Turning 2!!

Where did the last year go?  Seriously?!  I honestly can't believe we celebrated Tatum's 2nd birthday on Saturday.  We had a pretty busy year, so I will chalk it up to that I guess!  Or maybe the fact that she is no longer bound to a stroller/car seat/play seat, but instead running non-stop from morning until night with a small break during nap time!

Regardless of what made the year fly by it did and our baby is now 2!!

Our weekend was pretty low key, but all about her!

From top left:
1.  Both the girls helped me bake that cake...they really just hang around to lick the bowl!
2.  Watching the cake bake!!
3.  Sisters!
4.  A little trip to Target and since it was her birthday she got her own smoothie!!
5.  Me and my girl!
6.  The day wouldn't have been complete without a midday fit!
7.  Blowing out her candle!
8.  My munchkins!
9.  FINALLY...time to eat the cake!


Here is a better look at the cake I made!  I used a stencil cut from my CAMEO for the sprinkles in the shape of Minnie Mouse ears!  If you are reading this Karolyn you might recognize the infamous cake plate!!  WINK WINK!! 

 

To end the birthday fun she had her 2 year check up this morning!  She is 34.75 inches tall and weighs 29.8 lbs.  In the 84th percentile for both and right where she should be with everything else.  Keeping it consistent she was not happy to see the nurse nor the doctor and screamed her little heart out.  I always try to console her, but I always laugh too!  She is so dramatic and usually before they have even gotten anywhere near her.  

 

Seriously?!  Look at that face!!  So sad, but maybe playing it up just a little for the camera!!  She is holding the same blanket she has had since she was born!! 

And in case you forgot...or just want to see how far she's come...

Happy 2nd Birthday Miss Tatum!!

Now...it's time to start focusing on your sister...who is convinced she is NEVER going to get to celebrate HER birthday!!

I'm Going To Skip The Overachieving

Well as much as I would love to be telling you all how great the potty training was is going...I CANNOT!!  Why you ask??  Because I gave up!!  I will tell you that I was encouraged by my neighbor and good friend JoJo (who is currently potty training her twins that turned 2 in November) to give it a go with Tatum.  If it wasn't for that encouragement I never would have started this early.  But as I suspected the girl just ain't ready!!

We had a total of 8 accidents...including peeing on the carpet a few times, on me once, the couch and her bedroom rug!!  When she sat on the toilet she thought it was comedy hour, laughing, talking, getting on and off, but never doing what one should be ACTUALLY be doing in the bathroom!!  I did not try this early with Thomas or Taylor, so I have decided to push it to the back burner and re-visit the issue at a later date!!

MOM fail I know, but seriously...I was really just trying to be an overachiever!! 

On another note...I finally cut Taylor's hair the other day and trust me when I tell you...SHE NEEDED IT!!  Although if you look at these pictures you may not even notice.  She got 5 inches cut off and it's still long!!  But it is easier to brush and she loves it...SO WIN WIN!!

Such enthusiasm!!

Total cheeseball!! 

But I love her anyway!!

Potty Training

I seriously cannot even believe I am posting about this already.  I was hoping she would stay little FOREVER, but we know that's not going to happen.  I don't actually have boat loads of confidence that this is going to happen quickly, but I am going to give it a shot.  Taylor and I went to Target yesterday to get a Minnie Mouse potty seat...because if anyone can help a 2 year old learn to potty it's Minnie Mouse!!  We bought her big girl underwear...ALSO Minnie Mouse...and on Thursday I plan to hit it hard!!  Why Thursday??  Well because I don't want to have to leave the house if there is any progress at all and Thursday/Friday I don't drive to school!!

Stay tuned!! 

Another reason why my confidence level is pretty low...No Tatum it is not a hat!!

We did a little test...30 minutes and NOTHING!!  I did do a lot of laughing though!!

T Minus 11 Days

Until this one turns the big 2!!

Seriously I have no idea where the last two years went!!  I guess we've been busy enjoying life!!  Tatum has definitely completed our little family!!  I could not imagine our lives without her!! 

An Update

I will start off by saying that my mother DID get a little laugh from my post.  If she were being honest she would probably tell you she does not think I can get my purging done by the time she comes.  AND if I am being honest she is probably right.  BUT I am trying and have put quite a dent in the list.

Thursday and Friday I finished the mail area, the freezer, the entertainment center and Tom's closet.  I had hoped to tackle a few more spots, but opted to do a few loads of laundry instead.

Saturday I did not do anything in the way of cleaning my house.  I did however go get my car cleaned...INSIDE and OUT!!  That is actually not on the purge list, but frankly it should be.  My car was a pit...as in DISGUSTING!!  Now it's clean though and hopefully will stay that way for at least a week or two.  Haha...yea right!

Sunday my hubby had to work, so I took full advantage and tackled the kids' rooms!!  All three rooms...closets included!!  No more clothes that don't fit or garbage hidden behind dressers!!  Everything in it's place!!  The kids' rooms were really the BIG ticket items on my purge list and it feels great to have them done!!

I have until Wednesday morning to finish the list or try to get close!!  I'll let you know how I do!!

On another note...Saturday my hubby took Thomas and Taylor to see The Lego Movie, so I did what I do best and headed to Target!!

Is this not the cutest shirt?!

We are going to Disneyland in April and as you might expect...the kids will have to have cute Disney attire!!  This one's for Tatum...BONUS...it was on clearance!!

Always By My Side

She follows me everywhere all day long and as I sit here perusing blogs and paying bills here she lays...right beside me!

Doesn't she look thrilled?

It's That Time Again

It's no secret that I do my best work...and by work I mean cleaning...when either of the following occur...1. when my hubby and I argue OR 2. when I'm in a funk.  I'm not going to lie...my hubby and I have had some doozies, some of which even led to cleaning the blinds.  You know it's a good argument when I'm cleaning the blinds, but this time it isn't an argument that is sending me into crazy cleaning mode. 

It might be the weather...I haven't seen the actual concrete in our neighborhood for over a week...I'm over it.  It might be the fact my three kids and I don't quite share the same definition of "clean".  Either way though I dug up the list I created last year for what I called...PROJECT PURGE!!!!

I pick up the house daily and vacuum almost everyday (I LOVE MY DYSON), but please don't open my closets or drawers or kitchen cupboards.  I don't have hoarder status, but there are a few spaces that I've used my jenga like abilities to keep everything stacked up.  I commend you if you do not have any of these in your house, although I would probably make you prove it because I just don't believe you!! 

Anyhoo...

I'm starting today because WHY NOT?

I don't have a goal finish date, but my mom comes next Wednesday, so that seems like a good day!!  She will probably laugh when she reads this which means "Challenge accepted"!!

Do you think I can do it??

iPhone Photo Dump

From top left:
1.  Got a little crafty a few weeks ago and added something to my Valentine Decoration collection!
2.  A pic from the AFC Championship game...before my sis was sad!!
3.  My hubby wanted to put Skittles on his co-workers desks...I altered them a bit to get his point across!
4.  Mini Me and myself before school last week!!
5.  My hubby and I took a little selfie on our day trip Saturday!
6.  We pulled over on the side of the road to watch these guys climb the frozen waterfall...it was pretty cool!
7.  Sunday afternoon I gave a little cooking lesson to my neighbor JoJo on how to prepare Chicken Cordon Bleu...Thomas took a pic of her working.
8.  More saving...all this for $12...there's even an outfit in there!!
9.  I put a menu on the refrigerator to hopefully stop the question "WHAT ARE WE HAVING FOR DINNER?" once and for all!!

My Cup Runneth Over

8...5...1!!

They are my world!!

Call Me Crazy

It's OK...I won't be offended.

I do not consider myself an extreme couponer, but if I can get a good deal...I'm all for it.  Why not?  Frankly unless you have gobs and gobs of money...WHICH I DO NOT...you should be excited about deals.  I have the time to find the great deals, so I have no excuse not too.

Well...

It has started to pay off.  I have quite the stock pile going and without giving you exact details I will just say that I paid very little for all of this.


I DO NOT buy things I won't use!!  Free or not...if it won't get used I don't want it in my house.  Also, there are a few things I am particular about...Paper Towels are one of them...So although these were not free...I did get a great deal.  Laundry detergent on the other hand...couldn't care less about which brand I use.  I despise doing laundry, so you can imagine how I feel about BUYING detergent.  I paid $12 for all 10 of those bottles!!  I should be good for a while!!  Wink Wink...It will probably only last me a month.

This closet will probably make you laugh, but quite a few things in here I paid $0 for!!  

And this was my latest Target shopping trip.  Everything pictured plus a bottle of clearasil lotion for only $16!!!  

I'm all about a good deal and if you are too...check out some of the blogs in my side blogroll.  They are very helpful!!

Out to Lunch

This is my excuse for not blogging for a few days.  I get busy doing loads of other stuff and don't sit down to blog.  The truth is...when I'm not blogging it usually means I'm being SUPER productive...which is a good thing.  Right?!  Of course ideally I would be super productive AND blog, but we can't all be The Pioneer Woman. 

Anyway...

As I was saying...I have been super productive lately.  I have been keeping up on laundry and although my relationship with laundry has not changed (I still hate it)...I have been pushing through and getting it done.  I established a little morning routine and almost everyday it involves vacuuming, running the dish washer, picking up the kids' rooms and smiling about how nice it is to have a clean house.  I can't speak for anyone else, but with every kid and the stuff they possess I have become a little more OCD. 

I'm looking forward to a fun, impromptu visit from my sister this coming weekend...THAT thanks to our AWESOME parents...will include going to the AFC Championship between the Broncos and the Patriots.  It isn't exactly my dream game to attend, but my sister is over the moon.  I'll be routing with her, but only because she has promised to throw some love to the Seahawks later that day for the NFC game.  Please send good vibes our way...we will be sitting in a sea of ORANGE!!

That is all for now, but I will leave you with a few pics I meant to post last week and didn't. 

  

And a little video...

 

This Should Make You Laugh

Taylor tried to run away today!!

OK...so some of you are laughing (the ones that REALLY know her) and the rest of you are probably saying "Oh no! Why?" 

I've heard that in every house with more than one child there is a "difficult" one.  Did I hear that?  Or make that up to make myself feel better?!  OK I'm not sure, but whether or not I heard it or made it up is really beside the point.  I have a difficult child and her name is TAYLOR!!  Taylor can be sweet, caring and VERY helpful...WHEN SHE WANTS TO BE!!  Everything with that girl since the day she was born was to be on HER terms!!

You laugh and smile at my stories until you witness it and then you become a believer!! 

Now me...I'm a yeller!!  I wish I wasn't but I am!  It doesn't seem like way to much to ask that when I ask my kids to do things they listen the first time.   Two times OK...now I'm getting annoyed!!  Three times and I'm usually yelling. 

I have made it a goal...NOT A RESOLUTION...to yell less!!  Seems like a good goal and something that my kids would like and my hubby would DEFINITELY like!!

Anyway...

I have been refraining from yelling and in doing so have struck a chord with my Taylor.  It seems as though she would rather I yell.  It is driving her nuts that I am not and today she worked extra hard to accomplish her goal (getting me to yell)!!

You will be happy to know that I did NOT yell and just continued to ask her to please stop what she was doing and leave me alone.  I am betting that a few of you are wondering why she wasn't on timeout or in her bedroom...another entire post, but let's just say that the yelling usually is at it's worst when I'm trying to keep her contained.

After asking her to leave me alone and do as I asked her too (brush her hair)...she finally walked away.  I was so proud of myself...I had done what I set out to do...teach her that she will not get anything from me behaving like that.

YAY ME!!

Or NOT!!

Because down the stairs she comes with her boots on...a cute hat in her hands...a pile of paperwork (not sure why she grabbed those impaticular) and she headed to the garage.

Me: "What are you doing?"

Taylor: "You told me to leave, so I'm leaving!  I'm going to Arizona!"

I laughed in my head hysterically.  A tiny piece of me wanted to see how far she would get, but I have a sneaky suspicion I'll be able to save that for another time.  Then the rest of me that wasn't laughing felt bad!

I stopped her and sat her down to have a long discussion about why she wanted to leave and why she was misbehaving.

In the end...she is grounded this afternoon (which is a BIG deal, especially because it is sunny out today) and she will try again tomorrow to have a better morning.

Yup...It was one of those mornings!!!

Canvas and Cocktails

Nope not a cheeky title...it's what I did last Thursday night!!  My neighbor invited me for a little girls night out and although going to Target is exciting enough...this sounded like A LOT more fun!! 

Painting and wine?  Why not??

My neighbors JoJo, Amy and I before the fun began!!

My documented timeline...

All four of us with our masterpieces!!

Funnest girls night out I've had in a LONG time!!  

And as if having a fun night out wasn't enough...my hubby took mine to his office and hung it up!!  It started as a joke, but it made me feel good that he actually took it and hung it!!

Another Family Day

Our holiday break was a little uneventful to start, but we have definitely made up for that in the last few days.  I'm not sure about the kids, but I'm counting down the hours until school is back in session tomorrow.  I am ready for life to get back to normal.  I do not apologize for enjoying "MY TIME"...and I get 2 hours (sometimes 3) all to myself Monday-Friday while Thomas and Taylor are at school and Tatum is napping.  Sometimes I get things accomplished and sometimes I sit on the couch the ENTIRE time and watch crap TV...either way I LOVE IT!!

Anyway...I digress!!

Last Thursday we woke up early and since my hubby had scored an extra day off we decided to brave the cooler temps, pack lunches and head to the zoo (making good use of our annual pass).  Our friends even decided to join us...BONUS!!  It was the PERFECT day to go, almost no one there!!  Almost ALL of the animals were out enjoying the nice day and we didn't have to fight anyone to see them.

I'm glad the kids like going to the zoo as much as I do!!

1 of 365

Thanks to a tiny amount of snow fall on New Year's Day my hubby had to cancel his tee time.  Although I am pretty sure he was a little bummed about that he got to spend the day with the four of us.  And what better way to spend a impromptu family day than with a trip to Chuck E Cheese!!

1lrg 1 topping pizza, 40 tokens, 4 drinks...$33
100 extra tokens...$20

Watching the kids (and your hubby) play tons of fun games for small amounts of tickets...

PRICELESS!!

Places like Chuck E Cheese are a racket...over priced and chaotic, but sometimes that's just what we need.  And it turned out to be the perfect way to start the new year!!


Her "Cheese" face!!  Never gets old!!

In case you are wondering...yes...Thomas was there...he only came around for food.  I barely saw him the rest of the time!!

And because I know you probably wish you could witness the fun firsthand...

Here is a little video for your viewing pleasure!!