Thanks (for the) giving dresses

In honor of my 7th Anniversary with the man of my dreams, for church today my little girls wore the flower girl dresses that 2 of my nieces wore to my wedding.

I recently got a tub of girl clothes from my sister Ronda and in it was the dress Livia is wearing. Then I called Leesa and Jill to see if either still had the baby size dresses so that Annie could match her on our special day. They were both so kind to send them! Hence the matchiness. :)

Here's a photo of them at my reception. Aren't these kids so adorable?

Were then... and still are today. :)

super readers....

Last year my sister, Ronda, told me about this little event her kids look forward to every year. So last year, we did the necessary work to be able to go as well.

The event was last January... Sam is still asking when we get to go back! I'm so glad it's almost that time again, he keeps reminding me of the same few things he remembers!


It's called a Reading Marathon. PBS puts on this event to encourage kids to read or be read to. Each age level has a certain amount of time within a 3 week period they need to read. (The 3 week period began yesterday Nov 14 and goes until Dec 3) Then you log your hours and print off your invitation. (You need the invitation to get into the party in January.)

At the party there are several booths set up that kids can visit. Since I've only gone one year, I don't know if it is mostly the same each year or not. But last January, there were several booths with activities and crafts for the kids to do and make, the Zoo had some fun critters there that the kids could pet (chinchilla, tortoise, snakes, etc.,) there's some entertainment and snacks, some characters from PBS shows, like Dinosaur Train, Cat in the Hat, Super Why, Curious George, etc are there and you can take pictures with them. Many booths hand good coupons to the parents. It's all about learning, exploring, science and such. I'm sure I'm forgetting some other fun stuff, but like I said, my kids have been asking when they can go back since January when they were there. You can click on the link above to find out more info if you're interested! It's so much fun and the best part is... it's FREE!! And the kids get tons of free stuff! Like a free book among other things. So they're happy and you're happy because it didn't cost you anything!

And when they're happy... I usually am too!

octoberness

The last few weeks of October were nice and mellow.

Annie turned 1/2.
6 months


Sam learned how to blow leaves.


And of course there was Halloween!


The kids were several different things. For school, Sam was a power ranger. For Jason's work, Liv was a green butterfly. On Halloween day Liv and Annie were both Minnie Mouse. And for trick or treating Sam was a knight, Livia was a sword-holding purple Hershey kiss, and Annie was a very bundled up half-Minnie Mouse/half naked baby.

Sorry for the upside-downishness, it was turned before it came onto the blog...

Now we welcome November. And apparently winter. Brrr. It's cold outside.

naughty kitty...

What do you do with a naughty cat? We got Cowboy just over a year ago to help with any rodent problems, we think his purpose is being served for the most part, but he's just naughty!

He almost always has an injured paw, and it's always the same one... he bats at wasps.... then limps around trying to get people to feel sorry for him.

When he runs out of food, he whines and cries until we give him more... he usually has plenty, so it's not like he's starving!

Last night I went downstairs right before dinner to get a can of fruit, and I noticed some strange stuff all over the floor. I turned on the light to see what it was and this is what I found:
In case you can't tell... feathers. FEATHERS!!! IN MY HOUSE! Which led me to search for the source, afraid I was going to find something that just doesn't belong in my house!

Yep, I found it:


I screamed of course, because I'm me. And yelled for Jason as I ran up the stairs.

I'm so lucky I have such a wonderful husband who took care of this little problem. I hardly want to touch pet birds, I don't have it in me to touch wild birds.... uuggghhh.

Jason even cleaned up the feathers and blood (sorry I'm being graphic) and threw away the bathmats, which obviously needed to be replaced before the bathroom even turned into a bird cemetery. (Now it's highly justifiable to get different ones.) Except I can't go shopping this week because Jason stole my car because he sold his. Grrrr. I'm lucky I have so many other blessings to focus on.....

Continuing the birthday fun

For a continued celebration of Livia turning 3, we went to the Discovery Gateway Children's Museum in Salt Lake. We have gone one other time and the kids loved it! We went while Sam was at school, so it was just me and the girls. We met up with my sister, Ronda, and her little girl, Brynja, and baby boy, Ryker.

Ryker and Annie didn't really see what the big hoopla was all about...

But Livia and Brynja.... well they couldn't get enough!







Even when the kitchen is just her size, she still feels the need to be on top of the counter...








It's a really fun place for the kids. It normally costs $8.50/person ages 1+ but they were using up the last of their September coupons so it was only $5/person. For $10... totally worth it!

Happy Birthweek Livia!

Little Livi, the 3 year old...

We are officially out of the terrible two's... let's hope we are not entering the even-more-terrible three's...

On Saturday we went to Fat Cats to play a game of bowling to celebrate Liv's birthday. The kids had a smashing time. (Like literally smashing... Liv dropped my 11 pound ball on my foot. That does not feel good by the way.)


Jason tried to teach Sam a little technique... wasn't overly successful.

Obviously not our best game... but it was still fun!

I love bowling shoes. I want some.

After bowling, Liv asked if we could get ice cream. It was dinnertime. Aagh, ice cream for dinner sounds delicious to me! So we went to BYU Creamery... yep, delicious as presumed... (and an awesome dinner I might add.)

Sunday morning after Jason returned from his 7 AM meeting, we had present time. I love how kids find more thrill in ripping open all the presents, then after all are open, take the time to actually look at what they got!

Livia got some of her favorite things... bubbles, stickers, chapstick, nail polish, books, and a movie.


As is tradition, the birthday girl got to pick her birthday dinner.

Yep, mini corn dogs. Not as delish as last night, but it works. I'm sure Jason is not sad to have missed it by leaving on his business trip earlier today...


She's been asking for strawberry cake for a while now... I think she may have been inspired by her Strawberry Shortcake undies... since she loves the one pair she has... and has been asking for schtawbewwy cake for weeks now.

Too bad she'll only eat the frosting.

And Sam will only eat the cupcake.
My kids are weird.

Happy Birthday little crazy head!

fire it up!

Last Thursday we used our Christmas present with Jason's parents and went to the circus that came to Salt Lake.

Liv may have been a little too young, she lost interest a lot faster than I expected. She basically just wanted to find snacks and eat the whole time we were there.

But Sam loved it! He loves elephants so was really excited to see so many of them in real life!



Here is a guy getting lit on fire and shooting through the air. That was pretty cool.


And here's the grand finale.

I forgot to pull out my camera until the last little bit, but there were some fun things happening. The tigers were fun to see and the spinning guys that looked like they were in hamster wheels, (obviously I don't know the official name....)

The clowns.... well, let's just say I could've done without them....

But we had lots of fun, so thanks Mom and Dad Cook!

And I still have their little theme song in my head.... fire it up! fire it up! Yeah, that's pretty much the whole song.

'Fantastic' Sam

After school today, I asked Sam if he wanted to finish his cutting and gluing activity that he started yesterday in school but didn't have time to finish. As he started to cut the last few shapes Livia asked if she could help him. So I got out more paper and drew some shapes for her to cut out too.



While they were cutting, Annie got a little fussy, so I took her upstairs, changed her diaper, fed her and laid her down for a nap.



I came back down to start lunch. As I was putting the dino nuggets on the baking sheet, Sam tells me, (all excited and proud of himself as he's speaking,) "Livia told me to cut her hair. So I did!"

I stopped. I looked at him and said, "Are you kidding?" I quickly went over to Livia as he smiled and told me he sure wasn't!

Sure enough...



Well, at least now we know that Sam will not make a fantastic hair stylist any time soon.



PS Since I'm fully aware that this could have been so much worse, I actually had to turn my head several times so they wouldn't see me laughing, since I was trying to show them I was upset so that they don't do it again. I guess we'll see how bad it is in a couple of hours when I need to comb her hair to go to the circus tonight....

Norwegian Babes

Way back in the mid 70s my Grandma and Grandpa Riskedahl took a little trip to Norway. They brought back a little outfit for their first grandchild (who happens to by my oldest sister, Ronda.) It was a quaint little outfit, highly comparable to a baby Santa Claus suit.

Well, my sweet mother, had a picture taken of Ronda in this little outfit. Then she had one for Leesa, then Jill, then me, and of course Andrew.

All growing up we had a line up of 5 babies in this little Norwegian suit. (And I'm still stunned that so many people would ask, "Which baby is this?" when they'd look at all 5. Really? You can't tell that's 5 different babies?)

Shortly before my oldest niece, Addison, was born, the suit was found again... and the tradition continues. And now all of the nieces and nephews get a picture taken in the little red and white suit.

Sorry for Sam's picture, I pulled it from his scrapbook. (The good news: I'm not 5 years behind on all scrapbooking!!)

Sam: (July 2006, 2 mos.)


And Livia: (Jan 2009, 4 mos.)

And now Annalee: (September 2011, 4 mos.)

And if you thought seeing 5 babies in a row dressed in the same funny outfit was an eye-catcher.... you should see grandbaby row... Annie is #13, and #14 is almost ready for his glamour shot too.

Lucky my mom has a really long wall downstairs.


UPDATE:
So my sister saw this post and asked if I wanted a picture she had taken of the kids playing that had all the pictures in the background. This is up to Liv's picture, so there are only 11 instead of 14.

happy little treasure boxes

My kids seem to like random "treasures" like rocks and sticks and random pieces of plastic they find in parking lots... and they always want to keep them, because they are "so special!"

My neighbor told me her kids do the same thing... so I made some cute little boxes for them to put all their special souvenirs in... and once it's full, well, no more special treasures get to be saved....

Here's the one I made for Liv's little friend, Jamison.


His sisters made theirs, but I didn't get pictures of them. And Sam's never actually got finished yet. (I'll get there....)

And here's Livia's:


Liv picked this paper, and I took the liberty to make it presentable for her. (She's not so awesome with scissors, glue and tape yet.)



And I actually had fun doing it! But now I'm worried she'll get my cute little box that I worked so hard on dirty, or break it or something....

Let it go, Sally. Let it go.

I spy. Finally.

I love starting projects.

And even more so... I love when I actually finish them!

In Relief Society (I'm embarrassed to admit this, but probably about 1.5 - 2 years ago) we did an activity to make I spy quilts. It involved 12 women who each brought 12 squares of 12 different fabrics (for a total of 144 squares per person.) Then we each swapped, giving one of each fabric square to all the others.

The night of the activity was spent cutting out the squares, then we were on our own. Oh, 2009, you seem so long ago...

But I sewed them all together shortly after, and even added a couple more rows of extra fabric I had at home. I sewed a back for it. I bought the batting. And I put it all nicely in a bag. Where it has stayed for a long time.

And last night, I did it. I finished it! Why did it take me so long to put it all together? Well, because I'm me. :)


The cool thing about I spy quilts is each square is accompanied by a little card with a piece of the same fabric on it. And you play little games with it. You can separate the cards and each team has to find its match, or you can do games with different colors or pictures. I was given a whole stack of papers with games to play with it. (Now I just need to find where I put the game ideas and the little laminated cards...)


When I was making the back, I was going to have to piece it anyway, so I decided to add an extra game back there. What kid doesn't love tic-tac-toe? I made little cards with Xs and Os as well.

So now I guess I just need to teach my kiddos how to actually play tic-tac-toe....