Girls just Wanna Have fun...and shop

I've gotten in some good quality girl's time the last few days which is always a must to keep me a little less crazy. There's nothing that some good shopping and eating can't cure. Lucky for me, i've gotten out a little more that normal lately, and been on 2 separate L.A adventures...seriously I could get used to this! Monday I went to L.A with a couple girls to see the Ellen show- SO FUN...but that's my next post! and over the weekend I went to L.A with some cousins for some serious retail therapy. I really didn't do too much damage (just in case Matt reads this) but I had a blast doing all things girly! Shopping, eating, and good old pedicures. We went to the downtown fashion district in L.A- and the shopping experts introduced me to "the Mart" a monthly sample sale of designer duds, and i'm thinking I need to make it at least a quarterly outing. So much fun and always a fun time hanging out with my cousins- can't wait till next time!


The Shopping Crew!!!

February Wind Down!

I've realized this year that between my two munchkins and my mother-in-law all having birthdays in January the craziness of x-mas season carries over into January for our family! So here's to a nice relaxing February the month to finally wind down (probably an oxymoron when raising two youngsters)




I can't let January go by without a little Birthday post for the cutest Carson Boy in the world who turned 3 on January 24th. Plus on a day where my little cranky pants is driving me near insanity, due to a little sleep deprivation, it'll be good to write and remember that he is usually an amazing, talented, smart, funny, and handsome little man. We truly couldn't have picked a more perfect fit for our family. He teaches us everyday, and is constantly wanting to learn. Seriously you have never heard such a curious boy, rounding out the day with at least a 100 questions (no exaggeration!...and for the record, I don't know does not qualify as an answer) He is goofy just like his dad and that is probably one of the many reasons they are the best of friends. They make up songs together, think up hundreds of games to play, and he looks forward to any adventure dad takes him on. He's mommy's little helper and loves to clean; i never would have imagined that offering cleaning or brushing your teeth to a toddler would be useful bribery in exchange for picking up their toys. He sensitive and very in tune with what is going on around him. He loves his sister and is an amazing big brother. He's creative, and has an awesome imagination! We love him so much and ever since his health scare at 4 1/2 months old we've known that he is a special little man. We can't believe how fast he is growing up and look forward to lots many more adventures! Happy birthday Carson! He's also currently obsessed with Thomas the Train...can you tell?

Princess Brynlee

Happy Birthday to our Baby Girl, Brynny, Baby Blue Eyes, Bryn Bear- January 19th. This has been an amazing year, & we couldn't have asked for a more perfect daughter. She is the happiest little thing around and will guarantee to brighten anyone's day within seconds of seeing her. She has the sweetest spirit, she's our smiling and laughing fool, and is even recently starting to take after her dad in her frequent outburst in babbling song. We love her so much and are so insanely blessed to have her in our family!

She had a great time at her little family party, and I just thought this pic of her in the chair was so dang cute. If I was talented enough to erase the rest of us from it I would have.

She LOVED her cake and ate every last morsel, obviously we're related!

We Love you Brynlee!!!

Here a Birthday, there a birthday

Happy Birthday to our amazing, young, stylish, talented and beautiful Grandma Karen! (On January 14th.) We're so blessed to live so close and to be able to spend so much time with you. Carson & Brynlee absolutely adore you and so do we! We love you so much!!!




I'm not sure there has ever been a more hip Grandma. We look forward to many adventures for many years to come and lots of rollerblading :)






I had to include a pic of my first fondant cake- so fun to make. I'm totally into cakes now. I guess 3 birthdays in January kind of forces that on you!

What a Steal!

Let me preface by saying that I do realize I am the biggest nerd dedicating a post to my obsession with coupons, and an even bigger nerd that I actually came home and lined up my purchases to take a picture- all in the name of showcasing my little couponing addiction. That being said, I'm quite proud of my cheap shopping trip! All the pictured items costed me...drum roll please- a whopping $5.20. Not only that, the 2 cartons of cottage cheese made up $3 of those dollars. Gotta Love the Grocery Game. Now if that's not bargain shopping I don't know what is!

Potty Training Blues

Okay, if there are any potty training experts out there, i'm in serious need of some tips. I've always heard to wait and train your kids until they're ready, and it will be ten times easier- so i've waited, and waited, and waited and then waited a little more..you get the picture! Carson is gonna be 3 next week and I'm SOOOO over changing his nasty diapers, but the kid does not want ANYTHING to do with his toilet! If there was potty training school, i'd send him. Well I decided that January was our month and I would buckle down and get serious. Yeah it lasted all of 2 days! He's had exactly one little tinkle in the toilet...THAT'S IT, ONE (accompanied by lots of dancing and celebrating i might add)!!!! One tinkle and probably about 7 hours of sitting on it- accompanied by lots of stories, books, eating and singing to pass the time. On very rare occassion he enjoys his time on the can- see pic above, but most of the time he hates it-see pic below, and I don't have a clue why??? He just hates even the suggestion of sitting on the toilet. It doesn't help that he apparently has a mega bladder, I don't know anyone else who will sit on it for 2 hours- yes 2 hours- while i'm pumping him with any and all fluids the whole time, but not a drop of anything. I must say, a dream for a road trip companion, but a nightmare for potty training. After our 1-2 hour attempts of sitting on it, i'll put his diapers (one time underwear, but that didn't go well:( ) back on and he does his business immediately. Now I know accidents happen, but after you've been on the toilet for 2 hrs....seriously, that's just flat out boycotting my training. So, i'm currently on vacation from training. I KNOW he can be ready, and he is totally excited about his big boy underwear, but he just can't seem to get over his strong dislike of his little toilet...Any ideas???

Goodbye 2007

2007 has come to an end, but not without all the craziness that always seems to come with the month of December! So here goes my attempt to sum up all we've been up to these last few weeks with some completely out of order pictures!
Christmas was truly magical this year. It just seems to get better and better when your kids start to get old enough to love the festivities as much as you do. All the traffic jams, driving 10 minutes and following unsuspecting shoppers to their car just to get a parking spot, waiting in lines, and scrambling literally until 4 o'clock on Christmas eve, was all so worth it! Actually, I'm not sure if it would really feel like christmas without it all the last minute chaos. Every year I swear I will be more organized, but I think this year i've finally resigned myself to the fact that that will never happen. Oh well, I kind of like the insanely crowded malls, filled with christmas music, and the justification it gives me to shop much more often. Now onto the unorganized picture with some highlights!


Brynlee and Carson LOVED the horse they got- Brynlee also got the cutest little rocking chair that she thinks is way big enough to climb up on herself- apparently it hasn't bothered her that she seems to fall off everytime. Live and learn!
We took a trip to Sea World and I just liked this pic :)
Loved having the family all together, and the boys got in plenty of male bonding with food and football. Although christmas day is always spent trying to be with both of our families as much as possible since both mine and Matt's families live so close...it was a little favored to the Andersons this Christmas since it will be last for 4 years that we'll all be here :(
Gingerbread houses with the Halveys...apparently Lori actually let her kid help decorate,... I would have let Carson had he not be too busy shoving his face with candy.
Driving to L.A in my parents 15 passenger van- just take a couple advil before you board and hopefully the headache won't hit too hard in the world's bumpiest ride. I LOVE nathan's face...kinda creepy!
Browns annual party with the annual nativity featuring the world's oldest, but most cooperative baby Jesus. Brynlee was already in bed. I have to say this was followed by a hilarious program mostly put on by the kids!
The whole family together minus Shane, at the Hotel Del Coronado.
After many many attempts to get a cute pic in the xmas outfits, I gave up on having the kids look at the camera. I guess if you're not all looking then no one look!

I'm already missing the sounds and smells of Christmas. Life finally got back to a normal pace yesterday, and i'm a little sad about it. Luckily I'm still enjoying the christmas decor, although I have a feeling Matt's going to make taking it down our project this weekend. At least I have Carson to sing Jingle Bells to me at least 5 times a day. Last year he asked to listen to it until March when I finally cut him off, so I suspect that he'll be singing it until next Christmas now that he knows the whole song.

We've had such an amazing holiday and an even more amazing 2007. We have been so blessed in our lives, and love being able to recap the year and spend so much time with family. Life seems to move way too fast which means the little kiddies are growing up too fast also. Here's to an even better 2008 without any resolutions except to stay happy and healthy- I think I can keep those!