I {Heart} Books

I got invited to a "Children's Picture Book" baby shower and it got me thinking about all the books I've loved...from my childhood, from my kids' library, and from my own recent reading.
There are some great books out there!!

From my childhood

"The Blueberry Pie Elf"

"Oh Were They Ever Happy"

"The Big Pancake"
(and many other Ladybird books)
I need to order this one from ebay still!!

"A Pocket for Corduroy"

Little Critter Books

Cinderella & Rudolph "Little Golden Book" versions

"The Five Chinese Brothers"


And I'm sure there are A LOT that I just don't remember, but if I saw them they would bring back a rush of good memories (like that book I used to read at the dentist about someone (I can't remember if it was an animal or a human) can't find an ant in their house and they end up tearing their house apart looking for it....BTW if you know this book tell me what it is because I have been search for years!!).

From My Children's Library

"I Wish I had Duck Feet", "Green Eggs and Ham",

"The Best Nest", "What was I Scared of?"
(I love Dr. Seuss!!)

"I Love You Stinky Face"


"Corduroy"
(from my childhood too)

"Miss Nelson is Missing"

"Ping"
(from my childhood too)

"Freckle Juice"
(from my childhood too)

"Katy No Pocket"
(from my childhood too)


"The Witches"

TOO MANY TO LIST...especially once you start getting into chapter books!!!

Here's a link to a list of recommended children's reading that was emailed out in lieu of the shower. It reminded me that I need to read Millions of Cats, Harry the Dirty Dog, and The Tales of Peter Rabbit to my kids...I loved those book!!

When I got a little older it was all about...

Sweet Valley Twins!!



My teenage years were not filled with much "reading for pleasure", since I had to read for school, but a couple favorites from school were:

"1984"--George Orwell

"Martian Chronicle's"--Ray Bradbury

"A Separate Peace"--John Knowles

My college years were also filled with "required" reading. I didn't start reading "for fun" again until Jordan was born. I started that off right with The Harry Potter Series and then went into The Lord of the Rings (to please my husband). A few more books that have really affected me these past few years have been:

"The Memory Keepers Daughter"

"A Thousand Splendid Suns"


"The Twilight Series" (yes, I admit it)

"The Hunger Games"

"The Forgotten Garden"


"Jane Eyre"....

Okay, I think I better stop there, because this list could go on a while!!! I just LOVE a good read. Right now I am finishing off The Hobit, which isn't too exciting, but one of those books that I just felt like I should read. What will be next...for me...and for my kids?! I guess I am turning into quite the nerd, being this excited about books:)

The Tween Party

The parties are definitely changing as the kids get older...and so are the presents...

We got Jordan an IHome to charge her Itouch and play music (it also changes colors with the beat of the music--pretty cool)

For some reason, Jordan really wanted to play Lazer Tag!!We then let the kids play some arcade games. Jordan's friends pooled their tickets to get Jordan some cool presents (so sweet).The rock candy cake:)

The dress up game (If you spun a 5 or a 10 you had to pick something out of a bag to put on. The person with the least amount of dress up on at the end of the game won. I think it was Jordan. The girls were all such good sports...Tyson was HILARIOUS, but wouldn't let me take a picture.

Then they played a makeup game. They rolled dice to see what color and where to apply the makeup. We then had Mike judge on which face was the best!Then they played "Balloon Pop Dare". I filled 30 balloons with dares and they had to pop them and then do the dare. I didn't get any pictures though!! My favorite dare was: "Smell everyone's feet and judge whose are the stinkiest". I had fun coming up with those.

Jordan had a blast and told me it was her best party yet...

My Blonde Moment

I think of myself as an intelligent person. I did well in high school, graduated from college with Bachelor of Science. I follow politics and read a fare bit. Well, someone watching me today, would think me anything but intelligent. Here's what I did:

I was rushing around all morning, trying to get everything prepared for Jordan's birthday party. I headed to Costco to get a few last minute things. I hurried through the store, put everything in the trunk and closed the door. As soon as the door closed, I realized my keys were locked in the car...along with the ice cream, strawberries, chicken, lettuce...oh, and did I mention it was like 80 degrees today?! Holy cow, how stupid am I?! So, I go to call Mike (luckily he was working from home today) and realized my cell phone is in the car (which wouldn't help me anyways because it is DEAD, as usual). I borrowed a phone, called Mike. I thought, while I waited I should go get a fruit smoothy from Costco, to help pass the time . I looked in my wallet and there was not even one dollar!! I really am not very prepared for a crisis am I? Well, Mike finally came and unlocked my car. So I got out home in time to pick the kids up from school...and the ice cream was still frozen solid:)

Lessons I learned:

1) Always have a charged cell phone with me
2) Always carry cash
3) Don't lock my stinkin' keys in the car!!

See, I told you I read!!

ELEVEN years ago TODAY...

...we were blessed with our first little baby, and life was never the same again!!

Jordan came into this world as a 6 lb 10 oz perfect angel. She had thick blond hair that the nurses spiked up in a little mohawk. Jordan slept in 4 hour stretches and ate in about 45min. sessions. She was content just to lay on her back and kick her legs...although all we wanted to do was hold her:)--first time parents. Jordan only cried when she was hungry or dirty. When she got a little older, Jordan had to be rocked to sleep every night while we sang her every verse to at least 3 songs (she should absolute know every single word to "I am a Child of God", "Teach me to Walk in the Light" and her baby song daddy wrote her!!). Jordan was always a good little girl. She listened to her parents, was very careful and cautions which made our job easier. She loved to dance and sing. She really was a easy, happy baby and little girl.

Now Jordan is ELEVEN!! Where did the time go? Here's a little about Jordan now:

-Loves music...dancing to it, singing to it, and blaring it so loud that mom has to say "Turn it down" (makes me feel like a granny)

-Loves animals. Jordan's room is plastered with pictures of dogs, kitties, horses and dolphins!

-Loves planning, decorating, and being in charge (maybe this is the "oldest child" coming out)

-Favorite TV: Victorious, Good Luck Charlie, Jessie and...Modern Family (I screen these before letting her watch...she seems to want to watch more of "my" shows and less kids shows now)

-Favorite Color: Lime Green and Purple

-Favorite things to do: Playing with friends, playing on her Itouch (taking pics and making movies), arts & crafts, piano...

Well, that's a little bit about eleven-year-old Jordan. We love her. We are so blessed to have her in our lives. Happy Birthday Jordan!!

The Little Things

The other day I was helping Tyson with his homework. He had to color this "paper person" to look like him. He was supposed to draw him in his favorite clothes etc. He drew those big eyes with giant eyelashes, then drew the open mouth with the teeth. He then looked at his work and very proudly said "That is a great mouth!" He then showed me how the mouth in the picture was identical to his own. Love that kid!!

Project

In the past couple days I have really been out of my comfort zone. I was in a fabric warehouse looking for upholstery fabric and in home depot looking for a staple gun...not what I'm usually doing.

But here's why:

My kitchen chairs were filthy and nothing would get them clean! I finally decided I would tackle the job of recovering them.

One down...5 to go.

Don't fail me now!!

I have had my ins and outs with the world of beauty secrets. I have tried fancy and expensive make ups, shampoos, face washes and lotions. But really, nothing seemed to give the results that they claimed. My hair is still thin and flat, my skin is still lily white and blotchy and my make up looks far from Hollywood glam. But, the two "secrets" that I have always sworn by are 1) plenty of sleep and 2) washing off my make up before bed every night.

But lately, probably when I need these "beauty secrets" most, I have been slacking (not on the plenty of sleep...I'll never give that one up no matter how much my husband teases me).

In my 20+ years of wearing makeup, I have probably gone only about 10 days without washing it off before going to bed (I think I was told by a Mary Kay lady when I was a teenager that sleeping in makeup ages your skin 10 times faster or something). Well, this past year, right as I am hovering over my mid-thirties *gulp* I have gone to bed probably 1/4 of the nights WITH MY MAKEUP ON!! What is happening to me?! Does this mean that by this time next year I will look like I'm in my mid....forties?! Looks like I've gotta get back on track...

Thought I better post a picture that you can't see the wrinkles around my eyes:)

It's a New Year

One thing I love about January is the overwhelming sense that we all have a fresh start. All the troubles from the past year are washed away and we start new...we can do anything, right? Well, we have been setting resolutions, decluttering and trying to find ways to make this year better than the last.

Here's us starting the celebrations to ring in the new year

Here's Tyson's room after some cleaning and decluttering (as sad as it is to get rid of some great toys that the kids have grown out of, it feels so good to clear things out!!)Jordan tried out her new crimper and set some resolutions
(1. read 8 books 2. learn one hymn with both hands 3. Do the splits all the way down in all three positions)Kya go a new do and set some resolutions
(1. Perfect a bridge kickover 2. Memorize all multiplication facts to 12)

Tyson signed up for ice skating classes and set some resolutions
(1. Ride a bike without training wheels 2. Learn how to ice skate)

But the saddest thing about this new year, is that we had to take down Christmas:(