What are you feeding that baby?

You'd think we were trying to feed her liver or TOMATOES! But nope! Just plain old stage one applesauce...she HATES it and would much rather her simple rice cereal. Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come!

P.S- I'm packing....I PROMISE!

I should be packing...

Crazy how time flies. It's already time for our annual "Big Dirty" camping reunion with Chris' mom's side of the family. We leave tomorrow evening after Elodie's dance class, and while I should be packing right now, I'm not. Packing to go camping is a little overwhelming for me. Food, blankets, "Big Dirty" clothes, sunscreen, clorox wipes, toilet paper, and the list goes on and on. Packing the food alone is overwhelming for me! So, I find myself blogging instead of packing. I'm sure I'll pay for this later!

It will be fun once we get out there. I'm excited for Elodie to play in the dirt with her cousins, the awesome weather and cold nights sitting by a camp fire! No tv, or cell phone service. Just family, junk food, and a whole lotta card games!!

Apparently, I wasn't on the ball last year because I didn't post last years Big Dirty pictures! So here are just a few. In case your wondering why it's called the Big Dirty!


Hope everyone has a great long Labor Day weekend!


This is Elodie and her cousin Brenner- they are about 5 weeks apart, Elodie being the older of the 2.

Elodie and her cousins Brenner and Bridger. (Their brothers, in case you couldn't tell)

Elodie and her daddy roasting marshmellows...

All the Yarn cousins, minus Jacee who was just a little 2 month old baby then.

My tradition- a picture of Papa and Grama and all the grandkids Sunday morning at Testimony meetting.

Our sweet little Elodie taking advantage of the camping world...

Elodie and her cousin Bridger were born a day and 2 years apart. Bridger is September 2nd and Elodie is September 3rd. We always celebrate their birthdays while we are at the Big Dirty. Another fun tradition!


I never got a family picture of us last year and was bummed about that. This year I vow to get more pictures of the adults and not just the kids!

She's at it again!

Remember this post? Nothings changed!

Somebody dropped the ball!

So, I promise that Addysen is still around and growing like a weed, and Christopher is alive and well. All my post seem to be about Elodie lately!

I signed Elodie up for a ballet/jazz/cheer class for this fall. It started today. She spent the entire summer last year in a dance class and absolutely loved it! I wanted to get her in the same dance class this summer but was sad to find out that the studio had cancelled that particular class because of lack of participation! Apparently we were the only ones to sign up. BUMMER! Thankfully, we found another great little dance class for the fall. Elodie was so excited to find out that today would be the day that she FINALLY got to wear her leotard and tutu somewhere other than around the house! She was even totally fine with me pulling her hair back in a bun.


Ever since she developed an opnion about her hair, she wants it half up and half down. I usually don't put up a fight as long as she still lets me put a bow in her hair. And if I want her to wear her hair in pigtails, I have to warn her days in advance...for the 4th of July, you are going to wear the blue dress, with your hair in pigtails, and 2 red bows!! It works for now and as long as I let her have her hair how she wants most of the time, she doesn't throw too much of a fit! Apparently, my mom had to warn me days in advance when it was time to wash my hair so I guess what goes around comes around right? (Which is a post all it's own)
What can I say? I had 3 older brothers!


Back to dance class. We loaded up this afternoon and headed over to the dance studio for her class. We got there about 10 minutes early mostly because I didn't know exactly where I was headed. We found the class just fine and waited...and waited....and waited some more. From what I saw online, the class had 10 little girls in it and at 5 past 4pm (the class was set to start at 4:10pm) no one was there! I walked up to the receptionist to make sure we were in the right spot, she looked at some papers and said "Um, that class was cancelled for today. Everyone should have gotten a phone call!" Um, apparently not, since I'm standing her, lugging a carseat and have my almost 4 year old in head to toe dancewear! Sadly, we didn't get the phone call! Apprently the teacher was sick, yadda, yadda, yadda and we left with a broken hearted Elodie that she had to wait one more week for dance class to start! When we were walking out to the car Elodie said, "Mom, that is such a bummer!" She cheered up when I told we would stop at the store for a treat.

Even still...she is SUCH a cute little dancer!!




Don't you think the crocs complete the look!?! My mom sent Elodie and Addysen new crocks for the summer..Elodie loves her's, especially when she found out her MawMaw had a matching pair!

And thanks to Grama Yarn for the dance outfit. She got Elodie the leotard and tutu for Christmas last year (along with a pair of tap shoes!!) and they just now fit her perfectly and what perfect timing!

So, Elodie is head to toe love from Grama and MawMaw!

First day of Preschool Part 2

So, today was Elodie's first real day of Preschool! She must have said a million times between last night and today "Next time I go to Preschool, you're just going to drop me off. You are not coming with me and neither is Addysen!"

She's always been a very independent child. Always wanting to do things on her own, her own way, and it never has phased her to be left at someones house. She just walks right in like she owns the place and we usually end up yelling good bye to her. So, today was no different. There was a twinge of sadness on my part knowing that there's no turning back. Preschool turns into Kindergarten, which turns into 1st grade and so on. But to keep from being sad about my first baby growing up, it's very exciting to think of all the fun things she is going to learn and the fun friends she will gain along the way. I also can't help but love the idea of 3 glorious hours of a quiet house! Elodie's preschool schedule works out perfectly with Addysen's morning naptime! If I can't find happiness in that then something is definitely wrong with me!

So, I dropped Elodie off this morning and in the mist of talking with her teacher she slipped passed me and was gone! No hug, no kiss, she was already busy with her new found friends. I thought maybe I could catch her eye to wave when I was pulling out but she didn't even see me leave. I guess that will be the story of my life.

I plan to take Elodie to lunch (her choice) to celebrate her first day of preschool and hopefully she'll have loads to tell me. I won't be surprised if she doesn't have anything to say about preschool...during Sunday lunch, if you ask her what she learned in Primary she just shrugs her shoulders and sais "We sang songs!" Sometimes she will surprise us and actually tell us about her lesson but for the most part, it's all about the singing!

And since we are on Elodie (which seems to be the subject of most of my blogging lately) she said 2 more funny things this week...

-Yesterday she was listening to her primary music while Addysen was sleeping and I was mopping the kitchen floor. SHe ran into the kitchen and said "Mom, wouldn't it be cool if Jesus was our Home Teacher?!?"

-During lunch on Sunday Elodie said something about Hannah Montana. Now, I don't know where she picked it up. I do know that she has 2 older girl cousins that like Hannah Montana and she has mentioned Aubrey's name (one of her cousins) when we ask her how she knows about Hannah Montana. She definitely doesn't watch it at our house! Anyway, at lunch Christopher asked Elodie if she knew who Hannah Montana was and Elodie sais "Yeah dad, she's a star!" Crazy how young it starts!!

And since today is officially Elodie's first real day of preschool...some more pictures! Plus she looks so dang cute in her new school clothes and since I'm the mom I wanted more pictures. During the picture taking she kept saying "MOM! This isn't fun for me!!!" We compromised when she insisted on leaving her backpack on!





I told Elodie to strike a pose and this is what she came up with....

Elodie's first day of Preschool!

Elodie started her first day of preschool today! Really, she doesn't officially start until tomorrow. Today was more of an open house, sit down with the teacher, get to know the kids in her class day. It really didn't matter to Elodie though! She was THRILLED and wanted to know if she was going to bring home some homework! Her teacher, Mrs. Cranney, sent us home with a few papers to work on and that made Elodie happy!

There are 6 kids total in Elodie's class and the funny thing is they are ALL GIRLS! From what I was told, the teacher tries hard to have a little of both in the class but it didn't work out that way for the morning class. Apparently, last year she had all boys! Funny how that works. It's no matter to us, Elodie is one of only 2 girls in her primary class, and gets outnumbered most times at playdates so she gets the best of both worlds! The other funny thing is 5 of the 6 kids in the class come from a family of all girls! Funny huh? It should make for a fun, dramatic school year!

I know she will have a great time in preschool. This morning, around 3am after I was finished feeding Addysen, I came back to bed to find Elodie in our bed. When I picked her up to bring her back to her own bed she said all sleepy "I can't wait till my bath so I can go to preschool!" Then this morning, she was up at her usual time of 10 to 6am and she ran into our bedroom and said "I'm ready for my bath now!" If it were up to her and I was on her schedule, she would have been at school at 7am this morning!



Elodie's little backpack was a gift from Grama Yarn last year for her birthday. It will work espcially well for preschool, since she won't have much to bring home! She loves it and had it jammed pack with 4 My little ponys before we left home. Sadly, I was the party pooper and made her take them out.




She was starting to get that glazed over look so I knew our little photo shoot was over...it's my favorite though!

Dear Grama,

Thank you so much for the fun paperdoll book you got for me while you and papa were down this weekend. I love it so much and it keeps me occupied for hours! I especially enjoy tearing out all of the pieces and stringing them all over the house! Mom wants me to tell you that it was so nice of you to want to buy me something as fun as a paperdoll book! I can tell she loves finding all the pieces I hide around the house. So far, she has found paperdoll pieces in her bathroom, Addysen's bumbo, and Ginger's dog food bowl! Not to mention under the couch, all in my room and bed, and down the hallway!

So, thanks again Grama! I love you and enjoy all the fun time we get to spend together when you come to the valley! I can't wait to see you again this weekend when Papa and my dad go to the Dave Matthews concert. We will have to do something extra special! Mom hopes it doesn't have anything to do with paperdolls!

Love always,
Elodie

The answer is simple really...

We need new sheets. Every night when I crawl into bed, I sigh. Let's just say that when it comes to Elder Ballard's counsel to use it up, wear it out, make it work, or do without, our sheets have check marks next to each one. With the exception of the do without part, ew!

So, we need new sheets but I don't want to get new sheets until I get a new comforter set. I don't want a new comforter set until we get a new mattress. The mattress falls into place along side the sheets. They've developed character would be a nice way of putting it! I don't want a new mattress until I get a new bedroom set. AND, I don't want a new bedroom set until we buy our own house.

So the answer is simple really...We need to buy a new house in order to get new sheets! Chris, get on that!

Elodie Funnies....

2 things Elodie has said this week that I wanted to remember...

While watching the olympics:
And as a side note, the girl loves to do front rolls. She talks about the tumbling/dance class she is getting ready to start next week ALL THE TIME! Basically, it was a no brainer that she would love watching women's gymnastics and would be dancing along to the tv the whole time!

So while watching..

Elodie- "I can do that" (talking about the 3 fancy back flips the girl on the tv had just done) She immediately starts doing her front rolls across the floor. When she stands up she sais "Now you can put me in gymnastics and watch me on tv. And you'll call me and ask "How's China?" and I'll say "It's good"

Yesterday. I asked Elodie to go get me a diaper for Addysen. To which she responds "Okay girlfriend!"

Practice makes perfect Part 2

Lots of new things going on in our house. And with new things comes lots of practice! We started rice cereal with Addysen on Friday. Today was her 3rd day eating rice cereal twice a day. She doesn't hate it....she doesn't love it but after 3 days she is getting good at eating from a spoon! As of today she has started opening her mouth when the spoon gets close...super cute! Of course with cereal comes lots of messes. In between bites she waste no time shoving her fist into her mouth!

It's exciting to start her on new things and watch her coordination develop. It's also crazy to think that she has been in our family for 5 months now! Even crazier to think that she is getting old enough to eat from a spoon! It won't be long and she'll be after people food!!

Practice makes perfect!

In the passed few months Elodie has shown a strong interest in writing her letters. Slowly but surely she is getting better and better at each letter! Lately she has been able to write her letters but has no concept of putting them on a line or writing her letters in a line. My OCD comes out when I ask her to write her name and she puts an E in one corner, a HUGE L in another corner, a small O right in the middle of the page..you get the idea!

On this day, Elodie and I were coloring and I had put my name (Mommy) on the top of the page I was coloring. Elodie saw me do this and asked if I would write her name on her page. I told her I would say each letter in her name and she could write it herself. Surprisingly she put every letter right next to each other! Very exciting accomplishment for her! Other than a little more work on her D's, she is doing fabulous! Look out preschool, here she comes!!

My own little slice of heaven...

Elodie at a friends house, Addysen asleep, and a coke in the fridge...how did I get such a lucky day!?! What to do with my time?? I'll probably end up cleaning the kitchen and vacuuming but the quiet house is heavenly!

Shealynn's Baptism

I caught these pictures of Shealynn just before we left for her baptism. Such a cute girl. I wish I could have gotten some of her on the church grounds in the grass but there just wasn't time. Happy we could be apart of her special day!





P.S- This is my 500th post! Craziness!

DONE!

I finshed Breaking Dawn tonight..I know what your thinking...well, atleast what Chris said out loud...all that hoop lah and just a mere 24 hours later your DONE!!
I just couldn't put it down!!!

If you haven't finished the book, or even started the book, in no way is this post a spoiler..you just may or may not want to here my own thoughts! Just a warning!!

I loved it, I hated it, I was annoyed at parts and sad in others. I hated Bella,loved Bella, was annoyed by Jacob, loved Jacob, and loved Edward from page 1 to 754! I was excited, happy, angry, couldn't put it down, had to walk away from it for a few minutes, confused, anxious, and my stomach was in knots!!

Overall, I guess that's the make of a great book when you can feel all those emotions in one story!!

AHHH! Now I'm off to read it again!

Breaking Dawn- AHHHHHH!!!

It's finally here!!! I am SO EXCITED!! We had our girls night out tonight. Those of us who could, all met up at AppleBee's for dessert and then headed STRAIGHT to Wal-Mart to buy our books! You should have seen the 5 of us!! We were all so excited we were practically running to grab our copy!! Well, I'll speak for myself...I WAS running!!

Our girls night didn't last long..we were all anxious to get home and start reading!!! And would you know that the minute I got home, into my pajamas, and ready to start reading....Addysen woke up to be fed!! Little stinker!!

I loved our girls night! I have a great set of friends!

Sarah, Katie, Jen, Melissa, and Me at AppleBee's...

The best sight in the whole world...

I love this picture!! It's my favorite from the whole night because it caught just how EXCITED we were to get this book in our hands! No posing just the hugest, cheesiest grins ever!!

Melissa, Me, and Jen..love you girls!

Jen, this picture cracks me up!! Your suppose to "Bite Me", not the book!!

Sarah and Katie....Katie you have to start coming to our book club!

Last days of summer

Here in Arizona I certainly wouldn't call the last of July/first of August the last days of summer. But since school is in session for some and starts next week for the rest what else is there to say. And with school starting I guess "they" figure it's the best time to close the pools too!

We've spent 2 days a week (if not more) at the pool this summer. It's been so fun getting together with friends and hanging out in the sun. We all ended up with fabulous little tan lines! There is certainly no better way to beat the heat and as a bonus, Elodie is always in bed at 6:30pm on days we swim!!

So, farewell our sweet friend the pool! You've done your job in keeping us cool, our kids occupied and tired out, and your a great place for all us mommies to sit around and chat!! Until next year!!