What we do on road trips

To entertain ourselves.

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First day of school

Someone is ready for first grade!!





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Finally

Alaina has been teething for quite awhile it seems. But finally on Saturday, one finally cut through. She has one on the bottom right side. There's also another white bump beside it so I think soon she will have two bottom teeth. Hopefully she will be able to sleep a little better now too.


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Challenge

Today Rusty and I are starting a challenge in our family.  We are going the whole month of August without eating fast food.  Our only exceptions are sandwich places like Subway.  I know this is going to be hard but I'm really going to try and do it.  I am an admitted McDonald's addict, so I may go through withdrawals.  I'm going to have to come up with some lunchtime options at work and "gasp" maybe even bring my lunch, but I seriously think we need this change.   Anyone else want to take the challenge with us?

Loving the new iphone camera

Life with a 6 year old

Today I took the girls to Target.  Here are some things that happened in the half hour we were there -

1 - We were looking through clothes for Alaina, and out of nowhere Caitlin falls down.  She didn't seem to trip so I said, "Caitlin, what happened?"
Caitlin - "You tripped me." 
Me - "No I didn't.  I wasn't anywhere near you!"
Caitlin - "You tripped me."
Me - "You are crazy."

Then I hear a snicker behind me.  I turned around and saw a lady laughing.  I asked her if she saw that and she did.  I told her I was glad someone else witnessed that craziness!!

2 - We looked through the toys and Caitlin did not have enough money for the one she wanted and was sad.  She looked teary eyed and I asked what was wrong.  She said she was sad she didn't have enough money and couldn't get her toy.  I told her that sometimes when I want something really bad and don't have the money, I get sad too.  Her response - "But you don't cry about it.  So you don't feel my pain."

3 - Caitlin made Alaina laugh


4 - I got this great picture

Friday 5's

1.If you could be on a show(talk show, game show...) which one would you pick?

I think I would totally rock at Wheel of Fortune!

2. What was your first job?
If you don't count working for dad, it was at the Smokey Mountain Fudge Shop in the Food Court at Hickory Hollow Mall.  I gave out fudge samples and sold fudge to people.  It was yummy!

3. What's one of your guilty pleasure?
Ice cream, cookie dough, Chocolate . . . OH did you mean just one?

4. Would you ever vacation alone?
No, I enjoy the sharing part of the vacation too much.

 
5. Democrat, Republican, or Independent..or maybe even Green Party (whatever that is)? 
Conservative - where does that fit in?  Does anyone know these days?

Most comfortable shoe ever!

Okay, ladies, I just bought these shoes yesterday and had to share!!  The brand is Italian Shoemakers and they are seriously the most comfortable shoe I think I have ever owned (including tennis shoes)!!  They are like walking on a pillow.  I think I will look into this company a little more and buy all of their shoes.  :)

Caitlin is 6

Caitlin recently turned 6.  We had a party at BounceU and the kids loved it!!  I don't have many pictures of the kids playing because they were running around non-stop and were a blur every time I tried.  They had so much fun and I loved that BounceU did everything for us.

Happy Birthday Caitlin!!

Star Wars party

For Noah's 6th birthday, he had a Star Wars party.  Caitlin had never seen Star Wars so we explained to her what it was about.  She loved the party.  She got to be a Jedi in training.  After the party, she was all about Star Wars, watched the movie and loved to play fight with her light-saber, which she still cannot pronounce correctly.

Dancing - they had to freeze when the music stopped.  Caitlin made it to the final 3.

Hitting the Pinata

She's such a HAM!!

Jedi training

Her change to fight Darth Vader - check out her swagger afterwards!

Friday 5's

Five things you do to relax, destress,contain your composure or that you just enjoy doing for yourself:

I love baths. That is my number one way of destressing. There is nothing better than soaking in a hot, hot bath with some peppermint oil. Aaahhhh, heaven!

Another way of relaxing is reading. I LOVE books! I go through books like crazy!!

Another thing I resort to is ice cream or chocolate. When I've had a bad day, a bowl of ice cream always helps.

When I've had a really bad day, I combine all three. A hot bath, with a bowl of ice cream and then reading a book.

Friday 5

This week is five favorite blogs.  Okay, every morning, I check blog updates.  I'm kind of addicted to blogs.  So obviously, my family's blogs are ones that I check.  But then I have friends blogs, photography blogs, craft blogs, church blogs, etc.  So here are the top 5 -

1 - http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/
"Stephanie Nielson returns from a almost fatal plane crash. Happy to be blogging again from Utah and recovering too. Four happy children and one sweet husband make her life as good as it gets."
She is an inspiration of courage, hope and faith!!

2 - Tanya http://treyandlucy.blogspot.com/ and her sister-in-law http://ashbyfamilyblog.blogspot.com/
LOVE their craft ideas and love to read about fun things they do with their kids.  Makes me want to be a better mommy!!

3 - Here are some of my favorites for FHE ideas. (Family Home Evening (FHE), in the context of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, refers to one evening per week, usually Monday, that families are encouraged to spend together in study, prayer and other wholesome activities. The purpose of FHE is to help families strengthen bonds of love with each other as well as provide an atmosphere where parents can teach their children principles of the gospel.)
http://ayearoffhe.blogspot.com/
http://fheplanner.blogspot.com/
http://fheinasnap.blogspot.com/
http://nataliesfhespot.blogspot.com/

4 - http://www.sensiblystyled.com/
A great blog for cute, modest clothes at great prices.

5 - http://babyasart.com/blog/
I am in awe of how they get the baby in some of these poses and they are still asleep.  I would love to learn this trick!!

And of course, I love Beth's - http://mcclintockb.blogspot.com/!!

That's just a few of my favorites.  I'm constantly adding more.  I love that blogger will let me "follow" all of them and tell me what's been updated since I last read.  :)

Friday 5's

1. If given a choice to skip work for a day, how would you spend the entire day?
Easy - at the beach, any beach

2. If you could start fresh, what profession would you choose?
I think everything happens for a reason and that's how I got to where I am today.  But if I was solely in charge of my life, I would have been a math teacher.

3. What is your favorite candy or candy bar?
Seriously?  See this post.

4. Have your ever ordered anything from an infomercial or bought an"As seen on TV item"?
Yes, I am a sucker for these.  We bought our kitchen knives off an infomercial and still use them.  They can cut a tomato right after you slice through a can!

5. Whats the movie you ALWAYS cry at??
I can only pick one?  Seriously, I am a cryer.  I cry when I'm happy.  I cry when I'm sad.  I cry when others cry.  I cry when I laugh too much.  It's just what I do.  So here are a few:
Sense and Sensibility - at the end when Edward FINALLY comes to Elenore and she breaks down crying.
Rudy - at the end when he finally gets to play and the team all support hims and chants Rudy.  Oh and the part where all the team comes to the coach and says he can have their spot.

Those are the only two I can think of, but Rusty can vouch for me crying at just about anything - movies, TV shows, commercials, etc.

Happy Fathers Day

We made Rusty this video as part of his present.

Friday 5's-5 favorite songs

I have a hard time with favorites.  I end up doing what my favorites are right now - I can't make a decision.

So these are my favs right now.  I go through phases with music and right now I'm loving Contemporary Christian.  It just makes me happy!
1 - What Do I Know of Holy - Addison Road
2 - There is a Way - NewWorldSon
3 - Until the Whole World Hears - Casting Crowns
4 - Cinderella - Steven Curtis Chapman
5 - Lay 'Em Down - Needtobreathe

But some that I can think of as best evers:
Bohemian Rhapsody
Love Shack

6 Month Checkup

Monday was Alaina's 6 month checkup.  Alaina is doing great.  She weighs 16 pounds 8 oz.  Rusty told me that her percentiles were 91, 63 and 91.  I thought for sure her weight was one of the 91% but nope.  She's 91 percentile for her length and head circumference.  Only 63% for weight.  So I guess the only thing overweight on her is her thighs.  She's tall and has a big head.  :)

My new obsession

I am the proud owner of an Ipad.

Yes, I will admit that I don't need this.  It was purely a "want".  And yes, I will admit that a month ago I was making fun of it and wondering why people would buy one.  It just a big iphone.  But then I realized, "Hey, it's a huge iphone!"  And I love my iphone so then I started to change my mind.

Apple really knows what they are doing - this thing is AMAZING!!  I am a geek at heart and love techie toys and this is perfect for that!  The graphics on the screen are awesome.  I love all the apps.  I can now tether to my iphone and connect to the internet from my ipad whereever I go.

Some of the cool things my ipad can do:
1 - Connect to all my google info - gmail, documents, calendar, tasks
2 - With the ABC player - I can watch any ABC TV show
3 - Through my Netflix app, I can use my Netflix account and stream movies.  Caitlin watched Up last night from it.
4 - Read all of my Kindle books.  Have I mentioned that I've become a Kindle book hoarder.  It's a good thing they are digital or I would be overrun in books at home!!
5 - With the Gospel Library app, I can read my scriptures, church magazines, get all of the sunday school manuals, class manuals, etc.
6 - With the Virtuoso app, I can play the piano.  This one is SUPER COOL!
7 - Anything that my iphone could do

Now yesterday, was the first time I'd ever gone to the Apple Store.  They really know what they are doing there.  There a million customers and they had an employee for each one.  The guy helped me with my questions, ordered my ipad, and checked me out all without going to a register.  (Yes, he did everything from his iphone)  And then, when I left, he said, "Congratulations!"  And I said, "Thank you" (like I had just won an Oscar) and I felt like I had.  I love my new toy!

She can now roll both ways!

Friday 5's

If you were stranded on an island what 5 things would you just have to have???

1 - I would really only need one thing and that is my iphone - seriously I am addicted!! I love it - it's like having a mini laptop in my pocket at all times.
2 - my iphone
3 - my iphone
4 - my iphone
5 - my iphone

My favorite things to do on my iphone are as follows:
- Check my 400 email addresses (Mail app)
- Check up on my Facebook friends (Facebook app)
- Read my kindle books (Kindle app)
- Read my scriptures (Scriptures app)
- Play games (Card Shark, Kakuro, and ShakeSpell apps)
- Listen to music (on iPod app or thru Pandora app)
- Watch movies and TV shows (iPod app)
- Look through my pictures (Photos app)
- Take silly pictures (Camera app)
-  And then draw on them (Scribble app)
- Text people (Messages app)
- Monitor my crazy schedule and tasks (CalenGoo and GeeTasksPro apps - sync with Google)
- Look at new recipes (iFood and AllRecipes apps)
- Catch up on FMLs (FML app)
- See what movies are coming out (Flixster app)
-  Figure out where I'm going (Maps app)
-  Watch viral videos (YouTube app)

Seriously there is an app for EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!