Happy Halloween!

how to design a room with two CRIBS?

I decided since I don't have matching cribs or bumpers or anything matching that I would instead do a BOY side and a GIRL side. I found Brooke's fabric on her bumper at the goodwill. I absolutely love it! I wish I could paint the walls but we are renting. The purple walls will just have to do!
The baby mobile was from a library book that accidentally went through the wash! I like it now though since it goes with my Aunt's quilt that has the rough edges!
The rug is a "Mill" piece where I used to work. We are borrowing it from the Glenn family. We are so glad to have the rug now that it is getting SO COLD! Thanks guys!

I really don't know anything about design, but lately I have been so entertained by design blogs. Since I am not teaching dance or choreographing maybe this is my way of getting my creativity out- designing my house! I really am ready to get back to dancing. Dancing is FREE and I don't have to keep LOOKING for things to make my SPACE the way I want it!! I miss dancing, oh I really miss it!

Carden, Brooke, and Rhead

Brooke and Rhead love to play on the couch. Rhead has no fear and will climb on top of the couch and then throw himself back down (almost like he is trying to fly!).

Rhead is still walking like a champ. He is so fast and loves to follow me around the house.
Brooke likes to grab and take things from Rhead. Actually I should say that that is what Rhead TRIES to do to Brooke but she is so quick at taking it back and holding on that Rhead usually tries to tackle her to get it back! She is going to be one tough girl!

Carden likes THOMAS! He is obsessed. I don't know how it happened. But he loves to go over to his cousin's house and play trains with him. It is so cute because every Saturday I can hear Carden saying, "Daddy! Daddy, I need to go to Chase's house!" He will keep saying it until Justin replies.

Carden loves to ride his Bike. Hopefully SANTA will bring him a bigger bike! He can ride so far now and it really quite fast. He loves to smash bugs and "shew" flies with a "KIX" box of cereal! haaa haa! One morning I was trying to get this fly out of our house and so I just grabbed the cereal box to get him to fly. So now when Carden sees a fly he will go grab a cereal box and say "Shew fly"!!! It is really funny!

He loves playing with Brooke and Rhead. He is so gentle with Brooke and rough with Rhead. He loves swinging on the swings, going up and down the slides, and loves to play with cars and trains still.

tee shirt headbands!

WHAT TO DO WITH ALL THOSE TEE SHIRTS you don't want?

tee shirt headbands- just use all those ugly tee shirts in your closet!
I just cut the size around the head then layered a bunch of random cut circles and started to stitch them on until I liked the way it looked!

Carden training Rhead to walk

we've been wanting to post this for a while but kept waiting to edit this video so it was more "professional." finally we just decided to play the "bicycle" song twice and not cut anything out, so it's kind of long...but at least you get to listen to Queen!

enjoy...

Carden

I just love this boy!

These shoes make me happy!

I know they are just shoes. But they make me happy! They are REAL shoes and now my little babies feel more and more like little toddlers! My Aunt gave them to Brooke and Rhead when they were born and I am so excited that I finally get to put them on them. They love wearing their shoes! Rhead loves to walk around in them. He will go find them in his bedroom in the morning and hand them to me. I think he likes to hear them on the hard wood floor! Soon to come is a movie of Rhead walking...!!!! It is so cute! Brooke is taking steps but Rhead is full on walking (almost running!) and he just turned 11 months yesterday!

Carden and the "ack-a-tar"

Just wanted to document this real quick. Saturday was a fun day for Carden. We got up and went to the Stake Emergency Preparedness Fair. We saw lots of fire trucks, police cars and the coolest thing was a giant army helicopter that came and landed in the football field at the church. It was awesome and definitely made an impression on him. We also ate yummy muffins cooked in these cool stoves, got chocolate "coins", some cool colored "live-strong" style bracelets and a whole bunch of other stuff.

Later on that day we went to In-n-out (Marin and I's first time eating "out" by ourselves in quite some time...the kids were all asleep in the car) We then went to the Glenn's to watch the BYU game. Carden always loves to play with trains. I played soccer with all the kids and played a game on the tramp with them too.

That night when I get to lay by Carden and read him stories for bed we finished our stories and turned out the lights. This is one of my favorite times of the day as I get to just lay with Carden. He usually doesn't want me to sing anymore (I guess my voice stinks! :) ) so I just lay with me and if I get up too early he says "I want me to hold you," and I lay by him for a few more minutes. After a few more minutes I tell him I need to go get ready and he'll roll over and start snuggling with his pillow.

But that night after we turned the lights out he just started talking about his day. He was telling me details even I had forgotten about. He remembered the muffins that were "cookin' in da oven", and the "orange" wrapper that concealed the chocolate "monies". He remembered the giant snoopy-style dog at the fire truck that he gave a high-five. He remembered the color of his "live-strong" braclet. "Carnen has yellow...B'ook has poople...Weed has gween and Daddy has yellow."

I couldn't believe it. He remembered our soccer game that we played, the fun we had on the tramp. The Toy Story movie we watched in the morning while Mommy slept. (He remembered we had to turn the tv down "because mommy is sleeping"). He then went on for seriously 20 minutes about the helicopter or as Carden calls it, the "Ack-a-tar".

He kept saying how it was "way up high" and then "went aroun' and aroun'" and then "came down on the grass". He's doing all this with his hand, acting like it's the helicopter.

We seriously talked for 45 minutes about almost every thing we did that day. He even remembered the "Bye-You (BYU) football tackle"? I was shocked. It was the most I've ever heard him talk. It's like he morphed from a toddler using phrases and words to a boy, using sentences and remembering intricate details from throughout the day.

It was a great reminder of how "sponge-like" our kids are and how sensitive they are to everything around them. Most importantly they do remember EVERYTHING we do with them and it's our responsibility as parents to fill their minds with good things and good memories. They will always remember everything we do (and don't do) with them. Imagine if I spent all Saturday studying, working or watching college football all day...I'd miss all these great memories with my family!

Carden is really growing up into a cute, good little boy. Every time I see a "ack-a-tar" I will be reminded of "what matters most" (Uchtdorf) and a sweet little 2.5 year old boy who is waiting for his parents to teach and love and play with him. I think sometimes I choose family over school too much, but it's moments like this that I know I'm making the right decision.

HUNGER GAMES Series

Just finished the third book last night!
Wow, I LOVED these books and I don't even like to read!
I thought they were great! I read them so fast which is amazing because usually it
takes me months to read a book!

"Horn... uh... something?"

Tonight as we sat at the dinner table I was trying to tell Justin what Carden and I saw at the zoo. It was the first thing we went to go see at the Zoo and the name couldn't come to me.

"Horn... uh something?" I kept saying. "Hornpipe! Ha ha. No that wasn't it!"

Carden then replied, "HORNBILL!"

Justin and I both stopped laughing and looked at each other like "wow is that really what the name was?" We both didn't even think Carden was paying any attention to our whole conversation!

I couldn't believe it! Our little two year old boy remembered exactly what animal we had seen this morning at the zoo. I was blown away! I then thought, really was that the name. I ran to the internet and googled it and sure enough it was the bird we had seen!

I'm glad that I was able to take Carden, Brooke, and Rhead to the zoo. I am glad that I even took the time to read what animal we were seeing and all the facts about each one.

Carden was laughing so hard as Justin and I were trying to make the "HORNBILL" sounds. Then Brooke and Rhead started busting up and it was just hilarious. Brooke must have put the bad memory behind her because she was actually in tears as she heard the birds talk back to each other!

Skin Rashes?

I swear my kids have sensitive skin. I don't know where that comes from? I don't think my skin is sensitive but then how do you fine that?

Anyways my kids have rashes around their lips which I guess means I fed them something they shouldn't be eating. The only problem is I don't know WHERE to start in knowing what to cut out! Any ideas??

Also Carden has NEVER in his LIFE had a diaper rash until now! It is only on the sides of his hips where the diapers rub. I think maybe his diapers are too small (he is just a BIG boy!) but I really don't know what to do. Any ideas?? I tried a little baby powder but haven't really been consistent.

They aren't ugly rashes and are hardly there but still I feel like maybe I should at least TRY to cure them!

Any thoughts ideas? Please comment!