Look at her!

I'm sorry but this has got to be one of the cutest things ever!!!! Imagine her on a pink or red Vespa cruising through the streets of Italy or Paris (with me of course, can't let her have all the fun!)

She learned last weekend and hasn't been scared off yet. She'll show those brothers of hers that girls can do it tooo!

Gavin's Birthday!!!

Gavin requested and was granted doughnuts instead of cake for his birthday! (That's two out of four kids now.)

Can you tell what he is doing  here and what sound effect???? I'll give you a hint, starts with f! What a boy! Always finding a way to slip in rude bodily function sounds!!!

I thought that I would make a scavenger clue hunt for Gavin to find his presents! He really had so much fun and it turns out that a few boys on our street wanted in on the fun.

Clues were hidden everywhere!

And here he is!!! Look at that smile! I made a fun lunch that he loved and so did his brothers and sister!

Camryn.....isn't she sweet?

You must check this out!

Gooey Choclatie pie bites ....or  something like that!

Belle Grove

I stumbled onto this plantation house a few years back while looking at historic homes and such in the Bayou and in Louisiana.

Here she is in her dilapidated state. Notice the columns on the side of the house? This was taken in the 1930's and there are no known pictures of the interior. This is a LA plantation. (Although I don't like what plantations were all about, I still have an appreciation for the structure of the house itself)

The house caught fire in 1952 and was bulldozed. I feel loss when I see it like this and then to think of it's demise. And, I have never seen it. Strange I know. I found a dead end when I was looking into it's past and why it was abandoned. Bet it had something to do with property tax!

Notice at the top of the picture you see a chandelier medallion. I am sure something beautiful hund there.

I have always wondered what this old plantation house would have looked like in her glory days. 

Note: Check out Oak Alley!  {Here}

Virginia Dreamin

It's only 18 mil$. I think my equestrian sisters would love this for all the equine features! I of course love the pond and serenity and have always been fond of a great white house with glossy black shutters!

You can get lost in wonderful historic homes (mansions) here .

9 years ago today I became a Mom for the second time

Camryn squeezed her way inbetween G and me! Here are a bunch of random photos that I thought I'd share with you all. I'll post today's birthday festivities tomorrow!

Here he is on his 4 birthday 5 years ago!

Happy Birthday Gavin!!! I love you soooo much. We are so blessed to have you in our family. You make it exciting and definitely interesting. You are so brave and daring yet so sweet and sensitive.

Homemade croutons

Yum-o! Go check out the recipe at:

Our Best Bites

Two cute girls

So if my camera battery hadn't died you would also be able to see the adorable flower bobby pin clips the girls made all by them selves. They even got to use the mini hot glue gun (with my supervision of course!) 

My sweet lil girl

Cami just came into the office and asked me if she could be the one to put Blake to bed. I of course said "sure!!!!!" Hey, any help I can get at bedtime I'll take.  She really tried and he wasn't biting!He doesn't have Spring Break(for preschool) and wants to stay up with the kids. So, I am off to do my nightly mommy duties! 

Get your front door decor

Now in my {etsy }shop!

Tinyville or something like that...

So I was on the computer and thought it was a bit quiet out in the kitchen....

I found Gavin (below) making a road out of construction paper and markers....
Cami decided to join the fun....
and then Blake! I helped Gavin finish the road and we made a whole town including a Village Car Wash, Mall, park and a Game Stop because every town needs one (or 10?) We have several in just a few block radius. Crazy! You'd think they were a Starbucks!

We even have a bridge with a stream running underneath!
Who'd have thought that we could have so much fun! Hours and hours of amusement!

New Drapes in the living room.....

{Harrington House}

I have been contemplating new drapes for our living and dining room but haven't been {inspired} yet. Well that has changed! I stumbled onto this fabulous blog/typepad and can't wait to go find this {Waverly} at the fabic store tomorrow! Oh I hope it is there!

New favorite thing!!!

What are they??? Yogurt covered almonds. You'd swear you were eating white chocolate they are that good! I got mine at WINCO all thanks to Mike's brother-in-law Steve. He gave 'em a try and they were so delish! Hi Steve Hi Christina, I know you are reading this and judging my grammar. Stop it! :) Get a google account already and leave a comment. Better yet start your own blog please!!!!! I need the humor of your writing Christina. Come on.....

Word verification

So when I leave a post on someones blog I swear I get some of the funniest words!!! I actually catch my self chuckling.  I know this is so lame but sometimes lame is what I need right now.  Just something silly and dumb. Norchors? Terttart? Those were just two that I saw on the last comments I left.  There have been funnier ones but come on I have 4 kids and a crazy life right now so forgive me for not remembering them all! :) Although they may sporadically appear in some of my future posts!

Jeffrey's Arrow of Light

I don't know....it looks like a smile is emerging here!

Here he is trying hard not to smile....like it wouldn't be cool! (Even though he wanted to.) We built the bridge together. I have been waiting 4 years to do this with my baby. I can't believe that he is already half way out of the house already......I don't know why I keep thinking about that. I know that life is flying by so fast.

Here he is! We were all laughing so hard (accept Jeff which is why we were all laughing). Jeffrey has worked hard to accomplish this milestone in Cub Scouts. We have been a bit preoccupied with life so this post is very much over due! He is officially in the Boy Scouts now! I feel old. We are both so proud of him.

I'm gonna put it out there

No, the bike is not for sale! But since I still can't find pictures since the "incident" I thought I would put Mike's one true great love (after the kids and me right Mike?) 

My sweet hard working wonderful husband got "laid off" a week ago. I know! Can you believe it?

He is so talented and great with people. Everyone loves him. Although he was an outside sales mgr (rarely in the office), the office staff loved him. People cried and held on to him as he left. The company has been going through some tough times as GM is their major partner. Need I say more? He has had to say good bye to many clients as many have closed their GM dealerships down. These were people he has come to know and really like. People that we have vacationed with and had dinners with.  Things don't look so good for "the company" as it stands now. Could be any day that they shut the doors. We are glad that we are out now instead of later. He felt really good about  the lay off. He said he felt as though a weight were lifted from him and feels really positive about our future. (I am so glad that HE is optimistic) He was with the company for 9 years. It is time for a change. And if you know my husband you know he is so talented at what he did. It has been suggested though that he get an agent and start the comedy tour scene. Hmmmmm. If it brings home the bacon then I guess I would be OK with it? 

Have you read Nie?

If you haven't read the Nienie dialogues then you are truly missing out on a fantastic journey

see that blue square button thing over there--->?

The one with the cute little bird? 

Are you a Mom in need of some motivation and renewing? 

Go on and click on it already! You'll be glad that you did! I promise.

Dear Mike,

Just wanted to let you know (and everyone else who reads this thing) how much I really truly love you. You are a source of stregnth to me. Remember today on the couch with Blake? I wasn't feeling to good about our situation and really feeling down. It didn't hit me right then but it did while I was in the Dr.s office with Camryn later. The feeling came to me that everything will be alright. You always take care of us. Always. I need to remember to have faith in you and in our Heavenly Father. Thank you my sweet sweet husband. 

~me

Homemade pizza and more.....

I am so bummed that I didn't get a picture of Camryn's talent. She did a magic trick! I will try to take one of her and post it later.  She can hold a pencil(vertically) in the palm of her hand by the eraser and not drop it and not bend her fingers to help out. We have all tried it in our family and she is the only one with the gift! LOL

Gavin's talent for the Talent show at church was skating on his board to 1999 By Prince! Hilarious and he was really good at it. He also put on some Barbie tennis shoes on his fingers for them dance! Crazy kid!

Jeffrey and his award for his talent which was playing the piano and showing off a collection of Clones. He taught himself how to play Viva la Vida by Coldplay and Daylight by Matt and Kim. He is so very talented and intelligent I tell ya!
Silly face boy! He is eating his pizza upside down.....guess he likes the taste of the toppings first!
Pizza dough made in the bread machine! How easy!!!!!

New Beginings

I just got back from New Beginings for our Young Women. What a fantastic night!!! Our theme was Operation Personal Progress Mission Possible! We did a whole Mission (Im)possible skit complete with secret agents and new recruits (our girls that came from Primary or new move ins) I got to be a special secret agent and deliver "mission assignments" to the 7 secret agent girls. There was one secret agent for each value...Faith...Divine Nature...etc. I had to look like I was undercover and deliver a mission to each of them secret like. I actually hid behind a plant that I held as I moved from agent to agent. Sometimes I was on the floor other times I was walking. It was so funny! I wish I had pictures! I love our girls so much!

Be careful of what you tell your kids to pick up!

So Mike just got home from the mall with Camryn and Blake and told me a terrifying but some what humorous event that took place out side the car in the parking lot! As he was getting Blake out of his seat he noticed a shiny pink cd in a case on the ground. He told Camryn to go look at it because he though it looked like the Disney Princess ones we have seen b4. After Blake got out and Mike took a closer look he shouted NOOOOOO!!!! Don't touch it! Turns out it was some one's gross icky yuck "dirty" DVD! It was pink with a cute font that was very close to the Disney font! He quickly got rid of it! That could have been very disturbing for our sweet innocent little Cami if she had laid eyes on it! I am so glad to have a husband who is quick on his feet like that.