birthday flowers

Shane surprised Ellie with flowers for her birthday.

She was beaming from ear to ear.

Completely in heaven.

Just when she thought it couldn't get better

He made her a birthday card.

With her standing in her flowers.

She stares at it with a big smile on her face.

all.the.time.

I think he will have to buy her flowers every year

from here on out.

A new tradition.

She always tells me she has a secret.

Then I beg her to tell me what it is.

Even though I know what she is going to say.

Then she always whispers "I'm Dad's best girl...he told me so"

Every bit of her believes it.

There is no wonder why.

make a wish

I kissed and tucked in the 6 year old Ellie in bed the other night and told her not to grow. She did not listen to me. She went ahead and woke up a big 7 year old girl. She was filled with excitement down to her bones. She woke up earlier than she did on Christmas morning. 7:48 to be exact. This was the day. The day of her long awaited Baker Birthday Party (she wants to be a baker when she grows up ya know) and her surprise present she requested. I asked her what she would like for her birthday this year she told me "I want it to be a surprise but...I want it to be very special" Wow, talk about pressure....Geez! Thank goodness she was not let down. :) She told me it was the "Best Birthday Ever" I'm not quite sure how much weight I put in that phrase anymore. She says it just about every year. In fact she says it a lot about a lot of things. This is the best day ever, these are the prettiest shoes ever or Lucy is the prettiest girl ever. I sure will miss that little 6 year old but I am sure her big 7 year old self will be just as amazing.

Things to love:

She could not be a better big sister..Lucy is the luckiest gal to have her.

The way she notices all the little things in life. The small beautiful details others might overlook. Even if that means she notices and tells me how many days in a row I wear the same pair of earings. She makes up for it when she points out the smallest prettiest flower in the world on a hike that I would have never ever seen.

She gives about 100 compliments a day to others. This is perfect for my self esteem. :)

She gives the best hugs in all the world.

She is always saying the best, funniest things. She would be SO embarrassed if I told them all.

She loves surprises. She could wait a million years for a really good surprise.

She writes at least one really good love letter a day to someone.

She gives a mean massage.

Can be beyond silly.

She loves and lives BIG and it shows everyday.

I am still amazed she is mine. She is already better than I ever will be. I love you Miss Ellie.

moab part two: the delicate arch

The delicate arch

Beautiful but oh.....so windy.
I really thought we might find our selves blown and tossed to the bottom.
I was nervous at the top.
Canyon and the wind were making me nervous.
I saw Canyon sprinting along the edge of the gulley.
Without a care in the world.
With those mean gusty winds in full force.
I pretty sure I sounded like a crazy woman.
Yelling for him to stop.
He thought i was worrying to much.
I'm sure I saved his life.
It was a relief to be at the bottom of the gulley.
But then we had to go back up.
It was still windy and scary.

Our lives were spared
and we were headed back down.
We told Canyon to kiss one of the Cairns marking the trail.
Then he could tell everyone his first kiss was in Moab with Karen.
He wouldn't do it.
"No way" He said.
He settled on a picture with her instead.
I think he will regret it.
It would be a good story.

Ellie thought she was super strong for surviving the wind storm.
I thought she was too.
Lucy slept the whole way back to the car.
But she was awake to see this.
and get her first picture underneath
the grand delicate arch.
even though you can't see her.
She's there in the pack.
experiencing it all.

on the neglect of blinds

My poor blinds have been so neglected. Every time I was ready to do them some how something better came up. So today I grounded myself from doing anything fun until those blinds were dust free. Lucy wanted to help. I'm pretty sure it was just so she could spray the stuff. I was dreaming she would be better at it than she was. More from her....less for me. Nope. She mostly just followed me around nibbling on a cookie and singing me all of Ellie's first grade program songs out of her Crystal light stained lips. Only stopping to concentrate on spraying the dusting potion. The whole time I was grounded I kept thinking that I deserved something for all my hard work. :) And I kept thinking about the barstools I have been wanting FOREVER. They would be the best reward. The "real ones" cost as much as my house. But I found almost exact replicas for a fraction of the price. But they are ALWAYS, ALWAYS out of stock. When I was ungrounded I got on-line just for a peek....and they were in stock! So I pressed send and now I am waiting....happily waiting. Some things are just meant to be.

moab part one

The week before we took to the road was long.

It was hard. Emotionally and physically exhausting.

Just an overall sad week for each of us.

So the open road and days of fresh air to just be together was just what we needed.

If I learned anything from the week before.

It's that life is WAY to short to waste away not enjoying it.

And not just the the great big wonderful things.

But all the little things that are in between those great big wonderful things.

Sometimes those little details are the best of all.

The spice to life.

First adventure.

Family Bike ride.

Exploring Moab's trail system.

lets hit the road

We have been gone road trippin it for a few days.

I checked the weather 3 times a day before we left

trying to decide on our destination.

High on the list determining the location was SUNSHINE.

So it was off to the sunny, sandy desert.

It was beautiful in every way.

Except for the moments that it was windy.

That gusty wind almost blew our little family right off the side of the Delicate Arch.

I don't like wind. Not.at.all.

All the other lovely non-windy moments made up for it.

And now that we have been home for a couple days

and the stinky, sandy laundry that was piled up to my eye balls has somewhat diminished.

I can sit down and look at all our pictures

and soak it all in again.

I love a good road trip.

inside... looking out

Waiting for spring to come back.

wondering when.

hoping it's soon.

During this cold spell I swapped the pavement for the treadmill.

It was not nice very to me.

My tulips are trying hard to make their grand appearance.

I want to see it happen.

We have only got in ONE good spring ski day at the mountain.

That is not enough.

Canyon has to practice soccer outside.

I don't want him to freeze.

I bought big bags of popsicles.

I want to eat them.

And see my sidewalks decorated with chalk.

the list goes on.....and on.

Searching for Easter eggs in winter parkas

is when I say enough is enough.

Come back Spring.

Missing you.

the teenage brain.

Canyon and I were riding up the ski lift a few days back.
On the chair behind us were some teenagers with their shirts off,
singing at the top of their lungs.
I could tell Canyon was a little... or a lot embarrassed for them.
He told me he thought they were crazy weird.
I told him that when you become a teenager you brain goes sort of nuts.
and you end up doing crazy weird things.
He swore it would never happen to him.
And that he would never do such outrageous things with people around watching him.
I told him it seemed impossible now but in time it would probably happen.
He looked kind of scared.
I told him not to worry. For it happens to the best of us.
But....then he smiled his bashful smile and admitted that he might never be full on nuts.
But maybe part nuts...but just a little.
That sounded good to me.
I can handle part nuts... can't I?
For now I'm just grateful his brain is still 9 almost 10
and that he will still ride up the chair lift with me.
L.O.V.E.

Mix Master Lucy

{yay!...for blue skies and sunny afternoons}

Lucy wanted me to help her eat her last morsels of cereal this morning.

Me: You can do it. Your a big girl.

Lucy: I'm big. I get married.

Me: Your not big enough to get married.

Lucy: Yep...I get married.

Me: Who are are you going to marry?

Lucy: Baby Brighton. (her 6 month old cousin)

Then without hesitation she busts out in song.

Lady GaGa, Paparazzi.

Except she replaces the lyrics

Pa Pa.. Pa Paparazzi

with ... Baby... Baby Brighton.

Then she laughs at her self.

And I end up feeding her the last morsels.

She's not even old enough to know what married means.

So I guess she can still be fed.

I have a pretty good idea where she gets these things from.

1. She starts with a capitol E.

2. The radio.

It only took hearing paparazzi once waiting in the airport

to have that melody stuck in her little brain.

We make jokes she is going to be a Top 40 D.J. when she grown up.

Mix Master Lucy.

With her own scratch routines.

kissing the sunshine

I am kissing the sunshine goodnight an hour later these days and
I am not the least bit sad about it.
I may be a little more tired in the mornings but it is well worth it.
Thanks to all this beautiful light
I can already feel a little extra skip in my step.

Try not to be jealous

Of her awesome morning beauty.
She doesn't even have to use hairspray.
or a pic.

sometimes the radness of it all impairs her balance
and good judgment
So she gets a little silly.

She's got it all.
It's basically impossible to be lucky enough to have these attributes naturally.
But is something we can all certainly strive for.

3 little cubbies

I've been meaning to clean out my pantry for sometime now.
Long enough that looking at it in this shiny sparkly state is nothing short of a miracle.
It's just one of those things that you just never quite have time for.
Who has time for hours of torture?
Well it turns out it was fun for at least 3 people.
I wasn't one of them.
They called these cubbies their new bedrooms.
Then they begged me to sleep in them.
I wouldn't let them.
Heaven knows I don't need a million dollar Chiropractic bill.
Lucy got mad when she woke up the next morning.
Her cubby "bedroom" was filled with canned goods.
And I was done and if felt good. Still does.
The mr. even painted it two tones for me.
What a man.
Wow...Is this what my life has come to....blogging about pantry cleaning?
perfect.

I jinxed Spring

I think I jinxed spring when I said it was right around the corner. Because It may have been the next morning that I woke up and dragged the snow blower out of the garage to clean up 8 inches of snow that had fallen the night before. So while we weren't wearing flops this weekend we did head up to the mountain and it was a beautiful day! It's what keeps me happy and sane toward the end of a winter when I think it's almost spring and really it's not.


My little Lucy did her first runs this year riding up the chair lift. She wasn't content staying at the bottom while Canyon and Ellie went up..up..up. So we gave in to our "boss" and let her go up one day. It's pretty effortless for her really with someone controlling her speed with a harness while she waves hi to everyone she passes. She also gets to lay limp like a rag doll and eat snowballs after she falls while someone picks her up and sets her in the direction she needs to go. No wonder she gets excited to go. What's not to love? She does know how to stop on her own. It was a proud moment for both of us. Ellie has taking a liking to the "ski fast pose". The one when your knees are bent and your pulls are tucked under. I think she got that from all of our Olympic watching. She is learning to snowboard this year and is doing SO good! Sometimes she has a hard time deciding if she should be a skier or snowboarder for the day. She looks pretty cute riding down on that little pink snowboard of hers...but she is still faster on skis. Canyon is SO much fun to ride with this year. No holding back he can do the whole mountain. He has been trying a few new tricks in the park and his backside board slides on the rails are looking pretty good. Way to go Canyon! I am looking forward to some sunny spring riding days where the snow is practically like riding in mashed potatoes. I love those days... don't know why..I just do.

snow castles

Ta da!
When you can't quite make it to the beach.
You improvise.
It seems I am always ready for the next season.
It was warm enough to run outside today.....It felt good and springy ahhhhhh.
I have a feeling it's right around the corner.
Then we can use sand instead of snow.
And ride our bikes until 10:00 at night.
That's the best.

You can't touch this

"The hottest new trend for Spring"

At least that is what the TV told me the other day.

Why...oh why?

I couldn't help but be afraid. I was very afraid.

Has society not learned it's lessons from fashion disasters of the past?

But really, can they be flattering on even the hottest of women?

I saw Rihanna wearing them. It still didn't do it for me.

Putting all my prejudices aside

there are some big time benefits we should all consider.

I guess if you ever need to wear a diaper you'll still be lookin golden.

And who doesn't? I've almost peed my pants plenty of times.

I have funny friends and family.

Sliding into your "skinny pants" after pregnancy....piece of cake.

Carmel Christmas Cakes and French Fries. Bring. It. On.

And seriously can you imagine all the stuff you could store in those britches.

That's why all the pretty ladies in the picture only need clutches.

Maybe I am just old.

An old lady.

But I just don't think I can ever do down this road.

I will be the old unstylish lady.

Over time I have learned NEVER...SAY NEVER.

But hopefully

It's never Hammer time.

for me.

P.S. If anyone I know has some of these in their closet anxiously awaiting spring. I'm sorry . I love you. I hope they are like the one's in the last picture though. They are way better than the other two. Just sayin.

love day frozen style

Valentine's day {2010}

Heart shaped pancakes for breakfast.

a little relaxation

a lot of Olympics

Paper airplanes

Valentine watercolor paintings

And then out for some fresh air and blue skies.

An adventure on ice.

Exploring out on a frozen lake...again.

It's not the first time.

But it's been a while.

This time it was missing all the ice fisherman.

My guess is that their wives don't like them to ice fish on Valentines.

We got to look down those dark ice fish holes.

The kids thought there would be something amazing down there.

There was nothing.

Canyon stepped through the ice in the first 10 minutes.

perfect.

He still wanted to stay.

Thankfully.

Lucy just wanted to go faster....always faster.

Then we discovered this.

Way better than an ice fish hole!

Everyone wanted a turn.

Youngest to Oldest (in the picture)

Lucy

Ellie

Canyon

Me

Shane?

I'm still kind of mad we didn't get a picture of the him....geez.

Don't Canyon and Ellie look like their tippy toeing on those mountain tops?

How come I'm not higher in my picture? Life's not fair sometimes.

Ellie had hearts on the brain.

She has declared Valentine her favorite holiday EVER.

Canyon broke as much ice as humanly possible.

Lucy, well she just thinks she is big stuff.

I wished I would have packed some sugar cookies.

But then again I thought that about where ever we went for a week straight.

Phew... glad we shipped most of those off.

It was a super Valentine Day.

Love all around.

I love this little family of mine.

bunches and bunches.

be mine.....forever.

{my little valentines 2010}

Broken

My poor computer has been out of commision now for a week now. Hopefully in a couple of days it will be back to it's old self. I have really been missing it lately. Using the mr's cell phone at night to check my e-mail just isn't cutting it anymore wahhhhh! I have pictures I want to post and stuff I want to write maybe soon .... Maybe soon. That is what I am crossing my fingers for. Typing on this liitle screen hurts my eye balls. So until then goodbye.

hello love

Love day is right around the corner.
love. LOVE. love.
I feel to lucky to have found it.
It's a wonderful thing.
So is this sweet little love story.
About what a little girl dreams about.
I think it's what most people dream about.
I know it's what fills my dreams.
Having a love story as long and beautiful as this.

A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.

ellie and talia

A little while ago our cousins came for a visit.
So while the boys spent time practicing their kick flips at the skate park
The girls set up a salon and got ready for a little photo shoot.
It was a lot of fun to see them really letting loose and showing me all their {creative} modeling skills.
I have to hand it to them. They were pretty amazing.

{Ellie and Talia}

month of love

February is here.
The month of LOVE.
To celebrate I am going to.
Buy lots of candy hearts.
Make some heart garland.
Bake dozens of cookies.
Go on at least one date.
Write some love letters.
Hug my loved ones a little tighter
And stare at each of them a bit longer.
Taking in those little moments
you don't ever want to forget but still manage to slip away.
I need to do that more.

{snowmobiling, January 2010}

Today. 2 years ago.

These are still some of my most favorite pictures of these two girls.
When I looked back to see what was going on 2 years ago.
These photos were just staring at me.....making my heart happy.
Ellie told me this is the prettiest picture of Lucy she has ever seen.
Back then I was hoping they would always love each other as much as this day.
They do... plus a million times more.

In their own words.

Ellie: "Mom I am lucky I always have a friend that never goes home"

Lucy: Every day when Ellie leaves for school she says " I love you Ellie, I love you Ellie" following her to the door....every. single. day.

lost twice

Ellie lost her first tooth. It was just hanging on by one little thread for so long that when it came out she didn't realize it until she went to give it a wiggle and it was gone. She wanted the tooth fairy to understand the predicament she was in so she wrote this. And then drew about 2 dozen flowers to sweeten the deal.

Ellie still has high hopes of finding her little lost tooth. She thinks when Spring time comes and the snow melts it will turn up on the school playground somewhere. I don't want to be the one to crush those dreams of hers but I just don't see that happening.

p.s. the tooth fairy fully understood the situation and even threw in an extra quarter for the lovely bouquet.

These three monkeys spend a lot of winter nights pulling out the sleeping bags and going for bumpy rides down the stairs. I don't know how they talk Lucy into these things but they do. Sometimes the stunts they pull going down and the speeds that are reached make it hard for me to watch. Like the time they went down with Canyon Laying on his belly and Ellie and Lucy riding him like a horse. Each time the bags get pulled out I hold my breath hoping there are sounds of life after the thudding stops. Every time I think of telling them to stop, I remember how much fun I had doing this when I was little. I just don't remember going down such crazy ways. So far we are 100% accident free. I'll be crossing my fingers it stays that way.

the little inventor

It is no secret that Ellie has quite the imagination.
It is also well known that Ellie has a love for fashion.
Add that to her ideas that Teenagers are SO beautiful
(probably because the few she knows are)
And what do you get?
Ellie's new invention.
It's called the underwear bra.
Made out of two pair of underwear.
She must of wanted a bra really..really bad to strum up this idea.
She wore it for a weekend straight.
When Monday rolled around I told her she could NOT wear it to school.
She reluctantly agreed.
I still can't wrap my mind around how that witty little brain of hers thought of this.
If it wasn't borderline one the the weirdest things in the world.
I would have to call it a stroke of genius.
Nobody tell Victoria about it. We are totally patenting this :)

{For the record, some major bribery took place to get this picture}
{I figured this brilliant invention needed to be recorded in the books at any cost}
{Someday she will thank me...maybe?}

milk shampoo

While I was putting away the dishes I heard Lucy's little voice say...
"Look Mom I washa my hair" (with no R sound on the end).
I looked over to see her putting her whole hand into in her cup of milk
followed by rubbing it in hair real good.
And that's when her hair looked like this.
I asked her why.
She told me the same thing she always does when I ask her a question... "CUZ"
Awesome.
And because she just had a bath 15 minutes before even more so.

calendar

I need a new calendar in a hurry.

Any one of these would do.
Maybe I should just make one.
Or better yet, enlist my husband to do it for me.
It would turn out much better than mine. :)
I think the first one is my favorite.
Wondering if I have a wall to suit it.
The wall space above my computer perhaps....hmmmmm.

bird legs

This morning for breakfast she had.

2 bowls of cereal.
2 bowls of apple sauce.
1 egg.

She can eat with the best of them.



Yet somehow she manages to maintain these little bony bird legs of hers.

At 2 and a half years she is weighing in at 23 lbs and some ounces.
Just a little gal....with a BIG appetite.
She can finish off a cheeseburger in about 1 minute.....I swear it.

sort of missing

the excitement...the energy...the magic...that feeling that only comes once a year.
But my house is clean again, and it is kind of nice to spend a few full days at home.
I am still wishing there was something really fun (but simple) written on the calendar under January to look forward to.
I need to work on that.

2010

Happy New Year!!! Am I to late to say it?
We started off the new year in a place remote and removed from any form of communication to the outside world.
I have had a hard time getting back into the swing of things since January has hit....ok maybe since Dec 25th hit.
But up until the 4th of January it felt o.k. It doesn't any more...BOOOOO!
Here's to 2010!! May it be better than 2009 because lets face it no one wants it to be worse...always better!
Here's to hoping I survive January. It can be a downer after a beautiful December.
I'm wishing for some big snowflakes, time on my snowboard, and some spontaneous fun...but I would settle for planned fun to.
I'm already thinking I should have left a strand of lights of just to brighten things up a little.