Sydnie Turns Two!!!

Sydnie turned two yesterday, we had a fun little party for her. We invited a couple of our neighbors over for root beer floats and cake. Sydnie had a great time being the center of attention. And playing with all the kids.

I thought I would highlight a few of Sydnie's accomplishments by the age of two. Sydnie is turning into a great talker, I was a little worried about her at the age of one because she really wasn't saying much. But now she has a big list of words and phrases that she used regularly. Here are her favorites:

Don't touch it

oh! there's daddy, or its my daddy

Micheal, or Oh! there is my Micheal.(a little almost two year old little boy across the street.)

Here kitty kitty kitty(Meow)

Oh! there is the doggy(Woof, woof)

Where is my blankie,(then when we find it) oh there it is( with a huge sigh of relief and a big grin)

No! not night night.

Backback, & Dora (both interchangeable for the same show)

Sydnie is a animal lover, she can't get enough of cats and especially dogs. Every time she sees one she just can't let them alone. We were at a soccer game the other day and there was a dog she kept trying to pet, it would get excited and jump up on her, she would start crying and run to me only to want down 2 seconds later and go right back to the dog. She did this about ten times until both me and the girl who owned the dog got tired of it and started avoiding each other.

Sydnie loves her older sisters and loves to play with them, she loves it when they read her books and take her on walks in the stroller. Sydnie loves to go outside and recently has taken to escaping out our front door that never shuts tight(I finally started dead bolting it). I found her three different times, once down the street playing with the neighbors dog, another time across the street jumping on the neighbors dug in trampoline, and once was brought in crying by the neighbor because she wanted to play in the middle of the street. Boy do I feel like a bad mother.

We love our sweet Sydnie, even when she throws her tantrums and poops in the tub. She is such and affectionate little girl and is free with her hugs and kisses. She is also a friendly little girl, she loves to talk even when she doesn't have a clue what she is saying and always makes sure to wave hi to all the Walmart door greeters.

I made a cake for Sydnie shaped like a dog, her favorite animal.

Sydnie had fun opening her presents

But not so much fun blowing out her candles.

Sydnie and the neighborhood kids having fun with punch balloons.

Three Polka Dot Dresses and a Purple Jumper

I recently took pictures of my three girls. I had an idea of what I wanted to do. I wanted black and white polka dot dresses in a wheat field. Well, I couldn't find any dresses at the store, so I ended up making them. By the time I got them all made, all the wheat fields had been harvested. Who knew they harvested in mid August? I thought I had till September for sure. Anyway, no wheat fields, but the pictures turned out cute anyway.

Kaylee and Sydnie I love the view of their bows from the back

All Three of the girls. This is the ONLY one that turned out that day of all three of them Sydnie was NOT cooperating

Slide show of Sydnie age 2

Slide show of Brianne age 5

Slide show of Kaylee age 8

And a Purple Jumper.....

As I was sewing the three polka dot dresses I was thinking an assortment of thoughts from "I HATE zippers" to "I wonder if my mom made most of our clothes?" Then I thought of a story my mom told me recently about myself. I have been meaning to write down somewhere before I forget it again. Evidently it was such a traumatic experience, that I completely wiped it from my memory the first time. In kindergarten I had a favorite jumper. I think it was a hand me down and I probably liked it because it was comfortable, I was big into comfort in those days. I must have worn it a lot, because one day my mom got a call from my kindergarten teacher. My beloved jumper had practically disintegrated, and was barely hanging on me. I was in tears, and my mom needed to bring a change of clothes. I think the jumper was so old, and had been worn so much, that the seams and cloth just couldn't hold together anymore. But instead of just one seem ripping, the whole thing decided to come apart at once.This is a picture of me in a purple jumper. I don't know if this is the one that disintegrated but it does seem like around the right age.

I am pictured next to my sister Nancy. In the far back is my Mom and Dad off to the right side is our good friends the Dinsdales. I think there are some of their kids mixed in there but I only recognize the one directly behind Nancy, Lisa.

Fall Craft Show 2oo9

I'm finally getting around to posting my new craft items. Even though my show has already been going for a week now. Fortunately it lasts for five more weeks so if you are in the Idaho Falls go to the Mini Bazaar and check out all of the new fall stuff.



I love my harvest cubes but I have such problems with them sticking together, that this may be the last of them.



This one is similar to ones I've done in the past. But I just love my square pumpkins.



Here is a new one that I am excited about. I also am offering just the vinyl personalize with Initials and names to put directly on your wall. I plan on doing one for each of my girls to stick on the wall above their beds, when they get in their new room.



Here is is again just in different color combo. I also did ones that say welcome and Home. Little girl ones that say Sisters and Princess, and boy ones that say Brothers and Remember who you are.

A long post with no pictures, but this is what has been happening, and been on my mind lately:

You might be a redneck if:

After this weekend this joke may apply to my family. No we don't have anyone in our family named Cleatis or Leroy, we don't have a old couch and a broken down washer sitting on our front lawn, and we don't park any broken down vehicles in our driveway (although Shaun's truck is well on its way to qualifying for that one), but we sure did participate in some redneck activities over labor day weekend. On Saturday I went to my first truck and tractor pull ever. I was not excited to go, but it turned out to be better than I thought and I found myself standing up and cheering along with "Jim Bob", (who was wearing his sleeveless t-shirt and holding his autographed poster), whenever the trucks pulled that trailer the whole length of the track. On Monday we went to the state fair. I must be a redneck because I really do love the fair. I like the fair food and the art exhibits and my kids love the animals and the rides. Sydnie couldn't get enough of the petting zoo, she ran around giving hugs to all the goats and even an emu. So if you attend a truck and tractor pull and the state fair in the same weekend.... you might be a redneck.

How to have the worst day ever...

Well, Friday was a pretty bad day for me. Maybe not the worst day I have ever had in my life but pretty close. So if you would like to have a day as bad as mine was on Friday here are the things you need to do:

1. While packing up to go out of town discover your 2 year old has gotten into the toilet (that still has pee in it thanks to her older sister) and splashed the contents along with a roll of toilet paper all over the bathroom and herself. CHECK

2. Sigh relief when you get everything cleaned up, and the car packed and are only a few minutes late. CHECK

3. Spend an hour looking for your keys because you only have one set. CHECK

4. Finally find your keys at the bottom of the garbage can covered in apple sauce (thanks again Sydnie)CHECK

4. On your way to check your older girls from school have your trunk fly open and loose half the contents on the road. CHECK

5. Get stuck in two hours of labor day weekend traffic. CHECK

6. Run your battery out while getting some dinner at Artic Circle and have to ask someone to jump your car. CHECK

7. Almost get run off the road by a semi when you pull over to shut a door that one of your girls did not shut tight enough at the restaurant (we don't want to have a repeat of step number 4). CHECK

8. By some miracle arrive at your destination safe and sound who cares if we got there about three hours later than we planned. CHECK

Time to get Political

Okay, so I have to do something that I was taught never to do as a hairdresser, that is never talk to your patrons about two things: religion and politics. But since most of you are not my patrons I thought I could get away with it here. I have been thinking quite a bit about things that are happening in our nation lately, and thinking about what I could do to make my voice heard. I think that some of us regular people, no matter what side of the political ticket you find yourself on, have been made to feel somewhat ashamed. Ashamed that we don't believe in the same things the movie stars and the people on t.v. believe in. We don't talk about things because we don't want others to think we are weird or some kind of fanatical freak. Well call me a freak but this is what I believe:

The current debate over the national health care system has me worried. I don't like the idea of the government having so much control over my life and decisions. Isn't that what the forefathers fought to free themselves from? Not that I think that the health care system doesn't need fixing. I just think we are going at it the wrong way. We are a nation of smart people, you would think we could come up with a better way to fix things than letting the government take over health care.

My generation needs to wake up, and start to let those in charge of changing our laws and constitution know what we really think. Even if you live in a state who has representation similar to what you believe, I think it is a good reminder for them to remember why we put them in office. I'm afraid if we don't become more active in what we believe, we may wake up a few years down the road and realize the things you believe and cherish most have been taken away from you. So, write your congressmen or representatives, its easy, most of them have websites with e-mail addresses. Just a quick note to remind them why they are in office. I plan to, and I hope you will join me.

School's in Again!!!

So, I'm not and never will be one of those moms who get all choked up thinking about their kid's first day of school. Kaylee started third grade last week, and Brianne went to her first day of kindergarten today. I wasn't sad about Kaylee starting kindergarten and I wasn't sad today when Brianne put on her huge backpack and headed off to kindergarten. What I get is excited. I know you are all thinking I mean I'm excited because they are gone and I get a quiet house. No, I mean I get excited for them. Excited for all the fun experiences I know they are going to have, and excited because they are excited. When you are a grown up there gets to be less and less things that you get truly excited about. Yes, of course you are excited for your children to be born, and excited to go on vacation, but even that gets less exciting the more trips you take. So it is fun to live a little vicariously through your children and remember how excited you were to start your first day of school.

And boy was Brianne excited! She asked me everyday for a week how many more days till kindergarten, and this morning she kept asking and asking if it was time to leave. Then she insisted on carrying her heavy backpack full of school supplies all the way to her school. I have to brag about my Brianne a little. She is such a little smarty pants. Her kindergarten teacher was surprised at how well she did during kindergarten testing last week. And she is such a good little reader it always amazes me how well she does, and how many words she knows when we practice reading every night. I'm sure she will do great in kindergarten!

Brianne next to her huge backback on her first day of kindergarten.

Kaylee on her first day of Third grade.

Provo Half Marathon

Well I finally did it! I ran in my first official race. I signed up for the half marathon last year, but I couldn't run in the official race because of a health concern. I ended up running it later that year, but somehow it is just not the same when you don't have the number pinned on your chest and the crowds to cheer you on. We had a really great run, the weather was perfect around 75 degrees and my adrenaline was pumping with the excitement of the big crowd. When I got done I called Shaun to tell him I was done, he jokingly asked me if I had won. Of course I didn't even come close to winning, but I felt like a winner! I finished 20 minutes faster than I did last year, and was able to maintain a 10 min mile pace. Slow if you are trying to win, but great for me.

You say, "oh great for her, but I could never run a half marathon." I bet you could! I love to run, but I haven't always been able to say that. Running to me used to be so boring and hard, but I started running with a couple of friends, and I found that running at a pace that you can still carry on a conversation was perfect for me. We started out slow at about 11 or 12 min miles and have worked up to 9 1/2 -10 min miles. I could run faster if I didn't talk while I was running, but what is the fun in that? Besides the runners high is no myth. There is nothing like the feeling you get after a long run.

Thanks to Nicole to being so faithful with running with me in the morning. I've never had a running partner who you can count on being there at 6:30 in the morning every time. And thanks to Audrey. We are a great pair for pushing each other to go a little faster. We are both competitive enough that if one is running a little faster, the other one always tries to keep up no matter how much we are hurting.

My running partners, Me on the left, Audrey, and Nicole. Great job girls!

P.S. Audrey, thanks for the ice cream cone, and yes, I did get sore!!!

Tips to convert yourself into a runner

I used to hate running I thought people who ran marathons and half marathons were crazy. I would occasionally get out and run a couple miles just for a change in my exercising routine but I never really enjoyed it. Now I can say I really love running and I even look forward to some of our longer runs. So what has made the difference?

1. Have a goal. Just running to be running seems pointless when you are tired or sore. But if you sign yourself up for a race you have more motivation to get out there and get it done. The best way to find out about races is to ask your running friends. Not into long races? Then sign up for a 10k or a 5k.

2. Have a running partner or two or three. The more the better then if one can't go with you, hopefully the other one can. Sign up for the same race, then you can be working towards the same goal.

3. Start slow. I love to be able to talk with my friends when I am running. If I run to fast I can't and then I hate it. Here is a good website for easy schedules for preparing for races, its a great site for beginners.www.jeffgalloway.com/training/half_marathon.html This is for half marathon but I think he has schedules for other races as well.

Neighborhood Fun

Some people in our neighborhood started a fun tradition last year and it was so fun that we decided to do it again this year. Classic Skating in Sandy offers a $10 season pass, then after that you just pay 1 dollar for each activity you decide to do. They have lots of fun things to choose from such as bounce houses, a jungle area, laser tag, skating and our favorite swimming and water slides! Most of the time we just come to swim and I feel so great knowing I only had to pay $4 dollars for my whole family to swim for the entire day! Almost every Tuesday this summer we would meet up with several of the neighbors and go swimming the kids had a blast and so did the moms.

Kaylee going down one of the four slides.

Brianne finally dared to go by herself down the slides the last two times we went. Once she dared to go by herself I didn't see her much for the rest of the time.

All my girls, getting a snack between sliding. Even Sydnie loved going down the water slides with me.

Kaylee and Brianne having lots of fun in the Jungle house.

More Neighborhood fun!

I don't do hair allot anymore. I stay too busy with my craft shows and dance. But every once and awhile I will have a neighborhood haircutting day. When all the neighborhood kids can come and get haircuts. My girls needed back to school haircuts so I decided to block out a morning and invite the girls in the neighborhood to come too.

I should have taken pictures of the cute girls in my neighborhood getting their haircut but I forgot. So here is a picture of the hair I cut off. I ended up cutting off some serious hair. Three girls including one of my own cut their hair from mid back to all the way above their shoulders. I hope I don't have some mad dads when they get home from work tonight.

ta da! Brianne finally decided to cut her hair off without any bribing. I think it turned out really cute, but I am going to have some serious hair to blow dry when I wash it. Her hair is about 4 times as thick as most of the girls in our neighborhood.

A view from the back.