If you see me at the thrift store buying up all the old lady nightgowns, this is why:

Before: zip-up nightgown
After: darling embroidered top (zipper removed)

Just found this blog a few weeks ago and I'm hooked! So inspiring--she's refashioning 1 old dress (or nightgown or mu-mu or whatever) every day this year on a budget of $1/day. So cool. If you're like me, you'll be inspired by her creative vision and addicted to seeing the before and after photos. She only has 85 days left to go, so there's lots of old posts to scroll through...

A Day at the Beach

I'm so good about getting professional pictures done for my kids. I go to JC Penny's, and for Miranda--who loves to get her picture taken, and pose, and smile, and show some drama--it was perfect. Spent tons of money on their $3.99 portraits.

But for little Brad, it's a different story. His 12 month pictures, I bought two 8X10's, although I don't know why I did, because he's bawling in both. For 18 months, we tried it again. Even hauled a cool, vintage Red Flyer tricycle through the whole store, so he'd have a fun distraction during the portrait session and brought Grandma along for help.

Nope. Still bawling, clinging to me, whatever. Geesh--you'd think it was pure torture. So I scheduled family photos with a cute friend from my sorority days--Jen Tate--because we needed to document his cute smile in pictures! And here you go:As easy as that, I guess. Jen also got tons of smiles from her, of course! And lots of candids, my absolute favorites...Want to see more? Check out some of her other pictures and PLEASE leave a comment (we get a free print if we get 20 comments!)

Also, this was a fun, fun family activity! The kids were exhausted after playing in the sand/sun/water/salt :) for 2 1/2 hours! We are wondering if we can plan one more trip back while the weather is still nice before the bugs get too bad...If you go: take a change of clothes for the kids on the ride home, a couple gallons of water to wash all the dried up salt off your skin, lots of drinks in a cooler in the car, and a few buckets for the kids to play with in the sand.

I'm Pathetic

So, it's been a while since I've updated. No news flash, there.

But, we've been having a fun summer, jam-packed with fun:
playdates with new neighbors
playdates with family and old friends (the best kind)
re-landscaping the yard (mostly Jeremy and some hired help)
enjoying our new brick patio
my amazing sister helping me paint/glaze my huge hutch
studying for and teaching Relief Society
exploring local parks (my kids are at such a fun age!)
watching a few cars crash at two demolition derbies
seeing a few movies here and there
enjoying 'Wendys' for dinner in the mountains
hitting the library about once a week
working too much
getting family pictures taken

I realize I really need to post more details on some of these updates, but I haven't really been taking many pictures--sad to say.

BUT, we did need to get some updated family pictures! I have a friend from my sorority days in college who is such a talented photographer, and when I saw this post, I was completely sold. I **love** the beach theme.

So my little family went last week for our session.

Jen has posted a few 'previews' on her blog. If you feel like checking them out, please leave a comment! If we get 20 comments, we get a free print! You should also check out her other work--she's really great with kids and has great style!

I know. Pathetic. I haven't posted an update for almost two months, and here I am begging for a favor. But just think, now I'll owe you one...

P.S. If you're feeling really charitable, my twin and her family just got their family pictures a week earlier--same place, same photographer, same girl's outfit, same Red Flyer wagon (thanks mom!) Leave a comment for Holli--she only needs a handful more to get her free print! Then she'll owe you big too...

Carnival

Aaah, summer. I love it!

I wanted to take the kids to the carnival but Jeremy had to work late, so I took them by myself, after an already long day. I knew it would be worth it once we got there. We all enjoyed it until it was time to go, but both kids were overly tired. (We didn't even stay that long or late...) Even though both had a meltdown before we arrived home, I was glad we went and so we went back again a couple days later, this time with Dad, which made things SOOOO much easier, and let them ride a couple more rides. Looking at the pictures, though, I wonder if they really enjoyed it as much as I thought...This is Miranda's first ride--a roller coaster. She had huge, surprised eyes the whole ride and was griping the handle bar. Notice the girls behind her loving it, and the girl in front of her, who is huge--maybe it wasn't a good choice for a first timer... She said afterwards that her favorite ride was the "car". She took it so seriously, making sure she was "driving" (ie wiggling the steering wheel back and forth) the whole time. This was Brad's only ride besides in the stroller :) I would have done more, but he didn't enjoy this, and I had to hold him before it was over. Next year...When we went back with Dad they seemed to have a little more fun! Dad's always make things much more fun, don't they?

Chocolate 'Stache, Anyone?

Happy Father's Day!

Children's Tylenol Recall

I spent way too long today trying to figure out if the two bottles of Children's Tylenol I have stored in the medicine closet have been recalled. I know, it's been a few weeks since the recall, and I'm just now getting around to checking it out. Turns out, both of them ARE recalled, so now I'm in the process of waiting for my refund/coupon from the manufacturer.

If any of you still need to check into this, this will save you some time:
You will need to open the box/package to get the NDC number from the bottle. It's printed small above the product name. (There are examples on the website if you can't find it). Type the NDC number in here to see if it's a recalled product.

If it has been recalled, this is the form you need to fill out to get a refund or coupon for a replacement product. When I e-mailed it in this afternoon, I got a response that they had a "high volume" of e-mails, so I think it might be a while before I get my refund. In the meantime, I'll go buy a replacement for the ones I have to throw in the trash!

UPDATE: Last night I got a response from McNeil's saying they will send me a refund check within 2 -3 weeks. However, I don't think there is a replacement product yet. They are still trying to resolve the mistake before new product is manufactured at the plant. Here is the FAQ page. Luckily, in the meantime, I have a couple bottles of Equate brand, so I think we're okay with that...right?

Critter Walk

This is Christopher "Critter" Groscost. Ever since winter/spring this year, Critter had had a lot of ear infections and finally had tubes put in his ears in March. He still wasn't returning back to his cheerful self, though, and his skin seemed to look a little gray colored. The next trip to the doctor included testing his iron levels in his blood and lead to the discovery that he has cancer.

He was diagnosed with Leukemia in April this year, right before his first birthday. He has two older brothers and wonderful parents who started a blog, Critter's Cancer, after he was diagnosed. His family is having a One Mile Walk/Run to help support his family and raise money for his expensive medical bills. It's on Saturday, June 26th and our family is planning on participating. I know summer is super busy for everyone, but if you don't already have plans, it should be a good event. Check out the info on the Critter Walk here!

Overheard

Mom: "It's too early for chocolate." (What?!)


Brad: "Shooooessss!" (He knows it means going outside.)


Miranda: "Mom, do you have blue nail polish?"
Mom: "No, I don't."
Miranda: "We'll have to go to Walmart and buy some blue polish."


Miranda: {In the car} "Why did you let the fly out the window?"
Dad: "Because it's gooey.... It landed on a bowl of soup and got gooey." (Always the teaser.)
Miranda: "No! It's not gooey!"
Mom: "So it could go find it's family."
Miranda: "Oh." (Satisfied)
(I think we've just begun a long phase of answering questions that I would never think to ask, let alone consider the answers to...)

Sunshine

Lately we've been missing some of this and this. It's been so rainy and drizzly lately, that whenever we get a patch of sunshine, we take every opportunity to go here. To pick dandelions and just hang out--soaking up the sunshine.Hope there's lots of sunshine in your week ahead!

Update from past Two Weeks

I keep waiting for life to slow down, and it doesn't! The week of Miranda's party I used all my free time to work on her birthday.

Then I worked full time for two weeks (in addition to taking care of the kids) for the Spring Conference that I help coordinate as the Executive Assistant for the Utah Physical Therapy Association. I love my new job, but those weeks were long...It's usually just a 5 hour/week job from home!

I didn't work at all last week in order to try and catch up with life, but Jeremy and I got assigned to speak in Sacrament Meeting. So in addition to getting loads and loads of laundry caught up, cleaning the house, trying to spend some time with the kids, and getting Mother's Day gifts/plans ready, we had our talks to worry about, too.

Everything went well, though, and I'm hoping nothing unexpected pops up for at least a week...Here's a few pictures:

At our old house, we had a pond in the front yard. I loved the waterfall and watching the fish from the front porch in the summer evenings, but hated worrying about kids falling in. So our compromise for this house was an indoor fish tank. It's been fun! We decided to put lots of little fish in it, rather than a few big ones (which can gross me out a little). Everyone loves watching the fish swim around...
Second, we've been doing a lot of yard work. I love our new yard! Jeremy planted peas, carrots, and radishes a few weeks ago and they are doing well! I can't wait for the peas...
Jeremy also just finished one of his summer project ideas: a sand table for the kids. We debated between a sand box and a table and liked the idea of a table to move around where we want (even indoors during winter??) and hoped it wouldn't ruin the grass or the kid's clothes as much. They both LOOOVE it.
Finally, Mother's Day. Jeremy and I made it the second annual Buy and Plant Flowers for the Mothers Event. We did last year--bought a few flats of flowers for each woman and then showed up with them to plant them for them. This is what occupied all our evenings last week, but it was so fun to see everyone and to help serve them. We had five houses/women to give to, and still have a couple left, but I think it's worth chasing Brad all over everyone's yards to do it!

For Jeremy's family, his dad is a landscaper and gets his own flowers, so I made these silhouettes instead. Idea came from here. They are small--2.5 x 3.5 frames--and I think they will look so sweet in her bedroom. I bought some frames for me, too, but still need to do the silhouettes for them. Cross your fingers it will happen this week!

Spring in the Front Yard

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything--William ShakespeareThe day the Lord created hope was probably the same day He created Spring --Bern WilliamsEvery spring is the only spring - a perpetual astonishment. --Ellis Peters

Gone Country

For Miranda's birthday, we had a "Farm Theme" party. After it was over, I just kept thinking, "that was so much fun." I think all the kids really loved it, too...I posted a ton of pictures because I had two fabulous photograhpers (Jeremy's aunt Dede and my cousin Corie) share their pictures with me and they all turned out so great. I have been planning on doing the farm party theme (how could I resist with Mark and Merilynn's beautiful setting and pet chickens and goats?) for about six months so it gave me plenty of time to look for ideas and snatch up farm-related items whenever I saw a good deal.

We had tractor rides, horse rides, gathered eggs from the chickens, fed the goats/chickens, 4-wheeler rides, face painting, presents and a game for the kids, lunch/cupcakes/ice-cream, and stick horse races. Although I had been planning this for a long time, you would think I would have had it all ready well in advance--but I was still up late and (very late) some nights last week getting it all ready. The biggest problem is the cake, which mostly has to be done the day before, but also the stick horses. I didn't discover a tutorial for them until the week before the party. They are made out of a sock, yarn, buttons, felt, and a large dowel. I instantly fell in love with them, and I'm so glad I sacrificed sleep for them--they were so cute and such a fun party favor. There were a few times I didn't think I would have time, but thanks to Holli and my mom, I was able to finish them the day before the party!

The only bad part of the party was when Miranda got thrown off the horse (it got startled). She landed on her elbows/back, but was okay. Jeremy even talked her into getting back on, and she was so brave, she did! Here is a picture after she was thrown off. She only had a scrape on one elbow and a light bruise. We're really lucky--next time we'll be sure to get helmets!
I should probably label all the pictures below, but I really need to get some work done tonight. So I'll just end with a good 'ol "Yee-Haw"!