what we've been up to

it's been pretty chill around here with limited internet time.
definitely good for my spirit to take a time out.



livy has been trying to potty train.
we're not pushing it that hard,
because the concept still isn't totally clicking.
when i'm not asking her "is it time to go on the elmo potty?"
she's asking me for a carrot...
and adorably exclaiming "i'm a baby bunny!"
{her new obsession.}



she got some cute new "sparkle sandles" for her birthday.
after much deliberation at target,
i chose to gift her the more impractical/buckled/blingy option
{as opposed to the slip-on, flip-flop, plastic option}
and i don't regret my choice one bit.
wish they came in my size. :)



my little sis holly invited chloe
on a special aunt-niece date
to the easter pageant
@ the mesa, az temple!
if you haven't seen it, you should.
it's wonderful.



part of my week was spent organizing my craft room &
purging all kinds of things to participate in the ETC yard sale!
[going on today!] *all things go 50% on monday!



-believe it or not-
i made a real, legit dinner {almost} every night,
[which is highly unusual!]
and my laundry is even caught up!
*clue as to why i needed a facebook timeout*

lots of other mini, happy things happened this week,
including time spent with granny,
date night with myron,
sacred haircut & color day,
and a fun brunch with girlfriends.

mix work,
dance festival practice,
wedding invitation making,
doctor check ups,
& sleep into the mix & you are all caught up on the past 7 days!



this weekend will be spent in my jammies, on my comfy couch,
being spiritually edified by the general authorities of my church.
best weekend of the year. [click here to join me!]
♥

she needs wide open spaces

amazing artwork via melodyross.com

taking a break from the internets for a while.
feelin' the need to recharge my batteries,
as i often do.

what i truly need want is a vacation,
but i'll settle for unplugging.

i won't be long; see you soon.
♥

all i really need

i remember as a kid,
we had a tape my mom would play in the car.

raffi....if you don't know raffi
& the joys of "baby beluga" i'm sorry for you.

one song sings,
"all i really need is a song in my heart, food in my belly, and love in my family"...
all my siblings know it, and we could all belt it [in unison!] if we were together.

call me cheesy, {i know i am....}
but seriously, aren't those words so true?

lots of days i spend wishing i were fancier, more put together.
i worry about my house being messy & our lack of a 10 year plan.
i forget that i don't need to be doing what everyone else is doing.

tonight,
around the dinner table,
as i listened to olivia's long, sweet, hilarious prayer
about heavenly father helping "no ants bite livy",
eating myron's signature spaghetti,
laughing at chloe's jokes,
& just being together for our
one special night/week that we get...
i'm reminded.

all i really need,
is a song in my heart,
food in my belly,
and love in my family.

and as it turns out,
i have all three. ♥

happy

01. rain, hail & snow in arizona!
02. celebrating st. paddy's with a hilarious, ginger husband
03. passion pit, live to tell the tale
04. weekend benson trips
05. tender love notes from chloe mae
06. liv singing "the wipers on the bus go saswish, saswish, saswish"
07. the movie [return to me]
08. dora panties on toddlers
09. awesome ward, awesome young women, awesome gospel
10. routines & early bedtimes start again tomorrow. ♥

sissy

it's been a while since i've posted about the kiddos...
and since yesterday was all about sweetie olivia,
today's spotlight will be miss chloe.

chloe is just her usual energetic, creative & charming self.

she's loving school and reading and learning.
she says her favorite school subject is "watching movies." :)
she recently passed her 25,000-word-milestone in her accelerated reading group,
and surprised us by winning first place in the district poetry contest!
[i'll blog more about that later!]

i'm super proud of her achievements at school,
but i'm even more proud of her ability
to make friends wherever she goes
& her sensitivity & kindness towards others.

she makes everything more fun
& lights up a room with her witty randomness.

i feel like i'm bragging. {maybe i am...}
but i know i have little to do with her amazing-ness.
her special spirit came straight from god
& i'm just lucky enough to be able to nurture it & watch it grow.

♥ her.

birthday girlfriend

this special little girl turned THREE today! ♥






there has been lots of celebrating this week,
and thanks to both of our families,
she was spoiled beyond measure.

this afternoon, we had a special family "linner" in her honor
& now, her & sister-chloe are happily jumping
with a pile of balloons on the trampoline.



can't really put into words what this
blonde firecracker means to me.

it is my blessing and my gift to be her mama
& i love her with the deepest part of my heart.

like i always say, she is love.

happy birthday, dear olivia!

home is where the art is

-my dishes aren't always loaded in the dishwasher before i go to bed.
-my bed is rarely made.
-you can count on there being hot-green,
watermelon flavored toothpaste crusted on the bathroom counter at. all. times.
-i'm never, [i repeat] never, caught up on laundry.
-my dog is forever needing a bath
-& the lawn is typically two weeks past-due of a mow.

but, rest assured,
you can always, always...find something to color, draw, write, or create with.

that's just how we roll. ♥

fresh

i've been trying my hand @ juicing the past week or so.
it's so much fun & tastes yummy too!

today's concoction = cantaloupe, grapefruit, carrots, apples, celery & grapes.

random, yet surprisingly, very refreshing.
+ totally curbs my sugar cravings.

i do green veggie ones too.....and they rock!
*and by rock, i mean, tastes horrendous, but make me feel super healthy! :)

just need to trick my kids into drinking it...
haha................................yeah, right. ♥

i know, i know

i post way too much about the weather + dirt + greenery,
but such things make me muy, muy happy, so whatevs.

today i spied with my little eye, some peas germinating!
[can you spot the tiny green spec in the middle of the second photo?]

our lettuce is popping up everywhere, too.

livy keeps [over]watering the sunflowers,
so we {hope} those will sprout via her faith alone. :)

we've been enjoying most of our spare time in the backyard....
still have [a lot] to work on.

big dreams, so little time.

bebe liv

is this blue-eyed blondie really about to turn 3?
could it {really} be?

so hard for me to believe it's been 2 years
since her 1st b-day bash.

*and here we are, past-due time for potty training & i'm in denial.

i love my baby too much to let her grow up.
♥

focus

via

i heart venn diagrams.
*especially ones that are about my {one little word} for 2012.

i will learn to focus.
*but it might take the whole year.

just sayin'.