B is for

Buddies

We met up with Ashley and Ashdon for a playdate last week. It was too chilly to do much outside, so we decided to hit up the mall and let the boys play there.

Early this month we went on a walk with a neighbor friend to a park, I thought this picture was cute of Evan and Axel playing together.


And of course with Story. They were playing Grandpa that day. They came running into the kitchen giggling and Axel  said "Hi mom! I'm Grandpa!" then Story said "I'm Grandpa TOO!"




Boyfriends
I remember growing up my parents picking "future husbands" for us. It used to drive my sisters and I  crazy, because the guys they picked were never who we would want to date...ever! But now that I am a mom, I totally get it. Both my kids have multiple "future spouses".

I wouldn't mind if Dani ended up with this little guy. He is so sweet to her, and always comes to see her during Relief Society or Sunday School and his parents are great!  Last week Dani reached for his long locks and ran her fingers through it. He just smiled and held her hand. He is such a cute cute kid.

Boats

When I leave my laundry basket out Axel requests to "make a pie" ie wooden spoon, and to "get a boat" ie laundry basket. So he can paddle him and Dani around in it, and sing row row row your boat. These are from last sunday.


Blue bugs

The last time I weeded my flower bed, Axel and I came across this BLUE potato bug! I had never seen a blue one before. I wonder if it had some condition or if it was just a weird one. Anyone else seen a blue potato bug?


Books

Books before bedtimes is what we do.

Bedtime

Bedtime has kinda flipped itself upside down recently. Axel gets out of his bed a bazzillion times and comes and hides outside our door. All we have to do is open the door and he books it back to his bed. We can't help but laugh, but it is mighty frustrating that the kid will do this over and over until 11pm. And Miss Dani is not doing so well anymore sleep wise. It's like she has forgotten how to sleep! I get really really frustrated at night because she was my good sleeper. She used to go down at 8 pm and sleep until 5! Now she wakes up at midnight or 2 am and wants to nurse. I am hoping it has to do with teething, and that maybe when it breaks through we can get her back to normal.

 
 
This picture is actually taken a bit ago, since then she has completely stopped using this binki, she like her brother said forget it all on her own. UGH

 Big Girl

Dani has graduated to sitting in the grocery cart. (I still leave her in her car seat most of the time, because she is usually asleep) But here she was so happy to sit up and play with all the toys and smile at all the people stopping to tell her how pretty she is.




She is also sitting up and saying a few words now!  I can't believe she is so big already, yet still so tiny! 

Brand new
One day Kory and I were in the basement discussing our carpet dilemma. ie we have dogs, dogs that only like to use the bathroom on carpet, even though our house is mostly hardwood, they use the rugs! It drives me completely crazy! The destroyed our last rug during July because of all the fireworks. During the rest of the year they are pretty good, but we have had some accidents.

So we were contemplating what we should do, because things are tight for us, and the last thing on our budget is buying a rug. But we needed a rug because Dani is getting to that stage where she wants to get down and play and roll around.

So back to my story, so we were like "MAN what should we do! We really need a rug!" Then we heard someone at our door, not even two minutes later. And it was my parents, with a GIANT GREY RUG! It totally made my day/week/month! Thanks mom and dad you guys are the best!

That same day, Dani was testing out the rug and I was cleaning and when I went to check on her she was fast asleep!


Axel loves having a rug so he can play and lounge on it and watch his shows.

Bears

Axel was given this great big bear from Grandma and Grandpa Anderson, and it is his new buddy.

Everywhere that Axel Goes he is sure to bring along mr bear...

In the Car

At the store~i've never seen so many kids faces light up! Seriously, every cart with a kid in it had to stop and show their parents the cool bear.


Eating dinner

Rockin out with dad in the studio

He has even put it in time out :) 

Bald

It may not seem like it, but Baby Girl is finally getting some hair, but in pictures she still looks bald as can be, but she is getting some hair, it's dark too. So it will be interesting to see if she has dark hair or if it lightens up like Axel's.

 

This is a random post, but hope you enjoyed it! Next will be our Thanksgiving festivities, so stay tuned! 

For the beauty of the earth

While everyone else has been busily decorating for Christmas (I wont name names, but you KNOW who you are.... :) ) We have been embracing fall for all it's greatness. From decorating our home in the warm vibrant colors of autumn, to baking all those scrumptious harvest desserts, I'm talking pumpkin cookies, apple pies, and pumpkin rolls! YUM need I say more? And of course taking every opportunity to get outside and enjoy what is left of this warmish weather. Whether it is a walk to the park or store, we've been doing it, and loving it, and picking up leaves along the way cause that activity never ever ever gets old. (I have been told that by two toddlers so I am totally an authority on this fact.) 

Why oh why would you want to ditch this part of the year regardless of how great you think Christmas is? (AND may I add, I LOVE Christmas, and decking the hall to the nines is pretty much my favorite part about the season next to celebrating the saviors birth, and you can bet your bottom dollar come NOV 25, that is what I will be spending my pre-birthday day doing, and our house will glisten and shine like nobody's business!) 
But that, like all good things must wait, because at our house we are celebrating Autumn and "Giving Thanks" daily for our bountiful blessings and are P.U.M.P   PUMPED to engage in a day of stuffing our faces of all things unhealthy in the name of gratitude! CAN I GET AN AMEN!

And then of course celebrate the 2nd most important day in November, my Birthday! (Although, some would argue, it is the MOST...just sayin...) WHAT IS NOT TO LOVE!!!?

So here is a breakdown of our week thus far, and maybe it may motivate some of you to put off the tinsel and embrace the fall, because we make it look SO good.

 OK I love pumpkin rolls, LOVE is actually an understatement, but alas as many would know my plight, Kory can not partake in such, for two reasons 1. Sugar, and Powder Sugar 2. Dairy

So I was DETERMINED to find a recipe that I could "Agave-fy'" (That is my new word for it, so go with it) Anyway, so I found this recipe here. Simple enough, gives good instructions but kinda wordy, So I made the cake part, and it turned out BEAUTIFULLY, and it smelled scrumptious, and filled our house full of pumpkin cinnamon goodness.  I was super excited to share it with Kory.

Then I attempted the filling. I was going for a coconut milk creme filling as the base, and well after much experimenting it didn't really turn out as I envisioned. But it did work out and taste really good, we've been enjoying it all week after the kids go to bed.  Next time I will skip sweetening it completely because it is too sweat and I will just fill it full of the coconut milk creme with a dash of vanilla, the cake is sweet enough you don't need it.

Here is a picture of it sliced up! not pretty roll by any means, like I said it was a work in progress... next time will be much much better.

Walking has been really helping me lately coping with my many "stresses" yeah that is what I will call them. My kids have been really enjoying it too, on one of our many walks, we picked leaves along the way to help decorate our home. S and A loved this activity.

When I got home I dipped them in wax and made a garlandish thing for my kitchen window.

I also made another wreath, this time with twine and jute. It took FOREVER to wrap it in the jute. But it turned out cute right? I made the pinwheels from paper and a grocery bag. I wanted to do pinwheels because they remind me of turkeys.

Another dessert...
I am not really a pie person, but that is one of the few desserts you can buy sugar free at the grocery store, but they're kinda pricey. I have always wanted to learn how to make pies, I just feel like the task of making the crust seems soo scary. Up to this point my pie crust knowledge usually involved graham crackers. But I REALLY wanted to make some mini pie/turnovers for our Super Saturday Activity, so I attempted it...

First Batch: Turned out great, only I didn't put enough filling in them, so I attempted a second batch...
Second Batch: Maybe I didn't have enough flour, maybe it was too much shortening, but either way whatever it was, it did NOT work out. I threw them ALL in the trash.

***

After I took them to our Super Saturday I decided I would try one last time, but this time "Agave-fy"  them  (see how I did that...anyway) so Kory could shower me with compliments for making him yet another dessert he can eat.

And the turned out BEAUTIFULLY wouldn't you say?! And they tasted SO GOOD! I'll admit, my egg wash made them look like they suffer from a skin condition, but still they were tasty, but it does add to the charm of the "homemade goodness" of them.

So here is the recipe for the filling, the pie crust is just your standard 2 pie Betty Crocker pie crust recipe, of flour, crisco, salt and water, by the way I had no idea that was all that was in them!

Agave Sweetened- Apple Filling
Peel and Cut 2 golden delicious apples into thin small pieces
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 C agave...I think...give or take a tablespoon... maybe sweeten to taste.
1/8 C flour

Mix all those together and you have a great sugar free pie filling! (I think if you want to make an actual pie double this recipe and only slice the apples, but the mini pies don't require as much filling)

Enjoy!

Walks...
As many of you know, I tend my niece and nephew two days a week. Most days we are stuck at home though because I don't have a way to take them anywhere. (oh how I wish I had a mini van, and oh how I NEVER thought I would say that ever ever ever!)

Anyway I have been trying to decide if a double stroller is something I should get, or just a wagon since I have more than two babies to take with me half the time. Up to this point we have just been walking around the block, S and A walk/run and I push baby G in a stroller and baby D is usually wrapped in my wrap. But I FINALLY found a great way to get them out of the house and out somewhere besides just around the hood.

Ta Da! My bike stroller converts into a jogging stroller, and with a little creativity, it totally works out! 

Baby D, S, and Baby G snug as bug in a rug up front, Gauge was getting bugged with Story a little bit though because she had to hold his hand.

 

 Axel loved sitting in the back luggage compartment all by himself. He talked with me the entire way about all the things he was seeing. It actually was kinda nice. I originally thought Story would do better back there, she is just a better sport about everything, but he really wanted to try it. He kept saying "Axel's turn! I try!?" SO it worked out. And Story is so good at holding the babies and not bugging them...too much.

 

We have been walking to the store, and the various parks around the neighborhood thanks to this set up!

On this particular day, a house on the way was selling bunnies in it's front lawn. I let the kids get out and meet the bunnies. Axel was so excited that on the way back he kept asking to go see the bunnies again. Kinda a fun block because the next door neighbor to the bunny house had a pet duck and a bunch of chickens, so the kids thought that was great.

Story Axel and Gauge is in between them.

At the park the older two went crazy on the slides while I pushed the babies in the swing, they were happy about that the whole time. I got a lot of looks from moms, one lady asked "Are these ALL your kids." I could tell she was trying to figure it out.

Halloween ~Part 2

I think it is fitting that I have two posts about Halloween since it turned into such a big production. I think it just comes with the territory of having kids though. Suddenly you want them to go do everything, from parties to trick or treating. You just do more than before.

First things first. Baby Girl's REAL costume.

We had this costume picked out for months, because she is always shoving her hands in her mouth, and Kory would always say to her "munch munch munch".  She became our little cookie monster.

So, after a rough patch of the blues, I decided I was in need of some much needed "me" time. So I made a date with my sewing machine and came up with her costume. I used the rest of the fabric from Axel's Pablo costume from last year. There was just enough too. The cookies and eyes and zipper cost me 2.50, so I would say not bad for a costume huh?

Originally her sleeves were supposed to go all the way passed her hands so it looked like she was eating cookies when she was sucking on her fingers. However, after I sewed the sleeves to the bodice, they were shorter than expected, and I was too lazy to do something about it. I still think it worked out though.

She was so obsessed with the cookie rattles I made that attached to the cookie applicae, she pretty much had them in her mouth the whole time.

 These last two pictures are really just because.... Baby girl really isn't herself with out puke coming from her mouth....yum...so pretty.

 This picture is exactly how she was feeling by the end of Halloween...more to come on that tho.

 I really liked how her costume turned out, and we got a lot of compliments on it. Although my niece story told me Dani was Pablo :)  I guess I shouldn't have used the same fabric.

Anderson Halloween~ or rather Kelli's Halloween Party

Kory's sister puts on a huge Halloween party for the family. She does a really good job, and it has become a really fun tradition. I have a lot of anxiety about it though because of the costumes. It is so much pressure to come up with something clever or funny or original, not that I really care, I could go as witch and be content. But Kory has the same requirements every year. That the costumes be 1) Original 2) Funny 3) Inexpensive or better Free  4) Can be thrown together easily.

Well that is one impossible task if you ask me. And I sit and stew about it all October. "What do you want to be?" is pretty much brought up at every dinner that month, and usually he wont make the decision until the day of the party. UGH just thinking about it stresses me out.

Last year we kinda had an excuse, I was on bedrest, and just me going to the party was probably more than I should have done. But this year I really had no excuse other than that we just are crazy busy, tired and broke.

But we finally figured it out (thanks to my friend Sarah, who helped inspire us) She suggested I go as Milk to go with Dani's cookies. I loved the idea, and I admit I probably could have done more, but I was happy with my tee shirt

Kory then decided he wanted to go with Axel's costume. But we had a hard time figuring out what "Goes" with robots. Then it hit me. Who do we know that walks talks and breaths robots, other than Axel? ...Jerome, Kory's brother in-law, that has built award winning Battlebots. So with the help of Kassie we were able to fulfill the above 4 requirements and just a few days shy of the party. But I don't have  a picture of us in our costumes :( I will post one when I can get one from Kelli.

TRUNK OR TREAT

Right after the Party we went to our ward Trunk or Treat, which was so nice to not have to dress up twice!

Axel loved carrying around his "Pumpkin Patch" to get his treats.

  Kory took Axel around to all the cars

 And Baby girl helped me pass out the candy. She swatted at every sucker I gave out! She is so grabby these days!

 

Our Family at the Trunk or Treat

Then on actual Halloween, it was such a nice day, I had to get the kids out to enjoy the weather. So we walked to what I thought was a near by park, but really was like 14 blocks away.

At first Axel rode in the stroller and Baby Girl in my wrap. But about half way, I felt like I was a pregnant lady again and had met my max capacity to walk while carrying an extra 20 lbs. So I made Axel walk and pick up leaves and look at the Halloween decorations and had Baby girl ride on the stroller the rest of the way. Then it was a breeze.

We had fun at the park, Axel and Dani both love the swings. 

 Axel is getting more and more brave at the playground. He usually crawls across this bridge there, but this day he jumped and jumped and jumped across it. I was pretty proud of him for being brave.

Dani loves the swing. At first I was just having her sit in her stroller while I pushed Axel, but then she started to yell at us, and was so excited to go in the swing. She is getting more and more vocal about what she wants these days.

 

The way home, Axel was beat, and I was tired and too hot to strap girl in the wrap. So this is what we came up with, and it totally worked, cause we're classy like that :) hmmm maybe it is time I decide what kind of double stroller to get. 

Stringtown Nightmare Express

That night we went to the train. We were really worried Axel would be scared, and there were parts on the ride where he was, but he really loved the train.

 While we were in line, each train that would go by he would say "My TRAIN! Come back! Come back!"

 My little Cookie monster

 Robot Axel and Kory

 He wold get so excited when the train would pull up, but so sad when it would drive away with out him. 

 Us on the train

 Axel was pretty nervous Kory said, Dani LOVED it she loved the music and the faces and was so excited each time we went under the tunnel.

Our Train stalled, I was glad it didn't stall at a scary part that would have freaked Axel out. 

 Like this Dragon, it was soo cool! It moved up and down like a flying dragon and literally came right up to your face. I was scared even.

 I think this picture is funny. That girl may or may not be related to us, but she takes her job seriously, they all do, I am so impressed with how well done this is every year. No wonder they got so many awards. AMAZING (There is talk that this is the last year, but we asked Saundra and she said they are still deciding, but that the Christmas one is no longer happening. :( So I am really glad we went, even if it will be the last time.)

 This year they had a photo spot where you could take pictures of your family on the train. Clever clever.  

After the train, we went to my sister's house to trick or treat with her kids, and show my parents there costumes. Hilary and her husband went all out this year and served 'Halloweenies' and hot chocolate to trick or treaters and neighbors under their car port. They decorated and everything, such a fun idea!

This is the only picture we took there because Baby Girl was so not happy. She wanted to eat real food with the rest of us, and was irate that we were not sharing.

We eventually ended up blending up oatmeal and feeding it to her and she warmed up. Funny girl, turns out I can't leave the house at dinner time with out her cereal, I certainly learned my lesson.

We had a fun Halloween. Axel loved it and loves having his own little "pumpkin patch" candy stash. Don't worry it is well regulated. :)