3 weeks in and my kids are already sick of the lunches they are eating. Same old thing, day after day. So I came across this fun site that is all bento lunches. Lunchinabox.net teaches you how to pack fun and yummy lunches, bento style! We are going to try it next week and see how it goes! Anyone have any great ideas to put in the bento?
I have a love/hate relationship with this time of the year. Soccer has started! This year we have 3 kids in soccer. 3! That means: This week we have 5 practices! We also had 3 SEP's (parent/teacher conference) one violin lesson, one piano lesson, one orthodontist appointment, 5 days of early release, one hike (with my great gals I visit teach) 3 crock pot meals (so we don't have 3 nights of fast food or pizza, cause the practices are at 5:30 or 6, which is dinner time), and one play practice. We are also trying to squeeze in one birthday party. Maybe on Saturday? Neil has also been very busy at work, which we are not use to anymore. He has had to attend all of the city councils for the entire county! That is a lot of city council meetings. I think after the two tonight he will have only 3 left. So I love going to the games, which start next Saturday, and I love watching the kids have fun, learn, exercise, and have success. I love eating great crock pot meals, which for the next two months we will do a lot of!I hate that we have to cram in things like scriptures, homework, dinner, playing with friends. I hate that we don't get home most nights until 8. I am glad it only lasts until the end of October, but then we move on to basketball. I guess I thrive when I am crazy busy, but like to take breaks from it too!
There are some strange people in this world. I have never been able to understand theft. Why take something someone else worked hard for? Just a few minutes ago I got a prerecorded message that said my card from xyz bank was deactivated and to press 1 to reactivate it. I thought I don't have a card from xyz bank. I called xyz bank and they said they are aware of the problem and are trying to find out who is doing this. Word of warning: do not press 1. No bank will really call with a prerecorded message to get you to reactivate your card. The bank said the other thing that these people are doing is saying you have a fradulent report on your card and they need your card number. If you get a call like this say thank you, hang up, then call your bank yourself! That way you know you are really talking to your bank. Heads up and remember DO NOT PRESS 1!
My cute little Addison just turned two on the 11th. I can't believe how quickly the time has passed. She was my only baby to have jaundice. We put her in the front room in the sun to soak up the rays. Now that she is two she can....
*talk fairly well....better every day. She is famous for saying "Camnen...no" (leaves out the d) and "car hot"
*change her baby dolls diaper....even puts desatin on her bum if mom is busy and not *quick enough to notice
*kisses her own ouchies better
*loves her blankie
*counts to 3
*loves to color....even if it's just on the walls and herself
*loves to win people over (just ask half of our ward)
*folds her arms for the prayer and says amen
*buckles her car seat buckle
*does EVERYTHING on her own "I do it"
*climbs out of her crib...but if I don't get her out of her bedroom she will climb back in and go back to sleep
*goes down for naps/bedtime without fussing
*waits in her bed in the morning until she hears footsteps...then calls out for the person she heard...and is usually right
*LOVES baby dolls
*LOVES dora
*eats very well (doesn't like mac & cheese)
*opens the freezer, gets out the ice cream and then enjoys
*sprays everyone with the spray bottle we use on the kids hair and thinks it is soooo funny
*loves bike rides, parks, walks, swimming (if she doesn't put her head under) taking baths, wearing Brookes shoes or Camdens, or Eastons, or etc., sit on the potty (and do nothing)
*brings me the diapers and wipes when she needs to be changed (I know it's time to train her)
*loves grandma and grandpa
*hates her pediatrician (she has since she was about 9 months old, the other kids and I love him) when she hears him in the hall while we wait in the room she says "I scared" and then buries her head in my neck
*loves to do puzzles
*Loves her brothers and sister and quite a few of their friends
*goes to nursery without fussing if I am not the one to drop her off
*finally has enough hair to put in pig tails (she had long enough....then pulled out all the hair on one side of her hair (not kidding) she would pull it out while drinking her bottle
*loves to do whatever the big kids are doing
*screams if one of the big kids is bothering her (like kissing her or taking a toy)
*my only kid to NOT have blue eyes
*has fun curly hair that I can scrunch up
*stands at the top of the stairs and yells "Easta...tin a eat" Not only at dinner or lunch time, but when she wants him to come upstairs
*is SOOOOO very easy. She is almost always content and likes to play on her own. So many people have tended her and said "she is so easy" She was like that in utero. Neil maybe felt her move like 5 times because she would just sit content in one spot and if I felt her move it was a one time move...then she would be content again for a long time. The entire time we had her ultrasound she didn't move around....you know little movements, but no big rolls. I even had a prenatal massage and she just sat there content. For the first two weeks I don't think she cried because we would notice her finally start to wake up so we would quickly feed her. I am telling you my easiest baby!
We love you Addie, Addie Bell, Addison Avery(named for the street Wrigley field is on and for her great great grandpa) Happy Birthday!
Remember that commercial...anyways....this is about food so sort of beef related. School lunches. That is the question. Half of the time my kids want school lunch and half of the time they don't. (they hate the school's pizza and some of the other items) So what's in our lunches gets a little boring. Here are some of our regulars:
Lunch meat
pb & honey (for Cam with Jelly for Brooke)
Tuna (picked up those individual packs and send it with crackers...kids love it)
juice box
granola bars
carrots and ranch
celery with pb
fruit
apple sauce or fruit cups
frozen gogurt (perfect by lunch time)
Chips
Soup
Brooke likes leftover mashed potatoes and gravey in her soup container.
What's in your lunches? You have anything that is a must have?
http://oiea4.deviantart.com/art/Interference-69321887
http://oiea4.deviantart.com/art/Auditions-75572128
http://oiea4.deviantart.com/art/Stalker-80601805
http://oiea4.deviantart.com/art/Alliance-87979356
Ok So someday I will learn how to do real links! Since I don't....just copy and paste and you will see them. I really like the first one...the second and third are ok....fourth funny, but needs number 3 to make more sense. Enjoy!
I had no idea how young I really was/looked when I got married. I was 19 1/2....and let me tell you that 1/2 was huge in my mind! Here we are 13 years later....and I am only 21...how does that work? I just wanted to pay tribute to my amazing husband. He is such a hard worker and a great provider. He always got up in the night with our babies. Sunday's he is the one to always cook! He has such a good understanding of the scriptures and can always explain to me things I am not getting. He is a fun dad and is so good at entertaining the kids. So much I could say. Happy 13th anniversary Neil....love you!
Our reception was held in my parent's friends back yard. They have this amazing lake out back with weeping willows and this dock we are standing on.
We were married in the Portland Oregon Temple. Neil thought he was being very clever and pretending to walk down in to the water in front of us (there are steps going down into it) He is jokingly stepping down and actually does.....and comes up with a sopping wet foot!
Who knew Neil could jump so high....guess he was excited to marry me!
The Portland Temple is amazingly beautiful. Here is proof that at one time I was thin....and very young looking....look at Neil's baby face!
****Note....I am working on getting the pictures to show up larger.....maybe a computer wiz friend could help me out*****
A few months ago my sweet friend Lindsay posted a blog about trying to get rid of their friendly bat (she has named him Harry) that likes to hang out on her front porch. Last I talked with her about it they had achieved success. The bat was gone. Well Thanks A Lot! I now know where the bat went!
When Neil was leaving for work this morning this is what he found! Look at this wing span!
Check out the size of those ears!
I am holding Lindsay completely responsible. This is atrocious! So Lindz....can we borrow the fake owl from ya! (oh and the kids couldn't imagine anything cooler then a bat in the garage!)
We often refer to Aidan and Brooke as Twin A and Twin B or "the twins" They are 5 months apart in age, to the day. When we are together people often ask if they are twins and they love/hate it. Secretly love it, but try not to let us know. They are best friends and love to spend all their time together (without any of the other cousins to bother them)!
These pictures are of all the Upton grandkids....the big boys are my sister Cindy's boys (Egan is 13 and Aidan is 10) The girl and little boy are my brother Todd's kids (Jessi (Jessica) will be 5 in Sept. and Jake is 3). Todd took the pictures down at the Truckee river while we were home and one of the group shots will go in grandmas Christmas card.
The boys just got new shoes for school, their other ones were ratty and getting small on them. They had to put them on as soon as we got home! Easton gets his high top sneakers on and says "We thought these were basketball shoes but they aren't. They are hip hop dancer ones" He then proceeds to do a little hip hop dancing action! I had no idea he knew what a hip hop dancer was at the ripe old age of 5!
Which bag do you think I should sew?
I try to be a little bit practical when I make these bags. I try to put dark colors on the bottom so they don't look dirty quite as fast. Yet, I really like the brown top with the blue bottom. What do you think? I had enough fabric to make both, so I did! Yesterday was Easton's first day of kindergarten. He goes from 12:30-3:30 (which is Addie's nap time). 3 hours of no kids means I made these yesterday and cleaned my kitchen. Today I am cleaning (deep cleaning) my bedroom! I am going to try to deep clean one room or closet everyday and sew/scrapbook/craft something fun! I am sure I will throw in a little blogging on the side!
This summer we went every Friday morning to the $1 movie. Addison sat very well...through some/most of the movies (Penelope was a disaster for her). So I was so surprised that she sat and watched most of the kids play. Here she is clapping along with the crowd. (sorry a little blurry)
She wanted to get up and dance along with the kids on stage!
She was very excited to see Cam and Brooke on stage and yelled out their names a few times!
Brooke and Camden had two different performances for Little Rascals. On one night Brooke was one of the little girls. Here they are at the sleepover.
At the sleepover the girl's discussed how gross boys are! It was one of my favorite parts of the entire play!
The other night Brooke was Ms. Crabtree, the teacher. Brooke had to get upset with Porky and Buckwheat for selling tickets to the free talent show!
When Brooke was one of the little girls they had a ballet recital.
Here she is again as Ms. Crabtree, announcing the next performer in the talent show.
Brooke did a great job, as usual. She is very shy, until you get her on stage!
I can't quite pinpoint what is wrong with this photo....
hmmm...
something just isn't right....
oh wait I know.....
it is suppose to look like this....
Notice the missing kids....our great neighbors the McKellebs that are thousands of miles away....it is days like yesterday when I really feel they absence. Every year we take a first day of school picture, together. This years halloween picture will be a little off too. Hey, maybe I can learn how to photoshop them in before Halloween!
Camden and Brooke were in the local children's production of "Little Rascals". Camden was Porky. He is the one that is best buds with the OTAY kid. Camden had a lot of lines to memorize and did a great job, especially since this is his first time on stage!
Here are Porky and Buckwheat fishing....Buckwheat asks if he got anything and Cam's first lines are "not a bite Buckwheat"
Here are the "He-man woman haters" saying their pledge. It includes, "I Porky member of good standing in the he-man woman haters club do solemly swear to...." I think they swear to catch bugs, be with their buddies, go fishing, pick thier nose, and never fall in love!
Porky and Buckwheat roast marshmellows instead of helping their buddies put out the clubhouse which has caught fire. The fabric was shaken to look like a fire.
Camden looking adorable as Porky!
One of my favorite lines of Camden's was when he was told to call 911 and Buckwheat asks him what the number is. Porky replies "how should I know". Camden did a great job as Porky! He had a really good time, but isn't planning on doing the next play which is Cinderella....I guess it's a little girlie for him!
We spend so much money on toys...and what do they really want to play with? Something that isn't a toy. This summer the boys were bored bored bored. So I got out a bag of plastic cups. They had a great time. They ended up using all my plastic cups. Then Brooke and her friends got in on the fun. These cups kept them entertained for 3 days...until I finally made them put them away. The last tower was the tall one Brooke and her friends are in front of. They wanted to see how long it would stay standing, but I was a little tired of it greeting guests at the front door and crashing down (very loud with plastic cups on wood floor). So down it came and I am sure we will get them out again when we are having another "I'm Bored" day!
