this is my life...

What a good big sister!

2012-01-11T17:41:00.001-08:00

He asked her to rub his feet. And she did!

Its 2012 already?!

2012-01-02T19:24:00.000-08:00

Well hello there. I have been so consumed in life lately, leaving no time for blogging. I am going to change that hopefully, its 3rd on my list of resolutions. First on the list is to get my booty in gear and finally lose the extra 15 pounds that have been hanging around. Second is to make more time for me. I have been so consumed in everything which is a bit stressful plus being off the normal schedule makes me a grumpy mommy!

B and L are getting so big. B will be 2 years old in a month!! He has been a little terror. Guess the terrible two's have started early this time around! L is 4 1/2 and loving life. She is such the social butterfly.
We had a wonderful Christmas vacation and are ready to get back into our normal routine. How about you?

Christmas greetings

2011-12-06T06:02:00.001-08:00

From our family to yours-
merry everything
happy always!

Watch out!

2011-11-07T14:57:00.001-08:00

Honk honk, get out of the way!

umbrella girls {favorite photo}

2011-09-21T14:27:00.001-07:00

Share bag

2011-09-16T12:38:00.001-07:00

Someone is super stoked to bring home the share bag from school!
She wants to share her horse collection. But she has it all weekend so I wonder if she will change her mind. :)

where has the time gone?!

2011-08-24T19:47:00.001-07:00

picture time

2011-08-08T19:59:00.000-07:00

I bravely took the kids in for pictures the other day. I got a great deal on livingsocial!

Anyways, here is our day in pictures!

A few minutes before we left for the studio

Waiting for our turn at the studio

Waiting to see the photos after the session. She was a pro poser after!

And the final picture! Love it!

so blessed

2011-08-01T07:47:00.000-07:00

July 30th,

4 years ago, at midnight, I went into labor. Just so happened that it was my 24th birthday the very same day! So Saturday my daughter and I celebrated our birthdays with a small family bbq in the backyard.

I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Lila. Love you to the moon and back!

its almost time!

2011-07-26T15:07:00.000-07:00

Almost time for this girl to turn 4!

Neighborhood friends

2011-07-15T08:40:00.001-07:00

My little girl has made some new friends this summer. There are a few girls that live on our block that Lila has noticed. They are pretty close to her age 4-7 and they all play together really well. They come knocking on our door asking if Lila can come out to play. It's super cute!
It should make this summer extra fun for her.

belly slider

2011-07-12T09:23:00.000-07:00

The fun way to go down the slide...

YouTube Video

well wishes to you

2011-07-03T16:03:00.000-07:00

Have a safe and happy 4th of July!!

Love, the McAulays

fathers day weekend (way late)

2011-07-01T06:41:00.000-07:00

our little quarterback in the making

like father, like son

little lila

dads and kids, playing football

We took a little vacation in Pacific City, OR for Fathers Day weekend with some friends who have kids the same age as ours. We all had SO much fun. The baby boys had way too much fun digging in the dirt and running around and the older girls really enjoyed flying kites and having a sleepover. Hopefully we can do it again next year!

tattoos

2011-06-30T08:39:00.000-07:00

I have been wanting a new tattoo for about 2 years now.
I have two already and they are well hidden.
I know exactly what I want this time around but I just haven't gotten it yet.
I honestly dont know whats stopping me.
Maybe for my birthday next month I will finally get it done.
Do you have any tattoos?

all images in this post via weheartit

wish i was here-

2011-06-29T05:31:00.000-07:00

If you could visit anywhere in the world, where would you go?

blogoversary

2011-06-23T11:54:00.000-07:00

Happy 3rd Birthday blog!

its so hard to believe I have been blogging for 3 years now...

via

Thank you Teena in Toronto, for reminding me of my birthday!

I am not the Biggest Loser BUT...

2011-06-14T14:26:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marked the last day of a 8 week weight loss challenge I started with a group of friends.
Each week all the ladies in the group sent me a picture of their scale and I calculated each and every total.

This was so much fun!

The winner of the challenge was K. She lost a total of 30 lbs and 13.82% of her body weight. I am so proud of her!

I personally lost 9 lbs. I had a goal of 12 lbs so I still need to lose a few more. I lost a total of 6.43% of my body weight.

There was 20 girls to start out with and we lost 4 over the course of 8 weeks but together we lost 205 lbs. Isn't that incredible?! I am so proud of all of us. We kicked serious booty!!

If you are wanting to lose some weight and you have a few friends that want to as well I totally suggest that you start a Biggest Loser Challenge. The motivation and the help that a group can bring together is amazing and its the reason we all lost 200+ pounds!!

You can read more about the challenge here, here and here.

I am a nerd

2011-06-13T06:13:00.000-07:00

I had TONS of fun at the park this weekend with my kids. Loved every minute of it.

June goals

2011-06-06T05:23:00.000-07:00

While I was checking out some blogs I came across a wonderful and very effective idea from amylouwho.

Here are my goals for this wonderful and {hopefully} sunny June:

wordless wednesday {snuggle time}

2011-06-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Pacific City, OR

2011-05-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

The 4 of us took a day trip to the Oregon Coast. We ventured into Pacific City, OR and fell in love. It was such a beautiful coastal city!

I took 140 pictures but I only uploaded 14. I felt that was more then enough!

This was my sons first time at the beach. He loves digging in dirt and sand so he had the most fun he's ever had in his life! We climbed a sand dune, picnicked, saw some amazing sites and built a sandcastle. It was fun!

aaahhh!

2011-05-24T07:01:00.000-07:00

Our trip to Oaks Park on Saturday was a huge hit.

Lila rode the kids roller coaster, a tug boat that spins you around, the carousel, and the cars.

We all had a lot of fun!

Blake was still too small to do anything but he had fun snuggling with daddy.

What would YOU do?

2011-05-23T08:12:00.000-07:00

I was standing outside a post office waiting for my sister to get out last Thursday at 1pm. I had both kids in the wagon and they were eating a snack. Right next to the post office is a bar. A man walks out of the bar and immediately come up to us and starts saying how much the kids are angels and that they need to be protected. Instantly I go into mommy lion mode and I am ready to attack this guy if he even so much as lays a hand on my kids. He seems nice enough but you just never know with strangers. Besides him sounding nuts and walking out of a bar in the early afternoon, he looks normal enough. But he keeps on ranting and even goes as far as laying on the ground next to the wagon to say hi to the kids. He then jumps up and hands me a 100 dollar bill and tells me that it's to protect my angels. I politely decline the gesture as I'm thinking...this guy must be nuts! But he keeps insisting and I keep declining. Then he hands the 100 dollar bill to Lila and walks back into the bar! I yanked it out of her hand for fear that it was covered with stripper germs or drugs (big bills usually are!) and I stood there looking completely dumbfounded. The whole time I'm thinking a number of a scenarios:
1) This is some sort of trick being recorded for tv
2) This man is going to not be able to pay his bar tab now
3) He isn't going to remember this later or
4) He is going to come after me and say I stole it or something.
I stood there racking my brain for at least 5 minutes till my sister came out of the post office. After telling her the story we decided to go ahead and walk back. The whole time I looked over my shoulder scared that he would come after me or the kids. But he didn't.
So the 100 dollars is sitting in my purse in the same spot as it did after it first happened. I don't know what to do with the money! He gave it to me to protect my angels...
So what would you have done and how would you spend it??!!

photos

2011-05-18T19:28:00.000-07:00

These are the latest photos from my iPhone.

I am having a total brain fart on what to post lately so I will stick with pictures!

wordless wednesday {crash and burn}

2011-05-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Lila was running as fast as she could on our way to the park yesterday afternoon.One thing lead to another, her feet got all tangled up and BOOM, she hit the pavement.Poor girl!

She was quite proud of her cut after the fact.

We got it all cleaned up with no problems and it doesn't seem to bother her too much.

She's a trooper!

toddler talk tuesday {a dr's visit}

2011-05-10T05:40:00.000-07:00

We went to visit my dad in the hospital yesterday.
As we were walking out Lila and I had this silly conversation:

"Did Grandpa get runned over by a car?" Lila
"No no, he has appendicitis." Me
"Oh...He's allergic to pens?!" Lila

I couldn't help but almost pee my pants.

weight loss update #2

2011-05-09T08:31:00.000-07:00

Since the start of the challenge I have lost 6 lbs and -4.29% of my weight. We started the challenge back on April 18th.
•I am eating smaller portions and counting calories.
•I am using my elliptical machine and doing a few workouts on the tv.
I honestly feel wonderful. My face is thinning out and I have noticed that my thighs and stomach are getting smaller. But I am not going to check my measurements till next week. At least.
My clothes are fitting better then ever (which leads me to believe that they might have been a little tight before) and I feel a lot less stressed and more confident.
All in all its been great so far and I only expect more in the next couple of weeks!

a mother's song

2011-05-06T06:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!!

scary night

2011-05-02T08:22:00.000-07:00

I was in a dead sleep but at 12:30am I sat up straight as I heard Lila screaming in her room. I ran hurdles over the dog and my husband trying to get to her as fast as I could. I threw open the door and saw her sitting in her room, completely dark, crying hysterically. She was sitting on her bed and I scooped her up and cradled her. Smoothing the hair, that was stuck to her tears, out of her face, I figured out why she was crying. Her night light had gone out. She was scared because her room was so dark. She couldn't catch her breath but after a few minutes I had gotten her to calm down enough to take a drink of water. Her dad was hard at work trying to figure out why the light in her fish tank had gone out. He replaced it with another night light from our bathroom and we tucked her in to bed a few minutes later. She slept fine after that but I wasn't so lucky. I just kept freaking out about how it felt to hear screaming like that. My heart was beating so hard and my anxiety levels were thru the roof. After a half hour of thinking I finally fell fast asleep. Wheew...
What a scary night!

finally...walking!

2011-04-28T21:46:00.000-07:00

Blake is walking!

Well sometimes anyways.

He still is mostly crawling but he wants to walk so badly!

He falls and gets right back up to try again. I am so proud of him!

YouTube Video

Video taken on April 27, 2011

Just 8 days shy of 15 months...

my week in weight loss

2011-04-25T15:16:00.000-07:00

Its been a week since my friends and I started this Biggest Loser Challenge. Its meant to go strong for 8 weeks and who ever has lost the highest percentage of their body weight gets the pot. We all put in $10 and right now there is 20 ladies. So its a nice incentive!

Anyways, this last week was pretty neat. I am wanting to lose 12-15 lbs. I am 5'3'' (small frame) and weighed in at 140 at the start of this challenge. This morning I stepped on the scale and noticed that I had lost 3lbs. That's a great start, I think. I thought I did particularly good in the exercise category. I spent at least 20 minutes on the elliptical 4x and I did my sit ups and body conditioning. Which is pretty good for me. I tried to do the calorie counting but failed a bit. Each night I would end up going over my recommended allowance. Oh well...at least it wasn't by a whole lot.

I am taking my multi vitamin and drinking lots of water daily.
Any other suggestions for me?

friday catch up

2011-04-22T05:24:00.000-07:00

"One day there were three tomatoes walking down the street, a mama tomato, a daddy tomato and a baby tomato. Baby tomato is walking too slowly, so the daddy tomato goes back, steps on him and says 'ketchup!'" -uma thurman, pulp fiction

I didn't realize that it has been well over a week since I last posted.

I guess LIFE has gotten the best of me.

We went on a vacation last weekend.

To Hoodsport, WA. It was so much fun.

Do you ever notice when you travel with kids, a lot of the time its more stressful then a vacation should be? Well my kids did very well.

Yeah, they probably got on everyone else's nerves but it could have been a lot worse. 3 days!

And the best part?

They slept all night without any problems! Even Blake took his 2 naps a day without any fuss.

I was amazed. They did great.

And we had a lot of fun too!

I was supposed to bring eggs for Lila to dye with her class in preschool.

I remembered to bring them but kinda forgot the most important thing...to boil the eggs!

Total mommy fail.

OOPS!

The Biggest Loser competition is well on its way.

Were into day 5 now.

I feel like its going ok.

I have exercised more then usual, been conscious of what I am eating and not eating any sweets.

I don't feel like its helping though. I feel fat.

After last weeks vacation I literally gained almost 4 lbs.

That's no bueno.

But I am determined to lose at least 10 lbs.

Today is Earth Day.

Pick up trash when you walk by it and put it in its proper place.

Spend some time outside.

and remember to smile, its a beautiful place to live.

I'll leave you with some silly pictures to start your Friday out right.

wordless wednesday {intellectual}

2011-04-13T09:00:00.000-07:00

edited with instagram

Look at my cute nerdy little boy.

happy wednesday, friends!

fabric easter basket {tutorial}

2011-04-11T08:59:00.000-07:00

These baskets are super easy to make and you can whip one up in less then two hours.

My mom made one for me when I was younger and she filled it every year with goodies from the Easter Bunny. It was something that reminded me of my childhood and I knew right away that I wanted to make one for my kids when I had them.

I made one for Lila a few years back but it was HUGE. So I took it apart and made new ones this year for each of my kids. I hope to keep them around till they are 18 and out of the house!

I'm going to show you how to make one yourself!

what you'll need:

• 10 yards of cotton cording .99/yard.

• 1 yard of fabric

• hot glue gun

• scissors

Please let me know if there are any things I wasn't clear about or if you have any questions.

•cut your fabric into 2in strips

depending on your fabric you can either score the fabric by making a small 1in cut at the top and ripping all the way down or just cutting it straight down with the scissors. I personally liked the ripped look but my fabric didn't hold up that well. The colors looked drab so I just used scissors and cut the pieces.

Next your going to want to start wrapping your fabric strips around the cording. Start at one end and make your way up. Make sure to swap securely so that there is no cotton cording showing. When one piece is all wrapped add a small dab of hot glue and add another piece. Keep wrapping until you get at least 2 yards covered.

This is the fun part. When you can actually see the start of the basket!

Without the use of glue, just play around and practice folding the covered cording together to look like this. Once you get it to how you want it to look unroll it and start hot gluing it together.

Place drops of hot glue around the edge and gently squeeze the cording together and hold for a few seconds. You want to make sure the glue is dry before letting go.

Keep going until you get the desired width of your basket. I counted 6 rows out from the middle on both of mine.

Now you can start on the sides of your basket!

Starting on one side of your oval bottom {without glue} practice how your going to wrap up to make the sides. If you see on the picture above where the cording isn't secured with glue, that is where I started making my way up to make the side of my basket.

Once you get the hang of it start using your hot glue. Place large drops of glue about an inch apart and glue your pieces together. Hold it gently and press it together to make sure that the glue dries before you let go. If you run out of fabric wrapped cording - start wrapping your fabric around some more yards of cording. You can do all of it if you want. I was too impatient and wanted to see some results before I continued!

This is where you get to decide how tall you want your basket. I went about 7 rows tall.

End at the same side you started going up at. Now you are going to want to start on your handle. By practicing first what you want it to look like, start tucking in your wrapped cording under the first row on the side. See the pictures below to get an idea. I used unwrapped cording to illustrate how it should look.

Once you get it how you would like it to look start gluing it together using the same press and dry technique as above. Use as much glue as you can without it showing. The more glue used the more secure the handle will be.

I cut the extra wrapped cording once I was done. I made sure it reached the bottom of my basket to keep it looking finished. Make sure to glue the end so it doesn't unravel and glue it very securely to the side of the basket. You wont see any of it with your Easter grass in it, so use as much glue as you want.

Here is something I thought of AFTER I made both of the baskets for my kids. If you want a more secure handle you could always wrap florist wire around the handle before wrapping it with fabric.

And of course add ribbon, flowers or any other accessory to the basket to make it your own! I haven't gotten to the fabric store yet but I want to add a light blue bow to the sides of my sons basket. I had green lying around and used it on my daughters.

Have fun and happy crafting!

Let me know if you make one of these. I would love to see them!

abc's

2011-04-08T08:59:00.000-07:00

I am linking up with lindsay (what a great name!) at scenic glory for this fun friday meme.

the sun is shining today which makes me a very happy girl.

have a lovely friday friends!

Age:27 - i think, i seem to have lost track after 25...

Bed Size: queen.  i like to snuggle :)

Chore you hate:  folding laundry and putting it away!

Dogs:  border collie/springer mix named rusty

Essential start of your day:  a full coffee mug

Favorite Color:  red

Gold or silver:  white gold!

Height: 5'2" and a 1/4!!

Instruments I play (or have played): i played the violin in school but I want to learn how to play the guitar

Job Title: family planner, mother and wife

Kids: 2 of the cutest you've ever seen! age 3 1/2 and 1.  

Live: portland, OR

Mom's Name: sharon

Nickname:  lindz, neener, babe, mom

Overnight hospital stays: only 2 after having my kids.

Pet Peeve: "oh this stinks, smell it." NO! i dont want to smell it if its gross.  

Quote from a movie:  I will have to tell you: you have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I  love, I love you. -mr darcy {pride and prejudice}

Right or left handed: right

Siblings: 3.  tracy, micah and hannah

Time you wake up:  usually 5:45 when the hubs leaves for work.

Underwear: color, black.

Vegetables you dislike: beets.  yucks!

What makes you run late: my kids.  always

X-rays you've had done: when I broke my collar bone about 15 years ago.

Yummy food you make: chicken verde enchiladas

Zoo animal:  hippopotamus

biggest loser challenge

2011-04-06T05:24:00.000-07:00

I am going to be doing a challenge between a group of my girlfriends. I am super stoked about it.
Although I haven't actually seen the TV show I googled it and figured out how to start my own Biggest Loser Challenge. It starts on April 18th and will run for 8 weeks. So the ladies and I can get fit and sexy just in time for summer! I will keep tabs on all our starting weight and calculate each week what our percentage of loss is. To calculate your percentage of weight loss: multiply the total weight loss by 100 and divide by your starting weight.

I wont be posting all the details (I want to keep their privacy) but I will post every once in a while about how its all going.

           Do you all watch the show?
         Have you done a contest like this before?
         Any suggestions?

dirty sleeves

2011-04-05T05:49:00.000-07:00

While I appreciate that my child wipes her mouth after it gets a little messy during a meal ...

It frusterates me that she chooses to use her sleeve and not her napkin!!

lose it or die trying

2011-04-03T19:22:00.000-07:00

My last post about my weight loss journey was back in October of 2010. Since then I have gained. f&%# !
I am going to try to blog about my weight loss goals AGAIN with the hopes that I will have as much success as before. BUT a few things have changed since last time.
•I have weaned my son from breastfeeding. Nursing can burn up to 500 calories or more a day! HA. I totally miss that.
•My motivation has been scaled back a bit.
•I am on a junk food kick.
•I am not as active as I once was.

SO...here I go again. Once a week I will blog about how much I weigh, what I have done to change my eating habits, and what exercise I have done.

Heres to hot mommas in time for summer, CHEERS!

macaroni and cheese recipe

2011-03-31T06:16:00.000-07:00

I was shocked last week.

Many of you actually asked for my recipe for the Macaroni and Cheese!

Well I couldn't let you down, now could I?

I got this recipe from my brother who basically told me what to add and taught me how to make the rue. Thanks Micah for this amazing recipe! And he likes to add a little smidgen of blue cheese as well. Yum-0!

{a little disclaimer}

I don't pretend to be a professional in the kitchen nor do I know how to write up recipes. So I apologize if this is hard to follow.

Sharp cheddar, shredded
Colby Jack, shredded
milk, 2% or whole
diced pancetta
onion, diced (I use about 1/4 of a small one)
elbow macaroni noodles
butter
flour
bread crumbs
a little mild cheddar for the topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente, about 6-8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In a small sauce pan melt some butter. Saute some onions (my husband doesn't like very much) and your pancetta in the pan. Set aside when done.
In a large saucepan, your going to want to start a rue: melt 3TBS butter over medium heat then blend in the 3TBS flour, mustard powder, and pepper until smooth. Slowly stir in the milk, whisking out any lumps. Add your cheese and stir constantly until the sauce is thick and smooth. I use sharp cheddar and colby jack. And I sprinkle a little mild cheddar over the top before baking. After your cheese sauce is at the desired thickness and yummyness add the pancetta mixture. You really don't need to add salt because the pancetta adds enough.
Rinse noodles then drain, and stir them into the cheese sauce. Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish. Sprinkle Panko crumbs over the top. I sometimes use crushed potato chips if I don't have any panko.
Cover the dish, and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbly.

I feel bad - I don't have correct measurements on this. When I make it I just add as much milk and cheese as I think is needed. I would guess at least 8oz of each cheese would do. I use 2% milk but I believe whole milk would probably make it better. You know, in a low fat kinda way. Lol.
Please email me if you have any questions - mcaulays {at} hotmail {dot} com

Let me know if any of you try it at home. And don't forget to invite me!

via

ENJOY,

p.s. I am going to start working on my weight loss again. I figured I better hustle and get this recipe out before then!

wordless wednesday {holding hands}

2011-03-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

I hope they stay this close forever

With a flick of my wrist...

2011-03-29T08:09:00.000-07:00

I will brush the judgement off my shoulders.

I am constantly worried about what others think of me. Always have been. But its so much worse since having kids. It's ridiculous really.

When my children act out in public I feel all eyes are on me.

When my child takes a toy from another I feel like the parent is appalled and judging my child.

I know I need to relax a little and maybe let some of that craziness go but that's a lot harder then it sounds.

I wrote a post about when Lila pushed another kid down about a year ago and, no lie, we avoided that family for a long time. {click here to read it} I was so scared about what her mother thought of Lila and I. I realize now that it was stupid and that the other mother understood what it was like but it still bothered me tremendously.

So today is the day that I brush all that built up judgement off my shoulders and take a step back.

My kids aren't perfect and neither am I.

So deal with it ;)

follow the leader

2011-03-28T10:55:00.000-07:00

::Walking around the Rhododendron Gardens::

the HC

2011-03-25T08:57:00.000-07:00

Every year my siblings and I take our mother up to the Hood Canal

aka Hoodsport, Washington to spend a weekend together.

We all cram ourselves into the small cabin to eat, drink and relax.

We always plan it around moms birthday so we can all celebrate together.

Its gorgeous out there. No lie.

We will be heading up next month for our 6th year in a row.

Hey Micah and Tracy, its 6 right? I have lost track.

Here are some pictures from the past two years.

April can't come fast enough for me!

Trading places

2011-03-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

A question commonly asked is:
If you could live in someones shoes for 24 hours who would it be?

I think it would be pretty damn cool to be Martha Stewart.

I would get to live in her AMAZING home and craft my heart out.

Were you thinking that I should have picked someone more historical or something?

Well then you ask yourself this question and post all about who you would pick!

Link up in the comments.

I can't wait to see who you guys come up with!

5 things I do right

2011-03-23T06:57:00.000-07:00

Its so easy to get down on yourself. I do it often.
Instead of beating myself up about all the bad things, I decided to write about some things that I am pretty good at.

• I make ~~pretty good~~ the best macaroni and cheese
• I put a lot of character and effort into reading our bedtime stories
• I am great at playing tag and hide and seek with my kids
• I am absolutely 100% in love with my husband and children
• Snuggles are what I do best

I think we all could use a self esteem boost...
what are your 5 things?

I did this back in April of 2010 too. Check it out here.

p.s. I started a twitter account. Follow me!

What I learned last week

2011-03-21T06:04:00.000-07:00

I had a few learning experiences this past week.

Things to remember :

•Always keep a back up snuggle in the car because you never know when one will get dropped in a mud puddle.

•Even though I love the dentist doesn't mean that my kids will as well.

•When your 1 year old is teething-straying away from routine will end up biting you in the ass.

Tell me, did you learn anything new?

Dont call me Mom today

2011-03-18T06:15:00.000-07:00

Today I don't want to play Mom.

I hate to say it but I am not in the mood to deal with a screaming

toddler who keeps saying she doesn't like me when she gets in trouble.

I don't want to hear the crying and the whining coming from a teething baby.

I don't want to deal with my hungry kids attacking me in the kitchen

when I am trying to make a meal.

I want to skip out on playing barbies and doing puzzles.

Don't want to wipe butts and change diapers.

I want to grab my coffee and find a spot to hide. Alone.

Please tell me I am not the only one who has felt this way...

pumped up kicks

2011-03-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

A song that always gets my feet moving!

What is your song of the day?

Link up with Amber here

and then go blog hop around!

I just have to share my newest find!

2011-03-17T06:37:00.000-07:00

Check out this amazing shelf I found on Etsy! Made by TRwoodworks

I totally want to buy one. It comes in many different colors but this Springy Green is wonderful.
Perfect for St. Pattys day today :)

Don't you just love Etsy?!

Random Wednesday

2011-03-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

•Severe thunder storm warnings have been issued all around the Portland area. I love a good thunder storm! We just had a huge crack of thunder a few minutes ago. It literally sounded like two semi's running into each other on my front porch. It was crazy! My dog (a springer spaniel/border collie mix) isn't enjoying it much. He shakes uncontrollably and gets as close to me as possible during these. Its cute, my daughter has him wrapped up in a blanket with her stuffed animals in a circle around him. Its her way of protecting him. 60 mile an hour winds are expected as well. I hope we don't lose power!

•My daughter goes to a co-op preschool. I love the fact that I have a huge say in what goes on in her schooling but its kind of a pain in the butt because I have to volunteer two times a month. While that's not too bad normally today really kicked my butt. I had an awful headache and it only got worse with all the kids around. They were unusually unruly as well...I wonder if they could sense the storm too!?

•The time change has thrown me under the bus. I want to sleep but I can't. How are you guys doing with the time change? I don't think its ever effected me this much before!

•I signed up for a Pinterest account. I LOVE IT. Seriously, get one if you don't have one already.

•My neighbors kids moved back in next door to us. I am not happy about it one bit. They are in their very early 20's, have two kids, unemployed and are severely annoying. They sit around on their porch and invite their friends over at all hours of the night. They are loud, smoke, drink and listen to the most horrible rap ever. Unfortunately their driveway is literally just a few feet from our kids bedrooms so when they pull up 'bumping' their music they wake up the kids. I am so annoyed. And to top it all off, they have a rat dog who runs around without a leash and takes a crap in every ones yard. I am about to start throwing the poo back over to their house! {exhale, Lindsey} It might be time to walk over and say something to them. But it hasn't helped in the past...

Venting always makes me feel better, thanks for listening!

Have a fantabulous Wednesday,

all dressed up

2011-03-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

My two beautiful kids all dressed up for their Uncle's wedding!

More pictures of the special day coming soon.

Sniff, sniff {UPDATE}

2011-03-10T08:07:00.000-08:00

I have my brothers wedding this weekend that I need to healthy for so I can dance the night away...
I have my kids that need me feeling well so I can play, play and play some more...
I have a house that needs to be cleaned, laundry to be done, and dishes to be put away...

via

Darn this cold bug.
GO AWAY!

{UPDATE}
I went and bought some nasal spray to help relieve some of the pressure after I wrote this post. I found Afrin Severe Congestion. It works like a charm!
I am already at hour #4 post spray and its still going strong.
Oh...Afrin, how I love thee!

No Reply

2011-03-07T14:15:00.000-08:00

I love to reply to comments when I receive them on my blog!

If someone asks a question or writes something witty and funny I like to tell them how much I love their sense of humor and how much I appreciate the comment love.
It gives you a chance to really get to know each other and to connect with other bloggers, don't you agree?
Nothing frustrates me more then to hit reply only to find sorry, noreply-comment@blogger.com.
So please, connect an email address to your blogger account so that people can reply to your comments that your so kind enough to write! Everyone will appreciate it!
If your nervous about your privacy then set up a different email address that you use only for blogging.

{Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezy}

Here is some simple steps to set it up if you haven't already:

:: Go to Dashboard

:: You should see your profile on the left hand side

:: Click Edit Profile

:: Under Privacy, go to the 3rd choice down from the top

:: Check the box that says "Show my email address"

:: Further down, under Identity: Email Address, Type in your email address.

:: Click save and you're done!

catching up

2011-03-07T08:49:00.000-08:00

via

Today is my day to catch up on all the wonderful blogs that I follow. I have posted but haven't had the time to read or comment back at all. Oh I am so horrible!

I fell asleep on the couch last night at 7pm. Finally crawled into bed at 8 and then slept till 6:30am. WOW. I obviously was in need of a little sleep. And let me tell you...it felt amazing!!

Yesterday my sister and I put together a bridal shower for our soon to be sister in law. It turned out great! We had it at a well known mexican restaurant and we had yummy taquitos, dips, chips, salsa and quesadillas for everyone to eat. The margaritas were flowing and I think everyone had a fun time.
I am so excited to be able to really call you my sister, Amy. Can't wait for next weekend!

I hope you all have a wonderful Monday :)

tile coasters {tutorial}

2011-03-05T04:07:00.000-08:00

I am hosting a bridal shower with my sister for my soon to be sister in law on Sunday. Instead of going out and and buying something generic my sister and I decided on making some handmade drink coasters for the guests that win games. I found many many many tutorials on tile coasters so I thought I would give it a shot. It was so easy and fun to make! I used lee la la's tutorial as a guide.

While I didn't think about posting this to the blog till after they were made, I will still write a simple tutorial on how to make them. Minus the "how to" pictures. Sorry!

Here's what you need:
• tiles
• a roll of self adhesive foam board
• modge podge
• scrapbook paper
• acrylic finishing spray
{all items can be found at your local craft store besides the tiles}

Cut your paper and cork board to fit your tiles. I cut mine to 4x4.
Using a foam brush, apply a small amount of modge podge to the clean tile and gently place your paper piece to fit on top. I noticed that with the heavier paper you had to really press down to make sure the edges were sealed and there are no bubbles.
Once dry apply a few coats of modge podge over the whole tile. Let dry completely.
Take to a well ventilated area and spray the acrylic finisher on the tile to make it waterproof. I sprayed them a few times to make sure I got an even coat on top.
Once dry, add the cork to the bottoms of the tiles.
Boom. Your done!

The one thing I would change would be to get different tiles. I bought the cheapest and most simple tiles at Home Depot. I would most likely buy ones with rounded edges instead.

Oh well...there is always next time!

You have yourself a great little gift to give as a housewarming present, a christmas gift or a shower gift!

take a listen

2011-03-03T07:24:00.000-08:00

I'm linking up with Amber at Goodnight Moon.

So go there and do it too!

She asks us to pick a song.

Just one song.

This is mine.

Its one of my favorites and I could listen to it all day long...

enjoy

p.s. If you want to be included in Paying it Forward then click here. There are a few spots left!!

pay it forward gift giving

2011-03-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

source

I was lucky enough to be one of the first 5 commenter's on Danielle's blog Positively Positive! and now I get to return the favor!

Here's how it works

•Be one of the first five people to comment on this post
•You will receive something handmade from me within the next few months
•Post about Pay it Forward on your blog/social media site of choice, and send something handmade to the first five people who comment on your post before 2011 is over. Keep the craftiness going!
•You can send anything, big or small, it just must be handmade.
•If you want, do a follow up post and share what you get! Let's see all the crafty goodness :)

I am also participating in FTLOB's Handmade Trade. So hurry on over if you want to do this too!

I have been wanting to make all sorts of things and this gives me the perfect excuse to make them all!

So who is down to pay it forward with me? Comment below :)

would you cut it out already!?

2011-03-01T06:17:00.000-08:00

helping empty the dishwasher

where did your feet go, kid?

using sissy's box to reach the little microwave

found a cracker on the counter

oye vey

...this silly boy is climbing onto everything!

snow in portland

2011-02-25T06:20:00.000-08:00

Look what we got!
SNOW!
and the best part?
It only stuck around for a few hours
BUT school still got canceled.
SaaaWEEEET!

a song

2011-02-24T06:50:00.000-08:00

I am playing along with the gorgeous Amber over at Goodnight Moon.

She wants us to create a playlist of one song. Just one.

Here is mine.

enjoy

When I get older...

2011-02-23T07:08:00.000-08:00

Lila said to me this morning, "Mommy, when I get older I want to be a soccer ball player!"

It reminded me of the other times she has said that to me. I wrote them down too!

•In June 2010 she told me she wanted to be a Fireman

•In October 2010 she said an animal worker (assuming veterinarian) then she added "a spaceship would be cool too."

For me? I would like to be a rockstar.

Happy Wednesday~

swinging like a monkey

2011-02-18T06:25:00.000-08:00

my confessions

2011-02-17T06:35:00.000-08:00

I saw this cute idea and thought I would play along.

{one} I like chips in my sandwiches. crunch crunch crunch...

{two} I begged my husband to let me get an Elliptical but *sigh* I rarely use it.

{three} I have a hard time saving money.

{four} I am a freak when it comes to germs.

{five} I want to shave my dog. Bald.

{six} I worry way to often about what others think about me.

i love babies, dont you?

2011-02-16T08:43:00.000-08:00

I am a member of a special team of people who care about the health of America's babies. That's why we have banded together to raise money and participate in the March of Dimes March for Babies. I am asking you to join our fundraising efforts today by sponsoring my event.
Contributing online is fast, easy and secure. You can donate directly from my personal webpage with a credit/debit card or PayPal. If you prefer, I can also accept cash or check. Just click the appropriate box on my webpage.

http://marchforbabies.org/mcaulays

The money we raise helps save premature and sick babies. Premature birth is the #1 cause of newborn death and the biggest threat to babies' health today, and through March for Babies, the March of Dimes is funding important research to find out why premature birth happens and what can be done to prevent it. There's nothing more important than to give every baby a healthy start in life.
We need your help. Please join us in the fight against prematurity. Visit my webpage and sponsor me in the event that saves babies!

With your support, there's hope.

Thank You!

random tuesday

2011-02-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

Its been 7 days since I have posted.

Seriously slacking, I know.

This last week has been chaotic and non-stop,

so I haven't had much time to write.

Lila has been a handful.

Acting out and being sassy and bossy.

Is that what happens at 3 1/2?

and

Where did she get it from?!

Totally not from me...ahem.

Blake woke up with a fever this morning.

100.6 underarm.

Poor little guy.

He seems to be in pretty good spirits despite the pink cheeks.

Dang viruses.

I am desperately cleaning and disinfecting the house

because I don't want Lila to pick it up too.

We will see how that goes.

People with 2 kids or more, how do you do it??

We had a fabulous Valentines day yesterday.

Grandpa brought us goodies and daddy too.

Flowers, chocolates, apple pie.

Add to that about a 5 lbs weight gain.

I made a delicious dijon crusted roast chicken with brussel sprouts.

It turned out great.

How was yours?

Full of love I hope!

Well I got to run.

I hear little man crying in his crib.

well child check up

2011-02-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

Well I took Mr. B in for his 1 year well child check up the other day. He got 3 shots. Not much fun for him and it wasnt much fun for me either. He was a super champ and only squealed for a minute though. Then was ready to get the heck out of the drs.
He weighs 20 lbs exactly and is 29 1/2in long.
I love this picture I snapped of him. He looks SO proud and grown up.

and yes...that is a tylenol bottle. It was keeping him busy!

One year ago today!

2011-02-04T05:50:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it.

Today is the day.

The day you officially turn 1 years old.

You were born at 2:34am and now your already one.

Where did the 11 months in the middle go?

Mr 1 year old, you have been such a blessing in our lives! A fabulous little brother, a darling son and such a funny little boy. Your always making me laugh. Specially when you give me your {stink} face.

You may have stopped doing cute little things like pretending to sneeze and falling asleep in my arms but now your telling us what a dog says, stacking blocks 5 deep and waving hello and goodbye. You point to everything and anything that is in sight and mutter "whasat?" You are slowly learning how to take steps and are drinking whole milk out of cups. Your favorite things to do are to push buttons and to dance when music is on. Sometimes we catch you dancing even when no music is playing and it always makes me smile, because I know you are dancing to the music that is playing in your head.

I have dreams for you kid. I hope you grow up to be a loving man. To make smart decisions and to learn from your mistakes (because we all make them). Follow your dreams where ever they lead you and always, always remember that we love you.

Happy Birthday Blake!

marry me

2011-02-02T06:07:00.000-08:00

I wanted to start out {love} month with one of my favorite songs.
Enjoy!

a date with the family

2011-01-28T08:29:00.000-08:00

We sit at our dining room table for every meal.
And have been doing so since our first child was born.

I have read countless articles and books about all the positives a family dinner can create. They create opportunities for young children to learn their place in their culture all the way up to less of a chance of drug and alcohol use in the teen years.
Sitting as a family at the table provides us a tv free opportunity to talk and spend uninterrupted time together. Our 3 year old likes to help set the table by laying out the silverware and napkins at every ones spot. She always looks so proud when she is done! Even when I don't have time to cook dinner and we end up getting a pizza delivered we still find ourselves up at the table.
By no means are we a June Cleaver, Leave it to Beaver kind of family. If you come into my home while at we are eating dinner you will most likely find my son trying to crawl out of his high chair, my daughter banging her fork on her plate, the hubs and I trying to feed ourselves and the kids and The Postal Service playing on the iPod in the background.

While its not picture perfect its perfect for our family.

And the best part?
On special occasions the hubs and I feed the kids at the table then put them to bed and he goes out for take out so he and I can eat a late night dinner. Just the two of us. On the couch :)

i got a brand new pair of roller skates...

2011-01-27T05:53:00.000-08:00

lila and her friend arlie

fallon, lila and violet stretching

the girls...

skating!

An exciting day of roller skating for the first time!
She did great.
Shuffled along most of the time and didn't really fall and hurt herself.
No major falls, at least!

We actually rented the skates but I love the song and I have had it stuck in my head all day!

Well, I got a brand new pair of roller skates

You got a brand new key
I think that we should get together and try them out you see...
I been looking around awhile
You got something for me
Oh! I got a brand new pair of roller skates
You got a brand new key
sung by-melanie

another boo boo

2011-01-26T06:09:00.000-08:00

a nasty habit to break

2011-01-25T06:26:00.000-08:00

I am having a hard time breaking this habit.

Already 3 1/2 I thought she would have stopped this naturally by now.

I am so ready for her to stop...

Tabasco?

Finger guards?

Yucky tasting nail polish?

What were your habit breaking strategies?

My son sucks his thumb...

so hopefully what I learn I can pass on to Blake when the time is right!

*I am very curious as to what your kids prefer-so please vote above!

here's to you

2011-01-24T10:02:00.000-08:00

Here's to you Auntie-

You make us laugh,

You make us smile,

You remind us how much fun it is to have a family,

You help us when times are tough,

You encourage silly play,

and always give us special treats.

Your the best auntie around!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

We love you,

Blake and Lila

rub a dub dub, 2 kids in a tub

2011-01-21T08:01:00.000-08:00

This was Blake's first actual bubble bath!
We used Johnson and Johnson's Vapor Bath. I highly recommend it.
any who...
They both had a lot of fun and it was nice that I got to take pictures with our camera.
Don't know exactly why but its been a while since I had charged the batteries.
Bad Mommy, I know!

We love bath time-

these kids... i {heart} them!

he doesn't like to get splashed!

soapy hair

mmmm...bubbles

I am participating in FTLOB's Fab Friends Friday. Go checkout their blog-trust me, you wont be sorry you did!

Happy Friday!!

sick day

2011-01-20T08:26:00.000-08:00

Today were home sick.

via

Lila woke up with a runny nose and I fully intend to nip this cold in the butt.

We have plans for this weekend that include a birthday dinner for Auntie that we need to be healthy for.
In just a little bit I am taking a trip to our local pharmacy to see what I can find.
Maybe they make Zicam for kids?
Sinupret might do the trick?

If you have any suggestions please leave a comment below!

wordless wednesday {uh, you got something on your face}

2011-01-19T08:56:00.000-08:00

oh yeah...thats marker all over his face.

he was sucking on it like a lollipop.

...

OOPS!

IT happened...

2011-01-14T05:38:00.000-08:00

See this SWEET little girl right here?

Well she did it.

She said the {words}.

...

"Mommy, I don't want you to be my mommy anymore!"

All because I told her to stop jumping on the couch.

OUCH.

She hurt my feelers!

But after her big dramatic show off - I told her that I could give her to someone else if she wanted.

If she really didn't want to be my daughter anymore I would accommodate.

Well she didn't like that much.

So she said she loved me and that she wants me to be her mommy.

pppppssshhhh...

Like I would have given her up for reals anyway!

bizkitz

2011-01-09T10:28:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon white sugar

1/3 cup shortening or butter, cold.

1 cup milk

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Cut in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Gradually stir in milk until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.

Turn out onto a floured surface, and knead 15 to 20 times. Pat or roll dough out to 1 inch thick. Cut biscuits with a large cutter or juice glass dipped in flour. Repeat until all dough is used. Brush off the excess flour, and place biscuits onto an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges begin to brown.

via

Lila had a lot of fun ~~playing~~ kneeding the dough and making biscuits. They turned out really good.
Try them out!!

on the look out for...

2011-01-06T06:03:00.000-08:00

My son NEEDS this.

I NEED THIS.

Its from The Children's Place.

Completely sold out at all our local stores because a few months ago it was put on clearance.

Completely sold out online as well.

: (

Have you seen it?

Did you see it on one of the kids at your local playgroup?

If so please go steal it and send it to me!! {of course i am joking...well kinda}

Do any of your kids have one and not wear it anymore?

I would totally go with a one that's been worn and am willing to pay an arm and a leg for it!

Thanks : )

A look back at 2010

2011-01-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Heres what you do: post the first sentence (or part if it’s crazy long) of the first post of each month from 2010.

It was such a trip looking back at all these old posts!

January: I am currently reading Baby Catcher by Peggy Vincent.

February: I am having a hard time.

March: Gothic already??

April: I want to lose weight.

May: On a recent trip to our local library I came across a very, very interesting book.

June: It seems we all have caught a bit of a cold around here.

July: After last week, I was on a mission to lose at least 1 stinkin pound...and I did it!

August: I’ve come to realize that my chest-size...

September: Well not really.

October: First off I want to say {SORRY} to all my blogger buddies.

November: Flutter flutter and ROAR

December: This all started in my quest to begin a new hobby...

Happy New Year peeps. Hope its been good thus far!

the end is near...

2010-12-31T06:58:00.000-08:00

Almost every culture has special beliefs reserved for the first day of the year.
In some places, your supposed to open the windows at midnight on New Year's Eve so good luck will fly in and bad luck will fly out. It is also very important to make as much noise as possible with noisemakers, pots and pans and fireworks to get the bad luck to go away. I have also heard that if you take a drink at midnight you will have good luck in the new year. Then of course if you get your smooch on with someone good luck will come your way and you will have lots of kisses in the new year as well.
I am going to be doing every single one of them at the first stroke of midnight.

I need to ensure good luck for 2011.

When I look back at 2010 its been a good year, don't get me wrong. We have lost some loved ones but gained some great memories along the way and we have gained a 100% healthy little boy who is a wonderful addition to our family. But let me tell you this last month has been a tough one for us. Its been horrible! One car out of commission (still not fixed), the rear ending of another vehicle, an accident with the rental car when the other was in the shop, and the supposedly fixed car coming back with more dings to it. And in other years December has always been kind of hard for us. A few years ago my husband was in a horrible accident the day before the New Year, in 2008 my Honda got stolen out of a shopping mall parking lot a week before Christmas and then all this stuff happening this year.

GAH!!!

should i be doing community service?
attending church more often?
helping out at our local homeless shelter?
all of the above?

So here's to a new year with lots of luck and lots of good memories.

via

CHEERS!!!

and...DONE!

2010-12-29T07:33:00.000-08:00

WOW!

What a crazy Christmas!

Thankfully its all over and we can slowly get back to our normal routine.

But it was a great Christmas and the kids loved every minute of it.

Here are a few (quite a few) highlights in pictures!!

right before all the madness started

up way too early!

super excited to get her stocking

showing her brother how things work...

ok, she'll just do it for him

see this is how you do it...

little man not interested his presents.

just his sisters!

this was his favorite gift!

and this one too :)

what she asked santa for

look at that smile!

complete and utter chaos

a christmastime quiz

2010-12-23T07:32:00.000-08:00

I saw this meme when I was reading the Unofficial Mom. Sara is fabulous so go check out her blog!

Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? During the holidays I love eggnog but only if its cut with 1% milk. Its too strong and gives me a tummy ache if I don't. Otherwise I am a true chocolate lover.

Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Santa wraps all his presents but with different wrap then ours. It makes it a little more special!

Colored lights on tree/house or white? I love the classic white lights. Its so pretty. BUT since meeting my husband we have added red and green lights to the outside. He says he will turn me to the ~~dark~~ colored side eventually but I refuse to let it go any farther. I have put my foot down!

Do you hang mistletoe? We haven't this year...ACK! To the store I go :)

When do you put your decorations up? We put our x mas lights up the day after Thanksgiving!! But we usually don't decorate the inside till we get the tree. About 3 weeks till.

What is your favorite holiday dish? Sweet potatoes. YUM.

Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Climbing down the stairs with my family on Christmas morning.

When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember how or when the truth was told. Maybe it was my siblings? Micah? Tracy? Did you steal my childhood? ;) Just kiddin...

Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? We always open up one present. And its always our special holiday pajamas!

How do you decorate your Christmas tree? White lights!!! Oh and a mix of ornaments. The majority of them are from my mom.

Snow, love it or hate it? I love snow. Wish we got it more often!

Can you ice skate? No. But I used to be a killer roller blader back in the day. Does that count?

Do you remember your favorite gift? I have a horrible memory.

What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with my family. Yeah...its every ones answer but its true!

What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? Pumpkin pie of course. With a dollop of homemade whippin cream!

What is your favorite holiday tradition? Christmas eve PJ's, stockings filled and placed at the foot of the bed, and our big family breakfast at my sisters.

What tops your tree? A beautiful gold sparkly star. Lila put it up this year. She was beaming!

Which do you prefer giving or receiving? I love getting presents. No, but seriously...giving is wonderful. And getting is just a plus :)

What is your favorite Christmas Song? Last Christmas for sure.

Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? They are pretty good. Maybe once a year.

Favorite Christmas Show? Scrooged with Bill Murray! That's such a classic. My husband and I actually watched Its a Wonderful Life for the first time the other night. It might have to be a tradition for us. I really liked it.

Saddest Christmas Song? This one is a tough one. I guess I could use some help here?

I would love to see you all play along!

wordless wednesday {waiting for santa...}

2010-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

M e r r y C h r i s t m a s !

our x mas card

2010-12-20T06:27:00.000-08:00

from our family to yours, happy holidays!

the big ouch of '10

2010-12-17T06:11:00.000-08:00

My son pulled a potted plant onto himself.

Yep, a very heavy pot.

He is totally OK and actually didn't cry very long at all.

Only about 15 seconds after I picked him up.

Dirt was EVERYWHERE.

It seriously broke my heart.

It looks horrible.

His cheek bone was immediately bruised.

Poor guy.

His dad says he is a toughie.

Still breaks my heart though...

little monster theme

2010-12-16T07:44:00.000-08:00

We have decided to do a little monster theme for Blake's 1st birthday.

I am so excited!

I really love these invitations that I found on Etsy.

via

Aren't they too stinkin cute?!

I have quite a few ideas about monster things.

I want to make a shirt for Blake and Lila with cute monster faces on the front and a huge no. 1 on the back of Blake's.

I want to print out coloring pages of little monsters for the older kids to color on and I want to have a little monster smash cake for Blake.

I could use any suggestions or help!

Oh man...I can't believe in less then 2 months my own little monster will be 1!!

a little accident goes a long way...

2010-12-15T05:47:00.000-08:00

This past weekend the kids and I got into a small car accident. We got rear ended at a stop light. The woman who hit us said her foot slipped off the pedal. My husband was in his car a few vehicles behind us and came immediately to the rescue. I was beyond scared. My son was crying in the back seat and my 3 year old was saying that we hit a bump, "really hard mommy". Shaking uncontrollably, I opened my door and ran to the back of the car to see if my kids were ok. Then I realized that I was still in the middle of the street so I got back in and drove off to the side. My husband took care of the info swap and came over to the car. The adrenaline had worn off and I was practically in tears. Thankfully both the kids and I were all ok and Blake was only crying because he got awakened (very rudely I might add) after only falling asleep just moments before the accident.

Later that night after putting both kids to sleep I sat on the couch and thought about how lucky we were. It could have been so much worse and it really makes me scared and sad to think about how precious life is. One fluke accident and a whole life can be gone, just like that. I don't know what I would have done if the kids would have gotten hurt. I can't even imagine it.
So now I am sitting here being VERY thankful that we are happy and healthy this holiday.

Drive safe!

xoxo,

here kitty kitty kitty...

2010-12-13T09:09:00.000-08:00

Lila had a lot of fun playing with our cat this weekend.

he looks so pissed...

tis the season

2010-12-06T10:56:00.000-08:00

On the hunt for our perfect Christmas tree...

Decorating the beautiful tree...

Happy Holidays!

{this was our fun experience last year}

check it out!

stitch b*tch

2010-12-01T06:03:00.000-08:00

This all started in my quest to begin a new hobby...

I recently have taken up knitting!
I LOVE IT. A big shout out to my Aunt Joie for showing me the ropes!!
I am working on a scarf for the Hubs right now.
Honestly, its probably going to take me till next Winter to finish but hey...I am going to try.

I just finished this project.

I began not knowing exactly what I was going to end up with.
But don't look too closely.
Its far from perfect but I am still very proud of it.
Its my first knitted thing!
Don't laugh...

*I am totally cheesing from ear to ear*

Do any of you know how to knit?
What are some of your favorite sites on knitting?
Please share :)

a thankful interview

2010-11-24T06:46:00.000-08:00

Here is a quick interview I did with Lila.

Completely verbatim.

Pretty cute if I do say...

What I was thinking and not saying aloud is in italics.

Oh and by the way, this is my 400th post. Woot Woot!!

ME: what is your full name?

LILA: Lila McAulay E I D B 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 17 AND 18. Ok then!

M: How old are you?

L: uh...3. Said "SWEE".

M: What is Thanksgiving?

L: When you make turkeys.

M: What is your favorite thing about being a big sister?
L: Helping get Blake in his jammies and helping him eat his lunch all gone. She likes to eat his snacks...

M: What is your favorite thing to eat?
L: Dino chicken nuggets. Oh and I like apples too!

M: Do you like preschool?
L: Yep, its beautiful. Odd choice of words.

M: What is your favorite thing to watch on TV?
L: Charlie and Lola!! Surprise surprise.

M: And your favorite thing to do?
L: Go to the park and throw the stick for Rusty with Daddy.

M: What is your favorite color?
L: Purple and orange. I like it!

M: Who is your best friend?
L: Fallon. What? Not me? Sniff sniff...

M: How much do you love me?

L: This much!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

Baby it's cold outside!

2010-11-22T06:50:00.001-08:00

Lila is hoping for some snow to play in.

wordless wednesday {back in '84}

2010-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

my mother and i

one of the greatest people to ever grace this earth, my aunt, and i

my mom, dad and i

I know this isn't wordless per say but whatever...you will just have to deal. ;)

I had to share these old photos.
I love these pictures.
My parents divorced oh so long ago so its such a trip to see pictures of all of us together.
Its so wonderful to see old pictures...

Thanks Kim for sending these to me!

words

2010-11-15T07:17:00.000-08:00

Blake has been saying a few words lately. He says them here and there. Its pretty stinkin cute.

•NO. He says this whiny and cute like. "nnnnoooooohhhhh". Yeah, kinda like that.
•MOMMA. More like "mmmooooaaammmmaaa".
•DADDA. "Daddddaaaaaa". It's cute.
•NIGH NIGHT. Every night he repeats "nigh night" when I tell him its time for bed. I think my sister taught him how to say this. Its adorable because he says it when he truly wants to go to sleep!

Happy Monday!!

the up and coming holidays and all that crap part 2

2010-11-12T05:39:00.000-08:00

Who knows what they are going to get their kids this year for Christmas?

Not I, said the fly.
I have no clue what I am going to get.
Well at least my 3 year old is hard.
My baby boy will love balls and trucks.
Easy peasy.
But Lila, she wants EVERYTHING.
Its all the little silly stuff that will just end up in her closet along with everything else she doesn't play with.
What is a fabulous toy she could ask Santa for that I will be happy with too?

She was talking about wanting a Baby Alive doll.
One that walks and talks.
Really?!
I don't need one of those walking around the house.
I already have a baby crawling everywhere!

the up and coming holidays and all that crap part 1

2010-11-11T06:43:00.000-08:00

I am going out on a limb here but I am sure more then half of you agree with me.
I wish Christmas wasn't just a little over a month away.
I am not even close to being ready.
It seems like every year something comes up financially to make it even harder.
That speeding ticket and our bathroom construction hasn't helped the situation at all.
Oh and the speeding ticket isn't mine. Promise.
What bathroom construction you ask?
Well let me tell ya.
Our toilet was leaking slowly for the past few weeks (maybe even longer, who knows) and ended up molding our sub flooring.
Yes, it is as gross as it sounds.
But Super Hubs to the rescue and its almost as good as new.
Almost meaning he still has a few things to finish so its still a chaotic mess in there.
And yes, its our only bathroom in our house. Gah.

So needless to say I am freaking out a bit.

say cheese!

2010-11-10T05:26:00.000-08:00

Some cute bloopers from our photo shoot of the kids

at my dads house last Monday.

We got quite a few good ones but those are for the holiday photos and cards.

You know, hush hush stuff.

These are the silly ones that I love.

enjoy

i love their smiling faces here.
can't tell they are related, can ya!? ha!

eating leaves and goofing off

delicious leaves

not a happy camper

silly kids

Oh yeah...

Don't forget to vote for Lila here!

We would totally love to win this contest!

Just 2 clicks and your done!

hold the phone...

2010-11-08T06:07:00.000-08:00

My little man has officially turned 9 months old. WHAT?! Its so hard to believe. It feels like I was always waiting for my first to start walking, talking and I was always encouraging her to get older. But with my little baby...now its a totally different story. I want him to stay little and baby-ish forever! I don't know if its because I am 90% sure that he will be our last baby or if its because I just don't have time for him to become a toddler. Its kind of freaking me out though. I miss his baby smell and I miss being able to rock him to sleep! He now pushes me away when he doesn't want to be held and he crawls and gets into everything. Don't get me wrong...I am so proud he has reached these milestones but it makes me sad all at the same time.

Here is a list of fun things he does:

• crawls. fast.

• suffers from a slight case of separation anxiety
• points to everything and does the peace sign a lot too.

• likes to make you laugh by making funny faces

• has 2 teeth on the bottom and just cut one on the top right. I see the top left about ready to pop thru as well.

• eats a lot. his favorites right now are cheese and green beans. oh and cheerios.
• his favorite place to play? his sisters room. thankfully she LOVES to have him play in there.

• down to 2 naps a day. and sleeps 11-12 hours at night. its wonderful!

• LOVES LOVES LOVES balls. he can actually throw it to you too.

• is drawn like a magnet to the dang cat food. why must kids like it so much?!
• enjoys swinging at the park

• claps and bounces up and down when music plays. its so cute.
• tries to climb onto everything. and about 30% of the time it ends disastrously.
• always has to be next to his sister

blake

Words can express how much we love you. Your so much fun to have around and your just too handsome! When you look at me with your beautiful brown eyes my heart melts. Happy 9 months old Little Man. Were so proud to call you our son!

xoxo
mom and dad

this is my life...

What a good big sister!

Its 2012 already?!

Christmas greetings

Watch out!

umbrella girls {favorite photo}

Share bag

where has the time gone?!

picture time

so blessed

its almost time!

Neighborhood friends

belly slider

well wishes to you

fathers day weekend (way late)

tattoos

wish i was here-

blogoversary

I am not the Biggest Loser BUT...

I am a nerd

June goals

wordless wednesday {snuggle time}

Pacific City, OR

aaahhh!

What would YOU do?

photos

wordless wednesday {crash and burn}

toddler talk tuesday {a dr's visit}

weight loss update #2

a mother's song

scary night

finally...walking!

my week in weight loss

friday catch up

wordless wednesday {intellectual}

fabric easter basket {tutorial}

abc's

biggest loser challenge

dirty sleeves

lose it or die trying

macaroni and cheese recipe

wordless wednesday {holding hands}

With a flick of my wrist...

follow the leader

the HC

Trading places

5 things I do right

What I learned last week

Dont call me Mom today

pumped up kicks

I just have to share my newest find!

Random Wednesday

all dressed up

Sniff, sniff {UPDATE}

No Reply

catching up

tile coasters {tutorial}

take a listen

pay it forward *gift giving*

would you cut it out already!?

snow in portland

a song

When I get older...

swinging like a monkey

my confessions

i love babies, dont you?

random tuesday

well child check up

One year ago today!

marry me

a date with the family

i got a brand new pair of roller skates...

another boo boo

a nasty habit to break

here's to you

rub a dub dub, 2 kids in a tub

sick day

wordless wednesday {uh, you got something on your face}

IT happened...

bizkitz

pay it forward gift giving