Pretty Pots!

Over spring break we let the kids paint up a couple of pots and pick some flowers to put in them.  The kids and I each picked a paint color.  I figured that way they could paint their hearts out and we could have some coordinating new pots.  Can you guess what color I chose?  I can't help it!  I love black.  The kids did such an amazing job.  I love the fun abstract look of each one.  I think I am going to buy one of those huge terra-cotta pot and let them have at with the same colors.  Wouldn't that be lovely?  Now to keep the flowers alive.

On a side note: Any advice on sealing them?  The paint was an outdoor paint but I am wondering (probably a little late) if I need to use a sealant on them?  They were rained and snowed on and seemed to hold up just fine but I want them to last for at least a few years.  Any advice?     

   Oh I am into spring.  I love it!  

Embracing change

We have been doing a little adjusting around here.  That is probably the biggest reason for the lack of posts.  OH and we lost a set of rechargeable batteries so we have been switching them around to all of our electronic devices.  Obviously the computer mouse has been getting the short end of the stick.  Rechargeable batteries are crazy expensive!  I know they save me money in the long run but damn! 

Anywho... back to adjusting!  Nicholas, my fabulous husband, just got a new job and has been working a boat load.  That means 60-70+ hours most weeks.  That also means that I am now a SAHM.  YAY!  I feel like I have to pinch myself whenever I think about it.  I don't think it has really sunk in yet.  I have worked since I was 16 non-stop.  This last week we have been adjusting to never seeing Nick and to me being home full time.  Not seeing Nick has been rough for me and the kids.  He is part of my happiness.  That is not to say that my happiness depends on him entirely.  But he is by far my favorite person in the world.  He puts a smile easily on my face.  I am not trying to sound whiney!  I am so grateful for the sacrifice he is making for our family.  He amazes me more everyday.  I miss him though!  Whine whine whine!  I will say that the time we have together has been extra special.  We never fought much before but we haven't at all since he started 2 weeks ago.  The kids go nuts for him every time they see him.  It is freaking cute!  I think the four of us are already appreciating each other more.  Lets see how we feel a few months down the road!    

The whole point of this is to say that we have had some major changes in our life the last bit.  I am trying to learn to embrace change.  Which has never been easy for me!  Really who is it easy for though?  If you adjust well to change please give me some advice on how to accept and love it!

It's Friday- we're in love!

I love my kids!  And they love me and their dad.  But you know my favorite thing about all this love?  Those two kids love each other so so much!  It does my heart good.  We might be bad parents in some ways but we have got to be getting something right.  At least one thing- HA!  I am not sure how it happened but Nicco is Lola's champion and Lola is Niccos' biggest cheerleader.  They fight really fierce but they love even more fierce.  I never thought I wanted children but I am glad that our Heavenly Father shook his head at me and sent me them anyway!    

Here comes Santa Claus!

We went and saw the big man on Saturday.  And by big man I mean Santa Claus.  Can I get a what what?!  I have always thought that sitting in a huge Ace line waiting to see Santa with two tiny children sounded awful and so I never have.  But this year they had Santa at Nick's union party.  So I figured what the hey?  Best part was that we got there late so there was no line!  Bonus!!  They both handled it beautifully.  No tantrums on Santa's lap for us. I wonder if missing out on pictures of the wee babes crying on Santa's lap was a mistake though.  That is a classic Christmas image!  

  I had to include this first picture of Lola because it is so cute!  She freaking ran up to Santa and said "Santa!  I love you!!".  There was none of that stranger danger crap at all.  She was beyond thrilled to see him.

After the huge hug she became awfully timid.  She told Santa that she wanted a Barbie and when he asked her if she wanted anything to go with it she told him she wanted Christmas.  Get it guy?!  She wants a Barbie and Christmas to be here already!!

Nicco was way more shy than Lola.  He told him his name- that he wanted a plane- took the bag of treats and hopped down without looking back.  The best part with Nicco was the clowns.  I wish I had gotten a picture.  He was scared shiz-less of them!  I had to drag him over to the clown and then hold him while the guy made him his penguin balloon animal.  And the face painting?  Forget about it!  He absolutely refused to do that.  We learned something new about Nicco that day.  To be totally honest I get the clown thing.  Clowns are creepy.  The whole painted on smile with a real grimace underneath thing is a tad on the creeper side.  Anyone else afraid of clowns?  How about awesome screaming pictures with Santa? 

Fun in the Leaves

Yay for Autumn!  We raked up the leaves and this kids of course jumped in them!  On a total random side note- I found out that I burned about 400 calories raking said leaves.  So I pretty much need to be constantly raking leaves the rest of my life to compensate for the food I eat!  Any way..... back to the cute kids!  They built castles and piles and all sorts of stuff.  It was so fun to watch them!!  Such a great fall day.  Perfectly chilly and beautiful sunshine.

Lola has an covered oreo face!  He he!!

Aren't they doll babies?  I think so!

This was Halloween!

Yay Halloween!!  I loved halloween this year.  The kiddos loved it as well!  They chose their costumes for the first time this year and I really tried not to influence them.  No matter how bad I wanted too!!  It was also the first year that we went trick or treating in our neighborhood.  Crazy fun! We also went to a mall which I am now thinking was over-kill.

Yay Bumble Bee!! I have one obsessed little boy.  He adores Bumble Bee.  Like to the point where he sleeps with his Bumble Bee transformer!

Sweet cupcake!  Lola loved this costume so much that she hugged it when she saw it.  

Mall trick or treating. In the light and safe but kind of lame!! 

 

This is my favorite picture of the whole night.  Bumble Bee blur!  He was so excited to get to the next house.  

We went out with some of their cousins.  The older kids were super excited about helping Nicco and Lola.  It was so great because Nick had to work.  It is like herding cats sometimes with those two.  You need help for sure!

After trick or treating we headed over to a friends for a party.  I wish I had gotten more pictures.  They had probably 15+ pumpkins that took two days to carve!  And they looked like it!

This little zombie guy in their yard scared many a trick or treater.  It was super hilarious!

My friend Dani and her husband Mark went all out for their decorations!  She hand made all these bottles.  It was an amazing spread.

Winder Farms

I have been looking through all of our pictures the last few days because I am on a mission to find some pictures of the kids for my close friend to paint (more on this later!  I need some help choosing!).  In my search I found these ones of us at Winder Dairy Farm.  We took a little adventure one day this summer and drove out across the valley and stopped in.  They have a neat little country store/cafe.  They have the absolute best soft serve ice cream evah!  I am a sucker for a good soft serve.

I wish I had gotten a picture of the kids in front of this wall.  It was kitchsy and a whole lot of country and I loved it!  I guess that means we will have to go back.

Towering ice cream cones!!  WOOT!!  As a matter of fact mine was so huge that I ended up needing a cup to stick it in as it toppled and landed on my arm.  Which Lola then proceeded to lick off. 

Look at those baby blues.  Oh she makes me smile!

Nicco got a twist cone and licked all the root beer off and pretty much left the vanilla.  I love root beer ice cream.  He is a boy after my own heart! 

                                      

Okay so I have a rant real quick.  The above picture is the best one that I was able to get of Nick.  The man won't take just a simple smiling picture for anything!  Kind of drives me nuts some times.  Other times it makes me laugh and love him more!

The Great Pumpkin Patch

This is a little image heavy but I couldn't resist!  We went to the pumpkin patch this week.  OH it was so fun!  My kids are great- does every mother think that?  I hope so!  I hate to say it but my kids are the best kids in the world.  Yeah I went there!!!!!!!

Nicco was so cute with that wheelbarrow.  

Lola rather ride in a wheelbarrow than use one!

Lola showing off her awesome pumpkin.  She could barely lift it!

At this point Nicco decided the wheelbarrow was too heavy and refused to wheel it around anymore.

My pumpkin!!!!  I almost always get a grey one.

I almost had a heart attack with them up on those hay bails.  They were all tipping over.  Momma needed a breather after that!

Yay corn maze!!  I tried to take a video of them in there but they were way too fast for me and it was just a 18 second video of shaking corn stalks.

umm kay- Are they not the cutest kiddos around?  

4th of July

We had a fun and super relaxed 4th!  Luckily Nick and I both had the day off. Which is crazy like whoa!  In the morning we went to our neighborhoods pancake breakfast and bike parade.  It is lead by a firetruck every year.  The kids love it!  We decorated up the kids wagon and pulled them along while they waved and yelled hi to people.  After that we went home and worked a little in the garden and the kids took naps.  Our sweet friends had us over for a barbecue and then it was down to the park for the big firework show.  It was so so great!  Nicco screamed the whole time and Lola sat saying Wow!  We headed back to our friends house and they put on an awesome firework display.  This year is the first year that aerials were legal in Utah!  That is a huge huge deal!  There were aerials everywhere.  It was way fun.  PLus it was Lola and Nicco's first time doing sparklers.  They loved it!  It was great!

Our patriotic wagon

 Nicco and his bestest friend Aiden.

Lola and her sparkler