Happy 80th Birthday Mona!

Kylee, Skyler, Milena, Tessa, Ashlyn


Last week we took a short trip to Ogden, UT for
Gramma Mona's 80th Birthday!

All the kids had a great time playing with each other!

Hayley and Milena loved playing with this set of milk jugs at Grandma Claudia's.

Sky and I at Maddocks

Hayley kept crawling up onto Claudia's piano bench like she's been playing for years.

Skyler was so cute! He would follow Hayley around and play with her all sweet and make sure she was safe.

Gabe and Uncle Brett
Some pics of our tables at Maddocks.

Right side: Tucker, his girlfriend, Melissa
Left side: Brenna, Jenna, Skyler
Right Side: Brooke, Katie, Mona, Beth, Layne at the head
Left side: Barrett, Uncle Jim, Jodi, Lynn, Lance

There are of course way more people hiding in these pictures but it's almost impossible to get everyone and their attention at the same time.


I wish I could have gotten a better picture of the Birthday girl. We did have some professionally done photos before the dinner but they aren't ready yet. It was too short of a trip we both agreed, Hayley was a traveling trooper with the plane rides, car rides, nap schedules etc.

Happy Birthday Mona!

Pre-Valentines Day prep

I want to celebrate and decorate more for the lesser Holidays,
so I've been filling nap times with fun new crafts.

I read quite a few DIY crafter blogs and wanted to try some new techniques.
Freezer paper stenciling, applique and the ruffle in the window. So, I made some throw covers for the couch pillows. Actually, I made the pillow as well just by cutting an old bed pillow into a square and a skinny rectangle and just stitching up the cut end. Much more cost effective.

Hayley decided to smear soup all in her hair before nap one day.
So I dunked her head in the sink, which she didn't like, but
she woke up with awesome curls.

A friend of mine got a neat carrying case for her needles for Christmas, I was envious. So I set out to make my own to replace the battered plastic zip-lock I've been using.
I'm loving it!

I made Hayley and I matching headbands. She wont wear hers for very long, but I love mine. So comfy and I never get that sore feeling behind the ears like with regular headbands.

Happy January steals!

Just a few small things I'm happy about this month so far:

I love having a wreath on the door, it puts a smile on my face every time I walk inside regardless.
I got the idea from a friend, then rummaged through the DI box and found an old book, and you can see what happened next.
cost: 1$

Ok, so Skyler will tell you I actually got these in December, but I didn't fully comprehend the deal I got until January. This is a giant bag full of vintage metal zippers of all sizes and colors!
Awhile ago a friend told me about a certain thrift shop on your way out to the coast in Vernonia. So at Christmas, we stopped and I found these...no price tag. They weren't free, but I offered 5 bucks for the bag and the guy threw in a cool belt!

Cost: 130+ metal zippers for $5

This one isn't really a steal but I thought I should document it anyway. Today was Hayley's first day at a Childcare center! WSU has a neat evening care set up for Graduate students, so it's free!
So during her nap I made her a little backpack to bring.
She wouldn't touch it. Apparently I made a scary backpack.

I don't have pictures to show for it, but last night I ordered 2 canvas prints that I'm REALLY excited about. I got it through Groupon, used a couple credits I had-
Cost: $25 for $160 of canvas prints.

Happy January!

Christmas 2010

Christmas break was especially enjoyed this year because I didn't have to hurry back for work!
We were blessed to spend two whole weeks enjoying family and friends.

We went to Bellevue's Snowflake Lane parade
They had such an exciting drum line!

Dad and I went snowboarding!
Hopefully we can make it a new Christmas break tradition :)

Hayley's getting more comfortable with the Carousel.

Hayley and Kylee at the arcade

Hayley really enjoyed the play center at the mall. The lighting was terrible for pics. But all the kids loved it!

One night Lynn and Joell braved watching all our 6 kids so we could eat at the newly remodeled Wayfarer where Josh works....it was beautiful! Dinner was amazing too :)

New Years Day we went to Camp 18 for breakfast

We managed to snag a pic with all the kids and a logger too.

Christmas was great.
I loved spending time with family and not worrying about getting back to work.

2010 Brought many blessings to us:

Hayley turned 1 and is sleeping like a champ, most nights anyway
Skyler got a Graduate Assistantship at WSU
Chelsea quit working!
We moved 400 miles away on Skyler's Birthday to Pullman
We've got one semester of graduate school done.

So long 2010, it was a great year!

Pre-Christmas catch-up

As December came upon us, I felt pretty behind in getting pictures taken and cards sent out. Last year we did the traditional setting at Sears, which was ok, I wasn't totally enthusiastic about the results but cards were sent and Hayley's first Christmas was documented.

This year I met a fantastic lady, one I now consider a close friend. Who happens to take AMAZING pictures. So with one week to go until Holiday break, she kindly agreed to come out into the freezing weather, to take our non-Christmas-y/yearly family photo.

I was instantly in love with the results, (which brought tears to my eyes)that she could capture the smiles, and many faces of our family.

Even capturing one with a fruit snack bribe involved!

A huge thanks to Laurel for sharing her talents with us!