Monster Jam

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Casey wanted to take Lane to Monster Jam for a fun father, son outing. I thought it sounded great. I have memories of going to monster trucks with my dad.

Rewind a few weeks back. I went to our Stake Preparedness Fair and attended a class on teaching your children self reliance. I was sitting and listening to the discussions and all the ideas people had. Great ways on how to get your kids to be motivated, do their chores...basically learn how to do their part in the world they live in and have success.

After the class was over I had a sense of guilt . Am I doing the best I can as a parent to help my child yearn a sense of accomplishment and worth? No not really. I am really good at doing things myself to avoid making a bigger mess in the process of him "helping" or to simply save time and have it done the right way (which selfishly is my way). He is also given way too many things on a silver platter in my opinion...this is all my fault though. I have failed so many times in making him feel like he is helping and contributing to whatever is going on. I left this class excited, motivated and ready to make a new start.

 For FHE we read a story from the Friend about being a happy helper and what it means to do your part, even if we don't want to. We can do it with a frowny face and have a bad experience or do it with a smile and feel how good it is to serve and help one another. I then presented the good boy jar. If mom or dad saw Lane do a good boy thing he could put one handful of beads in the jar. If he could get all the beads to the top by the end of the week he could go to Monster trucks with dad.

Not everything is going to end in a reward. I figured since he was going to go to monster trucks anyway, might as well get him moving and working for it!

During the week he was really good to get those beads in the jar. He struggled a little some of the time but after a nice reminder he remembered what he signed up to do and got those beads in the jar. I didn't realize how small those beads were. I was using what I had around the house and it was either that or cotton balls. Saturday it was almost full so I secretly dumped some in then let him put in a handful for simple everyday things like washing hands and putting on his clothes:)

The big night finally arrived! The good boy was pumped and ready to reap his reward!

Lane was pure happiness when he got home. He had a smile from ear to ear. I think things are just more fun without mom sometimes.

I sent them with the camera. I should have figured that when dads in charge of the pictures, you don't end up with what you had in mind returned to you. None with the both of them together and more pictures of the trucks then the kid:)

I don't care. All I care about is that they bonded.

They are both such good boys.
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Home Improvements

These home improvements were done a while back. A year while back. I am filtering out my pictures saved on my computer so I figured I better post them.

One our favorite things to do as husband and wife is house projects. Once we finish something my favorite saying is "we are not doing or adding anything for a long time!" Famous last words. It's not like our house is even that big. It totals almost 1500 sq feet. 4 years later we can still manage to come up with something to spruce it up. Heaven help us whenever we have a bigger home!

I wanted, needed something above the windows that line the side of the house. Didn't want curtains, would take up some of the natural light I hardly have as it is. I am a sucker for moulding so Casey got busy.

before:

 

after:

Loved the outcome. Would do a few things differently next time though. I like to call this house the guinea pig, trial and error house:)

The counter tops were pretty bad in the kitchen

before:



after:

Granite you may ask? On the contraire! We wanted granite but were too cheap to fork out the dough. Especially since this is not our forever home. We found this product online that you paint over your existing counter top that resembles granite. 65 dollars later and 2 days of work (due to drying time for the paint) we had new counter tops!

Oops, these got out of order

before:



  

after:

Not fancy by any means but suits our little abode quite nicely.

To end, a precious moment I walked into the other day. They really do love each other.

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Kids That Rip

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I heard that Desert Devils gym has a skate park inside and that they have skate board lessons for kids. I thought Lane would be in heaven so I gave them a call to get details.

I asked the lady on the phone how much. "Oh it is only $80 for one hour a week  per month".  Gulp. What?! "We do offer a free trial run so bring him down anytime". Free, now you are talking my language!

I signed him up for Friday night but made the mistake of telling him Thursday morning. Is it time for my skate board lessons mom? Mom, it's 5 o'clock lets go to my skate board school!

He was a little bit nervous at the beginning but clearly got over his anxiety after 3 minutes!

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Casey and I figured they would just do basic things like learn where to put your feet, how to turn around, stuff like that. Well they did for 10 minutes then moved on to bigger and better things...ramps and a half pipe! Haha Casey and I were dying! He was eating up every second.

After the hour was over a sweaty and happy boy was returned to us. Oh wait, he was happy until we told him it was time to go and that it was not just a drink break.

While we were watching, Casey and I were giving each other the looks and comments of  crap, we are going to have to sign him up now. He is loving it!  We decided that we wouldn't sign him that day but wait to see if he would talk it all up and keep asking about skate board school... then we would take the plunge. 80 stinkin dollars! I have been justifying it with that we don't pay for preschool which we normally would be and that we would only do it for one month.

Skate or die. That is what this boy has been all about lately.

Save The Whales

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I have a favorite pair of jammies (they are not mine though). They will never be given or thrown away. I absolutely have fallen in love with them.

They are blue with cute little whales all over them.

I bought them when Lane was a babe. He wore them pretty much every night until they were too small.

I saved them for 3 years, now Rusty wears them every night. When they get too small for him they will go back into storage and wait until the next babe gets a turn with them. Sadly our dearest daughter (if we ever receive one) will wear the whale jammies because I love them that much!

It's funny because  last week while folding the laundry I noticed tiny writing on the jammies. SAVE THE WHALES. Ha! All this time I thought it was water drops spurting out of the blowhole.

Trust me we are not liberal, mamby pamby land, tree huggers. In fact one summer we watched about 3 straight hours of Whale Wars. Sadly getting a kick out of the Sea Shepherds sobbing and crying when the Japanese hunters harpooned a whale right in front of their eyes.

I showed Casey the writing on the jammies and he gave me a nice eye roll. I still love them just as much.

I don't know what it is but I could eat them alive when they are wearing them.

See for yourself! And see if you can tell which one is Lane!

Since I am talking about love...I love this cute Valentine subway art!

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 You can download a free 16x20 size HERE. Print at Sam's or Costco then add it to your

red and pink decor like I did!

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I'm A Big Kid Now!

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2 wheels baby!

Got it on his first try.

Thinks he's so big, even tried popping a wheely...

oh dear.

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Play, Party, Repeat

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I think we had a little theme going for a few weeks. While the sis is here, you have to play!

Mom suggested a girls day out to Scottsdale. We started with lunch at Grand Lux then lots of shopping and a trip to Sprinkles on the way home. The best part of the day was when our waiter was shocked to hear that we were married with children and to tell our husbands that they were lucky men. Haha, you bet I did!

I forgot how refreshing it is to have a day out with the girls. I think it should be a monthly requirement. No but really I might start doing that. Beware, you might be getting a phone call or text from me soon saying you have to hang with me !

New Years Eve was on the agenda. We were planning on going to Backyard Tacos but I guess they were having their own private fiesta because there was a sign on the door saying come back next year. I was secretly happy because it was COLD that night! I was happy and warm at Tia Rosas instead.

David got his mission call New Years Eve as well. So exciting and nerve racking all at the same time. I wonder how he was feeling! He opended it at 7 with a slew of his friends and family there. Honduras will be lucky to have him at the end of April.

After the opening the party got started. Dance Revolution and Would You Rather.

Would you rather: eat moldy bread or cat food- by Marcie (duh, moldy bread!)
Would you rather: show up to your 10 yr high school reunion as a geek with no spouse or with big boobs and a big butt-by Casey
Would you rather: sleep in an igloo the rest of your life or be in -20 degree weather wearing a thong at your wedding- by Travis or Austin, cant remember.

As you can see we are hard core game players by the tuckered out father.

I hate admitting this but Casey and I have never kissed on New Years. Sad huh! Either we aren't by each other or he is asleep. I voiced this pretty loud for him to hear while talking to someone hoping he would catch wind. No Bueno. He rang in the New Year sawing logs on the couch... oh well:)



We had a lot of late night baths at grandmas with Collin. This meant trying to find the smallest shirts of Craigs
old clothes to wear home until we could put on our real pj's. This was the highlight of the boys day, seriously. It got really exciting when one night David joined them in his boxers. I have a picture. It took real strength not to post it. But he totally looks naked and I'm sure the Stake Pres would love to see him on FB somehow bathing with minors.  It's a quality pre mish activity, right?

FHE was sushi night. Steph our sushi loving sister showed us the ropes. It really wasn't bad. I liked everything we put inside. Rice, cream cheese, avocado, crab, carrots, cucumber... it was the seaweed you wrap it in that was the deal breaker for me. Once I unrolled it into a bowl, it was all good.

Now I am sad because the party is over and they went home to Buffalo. Val left for Utah with Bre and Martin which makes us even more sad.  Another whole year until Christmas AND I have to make new resolutions. Who am I kidding, I never do.  On the plus side Christopher and Jael are coming soon that will be something to look forward to!

A VERY Merry Christmas!

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I didn't do any Christmas party posts this year. I am kind of disappointed in myself for that. I counted 6 parties we were able to attend. Minus the hang out with fam on Christmas eve type stuff we like to do as well. Seriously in my opinion, the more you get to do with family during the holidays, the better! We never could get sick of party-ing (however i'm sure our families got sick of us:)

We woke up at 7:50 to open presents. I was kind of worried about an early start because at 3:30am I could hear Lane whimpering in his room. I go in and ask what was wrong. He said he was scared because he heard jingle bells and was wondering if Santa had come. I didn't know Santa was so scary!

It took them negative 10 minutes for them to unwrap their presents from us. Lane loved is SKATEBOARD, tool set and jacket. Rusty loved his CHOO CHOO musical train and ball!

We made it over to our parents around 8:30 to start in on some more present fun!
Here we have the father trying to figure out his gift. Any guesses?

The mother opening her gift from Stephanie, Travis, Casey and I. The funny thing was that I thought about giving her this gift LAST year on Christmas day, so for a whole year I was excited to do this. My mom is burned out on making dinner. She is an amazing cook but after 16 years of cooking for 7 or more...I can't blame her. Since Stephanie has been able to visit for a few weeks we decided to take a day and make 10 freezer meals for my mom to pull out if she isn't feeling up to making dinner that night. I think the expression on her face says it all. Priceless.

Instead of buying the married kids gifts my mom makes up a game where we win money. She is really creative with it. This year it was Jeopardy style with categories like: name that primary song, my brothers keeper (questions where we had to name what brother said or did what), it's all relative, etc. There is even a bonus round with bonus mula!

We ate yummy biscuits and gravy made by father then off to the Goodmans.

I of course don't have any pictures of us opening gifts there but we got some great things. We enjoyed our amazing mexican lunch and trying out our new toys.

 We went over to Grandmothers for pie that night then went home to lay down our sleepy, full bodies that had a most wonderful Christmas spent with those who we love most.

We are truly blessed!