Lucky # 3

Where were you three years ago? Well, if you're friends or family you might have been here with us!

or here

Happy Anniversary D!

I love you!

{Hot} Roddin'

Mason { hearts } Nana & Papa's Camaro!

Dustin decided he wanted to drive something new {er, old} for a couple of days so he borrowed his parent's 68 Camaro.

While we had it, he spent an afternoon cleaning it and also gave me a break from two kids so that I could get some stuff done inside and give Brookie a little much needed Mommy time.

Mason was in heaaaven! He played the entire time...and cried when D took him out.

Water {Fun}

We bought the kids a little water table so they can enjoy the warm weather we've been having.

Let me start over...

We bouth the kids a little water table to keep them busy so we can get some yard work done.

Mason played for a while then Brookie woke up from her nap and joined in on the fun.

love the bed-head!

They love playing with it but have learned how fun it is to get almost all the water out by dumping buckets into Mommy's flowers then adding dirt to whatever water is left to make a big mud pit.
Hmmm, I guess I won't get any yard work done.

when life gives you lemons...

...or when you go to the store and buy them...you plant a lemon tree! Or something like that, right? Anyway, I have been wanting a lemon tree sooo badly {for about the last 3 days} and just couldn't take it anymore. Instead of buying a lemon tree, which I'm pretty sure I'll still end up doing after I try out this little frugal plan first, I decided to plant some seeds from these beauties I brought home from the store.
In all my five minutes of internet research, I found that if my seeds sprout and will do okay in a container and indoors for the blustery Oregon winter, I still may never get any fruit.
Hmmm, only time will tell. And I guess only a little time will tell if "Little Miss Instant Gratification" {thats me} will be able to wait that long & will just snap and buy the "Lemon Striped Lemonade" Tree from Jackson & Perkins. They were the ones that originally sent me on this lemony {not a real word, I know} quest for lemony {there it is again} goodness. This tree is AMAZING! It has verigated leaves, fragrant blossoms, can be grown in a container, AaaND... are you ready for this??? ...striped lemons that are pink inside!! O-M-G!

Well I'll report back soon to let you know if my little lemon seeds sprout. Fingers Crossed! Or if I am sucessful in hinting to D about my Mother's Day wishlist.

Oh and for any of you that are interested in the Lemon Striped Lemon Tree, because who wouldn't be?

Here it is!

and here are the lemons! Kinda look like limes, I know, but they're just adorable!

Joel McHale at The {Schnitz}

What a fun night! On Friday we went up to Portland with Jake & Leslie to see Joel McHale from The Soup {on E!}.

Since all four of us watch The Soup and love Joel on the show we were quick to snag some tickets but had no idea what to expect of his stand-up. D & I are stand-up junkies {what else do you do on Friday nights when you have 2 toddlers?} but don't like buying tickets to shows just to hear the exact same jokes we hear on Comedy Central...some people LOVE to yell the punchlines at shows but that's just not our bag. So we all vowed not to look up Joel McHale's comedy online. We were totally open-minded & it paid off! Joel was hilarious! Especially the end of his act when he started talking about his family! All four of us could totally relate and I'm glad to hear that Jake will still be watching The Soup.

Which brings me to answer to the question of the night: Is he married? Leslie and I have always wondered since he only wears a ring occasionally and as some of you know, I don't like getting creepy and spending my time stalking celebrities. So, yes, he is married and has two boys. Hmmm. Joel, on the off-chance that you would ever stumble upon this blog, {OMG! I'm like, totally embarrassed!} does your wife care that you don't' always wear your ring? If she's okay with it, so am I. By the way, his wife and kids are adorable. That's all I'll say about that because I feel creepy-weird talking about a celebrity's personal life. Like that blogger that has the pics of his house! Geez, people!

{Me & Leslie waiting for the show to start}

A night out to feel like grown-ups
{thanks "Ma" for babysitting}
great company
{thanks guys! It's always fun!}
a great show
{thanks Joel, because I know you're reading this}
I'm now ready to be a mom again

pop & brooklynn

After I talked to my dad on the phone last night I remembered that I hadn't posted these!

These are for you Pop!

Blurry, Smurry...these make me smile to think of how much fun my dad was having trying to time his smile with Brooklynn's. It never actually worked because she was too interested in putting the straw in her juice box but oh well. We had a laugh.

some of my favorite {moments}

Brooklynn has always loved books but now Mason is getting really interested.

I love watching them read books together...until they start fighting over them.

{graceful} like mommy

jeans that are too big + so much pressure to get that ball before Mason can =

lost balance!

baby chickies

...and eggs!

Here they are. I know everybody has been waiting patiently for the finished product. Haha! Time got away from me and these are REALLY time consuming so i bagged the idea to make bunnies and sheep...even though the sheep were my {second} favorite. Once Brooklynn & I made the "baby chickies" we needed something else but didnt' have much time so we opted for Easter eggs.

Bakerella is right, if you've never made cake pops before, you might want to start with something that doesn't need to be completly smooth when dipped. Oh well, I think I figured it out after the first dozen. :) If I had it to do over, I would make most of them by myself after the kids go to bed then make a few with Brooklynn later. It was a little tough with a 2 year old. If she hadn't opened & sampled the candy melts in the store {whoops! Who's watching this kid!?!} maybe she wouldn't have wanted to eat it so badly. Oh, who am I kidding?

Anyway, I'm pretty happy with how they turned out and they ware a big hit on Easter at Dustin's Aunt & Uncle's house.
I certainly am addicted to these cake pops though! I'm already trying to figure out what holiday, celebration or season is coming up next so that I have an excuse to make them! Maybe I'll try the cupcake pops next!

Oh, and while we were making them Brooklynn had so much fun. Once the yellow pops were dry enough to decorate, I made one chick and turned it around for her to see. It was like the whole thing just came together right in front of her eyes...I just wish I would've got it on video! "Ooooh, BABY CHIIICKEEEES!"

{adorable}

I'm in l-o-v-e with these adorable little cake pops.
Somehow I stumbled upon Bakerella's blog and my heart melted when I saw these!
I think I'll try my hand at making these on Saturday.

wish me luck!

mommy {confession}

enticing, right? find out how to make it here

I don't know why I feel guilty about this but...sometimes when I'm really feeling stressed out, random, fragmented, discombobulated or I just feel like I need a little {me} time, I settle in with a yummy cup of coffee and some dark chocolate. Don't hate. It's my only vice.

I know some of you are saying "why do you feel guilty? You have TWO toddlers and you need a little...yaddi yaddi yadda" {that's the sound of those voices trailing off into the distance} The answer. I don't know. Maybe because I can feel the pile of laundry on the couch staring me down or because I know that somebody is going to wake up from their nap any second and I haven't completed any non kid-friendly tasks since they went to sleep. Maybe it's because I'm dreading that feeling of time wasted when I take a look at my to-do list before I go to bed. Or maybe it's the shudder up my spine when D calls and {so innocently} asks me what I've been up to.

Well, no matter what the answer, I'm probably always going to be torn between a little R & R and my quest to obtain that Super-mom status.

Oh, and P.S., I'm sure he has a sneaking suspicion but don't tell D about my little vice. Even though I know that he knows {still with me?} that I work my tail off around here, he still works his tail off out there to make sure we can always afford my dark roast & dark chocolate. Gotta love my hard workin' man!

{mason}

Wow, 12 months! One Year! 365 days! It's so crazy to think of what you've become in the last year and what a big little man you've grown up to be.

It was a rough few months to start. I should've known I was in for it when my labor only lasted 2 hours, 7 minutes from the first contraction to the moment I saw your little face. Something that easy was gonna require payback. Between colic, a clogged tear duct, skin problems, & a heart murmur we had our work cut out for us. But we made it through and here are a few things I never want to forget about your first year and who you've become

• you love bath time! So much that I find you in the bathroom just yelling at the tub and trying to get in. I know the day that you can climb in yourself is fast approaching!
• Dance Fever! Anytime you hear music {and sometimes even when you don't} you just gotta DANCE! You have great moves and L-O-V-E to show them off!
• you say dada, mama {only when you're upset}, ball, doggy, thanks, nana, papa, out and so much more.
• you have curly hair. I never thought I would have a kid with curly hair. Who knows if it will stick around after you're first haircut but I sure love it!
• somehow you find the one thing in a room that you aren't supposed to have. Mischief should've been your middle name. But it's hard to be mad at you when you flash that little grin.
• you've been walking for a few weeks. Every day you are a little more sturdy on those chunky little legs and every day you get a little more confident and fall a few less times.
• you cry when doors, drawers or cabinets close {whether you are near them or not}
• when I pick you up after a nap you wrap your arms around my neck, tuck you knees up and snuggle in as tight as you can. I love your snuggles!
• you love our dogs! They get a little tired of your snuggles.
• you do the cutest little lip quiver when you're cold...or upset. Nobody can figure out how you do it on purpose but it's dang adorable!
• golf, golf, golf. You are definitely your Daddy's boy. At first, you wouldn't walk w/o this toy golf club {that actually goes w/ one of those cheesy interactive TV games} but now you carry Brooklynn's clubs around the house saying "ball, ball, ball" trying to putt any ball you can find.
• you love to high-five!

Well, Mister Man, I can't wait to see how much you grow and learn in the next year...or maybe I can. It makes me sad, yet so thrilled to see you grow up. Daddy and I love to watch you explore and learn and we fall more and more in love with you every day! I hope you always know how much we love you and how blessed we feel to have you in our lives!

obsess much?

I was getting Mason ready to go the other day and Brooklynn dissappeared for a few minutes. I figured she was in the playroom baking a tiny cake in her kitchen or buckling Minnie into her stroller. You know, the usual.

Nope. She was taking all of her shoes {and a couple of Mason's} off the shelf and arranging them into a neat little half-circle.

Hmmm.

just look at those legs!

Who couldn't just eat those up!?!

Just spending a little Mason & Mommy time together before Brooklynn gets up from her nap and man-o-man am I loving those little legs!

p.s. Layla is just sleeping...not dead.