Count Your Blessings

I have a serious soft spot in my heart for a little hair salon on Gilbert and Brown called Tantrum.

I truly believe that without my 7 year experience of working there, I would not be where I am at today.

I am happy to say that Tantrum is and was my only place of occupation. I was lucky enough to have done my beauty schooling during my senior year. This allowed me to enter the work force directly after graduation. Little did I know I was about to enter into one of the best things that has happened to me.

Not only was I able to work for an amazing boss, Mack, who can back comb like nobodies business, I also made life long friendships with amazing people. Of course the girls I worked with are some of those life long friendships. The best part about Tantrum is that there was NEVER that katty, jealousy girl bologna  EVER! That says a lot. Especially at a hair salon! I have too many memories to even count that put a huge stinkin smile on my face. Most of those where made because of Heather:) Oh how I love Heather! I wish I could give a shout out about everyone but that would make for a loooong post:) You know who you are and I love you!

About 3 years into hair styling I decided to take a break and go off to BYU Hawaii for a few months then return. When I did return a new girl named Melinda had started working there. I was getting acquainted with her. Asking her name, where she went to school, the normal getting to know questions. When the family questions arose is when it all started to get interesting. I explained that there were 7 in my family, my twin sister and I being the oldest. While I was saying this she got a huge smile on her face then excitedly said she had twin brothers who just got off their missions and were both single. Well what are the chances of that! Long story short, Melinda is now my sister in law and with out her my life would be completely different. How thankful I am for her! I love her with all me heart.I know what a blessing it was for us to have worked together because without her I would not have my Casey and 2 boys.

Another great thing about my profession is that your clients become your friends. Some of my favorite clients were the Dooley girls. I started doing Chantel's hair pretty much right when I started doing hair on the floor. She was one of my first clients. We became instant friends. Her sister Krista started coming to me as well. They are the type of people who can make you feel like you've been connected to them since you were born. I want to say almost like family. I did their hair for years when they finally convinced their mom to come to me because she had never colored her hair before... along with their sister. So now I know the whole family! Lets just say that on my very last day of work at Tantrum, Krista was one of my last clients and we were both in tears! She promised me that when she got married I was to do her hair.

Well four years later the big day arrived! Yesterday I spent the day out in Fountain Hills and was able to do her wedding updo. While I was at her parents house doing hair I was reminded as to why I loved the Dooley family so much. They were so welcoming and acted like I had been over millions of times before. I met the dad for the first time and while I was doing Krista's hair I learned that he was outside washing the windows on my truck! Seriously, who is nice enough to wash their daughters hair dressers windows on the wedding day! I also did Chantels hair who was the maid of honor.

Krista was gorgeous! I was also blessed to have learned how to do "sex kitten" big hair from Beth who is the updo queen! I told you, lots of blessings come from that wonderful place:)

I am so happy Melinda gets to do the Dooley girls hair now. She did an amazing job on Cynthia and Tana's hair for the wedding.

Tantrum was a great part in my life. Looking back it was something I desperately needed in my life at that time. However, I am so grateful that I am able to stay home with my boys and not have to work. I am so thankful and feel tremendously blessed to have this opportunity that a lot of moms don't get to enjoy.

Isn't it interesting how blessings come from blessings!

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Good Morning Mr. Breakfast

( I said that in my best Pee Wee's Big Adventure voice)

We are here. 

The lovely stage of wanting to feed themselves/walls/blinds/ floors like a big boy.

No spaghetti or lasagna until 2012 (slight exaggeration).

AAAND somebody finally got their top 2 buckaroos!

He ordered steak for dinner to celebrate:)

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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!