Backyard Camping

Justin and I both really wanted to take the kids camping this summer. Then summer ended. This was the busiest summer of our lives and we just didn't make time for it. Lesson learned.
Yesterday was a gorgeous day and Justin had a huge box of old Gigi's orders we needed to shred. He came up with the idea to have a fire and burn them instead, so we decided to have a campfire night in the back yard!
We spent 3 hours listening to music, being together, and appreciating our family, our home, our life, and the blessings of having so many orders to burn! We only got through half the box so another campfire is in our near future!

It's good to be a boy!

And just had to add my asparagus loving sweetie!

Avery's future career

Avery told me the other day she isn't sure she wants to be a nurse anymore.
So she asked me, "is there a job where you tell the stores what clothes they should sell?"
"Yes, that is called a buyer"
"Is there a person who can tell people what to wear?"
"Yes, that is called a stylist."
"Ok, I want to be one of those. Can you google around and find an online game where I can design clothes?"

Oh my little fashionista!

Just can't keep up!

Life has been insane lately! The kids and I just spent 10 days in Nashville with my parents. Justin came for the last 4 days and we went to Dollywood! It was soooooo much fun! Ok, so let me catch up on the last 4 months!

In March my mom came to visit. She taught Avery how to crochet. We spent a couple days in Grand Lake. It was a nice getaway!

In April we went to Disneyworld. OMG what a blast! We woke the kids up at 4am to go to our flight and surprised them! Disneyworld is seriously the happiest place on earth! We are already trying to plan our next trip! Just have to start saving!

May brought the purchase of the Denver store, FINALLY! Justin's birthday, mother's day, the end of the school year, and tons of Gigi's weddings!
May 24, 2013- Things you never knew you would say as a parent, "dude. You can't just be naked all over the place!"

June was crazy as well! I took Bitty Girl to her first concert! Taylor Swift! My parents came to visit! Yay both of them! My dad hadn't been here in a year! Of course we pretty much worked the entire time! We did get a pool day in with the kids and they LOVE swimming with Nana and Pot. We made it to a Rockie's game. And headed back up to Grand Lake. We saw a BEAR!!!! 

July was our trip to Nashville. We did the Discovery Science Museum, pool, played games and baseball, had a birthday party for Brody, went to Dollywood, and celebrated 20 years of writing for David and Tony. 
Brody turned 5! We went to the Renaissance festival on his birthday. None of us had ever been. It was definitely a throw back to my childhood and Scarborough Faire!

I have been doing crossfit! I am so sore and feeling so great! It is only 2 times a week, which is very doable, so I think I will be sticking with this for a while! I hope at least!  

Playing Catch Up

Avery and Brodyisms of late...

February 28, 2013- Bahahahaha OMG I can't stop laughing!!!! We are watching American idol and Avery just said, "he's sexy!" Justin said, "what did you just say?" And Avery said, "I said, he sings sexy!"

February 28, 2013-  Don't know what they're playing but just heard Avery say, "do you recognize me? I've changed. I dyed my hair, and got tanner, and a new cute outfit!" Oh boy!

February 12, 2013- 

Avery, "why do we have to go to the wine store?" Me, "because mommy and daddy are out of wine." Avery, "and you love your wine!"

 

February 11, 2013-  Told Brody I was still not feeling well today. His response, "be sure to drink plenty of fluids!"

 

 

Really am lucky

I really am so lucky.

My life in a nutshell lately.

I went down to part time this week! Yay me! I am also working days in February and March.

We put an offer in on the Denver store. It was accepted! Now we are waiting for our loan to come through. We started it in November. I am getting annoyed.

My kids are awesome. We have been having so much fun lately. We have been arts and crafting. We have been doing projects. We have been homeworking.

Last night we had a movie night. I moved the coffee table and put down a pallet. The kids an I laid down there and watched Eight Below, or Eight Degrees, or something like that. It had Paul Walker. He's cute. It had husky dogs. They are cute. It was so nice to snuggle up and relax together.

Their minds amaze me. They have the funniest conversations. They are so entertaining. Avery is so sweet she almost makes me cry half the time. We went to the Dollar store last night to get stuff to decorate her valentines box for school. On the way there we had a very detailed conversation about car accidents and air bags. She now calls them "air balloons" and is "very sad you have been in a car wreck before, and I am glad you didn't hit your face on the glass."

 Through the movie there were some sad scenes. They understand things so well. Even the dogs dying. They accept life. Good and bad. Happy and sad. I feel like that is our doing. I feel like Justin and I are really good parents. I think we are giving them what they need. Support, space, knowledge, innocence, truth, sheltering, experiences. I KNOW we give them love. All our love, all the time. Man these kids are loved. And they know it. That makes me happy.

VACAY!

I am going to totally overload you on our vacay photos. We had so much fun! Whale watching, paddle boarding, eating and drinking way too much! It was a blast!

Our Beauty

J and me on the sunset dinner cruise

The fam

Stand up paddle boarding

Cutest boy ever

Avery crashing boogie boarding!

MY FAVORITE PICTURE!

Brody Mack in the tide pool

Bitty girl in the tide pool

All of us

It is seriously Heaven. Didn't want to come back! The kids were great, they are at such a fun age for vacations! Can't wait for secret Disneyworld vacation in April!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sicky sick sick sick

Yep. ALL of us. Sick. Brody was the night of the 20, Avery 25, Justin 26, Kristin 27. Here's my question.....Why do you always get sick over night? Why can't you throw up all day and sleep all night? All of us....all night...I was up for all of them. Ugh. We need Maui!

Boo Boo Bunny

So, I am posting this on both blogs. I am doing it on here because this is personal. My mom made these for us as kids. I make them for my kids. I am doing it on pintereviews too because I looked and there are pins on how to make boo boo bunnies, so even though I didn't find it there, you can!
I could write out a whole tutorial on how to make them, but there is already an about.com article on it, so I am using that.
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/easterbunnies/ss/booboobunny.htm

These were my spur of the moment no prep time bunnies. Wrestling accidents happen. I just used a rubber band and drew on them with a sharpie. Googly eye ones are cuter, but they all work!

Bleh....Literally

Poor bubba man has been so sick! He started throwing up around 5:00 last night. At 5:00 this morning I thought we were done. We both got about 2 hours of sleep. Daddy let me go back to bed for another hour or so, and then Brody woke me up by throwing up on the side of my bed. Guess we're not done.
Even in the midst of being so sick and puny Brody is such a funny kid. He was so mad at me that I wouldn't let him drink water. I mean, literally, the second the water hit his stomach it would be back out. We changed the floor pallet 3 times, each changed our clothes 3 times, carpet cleaned twice so far, and am on my 3rd load of laundry. I probably have 6 more loads and sheets!
So my dilemma today is when do I disinfect the house? A stomach bug is contagious for 2-3 days after symptoms, so if I clean today he will just put his germs back everywhere tomorrow. If I don't clean today do I just marinate in these germs? Do I clean once a day for the next 3 days, plus until 3 days after the rest of us get it? I am not in denial, I am just waiting to start throwing up. We shared water yesterday. And I was thrown up on multiple times. I am planning my meals by what won't hurt coming back up right now.
Oh and Brody wanted to go to his christmas party at school so bad he got up and put a tie on this morning. He immediately proceeded to come into my room and throw up on the side of my bed. 
Anyway, here's the cute part.

• Sick Brody isms- "I wish I was with someone else that would let me drink lots of water and then you would come back while I throw it up."
  "My throw up is spicy."
  "Why are you trying to sleep while I am trying to throw up?"

  "When is my throw up going to leave me alone?"

  

  
  

The best time of the year

I am loving the holidays with the kids this year. I mean, I have every year, but this year is getting really fun. Of course the stresses are there. Shopping. Wrapping. Working. Cleaning. Planning. Knowing we will be without a big family gathering on yet another holiday. It's all fine though. I am appreciating every second I have with these precious gifts I call my kids.

We went to Nashville for the annual Gigi's Conference. Only got to spend 1 day with my family, but we made the most of it.

We played games

 

We went to the ranch and rode horses.

We had an amazing time at the Opryland hotel. It's absolutely GORGEOUS!

Oh, and we won an award! :)

So much to be thankful for.

 

This is why I had kids young

Brody has officially turned from super sweet calm loving little boy to obnoxious crazy loud non stop big BOY! Today, he wore me out. I have to work tonight. I am not looking forward to staying up all night after the day we had. I am looking forward to getting away.

Sweetness

I love how sweet my kids are to each other.

THE tree

Decorating the tree as a family is one of my favorite days of the year! We all pick it together, Justin and I never agree. Then we bring it home and decorate the house! This year Avery went into the bathroom and tied her shirt up. Then she looked back over her shoulder and said, "Does my back look good?" I am telling you we are in BIG TROUBLE!

Then I helped Avery get the Santa up on top.

Isn't she a beaut?

Yay! I made it!!!

Thanksgiving this year was fairly depressing. I was just missing having a big family filled Thanksgiving. I wanted to be sitting around a table drinking wine and doing a puzzle with my mom. I wanted to hear my dad playing the guitar. I have, in general, been having a very hard time missing my family recently. Anyway, I made, what I think, was an awesome meal. It was just Justin, the kids, Bill, and me. Of course, the kids are precious as always.

While the kids were waiting to break the wishbone I made them say what they were thankful for. I think they both had wonderful thoughts and maybe actually "get" the point of it!
Brody- "I am thankful for god because he keeps us alive."
Avery- "I am thankful for my friends and family and for all the holidays even the ones you don't get toys or candy, and I am thankful for nana and pot even though they can't be with us." 

 We went up to Grand Lake the day after Thanksgiving and had a WONDERFUL weekend away. I really wish we could do that more often. We need it, we deserve it, but we are working too hard to do it. 
We played at the park. 

We made s'mores.

We went out to dinner and I took my FAVORITE picture ever!

I am so thankful for my life. For my husband, who is the best partner I could ask for. For my kids, who are entertaining and infuriating equally! For the ability to do a job I LOVE.  It's been a good year, and it was nice to take a break and remember what this living business is all about!