Audrie has been laying around all day not feeling well.  However, she did help me make cookies for when daddy came home for lunch.  It's one of the benefits of living close to his work, even though it doesn't happen all that much.  I made a delicious lunch hoping it will entice him to come home more often. :)

As I was preparing our meal, I found these two zonked on the couch.  Bubba will be sad he missed seeing his best-buddy dad.  Audrie did wake in time to see him and it's always a treat for her when he comes home.

As I have been sitting here at my kitchen table typing this I looked out the window and guess what I saw?

A hawk staring back at me???

Uhhh Ohhh!

It's just 12:00 and I have already changed 3 poopy diapers and cleaned up spilled milk.  I just busted this little guy getting into these, in which he says "Uhh Ohh" as I come into his room:

He's getting to be a busy little boy, but with such a personality!  How can one resist that cute face?
At least it isn't bag balm smeared all over the wall, changing table, and self (as Alexa once did at his age).

Crazy 8

I cannot believe it has been 8 years since holding this beautiful girl for the first time in my arms.  She got a special letter by her plate this morning from daddy and wanted to read me part of it that said:

"I'll never forget how happy I was the day you were born.  Since the minute you were born you've been an observant little girl, wanting to soak up every second of life.  I've loved watching you grow up!  As happy as I am, I wish I could pause the hands of time and keep you small for just a minute each day."  

As she read this to me I just started to tear up and even as I am writing this now I am fighting back the tears.  How can 8 years already pass?  I sometimes find myself wondering why older folks always tell me to treasure this time because it goes by all too quickly.  At times if feels like it will never end. :)  But now looking at my baby girl-who is no longer a baby, but is full of life and making her own choices and who I can have conversations with-I am beginning to see what they are talking about.  Time is going by too fast and I don't like it.

Oh how WE LOVE YOU ALEXA JANE WATTS!

It's official...you turn the age of 8 and your attitude changes as well. :) Thus the "Crazy 8" title of this post.

Ready to eat her traditional special birthday breakfast.  Not that I go all out with the menu, this year was cinnamon french toast with strawberries and apple juice to drink.

After school, I took her to get her ears pierced.  She's been looking forward to this for a LONG time.  Her father on the other hand...let's just say I was prepared to shock his heart a few times from the attack that almost occurred. :)

We didn't have a big birthday party with all her friends this year, but she invited her BFF Marie over for pizza and salad and then all us girls went to the U of U gymnastics meet.

Audrie and her Best Cousin Carley

Alexa is really into American Girl dolls.  She has Kit already and just got Laney from grandpa and grandma Child, with some fun accessories.  She's also very into art like I have mentioned before, so grandma Watts put together the funnest art/craft kit with all sorts of cool stuff.  She was even more thrilled when Brandon and I pulled out a desk that his dad made and put it down in the playroom for her.  Now she has her own working space.

I think I'll purchase this gorgeous doll for myself. ;)



Be Mine Valentine

Valentine's is pretty much over-rated.  It is however Uncle Baa's (as the kids call him) birthday and it is tons of fun for the kids.  This year they all, including Brandon, had the day off on the 14th.  So the kids celebrated the Friday before in each of their classes.  Audrie couldn't wait to make her Valentine bag and pass out her goodies.  Alexa was so excited to make her first Valentine's box for school.  They had a contest in her class and when I picked her up she was all lit up because she had WON!  She and her aunt Kayley created this "boom"ing piece:

Alexa is very creative and loves doing art/crafts.  She's always coming up with something.  For example, a month ago she came home from school and whipped this up.  I asked her where she got the idea from and told me she just thought of it, but that they did read a story about a carousel earlier.

Hopefully she's taking after her late-grandpa Watts who had an eye and skill for art.  I know I always wished I could be more artsy fartsy, but sadly all I got was the fartsy. :)

Anyway continuing on...

I am the room mom for Alexa's class this year and it has been so fun to get involoved and plan the parties.  The second grade always does a Sock-Hop with cookies and root-beer floats for their party.  So I went to help-out and snapped some pictures in between.  They're sort of blurry, which I cannot figure out why.  My camera wasn't working well that day, but nonetheless...

After Alexa's party I swung by and picked up Audrie from school who was thrilled to show me her bag and all her Valentine's she got.  That girl loves her sugar!  She has a sweet tooth like her mama. :)

I was so excited that my amarylis finally bloomed and beautifully graces our kitchen table.

"Cupid" -in which the kids truly believe he exists- stopped by and left a little something for them when they woke to eat breakfast on the 14th.

Cupid even left a little something for Brandon on his clothes before he headed out to go ice-fishing.  Nothing says, "Love you to pieces" like a hatchet! ;)

After Brandon returned home from ice-fishing he took us all out to lunch and we even got 2 desserts to share.  It was a real treat!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S!

I'M BACK!

Well... Thanksgiving, Christmas, the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011 have come and gone and it has been almost 4 months since last I posted.  Needless to say, I am left with A LOT to update.  Our computer was dead for 1 month of that, but there is no excuse for the other 3.  Why do I let myself get so far behind?  It is so overwhelming!  Plus, I realized looking back I never posted anything from this past summer.  I guess I am too busy having fun...or not...to be blogging. :)  My goal is to get caught up so I can print off my blog, since it is the only scrapbooking I'm doing these days.

Here's to catching up!

(or at least trying to)

When the power goes out

I had just finished cleaning up dinner when the power went out.  All 3 of the kids screamed simultaneously.  I told them it was okay and to stay put so they wouldn't get hurt.  I grabbed a camping lantern from the linen closet and pulled out a bunch of candles, lit them up, and placed them around the house.  It didn't take long for the arouma to permeate throughout the house.  Mmm!  The girls thought it was so cool!  Matt was confused with what was going on and stayed close by me.  I decided it would be fun to put them all in a warm bath of bubbles and candlelight.  Then we would get on our comfy's and snuggle up on the sofa and read some books.  They were having such a great time in the bath that I grabbed the camera and started taking pictures.  Some are a little too explicit to share. :)  Time passed and before we knew it the lights came back on.  I have to say we were all a bit bummed.  Although, we will be grateful to sleep warmly tonight and not have spoiled food in the morning.