brenotes

family pictures 2011

2012-01-20T10:18:00.000-06:00

Because taking family pictures with these silly ones isn't challenging enough, I had to do it at the fair!

Props to John for getting the cotton candy!

I think it worked way better than the little candies I had meant to bring for ~~bribes~~ treats.

LOVE the pictures! LOVE the colors!

Thank you Lauren :)

Hazel is 3!

2012-01-19T22:17:00.000-06:00

Let's just pretend the previous post wasn't really dated Oct 2011... and that I posting this days after the party not weeks....

Hazel turned three on 12/22. She is currently OBSESSED with Monsters, Inc. and monsters in general. She requested a "pink monster party." She is STILL talking about it, so she must have loved it! :)

{there may or may not have been a little coaxing--the important thing is that she thought it was her idea}

Being the crazy-party-obsessed mom that I am, I moved all of our real furniture out of the dinning room and filled it with all of the above! Orum was gone that week. I think he was a little shocked. I thought it rocked! I took the curtains down and made my own with crepe paper. That was definitely one of my favorite things!

Of course, William had PLENTY of attention. Ellie Sue is a little obsessed. In fact, on Wednesday afternoons she choses to come to the studio to see him instead of going to see her cousin--her bff! I am not quite sure that the feelings are mutual. Just saying.

It didn't take long for the kids to play the parts! I made each child a different monster shirt. There were suckers with monster mouths, and we made monster masks.

She was sure glad to see her daddy! She had been asking him on the phone all week, "Are you coming to my pink monster birthday party?"

I loved seeing how into it all the kids were! I think 3 is such a magical age...they were loving all of the eyes!

on the snowballs...

on the cups...

on the bowls...

and of course there were party hats...

{Hazel did request the feathers on top}

My most favorite part of the party...the monster art that Renée created with a Sharpie and watercolors! They are so cute, that I still haven't taken them down!

Happy Birthday Hazel!!

We <3 you!

hostess with the mostess!

2011-10-27T13:34:00.003-05:00

So, I am still trying to catch up on the blog scene--reading and writing, but

look what I just found on the Hostess with the Mostess!

I made those hats! See the whole party here!

princess party!

2011-10-18T11:15:00.000-05:00

Last month, Hazel's little friend Gabbi turned 3! And she wanted a "Rapunzel" party...her mom pulled off an awesome purple/green party!!She had two little tables set up for the girls in the entry...
This cute little stand with jars for the drinks...

matching wreaths of the front door...

An adorable green cake, with graduated purple layers in the inside!

Aren't they sweet!? Too bad they wouldn't look at me :)

Seriously...these sweet little girls in all that tulle and monogramed tees!?! I want to be 3 again!!

Look in the background...Melanie painted all these signs and had them on the wall along with some recent pictures. sooooo CUTE!!

There was also a frame for a "photo booth" shoot. I don't have any of those, but they were cute. There was a big purple frame that they held.
Did I mention that there were party hats for everyone, even the babies...And a little after-party party in the bedroom. Lipstick and markers were the activities of choice.Like I said...hats for everyone, even the babies.
He's a good sport!

We had a great time! Happy Birthday Gabbi Girl!

<3 Hazel

brother baths!

2011-10-17T21:42:00.000-05:00

Do these even need a caption!?

best friends!

2011-10-16T21:24:00.002-05:00

Another perk of being home is that my niece is in town until Christmas! These two are 6 months apart and are "best friends!" For the most part, they share so well! Look at those little hands...sharing the phone to watch their favorite show--yo gabba gabba!

another ballerina!

2011-10-13T22:40:00.004-05:00

Hazel started dancing this year!! I can't believe that I have TWO little dancers...let the recital fun begin :) We are already up to two shows. I am sure that it won't be long before they are dancing in all six!

These are her little friends Ellie and Gabbi. Ellie is a year older, and not in their real class. This was a special little class to break-in all the new teaching assistants. I think those chose girls that they thought were going to be naughty...

Well, they were ALL angels FOR REAL!! They listened attentively and danced! There was no running around or hanging on the bars like monkeys! It may never happen again...
Yes, monogramed leotards are just so sweet, aren't they!?! Here's Ms. Gretchen showing Hazel how to skip...
Hazel decided running was more efficient. {I guess there was a little running that day}

I can't remember what they were dancing to, but they were oh so cute!!! Look at that teeny little girl!
Black leotard, pink tights, and a little pink tutu--quite possibly the sweetest little outfit, except maybe a smocked dress. :)

6 MONTHS!?!

2011-10-04T20:48:00.001-05:00

It's hard to believe, but it's true...this sweet little boy is now 6 months old! It seems like I was just posting the same thing about his big sister! And yes, he is just as sweet as he looks! :)

she's pink and happy...

2011-10-04T09:40:00.003-05:00

Since the other kids started school a week before she did, a new toy was a must! And since she is OBSESSED with Yo Gabba Gabba...she was just slightly excited!

See she even had to change her panties, so she could match!
She was serious about this little set. She didn't just build it, she watered the flowers, gave them snacks, and made them dance.

where have i been?!

2011-10-04T09:17:00.003-05:00

Well, we did it...we moved home! Orum finished law school and back to Monroe we went. We loaded this truck slam full {and my car and Orum's truck--why do we have all this stuff?!} and moved into our new house! Which is my current NEVER-ENDING project! But don't think that it all happened without a little excitement...

Orum "enjoyed" his last week in NOLA staying at a hotel with his friend taking the bar exam. I tried to squeeze in all the "lasts" with all four kids--so much fun. Our last included a visit to the insectarium, pictures with all 4 kids, a doctor's visit with shots, and a trip to the ER for this little boy on my birthday....

Yep, that's his arm. Full of stitches. He put his arm through a window two nights before me moved, and we spent a whole lot of hours in the ER. Luckily, I had really nice neighbors that I have said hello to before and they kept the girls; otherwise, it would have been a real party in the ER. Almost every single person I knew in NOLA was out of town that day!

For a family that had never been to the ER, we are making up for it! 3 times in about 3 months is enough for a loooooong time. Hazel is the only one that has yet to go.

And now these cute kids go to the SAME school!! {hooray!!} AND we get to walk there every morning! {so much fun!!}

And this one gets to go to preschool with "Her Cutler" {more to come on those two cute kids!}

Such a big girl!!

Come back to tomorrow...there will be more :)

{That's right Katie...the stalking can resume!}

first taste

2011-10-02T22:40:00.000-05:00

William had his first taste of real food...pears! To say he LOVED them would be an understatement. His bib was spotless. He did not waste a drop.

He didn't think Hazel's toy was very interesting.

He just wanted more food. He will be a pig--mark my word!

little girls...

2011-09-22T22:36:00.000-05:00

are especially sweet {and silly} in the mornings!

baby elle!

2011-09-20T21:01:00.003-05:00

I have another niece, and the exciting part was that her mother (my sister-in-law) spent the summer in Monroe, and she was born here! It was so fun, to just have them minutes from my house. I went to Kentucky, when her sister was born.

Elizabeth Diane Young

"Elle"

19 September 2011

Nothing like a newborn baby to make your small 5 month old seem like the jolly green giant! :)

2nd grade!

2011-09-09T20:50:00.003-05:00

Her first class project was to make a poster--"all about me!"

If her mom would have read the instructions, then it would have been the right size. It should have been 1/4 of a poster board, not 1/2. oops!

little ballerina!

2011-09-07T21:06:00.000-05:00

Being in Monroe again, means that she gets to be in REAL dancing again--and she is thrilled!! We tried a few studios in New Orleans, but they just weren't the same. No where could be! Now she's at the studio that I danced at--and my mom. Yep. She's third generation! How crazy is that!? They love my girls, and I love them!!

on your mark...

2011-09-03T21:15:00.029-05:00

Elijah decided to run cross country this year. I was shocked that Kindergarteners could eve run! We asked him if he wanted to run a for a long time, and he said, "Yes!"

When we asked Renée, her reply was "How far?" She did not do it!

The poor little boy had no idea what he was in for. This was before his first race. He had not been to practice yet. The course was a mile--lots of hills! He did not stop.

His group is k-2nd grade. He wasn't last, but nearly. The craziest thing was that he said he wanted to do it again, and he did! He finished the season. I can't say that I would have!

silence!

2011-06-26T06:07:00.000-05:00

si·lence/ˈsīləns/

Noun 1.Complete absence of sound

2. a rarity in this house during daylight hours

but then they discovered this stuff...Bubber? i think.
I hate it. It doesn't ever dry out. It crumbles in little pieces and gets tracked through the house. Orum bought it with his dad. He thought it felt cool. It does. I still hate it; although, I guess it's not such a bad trade for a little silence...and happiness for the little ones :)

roughing it...

2011-06-25T05:57:00.001-05:00

{that title is sarcasm}

It's such a rough life for this little girl...a pedicure. In a kid's spa chair. Watching a dvd.

She should have been at summer camp--swimming, but look closely. Yep. That's a big purple splint. I am convinced that only my child could BREAK her finger in SUNDAY SCHOOL!! Seriously.

I can no longer say that I have NEVER had to take a child to the ER. Well, I guess William kind of went the day he was born, for like 10 minutes. Does that even count? I suppose so, since I got a bill for it. Even still--7 years and only 2 visits within 2 months of each other. Not so bad.

what's this?

2011-06-24T14:06:00.000-05:00

hands!! and what sweet little hands they are :)

let the matching begin!

2011-06-03T06:54:00.001-05:00

The excitement of having a baby brother has not died! His day seems to revolve around "Baby William!" If he hears the tiniest little sound from him, he his the first to check it out. Almost every morning after William gets up and eats, Elijah asks to hold him. He set the boppy in his lap and nestles William in the middle, then puts him back to sleep. Everytime. I think he could be a true baby whisperer.

And now...they can even match! Oh, happy day!!!

the lazy days of summer...

2011-06-02T17:03:00.003-05:00

No longer are the days of running kids to and from school every few hours! :)

Now we just sit around in the a/c doing this for many hours a day...with an occasional baseball game or trip to the post office. At almost 100 degrees {a heat index of 106} it's just too hot to do anything else!

And so far he hasn't complained about all the attention!

name that baby!

2011-05-31T11:24:00.001-05:00

her last day at Sacred Heart!

2011-05-25T17:55:00.003-05:00

Summer started today, and I have one sad sad SAD little girl! Today was her last day at the Academy of the Sacred Heart. She has been very emotional about the whole thing--I think it started when they began counting down the days of school. When it hit 14 days...the thinking, the sad talking, and the tears started. Yesterday during their last all-school assembly, she was crying. Crying so much that her teacher had to take her to the hall to calm her down.

I am sad that she is so sad. We do love it here. She LOVES her school. She LOVES that it's only girls. I tell her that she will love her new school too, but we both know it won't be the same. I tell her that she cried for her old preschool when she started at Sacred Heart. She doesn't believe me. Maybe she does, and she just chooses not to admit it.

We decided to make "friendship headbands" and give them to all the girls in first grade. She was excited, because I let her help sew the ruffles. We made 50. We started last night. Help was welcomed :)
Here are the girls in her class this year. I guess I should have taken several more pictures...some girls weren't quite ready :)
Renée and her teacher Mrs. Charbonnett. She is seriously the sweetest teacher ever! We all LOVED her! She was the prefect teacher for Reneé during our crazy year. She even made a banner the morning that William was born and sent it to the hospital. She had all the girls and several other teachers write little notes to him!
And is this not the saddest note ever?! Look at Renée and the word bubble...
Hopefully, this time next year I will be writing about how Renée loved second grade at her new school. That she had a fabulous teacher again, and not about how she still misses her "old school."

this very second...

2011-05-20T17:45:00.003-05:00

Friday

20 May 2011

5:47pm

I walked through my house. This is what I saw...
Renée reading...as expected.
William sleeping. In Hazel's bed. He was watching Renée clean her room. It must have been exhausting, or maybe Renée swaddling did the trick :)
Hazel crashed while watching her most favorite show...Yo Gabba Gabba.
Elijah asleep. Again. He had fallen asleep not long ago while throwing a fit. A little while ago he stumbled to my desk mumbling something. I told him to go back to his bed and wait for me...maybe he was just sleep walking.

her new favorite hat!

2011-05-11T07:34:00.003-05:00

Never mind, that it has her brother's name on it. That it's on backwards. That she DID NOT want one of her own while we were in Disney World.

She LOVES it now. A lot.

easter means seersucker

2011-05-10T19:14:00.002-05:00

Before we left for church--I thought I could get a picture of the "easy" three. {haha!} Elijah didn't want to stand by Renée at all, and Hazel didn't want to get too close to either of them--and would only do what Elijah did. All of which meant a good picture wasn't happening...
Then they started yelling for William to come across the street--and these two started being cute. My plan was to sneak Renée and William in behind them...
But when Elijah saw this
He did this...
And then it was all downhill...Hazel wanted to "hold it too, me?"
They were both rejected, and the pouting ensued. Hazel is just a faker. If Elijah was doing it, so was she...
Orum was determined to get a picture with Elijah in their seersucker suits. We did--just from the back.

we love the puj tub!

2011-05-09T22:30:00.006-05:00

Quite possibly my favorite baby thing ever! It's actually made to use in a bathroom sink--our tiny sink was too small, but it works great in our kitchen sink. And the girl who invented it is a fellow BYU grad--didn't know her, but still so cool!

mother's day goodies...

2011-05-08T18:17:00.004-05:00

Rainbow cards made by Renéeand quite possibly the cutest book ever...
She was sure to point out that she added "very" and that she was not supposed to, but she really wanted to, so she did :)
SO funny...sorry, to disappoint but I'm not actually making them, just making them cuter :) The red thing to the left is her Sacred Heart shirt that I appliqued.

Now this is definitely true! It wasn't too long ago that 75 percent of the laundry was hers, so her help was more than welcomed! She's cut down on her wardrobe changes, but I still love her help!
She got an American Girl sewing project for her birthday. We finally started sewing them a couple of weeks ago...I am holding one of the birds in my right hand.

I especially love the drawing of herself with her arms up asking how....I just hope that I'm not that curvy in real life!

And because using my "real" name is so cool...this was on the back. And yes, she now always uses a heart above her e.
And elijah's card...the fish were made from his fingerprints
and the pink part folded out with his name

They also came home with a giant cookie cake and lilies :) This picture makes me laugh...it's showing their typical behavior--elijah doing his own thing, renée paying attention, and hazel scheming...

Hello, blue eyes! I love you all...and, of course, Baby William too who has been napping the day away. Oh, maybe one day soon I can join him...Orum graduates this week!

Lemonade Day!

2011-05-07T15:35:00.003-05:00

One of their dreams finally came true...they got to have a lemonade stand!! They have literally been asking to do it for about a year! Since, it was South Louisiana Lemonade Day--it was the perfect opportunity to make it happen {and earn myself some "best-mom-ever points"}

They sold lemonade and bead dogs--although most people gave them $1 instead of 50¢, so Renée ended up just giving them to people. I LOVED seeing her "sell" something that she made :)

They were pretty cute, if I do say so myself! Not long after they set up, they got a little helper. She was a little too helpful and ate all of their lemon drops. The baby joined us a little later. I will be sure to not go at it alone next time with all 4 children.
They thought it was a blast, and made $40! Not bad...

one month!

2011-05-04T21:18:00.004-05:00

I can't believe this little one is already a month old!! He's been doing his jobs {eat, sleep, poop} so well, of course, it's mostly sleep...at least for now.

my first banners!

2011-05-04T19:17:00.005-05:00

There's so much to blog about, but I thought these were too funny not to share...

Last week my mom's house flooded. I went home to help clean up the mess. My sister and I found LOTS of our childhood stuff. In one of the boxes, I found what had to be my first banners!

The one above says--happy easter. I can't decide if it has a border of polka dots or easter eggs. Yep, it's made form loose leaf paper that I glued together! The one below was made for my sister. I guess I forgot to leave room for the {!} so I just put it in the middle of the bottom of the page!

{just excuse that messy hair of hazel's...she had a few too many suckers that day!}

the eggs!

2011-04-27T15:22:00.006-05:00

How do you get fingers like these? Dying easter eggs, of course!
I had forgotten how much Elijah LOVED dying eggs last year. He loved it more this year...if that's even possible! He could not get the eggs in the dye fast enough, and he was quite proud of his results.

Renée, as you can imagine, took her time. She made a few hot pink ones--which meant long dye baths and then finger painted a few more for a tie-dyed look.

The finishing touch? GOLD sponge paint!
I was just happy that Orum was home that day and took the initiative to do the eggs! I wasn't up for it, but the kids were NOT going to let us "forget" about it!
And here they are in all their golden glory.

{Hazel napped through it all...maybe next year little girl:)}

egg hunt 2011

2011-04-26T17:23:00.006-05:00

On Saturday, we took the kids to hunt eggs at the Garden Gates--it's a store/plant nursery. They had 20,000 eggs hidden in their plants. The kids thought it was awesome...they actually got to hunt and fill up their baskets. As opposed to getting a few like at the school hunts. They were also gated in...which I appreciated! A view in the back...Renée was one of the last kids that stopped hunting. The others were having cupcakes or playing, but she was still hunting away!

No one could look at the camera. They had to use every second to look for MORE eggs.

Hazel loved this thing...I have no idea what it actually is used for.

Renée found her friend, Devron, from school.

And, of course, we ATTEMPTED to get a picture of all the kids...

Pretty close to everyone looking. I guess the fact that William's hat is over his sleeping eyes in not a big deal...

the sweetest bunny lives here...

2011-04-23T13:14:00.001-05:00

see more of little william here.

Hazel sandwich...

2011-04-15T08:55:00.000-05:00

I think she will be just fine sandwiched between her two brothers...don't you think!?

4 babies later...

2011-04-14T14:54:00.000-05:00

and I am still not very good at swaddling!

craziest day ever...

2011-04-05T20:06:00.006-05:00

Baby William is here!

4 April 2011

7:25 am

7 lbs 11.8 oz

20 inches

Now for the crazy details...feel free to skip them if you would like.

9am--3 April 2011 I woke up with contractions 10 min apart {no pain/mildly uncomfortable}They lasted all day. I cleaned and nested like crazy.

11pm--3 April 2011 Contractions were suddenly 3 min apart for about 15 minutes...then they stop.

1am--4 April 2011 Contractions start again--10 min apart. I go to bed. Orum freaks out everytime I move...asking me, "How far apart they?" My reply..."I don't know. I'm sleeping."

6am--Contractions are beginning to hurt, and I realize that they are 6-7 min apart.

6:45am--Elijah wakes up. I wake Orum up. He gets in the shower. I load the dishwasher and then start to straighten my hair.

7:00am--I decide that I need to go to the hopsital. Start calling for a babysitter for the little ones. Get Renee's school clothes together.

7:20am--I realize that I am not going to be able to get Renee to school, and that we need to go now.

7:21am-Orum calls Renee's friend around the corner to pick her up.

7:22am--Water breaks. {I usually have an hour or two before the baby is born}

7:23am--The baby is crowning. I yell to Orum to call 911. He yells to me to get in the car. Not happening.

7:24am--He calls 911 and comes in the bathroom.

7:25am--I step into the bathtub. Orum catches the baby. Ties the cord off with his shoelace, as instructed by 911 operator. The kids hear a baby crying, and come running to the bathroom...with looks of shock! Even Hazel has woken up and has climbed out of her crib to see the action.

7:28 am--the EMTs arrive. They hand Orum clamps and a scalpal to finsih the job.

7:35 am--Renee's friend comes to get her for school, as I am being carried out of my house on a stretcher. {We live on a busy corner...they were not the only curious spectators!}

A stop in the ER, then a LD&R room, and finally we are being held hostage on the postpartum floor. We are all doing well, but they wanted to keep the baby an extra day since he was born in a "faily unsterile environment." Whatever. Don't they realize that he was only there for a few minutes, and that I do clean my house!? We are ready to be home agian.

Looking back, I really don't know at what point I would have said "let's go." Maybe 6am? It just seemed so early, and everything happened so fast. Obviously. I always said that it would be bad if my water broke anywhere else other than the hospital. I guess, I was right.

maybe this time...

2011-03-29T22:34:00.001-05:00

Too bad this isn't in focus...but seriously, could these two look more alike!? Maybe the new baby will look like me, or will Renée be my only look-a-like?

spa party!

2011-03-20T20:41:00.007-05:00

Renée turned 7 earlier this month! CRAZY! I have a 7 year old!! And at the end of February--a whole month ago, she had a spa party with her school friends. I know that was long ago, but I also realized that I never posted Hazel's party from December {oops!...someday...}

Apparently, the girls are way into the spa! Someone is running a spa at recess--Renée says she works there sometimes. I think she is the masseuse. She gets paid in shells and leaves...only at an all-girls school. I love it:)
We had the same format as the art party last year--stations. This year we had bath salts and sleep masks at one table. I also found out that Renée is not the only one in her grade to actually sleep with a mask on! These girls are seriously hilarious!! They scooped the bath salts into little chiffon bags and then decorated the masks with felt stickers.

The next table was the "beauty bar." They made a headband, got tattoos, and stick-on earrings--all of the essentials!
One of my favorite things was this long garland and medallions hanging on the fence behind the tables!The next table was the nail station--luckily the following day was a holiday for the girls so they did not have to go home and immediately take all the polish off! We had flip flops for them to wear after their pedicures, and one of the moms did nail art. They LOVED it!
I think the funniest station was the face masks! They did cucumbers and yogurt...the girls either loved it or thought it was gross. Renée was in the later group. She did not even want to get near it! There were lots of squeals and laughter coming from these two chairs!
The cute birthday girls! In their matching shirts and hats! I added "diamonds" to the shirts...they thought that they were SOOO fancy :)

Happy Birthday Girls!!

sweet brother!

2011-03-19T12:57:00.002-05:00

Hazel has a new found love for sunglasses, and apparently Elijah has the same for pictures...or at least he did yesterday. :)

spring t little girls is my fave!

2011-03-16T15:15:00.003-05:00

I will blog about something other than Hazel soon...but really, who doesn't love to see a sweet little girl in a smocked angel sleeve dress, a big bow, and pink saltwater sandals!?! I certainly do!She couldn't go get Elijah from school without a few essentials--Foofa, her scissors, and a book!
oh, and a little chalk break as well...

little miss mardi gras

2011-03-14T00:24:00.003-05:00

it wasn't her first...but it was the first year that she was SO INTO it!! On Tuesday morning when she saw Renée put on wings and a tutu...she had to too! And then Renée also handed her a headband...she must have felt SO big!! She wore them the whole day! Of course, we started out the morning with a little sausage mcmuffin...
caught a few beads...
did a little dance...
and hung out with our little friends...
all in all a great mardi gras...

Except for that black eye I got the night before when someone decided to throw a bottle of bubbles of the top level of a float. If only you could see the looks I get...9 months pregnant with a black eye. Awesome.

"throw me something mister!"

2011-03-05T10:32:00.002-06:00

{LOTS more to come :)}

banner giveaway...

2011-02-03T14:54:00.000-06:00

the banner giveaway starts today...go here!

"cheeseburber!"

2011-02-02T17:43:00.005-06:00

She LOVS them!! Not that she actually calls them that...because she doesn't, but Renée did at her age. she still doesn't say much...mostly mama, nay, and muno. Yes, muno {as in yo gabba gabbaa} he ranks right up there with me :)

she changed her mind...

2011-01-31T08:18:00.000-06:00

She now LOVES to have her picture taken! But only when I am trying to take a picture of a banner or hat. When she hears the camera click, she runs in front of the lens and starts saying "eeese eeese" But don't ask her to be still or sit by someone else, because she won't...

sweet boy...

2011-01-30T11:17:00.000-06:00

He claims that he does not like girls. i know it's NOT true. he's just too sweet to them...

In Disney World he designated himself as Aloysia's keeper. She's his little cousin. She's 6 months younger than Hazel. He followed her around the entire week and did anything she wanted. She wanted bubbles on her hand...she got them!

And check him out at Penny's birthday party...

Penny is Hazel's little friend from church. She's a month younger than Hazel.

Maybe he only likes little girls 2 and under?

our little artist!

2011-01-29T11:19:00.002-06:00

This past week was "Catholic Schools Week" in the city. I don't know what that really entails, but each school had art displayed in the mall. Sacred Heart chose art from the PreK-4th grade.

Renée was one of the two first graders chosen. She was ecstatic, so we, of course, had to go and see it! And what did she paint? A castle and a princess! Did I really have to ask!?!

Of course, they are ALWAYS this sweet!!

2011-01-25T19:16:00.002-06:00

On Saturday we went to a "dancy dance party." When we came home, I was tired. I fell asleep on the couch reading emails. When I woke up, this is what I found!

{elijah heard the camera and immediately started making faces}

making the rounds...

2011-01-24T10:56:00.001-06:00

{Back to Disney World}

Renée feels the need to visit the visit every character. every year. The other two DO NOT share her enthusiasm. At least we just see most everyone at lunch; although, I did have to stand in line for over an hour to see Rapunzel! Hopefully, she will be joining the lunch crew soon!

Peter asked to take a picture with the baby. I think besides the ones with Minnie, it may be the only picture with a character that she's not screaming :)
On one of the first days we went to Universal Studios. We've never been before, but the rest of the family wanted to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. While we were there, Renée found stones and rocks that she decided she MUST have! After she bought them, she told me that she couldn't wait to show Ariel her treasures! {that made me think the rocks were SO worth it :) } And she remembered...she took them to lunch and gave one to Ariel! Ariel said it was beautiful, and Renée felt so proud.

Almost everyone tried to coax Elijah for a picture. No luck. Sorry Prince Naveen--it's not personal.
And there she is...Rapunzel! The princess that we {i} waited for the longest!! Quite ridiculous, but she loved it! And it was all about soaking up the magic this year. Not to mention, they all 3 had strep and we had just spent a couple of days sitting in the house!! ummm....not my idea of a vacation!

Another princess lunch...this time Cinderella was the lucky recipient of a stone. I think it was blue--to match her dress.

I know there were LOTS more that we saw, but, of course, the princesses are her favorite. Somehow, we actually were able to skip the fairy room and the never-ending line!! :)

Maybe next year...

she LOVES ribbon!!

2011-01-23T22:48:00.000-06:00

I can't imagine why!? If only she believed in keeping in ON the roll :)

new item!

2011-01-19T16:28:00.006-06:00

Right now I'm working on the cutest sweet shoppe first birthday party ever!!

Here's a little peek...

{They are now available in the shop!}

And check out this 30 day giveaway. It started today, and there will be lots of amazing goodies! I have a banner coming up in a couple of weeks :)

chef mickey's

2011-01-16T10:03:00.002-06:00

or as elijah calls it--"mickey's chef" was probably the highlight of his trip! He began asking about it, the second we drove into the park! I have to agree...not only does it have some of the best food, but we don't have to stand in line to see any of these characters! Double bounus!!

He wasn't into taking pictures {again} likely because he was sitting at the table with his cousins, and they weren't either. I did manage to call him over to get a picture with Donald. He has really liked Donald for the past couple of years.

This little girl was NOT too fond of the characters coming to her table. No surprise, but then she saw Minnie!

Minnie was the only character she consistently liked the entire week! I think she liked Ariel once... for a few minutes. When she saw Minnie not only did she get really excited, but she had to get out of her chair and give her a kiss!!!

And, of course, this little girl will never pass up a chance to take a picture with a character!
Although, I did get a little sad on this trip. She is just to smart for her own good--she has begun to see through the Disney magic :( She told me that the sea creatures in the Ariel show were puppets because she could see the people, and she asked lots of questions! "Why are there were little holes in Donald's mouth?" "Why don't Goofy's eyes blink?"

Is it the magic really over!? Sadness...

Hazel on Christmas Morning...

2011-01-13T13:58:00.004-06:00

I realize that my posts of late have not been sequential...sorry. This was hazel's first year to be aware of Christmas and presents--unfortunately each time we opened presents she would have rather been sleeping. On Christmas Eve we let her nap, and then she opened presents after the choas had cleared. The same could not be said for Christmas morning. We had a plane to catch at noon..sleeping until 10 was not an option. Let's just say she was less than pleased to have been woken up at 7:30--even for presents.She casually walked over to the things that Santa had left and swiped a doll {renee's doll}. The other two kids immediately started handing her present to unwrap. She insisted that Sarah Katherine {orum's youngest sister} was the ONLY person allowed to help her. She tore through a couple...

And then she unwrapped the box from Renée--it had a notebook, lots of stickers {for the plane ride}, a scratch-art project and PLAY-DOH! Once she saw the play-doh, she had to open it, squeeze it, and mix it! She left her other two presents unopened! I never though anyone could LOVE play-doh so much!
We have lots, but I suppose she has never played with it! These little cans of it was invaluable the following week!! Anytime she was fussy at Disney World, I just pulled it out! She played with it while we waited in lines, for food, and every time she got in the car! In fact, I am not sure who loved it more--me or her!!!

little china boy!

2011-01-11T03:36:00.004-06:00

We decided that this little boy would be a plate spinning prodigy if he where Chinese! While at China in Epcot he found all the little toys and went right to work. After a little help from the cast member, he was spinning like a pro. He also gave the juggling sticks a try, but eventually he started just throwing those at people :) He definitely should just stick to the plates!

gingerbread houses!

2011-01-09T09:34:00.004-06:00

I was amazed myself, but I was determined to make them! I found kits on clearance last year...99 cents each! Renée had her friend, Madeline, over after school one day which made it even better! The kids LOVED it, and it gave us a deadline to finish :)

I hot glued them all together (so they couldn't eat them :) and then they went to town with the icing and candy!
But, the most serious decorator of all was this little boy!

Quite impressive...

this should be the last...

2011-01-09T09:16:00.005-06:00

time that I complain about getting a picture of the three of them together. at least for a while. maybe easter. I did manage to get all three sitting together--sometimes looking, sometimes smiling.

When only moments before this was the scene.
Poor sweet little Hazel, when she's not happy she takes it out on herself--usually hitting herself on the head. The other kids are not longer phased by it. These pictures illustrate their usual reactions--Elijah plugs his ears and Renée acts as if nothing is wrong!

In Hazel's defense, this was the same day as her birthday party--which meant lots of sugar and a VERY short nap! At least she's still cute :)

i'm back :)

2011-01-08T20:18:00.005-06:00

We are home, and well {i hope} again!

I had hoped to catch up on my month's absence while we were in D-world, but the internet at the house disappeared within the first day of our stay. So weird. So not cool. I want to finish up a scrapbook of our trip by the end of next week, since last year's is still unfinished:) I think that this may be my favorite picture of the trip!

It pretty much sums up most of our character sightings...Renée LOVES them and must see EVERY SINGLE one, while Hazel screams at the mention of them--except Ariel and Minnie.

getting ready...

2010-12-09T10:57:00.003-06:00

Apparently, I am not the only one getting ready for her party. This is what she is doing right now...

impossible...

2010-12-06T08:40:00.005-06:00

I used to think getting a picture of these 2 was hard....

but these two are practically impossible! I think it's because they are too alike. NEITHER is into taking pictures. At least Renée LIKES to take pictures {usually}, Elijah and Hazel together are like a little side show!

same story, different clothes...

2010-12-05T21:07:00.002-06:00

After I traumatized Hazel in Santa's lap, we attempted to take a few pictures outside. Just like the pumpkin ones--someone decided it was time to do karate moves. Hazel just copied everything...first it was karate then it was sticking her tongue out like Renée does when she smiles.

hazel LOVES santa...

2010-12-04T11:21:00.001-06:00

a lot! :)

little pumpkins...

2010-12-03T18:57:00.005-06:00

we went home last week for Thanksgiving...mimi told me on several occasions that I NEEDED to update my blog...so here it is. These 3 silly ones in their pumpkin clothes. Of course, 2 of the 3 were not so into taking pictures!

The little one was not happy that I made her leave the paci and that I would not open the fruit snack. The shaggy one in the middle was just being his silly self--a couple of smiles, and couple of poses, and lots of silly faces.

new donuts...

2010-11-18T07:21:00.001-06:00

we cheated on krispy kremes, but she approves!

tom turkey...

2010-11-16T08:02:00.004-06:00

While we are on the subject of first grade. Meet tom. Each girl was given a turkey to decorate with her family. Renée made sure that every family member did a job, sans Hazel. I think she was sleeping every time we worked on it, but it was probably better that way :) She prefers taking things off!

For the most part the kids actually did most of the work!

Feathers--kids cut and glued the tiny pieces of fabric. I helped so it wouldn't take so long.

Brown feathers--the kids rolled the yarn into little balls and I applied the hot glue.

Body--the kids bent the pipe cleaners and I did the hot glue again.

Feet and Beak--I made out of gold felt.

Googly eye--Renée insisted.

Gobbler--red beads. Renée designated this as Orum's job since he was at school during the other jobs. She even made him get up one morning before she went to school to make sure that he did it!

meet brownie...

2010-11-15T10:28:00.002-06:00

He's Ms. Charbonnet's class pet. He even has tags and leash...Renée was VERY excited to bring him home! It was a while ago--sometime when there was a Monday holdiay (maybe labor day?) so he got to stay with us an extra day!He came with us to the post office...
Went to the zoo...
And even rode in the wagon with Hazel. All of the kids LOVED him! Maybe I should just get a stuffed dog and call it our pet!

halloween 2010

2010-11-13T08:00:00.003-06:00

Thanks for all the kind words!! We are VERY excited about the baby...i'm due on April 3. I just have my fingers crossed that he won't be early! I don't know how I could ever do 3 birthday parties in March...or at least 3 parties and still get sleep :)

I suppose that I should just post these pictures and move on...didn't you know that it was time for an obligatory event post and that instead of posting, I just did nothing :)

I didn't get any of costume shots of the kids together. I had hoped to get them dressed again and take a few in the daylight. It never happened, so this is the best I have...I guess it's the price I pay for finishing the costumes in the car on the way to the trunk-or-treat...

Renée was a butterfly. She really wanted to b Rapunzel, but the perfect dress could not be found. Like she NEEDS another princess dress, so butterfly it was!

Elijah was certain that he wanted to be a robot. His only request was that he be red and blue. At the last minute we added the candy slot. He LOVED it! I should have turned the bag the other way, so that the ziplock words weren't showing...but there was just not enough time to fix it.
Hazel LOVES dogs. Renée got these dog ears at a birthday party last year. Anytime Hazel sees them, she puts them on, crawls on her hands and knees, and barks like a dog. It's adorable. We decided that she MUST be a dog for Halloween.

Well, there were no such things done on that night. She just wanted to walk around and eat apples. I guess I shouldn't complain, apples > candy.
That's Orum beside her. What you can't see is that his belly is not full of baby bones, but fast food. He was just happy that we finally had "matching costumes."

And now we can move on with regular, random posts...

little boy bones...

2010-10-31T08:46:00.003-05:00

yes, it's true. there are little boy bones in my tummy. sorry to those that I may have told a little lie to :) we had a little scare a few weeks ago, so I wanted to wait until I had another ultrasound before we told.

well, we had one yesterday and everything has fixed itself. and...it's a boy. there's a certain little boy here that was thrilled to hear that he's finally going to have a brother :) he now asks daily if today is the day that "his brother will get born?"

{photo courtesy of Renée}

head accessories...

2010-10-07T13:46:00.004-05:00

a lovely hat made by renee for the cat...the cat in the hat.
and just a couple of headbands for the baby...

{oh, and mountains of laundry in the background:) }

seriously...

2010-10-05T12:11:00.003-05:00

what could be sweeter!?!

yay...swim party!!

2010-10-04T00:03:00.003-05:00

last weekend the kids went to a birthday party...yep, STILL hot enough to swim here, but i'm not complaining! what to wear? what to wear? well, if you are elijah you grab your suit and boots. oh, and don't forget to pack your towel and heat! Hazel just needs a suit. She just likes to stand and observe...
maybe test a toy or two...but ALWAYS from the safety of dry land!At least "mermaid" was actually swimming! That's her leg above hazel's head...there's always next summer...

october!

2010-10-02T20:09:00.003-05:00

time to break out the halloween clothes and treats :)
what?!? you're wondering where her cute little bob went? well, I certainly didn't cut it off. Nope.
Her brother did last month. That's right--a week before my sister's wedding. You know the one that she was a flower girl in! She must have sat still for at least 10 minutes--the hair he cut off filled a quart size ziplock! Who knew the girl had so much hair!!
I was out of town that day with Renee. I think we had only been gone for a couple of hours...Orum was home. He didn't pick up on the fact that they had been quiet for way too long! Now it just needs to grow...FAST!!

for mimi...

2010-09-28T12:27:00.002-05:00

i am FINALLY posting pictures from the first day of school...from August! Here she is in all of her "grader" glory...
and him...well he's into posing. these are his "art museum poses." We went to the NOMA sometime in July/Aug. I guess he was more observant than I thought...

a little wedding preview...

2010-09-18T08:37:00.002-05:00

As always, when I'm pressured to post an event...I just stop blogging...only this time I have a valid reason. I have almost no pictures! It may have had something to do with the fact then when I arrived at the church I was trying to get dressed, get children dressed {and make them happy}, finish making the bride's garter and the cake flowers, and cut the tags for the candy bar...all while trying to run back and forth to be in the pictures when the photographer was calling my name. hmmm...PLENTY of time right!? Well, in the end it was all done and looked amazing...I just don't have much evidence.The flowers in the foyer...I didn't have anything to do with them, but I LOVED that the florist added the feathers!! {Heather's colors were eggplant and ivory. The flowers were actually more purple than pictured}
The programs. I LOVED them...which is a good thing since I had to individually cut each one :)

Thankfully, I had a team of bridesmaids willing to tie on all of the fabric strips. THANKS girls!!

And the logo...was of course designed by the fabulous, very talented, and always willing-to-help-me-even-with-no-notice JESSI!! She had no idea what shape the programs were...or that they were even a shape, but the logo shape she used was PERFECT!!! THANKS A MILLION!!!!

These were all outside...I actually never got to see them while they were out. Thanks to Paige, I got a peek :) More to come...

the rehearsal dinner

2010-09-01T23:10:00.004-05:00

The wedding is over...I hope that sleep is in my near future! It hasn't come yet, but hopefully soon...very,very soon.

Here are a few pictures from the rehearsal dinner. I realize that the groom's family is the host, but you know I HAD to take over on the decorating!! It was in a really old reclaimed building downtown...the rising sun. I LOVE old buildings!

a dream come true...

2010-08-16T11:23:00.001-05:00

Not only does Renée have a sister, but a sister that now likes to dress-up!!

waterfront property

2010-08-13T22:28:00.003-05:00

yesterday it rained. a lot. if you love it, you could be neighbor and enjoy the same view...

{that's our trashcan. it floated across the street to the school yard. neighbor's red car was picked up and tossed to and fro. gray car was abandoned after a failed attempt to drive through the water. we do get a few good laughs when this happens...it's always the same. driver attempts to plow through the water, but can not pass. driver opens door. water pours in. seriously so funny to watch}

a little too proud...

2010-08-08T14:44:00.001-05:00

Friday Hazel colored an a chair. With a marker. I hid them all...or so I thought.

Yesterday, she found one. A non-washable one. I don't know where.

She had a little fun...and was a little too proud!! She is still purple today.

almost to 100!

2010-08-05T10:10:00.003-05:00

I just noticed that I am one sale away from 100! The lucky buyer will receive something fabulous, but to celebrate all orders placed from now until Monday will receive 10 percent off!!!

**just shop, add to cart, and purchase...I will then send a revised invoice with the 10 percent discount ...then pay through paypal**

happy shopping!

my birthday!

2010-08-02T20:38:00.004-05:00

right before all the party feature excitement...i had a birthday. and to celebrate we went here....

to eat some of these--among other things. mmmmmm....but guess who loved them most!

not him...he only eats about 4 things. chargrilled oysters is not one of them.

not her either. she'd rather read street signs and eat shrimp.
it was her!! our true new orleans baby!! she didn't think we could give her bites fast enough. this is what she looked like most of the time...while making loud noises, so that we would be sure to give her more!i am really starting to think that where you are born has something to do with the foods you love. we've always eaten the same, but our two utah-born children will hardly entertain the idea. i do hope that will change soon--renée has been a little adventurous this summer, but i think because she's a little envious that hazel eats all of our food! for elijah...that's another story!

paper flowers tutorial

2010-08-01T14:46:00.006-05:00

these are super easy if you have all the right stuff...

-flower stencil from hobby lobby {it was in a really obscure place near the stamps}

-paper piercer

-floral wire

-mini pom poms {optional}
trace and cut the petals--this is definitely the most time consuming step.

the stencil suggests a number to cut, but i usually added an extra one to make them a little fuller.
fold and stackmake 2 holes with paper piercer--there are obviously many options when it comes to this step. i chose to make the two holes and leave the wire long so that i could stick them in a styrofoam ball. you could also use a brad.

inserts wire and twist ends together
wha-laa...a flower!
For the big arrangements, I left a lot with the wire exposed and covered others with the pom poms.

I had big jars of these at my sister's shower...see it all here!

so giddy!!!

2010-07-30T22:47:00.019-05:00

i am beyond excited too see the shower get soooo many features!! it's like Christmas morning!

here

my first feature!!!

2010-07-29T14:10:00.001-05:00

i am so excited to see that heather's shower was featured today!!!

thanks kara!

budding artist...

2010-07-29T10:38:00.002-05:00

have i mentioned that hazel LOVES to color!? a while back elijah decided to color--which was a rarity before this day, and hazel discovered her true joy!! she is obsessed...so much so that she gets a little carried away. {she is the first of the three to color on the wall...she created a very large piece of artwork, that seems to be there to stay!}

but apparently, the most important part of coloring is finding the right position...after trying several, the one below is her go-to position. oh, and from the looks of it we thing she may just be a lefty!

the little mermaid

2010-07-20T23:48:00.001-05:00

She wants to be a mermaid...a REAL one!! I'm pretty certain that will never happen, but she does swim like one!
After a week of swimming lessons {she was sick the first one} she can now do the breaststroke, the backstroke, freestyle, and the elementary backstroke. {Not sure on the names, but there were 4} and she can float, dive, and swim the length of the pool.
Quite impressive, since she previously only swam underwater. Although, she may need to work on her dive form :)

THE shower!!

2010-07-20T09:40:00.005-05:00

This is the most rewarding shower/party that I have ever planned! Not only did I think that it was sooo cute, but every idea that I had anticipated using, was! I have to admit that usually I run out of time and something is sacrificed, but not this time! I definitely can't take all the credit for the outcome...we only had about 45 minutes to set up and I had LOTS of helping hands!! THANK YOU!!I LOVED seeing all the adorable mini cake stands! {is is bad that i made my sister help make them?} I loved them all. It was impossible to choose a favorite! Each had a mini pound cake topped with powdered sugar and a strawberry. There were 3 different shapes of cakes.

Along with the cake stand, each place setting had a menu card that resembled the invite. Behind the trim was a menu with the 3 entree choices and a game card. The favors were fabric flower ponytail holders, which also served as the napkin ring.

The table runner was made from curtain panels that I found at a close-out store. The digging definitely paid-off the day that I found them--the contrast really made the cake stands pop!

Along with the cake stands, there were big colorful jars full of paper flowers!
And to add some fun to the gift table...a few white ruffles :)
I definitely wanted Heather's chair to have something cute on it, but could not decided what. Then I saw this idea in the new Martha Wedding magazine the night before. It was perfect!

Thanks to everyone for all of the help!! It was a lovely shower, and fun was had by all!

fabric invites

2010-07-19T01:16:00.010-05:00

so when i mentioned wedding projects in the last post, i actually meant wedding shower projects. i have been waiting for this day for a long time:) i have been bookmarking the most fabulous party ideas in a folder with heather's name on it for years, but when the time actually came to throw this shindig, they just weren't fabulous enough!!! i mean i only have ONE sister, so it had to be amazing!
in keeping with my current obsession of fabric, buttons, and unexpected surprises...i KNEW that i wanted to do fabric envelopes--complete with a button closure and fabric-printed address labels that were sewn the front. my dilemma was coming up with an invitation that was just as cute! after googling it for a while, i came across this cute gift card holder...it was perfect!! and can i just say, that i want to be her sister too!?! she's amazing--i love it all!

a few tweaks, and these were born...
there were 4 little inserts with all the pertinent info behind the strip of trim/ribbon

every single one was different...it was sooo hard for me to choose a favorite! i wanted to take a picture of all 70. yes 70, see i'm crazy! but the day they had to be mailed turned crazy...

first the lady at the post office convinced me that they would never make it to the recipient without being severely damaged. she was not a fan of my cute buttons. she did not even say they were cute. instead she just gave me an ugly look and very short answers. she acted like she doesn't see me in there all. the. time. i could not bear to think of my weeks of work being destroyed, so i rushed home to make an "outer" envelope and cute envelope wraps.

while trying to package and photograph them, i recieved a call to help someone in need. totally cut into my picture-taking time, but so glad that i could help. so warning...the next few pictures are a little sketchy. they were taken in my lap, during the mad dash to the post office. {don't worry i wasn't driving!}they were just too cute to skip a picture.

let's just say, that i'm sooo glad i found a post office downtown that is open until 7:00! there was absouluetly no way i could have made the 4:30 closing time of the uptown office! did i mention that i even had the kids and orum helping trim strings and such!? oh, and then of course the lady at this post office said that the postage was different from the first. apparently, it was dependent on the weight of the button. yes, it was a crazy day!

the "outer" envelopes. if i were to do it again, i think i would have just sent them through! maybe i'll do a test one, just to see what would have happened! party pictures coming very soon...

i'm back!!!

2010-07-18T13:02:00.004-05:00

but the mcdonalds are not:( My absence has been due to my sister's wedding projects and the fact that my internet-sharing neighbors moved {the jazz band of brothers that always practiced during nap time} The mcdonalds moved to idaho...sadness, but it also meant a party! lora kept saying no, but then she needed a babysitter. i said yes, but it was conditional... we HAD to have a party!! i won:) we sent them off in style with a crawfish boil!!

{lora and jessica}
{ryan and his dad...isn't the resemblance CRAZY!?!}

{the spread}
{the newbies getting brave...they did it and they loved it!|}

while we were waiting...we had a little crawfish race. the one above was the winner--it was renee's. the kids thought it was AWESOME! hazel was enthralled by them, but she wasn't alone.

tyler {below} loved them too!

Renee drew a winner's circle and a trophy for hers :) She chose the most active one...it kept going to the finish line towards the gate, but was unable to escape the pot!

Elijah preferred throwing things at them. I think his was the one that was smashed before it was all over!
Hazel found the stash of capri suns and then the crawfish were suddenly unimportant. and don't think we'd have a crawfish boil without matching clips!?! aren't they adorable!

orum assumed his summer role as cook...only this time he had an assistant. renee thought shucking corn was soooooo much fun! it looked like so much fun that soon ellie joined in.

the ridiculously long stand of bunting flags made another appearance!

and the babies kept themselves entertained and surprisingly happy in the sweltering heat that day!
these are obvioulsy out of order, but the kids LOVED seeing them all in the boxes! hazel loved them so much, that she kept trying to grab them, but not to worry she had PLENTY of help from her brother and sister to help her refrain.

all in all...such a fun time! ryan, lora, ellie, and parker we are so glad that you love your new home, but we still miss y'all!! see ya at mardi gras :)

in the backseat...

2010-06-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

this is what i usually see

happy birthday!

2010-06-28T16:43:00.002-05:00

lunch and a treasure hunt...

2010-06-23T11:26:00.006-05:00

Another summer day in the quarter...first stop lunch. We tried a new place. It was gross--or at least not amazing. Same thing. But one thing is for sure...this little girl LOVES her daddy! is it just me, or does she look crazy old in this picture!?!
These two munchkins were quite the hams...

After lunch we went on a treasure hunt...known to others a geocaching. Orum has the kids hooked. I am just along for the ride. We stopped by this fountain for something. Renée immediately took this position. I told Orum, "she's being Ariel." He laughed. We walked a little closer...she was singing, "ahhhahh ahh, ahhhahhhh, ahhh." I know my girl!

She REALLY wants to be a mermaid. She tries to keep her legs together in the pool to swim like one, which made me think of the mermaid segment that I saw on 20/20. There are these women that wear tails and swim like mermaids. They tied their legs together as children and swam. They can swim underwater for 5 min. Hmmmm...I think we should start with swimming lessons.

Someone was NOT into taking pictures....we had treasure to find...

first stop...

Most of the ones in the city are only "microcaches." No actual treasures, but the kids still think that it's sooo cool!

summer fun!

2010-06-17T09:05:00.000-05:00

I realize that this could potentially make me look like a crazy mom, but Elijah found something new that he LOVES to do!!! Preschool WORKBOOKS!!

For the past two days, he sat down and worked in a book for nearly an hour straight--both times finishing an entire book. He takes his work VERY seriously, and when he's done he proudly shows off his pages. I think he loves it so much because it make him feel as big as Renée. {she loves workbooks too...maybe I really am that crazy mom!?}

baby eats ketchup.

2010-06-16T12:12:00.001-05:00

baby likes ketchup.
Her aunt must be so proud! And now she doesn't scream at the sight of Renée dipping her food.

surprise party!

2010-06-15T09:41:00.005-05:00

Our brother-in-law, Jacob, is here doing a summer program at the law school. A couple of days after he arrived was his birthday--which obviously meant party. I demanded it be a surprise, since he hadn't mentioned it was his big day to anyone. Elizabeth told me it was on Sunday, so no one mentioned it at church. We did ask him to come over right afterwards. So we rushed home and I threw together some stuff...

He was definitely surprised...considering his birthday was actually on Tuesday! Elizabeth's reply was "we didn't want to distract you once class started." good one :) I think it'll be hard to forget next year.

We still made him wear a party hat.

Happy Birthday Jacob!

i get what i want!

2010-06-13T21:36:00.006-05:00

If i'm at the ballpark and I want a drink, I get Renée to buy one. I let her "share" with me for a few minutes.
I then swipe it and have her read me a book. I then show mommy that I'm a big girl and can drink it all by myself.
When she's not looking I pour it on myself. It was hot. That was what I wanted to do the entire time anyway, because I am the baby and I get what I want.
-Hazel

how to pack a lovesac...

2010-06-11T10:13:00.005-05:00

step 1: stuff it in the bag {fail}step 2: wrap in saran wrap

step 3: make tiny hole and use vacuum to suck air out.

step 4: continue to shrink by using vacuum.
step 5: cover hole. try to reposition vacuum to reshape to put in bag. {fail}
step 6: repeat steps 2-5. {lora, put down the knife!}

step 7: repeat those steps again. {get really close both times}
step 8: after 3rd try. admit defeat and use tie-downs.

Comic relief brought to you by me and lora.

Idea to stuff it in the bag--me

Brilliant saran wrap idea--lora!

instant "playpen"

2010-06-09T20:55:00.004-05:00

the last time i was home, i had to improvise...

why?because the one above and the one below don't get along too well. The furry one is always jumping on the little one and stealing her food. She wasn't sure at first about eating her food in the tub...until she realized that it wouldn't be stolen by the furry one! She made a few celebratory sounds, that sent to furry one scurrying back to her owner. And she was quite proud.

ballpark friends

2010-06-05T10:16:00.003-05:00

These two like to read about the rainbow fairies. The one below tries to hang with the big brothers...

Unfortunately, they don't share her love. She has decided to just stick with the friends that she brings. The ones that she can just throw when she's done with them!

the wardrobe of a southern boy...

2010-06-04T02:07:00.008-05:00

starts out just like every other baby...sweet gowns, pretty blankets, and little booties.

tiny bubbles and adorable bonnets...
soon there's seersucker and bucket hats...

jon-jons and knee socks!

and knitted rompers too!

they are perfect for every activity--running in the sand, flying kites, even t-ball.

ok, so maybe t-ball was pushing it, but I bet those other little boys were HOT and were wishing they were in one. {this was last year. he was only 3 :)}
and of course, sailing a boat! another perk...matching his sister!
but those days are gone...now he wears t-shirts and polos. like the big boys.

Except on sundays! That is the day that I still get the final word on the wardrobe. Little plaid suit, peter pan collar shirt, and saltwater sandals...adorable still!!! I suppose these days are numbered too {sadness} but for now, I will enjoy!

another crib set!

2010-06-03T12:06:00.002-05:00

Now I just need to figure out a better way to take pictures of these sets...the girls' beds are just too close together!