It's a Howell Thing

Christmas Eve 2011

2012-02-13T11:55:00.000-08:00

Our traditional Chinese dinner. This year, we went to Chang's Garden. Sooo yummy!

Teagan and Cordel

My Mommy, Kleis and Grandma Udene.

Aunt Debra and Uncle Leonard

Teagan and Tyllan

Shane, Me, and Sydnie

Cordel and Sydnie listening to Twas the Night Before Christmas (recorded by my Daddy and Step Mom Kaye) They LOVE it!!

New Christmas Jammies and Pee-wee Pillow Pets! YAY!

Thanksgiving 2011

2012-01-06T18:09:00.000-08:00

4 pictures. I know what you are thinking, right? WTH, McKenzie? And believe me, I am with you on that. Thanksgiving morning is always a crazy... getting kids ready, and myself ready, and food ready to go, ect. There is only so much room in this head of mine! Hell, I cant remember everything and this year, it was the camera that got left behind! Now, Uncle Leonard, sweet man that he is, let me borrow his camera for the day. Problem was that, you know, it was a strange camera and about 2/3's of the pics I took didn't turn out. These are the ones that did turn out.

This is my sister, Brooke with my Grandma Udene. It was so fabulous Brooke and her kids at Thanksgiving this year! Now, my other sister, Teagan, has a good picture of the three of us. If I ever track it down, I will for sure be posting it!

Mitch, Emma, and Sydnie

Cordel and Hannah

My Mama, Kleis, and Dakota. Deb in the background...

That's it folks! Pretty Pathetic, I know. Such is life.

The Howell's 1st Annual Halloween Party

2011-11-18T17:38:00.000-08:00

Little Red Riding Hood and Big Bad Wolf (Josh and Misty)

Robbin Hood and Maid Marian (Keith and Allie)

Vampire Couple (Mike and Jamie)

Frankenstein and Bride (Wendy and Alan)

Referee and Athlete (Chrissy and JR)

Doctor and FAILED patient (Rachel and Travis)

Mermaid and Fisherman (Shane and McKenzie)

What we learned:

1. People get a lil crazy on Halloween Night.

2. When alcohol is present, craziness increases TEN FOLD.

3. Adults ARE NOT afraid of making fools of themselves, especially if

A) it gets a laugh

B) it earns a fate card

C) its gets one a silly Band.

4. A box of props can make or break the success of a game.

5. People will do anything for a prize.

and

6. Halloween is NOT just for kids.

Too funny!

2011-11-18T17:19:00.000-08:00

Source: stumbleupon.com via Stacey on Pinterest

Crazy Hair Day!!

2011-11-18T17:02:00.000-08:00

I'm quite certain this was the first and last time the kid will let me give him a Faux hawk. I guess that leaves out the punk rocker spikes I was planning for the next Crazy Hair Day...

Everybody was....

2011-11-18T16:56:00.000-08:00

KUNG FOO FIGHTING!!

Well, not really. It was Jiu Jitsu. and they weren't fighting. and they are 5-7 year olds. and its a class. But still... that was fun to say, right?

Safe Sleeping

2011-11-18T16:51:00.000-08:00

My guess? He wanted to keep Rufus EXTRA safe.

And please, just add a little salt to the wound...

2011-09-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Yup, there's more. But first, you need to read the previous post Birthday Blues

And in the process of finding all of the Birthday Posts for the HERE links, I realized I didn't post about Sydnie's Birthday Party this year. When it rains it pours, and apparently I have acquired my own personal cloud of guilt. It's a good one too. With thunder and lightening and everything. CRACK! BAM!
May I have another please?

So, here it is!! Sorry Sis.

The Dora Party!!

The Birthday Girl! Four years old and beautiful!

Our first activity was coloring a cupcake coloring page. We told the kids it was a contest, but we really needed them to create "Cupcake Mountain" for the adventure!

And then we read "If you give a cat a cupcake" and "Dora Makes a Wish" to give my helpers upstairs time to set up.

Then we headed upstairs and discovered that all of Sydnie's presents were missing! There was a letter from Swiper the Fox saying he swiped all of Sydnie's presents! Oh no! Will you help Sydnie and Dora find Sydnie's presents?

Who do we ask for help when we don't know which way to go? THE MAP!!

First we go through the playhouse...

and then we go over cupcake mountain...

and then we go through Happy Birthday Birthday Gate...

to find Sydnie's presents!

WE DID IT!!

Let's go open those presents!

Alli and Madi waiting for some cake!!

Make a Wish!!

And finally, taking her new bike for a spin!

I can't believe my baby girl is 4 years old! I love you, Sis!

Birthday Blues

2011-09-15T15:01:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, or you click here, here, here, or here, you know that I am "that mom" who throws those huge, elaborate parties complete with birthday adventures for all to experience like a trip to Bikini Bottom or adopting a puppy! I have always loved planning and creating these celebrations that always reflect my kids interests at that time in their life. I love it!

This year, it was..... a little different. Cordel had a really rough start in school. It was a really big adjustment for him. The rules at the Academy are very strict and he was having a really hard time with it. We had tried everything. No video games, no TV, no friends, extra chores, in addition to whatever consequence the school was implementing, usually missing recess! Nothing was getting through to this kid! So, after much thought and consideration, we told Cordel that if he "struck out" at school again, he would not be having a party with friends. And sadly, he struck out a few days later. I was beside myself! I just couldn't believe it!

And to make matters worse, we later found out that the strikes he was getting at school were for very minor infractions. VERY MINOR. Now, we as Love and Logic parents know that Our Word is Gold. We mean what we say and say what we mean, and do what we say we will do. So, even though I was having enormous bouts of guilt rack my body, we stuck to our word and had a simply party with family only.

THANK HEAVENS HE HAS A LOT OF COUSINS!!

We did our best to make the party as fun as possible without breaking our word. We went to a park, invited lots of family, opened presents, and had cake and cupcakes for the birthday boy.

In the end and in spite of the guilt, we felt good about choosing to be parents first and allow our son to learn a hard lesson.

The Birthday Boy at his Birthday Breakfast!

Opening presents...

Make a Wish!!!

This is one of my nephews friends Lucas. I, in all my walling in guilt and chaos of planning the "not-party" forgot to buy forks for the cake. Lucas showed us how to overcome that obstacle!

Happy Birthday, Cordel! We love you so much!

Where were you...

2011-09-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

     On a blog I regularly read, a community question was asked--
     The 9/11 memorial specials are playing in earnest for the 10th anniversary. What are your memories from 10 years ago?

     So here is my story. I hope that, in some fashion or form, you share yours too.

     September 11, 2001 found me at a tumultuous time in my life. I was officially separated from my husband at the time, Mike Simmons. We had been together since high school and I loved him deeply. Literally trying to survive my profound heartbreak, I was trudging through those last weeks of August and first week of September, just going through the motions. And during that time, I made a friend. A friend who saw past my brave exterior, didn't judge or criticize, and did his damnedest to get my mind off of things, if only for a little while. A friend who saw me at my absolute worse and loved me anyway. September 11th was no different for me than any other day at 5:15am when my alarm went off. I forced myself out of bed, got ready for work, and headed out.

     At 8:46am, when Flight 11 hit the North tower, I had just pulled into the SD25 bus parking lot, having finished driving my morning route. I continued with my post trip, sweeping, and clocking out, unaware of the tragedy unfolding in New York. Fifteen minutes later, I headed to my car where I caught up with my Mom who asked me if I had heard what happened. I told her no and she said a plane had crashed into one of the Twin Towers in New York. Concerned but not really knowing exactly what was going on, we decided to stick with our original plans and headed to my sister's house. It was there that we sat in front of the television watching the rest of the horrific morning unfold.

   I remember sitting on my sister's couch holding Hannah, my 4 week old niece, and having this sense of panic rise in my chest. I sat staring at her beautiful face and kept thinking about all the people in my life. My mom, my sisters, my husband, my friends. I couldn't fathom losing any of them. Not a single one. I sat staring at the T.V. watching the horrors and I had a sense of overwhelming sadness and anger for what was happening in our country. I don't remember a whole lot of what was said, as I'm sure is the case for many of you. But I do remember the images. The images flashing across the T.V. and the images of my loved ones while they watched. Their tear stained faces. The look of horror in their eyes. Their worried pacing and need to be close to each other, to be held and assured. The look of pure and sweet innocence on my nieces' face and knowing that there will always be a Before 9/11 and an After 9/11. And being scared to the depths of my soul about what the After would be like.

   9/11 affected everybody in countless different ways. For me, as I know it did for many, it was a wake up call for the way I wanted to spend my time on Earth. It forced me to take a good look at what I was doing and how I was living. Fighting for a relationship that wasn't even wanted by the other person. Agonizing over what other people would think and worried about being embarrassed to tell people that my marriage only lasted 8 months. After 9/11, all of that seemed so... insignificant. So shallow. It made me see that I needed to , not only let go of the my broken marriage but my anger as well. It forced me to see what was right in front of me. My friend. Who had been waiting patiently on the sidelines for me to work through my marital issues. Waiting to be my knight in shinning armor. It made me want to love someone who could love me back just as much and to live my life to it's fullest. But most importantly, it gave me the courage to do so.

   My friend, who I am sure most of you have figured out is my husband Shane, proposed to me on February 14, 2002. We were married a short 4 weeks later on March 16, 2002. We will be celebrating our 10th anniversary next March and I have not for one single second had any regrets.

She loves her...

2011-09-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

Our new baby, Emma. She is such a sweet little girl! And boy, oh boy does Sydnie love her! Every morning Sydnie asks if it is a daycare day, and if the answer to that is yes, then she asks if Emma is coming. She cries if the answer to that is no. Sydnie is such a great helper. And thankfully, it is the helpful kind of helping, not the make it ten times harder than it really is kind of helping. Those of you who have small children or work with small children will understand the difference.

XOXOXOX

Secret Identity

2011-09-05T17:52:00.000-07:00

There was a tap, tap, tap on my shoulder early one morning and I knew it was Cordel. It is always Cordel that early in the morning. From the time he was old enough to get out of his own bed, he has been my early morning alarm clock. And this morning was no different. Or was it?

So, I rolled over and, lo and behold! It was not Cordel! It was Super Boy! What a treat! It's pretty amazing that Super Boy and Cordel both like their chocolate milk the same way in the morning, they both like to watch the same cartoons in the morning, and they both have the most gorgeous blue eyes you have ever seen. hmmm, I wonder...

Nah! I'm sure it can't be! My Cordel would never be out all night fighting crime. He has school this morning!

XOXOXOXOXOX

DNA

2011-09-04T07:29:00.000-07:00

When Cordel was younger and we started realizing how smart he is, everybody said, "Well, it's because you work with him so much. You have taught him so well!" And I suppose that's true to a point. But I refuse to take 100% of the credit. And this whole time I have been thinking how lucky I am to have a kid who the smarts just come easy to. And then Sydnie came along. And she is different in every way. Boy vs Girl. Brown hair and brown eyes vs blonde hair and blue eyes. Extremely shy vs totally out going. I never thought it possible to have 2 kids who are complete opposites. Except in one thing. Brain power. Hers is a little harder to see and to recognize. Mostly because she doesn't really speak to anyone but me, her daddy, and Grandma Kleis. But it is there. And in those quiet moments when she speaks to me about this or that, I am stunned at how her little brain is processing the world around her. She recently finished her Summer Bridge Book, a workbook designed to help kids hold onto the knowledge they gain during the school year through the summer. I bought her the Pre-K one, even though she still has another year before Kindergarten. And she finished it easily and with a confidence I rarely see in her. It was such a moment to celebrate for us. And again, I cannot take 100% of the credit. It's in their DNA.

First Grade- a day filled with many FIRSTS!

2011-09-01T13:00:00.000-07:00

His FIRST uniform on the FIRST day of school and lookin so sharp and handsome!

His FIRST friend at The Academy-- McKinely

His FIRST time climbing on "the web" on the playground!

The FIRST time the class lined up to go into the school.

Sitting at his very FIRST desk! In Kindergarten they had tables!

The FIRST grade teacher for his FIRST year at The Academy-- Mrs. Woods

Have a FANTASTIC year, Buddy!!

Old enough?

2011-08-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

When they were little and they would ask me if they could cut their own sandwich or walk across the street, or scrub the bathtub, I usually told them "When you are older." This was my response to them in an effort to keep them safe. I didn't want them to cut themselves, get hit by a car, or get cleaner in their eyes or eat it, as little ones tend to do. Over time, I guess it became an automatic response for things like that. But the other day, HELLO LIGHTBULB. These kids ain't tiny anymore! And, believe it or not, they WANTED to scrub the tub. I could get use to this.

Colorful Kids

2011-08-13T10:41:00.000-07:00

Our Tie Dye shirts turned out SO fabulous! I was so please with them. These turned out better than the ones we've made at the Art Dept at ISU. No joke! And aren't the kids just as gorgeous as a rainbow?

(picture is missing 2 kids- Caden, whom we no longer have, and Aliza, who was sick, poor babe!)

2 cool dudes

2011-08-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

Finally tall enough to reach the pegs on the back of my Dad's Harley!! I know it will give me nightmares if Cordel owns a motorcycle before he's, I don't know, 40? But, like they say, if it's in your blood, there ain't no denying it!

She has a little Elsen in her...

2011-07-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

My dear, sweet Sydnie. If you know her at all, you know that a lot of the time the girl is... shy? stubborn? a little difficult at times? She doesn't like: being cold, being hot, loud noises, people-- especially but not limited to large crowds, trying new things, talking to anyone but her Mom or Brother... and, oh man! The list goes on. In fact, the list is SO LONG that we often joke that she is truly a Howell. And this friendly quip doesn't just refer to her looks, which are very Howell-like. Let me try to explain this delicately... Um... The Howels, particularly my own sweet Shane and his folks, Joann and Leonard, tend to have a peculiar attitude towards things. They don't care to: be hot, be cold, drive long distances, drive in traffic, drive at night, stop for any reason while driving somewhere, be around people-- especially crowds, wait in lines, try new things, doing anything spur of the moment, or do anything that will interfere with "the daily grind" such as coming home late on a work night. Sound familiar? Now, I am sure at this point that you are thinking "WHY DID YOU MARRY A HOWELL?!?" Well, Joann and Leonard are the nicest, most generous people you will ever meet, and although the list above is ridiculous, they are still good people. And as for Shane... Well, the man would do anything for me. Flat out, he spoils me rotten. And it's not that he is "anti-fun"... he just has a bad habit of letting "the work" (like packing a camper or driving 3 hrs) or the "downside" (like 95* weather or waiting in long lines) get in the way of "the fun"! SO, when I say that Sydnie is a Howell at heart, that's kinda what I mean. Now, I myself am usually an Elsen. My Grandma and Grandpa Elsen taught us well about living life to the fullest and to always opt for fun, even though sometimes it's more work than fun! Us Elsen's thrive on camping, boating, trips to Lagoon, experiencing things that are new, exciting, and fun, as well as appreciating the simple joys of life like spending time with family or going out for ice cream. Now, Cordel? He's about 92.5% Elsen, and the rest Howell. And until recently, we thought Sydnie 100% Howell. ALL. THE. WAY. But something has changed in our sweet Sydnie over the past 6 months or so...Her Elsen genes are becoming stronger. She has been breaking out of her little shell, slowly at times, and then surprisingly fast and fearless at other times. She started preschool last winter and even though she usually cried a little when I dropped her off, she fell in love with it and always had a great time. This summer, we have been doing swim lessons and I was shocked, shocked I tell you! when she actually got into the pool at the very first lesson. She also has been increasing the size of her "circle of friends" occasionally including people like Alan, who I wrote about in this post. She has played a few times with the neighbor girl, Lexi, which is huge for her! I know!! And most recently, she went to Lagoon with us where she rode more rides that I could have ever imagined she would, including Dinosaur Drop, The Sky Ride (which Cordel still refuses to ride), Jumping Dragon, Tidal Wave, Odysea, and the new roller coaster Bombora. In fact, when comparing her first trip to Cordel's, she rode more "big kid" rides than he did!

This is her waiting in line to ride Bombora. Just to give you an idea of how extreme this ride is, here is the official description from their website.

BomBora is a dynamic coaster with numerous state-of-the-art high speed thrilling elements including sudden drops, banked turns, compound spirals, and more. An innovative 16-seat train pairs riders side by side accompanied by rocking music and elegantly lighted theming. The amply padded seat and restraint securely holds riders at the waist to provide exhilarating upper body freedom during the ride.

Yup! And she rode it twice!

I love my daughter to the moon and stars including all of her funny little quirks. And even though I poke fun at them, I am truly proud to be a part of the Howell Clan. Like the saying says,
"We may not have it all together but together we have it all."

But, God Bless the fact Sydnie
does indeed have a little Elsen in her!

Annual Lagoon Trip 2011

2011-07-26T18:33:00.000-07:00

We had a fantastic time at Lagoon this year. This was Sydnie's first trip down and Cordel's third. As always, I took a ton of pictures. Here are the best of the best in no particular order...

The Helicopters

The Dragonfly

Dinosaur Drop

Speedway Jr.

Red Baron

Bat

Bulgy

Moonraker

Carousel

Wild Kingdom Train

Paratrooper

Scamper

Baby Boat (this is the ride I spoke about here)

Scaliwags

Bombora

Odysea

Sydnie, Cordel, Dakota, Jacob, CJ, Twanie, Tyllan, Isabel.

We had thought about skipping the trip this year, but I am so glad we went! It was a blast!

She likes the mud...

2011-07-23T15:51:00.000-07:00

We went camping to Big Springs while I was on vacation and had a fabulous time. The weather was beautiful and we got to spend time with my mom, my sister and some of my nieces and nephews. And of course, camping in "short, short" is ALWAYS a blast!

Here are some highlights...

The big, cool boys coloring with the little kids! Aw!

Sydnie, Cordel, and Isabel-- The Terrific Trio!

Cordel, Sydnie, and Grandma Kleis. Doesn't my Mom look AMAZING?!? Everywhere we go, people think she is my sister!

Looking for heart rocks, which has become a cherished tradition. I have quite a collection!

The boys built this really cool fort!

It had a roof...

stairs going down to it...

a "transport tree" to get out (kinda like a ladder)

and even a "garage" for their bikes!

It was so awesome!

(oh! and tree bark "carpet"!)

The Luxury SUV gets well used... but it's okay! She likes the mud!

BIG

2011-07-23T07:04:00.000-07:00

Cordel has grown up so much this past year. Graduating from Kindergarten-- growing about 5 inches -- being TOO TALL to ride the little boats at Lagoon -- getting to light fireworks on the 4th -- his first sleepover (not at Grandma's)--AND needing a bigger bike cause the red one was TOO SMALL!

We made him take the little red one camping (for safety reasons. He's still getting used to the big bike) and he learned another "Big Boy" thing from his awesome older cousins. Skiddin out! Have a look...

Celebrate!

2011-07-22T12:16:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at our annual 4th of July Celebration. Shane and Pat (our good friend from across the street) BBQ'd the most amazing ribs! And with Chrissy's famous salsa, Mom's fabulous potato salad, and some delicious sweet corn on the cob, we had the perfect meal.

C.J., Tyllan, Dakota, and Jacob. My 4 oldest nephews have grown into some handsome young men!!

Sydnie wore these the entire night. She doesn't do loud noises. It was either these or hiding on her bedroom all night!

This was the first year we let Cordel light some fireworks. He is definitely a little pyro!

SPARKLERS!!

Isabel, my niece. She is growing up too!

Our neighbor and good friend, Pat. We have become such great friends with him and his 2 boys, Michael and Aidan.

Me and my long time friend, Chrissy. We have known each other for 26 years! We are practically sisters!

This was the first time Sydnie made it to the BIG show!

Cuddling under the blanket watching the magic in the sky.

Happy 4th of July!

SQUIRREL

2011-06-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

Finally, the weather decided to play nice and everybody's schedule allowed us to plan our first camping trip of the season. After overcoming some hitches in our plans (mainly road closures and one sick mama) we packed up on Friday and off we went! This was the first time that all four of us (me, Shane, and the kids) have gone in my little trailer. Usually, it's just me and the kids. So, incidentally, it was the first time the kids had to sleep up on the bunk. They LOVED it!

Shane installed a closet rod across the bunk to prevent them from rolling out. It worked perfectly!

So, we went up to South Fork (Mink Creek) and of course, the kids absolutely had to play in the water.

We were camping with a few other folks...

My Aunt Deb and Uncle Leonard

Wendy and Alan (and Madi)

And my cousin Sean and his son Spencer (Storm)

Me and Shane. Ya, he's holdin a shovel, and no, that is NOT a gun in my hand. We are not rednecks. I swear.

Ahhh, nothin like eating breakfast outside with nature!

And what is a camping trip without four wheelers? Now, I myself cannot ride a four wheeler. The old lady hips don't like it too well, but we did get Sydnie on them for the first time. She would only ride with Daddy or Wendy, but I am so not complaining about that! I am glad she is coming out of her little shell and adventuring more than 2 feet from my side! Now, Cordel on the other hand, would have probably gone with people who were camping next to us if he had been asked! ya, he scares me sometimes.

So now we have come to the part of my post that will explain the title of this post. SQUIRREL. The menfolk started shooting ground squirrels and pretty quick all three of them were scanning to meadow for any sort of movement, and as soon as they saw some... you guessed it! They would yell out SQUIRREL! It soon became the word of the weekend, being hollered out at random whether or not a ground hog was actually seen.

The kids also got into the fun with Madi's pink BB gun, shootin at some paper plates and beer cans. OH WAIT. I already said we WEREN'T rednecks. CRAP.

A little note here... As mentioned before, Sydnie is a fairly reserved little girl. She has a VERY small circle of "friends" and ya, I am her BFF. Now Alan here just adores her and has been trying for years to break that little shell around her. I think he made some good progress this trip! She even spoke to him. and SHOWED HIM HER OWIE!!

It was such a fantastic trip! We had a fabulous time!

The girls all ended up in red on this day for some strange reason. I swear to you we didn't plan it. really.

Oh, the dirt!

Remember Alan? This is why we love him so.

Cordel and Sydnie. They make it so easy to take a great picture. One MIGHT think their Mom was a pro and buy her an SLR. Anyone? Anyone?

Splash!

2011-06-28T07:40:00.000-07:00

Swimming Lessons at Fitness Inc. They always have so much fun!

Testing... one, two, three

2011-06-22T08:45:00.001-07:00

Way Back Wednesday

2011-06-16T07:27:00.000-07:00

a day late. oops!

Sydnie 3 months

A fun idea from my friend...

2011-06-08T11:55:00.000-07:00

WAY BACK WEDNESDAYS!!!

Every Wednesday, I will be sharing photos from long ago. For now, it will be from 2004 and on, but IF I can get my scanner to work, I will be sharing even older photos... like from highschool, you say? MAYBE. Or wedding photos?!? It's possible!! For now, remember when...

Cordel was this tiny? I do.

Cordel's Kindergarten Graduation

2011-06-01T17:13:00.000-07:00

My apologies for the length of this post, but this was such a momentous occasion and too important to not celebrate and share!

What a fantastic, crazy, emotional, exceptional year! Cordel absolutely loved going to school and he had the most amazing teacher. We were so blessed to have Mrs. Spiker.

The kids were so stinkin cute!! Some parent volunteers made the cutest little "set" with big ABC's and 123's and a little archway of 2 huge pencils and a pair of scissors that the kids walked through after receiving their diplomas. Mrs. Spiker, with the help of her daughter, put together a slide show set to music and then the kids sang some little songs.

Then it was time to hand out the diplomas! The principal, Mrs. Alessi, read their names and Mrs. Spiker handed them out. Side note-- Cordel had been fidgety and a little hyped up all day long. In fact, he had gotten a "talking to" earlier in the day from Mrs. Spiker! He did ok through the program but got a little out of hand during the procession... have a look!

(and yes, that is Todd Blackington you see there at the beginning...haha! His son was in Cordel's class.)

Mrs. Spiker also had a photographer who took a photo of each kid under the little pencil arch. I was so impressed with the whole celebration! It was so special!

Congratulations Cordel!

You are amazing!

After the ceremony we enjoyed some awesome cupcakes and went into the classroom look through the scrapbooks Mrs. Spiker makes for each child. Yes, I said EACH CHILD. This is not a classroom scrapbook. This is a scrapbook sent home with Cordel on the last day of school that documents everything Cordel experienced during the year. From first day...

To the last day.

And as you can see, EVERYTHING in between! How fantastic is that? Did you SEE how thick that book is? I will forever and ever AND EVER cherish it!

If every teacher in this school district taught at her level, we as parents would never have to worry about our kids education again.
Thank you, Mrs. Spiker!!

Cordel and Mrs. Spiker

And then it was off to Coldstone Creamery for yummy ice cream to celebrate!

Way to go Cordel!! We are so proud of you and we know you are bound for great things!

To my son

2011-06-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

What the heck happened? It was just last week we brought you home from the hospital. Just last weekend you learned to crawl, walk, run. Just yesterday I took you to your first day of school. I remember clearly rocking you in the chair while feeding you in the middle of the night, holding you in my lap to read a book, picking you up for a snuggle. Now, you like tacos and pizza with you friends, you don't fit on my lap anymore, and you are much too big for mommy to pick up. How did this happen so fast? I am so proud of the little man that you are becoming, but I am not ready for it. I want you to stay little for a while longer. I need you to slow down and give me more time to cherish this amazing time we have together. But I know that won't happen. It has already been going by so much faster than I ever imagined. So please forgive me if I insist that we read one more story. Be patient when I take "just one more" picture. Don't laugh when I try to squeeze one more scrapbook page into your album. And when I ask you to give me one more hug and one more kiss, and then one more, know that I am just trying to slow the clock down.

At the Movies

2011-06-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

I went walkin through the kitchen and saw Cordel and Sydnie sitting here like this. Curious as to what they were doing besides eating Doritos, I stopped to observe. Turns out, they were pretending to be at the movies... In lieu of popcorn, they broke out the Doritos and they sat there chatting about the "movie" for the longest time. It seems impossible, but each day I am more amazed at their friendship.

One day I hope they will realize what a blessing it is to have each other.

Little Mommy

2011-06-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

This is Addie, one of my "daycare" kids, but honestly, she and her sister Aliza are like my own daughters! Addie was playing mommy, with that ponytail on top of her head, the baby cradled in her arms, and the purse slung over her shoulder, she was just too cute to not snap a picture!

2011-05-20T08:58:00.000-07:00

I have never been one to use an umbrella. I just suck it up and resign my self to a bad hair day. That trait, however, has not passed down to my children. Their resourcefulness has me impressed. In case you can't tell OR you do not have little girls in your house hold, these are babydoll "carriers" or, on this day, rain hats.

On a side note, the purple one could definitely serve as a cowboy hat in a play date pinch.

The Great Egg Hunt

2011-05-14T06:59:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this Holiday! I love the colors, the candy (especially the chocolate!!), and the feeling of newness in the air. I love dyeing eggs, Easter Brunch, and seeing all the fun things in my kids' baskets.

And I LOVE Easter Egg Hunts!

This year we had Brunch and our Easter Egg Hunt at my Mom's house. What a beautiful, perfect day!

Pure Joy...

So Happy...

my nephew Mitchell

My niece Isabel

My niece Hannah

My niece Emma


Gathered around Grandma Udene

May Scrappin Club

2011-05-09T08:53:00.000-07:00

Well Ladies... It's our last meeting for this club! I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. Our layout for this month is "SPRING" or "EASTER" with colors Certainly Celery, Melon Mambo, Daffodil Delight, Peach Parfait, and a bit of Whisper White. We are using punches and a fun ribbon accent. Picture sizes are very random, I cut to fit! I hope you like it!

Here comes Peter Cottontail...

2011-05-02T08:26:00.000-07:00

I wonder where that silly bunny hid the Easter Baskets this year?

No, not there....

There they are...

in the playpen!

So.... What's in your baskets?

How EGG-citing! Happy Easter, my Little Chic-a-dees!

Riding in Style!

2011-04-27T14:37:00.000-07:00

As one of the top ten kids in the school to raise the most money at the spell-a-thon, Cordel, along with the other top ten, got to go on a Limousine ride and to lunch at Wendy's! Such a cool thing for him to experience. We are so proud of him!

Waiting outside the school for the Limo to come...

There it is!!!

All the winners (there were actually 14 kids that got to go. Some of them were tied for 10th place)

In you go!

Awww, he is so adorable! You look good in a limo, Cordel!

Off they go!

I followed and took a few shots... I am sure people either thought I was crazy or some hillbilly that had never seen a limo before...

Pulling into Wendy's, who by the way, PAID for all the lunches! How awesome is that?? Thanks Wendy's!

There he is!!

I love you baby! Mommy is so proud of you!

I am not sure who provided the limo service, but Thanks to whomever it was!!

Bring on the Testosterone!

2011-04-25T08:23:00.000-07:00

We have wanted to take Cordel to The Monster Truck Show for a few years and this year we finally did. As mentioned in a previous post, we have a lot of girls in this house hold and Cordel tells us he is "girl trapped" frequently. We thought this testosterone filled outing would give him some relief from ALL THESE GIRLS! It was a boys night out ( with Daddy and our across the street neighbors Michael, Adian, and Pat) and they had a blast!

Is he not the most adorable boy you've even seen?

Easter Cookies

2011-04-22T09:36:00.000-07:00

We frosted Easter cookies yesterday! I am positive more frosting went directly to their mouths than onto the cookies!

Out Smarted?

2011-04-18T07:39:00.000-07:00

I walked into his room to tuck him into bed and it was a total pig sty. So I said, "I sure hope you don't have to get up in the middle of the night. You will be tripping over all this stuff all over your floor!" And then I walked away to tuck in Sydnie, hoping he would take the hint and clean up. Yeah, it didn't work out quite that way...

April Scrappin Club

2011-04-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

This month we are using Simply Scrappin Kits!! I absolutely love Simple Scrappin Kits! They make scrapbooking FAST and EASY! So, unless you are using Playdate with Playdate quick accents your page will of course be in different colors and have different accents. It's the layout you need to focus on! This is 5 pictures, 2 tall 4x6 and 3 4x4's. The rest in just punchin some circles and slappin on some sticker strips and accents! Easy, Peasy!

You can do that?

2011-04-04T08:05:00.000-07:00

I am always intrigued by the way kids minds work. They say and do things in such innocent ways sometimes, their view of the world simple, untainted, and still full of wonder. For example, I was talking with my daughter about how big our town is getting and she asked "Is it a hundred pounds huge?!?" Or when Cordel

says after a full nights' sleep, "MOM. I was asleep for like... a minute!"

On this day, I was making homemade chicken noodle soup for dinner and had told the kids I was going to make the noodles from scratch. The first thing out of Cordel's mouth was "You can do that?!?! Where is the box you're going to put them in?" Having never seen me actually make noodles, he had no idea that they come any other way! So I taught them how to make homemade noodles and the entire time they kept saying "How do you know how to do that?" It was the coolest thing ever to them! Helping me roll out the dough, Sydnie couldn't get good leverage, so she said "Mommy, I gots to get up on the counter cuz I'm a little bit too little, but don't worry! If I fall, you will catch me!" Yes, yes I will.

brother + sister = friends

2011-04-04T07:14:00.000-07:00

When they aren't trying to kill each other, they are the best of friends. Here they sit peacefully, cuddled up on the computer chair, watching an episode of Dino Dan. LOVE THEM!

My little love bugs!

2011-04-04T07:05:00.000-07:00

Addie

Aliza

Dallas

Sophie

Sydnie

Cordel

Valentine's Day 2011

Not just a river...

2011-04-03T17:55:00.000-07:00

My baby girl. She did not turn 4, did she? Nope, she didn't. She DID NOT. Nope. Nope. Nope.

No such thing as too girly!

2011-04-03T17:43:00.000-07:00

Out of 6 kids I have enrolled in my daycare, 4 are girls and with Sydnie and myself, it pretty much is an estrogen infused house, or as Cordel puts it "Girl Trapped"! Now, out of the 6 girls (myself included), 5 of us celebrate our birthdays within 3 weeks of each other! BUT WAIT! Thats not all. Aliza and myself have the same birthdate and Sophia and Sydnie have the same birthdate! CRAZY, huh? When I learned this I decided I had NO CHOICE but the throw a Happy Birthday Tea Party for all of us! Rainbow Pasta, Pink applesauce, pink Milk, pink plates, forks, napkins, sprinkle cupcakes, hollywood glasses & necklaces... well you get the idea. There is no such thing as too much pink or too girly!

Thanks Zoey for taking this picture!
I am usually behind the camera!! (side note- Sophia was sick and had to miss the party! SO SAD!)

Kate DOB 2/21

Aliza DOB 2/28

Ms. Kenzie DOB 2/28

Sophie DOB 3/9

(picture taken Sept 2010)

Sydnie DOB 3/9

Addie (whose Bday is in December but There was NO WAY I was gonna leave my very favoritest one year old out of the fun!!)

Happy Birthday, sweet girls!!

100's Day

2011-04-03T16:48:00.000-07:00

100's Day. Celebrated among school children across the country and so much fun. Now, Cordel is my oldest, so I had never even heard of "100's Day" before but I soon learned that it is the celebration of the100th day of school. Mrs. Spiker, Cordel's BEYOND AMAZING TEACHER had so many fun activities planned for this event. They made 100's day trail mix where the kids brought in a 100 count of things like marshmallows, MnM's, and cereal pieces. They "predicted" which ones would weight the most and the least and then weighed them to find out. Then they put it all together and made the 100's day trail mix. They also were asked to decorate a 100's day hat (pictured) with 100 items of their choosing. Cordel chose to do googly eyes, and I found these FANTASTIC colored ones at Sierra's. Some of the other kids decorated with silk flowers, Frootloops, 100 different things, and paperclips! They were so funny with all their silly hats on!

WHAT A FUN DAY!

Hang on tight!

2011-04-03T15:49:00.000-07:00

Sledding at Ammon Park. I went there as a kid all the time and taking my kids there was such a great experience! AND believe it or not....

That is Sydnie on the sled. Yup. I couldn't believe she actually went down the hill! Granted, she only went down 3 times, BUT STILL.

Of course, Cordel was totally into it. Since we rid him of his THRILL fears last summer at Lagoon, I guess sledding didn't seem so scary. He LOVED it!

But the highlight of the event? Oh yes. He is gonna do what you are thinking and if you are anything like me, you're prayin for a crash and burn right now.....

But sadly, no. He made it down safe and sound but DANG I love that picture!

And on to the big hill...

look how far he went!

It's so satisfying bringing my childhood memories to my kids and letting them experience the magic too!

March Scrappin CLub

2011-03-06T11:53:00.000-08:00

This is our layout for March. We used So Saffron, Grey, and Black with a little bit of patterned paper, ribbon, and a button! Simple yet super cute! I LOVE the colors on this one!

Marshmallow Snowball Fight

2011-02-08T07:13:00.000-08:00

Let the battle begin!!

Time out to make a "snowstorm"....

I couldn't quit get a picture of the marshmallows flyin through the air...

And it's back to the battle!

Brother and Sister teams for this round...

That was SO MUCH FUN!!!

The kids loved it!

February Scrappin Club

2011-02-05T14:48:00.000-08:00

This is our page for February! We are using Crumb Cake, Chocolate Chip and one other accent color. I will provide Pacific Point (blue above) OR Mambo Melon (hot pink color). If you want a different accent color, bring it with you! This page is PUNCH MANIA, Ladies!! If you look closely, the entire background is made with border punches and trust me, the picture DOES NOT DO IT JUSTICE!! It is really cute! And all the other accents are made with punches including bitty buttons background. This page is one of my favs so far! Keep in mind, if you are doing a boy page, you can you stars, cogs, arrows (and yes, I have all of those!) to accent instead of hearts and flowers. But the owl... DID YOU SEE THE OWL??? CUTE! The owl can be for both boy and girl pages. One other thing----> ONE PICTURE GIRLS!! Mine is a regular old 4x6, but you could do a 5x7 if you had one. So, pick a favorite and bring it with you!

Santa Deliver's

2011-01-17T17:50:00.000-08:00

First, of course, is the stockings! Pure, unfiltered JOY.

And then, it was on to the goods! Buzz Lightyear (and Woody) from Santa!

Sydnie got Jessie and Bullseye (which can be seen in pic #9 and #11)

Pinkalicious doll for Sydnie from Cordel...

And Bakugan's for Cordel from Sydnie.

A "newborn" baby for Sydnie from GnG Howell...

(Cordel got a gift card to Gamestop from them. Nice!)

rip!! tear!! WHAT IS IT??

Painting supplies for Cordel...

and a pink mini-van for Sydnie! (Both of those gifts specifically requested...)

Oh my GOSH!! Mario VS Bowser Mini-land Mayhem?? Just what I wanted!!

A Leapster?? No way!! Woohoo!

It was a good Christmas.

Note: Picture # 4? Ya, that's Shane lounging on the couch. Hmm, maybe I should give him something to do... I know! I will have him take pictures!

Note: Picture's #9 and #13? Ya, that's me with my head cut off. This is exactly why you RARELY see me in pictures. I am the one behind the camera and for good reason, obviously! Perhaps it was my STOMACH FLU induced brain fry that I passed off the camera. Who knows? Hmm, maybe next year I should get Shane photography lessons for Christmas.

BELIEVE

2011-01-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

Finally, after much preparation, anticipation, and faith, the big night is here! Let the magic begin!

We started off the night with our traditional Chinese Dinner at The Mandarin House.

Duece, Teagan, Kleis, Sean, Debra, and Leonard.

Grandma Udene, Cordel, and Storm

Shane, McKenzie, and Sydnie.

Then, the Howells (Me, Shane, Cordel, and Sydnie) began a new tradition this year by attending the Christmas service with my Dad and Stepmom Kaye. As you perhaps learned from this previous post, Shane and I felt that we needed to do a better job in teaching our children about what Christmas is truly about and thought this was a good way to start. It was such a wonderful experience for us.

When we got home, it was time to open a few presents...

One present each from mommy and daddy...

and presents from Grandpa Monte and Grandma Kaye

Then, we set out cookies and milk for santa, and carrots for the reindeer...

and said good bye to our "Elf on the Shelf", Bernard...

Good Night, sweet ones!

The magic is set...

Will Santa deliver?

With gum drop buttons and everything!

2011-01-17T10:31:00.000-08:00

We made gingerbread men this year on our annual cookie making day during the holidays! The dough was a little tricky, but we managed and not only did they bake up well, they were DELISH! Soft, chewy, moist... YUM!

Look at those sweet faces... Couldn't you just eat them up, too?

Grandma Kleis decorates the gingerbread man Cordel saved for her... ya know, the one with the broken leg? Cuz Grandma fell down the stairs? It only seems fitting...

Isabel, Aunt Teagan, and Cordel get their creativity on!

Syndie is Mama's BFF all the way!

The end result? One huge mess, super cute Gingerbread Men and lots of sweet smiles!

SnOw CUTE!!

2011-01-14T14:44:00.000-08:00

Oh My Gosh!!

It's SNOWING!!

Can we go out and play? Please?

Pleeeeeeeeese?

Pretty Please?

Of course, the boy immediately makes snowballs...

and prepares for battle.

And the girls? Well, one girl eats snow...

and smiles for the camera.

and the other girl cries a little cuz the snow flakes are stickin to her eyelashes (ya, I know she shouldn't be complaining about her BEAUTIFUL, long, lushes eyelashes... but she's 3, okay?)

But she soon gets over it and decides to be happy!

Best snow buddies!

My lil' Snow Angel!

Snow Much Fun!!

BRAIN FREEZE!!

January's Scrappin' Club Page

2011-01-09T15:53:00.000-08:00

This is the page for our January Scrapbooking Club. The theme is Christmas and mine is titled "Santa Delivers". Colors are Cherry Cobbler, Old Olive, and Very Vanilla. We are using some patterned paper and "paper piecing" some accents. Hope you like it!! (sorry about the glare!!)

Becky Kelley - Where s the Line to See Jesus - OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO

2010-12-08T11:06:00.000-08:00

This video was posted on one of my very best friends blog and as I listened to it, tears filled my eyes and goosebumps covered my arms. It truly touched my heart. My friend Zoey is always a wonderful source of inspiration on a number of things. She taught me about the "3 Gifts" at Christmas-- A gift of want, a gift of need, and a gift of love. My family has been following this little tradition for a few years now and by just doing something that simple, it has simplified Christmas for us in an amazing way. Zoey was also the one who taught me about Dave Ramsey and the wonderful "debt snowball"!! There are many other things Zoey has taught me and I can honestly say that my life and my family are better for knowing her. And she has once again influenced my life is such a positive way. And so, taking an example from her blog of "things we can do to put Christ back into Christmas" I would like to say, "Thank you, Zoey. I am truly blessed to have you as a friend. Thank you for being you."

December Scrappin Club

2010-12-04T14:20:00.000-08:00

Here is the layout for December's scrappin club titled "Happy Campers." We are using Marina Mist, Chocolate Chip, and Wild Wasabi, along with Under the Stars stamp set. Hope you like it!

Simple Joy

2010-12-03T16:58:00.000-08:00

You definitely have to be a child to think raking leaves is fun.

As adults, we lose the ability to see past the work,

and just jump into the leaves without a care about

messing up the pile and having to re-rake it.

Children don't care about the possible bugs...

or getting dirty, cold, or itchy from the leaves.

All they care about is the fun.

They have that wonderful ability

to experience simple joy,

and they can always find the fun...

if we let them.

Thankful

2010-12-01T08:58:00.000-08:00

There are many things in my life to be thankful for. I have been so blessed. But above all other things I am thankful for is my family. We are not perfect. We do not always get along. We do not always agree with one another. But we ALWAYS support each other when things get tough and each one of us knows that with out a doubt, in times of need, family will always be there. I cherish each and every opportunity we have to get together. This Thanksgiving I was acutely aware of how special my family is. Why? Well, one of our own, my baby cousin Brandon recently enlisted in the Armed Forces and is currently away at boot camp. And even though I probably wouldn't have seen him on Thanksgiving Day, the thought that he was away from his family made me appreciate the fact that I was with my family even more.

Cordel, Shane, Sydnie, McKenzie

Grandma Udene, Kleis (my mama), Aunt Debra, Aunt Lezlie

Sydnie, and my sweet little niece Isabel

Loves from Grandma!

Another thing I am thankful for....

My family is FREAKIN HILARIOUS!

Case in point--- THATS NOT A FLAVOR PACKET!!

Dakota "D" and Gma

We want PIE!!

Loves for the Hannah Bear from Teagan (my sister) and Gma Udene

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

A line with a hat and a foot

2010-11-10T10:18:00.000-08:00

As you may know, Cordel is just this little smartypants

who could spell his name, knew all the letters, letter sounds,

shapes, colors, counting to 20---all by age 3.

And, God Bless him, look what he's teaching his sister now!!

He is so patient with her and I absolutely love listening

to him teach her.

She's 3, and this is how the conversation goes....

Sydnie: What comes after "S"?

Cordel: "Y"

Sydnie: A line with an up and an up?

Cordel: Yes

Sydnie: What comes after "Y"?

Cordel: "D"

Sydnie: Down and around?

Cordel: Yes

Sydnie: What comes after "D"?

Cordel: "N"

Sydnie: Up, Down, Up?

Cordel: (sigh) Yes

Sydnie: What comes after "N"?

Cordel: "I"

Sydnie: A line with a hat and a foot?

Cordel: a little frustrated---Yes, sissy!

Sydnie: What comes after "I"?

Cordel: "E"

Sydnie: A line with three legs?

Cordel: Yes

Sydnie: I did it!!

Breakfast at Ms. Kenzie's

2010-11-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

I have 7 kids on average at my house on Mondays and Tuesdays.

As you can see, it gets a little crowded but we manage!

At Swore Farms

2010-11-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

Cordel, Madison, Sydnie

Adorable Lil Punkins!!

It's a tradition to go to Swore Farms each year with our good friends Wendy and Madi. We've done it since Cordel and Madi were just barely a year old! This time of year has so much magic and fun in the air. Starting with going to the pumpkin patch right up to New Years Eve--- I LOVE it all!

The Last Harvest

2010-11-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

When that time of year comes around, when you're not sure if it's gonna freeze, picking what you can outta the garden becomes necessary! This is our bounty. PLUS about 19 pumpkins! Seriously, could those zucchini's get any bigger?

First Day

2010-11-08T08:38:00.000-08:00

Cordel's first day of school.

Such a wonderful, exciting,

scary, fun, and confusing day!

For me, anyway! He was just plain excited!

November's Scrappin' Club

2010-11-04T15:00:00.000-07:00

November's layout titled "Together is the best place to be"

( scrap-lifted from one of various magazines... can't remember which one...

but as always has my own tweeks to it! )

2010 Halloween Hilights

2010-11-01T06:59:00.001-07:00

Optimus Prime? Awesome!

Look at that sweet face!

The cutest little purple butterfly in the world...

Precious!

Brother and Sister-- The best of friends

The Howell Family

Lots of friends!

Halloween drinks! On the left-FLAMIN Pumpkin pie shot and on the right-- Screamin Green Monster!

Trick...

or Treat!!

Pukin Pumpkin!

Who invited that guy?

Hope nobody got probed...

The Mario Kart Party!

2010-10-15T09:19:00.000-07:00

Cordel wanted a Mario Kart birthday party this year, so we decided to actually build a go kart track in the driveway. We used spare tires, a wood platform, part of the grass for the "slow em down" section, a giant umbrella for a tunnel, some chalk, and various other things to create a track. I also had a large variety of vehicles to choose from, just like in the game. We had trikes, scooters, little foot powered cars, and even a stroller!

Racers, choose your vehicle!

I ordered some racing themed items from Oriental trading like checkered flags and pendants as well as little trophies for the kids. The kids also received a "Mario Hat" (a red baseball cap with craft foam white circle and red M) or a Crown if they wanted to be Princess Peach. The rest of the decorations were done in red and white.

First, we did "time trials" where the kids went thru the course one at a time and they each received a trophy. After that, they all just raced thru it over and over!

On your Mark......

Get Set.....

Go!!!

Go, Buddy, GO!!

Beep, beep!!

WOOHOO!!

Nice drift!!

Wait, whose drivin this thing?

Cool!

We had little mushroom cupcakes-- I ordered them sprayed yellow, green and red with smooth frosting and then put the dots on them at home. I also used a sharpie to make the little eyes.

Make a Wish!!

Mushroom, anyone? We've got "Biggies", "Free Guy", and "Gianties"! That's what Cordel and Sydnie call them... ;)

Happy Birthday, Cordel!! We LOVE you!!

It's September and that means SCRAPBOOKING CLUB!!

2010-10-07T15:44:00.000-07:00

This is our first layout of the year and I think it turned out cute! Hope you like it!

New School Shoes

2010-10-06T15:13:00.000-07:00

It's the best feeling in the world slippin on those brand spankin new shoes Mom bought for school, ain't it?

Kite flying

2010-10-06T15:03:00.000-07:00

on Father's Day. SO COOL!

FINALLY!!

2010-10-06T15:01:00.000-07:00

Cordel's First Fish!! Look at that adorable smile!

Yeah, so this is what camping looks like...

2010-10-06T14:57:00.000-07:00

on Memorial Day Weekend in Idaho.

Spring Planting

2010-10-06T10:04:00.000-07:00

They love to help Daddy plant the flowers in the front flower garden. Such good little helpers!

Double Take

2010-10-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

Aliza and Sydnie with their dolls. I thought it was so funny that they each had the same doll that matched how they each look. Brown hair/Brown eyes for Sydnie. Blonde hair/Blue eyes for Aliza. Sweet Girls!

THE PUPPY PARTY!

2010-07-30T12:26:00.000-07:00

(This past six months has really gotten away from me and I was browsing thru some of my past posts and realized I had missed a few key events. Time to play catch up!)

Sydnie loves puppies even tho, sadly, she is allergic to them! So, for her 3rd Birthday we celebrated that love with a "Puppy Adoption Party"!

Each child received a puppy (stuffed, of course), a customized, blinkered-out dog collar, a puppy sized ball, a puppy bed, and official adoption certificate. They LOVED it!

The adoption Table...

Get your BLING on!

I also hand decorated all the cups, napkins, and handmade the invites of course! Pink, Black, and sparkly-- cute and girlie, just like our little Syd!

She also had a Mini Cake-- A tiny yorkie puppy with a bow! Precious!

Happy Birthday, Sydnie!

June's Scrappin Club

2010-06-06T16:00:00.000-07:00

It's our last club, ladies! I know you are all busy with summer and probably anxious to get out enjoying the sun, but I hope to see you all at our class! This is our B&W page, and it's a little different, but I think it turned out pretty cute! I hope you like it! Oh--BTW-- yes, there is one blank space where a picture needs to go. Someone is missing! Anybody know who? =) Don't worry! I'll take a pic of this person on Wednesday and we'll all add it in later. See ya soon!

My little camp trailer

2010-05-25T16:55:00.000-07:00

We have a huge 5th wheel, but we always park it for the summer @ Seagull Bay and I wanted something to actually go camping in, so this is what we bought! I LOVE it! We've done a lot to get her in shape to take out-- New curtains, cushions, some shelves built in, ect. It's about 15 ft and has a table/bed, couch/bed, and a bunk above the couch. No potty, but a big closet and all the original appliances in working order. I think the best part in we only paid 600 bucks for it! I can't wait to go this weekend!

May Scrappin Club

2010-05-09T15:25:00.001-07:00

(ya, I know... the pic is crooked, but after 3 tries I was done!)

This month's theme is LOVE!! My page is titled "Love Games" but you could really do anything... "Puppy Love" or "Things I Love" or "My Love"--whatever. Colors are Apricot Appeal, Regal Rose, Close to Cocoa, and Very Vanilla. We are gonna learn to do "collage stamping" which is really just layering stamped images on top of each other. I fit 12 pics in this layout and as you can see they are all on two 8 1/2 x 11 pieces of card stock. I hope you like it!
See you soon--Kenz

Tea for Two

2010-04-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

My sweet adorable daughter, Sydnie, and the sweet, adorable little girl I watch during the day, Aliza, are becoming fast friends. Recently, they enjoyed a tea party together.

First, we pour...

Then we drink! Cheers!

April's Scrappin Club Layout

2010-04-11T10:06:00.001-07:00

Okay, the theme this month is just a general layout that you should be able to use any pictures you'd like. It is accented mainly with arrows, and then you will have access to my punches/stamps to customize you page! (Feel free to bring your own if you have something specific in mind...) I added a few flowers to mine. I also did a "scratch technique" on the red backed picture on page one. This technique helps a subject that is hard to see stand out a little better. Kinda cool! Colors are Barely Banana, Real Red, Bermuda Bay, and Close to Cocoa. I fit 10 pics on, but at VERY random sizes! See you soon!

March Scrappin Club

2010-03-07T12:27:00.000-08:00

It's our winter layout, so I hope you have some winter pics! Colors are Almost Amethyst, Bashful Blue, Lovely Lilac, and Mambo Melon. There are white and silver snowflake accents and 'winter word' brads (from Oriental Trading). Pictures are 4x6 and 3x4. I hope you like it!

It's easy to forget...

2010-02-18T14:39:00.000-08:00

just how little they used to be.

Cordlel age 6 months

Sydnie age 6 months

Snow Much Fun!!

2010-02-18T14:27:00.000-08:00

The ol' swing set doesn't get much use in the winter, but on this day, the kiddos had lots of fun swingin and playin in the snow. These three (Cordel, Sydnie, and Isabel) are such a funny trio and believe it or not, they actually play very well together!

February Club

2010-02-08T17:13:00.000-08:00

We are using our Simply Scrappin Kits this month!! I am using the Christmas Jingle Kit. I love this kit! Simple, elegant, and I will be able to scrap ALL of my Christmas pictures with just one kit. And if you know me at all, that is pretty remarkable because I take tons and tons of pictures!! Enjoy!

What's wrong with this picture?

2010-02-05T12:53:00.000-08:00

Not only are they not her undies AND on the outside......

But they are on backwards as well!

Cutie Girl!

Bubble Santa's

2010-02-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

Ho, Ho, Ho!! Do I look like Santa, Mom?

Spongy P.J.'s

2010-02-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

So, of course, Cordel and Sydnie LOVE Spongebob. So, their Christmas jamies this year were Spongebob. I just had to buy them because I rarely find anything Spongebob that is for girls and these pink Spongy P.J.'s were too cute! Aren't the Spongy Kids ADORABLE??

VRRRRROOOMMMMM!!!!!

2010-02-05T12:40:00.000-08:00

After hunting all over the house for her "kid" Leap the Frog, Sydnie buckled him into this car seat and then put a chair in front of it. The whole time se was chatting with Leap about what they needed to get at the store and why we always buckle up... so we can be safe! With Leap buckled and her "car" assembled, she began to drive. I asked her where she was goin. She said, "Walmart. I'm goin shoppin with my kid. Vroom, vroom!" Now, tell me they don't watch and do EVERYTHING we do?

January's Club Layout

2010-01-09T08:44:00.000-08:00

Our page for Jan is titled "Hangin' Out" with friend/family. Colors are Choc Chip, Rich Razzleberry, Pale Plum, and So Saffron. We are using Circle Circus stamp set and various punches as well as the Big Shot again! I hope you like it! See you soon!

...and so we went to the ER.

2009-12-13T15:05:00.000-08:00

What?!?! you might be saying. So I shall begin the story from the top. It's Saturday, November 21st. A regular day to most of you UNLESS you are a Twilight fan who lives in Poky and have tickets to THE Pocatello New Moon Party!! So, I have been anticipating this day for a long, long time. I spent my day relaxing, hanging around the house and am just about to go shower and start getting ready for the party-- woohoo!!!-- and my darling Cordel comes flying thru the hallway into the kitchen, slips while banking the corner and-- SLAM!!-- right into the corner of the wine hutch. Screaming ensues. While I try to access the situation, Shane runs frantically around grabbing random objects like a dirty towel and shoes, and does his best not to faint. Meanwhile, I have determined that a trip to the ER is necessary. And so we go to the ER. It is now 2:53pm. The party starts at 6:00pm. I should be able to make it, right? Not quite. I forgot that TIME SLOWS DOWN to about the speed of SMELL upon entering the ER. So, we sat in waiting room #1.............., and waiting room #2......................., and then finally ER room #7, and I'm trying to keep Cordel and myself calm cause I can SEE cardilage thru the cut in the side of his head. But I'm also trying not look at the clock every twenty-three seconds stewing about making the party on time!! I hadn't even showered! I know, I know. But I WAS planning on gettin all ready for the party! Had I a crystal ball (or psychic vampire BFF--Haha, Twilighters will understand that one) I would have at least taken a shower BEFORE the racing thru the kitchen in stocking feet incident happened. Really. I would have. To top it off, my Mama is there for moral support and she is also suppose to attend the party, but she is coming down with the stomach flu. I can literally see her turning green right before my eyes. Anyway, Cordel ends up with 8 stitches, my Mom ends up pukin in her car on the way home from the ER, I end up with a couple of HUGE doctor bills AND I am an hour and a half LATE for the party! SHEESH! The happy ending is that Cordel is just fine and we have some very funny footage of him coming off the sedative they gave to him AND the party as well as the movie were both totally awesome!! The End.

The bruise on his cheek was from the week before when he crashed into a coffee table. Are all boys like this?

December's Club Page!!

2009-12-06T16:58:00.000-08:00

This month is a "scrap about myself" page titled Me @ 32 (or whatever age you are). Colors are Mambo Melon, Kraft, Basic Black and we are using the Big Shot for some die-cuts! FUN! The pics of the lay-out do not have my pictures on it yet, but the sizes are 2 4x6, 2 4x4, and 2 3x4.

November's page

2009-11-07T16:28:00.000-08:00

Our Halloween Page! Always one of my favorite things to scrapbook. I hope you like it!

Hallooween is fun !!

2009-11-04T15:05:00.000-08:00

Kiddie Crayons! Their trick or treat "bags" were Crayola Boxes! FUN!

Our Colors were all official Crayola Color names and were on the back leg of the costumes! Here we have Strawberry (Sydnie), Lilac (me), and Cadet Blue (Cordel). We also had Black, Mid-night Blue, Eggplant, Mahogany Red, and Cotton Candy--- which makes...

The 8 Pack!

And it's not a Halloween Party without GHOULISH food so we had Mummy Pizzas, Witch Fingers, Guaca-"moldy" and Creature Chips, Spider Dip, Eyeball Cake, and Haunted House Wine!

Trick or Treat!

And a new tradition this year. Due to Sydnie's peanut allergy, she couldn't have a lot of the trick or treat candy. So we let the kids keep 5 pieces and "traded" the rest of it to "The Great Pumpkin" for a cool toy instead! Sydnie got a Tinkerbell Doll and Cordel got a Transformer! It worked out great!

Determination and...

2009-10-21T14:29:00.000-07:00

Persistence

Courage

Dedication

Concentration

Patience

And all of those things lead to...

Success!

Way to Go, Cordel!!

When left to her own devices...

2009-10-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

She goes down for nap at about one o'clock everyday. This girl is definitely one who needs her sleep, but apparently on this day, she wasn't quite ready to lay down for peaceful slumber--at least until she completed a few tasks. Keep in mind-- the sweet girls room was SPOTLESS when I tucked her into bed... First, she decided to read a few books, including "mommy's fav" Pea Pod Babies. Then, she felt the need to empty out the stuffed animal bin and arrange them in no particular order, all over the room. And also put a couple of them to bed in the green toy box! Her "cell phone" is in her bed, so I assume she called somebody to chat and her "keys" are in her little hand--tho I'm pretty sure she did not leave her room! Who knows? Next on her to do list was to strip from the waist down INCLUDING the removal of her diaper. Last, but not least, she decided to go to finally go to sleep albeit naked and upside down in her bed, surrounded by her perfectly beautiful MESS!

October's Club Layout

2009-10-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here it is, Ladies! We are using Really Rust, Crushed Curry, Taken with Teal, and Chocolate Chip. We also have burlap sack, raffia, and wooden accents, plus some stamping! There will be 8 pictures (2 each of 3X4 and 3X3, and 4 4 X4). I hope you like it!