The Harding Home

Happy 31st, Eric!!!!!

2012-01-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

Eight years ago, I met my amazing husband Eric at the Palomar Institute of Religion. I met him on his birthday. I remember him walking into the Institute and everyone (and I really do mean everyone) immediately welcoming him back from Utah, asking him how he's been and wishing him a Happy Birthday. This was a bit intimidating to me.

I was on the couch talking to a friend when he approached me and said, " I don't believe we've met. I'm Eric." Over the next couple weeks he would continually seek me out, sit himself next to me and ask me questions about myself. Though I was shy at first, his persistence in getting to know me was flattering to say the least, and it wasn't long before I realized how much I loved these little conversations. About 2 weeks in, after telling him about a hike I had taken up Mount Whitney, he asked whether I'd like to go hiking with him. Of course, I said yes! I couldn't think of a better way to get him all to myself for a few hours. So the following Saturday we hiked to the top of Mt Israel, near Lake Hodges. It was a perfect first date! By the end of the hike we were holding hands and I knew that this was one man I didn't want to let go of. We were married that summer.

I could not be more happy with my choice. He is an incredible father, a compassionate and loving husband and most of all my best friend. He is absolutely perfect for me.
I admire Eric in so many ways. Throughout our marriage I have watched him take leap after leap of faith, simply because he prayed and it felt right. He has such a strong testimony in the gospel. Once he's received an answer, he doesn't question the Lord, he just goes out and does what he needs to do. He is faithful and diligent in all aspects of his life.
He is a great strength to me

I love how quirky he can be. Even his obsession with Star Wars is endearing. And there is no one else I know who can quote lines from movies & TV shows or lyrics from songs like Eric can. The sheer amount of useless knowledge that he absorbs and retains is staggering to me. But I love it!!! He keeps our marriage fun and lighthearted and always has me laughing!

I love to watch him with our kids. I can honestly say that it is one of the most heart warming and healing things for me to watch, whether he is chasing them, reading to them or cuddling them. It truly is one of the greatest blessings in my life to witness such a beautiful and strong bond between a father and his daughters. I am so thankful to the Lord for leading me to a man who would be such and amazing father.

Eric, I love you so much. Thank you for being the arms that hold me, the hands that bless me, the ears that listen, the shoulder I cry on, & one I can truly laugh with. You really are such a strength to me. Thank you for the joy and love you bring to my life. You truly are my best friend. Most of all, thank you for being amazing you!
Happy Birthday! I Love You!

Let the Festivites Begin!: Part 1

2011-12-26T10:35:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve:

There is nothing better than spending the Holidays with family. Eric and I are so fortunate to have both our families living close by and we wouldn't have it any other way!

One of my favorite things about Christmas, is being able to spend time with my sister, Emily. I adore her and since she's gone off to BYU, I don't see her nearly as much as I'd like.

Emily is one of those people in my life that I feel absolutely comfortable with. She brings the goofy side out of me and I love it! When we are together we can get downright silly!

The girls love Emily too!

I also really enjoyed spending time with my cousin, Rachel. She is so cute and probably one of the sweetest people I know!

(Evey loves playing with Grandpa Burton)

(Layla loved looking at the nativity while Great Grandpa read the story of the first Christmas)

One of my favorite Christmas traditions (besides munching on lobster tails and tostadas) is getting to talk to Santa, aka: Uncle Brent, through chimney. All the kids know that Great Grandpa Brady and Santa are buddies. That's why Santa takes a moment to land on his roof every Christmas Eve to make sure each child has been good. It is the highlight of our evening.

(Evey talking to Santa)

(Lucy's turn)

After all the kids have gotten a chance to talk to Santa, we begin to open presents. Lucy and Evey got their very first easy-bake oven! Once they figured out what it was, they were thrilled!!!

(Lucy saying thank you to my mom)
(snuggles)

The following photo captures possibly one of the most touching moments I've experienced. I had just opened a present from Emily, which was a gorgeous cast iron tea set. My grandma overheard me thanking Emily for it and my mom explained to her that I collect them. She immediately stood up and walked out of the room. She returned with a box, which she placed in my lap and said "Here Katie, this is for you." I opened it and found inside beautiful, handmade Teacups, a Cream Server and a Tea pot. She went on to explain that they were parting gifts given to her and my grandfather after having lived in China for two years. I was so touched. As you can see we were both in tears. It is a moment that I will never forget. As I look back, the scripture Malachi 4:6 comes to mind. That is truly how we felt.
I love my grandma.

Needless to say, this Christmas is one that I will always hold dear to my heart!

Art Classes!

2011-07-06T20:11:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been so long since I last blogged!!!!
So much has happened in the last year. Where do I begin? I guess, I'll just start with the present.
Recently a friend of mine, Jeanine, approached me about teaching Art Classes for a Summer Camp she is hosting at her home. I jumped at the opportunity to share my love for art! At first I was really nervous at the prospect of teaching. I had never done anything like it before and wasn't sure if I was skilled enough to teach. Several times I nearly backed out but told myself this is something that I need to do to grow. So I dove in and haven't looked back since!!!! I began teaching only two weeks ago and LOVE IT!!!!!!!
The kids are surprisingly easy to manage and eager to learn. Despite the wide range of ages (4-12 yrs.) it seems that, so far, I have been able to find ways to adapt the lessons to meet their individual needs!

Today We worked with Acrylic Paints to make color wheels with only Primary Colors! It was so fun to see the younger kids discover that by simply mixing paints together they could make other colors! they are so cute!!!

I was worried that doing a color wheel would be too advanced for them but to my delight they did fantastically! So proud of my lil' students!!!!
After we were done with our color wheels, the kids were free to paint whatever their little hearts desired!

Lucy thinking about what she wants to paint

Busy at work!

Such a goofball

Love this girl!!!!!

I am so glad that I decided to do this! it has already been such a Joy in my life!!!! And I cannot wait for next week: Watercolors!!!!!!

This is what we do....

2010-11-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

When we don't have a car....

we build piggy fortresses

pretty good huh?

Little Layla's First Birthday!!!!!!!

2010-11-19T18:50:00.000-08:00

I Can't Believe It Has Already Been a Year!!!!!
Layla has been such a gift for me personally this year. Her sweet fun-loving personality has blessed even the hardest of days! She gives me something to laugh about everyday! Especially lately. She has been getting into everything! I used to think I would just die if I had a kid like that, but surprisingly enough I find it really endearing!
We had a little lunch-in party with some extended family and a couple friends.
Look at that little tongue. (Which is actually not all that little. She has a giraffe tongue like mama)
Layla knew just what to do...

"No more pictures!!!!"

The following Pictures are from her actual birthday. we had a little family party.

We gave her a practice cupcake!

I think she liked it!

Time for a shower!
(love this one)

After the shower she opened her presents
The girls were excited about giving Layla presents that they actually picked for her. (I had the girls each pick something from the dollar bins at target!) Of course, the presents seemed to be more for them than for her.
I love these big sister photos!
Eric got some punching balloons for the girls too!

Piggy Kisses!!!!
I love this picture! A few weeks before her birthday we were walking around Target and Layla pulled this pig right off the shelf and began snuggling it and giving it kisses. It was so cute. So as we were leaving I pretended to put it back and then stuffed it under the cart to save for her birthday. She was so excited when she pulled it out of the bag. Apparently she had not forgotten about it. It's such an ugly pig, but she loves it and she kisses it every morning!

The Del Mar Fair!!!

2010-06-13T21:52:00.000-07:00

It's been WAY too long since I last blogged. Once Layla was born I knew something had to fall off the to do list. My poor blog, neglected for all these months. But at least I've got my priorities straight. I figured that I'd just jump right back in and then fill in the important gaps later.
So here we go...
Last Saturday we went to the Del Mar Fair. Our kids are blessed with such generous grandparents, who paid our way and spoiled them rotten! Thank you Duan and Nina. You guys are the BEST!!!!
Upon entering, Evey saw these puppies and begged me to pick her up so she could pet them. She loves puppies even if she is a little shy at first.
Next we went to see the animals. Evey fed the goats and a cow. But after the cow slobbered all over her hand she decided that she was done. If Evey is anything, she is a neat freak. She hates getting messy! Lucy took one look at the goats and decided she wanted nothing to do with it!

Typically the girls are timid about anything new so I thought for sure that the rides were going to be a disaster. Thankfully I was wrong! They Loved the swings. Even the screaming boy behind them didn't phase them one bit?
Lately, whenever I tell Evey to smile she does this! I love that girl! She has been saying the funniest things lately. But I'll save those for another day! :)The girls liked the train too. This poor guy had to push them around the track though because they didn't quite get how to make their cars move!
Layla had a really good time too. The only hard part was getting her to eat or sleep. She is easily distracted! (I love this picture)

We stopped for lunch at Roxy's. Eric and I both had Artichoke sandwiches, which were to die for! Then we went to the Bing Crosby hall and looked around at all the booths. Evey and Lucy spent most of the time playing in the hammocks. Oh, Did they LOVE it!
I got my annual ring cleaning for only 25 cents. And I got a hand washed with some kind of special soap. The lady who washed my hand really cracked me up. I must look like a sucker because when she finished washing she asked me to compare my two hands to see which one looked nicer. She had washed the one in cold water. So of course it looked paler and more smooth. Then she went on to tell me how for only $50 I could have smooth hands like this every day. I seriously looked at her and thought, "Wow that's talent. I could never say that with a straight face." I kinda wish that I had pointed it out to her. I guess I'm too nice.

I decided to pass on the funnel cake this year and instead split a fried Klondike Bar with Eric. I was looking at all the signs while eating and I cannot believe the kinds of "food" they sell there. Fried Frog legs, Chocolate Covered Bacon and my personal favorite Deep Fried Butter! Are you kidding me!!!! People actually eat that stuff. I might try the frog legs for bragging rights but Fried Butter? Really??!! Sign me up for a heart attack now and make it delicious!

We decided to go home after that. Everyone was so tired. Evey fell asleep in the car and I had to take a picture. She was so cute!
Layla fell asleep in daddy's arms after we got home...

...and then he feel asleep snuggling Evey!

Layla, here at last!

2009-11-21T21:58:00.000-08:00

Introducing the newest member of our growing family,
Layla Elaine Harding!!!
born November 10th, 2009Surprising us with her early arrival (a day before our scheduled c-section) and a bunch of dark hair, she came into this world weighing in at 6 lbs 13 oz and 20 in long

Some are more excited...

...than others

After looking at her from a distance, the first thing Evey said about Layla was, "She wants to go home now." Evey has warmed up to Layla since then. Yesterday she even asked to hold her and gave her a kiss on the head. We think she will soon enjoy the role of Big Sister, but for now we are giving Evey lots of attention so she knows she hasn't been replaced.

Lucy however, has taken right to Layla. This was the first of many kisses that Layla has received from Lucy. In fact most of the time I'm worried that Lucy is going to smother her with love.She is constantly wanting to kiss, snuggle, and hold her.One of Lucy's favorite things about Layla is her tiny features. Especially the ears. Lucy is always pulling, tugging, and stroking her teeny body parts. Surprisingly, Layla doesn't seem to mind.

I'm pretty sure that Layla is going to be a daddy's girl. She very much enjoys starring up into Eric's eyes and prefers to fall asleep in his arms. But then again, so do I.

Layla is a really easy-going baby, which is so perfect seeing as she is my third kid. She is alert, attentive and pretty happy. She is a fantastic sleeper and an even better eater. Hands down, she is definitely the easiest newborn I've had so far.

Many people told me that number three would be the hardest. I really don't think that is going to be the case for us. The transition has been very easy. It's already weird for me to think that 12 days ago she wasn't here yet. It feels like shes always been with us and in spirit I suspect that she always has been!

It's a WHAT????!!!!!!

2009-06-29T15:01:00.000-07:00

Ok, SORRY I've waited so DANG long to post this. I wanted to scan my ultrasound pictures on to the computer and post them but it turns out my computer isn't working incredibly well, and won't let me. I'm sick of waiting to tell people, so here it is!!!

IT'S A GIRL!!!!!

Seriously, I CANNOT believe it!!!!!! I was so surprised! I was sooo sure it would be a boy! But nope, apparently God wants to give us as many girls as we can handle! So here she comes!
We are so happy to have this new little addition to our family. She will be such a joy!!!!

Any Guesses?

2009-06-06T20:13:00.000-07:00

We are having an Ultrasound done on June 23rd to find out the sex of the baby. So before we find out, lets hear some guesses! Here are a few facts about this pregnancy to help you make your most educated decision!

Am hardly ever sick
Have major heartburn
Have cramps like you wouldn't believe
Am carrying very low
Am super tired all the time
Have felt a couple BIG karate kicks (even though I'm only 17 weeks along)

Alrighty, there's some possible clues for ya! We will let you all know when we find out!
So have at it people!

C-Section or Vaginal?

2009-05-19T14:49:00.000-07:00

This has been on my mind lately.

I have had 2 C-sections. I have never delivered vaginally. During my labor with Lucy, we all discovered, too late, that she was breech and I was rushed in for an emergency C-section. It was a horrible experience, but I'll leave that story for another day. The thing that bothered me most is that I was literally the last person to hold her. I never got that first, private, mommy-baby moment. With Evey, I opted for a C-section because her delivery was almost exactly a year after my previous C-section and I felt that the risks were too great. That C-section was overall a good experience but it still lacked that closeness that I long for directly after delivery. I got to see her all of 30 seconds before they took her away with dad, sewed me back up and wheeled me to a recovery room for over an hour.

Now, nearly 3 years after having Evey, I feel very torn on the subject. Having never delivered vaginally, I feel as if I have really missed out on something. I know that it is irrational, but a part of me feels as if I have failed in some way. I crave that moment where they place the baby on your chest right after delivery, and it breaks my heart to know that I may never get to experience that. The risks are lower than they were with Evey, but I know that if I opt to deliver vaginally, there are risks nonetheless. My OB said that a vaginal birth after 2 C-sections is not an option. But I know other OB's will let me try with close monitoring. A huge part of me wants to do it. From what I have read, there is no reason why I shouldn't be able to deliver vaginally. All the odds are in my favor considering my previous C-sections were not due to any serious conditions on mine or the baby's part. Even if it turns out that I have to go in for a C-section anyway, at least I will have tried, right?

I wish I knew exactly what the outcome would be. It has been on my mind for awhile. I want this baby to be happy and healthy. I want to experience at least once that precious moment.
I know that it's selfish. Chances are that I'll opt for a C-section again despite these feelings. But I would love to get your opinions on the subject. ( I imagine that they will all be very different depending on how you delivered)
It's a very difficult decision for me. One that I am taking into prayerful consideration.

Dumpster Diving... not for the faint of heart

2009-05-14T15:42:00.000-07:00

This is how I spent my evening yesterday!
Why? you may ask...

THIS is why!

My Wedding Ring...
I was leaving the apartment at about 9 last night to throw out the trash and then go to our old apartment to do some last minute cleaning. As I was throwing the trash into the dumpster, one of the bags caught on to my wedding ring and before I knew it, my ring and the trash were flying into the dumpster. To my despair, I heard a thump and then ching as my ring landed somewhere inside. My immediate reaction was "What the heck?!!!! Aren't my fingers supposed to get bigger when I'm pregnant?" And then the choice lay before me. Do I climb in 3 months pregnant with a super sensitive nose or walk away? Well any of you who know me, know that walking away is NOT an option! I went inside to get a flashlight and tell Eric, who offered to do it for me, but I told him no. I lost it, I would find it. Besides dumpster diving is really more up my alley than his. I'm pretty sure he would have hopped right in but later he would decide to sweetly surprise me with an upgrade sometime in the next week or so. But the reality is, I didn't want an upgrade. There is something so sentimental about the lovely, simple wedding ring he gave me. He said, "It isn't much, but it's what I have to give. I love you Katie, and want to be with you forever!" That is why I couldn't let go of the ring. It's not about the money, it's not about an upgrade. It's those words connected with that ring. I needed to find it!
I spent a good half an hour in that dumpster. Throwing bags I've already looked at in the other dumpster. It was pretty disgusting. Potent, slimey, indescribable things kept pouring out of bags and I couldn't help thinking how disgusting human beings are (as if I'm not one of them). Eric's mom came over to stayed with the sleeping girls, so Eric could come help. We Looked around for what seemed like forever and just when almost all hope was gone, I lifted one last bag at the very bottom corner and there it was. I didn't even see it at first. It wasn't shiny because it was covered in some kind of gunk. But there it was....
My ring!
I picked it up, wiped it off on my shirt and shouted,
"WOOOOHOOO!!!"

(and then made Eric run in and get the camera)

Scare...

2009-04-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, we had quite a scare last Monday (the 12th). Everything seemed to be going fine with the pregnancy, so you can imagine my horror when I began bleeding, not spotting...Bleeding! I have had miscarriages in the past, so I was positive that this was exactly that. My brother was visiting at the time, and I didn't want to upset him so I did my best to stay in control, not to cry, or even think at all. I discretely picked up the phone, walked out on the balcony and called my doctor. He said that I would need to go to the ER. I knew form experience that this is what he would say, but at the moment it was the last place I wanted to go. When Eric came home, he of course could tell that I was upset, no matter how much I tried to hide it. So I pulled him aside and told him. I could tell that he was shocked and then very sad. But since I had been holding it in for a few hours, I told him that I needed some time to myself to get in a good cry, before I make the necessary calls, to my doctor again and then to my mom. I sat in the closet for a good 10 minutes and just let it all out. Everything, my whole world just seemed to crash down on me all at once. Not only was I dealing with the loss of a baby that I was very much looking forward to having....again....and the fact that I had practically just announced my pregnancy to the whole world a week before, but it also meant that all our plans for a baby at all, would go out the window. We would have to turn down the 3 bedroom apartment that was about to get approved. Plus, the bill from the ER trip would take away any chance of buying a decent van. I started to question whether this was what the Lord really wanted. Was I mistaken? I had felt so sure that He had told me that was time for another one. Why then, would he do this? While I cried, Eric explained to Tim what was going on, and about an hour later my parents arrived. My dad took Tim home, while my mom stayed to watch the girls as Eric and I went to the ER.

When we finally got in the car, Eric and I were able to talk freely and mourn together. By the time we got to the hospital, we were ready to hear the bad news and take on all the came with it. As we sat in the waiting room, we did our best to keep ourselves occupied. I brought a cooking magazine, and Eric watched "Oceans 12," which was playing on the TV. I couldn't help but notice all the people who were less fortunate than me. Many of the people looked like they should be seen well before me. They were injured or looked very ill. There was baby who looked like she had a very high fever, and though I was still very sad, I found myself suddenly grateful that I wasn't there for anything more urgent. Chances were that I would be fine and this would all pass naturally.

Finally, my name was called and a nurse took my blood pressure, all the while, talking about how she's pregnant with her first baby and how scary it is for her to see women like me who are bleeding. I could see that she was just trying to make conversation, but talking about her baby wasn't exactly the best thing for me to hear at the moment, while I was in the process of losing my own. But I cut her a break and listened, because I knew she wasn't trying to hurt me. I figured that I'd leave it up to some other lady to let her know what would be considered appropriate talk with a women having a miscarriage. I've put enough nurses in their place for the time being. Then they took my blood, put me in a wheelchair and rolled me down to the ultrasound room. To my dismay, they wouldn't let poor Eric into the room with me. Instead he had to wait for me in yet another waiting room wondering what was going on.

The ultrasound technician was a lot more pleasant. She asked me about my other kids, their names ages, etc. (A much easier thing for me to talk about) while she squirted goo on my tummy. She sat silent looking at the monitor, taking measurements and such. After a few minutes she turned the monitor and showed me the baby. Then started checking my uterus and ovaries. As she was doing so she said nonchalantly,
"Form the baby's measurements, it looks like you are 9 1/2 weeks along."
"You mean 'were'. " I corrected.
She then looked at me strait in the eyes and said " No Katie, I mean 'are'. Look again... There's the heartbeat!"
I Couldn't believe my eyes. Right there was my little baby... alive! It's little heartbeat as strong as anything. Then she pointed at it again and told me to watch closely. It then, began kicking and moving it's arms! Tears welled up in my eyes! It was like he/she was moving just for me, to prove that he/she is just fine!
" Why am I bleeding then?" I asked. She said that she couldn't be sure, but she thinks it's because my placenta is really close to the cervix. She said that as my pregnancy progresses that it will move up. She then, wiped me all up and told me that I'm fine and free. A nurse wheeled me to the waiting room and as I waited for Eric to get back (who was in a different waiting room) I wondered how on earth I was going to tell him such happy news. Nothing I could say, could possibly covey the joy I was feeling. When Eric arrived, he was obviously concerned. We sat in silence for a few moments as he put his arm around me and tears rolled down my face again. Then, I simply whispered into his ear, "It's alive!" He turned to look at me in disbelief. As I grinned at him, I could see his eyes welling up with tears, just like mine. (He does so much better than I do when keeping his emotions in check.) He asked "What about you?"
"I'm fine. Nothing wrong at all." Then we sat there quietly, crying (on my part), glancing at each other and grinning. We were called in by a doctor a short time later, where he confirmed that everything is fine and that there is only a 5% chance of miscarriage at this point. He then instructed me to "take it easy." He gave me list of things not to do and said it's like bed rest, except I don't have to stay in bed, and I can go out, just as long as I don't do anything that would be strenuous at all. He then laughed and congratulated us both and told us we could leave!

I called our medical office later that week and they said that the ER visit would be covered.

Soooo, everything is fine, everything is back on track, and aside from being really really bored, I am a very happy camper, and super thankful to the Lord. Baby #3 is still on her/his way!!!!

My New Love

2009-04-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

I cannot express how much I LOVE these right now. This coupled with a huge glass of water settles my stomach and cravings like no other!

Nesting

2009-04-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

Ok... so a lot of you have already guessed it, and frankly I SUCK at keeping secrets. So lets put 2 and 2 together shall we? Yelling at nurses... Cravings.... Fatigue.... Moving into a 3 bedroom, Saving for a van.... that's right people.... Harding baby # 3 is on his/her way!!!! Yay!!! We are crossing our fingers for a boy this time, but thrilled if we have a girl too. Normally I would wait longer to tell people since I have had 2 miscarriages in the past, but I am feeling very very pregnant. I am famished ALL the time, uncharacteristically irritable, and dog tired. All these signs say to me "baby is doing fine even if mommy is not." Plus, Easter time... it just seems right to say something. Am I right? So if you by chance, see me sprinting from the Nursery room down the hall, you now know that it's because the Altoids didn't work and I need to eat or I'm going to puke!

Since we are moving within a week or so, I really haven't gotten to do much nesting. Just packing which really ISN'T satisfying at all. I can't wait til we move and I get to decorate baby' room! But til then I guess this will do!Evey's nest on the left, mine in the middle, and Lucy's on the right! Aren't they adorable!? We had a blast making them with my mom during conference!

Happy Easter Weekend Everyone!

New Blog

2009-02-26T15:18:00.000-08:00

I started a new blog called "Cooking with Kate"!!!! I wanted a place to share some of my favorite recipes and experiments in the kitchen! So if you like to cook, come check it out!!!
http://cookinwithkate.blogspot.com/

Trend Setters

2009-02-25T15:33:00.000-08:00

I have recently come to the conclusion that my children are going to be trend setters. Why? Because lately, they have been insisting on picking their own outfits...and this is the result:

There's nothing like a a layered light up monkey shirt, paired with flashy Elmo panties worn over purple stretch pants. And to accessorize, a neckalace a bracelet and a headband that is too small! LOVE IT!!!!!!

(posing)

Getting ready for church? Yes indeedy!!!!A black hat with red flowers on it! PLUS as much jewelry as she could get her hands on!! (she is mad at me because she wanted to hold the camera)

Same outfit with the substitute of a witches hat!

We went into the girls room one morning and found Lucy with a cloth bag on her head. She reminds me of a Smirf! Like I said... Trend setters....

Of course, it may just run in the family....

TANTRUMS!!!!!!!

2009-02-04T15:34:00.000-08:00

I am sitting here eating a well deserved bowl of ice cream, feeling very annoyed with a bunch of strangers who happen to shop at Wal-Mart. (Is it just me, or do the meaniest people in the world shop there?)

My oldest, Lucy (3), for the most part is a well mannered, sweet little girl! She is usually very happy. But when she wants to be, she is also VERY stubborn. I love her dearly, but sometimes (especially lately) I feel like everything has been a battle, even if it's something she actually wants to do!!!!!

Today has been one of those days. She has had 4 meltdowns today and it's only 3:30!!!....Sigh.

I think I do pretty well during her tantrums. I never let her see that it upsets me. If we are at home I give her a warning and if the behavior continues then I put her in the "naughty chair." When she stops, I get down to her level and explain why she was put there and have her apologize to me and anyone else it affected. If she throws things they go in "time out" too (which is located on the top shelf of the closet) for a full 24 hours.
If we are in public I take her to a place where no one is ans wait it out either holding her or I have her sit in a chair/bench/cart. And then do the same thing. Tell her why and have her say "Sorry".

(Eric and I decided that we will NEVER spank our kids. I'm not judging anyone who does, after all my mom spanked me. However, we both feel that it is too easy to lose control and spank out of anger. We feel that spanking may stop the behavior temporarily but in the long run is ineffective)

Sooooo.....
Today, in Wal-Mart Lucy had a HUGE meltdown. She wanted to walk and I told her that she needed to get in the cart. I gave her a choice between the basket or the seat, but she wouldn't have it! It was "Walk" or "Whine"!!!! So I told her, "I'm sorry that it makes you angry, but now is a time when mommy needs you to sit in the cart" and I picked her up and put her in! We walked for about 30 seconds as she took it all in and then BOOOOM!!!!! She started kicking and screaming at the top of her lungs. Grabbing my shirt, hair, face, anything that she was in arms reach of!!! Well, all you moms of toddlers knows how that goes. I quickly picked up my pace making sure that I didn't make eye contact with anyone, as she wailed past the aisles. As I passed I heard gasps like " Sheesh", "Wow" and "Oh my Gosh!!!!" But I just focused on not turning red, and not reacting while I searched for a less populated area. As I was speed-walking, I heard one lady actually say, "Would someone shut that BRAT up?!!!" I did make eye contact with that women and glarred at her for a moment. But I wanted so badly say something like "What would you suggest?? A sock???" It hurt me so much that anyone would say something like that about my precious little girl. She's only 3 for heavens sake!!! Another old lady kept saying "Hey You, Hey You, BE QUIET!!!" My friend Joanna, who was with me, actually turned around and shushed her. Then the lady mumbled something that I didn't hear, but after a moment I heard Joanna say "Mind your own business!!!" I was soo mortified and thankful at the same time that my friend would stand up for me in that way. (Thanks Jo! It really did help me feel better!) Anyway, I finally found a place that had no one around and waited it out. Breathing heavily, but doing my very best to look calm. The whole ordeal was about 5 mins. But it was the longest 5 minites that I've felt in a long time. During those 5 min I had to keep my mind completely blank, which was sooo hard, because I knew if I thought about the things those people said I would start to cry. It was soo difficult to fight back the tears. It was soo hard to keep Lucy from seeing how much it affected me! Sometimes being a mom is soo hard!!!! It would have been so easy for me to lose my temper and chew out all those people who truly deserved it. It would have been so easy for me to give in and let Lucy walk after I had told her "No." All the screaming and kicking, staring, and rude comments would have stopped had I just givin Lucy what she wanted. But no, deep down I knew that it wasn't right. So I kept walking letting those painful comments pierce me like arrows. One by one for the sake of raising my daughter correctly!

Anyway, I just needed to get that off my chest. It totally brought me back to the days when Lucy had colic. There was nothing I could do but endure through it, as insensitive people glarred at me and made comments. There was hardly a shopping trip that went by that I didn't come home with tears rolling down my cheeks.

Any comments or suggestions??? I could definitly use a helping hand or some encoruagement right now.

Wishing My Two Toddler's a Very Happy Birthday!

2009-02-02T22:04:00.000-08:00

Oh passing years, will you never cease???!!!!

It's that dreaded time of year!!!! My kids are a year older! And I'm coming to the realization that we no longer have a baby in our home.

It's so weird to think that Lucy is 3. This happened 3 years ago!!!! Screaming her little heart out for that first 6 months of her life!
(Feb 1st, 2006)

And now look at her!!! Gorgeous Big eyes, and dark golden curls to her shoulders!!! Too cute for her own good, I think! And well worth all that screaming.....But no longer my baby!!!! What can a mother do on a day like this, but to go through baby pictures and well up as she thinks how within a year she won't even be a toddler anymore!!!! :( Oh the bittersweet mommy moments!

And Evey too!!!! Growing too fast for comfort! Today she is 2, which makes her Officially a toddler! I cringe to think that we could have lost her that very first hour of life. I owe that nurse everything I have.

(Feb. 2nd, 2007)

Every morning Evey looks ever so slightly different! She's losing her baby chub, getting taller and leaner. Her hair is finally coming in too. It nearly breaks my heart and yet at the same time, I'm sooo excited to see how she'll look as she changes throughout this coming year!!!!!

I'm so grateful to my Father in Heaven for trusting me to be the mother of these Amazing little girls! They are my life, and I wouldn't have it any other way!!!!!

Oh, being a mother is sooo bittersweet!

Happy Birthday my Little Ones! Mommy loves you sooo much!!!!!!

Monster Jam!!!!!

2009-02-02T21:22:00.001-08:00

I've been meaning to this blog for a LONG time!!!!!!!! So FINALLY here it is!!!

A few weeks ago some friends of ours, Sarah and Bryan, invited us to go to MONSTER JAM! Having never been to a Monster Truck Rally before, neither Eric or I knew what to expect!!!!

It was AWESOME!!!!!! Wheels flying, Trucks spinning, smashing, and smoking!!!!!! Watching HUGE trucks get TOTALED is really so much more fun than you'd think! I just have to say that the pictures really DON'T do it justice! I have never seen anything like it!

This guy was my favorite!!! El Torro Loco!!!! He was psycho!!!!! He did sooo many jumps!!! After one jump he flipped and one of his horns came off!!!! SOOOO COOOL!!!!!! I don't know how they score these things, but I think he did the best!!! EL TORRROOOO!!!!!!!!! WOOOT!!!!!!

This guy was pretty crazy too! In the middle of this jump his tire flew off and he ended up flying into the blue Semi on the right!!!!!
They had to bring out a tractor to get him out!
....and then another one!!! It was pretty cool!!!!

Ok so, I'm pretty sure this guy is supposedly the world champ... but I wasn't all that impressed! He mostly drove around doing little jumps and then finally when he did a big jump, he landed wrong and broke his tire off. There was smoke EVERYWHERE (which I have to admit was pretty cool). So for the remaining time he just drove around in circles. He was good, but certainly not cool enough to be a world champion, in my opinion!

Thanks SOOO much for inviting us, Bryan and Sarah!!!! You guys are soo cute!!!!! We had such a great time!!!!

Kiss, Kiss!

We definitely are going to go again!!!! (Eric, you're such a dork, love ya!!!! )

Happy 28th Birthday Honey

2009-01-20T16:17:00.001-08:00

Today is Eric's 28th Birthday. SO.... in honor of my hubby's BIG DAY here are

"28 Reasons Why I Can't Live Without My Honey!"

(FUN FACT: I met Eric 5 years ago on his birthday!)

1. He's HOT!!! (I just had to get that one out right up front)"blue steel!!!"

2. He is adorable when He sleeps!

3. He is a complete Star Wars GEEK!!YES, we DO have life size cutouts of Han and Leah!!!
The large R2D2 is a Pepper Grinder which, believe it or not, we DO use!!!
And of course, we've got "Darth Tater" and his faithful "Spud Trooper"

4. He likes to play with his sword(s)!!! (tehehe)

5. He plays with the girls when he gets home from work!!!

6. He randomly brings me flowers for no reason at all (still!!! after being together for 5 years!!!!)

7. He snuggles me every night (even when I know he'd much rather sleep) , for as long as I want. NO COMPLAINTS!!!

8. He does the dishes without being asked (and sings Beck songs while doing it)

9. He's a great dancer...10....and shares that enthusiasm with our girls

11. He absorbs useless knowledge like a spongecake!

12. He can quote tons of lines from any movie or show he's seen, word for word. (it's the same with most songs)

13. During my time of month, he gets me chocolate and red meat. (Chocolate to cheer me up and red meat to, "of course," replenish the iron count in my blood!!!! And no, I don't eat them together)

14. He loves Pizza like a little kid!!!

15. He writes me poetry! (I have a whole box full of cards like this. Each poem wonderfully unique)
16. He's a big goofball.

17. He doesn't pretend to be someone he's not. He's not into brand names and doesn't need a big truck to make him feel like a "MAN." I LOVE that about him!

18. He looks like a vampire

19. He is a great student!!!

20. The crazy man eats salad with NO salad dressing! In fact, he LOVES veggies!!!

21. His pet peeves are: gulping water next to him in bed in the middle of the night. (still working on that one) He hates towels left on the floor. He hates it when I poke or tickle him with my toes! (But I like to do that to him anyway.HEHEHE!!!) Oh ya... and he hates it when pens are missing their caps!!!! (???)

22. He likes Hiking!

23. He plays board games with me, like Scrabble and Rummikub.

24. He folds the laundry and puts it away (without me asking him to)

25. He gives me free reign of our bank account!

26. He is a worthy priesthood holder and gives me and the girls blessings whenever we need or want them.He reminds me to read the scriptures and pray regularly (what a guy!)
27. He tells me numerous times during the day how much he loves me!!!

28. And lastly....He's my Best Friend!!!

Happy Birthday Sweety!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

Eric In El Salvador
(this picture always makes me smile)

Utah!!!!

2009-01-08T23:50:00.000-08:00

So this post is mostly gonna be pictures cuz it's almost midnight and I can't think straight anymore!

We were up, rarin' and excited to go at about 2ish (in the afternoon of course) the day after Christmas !

....but after a few hours that wore off!!!! I think that I was the only one who was up for the whole drive. We arrived at about 5 am (Utah time, 3 am CA time) on the 27th.
Eric and I decided to go to Utah for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons was to see some of my extended family on my birth dad's side. I hadn't seen my Grandma Olpin or my uncle Tyler since my wedding (4 1/2 years ago) and the rest (my Grandpa Olpin and uncle Kit) I hadn't seen since I was 13. None of them had ever met the girls before, So we were due for a visit!

We also went so we could visit my brother Collin and his pregnant wife Karen.

And lastly, we went for the snow!

This was the girls first snow experience!

They liked the snow alright just as long as they were inside. They didn't like it too much when they were outside. But Lucy did like to poke at it. So all in all it was a success!
Eric on the other hand... Well lets just say you don't want to mess with Eric when he's got a snowball in his hand.

hahaha!!! I love this picture of Tim.

The only time Emily is an angel is when she is in the snow.

Tim made himself a friend!

(I love this picture)

Ok !!!! I couldn't believe this, BUT...... this was the first time Eric had ever gone sledding!!!! Desite the fact that he was deprived of this as a kid, I am so glad that I got to witness this first hand! He was just like a school boy!!!! I love my hubby!!!!

WEEEE!!!!!!

Emily and I tried to go down together on one sled. But since she is a good deal smaller than me, we ended up going down most of the hill like this! But it was so fun!

She looks like a penguin!

Emily, Dad, and Tim!

Eric and Me after sledding our little hearts out!

Sistahs!!!!

Holidays with the Hardings!

2009-01-08T16:21:00.000-08:00

The Holidays ...Christmas especially, is a really crazy time for us! It all starts Christmas Eve morning when Eric, the girls, and I have a family gift exchange!

Christmas Eve... Morning

The first thing the girls saw when they came running out of their room was this rocking horse! Evey ran over to it and said "WOW!!!!" and then climbed right on and rocked away!!! Immediately Lucy began insisting that it was her turn. The girls love it! (Thank you so much Sarah, for generously giving this to us since your boys don't use it!)(I love this picture)
Evey likes riding it right after taking a bath. It totally reminds me of the old "Mane and Tale" Shampoo logo! Do you guys remember that???

We gave Lucy a Dora memory game thinking that she'd be all excited about having a bunch of Dora cards.... I don't know what she was expecting, but she looked rather disappointed! (She likes it now that I taught her how to play)They also got "Let's Go Fishin' " which they both liked a lot!

And we changed Evey's bed from a crib to a toddler bed....

......which they mistook for a Trampoline.

Christmas Eve.... Evening

Christmas Eve night we went to My Grandparents house and had the traditional dinner (Tostadas and Lobster... YUM!!!!!!) After dinner my Grandpa reads from the New Testament. When he's done Santa (otherwise known as my uncle) yells down the chimney for all the kids to gather around and tell him whether they have been naughty or nice. Then he asks them individually what they want for Christmas. After that we had a gift exchange and dessert.

After dessert my sister and I are usually pretty sugared up and get a little nutty!

What are sisters for, if not someone to goof off with?!

After all of that Eric, the girls, and I went to spend the night at my parents house and spend Christmas morning with them....

Christmas Day!

My mom and dad got the girls a Ryan's Room dollhouse! It's all made out of wood! It is sooo cute! Thank you so much mom and dad! This is one that I'm sure will last for my grand kids!

My Brother Mike sent this all the way from Michigan for Evey. He knows how much she love stuffed animals. It says a bunch of funny lines from the new movie Bolt."Hello hairballs!" (I just can't wait 'til my kids pick up on that one)
Tim got the girls some Dr. Suess books. (Thanks Tim. They love these!)

Emily got them a pop up version of "We're going on a Bear Hunt," Which I love and may hide til they are old enough not to rip it up. (Thanks Emily!)

Mike also sent them Hungry Hungry Hippos!

Ok, so after opening our presents, we had a yummy breakfast, (Eggs, bacon, hot chocolate, cinnamon rolls, etc.) Eric and I packed up and headed over to Eric's parents and have another Christmas morning there. (Everybody wants to see the babies on Christmas!)
By now the girls were pretty experienced with the whole present idea. They knew just what to do. The first thing they ripped open was this Fairy Tea Set. They may as well have had no other gifts because it is all they wanted to play with.

They got also got some bristle blocks (Eric may enjoy these just as much as the girls. It's really fun to watch him play with these. He's such a little kid!)

Evey got a kaleidoscope too! She doesn't quite get it yet .... but I like it!

After Duan and Vince's we went home for a nap. When we got up we headed over to Eric's Grandmas house for their Christmas dinner. We forgot to take pictures there until after the gift exchange, but we did get this one...
Lucy was pooped after all the festivities, so she found a Lucy size box and curled up like a cat under the Christmas tree. ( I love my kids!!!)

But are we done yet??? I think NOT! The next day we headed to Utah! Are we crazy or what!!!!???

ANYWAY.....

I just wanted to take a quick moment to express my extreme gratitude to our family and friends and especially to Heavenly Father and the Savior Jesus Christ! At times like this I am in awe at how blessed our family is! My kids have everything they could possibly ever need (or want) because everyone is so very generous with us! Our Heavenly Father has showered blessings upon us just as my patriarchal blessing says "that there shall not be room enough to receive it." (How very true that is). I am truly humbled and thankful. I could never want anything more than what I already have.

Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

2008-11-30T21:56:00.001-08:00

I was thinking last Thursday as I walked into my apartment stuffed full of Turkey and Pecan Pie with leftovers in hand, how interesting it is that Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. We spend a whole day hopefully being grateful for what we have only to spend the next day shopping greedily for material things. I realize that many people do their Christmas shopping on Black Friday, and I am in no way chastising those that do shop on Black Friday. I just think that it is a funny contradiction. A way that, if we are not careful, the Adversary can use to distract us from enjoying Thanksgiving in the right spirit.

I also think it is a funny contradiction that most people find it appropriate to stuff themselves full of food on Thanksgiving. Seeing as gluttony is greed rather than thankfulness. Perhaps there are better ways to show that we are thankful.

So, in light of the season, I'd like to hear what each of you are grateful for.

(Just some "food for thoughts!")

Twilight

2008-11-30T14:09:00.000-08:00

SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!! SPOILERS!!!

Twilight

I know that I'm going to get a bunch of "hate" mail/comments for writing my feelings about this subject but I just plain can't stand it anymore!

I started reading the Twilight series about 2 months ago! I had seen the trailer for the movie online (which looked fantastic) and finally decided to read the series that everyone told me was so amazing.
I was truly impressed with the first book! I loved the idea of a human and a vampire being in love! I loved the story, the suspense, the action. I wouldn't have changed a thing!! After reading the first one, I quickly ordered the rest of the books, dying to know what happened next and expecting the same brilliance as the book I had just read. I waited for what seemed like months (but was only a couple days) for the next book to arrive at my door. As soon as it came, I dove in......... and fell hard!!!!

New Moon

Even in the first book I had a hard time identifying with Bella. She is just different than I am. She's anti-social and very self centered. In the first book it didn't bother me too much. The story was good, the characters had depth and I identified with her enough to enjoy the book without much distraction! But in New Moon, her true nature was revealed. Completely self involved after Edward left! Complaining here and there! "Poor me" this and "poor me" that! "Edward left, my life is ruined!!!" What made me the most upset was how she allowed her pain to affect everyone around her. Her pain was all that mattered! Charlie did so much for her and she never showed the slightest bit of gratitude! She hardly talked to him. She lied to him!!! She kept herself so distant from him! What kind of daughter does that?!!! What kind of relationship is that??!!!!
And JACOB! Don't even get me started on Jacob! "Her Sun"!!!! Whatever!!!!! She used him. She didn't care about him. All she cared about is how he made HER feel. Not how he felt! What a selfish Brat!!!! It disgusted me, the way she used him so that she could have her sick little fantasies!
Ok, so enough about how much I hate Bella! What's with Edwards voice in her head? I totally thought that they had some kind of special connection and it turns out to be nothing!!!!!! What the heck!!!! Why would the author lead you on to believe that, only to tell you "just kidding."?? Grrrr!!!!
Next, the most suspenseful part of the whole book was Bella running through the crowd to stop Edward. If that's suspense, just kill me! And of all the things for Edward to do, to show that he's a vampire seriously, WALKING INTO THE SUN!!!???? How lame!!! Couldn't he go pick up a few cars and throw them?? Run? Jump? Climb?? Eat someone !!??(Ok, maybe not that) But seriously just walk into the sun?? So stupid!!! He can do so many cool things and all he decides to do is walk into the sun!
Also, What's with Bella at the end of New Moon thinking that she's dreaming! It was so unbelievable! While reading a book you should never get the urge just to roll your eyes! What a Drama Queen! "I'm sleeping I'm sleeping. This isn't real!" What a load of Bull!!! And then, to not yell at him??? Seriously, of all the times that she is finally justified to unload, she doesn't!!! I was totally expecting (and looking forward to) a scolding for Edward! He deserved it! The way he left her was disgusting and terrible! He needed to be yelled at! That's what I would have done! (And I rarely ever yell! Ask Eric!) But like I said before Bella and I, obviously, are a different breed.
Lastly, The whole book they keep on building up that Victoria is after Bella. So naturally as a reader I expected for Victoria to show up sometime in the book and actually go after Bella! But nothing happened! Nothing at all! The only reason I kept reading was to get to THAT part and I got nothing. Nothing!!!!!!

So my overall feeling of New Moon is " It Sucked!" The only bearable part was Jacob whom I loved!!

Eclipse

Overall Eclipse was OK. Bella is less bratty because things, once again, are going her way (for the most part. She's so self centered). There is actually a climax, which is a plus! Victoria FINALLY comes for Bella. There is tension between the two boys (Edward and Jacob). Not only b/c they like the same girl but also because of their natural instincts to hate each other. ( I still find it hard to believe that two awesome guys like these can be so infatuated with such a brat. Am I the only one who sees her for what she is??) But in the end we get to see some action! (though I would have liked to have read more about the fight between the Newborns, the Werewolves and the Cullen family. But overall, I was satisfied enough to go on to the last book, thinking to myself "New Moon was just an in between book. A setup for Eclpise."

Breaking Dawn

The Last book "Breaking Dawn" was ok.
Surprisingly enough though, I found it to be relatively predictable. I was glad to have Edward and Bella married. But I knew that once they were married, naturally, the next step was for Bella to get pregnant. So when she started eating a ton, I knew what was coming. But was definitely interested to see how their baby would turn out! But I also knew, once Bella was pregnant, that Jacob would imprint on the baby! Otherwise, they would not have talked up imprinting so much. So that also came as no surprise. I was excited to see Bella in action as a vampire and enjoyed her first hunt. But for some reason thought that she and Edward would be able to talk to each other back and forth in their minds. I was really hoping that the voice in Bella's head (in New Moon) was foreshadowing some power that she would have as a vampire. I guess I just couldn't let go of the idea. I did think that her ability to block was really cool though! The fact that she could protect so many at once was great. I also liked meeting all the other vampires. And that Renesme had her own powers as well, which was pretty cool. (fun fact: Eric told me that Vladmir in the book is actually Dracula. I thought that it was cool the Stephani Meyers did that.)

In the end however, I found the book to have a very weak climax. No action, No fight the way that Stephani had led me to believe. They simply met with the Voltroli and talked. To write a book, a series and make THAT the end. Well, it was thoroughly disappointing. I realize that Stephani wanted the book to end happily. That's great!. But in order to have a book end happily AND good, sacrifices need to be made. Take Harry Potter for example (SPOILER ALERT for anyone who hasn't finished reading the Harry Potter series) Sacrifices are made. JK squeezes you heart and nearly tears it out when Dumbledore dies, and especially at the end when Fred dies and Tonks and Lupin too! I nearly cried!!! But I FELT something!!! An even deeper attachment to those characters even after they had died. The whole Harry Potter series is heart wrenching and wonderful. Why? Because JK knows how to make sacrifices! I'm not necessarily saying that Stephani should have killed off some main characters, but to not fight at all, for no one to even get a scratch? It was just .... boring!

My overall feeling is that Stephani Meyers is still very obviously an inexperienced writer. She knows how to write to keep you intrigued. She knows how to develop characters, but she doesn't know how to finish a book. She is unwilling to make sacrifices for her stories and therefore, has a very difficult time writing a climax that is as good as she built it up to be. I think that in the long run Stephani will become a great writer once she realizes this, but for now it is clear to me that she is still very new at this.

The Twilight movie.....

....was terrible!!!!!! I was so sad about the movie! It seemed like it had so much potential! I was excited to go see it, ever since I saw the trailer for it! It looked soooo good! And after reading the first book it knew that it had the potential to be really great! So what ruined it for me? Bella couldn't deliver her lines! At least not in a believable way! The movie had very little dialog. Which is too bad because there are so many great lines in the book. So many interludes that could have developed their characters, that could have been funny, that could have been fantastic! But I honestly think that they cut out so much dialog because they knew that Bella in particular couldn't deliver her lines. Instead of dialog they tried to replace it with really loud distracting music! Music is great for movies, but it needs to be picked to help the movie on, not distract form the movie entirely! It seemed to me like they just googled some popular music for their target croud (teenagers) and used it without really caring whether it would help the movie or hurt it. But Eric pointed out that it is also possible that they purposely picked this music to distract from the bad acting.

One way or another it was a waste. Sure everyone looked the part but unfortunately, not everyone could act the part! So unless you are going to solely look at "Edward" for 2 hours, it's not worth your time or money!

Ok I'm done ranting and raving! Go ahead send me your arguments. But I still stand firm. Everything aside from the first book could have been done a little better! I give the Twilight Series as a whole a C+. End of story.

Trick or Treating

2008-11-29T23:25:00.001-08:00

This was the first year the girls did some real trick or treating (besides trunk or treat)

I loved that Lucy actually got it this year! Normally she is scared of strangers, but once she realized that they gave her candy she had no problem running up to each door with her bag in hand!

Evey as usual stuck with dad, especially at the end (she was getting pretty tired). But she loved looking at all the pumpkins and was thrilled that she got to put things in her bag!

Of course before bed I allowed them to have one piece of candy! It took them forever to finish these! And Evey kept complaining about being messy! (She has a thing about being clean. She gets that from her dad. No wonder they are two peas in a pod!)

Halloween Party

2008-11-29T23:23:00.000-08:00

We had a small Halloween Party with a couple friends.
I love this Picture. Evey is so unaware!

Eric drinking "blood" (aka grape juice). Isn't he a fantastic Vampire?! My very own "Edward." lol! He's got the teeth and everything!

We had the kids paint pumpkins instead of carve them!
Lucy got really into it! I loved Lincoln and Orions costumes (Batman and the Joker!) I want boys!!!

Bates Nut Farm

2008-11-29T23:21:00.001-08:00

We met some friends at "Nates Butt Farm" this year. We thought it'd be a fun experience for the girls to see all the pumpkins and the animals!

This is a attempted family picture! The girls really just wanted to run around and play!

Evey for the most part stayed with daddy though. She is a true daddy's girl! She wasn't as excited as we thought she would be, but I attribute that mostly to teething. She wasn't much herself that day!

Lucy on the other hand had a fantastic time! She found this huge pumpkin and decided that she was going to play there most of the time! She would run around it and then stop to play the drums! It was so cute!

Here's Lucy and her buddy Ella chasing each other around the pumpkin! They are so cute when they play together! She named all her dolls "Ella"!

Pumpkins!

2008-11-29T22:38:00.000-08:00

Eric and I like to be a little more creative with our pumpkins! We figure that stencils take the fun out of pumpkin carving and should be considered as cheating!

he's supposed to look relieved...

...after doing this ( I know its gross but we couldn't help ourselves. It's a BUTT Pumpkin!!!! ~ the poop is fudge with candy corns in it, in case you were wondering.)

Silly Husband!

2008-10-16T13:35:00.000-07:00

These pictures need no words...

I thought the red eye was a nice effect!

Yep! That's Eric for you!

The Binky Fairy

2008-09-30T16:22:00.001-07:00

The time has come for the beloved and dreaded Binky Fairy to visit our dearest little Lucy! Lucy has had a Binky since her first week of life. When I discovered she had colic I gave in wanting to do anything that would comfort my poor, screaming, little baby! I thought that we would be rid of it over a year ago but when I had Evey, that idea went flying out the window. During that time though, we decided that Lucy would only be allowed to have it at "night, night time" which worked out fantastically. In fact she looked forward to going to bed! (That is part of the reason why Eric and I have been dreading this. Will taking the Binky result in "night, night battles"?) But Alas, the dreaded day came! For about a month we built up the idea of a Binky Fairy coming in the middle of the night to take Lucy's Binkies. But we emphasized that when she come to take her Binkies she would also leave a present for Lucy. She was pretty excited about that! So last Saturday we sneaked into her room, took all her Binkies and left a present by her bed. It took less than a half hour for Lucy to realize that her Binky was gone. I could hear her searching around her bed, saying "Binky? Binky? Binky?" It nearly brought tears to my eyes. So Eric and I opened the door and as excitedly as we could we explained that the Binky Fairy had come. She then broke into tears and said, "Binkies all gone?" "Yes" we said to Lucy. "The Binky Fairy took your Binkies to babies who need it. BUT... she left you a present!!!" Lucy didn't perk up the way I had hoped she would. But after a few minutes of sobbing she reached for the present.

I first read her the card. In case you can't read it, it says:
"Lovely Lucy,
You are growing up to be a beautiful little girl! But you are not a baby anymore! So the time has come for me to take your Binkies to little babies who need them. I hope you love your presents! I picked them out especially for you!
Love,
The Binky Fairy

Inside she found two new stuffed friends. A grin grew on her face as she pulled out the Elephant!

I picked it out because she has been coveting her sisters for the longest time. I also felt the music would help soothe her when she misses her Binky at night. (When she pulls it's tail, it plays music.)

It has been 3 days since she was visited by the Binky Fairy, and they have gone by surprisingly well. The first night she was fine. She seemed to think that the Binky Fairy was coming again that night. The next night she cried for only a minute but then simply stated that the Binky Fairy came and gave her Binky to a baby and that she got a present. She then took her Elephant and pulled its' tail. Every now and again throughout the day she will state matter-of-factly "Binkies are All Gone!" Or she'll run up to me and say "I got a present!!!!" Thankfully, bed time has never become an issue either. It's seems that she is so grounded in routine, that she hasn't even given it a second thought...yet... So all in all, it was a success! And our fears were just that. Fears.

Soap Crayons

2008-09-30T16:21:00.001-07:00

Last week I decided that I would try this out! So I invited a friend over and together we made soap crayons for our kids!

They are incredibly easy to make!

1 cup Soap Flakes (just grate a bar of soap with a cheese grater)
Food coloring
2tbsp of hot water

Have 1 large bowl and several small bowls (one for each color), An ice cube tray or other small molds.

Put Soap Flakes in a large bowl and drop the hot water into the soap flakes stirring constantly (it will be very thick and difficult to stir)

Spoon some of the soap into each small bowl and color each separately. Mush and stir until it is the desired consistency and color. Put some colored soap into each mold. How much soap in each mold is entirely up to you!

Let dry (this can take 5 days to a week)

Have Fun!

Lucy and Evey seemed to really enjoy themselves and even though the color wasn't as vivid as I had hoped it would be, it sure killed the morning!

Big Smile!

Don't expect to get your kids incredibly clean this time! Prepare yourself for very dirty looking water. Keep reminding yourself it's soap with food coloring, not dirt. That helps...a little.

And of course as every little kid must do, Lucy drinks the disgusting water (YUCK!!! "It's only soap!! It's only soap!!!")

Changes!

2008-09-08T14:17:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, I have been so terrible about keeping up my Blog. Lately, it seems like the days haven't been long enough. (Wait a minute!!!!...It IS almost fall, so the days are getting shorter! Haha)

So things have been fun and a little crazy around here. Eric just got a new job! It's the one that we have been waiting for! He is working with a program called Comprehensive Autism Services and Education Inc. (C.A.S.E., Inc.) It's an agency that specializes in the behavioral, social and educational needs of children with Autism. Eric is being trained to be an ABA interventionist. He basically gets to play with kids all day using games and activities that will help change undesirable behaviors (behavior modification). This job is such a blessing to our family because Eric will get experience in his field, Psychology. (which will help tremendously as he applies for a PhD program.) It is full time with benefits which is fantastic for our family! Plus, he gets to play with kids all day! So far Eric loves it! It's everything he wanted all meshed up into one job! I am so proud of him for working so hard for our family, but never settling for a job that was not exactly what he wanted! He will be so good at it, I just know it. He is soo great with kids!

However, Eric's new job has taken some getting used to for the both of us. After school ended, Eric was home almost all morning and now he leaves home as I am getting out of bed. I've been soo spoiled! I've gotten used to having Eric to talk to for half the day. Now it just seems like the mornings are too quiet. ( aside from the girls shrieking up and down the hall chasing each other)

His new job has also left me car-less, which has taken some getting used to. Now I have to find more clever ways to keep myself and the girls entertained. I am so lucky to be in walking distance to both the store and the park. We go on a lot of walks. Our outdoor adventures usually contain sliding, bug catching, flower picking, and bird/airplane watching. But besides the slide, Lucy and Evey’s favorite activity is ball hunting.

There are always little tiny airsoft pellets all over our apartment complex. Lucy and Evey love them for there bright colors. It's funny because I have never seen one kid in our complex playing airsoft and yet there seems to be an endless supply. Sometimes I feel that they are heaven sent, simply to entertain my children. Anyways, if any one has any ideas for fun activities for toddlers I am all ears! I’d love ideas for crafts or kid friendly recipes.
Another one of Lucy's favorite activities is Play Dough!

I made a batch about a week ago and it has been great. Lucy will sit at the table for at least an hour making shapes with cookie cutters. Evey on the other hand, is only interested for about 10-15 minutes. (I didn't add any food coloring so it would be the same color as my carpet, just in case we have a messy day)

Heres the recipe for anyone that wants it!...

Homemade Play Dough!

2 cups flour
2 cups warm water
1 cup salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cream of tartar (optional for improved elasticity)
optional- food coloring (liquid, powder, or unflavored drink mix)
optional- scented oils

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredients together, and stir over low heat. The dough will begin to thicken until it resembles mashed potatoes.

When the dough pulls away from the sides and clumps in the center, remove the pan from heat and allow the dough to cool enough to handle.

If your play dough is still sticky, you simply need to cook it longer! Keep stirring and cooking until the dough is dry and feels like play dough.

Turn the dough out onto a clean counter or silicone mat, and knead vigorously until it becomes silky-smooth.

Divide the dough into balls for coloring.Make a divot in the center of the ball, and drop some food coloring in.Fold the dough over, working the food color through the body of the play dough, trying to keep the raw dye away from your hands and the counter.Work the dye through, adding more as necessary to achieve your chosen color.
(If you used unsweetened drink mix for color, test on a small ball first- it won't go as far as the "real" food coloring.)

Play with your play dough- I really don't need to help you there. It's entirely edible, if a bit salty, so it's kid-safe.

(When you're done store it in an air-tight container. If it begins to dry out, you can knead a bit of water in again to soften the dough back to use-ability. Once it's dried past a certain point, however, you'll just have to start over; thankfully it's not terribly difficult.)

So yep that's that...
Once again, if anyone has any ideas for fun activities let me know!

Anniversary!

2008-08-23T15:09:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday was our 4th Anniversary! And I am still in awe with how time flies! It's funny how it doesn't seem like all that long ago since Eric and I started dating and yet it feels like I have known him forever! How is that possible?

cutting our wedding cake

Walking out of the temple together

Eric and I met at the Institute of Religion at Palomar. He was up in Utah the semester I enrolled to Palomar and while he was gone I made friends with his friends. So naturally when he came back he asked me out, "to get to know me better". Needless to say, we connected immediately! It was very obvious to the both of us, within a couple months, that we were going to get married. We both felt that neither one of us had dated anyone so easy to get along with, who had similar priorities, tastes, and interests. We both prayed about our relationship and knew that there was no point in waiting to get married. So Vuala! Four years (and 2 kids) later, our love for each other has only magnified. We are very happily married!!

on our honeymoon

To celebrate our Anniversary we both decided that we would drop off the girls at my moms and spend the day at Six Flags! I have been dying to go there for about 3 years, but haven't been able to go because I was either pregnant or injured (both of which happen quite often to me!!! hmmm....) We were all ready and excited to go until Wednesday night when both of us began to get "that feeling". We pushed it to the back of our minds but eventually when neither one of us was able to sleep, we decided to talk about it! I was really scared to mention it to Eric because, 1, I didn't want to miss out on Six Flags just for some "mom" feeling and 2, because I thought that he might think I was being silly or something. But as soon as I said something, he told me that he was feeling the same way and that he didn't want to say anything because he knew how set I was on going. Knowing that we both felt that way, we knew it would be really dumb to ignore it. So we came up with plan B. We decided that we would drop off the kids for the day at my moms and just go the beach! And let me tell you, I haven't had more fun in my life! I am sooo glad we decided to do that instead. It was soo much better than standing in line for 2 hours for a minute and a half ride! Too bad I forgot the camera!

But nonetheless, Here is how our day went:
The girls woke up at 9!!! Normally they only sleep til 7, so we figure it was their Anniversary present to us! On the way down to my parents we stopped by Smoothie King for breakfast ( I of course ordered my fav: Caribbean Way, but the girls ended up drinking most of it, so Eric shared his with me!) After we dropped off the girls, we headed to La Jolla Shores but found it difficult to find parking so we decided to go out to Islands for lunch instead! Eric ordered his favorite, the Kilauea Burger, and I ordered Buffalo Wings, which I have been craving for forever! (...And just because I'm craving something does not mean I'm pregnant! ....I know some of you were thinking it!) Then we went to The World Market and just browsed. ( I could buy everything in that store, but I resisted) We were actually looking for a present for a friend. Then we went to Deseret Books to buy a Willow Tree figurine!. (Every year on our Anniversary Eric and I pick out a "Willow Tree" carving. We bought one on our honeymoon and that started the tradition. We are determined to someday to be married for more years than they have figurines! collecting figurines may seem silly but it holds a great deal of importance to us because it symbolizes not only the years that we have been married but what happens along the way! )

This is the one we bought this year: "Our gift"

These are the other "Willow Trees" we have gotten over the years starting with the one we got on our honeymoon in order all the way to our 4th year together!!!

After that we went back to La Jolla Shores and sure enough our patience payed off. We ended up getting a spot right next to the beach! So we set up our stuff, played frizbee for a while and then set off for the waves! The waves were Huge!!!! They were literally crashing over our heads! It was great! I haven't gone boogy boarding for such a long time! We played in the water for a long time swimming, splashing, and catching waves. It really took me back to the days when we were dating! When it was just us! When we were finally beat from the waves, we laid down and napped under our umbrella for a while. When we woke up we decided, what the heck, lets go to Seaport Village. So off we went! On our way, we passed a street fair. So we parked at Seaport Village, got some Ben and Jerry's ( to validate our parking ) and walked over to the street fair, ice creams in hand! There were many "interesting" people and things at the street fair, but nothing really worth buying for twice its value, so we walked back to the village and continued to look for our friends particular present! And after wondering around for awhile we finally found it! YAY!!! We walked inside a lot of different shops, but my favorite was the Wooden Toy Store! They have so many little Knick Knacks that I know my kids would get a kick out of. I love toys! We were kinda tired and sat down on the bench for awhile and talked as the sun began to go down. As we watched a little toddler with curly hair run around (with her mom chasing close behind), we began to miss our girls and decided that it was time to head back. After all ,we were still really full from lunch! So hand in hand we walked back to our car and drove to my parents only to find two, tired but happy little girls wearing T-shirts that went down to their ankles for PJ's! Both were very happy to see us! On the way home, Evey feel asleep and Lucy sung I Am a Child of God quietly to herself over and over again. And as I listened to her sing, I felt overwhelmed and so blessed to have such a wonderful family.

The day I chose to married Eric I began a new chapter in my life and I have never been happier!!!

Cinnamon Rolls

2008-08-09T14:51:00.000-07:00

Due to popular demand... The Cinnamon Roll recipe!!! But prepare yourself for a ton of butter and sugar...YUM!!!

Ingredients

1 (1/4 ounce) package dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup margarine
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 cups flour

FILLING ( I double this)

1 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, softened

ICING (I double this too)

8 tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.
Add sugar, margarine salt, eggs, and flour, mix well.
Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour.
Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.
Roll the dought out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide.
It should be approx 1/4 thick.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.
Spread the softened margarine over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface.
Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.
Cut the dough into 1 3/4 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan.
Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.
While the rolls are baking combine the icing ingredients.
Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.
When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing

Nutrition Facts
1 Cinnamon Roll =

517 calories!
Calories from fat 192
Total Fat 21.4g
Total Carbs 75.6g
Dietary Fiber 2.0g
Sugars 40.9g

( I Warned Ya!!)

On a Roll !!!

2008-08-06T20:15:00.001-07:00

I have been soo busy lately with my little "mini projects" (as Eric calls them), that I haven't really had much time for blogging. One of my more recent projects... Jamming!

My grandparents who live in Escondido have 2 acres of land full of fruit trees and a huge veggie garden. Plums, Peaches, Apples, Nectarines, Apricots, Oranges, Grapefruit, Tangerines, Lemons, Corn, Carrots, Eggplant, Zucchini, Onions, Pumpkins... OK, you get the point!!! Basically, you name it, they've got it! So when ever the crop comes in Eric and I go over to help harvest. We are so fortunate to have them so close. We hardly ever have to buy produce!(The picture above is one of our many bowls that were full of plums)
So about a month ago my grandma taught me how to make Jam! And now I will never, ever, ever go back to store bought jam. I am addicted! I made both apricot jam and plum jam. Don't they look yummy!?

This was my first batch!

Later that same week I made Cinnamon Rolls! Not to brag or anything but if you ever need a Cinnamon Roll recipe, I have one that you will love. You will never be satisfied with anyone else's again (and that includes Cinnabon!!! Shocking I know!) This isn't the best picture of my Cinnamon Rolls but it still looks tasty! Warning though... Major Calories!!!!!
The picture says it all...everybody makes out well when I am in a cooking mood! (Ha ha!!! Lucy looks like she is on a major sugar high!!! Messy Messy Messy!!!)

What Memories do you have with me?

2008-07-24T16:14:00.001-07:00

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.

The Phantom!!!!

2008-07-21T14:43:00.000-07:00

Eric and I went to see The Phantom of the Opera last Saturday!!! We have been looking forward to it for some time and finally, July19th came around! YAY!!!

I LOVE The Phantom!!!! It is an incredible experience to see on stage. I am always in awe at the notes these people can hit! And every time I hear the theme song Daaaah Dun Dun.. dun dun... daah.... dun dun!!! I get chills! The score is just amazing! Soo inspired!

I saw Phantom for the first time when I was 12 and loved it!!!I have been dying to go back ever since.

It is my personal opinion that everyone should see it at least once. So when I found out that Eric hadn't seen it before I was determined that the next time it was here in San Diego we would see it together!
Needless to say he enjoyed it very much!!!

I had to get some pictures off the internet because they would not allow us to take pictures inside the theater.

The Phantom singing to/hypnotizing Christine !

Isn't the Phantoms lier incredible?
I love this scene

The Phantom coupled with Lord of the Rings is what got me interested in set design as a profession! Isn't it incredible!?

The costumes are sooo great too! Especially in the Masquerade scene!!!

And last but certainly not least... The Famous Chandelier!!!!!!

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS NOT SEEN THIS. IT IS A MUST!!!
(Get good seats and it will be well worth the money!)

My Absolute Favorite Recipe!

2008-07-15T14:16:00.000-07:00

I have to share this recipe! It is hands down my favorite thing to make when entertaining because is is relatively easy, inexpensive and sooo impressive! Just looking at it makes my mouth water and when you take that first bite... trust me you will feel like a professional chef! SOOOO GOOD!

Risotto with Fresh Mozzarella, Grape Tomatoes, and Basil

Ingredients

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 1/2 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped leek (you can find it at sprouts)
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or other medium-grain rice (you can find it at sprouts)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup halved grape tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
5 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, finely diced

Preparation

Place vinegar in a small, heavy saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook until slightly syrupy and reduced to 1 tablespoon (about 4 minutes). Set aside.

Bring broth to a simmer in a medium saucepan (do not boil). Keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leek to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until tender. Add rice; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, and cook 1 minute or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Stir in 1 cup broth; cook 5 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 25 minutes total). Stir in half-and-half, salt, and pepper; cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in tomatoes, basil, and cheese. Place about 1 cup risotto into each of 6 shallow serving bowls; drizzle each serving with 1/2 teaspoon balsamic syrup and 1/2 teaspoon oil.

Yield

6 servings

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 378(29% from fat); FAT 12.1g (sat 5.2g,mono 4.1g,poly 1g); IRON 1.3mg; CHOLESTEROL 24mg; CALCIUM 178mg; CARBOHYDRATE 51.6g; SODIUM 777mg; PROTEIN 13.2g; FIBER 1.6g

Haircut!

2008-07-11T23:00:00.000-07:00

I told Eric that for my birthday all I wanted was a really good haircut. Highlights and all! My hair was just getting too long for me to manage. I used a ton of conditioner and still it took forever to brush only for me to sweep it up into a nice long ponytail for my girls to pull! So I figured it was time! My hair grows really fast. I like to grow it out long and then every couple years chop it and donate it to locks of love. It's a really great feeling to walk away knowing that 12 - 13 inches of hair isn't just going to end up in the trash! I was surprised this time though that so many people were trying to persuade me to keep it! I think that everyone else was more attatched to my long hair than me. Anyways! I totally love the huge change.

The Fourth of July!

2008-07-11T22:03:00.000-07:00

The fourth of July was great! We had a nice little barbecue at the clubhouse in Lake San Marcos! I looked forward all week to dress my girls up in these little patriotic dresses and boy was it worth it! They pranced around like the were little princesses.

We invited a few friends to join us including rambunctious little Ella, and her mom and dad! Isn't she cute!? She was darn hard to catch on camera. A lot of the pictures I have of her are blurry! That little girl never stops running!!!

I love this picture. I don't know quite what she was thinking, but it looks something like "oh no...."

Lucy going through this stage lately, where she loves to pretend like shes a dog. So I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when she started mimicking Baina's every move. It was soo cute though!

We decided not to go see fireworks. We felt that Lucy and Evelyn would be more scared of them than anything (maybe next year!). So when we got home we put the girls to bed and snuggled in to watch 10,000 BC. Overall it was a pretty nice day!

Art work

2008-07-01T14:28:00.000-07:00

I decided to create this blog not only to show off my gorgeous family but also to display some of my paintings. Showing them off really helps motivate me to keep at it. Painting can very difficult to do when you have a family. It's hard to find time to do it. And often when I do get some time for myself, I would much rather do something else... like sleep. Most of the time I paint at night when the girls are in bed. Eric and I will sit down to watch a movie. While he watches I listen and paint. Night time seems to be the time when I really get the most creative. In high school I would stay up 'til 1 or 2 in the morning just sketching. I think it's because it is so quiet and peaceful. It feels like I have the whole world to myself and I can finally see it for what it is, without all the distractions.

This is my most recent finished piece of work. I started it years ago, then walked away from it for awhile. I got painters block if you will. I just didn't know where to go with it. It's taken from a picture of Lucy when she was only a few weeks old. I wanted her room to be fairy themed, so I decided that it would be really neat if I did a picture of her as a fairy.

I like taking pictures of it unfinished so that I can look back and really see how much work has gone into it.

Overall I'm am pretty proud of it and extremely excited to finally hang it up in the girls room!

My Family!

2008-06-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

So now a little info about me and the fam. Lets see. It all started when I was 18 and I met a really awesome guy at the institute of religion. Can you guess who that is? I loved Eric because he liked me for me. Unlike everyone before I never felt pressure to be anything I'm not. Weird silly old me is who I could be around him and I knew that it doesn't get much better than that. Eric and I dated for only about 6 months before getting married. Can you say FAST! But I don't regret it all. 4 years (this coming August) and 2 babies later my love for him has only magnified.

We were married for only 9 months when I got pregnant with baby number 1. Here comes Lucy! February 1'st came fast and alas I had a new screaming baby to call my own! j/k. Lucy was a very difficult baby. She had colic for the first 6 months of her life. Her crying tested my patience in a way that only a mother of a colicky baby could understand. Lucy from day one has always been very particular. She needs routine and consistency more than any other child I have known, which was kinda difficult for me to get used to. I love doing things spontaneously and I hate routines. ;) But despite all that I would never change her for the world. Lucy is very shy but sooo intelligent! We started teaching her sign language at 8 months old and within a week she caught on! She was so desperate to communicate with us! At just barely 2 she knows her abc's perfectly, how to count to 10, her colors (red yellow purple green orange blue) and shapes (square circle triangle). Lucy is gorgeous too~and she knows it! She's got huge eyes and curly hair. People always tell us that we have our very own Shirley Temple. Some days she will stand in front of the mirror and say "soo pretty!" I'm pretty sure we have created a monster, haha! Lucy loves reading and singing songs. Her favorite songs are "The Wheels on the Bus, Old Mc Donald and the ABC's. I feel like Lucy and I have a pretty special bond. I think it is because I put in soo many sleepless nights that first year of life. But she is definitely a "mommy's girl" and I love it!

So, on to baby number 2. (The "daddy's girl") Only three months after I had Lucy, I discovered I was pregnant again! Ooops! We figure that Lucy and Evey must have been joined at the hip in the premortal existence and that's how they wanted it down here too. So when Evey saw her chance she hopped on the next ride to earth which so happened to be in my tummy. Evey came along February 2nd the following year. Just the day after her sister turned 1. Happy Birthday Lucy... here's a sister! Evey's temperament is the complete opposite of Lucy. She's pretty mellow. She just goes with the flow of things. And she is always smiling! BUT... believe it or not shes the one you've got to watch carefully! She's a little con artist. Evey knows how to play you. She will butter you up just so she can get whatever she wants. She's the type of kid who patiently waits til your not looking to do something wrong. Then, of course, when she gets caught she gives you the puppy eyes. She is very meditative. It's really funny to watch her plan things out in her head. When she was only 9 months old, I watched her as she tried to figure out how to get into a toy basket at my mother in laws house. The basket was too tall for her to reach into. She got a funny look on her face as she looked around the room. When she started crawling away from the toy basket I thought that she would just go find something else to play with, but instead she crawled straight to a toy piano and started pushing it to the basket. Then she proceeded to climb on top of the piano and reached into the basket to get her toys. Needless to say, I was in complete shock and awe. That's Evey in a nutshell for you!

Making a Blog

2008-06-24T15:18:00.000-07:00

I've had an account here on blogger for quite some time. But I never got enough guts to sit down and figure out how to use it. I keep on thinking to myself "don't you have better things to do?"... and then I would play around on Facebook. I have finally come to the realization that facebook is the same as a blog ... but for lazy people. So I decided to log off facebook and actually write something right here. So, yup, here it is. Proof the Katie finally sat down and blogged. Good for me!

The Harding Home

Happy 31st, Eric!!!!!

Let the Festivites Begin!: Part 1

Art Classes!

This is what we do....

Little Layla's First Birthday!!!!!!!

The Del Mar Fair!!!

Layla, here at last!

It's a WHAT????!!!!!!

Any Guesses?

C-Section or Vaginal?

Dumpster Diving... not for the faint of heart

Scare...

My New Love

Nesting

New Blog

Trend Setters

TANTRUMS!!!!!!!

Wishing My Two Toddler's a Very Happy Birthday!

Monster Jam!!!!!

Happy 28th Birthday Honey

Utah!!!!

Holidays with the Hardings!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday!

Twilight

Trick or Treating

Halloween Party

Bates Nut Farm

Pumpkins!

Silly Husband!

The Binky Fairy

Soap Crayons

Changes!

Anniversary!

Cinnamon Rolls

Ingredients

FILLING ( I double this)

ICING (I double this too)

For the rolls, dissolve the yeast in the warm milk in a large bowl.

Add sugar, margarine salt, eggs, and flour, mix well.

Knead the dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour.

Put in a bowl, cover and let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until the dough has doubled in size.

Roll the dought out on a lightly floured surface, until it is approx 21 inches long by 16 inches wide.

It should be approx 1/4 thick.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

To make filling, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl.

Spread the softened margarine over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon evenly over the surface.

Working carefully, from the long edge, roll the dough down to the bottom edge.

Cut the dough into 1 3/4 inch slices, and place in a lightly greased baking pan.

Bake for 10 minutes or until light golden brown.

Beat well with an electric mixer until fluffy.

When the rolls are done, spread generously with icing

On a Roll !!!

What Memories do you have with me?

The Phantom!!!!

My Absolute Favorite Recipe!

Ingredients

Preparation

Yield

Nutritional Information

Haircut!

The Fourth of July!

Art work

My Family!

Making a Blog