Sushi Night

We decided to try and create our own sushi resurant in our kitchen.  We had Mark and Celia over to our house to enjoy some homemade sushi in the comfort of our own home.  Aaron and Mark were in charge of picking up all the fixins, they both headed to LeeLee's Market and Whole Foods for fresh fish.  I think we all did a pretty dang good job of creating rolls the were absolutely delish.  Here they are...

We did get a little crazy and had some leftovers.  I'm not sure if it was any less expensive than going out, but is was sure fun and great to see every ones different ideas.

Here was the gourmet children's plates.  They were pretty happy with their meals.

Thanks Mark and Celia for joining us and making some delicious sushi!

This really makes me laugh.  I didn't really capture the full visual of what was going on.  We put on Ice Age for the kids to buy us a little more time to finish stuffing our faces.  I looked over to check on them and Lane kept putting his hands over his eyes but peeking through his fingers to watch the movie, in between shoveling popcorn in his mouth.  When anything thing is scary to him he just covers his eyes. 

It reminds me of my brothers when we were little watching scary shows from behind the

couch and peeking over to watch it anyways.

Greetings

I'm just posting this because it really makes me laugh.  This is the new greeter at Bashas by our house.  Yes, this is a picture of a duck.  I'm not sure why he is always there or why he might have chose Bashas to live but he did.  He is probably getting fed the delicious donuts that they have and is addicted, just like us!  He has been there for several days now and we look forward to seeing him. 

Products

This is what I get for having too many different products under my bathroom cabinet.  What is funny about this is that it was just shortly after reading a friends post about products under her cabinet here.  I was in the shower and I kept looking over to find Lane's little tushy hanging out of the cabinet.  He kept pulling out different products and I would ask him, "are you making a big mess with those bottles?"  He would of course reply in his baby gibberish, (which I know he is telling me something, but I have no idea what he is saying).   So I hurried along and came out find this...he had them nicely lined up on next to the fish tank.  I have avoided locks on the bathroom cabinets, it might be time or just time to clean them out. 

Potato Fun

Guess who's into the potato art. Lane is loving the Mr. Potato Head. We have about a thousand pieces to create some great art. I used to post some of Zackary's random potatoes, they make me laugh. Here is one of Lane's first creations.

Snuggles

Check out Otis snuggling with Aaron and Imposter Monkey. Somedays, he really just doesn't care where he sleeps. As long as he is sleeping.

Time Out

I think we might have found our new time out 'place.' Time out doesn't usually seem to work well for my boys, but this might do the trick. Zackary was playing and decided to show us that he could easily fit into the tv console, Lane walked right over and locked him in. Don't ask me how Lane new that he could lock Zackary in, it was quick and effortless for him.

He was nice and unlocked the door for him. Aaron and I sat and watched this, laughing of course, and thinking this just might work for little trouble makers out there.

They both can almost fit at the same time. They could keep each other company. 

It does, however, make for a great hiding place. 

Another disclaimer: We would never lock our children in the tv console, we actually do 'time in' with them. We basically sit with them in time out (more on that later.)

And I know Aaron would never fit in that little spot.

Bush Balls

So this is something everyone needs to know about Aaron and I. First off, Aaron started this horrible hatred of bush balls for me. This I know stems from being a fantastic Landscape Architect, but I really wish that he hadn't made me feel this way about bush balls, or at least I never noticed them until Aaron began pointing them out to me this way.
Here is a picture of how our bush balls turned out. Yes, our bush balls, actually I think they look a little like bush squares or small tables. Every now and then (more so lately) I head over to the neighbors on Friday mornings when I hear them mowing the lawn and hire them to mow and blow. This time I asked them to chop down these 2 bushes because the were getting a little out of control. When I came out to pay them, I had to laugh, take a picture, ask them to CHOP them down, then pay them. I think they thought I was crazy for not liking the bush squares! So on I will ramble about this bush ball issue I have. Bushes don't grow in perfect squares, circles, stools, tables, or cupcakes for a reason. It looks ridiculous! They are supposed to have flowers and grow random. When landscape is designed it is not designed to have these odd shaped structures. I know most people like perfectly shaped bushes, but we think it looks just plain goofy. I think it is landscapers way to make money, if they do this the bushes need to be trimmed much more often.

Now that you know my issues with bush balls. I can't get them out of my head, they are every where and this is all I seem to notice. Here is our entry way into our neighborhood. Check out the thousand perfectly bush balled Valentines. They do this to them all the time and always in the early spring when they have tons of red/pink flowers.  All the beauty of the flowers are gone in one day.

These 2 little twins look like stools, don't you feel the need to sit on them?

And this one... what can I say. It sort of looks like a troll or the top of a pineapple. This little grass looks great if the entire bottom isn't chopped off.

So hopefully I have polluted all of my readers minds. Sorry, but you will start noticing it every where.  I will be on the look out for some great bush balls in the future just for your viewing pleasure. 

Help me to change the bush ball epidemic!

Disclaimer: I don't intend to offend bush ball lovers, it is okay. Someday you will change your mind.

Nice Lips

As you know, if your are a frequenter of the blog, Lane has the most amazingly dramatic lower lip. Here it is again in full force. He was happily riding in the car and I look back to find this look on his face. I couldn't resist the picture. He fell asleep shortly after.

When he is tired the lip gets tons of action!

Remember

If you recall, not too long ago I posted this picture. Zackary was sleeping with his 'belt' that he had worn every where that day. Not knowing it was a gun holster with no gun to put in it.

Then remember not too long ago Aaron took him shooting when we went camping. I wrote about how I was sure it was a matter of time when anything that resembled a gun would be utilized as a great pretend gun. That we had just opened a whole new can of worms.

Well I was RIGHT! I heard Zackary making new noises and talking to Lane about something. I look over to find Zachary using a picture easel from 'the big clean out' as a pretend gun and showing Lane how to press the button (which was the sticker on the side) to make it work.

 

Boys will be boys...I wonder what's next?

Organize Your Life

So lately somehow my life feels like chaos. Nothing I can't handle right, I live for chaos, spontaneity, in the moment. I'm always going and have been that way my entire life. Burning both ends of the candle as my mom used to always tell me. Go, Go, Go it's kind of my thing. But now with a house, a husband, kids, work, a dog, and constantly on the go everything seems to have gotten away from me. Now I try my hardest to keep our house clean (clean enough), thank heaven for Bogusia, she helps me out a ton. For all of you who don't know her she is our nanny that comes over once a week to watch the kids while I work and I think she is pretty close to Mary Poppins. I get the dishes done, which somehow I feel like I do all day, I'm quickly falling in love paper plates, yes I feel guilty every time I throw them in the trash, but it saves me from doing dishes and allows me a little more time to play with my boys.
I have little notes everywhere, my purse, the diaper bag, my women drawer (as Aaron calls it), in my phone, on the desk you get the picture so many things to do that I don't know where to begin. Mind you, none of these are urgent, they aren't all that important, just things to do that take up precious time and are constantly on my mind, driving me crazy. So I thought my summer focus would be to get myself organized. And look what magazine was starring me right in the face in the grocery line... It was a huge sign, ya think?

So I picked it right up to get started. Now this posting is a little late because I had to show some progress that I've made. I was also reading a blog I follow and found this here. It was another sign, so I purchased the Mind Organization of Moms here. I've gotten part way through it, I just haven't been very diligent about just setting aside the time to complete it. But what I have accomplished recently makes me feel so much better, more productive, and I don't have a couple of things nagging me every time I walk by them.
So here we go...these were 2 things that were my priority

This is our den, it is a room everyone sees when they come to our house, it is right off our entry way and has the only bathroom on the first floor.  Now it didn't look like this all the time.  Aaron and I have been meaning to clean out our storage room under the stairs for a long time.  One Saturday while I was gone Aaron thought he would do me a favor by emptying it out, so he did!  And just put it all in the entry way.  While I was out I ran into a neighbor and invited them over for dinner.  I got home and found the entire entry way filled up, since it was quite a project to tackle we shoved it all into the den.  So this it what it looked like for a month or so...

Every time I walked by or tried to access the computer my heart would start racing.  So I finally had the chance to organize it.  So this is what it looks like now...

 

I feel so much better!  Now I just need to get some more shelves and decorate it.  I have a few ideas,  I'm thinking maybe a black and white with a pop of green...any thoughts?

While I was cleaning out the den, I had several different pictures I needed to hang up.  I was part of the organizing process of course.  So I finally did the photo gallery I've been thinking about. 

This was our little living room before

Here it is after the photos and a few accessories

I still have a few things I want to do, but at least now it is presentable and my beautiful family photos are displayed.

Now for the rest of the organizing...

Dirty Campin

We headed up to the cabin for some nice cool weather and a Fourth of July celebration.  Unfortunately the fireworks were cancelled in Flagstaff, but we were having enough fun we really didn't miss out.  We spent the weekend with Aaron's wonderful family.  We went hiking, shooting, fishing, quad riding, we sat around and watched the kids get filthy dirty and have a blast playing together.  It was quite funny,  Aaron and I borrowed his bosses pop up trailer, which might I add was excellent, and towed it up with my dads truck.  We were a bit crammed, but figured we would make it just fine.  So with trailer in tow, 2 boys crammed in the back with food surrounding them (just added protection and easy access for boredom), and a dog at my feet we headed out.  We considered just taking old faithful (the blue van), but then figured regardless of how crammed we were, we would be creating memories!

 

 

This was Lane after his quad ride that he was begging for.  Aaron said he passed out about half way through.  We got him ready for bed without him even waking up.  He just couldn't handle going to bed with out the ride!

Derek and Zackary had a blast playing in the dirt with the trucks and tractors getting filthy dirty.  Here are some great shots of the dirt.

Lauren managed to stay pretty clean the entire trip.  It must be a "girl thing."

Zackary's first time holding, shooting, and hearing a real gun.  I'm pretty sure this has opened up a whole new can of worms.  I know it is only a matter of time with boys. 

The family shot after 3 days of camping.  We almost got all the kids looking forward. 

Thanks for such a great trip everyone!