Falke*Star

hallo-WAAAA-n

2011-11-20T16:15:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Halloween season! This was at a great party hosted by some friends.
Dorothy and Rapunzel! Costumes compliments of Brad's mom's friend, Debbie. She is an awesome seamstress and whipped up both of these costumes from scratch. They are amazing! The detail on the Rapunzel costume is incredible and it has so many layers...it is heavy! Thank you so much, Debbie, we LOVE them!
How perfect is this picture? Follow the red brick road....
My gorgeous girls :)

And my fearless Captain America with his cheeseburger sidekick!
This is where the title of my post came from. My kids were all crying and ornery when we first tried to take pictures in their costumes. How is it possible to be so sad with promises of tons of candy coming?! (Click on this picture to see the poutiest princess)
But we finally got them to smile...
...and I think they enjoyed...
...the "fruits" of their labor.
Here is the wreath I made from an old pool noodle and scraps of fabric I had.
Here is Brad's spectacular pirate pumpkin!

mathematician Finn

2011-11-20T15:26:00.001-08:00

Finn is seriously doing so well in Jr. Kindergarten. They have a class "pet" named Manny the Monkey that they get to take turns bringing home and Finn thinks it's so cool when it's his turn. This is, like, the only picture I could get him to smile in for months. He wouldn't even take school pictures. We sent him to school with his money in the envelope and told his teacher to see what she could do (short of a melt-down), but he completely refused to go near the camera. Oh well, I guess he saved us 20 bucks.

They had a jog-a-thon that Finn thought was pretty awesome. When isn't it awesome to run through a balloon arch?!

We have definitely seen a great advancement in Finn's academic (and social) skills. After school everyday when Galla is whining and crying about not wanting to do homework, Finn is on the other end of the table begging me TO DO homework! He doesn't actually have HW, so I ordered a little workbook for him from amazon and he powers right through those worksheets. He also likes to walk around quizzing everyone one math problems like: "what's 2+2+1?" or "what's 3+3+3?" Sometimes I have to think about it for a second, but he always has the answer at the tip of his tongue!

Paisley's playgroup

2011-11-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Paisley is in the sweetest little playgroup-o-girls! We meet just one morning a week and rotate houses and have the most girly-good time. They are so cute and Paisley loves going to "school!"

it's a bling thing

2011-11-20T14:33:00.000-08:00

If you have a little girly girl, then you might appreciate this little gem of a trick:Stick some little plastic jewels to mini glue dots and simply adhere to the ear!Give a little squeeze to the earlobe and they will stay for quite a while. Ours have even been know to last through bath and bedtime sometimes! They work out to be cheaper than traditional stick-on earrings and have a big bling factor!

party in the back {sept 8}

2011-11-20T13:44:00.000-08:00

I'll admit, Ryken's hair had gone beyond unruly, but it was hard to bring myself to chop those baby locks! So I followed him around with the camera for at least an hour capturing every angle of that sweet mess of hair. Then I plopped him in the bumbo seat with an otter pop and started snipping. I had to work fast because he lasted about as long as the popsicle and then it was game over.
I think it turned out pretty well. And I'm so pleased with the single curl on the back of his head that decided to stick around...can you see it?
There's my handsome man! All grown up and ready to get back to business of tearing the house apart!

cabin fever

2011-09-15T13:36:00.000-07:00

We went with my parents to their cabin a few weeks ago. Fortunately there wasn't actually any fever going on (as the title suggests) but it sure was hot! Here are some highlights:
I love some good bb gun shootin'! Paisley wasn't so sure at first (notice her covering her ears in the background),
but she warmed up pretty quickly.
Gun=fun for all ages? That thing's bigger than you, my boy!
Galla preferred to stick with the tire swinging
and cricket catching.
Then we did some cruising on the quads. I wish I had gotten a picture of all the kids on the quads with their helmets and stuff on--they looked so cute and hard-core (it sounds like an oxy-moron, but that's how I'd describe them)! Paisley actually seemed to be the one to enjoy the thrill of the ride the most. She would squeal and yell, "Go faster! Go over the bumpies!"
The kids also enjoyed plenty of playing in the awesome treehouse. There is a bucket at the end of that rope that they are putting treats in and pulling up to their hideout.
And, of course, there was lots of s'mores making
around the campfire. It was good times in the great outdoors.

champions!

2011-09-12T12:57:00.000-07:00

I may be slow to post, but that doesn't take away from the fact that last month our co-ed rec-league softball team beat "Cleats and Cleavage" to win the championship game! It was such a fun season playing every Monday night with a bunch of friends. I was easily the worst one on the team (at least Brad picked up some of my slack with his skills) and I didn't know I could have so much fun doing something I'm so bad at! Go "Easy Outs!"
The children of the champs. All the other teams had maybe a kid or two between them...we had a big fan section/distraction!
The bath water after we got home that night was the worst I've ever seen. More like a mud bath!

Too cool

2011-08-16T20:58:00.001-07:00

for the first day of school!
There's no place like 1st grade.
King of junior kindergarten.
They both had a great first day yesterday. I guess we'd been talking it up so much for school to start but it was always "not yet, not yet." When we were getting them ready that morning Finn was asking "are we going to school?" and when we said "yes" he got all excited and yelled to Galla, "we are going to school right now!" Of course Galla always knows what's going on, so she replied all matter-of-factly, "I know, Finn!"

As Ryken, Paisley and I were walking away from the school, Paisley asked, "what are we going to do now, mom?" I said, "what do you want to do?" and in that cute, high-pitched, sing-song voice of hers she replied, "I want to go to Costco!"

...and the livin's easy

2011-08-14T21:31:00.000-07:00

I've definitely been a slacker this summer when it comes to blogging. Come to think of it, I've been a slacker when it comes to a lot of things this summer, but that's what summer is for, right? So let me take you on a quick road trip through what we've been up to lately. Buckle up, roll down the windows and enjoy the summer breeze...
Trips to the library. The kids love it, but Ryken is very quick and thorough when it comes to de-shelving books.
Big Spoon frozen yogurt does dollar Wednesdays, so that was a popular destination for us. We'd play on the trail outside and here's Ryken sporting his semi-dweeby but oh-so-cute shorts.
Faces painted at a friend's birthday party.
Of course swimming in the kiddie pool!
Lazy, cartoon-filled mornings.

Swim lessons with our friends Courtney and Aubry and awesome instructor MacKenzie!
Galla did a week of daytime dance camp and loved it. The video of her doing her "gummy bear" dance is the best!

Lake camping with friends for Jack's birthday party. The mama, Ali, is the phenomenal photographer that took these pictures and our most recent family pictures. She also throws a heck of a party!

After our previous failed attempt, we finally made it to Marine World and had a super fun day. Can my girls be any cuter?! I love being with my little family.
Rocking out at our stake Pioneer Day celebration. It may look like Finn is falling down or trying to get off the stage, but this is actually him busting a move. He has got some serious dance skillz and his air guitar is the best I've ever seen.
Galla very much enjoys making "crafts" (I wonder where she gets that?). This is her homemade bird's nest. Very Upper East Side!
And their most recent obsession, Sally the lizard. I actually caught this little critter in our backyard and she is super cute. Galla has made her box up very nicely (you saw what she did for that fake bird) but I might need to help her "escape" in the night for some sustenance.

I have to admit, my blog title isn't completely accurate. Ryken has been a handful of rascally cuteness and there's not much that's easy about taking care of these 4 little kids, but I love them so much and I'm so blessed to be their mama.

Summer has been in full-swing...until tomorrow....

paisley pie

2011-06-15T13:55:00.000-07:00

Miss Paisley turned 3!
This sweet little muffin is so artistic and loves to paint. She takes it very seriously. When she was painting this canvas I came over to talk to her. At first I was whispering and saying, like, "oh, that looks so pretty." Then I started talking at regular volume to her and she immediately hushed me--she was trying to concentrate!
She drags her magna doodle around with her like a pet, taking it everywhere from in the car to bed. Brad and I agree it is the best toy we ever bought, and since the screen was getting pretty gray...
...we decided she needed a new one. She was so happy!
My parents came to celebrate and we went to John's Incredible Pizza. I crack up at this "I'm eating pizza and watching cartoons" daze they are in.

We rode some rides and played some games and had a great time.
Even little man loved it!

I made her a Rapunzel tower cake because:
A. We love that movie.
B. Paisley's long, pretty hair reminds me of Rapunzel's.
C. Paisley likes to sing that song from Tangled when I brush her hair.
It would be nice if, like in Tangled, Paisley's hair had special power to keep me young forever, but even more so I wish it had power to keep her young forever! I'm kinda glad I don't have the option of freezing Paisley in time just the way she is because it would be very tempting...but probably not so good for her progression. I just LOVE her squishy little body and sing-song little voice and sweet personality so much and wish she could be my little girl forever! These are such precious days when a bandaid and a cuddle can solve most anything.

[May 26] sad day

2011-06-09T14:29:00.000-07:00

We started the day with an 8:30 am kindergarten graduation ceremony for Galla. These were her teachers: Mrs. Guillen and Mrs. Kunstel. They were quite possibly the best pair of kindergarten teachers imaginable! These ladies are amazing and I can't say enough good things about them, but I swear they were trying to make all the moms cry that morning by having the kids sing sentimental songs about growing up and moving on and such! It was hard, but I stayed strong.
While we're talking about Galla's kindergarten experience, I wanted to throw in this pic of her at the school's jog-a-thon in April. I went to cheer her on and she did me proud! They weren't keeping a tally of laps, but I'm sure Galla out-ran every girl and all but a couple boys there. I took a few laps with her and she was speedy and determined--I had to explain to her the concept of pacing herself when she was complaining of a feeling like a "crab pinching my side."

Ok, back to our sad day. So after the graduation we headed to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom for the day. We had packed up all kinds of snacks and spare clothes and we were all stoked for a long day of play at the awesome amusement park. We were about 10 miles down the freeway when we got a flat tire. Brad calmly pulled off and parked at a gas station to change the tire. We all piled out and watched daddy skillfully get the dirty job done. The thought crossed my mind to take a picture of the completely flat tire and its intruding nail, but I was busy playing and picking flowers with the kids.

In not too long, we were back on the road and still in high spirits, headed toward the prospect of a super fun day at Six Flags. The kids watch their movie and eat peanut butter sandwiches and soon we are there! The problem comes when we realize we are the only people there...there's a sign blocking the parking lot saying the park is closed for the day. SAD!! The kids are let down, but Brad and I are devastated--we were so looking forward to going! Now what should we do? We sat there lamenting and brainstorming. We have a whole day to kill! We decided on a very sub-par substitution for Six Flags: Fairytale Town (it's next to the Sacramento Zoo). So here's how the day turned out:

So I guess it was ok. It is a magical place for kids, but Brad and I complained to each other of being bored! But so long as the kids had fun our day was a success after all. I do wish I'd taken a picture of the flat tire and the closed sign because they would've really added to this post. Now we know that Six Flags is open daily (it was only open on weekends) starting the day after we tried to go! We'll make it there eventually.

no fall finn

2011-05-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

It has been on my mind lately that much too often I hold my kids back. I find it easier/quicker/cleaner to just do things myself when my kids are completely capable. Not to mention the fact that I'm admittedly in denial about how quickly they are growing up--can't I just keep my babies safely tucked under my wing forever?! So I shouldn't have been surprised last Saturday when Brad took Finn's training wheels off and he just popped right up and rode circles around us. First shot, no falls! He is such a stud and now loves riding his bike even more than before--if that's possible.
Galla was a little less eager to learn, but I'm sure she'll come around soon. She is so independent and desirous to do things and I need to let her. And how cute is little Paisley back there on her trike?

first birthday fiesta

2011-05-10T14:19:00.000-07:00

Mr. Cinco de Mayo turned one (What?! I know, how did that happen?) and we celebrated in style! We threw the biggest party we've ever done complete with:
a chili pepper pinata and a bounce house...
...dancing with Mimi...
...a taco bar completely home-cooked by Brad. It was sooo tastey and we had way more than enough of everything! We will be eating leftovers here for weeks and I don't mind because it is so yummy...
...a chocolate fountain and a Cookie Monster cake by mom.
I chose Cookie Monster not necessarily because Ryken loves the character, but because the way Ryken eats reminds me of him. He's always shoving food in his mouth and making a lot of noise in the process--it's so funny! Also, Brad's mom made him a Cookie Monster cake for one of his birthdays when he was very young.
Here's my little monster eating his cake! Look at that cute face!
Seriously, take a closer look! My little boy is so sweet and I couldn't love him more. Ryken is definitely the most cuddly of my kids and I love to snuggle with him. He is so playful and loves when I crawl after him and chase him and grab his feet.
Ryken is also a good sharer! I think he wasn't crazy about the coconut in the frosting because he kept trying to pull it out of his mouth.
Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate our little man's birthday! Especially my parents and sister and her fiance and Brad's parents and Ryan and Stephanie and kids! Brad's family came up early to help us get ready and we had such a fun afternoon hanging out. Stephanie is like 36 weeks pregnant and made the trip up from SoCal and we're so glad they did! It was great to see Ryan and Steph and have the cousins play.
They so love each other--Steph, I'm excited for your new little girl to join the cousin clan!

Happy birthday baby boy. Now don't get any older!!

close call

2011-05-02T13:32:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we had a near collision of fairytale characters! So, of course we had Easter complete with several celebrations during the proceeding week.
I never got a really good picture, but these were their Easter outfits (the headbands were Galla's creative contribution).
We went to an egg hunt at our gym. It was so sunny! I finally gave up asking them to put their hands down and smile for the camera and snapped this silly shot.
Gotta love licking melted chocolate from inside the plastic eggs. Like I said, it was sunny!

We had a really fun hunt and lunch with some friends from our ward.
And a good old-fashioned backyard search after church.
Ryken found his own fun. No, it's not chocolate--even better to a little boy..it's mud! Yum!
Here's where the close call came in: Easter morn Galla lost her first tooth! What was I just saying about my babies growing up too quickly? I told Galla I was kinda sad because that means she's getting big. I also told her that the Tooth Fairy comes and takes your tooth and leaves you money to save for college. She then walks into the other room and tells Brad, "Dad, Mom's going to cry when I go to college." She has no idea!
So the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy missed each other by one night. And this is what that crafty little fairy left under Gal's pillow. Galla loved it and is already working on losing tooth #2!

take a piece of my heart

2011-04-26T22:05:00.000-07:00

We decided to clear some space in the garage and sell our baby bouncer and swing on CL. Actually, that statement is not completely accurate. It's more like I've been hanging on to these sentimental pieces knowing we need to get rid of them but sad to see them go because they have held all 4 kids. The swing especially has saved us on more than a few newborn nights! But Brad was like, "please get these things out of my garage, please." So I sold them. Some man came and took them both and just walked out like it was no big deal. He may as well have walked out with one of my babies! As soon as he left I was inexplicably sad and cried...like a baby. Brad was very compassionate and comforting and let me grieve. I just can't believe how quickly my babies are growing up!
Galla girl in the bouncer (about 2 months).
Galla wedged under the swing (6 months).
Little Ryken in the swing (1 month).
Ryken a little older in the swing (4 months).

Finn and Paisley also spent their fair-share of time in these seats, but I guess I never used them as photo-opps.

free crawlin'

2011-04-07T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ryken has been crawling for a little over a month now. He will temporarily enjoy the independence and indulge in activities such as pulling cans out of the pantry and ripping night lights out of sockets. And then I will hear his crying getting louder as he tracks me down to reclaim his preferred position as my "hip ornament" (like a hood ornament, get it?). C'est la vie with this cutie!

interesting article

2011-03-19T21:54:00.001-07:00

[Feb 22, 2011 Jelly Belly Factory]

My MIL sent me this link a while back (so maybe many of you have already seen this) but I thought it was an interesting read. We are a pretty peculiar people...and I for one am proud of it!

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/01/15/feminist_obsessed_with_mormon_blogs

I do have a very good life. And another thing that I was thinking about that's semi-related: The Bachelor. Yes, I watch it and so does Brad most weeks. But I realized that I am so blessed to have what they are looking for! To be in love with and married to an amazing man, beautiful kids, a happily predictable life...it's not what the world pretends to seek, but in the end most do want something similar. So I married younger than most and had 4 kids by the age of 28. Crazy? Yes. Would I change any of it? No. The way I see it, I just got a jump start on the good part of life!

sweet six

2011-03-13T22:39:00.001-07:00

The "teen" part will be coming after that six soon enough! For now, we're still doing the princess parties. This year our girly Galla wanted a "Beauty and the Beast" theme.
I made each of the girls their own necklace with their name on it and a little red crystal to represent the rose.

And of course a red rose cake! I was a little nervous to make it, but it turned out pretty well and was actually easier than I expected.
Brad tried his hand at cake making last weekend when we went down to Turlock to spend time with grandparents and Ryan, Steph, Conner, and Addi.
His cake also turned out good...if your definition of good is that it made the birthday girl happy!
We had fun hanging with the fam and it was so good to see everybody!!

I can't believe my baby girl is six! I'm so proud of our Galla. She is really becoming a lovely little lady. She has learned so much at kindergarten this year and is reading and writing like a champ. I volunteered in her class on her birthday so I got to be there when she handed out the cupcakes we brought. She was so gracious as she gave them to each friend and when the friend would say thank you and happy birthday she was putting her little hand on her chest and saying thank you and even doing a little curtsy-type move! She is kind and sweet and also playful and spunky! Galla is very smart and observant and does not miss a thing. She is totally organized and loves to decorate. I love holding her hand because it is so soft and dainty. I'm so happy that I get to be her mama and look forward to continuing to watch her grow. We love you Gal-friend!

valentine treats

2011-03-13T22:13:00.001-07:00

Galla brought 32 of these "flowers" for her "friendship party" at school. Must be sure to be PC.

And we made a bunch of cake balls to share with neighbors and to give to the wonderful ladies that work at the play center at the gym. I really should take some pictures and blog about the gym because we go there just about every day!

So we got our Blurb book done thanks to some long nights of page laying out by Brad and an extension on our Jasmere credit from Blurb. It turned out great and it's so fun to have! It has renewed my motivation to blog regularly because I love it as our family journal. And it's always great to keep in touch with friends!

princess pee

2011-03-13T21:56:00.000-07:00

I don't remember if I ever mentioned it on my blog, but we moved (only about 1/4 mile to a bigger house) in January. With so much commotion and stuff going on I wasn't planning to potty train Paisley 'til a little later. But she must have found the new commode to be more comfortable because soon after moving she pretty much potty trained herself! She has had very few accidents and looks so cute running around in her tinkerbell panties. It's great to have only one kid in diapers!

a "blog"bardment

2011-01-25T21:27:00.000-08:00

Ok, so remember that last post from OCTOBER about the blurb book deal and then I just left my blog hanging? Ya, well that blurb book voucher expires mid-February so I figured I needed to get my act together, get my blog updated (through 2010) and turn that blurb book into a reality. I've never done one before so if anyone has any advice, please share! In the meantime, here's an excessive amount of posts to skim through. These date back to last summer, but I think I covered the basics of what we've been up to and it feels good to be getting our family journal done. I know my kids will love looking at it![Sept 14] I love this picture of my cuties just chillin' at home!
[Oct 10] And here's another typical chillin' scene.
[Nov 8] When I saw this onesie at Target I just couldn't pass it up because when the kids are getting all the attention from grandmas or Brad's mom or me, Brad will often say, "I'm a big deal!" So you can see why I got a kick out of this.
[Nov 28] And nothing beats a good bathtub shot, right? It's looking a little cramped in there...

holly jolly

2011-01-25T20:50:00.000-08:00

This picture was on the front of the postcard that Brad sent to all his patients for a season greeting. Santa is all set for chimney bounding and toy hefting!
The big man visited Galla's school winter concert and I was pleased to get all of my kids to pose with him and (pretty much) face the camera.

All cozy on Christmas Eve and in total anticipation!
First Christmas for little Ryken and he liked all that wrapping paper and ribbons!
This is playing Christmas morning, but the calm didn't last long because Christmas day we headed down to make the rounds to Mammaw's, Nanny and Pop's, and Sesa and Pa's houses and then back home all in one fast and festive-filled day! And then the real frenzy started because we packed up and moved (only about a 1/4 mile) on January 1st. Whew! Moving is a lot of work, but we are happy to be in a bigger home.

california international marathon

2011-01-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

[December 5] I got to run in the California International Marathon which goes from Folsom (where we live) to the Capital Building in Sacramento. I think this is a pretty cool picture with the Capital Building in the background--even if my ears alone cover half the building! I ran a PR of 3:50:25 and had a great time, but my knees disagreed. Brad and the kids came to cheer me on and we all enjoyed pancakes at the finish line.

monster truck birthday

2011-01-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

Finn turned four and we celebrated with a sweet monster truck cake! This kid is so my little man. He tries to act tough, but he gives me tons of hugs and kisses. Finn is super obedient and loves to help me (get my phone, throw away diapers, etc). He is also quite stubborn, so when we find something on which we disagree it's nearly impossible to convince him to cooporate (wear pants instead of shorts, eat his dinner, etc) no matter how much we bribe or threaten him! He is a man that sticks to his beliefs! He also loves to play outside and ride his scooter. Most mornings he has eaten breakfast (he demands cereal the second he wakes up) and gotten himself dressed (in basketball shorts and a t-shirt) and is going outback to play before the girls have even gotten off the couch! I love Finn and getting to know him more and more as he grows up.

count your many blessings

2011-01-25T14:07:00.000-08:00

I'm grateful to have so many blessings and so many people with which to share them. For Thanksgiving we took a few days and made the rounds to visit some family.
We went to my parents' cabin for a couple days to play in the snow. It was so fun, but my kids enjoyed playing inside the cabin more than outside. Just when the sledding trail was getting good and packed down they were over it! We are grateful for warm clothes and heaters.
This is in front of my grandma's house. I love this picture because my siblings and I also used to play in the ginko leaves. We are grateful for bright yellow leaves.
We had a feast at Mammaw's house...
...and a feast at Nanny and Pop's house. We are grateful for delicious food and incredible family.
This is Brad's cousin Macy. We are grateful for cousins. And Galla is grateful for her monkey and lip gloss.
And, of course, I'm overflowing with gratitude for my amazing husband and four beautiful children. We are so blessed to be an eternal family and I love them so stinkin' much!

happy hallo"wings"

2011-01-24T23:04:00.000-08:00

This was from Galla's school Fall Festival Carnival Autumn Celebration (or whatever PC title they gave it). I painted her scarecrow face and thought it turned out really cute--she was just thrilled to be wearing make-up!

The kids thought it was cool that they all had wings with their costumes (minus little Ryken--wings don't really go well in a stroller) and I made Galla's and Paisley's. The craigslist Buzz costume came in handy for a second Halloween. We tried to convince Finn to mix it up and wear something different (he wears that costume nearly daily) but he didn't want to and i didn't think it was worth fighting him on. Hurray for Halloween! We went to the ward trunk-or-treat where Brad and his friend Dave backed their cars up together and created a "haunted house" with a huge tarp, fog machine, strobe light, music, etc. It was awesome!

zittel's farm

2011-01-24T22:48:00.000-08:00

[October 25] Brad was a parent volunteer for Galla's class fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch. They had a great time, but Brad seems to recall schoolbus seats being a little bigger before...Galla is the cutest little kindergartener!

I just have to add a little story here: Everyday when I take Galla to school I walk her to her classroom where the kids all line up and wait for their teacher to escort them in. We are usually one of the last ones in line because we will wait in the car 'til the last minute so I don't have to leave Finn, Paisley and Ryken alone for very long (trust me, it's a whole lot easier than dragging them all out and back--the car is always in close sight). So when we get there we walk past all the kids to get to the back of the line and every day I get a little taste of what it would be like to be a celebrity (or maybe a body gaurd to a celebrity) because all the kids are going, "Hi Galla!" "Galla! Hi!" "Galla, look at my skirt!" "Galla!" etc. She is so friendly and sweet and everybody loves her.

california girls

2011-01-24T22:41:00.001-08:00

[October 2010] Once you party with us you'll be falling in love...oooooh oh oooooh...uh-oh! I LOVE my girls, but heaven help us...!

fireman finn

2011-01-24T22:32:00.000-08:00

[October 15] We took a fieldtrip to the firehouse with a bunch of Finn's little boy friends. The firemen were all so very friendly and it was fun to watch the boys in awe of all the equiptment and, of course, the big truck! I love my boys!

baby grub

2011-01-24T22:23:00.000-08:00

They look so cute sitting in these silly--yet very functional--chairs!
Here's Ryken (on October 14) all ready for his first taste of food!
The experience was a little anticlimactic. He never did really take a liking to the baby mush. He looks at me, looks at Brad, and makes it clear that "I'll have what she's having!"

best brothers

2011-01-20T22:16:00.000-08:00

From day one Finn and Ryken have taken a liking to each other. Finn always wants to hold him and make him laugh and Ryken thinks Finn is the funniest person ever! Finn is always very gentle and careful with him and Ryken has always liked when Finn comes around. Even from a tiny baby he has prefered Finn and seemed comfortable with him whereas with Galla and Paisley Ryken gets a little nervous for his safety (the girls are a little overly loving!). Finn has never been a fan of taking pictures until Ryken came along and now he regularly requests I take a picture of him with Ryken! I love seeing my sons together--it totally warms my heart!!May 17--so precious
May 19--I love the arms behind the head and the smirk
May 23--blessing day
June 4--Ryken "looking up to" Finn with their awesome Star Wars shirts
September 5--I love how handsome they look
October 24--"I'm gunna get you!"
October 27--sometimes I can't resist matching my little monsters
November 4--sooo cute!
December 1--I love these boys
August 7--I couldn't resist throwing in this great generations picture

summer lovin'

2011-01-19T21:29:00.000-08:00

The summer is kinda a newborn blur to me now--you mamas know what I mean! We tried to have some fun for the kids but it can be hard to get around with a newbie. Behold, one of my favorite craigslist finds ever:
This Joovy big caboose triple stroller is awesome and makes getting around with 4 little ones...well...as easy as it can be to get out with 4 little ones! I know it's not that great of a picture but I love this stroller. It's pretty pricey to buy new but I found one on CL and the people had only used it once when they went to Disneyland so it was in great shape and I got a killer deal. This stroller actually weighs less than a Graco double stroller and pushes/steers surprisingly easily. I love it and the kids feel pretty cool on their limousine stroller.
We did a lot of chillin' in the backyard and the kids love to find the critters that live around here. This garter snake is fun to play with when he's foolish enough to get caught.

These little froggies (about the size of a penny) are so cute and there is an excessive amount of them hopping around our yard, so I don't mind sacrificing a few of them for the cause of a fun childhood for my kids. Galla, Finn and Paisley love to catch them and put them in buckets or make them little beds--how CUTE is this!!!

Some other fun things we did last summer:
In July we went to a Rivercats baseball game.
In August we celebrated Mammaw's birthday with her. That bowl of "popcorn" is actually her cake that I made her and the "popcorn" is marshmallows! Mam is well-known for the delicious popcorn she makes and puts in a green bowl just like the one I used for the cake (you can actually see her popcorn bowl on the table in the background). My kids always grab a handful or two (or ten) from that green bowl when we go to Mam's.
On Labor Day we went boating with Uncle Brad and his family. The kids loved being on the boat, swimming in the lake, eating all the snacks, and going on the raft. I love how Paisley and Finn's lifevests are up to their eyes!
The next weekend in September we went to the Barnum and Bailey circus with Mimi and Opa. It was so cool and some of those acts were quite impressive!
I love this totem pole picture of my boys!

blurb book deal

2010-10-18T13:15:00.000-07:00

I've recently learned about this cool website:

www.jasmere.com

It's like groupon, but for online retail. I've never actually purchased anything from it...until today! I thought my fellow bloggers might also be interested in this deal. It's about time I get my blog in hard copy--even if the posts have been infrequent lately--and I'm sure many of you feel the same way. But it only lasts until noon eastern time tomorrow (but the credit doesn't expire until Feb 18, 2011).

What little feedback I've heard about blurb books has been good. Any thoughts?

P.S. I just realized you can do me a favor by signing up through this link and I get referral credit. Thanks!!

http://www.jasmere.com/r/7777b292?l

Also, for an even better deal, go to this site for a $5 coupon code for jasmere:

http://mygoodcents.net/2010/10/21807/

out of mommy experiences

2010-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

So, my last post was showcasing some of my crafts and things I like to do "in an attempt to act like I have a life beyond my cute kids." Another thing I do as a distraction from the daily hum-drum is run. I decided to refer to these extra-curricular activities as my "out of mommy experiences." You know, things to break up the "mom-otony" (monotony) and go beyond the "mini-mom" (minimum) requirements. Ok, I'll stop. I know, I'm way too entertained by a good play on words.

Anyway, back to the running. Most of you already know this, but I love it. It feels so good to me. It's actually surprising to me how much I love it. I'll start walking to warm up and my body feels all stiff and strained. So I'll start jogging (counter-intuitive, right?) and my whole body just relaxes and I feel like a total relief as I settle in to my autopilot pace. I feel so comfortable, mind and body, and like I've slipped slightly out of this dimension and into my own happy place. I know it sounds crazy, but I'm not complaining because it is an excellent "out of mommy experience" and when I'm done I always feel more capable of taking care of my kids.

Two weekends ago I did my first 10k race. It was called Run for Courage and it was a great race for an incredible cause. I'd never raced that distance before. I had to leave my happy autopilot pace and pick it up to make my time goal, but I did it. I finished in 45:46 (that's 7:33 each mile) and was second in my division and the 3rd girl overall. I'm not typically a competitive runner, but that was fun!

Now I'm all registered and in the thick of training for the California International Marathon in early December. I look forward to seeing this again:
My fans watching from the sidelines!
I knew Brad would be at the finish line with the kids and it totally motivated me to run faster so I could see them sooner! They are so supportive and always want to run and race all over the place! But enough about me, I promise my next post will be devoted to the stars of this blog :)

you've got to pick a project or two

2010-09-28T13:58:00.000-07:00

(that title is supposed to be a play on words to an Oliver! reference)

In an attempt to act like I have a life beyond my cute kids, I like to experiment with all kinds of crafts. Sure, crayons and glue sticks are for kid crafts during the day, but these projects I definitely do while the helpful little hands are asleep! In the past month or two I've done a project in all kinds of categories. I'd like to show you:

Home decor:
I picked up these dinner plates (about 13") at Ikea and decorated them with silhouettes of my kids. Sorry the picture isn't so good/detailed, but they are being displayed on top of my kitchen cabinets and I didn't feel like pulling them down for a picture and putting them back up. They look better in person!

Sewing:

These car seat canopies are for my friend and her friend. She picked out the fabric and gave it to me to sew. They turned out really well, but I'd like to expand my sewing skills beyond (relatively) straight lines. Someday I'll take a class....

Baking:
These ghost cupcakes use cake balls and marshmallow fondant, which is so easy to make and super fun to use. It's like finally play-doh you can actually eat!

(Doll)house wallpapering:
Before.
After! This dollhouse hangs out in our front room and I got tired of looking at those ugly yellow walls. Nothing a little scrapbook paper and mod podge can't fix!

Jewelry making:
I admired all those mother's necklaces on etsy for so long and was going to order one until Brad suggested I just make it. So I got some tools and supplies, watched an online demo, and then started hammering away! I love it and wear it almost everyday. The kids like to play with it and find their name. I've got some more pieces in the works including coordinating necklaces for each kid, a runner ID bracelet for me, and a Mimi necklace for Brad's mom (don't worry, Robin, I haven't forgotten). :)

See, (I tell myself) I'm good at more than just diaper duty!

Ryken roll

2010-09-14T13:34:00.001-07:00

A few days after turning 4 months Ryken started to roll! He is growing as fast as he can to catch up to his siblings. At his 4 month check-up he was about: 10% for weight, 90% for height, 10% for head size and I suspect if there were a measure for it, he'd be 90% for ear size! He is so cute and so sweet and I love him to pieces. When he got all his shots he just let out a little wimper and then blew raspberries at the nurse--so brave! In honor of my brave little boy I thought I'd take a short walk down memory lane with some pictures that never got posted. It's easily apparent how precious he is!
The first official roll on September 8.
Swinging at 4 months.
Lounging at 3 months.
Smiling at 2 1/2 months.
Also 2 1/2 months.
Smiling for Mammaw at 2 months.
Almost 2 months.
So serious at 1 month!
Sweet little sleep smile at 1 month.

Please don't get any bigger. Stay my little baby forever.

little G hits the big K

2010-09-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

Galla started kindergarten on Aug 9th! On the first day the kids got to bring a small stuffy so, of course, Galla brought her beloved monkey (see him hanging out of her backpack). She is so funny and had to accessorize Munk for the big day with one of her bracelets fashioned on him as a necklace. She is all about the bling!
This is outside of her classroom. There are cute kids painted all along the wall. (She made a new friend, but her personality is a little flat. Ha, ha...not funny but I couldn't resist.)
This is her "Day 2" outfit. She loves her Skechers "twinkle toes." She is doing really well at school, but having a little bit of a hard time with having to go everyday. As I was walking her up the other day she was saying how she didn't want to go everyday and that it's "boring, boring, boring!" But when I picked her up she had changed her chant to "kindergarten is awesome!" I have all of those bitter-sweet feelings that come with kindergarten, but I'm really proud of my little lady.

hey doll face...

2010-08-24T20:59:00.001-07:00

Your crib or mine?

Little Ryken is such a good boy! He is growing up as fast as he can.

This is (one of) Paisley's "babeeeyas." Paisley's little voice and vocabulary is so cute. She adds an "uh" to the end of many words. This is what I hear all day: "mommeeeya, mommeeeya, mommeeeya...."

pLaisley

2010-07-14T22:18:00.000-07:00

Paisley turned 2 on June 13. At her 2 year check-up she was below average height and weight (I can't remember the numbers now and don't feel like digging them up) and top of the charts for head size. Add to that over-sized head some long wavy/curly out-of-control hair and those numbers quantify my belief that she resembles a bobble-head...but I mean that in the most adorable way possible! It's no wonder she's always complaining "I bonka head." She pronounces her name "pLaisley" and it is totally appropriate because she is extremely playful. Paisley also LOVES to color (especially circles--check out that original art above) and her favorite color is purple. She prefers a blank paper to a coloring page so all of our coloring books have her art work on the inside of the front and back covers that were blank. Brad brings home all of his scrap paper from the office and Paisley reuses them by coloring on the back. What else to say about Paisley? She is sassy to the extreme and really demands my attention. Whenever I pick her up from the gym play center or church nursery (at both places the teachers absolutely adore her) she wants to tell me all about what she did and if I'm not looking at her she will grab my face with her little hands and turn my head to look her straight in the eyes. She gets excited about everything and is always gasping and widening her eyes. Her little voice is as cute as it gets and Brad and I both enjoy impersonating it. She can talk up a storm and carry a tune--she always sings along when I sing her sleep-time lullaby. Whenever we say a prayer she wants to say one first and it pretty much always goes: "Heavenly Father. Thank you. Christ. Amen." Then she says: "Go ahead daddy/mama/Galla/Finn." She loves shoes and will wear everyone's (including Brad's) and when it's time to go somewhere she will go get everyone's shoes and bring them to them saying: "here ya go!" She gives the sweetest hugs and kisses and is the most cuddly of my kids. Paisley is completely packed with personality and I love her to pieces.

galla graduates [May 28]

2010-06-29T14:01:00.000-07:00

Galla had a great year of preschool. She learned a lot and grew up a ton! As her teachers were handing out the "diplomas" they would tell everyone how that child had responded to the question of what they wanted to be when they grew up. Any guesses as to Galla's response? It's pretty predictable...she straight up wants to be a princess when she grows up. Good job, Gal. Maybe now is the time for a little vocabulary lesson...today's term: "gold-digger."

what a blessing

2010-06-28T13:38:00.001-07:00

On May 23, Ryken was blessed by his dad. We did it in Turlock at church but on our own time with the Relief Society room full of family and close friends. Having your baby blessed is such an indescribably amazing and special experience. Ryken is an extraordinary little guy and we are so grateful to have him in our family. I love knowing that my children are born in the covenant of mine and Brad's eternal marriage and that we get to be a family forever!

Ryken time!

2010-05-13T21:29:00.000-07:00

Ryken Mann was born on 5.5.2010 at 6:09 pm! He weighed 6 lbs 10 oz and was 19 1/2". Labor and delivery were *good* and we are just so happy to be home with our healthy baby boy and the rest of our super kids. I didn't have ANY tearing/episiotomy, which is a total miracle for me, and recovery is coming along amazingly well. Needless to say, things have been busy around here, but we are loving our little family and we are all happy. Time to give Ryken a bath!

And in case you were wondering, I made it to Galla's preschool Mother's Day fashion show and it was awesome.

(More pics are posted on Facebook if you can't get enough here--and if we're not "friends" yet, feel free to send me a request)

luck be a baby tonight

2010-04-28T13:16:00.001-07:00

The past few months I've been on a lucky streak and I like to think it's on account of my little guy in utero. I have won $50 at American Eagle, $100 at Victoria's Secret (I know, what do you do with that at 8 months pregnant?) and a free month of dues at the gym we attend! And Brad won tickets to a jazz concert that we went to last month. I don't think I'll be buying any lotto tickets to press my luck, but I hope the good karma continues after he is out. I told Brad we are going to win with my Spin ID on "Wheel of Fortune."

You can rub my belly for good luck if you want!

But hopefully he won't be in there much longer...7 days 'til my due date! I've painted my toes for the occasion and crossed [most] everything off my to-do list so we are all ready to go. And I just found out this morning that Galla's preschool class is doing a "Fashion Show" for their moms next Friday, May 7, in honor of Mother's Day. They are all going to dress up and do a show and then have punch and cookies. Hello!! That is straight up Galla's alley and I know it will just crush her if I'm not there. I CANNOT be in the hospital at 11:30 am on May 7 (2 days after my due date)!

Come on Baby Boy, mama needs you to come soon!

Lest I slip back into my slacker ways...

2010-04-18T21:40:00.000-07:00

I'd better keep posting like I'm s'posta!
Don't be fooled by her cute hair--this little girl is a wild one and she loves to dig in the dirt!
I know this is not the most flattering shot of her face, but Galla has a style all of her own that needs to be showcased! She is very adament about dressing herself and changing a dozen or so times a day. Here she is sporting her 4 pm look: several shirts layered over a dress (that is not just a skirt) with Hello Kitty tights, rainbow socks and her diamond Crocs. And don't forget the excessive accessories! (She actually has those toned down in this picture.)
Here they are playing "cowboy" in the backyard.
Finn also has a unique style that doesn't stray far from shorts. Every day. Rain or shine. Thank goodness it's really starting to warm up. He also likes to throw a Boston accent on things. He would say they are playing in the "backyawd." And when we go somewhere we get in the "ka." I don't know how to spell it the way he says it, but can you hear it? Who knows where he got that?
Here's a classic Easter morning shot. Chocolate bunny--breakfast of champions!

Paisley looks like she's thinking: "Are you sure this is ok, mom?"
Easter afternoon. I love my cute little family and can't wait to add another little boy! Due date countdown: 17 days!

Hit the Highlights

2010-03-31T20:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, back to Halloween? Really? I guess I slipped pretty far behind on the posting. In my mind it's still, like, January so it's hard for me to accept it being April tomorrow and I'm 35 weeks prego! But it's time to kick it into gear and get ready for Baby Boy's arrival. But in an attempt to prevent this from becoming too much of a "blah-blah-blog," I'm just going to hit the highlights in photos and keep the narrative to a minimum. Here we go, the past 5 months in a nutshell:Paisley was some sort of improvised pink fairy for Halloween, but I forgot her tutu and she was more interested in holding that cookie than her wand.Galla insisted on the standard 4-year-old girl costume: Cinderella.I got a sweet deal on a brand new Buzz costume off Craigslist and Finn loved it! He's a huge Buzz/Woody fan and we are really looking forward to Toy Story 3 coming out.Such a fun Fall day. Who can resist lying in a huge leaf pile?My girlies are so cute and love to be cozy!Thanksgiving cheers at Nanny's.A quick family shot on the couch after a delicious dinner.Finn's 3rd birthday! He loved his blue lightsaber cake I made complete with glow sticks. I could show a more detailed pic, but I think you get the idea. Also, I love this picture with Anakin on the TV in the background because I think he and Finn look similar with the hair-do and all. Finn was so cute on his birthday soaking up all the attention. He is such a good boy!Picking out our Christmas tree.A Christmas Eve horsey ride with cousin Conner.Christmas Eve cousins picture. Look how adorable baby Addison is on Galla's lap. She was born Nov 12 and we are just loving her--she is so sweet!Can we open our presents yet?!A nice "blue steel" look from Finn on his new bike Christmas morning.Paisley loves her new scooter (even if the handle bars are a little high) and was happy to pose and give me a "cheeeeese!"You go Galla! Sweet ride!Go ahead and keep playing your Wii...I'll be over here with the quiche!Fast forward to March (we did do things in Jan and Feb, but we'll skip it for now) and Galla's 5th birthday--The Princess and the Frog! These little princesses were all so sweet and spent the whole time twirling and telling each other how beautiful they looked.Of course I had to make a frog cake--pucker up!And these were the cupcakes she took to preschool.This picture is from an 80's party Brad and I went to a couple weeks ago. In case you didn't guess, Brad is "Brand" from The Goonies. I think my eyeshadow looked pretty amazing, but the crimp job ended up looking more "poodle" than "posh." I just thought I'd share the awesomeness with you!

And that about brings us up to speed. Now let's hope time slows down a little bit because I've got a list to accomplish (blankets to sew, a dresser to refinish...) before giving birth. And don't even think about coming early...cinco de mayo, please!

they seem smart to me...

2010-02-19T14:40:00.000-08:00

Ok, ok, I've obviously been absent from the blogosphere for quite some time now, so this information may have already made its way around the blog block a time or two, but if anyone missed this tip it's worth making a comeback for! So, everyone is familiar with the Baby Einstein DVDs and maybe even has the whole Costco pack of 'em like me. Galla enjoyed them when she was little, but they haven't gotten much use since. Well, apparently some people were pretty ticked when these movies didn't live up to their name and make their kids geniuses, so there was a lawsuit like last October. I don't know all the legal details, but I do know that you can get a refund of $15.99 per DVD for up to 4 DVDs per household. Seriously. I sent 4 in a couple months ago and the check for $63.96 came in the mail today! Go here to get the details. It's totally legit and I didn't even have the original cases. But the offer is only valid through March 4, so if you want to get some cash you'd better go dig up those old DVDs soon.

Anyway, I guess something about taking care of 3 little ones and being pregnant has taken away my desire/ability to sit at a computer for any length of time or to do much more than check (notice I didn't say respond to) my email, but I am working on a comeback. I'm building up mental momentum and plan to resume blogging soon (but don't expect anything spectacular) because I miss y'all!

boy or girl, girl or boy?!?

2009-11-23T14:23:00.000-08:00

I have not been reserved about expressing my desire for this baby to be another boy and figured I'd jinxed myself. When I went in for an ultrasound last week I told the tech I really wanted a boy and that I'd slip her a $20 if she would see what she could do about it. Without a doubt, the little guy showed us the money! I was so excited, I might have let out a squeal or two.

With my other 3 I have been able to get a gut feeling and be right every time, but with this one I was way too worked up about wanting another boy that I couldn't get a clear instinct signal. Then I took that stinkin' Intelligender test at 12 weeks and it said girl--until Brad picked it up and then it changed to boy. But you are not supposed to disturb it, so technically my reading was girl. I just kept going back and forth in my head "boy or girl, girl or boy?" for a couple more weeks. Then I finally came to a point where I could honestly say that I would be happy with either. I love my girls and it would be awesome to have another. It was after I made peace with my mental gender debate that I finally felt confident that it was indeed a boy. Going in to the ultrasound I fully expected to have my suspicion confirmed and I was ecstatic when it was!

And so the score will be even. Girl-boy-girl-boy. Finn will have his little brother and some relief from the princesses by which he is surrounded.

one for the galla, two for the finn, three to get paisley and four...

2009-10-17T21:17:00.000-07:00

...due five-five-ten! Yup, that's right, cinco de Mayo. I'm nearly 12 weeks along and annoyingly nauseous. But we're excited for number four! I can't believe that we actually waited this long to spill the beans. With the other 3 I couldn't wait and told everyone at, like, 5 1/2 weeks. But I always thought girls were so cool when they could keep it under wraps 'til around week 12, so I wanted to give it a try. It was fun having it be a little secret between Brad and me for a while. I even straight lied to my sis-in-law and told her I had my period--sorry, Steph! So, here's to the new babe and the end of the first trimester!

allow me to "summer"-ize

2009-10-15T13:13:00.000-07:00

These are some pictures to summarize our summer. Not much explanation needed. Most of them our just in our backyard but to me they convey the joys of childhood. I wish I could still run around in my underwear eating popsicles!LOVE this picture--so classic!My sweet girls in their matching summer dresses.This bad boy is our garden guard! I was the lucky one to discover him, but Brad is definitely the one holding him up to meet the kids. I have mixed feelings about him. I appreciate the work he puts into keeping our garden critter-free, but I think I'll keep my distance.Hi Paisley!Finn riding his trike.And when Finn gets tired of riding his own, he hitches a ride on Galla's!Splashin' in the little Wal-Mart pool--which is bigger than you think when you are trying to transport it home.Paisley was endlessly entertained by the, like, 2 inch slide.Sayonara summer. We look forward to your sweet heat next year!

Tio Joe

2009-09-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

My brother, fondly referred to as "Tio Joe," came for a visit last week! We don't get to see him often since he's busy being famous--performing on Broadway all the way across the country in NYC--so it's a real treat when he comes. This guy is the ultimate entertainer! From Broadway stage to backyard playhouse, permed old ladies to playful little kids, he really knows how to thrill an audience. My kids can't get enough of this character and it's so fun to watch them all play together. But he's definitely a night owl, so it's after the kids go to bed that act 2 starts and he and I get seriously silly! I'd also like to mention that, beyond performing talents, he's just an all-around awesome guy. Thanks for coming, Tio Joe, WE LOVE YOU!!

Goodbye kids, hello coast!

2009-09-14T19:30:00.000-07:00

Brad and I got to leave the little ones with my parents and head to the coast for Labor Day weekend. A full Friday to Monday vacation and it was awesome! We'd only had literally one night away from our kids since Galla was born until last weekend. We stayed at Anton Inn in Pacific Grove. It was so fun! Allow me to summarize the exciting times:We woke up Saturday morning (after going to a few art shows Friday night in downtown Pacific Grove) raring to go! We enjoyed our complimentary breakfast and then hit the bikes. We rode over to Carmel following 17 mile drive and the coastline.We took a walk on the beach to give our "bike bums" a rest and then rode back to the hotel for lunch. Round-trip the trek was about 30 miles. My bum was sore and my shoulders were burned (darn that sun and me forgetting to wear sunblock) but it was soooo fun! After lunch and showers we got dressed and went to a Greek festival on Fisherman's Wharf in Monterey.

Sunday we decided to soak up some warm sun in Santa Cruz. I'm sad we forgot to take pictures, but we totally lounged on the beach and read our novels--and people watched, of course! It's so different to be able to relax on the beach and read instead of constantly trying to keep the kids from floating out to sea. Then we went up to the boardwalk and walked around and ate some fried food.Our hotel was walking distance to the beach so Sunday and Monday mornings we went down for a run and to explore the tidepools.

Meanwhile, the kids were great for the grandparents. They swam, ate french fries, went for a ride in Pa's Corvette, and rode on the unicycle with Pa. Seriously, my dad has had this unicycle since he was nine (that's not actually him in the link) and he can hold a kid while riding! So funny!

It was good to get back to my babies and their cuddles, but I'm already looking forward to our next getaway!

puh-puh-preschool

2009-09-02T21:32:00.000-07:00

I have three crazy kids on my heels all day and finally I get to pawn one off at preschool for a few hours a week! Galla started a MWF morning class on Monday and we got her psyched by keeping a "puh-puh-P" theme all day since "puh-puh-P is for preschool." I'll spare you the written "puh-puh" pronunciation throughout the post, but know that we were emphasizing it all day! We started the morning with pancakes, then dressed her in purple and pink (not that that is anything out of the ordinary) complete with purple and pink painted nails and pig-tails in her hair. I packed her popcorn for her snack and dropped her off for her big day. I wasn't sure how I'd react to leaving my baby at school and I got a tiny bit choked up as I walked out of the building, but once I got back in the car I could feel nothing but excitement for her. I know she will thrive in the environment!

When I picked her up she was perky and told me all about how much fun she had and the new friends she made and how the boys weren't listening to the teacher but she was listening to the teacher. For lunch we had peanut butter sandwiches and during naptime for Paisley and Finn she got to watch a princess movie. After naps we had pretzels for a snack then went to the dollar store to pick a prize*. For dinner it was pizza pockets, then we went swimming at the pool and had peach cobbler for dessert. Come to think of it, it was a pretty typical day, but fun nonetheless to make a P-party of it all. I think she now knows what letter preschool starts with and what sound it makes!

Now we just need to keep her excited about school for the next 18 years or so....
This is at orientation last week.
She loves the doll house.

thanks for the hearty slice of life

2009-08-27T21:36:00.000-07:00

The kids are asleep. Brad is out playing tennis with his brother. I don't feel like being irritated by TV, but I also don't feel like being truly productive. Hmmm...what shall I do? I totally just spent the last hour and a half absorbed in blogs and I just have to say thank you.

Thank you for opening your lives and sharing with me. It is amazing to see so many families that I've met from so many places along the way in my (and Brad's) life journey. You guys are all over the place doing all kinds of commendable things--babies being born, kids starting kindergarten, new houses, fun outings...living life and loving it!

I feel so blessed to have such great, admirable friends. Several of your blogs touched me to tears. I've been entertained. I've gained insight. I am impressed and inspired. Life is so precious and I appreciate being able to share it with you peculiar people!

Thank you for the uplifting evening. Let's stay in touch.

hey, finn...

2009-08-26T15:19:00.000-07:00

Where'd ya go?
Oh! There's that cute face!

Cutting a squirmy little boy's hair is tricky business.

"sometimes you just gotta yell and scream!"

2009-08-13T14:38:00.000-07:00

Hello flashback!! Who else was raised on this stuff? My sister ordered these aweseomely important songs on CD for us and listening to it totally takes me back to sitting in the mini-van of my youth. My kids ate it up and quickly learned to sing along. They love it and include the Safety Kids in our evening prayers. I still sing my telephone number to their catchy tune and my kids are memorizing my cell phone number--that could come in handy!Galla likes to practice this safety tip in public with Brad. That could cause some problems!These kids look pretty street-smart to me!

can you say "entomology?"

2009-08-04T15:21:00.000-07:00

What would you think when this package came UPS from Mimi?

*Yay! Package from Mimi!*And this little box is inside.

*Hmmm...she's joking? Maybe it's a cool fake bug?*Nope. It's the real deal. Very icky. And also stinky.

You can't say she didn't warn me.We love our silly Mimi! She sure knows how to take the hum-drum out of the day.

is it sunday or wednesday?

2009-07-31T21:09:00.000-07:00

Lately I feel like those are the only days in the week. It'll be Sunday morning and we're rushing to get everyone presentable and to church on time. Next thing I know it's Wednesday and Galla has gymnastics and Brad has a softball game. Before I know it we're getting ready for church again...then it seems like the next day and I'm watching somersaults and softball again...then suddenly it's Sunday! Where do the weeks go?!So I had to post some softball pics. Brad sponsored the team (hence the name "Falke Chiropractic") of a bunch of guys mostly from our ward. How do you like the spine on the back of their tees? Pretty cute, right?! The guys all have cool wives and kids that would be there, so I spent more time socializing (with my friends) and supervising (our kids at the playground) than rooting on the team. But I did fulfill my "team mom" duties and bring ice cold Gatorades in the cooler each week for the guys and candy for the kids.

Take me out to the ball game...

G is for Galla and Gymnast

2009-07-28T13:51:00.001-07:00

Galla started gymnastics a few weeks ago and she luh-huvs it! After her first class her teacher, Miss Megan, said she was surprised she'd never taken gymnastics before because her arms are so strong. I guess the strict morning regimen I have her on of curling large juice cans and bench pressing Paisley is paying off.

Before each class Galla's instructions to me are: Take my picture and say "go, Galla, go!"

You go, G-girl!

Sweet Tooth

2009-07-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

To celebrate Uncle Ryan's first week as a full-fledged dentist, I made this cake. Kind of conflicting interests to shape sugar like a toothbrush, but once I had the idea there was no stopping me. I wouldn't recommend using dyed marshmallow creme as actual toothpaste.

I'm still scheming how to successfully make a spine cake for Brad.

While we're talking toothbrushes, I'd like to mention that Ryan hooked Brad and me up with some sweet Sonicares a while back. Have any of you used one of these vibrating villians?! The first time I used it I wasn't sure I could endure the two minutes of torture. It so tickles my lips and gums! I'm used to the tickles now, but it has forever stripped me of my teeth-brushing multi-tasking capabilities. I guess I can still use my left hand to do other things but I cannot use both hands and just let the thing hang out in my mouth for a second. I've tried it unsuccessfully. I'm learning to enjoy the two minutes of meditation while staring at myself in the mirror and when it's done, I can't deny the fresh from the dentist feeling.

cows, chickens, pigs, sharks...the usual fair gang

2009-07-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

Brad's business has been steadily increasing and it's great. He's constantly coming up with another way to market himself--you know, like getting new patients not like on the "black market." So a couple weeks ago he had a booth at the El Dorado County Fair. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of his set-up, but I did get some fun pics of the kids. I took the kids (with Ryan, Stephanie, and Conner--see previous post) and we had a jolly fair time.Checking out the chickens.Yup, there were real live sharks! Surprisingly not part of the petting zoo portion, but still cool to look at."License and registration please, ma'am."Poor little P was exhausted by the end. I thought this was a peculiar sleep position.This is a glimpse into how my life would look as a single mom. Seriously, I know a lot of ladies don't have a choice and they do a great job, but I'm not tough enough. We would look this pathetic 24/7. We love you, Brad, and we're proud of your business progress!

Beachy Keen

2009-07-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a blurb from our beach trip a while back. So I'm behind with my blogging, whatchagunnado?This is as good of a full family photo we can get these days. We need to make more of an effort and attempt to get one with at least all faces forward.Careful Finn...Or throw caution to the wind and run full-speed into the water.Like father, like son.Hooray for the beach!What a beach bum.Me and Paisley with Stephanie and Conner.The boys with the babies. Cousin Conner is 6 weeks older than Paisley.

Take note of Ryan (Brad's big bro), Stephanie and Conner because they are going to be regulars on the Falke Star. Another Falke family moved to Folsom! They looked all over for where to live and ended up in our ward. We are super-stoked to have them so close. Brad and Ryan are great brothers and friends. They tend to bring out the teenager in each other, so Steph and I have to stick together to keep things in line. Steph and I also might have to leave the kids with the dads and go shopping.

i know, i can't believe it either!

2009-06-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

Our sweet P hit the one year mark last Saturday!We celebrated Friday night by going to John's Incredible Pizza with Sesa and Pa (aka: my parents). It's like Chuck E. Cheese, but with less chuck and more awesomeness. We had a blast! Just look how excited Paisley is in this pic!She's not so sure what daddy got her into here.Brad, I mean, Finn can't get enough of this game!Um, did I mention the 1,145 tickets we scored? Mostly because of my skills on the "push the coin over the edge" game thingy, but Brad helped too. He's totally an addict as well, but he's still in the denial stage.Saturday we had the cake. I thought a butterfly would be fun for my petite Paisley. Galla enjoyed helping me decorate it, and by "help" I mean eating all the leftover candy.
She was all dainty about eating her wing. She got her face sufficiently smeared with frosting and then started dropping everything off of her tray.We might have finished off Paisley's birthday festivities by leaving her asleep with a babysitter and taking Galla and Finn to a Sacramento Rivercats baseball game. We went with some of our fun friends who also left their baby girl (just a few weeks older than Paisley) with the sitter we shared.We had such a good time (yes, that's gum going from Gal's mouth to sunglasses) and stayed all the way through the fireworks show at the end.

Paisley, you are the sweetest baby! I love your pats and excited squeals. I love your cuddles and how you still fall asleep on me in Relief Society. Your temperament is tender all the way through and we love you!

Man, time sure flies when you're having...babies.

All Aboard the Potty Train(ed)

2009-05-27T22:14:00.000-07:00

I wasn't really planning on potty training Finn for a while, but, like, 2 months ago we were just chillin' around the house and I asked him if he wanted to wear some underwear. He readily agreed so we busted out the Thomas and Cars undies and slapped 'em on his cute little bum and he's been essentially accident-free ever since (at 2 years, 4 months old). I kept thinking I'd curse his progress if I posted about it, but I'm pretty confident now that there's no turning back from his "big boy" status. We put him to the ultimate "hold your urine challenge" when we opted for undies on the 7 hour drive to so-Cal we did last weekend (more on that trip later). I was nervous when he drank his full sippy cup twice each way, but no prob. Finn was fine with one scheduled pit stop each way and not even a "pull over to the side of the road pee." He is SUCH a good boy (in every way, not just potty training) and I don't even have to remind him to go.My little dude loves to play frisbee--like his daddy who is known to keep a frisbee convenient.Action shot (look out)!Brad didn't waste any time teaching him to pee in the bushes. A true boy. He loves it. I like the flower placement provided by the onlooking princess. She tried the bush-peeing once and Brad informed her that boys get to pee outside and girls get to wear dress-up, so pick one: pee or princess dress. No surprise which one she picked and she hasn't tried to pee outside since.

Funny Finn story:

So, I'm not an "I'm going to count to 3 and then...you're...er...going to be 'in trouble'" (what does "in trouble" mean anyway?) kind of mom. In fact, I've never tried the counting technique...until tonight. Finn did not want to go to bed because he wanted to keep kicking the soccer ball with me. He's always so obedient, especially when it comes to bedtime, that I didn't really know how to get him from throwing a tantrum in the entryway to cozy in his bed. So I told him: "I'm going to count to 3 and if you're not in your room by 3, I'm going to put you in there and you won't get a story or a song!" This gets his attention so I cross my fingers and start counting. "One...twoooo...." and he says, "count to ten." I cracked up but kept counting all the way to 10. Reluctantly, he made it to bed and earned his story and song. He just needed a little more time.

Project Bradley

2009-05-16T14:33:00.000-07:00

Pardon my post, but I have to do a "Brad brag." On top of the endless energy he has been putting in to starting his Chiropractic business, he has been doing some pretty sweet stuff around the house. Checky, checky:Brad loves doing all the yard work and playing with his new lawn mower and weed wacker. And, of course, he had to plant a garden. This picture was taken a while ago right after the planting and already the bushes are much bigger. I promise the little plot does get a good amount of sun, I just took this pic at the wrong time of the day.We're giving the Topsy-Turvy a try. My mouth waters for those homegrown tomaters!With the kids playing out back so much, it was apparent that we needed a picnic table. I wanted one that is longer and seats more than the traditional little kid ones. No prob for handy Bradley--he popped this puppy out from scratch (not even a kit) in an afternoon, thanks to Finn's help! :)The finished product is awesome and I know you can't tell in the pic, but it seats 4 easy on each side. The kids loved it--until we sold it on Craigslist for 3x the cost of making it. But no worries, Brad has two more in the works.Speaking of Craigslist, it is the place for project starters. It's so fun to buy furniture wicked cheap and then refinish it. That's exactly what Brad did with this dresser. This guy is a really nice old solid piece, but we were undecided on how attached we were to the end product. So we decided to resell him and buy the following:I think you would agree that it was a good upgrade. I wish I had a "before" picture of this piece but we didn't think about taking one until it was all disassembled. I'm thinking about emailing the Craigslisters we bought it from and asking them to attach the pic they used for the post because this thing looks so different. When we went to check it out I almost didn't even want to get it because it was so ugly. But it was so cheap I thought we'd take a chance. After 3 trips to Lowe's for paint (I take credit for the color), we came up with this final product and I LOVE it! It's perfect.The drawers behind the doors.Ok, if you've made it this far reading my post you must care about me and/or Brad. And if you know Brad, you know that he's not your typical dude. From construction to cooking, he does it all. This particular project really sets him apart from the normal gardening and furniture refinishing I've been talking about. What you are looking at, friends, is the set-up Brad concocted for activating the 200 year old yeast culture from Italy that he bought. I'm not kidding. This thing was like a pet while he was getting it to activate. Brad would feed it and wash it and keep it at the right temperature (thus the inverted styrofoam cooler with the Christmas lights strand being pushed under slowly one bulb at a time while he kept an eye on the candy thermometer under there). Once activated, after nearly a week, he was able to make the most delicious sourdough bread and pizza crust. It is super tasty like on the pier in San Francisco style!Now the yeast lives dormant in our fridge. When Brad wants to use it, he takes it out and gets it to room temp to activate it (no complicated set-up required). He can continue to "feed" it and use it forever and plans to pass it down to our children and our children's children. :)

I love how fun life is with my Bradley. While his ideas never surprise me, they always amaze me.

We Are the Girls!--Galla

2009-04-30T21:20:00.000-07:00

I took my girls out to lunch yesterday. As soon as we sat down Galla was all chatter! The waitress came to take our drink orders and Galla starts saying, "Um, yes, a couple of juice and um, um water!" all excitedly. I'm not going to try to relate it all here because it just won't write out as well as she said it, but she was cracking me up! When the waitress came back to take our order she started throwing out requests, "strawberries on muffins and bacon and pancakes...." She settled on the Mickey Mouse pancake with bacon. As soon as Paisley saw that pancake plate hit the table, she started pulling off an ear for herself--this little girl can pound down pancakes! I let Galla pour as much syrup on as she wanted and use the jam dishes with the little silver spoons. Also, a funny Galla tid-bit is that she loves bacon and she always wants to put more salt on the strips. Of course, under normal circumstances, she is not allowed to add salt to bacon, but I let it slide this time. Galla gabbed on and on while we ate. I started telling her how I am so proud of her and happy to be her mom when she interrupts saying:

G: Mom, I don't want to talk about this right now.
Me: Ok, what do you want to talk about?
G: Nothing. Let's just eat.
Me: Ok.
G: (after 2 seconds of silence) Mom, I'm going to miss you when I'm in Hawaii.
Me: Oh! Who are you going to stay with in Hawaii?
G: Mimi and Opa. Mimi is going to pick me up from the airport and take me to their house. They have a big, tall house and I have a princess bed. Can you take me to the airport?

Sounds like a good idea to me! BTW: Mimi and Opa (Brad's parents) live in Ohio.

Then she asked to go to the bathroom and told me not to be angry. SAD! I totally hate taking my kids potty in public. It's not easy to herd 3 kids into a stall and keep all of their hands in sanitary places and get all of the business taken care of while usually holding Paisley. But when she said that I realized that I shouldn't be so irritated with her (or Finn) when nature calls. Definitely a lesson learned from lunch and her honest comment. So I pushed Paisley, highchair and all, into the bathroom and it wasn't a big deal.

As for Paisley, she ate both of Mickey's ears. Some people in the booth next to us asked if we went to the Broadstone gym (which we totally do, like everyday, because I love the childcare and the chance it gives me to get out and workout). Well, they recognized Paisley with her pigtails. She's like a local celebrity! And such a cutie! I love my girlie girls!

3:56

2009-04-23T21:11:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I ran my second marathon! I know, not exactly a peaceful Sunday stroll but most marathons are scheduled for Sundays and I have to run 'em when I can between birthing babies.

The "River City Marathon" started in Folsom (where we live) and ended at a park in Sacramento. It was MUCH smaller than the Portland Marathon that I did a year and a half ago and a way different experience. Seriously, it was some dude at the starting line with a stop watch that just said, "on your mark, get set, go!" and all 115 of us started running.

Brad dropped me off and then met me around mile 5 before heading back to get the kids (my mom spent the night to be with them in the morning) and bringing them back to cheer me on. They showed up around mile 16 (where this pic was taken) and it was so motivating to see them! Then they met me around mile 20. Having my cutie kids cheering me on was so cool.

It was a beautiful course and I felt unbelievably well until mile 24. I was so tired and hot (record heat that day) and thirsty and I didn't know if there was going to be another aid station before the end. I was seriously blacking out and then out of nowhere, there was Brad up on a ridge! I asked him for water and he ran back to the car for a bottle and then chucked it at me. MY HERO!

Those last couple miles were tough. I was wearing my friend's Garmin Forerunner and as I came up on my watch saying 26.2 I still couldn't see the finish line. I asked a lady cheering on the sideline if I was almost there and she assured me ".1 mile!" A few minutes later, still no finish line. I asked another bystander who told me ".2 to go!" What?! How is the finish line getting farther away? My watch actually said 26.52 when I finished. I don't know if the watch or the casual course was off by .3 miles, but either way I met my sub-4 hour goal and finished in 3:56! Hooray! And one cool part about running with such few people is that I placed 3rd in my division. I don't run to compete, just to complete so I'm pretty proud of my 3rd place title. And boy did that Sunday afternoon nap feel good!

Easter-O-Rama=Vom-O-Rama

2009-04-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

I love Easter! The true meaning, the spring season, the deviled eggs, the excessive candy...it's great. This year was one for the record books.Saturday we went to our ward's awesome Easter party. We actually got a whole family shot with the famous bunny."I like your bow."--PaisleyHeading out for the hunt. Finn didn't quite understand the urgency with the older kids coming up quickly and needed some prodding.Galla had no problem running to the hunt, but wanted to stop and eat the candy in each plastic egg after picking it up instead of the smarter stategy of gathering then eating.Heading back hand-in-hand.Easter Sunday we went to Modesto after church. Galla is so energetic!This is how Finn prefers to wear his sunglasses. Not only are they upside-down, but notice the ear placement. He looks so goofy in this picture it cracks me up!As we were leaving outside my parents' house, this dog made his appearance. He is definitely pink and blue and we have no idea where he came from. But he was a good doggy and Galla was sure he was another Easter surprise for her.So here's where the title of the post is explained. This year I got the kids buckets instead of baskets. As I was buying them the thought crossed my mind that it's like the buckets are used on Easter morn for candy and then re-used in the days following for catching puke when the kids make themselves sick off of that very candy. Let me tell you, that concept was more entertaining as my thought than as my reality. I don't think the candy was actually the culprit because Brad and I also had our sick bouts, but those buckets came in handy. Enough said.Here's the sad scene two days post-Easter. Mmmmm...smoothie!

Order Early

2009-04-11T22:53:00.001-07:00

With Mother's Day about a month away, it's not a bad idea to plant responses in your kids. I've instructed Galla that when daddy asks her, "what should we get mommy for Mother's Day?" she is to say, "a Garmin forerunner!"

It's worth a shot.

This running friend is so sweet and tells you everything from heart rate to pace to distance to what shorts you should wear...what?

I'm not picky. Of course the 405 model in green is the coolest thing I've ever seen, but I'd be totally happy with the 305 or even 205. And Brad says I'm hard to shop for.

no, seriously, i don't feel so good

2009-04-08T22:50:00.000-07:00

I had a *fun* adventure today. At Paisley's well-baby check-up the doctor said that she needed to go for a mandatory blood test for lead levels and gave me a list of Quest labs I could take her to. I couldn't remember doing that with Galla or Finn and I asked the doc if I really had to, but she said yes. I guess I am in a new state and, on second thought, I think I did do that with Galla and it wasn't so bad. So, like 3 weeks later, I finally got around to it today. I had a bad feeling as soon as I walked into that dingy waiting room. You know what I'm talking about when you can see that the walls are more dirty about a foot above where the back of the chair ends from countless greasy heads resting against it? But I held my head up and waited patiently and, more importantly, Paisley was being patient and playful as she smiled and waved at all the old people also waiting to have their blood drawn to test for any number of diseases or disorders.

Our turn. I'm instructed to have a seat, squeeze my baby's legs between my legs, hold one of her arms down and hold her other arm out by the wrist. Tight! Don't let your 10-month-old squirm. The phlebotomist looks at the two of us and says Paisley is too low to prop her tiny arm up on that padded bar that goes across the chair. She starts looking for some sort of booster seat. Am I supposed to sit in the booster seat or put the booster on my lap and Paisley on top? No matter, she can't find a booster. She starts poking around on Paisley's right arm trying to find a vain. Paisley immediately starts looking back at me very nervously and rightfully so. I ask Miss Phlebotomist if this is a normal test to be doing on a baby this age. She says yes, but obviously doesn't have much experience doing it. No luck finding a vain on the right arm, she starts searching on the left. At this point I'm thinking, "what have I gotten us into?" I wasn't expecting much more than a finger prick. I ask, "just one vile, right?" No, two. I'm not the best with needles, but anticipating the experience I loaded up on crackers and peanut butter before we left so I wouldn't get woozy.

The needle lady decides that she thinks she found a little vain and is going to "give it a try." I can tell she's not so confident and Paisley is already crying. I'm trying not to look, but I can't help it. She stabs my baby and no blood. She missed the vain! Paisley is screaming and this is when my cracker preparation starts to fail. Miss Phlebotomist says she's going to have to get a different lady. "I don't poke a baby more than once." Maybe we should've called in the expert from the start! I'm not feeling well. I keep taking deep breaths and reminding myself that I'm not the one getting the shot. But it doesn't help. I'm shaking and sweating and getting that tunnel vision where the blackness starts closing in. Paisley is still sitting on my lap crying. I tell the ladies I don't feel so good and ask for some juice or something. They don't have juice. What?! What kind of respectable needle poking place doesn't have a juice box on hand? Are you serious?! I'm desparately digging in my purse with one hand for some mints that are probably sugar-free anyway. The ladies don't seem to believe me that I don't feel well or notice that I'm pale as a ghost and shaking like a leaf. I keep breathing deeply and trying to put my head down. Mr. Big Teenager Boy next to us isn't taking his blood draw so well either and is using the only reclining chair. I decide I'd better call Brad and have him come down and hold Paisley while the next lady takes a stab. Luckily, we were close to home and Brad arrives quickly with Galla and Finn. While I'm in the lobby trying to keep the kids entertained I remembered that I always have those smarties candies in my bag to bribe them with. We all share the sugar and I'm feeling better by the time they're done with my baby.

I'm glad we got to go through all of that just to have the doctor tell me at Paisley's next check-up in a couple months that she does not have an excessive amount of lead in her blood. Not that there was ever reason to suspect she did.

That story was, like, longer than Paisley's birth story.

How cute is she in these pics with Brad? She looks like a little person straight off the page of the Guiness Book of World Records or something!

Groovey Movie Night

2009-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday we had our first official "Groovey Movie Night!" I thought it'd be fun to get the kids all cozy and stay up late with them watching a movie and eating popcorn and Twizzlers. Brad wasn't so sold on the idea initially (we love the kids' 7:30 bedtime and our evenings alone). But we thought we'd give it a try and made it clear that if they got uppity, it would be off to bed. I took Galla to our local Redbox and she picked out Wall-E. Not my favorite movie, but the kids were great (we did put Paisley to bed at her normal time since she's not much of a movie buff yet) and we'll definitely do it again--maybe even regularly.

So Groovey Movie Night goes into my bribery bag. I like to have as much leverage as possible in those desperate situations when I'm like, "if you do X,Y, or Z, then we can have a groovey movie night!" Maybe it will help with potty training Finn. But probably not. So far even promises of getting to ride on a real tractor havn't produced much progress.Good night my little loves. This picture was actually taken a couple weeks ago when we spent the night at Mammaw's house. Brad and I saw this sweet scene when we went to check on them. They are such good friends and I love how well they play together.

Party Post Script

2009-03-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

Galla's birthday wouldn't be complete without being decked out in a decadent Disney princess dress. Sleeping Beauty was the bell of the ball this year. Thank you, Mimi, Galla LOVES her new dress-up stuff!

These pictures are from 3 weeks ago, but seriously, where did March go? I've got much more to blog about...but maybe tomorrow. :)

That's What Friends are "Four"

2009-03-12T20:38:00.000-07:00

Galla turned 4 on Sunday and on Saturday she had her birthday party. It was the first "drop your kids off for 2 hours" party we have thrown and it was so fun! It was "Kitty Hello" themed (as Galla says). We invited the girls in her primary class and they are so sweet. They all were so good and had such a fun time.They colored giant Hello Kitty pictures and we played "pin the bow on Hello Kitty."They decorated cookies and we played some more games.They played in the bubble machine. This thing is awesome! I would highly recommend it, especially if blowing bubbles makes you light headed after 5 minutes like it does for me. There were TONS of bubbles and the girls thought it was magical to dance in them. Just look how happy Gal looks here!

I remember my friend, Michelle, talking about when her daughter, Bailey, turned four and how she totally like grew up over night--now I know what she was talking about! Galla is such a big girl and is becoming amazingly mature. She is so well-behaved and sweet and my little friend. Galla is packed with personality and she's so fun/observant/smart and I'm so proud of her. It's crazy to think about how far we've come since the 32 hours of labor that brought her to us 4 years ago. I love you Gal-friend!

That Sectional Feeling

2009-02-26T20:53:00.000-08:00

When we moved to Oregon over 2 1/2 years ago, we bought a brown leather couch from Costco. I've never been too attached to the couch because I thought it was uncomfortable and cold. So when Brad and I noticed last week that it was starting to rip where the seat meets the back, we decided to take it back! Costco gave us our full cash refund (gotta love Costco) and we started our quest for a new couch.

We searched furniture stores. This sales lady at Beck's was "helping" us (more like lingering and being annoying). Our kids, of course, were running all over jumping on beds and couches. The sales lady was saying how it's gotta be hard to shop with kids--hard to concentrate. She is not married and does not have any kids and actually told me that if she were in my situation she'd probably be CRYING. To which I wanted to respond that if I were sleeping by myself tonight in my king-sized bed with my cats (based on info she offered about herself earlier in our conversation) then I would be crying! Get a life, lady!

We scoured Craigslist! Checking constantly for new posts, but unsure we were comfortable going the "used" route. Eager for something to sit on in our living room, we bought this off Craigslist for $200 (much less that our Costco cash):
It was a sweet couch said (by the old lady owner) to have been bought in 1970 for $2,210.23 and it was in mint condition. But it only took one evening for me to realize I can't be comfortable on a used couch. We reposted it to Craigslist and sold it the next day for $325. We finally found "the one" at a furniture warehouse:It's a dark chocolate brown and they say it's microfiber, but it's much softer than any microfiber I've ever felt! It's like velvet! The first day we had it, Brad and I spent the evening cuddled up, eating Girl Scout cookies and watching a movie. Heaven! (Don't mind the huge bare wall, we're still working on wall hangings.)

This thing is huge with plenty of room to run:Yet cozy enough to cuddle:I asked Galla what she thought of the new couch while she was watching one of her movies and she replied politely, "Can we talk about couches later?"

I love this sectional and never knew a piece of furniture could make me so happy.

Hidey Ho, Neighbor!

2009-02-08T22:15:00.001-08:00

Galla was playing out back the other day and heard a friend playing on the other side of the fence. Soon both girls were climbing up to peek over the fence saying, "Hi friend!" At one point I looked outside and Galla had one leg over the fence. Whoooaaa! And these are regular, like, 6-foot fences. I told Galla she was not allowed to jump over the fence. So these resourceful girls found another way to get to each other. Her friend pushed and Galla pulled and they got the board loose. Galla came running inside asking if she could go play. I've never had to make a decision like that before because I've always known all of her friends and typically we all go together for a play-date. So I went out and told the little girl to go get her mommy. Her mom came out and said, "Hey, I think you're in our ward!" How fun is that! So Galla got to go play with her new friend, Haylie. Then we had the whole fam over for dinner. The next day Galla pulled the board the rest of the way off and dragged it, rusty nails and all, way to the end of the side of the house. When Brad questioned her about it, she said it was for firewood. Where did she learn that?! Anyway, Brad nailed the board back up but that didn't stop those determined girls--they pushed another board loose! I tell you, together those two are sass-o-frass! Sadly, the family moved a few blocks away this weekend. Happily, they're still in the ward. So Galla and Haylie can still play...without destroying fences.

Rub a Dub Dub

2009-02-04T20:29:00.001-08:00

There are too many kids in this tub
There are too many elbows to scrub
I just washed a behind that I'm sure wasn't mine
There are too many kids in this tub!
--Shel Silverstein

This Just In:

2009-01-21T21:31:00.001-08:00

Paisley's bottom tooth! At 7 months and 6 days old, sure 'nuf--it popped through and it's sharp! I didn't even see it coming because she has remained her happy, peaceful self. Though I don't know what she'll use it for since we can't get her to eat a lick of solids. Seriously, you just try to put a spoon in that girl's mouth and she starts screaming! She's all breast milk and she'd be wise to not use her new tooth for that.

Here's a funny story: I was nursing Paisley at church last Sunday. Despite the cramped space, lingering smells, and squeaky chairs, I like the mothers' lounge because I get to talk to other mamas and in a new ward it's helpful in getting to know people. So I struck up a conversation with Stephanie who was feeding her 3-month-old son, Liam. She was telling me how she has a 4-year-old daughter and I said that I also have a daughter who is almost 4. She responds that she thinks it's such a good spacing between the kids. She goes into her explanation of how she thought about having a kid every two years but she's really glad she didn't because that's just crazy, etc, etc. To which a reply, "I also have a 2-year-old son." Talk about a conversation stopper! No, seriously, it was funny! I told her that, yes, it is crazy having 3 kids so close together, but it's fun. Stephanie was nice about it and I don't anticipate any awkwardness at next Sunday's nursing. And maybe our 4-year-old daughters can still be friends! :)

Over the river and through the woods

2009-01-19T21:42:00.000-08:00

To Mammaw's house we go!

We went down to Turlock to spend the night at Brad's grandma's house Friday night--just for funsies and because we can!We made Mam's famous and dangerously delicious molasses cookies. Soooo tasty--as were the BBQ ribs and kale soup. Seriously, you haven't eaten until you've dined in "Bev's Kitchen."Paisley watched the kitchen action while she wedged herself under the buffet.We played outside. Mammaw's backyard is a kid's paradise complete with a dirt pit to dig in. Finn is so happy and playful.We picked flowers. Galla loved the roses and violets.Paisley took a bath. She's a water baby like the other two.Finn took a nap in the king size bed. So cozy!This sums up our Saturday. Yeah, Brad is using a magnifying glass to try to pop a kernel placed on a molasses cookie. He already burned holes in the paper towel roll that Paisley is playing with. All this outdoor fun, I almost forgot it's January! There's nothing like being at Mammaw's house. She is an all-star lady that we all love dearly.

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

2009-01-12T21:44:00.001-08:00

Home is where you...let the kids run around and be as loud as they want (or as much as my head can handle). We L-O-V-E being in a house and out of an apartment!Taking a Sunday stroll. Typical scene here with Galla running full steam ahead and Finn bumbling behind. The weather here is so great--we actually played at the park today with some friends and the kids were comfortable in jeans and a sweatshirt. Brad's blue "B" birthday boy cake. He turned 28 this week and we had a low-key celebration. The poor boy has always hated his birthday for being right after Christmas. I think next year he deserves a big bash! Chillin' in the tree out front. My little monkeys :) Galla and Finn really like riding their trikes. Here they are riding off into the sunset.

Oh, won't you be my neighbor?

The Falkes move to Folsom, and other festivities

2009-01-01T21:13:00.001-08:00

What a December! Isn't moving a joy? It has been wild, but we are so grateful that things went well. This hit the day before we were scheduled to load the 26-foot-Camry-in-tow Penske:Those of you that live in snowy climates may think it's no big deal, but when Portland sees snow, everyone goes into freak-out mode! Church was canceled (the day this pic was taken), schools were canceled for Monday (the day we were to load the truck) and roads were closed down. We decided to go forward with our plans and it's a good thing we did. Thanks to some faithful home teachers and missionaries (ask me to tell you the story about the missionary spilling my unmentionables all over--hilarious) we got the truck loaded on Monday, Dec 15. On Tuesday we cleaned the apartment, tied up loose ends, and began the trek down I-5. Here are the kids all ready to leave our empty apartment:I got a little emotional as we said our final prayer there. That apartment was the longest Brad and I have stayed in one place since married and we brought 2 babies home to Troutdale Terrace. Portland has been so good to us. We made amazing friends and had some great times and I was sad to see that chapter of our lives come to an end.

Tuesday we made it to Medford to spend the night. The driving was slow and at one point it took us an hour to go 5 miles. By far one of the worst hours of my life. But I was reminded that things could be much worse when we were cruising at about 60mph in a dark, curvy, hilly area and a semi swerved half-way into my lane. I swerved onto the shoulder and narrowly avoided a side-swipe. Whew! Talk about the sympathetic "fight or flight" response kicking in! Once we got to the Holiday Inn Express we all got clean and cozy and had a good nights' sleep.

Wednesday morning we got on the road at a good time and made it over the Siskiyou pass before the second, more severe storm rolled in later that day. Seriously, we got out at the only time possible. Portland saw the worst storm they've had in heaven knows how long. Everything was completely closed down, including the freeway by our house. We heard that our exit was at the center of the news reports and buildings were covered to their roofs in snow drifts! Had we decided to wait a day, we would've been snowed in--surrounded by boxes in our cramped apartment until well after Christmas. That would've been sad and I'm quite certain I would've gone insane.

The rest of the drive went smoothly, minus a car-seat staining blow-out from Finn. The poor little guy had been sick with the "spew and poo" bug as I call it since a couple days before the move. Finn's a tender little guy who followed me around saying "I need hug" and requiring that I carry him around. This made packing and cleaning very difficult, but who can resist a sick and sad little boy that desparately wanted cuddles? He loved riding with Brad in the "big yellow truck" for the whole trip and was accident-free. Then on the very last leg of the journey we decided to switch it up. Galla and Paisley got their turn in the big yellow truck with daddy and Finn joined mama in the Suburban. At only one hour away from our new house, I smelled something suspicious. I pulled over on a random country road and cleaned up a huge disgusting mess that needs no explanation. Why couldn't he have done that while he was with Brad?

We pulled in to our wonderful new (rental) house just after 5:00 on Wednesday evening. Several guys from our new ward came to help us unload and we had the truck emptied pretty quickly. Let the unpacking/organizing begin! Check out Gal in our backyard:Total California girl already, right?! The kids love it! And I'm a way more relaxed mama when I don't have to tell the kids to stop running/jumping/yelling on account of the noise for the neighbors. The house is awesome and we got all unpacked just in time to enjoy Christmas.So fun decorating the spacious new living room and watching a little "Elf." We actually packed the Christmas tree down from Oregon. They are much cheaper there since that's where most of them down here come from anyway. Christmas Eve we spent as our little family. We got up Christmas morning and opened presents.Paisley was pretty happy in her new bumbo chair with a toothbrush and socks on her first Christmas.Finn is a big fan of his cowboy hat--like Woody from Toy Story.Galla is "princessed out" as usual.After presents we drove down to Modesto/Turlock to visit family. Brad and I haven't been home for Christmas since we were married and it was so nice. Paisley and her cousin Conner are good friends already.This is Brad and his bro with their sons sitting by the outside fire pit.
Here we are at Brad's grandma's house. I like how there is a Christmas tree and a cactus (in the picture) behind us.

We are so happy to be getting settled here in California and to be close to family. After all the moving we've done, it's crazy to think that we plan on living in the area forever! We are so grateful for all of our family and friends, no matter where we know you from, and want you to know that you're always welcome to visit. Happy new year!

P.S. Doc Marten update: Donated. I did it! (see 2 posts down)

Bless You

2008-12-13T23:39:00.000-08:00

ah...
aaAHH...
CHOOOO!
That felt good!

Packing Predicament

2008-12-10T23:55:00.000-08:00

So far packing is going well. As I type, Brad is painting our green family room walls back to their bland white. I was packing my shoes. Clothes and shoes are hard because it's so difficult to decide what to keep and what to donate. I kept asking Brad about shoes I wasn't sure if I should keep but he was less decisive and more suspicious of how many shoes I have. I figured I'd better stop drawing attention to my shoe collection or he might not let me go to DSW ever again! So I thought I'd turn to you for direction. The picture is of the specific shoes in question. My dear Doc Martens! I got them my sophomore or junior year of high school and they were so cool (and expensive) at the time. I loved them and they have been well-worn, yet are still in surprisingly good condition (man, those soles are heavy). And though they have been worn so much, I don't think I've put them on in probably 5 years. You would think it was safe to toss 'em, but it's easier said than done. Brad said I should keep them in case I ever become a sister missionary? So I turn to my wise blogging friends for advise.

Here comes Santa Claus

2008-12-07T15:50:00.000-08:00

Last night was our wonderful ward Christmas party. Brad and I were in charge of it, so we've had a busy week of preparation but it all paid off. It went very well thanks to all the people that pitched in and helped with everything. Yummy dinner, a heart-warming program, and a jolly visitor (Paisley missed the Big Man due to her evening nap). It was great and really put me in the Christmas spirit. Now I need to catch the spirit of packing because it's time to hit the boxes since we move to CA in a week! We will be home for the holidays!

Budding Artist

2008-12-04T13:29:00.000-08:00

A while back I set Galla up with some watercolors while I took a jog on my treadmill. When I got done, I came out to see her and she was just finishing up this work of art. I was pretty impressed--she even painted each fairy their appropriate color.
A couple days ago Galla was playing with blocks and came up with this masterpiece. I thought it looked kinda cool and I asked her what it was. She explained that it was her in her dress. I can see that!
I wonder what goes on in that pretty little head. She's always observing and thinking and comes up with some interesting outcomes. I love getting to know Galla as she grows.

"Two Years Old...And Beyond!"

2008-12-02T14:30:00.001-08:00

Finn turned 2 yesterday! He loves Woody and Buzz and is usually carrying one of them around, so I decided to do a rocket cake and put Buzz on it. He loved his cake, but freaked out when I put Buzz on it because he can't stand not having Buzz in his hand.
Notice the candle placement--so fun!
I made a platefull of these cookies for playgroup yesterday. They are so easy, so I thought I'd post a pic to give y'all and idea for a fun treat to make. Though I have to admit that I got the idea out of a magazine--I can't come up with these things myself, I just like to copy other clever people.
Finn is such a good boy and we enjoy him so much. He is constantly giving me hugs and kisses, the tender guy. He is talking like crazy and always cracking me up. The other day we were all leaving the house and Brad was taking the kids out to the car while I snuck some snacks for them into my bag. I'm heading out the door when I hear Finn right outside the door say, "Psssstt! 'Ome on Mama!"

We asked Finn how old he is and he said, "Three!" When we told him he was two he said, "How about four?" Silly kid!

Family Photos

2008-11-23T16:25:00.000-08:00

So I'm a little slow, but here are the highlights from our family photo shoot last month by the lovely Olivia.

Little Squirt

2008-11-15T22:52:00.000-08:00

Finn loves his hat. And his spider. I guess they make good bath toys--at least they are as good as the empty cottage cheese tubs and the neti pot we actually gave him to play with.

While we're having bathroom talk, Finn went pee-pee on the potty for the first time yesterday. Let me clarify: he was sitting on the potty, but none of the pee-pee actually made it into the bowl. In fact, in an attempt to keep him entertained long enough to do #2, I was sitting on the floor in front of him singing silly songs. Dangerous! He barely missed me! Any tips on keeping that squirt gun pointing into the toilet target?

California Continued...

2008-11-12T14:09:00.000-08:00

Ok, I'd better finish posting on our California trip and get those Halloween pictures up before Thanksgiving hits!
Brad and his Dad took the kids camping at Sunset Beach. This is Finn's favorite way to "follow" you around. Finn thinks it's so fun, but it does make it a little difficult to get around!

Hi Opa! You look a little bored and too clean for camping. You should try this:Finn LOVES playing in the dirt--he was in heaven! He loves to lay in it, roll in it, dig in it, and eat it. He loves it so much I think he's going to marry dirt. Is there a propostition defining marriage between a man and something inanimate?I'm not sure what's going on here, but it looks fun!Here are Snow White and Dopey getting ready to make their candy collection rounds. Here we are: the wicked witch with her poison apple (notice the large Red Delicious sticker on Paisley's hat), Prince Charming, Dopey and Snow White herself. My mom got better pictures on her camera, so I may have to post a follow-up pic later, but you get the idea. We had a way fun Halloween! Galla was in princess paradise, but she's no wussy. She charged up to every door and knocked regardless of how scary the decorations were. At any house that did have scary decorations out she would just say, "Boys live here."

Molly+Mark=Married

2008-11-06T22:41:00.000-08:00

Mark and Molly Houx...we are so happy for them! October 25, 2008.

Galla's got a thing for running in the fountain at the Oakland Temple (fortunately she has only gotten in when it's drained). The top pics are from 2 years ago when Brad's other sister got married. We'll have to get some similar shots on her wedding day.So sweet. Hard to imagine that someday she'll be the bride.

And here's the whole gang! All of Brad's siblings are now married and we all got to be together in the temple. Talk about special...

"They're all here!"--Robin

Pumpkin Patch Action

2008-11-05T14:04:00.001-08:00

We went to Sauvie Island a few weeks ago for some pumpkin patch action. The kids had fun playing on the hay pyramid, scoping out pumpkins, and riding the tractor. And of course we had to hit up the kettle corn booth. Notice how Paisley is actually the one holding the bag in the picture above. Can you puree kettle corn?

Mr. Header Picture,

2008-11-04T22:58:00.000-08:00

Will you please center yourself? Thank you.

4 Months 4Ever

2008-10-14T21:34:00.000-07:00

Paisley turned 4 months yesterday! She had her 4 month check-up complete with 4 shots (and an oral vaccine). She measures at 12 lbs 8 oz (16%) and 24.5" (45%). I wish she could stay 4 months old forever! Paisley is the perfect baby. She sleeps all night and smiles all day. She is young enough to be my "little baby," but old enough to interact. Young enough to put her on the floor and she stays put, but old enough to support her head well so I can carry her on my hip (I can do ANYTHING with one hand). Paisley is so patient and spends most of the day lounging on her blankie doing all kinds of cooing and talking. She is VERY talkative! She loves to smile and it's easy to get her giggling. She is easy-going to the extreme and rarely puts up a fuss over anything less than being stepped on by a sibling. Thanks for being an angel baby. You are LOVED!

Patient Like Unto a Dish

2008-10-12T20:42:00.000-07:00

Typically I'm the type that cannot relax until the house is clean. Once the kids are in bed, I go into "tidy mode" and whirlwind around getting everything in place before I can think about doing anything else. Very rarely do I go to bed with any dishes in the sink. Last night was one of those nights. With Brad out of town (he took Finn with him to Ohio), yesterday was crazy running around preparing for the ward party that I was in charge of (with my friend, Christy). Galla and Paisley both really wanted my attention but were troopers as we ran errands, cooked, set-up, orchestrated, and cleaned up for the party (which was a success, I might add). When we finally got home way past bedtime, I put my little lovies to bed and crashed myself. Yes, with sauce-stained dishes in the sink (and on the stove and on the counter). Also, when we got up this morning there was not time to take care of the dishes before church. And when we got home, wouldn't you know it, those dishes hadn't budged a bit. Funny how that works. As I stared at those dishes waiting patiently to be washed, I thought I could take a lesson from them. Daily I pray for patience with my children. As a SAHM, I struggle with keeping my cool when I repeat the same demands multiple times a day: "don't throw your milk," "keep the door open," "don't put your fingers in Paisley's mouth"--you get the idea. I know that being more patient would make me a better mom. If only I could be more like a dirty dish.

Prima Ballerina

2008-10-05T21:49:00.000-07:00

Galla began her first dance class a few weeks ago, a little ballet/tap combo. She very much loves to twirl. Finn also likes to get in on the action, as the video below shows. I think Finn is better at following along with Teacher Lisa, but Galla is quickly catching on. She highly prefers her black leotard and skirt even over her pink one or the princess one! I suggested she wear the pink leg-warmers to brighten up the ensemble. Plus, how freakin' funny are those little leg-warmers? I hope her black preference isn't an early indicator of a future Goth style. But I have to admit, the black makes her look rather sophisticated. Dance on, little love!

No more pencils, no more books, no more teachers' dirty looks!

2008-09-25T14:56:00.000-07:00

Brad is down in California right now trying to map out the rest of our life, so I thought I'd give him a shout-out. We reached a huge mile-stone last week when Brad finished finals for the last of classes--ever! He has one more quarter to complete of clinic time, but we are glad to be done with classes. I'm so proud of him and how well he has balanced school and home life. He's already a fantastic chiropractor and I can't wait watch him put it all into practice and do something he enjoys everyday.

This picture was taken at Red Robin last week when Brad's mission president and his wife were in town and took us to dinner. They are the nicest people and we had a great time visiting with them. The kids were even good--Galla sat between them and called them "grandma" and "grandpa." She loved that "grandpa" let her drink his raspberry lemonade.

Brad comes back late tonight (I'll go pick him up from the airport just as soon as I finish watching "The Office") and that's a good thing because I'm not made to be a single-mom! Thanks for all you do, babe. I look forward to leaving "student land" and entering "real people world" with you!

Ready for Aerobics

2008-09-22T21:48:00.000-07:00

I think Paisley looks so cute in this headband--it cracks me up! She was wearing it the other day when she fell asleep in her carseat. When she woke up, it had fallen down over her eyes, making a great sleep eye mask.

As far as the sweatband for aerobics is concerned, I'm sure there are plenty of chubby-thighed babies out there that would love to get in on that class. "OK, ladies, on your backs. Knees to chest and pump, pump, pump, 5 more! Pump, pump, pump, looking good! Pump and pump! Now roll to your right, onto your stomach. Let's tone that baby-soft tush!..."

Ka-Chow!

2008-09-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

I love to find the kids sleeping in funny positions! Finn is a big fan of Lightning McQueen and cars--the Disney movie or otherwise (notice McQueen on his jammies, too). He's always walking around with a car in each hand. But he also like to branch out, so if he's not toting cars, he hangs on to his Woody doll (aka "Hat"). He's such a sweetie!
Note: He has a bed, he just opted out of it that night.

Snow White and the "Dorp"

2008-09-17T14:08:00.000-07:00

Seems the Cinderella dress has been out-grown so Mimi granted Galla's wish for the Snow White dress. It's really quite cute--I like the bow headband. Galla says Snow White and the "Dorps" and likes to play pretend with Finn.

"Hey! Who you callin' a Dorp?!"

5 years, 4 moves, and 3 kids later...

2008-08-23T16:36:00.000-07:00

It has been 5 busy years of marriage for Brad and I! This is a picture of us in front of our tiny first apartment at BYU when we had no idea what was in store for us. From Utah we moved to Hawaii, then Ohio, then Connecticut, then Oregon. We had Galla in March '05, Finn in December '06, and Paisley in June '08. We've kept life full of action and fun!

This morning (after Brad let me sleep in) I surprised Brad with an anniversary activity. We both like to workout, but rarely get to do it outside together because of the kids. So I arranged to have our good friend Christy watch the kids while we went for a jog. The "little loop" that I wanted to do ended up being 7.65 miles long! We had a great time talking and enjoying some time together, though we will be sore tomorrow. I am a lucky lady and I love my life with Brad. Thanks, honey, and happy 5 years!

Tio Joe

2008-08-13T21:12:00.000-07:00

My awesome brother, Joseph (aka Tio Joe), came to visit last weekend! This boy is unbelievably intelligent, funny, and talented in singing, dancing, acting, and just about everything else. I love him and I love to brag about him because it's easy to do! He has been in theater since he was six and on Broadway at eleven. Recently he has been doing "Wicked" in Chicago. His request in coming to Portland was that we do outside activities and soak in some nature because the day after he left here, he started rehearsals in NYC for "Grease" on Broadway! He just got cast and we are so stoked for him! Who wants to take a trip to Manhattan to see him? I do!

On Saturday we went to the Saturday Market and Multnomah Falls. I like this picture of Brad and me because, excuse me, look at our kids in the background playing with a strange dog while we smile for the camera!

This is a better picture of the whole family.

Sunday we went to church and The Grotto--a 62 acre Catholic Shrine and botanical garden. Sunday night our lungs were full of fresh air and our cheeks were sore from laughing as we sent Tio Joe back to the Big Apple. Thanks for coming, Joseph, we love you. Go grease lightening!

We Be 'Burbin'

2008-08-07T15:05:00.000-07:00

Since we'd out-grown our beloved little Camry, we thought we'd take our car upgrade to the extreme and bought this beast from Brad's uncle. We flew down to California and drove this 2005 Chevy Suburban Z71 back. It is a sweet ride, fully stacked and he gave us a great deal. The kids love cruisin' in the "big car" and I have to admit that I expected to like it, but I like it more than I expected! It's nice to know that if we ever get a pet elephant we'll be able to transport him to his vet appointments. I think we'll name him "Peanut."