Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Mommy Daughter Date

Piper and I were both pretty excited to go see Monsters University! We got enough codes for one free ticket thanks to our cereal habits, and we earned another free ticket from buying a fandango giftcard, so we were all set for our free movie night! Then we got there and piper decided she didn't even want popcorn (she wanted french fries because she's used to the Alamo and was actually just kind of disappointed that they weren't going to come take her order in the movie...i feel you on that one piper, the alamo is awesome). so i ended up promising her Chick-Fil-A after the movie to make up for the lack of seat-side service! Anyway, the movie was super cute and piper did great! she's finally old enough to actually sit through a whole movie as long as she's enjoying it. last summer she did ok, but still would try to wander around a little. 
After the movie, we went to chick-fil-a so piper could get french fries and play in the play place. i had a coupon for a free sandwich from filling out a survey (seriously, if you eat there and you get a survey, DO IT...it is really quick and you get a free chicken sandwich! i've done 3 in the last few weeks. perhaps i need to stop eating so much chick-fil-a? whatever) 
Then to top off our night, we went to target, our favorite place! Piper wanted a new game and chose chess/checkers, which as cool because it was on clearance for 3 dollars. then we went home and brett and i tried to help her play checkers, which she only vaguely understood.
all in all, a great night!
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pre-movie shot. 

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this thing was so stupid. there was a spot for the kid to put their head in one of those ID cards. but it was at my height and there was no stool or anything back there. piper was disappointed. i was disappointed in whoever designed it.

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she settled for a picture next to Mike.


Sunday, July 14, 2013

Dependence Day

Piper was happy to tell anyone about "dependence day." she is REALLY into American flags lately...in fact, when we're in the car, we "collect" them...which means we point them out and try to "win" by having the most. it's pretty fun. i have the advantage of knowing where to look for them and also always being in the front seat, so i usually win. 
anyway, we had a GREAT 4th of July. seriously, one of the best i can remember! we went to dinner with Grandpa and Uncle George and then went over to the Nyholms' for second-dinner, s'mores, and fireworks!
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piper rocking her patriotic clothes...she's pretty much in a skirts-and-dresses-only phase right now, so i've been prepping her for the fact that she WAS 100% GOING TO WEAR SHORTS on the 4th of july. because i bought these the end of last summer and there was no way she wasn't wearing them.

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hudson trying to get in on the photo action...and piper front-tucking her shirt so you could see the bow on the front of her shorts.

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she wanted to pose with the flag, but then decided it was too hot and sunny out, so she looks pretty grumpy here


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Hudson playing with maverick. this is the first time i can think of that he has really shown an interest in Maverick, but luckily maverick is a really nice dog and didn't seem to mind hudson's pestering.

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fireworks/sparklers time! piper was really into it this year.

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letting Erik light her sparkler 
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hudson was very unsure about all of it...it probably didn't help that he was totally exhausted by this point...in fact, he fell asleep DURING fireworks.

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family picture courtesy of Jenny. seriously, every time i look at this picture it makes me so happy! We sure love spending time together and with our friends!

Friday, July 12, 2013

sleep

Sleep-time is seriously SO much drama for our family! Hudson FINALLY naps decently, but he still isn't sleeping through the night. Piper doesn't really nap (except an occasional nap in the car) and has just one heck of a time going to sleep at night AND sneaks into our room at night (and brett doesn't even NOTICE half the time because he sleeps more heavily). seriously, if your kids sleep, at night, in their own beds, consistently, COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS!
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hudson zonked out in his carseat.

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piper having a meltdown after we tried to transfer her, asleep, from the car to her bed after a late night at the Nyholms' this usually works. but not this night.....side note though, look at her hair! it looks so beautiful and shiny!

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

playdate

Piper would play with friends every day if she could, so she was super excited when her friend Evie was able to come over and play with her sand/water table, pool, and sprinkler! it's so fun for piper to have a little girl to play with since most of her other friends are boys!

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sand/water table fun!


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wearing the toss rings as crowns!


Tuesday, July 9, 2013

painter

i feel like i say this a lot, but i legitimately feel like piper is pretty good at art. she has the patience for drawing and coloring and she's been working on some abstract paintings on canvas lately that i think have been turning out really good (like good enough for me to hang on the wall and actually enjoy seeing every day). 
i'm trying to foster her creativity by giving her lots of mediums to work with to see which ones she is drawn to. she REALLY loves to use acrylic craft paints on canvas, watered down tempera paint on the glass deck doors, watercolors on cardstock (especially putting watercolors on already-wet paper and watching the colors run), and lots and lots of crayons on copy paper. she's on her second ream of paper since valentine's day. that means she's already made more than 500 things...crazy!
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it would be pretty cool if she always remembered to wear a smock...

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this one i LOVE and refuse to let her add more to it because i really enjoy seeing this every day as-is.

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this one i liked, but she REALLY wanted to put more paint on it, and honestly, it looks pretty cool now too...i'll have to take a picture of the updated version

Thursday, July 4, 2013

lately

in an attempt to get caught back up on blogging, i'm pretty much just going to throw a bunch of pictures on here!
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hudson helping in the kitchen
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piper smiling for the camera?


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we got this basketball hoop at a yard sale for  $2. brett was pretty excited

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hudson climbs on everything!

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these kids love each other usually


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summer of the watermelon.

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hudson's got Natitude!

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he also like to "help" with the laundry. also we got a new bookcase.

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i have colored SO much stuff. piper likes me to color with her, and sometimes i'll get REALLY into it.

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life is so great now that hudson can sit in a shopping cart! especially at costco, where they can BOTH sit in the cart!

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we got a new rug. it's 8x10 and it was only $12.99. pretty sweet deal. it currently resides in our  dining room, but it might move soon.

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pizza is my favorite food and i force my family to eat it almost every week.

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piper learning to longboard. 

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sometimes i'm cool and let piper do fingerpaints. 

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momma's boy. 

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say what?

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we went to cole's teeball game and then piper and i took some selfies on the way to icecream with the fam.

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one day my kids both fell asleep. it was so weird/awesome.

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hudson eats all sorts of stuff now. it's pretty cool

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Brett's work

we don't go to brett's work as often when the weather is nice because i run outside, instead of on the treadmill. but sometimes we still head over for lunch and some playtime (in other words, piper running around like a maniac and getting out all the equipment)
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our kids love to exercise. 

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sometimes you have to post embarrassing pictures of yourself because they're too funny to leave un-posted. we went to brett's work so i could run on the treadmill, but i was so tired (hudson never sleeps) that i fell asleep on the table instead of exercising. and i used my hair as my room (like Erin from The Office). apparently brett saw fit to photograph this moment and i just found the picture on the computer the other day.

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so professional
seriously peeps, if you need some PT, this guy's your man!