GO Grizzlies!!!

It is that time of year again...

time to pull out that orange and black and...

Time for MONDAY MADNESS at the Fresno Grizzlies Games!!

 The kids LOVE going to baseball games. They do not sit still for very long, but they LOVE going!!

 We went for F.H.E. last week, and SCORED some extra perks... 

Along with your ticket into the game you receive:

~ A pass to Wild Water Adventure Park

~ A pass to Blackbeard's Mini Golf Park

~ A pass to Rotary Storyland Park

~ AND a Hot Dog and Soda

(and it is only 32$ for TWO tickets)

 The kids LOVED the Food ~ and the treats. I forgot to bring cash with me and Hailey kept saying she wanted Peanuts. There was this older gentleman that offered her some of his peanuts, he left the game early and gave her the rest of the bag AND some unopened candy he had purchased for her. You can see her excitement below...

And Landon LOVED Parker the Fresno Grizzlies Mascot!! He wanted to go see him so he took my hand and walked over to him all on his own... later in the game Parker was spraying people with Silly String and so Landon took Matt back over and got sprayed with silly string...
The Grizzlies WON the game at the bottom of the 9th Inning 3-2! We cheered and I caught one of the little bean bag baseballs the players threw into the crowd. Of course Mommy gave the ball to Landon... It was a WONDERFUL night for our Grizzlies and a Great Family Home Evening for us!

GO GRIZZLIES!!

Easy Bake Oven

Did you have an Easy Bake Oven at home when you were a kid?

I sure did, AND I remember baking in it OFTEN! I thought it was the neatest thing!! 

Can you imagine cooking with a light bulb... amazing!!

My mother introduced my children to this invention last year. The kids were staying with them while Matt and I were on our New York-Boston Trip...

Ever since then if we were shopping and Hailey saw an Easy Bake Oven she would try to convince me that she NEEDED one...

WELL... Lucky little girl inherited the Easy Bake Oven from Grandma Andersen on our last trip. (One of the little perks we got for helping clean out, and re-arrange the craft room) Hailey was SO excited when she saw the box in our garage that we HAD to make a cake!! 

 The kids all got to pick their own cake to make... oh the little things in life huh??

 They all got to stir their own cake and frosting and pick a topping too!!

(yes those are ADORABLE mini tupperware bowls; see below pictures for the plates)

 While we waited for the cakes to cook (12 minutes PER cake... we made 3) we had a little Photo Shoot. Hailey and Gannon (the little boy I babysit) were happy to pose... Landon on the other had was covering his eyes "you can't see me mommy!!"

 After frosting and putting on the toppings...

The kids ENJOYED eating the cake!!

THANKS GRANDMA!! We love the Easy Bake Oven!!

Organization...?

We ALL know I have O.C.D... right??
So when things are not organized or clean I kinda freak out...
I mean doesn't everyone?
Oh no, just me???
WELL...
We got our taxes done; let me rephrase that I DID OUR TAXES ALL BY MYSELF... BOOOOOYEEEAHHHH... that is how I roll... and so with the refund we decided we could get a few things we have been "putting off"...
We are NOT RICH!
Hello... I am a Stay at Home Mother and my husband works... I am the ONLY person home on our block (if you don't count the old retired people) so needless to say we are not "rollin' in the dough" and we do not "like to make it rain" (i am sure only half of my friends reading this will get that last one)
So when I introduce you to all these wonderful new things in my house PLEASE know that we have been saving and waiting for them to go on sale and using coupons and making places price match...

SO

I was paying the bills yesterday...
MAN we spent a lot of money...
MORE money that I had expected...
It made me realize... Most people don't plan things out. If they want something they go and buy it... Put in on a credit card and just allow that to add up... then TRY to pay off later... MY O.C.D does not allow me to do this. I have to pay things off at the end of the month. And if I do not have the money NOW for something that I want... I don't buy it... THIS month has been CRAZY, and I can see how FAST things just seem to ADD UP...
In the last month:
~BOTH cars needed SMOG and Renewal ($300.00)
~We got plants to beautify our yard ($500.00 yeah... soil, plants, fertilizer, feed n' seed, tools...)
~We got our new TV (not even going to say the $... some would be shocked, others would not even blink an eye)
~We got a new bed... yeah I know I have yet to introduce you to this because I have yet to get sheets and bedding for the final product... I promise pictures to come SOON) and AGAIN not going to name the price $ just know it is a Tempur-Pedic split adjustable bed... and I LOVE it!
~ Our side fence is on its last leg... so we are getting that replaced. LUCKILY we are splitting the cost with neighbors and it is only ONE fence... (about $750.00 each which is a DEAL...)
~ Not to mention I may have gone shopping with a girlfriend and MAY or MAY NOT have been at charming charlies and forever 21 for a few hours... and might have gone to Burlington Coat and Marshall's earlier in the week...

SO... "a few grand" later I told Matt last night that we are DONE.

No more spending money on anything that is NOT A NEED, and I decide NEEDS because I am cheap...
SO...
This post was about organization because with all this getting done we had to visit places like the D.M.V., SMOG Outlet, Mattress Stores after Mattress Store, Lowe's, Home Depot, O.S.H., and online sites AND take the time to put everything together.
If anyone would have told me I would do this all in one month I would have LAUGHED... but WE did it and it feels SO good...
SO thank you for reading this RANDOM HOT MESS of a post...
It kinda reminds me of a movie from my youth that I love to quote... can you name it??

"Mrs. Bird, what you've just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I have ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response were you even close to anything that could be considered a rational thought. Everyone in this room is now dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul."

New Introductions PART THREE!!

Since Matt has been working SO hard on the Yard...
He decided he needed some TOOLS to help him out...

Along with all the plants, planting soil, miracle grow, seed n' feed... yeah all that crap we needed for the lawn-care... he decided we needed to get a new GAS blower and GAS Trimmer.
Our current Trimmer is on it's last leg... the handle is only on because it is attached to the thing with wire... the protective part near the head is completely off which gives NO protection... AND it is electric. Our current blower is fine, the only problem is that it is electric... SO welcome to my home new Homelite Products. May you last forever and make my man ever SO happy while he works on the yard!!
The next thing we need is a lawn mower... our current one is GREAT, but I have no idea how to work it because Matt has like 3 different things he needs to "jimmy-rig" to get the thing working... I see a new lawn mower in my near future...

New Introductions Part TWOZERS...

SO... the next introduction has to do with something MATT has been working on...
We have this EMPTY DIRT PIT that everyone who comes to visit our house gets the pleasure of admiring...
NOT...
So, Matt with the help of our AMAZING Home Teachers did a little recon mission on the space to start beautifying our front area... (they did all this work while I was in Sacramento with the kids playing!)

They cleared out the dirt mess and planted 3 large "topiary's" with 9 little shrubs...

(Side Note... Did you know how EXPENSIVE it is to buy plants??)

 Anyway... here is the front of my house from both views...

 The new addition sure helps! ~ 

 A few pictures I took from around the front yard...

Oh how I LOVE Spring!!

NEW Introductions...

I need to Introduce you to some new things in and around our house...
The FIRST thing I would like to introduce you to is this...

 Our New Sony 55" HDTV...

Thank you to all my friends who made comments about how small the previous TV was... I finally gave into Matt's request for a bigger TV for MY Entertainment Center... AND a big old thanks to Uncle Tim for the SONY FAMILY Discount!

 SO... that means the previous front room TV has landed in our room...

(yes I know my bedroom is bland... 

It will be the last room I decorate in the house so we all need to get used to it...)

 And the TV that was previously in our bedroom is now in the garage waiting for someone to buy it from craigslist... I kinda miss this TV because I knew how to work it. Landon said we could put it in HIS room, and I laughed and told him that was not happening...

And this is just something SO COOL that I got...

 it holds my cord to my phone in place without the mess... LOVE IT!~

 I saw something in Pinterest like this that was handmade... I got this for a dolla holla!!

Welcome Big Fatty TV to the Bird House... I hope the kids let you live a LONG life!!

Easter Fun ~

The kids LOVE Easter!

So does Mommy and Daddy usually, but this year it came a little too soon for us! 

We got home from visiting family LATE Saturday Night... it took everything in "The Easter Bunny" to stay up late and get some Easter Baskets put together... Somehow he forgot to put out the Easter Clothes; but I am sure the kids were not upset about it at all...

 They woke us up early asking if the Easter Bunny had brought us gifts...
WELL as you can tell... he sure did! Both sets of Grandparents ALSO sent us home with a little something to give the kids for Easter. Between the Pirate stuff and the eatable grass the kids were in HEAVEN!!

We had church at 9 A.M. and had to get ready quickly after seeing our goodies to be there on time. Usually we have an Egg Hunt, but we improvised and told the kids if they were good at church then the Easter Bunny would come and hide eggs in the backyard... it SO worked...

I tried to upload the video of the Easter Egg Hunt 2012, but alas it is too long... (thanks Matt for videoing the WHOLE THING... )

AND we did not get any pictures as a family in our Easter Clothes... EPIC FAIL...

But here are the cute clothes anyways... :)

We hope you had a HAPPY EASTER!~

Kyle & Cory's Wedding

I LOVE Weddings!
I Love Weddings EVEN more when I get to see extended family at them!!
AND I Love Weddings when I can tell the couple is TRULY in LOVE...
Kyle is one of the many Bird Cousins. Cory is the beautiful Bride who I just fell in LOVE with from the first time I meet her! She is the PERFECT match to Kyle, and I am SO happy for them!!

 This was a Traditional Outside Wedding. It was held at Wine and Roses in Lodi, CA. The location was BEAUTIFUL! Above is Cory with her father walking down the isle and Kyle's siblings. Ally and Jared, and Cami with Harold one of Kyle's friends who also happens to be Cory's brother... I wonder how they meet??

 The ceremony was just as I had expected. Brother Shields who performed the wedding ceremony started off with "Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday!" (please tell me you are a Princess Bride fan) which brought laughter and the perfect tone for the rest of the ceremony. Kyle and Cory looked so happy and at ease; it brought a few little tears to my eyes to see them so in love! They exchanged rings and kisses and walked down the isle surrounded by bubbles.
They took family pictures and we had a little cocktail hour. Which I noticed the waiters were shocked that half the guests were not drinking the freely flowing wine; that is what happens when over half your family is Mormon! HA HA! The kids liked the cheese and crackers that was served and I even let them have a little Sprite! Then we went indoors for the real food.
When the new couple entered the room; everything felt complete. The Star Wars Theme played as they made it to the dance floor for their first dance. We all got to enjoy a slide show of the couple as they grew up when the salads made the way out. OH... that salad... it was SO good! Blue Cheese, Candied Walnuts, Apples, and a soft dressing to DIE for... I could have had seconds!! THEN the main course. I am a "meat and potatoes girls" so I opted for the Fillet Mignon. GOOD CHOICE! It came with veggies and potatoes and I had no idea how hungry I was until I had completely finished the food!
It was a nice and relaxing meal. Our table consisted of siblings; Matt and I, Melissa Imel and her husband Nate, and Kevin and his girlfriend Kristen (I hope I spelled her name right...) Of course Matt and Kevin did most of the talking. I just enjoyed sitting back and enjoying my peace and quiet; the kids were with the babysitters that Kyle and Cory had arranged. The babysitter just happened to be my little sister Sharon and her friend Carly; so the kids liked playing up with them more than being a part of the party... so I got to eat in PEACE and QUIET... not something that happens often at our house.

After our meal they had the bouquet at garter toss, then they had some more dancing. This is a favorite activity for our kids so they came down when they heard the music start... the DJ said he would take requests so when Landon told me he wanted to hear "Party Rock" I took him to request it with the DJ. Landon and Ally were the one's dancing when the song started, but he soon got people out on the dance floor and had a BLAST!! He sure can be the life of the party at times!

Landon and his dancing skills...

It was a GREAT TIME HAD BY ALL!!!

Congratulations to Kyle, Cory and Baby Olivia!

You sure make a BEAUTIFUL Family!!

AND to top off the Wedding Bliss I ran into a High School Friend...

She was the Photographer... SMALL WORLD...

Check out her work ~

 Isn't this bride just GORGEOUS??

 Love you Cory!~ 

These last two pictures were taken by Trizza Grantham

Gotta Love it!

CHOOO CHOOOOOO... All Aboard!!

This is the Train in Old Sacramento...

And this is the Kids and Grandma Andersen getting ready to ride!!

Grandma PROMISED Landon a Train Ride if he went Poop's on the Potty...

Little Man Stepped up and "DID HIS PART" 

so Grandma made good on her promise and took BOTH kids on a Train Ride!!

 Landon and Hailey both got settled in for the 45 minute ride with Grandma. Hailey had to put her purse on the luggage rack and the conductor even stopped by to check tickets before they went...

 Grandma said the kids LOVED it! They got to pass other trains on the way which Landon told grandma to get a picture of. His favorite was the yellow train, and Hailey told me she was excited because she got to see the river. If you live in or near Sacramento... this is a fun cheap thing to do in Old Sacramento for sure!!
After the train ride we got lunch from KFC and went home to enjoy the second part of General Conference... here it what the kids enjoyed about conference the most...

Hailey is wearing the Princess Tiana dress Grandma Andersen made for her...

And Landon just LOVES playing with the marble game!!

During the week we worked on the new craft room then headed to Stockton to visit with Family that was in town for Kyle and Cory's Wedding!

While there we saw this...

The Casino Royal ~ a yacht owned by Dave McDonald of Pelco

 (remember Matt worked for Pelco... it was fun to go see it)

Of course Landon made the "BIG BOAT" comments that we all enjoy!

After admiring the boat we let the kids play at the local park then Grandpa Bird treated us to some McDonald's Ice Cream... LUCKY KIDS!!

WHAT??

Has it really been like over two weeks since I have done a blog post... here we are MID APRIL and my last post was at the end of March... WHAT A SHAME...
I have a few excuses...
I am LAZY...
I was in Sacramento-Stockton for over a week for family fun and a wedding...
AND I am Lazy...

I left my husband Matt at home while the kids and I went to spend time with my family. This trip had a specific purpose. My mother wanted to re-decorate her Craft Room. She has been talking about this for YEARS and decided she better do it while she had some help, so after she heard I wanted to spend spring break with the family she asked if we could "UN-Crapify the Craft Room" (that is how I put it)
Now this SAD POOR little room was not really the Craft room... it was the Guest Room-Sewing Room-Old Toy Junk Yard-Paper Paper everywhere-kids books-stamp it up-presents wrapping-food storage NIGHTMARE Room... If there is ANYTHING you might have needed for a project... my mom had it in that room... zippers, safety pins, buttons, markers, CANDY, trinkets, old holiday crap, needle point crap, patters for ANYTHING you might want to sew, tape, glue, string, lace, iron on transfers, yards and yards of material, quilting stuffing crap, scrapbook paper and crap, man I could go on FOREVER...

AND

WE CLEANED IT ALL UP!!

First we pulled everything (well almost everything...we left the two closing bookcases... i am not Superwoman and those babies were HEAVY) out of the room and threw it in the garage. All the stuff that was in the one 12X12 room now almost filled the two car garage. After it was cleaned we prepped the room for a fresh coat of paint... pulled down the wallpaper border, took down the window dressing (that I remember being there as a KID) filled nail holes, patched a rather large hole, and tried to re-create corners to the ever so loved entry corner that us kids ruined from years and years of running into them. The room was a very lovely what I would call "Mellow Yellow Monstrosity" and we transformed it into a "Pixie Dust Pink" (you think I made up that color don't you; no... that was the name; we used the same color in Hailey's Baby room AND in her big girl room; the PERFECT pink!) My mom wanted Pink with Black and White accents so we did just that.
The next day we went through the STUFF in the room. There was a DONATE, TRASH, and KEEP pile. I was a little worried my mom would not purge enough stuff but she sure showed me... This was the most daunting task of them all only because it took the longest I think.
My husband came on Thursday to help put the room back together JUST THE WAY my mom wanted it. He put up shelves around the ceiling for storage, put together a corner desk with two separate shelving units holding it up, and improvised engineering for a cutting station my mother wanted. She had the idea he made it come to life to fit in the space perfectly. With help from all the family members we got the room skeleton put back together before we had to leave. It was fun playing and planning with my mother and sister. Along with all of THAT... Sharon and I made it to the family fitness gym for Zumba, Hot Hula, Hot Tubing, Running workout FUN! I think my little sister helped Kick Start my return to exercise!! OH how I LOVE the endorphins!! Grandma also made special time to take the kids on a Train Ride in Old Sac...
Blog Posts to follow on those fun things...
MOM send me a picture of the room so I can put it on this blog for ALL to see when the room is done... :)