.}
But they are kinda cute.
Plus it was my first kid party I've thrown.
And Ryan had a great time.
And was very spoiled.

Ryan posing with some of her friends: Jenna, Reagan, Porter, and Hannah.

I wanted to have an activity and a party favor, so I killed two birds with one stone and we made "princess wands," or "wizard wands" for all the manly men involved (Porter & Lincoln). I think that the kids enjoyed it?

Blowing out the candles on her cupcake. This was the first year she blew out her own candles. Every year previous to this one, she has been to scared to do it.

Opening prezzies. She really got quite a haul this year! Her friends and family (Daddy, Britney & Nanny) really spoiled her this year. There was a lot of Lightning McQueen booty and princess paraphernalia. Lucky girl! {You can see how engaged Ezra is, looking out the window wishing he was outside.}

Posing with a new "cell phone." What a sincere smile! Cheese ball. Happy Birthday, my love!

My Birthday Girl!!

2009-11-07T11:23:00.000-08:00

My baby is growing too fast.
Ryan is 3!
Nooooo. Please, Ryan, slow down.
Ryan, you are loved so much every day.
And the things you say ... are hilarious.
You love pink.
And sing along with the Black Eyed Peas.
Everything you do is followed by, "Ta, da!"
You are very opinionated.
This is apparent by how many times a day you say, "No, I don't want to."
You are a good sister.
And have sooo much energy.
Truly, the amount of energy you have is astounding.
You like to play "mommy" and take very good care of all your babies (nurse them, rock them, etc.)
And movies! Forget about it. You could watch movies all day long (not that I let you).
Currently your favorites are Cars, Nanny McFee, and Superman Returns.
You definitely have a sweet tooth.
For your birthday dinner, you requested pigs-in-a-blanket with broccoli (without prompting).
Your stomach conveniently hurts every night around dinnertime when I am serving something you don't like.
You could sit at the dinner table for hours fiddle-farting around and still have an entire plate to empty (much to your mother's chagrin).
You are very good at hide-and-seek.
You also have an exceptional memory.
You love to "write" things down, and regularly help me by making "grocery lists."
You are a very good girl.
You love to be outside.
You are very grown-up and wear big-girl panties all day and night!
Ryan, you make our family's lives so special.
We love you sooo much and are so grateful to be able to play with you every day.

You in you "birthday shirt" at age 1. Papa bought you a stretchy shirt that fits even me. So every year we force you into it and take a picture.

The Shirt at age 2.

3! You would only keep it on long enough to take the picture. You said it was too stretchy to wear all day. Your smile is a little scary.

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T21:50:00.000-08:00

This year Ezzy was Frankenstein and Ryan was a cow.
The Frankenstein costume lasted about ten minutes.
Also people thought he was an asparagus from Veggie Tales?
Does the asparagus have a bloody wound and hair? I don't think so.
Ryan was a pretty good sport and kept her costume on all evening.
We celebrated Halloween a day early at a school party.
All our friends were there.
There was a cake walk, donut-eating contest, dinner, prizes and a bunch of other stuff.
However, Scott and I were like zombies.
No we were not dressed as zombies, but rather felt like them since we were both nursing a cold.
So on actual Halloween night, Scott took some cold medicine and headed up to the school to study while I took the kids grocery shopping and hid out in our house,
in the dark,
because I was unmotivated to buy candy for trick-or-treaters.
I am super lame.
This is actually quite a sad and pathetic post.
Thankfully I am starting to feel better.
Which is important because tomorrow is Ryan's 3rd birthday!
And we are going to party.
The next post will be more uplifting.
Pinky swear.

Hair today, gone tomorrow ...

2009-10-29T15:41:00.000-07:00

I love to cut my kids' hair.
I do it at least once a month
{which is far more than I am sure is necessary}.
But I like it to be short and clean looking.
Plus I figure the more I do it, the better they will be at receiving haircuts.
This theory has yet to be proven.
Usually Ezra does okay as long as I am quick.
This time, however, he was so dern wiggly that it kept getting shorter and shorter.
I am not sure if you can tell by the pictures, but ...
he is now practically bald.
Being a boy, I guess it doesn't really matter.
Plus his noggin has rounded out and looks almost normal {even if it is a bit large}.
So handsome.
My little Fezzy-wig.
Just a out-of-focus picture of a cute boy.

Before the cut. So full and thick.

After. Trust me he looks much balder in person. The flash must have reflected off the few hairs he has to make it appear that he still has some.

Skawt

2009-10-22T11:33:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah
I must give honorable mention to my fab hubby Scotty.
While we were gone we missed, missed him so bad
and then came home to a super clean house.
Love you Honeylips.

Busy, busy. busy ...

2009-10-22T10:40:00.000-07:00

So we went down to Eugene to P-A-R-TaY!
I love, love going to visit my fam.
They are fun and we are always going, going, going.
This trip was no exception.
Britney and I had a major crafting session planned.
She just got a shnazzy, new Cricut and I was excited to try it out (thank yoooooou)
The kids played and we vigorously worked on a bunch of projects ... all week.
It was a very productive visit.
And super fun, as always.
I luuuuv hanging out with Britney (we are besties) and my mom.
We are so much alike and can act nerdy and silly (or basically ourselves) together.
Miss you already, but it's okay because our New Moon party is just around the corner.
November 20 is coming up, can I get a what-whuuuut! Yep.
Brady was very helpful too. Muchas gracias.

Don't worry, we made time for other important things ... such as exercising,

enjoying popcorn in the B-E-A-utiful backyard,

driving,

and, of course, watching lots-o-movies. Papa has a very impressive collection and is always up for a movie.

We forced the girls to go outside and play any time it wasn't raining (and sometimes when it was). They blew bubbles, colored with sidewalk chalk, and even used the potty. Ezzy was pretty jealous, but is extremely accident-prone and could only go outside with adult supervision. He spent a lot of time watching.

We also made chocolate-and-sprinkle-covered pretzels or "princess wands."

This is ONE of many crafting projects.
I think they turned out great.
They are Family Home Evening boards.
Now if we only held Family Home Evening we would be set.

A close-up. Pretty cute right? I like them 'cause they are a little more modern, and funky and not so cutesy, dumpy-Mormon-mommy looking. And yes they are magnetic.
We also made fun "NOEL" signs for Christmas. Just realized I don't have a photo of that and am too lazy to stop and take one, but I will when I decorate for Christmas.

And Britney helped me make this too. I needed something fun for this spot, and thought I could make a "vintage" sign. Scott doesn't really like old, garbagey signs, but technically this one is new. Whatcha think? Be honest.

Thank you Britney!
Thank you for letting me use your Cricut and supplies and being the best friend and sister a girl could have.
LOVE you.
Love you too MOM & DAD.

Blogging when I have nothing to blog about

2009-10-05T20:40:00.000-07:00

What have we been up to?
Oh just hangin' around.
My life really isn't all that interesting.
I spend a lot of time wiping tears, buns, noses and counter tops;
I frequent the park more than any one really should;
I chase screaming children around the library (yes, they scream more at the library than anywhere else, except church);
And I am regularly at risk of indecent exposure in public being that Ezzy is always pulling on my shirt (not that there is much left to expose, those puppies shriveled up along with any sense of propriety I may have retained after giving birth.)
A typical day for me:
5:45 : Hear the alarm, drag my patooty out of bed, and sneak to the bathroom.
5:47 : Wake up Ezra, silently curse, change diaper, snuggle, put him back in bed and dash out the door.
6:00 : Gym, blah.
7:09 : Come home, listen at the door for weeping from kids or Scott, sigh of relief when I find everyone still asleep and the Pitts household still functioning fine without me (not always the case ... not sure why).
7:10 : Sneak in very carefully and yet still wake up Ezra again (doesn't this child ever sleep?)
7:15 : Get on with the day, you know breakfast, shower, picking up my house that was spotless when I went to bed and now has somehow become trashed, play, convince Ryan there is more to life than Caillou, take kids outside, find one moment of peace when the kids are happy, clean, playing, the birds are singing, the sun is shining ... crap Ezra just fell in a puddle and Ryan is touching the dumpster.
Noon: Lunch, put the kids down for a nap, smile, stretch out on the couch, damn I forgot about the laundry, get back up to fold the laundry.
Are you still reading this?
3:30 : Start thinking about dinner, wonder what Scott is doing at school, visualize the bowl of ice cream I am going to enjoy once the kids are in bed, pretend I am a pony, laugh (Ryan is quite the comedian and Ezra is just so smiley, I can't help it).
5:00 : Make dinner, clean up kitchen, serve dinner, clean up dinner, again.
7:00: Baths, read Fancy Nancy, a little TV.
9:00 : The kids are in bed, safe, uninjured, another successful day.
You know,
I really love my boring life.

The Proclaimers

2009-09-30T21:38:00.000-07:00

For those of you who do not think they know who The Proclaimers are, you are wrong.
Everyone has heard the, "And I would walk 500 miles, and I would walk 500 more ..." song.
Right? It is their most popular.
Anyway, I went to The Proclaimers' concert last week with my parents and friends, the Holdens (as apparent from my picture, above, with "the boys" (front men Charlie and Craig) as my mother so casually refers to them. She thinks that the three of them are BFF.)
Anyway, I had always enjoyed their music before;
I was excited to go to a concert;
My parents are fun, music-loving, enthusiasts;
"this will be good," I thought.
It was GrEaT!
They were really energetic (both my parents and the band).
They were fun to watch.
And they were yell-singers. I love yell-singers.
Anyone that can sing at the top of their lungs (thus they are "yelling") and be in perfect pitch and crystal clear is A-OK in my book.
It was SO much fun.
All their songs were upbeat, their fans were hilarious (a few interpretive dancers always liven things up along with the effing pottymouths and their Scottish swearing:) ) and their banter was, well, difficult to impossible to understand (in my head I knew they were speaking English), I LoVeD it.
Thanks Mum and Dad!
I had a blast.
And I would go again to see them in a jiffy.
{And yes, Mom, I am sure that they remembered you.}

Britney's Monkey Tail Bread

2009-09-27T22:08:00.000-07:00

I am really not much of a baker.
My sister definitely holds the title on that one.
She is always creating new delectable treats
and without fail every time I go to her house there are lots of yummy goodies to try.
And I really must try them all.
Several times.
Anyway, Britney is not only a culinary genius, but she is a generous one at that.
She has the best food blog you ever will see and shares all of her recipes with the world.
I have made most of the dishes on the blog as well as lots of other ones she has given me over the years.
I must say though, a new fav among all members of my family is the Monkey Tail Bread.
Scott loves it, the kids love it and what's not to love?
Chocolate chips, peanut butter and banana all in one loaf!
Brilliant.
So for all of you who haven't checked out her blog ... shame on you. J/K
Here it is: (all credit for this scrumptious delight is Britney's and Britney's alone.)
You must all make this, immediately.

Monkey Tail Bread

1/2 cup applesauce
1 cup sugar
3 egg whites
1 cup mashed banana (3 medium)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy or crunchy peanut butter
1/2 cup chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350. Grease a loaf pan.
2. Beat applesauce and sugar in bowl until combined. Beat in egg whites until light and fluffy. Beat in bananas and peanut butter until smooth. Beat in flour, baking soda and powder, salt until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips. Pour into pan.
3. Bake 60-70 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely about 1 hour.

* Tightly wrap in plastic wrap to keep fresh.

Ezzy loves it too. He just polished off a whole piece of Monkey Tail Bread and I am pretty sure ate another one. Hopefully, you don't mind me advertising your blog Brit, but I think everyone should check it out: http://www.eatitupfood.blogspot.com/

Whaaaat?

2009-09-20T22:00:00.000-07:00

Ryan has really gotten into dress-up.
It is the influence of her cute friends across the street.
Every time we go outside to play they are out their wearing an incredible assortment of creative outfits (today it was tights, cropped sweater and heels ... only!)
Love it.
So Ryan has picked up on their inspirational creativity.
I am so happy and should really supply her with a few dress-up clothes.
Instead she has to resort to other people's clothes.
Unfortunately all the other people in our house do not wear clothes her size.
So we see outfits like these.
{The panties and top are hers though.}

And in other news, Scott hurt himself.
This actually looks considerably better than it did the day he did it.
He stepped on a drain lid (that was supposed to be secured),
and fell in, scraping his shin all the way and soaking his new school pants.
He had to get six stitches and has a bruise that covers his entire calf and ankle.
Groddy.
He hasn't heard a word from the school, even though they were responsible for the mishap
thank you very much.
I am disappointed Pacific.
My poor honeybuns.
Good thing you are so tough.

Welcome to our tiny home ...

2009-09-16T11:32:00.000-07:00

This may be my longest blog yet, so hold onto your hats (or skip over the rambling and look at the pics, that is what I do.)
So I finally am making good on my promise to post a few pics of my fab house.
It took me so long because I had to "style" it first (which basically means I needed to finish up a few projects).
But seeing as this is kinda a passion of mine, although I am certainly no expert, I wanted everything to look just right.
Then as time dragged on I thought, "Shoot, this place will always be a work-in-progress so I'll just take the darn pictures!" (Maybe I didn't think it, I probably said it out loud ... to myself ... and then Ryan asks who I am talking to .... and I tell her, "I am talking to myself" and then she says, "Again?" .... and I say, "Yes," .... and now I have gotten severely off topic).
So here is what the apartment looks like now, although much to Scott's chagrin it will most likely be slightly different tomorrow.
I can't help myself.
I just get new ideas, or get bored with something, or decide that whatever I thought was awesome a few days ago now sucks.
Oh well.
So on with the tour.
First we start with the kitchen.
Not ever really sure why I took a picture of this seeing as it is kinda boring.
But there it is.
It doesn't really have a theme, although none of my rooms really do.
I like the eclectic/retro look.
Scott like the matchy-matchy, stuffy, modern look.
I am trying to find a way to marry the two.
They can compliment each other, I think.
Kinda like Scott and I.
We are together and it works even though we have nothing in common :)
Moving on.

Next is the living room.
This is the one I am most proud of.
I think it's a good look, pulled together, a little funky.
I loooooove the color of our entertainment center, although I am not sure I like the arrangement on top.
And lately I am liking the gilded frame look.
I love my apartment, even though it is the size of a shoebox.

My favorite arrangement (above). Especially with the flowers.

I just finished the runner found on the entertainment center and it is cuu-ute.
The fabric is kinda retro (salmon, brown, turquoise, cream) and yet understated enough that I don't think Scott has even noticed. Score!

This is the view from my "dining room" or dining corner.
The big-ass mirror is new and I love it.
It makes the room feel bigger.
And I love our coffee table.
An old farmhouse dining table chopped down.

Scott is very crafty and MADE me the bookshelf.
I wanted something substantial and something with doors on it so I could stash the kid's toys somewhere ... and viola!
He also picked out the fishing pole-esque lamp.
We get comments on it all the time.
I thought it was a little much but now I like it more.

The kids' room.
This room has an entirely different feel. But it is one of my favorites too. (Of course when you only have, like, four rooms to your whole house they are all sorta your favorites.)
Anyhoo, I wanted all the colors to go well together, yet be gender specific too.
Does that make sense?
Ryan's bed is a bright pink and red and Ezra's future bed is blue and lime green.
His crib is all lime, even the leaf (another of Scott's contributions).
I think all the colors look good because they are the same "brightness."
I think they compliment each other.
Scott made the bunk beds too, with his bare hands.
I have one talented hubby.

Ryan sleeps on the bottom and the top is used for guests (or me if Scott is snoring unbearably loud).

And finally our room.
This one has proved to be the most work recently.
I repainted the dresser on the right from shabby-chic white to smooooth black.
That was a pain because I had to do it on the apartment complex lawn, which is downstairs and across the parking lot.
But whatever, it worked out.
I also salvaged the lamp from a Goodwill for $5 and spray painted the old ladyness right out of it.
Whew. So that is it (aside from the bathroom, but who hasn't seen one of those?)
I hope you enjoyed my little tour.
Feel free to comment, particularly if you have an idea about what I can do about the entertainment center arrangement.
I am just not feeling it.