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Ramblings
08.24.10

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. :)

xoxo, Erin
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organization2
08.23.10

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!

————————————————————————————————————————-
 ***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…

xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
08.19.10

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!)
xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
08.17.10

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!

xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
08.13.10

A mini Q & A

{girls waiting for daddy to come home from work}

I’m so glad the weekend is upon us! So are my girls. All week long they count down to Saturday because daddy will be home to make waffles and play with them. :)

Just wanted to answer a few random questions from some of you…

What hair product do you use on Addison’s curly hair?
–Matrix curl life (spiraling spray gel)…much to my sister’s dismay because she thinks I’m crazy to use expensive hair products on my 4 year old. But this stuff is so great. I can spray it on her hair when it’s wet or dry and it will define her curls.

Where did you get the Kindergarten Folder you used in Ellie’s Project Life book?
-I got the folders in the School Kits I ordered by Becky Higgins. The School Kits came out a couple of years ago and I don’t think you can get them anymore, but she has mentioned on her blog a few times the possibility of doing a new School Kit in 2011.

Where did you get the beautiful white vase on your kitchen counter?

-A couple of years ago at Home Goods. Love that store. And I’m glad you like the vase. :)

What are you doing with the red boxes you bought at the Container Store?
-I’ll show you everything I did with my Container Store finds in a post soon… much to my sister’s dismay who is sick of my posts on organizing.

Sometime when I get a minute this weekend I’m going to put a link on the side of my blog with my e-mail address. Then if you have a random question you can e-mail me and I’ll be able to get back to you a lot sooner…much to my sister’s dismay who hates it when I answer people’s questions. Ok. That one I was kidding about. (love you Car) :)

Hope you all have a great weekend!
xoxo, Erin
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organization2
08.11.10

My happy place

Took a little trip to the Container Store today. Let’s all have a moment of silence for this beloved store.

….no wait….that wasn’t long enough….

one more minute….

Ok. We can move on now. I could have spent all day in these magnificent surroundings, but I had all three kiddos with me and only one snack for them to share so I was forced to keep it under an hour. So little time, so much to take in. Not easy. Not easy at all.

Ahhhh…just look at that beautiful sight. Rows upon rows of organizers. It truly doesn’t get any better people.

Good thing I had my kids with me. I needed them to help me out with all of my loot! I always spend too much in this store. I get so giddy seeing all of the containers that I not only buy what I need, but also anything else that just looks incredibly cool and fun to organize with. I know at some point I’ll figure out exactly what to put inside all of my gadgets! This was Kole’s first trip to my favorite hang out and he was beyond excited to do some serious shopping. Then he ended up falling asleep in the middle of the closet section of the store and missed my favorite office supply aisles. Shoot. Guess we’ll have to go back soon.

Can’t wait to get organizing! Tomorrow will be a good day. :)
xoxo, Erin
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Uncategorized
08.09.10

Right now

My kiddos are asleep and have been since 7:00. We had a nice low key day – I was even able to get some scrapbooking done. Everyone seems to be feeling a little better. Crossing my fingers that tonight is a better night! (even though I’ve come to the realization over the last six years that I’ll sleep when I’m dead)

For now I’m trying to work my way through my various piles of “stuff.” Wish I had time to dive into the book and magazines I keep setting aside, but my to-do list on the top of this stack
is keeping me too busy for that. I’m gearing up for tomorrow. Mondays are always crazy, aren’t they?
Hope yours is a good one.
xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
08.08.10

Sick Day

{6:00 a.m. – watching Little Bear}

It started with Addison. It always does. I knew we were in trouble when she came home Friday with a stuffy nose. I knew it would only be a couple of days before it spread to her chest. (She has childhood asthma. Catches anything and everything and it always ends up affecting her lungs.) What I didn’t know is that this time Ellie and Kole would also catch the bug. Bless their little hearts. I hate seeing my babies sick.

Kids didn’t sleep well last night…Kenny and I didn’t sleep well last night. Lots of coughing and sneezing and hugging and rocking and comforting. No fevers yet (thank goodness). We’re taking it easy today and not leaving the house. Hopefully everyone will get to take a nap today. Hopefully everyone will feel better tomorrow.

xoxo, Erin
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Food and Cooking...or lack thereof
08.05.10

Week recap and a recipe

Is it really Thursday already!? This week has been a busy one. Addison started pre-school on Monday.

The morning before included lots of outfit changes (before finding something we both agreed on) and lots of picture taking.

It also unfortunately included lots of tears when I dropped her off. But, this is her second year at a pre-school we LOVE and after just a few short minutes she was back in the routine and not ready to leave when it was time to go home. :)

Other happenings this week:

Lots of laughs with grandparents (Kenny’s mom and dad came for a visit).
Lots of play dates and carpooling.
Lots of cleaning and organizing.
Lots of picture developing.
Lots of back to school shopping. (clothes, shoes, school supplies – doesn’t get much better)
Lots of exercising. I tried a Latin Heat aerobics class Tuesday morning. Oh my. I moved my hips in ways I didn’t know was possible.
and…LOTS of cooking! Yes. You will all be so proud of me! I have become one with my inner Betty Crocker and have cooked more in the last three weeks than I have in my whole married life.
My goal has been to cook more and eat less. Nice one. :)

When my sister came to help out after my surgery she made the best fajitas. I called her and got the recipe the other day and I’ve made them twice since then because they are easy to make, healthy, and taste so so good. Thanks Car!

All you need is a few peppers (green, red, and either yellow or orange), an onion,

some low fat cheese, whole wheat tortillas, and pre-cooked southwestern style chicken strips.

(side note: pre-cooked chicken! Are you kidding me!? I didn’t know this existed! It has changed my life! I hate cooking chicken – I actually don’t like dealing with raw meat in general. But to have the chicken already cooked and spiced and ready to throw in the meal! Genius. Pre-cooked chicken, where have you been all my life!!?)

Anyway, slice everything up, put in some olive oil and saute the onions first. Then add the peppers. When the onion and peppers are almost done, toss your fabulous, pre-cooked, already spiced chicken into the pan and warm everything up.

Serve it with salsa and chips. The chicken gives everything the best taste! Your family will ohhh and ahhh and you will feel oh so chef like. Right up until your kids don’t eat it and you end up just fixing them a tortilla with a little melted cheese. But you and your husband will love it! So you will still feel oh so chef like.
At least that’s the way it went down around here. :)
xoxo, Erin
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Quotables
08.02.10

Quotable Quotes

(yes, Ellie is wearing my rain boots… ???)

Addison’s latest: (spring/summer 2010 – age 3/4)

(after she had tripped at my mom’s house for the second time in an hour) “I don’t like Utah. It’s too slippery.”

“I was screaming so loud that my mouth got dizzy.”

“Mommy – I ate a lot of breakfast and now my leg hurts. There’s too much food in it.”

“Mommy, can we go back to Utah? They have little marshmallows there.”

Ellie’s latest (spring/summer 2010 – age 6)

“Addison! You’re ruining my life!”

“Mom, how could we buy a new house? It wouldn’t fit in the car.”

“I’m such a forgetter.”

“Mom, I love you one thousand hundred and eighty plus eighty hundred plus three quarters.”

“Mom, can I have some more honey cream bunches? That’s a nickname for water.”

“Mom, I can’t wait for the tooth fairy to bring me a doll!”
“I don’t think that’s how it works sweetie. I think the tooth fairy just brings money.”
“Well dad said he would e-mail the tooth fairy and tell her what I want.”
(nice one Kenny)

“When I grow up I want to be a teacher, mom, princess, seaworld trainer, fashion girl and babysitter.”

“Kole, what you need is a catastrophe. Mom, what does catastrophe mean?”

“Mom, did that hurt when you got that sore on your tummy? (talking about the scar from my hysterectomy)
“No…the doctors gave me special medicine so I didn’t feel anything.”
“They put you under a spell?!!”

(El’s prayer at the dinner table) “Thank you for the food and I’m thankful mom’s not pregnant anymore and please bless I can have a play date with Evan tomorrow.”

**The girls learned about Satan in church and have been fascinated with the concept of Satan ever since. A couple of my favorite Satan quotes:

(my mom took the girls to Entrada golf course right by her house to see where High School Musical 2 was filmed. The man at the gate wouldn’t let them in to see the pool) Ellie: “that man must follow Satan’s rules.” Addison: “yeah he must be Satan’s dad.”

(At the dinner table) Addison: “Does Satan like rice?”
Ellie: “No. Bad guys have crooked teeth and just like sugar.”

xoxo, Erin
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Ellie and Addison
07.29.10

A little of this and that…

First let me just say that I’m so glad my Baby Boot Camp post was helpful to some of you! To be honest I was nervous to post it. Everyone has such different parenting styles and views and I know some people are very opposed to letting their babies cry. And that’s ok. Every situation is different and babies are all different and at the end of the day you just have to do what’s right for you and your little one. As moms, we know what that is. The tips I mentioned worked great for me so if I helped even one mom get some much needed sleep then I’m happy. :)

It has been so cloudy here lately! It’s always cloudy and cool on the coast in June (known as June Gloom) but usually by July we’re back to sunshine. Normally I’d be so bummed because it’s not great pool/beach weather. Last summer we lived it up and played so much I started feeling guilty about my easy life! Not the case right now. This summer I’m more home bound with Kole. Just thinking of the logistics of getting all three of us and all of our beach gear from the car to the beach is enough to wear me out! So I’m actually enjoying the cool weather for a change. Makes it feel ok that we’re having a low key summer and staying home.

Aside from lots of playing and school camps, my girls are working on their ABC’s and 123’s. I’m so excited that Ellie will be in First Grade! I taught First Grade and have a filing cabinet full of fun activities that she is finally old enough to use.

Every week I lay some things out on my table that I want them to work on.

Makes it easy to grab something when Kole is sleeping and I have a minute to help them.

One thing I’ve learned with “homework” for little ones. Do it often, but keep it brief. I don’t ever have them work for longer than about 20 minutes at a time. Much longer than that, the work gets sloppy and they are too easily distracted. Their little brains and bodies can’t handle it! That’s why it’s nice to have everything laid out and close by. Then if I’m fixing lunch I can grab a page for them to work on while they wait.

Another motivator for having a positive attitude about homework is our star charts from last summer. They set some new goals and are working hard each week! If they get most of their stars they get a fun activity on Saturday with daddy…(the beach, seaworld, the zoo, etc.) Ellie had fun writing her own goals this time.

They take their star charts pretty seriously!
As for me right now, I’m off to do the ever so thrilling task of laundry. Blah. Here’s hoping your Thursday is more exciting than mine! :)
xoxo, Erin
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