our Twin Falls adventure-Charlie gets to ride a motorcycle

We took a trip to Twin Falls last weekend to visit g & g Johnson. We had such a GREAT time with them.

This is the first picture on my camera for the trip. That is Boise in the background. Charlie didn't make it very far before he crashed. It was only 3:00 in the afternoon.

It was really cold and yucky out, but we still managed to get in a trip to grandma's school to play on the playground. I forgot to take my camera with me to the school.When we got home papa fired up the motorcycle for Charlie. I love watching him because I know he loves doing it and it is so cute, but it is going to make my little momma heart explode one of these days. He did really well and only crashed 2 times. There is a video of him riding at the bottom of the post.

Ryan was trying to race him around the house

I am a scared mother, but he looks so darn cute.

This is the boys fixing it after Charlie crashed

The little ones love the piano

We got to go to the falls. They were beautiful. We didn't stay long because it was so cold.

We also got to visit some horses. This one's name is "Shotgun"

He really liked Ali

This pony was a little naughty and only let Ali pet her once and then she took off

I think this was Livy's highlight of the whole trip. In the car on the way home she wanted to see the picture. She held the camera smiling the whole way home looking at this picture.

Here is a video of Charlie on the motorcycle

Thanks g & g for such a fun weekend!!!!!!!

haircut time

The boys were looking a little shabby so we thought it was a good day for haircuts (this was actually taken a couple of weeks ago). And our AMAZING hairstylist was actually able to get the boys in right away.

We have a way of doing hair around here. It's called, "I know how to do one hairstyle and it looks good on all 3 boys." Oh, and the girls get to get their hair done by a paid professional. That just seems to work for us around here.

Here is Oscar's before

during

after. What a handsome little guy. this is the only "after" shot that I remembered to take.

Charlie before

and during. He wanted me to leave it this way.

No after shot, but he looks adorable handsome as well. I don't mind doing my boys' haircut, I just hate tasting hair for the rest of the day. I don't know how the real hairstylists do it everyday, that would drive me crazy.

since we were 5

That's how long I have known these girlies

Me, Kate, and Emily grew up within a block of each other our entire childhood. We started out in kindergarten when we were 5 and now we are ALL pregnant and due within a month of each other. Kate is due April 22, then me 2 weeks later, then Emily 2 more weeks later. They are both pregnant with their 2nd child and are both having boys. I am having my 5th and it's a girl. Kate & I also have boys the same age, about 3 weeks apart and they are the best of friends.

It is so great to still be friends with these girls 23 years later. Wow, I feel old right now.

our remodel unveiled......finally

So, with a new little one on the way we needed to expand. When we bought the house it was a 3 bedroom, 2 bath with a bonus room. The bonus room has been great. It is about the same size of our master bedroom. We called it our tv room. It is where the TV was and ALL the toys were. Those were all being held by a HUGE entertainment center that Ryan built the first summer we lived here. It also contained our computer, my craft table that Ryan built me, a couch and our food storage. We came to the decision to convert our bonus room into a bedroom for the boys. Now on the other side of the house Ali has her own room and Livy and our new little one will share a room. Here's how it went down.

This is our bonus room with all the previous stuff cleaned out of it and the boys' stuff just thrown wherever. See my pretty craft table (I miss it).

note where the door to the room is located (the one that is open in this picture) The door on the right is our food storage room and across from that is the laundry room and then it goes into the garage.

our BIG entertainment center that is now in pieces in our garage

our pile o stuff that had no home

After we cleared the room Alvin (my mom's hubby), Ryan and Larry (Ryan's dad) started by putting in the closet.

They did all this in the first day

we primed and painted the room. We call this color "nuclear green"

our accent color is the blue

this is Oscar and Livy watching Papa work. He was so wonderful. He came over practically everyday after he got off work for a couple of hours to work on our project. He did an amazing job. We have to barricade Oscar & Livy because they so badly want to help. I didn't take a picture of it but we re-painted the little hallway/cove where Alvin is standing in this picture. We moved the door and do some reconstruction had to happen and then painting over it to look nice. We gave it a pretty tan color.

Here is Livy helping.

Here is our finished closet

I was so excited to take pictures when it was finally complete that I really didn't clean up too much before I took the pictures. We are still in the process of finding a place for everything to go. We were able to get rid of the bulky dresser and are now on the look-out for a nice nightstand to put the kids' underoos in. We also added crown moulding the room and a new baseboard. Ryan and Toby did most of it, they did great.

our eventual plan is to put in 2 built-in desks in their room. One behind the door right here and one on the adjacent wall. See how we moved the door. I say "we" like I did it. Alvin & Ryan did everything with help from Toby & Ryan's dad. I did a LOT of the painting though.

Here is our closet on the inside. We custom designed it. Didn't Alvin do AMAZING. Now we just need to find matching bins to put in the cubbies. anybody have any great ideas of where to look for some super cute, but inexpensive ones?

Here is my favorite picture I took the other day when I was trying to move the bookshelf when Ryan wasn't home. I know, I know I shouldn't do that. I was getting so antsy to get things moved in. We came up with this plan to move it from the living room to the boys' room. It slid just great, then the kids decided to use it as a fort.

We are still not completely done with everything, but we are slowly getting there. Thanks to everyone who helped us out, especially because I am limited on helping (so annoying when you just want to get something done).

my latest coupon adventure

While I was definetly up WAY past my bedtime last night, it was well worth it. Here is what I scored:

6 packages of diapers

cost - $57.17

I paid - $15.87

I saved - $41.30

bought:

1 lb pork loin

4 Deli Creations

Cret toothpaste

4 boxes of Jello

deli meat

2 McCormick Recipe Inspirations

6 kids tooth brushes

cost - $44.98

I paid - $5.84

I saved - $39.14

and for my final big purchase I bought:

24 boxes of assorted pasta

6 jars sauce

2 cans diced tomatoes

2 McCormick seasonings

2 boxes Keebler Fudge Shoppe cookies

3 Danimals yogurt

3 Danonino

2 packages hot dogs

2 bags wonka jelly beans

2 Wonka candy bars (yum)

bananas

bag of baby carrots

2 boxes Ziplocks

3 boxes Kleenex

TP

3 boxes Gain dryer sheet

2 bottles Johnson baby soap

4 packages wipes

cost - $106.04

I paid - $9.39

saved - $96.65

And THIS is why I coupon. It may take time & work, but this is what makes it all worth while. Does anybody want to come over for dinner? we are having pasta for the rest of the year!!!!!

this is how i "clean" the table

For family night a while ago we let one of the kids be completely in charge of what we do. This was Ali's activity of choice......shaving cream on the table. Do you any of you remember doing this in elementary school?

Livy even got in on it. Oscar chose not to participate. Which I think is weird because he is by far my messiest kid, I thought he would LOVE to do this.

Look at this kid, you can actually count his ribs from across the room.

Livy decided to wear her shaving cream. She is obsessed with lotion and thought this would be the same, I guess.

What a fun activity for family night.