Put-Put

We had a family outing on Wednesday night since Mike was heading out the next day for a weekend in Vegas. Nothing like a little put-put to make the kids happy...although there were injuries...as always.
It is now Sunday afternoon and the kids are cuddled up watching Bolt. They survived a weekend alone with just mommy, although i am pretty sure Emery has Strep again! This would be her 3rd time this year....and this mama's getting worried that it could be something more. We will get her into the Doc first thing tomorrow for another round of antibiotics so we can enjoy our last minute mini-vaca in Seattle this week for Spring break. Im looking forward to having a week visiting with family and friends. I even get to play Bunco with my mom's ladies, that should be fun since I havent seen many of them for some time now.
Well, not sure if I will post between now and when we return. Have a great spring break all!

Finally

8 Months later and I finally ordered enlargements of our San Diego photosession.

I love how the display looks in the hallway upstairs that has sat empty for 6 years.

Skaters...

Excuse the dark pictures...my little Sven (point & shoot) flash just doesnt do a dark roller skating rink justice.

This picture cracks me up. Mike was all posed with a smile and then as soon as I clicked...he tripped, hence the face.

A Kid's Quiz on their Mama

This questionare is going around Face Book. I just had to post it here too. Very revealing I think.
Answers courtesy of:
Emery
Ty
Piper
Mike (he wanted to play too.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
E~Your Bum-Bum's cute
T~Turn off the Wii
P~I love you
M~Listen

2. What makes mom happy?
E~When I kiss you
T~Kissies
P~Hugging
M~Coffee

3. What makes mom sad?
E~When you and daddy fight
T~Not giving you kissies
P~I dont like your shirt
M~Hallmark commercials

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
E~Tickle me
T~Tickle you
P~Funny Faces
M~Goofy things you do

5. What was your mom like as a child?
E~Playful
T~The same as you are right now.
P~You liked turtles (um?...)
M~Spoiled

6. How old is your mom?
E~33
T~43
P~16
M~33 (no one got it right)

7. How tall is your mom?
E~Like a Parent.
T~I dont know.
P~This Many (as she held her hand to her forehead)
M~5.4

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
E~American Idol
T~Funny shows
P~Commercials
M~How I met your Mother.

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
E~Take photoshoots
T~Go on your computer
P~Work on the Puter
M~Email me.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
E~That you love me.
T~Taking pictures
P~Doing Shows
M~Making Cupcakes

11. What is your mom really good at?
E~Reading (my college friends are dying laughing right now)
T~Taking pictures
P~Working (sad)
M~Being a Mommy.

12. What is your mom not very good at?
E~Doing the splits
T~Doing the splits all the way. (what the heck...where is this coming from?)
P~I dont know
M~Negotiating/Haggeling.

13. What does your mom do for her job?
E~Photoshoots
T~Hang Pictures up.
P~"that's a good one, play with me." ( i love this answer!)
M~Mommy/Photography

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
E~Turkey
T~Steak
P~Cupcakes
M~Roast

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
E~You say that I am talented.
T~I dont know
P~Loving
M~Your faith

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
E~A photoshoot girl
T~An Indian
P~Olivia (um...she's a pig, nice!)
M~That's a dumb question.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
E~Play Fashion
T~Play Robots (um...I dont remember this)
P~Play
M~Watch TV

18. How are you and your mom the same?
E~We tickle each other.
T~Same color eyes.
P~We act the same (we both the babies in the family...so that's true)
M~Cougars

19. How are you and your mom different?
E~You like Asparagus and I dont.
T~You have brown hair
P~I dont know
M~Our Passion for the Cougars

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
E~Everyday when I come home from school she kisses me.
T~huh...I have to think about that..."because Jesus is with us"
P~Kisses
M~Cougars (see a trend, I this is because I am supportive of his frequent trips to the games)

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
E~The Daisy Bucket
T~See Fishies (yeah, again...no clue?)
P~Stores
M~Starbucks

A Day In The Life of Me.

Just a personal project I did today. To be honest this picture needs to be printed up huge in my house to remind me of all the sides of me. Lately the picture is way too heavy on the left side. I have lost perspective of the 4 "me's" on the right side of this image and have been reminded of this verse: (Matthew 6:21) For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Often time's that verse is used in relationship that where you spend your money is where your heart is. Well that may be the case with me as well, but mainly it's my time and focus. It's sad to see how easily I have slipped away from the mindset I started out with when I first started a little "side" business and how hard it is to get back to the correct perspective.

The Butterflies

Piper's Pet Party

The invites: Little pet's with tags on them. Simple!

The decorations. Emery and Ty made the decorations.

The party started off with a little dancing for the little girls.

A game of Little Pet's Bingo that Daddy invented.
Opening presents...so expressive.

The Pupcakes.

I love the look on her face as daddy was bringing her her Pupcake.

These two never stray too far away from each other.

The friends

The goodie bags.

This one is from a week ago. We had a family celebration when my parents were in town. The celebration never stopped. It continues through tomorrow when we bring yet another batch of cupcakes to Pre-School. This time Butterflies.

My Big Girl.

If you haven't already seen, I posted pictures of Piper's 4th photo-shoot on my photoblog.

She just had to prove she was 3 for one last day!

Yes, that would be a picture of a sad little three-year-old-for-one-last-day. That would be a picture of a little girl with no...absolutely No bangs! That would be a picture of the giant wad of what-were-bangs in front of her.
So...why is she looking so sad. I bet your thinking because her mama when Ape on her. Nope...that wouldn't be the case. She walked down the stairs, after sheepishly warning me she had something to show me. All this mama could do was gasp and try to hold back the fits of laughter. I mean come on, look at those big brown eyes...so pathetic. How do you scream at them in a moment like this. SHE IS SO THE THIRD CHILD! Emery never got off this easy after cutting her hair FIVE TIMES! But this was Piper's first time. Something very unlike her to do. All I could do was hold her while she bawled in my arms...mind you I was still trying to hold back the laughter. (frankly I still am.) I finally asked if she was crying because she was afraid mama would get mad. She said no. So I asked why she was so sad....and then my heart broke. She said, while covering her little forehead with the back of her chubby little hand "I don't like how I look." How sad and sweet is that? I just kept reassuring her that she is still a very pretty little girl and her hair will grow right back. And now we get to buy a bunch of cute little hairbands to cover up the bangs while they grow back.
She perked up pretty quick after that. Especially since mama still couldn't stop giggling. That started to backfire and she started thinking what she did was pretty funny too. Um...no! DON'T DO IT AGAIN! You can not really tell from these pictures...but it is to her scalp!!!! It's not cute what-so-ever. But, im not about to tell her that...I want her to keep on thinking she's the cutest little 4-year-old around! And just in time for her birthday party tomorrow!

Oh, and by the way...if you will see her in the next couple of days...try not to make a huge deal of it in front of her. I don't want that to backfire or make her uncomfortable...any more than her mama does since I cant stop staring at her forehead.

Just One More Day..

Just one more day is all I have left of being the mom of a 3-year-old. I love 3-year-olds. I will very much miss this age, this time in my life and hers. Im a blessed, but sad mama right now.

Bedtime

I've had these pictures on my camera for a while and wanted to post them. This is what things look like typically at bedtime around our house. The kids are clean and warm...and the kitties are ready for some shut eye. We usually find the two older cats asleep up high in either Ty or Eme's beds. It became a habit for them from when Maverick was a puppy...they needed a hiding spot he couldn't reach. This night we found the baby all snuggled in with Doba as well. I just had to snap a picture. This in turn meant I had to take a picture of each of the children, upon their requests.

Tonight we are trying out a new routine. We have tried several sleeping arrangements for Mav. When he was very little he was a crate dog (actually probably for a year). Then he became a "sleep outside the crate dog" (usually at the top of the stairs keeping guard). This lasted until the infamous "eat mom's couch" incident this summer when he promptly became a "sleep outside in his run" kind of dog. When the winter months came and the weather got colder he became a "sleep inside the house" dog again. But only downstairs...he's really not allowed upstairs anymore. This worked great until he became the "poop on the same spot of carpet every night" kind of dog. Immediately he was a "crate in the garage" dog again. But lately we have been feeling he's rather disconnected with the family. So we are now cautiously attempting the "Sleep In My Boy's Room, On a New Bed" kind of dog. Im sure this makes the cat's all a twitter since Ty's room is their fav. I have a feeling we will find the kitten snuggled up with Mav on his cedar bed someday soon.

Here's to a Successful night's sleep.

Cupcake Love.

Last night was the annual Cake Auction for BLPS. This time it was Pip's turn. I made a "box of chocolates" cupcake tray. I got the idea of this awesome book Mike got me for Christmas. Of course we ended up buying back...we do every year I think. I wanted to buy it back so I could gift it to some special people. We also got suckered in (by Ty) to buying the alligator cake below. It was also made from a designs out of the same Hello, Cupcake book. Our house is filled with sugar and frosting right now...and will be until after Piper's Birthday when I am going to attempt some more details cupcake designs.

25 Random things about me.

....I know I have done this 1000 times but it is all the rage on Facebook right now and so I thought I would post it here too. Oh the peer pressure!! ;).

I'm not tagging anyone though...the pressure stops here!!

1. I vividly remember my first day of 2nd grade. Everything after that is pretty much a blur.
2. I used to have a big crush on Boy George. I'm pretty sure I didn't fully understand the reason why he wore make-up.
3. I really wish I could pull off the Gwen Stefanie look...I have to keep reminding myself I am 34 years old.
4. I am wearing really ugly jeans today. Who said the "mom jean" style has to come back in?
5. I've been wearing old spice deodorant since October. AND I AM NOT ASHAMED! (its a long story)
6. Mike does not wear Old Spice. I like his arm pits :).
7. Are you starting to see the inner-freak in me?
8. I have two pair of boxer shorts since my freshman year in college, 15 years ago. I love wearing them to bed. (they aren't gross, I promise)
9. I had a disturbing dream about one of my best friends mother-in-laws and Paul Newman last night.
10. I have three cats.
11. One of which, the baby, takes a shower with me every morning. He's quirky.
12. Before him all of our cats were named after Cougar Football Players (or coaches)
13. I am in the running for the "Freshest Photo Blogs" Contest. Go to www.definingdetails.com/blog for details how to vote for me. (nice plug huh ;)
14. Really...I'm only on #14.
15. I think I threw my shoulder out with my new lens on Saturday.
16. I'm not sure I am going to love this lens...I better, cha-ching!
17. I miss a good Seattle downpour every once in a while.
18. I don't miss the constant drizzle.
19. I miss warm Las Vegas nights.
20. I don't miss the T&A billboards reminding husbands that their "normal" wives are fat...or that they really need to install a stripper pole in the bedroom. (no that was not from personal experience)
21. I have acrylic nails for the first time...and although they are pretty...I hate typing with them, and I really don't like shelling out the $20 every two weeks. (but I'm getting them filled tomorrow ;)
22. I love running a business.
23. I wish I didn't have control issues and could outsource some of the stuff though.
24. I took some sweet pictures of Piper this Saturday...can't share them til her birthday on the 22nd though.
25. I loved being 25...but the 30's are the best!!

A Pet Post.

PREFACE: Don't freak out...we did not get a new dog! This is my canine niece Crumbs. She's a English Staffordshire Terrier and the sweetest little family dog. And yes I could cuddle with her on the couch during the super bowl because she is the perfect size and doesn't shed or smell! Got to love that about a dog.
To think I had 4 days with my sister and her family in town and the only two pictures taken were of their dog. Oops.

And here is our baby of the family. Tai Lung. Okay I know I have said this about all of my cats...but he is one of the best ever. (i have completely turned into a cat person...all because of the awesome cats I have).

~He's very much a lap cat.

~loves to play but not too frisky. Unless of course you are another cat then he's wild.

~Loves to be right were all the action is. The more people around the better.

~Let's the kids do all sorts of stuff to him.

~Takes shower and baths with mama. Not kidding. He perches on the edge. Sometimes attempts to climb out on my shoulders when I am in the bath. In the shower he stays behind the inner curtain but gets down in the tub to lap the water. He's learned not to go near the bath with kids in it...or he ends up in the water.

~He's smart enough to figure out how to unlock the cat door.

~He's won over the hearts of the other two cats...even Mr. Old Soul Swogger who was none to happy with the baby at first.

~Brave enough to go right up to Mav and bat at his tail or lick his face. Maverick is becoming tolerant...good boy Mav.

~He's a mama boy...doesn't like to stray farther than the front porch.

~Plus he's just too pretty. I LOVE HIM!

Check out how big his paws are! He's our tiger for sure!

I always thought it a tad strange/gross if people had more than two cats...and now we have are "those" type of people. And I'm all right with it. Good thing cats clean up after themselves!

And there is my random pet post for the day!

Blog Update

...man the updates have been few and far between. I think I am loosing my blog buzz. Ugh!
You may notice I added a box on the side that reads "What Am I Doing Now..." It's a twitter box. Which just means I can text a quick note to keep my friends and family abreast to my happenings between my blog updates! Enjoy!