bowling

"I am so excited to go bowling, but I forgot my swimsuit."  -Ellie

-bowling w/ the Duncan clan

-12/27/10

-Ellie's first time, she loved it!

Merry Christmas!

This year, I have resigned to the fact that I am not going to get out a card, and neighbor gifts might just be a miracle.  I am grateful for this baby coming, but my body does not like it one bit.  I just told Paul that maybe I am a hypochondriac.  I would take that over a pinched sciatic nerve, an aching back, puke...still, and just today, carpel tunnel pain.  My house doesn't get picked up unless Paul is home, or I get out my broom and sweep everything (and I mean everything) into a pile and then I can take care of it easier.  I think I am being taught patience, I still have 2 months left, but I am not patient enough to learn patience.

Our year has had it's many ups and downs.  Some I talk about, some I don't.  Regardless, we have been so blessed.  I know that through our trials we grow and become stronger people.  I also know that it is hard to see that growth until we are at the end of the road.  That being the case, we've grown a lot this year.  Our kids are troopers and have lived through it all.  They are so full of energy and love and we are grateful that they chose to be in our family.  As Ellie says, "You want to join the family hug?  I love my family."  Wise words from a three year old.  I love my family.

An attempt at a family letter might look like this:

Dallin is five and a half, and is in Kindergarten this year, and although he would rather stay home everyday, we know he enjoys learning.  He loves to draw, paint, cut, and play with his Legos.  He would sleep with his dad's ipod every night if we let him.  His dad is his best bud and he loves to be involved in any project going on around the house.  Ellie is now a spit-fiery three year old who loves pink, although informed us recently that her new favorite color is purple.  She loves to help mom in the kitchen.  She adores her brother and misses him while he is at school.  She loves her dolls and any little toy.  She loves to give her toys baths multiple times a day.  Dallin and Ellie are really good at making us laugh.  They are really good at making each other laugh.  They love to wrestle each other, and giggle until someone gets hurt, which leaves them both crying.  They are good friends.  Paul is our rock.  He does most everything.  He is Mr. Mom and Mr. Dad.  He is going straight to heaven with all that he does to support us.  We are so grateful for him.  When he is not cleaning up throw up or wiping a poopy bum, he is hard at work somewhere inside or out, trying to get our home to where we want it to be.  Kristen is Kristen.  She hobbles around and is really moody.  She is ready for baby boy to come in February, as is the rest of the family.  We feel blessed to be so dysfunctional at times, because what would be the fun in being normal?

We love you and hope that you all have a wonderful Christmas!

Rock Candy

A while back, the kids and I tried to make rock candy.

I know I didn't do it right,  but in the end two LONG ANNOYING weeks later the kids were able to sink their teeth into some tiny, cute, and tasty crystals.

Blue Raspberry, Pink Lemonade, Lime, Mystery Mix

Sugared Venison

These were tasty, tasty reindeer!

(I promise I don't say CHEESE when I get out the camera!  They just really like to push my buttons and smile REALLY REALLY big, 'cause I tell them not to.)

Snowman...snooooo-man

Dallin posing with the most awesome snowman that he, Ellie, and their daddy made.

In the rain he melted, small, small, small.

{Title in reference to "Once there were some snowmen"}

The Bug is Back

My thrift shop bug is back.  It went away for a while and has now returned just in time for the cold, cold weather.  I am not really sure Paul is happy about it.  Spray painting will have to wait unless I buy a gas mask to spray away in my garage.

I had to share this amazing find.  I am really quite proud of it.  This puppy is huge!  It measures about 2 1/2 feet by 5 feet (chair next to it for scale).  It was marked at $24.00, and at the register, I found out it was 50% off!  

$12.00!

One day, it will get a new color and something different in the middle...It might take me a while to figure it out.

 My next find where these cream chairs on ksl.com. 

They are going to hang out here at my table so I can figure if I what to paint them (and my other chairs) black (and paint the bottom of the table black?), or keep them as is.  Regardless, I kinda like this arrangement at the moment.

I found a thrift shop down the street from where I live that has most items at $1 each.  It is glorious, although the big things she seems to charge an arm and a leg for.

Happy Thrifting!

{why I love my table and chairs:  the table is my parents.  i grew up eating Sunday dinner on it.  i tried to do homework on it.  for the past couple years, it was sitting in my grandma great's basement collecting dust.  i saw it and knew i wanted to store it instead.  the occupants of my grandma's house (my sisters) were more than happy to deliver it to my house.  the brown chair come from the small table that we bought right before we moved to Kentucky.  Just the right size for our little kitchen there.  the cream ones i just purchased.  the previous owner painted all of them but one, which sits in our garage at the moment.  they are old and still in pretty good shape.  i can't help but wonder where she got them from and what there history is.  all the bums that have sat on all of these chairs, and all of the meals served on this table, all the memories made.  my husband has turned me into a sentimental fool. ;) }

sometimes you drive a different way

Wednesday morning, I was grateful for the University exit in Provo.  Grateful to get off of I-15 a little earlier.  Grateful to drive down University until I came up on Provo High and remembered that that was where I turned to get to the hospital.  Grateful to find my way to my mom's little corner of the hospital and grateful that her surgery went well.  Grateful that I had passed the Provo Tabernacle, as I do anytime I drive through Provo.  Grateful that this particular time, I not only saw it, but really looked at it and admired it's beauty, it's history, it's memories.

I consider it a tender mercy that I decided to stay on University all the way to the hospital, because I couldn't remember if the hospital was on 5th or some other road.

image from here

I know these extra hormones have made me more prone to tears, but I couldn't help shedding tears when I woke up this morning to find out that the Provo Tabernacle was burning up in flames.  It is truly a sad loss for everyone who has grown up in Utah county.

oh christmas.....

caterpillar

compliments of ellie

What is on your must have Christmas list?

Growing up, we would always ask my mom what she wanted for Christmas.  Her answer would always include: a clean house, and NO FIGHTING!!!   My siblings and I would spend most Christmas Eve nights cleaning the family room, kitchen, and our bedrooms before, as we were threatened, Santa would come.  Not surprising, 20 some-odd years later, I hear the same things coming out of my mouth.  A clean house and NO FIGHTING!!! 

What is on my Christmas list this year?  Grass.  Fence.  Garden spot.  Patio.  Deck.  Garage door opener.  Walls in my basement.  Flat screen T.V.  Console tables.  Couch.  Lazy Boy.  1955 Chevy truck (for Paul).  Canon Rebel.

Price tag:  about $200,000..chump change, right?

Despite all the many expensive things that I want for Christmas this year, I may get one of them if I build it myself, and it's not the truck or the camera.  It is really hard to think of what I really do need for Christmas this year.  I have so much to be grateful for.  Modern medicine.  Health.  Family and friends.  Paul's job.  Love and support.  The Gospel of Jesus Christ.  There is so much that I already have, that I can easily wait for all the monetary things that I want.

I still want the clean house.  In that case, I think I will add this to my Christmas list.

As for the NO FIGHTING!!!!.....someone let me know if there is anything to help that!




I am participating in Infarrantly Creative and Tatertots and Jello’s Blog Hop for a chance to win a Mint Cleaner. It is the revolutionary machine that cleans your hard floor surfaces for you. 

Click here to join the blog hop and a chance to win!

The Mint Cleaner is available at the following places:

Amazon

The Mint Cleaner

HSN

Bed, Bath & Beyond

Silhouette Giveaway

Oh my stars!  A free Silhouette would be smashing, wouldn't it?  After 5 months, I think my OCD for projects has come back in full force!  Tatertots and Jello is giving away this puppy so head on over to enter.  There will also be an awesome deal going on on the 29th, so check back with Tatertots and Jello for that information as well.  A girl can dream about cutting paper and modge podge at night, can't she?

school pictures are back!

Dallin, age 5.4 - Kindergarten

Ellie, age 2.11

"you can't do that!"

I have a really funny neighbor.  He announced, from the intercom on his police car, "You can't do that!" last week as I was putting up Christmas garland on my railing.

I got an early start because, one, I was in nesting mode and chose to focus my "nesting" energy (or you could call it OCD) on getting ready for Christmas.  And two, because it took me two whole weeks to get everything up and out of the way.  I work pretty slow these days, and I have a "rewind button", if you will, called ELLIE.  She likes to take whole trees apart and scatter all the ornaments all over the house.

Anywho....I was able to get a few projects done along with getting Christmas put up.  Every year, I like to make new ornaments or decorations.  This "Jingle Bells" sign was fun and easy, but the magnet board below, which has been sitting, unfinished in our garage since who knows when, is the main accomplishment.  I originally bought a piece of metal at the hardware store, then Paul made the frame to fit the metal.  Then my smart father-in-law mentioned something about it being magnetic...because I bought aluminum and IT IS NOT MAGNETIC.   hmm....smart Kristen.  Long story, short, it is now magnetic and finished and hanging on my wall, months later!  (And you can't even see all the popsicle sticks or card board stapled to the back....because when you are finishing it at 11 o'clock at night, you do what you gotta do.)

 These "Christmas Tree" cones where a fun, messy creative outlet.  I can't find the link, but I will post it if I do.

Using what I already had, I painted, modge-podged, sprinkled w/ clear glitter onto cone shaped styrofoam.

The tutorial used spray adhesive and colored glitter.

Now, I am off to do all of my shopping online this year.  Hooray for amazon.com free shipping.

my silly turkeys

Three!!!

Ellie had a birthday, shout hooray!

 

We celebrated with pink, pink, and more pink!

 

And lots of fun presents, dress ups, Dora, Strawberry Shortcake, Pinkalicious...

I love this picture, it shows her personality to a T. 

anytime she sees Paul and I hugging, she will hug our legs and say, "I love my family!"

she often tells me she misses her "bruver", or "bro", while he is at school.

life would not be life without this little girl!

spitfire, cuddle buddy, sensitive, sassy

loves to dance, loves to talk, loves to sing

loves to read, loves nursery, loves her family

prays for her family, her toys, her neighbors, her friends

loves avocados, oatmeal, eggs, bananas, candy

funny, smart, loving, determined, sneaky

beautiful inside and out

I didn't teach them this...

"I'm Barbie.  Yeah!  People call me Barbie Stuart Duncan!"  -Ellie

 "Mom, I'm hot!......That means I'm charming." - Dallin  

seatbelts, please

I think Paul would really like this design!

I am a horrible "back seat driver".

dallin's check list

among all the backward question marks:

cat

gitddog (get dog)

spa night

My sisters, mom, and I finally used our spa gift certificates that we were given to us by the boys.

Pedicures and facials the others chose.

I was boring and got my hair chop-ped off.  

It was much needed, more than a foot rub or face scrub.

It was long and thick and just hung in a ponytail day after day.

I can't even put it in said pony tail any longer, but I think I like it.

The smug look on my face was for Paul.

An inside joke.

He begged for a picture because he was at work.

Now the challenge is styling it myself....

first tooth is outa here

Dallin was pretty darn nervous to lose his first tooth.

He timidly wiggled it for about a week. 

It loosened up with the help from a flick of Papa Steele's finger.

And came out with the aid of a starburst a little while later.

Once it was out, he was beyond excited.

The tooth fairy made her maiden voyage to the Duncan home that night.

This happy kid woke up to a big, fat dollar coin, and promptly put it in his special hiding spot.

Lightening MisChief

speed.  i am speed.

emptied her drawers.

layered on pants, skirt, dress, life jacket, hat.

posed for picture.

two seconds later, is found in the bathroom, nakee.

i hafta go potty!!!

no, I don't bother folding her clothes anymore, or organizing them.

she empties her drawers at least twice a day.

the other day, she decided to sneak into my closet and came out wearing my heels and her daddy's shirt.

a couple days ago, she announced, "I gotta puke.  PUUUUUUUUUUUUUKKKEEEEE!!!!!"

She frequently goes to the garbage can and spits out her food.

I really should throw up in private.

The kids and I put up our little 4 foot tree and decorated it (I know it's early, but it's going to take me 3 weeks to get everything up, I work really slow these days).  Two hours later, Ellie had pulled every single ornament and garland off and scattered it all over the floor.

ellie was crying in bed.  she let me hold her and rock her back to sleep.  this is so rare.  she usually wants to lay back down in bed.  it was so wonderful.  as much as I love her being a good sleeper and "goer to bedder" i miss out on the chance to rock her, and hold her while she is asleep.  i guess that is what the new baby is for, right?  by then, though, I will be wishing that I could just sleep all night long.  I am dreading that part.  not sure if you know, but I become a "mom"ster in the middle of the night w/ little sleep.

Paul and I were joking (but serious) that we need to elevate everything to about 4 feet here to keep everything out of reach.

Ellie is so excited for her birthday in a week.  She wants everything pink.  Today, she told me we should eat pink barbies for dinner, and pink noses, pink french fries, pink hamburgers, and pink arms.  Sounds yummy.

man!  i love this girl!

deer hunt

Growing up, my family would always travel down to Blanding, Utah for the deer hunt.  All of us kids in the back of my dad's little red Datsun truck, some years.  We would all pack ourselves into my great aunt Dutch's house, lining her floor with our sleeping bags and staying up late to play Monopoly.  One year, I remember getting sick and throwing up my sloppy joe (surprised?).  We would always hike down into Spirit Caves, have dinner, and play the flash light game when it got dark.  We would also go for drives on "Uncle Frost's" property and look for Indian pottery (which we never, ever took).  The morning of the hunt, the men, the boys, and a girl or two, would wake up really early and head out to try and get themselves a prize.  Everyone else would sleep a little longer, pack on our orange clothes, and then head into the mountains where we would meet the hunters and prepare breakfast.  We usually stopped at a spot by a stream, where there was a huge tunnel that went under the road to let the water through.  Playing in the tunnel was the highlight of the morning.  Afterward, we would head back to my aunt's house, and watch as the muscle hung the meat up in the tree.  I have fond memories of those trips.

 A couple Saturday's ago, some of the boys were up in Walsburg hunting for deer.  The rest of us decided to drive up and make breakfast.  It was cold and wet, but we made the trek up anyway.  It was a nice 30 minute drive up in the rain.  By the time we got up there, it was a constant drizzle.  With no covering except my uncles 5th wheel, we decided to take everything back home and make breakfast at my mom's.  We ate breakfast at two, but it was still delicious.  Maybe next year.  I did get some pictures....at my parent's house.

him vs. me

This is the post that Paul wants me to write:

Shawn

and 

Juliet

4ever

This is the post that I told him I would write:

What, may I ask, is wrong with this picture, dear husband?

My dig on day light savings

I love falling backwards.  I get a blessed hour extra to myself at night and I don't mind the hour earlier that the kids are waking up.  They were starting to sleep in a little, so they wake up now around 6:30-7:30.  Not bad. 

amazon subscribe and save

This little puppy is my lifesaver.  I don't have one of those magical Costco or Sam's Club memberships, and I don't really want to drive for 10-20 minutes to either one of those huge, anxiety causing stores.  I would just go to Walmart to get hygiene type things.  But now that the closest Walmart is 5 1/2 miles away, and I have to get on I-15 to get there and battle the awesome construction, I would rather go without toilet paper and deodorant for the rest of my life.  (There is also a secret reason that I like to avoid places like these:  I literally come a swallow away from throwing up major every time I check out.  Nasteee.)  Enter in Amazon.  They have a Subscribe and Save program that you can sign up for automatic delivery and you can choose 1,2,3, or 6 months delivery (I always choose 6 months and then order whenever I really need it.  You can also skip shipments, or order extra.).  The best part is that you get 15% off on your order and there is free shipping on all S&S orders.  Another perk is the Amazon Mom program (anyone can sign up for this).  You get an extra 15% off and free 2 day shipping on qualifying orders.  So I get 30% off my diapers, plus free 2 day shipping, and I don't even have to set foot in a store! Both programs are FREE, too!  I am trying to price match other things that I normally get like razors ($33 WM vs. $24.78 Amazon), deodorant, face wash, laundry detergent, pull-ups, etc (they even have nursing pads).  Some things are about the same, some are a little more or a little less.  And, yes, it is encouraging my social anxiety and agoraphobia.  But I like it. 

Royalty

I have a really painful, fat cheek, but let's look on the bright side:  I got an early (expensive) birthday present... a root canal this morning.  It was so much fun and full of excitement as I gagged on the mouth piece to do an x-ray and threw up in their garbage can.  I was just letting them know how much I appreciate them for their generous gift.  (Luckily, throughout the root canal, I was calm and not nauseous at all.)  Sometime in the near future, I will be "crowned", again, a second time...maybe I should get this one in gold.  Oh, the privileges of being royal! 

An unexpected gift

I have a good friend who, when driving, takes many different routes to get from the same point A to the same point B.  It was quite confusing at first, driving on those Kentucky roads with her at the wheel and me in the passengers seat.  Eventually, I got used to it and slowly gained my bearings.  When we first moved to Kentucky, and lived in a hotel for three weeks, Dallin and I would often go for drives around town.  I would mostly get lost, but somehow, always found my way back to our temporary living quarters.  After gaining a lay of the land, I would take the same routes here and there so I wouldn't get lost any longer.  Fast forward a couple years later, and I found myself driving all over the place again, exploring this neighborhood or that, enjoying a change in the scenery.  All this, because my friend unknowingly taught me that driving a different way can be fun.  I thought of this today, as the kids and I went to have our weekly "picnic in the parking lot" for dinner with Paul at his work.  We wandered through neighborhoods one way and wandered a different way back.  The kids seem to really enjoy it as well.  Thanks "good buddy" for the unexpected gift of taking a different route and enjoying the scenery.

Dragons

 I guess we need to see the movie now.  I have heard it's pretty good.

The Great Pumpkin Carving Party

 Every year, Grandmas Duncan has her pumpkin carving party with all the cousins.  This was the first time in five years that we were able to be here for it.  All the kids but two (Brit and Josh) were there.  Even Emmi and Easton made it by driving 20+ hours to get there (Okay, their parents drove).  The kids had a great time.  Aunt Jenni was so sweet and got all the kids matching Halloween shirts.

 My kids now refuse to smile.  Instead, they see it fit to make funny faces. 

 Even my husband makes faces at the camera now.

 The finished product.

Halloween Fun...(?)

The kids have been having fun with some Halloween activities going on at our house.  I, myself, cannot wait until these extra hormones are gone and let me feel normal and somewhat patient again with my kids (and husband).  They are resilient, thank goodness, and deal with my moodiness in stride.  I am afraid that they just think it is the normal me (don't tell them, but it really is).  Despite all the dramatics, I really enjoy watching my kids have fun with all the activities that we do.

We decorated cookies one morning.

 I had bought the sugar cookie dough pre-made, which isn't my favorite, but I had a coupon and that seemed to seal the deal.  They tasted good, but were pretty misshapen even after trying to make them look like pumpkins.  In honor of our silly looking cookies, we read The Legend of Spookley the Square Pumpkin, a favorite book of ours.

 A different night, the kids and I made real cookies.

 And cut a whole lot of paper.  The original plan was to have the kids help with these, but instead, they found great joy in cutting the leftover paper into millions and billions of tiny pieces and scatter them all over the table and floor.  Huge mess, but they had a grand ole' time doing it!

 The benefit of procrastinating for 6 months by not hanging anything up on the walls....we can cover them up with fun art projects.  (links:  bats and skeletons)

I taped everything up after they went to bed.  The next morning, they were wide eyed as they come into our kitchen/family room (I guess it's a "great room"?) and saw everything up.  Ellie loved it.  Dallin said it was scary.

Let's Play Music

At the beginning of the school year, Dallin started his music lessons.  To be honest, I thought I was signing him up for just piano lessons.  But in reality, I was signing him up for lessons at "little Julliard".  I am pleased as punch with his teacher and the program.  He loves to go, loves to do his music homework, and loves to sing all the songs.  It is a program called Let's Play Music, which is giving him all sorts of foundation training with out him even knowing that he is learning!  They sing fun songs, play bells, dance around.  Dallin loves it so much, he told me that he wants to go every single day!  If you have little ones (starting age 4-5) check out the program.  There are teachers all over the place.  I will definitely be signing Ellie up in a couple years as well.

sleepy

I fell asleep with the lights on tonight.  That much, I was aware of.  I woke soon after to Dallin shaking my back and telling me to wake up so I could read to him.  "Go read in your bed for 5 minutes, and then I will come and read to you."  I was tired, and hoped that 5 minutes would turn into longer.  Dallin's reply, "But you're in my bed."  I opened my eyes and I was, indeed, in his bed.  While I had been sleeping, he had cleaned up most of his toys and all of his books in his room and in the hallway.  I am hoping that his willingness to clean up his messes sticks!  I am also hoping that I will fight staying up late and go to sleep.  I am tired.

Prayer a la Ellie

Dear Heavny Fava,

Bless me and my pink runny rabbit.  Bless my runny rabbit.  Bless my runny rabbit to hop.  Bless my runny rabbit to hop like a frog.  Bless my mommy and my daddy at work.  Bless my bruver.  Bless my monkey.

Name of Jesus Christ, Aaaamen

bubbles {say it like you're crazy}

a boy and his baby picture

Dallin had to take a baby picture to school.

When he got home, he sat and stared at it for an hour.

If I was this cute when I was a baby (and I was) I would stare all day at my picture, too (and I do).

sometimes

Sometimes my kids are like geese.
They are fun to look at from afar,
but get too close and they honk at you,
and chase you,
and threaten to attack you.
But they still entice you,
and you find yourself staring at them,
and you want to get closer,
and catch them.

Sometimes my kids are like puppies.
They love and they cuddle.
They let you kiss them and they kiss you.
They won't stop jumping all over you.
They make you feel beautiful
and awesome and the best buddy ever, ever.
To them, you can't do anything wrong.

{insert awesome here}

I have decided that I really need to get caught up.  Not a whole lot of pictures were taken this summer, but going through my camera, I realize there are some.  The kids and I also spent a lot of time inside (me, throwing up, this kids, doing heaven's know what ;).  I was reminded of this as I looked at my bare feet and, for the first time ever, saw no post-summer flip-flop tan line.  So this is my lazy catch up post, where there are some pictures that the OCD in me wants to go back and put them with their appropriate posts, but the lazy part of me refuses.  Although I am starting to get anxiety at the thought of them being out of order....oh, my...I really do need a therapist.

Dallin, Kali, and Carter had a ball playing with the poly-fill.

 Paper flowers made for cousin Rachel who can't have real flowers.

These are super easy to make and I think that they would make a great service project or activity for the youth to make a donate to cancer centers.  I can't remember how I found them, but coincidentally Paul's cousin just put up a tutorial for them:  here.   My family made a bunch up at our reunion this summer and we discovered that you can also rip the paper and use two patterned pieces back to back if you don't have double sided.

Dallin got creative and played "outside" sometimes.  We have no grass in our backyard yet, nor a fence.  Our little fenced in deck worked out great.

Dallin took this picture (and 15 others) of the fireworks for Fiesta Days, that we were able to watch from our back deck.  I was sick (what's new) and it was late, so we watched movies until about 10:30 until they started.  We had a great view, but next year, we will walk over to the park so we can see them a little better.

 

 

Super hero masks.  Poor kids were so bored this summer.  Dallin kept begging me to sew him something fun.  I couldn't look at my sewing machine, let alone fabric, for three months, without puking my guts out.  I got really creative with my scissors and old clothes.

Whipped cream nose.  Whoever invented the spray can was a genius.

 The hair that Dallin cut off his sister's head.  I still haven't gotten it fixed.  I can easily pull her hair up in the front to hide it.

                                                 

Ceiling fan.

Dallin took this picture.  I really like it.

Banana oat pancakes made for Dallin's first day of school.  I make the most beautiful pancakes, don't you think.  I thought these were so good looking that I took a picture for posterity sake.  For the record, my pancakes always look this good.

"hey Ladies!!"

Second day of school pictures.  Posing with McQueen.

Walking to school with Dad.

It's too bad this little girl doesn't start preschool until next year.  She is ready to go.  She even has a backpack, paints, and her "beautiful dog" as she calls it (see little chihuahua in hand).  

The end.