Tooth Fairy Schmooth Fairy

Do you believe in the tooth fairy? If you live in my house, you might be doubting by now.

A little while ago Owen had to have five teeth pulled to make room for some crazy teeth coming in. After his appointment we received a call letting us know that we had forgotten his teeth that the dentist had pulled. Okay, so a "little while ago" really was nearly a month, and I just picked them up the day before yesterday. Needless to say, Owen was sooo excited for the tooth fairy to come and leave him a whopping five buck-a-roos.

Yesterday morning I went in to get the boys up for school and found Owen sulking on his bed. I wondered what was wrong as Zack was asleep still and couldn't have possibly given him his morning pounding yet. I quickly glanced down to see that he was holding his little container full of teeth. OH CRAP...I did it again! (Sadly, this is not the first time the tooth fairy has failed him...or Zack for that matter.)

Scrambling I encouraged him to go use the restroom and then when he got back we would look for the treasure together-maybe it had fallen from under his pillow when he was sleeping. Sweet, he bought it! I ran to my purse where I knew I had 2 dollars and then remembered the other two a friend reimbursed me with the night before in my jacket pocket. Stink, I am a buck short and I totally owe him interest! I scrounged through Avery's piggy bank, I can't believe I am doing this and I hope she doesn't wake up yet, but only quarters, nickels, dimes, and pennies.

Just then my hubby saved the day with a one in his wallet. He's been holding out on me! I snatched two of Avery's quarters (that interest Owen totally earned) and threw it all under his bed just as he was walking into his room. Phew!!!!!! Boy, was he excited! He wondered to where the container with his teeth had mysteriously disappeared when Zack, now awake and in on it all, saved the day by telling him the tooth fairy took it. I love that kid! This whole time I was secretly wondering how and why lying to our kids became such a fun tradition...

Owen stashed his cash away with the rest he has been saving (that kid is one good saver!) and beamed the rest of the morning. Tragedy narrowly avoided...

...but wait, there is more...

Last night Jeremy I got to go on a date (it's been a while!) and we were so excited to get out of the house and spend some quality time together. Just as we were leaving we remembered that we needed two dollars to get into this mountain bike trade show. Neither of us had any cash...hmmm...what to do?

Poor Owen. He still hasn't noticed his two bucks gone missing, so the Tooth Fairy had better remember to replace it before...well, at least before he loses another tooth.

I Love Photoshop Elements

My mom, Nonna, writes a personalized story for each of her grandchildren and I get to design and print them for her. I just finished her first book and Shutterfly's printing program only gives you the option of printing 20 or more pages...no less. So, I had five pages left at the end of the book and (wanting to get it finished today) created five simple, but cute scrapbooking pages in a jiffy! If you are looking for a great digital scrapbooking graphic design program, I highly recommend Photoshop Elements...and a mac...Happy Scrapping!

Messy Boys

I have very independent children, which I love, although there are a few downfalls. The other day after Zack made pancakes I asked the boys to clean up the kitchen and make sure that everything was put away nicely. I walked in to the kitchen and it looked great! I was even impressed. The griddle was cleaned and put away, dishes in the dishwasher, etc. After they had been at school a few hours I went to the pantry to get something and this is what I had found. They had shoved all the ingredients back onto a shelf in there! If you can't see the syrup drip, check this out! It was dried hard like that! Little hard working stinkers.

Get Your Groove On

Now just what do you say to that?

HoMemAde sUrpRisE

My friend, Ali, has started something super fun with her sister: a homemade surprise!

Here's the fun in Ali's words and I hope you will join in:

"Are you excited yet? If so, be sure to be one of the first five people to respond to this post. I hereby commit to offer the first five individuals to comment on this post a homemade gift of my choosing; however, in order to post a comment, you have to first post this on your own blog and agree to do the same for another five people. You in turn have the opportunity to do likewise to this post and be the recipient of a fun homemade gift from me.

There are of course some restrictions, because I am not Superwoman.

1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make.
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. This thing will be completed sometime this year. :)
4. You have no clue what it will be, leftover-casserole anyone? Just kidding.
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

REMEMBER THE CATCH: YOU MUST RE-POST THIS ON YOUR BLOG" -Ali

So, I, ess, don't know about you, but I am super excited and I already have some ideas of what I am going to make you first five lucky peoples! Woo-hoo for good times!

Happy Valentine's Day!

As you know, my husband is Jeremy. He really is the sweetest Valentine a girl could ever dream of! Here's a list of fourteen things that I love best about my man:

1. He always makes me smile and laugh.
2. He is helpful around the house.
3. He is an amazing listener and he lets me dress him.
4. I can always count on him to do what is right.

5. There is no one I would rather spend my time with.
6. He sees the good in everyone and everything.
7. He is an incredible father and wrestler.
8. He is a super hard worker.

9. He is intelligent and a great teacher.
10. His organizing skills are to be coveted.
11. He is always thinking of me and lets me know it.
12. He writes the best love letters.

13. His smile melts my heart and his smell makes my knees weak.
14. He is all mine!

Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving!

My sisters and I have an ongoing saying that emphasizes just how great 30 can be: thirty, flirty, and thriving. After all, thirty is the new twenty-so they say. I'm all for it because I am now the big three-oh-h-h-h-h-h....my!

My mom, Granny K, got a big kick out of my big day making sure to call and rub it in real well. I actually had a great day, despite my dread of it all. I mourned the night before as the sun went down realizing that the day was setting on what was to be my last day in my twenties, but guess what? All that internal drama was in vain for the sun rose on my thirties and it was a beautiful day! (I can only admit all this now that it is over.)

It has been two weeks since I have been thirty and I am loving it! Funny thing, but I DO feel different-better somehow. I love my life and all the blessings that I enjoy. I know that good things are all around me and though life may get tough I believe that with a positive perspective life will only get better from here on out.

Thank you to all who showered me with love on my birthday. It was one of the best yet! Here's to being thirty, flirty, and thriving!

Play Time

It's always nice in the winter to get out of the house and play!

Special Powers

Avery's Primary teacher related the following story to Jeremy today:

He was teaching the CTR 5 class about Priesthood power and asked what they knew about it.

Avery stood up and announced, "I have a special power...it's LOVE!"