Wordless Wednesday

Oh boy, I think I might be in trouble!!

March of Dimes Walk, Disney

I feel like such a bad blogger lately. I have so many things that I would like to blog about, just not enough time! I have spent the last few days trying to get the house clean and laundry caught up because we are leaving for Disney on Wednesday!! We are all so excited, Ayla talks about it everyday and has been counting the days down. So if you think about it, please say a prayer that we have a safe trip. We are flying, this is the first time the kids have been on an airplane or "hair plane" as they say, and John is not a huge fan of flying so hopefully everything will go smoothly. He at first wanted to drive but I talked him out of it because I could not imagine over 14 hours in the car with Ayla and Brennan. I told him he would be thanking me on the way home when we are all exhausted and it only takes us two hours to get home.lol!



We participated in the March of Dimes walk this weekend with my sister and bil. We had such a great time and the kids really enjoyed it. It was at our State Capital, and it was a beautiful day. Ayla and Brennan actually stayed in the stroller the whole time and did not complain. Yea, it's real hard sitting in the stroller and being pushed for three miles in 80 degree weather..lol, what a life!



After the walk, they were giving out pizza and as we were sitting there eating, a camera man approached us and asked us if we wanted to be in a commercial. He really wanted Ayla to be in it, so I think he asked the rest of us just to be nice.lol. The commercial was not for the walk, but was something to do with West Virginia. He said it would run for about three months. Ayla actually did well, she was just smiling at his camera, it was so funny.





After the commercial shoot, she decided that she was in a modeling mood and so I took advantage and got a few pictures. These are too funny, everyone was laughing at her, it was so cute. Oh and look at the tulips, they are so beautiful!









And to end a great day, Aunt Amy was nice enough to take the kids down the inflatable slide. This was the first time we have let them do it, so they were very excited.





I hope everyone had a great weekend, oh yeah, we watched Avatar this weekend and really liked it. So if you are on the fence about this one, I think it is definitely worth renting! I can't wait to get back next week and share pictures of our trip!

Ayla's Etsy Dresses

Edit to update: All sets have been sold! Thank you Ladies!!

Is anyone up for a little blog sale?? Here are a few sets that I purchased from Etsy last year that Ayla has outgrown. (She is getting so tall!) If anyone is interested in these, just send me an email, I will accept paypal. The prices will be much cheaper than what I paid and they are all in excellent condition only worn once or twice! Whatever is left will go to ebay! We are leaving for vacation on Wednesday, so if you want anything let me know and I will get it mailed out before we leave!


Etsy dress Ayla wore for 4th of July, bought from Cora's. Size 3/4. Perfect condition!









I candie (pish posh girls) custom knot/apron dress will fit 2-4 because of the length on the knot straps. We also put a long sleeve shirt under it for Thanksgiving! In perfect condition!










Etsy I candie (pish posh girls) knot top for 3 year old, dress for 2 year old and matching ruffle capri's made my Kissing Kumquats on Etsy. This set is beautiful!







Etsy Kissing Kumquats "Lotus" Knot dress size 2/3. Love this print, she is actually still selling this on her site. She can make matching ruffles and her ruffles are the best in my opinion! Iwas honestly getting ready to have ruffles made to match and it is just too tight on Ayla.






This is a Gen Marie Custom Sundress size 4, should also fit a size 3. New with tags.




Icandie (pishposhgirls) butterfly knot/apron dress, 2/3







Just email me if you are interested in any of these!

The Best Toy Ever

THE PLASMA CAR

Okay like most you, we have owned um quite a few toys over the past three and a half years. Hands down we have found the BEST toy EVER and I wanted to share it with you. If you are looking for a gift or just something fun to buy, this is what you need and I am sure your kids will LOVE you for it! We found this car last year at Target. Every time we went into Target Ayla would ride it around the whole store. We did not buy it right away because I wasn't convinced that she would play with it when we got it home. There is nothing worse than sinking alot of money into a toy and then they never touch it again when you get home. Eventually only one car was left at Target and John and Ayla were at Target and he caved in and bought it for her, yes she is a Daddy's girl! It has been over a year later and both of my kids love this toy more than anything. Brennan took to it right away and was riding it before he was even two years old. We bought him one for Christmas so now they both have one! Everyone is amazed when they see him ride it, he rides in circles around our furniture in our great room and I swear he is a little pro at it, (hence the Professional Plasma Car Driver on my sidebar). He whips by everything at lighting fast speed..lol and sometimes he will have his cell phone in one hand playing a game and he just moves right along. Cracks me up!

All you have to do is wiggle the steering wheel to propel the car. No batteries, pedals or pushing required. It will even hold up to 220 pounds so it is suitable for all ages! We paid around $60 for Ayla's car but you can find them on Amazon for alot cheaper. I promise you this car is worth every penny!

A Few Good Reads

I just wanted to share a few of the books that I have read recently. I am looking for a new book to read so I would love some of your suggestions! Has anyone read "The Help"? I have been thinking about reading that next, would love any input!

I am a huge Nicholas Sparks fan, I have been reading his books for years now. It's so funny, every time I am crying and reading a book John says, " I guess your reading Nicholas Sparks again"..lol. Anyway, I just finished the "Last Song" and I loved it. It is a story about first loves, family and forgiveness. It is sure to tug at your heartstrings so do not be surprised if you shed a few tears here or there. (Or if you are like me, you will sob like a baby). I wanted to read it before I saw the movie because we all know how different the movies are. I saw the movie last weekend and I did like it but the book is SO MUCH better. There is so much information that is left out of the movie. If you have seen the movie and HAVE NOT read the book, I strongly urge you to read the book. It is definitely one of my favorite books after "The Wedding" and "The Note book", of course.




I also read "Dear John" a couple of months ago. Another classic Nicholas Sparks book. I would have preferred another ending but none the less it was a great story about what one will do to make sure the person they love is happy. This is a movie as well, I did not get it see it, but I can not wait to rent it as soon as it comes out on DVD. It may be out already, I am not sure.



My mother in law introduced me to the author Debbie Macomber last year. She is great at writing romance novels and I have fallen in love with one series in particular called, "Midnight Sons". This is a series of three books and I just finished the last book. It is about three brothers finding love in the Alaska Wilderness. A GREAT READ, you will love it. This was the type of book that you can not put down and you find yourself reading every spare minute that you have!



Okay, moving on, last but not least, I am re-reading "Eclipse", the third book in the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. It is not a secret, I am obsessed with this series. I honestly never thought I would like it and I picked up the first book just out of curiosity. Once I started reading, I was hooked. I wrote a review of "New Moon" here if you want to go back and read it. Trust me, if you have not read it and have had the same thoughts, go and get it, I promise you will love it. It is a good read for EVERYONE! I will admit I am an Edward fan and I can not wait to go and see the movie when it comes out in June, thus the whole reason why I am re-reading this book. I want to refresh my memory before I see the movie. My girlfriend and I have even talked about going to see it at midnight when it comes out..lol.



Okay, can't wait to hear some of your favorite reads, I need a new book!!

Potty Training and Bottles..

Okay, first of all I just want to start out by saying that I am not the Mom that has to do things when "society" says I have to. Like potty training for instance. I know "most" parents start PT around 2 years old maybe even sooner. Not me! I do not start until my children show an interest in going to the potty. Ayla is 3.5 and she is just now potty trained but still not 100% . She wears panties all day and never has any accidents BUT she will not poopy in the potty. She does not want to, it scares her for some reason so I will not force her to do it. I do not want her crying, throwing a fit and even holding it if I make her sit on the potty when she does not want to. In my opinion, that would cause even more problems, (like constipation) for instance. Every time she has to do #2, she goes and gets me a diaper and then I put it on her and then she goes and does her thing..lol. I do not stress out over things like this, it really doesn't bother me at all. She will go when she is ready and like everyone has said, there has never been a child that is NOT potty trained by the time they start school. I just think there are more things to worry about and get stressed out over than this. Of course I would like to stop buying diapers one of these days, but we will get there. Okay on to Brennan. He is just now 2.5 and shows no interest in going to the potty at all. I have not "tried" to potty train him, I didn't start with Ayla until she turned three. Every once in a while I will ask Brennan if he wants to go to the potty and he screams 'NO" like the potty is evil so I will wait. I guess Ayla thinks that he needs to be potty trained NOW because this is what I saw the other day...









I asked Ayla what she was doing and she said that she was teaching Brennan how to go to the potty! Alright then, just go right ahead. Oh and Brennan went right along with her... I phone and all!!! I do want to add that he did NOTHING in the potty, he sat there and just played on the I phone. Good try though Ayla!! I have to admit this was very cute and it made me laugh a little. Ayla loves being a teacher to Brennan!

Okay now that we have covered the potty issue, let's move right along to taking a bottle. Okay, it is a known fact that most pediatricians suggest stopping the bottle at ONE years old. Ayla was sick and not feeling well around her first birthday so I did not take it away from her. Shortly after that she was diagnosed with JRA and she was crying ALL THE TIME, so if a bottle made things better than a bottle she got. Again, It was not a big deal and even if she wasn't sick, I would have continued giving her a bottle if she wanted. I would however NOT put her to bed with one, I believe that could form bad habbits not to mention it is really bad on the teeth. So Ayla happily took a bottle until she was three years old. She would get one before nap time and one before bed time, so only twice a day. At three years old she decided that she did not want one anymore so I have to admit that I was happy about that, I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to give it up. In my mind, my cut off age was four. I had already decided that if she was still taking a bottle at four, that I would have to take it away from her. I did not want her taking a bottle at four years old, the same age that she would be starting pre school, I thought that was a little old. Brennan on the other hand was off of the bottle at 18 months old, one day he wanted it and the next day he wanted nothing to do with it. So he made it very easy! Each child is different, and I truly believe that they will do these things only when they want to and when they are ready to....but then I saw this picture yesterday of four year old Suri Cruise taking a bottle



I was a little flabbergasted and I have to admit that I was SO GLAD that it was not my child this time..hehe...like I said, in my mind four years old is too old for a bottle but of course it is really none of my business, so I am curious, what do you all think?

I Scream, You Scream

WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM!!

One day earlier this summer, I promised to take Ayla and Brennan to the Clay Center to play and watch a movie. They have a free day every year on their Anniversary and I planned to take the kids on that day. I kept telling Ayla about it (mistake) and she was so excited to go. We have been there several times and she remembers the Clay Center quite well.For those of you who don't know, the Clay Center is a 240,000 square foot Center for the Arts & Sciences. The Center houses the performing arts, visual arts and the sciences. They have a huge play area for the children with a ball pit, a bridge and tunnels to crawl through.



So it turns out that I got the dates mixed up and when we got there we discovered that in fact it WAS NOT the free day. We decided to leave and come back on the actual free day. Ayla had a major meltdown. She was screaming and crying and nothing I said made her happy.

Until.....





I had the bright idea to go get an ice cream.





Ayla thought this was a great idea and the tears immediately stopped !





You see our kids have never had an ice cream cone before, just bites here and there...





It definitely made up for the Clay Center fiasco, Don't you think?

(*FYI-this post was from last summer, It was still in draft, so I thought I would finish it! Took me long enough hu?)

Easter Morning

The Easter Bunny was very good to the children this year! They both got the Zhu Zhu fun houses and accessories to go with their Zhu Zhu pets. Ayla also got the Princess and the frog DVD and Brennan got the Toy Story DVD. I only put Jeally beans in their baskets because #1 they do not need alot of junk to eat and #2 I knew if they had candy, they would NOT eat breakfast and #3 it would just be a huge fight before Church so I decided to just leave it out. Bad Mom, I know!

After Church I tried to get a few pictures of the kids together, yeah that was NOT happening. I can rarely get one of them together anymore. Brennan is on the move at ALL TIMES! Kaleb went straight in the house and changed his clothes so he did not cooperate either!

We had my family over for Easter dinner. It was a beautiful day, we were able to sit outside and talk and enjoy the nice weather. And of course we had ANOTHER Easter egg hunt..lol. Ayla put her dress on inside out and backwards and refused to put it on right. I finally just gave up and let her wear it like that. Oh well, you pick and choose your battles, right? It was too hot and I was too tired, so I just let her wear it like that. I mean seriously, I didn't really want any nice Easter pictures in her Easter Dress anyway...


Like the dress, it's a new look I guess!!

My sister and her hubby Neil

My Mom and nephew Kurt

The Family

Kurt and Samantha

Cousins


My niece Angel

The handsome boy

If you have made it this far, thank you for suffering through!! Trust me my fingers are suffering from copying and pasting all of these pictures!! I am officially finished with Easter pictures now!! Hope everyone is having a great week!