Seize the day

After reading an article my friend Ashley posted, I felt inspired to ignore my laundry and taxes and dishwasher and make cookies with Sam this afternoon. Sweet time together.:)

Valentines

So... I'm crazy. I decided to take all four kids to JoAnn's with me today. I know, who would do that to themselves? But I really really really wanted to finish off the easter outfits so I could clean up the sewing mess and I needed double sided fusible interfacing so I could make booties for Ruby... you understand the urgency. And I had a whole day before me yawning ahead by myself with four kids... we had to do something.

So in exchange for good behavior, I bribed them with a visit to target's dollar bins (conveniently located next door). I also got an awesome clearance shirt that I embellished for Pearl's skirt, good day:) As we were perusing the dollar bins, I noticed both boy and girl flavors of valentines pencils. And I thought, I can do something with those... it's better for me not to have candy around this year.

So, at home, I hop on the internet, and lo and behold:

Really, someone was brilliant. But I don't have the energy or creativity to put these together, I was hoping for some nice little free printable, no such luck. But that got me thinking.... hey, I know some superheroes!!!!

A quick trip to the halloween photos (I have GOT to get my milelage out of those awesome costumes!!!) and I have my own homemade superheroes. My master plan is to poke holes and put the pencils in over the swords... not quite as cute as the lollipop from last year but pretty easy. The images have already been sent to Costco for printing.

I really wanted to do this picture for Sam:
But he really wanted this one, so I said ok, even though I think his pencil sword will cover up his face. Oh well.
I apparently really love being prepared for holidays. I wish I was as motivated to work ahead on something useful, like tax season:)

PS the kids really were good in JoAnns. Then we made it thorough Target AND Chipotle where I also had to nurse the baby. On the way out from Chipotle, a guy saw me from his car in the parking lot and commented on my bravery.... you have no idea... the courage I summon to take all four ANYWHERE!!! At least they are amazingly good kids!

PPS Annie - I have a couple of shots of Jack and some extra pencils if you want this for your valentine too... let me know and I'll doctor up the pics and send em over:)

Friday night party

Guess what I did tonight? Easter outfits for the kids, of course! Jared is still gone and I was feeling bored of normal stuff, you know, laundry, dishes... So I did this. Tonight I learned about shirring, but in order to do it I had to take my sewing machine apart 3 times. Love how everything turned out, now I just need a sweater for Pearl:)

Brilliant. Really.

We were reading the book "too many toys" and when we got to this page, Max busted out with LETTER RECOGNITION of symbolic letters AND phonics. I think he's brilliant. I had to run and get the camera.

Now if he only put his brain power into potty training....

Hex Bugs

Max has a love hate relationship with the hex bugs.

Sammy got a really cool glow in the dark set for Christmas from Max, and Santa was kind enough to put a few bugs in Max's stocking so he could play with his brother. Max thought they were great until it turned on (they kind of vibrate on their rubber legs to move around pretty quickly and bump into things). He dropped it and ran away crying.

Yesterday, he played hex bugs with Danny. Two of the three (there were 5, who knows where the other ones went) were out of batteries, so we went to target to get batteries for the hex bugs. Let me tell you, there was much conversaion about "baddedies" for the hex bugs, and when I let him get a new multi pack to share with Pearl and Sam (Pearl was a little sad she didn't get any, go figure, we found her a purple one), he was so excited. So excited that when he dragged all 5 into the hot dog place for lunch, and I told him we would open them at home, he bolted his hot dog in 3 bites (I kid you not, I was very afraid of choking) and told me he was ready to go (I wasn't, but that's another story...). We got home, he slept with his red hex bug (still in it's tube), and all the kiddos got to play for a half an hour or so when he got up before we took off for achievement days/taekwondo/kickboxing.

So, this morning, thinking he was healed of his bug scare (I mean, he was fairly obsessed with them yesterday) I let him play hex bugs alone upstairs. First we spent quite some time looking for the red hex bug (his new one) to no avail. So, we replaced the dead batteries, and I went off to do dishes or whatever it is I do. All the sudden, I hear a scream and some hysterical crying. I race upstairs to see Max clinging to the banister in an attempt to not be on the floor with the escaped hex bug. Hilarious.

This brings us to the part of the day where I'm a bad mom. I got him down for a nap, then went for a walk with Ruby to give him some quiet time to fall asleep. We checked on grandma, and when we got back, I hear Max crying, which is quite unusual. That kid always goes down fine for naps. I walk in and he's standing in the corner of his room clutching his shoes and socks and shaking and crying. I look on his bed, and see the culprit... he found his red bug. It was there, buzzing away on his pillow. I turned it off and removed the culprit, but it took him some time to stop shaking and calm down.

I don't think he gets any alone time with hex bugs anymore. We need big brother (who is NOT afraid of the bugs) to play with them:)

So sore.

I am so sore. And we had a level one class on Saturday. I'd better look SO GOOD by the end of this year...

Katie's Birthday

Today is Katie's birthday. I can't believe she's 3! Mara had a small cousin party (the best... who needs friends when you have so many cousins?) at the park. It was sunny but BLUSTERY (as you can see by the windblown hair)! The kids all had fun, I was super proud of the present I made for Katie, matching skirts for her and her dolly, which she adores. Looks like I still need to make dolly a shirt:). She also asked for legwarmers, which she always sees Ruby wear. This was a post party picture Mara texted to me:

Katie is such a sweetie. Some of the things I love about her, are how much she loves babies (she ALWAYS wants to hold Ruby!) and how much fun she and Max have together. She's pretty sure that I'll show up whenever they go to Sam's Club (she and Max sit in the cart together and I feed them apple slices to keep them happy) and she LOVES to give goodbye hugs and kisses. She has the most beautiful hair. For the first two months of Ruby's life, she called her "Max and Ruby." "Amy, where's Max and Ruby?" I love kiddos this age, they are so much fun.

Plus, I think she and Ruby are going to look a lot alike... which makes her the most adorable person ever, of course:)

Happy Birthday, Kate-mate!!!!

Surgery

Jared's headed into surgery in a bit here. Here's the before picture of his lump, as well as his in hospital entertainment:)

Kickboxing

I started a kickboxing class today. Well... it's only partially kickboxing. It's more like whatever evil conditioning exercises Master Yi can come up with fired as quickly as possible over a 45 minute period. I really really really almost puked. As in laid outside on the very cold asphalt for 10 minutes after class so it would go away. It reminds me of the first day of taekwondo a year ago when Jared puked. That was pushing it for him, this is pushing it for me. Actually, I honestly belive that it's pushing it for any rational human being, but Master Yi assures me that he will push us harder. Goodie. It's been only an hour or two since class ended and I am already in pain when I walk or pick anything up. Tomorrow will be fun!!!!

I am going to be so awesomely in shape by the time I make it down to my size 4. And I'm already fantasizing about the very large and expensive shopping spree I will go on to buy fabulous clothes that all look fabulous on me. It's going to be awesome. And so worth it.

Plus my gloves are totallly cool. And pink. And official. Except for the flower I drew on them:)

Progress Report

It's time. Time for new year's resolutions. No pressure on you, really, but even though it's kind of cliche I think it's a good idea. First, a progress update on last year...

1. I will cook a healthy dinner for my family at least 3 (I was going to put 4, but let's be real here) nights a week even when Jared is out of town. Progress: goal partially met. Continue. (this is how I word my speech reports... weird) I think I did 3 nights. I say this becuase I had a baby and I really don't remember... but it's still a good goal.

2. Take Taekwondo with the kids and finish the year with a green belt. (that's two belts up... hopefully I can do that!) Progress: Goal MET!!! WOOO HOOO!!!

3. Keep my buisness up, which I love! Progress: goal met:) Wasn't that hard, I love it!

4. Go out on a date (a real one with a babysitter and lipstick) at least once a month (I was going to put week, but let's be reasonable, chances are he'll be gone 2 weekends a month) with my husband. I kind of like him. Progress: Goal not met; continue. Yeah. I'm pretty sure we went out like 6 times this year. That's 50% accuracy:)

5. Get a good picture of each of my children at least once a month. Progress: Maybe? I'll have to look back. I know I got one of Max and Ruby every month, once again, 50% accuracy, eh?

6. Help Pearl sew 2 american girl doll outfits. (and if I don't make it, I'll have to buy four. That's the deal... Pearl probably prefers that I fail on this one... but it would be better for her and for me if we sewed together) Progress: Goal exceeded. So much so, that I ended up "needing" the serger that my super awesome mother in law bought me for christmas. And I've started making Ruby's clothes. I think a monster has been created:)

Ok, new goals:

1. Read my scriptures every day. Yes, it's time to add that one to the list again.

2. Make it to red belt by the end of this year:) This one might be a stretch... I'll have to work really hard.

3. Make it to my lifetime weight watchers goal so I don't have to pay anymore. That's 25 pounds from now, no big deal, right?

4. Go out with Jared once a month. I think that would be an appropriate goal to continue. This time, I'm going to schedule a babysitter TONIGHT for a once a month saturday job.

Once again, good luck to me and good luck to you:)