Mommy I had a good dream. . .

How I heart these two. They are definitely trouble, but it's the cute toddler trouble full of giggles, and I sure hope as they continue to grow they will help each other have fun, but in the good trouble kind of way. And if his dreams are any kind of foresight they will.
Yesterday:
"Mommy I had a good dream last night."
"Really, what was it about?"
"Me and Cooper were Super Heroes! And we flew."
"Awesome. What were you wearing?"
"We wore super shirts!."
"What color were they?"
" They were yellow, green, and red. With Super stuff."
"Very Cool! And what did you and Cooper do?"
"We saved the world!"
"I bet you did."

I ask the clothing description because as soon as he said that they were super heroes all I could picture is two young men in dark suits with name tags and it almost made me tearful at thinking of my little guy with his "best friend" and cousin out serving the Lord together.
That's my little guy. I love him and I know he is going to take the world by storm.

Parker the Pretty Pink Polka Dot Pirate Princess

I'm quite a few months late, but that's how it goes this year.
My beautiful baby girl turned the big 1 this year and I got so excited for her party I might have gone a "little" overboard. Her party was the Pretty Pink Polka Dot Pirate Princess Party.
This girl loves her sweets, but her favorite is ice cream. Unfortunately a candle doesn't work well in ice cream so she also got a cupcake.
The spread- all the food was either pink or started with a "p". Pretzels, peach rings, peppers, popcorn, pink oreos, and of course pink polka dot cupcakes.
She totally hated the headband so it didn't last long, but the onesie was embroidered by my sister-in-law and has gotten a lot of use since then.
Argh! My awesome nephew totally getting into the theme.

Of course we had to have a Pinata. Learned with Quinn's party that pull-strings work best with this age-group.
The Cake! Love the sheets of fondant at Michaels, which made this so much easier to do.

We started off with a Pin the Pirate on the "X". I created a treasure map then used print outs of Jake and the Neverland Pirates that the kids got to color. Total take off of pin the tail on the donkey. The winner got the first clue to the treasure hunt, but everyone got pirate eye patches.

I love this girl, even if she does love to try my patience. Her first birthday was a lot of work, but tons of fun just like my little peanut.

Year in Review

This year has been quite a journey. We are still learning how to be parents to 2 children, getting used to a new teaching job with an added tech contract, preschool at home with Quinn, along with just the normally challenges of life. We have been on quite a few trips to see family. In March we spent time with my mom in California, June was a trip through Idaho for the Elison family reunion, September was a trip to Ohio for sisters, and then another trip to California with a side trip to Arizona for a Mom's recoup at Time Out for Women. We rounded out the year with a Christmas trip to Medford. Yes, this is a lot of my family trips but one has to remember that we live with Ryan's family. This year I also got a seasonal job working at a Gingerbread Bakery to help pay for Christmas and all the extras. Smelled yummy the whole fall through, and had a great time working with wonderful people.
Looking back is so much fun, because it reminds you of all the good times that get forgotten in the muddle of daily challenges.

Quinn's birthday cake. We had a St. Patrick's party, but his big gift was a bike which he LOVES!
Parker's borrowed St. Patrick's dress. This is one of Emily's creations meant for Mena at Christmas several years ago, but it fit perfectly for Parker for the great green day.
She really does like to shop, but she sings to her own tune.

For a Father's day present for Ryan's dad Geri was able to get all the boys together for an awesome trip White Water rafting, which totally surprised Mike.

We had a great time on Fourth of July soaking in the community spirit at the park. We watched the fireworks at the Willamete Park, eating fried chicken and licking up the ice cream.
For Labor day we went to a little park with the whole fam. for a picnic and canoeing. Very quite and relaxing. Water was really "green", but is had lots to look at while on the boat. Quinn hanging out, waiting for his turn to be Lewis and Clark.

Halloween was a whole family event. Everyone was a Wizard of Oz character. Parker was the Wicked Witch, but we thought of her as Elphaba (Wicked was an awesome play), Quinn was the Scarecrow, Ryan and I were Flying Monkey's (along with Rory, Michelle and Geri), Mike was the Wizard, Lilly was Dorthy, Haddie was Glenda, Cooper was the Tin Man, Heather got really into the spirit with her own creation of a Munchkin which was super cute, Gavin was the Lion, Macsen was supposed to have been Toto but he went anti-costume and at eight months no one was fighting him.

Oh yeah you bet we took the Best Family Costume at the ward party :D


And to end the year we had a wonderfully quite Christmas with lots of gifts for the kids, yummy treats, and hopes for another great year.

"The" Diet

I've never been one for dieting. The idea of completely cutting a certain food out of my life is unimaginable to me. I like options. I like variation. I don't like having to count, especially if then I have to have complicated equations to figure out what I can and can't have. At the same time it is unavoidable to see the how the "American" diet is affecting our population.

Like many Americans I was fascinated with the documentary "Super Size ME." Granted it didn't keep me from EVER eating at a fast food restaurant again, and I wasn't a McDonald's fan before. But overall it got me thinking about changes I would like to see made in my own life of eating habits.

Then. . .

This last week I watched "Fat Head," the rebuttal documentary to "Super Size Me." What I learned from it has gotten me even more contemplative on the reasons we eat the way we do. It has really got me questioning everything I have learned about what is "healthy" and the history of the human diet.

Moderation has always been the way to go in my opinion (not that I don't get tempted to eat the ENTIRE box of Girl scout cookie,) but this really reenforced it to me. Of course it also helped me feel even better about all my garden seeds I just order.

Fat Head that's me :D

Sun Shine

Today was such a beautiful day, it was difficult to think that less than half way around the world people were reeling from an unbelieveable devesation. As I prepare my garden for the coming spring I have started to reflect on the many blessings in my life. My beautiful babies surround me as I trim the roses. Parker in her stroller catching her Vitamin D and Quinn racing up and down the drive on his new bicycle. While pruning the apple tree I contemplate the tasty fruits I get to have for applesauce and pies come winter. Clearing the moss I collect for the chickens to rummage for little bugs I remember the many projects and ideas I get to carry out.
This week I purchased a book about finding God in the garden; today was one of those enlightening days.

A rose by any other name

So I was informed the other day that Quinn does not like his name and no longer wants to be called Quinn. When asked what he wants us to call him instead his reply- "Trash Can."

Sorry kid as crazy as you can make me I am not calling you "Trash Can."

Super Big Brother

Quinn sure loves his sister (as long as she's not crying :D )