Sunday ~ Love Hate Relationship...

I HATE church right now. No, I am not going inactive, and YES I still believe the church is true... but I HATE going right now. Let me explain why...
We attend a small building, and there are TWO wards that go there.
There is not enough room to overlap, so when one church starts at 9:00 am the other one is going to start at 12:30 pm...
YEAH, this year my ward meets at 12:30 pm.
For some people this is not a big deal; you get to sleep in longer on Sunday, and you don't have to rush the morning to get ready...
But for people like me it is HORRIBLE!!
You see I have a TWO year old... he eats right around noon and then naps around one... when church is during both of these times you don't always have the best little two year old on the block... LUCKILY this little two year old gets to go to Nursery which is a class where they just play with toys, and color and have fun, so it is a little easier of a transition...
Now, I ALSO have a THREE and a half year old. THIS child has to go to Primary. She just graduated from Nursery which is SO fun and enjoyable to her and now she has to sit still and listen for almost two hours... Not only is this a difficult transition for her, but she also sometimes takes naps during this time, and has to eat lunch too...
The first week she cried so much about wanting to go play with the toys in nursery by the time I got her to calm down and go sing songs during Singing Time she fell asleep in my arms. The second week she did better and would sit OK, but was running circles in class when I went to pick her up... this last week she was NOT my favorite person to say the least; she would not sit down, she would not listen, she did not follow directions... She is her father's daughter. I WISH she was more like me as a child, I was too worried to stir up too much trouble, but a "good old daddy jeans" make her feel invincible!! Luckily these little kids have an AMAZING set of teachers, and they will eventually learn the schedule and follow it, but this learning curve is making Sunday a very stressful day for this little mother...
My prayers go out to the Primary Teachers EVERYWHERE that deal with this on a weekly basis...
I only wish her transition could have been on a year that we attend 9:00am church... this is going to kill me...
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Really Matt??

Let me begin this post by saying that I Love my Husband Matt.

But when he does stuff like this, he is going to get a BLOG POST done in his Honor...

I am sure it is not surprising for you to find your husbands clothes on the floor near the bed some times just like this picture shows...

 But when he had to walk PAST the Laundry Basket to leave them on the floor...

then I have to ask the question...

REALLY MATT??

Anyone else have this problem??

Hoover Floormate

You may remember I got a Hoover Floormate for Christmas. It IS the best gift I have gotten for the house so far!! This thing is AMAZING! I LOVE IT, and I think I will keep it and use it FOREVER AND FOREVER... This is what it looks like...

Not only does it work like a regular vacuum and "sweep the floor" but it also MOPS and DRYS the floor too. You may be skeptical like I was, but this thing really works. Have you ever tried to use a regular vacuum cleaner to "sweep the kitchen floor"... yeah, so have I. Sure it "works" but most of the time it kicks pieces of crap back at me and I walk all over it. So I had resorted to the good old broom and dustpan. NOT ANYMORE... we'll just a little bit. The Hoover Floormate claims that I will never have to use a broom or mop again. This is only true for places that the floormate will fit. I will still have to sweep and mop the bathrooms just because it won't fit in the areas by the toilet. No biggie. BUT it also does not do a sufficient job in corners for me when it comes to "Sweeping" so I just use my broom in the corners and get all the things out of there and then the Hoover Floormate does the rest of the job. 

 This is the stuff you put in the Floormate when you are "Washing" the floor. I have vacuumed quite a few times since Christmas with this, but this was my first time "washing and drying" with this machine. It SO works! I loved it! Usually when I mop I have to make sure I can maneuver my way out so I don't leave foot prints or slip on the wet floor... not with this. In fact I did not have to barricade the kids from the kitchen because when Landon came running in on my newly "mopped" floor it was OK. He did not fall and slip from all the water. I doubt he even knew I had JUST cleaned that area. It took a little getting used to, but for the most part it was really easy! My only problem is that the tank ran out of solution before I finished. I guess my kitchen is bigger than the normal kitchen. But it was not a big deal, I just filled it up again and got back to work. The Floormate puts down the solution and it has scrub brushes that work at stains. It got out Ice Cream, Pizza Sauce, Soda and Frosting without a problem. (all from the birthday party~ SO glad I did not clean the floors before the party like I was going to do) Overall I LOVE my new Cleaning Companion, it is ALOT faster than a broom and mop for sure!! OH, and I like the smell of the solution. It is not PINE SOL which I LOVE, but it smells CLEAN!

AND you can buy these for quick wipe ups! They are great for right around the table where the kids eat. I am glad my hubby loves me enough to help make my life at home a little easier!! I took pictures of me using my Hoover, but after looking at them I realized you could see all the crap that was on my floor and I prefer to not be embarrassed at how DIRTY my floor WAS! I hope if you decide to get one of these little suckers you will be as happy as I am with it's success!!

HELP ME . . .

This is Landon's New Favorite Phrase...

"Help Me, Help Me..." is all I hear from this little one right now.

To Infinity AND Beyond . . .

Calling all Space Rangers to Landon's SECOND Birthday Party...

Pizza courtesy of Pizza Planet and OF COURSE plenty of Cupcakes and Ice Cream for all to enjoy!!

 Don't forget to fuel up on Soda and Capri Suns before you go to play!!

(just a heads up... Dollar Store Soda is NOT very good)

 And NO crying when it is your party... especially when Mommy says

"No, you have to eat your pizza first before you get a cupcake!"

Landon had a hard time waiting for the goods!

 The kids played in the playroom, and in the Choo Choo Room (Landon's Room). And while the kids played the adults had some fun of their own. I found a Toy Story 3 Trivia Game online, and then I printed pictures of the Toy Story characters for people to WRACK their brains trying to remember the names. Don't worry it was VERY fair, everyone at the party had seen the movie at least once! The winners got a nice dollar store prize! THEN we did Cupcakes and Ice Cream... 

 I think the kids all liked this the best!

Landon had lots of help blowing out his candle!

And he was SO happy to stuff his face with his cupcake!

I think his second favorite thing was the Toy Story Cheese Its!

He kept going back for handful after handful!!

This picture is HILARIOUS!

You might think Hailey was dazed and confused at the party...

but no, she is just on a SUGAR high from getting Daddy's Ring Pop. Her lips were BLUE... and when I told her to smile for the camera it is no surprise that we got this... (side note; I totally did her hair before the party. She likes to take her hair down and have a good time DESPITE her mother wanting it pretty)

 Opening presents was a fun time too. We decided this year Matt and I would start Landon's Mission Fund. We let those invited to the party know they could donate to his Mission Fund rather than buy a present if they would like. He got over $100.00 from all the donations! Not a bad start. Now when he gets older we will explain that he only gets this money if he serves his mission... He also got some special presents from our friends who went to Hawaii. They brought him back a frog noise maker and a drum. He got a "choo choo choo" and a Toy Story Car, a tool belt, a Buzz Lightyear Bowling set, some O'neill shorts. He was VERY happy with his prizes!

 I hope it was a good time had by all! Just a few of the attendees...

 And when the kids left we gave them this... A Tootsie Roll Bank FILLED with goodness, then I told the kids to start their own "FUND" for the future. It also had a little note thanking them for coming and a Paratrooper Army Man.

 And here is the Mission Fund Piggy Bank. We pray it goes to good use!!

It was fun enjoying this special day with our friends!

We are LUCKY to have this little man in our family!

As much as it kills me to let him grow up, I love my little man growing up!

Thanks to all those that love my little man too!

We appreciate your love and support!

LANDON is TWO ~

It feels like just yesterday I was holding him like this...

 And LOVING the little looks he gave me like this...

TWO YEARS ago TODAY

 I LOVE this Chubby Little Man ~ He is my FAVORITE little boy!

 This was Last Year at his First Birthday Party.

He was LUCKY Mickey and Minnie Mouse showed up for the good time!

 And OH how he LOVES his food!

I have SO enjoyed these first two years with my little man.

He can make me laugh and cry at the same time.

I am SO happy he choose to be in our little family!

What a TRUE JOY he is in our lives!

WE LOVE YOU LANDON!!

HAPPY SECOND BIRTHDAY DUDE!!

Don't turn around...

This is what happens when you turn around for a SECOND to check out the new rentals at Redbox...

You know that box of donuts you just bought for dessert...

Well, if you leave it unattended for a little bit, your son WILL get into it.

 And your daughter will be laughing because you are asking how he got the donut out when the label is still in tact...

(Thanks Aunt Susan for the adorable head band she LOVES to wear now)

Yeah, this is my life...

And my kids are making it SO Awesome!

Tutti~Melon

So there is this new place at Fashion Fair mall called Tutti~Melon.

It is a Frozen Yogurt-Gelato Store.

It is AMAZING!

The owner actually helped us because it was our first time and he let us sample like 5 different kinds of Gelato. They also have a "self-serve" Frozen yogurt area where you are charged by the ounce. I feel in love with the Gelato, so I did not even give the Fro-Yo a chance...

 Matt and I both got the Gelato (Italian Ice Cream) and we shared with the kids. Matt is a LOVER of fruity-tangy sour things, and I am ALL about the chocolate. Above Landon is enjoying Matt's Strawberry Limeade and Raspberry Mixture. YUMO!

 After Hailey and I finished my Chocolate Caramel Crunch we helped Matt and Landon with eating theirs!

 This is Landon AFTER he had quite a few bits from the Gelato! I think he liked it!

And THIS is my cute little family enjoying a night out on the town. I went outside and took this picture through the window! I recommend hitting this place up! You will NOT be disappointed!

Panda Dress

Hailey got a cute dress for Christmas from her Grandma and Grandpa Andersen... she has put it on everyday since she opened it on Christmas Day. I grabbed the Camera and got this cute video...

Don't you just LOVE Landon? He is a KICK! And Hailey and her Panda Dress...

Here she is on the potty... in the dress...

She would not put the purse down...

THANKS GRANDMA AND GRANDPA!!

New Years Eve 2010

This year we went to Megan Cluff's house for the Rockin' New Years Eve Party. It was a good time had by all. We got to eat, sit around and chit chat, laugh at the kids running all over the house, and just have a good time! I took my camera with every intention of taking pictures with everyone, but because I was just relaxing it stayed in my diaper bag ALL NIGHT LONG!

Luckily my friend took pictures... THANKS Beth!

 Right before the Ball Dropped...

Matt and I are in the doorway underneath the Mistletoe Swanny brought over.

 Me and the kids about 10 minutes before the ball dropped. RIGHT after this picture Landon fell asleep on my lap after I covered him with his BUZZ Blanket. Notice Hailey has been LOVING playing with another little girls toys! :) No I did not bring her over to my friends house in dress up clothes!

And this is Matt and his buddy Mike Harden.
 Not sure if they know it or not, but they are SO going to be on my blog with this picture!
 Mike's wife and I do play dates all the time.

It was a good time had by all that attended. THANKS MEGAN!

 I WELCOME 2011 with OPEN ARMS!!