monkey

I made this for Roman for Christmas. It was surprisingly easily. And I am more than just a little happy that he loves Monkey o-so-much. That's his name, Monkey. Very creative I know. It took all the creative I had to make it, don't ask for some fancy smancy name.
He loves to have Monkey near when he plays, loves to take him when we leave the house, and loves to take him to bed at night. But if monkey happens to not be there on one of those occasion, no big deal. It is the perfect love. (Perfect for a mother who might need to wash him eventually and continually forgets to bring him along!)
My favorite is when Rome and Monkey go out. He is soooo protective of his little friend. People always want to look at Monkey and touch him. Rome will have none of that. He scowls his face, pulls Monkey in close, and turns away from the rude stranger trying to eye up Monkey. He even pushed one lady away in the grocery store last week. I am very glad she thought it was funny and just laughed.

Monkey likes to tickle everyone with his tail.
Apparently it is laugh out loud funny when Monkey tickles you!
Hugging Monkey.
Sharing lunch with Moneky. Yep, still in our pjs for lunch.
Playing cars with Monkey.
Saying cheese with Monkey.
Taking Monkey out where ever we were going that day. I think this was the day Monkey got dropped in the snow. It was a serous accident. Monkey got lots of cuddles. Probably because a week ago Roman fell in the snow and froze his chubby hands off.
Taking a nap with Monkey.

One more funny thing Monkey and Roman do is sing monkeys jumping on the bed. Well actually I sing. And Roman and Monkey jump around the room and fall down. I just love the smile on his face when he is doing it.

We love our two little monkeys!

finally

Okay, here are some pictures from Christmas. I am getting really bad at taking pictures. I hardly ever have the camera around anymore. I would basically have to have it around my neck all day, ready at a moments notice to catch all the good stuff. Plus every time Romes sees the camera he sticks his arm out and runs to grab it. I have soooo many pictures of his hand and arm cutting off his face. But, here are a few I managed to get Christmas morning. I think Paige has some better ones on her camera, she might have actually been able to catch his face, apparently I am no good at that.

Here is the tool bench, complete with all the good power tools. The bench is in his bedroom. At any time you can say, Ro we need to fix ____ (insert just about any word here). He will drop whatever he is doing, race to his room, and come back with a tool box full of fixing tools. So funny.

This is the serious face. He smiles and laughs all the time, but certain toys are not for fun and games. It is so cute how seriously he takes his "jobs".
Ahh, the chain saw. It makes the most annoying sound. Good thing he was distracted by more presents.
Another serious face. As many of you know, this kid loves Blues Clues. So I made him some handy dandy notebooks for Christmas. Just big enough for a good sized crayon to fit in. He didn't put it down for 3 days straight. Good think I made 3 of them. I got myself a new box of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, works like a charm on the crayon that is dispersed throughout my house. As you can see in the picture he also got mailbox and we made letters to go inside it with family pictures in them. Another big hit.
Here is a little horsey riding and chasing the dogs.
My favorite part of Christmas morning. He opened a few presents then he noticed the big pile. He gave every present to me, saying mama, mama. I told him who to take it to and he took off running to give them their present. Then back to the pile for more, and back to me. All with the serious face. He wouldn't open any until they had all been handed out. My little boy loves to work. He follows daddy and grandpa around every chance he gets helping them work. I love it. Wonder how long the love of work will last...

mmmm cinnamon

* Update - the candle was cold. But it had been burned in a warmer before, so it was soft enough for him to dig out easily. I'm not that bad of a mom!

I knew he was being too quite.
Luckily it washed easily off his hands, pjs, and the floor.

At least them mess smelled yummy.

And his cute little hands were so soft after the paraffin treatment!

25 questions for Christmas

Got this from a friend in one of those fill it out and send it back emails. Put it up here instead.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? Wrapping paper. Love to make it all match, red white and gold.
2. Real tree or artificial? I like real, grew up with always a real tree, but now we have artificial. I hate setting it up, but it is so much nicer to take care of! Brad says when the kids are older we will have two, one real for him and the kids and one fake for me. Okay by me.
3. When do you put up the tree? Usually in the first part of December. NEVER ever ever before American Thanksgiving. That was ingrained in me and will be with me until I die.
4. When do you take the tree down? When ever we get around to it, usually a good two weeks into January. I like to look at it for awhile. Okay really I am just lazy and Brad has to be the one to say it's time.
6. Favorite gift received as a child? Let me think... I liked my easy bake oven, my pink child sized sleeping bag, doll cradle and high chair my dad made, and the doll house my dad made and my mom decorated with the same wallpaper as our house. And if being 20 counts as a child my snowboard and boots were pretty good too!
7. Do you have a Nativity scene? Oh yes! I love my nativity. I have the whole Willow Tree set. I think I put up a picture last year. And my mom gave me an angel to go with it for Christmas last year. I actually have two other nativity sets in my storage to come out when there is more room another year. I like to be reminded many times a day of the reason for Christmas when I see it.
8. Hardest person to buy for? My dad.
9. Easiest person to buy for? Roman or my mom.
10. Hot coco or apple cider? Neither, I like peppermint steamed milk.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail. But I didn't get to cards this year. Or a picture, and I am actually very sad about the picture. Roman has changed so much since last years and we don't have even a quick picture of all three of us since then. Sad I know.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie? A Christmas Story. Very funny. We watch it every year. Brad had never seen it until he married me. He likes It's a Wonderful Life. I have never actually seen it. One of these years...
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas? Whenever. I like to start early but I always finish at the last minute. This year is a little out of control. I thought I had lots of time so I had done nothing, then all the sudden it was two weeks to Christmas!
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? I don`t think so. Wedding present yes.
15. Favorite things to eat at Christmas? Where to start... Sugar cookies for sure, my mom`s nuts and bolts, caramel popcorn, kool aid popcorn, Terrie`s chocolate oranges, Japanese oranges, aunt Shannon`s chocolates - root bear flavor is so yummy, left over turkey buns, candy canes, babka, Davis chicken noodle soup, the list could go on.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree? White white white! I hate colored lights. Not to offend any of you out there, Brad loves colored lights. They will go on his and the kids real tree.
17. Favorite Christmas song? Not sure. O come all ye Faithful comes to mind, I remember belting it out while caroling with the girls in High School. Jacklyn does a particularly good version. Any Christmas music is good. I really like just music without singing.
18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Travel from Edmonton was fine. Travel from Utah was no fun - flights canceled, delayed 12 hours, lost luggage until the 24th. But no travel is very nice. The farthest travel we do now is 20 minutes to Lethbridge. Maybe an hour to Hill Spring if Brad's parents move back. It's so nice to be able to see both families so much during the holidays.
19. Decorations traditional red and green or something else? Mostly red for me. Big surprise eh. Green, black, and some gold too. The Christmas trees that companies and groups decorate and then auction off at the hospital were pretty cool. There were a few that were all brown and blue, they looked really cool. One that was all green and white that looked good too.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star. I grew up with an Angel, but I like stars.
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? Only pjs on Christmas Eve. All my presents as a kid were wrapped. Brad's family each had a present from Santa that was unwrapped, set up under the tree. That is what they played with first. So we do that now for Roman.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year? Driving on snowy roads.
23. What is the “silliest” family tradition you do, or miss doing? It's not so much silly as it is eccentric or odd. Love my flannel sheets in the winter, and I bring them out with the rest of the Christmas stuff. I use them with one side to the top the first year, then flip them the next year, and then they are gone and I get new ones. I HATE when they get all the little balls on them, I would rather buy new ones. As for a tradition I miss, doing the nativity story on Christmas Eve. When we were little we acted it out every year - bathrobes, baby doll, rocking horse for a donkey. I loved it and can't wait to start this tradition with my kiddos. A friend of mine does it with her five brothers and sisters and all the bro and sis in laws and all the many grandchildren. Everyone has a different part every year and everyone dresses up. Love traditions.
24. Which looks best, theme trees or homey trees? Not necessarily a theme, but I do like everything to match. Again, my tree will be the fake tree, white lights, matching decorations and wrapping paper. Brad's and the kid's tree will be real tree, colored lights, crazy homemade decorations, and every color imaginable of wrapping paper. I am sure I will actually just give in when kids get old enough to care. I must admit I am looking forward to making decorations and stuff with little kiddos.
25. Gingerbread or sugar cookies? Sugar cookies. Love them any time of year. That is why I like this site, and this site - I mean where else can you get a cookie cutter in the shape of any of the 50 states, farm animals, fruit, tools, trains, dump trucks, or cowboy boots! Funny stuff.

online shopping

It's too cold to go out Christmas shopping. So I have been doing some shopping online. Roman has been helping at the other computer. Bed head and wearing too small rain boots are apparently prerequisites to shopping online.

crafty

Anyone in a crafty mood with Christmas around the corner? I have been working a lot and not really crafting - but during down time at work I have found lots of things to craft! Might make some cute Christmas presents.

Thought these covered button thumb tacks were cute

And these fabric covered magnets

Thought these pillows would be cute in kids rooms - if I had more time, maybe one day.

And this site has lots of cool fabric. Scroll to the bottom and click on the blog link (in green, just above the contact info) They have a theme for every day in November of idea you can make for gifts. Lots are stupid, but some are really cute. Nov. 6 is baby blankets and has a cute stroller quilt. Nov 9 is fabric ornaments. Nov 11, reading and writing, cute crayon role that would be good for church. You get the idea. For some reason I thought this felt cupcake was really cute (whimsy, Nov 8)
Just one more - this one's for you Steph. Nov 14, dress the kids. Check out the girls clothes. Love the smoket and this - making a girls dress from a button shirt.

Paige wanted a bag for church, for scriptures and stuff. So in stead of my mom buying one I am making here a few different ones. You have to be able to coordinate with what you are wearing! Here are a few bag tutorials I liked. Tote bag. I am shortening the handles on this one and using way cuter material, but I liked the shape. The lindie bag.

I LOVE Amy Butler and am one day going to buys some of her bag patterns. But in the mean time, here are some of her free patterns.

Here is a cute ipod cover.

I found these while looking at some blogs I like. aren't they so cute! I love the felt hair.



And don't forget the millions of ideas on Martha Stewart!

fall pictures

Okay, since you asked, here's a post for you Susie. And yes, we are celebrating Thanksgiving tomorrow. Looking forward to leftover turkey buns for days to come!

Roman has been loving chocolate chips lately.


I meant to post these back in October. We had so much fun playing outside this fall. Roman loved to throw the leaves in the air and run through grandpa's freshly raked pile of leaves. We also frequented the new park by our house. Too bad it snowed last night. No more fall fun. Now I need to go buy a snowsuit and boots.

just for you lindsay

I really wanted to sit down and get a post up tonight. Just for you Lindsay. So here I sit at my computer, all ready to post then head off to bed. I got all excited to upload pictures, and then no pictures. They are on Brad's computer. Oops. Maybe next time. So here are a few random pictures I had on here before we got the new computer. I can't not post now that I started!

For you Steph. It isn't a naked bum shot, but it is still a cute bum. Roman, not me. I love the tight pjs, makes his diaper bum so cute with his skinny little legs.


And here's one for you mom. You always say Roman looks so out of proportion big when I hold him, I guess you are right.

And since I have been on the maternity unit all month I have been thinking a lot about babies, hard not too. Just been thinking how amazing all those little babies are and reminiscing about this cute little guy.

halloween

Roman was a tiger. He really could have cared less what he was, I probably could have dressed him as a princess - and maybe I should have! But thanks to Bryan and Erin I didn't have to buy a costume this year. Most of the night he was a tiger with no head, it kept falling forward and covering his eyes. Really got in the way of his running up and down the street yelling at the other kids. He was so pumped to be out with the big kids and then to watch them all come to grandma's house to get candy. He wouldn't help hand out the candy, just wanted to keep it for himself. He also kept trying to take candy out of kids bags when they came to the door. We had lots of fun. But Ro wouldn't hold still very good for pictures, so ignore the blurriness in some of them.

i dunno what my title is...

No post for awhile - been busy and about to get even busier. I am starting to work on the maternity floor in addition to peds. I am very excited, but lots of it will be totally new stuff to learn and get used to. I am doing orientation shifts on maternity full time next month but I still have to pick up a few shifts on peds to keep them happy. Going to be a crazy month!
Brad is still having to juggle the carpentry work with subbing and being around to drop Romes off or pick him up when I am working. I know it is such a pain for him and he has such a crazy mixed up schedule, but I love him for doing it and never complaining, and for making is as easy as he can for me.

We have been doing lots of this lately, Ro and his tv face. He has recently become OBSESSED with blue's clues. He asks for "boo" all day long. Luckily he will only sit like this for a few mintues and most of the time he will run around and play while "boo" is on. This way I don't feel quite so guilty for letting him watch it so much.


We have also been doing lots of this. Took a lot of work to get the old tile off, but the new floor looks great. Roman followed us around all day with his toy hammer. He just loves to help and it is so cute to see how into it he gets. Brad did some moving and adding of electrical outlets yesterday, and we are going to get going on the rest of the kitchen soon. I am waiting to put up pictures until it is all done.


Been doing lots of cleaning up after this little man. Thought he was being so good while I was making dinner. Juice everywhere. I hate sticky juice.


And been dealing with lots and lots of this. This one was especially memorable - 15 minutes of crying and screaming and kicking feet and clenched fists. The terrible two have come very early to our house. My poor little Ro has the perfect personality for tantrums and an excellent set of lungs. Mix that with the fact the he refuses to talk so he can't communicate what he wants, and he gets soooo frustrated, and this is what you get. He will grow out of it eventually right? Please tell me yes even if it isn't true.

cookies

I had to make cookies for the compassionate service committee in our ward. Of course I waited till last minute, and Roman did not want to play by himself while I made cookies, so I had to let him help. I would have never planned to do this with him - as crazy as he is - but it was actually a lot of fun. Looking forward to doing it again sometime soon. A very good reminder to me to slow down and enjoy the time I have with him. And to enjoy him and how full of life and energy he is.

He took his job of helping sooooo sereously at first.
Here he is being important while I am getting everything ready.

Here's the energy that is often very annoying in public, but so fun when we are playing at home. He just gets so excited about so many things. I love it and it just makes me laugh.

Such a great help - wanted to scoop everything out that I had just put in.

More scooping out

Loved this job. Loved it more when the chocolate chips spilled on the counter. He grabbed them and gobbled them up faster than I have ever seen him do or eat anything.

Watching the mixer go is apparently a lot cooler than I thought.
It is also pretty funny if you ask Roman.

He also discovered that cookie dough is a lot better tasting than the chocolate chips. Both of us ate way too much of it. All day long he wandered back into the kitchen looking for more cookie dough. Hope the people that got the cookies don't mind little boy fingers!

what the snow?

It's only September! I couldn't believe my eyes when I looked out the window yesterday and it was snowing. And not just light little flakes, huge wet piles of snow falling from the sky. Did we beat you guys in Edmonton and Calgary? I went to the grocery store in flip flops - refusing to admit winter is on it's way. And yes my feet were very cold and wet. Roman went out to play in his makeshift winter clothes. The MEC fleece suite is actually pretty thick, so he stayed warm and dry for as much as he did in the snow. But his poor toes were pretty cold in his on the verge of being too small rain boots - not that he complained.

Pretty styling snow get up if you ask me.

He thought the snow was so cool. He likes to hold big snow balls, take a bite out, and then throw it on the ground.

It was actually pretty fun to be out in the snow. (Fun because it lasted for only one day and I didn't have to drive in it!)

five

We had our five year anniversary back on August 24th. I kept meaning to put up a post about it - it seems like the thing to do - but I have had many excuses. My mom always told me excuses are like feet, everyone has them and they all stink. My big excuse is work. Brad and I are a little addicted to work right now. He has been working long hours and I have been picking up tons of shifts, often the complete opposite schedule from Brad. So thank you Brad, for working so much for our family and for never ever complaining about it. And thank you for always thanking me for going to work. I'm now remembering back to when we were first married. We were both students so we had so much time to spend together. I loved the time during the day when we didn't have classes. And when we went to the library together to study. Hopefully there will come a day when we won't have to work quite so much and we can see each other a bit more. But for now it is fun to make the most of the time we do have together. I think it means a lot more to us now when we can find some time together. Kinda along the same lines as how I can love him so much more with each year of our marriage. Funny how much love grows and changes. But five years, I can't believe it. It has been such a great five years. I couldn't picture myself with anyone but Brad, I love him so much. It's funny how everyone has this same post about how their hubby is the best in the world, and the best father, and so on. It's nice to see my friends and family are just as happy as me and that we all feel so strongly about our husbands and families.
I love you Bradley.