Christmas Through Logan's Eyes

The following pictures were taken off of Logan's camera. It's kind of interesting looking at the world through his eyes.

Sesame Street
Mr. Noodle
Baby Bottle Pop
Fruit bowl (bananas need to be eaten)
Me
Straw glasses
Phoebe walking
Video games
video games
sandwich (gross)
too close!
more straw glasses
bed head
new dolly
prized slippers

We made a Video

Logan got a camera for Christmas. The kind the kid can throw down the stairs or run over it with the car and it will still be okay. We just discovered that it has video capabilities. How exciting! The only problem is it has no sound. sad. We hope you enjoy this silent movie we made. I was trying to show him how it works, that is why I have the camera. Try to picture the piano music in the background.


Logan wants me to tell everyone that he is 5. Now he is patting me on the back for writing that.

SOMETHING...

I'm feeling a little jealous of all these new babies my friends are having. I need to get rid of this baby fever. It's not something I need to be thinking about for a while. Sometimes I freak myself out thinking that maybe something might happen and we won't be able to get pregnant with a fourth baby. Would I be okay with just three?

I know. Very random topic today.

Here's another random topic. I made Christmas cards at the very last minute. I went to buy envelopes at the only place I know that sells 5x7 size envelopes and they were out! Imagine that! Know of any places that sell 5x7 envelopes? I'd hate for all these cards to go to waste. Oh yeah, and would you please all leave me a note with your address so I can send some cards out? You can e-mail me if you feel more comfy with that.

Here's another gem for you all. Trevor hates my hair. Well, he hates my hair-cut. I had the lady cut layers in, but she cut it more like a mullet. You know, long in back and short in front. Quite interesting.

Oh yeah. Great news. Phoebe walked yesterday! She walked all over! Then she went to bed and when she woke up this morning she refused to do it anymore. She bum-scooted all day.

Well, I know the whole post was random and didn't flow worth beans, but at least I wrote something.

Don't forget to leave me your address!

 This winter/fall has been overwhelming. It has been 6 months since we moved here, and it is finally starting to feel like home. I can at last say I am glad we moved.  Well of course I am thankful to have a job!

I was thinking back trying to remember a year ago. It is hard to even imagine what our circumstances were. We didn't have money for Christmas or let alone to pay the bills. We didn't have a lot of things like laundry detergent, soap, toothpaste. Don't worry, my family found out (they must have smelled us) and took care of us. I am so grateful for all the blessings we have received this year. I am grateful for a job. I am grateful for wonderful friends I have made.  I am grateful to have a running car.

I know that He had a plan for us when we were going through all of the hard times. I don't think I ever really wrote about it on here, but life was very discouraging. I know that Heavenly Father was and is preparing us for what lies in the future.  Today I am thankful for all the trials we had back then. I know that going through those things has made me appreciate what we have today.

More Musings by Mwa

May I be frank? This is my blog after all. I can say what I mean and mean what I say. Perhaps I shouldn't blog late at night, but here I go doing it again.

Lately I feel like a bad mom. Sometimes it feels overwhelming all the tasks I have taken on. It feels like I am being unfair to my kids. I can't find the balance. I don't know where to look for it. I see the time slipping away and I know I am missing out on precious moments that I can never get back. I wonder if it is worth it.

I have tried different methods. The one that seems to work the best is to keep to the rule of no working unless they are asleep. The problem with this is that I end up staying up all night and then I am exhausted the next day. Again, it's a good idea but how can I be a good mom if I'm exhausted?

Anyway, I guess I don't really need feedback on this one. I am just talking it out. The more I think about it, the more I know I have to cut back. It's unfair to my kids and to me to keep going at this pace. Somethings got to give.

Lots O' Random Pics

Phoebe likes to jump in the jumper. Sami likes to also, and sometimes she falls asleep while she's in there.

Logan and Samantha both have a pair of these glasses. They think they are so cool.

Logan wanted me to take a picture of him throwing a ball.
And Sami enjoying the day.
Phoebe making her weird toothy face.

Taken at pre-school this week in my dining room. Practicing our writing.

I walked into the bathroom to find this... Look how far Samantha's bottom is in the toilet!

What's the problem with the people at JoAnn's?

Warning: If you have ever worked at, currently work at, or plan on working at Joann Fabric stores read on at your own discretion. I do not intentionally offend anyone with the following post. Reader beware!

I have noticed that the employees at Joanns can be a tad bit annoying. You find your fabric and bring it up to the cutting counter. The lady (sometimes it's a man) says "how much do you want" and you politely tell her by holding up your arm just so to show her while you say "three yards". The Lady gives you a snide look and says "that's not three yards, that's two yards". Well hello stupid lady, do you really think I can hold my hand up NINE feet in the air?

Sometimes you don't know how much fabric you need, so you quickly try to determine how many yards would suffice. Your mind starts to race as you think about the project you are trying to complete, and meanwhile the lady starts huffing and tapping her fingers. Then she starts asking questions trying to help figure it out. Hello, be quiet while I am trying to think!

The best one, hands down, is when I am getting my fabric cut and as small talk goes she asks the usual questions. "what are you making". Hate that question. Here's why. I don't usually use a pattern. They cost too much money. I can figure it out. I'm smart. So we start into the conversation, me telling her about my project. Soon it comes out that I'm not using a pattern. Here is what is normally said "well there are patterns over there" and I say "I can see that. I don't need one though, thanks" and then she says "well they are on sale for $$". Gee thanks for your vote of confidence lady. Do I really look that incompetent? I mean yeah. Sometimes my projects go awry, sometimes they go horribly wrong.

Like the time I made a set of ottomans and they broke after two weeks of use. The legs broke off. The upholstering was fabulous though! Or there was the Easter dress I made myself when I was 16 in revolt of my mom breaking tradition that year. That dress was the most horrible thing ever to walk the planet.

But back to my point. The people that work at Joanns should just stop asking questions. Maybe we could talk about the weather, cooking, hairstyles.... I don't know! But it should not be about FABRIC! lol! Sounds retarded I know!

I've gotta get something off of my chest. I really don't appreciate people who think they know what kind of person I am, make snappy judgements about me and all that jazz after only one or two meetings. Trust me when I say I am nothing like you think I may be until you really get to know me.

I really can't stand people who lock you in as a certain type of person and never will let you be anything else. Is this making sense?

Here is the lesson we can all learn from this: Do not judge. Do not judge. Do not judge!

You do not know what is going on behind the outer shell.

Thank-you and goodnight!

Milestones

I woke up the other day and decided that it was going to be the day to get rid of the binky. Sami's binky.

We had been talking about it for a while. I was mulling it around in my head...trying to decide on a good tactic. Samantha has held onto her binky harder than Logan ever did. She would wake up in the middle of the night looking for it.

We went to the store a few days before and looked at the baby dolls. I asked Samantha if she wanted one, and of course she did. We talked about how she could trade her binkies for a baby if she wanted. Then we went home without buying anything and I let her think about it for a few days. She talked about it all the time. I could tell she really wanted to do it.

That morning we gathered up all the binkies and put them in a plastic baggie. She was really excited.



We went to the store and found the baby. She HAD to hold it and screamed if anyone else touched it.

We got up to the register and I quickly whispered my plan to the lady behind the register. After she rang up the baby, she leaned down to talk to Samantha. "Is this your baby doll?" My shy little Samantha proudly said "yes".

"Are you going to pay me with those binkies?"

Samantha was holding the baggie in her hands. She held the binkies up for the lady to take. The lady handed the bag with the doll in it to a very proud Samantha. I teared up. Pathetic right?

My little girl is growing up.

Musings by Mwah

I love Phoebe's chicklet teeth!
My sister Laura came for a visit. We love having visitors! Laura was very entertaining as always. We took lots of pictures together and went thrift store shopping. We totally scored at DI when we randomly came across a stash of camera lenses! It was amazing! She found a lens she had been wanting, and I found the lens I was trying to get up the courage to ask Trevor for! To top that off, the prices were cheap too!

Here is a picture of Laura reading to my kids who are all enthralled with her.

Later in the day my sister Jenn and her hubby stopped by. Jenn is the Wood in PepperWood photography. So of course we had to take her to the thrift store to look at the lenses and she got one too! I am telling you, it was the find of a lifetime!

These pictures were all taken with my thrift store lens.What am I doing trying to take people's portraits when I am clearly so good at landscape photography, right? lol!

Pure Awful!

Yeah Yeah. I know. It's been a while right? If you don't feel like reading a long, boring, and drawn out story then don't continue.

Everyone has been wondering what's been going on. Well my landlady called and wanted to offer us the place next door for a very good price. The place next door has a two car garage, a bonus room (closet really) and the best part, a laundry room, all for the very good price of $25 dollars more a month.

So here I have been on stand-by just waiting for her phone call telling me it was ready to move into. Every week I would call her and every week she would say "it should be ready by the end of the week". They were doing some much needed renovations like taking the carpet out of the KITCHEN and BATHROOM (gross!) and painting.

Last Wednesday she called me and told me that the apartment was ready and I could start moving in. She asked me when I thought we would have the place ready for the next tenants to move in. I thought about it. Trevor was going to be out of town for the weekend, so I told her that I thought we could be out by Tuesday night.

I walked next door to look at the place while I was still talking to her on the phone. I about killed over when I realized that the apartment was NOT done...not even close, and I told her so. My landlady called the contractors and they told her they would have it done by Thursday.

Long story short:

Thursday came and went.

Friday came and went.

Saturday came and went.

Phone call Saturday night: The apartment is done! I walked next door. It was indeed ready for us to move in!!!

Another phone call Saturday from the tenants moving into our old place: "We signed a lease saying we would be taking possession of your old place on 11:00 a.m. Tuesday"

Phone call to my landlady. Let's just say I was not very nice to her. But I did apologize later.

Moved by myself late into the night on Saturday. Moved by myself all of Sunday. Kids screamed and fought all day long. There was lots of yelling and lots of crying. Myself included.

Trevor got home Sunday night and I broke down. Monday Trevor went to work and I moved by myself again all day. Monday night help arrived in the form of some very good friends who saved the day! Everything got moved.

Put the kids to bed and cleaned for a few more hours.

Tuesday morning Trevor went to work and I finished cleaning. Just as I finished, the carpet cleaners and painters showed up.

My weekend was pure AWFUL! It was torture. It was HORRID! But now we are moved. Now it is cleaning up the moving mess. That is what has been going on. Sorry it took so long to tell the story. Hope you didn't fall asleep.

We are moving next door. It is quite the story. I would love to sit down and type the whole thing out, but I haven't got the time at the moment.

Instead of reading about my boring life, I would like to direct you to another hilarious installment at my sister Laura's blog. Seriously. She has got some writing talent.

I have two WRINKLES!!!!!! I am getting old!!!!!!

boo-hoo!

More on this later...

Haircut

I cut Samantha's hair on a whim. I am glad I did. Her hair is so stringy and thin the longer it gets. Gross. So she sat on the bathroom counter eating a cheese stick patiently waiting for me to cut it. It's not perfect, but I am happy with it.

Sunday Funnies

If you don't know me all that well, let me fill you in on a little known secret. I heart Donny Osmond.

It started when I was younger and my mom brought home a stack of old records and a record player for our enjoyment after a hot morning of garage sale-ing. (I never do know how to spell that word. Someone fill me in on it.)

This is when I first laid eyes on him. Donny Osmond. Boyish good looks, thick brown hair, and a voice as smooth as butter. Mmmm-hmmm.
My love for Donny has never died through the years. It has only gotten stronger. Trevor has always teased me about Donny Osmond. He rolls his eyes when I bring up his name. He truly thinks it is ridiculous.

Fast forward to last night. I have always wondered what celebrity I look like and so I uploaded a picture of myself to this site that tells you exactly that by scanning facial features.

After I found out that I look like Julianne Moore, I scanned in Trevor's picture. I was just curious.
The results took a few minutes longer than mine had. When they finally popped up on the screen, my eyes almost popped out of my head. I read it again. Then I died laughing. I fell out of my chair laughing so hard. Trevor came in the room wanting to know what was so funny.

I had him read the screen.

It said Trevor's celebrity look alike was DONNY OSMOND!!!!!

Yeah! Uh-huh! I always knew Trevor was a hunk!

Happy birthday baby! One year went by fast!


Official photo shoot there -------------------> Yeah. Click on the link to the right if you haven't already.

We got a new to us, nice wooden filing cabinet about a year or maybe it was two years ago. I let it sit empty thinking we would be moving any time and wouldn't it be easier to move if it were empty. Duh. There really is no logic there. Sometimes my blond streak rears its ugly head.

I really do have a blond streak by the way. It is on the back of my neck. Blond as can be. A few people that have seen it thought I was just doing a test strip of blond to see if I liked it enough to do my whole head. But no, I will not be dying my hair any time soon.

Anyhoo, I have a pile of papers the size of Texas sitting in a box waiting to be filed. Not only that, but I am re-filing every paper that I have previously filed in those flimsy cardboard file boxes you can buy at Office Max. We have two of them filled to the brim.
So I went and looked at paper shredders since our last one died two years ago. I was completely shocked at the price of those dumb things! Holy moses people! $70 for a paper shredder? Really?

Yeah. I totally cheaped out and bought the $25 one. It was either $25 or $70. I had no choice! When I got home Trevor told me to take it back and buy the more expensive one. No way I said, because it was going to work just great.

Dumb. DUMB. Sometimes I am plain ol' dumb.

This thing is a piece o' crap. It got bogged down by an envelope. AN ENVELOPE! I can still take it back right? I am not good at taking things back. I don't do it. I can count less than five times in my whole life I have taken something back.

I have out of control allergies. The annoying thing is not being able to take real medicine that would put me out of my misery since I am still nursing. However, I have just discovered this thing called a netti pot.

Don't know what it is? Maybe you don't really want to know.
Here's how it works. You take a packet of this sinus rinse stuff (sodium chloride & sodium bicarbonate) and mix it with sterile water. Then put it in the netti pot and screw the lid on the top.

Here comes the gross part. While standing over a sink, put the spout up to your nostril and pour into your nostril making sure to keep your mouth open and whatever you do DON'T HOLD YOUR BREATH.

The water will then go in one nostril and out the other. Some water may come out your mouth! I shudder just thinking about it.

Oh, and you probably wanted to know if it worked. I think it helped out a little. If anything, it cleaned out my nose and I could breath very well afterward.

Grossed out now? LOL! That was my plan!

Happy Birthday Logan My Logan!

I am now the proud mother of a five year old!! Wowee! That sounds weird.

Here is the cute little guy at birth.

One year old.
Two years old.

Three years old.
Don't ask where the four year old pictures are. Sore spot. BACK UP YOUR FILES PEOPLE!

Five years old.



What a nice brother to give his sister a turn at blowing out the candles.Don't judge my cake. I am not gifted in the decorating department.

Happy Birthday Logan! We love you!