Beginning of the end...

Its the beginning of May, but the end of the year!! Dance recital and final baseball games on the calender, vacations starting to be planned, swimming suits permanently in the car...just in case and me...trying to figure out how I am going to keep my sanity for the two months that is summer vacation!

If nothing else I should have lots to keep you entertained with, so stay tuned!

On that note I thought you might enjoy a pic of my little baseball player!!

2 Month Stats...

Little Sis is 2 months old!!! 

2 Months People!!!!!!!! 

She is weighing in at 11lbs 3oz and 23.75 inches long!! I have a feeling though, her hair might account for some of that weight and at least an inch of that length! 

Dodd Pool Officially Open

To almost everyone else in the country April weather in Arizona is more than perfect for lounging by the pool, but to us locals...it is not!! But we are having unusually high temps right now and so...

The Dodd Pool is officially open for business!

 

   

Before you wonder, ask or just judge me...no I did not purposely leave Thomas out of pics today. He is sick so he did not get to partake in opening day! 

The thermometer tipped 106 today and although the pool was still too cold for mommy Taylor had a blast with my dad. 

And because 106 is a really good excuse...I pulled out one of Tatum's first swimsuits. Oh and in case I haven't told you yet, my newborn is not a newborn anymore. I am in love with all of the faces she makes now. I feel like I could make up a caption for each one and yes most of them would refer to the hot mess of hair atop her head! 

 Is it too much to think that one day these two could be best friends?? 

Trust Me

I will be the first to admit that my music tastes are confined to a tiny box that contains only country music and frankly I like it that way. I will even confess that when I watched the Grammy's this year (only because Jaime was in town) I had no clue who half the artists were and if I did...it was because I saw them on the Ellen Show. And even then I usually fast forward once they start singing! OMG...I really have turned into my mother. Oh well...I am pretty sure that happened a while ago! Love you mom! Anyway...back to the point.

Ever since my sister bought my hubby the Jason Aldean album My Kinda Party it has had a permanent spot on my playlist! I love EVERY single song! And even though the album has been out for a few years now he just released another song from it and I have to share...



If you like country even a little...you need to buy this album. TRUST ME...you will not be sorry!!!

iPhone Photo Dump x2

I totally forgot to post my photo dump from last week...

So you get twice the pics this week!!

1. A little Easter project I did with the kids!!
2. The kids love when I tell them it is a "Cereal for dinner" kind of night!
3. Thomas needed a buzz!
4. We celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary and in honor I finished a bottle of wine.
5. Tatum's favorite place to hang out is on the couch next to me
6. Yep...that's me in 1984!
7. Daddy and Tatum!
8. Pretty much every morning for me...Starbucks!
9. Future BFF's...Tatum on the left and Miss Alexa Harding on the right!!

1. A late birthday present for Taylor...every little girl needs some bling!
2. Finally got around to putting photos in albums
3. Someone found her reflection in the swing and was smiling from ear to ear
4. The "other" babies in our family, Lucy and Otis!
5. Costco...wonderful and dangerous all at once!
6. Thomas and Taylor practicing good dental hygiene before school!
7. My little Tatum looks an awful lot like E.T. in this pic.
8. My new purse!
9. Ice cream...a must have in my freezer!

Getting A Personality

Tatum is almost 2 months old and she still sleeps A LOT!! Oh I am not complaining trust me...I love that she sleeps because I know soon she won't. In the last few weeks though rather than waking up just to eat and have her diaper changed, she is now doing a little relaxing before she heads back to dreamland.

She is cooing, looking around at EVERYTHING (she has what we refer to as crazy eyes most of the time) and she is smiling!! Oh I love her smiling!! And today I get to share it with you.

And because I love my followers...but more because I think that the only cute feet are baby feet...

On The Other Side

I think I know what my little Cookie is going to be when she grows up...

She likes to use her own camera, but mine is much more fun!! Today I actually liked the pictures she took.

Frick and Frack!!

Here's to hoping the little miss is a good blend of them!

So Once There Was This Time....

When my kids did what I asked of them without protest!!

Oh wait...there was never a time!

I like to think I ask very little of my kids...although I would bet all the money in my bank account that they would disagree. I do their laundry, make their beds, feed them, drive them around...oh list is long...VERY LONG!! So you would think that they could do one simple little thing for me...

SMILE!!

BUT NO!!

It's a good thing I love them so much because I am pretty sure this isn't making any picture frames. At least my kids aren't boring I will give them that!

iPhone Photo Dump

Have I told you that I love my phone??

Well, I do!!

And although there are tons of things I love about my phone...the camera is by far my favorite. I love my big camera and it is still always with me, but having a good camera on my phone is awesome. I can take pics everywhere!! Thomas even said to me the other night..."Mom, why do you take pictures of weird stuff?" I just laughed.

With that said here is my weekly photo dump!!

1. We spent last Friday at our friends The Stott's for our first swim of the year (well mommy didn't swim, but the kids did). They had a blast!!
2. Even mommy got her face painted at Cookie's birthday party!
3. A little couch time with two of my munchkins
4. Presents...lots of presents!
5. A dust twister.
6. Papa Murphy's is now open in Queen Creek...DANGEROUS!
7. Tatum is getting to be such a big girl...just hangin' with mommy!
8. A project Taylor made in preschool
9. Taylor's new shoes...so excited sandal weather is here!

It Was A No Boys Allowed Kind Of Day

Four years ago our world changed when we brought home our little Cookie Monster!! I will only speak for myself (although I think others would agree) she completely changed my life!! I would say that she makes me smile as many times as she makes me shake my head each day. Her dad says she is just like her mother/aunt/grandma all rolled into one, but I think she is one-of-a-kind!!

Saturday we celebrated her birthday with a "Girls Only" Hello Kitty themed party. As usual I took on a little too much and found myself stressing out five minutes before everyone arrived, but in the end all that mattered was the look on her face when her friends rang the doorbell.

No detail left undone...

I used my silhouette to make the Thank You bags and popcorn cones. Of course my oober talented mom whipped up Hello Kitty cookies...and as usual they were ADORABLE!! I enlisted the help of Pinterest for some super cute food ideas...Hello Kitty Sandwiches and Fruit Palm Trees. And as if the cookies were not enough...my mom used her talent and made a cupcake stand from an old chandelier. I think it is safe to say that we might have went overboard. Wink Wink!!

But...

It was all worth it to see this little girl smile!!

We played a game, got our faces painted, decorated flip flops, ate cupcakes and opened presents. All things girly!!

I actually woke up Sunday morning with a birthday party hangover!! It was all worth it though.

Happy Birthday my sweet Taylor!!

Thank You Miss Tatum!!

For doing this all day long!!

Giving mommy no excuse to NOT be productive this fine Sunday!!

I  got all most of my cleaning done!

And I got to the bottom half-way through the laundry basket!

You really are mommy's girl...Thank you!

Now if only you could help me with keeping it this clean!!

iPhone Photo Dump

Can I just say that it has been a busy week!! I am looking forward to a fun birthday weekend for the Cookie Monster and then things settling down for a while. I am really looking forward to a week with just our "normal" schedule...a week where I can potentially tackle a few projects around the house. We'll see though...something always seems to come up!!

Anyway...

From Top Left:
1. I picked this fun, vintage bingo game up at a garage sale last Saturday
2. I am a slacker when it comes to my own hair, but I love doing Taylor's
3. Monday morning called for a nail salon stop
4. Thomas had practice on Tues night under the lights
5. Look at my big girl holding her head up...enter sad face...she is quickly moving out of the newborn stage
6. I have been busy in my craft room working on all sorts of stuff for Taylor's party!
7. Look who woke up just in time to see mommy change her look!!
8. I took the plunge and had my bangs cut...what do you think??
9. Rockin' mommy's new sunglasses!!

Dollar Tree Tuesday...

Although it has been a while since my last "Dollar Tree Tuesday" installment it does not mean that I have lost my love of the store. It just means I have been lazy about posting about it.

Today however, is a different Tuesday and I am not lazy!!

Todays trip was for all things birthday!!

I do not always find exactly what I am in need of at the dollar store, but I always check there first.

Today was no exception. I needed pink table decor, but did not find what I needed. BUMMER!! I did find a few other things I needed and of course a few things made it into my cart that were not on the list, but couldn't resist.

I always get my gift bags from the dollar store, but you can sometimes find cute wrapping paper too. I found three rolls that were bright and perfect Taylor's presents.

I picked up tissue paper for both wrapping and to make some tissue paper poms. I found two super cute pink buckets for the tablescape at her party, pink crate paper, kids' hair rubber bands, and string for my balloons.

Another good day at the dollar store!!

Crazy Hair Day!!

Friday was crazy hair day at Taylor's school and we were both pretty excited. For different reasons of course, but excited nonetheless.

We have always participated in crazy hair day, but Thomas has almost NO hair so there isn't a whole lot you can do.

Taylor on the other hand has tons of hair and the possibilities are endless.

So a quick trip to the dollar store for some embellishments...

I thought I took a pic of the back but apparently I forgot to take one. I swear sometimes I would forget my kids if they weren't so loud!!

Her hair was colored purple all over, I used an empty toilet paper roll as a make shift bump-it to give her some height and there were three more butterflies in the back. It was somewhat of a birds nest on top of her head.

I thought it turned out pretty cute and she was super happy with it!!

Another mom badge earned!!