The Greatest Show on Earth!

Lola has been begging to go to the circus for months.  Not sure where she got the idea, but she constantly talked about it.  A few weeks ago, my mother-in-law called me and was so excited to tell me the circus was going to be in town at the end of the month!  I forgot about it until after our trip, snagged a few tickets for the last show date and told the kids where we were going.  The sleeping countdown was on!  

Finally we headed to US Airways Center yesterday to watch the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and it was quite the show!  The kids were so excited and so good the entire day (even sharing the one stuffed animal I bought for them (that I could cut apart into two when we got home, mama elephant and her baby)!  The circus was amazing, but I really had more fun watching their reactions to what they saw than I did watching the actual show!

*I didn't edit the pictures, just threw them up so that we could remember the day!  Too busy with wedding photos!  As soon as those are done, a Jamaica post, I swear!

Undecided?!

New hair color, not sure how I feel about it?!  

I have been blonde for almost three years, but I was feeling like it was a little high maintenance, so I switched it up on Saturday and now I am feeling like I miss my blonde?!  I need to give it a shot before it goes back to blonde, I really did have my reasons for going back to my roots!  We'll see how long it lasts?!

Summer Camp @ The Little Gym

Today marked the first day of summer camp (Whales, Sharks, & Mermaids) at our local Little Gym and this was the first year that I had two campers in attendance instead of one!  Lola joined her big brother for three hours of fun today instead of going home to take a nap!  It was such a big moment for her, she is growing up so fast!  

Not going to lie and say I wasn't nervous for her.  She is very funny about having me leave her and always wants me to go into class with her.  She has quite a bit of anxiety if/when I leave her.   I am sure this has to do with her dance class that we recently put a hold on going to until she feels more ready on her own to be at.  It took about five minutes of coaxing to get her to even get into the front door, another 10 to talk her into just trying out the equipment (she knows this place, we went there for about a year and a half of her life) and me an hour to say, "peace out sister!" before she felt comfortable on her own!  I snuck in to tell her I was leaving and that I forgot my phone at home (which I really did), that I would 'be right back', little did she know I wasn't coming back until pick up time, two hours later!   

She couldn't have done it without her big brother, that is for sure!  He held her hand and followed her wherever she wanted to go the first 20 minutes or so of her getting into the gym to play.  He was so sweet to her.  I am sure he wanted to go run around on his own (he had a few friends there), but she begged him to stay by her, and he did.  Heart melting mommy moment for sure to see his love for her.  Whenever they had to sit in a group or move around the room, she made sure she was by her 'brothie'.  

They can't wait for next week (Who's Your Hero?)!

Silly Kiddos + Bigger Pictures!

After we went to see Mr. Popper's Penguin's, stinking adorable by they way, this morning, we stopped at McDonald's for Happy Meals before heading home!  When the kids were done eating they decided to make use out of their boxes and transformed them into helmets!  Kyan's idea all of the way, Lola followed right in his footsteps!  One looks quite scary, while the other shows a little too much food!

This summer they have played so good together (93% of the time) and it is so fun to watch their bond with one another!

Love them and love being home with them.

Now, onto the bigger pictures...

From what I have always know from people that have had larger pictures posted on their blogs is that they had to go onto a site like photobucket, they have to resize them there and then post them onto their blog from there.  This was NOT a step I was willing to take, as I already feel like it takes enough time to just edit the pictures in Photoshop, then put them in collages in picnik.com (best site ever!  You can even edit your pictures on the site if you don't have or want to mess with Photoshop and most of it is free, but I would recommend paying the $25/year to get all of its perks, sooooooooo worth it)!  

Anywho, back to the bigger pictures on your blog!  This is so easy and is all done through blogger now, wooohooooo!  Really, it takes about one minute to change a few settings around and you will be off to bigger pictures (you just have to make sure that your blog is stretched and has the room to hold the larger images)!

First, you have to login to your blogger account.  Then from your dashboard go to 'Settings', then under the 'Basics Tab' scroll down to the bottom where it says 'Global Settings'. Then where it says select post editor, click the 'Updated Editor' and then save settings. You are ready for your next post with larger pictures (it won't change pictures previously posted), the editor will look a little different when you upload the pictures and you where you could previously upload only five pictures, you can now upload an unlimited amount!  Once you upload them, this is when you change the size, not prior to uploading like before.   You have the option to make them small, medium, large, extra large, and the original size, you just click on the picture!  Plus the 'Updated Editor' has other great features too!

Hope that helps and please let me know if you have questions about making those pictures of yours bigger!

Happy Birthday Mama!

Hope you don't work too hard today with all of the storms happening in your neck of the woods.  

We love you and wish we were there to celebrate with you today on your special day!

Happy Birthday.

Father's Day Weekend by the Pool!

We spent our entire weekend outside in the water!  

We made plans with Chad's side of the family to celebrate Father's Day together on Saturday afternoon, swimming and enjoying a little Mexican fiesta together in celebration of Michael, Chad, and Lonnie (who was actually at home sleeping, he works the 3rd shift for the police department)!  Rae Lynn didn't end up swimming, but was sweet enough to capture some fun pictures from our day, thank you!

The biggest highlight from Saturday had to be Lola learning how to swim with her floaties! She definitely has her mama's blood in her and likes her water warm and I think that it was finally nice enough for her to get in there and do it!  She was so proud and kept calling herself a mermaid, it was adorable!

 Her excitement for herself ended up rubbing off on everyone!

My mother-in-law in two rare photos (she hates her picture taken, but Rae got two of my favorite pictures ever of her)!

The yummy food!  The seven layer bean dip is always a family favorite!  I can never remember how to make it, so I added the recipe that we use with the picture so I won't forget for next time!

Cousins:  Michelle, Gage, Mason, Saige

Sisterly love!

The squirters were popular with the Durham girls and I found out just how good of aim my niece Michelle had!

Cheesin' it up with the kids!

Daddy gave back rides to both kiddos!

JUMP!!!

Chad and I played a quick game of catch!

 Getting thrown across the pool is always exciting!

A great day as a family by the pool!

This morning when everyone was awake, we took Chad to breakfast at Cracker Barrel, where he opened up his singing Father's Day card that held a picture of a Phoenix Suns Basketball hoop for the pool!  We went and picked it up after breakfast, installed it, and enjoyed yet another afternoon in the water!  Only this time, everyone was shootin' hoops!

 A great weekend together for sure!

Happy Father's Day Chad, we love you BIG!

I wasn't with my dad for Father's Day, but I made sure to leave him a funny card on the counter before I left on Friday!  I love you dad and hope you had a good day today and didn't work too hard!

Missed Them BIG!

What a sight for sore eyes!  

Having your kids run into your arms at the airport is some kind of amazing!  It was beyond good to see my babies Tuesday afternoon when I flew into Nebraska to pick them up to take them home!  I missed them so BIG!

I am so lucky to have pretty amazing parents that took care of my babies for the week and had their lives flipped a little upside down. I know they were ready to say goodbye when we left on Friday (day 10 of kiddos, including a daughter for 4 of them), but I know that they miss them too, more than they thought they would.

Pretending to asleep. Cozy, cuddled and snuggled together on the couch!

 They might have the most comfortable couch/ottoman and at least one of them (or two) would sleep on it each night! In fact, our last night there, Lola woke up at 3am, crying to go sleep with grandpa (who we could hear snoring) on the couch. Up she went and slept until morning.

Wake up time!

 

Wrestling with grandpa!

When the kiddos were with grandpa and grandma Nebraska, a couple of new things were discovered:

• Animal Planet.  This is on 24/7, no joke.  Bigfoot is a favorite with both of the kids (how they aren't having nightmares I am not sure, that show is scary).   All of the dog shows that they have watched has also paid off, they have a new love for our dog Fletcher, who sad to say really doesn't get that much attention.  He is now spoiled with love and affection from both kids.  They constantly want Fletcher to lay with them or be by them or feed him or make sure he is doing okay.  It is adorable and very sweet to watch.  Fletcher now feels very loved.  Thank you Animal Planet.

• Baseball.  Kyan wants to play catch non-stop and begged anyone in his path to play with him or pitch the ball to him.  Thank you Auntie Marcia and cousin Carrie for the glove, bat, and ball!  

While the kids were in Wahoo, they went to the park almost every single day, usually after my parents got off of work.  The city park is really nice to play on and the equipment doesn't burn your fingers, a nice change from AZ.   Lola got a nice shiner the first night there from the race car. 

Wahoo also has a pretty cool little water park and we went two days in a row (the weather was finally nice enough for them to go for the first time when I got there)!  Kyan spent both days on the lily pads that stretch from one end of the pool to the other, one day for three hours, the next for two.

 We spent the two of the four days while I was there with the kids with cousin Lexi (my second cousin, I think?  Lexi is my cousin's daughter, making her my second cousin, making her the kids'?????)!  Whatever the relation, she plays awesome with both kids and was so helpful!  We loved hanging out with her all day!  

 Lola didn't swim the first day (she was napping), but the second day she made it to the pool!  She dipped her little feet in the water and splashed around, but that was about it!  We hung out on the chairs in the shade and watched the other two kids play.  It was nice bonding time for us!

A little sibling LOVE at the pool!  Lola was very proud of her brother for making it across the lily pads all by himself!  I love how she is looking at him!

With a full moon out one night, grandpa pulled out two pairs of binoculars and they got to take a closer look! 

 

 I am so excited that kids do so well on the airplane, because this little trip home reminded me of just how much I love to be around my family.  Yes, my parents come out to Arizona all of the time, but it was nice to be surrounded by family that doesn't make it out here quite as much.  I got to spend quite a bit of time with my cousin Carrie and we can't wait until she comes out to visit us!  Lola already told her she can sleep in her room and bring her dog, Chloe!  My aunt Sue and my aunt Marcia are too good to us and we loved hanging with them!  I even got to spend a few hours with a few high school friends (ones that I was inseparable from while I lived there) and their kids!  But most important, I got to be with my parents, who I am so grateful for and who I love so much.  I hope to get back sooner than 3 years from now.

Mom and Dad, I can't thank you enough for taking such wonderful care of our children while we could getaway to Jamaica (a post to come soon, I swear, I have so many pictures to go through). Thank you for taking care of me while I was there and providing those applesauce doughnuts each and every morning! Ones that I had to fight my kids for, I didn't think anyone could love them more than me, but I think I have met my match!

We love you and miss you.

In Good Hands

Kyan and Lola headed to Nebraska tonight with grandpa and grandma to spend the week!
Saying goodbye at the airport was very bittersweet. I know they are in the best hands possible, while we are away, but it was so sad to know that I don't get to see them each and every morning when I wake up or take out their dreams before they go to bed. Lola was happy as a clam and waved good-bye with a big smile on her face, while Kyan was much more emotional. When I first said goodbye, he had huge crocodile tears in his eyes. Crushed me. So I got back out of the car and just squeezed him as tight as I could and whispered how much I loved him. I asked him to be brave and he ever so slightly nodded that he could do it as tears were streaming down his little face. As I drove away, he was still upset, but I was hoping that once I was out of sight, he would be distracted by all the coolness of both his grandparents that he would forget he missed us!

I asked the kids today what they were looking forward to doing while they were in Nebraska, here is what they said:
park
zoo (I am secretly hoping they wait for me to get there to go, just saying)
catching fireflies and fish
going to the water park
getting big kisses
going on a horse ride
playing fetch with lucy
going shopping
loving my grandpa and grandma

And speaking of loving their grandpa and grandma, I also asked them what they love about them:
getting big hugs from them
they get us applesauce donuts
sleeping with them
share and care with them
playing toys with them
their cars
going to work with them

I am excited for the kids and their week with grandpa and grandma and so thankful that my parents were willing to take them so the hubs and I could get away! They are going to be spoiled rotten and probably won't want to come home with me when I go pick them up!

Miss them like crazy already.

Made with Love, for baby Ava

When Lola was born, my sister-in-law gave me the most beautiful blanket ever for her! I loved it so much, I begged her to tell me where she bought it so that I could get my hands on another one! Of course it was handmade and since then, I have been dying to try to make one on my own, I just had no idea where to start so I kind of let the idea go out the window...
That was, until I was reading Dana's blog, Made, one day and discovered a whole new world! It is really incredible all of the tutorials that she offers (for free, holla) and how precise they are! While poking around, I about fell over when I saw her tutorial for a faux chenille blanket! It is what I had been searching for (but really forgot I was searching because it had been so long)! With a baby shower just a few days away for my friend Jessica, I knew exactly what I was going to attempt (and pray I didn't screw up) for her baby, Ava.

Let me start off by saying that I am a rookie with my sewing machine I got for my birthday almost two years ago and if I can make this blanket, so can you! While I have done little projects here and there, I feel like this blanket really kick started my excitement for what I just might be able to figure out how to sew on my own! And I don't know if you remember me mentioning it before, but it usually takes me like 45 minutes to get the bobbin working correctly, well...not anymore! I am happy to report that we are best friends!
I took pictures of my process, but really, NO ONE does it better than Dana! Seriously, if you want to make this faux chenille blanket, head over to her blog! You will be amazed at how easy she explains things (even tells you what to do if you make a mistake)! I can only take the credit for the finished product on my end, the how-to is all her!

Crazy to me that 5 yards of different colored fabric (4 of them solid colors) can make such a beautiful blanket!

It is not a lie, this blanket takes close to forever to make (okay, not forever, but it took me very close to 8 hours. The sewing of lines and then the cutting of lines never seemed to end)! What I like about this blanket is that if your lines aren't the straightest it is pretty forgiving and it is okay if it isn't perfect!

Back side of the blanket:

Faux Chenille Side of the blanket:

Another great thing about this blanket, it gets softer with each wash, and has been through the wash twice at our house to get it ready for the shower. Not going to lie, I was so worried it was going to fall apart in there the first time I ran it through!

There you have it, my first faux chenille blanket, made for baby Ava, with lots and lots of love from her Auntie Jenni and Kyan. He was my pin man, handing them to me and taking them out as we got to them on the machine! He wants to start sewing and loves to craft just like his mama!

And yes, there will be more of these blankets, my kids are begging for their own! So when we get back from vacation, we'll be off to the fabric store to pick out something for them! I am going to attempt to make theirs a little bigger, not sure how I am going to make it happen, but I am going to try!