A Little Makeover!

(Warning: Below are some pictures that I took of myself by myself. While, the subject of the picture isn't the most photogenic, these pictures are the best I could do. Having said that, here you go...)


I haven't had longish hair for about 14 years or so. One day I woke up and it seemed to be long and I just started letting it get longer. It grew faster than I remember it growing in the past and before I knew it, I had hair past my shoulders. At times it looked okay, but for the most part, it probably wasn't that attractive. So, I got a new do. Now, in these photos, you can't get the best sides of my hair, but I think you get the gist!






And, what would a post be without a picture of one of the kids? Here is Aidan after his sisters got out the dress-ups and he thought he needed to be a part of it. (Mike was at work at the time and when he saw the pics he didn't think we were very funny!)

FOR SALE!!!

One cute, blue eyed boy. Just learning to talk (back) well. Loves bubbles and oranges. Can fend for himself in the kitchen with just a simple chair and/or accessible pantry. Answers to the name of Aidan. Can still be trained to do what you would like...(we think) Available for pick-up any time.

*Disclaimer: Can probably expect messes like these in just a short 24 hour period, while you are doing household chores like folding laundry and washing dishes. (Also, he has been known to feed other children spoonfuls of sugar...)

Dancing, Cheering, Shoveling and Home Improving!

We were a little busy last week... Here are the highlights:
Cam and Brin performed their dances for the 1st time this year at a basketball game on Wednesday night. It was such a great performance and they had so much fun!!




On Friday night, the girls were in a cheer clinic and so they got to cheer at another basketball game during half time. They really loved this and looked so cute out there with all the cheerleaders! Cambree even got to do a "stunt" and was on top of a pyramid. It was cute, but unfortunately, I was taking a pic of Brin who was on the other side of the gym when it all happened...

They wanted to pretend that they were in high school with lockers. Oh...to be young and think high school is cool. :)


Aidan is quite the little "outdoorsman". He has been able to escape outside for quite some time now. (Since summer actually....) Unfortunately, this usually means without coat and shoes. So, the other morning, Mike took him out to "help" shovel the sidewalk. He loved it!! (I'm pretty sure Mike loved all the help too!) :)

The main bathroom in our house needed some upgrades. So, on Saturday, I decided to get the project done. My sis-in-law Katie had these hoops up on her wall and I thought they were really great...that is where the inspiration came for the whole room. I just needed the right shower curtain and I was on my way. I also found these great Chinese lanterns with my BFF Mic and love how fun they are in the bathroom!! (I actually want to add them to every room in the house!)
So, once a drab bathroom...Now a fab bathroom!!!

What's the Point??

What is the point of putting a child-lock on the doorknob of the pantry when your 2 year old can get in and out as he pleases?
The result of my negligent care (and Aidan's determination) is this....

(By the way, meet Maddie...She is my cousin Brittany and Josh's little girl and she has been coming to our house for a month or so for some babysitting...Because I am such an AMAZING babysitter! Yeah, Right...)
Don't you love their little guilty/scared faces? Like I was getting ready for a little child whipping or something...
Note to self...Can't leave these 1 and 2 year old children alone for ONE minute!!
Oh... Trix cereal, what would our morning have been like without you?

Our Adventures in Ashton Sitting...

Last week we were the caretakers for the Ashton children. Together with my children there are a total of 7 kids. They are all the same ages, except for Piper who is 3 almost 4. Needless to say it was a wild and crazy week. :) Here are a few highlights of the week:
Last Monday while school was out, Mike took the girls up to the college hill where they went sledding. It is quite the rough and tumble ride from what I understand, so they were pretty sore and tired after that...

The girls all got these sweaters for Christmas and they thought it was pretty great to match! As a side note: It was a lot of fun to do five heads of hair every morning... Hee hee.

The boys spent their week wrestling/fighting.... or else getting along which means getting into EVERYTHING naughty! Such as throwing things down the stairs...decorations mostly or sometimes each other's blankets and toys. They also thought it was funny to get on the beds and throw the pillows and blankets on the floor. And of course they thought it was great to shred a dried wreath and crinkle the flowers and leaves and throw them everywhere. You know. Everything naughty.
We spent the evenings watching movies and eating snacks...Anything to keep them entertained!

We had only one medical emergency that was able to be handled at home. Tess's earring had grown into the back of her ear. So, I had to remove the back of the earring with the help of a pair of tweezers and with Mike restraining the patient. We all survived, but it was pretty tramatic for all involved!


And finally, this was the best part of the day. It was such a wonderful sight to see 5 little girls all sound asleep for the night. ALL the kids slept really well the whole week. We had a LOT of fun and I hope the Ashton's will invite us back! :)
A highlight of the week for the kids that didn't have pictures:
Lunch and Movie with Grandma and Grandpa Summers (Thanks to them for my break!!)
The girls had SO much fun!

Two years old already!?!

Yesterday our little fella turned 2 years old. That's right. TWO! I could go on and on about how much this little devil makes us want to pull out our hair, but I won't...Not on his "special" day. :) Instead, I will just say how much we have loved having Aidan in our home (for better or worse)! He is picking up some hilarious personality traits and quite a vocabulary. He says quite a few things, but the best thing is that he says "thank you" for EVERYTHING you give him or do for him. He is very polite. He LOVES going to Nursery and now begs through Sacrament to go to Nursery. He gives great kisses and hugs and is generally a happy fella until someone gets in his personal bubble. Which, at times can be the size of a room! For his birthday, he just wanted to blow out candles over and over. It was a pretty typical 2 year birthday party for our house!


I made up this Elmo cake with the assistance from my friend Rhonda. She gave me the idea for Oreo eyes and for the rainbow cake inside. (Thanks Rhonda!)
Isn't the inside of the cake amazing? I love how bright it is and it tasted good too, so that was the best part!!

Cambree and Brinlee drew pictures of Elmo (and SpongeBob) for Aidan's birthday. Brinlee made him a book about Elmo having a birthday party and it was so cute!! (She is really good at making books. )

Aidan's grandma Judy and his friends the Ashton's each gave him a Tonka toy. Which, matches his Tonka truck from Christmas and so now he has quite the work equipment to play with. And he is loving them!

Holiday Highlights 2009

Our Christmas was AWESOME!! We had such a good holiday season. We were given the 12 days of Christmas by some amazing friends and it just started our Christmas off right. Our kids recieved so many fun and wonderful things this year. The highlight being the American Girl dolls that Santa brought them. I knew that they had requested this item and so I sewed matching pj's for the girls and their dolls. Aidan got a big Tonka truck and thought it was a great "ride".

After Christmas we went over to my grandparents and the kids went sledding and were also pulled around on a sled behind my Grandpa's Polaris Ranger in his open fields. It was so much fun for them.

Mike and I went to his sister Katie's house for a New Year's Eve party and my sister Emily (or Mi-Mi as Aidan calls her) babysat our kids. She let them dress up in her old prom dresses and even Aidan participated...Much to his father's dismay. **Thanks Mi-Mi for being the bestest auntie EVER!!!!

( The random doll bunkbed picture is because this is what we got the girls at Ikea for their dolls. I just thought it was a fun picture...)

We hope everyone had a safe and wonderful holiday like we did and we wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!