Bravery

Tabby has successfully completed another childhood rite of passage. She has lost her first tooth. She is beside herself with pride. She insists that all her school friends aren't going to recognize her when class starts again.

It was loose for about a week and had been asking us if it's ready to come out about every 5 minutes. She wiggled it and wiggled it until we thought it was ready to yank. She was too impatient to just let it come out on it's own. She requested that her Daddy pull it for her.

Checking that the tooth was in fact loose enough.

Dale couldn't get it out with his hand so we had to get reinforcements.
I can't believe she let Dale use the pliers! I would have never allowed my tooth to be yanked out like that! She didn't even cry. Most kids would have freaked. I guess she was too determined to get that tooth out to be bothered by any pain!

It's out! It's out!

So do you recognize her?

They Came Home!!!

Dale's parents a.k.a. Gramma and Papa arrived home Tuesday night after serving a mission in Ecuador for a year and a half. Eighteen months doesn't seem like it would be that long but to us, it seemed like an eternity. We are so happy to have them home safe and sound. We had fun meeting them as they got of the plane at the airport. Of course, they did the old wait until you are the last one off of the plane trick. I suppose it was payback because every one of their 5 sons did it to them when they got home from their missions. We waited and waited and there they were! Lots of cheers, shouting and crying ensued.

Here we all are waiting. I told Dale to look photogenic. Maybe he misunderstood me and thought I said to look mean and angry.
Mary, Emma and Tabby waiting with our homemade posters.
Tabby designed this one all by herself. I wish I took a close up of it. It is really quite detailed. She drew a plane with Gramma and Papa coming off it at the bottom. I don't know what that big black thing is. Maybe some sort of giant bird swooping down to eat all of us?
Ella and her trademark "cheese smile."
This is Dale's brother Ken and his fam:
They are here! All the grand kids bum-rushed Gramma.
Dale sure missed his Dad.
Papa is happy to be home!
We are so happy to have you home with us Gramma and Papa! We love you!

8 Years of Awesomeness

It's been 8 years since I married my one and only, my luvah, my Mr. Wonderful.

Sorry ladies, I knew it then and I know it now that I really do have the best husband ever. Not to mention he's way cute too.

This is us all happy before we realized that life hits you like a ton of bricks! Just kidding. We have had so many wonderful moments together that I nearly forget all the bad ones.
All I can really think about when I see this picture is "How in the "H" did I ever think I was fat back then??? I'd give anything to look like that again!!!"

Unfortunately, as usual our bank account isn't letting us have too much fun to celebrate so we'll just make out a lot today.

Mother's Day

Little late on the Mother's Day post. Sorry about that. This summer heat is making me slow I guess.

Despite being huge, fat, and puffy, I managed to have a great Mother's Day weekend.

It all started with my hair appointment Saturday morning. I was so excited to get my hair cut and it turned out really cute. In all honesty, I did take a few pics of my new do to show ya'll but I was so horrified at how my swollen face looked (I insist that it's water retention not chub) I couldn't bring myself to post them! Sorry, I know its vain and also anti-climatic from the post where I asked every one's opinion but I just couldn't do it. Let's just say I'm rocking some sassy bangs and layers now.

Then I got to go out on a date with Dale that night. I like how I wrote that, like there would be anyone else I would be going on a date with. Anyway, he lined up a babysitter for us and took me out to eat at the restaurant of my choice and then to a movie. We are such an exciting couple, I know. Actually at the rate that Dale and I get out of the house without the kids, going anywhere by ourselves is comparable to a trip to the Bahamas. I chose Star Trek for the movie. Not your typical chick flick but the only other girly movie out was that Girlfriend Ghost movie which looked stupid so I opted for the nerdy space movie instead. So glad I did. It turned out to be REALLY GOOD. Go see it if you haven't yet.

It ended up being a really good night because Dale said I looked hot and I got a few compliments on my el-cheapo flower headband that I bought a few days before. I got it at Forever 21, a store that I refuse to believe that I am too old to shop in. It was one of those moments where I was feeling big and frumpy (those happen all to often) and I needed a materialistic purchase to lift my spirits. Since there is no Forever 21 maternity line (I wish) a cute head band would have to do. And it did.

We finished up the night by picking me up a smoothie on the way home. I have been craving those big time and it totally hit the spot.

Sunday morning, I was awakened by 3 very cute messy haired kids who were jumping up and down excited to serve me the breakfast-in -bed that they had made me. It consisted of Raisin Bran with about half the necessary amount of milk (that was the last of it) and a cup of yogurt that had expired about a week ago. And I ate all of it. I had to. I couldn't disappoint those little darlings. They also drew me some awesome pictures of myself. I am really digging the way Tabby draws me because every time she does, she draws a crown on my head. Very accurate, no?

Anyway I got up and got dressed for church. I picked out a bright green maternity dress that I really do think is cute but can't help but think "Jolly Green Giant" when I wear it. Ella didn't help when I was looking at myself in the mirror and she said "Mama, you're big!" For sure not an appropriate comment on Mother's Day, Ella. Not at all.

We came home and ate frozen pizza. Not a fancy dinner by any means but it was Mother's Day people! I hate cooking. Like I was going to cook on that day of all days.

We then visited my Mom's house and I gave her a book about stealing horses because that was one of her favorite hobbies as a kid. Kidding, mom. She only did it once and she gave it back.

We then went to Dale's grandma's house and wished her a happy Mothers Day with some hugs and roses.

We only wish we could have hugged Dale's mom on Mother's Day. She and Dale's dad are on a mission in Ecuador and they will be home in less than two weeks! Can't wait to see them again!

And there you have it!

Card Organizer

We had another card club night last Thursday. Only this time we made something. Angie showed us all how to make these super cute card organizers.
Every page is for a different month and there is a pocket to put the cards in for that month. I am terrible at remembering birthdays. Hopefully this will help!

Haircut Opinions, Please

Oh, I'm so excited! For Mother's Day, Dale booked me an appointment to get my hair cut on Saturday. You may think that this is not such a big deal but for me it is! Regular hair cuts haven't been a part of my life since before I had Ella and she's almost 3. They were just one of the things that fell by the wayside when there was no money. I'm so sick of wearing a pony tail to hide my nasty locks/dreads. I like the long hair look but what I've got going right now is out of control! Let's just say that my overgrown hair could totally get me into a place like Colorado City or an Amish community somewhere. I don't want to chop it all of but if I could just get a good cute style going so I don't feel like a frumpy house frau anymore, I would be elated.

So anyhow, I need opinions. Here are some pics of styles that I like. Lemmie know what you think. If you find other cute ones, send those my way too.

The bottom is a bit scraggly (ease up on the hair product) but I like the top:
I never thought I'd be cool with the way Avril did her hair:
So which one do you think is best? BTW, I'm keeping my hair dark brown (wish I could be blonde again though. Too much $$$ to keep that up.) I just need something to bring me out of feeling like a total hagmire. It's hard to feel sexy while wearing your husband's t-shirts, sweatpants and a permanent pony tail on top of your head. Can't wait to not be all huge and prego anymore. Meanwhile, a cute hairstyle will help!

Miss Independence

I have been wanting to potty train Ella for quite some time now. They say there is a "window" where the child shows an interest in potty training and that's when all good moms should drop everything and show the kid how to use the can. Ella did show this interest long ago and believe me, I WANTED to have her potty trained. The only problem is, I work in my office 4 hours a day and I was worried about training her because I wouldn't be there a lot of times to make sure she got to the toilet in time. Hence, the procrastination.

Well 2 days ago she came to me in a pair of Tabby's undies and said to me, "I potty train myself!" She then proceeded to walk to the bathroom where she displayed her proficiency in using the restroom properly. Bum wiping and all.

I don't recommend this "hands off" approach to potty training. In fact, with Rex and Tabby, I used this book and it worked quite well. But that's back when I had a few more moments to spare than these days.

She's had a few accidents but for the most part she's been doing quite well. I don't know if I should be embarrassed because my child took it upon themselves to learn one of the most important things a mom should teach their child during toddler-hood or if I should be proud because I raised a child who's so independent she doesn't need her mama to show her how to go on the potty. She will do it herself, thank you very much.

Goodbye Old Friend!

After 10 years of faithful service, our one and only T.V. bit the dust last Friday. It just shut itself off right in the middle of Wow Wow Wubbzy. After giving so much, it just couldn't give anymore. The really awful part was it decided to die right before I went on an overnight trip leaving Dale and the kids with out their precious shows. We don't really have the $$$ for another one so I thought maybe it's a blessing in disguise. We will spend more time together! Yeah, that worked for about a day. Luckily our nice neighbor heard of our plight and loaned us their extra T.V. It's great, we can watch all our shows now, we just need binoculars to see them.
And forget about reading the words on the guide or the show info. And sadly, no place to hook up the DVD player. But it works and the kids don't seem to mind. So I'm not complaining. Okay, maybe I am. Just a little. Our old TV was a dinosaur but at least you could see what you were watching without squinting.

Picture Wall

Yay! I got my picture wall done. This was another project I put off because I was intimidated by how much work it would take. The effort wasn't too bad and it meant several more unpacked boxes. So glad it's done. I want all moving boxes out of my life! I'm so tired of them being in my way and even just looking at them makes me frustrated.

So on to the project. I had two picture walls at the old house and I decided to combine them as I really am trying to group things together to avoid a cluttery-house feel. You know those houses (not yours, of course) that you go in to and you feel like they are decorated within an inch of their lives? Yeah, I don't want that.

I started by laying everything out on the floor until it looked like I wanted. Then I took a picture of it so I could refer to it to see where I placed things as I was hanging them.
All done!
Yes that wall is blue. Not my fave color but this isn't my house so I don't get to change it. It's not so bad with all that black up there now. It's sorta growing on me.

How sad that all those kid pics are of just Tabby who is my oldest! You know how it goes. A million pics get taken of the first one and you frame just about every one of them and all the subsequent kids are lucky to even get a random snapshot taken now and then. I will have to change some of those pics out before Rex and Ella notice anything. =)