Needing to Catch Up

Ok, I have been told by more than one of you that I need to update.

I know I do. But things have just been kinda busy - like tomorrow is Halloween and I have been making (sewing!) costumes for all 5 of us! Even though I really tried to get a jump start on it and started on Gabriella's the first of September, it didn't happen. But now, with Halloween a day away, I am feeling pretty good. Just a few more finishing touches. So I now feel like I can breathe, relax, and yes, spend a little more time on the computer.

Other than that, not much else going on around here. So I will leave you with some ADORABLE (but of course, I am biased!) pictures of my little one. At church Sunday my neighbor told me "Tabitha NEEDS her pictures taken today - she is just too cute!" Did I mention this neighbor is a photographer? So I took her up on that and she spent about 10 minutes in the front yard, immediately went home and photoshopped a few, and sent us over a CD. She is AMAZING! I know the loaf of chocolate chip zucchini bread I made for her really wasn't enuf of a thank you! (oh yeah, I've been baking zucchini this week, too)

But before the pictures, just a little cute thing Tabitha said this morning. A little background first. Rick has taken to calling her "Jello" - yes, J - E - L - L - O, jello. She will often climb up on our bed and so sweetly ask "Is there room for Tabifa?" as she tries to squeeze in between the 2 of us. And Rick started responding "There's always room for jello." And it has kind of stuck. Pretty cute. Second thing, she has fallen in love with Gabriella's "ironing beads" - not sure the correct, technical name for these, but the little colored beads you put on the shapes and then iron and have a fun little plastic star or whatever (they rarely get ironed at our house - I hate having them laying around). So anyways, all week, one of the first things out of her mouth, and heard often thruout the day is "Mom, can I play my ironing beads now?" And I'll tell her yes and she'll smile, so happy, and say "Thanks, Mom!"

Ok, so this morning, before her cereal was done, she asked to play ironing beads. And she laid on her tummy in the middle of the kitchen floor and started to create her latest masterpiece.

I walked in the kitchen and said "You're cute!"

"No, I'm not cute! I'm Jello!" What a silly little girl I have!

Ok, so now (for reals) I leave you with some cute little pictures from her impromptu photo shoot! And for those wondering, Yes, the outfit is an Uncle Robi original, handed down from Gabriella!

One Word

Tagged. Again.

Here are the rules. I have to answer each question with only one word and then pass it on to seven other people.

• Where is your cell phone? Purse
• Where is your sig. other? Work
• Your hair color? Blonde
• Your mother? Idaho
• Your father? Heaven
• Your favorite thing? Happiness
• Your dream last night? Upcoming
• Your dream/goal? Organization
• The room you're in? Basement
• Your hobby? Reading
• Your fear? Tragedy
• Where do you want to be in 6 years? Idaho
• Where were you last night? Home
• What you're not? Stupid
• One of your wish list items? Money
• Where you grew up? Everywhere
• Last thing you ate? Cereal
• What are you wearing? Robe
• Your TV? Off
  
• Your pet? None
• Your computer? Purring
• Your mood? Calm
• Missing someone? Yes
• Your car? Blue
• Something you're not wearing? Bra
• Favorite store? Kohls
• Your summer? Gone
• Love someone? Forever
• Favorite color? Pink
• When was the last time you laughed? Morning
• When was the last time you cried? Unsure

And the 7 lucky ones I tag are: Joy, Cousin, Jenifer Beth, Taryn, Nichole, Christy, & Misty

Fourth Picture in the Fourth Folder

If you haven't already done this, then consider yourself tagged!
Just go to your fourth folder and select the fourth picture and explain!
Easy & fun!

This was taken Easter Sunday 2007 (I think!) just before leaving for church. My 2 little angels in their matching new dresses. I didn't get a single good shot that wasn't blurred, but you can still see how cute they were (are!). And they had their babies all ready to go in their carseat, too.

7 Years

Happy Anniversary to us!
Yesterday, October 12th, marked our 7th wedding anniversary.

7 years, 3 kids, 2 houses, 6 vehicles, 7 jobs, and lots of fun times!

Here are just a couple of my all-time favorite picss of the 2 of us.

This picture was taken at our friends' John & Jennifer's reception.
I was a bridesmaid and Rick came to see me (he didn't really know J&J yet!)
I love his goatee and I've always liked how I look in the pic (very rare!)
And afterwards we went to Pizza Hut and he told me that he
loves me - for the first time - aawwwww.

And this was a month or 2 later, at my grandparents house
celebrating my Grandpa's birthday (I think!)
I was feeding him Mud Pie - his favorite!
And I just love how we are laughing and having fun in it!
And that he is wearing his Superman shirt -
he has always been, and always will be, my Superman!

Thanks for 7 great years, Honey Bunches! Love ya!

How do YOU do it?

So lately I am feeling SO overwhelmed, stressed, and frustrated by all the clutter. Clutter everywhere! In the kitchen, in the bedrooms, downstairs, the garage, bathrooms, EVERYWHERE! And as much as I'd really like to blame it on 3 kids and a husband (much as I love them!), I can't. I know that most of it is really, truly my problem! (Except for maybe the garage.) Sure there are toys and clothes and that kind of stuff and true I cannot, nor will I, keep my kids things cleaned up for them, they have to learn to do that. But how can I really expect them to when my room, my stuff, is just as bad, if not worse?!

I think one of my biggest problems is papers. Gabriella brings SO many papers home from school. William brings home a handful, too, but his mostly go in a binder. I have told Gabriella that she can choose her 1 or 2 favorite papers each day to keep and those are to go in her box under her bed. The rest I have been tossing in the recycling box. But there are still SO many - papers, magazines, mail (good & bad), coupons, etc, etc! And I just end up with piles piled up all over my long kitchen counter (which, sadly, is where most everything seems to get dumped!)

So please, I need help!! What do YOU do to keep the daily clutter down? How do you keep it from building up? How do you keep it at least somewhat organized?

Soccer

August & September William played soccer on one of the city teams. I don't know if it's just our city or our county or what, but here, soccer is HUGE! Everyone plays soccer - made me feel kinda bad that I hadn't signed Gabriella up for it, too. But on the other hand, I think she does enuf stuff for now and William really needed something of his own to do - or so I thot. But I know now that he just isn't ready for stuff like this.

First Game = ALL Smiles
Ready to play & Happy to be there

By the last game (8 in all) it was a completely different story. He did NOT want to go. "Soccer is boring!" We were lucky to get him to play about a whole 3 minutes of that game - but from the picture you can see below, he REALLY wasn't into it! He just wanted to be his goofy little self!

He made us laugh so much as we watched him play! And it was made very clear that my son is a pansy boy. Yep. (not like we didn't know that anyways, but now everyone we played soccer knows it too!) He cannot run. He had such a hard time trying to keep up with that ball. As soon as he'd catch up to it, the other kids would be halfway down the field, going the other way. But he really gave it a good shot - until that last game. Most of the time he'd just be out there in his own little world, making faces, or putting his fingers in his mouth or something silly like that. I think I would have to say that his very first game was his best - especially since his team hadn't had a single practice and he really had no idea what he was supposed to be doing out there! They put him in as goalie at one time and he made the best save ever! He really pounced on that ball! And sadly, there was a slight um, video camera malfunction (videographer malfunction is more like it!) and instead of getting the great play saved on film for all of posterity, all we got was a bunch of grass and then blackness. (Good try, honey. I think next time I'll put myself in charge of the videoing.)

Ok, so I just noticed something about this picture below - check out his feet!! Is he about to trip himself up here or what?! What a crazy guy - he always has been a bit clumsy!

Most of all, I think he just loved playing with the nets.

Way to go, William! Good try! We're proud of you!

Party at Chuck E. Cheese

Gabriella's party was a lot of fun - all the kids had a blast! (even the one little girl who ended up hiding under the table, scared to death of the big mouse!)

The girls made beaded bracelets, played all the fun games, enjoyed their cake & ice cream, and had an all around good time!

Gabriella loved her birthday crown -
and her new dress!

I couldn't have done it without this guy's help!
(and a neighbor's)

The birthday party gang!