Princess Tea Party

We broke out the china and made invites and handed them out to our neighbors across the street, Maili and Haeli Wilkins. I made lunch and the girls showed up in their best dresses.

We used our manners and kept our pinkies up while drinking our sparkling cider.

Little girls are so fun.

I'm getting really excited about having a little baby around again. The girls too. 3 weeks until my ultra sound where we see if a boy or a girl will be joining us. I am not quite ready to be done with the little girl things, dress up and barbies and frills and bows but it might be kinda nice to have some boys around here.

Guess we will see...

Summer TO DO list

I wish that I had turned this picture before posting...here is our annual summer to do list that we came up with as a family. I want my kids to have a say in how they spent their summer and I want them to feel important in our family and I want to know what it is they think is cool to do. I like to hear TJs ideas too.

-Sleep in the tent (check)
-Hike the Y (check)
-go camping
-go to the parade (check)
-go to Lagoon
-waterfalls
-eat fajitas
-go to dancing waters
-make homemade ice-cream
-picnic
-St. George
-zoo

I think it's all pretty do able.

Hiking the Y and FATHERS DAY!

Friday night we set up the tent in the backyard. TJ and the two older girls slept in it. Lexi however had had a few too many late nights with no naps and I really didn't want her up at the crack of dawn so her and I slept inside (all cozy and warm I might add). The girls said they were a bit cold and during the night Chloe even got up and went and snuggled with TJ in his sleeping bag. 

Saturday evening we planned to hike the Y. The kids thought it was pretty cool when I told them they could actually touch the Y on the mountain. TJ was not as stoked about the idea. He was certain he would have to carry Lexi up the steep mountain. Well turns out Lexi is a trooper and walked the whole way up herself and never wanted breaks. I on the other hand was huffing and puffing (I will blame it on the baby in me). It was fun and we got to see a cool sunset on the way down.

Sunday it was Father's Day. The girls made dad pasta and cheerio necklaces. It was a cool gift that kept their attention and took hours to make. We will probably make more in the future just for quiet time.
I hope TJ know just how much we love him and how much we think of him. He is our rock and makes the day start and end. He is a lot like his dad and a lot like mine so really I got the best of both worlds and there could never be anyone better!

Sweet sisters

These two are really adorable. This is how I found them one afternoon while watching some cartoons. Just snuggling. They both have me wrapped around their tiny fingers. Lately Lexi has been playing by herself soooo well. She will go off by herself with her barbies or princesses or babies and just play and talk and sing for hours. It cracks me up to listen to her little conversations. The other night I went to go into her room to tell her that dinner was ready and I could barely get through the door. She had blocked it off from the inside with her little chairs so that no one could interrupt her play time. Once I got in and told her to come eat she said "No, I'm almost done playing". She always has to end her stories. And when the other girls and I go outside to play she often won't come but would rather stay inside where it is nice and cool where she can be alone. She likes to say "I'm fine mom, you go outside, I play in here".
Chloe on the other hand has quite the vocabulary and the imagination. Tallie and her have been obsessed lately with this tv show called "H2O". It's about these girls who turn into mermaids when they touch water and they have special powers too. Chloe has been using her special powers to make things freeze and turn hot and whenever we go to the pool she reminds me that we have to be careful so no one sees her tale. She got invited to go to a swim party and the first thing she said was "Oh NO! I will turn into a mermaid and everyone will see!" She is so cute and has me cracking up on a daily basis. I love these two and I just wonder what it will be like when they start to share a room later this year.

Endless hair....and crazy allergies!!

I hope my kids don't grow up and resent the fact that I am a hairdresser. I hope their childhood memories are not of them playing around mom who was always doing hair in the kitchen. I hope they know they come first. I hope I make up for all the time spent doing hair in other ways. And I hope they know I love them.

In the last 19 days I have had 15 hair appointments.  I don't take clients Saturday or Sundays. That equals me doing hair EVERY day during the week, and somedays multiples. I don't like it. I'm playing catch up from Hawaii. I'm hoping it all slows down after this week so I can actually start to enjoy my summer with my kids.

For the past 4 weeks I have been dying with Allergies. Not sure if they are due to this pregnancy or just something new I developed but it SUCKS! The last couple days have been more bearable and I'm starting to feel like myself again. Thankgoodness!

Date with Tallie

When I got back from Hawaii I really felt like Tallie and I needed some one on one time.

We went to color me mine where she picked out the princess Tiana and we painted her together. It was much needed and I really love spending time with my Tallie. She is such a sweetheart and so funny to be around. She is growing up on me and although it's exciting, I want her to stay right where she is at...FOREVER.

Summer Time

I love me some summer days. I love the sunshine, the heat, late nights and night games and movie nights.  I love the endless kids everywhere (most of the time anyways, until they leave trash all over my yard, eat all of my food and destroy my house)

 This sandbox will be the death of TJ. He hates all of the sand all over the yard.

Broccoli

We grew Broccoli for the first time this year and it REALLY grew! The more and more I garden, the more and more I am amazed at what actually grows. I spent the afternoon yesterday blanching (I had to learn what that was) it all to put up in the freezer. 

Art City Days

The Carnival, the Parade and the Children's Bike Parade...A busy but fun week. 

Although it was hard for Chloe to ride her bike when she wanted to hold my hand while doing it, she was a bit nervous. Tallie was upset because she wanted to go fast but didn't want to alone and I had to stay with Lexi, who has developed a fear of her big girl princess bike with training wheels (she fell off one time) and so she had to ride her trike which goes no miles per hour. So I'm not sure if that part was a hit or not but the rest was fun.

ARIZONA!

So I am soooo glad that I decided to go to Arizona to be with my family for Coby's baptism and Christian's graduation! When I found out TJ would be in NY that same week and I would be home alone it wasn't really hard to decide. I didn't want my family to all be together and me home solo wishing I was there. I was nervous to drive alone with the kids because they don't do so hot in the car. But it wasn't as bad as I thought. We all had our moments but I didn't loose my mind. We split up the drive on the way down and I stopped in Flagstaff for the night. All I can say is that I was SO SUPER tired and was having a hard time staying awake while driving. Those darn Disney songs didn't really give me the pep that I needed.  I realized on this trip just how much I depend and rely on my awesome husband! But it was really great for me to do this on my own. I was solely in charge. I checked into a hotel with the kids by myself, unloaded all the luggage, went to breakfast, and checked out. I guess you could say I gained some confidence on this trip. I can do hard things. BUT it is so much nicer to do them with my other half, TJ.

It was so nice to be with my family and it had been way too long since I had been to Arizona to visit. While we were there we went and saw Tandy's new house and Deidra's new house they are building. We swam EVERYDAY (it was 108 degrees) and the kids were in HEAVEN! Chloe couldn't get enough of  their dog Ella and wanted to bring her home with us. We made it to Coby's baptism which was really special. I can't believe that Christian is all grown up, he really looks like a man!! I can't believe I used to change his diapers. Savanna is beautiful and she had her 8th grade graduation as well and she is such a sweetheart! I wish that TJ could have been there with us. Deidra, Justin and Tyler signed up for the Phoenix marathon while I was there and it was sad to not sign up with them. ONE day soon I will run another one myself. The drive back was good and we drove all the way. 12 hours in the car and not one child slept AT ALL the ENTIRE way HOME! As for me I thought about sleeping the whole way home. TJ was bouncing around on the drive way when we pulled up and he was the best sight ever! It was sad to leave, I almost cried, but it was oh so good to be home. He even planted all the flowers in the yard for me and did some shopping so we would have food in the morning. I love him.