Dallas Arboretum

It was such a beautiful day, but the kids just weren't feelin' it and the pictures didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. We fed them lunch right before leaving but they started whining and asking for candy the minute we got there, and they kept giving me these lame half smiles. We could hardly get Ashley to look at the camera, you wouldn't believe how many pictures I got of her staring off into space.

Such a pretty setting, I wish they had cooperated!

Does it seem like there are million people in this picture to anyone else besides me?

This house is made mostly of pumpkins, it has strings and strings of chilies hanging from the ceiling.

This is Uncle Adam, they all love him, especially Nate, he has a man crush.

Ashley actually took this picture. She loves to mess around with my cell phone camera, or my real camera. I don't love it, but she's getting better!

I just love this boy! We forgot his shoes rushing out of the house and he didn't like the grass--when I put him down he stood on one foot and fussed a little.

My problem:

Insomnia + disobedient kids = unhappy mom that blows up at the slightest provocation

Rosie's Photoshoot

Yes, I know my backdrop isn't covering the whole background, I never claimed to be a professional. Someday I am taking a photography class, or three or four but here are some of my amateur attemtps. Michelle, does this give you flashbacks of Camille and Carter? If I had time I'd scan that picture and put it up, too.


I got some seriously cute pictures of Rosie, It was harder with both of them because Nate wouldn't hold still, but I just love these few. I wanted to post my favorites of Rosie, but my SIL is in the process of picking some for a Christmas card so whenever she is done, NO PRESSURE!, I'll post my favorites of the little cutie.

Tagged (and finally getting around to it!)

Another friend Misti tagged me for this one. You are supposed to give one word answers to the following questions.

1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Where is your significant other? couch
3. Your hair color? brown
4. Your mother? talented
5. Your father? wise
6. Your favorite thing? friends
7. Your dream last night? sleep
8. Your dream/goal? photographer
9. The room you're in? kitchen
10. Your hobby? creating
11. Your fear? lonliness
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? happy
13. Where were you last night? crane's
14. What you're not? stylish
15. One of your wish-list items? cruise
16. Where you grew up? denver
17. The last thing you did? bedtime
18. What are you wearing? shorts
19. Your TV? fox
20. Your pet? none
21. Your computer? laptop
22. Your mood? blogging!
23. Missing someone? sisters
24. Your car? odyssey
25. Something you're not wearing? jewelry
26. Favorite store? target
27. Your summer? poolside!
28.Love someone? Justin
29. Your favorite color? browns
30. When is the last time you laughed? recently
31. Last time you cried? thursday

Tagged!

My friend Rebecca tagged me to post the sixth photo in the sixth folder on my computer. Here it is, a picture of Emma from her birthday party this last August.

Check the last post

I finally got my infamous video up.

Happy Birthday Nate Dawg!

I remember watching my nephews love their mom and thinking I needed a son. Well, now I got one and I seriously love this kid. He is so sweet and lovable, and he lets me love him and kiss him, which I do every time I pick him up because he is so cute, and then it just makes me want to kiss him more when he lets me, leaning his head in so I can do it, but I digress.

Nate turned one on Sunday so we had a little smash for him. We ate tacos and cupcakes, and all the in town fam was there.

Nana sent a little something and I completed my assignment from her by going to Toys R Us and buying a car that makes lots of noise. Nate loved it, and cracked himself up pushing the buttons. The other kids thought it was pretty cool, too, and we had a hard time convincing them they were too big to ride.


We had to make the kids sit on the fireplace so they wouldn't maul him while he was trying out the new ride.



Bash just pretty much does what she wants so she stole a turn, and made me take her picture.

I'm so embarassed to post this video, but Justin said I had too. So let this be a lesson to all of you: no candles for the first birthday. I seriously can't believe we did this, I mean we are seasoned parents--it's not like it is our first rodeo people! I felt so bad for the little guy, he couldn't figure out what the heck was going on. He just sat there looking at us after, like you all gathered around for that? Cruel Cruel. Maybe later I'll get up the guts to post the video I took right after when we handed him the cupcake sans fire hazard and he looked at it and cried. Oh man, I owe him one! He did eventually decide to eat it, as evidenced by the frosting covered photo above!

Other notes about Nate:

He walks now, a great Frankenstein/Emperor penguin walk with his arms out in fists in front of him.

He can crawl up and down the stairs.

He says, "hiee!" and waves.

He loves his blue blankie.

He loves to eat (as if you didn't already know)

He makes the cutest faces, like my favorite the fishy face.

He is a sweet and content little guy. After the girls go to bed he often sits on the floor and plays with his toys while Justin and I watch ESPN. He rarely cries, unless of course he is hungry.

He likes to dance in the kitchen with me, if no one is looking.

Partially owing to the fact that it has been too hot to wear them and the inability to find any that fit his fat feet, he isn't a big fan of shoes. He rolls his ankles around and drags his feet when he walks when I put them on.

He sticks his tongue out when he is busy with something.

And lastly, posting video takes for...ev...er. I am losing sleep and this post keeps getting longer as I wait for my video to upload. Does anyone know how to save those in smaller format or something?

Rock Band

Today I heard Camille singing "Dead or Alive" in the bathroom. Thanks for the housewarming gift Larsons!

Reality Bites

And comes back way too quickly.






I had such a weekend of bliss. Friday I spent hanging around with my mom. Then Friday evening I met my friends (gave hugs all around) and we drove up to Winter Park. My friend Tracey asked us if she should bring movies or something, and we told her no. She asked, "You just sit around and talk for two and a half days?" Yep, that's the idea. And we did. All day, and half the night too! I brought a little project (With Nate and the new baggage rules there wasn't enough space for scrapbooking stuff.) and chatted with my friends all weekend long. We went out for a long walk Saturday, and it was cold and beautiful. A couple of us went hot tubbing Saturday night, but mostly we sat around the small table and talked and ate junk. Sunday we came home, I stopped to visit a couple friends houses and say hello, and then I had a great dinner my mom made--wow, I miss you mom. Then it was time to head to the airport.

The kids all did well, Ashley was playing "go out of town" this morning. Nate was only slightly traumatized about me leaving him for the weekend. Sunday evening I ran after my brother with his forgotten cell phone, and Nate put his face down on the entry rug and cried when I shut the door after me. He was so giddy and wiggly and excited yesterday when the girls were around. It was cute to see him so happy to be home. The house? Well, in the interest of being positive we won't talk about it.

Shhhh!

I snuck out for the weekend. I'm afraid if I go to wild I'll get in trouble and get sent home. I am in Denver and had a fabulous day hanging out with my mom and getting pedicures. When she visited me last week we worked so hard we didn't have any time to just relax together, so it was nice to have this day. Soon I am getting picked up to go to Winter Park and spend a weekend with my girlfriends here. I can't wait to smell that mountain air! Plus I managed to land myself here on the weekend that the fall colors peak in the mountains--man it really is too bad that I forgot my camera!

My Beautiful Girl

Emma was baptized last Saturday. I am so proud of her, she is a good girl in many ways. She tries hard to please people, especially her parents and teachers. She is so responsible and also very quick to learn. She was very well prepared for her baptism and I hope she will remember what a special day it was!

We had family travel from three different states to be with us: Grammy Lisa came from Denver, Nana and Papa, Aunts Courtney, Kristin, and Michelle, and a cousin Mackenzie all came from CA and UT and it was so fun to have them all. I am grateful for the effort they made because it made the day so much more exciting for Em.

I am going to have a picture done of just Emma in her dress, but I thought the generations of women picture was almost as good. My mom made Emma's dress, it was perfect and we loved it. I had a Mary and Martha insight Saturday morning as we rushed out to be at the church on time, leaving my house in shambles and most of my house guests to get my other kids ready and find the church with a map. I sat thinking of the things I wished I could have done that morning, and I realized that none of it mattered really. I really felt I had all that was important that morning as we sat waiting for everyone else to get there. We had a great spirit in the meeting and although it was not perfect I felt so happy to be there and be a part of Em's special day.