Hae's Party

Yesterday was our niece Haley's 14th birthday. Omg that makes me feel old! She was like 3 or 4 when I met her. Everybody's growing up so fast. And tonight was her party. She was busy the entire time so I didn't get any pictures of her. The only time she sat still was for cake/presents and there was this big kid standing right in front of me- rude. Aiden was so excited about the party all day. He kept saying he was going to see Auntie Beck and baby Ryan. :( He said we were going to sing Happy Birthday and eat cupcakes in the kitchen then open presents [talking about his own birthday].

Dollface.

Aiden got to bowl for the first time. :)

How ridiculously cute are his itty bitty bowling shoes?!

Waiting for Grandma to bring Sis.

Racing with Grandpa

Punky wanted to drive too!

As we were leaving Aiden said "You guys are in trouble!" Steven asked him why and he said "Because I don't want to go home, I want to stay here." haha. He always knows where we are when we're driving but on the way, it was so dark and he had no idea. He kept asking where we were and where our house was. I said, "You don't like not knowing where you are, huh?" And he said, "I'm right here Momma! I'm right back here." Love his simple little mind.

I had no plans to make a fun meal today but Aiden asked for a hotdog and I bought them to make mummies, so I did.

The mummie was the only thing I had planned, the monster pasta and Frankenstein just came to me as I went along, I impressed myself! I took the cucumber out and Frankenstein popped in my head, so I peeled a section and was about to cut it when I noticed the part where the skin and peeled sections met made his hair line perfect- I was excited!

I had a small, easy project in mind [that of course I saw on Pinterest] so we headed out. All I needed was a candle stick holder and a plate.

Before:

After:

I need to start looking for clear, glass soap dispensers to replace the ugly bottles.

[Yes, my sponge is in a mason jar- would you expect anything else?!]

I told myself I wasn't going to look around because I don't need anything else, but I'm so glad I did.

I found another chandelier! This one needs a little love.

I want to paint it and I think it'll look perfect hanging above the kitchen island.

[My wall's still yellow. I'll paint it one of these days...]

This morning I decided to put the Halloween decorations out, I'm a couple of days early but who cares. I get overly excited when it comes to holidays- especially now that I have kids. They make the holidays so much more fun!

"So cute its scary" & "Mom's lil' monster"

[And I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever get a normal picture of Aiden again, he's so goofy lately.

Ri's cute spider clippie, from where else?

 Peyton's Closet!

I love making meals fun for the kids! I get a few ideas from magazines but there are tons of ideas on Pinterest! And some of the things I've come up with on my own.

Aiden loved it! He was really fun with everything last year but this year, he's way into it. He's been talking about Halloween all day. "Its Halloween!" "Halloween's here!" He was so excited when I was cooking dinner but when he saw his  boring plate of pork chop, mushroom rice and broccoli, he was disappointed. He asked where the ghost was. :)

Rian's third [out of like seven] outfit change of the day. Its starting to drive me crazy because I feel like I'm dressing her all day. I decided I'm not going to help her anymore, she'll either get too frustrated and give up or get better and be able to do it herself.

Watching Ellen!

Aiden loves the first shot of Tony every episode, "Its Tony Momma! There he is!" Ugh- damn wrinkles around my eyes. I started putting cream on them around my birthday in June. Doesn't seem to be helping. :\ That's the only thing I miss about working at Applebee's- so many people thought I was like 18 and where shocked when they found out my age and that I had kids. 

I was watering the flowers and he wanted to help, he'll probably want to do it every day now.

My wine glass rack came today- exciting!

Is this girl for real?!

Here I am thinking my phone was broken when it just needed to be charged. Serious. It was on the charger yesterday morning but I took it off before it was finished because I needed it... then it died last night while I was sleeping. It would start up but shut right back off, so I didn't think it could be the battery, I thought phones didn't turn on at all when they were dead? With the way it was acting the other night, dead battery never crossed my mind. DUH. I'm such a moron. At least I keep things exciting!

What a loser.

Got some new reading material today:

some new, FREE reading material!

We have so many magazine subscriptions that I've gotten us for free. Truckin', Off Roading, Super Chevy, Maxim, Elle, Parents, Women's Day and Shape. [Well Shape I had to pay $2.50 for a year- but still, what a deal!] I love getting snail mail.

Rian's boots came today...

She wasn't too excited, in fact, she was screaming in this picture. She's totally into shoes but I should've given her more time to wake up from her nap. I couldn't believe how fast they came! Free shipping and they were sent over-night. Woop! Now we just need it to cool down.

My next project:

DIY patio lights- thank you, Pinterest!

Wish I would've seem them earlier while I was kid-free and around town.

Note to self:

Never leave your phone unattended while Rian has ice cream again.

Monday evening we were outside and I came in for a few minutes. While I was inside, Rian touched my phone and got sticky ice cream on the screen- Steven was sitting right next to it, did he see? Of course he didn't. But its my fault, I shouldn't have left it there. I wiped it off and thought it was fine.

Nope. That night it started going crazy, sending texts before I finished them, trying to call people, going through different screens on its own. Augh! I took the battery out and left it for the night. Yesterday it was fine but the three buttons on the bottom were stuck- they worked, they were just hard to push.

Today I woke up and it won't turn on. Its sad how disconnected I feel without a phone. WAH. Basic phones these days start around $180! That is ridiculous. Maybe I'll go to Verizon when the kids leave later [I'll leave out the ice cream part] and see if they'll do anything. I doubt they will. I found the same one I have on ebay, refurbished for $65 or new for $80. Its always something. Lesson learned.

Randoms:
Rian has been talking so much lately, she repeats everything I say. I love her little voice and the way certain words sound when she says them. Like eyebrow, sounds like "eyeboo." When Steven starts to chase her, she runs away and yells, "No Daddy! No!" When I tell her its time for ni-night, she starts walking towards her room and says "Lets go Daddy!" She copies everything Aiden does, everything. At Target the other day she saw this little blonde thing, like a Polly Pocket and started saying "Pinkerbelle Momma! Pinkerbelle!" She likes Tinkerbelle. :) I was whistling the other day and she started bouncing her head around and put her teeth on her lip and started blowing like she was whistling. Its soo funny.

A little bit ago we were reading books. Aiden got an alphabet book, I would say the letter and read what was in the picture, he was repeating me. When I said "U" he said "Me?" haha! This morning while I was making breakfast, he was watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, it said to count the ties and Aiden said "1, 2, 3!" and Mickey said "Three ties!" I was impressed, he usually gets the numbers all jummbled up. His little brain is going a mile a minute. The other day Steven was on facebook, looking at somebody's info. They 'liked' this show called Top Gear that Steven watches, Aiden also likes it -usually if we turn one of our shows on Aiden complains but he'll watch that one with Steven. Anyway, he saw the logo and said "Look! Top Gear" caught us both off guard. So smart and observant.

Right now I looked at my other blog to see the picture from last year's entry on this date:

Rian at her 9 month well-check, she hated it! This day was so annoying. I was only about a month into my blog and didn't write a ton when I first started... but I remember it like it was yesterday. Basically: The kids and I spent 5 hours in the car [a minivan rental because our car got hit at the beginning of the month] taking some crazy [an old friend] back home, it cost me over $40 in gas and on the way home Rian crapped everywhere because she was teething. Through her clothes, through the carseat cushion- it was a mess. It was such a horribly long day. But that night she started walking! It was so exciting but so sad for me, I wanted her "babyness" to last so long but instead, it went away so fast. Can't believe that was all a year ago. And I still want my $40 back! haha.

Parenthood

Just finished tonight's episode of Parenthood and it inspired me to post! Its my favorite show. Ever. And I watch a LOT of tv. I'm pretty sure I get teary-eyed and emotional every single episode. I love the Braverman's. They make me want to have more kids so when I'm older, I'm surrounded by my kids and grandkids. The whole dynamic of the show is amazing. Plus the parents' house is my dream. I LOVE everything about it. And also- it makes me so happy they have a character with Aspergers. Before the kids, I was a special needs teacher's aide and in school to become a special ed teacher. I also worked through the state at a boy who has Autism's house  for five years [Seth <3]. Its my passion. I'm so looking forward to jumping right back into it all once the kids are off to school. I think its so great that a show like this is bringing awareness to such a common, yet overlooked, issue.

So for starters, one minute into the show this girl is in the background and yes, I totally took a picture:

I love this look.

I have a few scarves and I feel like they faded out for awhile and are now back in style- love it!

There was also a girl [they were having a yard sale] looking through records and she had this bracelet, not sure how to describe it but I liked it. And one of my favorite things popped into my head: TWINE!

 So I made a cute little bracelet.

I was in the middle of the show and looked over and saw this:

twine, hot glue gun, wine, chapstick, candle, fabric scissors and a picture of my little loves- all things me. :)

[I'm so over facebook. I have a feeling my blogging is about to get out of control.]

Bang Bang

Yesterday I trimmed Ri's bangs:

 I always try to grow them but once I trim them, I wonder why I bother. She looks SO cute with bangs!

:)

This morning I said to Steven, "Rian looks so cute with her bangs, it makes me want to cut mine. " He said he was thinking the same thing. Kiss ass! Not really, we normally disagree when it comes to my hair. He likes it really short and dark. Last week I mentioned that I missed my dark hair and now he won't shut up about it. I love having blonde in it, but its hard to maintain.

I think they always look funny the first day I do it.
I might make them a little thicker.

Apparently this time of year I always get the itch for bangs. I chopped them last October and the year before that, it was August.

Boot update-

Found some on Ebay!

I'm not crazy about the flowers on top but they were only $10 and free shipping.
[Supposedly only worn once]

I'd prefer these:

Omg I LOVE them. But they're $29.94 and I'm sure shipping and tax would be at least another $10.

I wouldn't even spend that much on shoes for me!

And she'll be so damn cute in them, even with the lame flowers.

I'm on the hunt for some boots for Punky.

Last year she had these Ugg-like boots

and these cute little moccasins.

[My favorite- I'd love to find another pair just like them]

And this year, all I see is UGLY. Hopefully I find something soon. She also needs new tennis shoes, her pink glittery Chucks are getting hard to put on. We went to Journey's yesterday to get her black glittery Chucks but they don't have them anymore. :( I think I'll just get the regular pink high tops if I don't find anything else I love.

Weekend

A recap of our days Saturday-Monday. Mondays are part of our weekend too since Steven's off. :)

Saturday morning I dressed Aiden in a plain blue shirt, when he noticed there was nothing on the front, he told me I put it on backwards. :) We went to Target and between sales and coupons- I saved $10! I've never saved that much there, its a place I spend way too much money so it made me happy.

Aiden was being a huge brat! I put his milk in a bottle and told him I was going to put a diaper on him. He got out of that little funk real quick after that. I remember my parents doing this to my brother when I was little.

Laughing at Momma.

Rian points up and says "Up" all the time. I started doing it too and saying "Down!" and moving my hand down really fast, she thought it was hilarious. She does it all the time now and cracks up.

Our little city has an exchange page on facebook, like craigslist.  Saturday my mom put the baby stuff at her house on it and I cried a little- stupid, I know. I know we won't have anymore kids but when something like that, something so final, happens- it makes me really sad. [She got a buyer for the high chair, they were supposed to meet yesterday at Walmart and the girl never showed. My mom had decided she was just going to give it to her. Sucks for that girl!]

Sunday morning my mom picked up the kids, Steven and I went to lunch than ran some errands and went grocery shopping. We didn't even have kids and didn't realize we were driving around town, jamming out to Imagination Movers til we were almost home.

We look funny.

He tried on some of those disgusting toe shoes, it was hilarious!

Afterwards, I met my mother-in-law at Joann and we picked out fabrics for Aiden's quilt- it was harder than I thought! Then Steven and I met my parents and everybody at Brewer's for dinner. Yum! I feel like such a fatty lately, since its been cooler we've been going out in the mornings and I'm missing my workouts, plus Rian wakes up so early now- I'm just tired. I need to get back into a routine. Those are just excuses, shame on me. :\ 

I was getting up to go to the kitchen and Aiden said, "Momma I love you! I want a hug" so I bent down and we were hugging. He said "Did you miss me when I was gone? I want a kiss!" I always talk about what a butthead he is, but he can also be such a little sweetie. Love my baby. Once the kids were down, Steven and I hopped in bed and watched Bridesmaids [Sunday night movies are our thing- we still need a new dvd player for the living room] I was hoping it'd be funny the second time around, and omg it was! The first time we were all laughing so hard [and by we, I mean the entire packed theater] that I missed a few things. I'm so glad I ended up buying it, its ridculous.

This morning we went on a Jeep ride.

Rian is being such a diva today, she refuses to wear Luvs and is only letting me put Huggies on her. High maintenance!

I've had these old things since high school.

The beautiful desert. Ha.

Random bone.

I've been seeing so many cute family pictures on Pinterest lately. I need to get my butt in gear and get something scheduled. We haven't done any since Aiden was 6 months old. Such a procrastinator.

And now- kids are still napping so I'm going to watch Dirty Soap- has two of my favorite girls from General Hospital on it, hopefully I still like them after this!



What to do when your exhausted husband promises to stay awake and watch a movie with you after the kids go to sleep but crashes out before them:

Watch Reba, paint your nails, have some beer and...

play dress-up and have a photoshoot by yourself!

 

Believe me, I know I'm lame.

I love days like today!

Aiden's been getting in a lot of trouble lately. Before Steven went to work, he said, "Hey, just let Aiden do whatever he wants today." Uh... whatever dude. But I took what he said into consideration. Obviously I didn't let him get away with being mean to Rian, climbing and getting into things he's not supposed to, etc. but I didn't get on him for every little thing- which I've noticed I've been doing a lot lately. And we had such a good day! I guess I'm the one that needs the time out after all. :\

Punky has an obsession with bracelets. She has a million. And if anybody else is wearing jewlery she has to be touching/wearing it. Today I let her wear an old necklace and she was so happy!

My flowers are a week old and I haven't killed them! I was so nervous, I read up on a bunch of stuff before I actually bought anything because I for sure thought I'd fail. But they're alive and thriving!

We went outside after dinner even though it was hot. The kids always look forward to popsicles when we're out back.

Little snotty nose. :)

My favorite things to do outside: read and text.

While we were out this cute little guy kept coming to visit. I got excited every single time. So did Aiden. He'd get all loud and scare him away.

There he is again!

And the end to a great day:

bloody ceasars with the hubs!