Kenny's b-day week

Last week we celebrated Kenny's birthday. I'm a firm believer in making birthdays last at LEAST a week long (I have a high success rate for making mine last a full month) so we had lots of fun in store. I wasn't great at taking pictures of everything, but here's the week in a nutshell...

Monday - Kenny came home from work and we gave him a note saying that since he's our "favorite" guy we would be giving him some of his "favorites" all week. Then the girls sent him on a treasure hunt to find a basket of his favorite treats. Chocolate chip cookies were one of the treats and Addison was so excited when he found them that she immediately grabbed them and started shoveling them in Kenny's mouth. He was mumbling "thank you so much!" and trying to eat them at lightning speed. Pretty amusing. :)

Oh - and since I know you're DYING to know my recipe for mouth watering chocolate chip cookies I guess I'll share it:

Nestle Toll House.

Tuesday - It's a "favorite" for Kenny to have a clean car. In fact, he's a bit obsessive about taking the family car to get it cleaned inside and out every weekend. I don't get it. Is it because of all the polly pockets and their tiny clothes hiding in every seat corner? Or maybe it's the assortment of cracker crumbs covering the floor? Could it be because of all the beach sand that finds a way into every crack and crevice? Mystery. Anyway, we washed it for him so he could take the weekend off. Actually, I paid someone to wash it for me and the girls scrubbed the mats.

Actually, Addison scrubbed the mats while Ellie rode Addison's bike.

Wednesday - we sent Kenny on a treasure hunt around the house to find a gift card to one of his favorite restaurants for lunch.

Thursday - another treasure hunt to find a new beach umbrella since hanging out with the girls at the beach is another favorite.

Friday - Kenny woke up to a note on the bathroom mirror that said to come home from work by 6:00 because the girls' favorite babysitter was coming so we could enjoy dinner with some of our favorite friends. He was excited and we had a great date night!

Saturday - August 28th - Kenny's actual birthday. We woke him up singing happy birthday and gave him two gifts. (I couldn't wait! Had to give them to him first thing.) One present was from Kole - a mini Chargers outfit so he will be ready for the Fall. Bring on football with daddy! The other gift was from me and our families. We all went in on an iPad for him. It was SO HARD hiding this purchase from Kenny because he handles our finances and nothing gets past him. I had to get pretty creative at stashing cash. Luckily, I've had years of training from a highly skilled expert on how to hide money from your husband. {Thanks mom for the life lesson you taught me that has come in handy time and time again. ;) } He was so excited and surprised. Loved it! Now he can play with his new toy at night and when he's at work all day...you know...I'll take good care of it for him. I'm nice like that.

The girls wanted to make daddy a cake all by themselves. So after the baking took place, I handed them the icing and let them have at it.

Mmmmmm. Good stuff.

I know. Your mouth is totally watering right now. Mine too. Lucky for Kenny I had one more surprise for him that included another birthday cake (although truthfully I think he liked the girls' cake best).

Our ward (church group) was having a party at the beach Saturday night so I sent around an e-mail to everyone asking them if they would help me surprise Kenny.


I brought out the cake and a huge group of people we love sang happy birthday to him.

He was so surprised -- had no clue that was coming. Mission accomplished. :)

Thanks to my cute friend Ann who brought the cake to the beach for me so Kenny wouldn't see it.

Also thanks to my cute friend Ann for taking this ever so lovely picture of me highlighting my post baby belly. I know. That's what friends are for, right? (not about to make this picture large)

I cut the cake for everyone (my girls were first in line) and we had a great night celebrating Kenny's special day with friends.

Happy birthday babe! It was a blast celebrating with you all week. And don't worry about making it up to me... you have plenty of time to make plans for all of next March. You know. Just in case you want to get started on that... no pressure or anything.... but it will be here before you know it....

Love you most. :)

Morning routine

Getting ready for pre-school...

6 outfit changes.

5 different pairs of mom's shoes.

4 different colors of lip gloss.

3 disagreements (at least)

2 different hairstyles.

1 VERY tired mommy.

All to get Miss Addison out the door for pre-school.

And she's only 4....

Lots to look forward to. :)

Tuesday Randomness and a Retreat!

Hi everyone! Hope you're having a lovely Tuesday. We're having a good day so far, but I can't deny...I am SO EXCITED for school to start on Monday! It has been really fun having Ellie home with me, but I'm starting to feel like we have done the pool, beach, playdate, reading, craft, lemonade stand, tea party, in and out of the house, snacks ALL DAY LONG thing for long enough. I'm craving more of a schedule and to be honest, I think she is too. Summer always seems to be just the right amount of time. Just long enough for everyone to enjoy, but just short enough for everyone to avoid going completely crazy. Kole seems to be thoroughly enjoying summer. He is always just along for the ride and ready to flash his adorable smile at anyone interested in looking his way. Here we are on his first trip to the beach..

He loved it. Wanted to surf SO bad. I said, "no way buddy! You need to be a lot older. We'll give it a go next summer."

I have to say I'm in the best mood today! I put on this pair of skinny jeans that I haven't been able to wear for about a year now and they fit! Well...kinda. I look like a sausage spilling out over them and I wouldn't be caught dead wearing them in them in public yet. BUT...I was able to zip them up and THAT is making me really happy.

Another thing making me really happy is the possibility of an upcoming trip. I wanted to let you all know about the Power of Mom's Retreat next month in Southern California. Have you heard about these retreats? They sound amazing! This one is called "Get Organized" -- become the mother you want to be. (I heard the title and was sold) :) It's part "professional development" in the field of motherhood and part slumber party. The retreat is being held at an amazing resort on the beach in Dana Point on Friday, September 17th - 18th. The last retreat was held in my hometown of sunny St. George, UT, but I couldn't make it because it was so soon after my surgery. This next retreat is close to my now home of sunny San Diego and it sounds like so much fun! I'm trying to work out details so that I can attend... and by details I mean "honey, can you please take work off on Friday, Sept. 17th and give me some money so that I can go stay in a sweet hotel on the beach with other moms to laugh and learn and generally just have an amazing experience that I'll never forget while you stay home and watch 'Max and Ruby' with the kids???" Then I'll bat my eyelashes that will be unusually long and flash him my sweetest smile. Just need some time to work out those details...

If you're interested in attending this retreat you have to act quickly because this is the last week to register. Click here to read more about the Power of Moms Retreats and here to learn more about the upcoming retreat "Get Organized" located in Southern California. AND because you are one of my beloved readers, if you decide to go you can register here to get $20.00 off!

So. I'm thinking you work out the "details" at your house, I'll work out the "details" at mine and if all goes as planned I'll see you there. :)

Scrapbook room organization

Finally! My scrap space is back in order. I know this room doesn't look much different than other pictures I've posted of it, but let me tell you...it is totally transformed! I went through ALL of my supplies and re-organized them in a way that makes much more sense for the way I'm scrapbooking right now. And I got rid of A LOT. Felt so good! Here are a few pics of the changes:

First a quick picture of my new paper cutter. {Hello love. Welcome to your happy home.} I destroyed my other one last fall when I went a little crazy making 200 Christmas Cards. Why is it that a new paper cutter makes me feel all giddy inside!?

So this is the little beauty from the Container Store that inspired my scrap space makeover. It's just a nice little box...

that opens up like this. I needed something to hold small embellishments and other odds and ends that I've recently purchased and want to have right in front of me to use. I don't have a lot of storage in this room so I love that it opens to hold quite a few supplies and then folds up in a nice little box I can throw under the table when I'm not using it.

Why is it that a plastic box with compartmentalized sections makes me feel all giddy inside!? Why is it that just typing the word compartmentalized makes me feel all giddy inside!?

Ok...on to some organization. I moved Kole's clothes around to free up some more drawer space for my supplies. I know. Poor kid. Anyway, I'm working on four different albums right now. The girls' scrapbooks (Project Life), {Ellie's PL & Addison's PL} Kole's baby book, an October/Halloween album, and a Christmas album. (You can read about my scrapbooking plan here.) Since I work on these albums randomly, I wanted the supplies for each book located in one spot all together.

The top drawer is all Project Life stuff for my girls. Journaling cards, recent pics I've developed that need to be put in their books, and random art/school stuff that may or may not make it into their books.

Next drawer is all stuff for my little Kole's book. Info from doctor visits, cards, baby scrapbook supplies, etc.

Next drawer is random. Halloween supplies in the box on the left and the rest of the drawer will be used for paper scraps that are worth hanging onto.

Last drawer is all stuff for my Christmas album. Why is it that seeing Christmas supplies makes me feel all giddy inside!? (102 days until December, but who's counting?)

Under my scrapbook table: more supplies, boxes of my school kits, and a Mickey Mouse riding toy that is waiting for a certain little boy to be old enough to play with it. (It may just be the only boyish toy we've ever owned...better keep it around)

A few pics of what is stored in the drawers below the table:

Latest pictures waiting for a home.

I went through all of my paper and organized it. Then I gave the girls stuff I didn't want anymore. They have been in hog heaven with new craft supplies! Ellie spent an hour making Kenny a surprise birthday card this morning. Then she just couldn't wait until his birthday next week to give it to him so she gave it to him this afternoon. That girl can't keep a secret to save her life! I've learned this the hard way. This year she knows NOTHING of the plans I've made for her daddy next week.

This is the reason I'll never be able to convert to all digital scrapbooking. It's all about the supplies. I'm way too in love with buying and organizing them... and then taking pictures of them... and then blogging about them. Not to mention scrapbooking with them. I'm so happy to have a clean, organized place to work on my books!

Even if it is in a corner of Kole's nursery.  :)

p.s. Why is it that this post makes me feel all giddy inside!?

Happy Scrapping!

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 ***Update:  I created a new system to organize school work before it's placed in my albums along with a new way to keep Project Life supplies organized...

School work/PL organization post

Play time

Ok...I have so many things to blog about and no time to do it! I'm so busy right now. The last few days I've reached dinner time and realized that I totally spaced eating lunch. I can't even pin point what it is...a million little things taking up my time. Just life I guess! I'm really looking forward to school starting in September when we can resume a more normal pace. On second thought...maybe this craziness is just my new normal! Three is a juggle, that's for sure. The only thing that is saving me lately is that my kids are playing together so well. Sure, sometimes they fight and we definitely have our moments, but for the most part they have been really good for me this summer.

The girls love to entertain Kole when he's awake....

and when he's sleeping (and we're actually home for a few minutes) they can't wait to pull out all of their dolls. Then they play play play while I attempt to get something done.

If we need to mix things up a bit I turn on a show and let them have a blanket picnic (or in this case a towel picnic) in the play room.

(Thanks for being so good sweethearts -- mommy would be losing it right now if you weren't!)

A lovely mess

Yesterday was a busy Monday! Aside from shuffling kids around to preschool and play dates, taking care of my baby (who has an eye infection right now - poor little guy), meal planning, getting groceries for the week, and exercising (which didn't happen until 8:30 at night), I somehow manage to find the time to make a lovely mess out of my scrapbook room.

One of the items I bought at the container store was for scrapbook stuff and it inspired a massive re-organization of my supplies.

Kole was unimpressed with what I did to his room. Especially since he couldn't lay on his changing table and look at the trees - his all time favorite hang out.

My little progidy was a huge help as always. :) Speaking of my little Miss Ellie, we have been noticing quite a few changes with her lately. She is becoming much more independent and starting to do things by herself that I used to help her with. Things like fixing her own snack, turning on her favorite TV show (with permission), doing her own hair, etc. She is also becoming a lot more picky about choosing what she is going to wear everyday. I can't decide if I like the changes or not. She's growing up and in some ways it's so refreshing to have one child that doesn't require as much assistance. On the other hand, I'm having a hard time giving up some of the control. I'm suddenly seeing flashes of waving good-bye to her from the door while she takes off driving by herself, heading to who knows where with who knows who!

(modeling her new nightgown she HAD to have so she could put a shirt under it to look just like DW on Arthur)

Give me strength for what's to come with this one!

As for my other sassy pants, when I picked her up at pre-school yesterday all of the teachers were cracking up over a conversation that happened while she and another little boy were washing their hands in the bathroom. --

Griffin: "I like you."

Addison: "I'm sorry. You can't be my husband because I already have one. His name is Mitchell. My sister Ellie has a husband too named Evan."

HA!

Here is a picture of her with her soon to be husband Mitchell who has since moved and is very missed:

ah....young love. :) Apparently I'm going to need strength for what's to come with this one as well!