2011 Highlights!!

2011 was a busy year!! I took over 3,500 pictures last year (most of them in the Mediterranean) and thought that I would share the highlights with you!! we are so very thankful for all our our family and friends that make such wonderful memories wth us each year!!

JANUARY

Ryan's Birthday!!

Jackson gave a country report on England complete with British Royal Guard costume!!

FEBRUARY

We made these aWeSoMe Monster Boxes for Valentines Day!!

Ayden's 3rd grade program on America!

We went back to our FAVORITE place!!

MARCH

Landon's first t-ball game!!

Landon learned to ride his 2 wheel bike!!

 Jackson cooked sweet and sour chicken for a study on China!!

APRIL

Easter!!

Jackson started spring lacrosse!!

MAY

Ryan sent me to the Mediterranean for Mother's Day!!

My brother Christopher came home from his mission in Chile!!

JUNE

Last day of school!!

Ayden with Miss. Crocker and Jackson with Mrs. Overholt who sadly lost her battle with liver failure in September :(

Lacrosse tournament in Park City!!

Swimming Lessons!!

Ayden on the springboard!!

UVU Lacrosse Camp!!

Ice blocking!!

Jackson's 1st swim meet!!

Cowabunga Bay!!

JULY

Firework's at Cory's!!

Summer in California

Loved China Town!!

Beautiful Bay Area!!

Happy 12th Birthday Jackson!!

Disneyland for Jackson's 12th Birthday!!

 Jackson's new hobby!!

AUGUST

Off to Middle School!!

Off to 4th grade!!

1st Day of Kindergarten!!

SEPTEMBER

Crazy Hair Day!!

Red Ribbon Week school flyover with my brother Pilot Cory Robin!!

Happy 10th Birthday Ayden!!

Soccer!!

OCTOBER

Fall

Ayden's Tattoo Shoppe!!

3 Hitchhiking Ghosts!!

 Pumpkins!!

My Disney Castle Pumpkin!!

 Landon Dressing Up!!

Trick-OR-Treat!!

NOVEMBER

 LEGOS!!

 Ayden's ready for wrestling!!

Leaves!!

Ayden's 1st wrestling match!!

Thanksgiving!!

DECEMBER

 Jackson Jr. Jazz... his team went undefeated!!

 My 16th Holiday Cookie Exchange!!

 Happy 6th Birthday Landon!!

 BEST picture ever!!

Ayden played the recorder for the school sing along!!

 Landon's 1st sing along!!

Merry Christmas!!

We Celebrate March 2nd... Dr. Suess Birthday Activities!!

In our house we LOVE Dr. Seuss!! Every year on his birthday March 2nd we do lot's of Seuss activities. This year we went and saw The Lorax and it was GREAT, one of the best versions of a classic Dr. Seuss story!!

My boys favorite Seuss Activity is making Oobleck... they can play in it for hours!! We read the story Bartholomew and the Oobleck  and then make this really easy gooey, sticky fun Oobleck :)

Oobleck Recipe:
- 1 cup water
- 1.5-2 cups corn starch
- a few drops of food coloring of your choice

I usually double the recipe and keep it in a large airtight container so they can play in it for a couple of days!!

We also made Truffula Trees!! If you have seen The Lorax you will notice that the Once-ler gives marshmallow to the barbaloots and my boys love marshmallow so we made our Truffula Tress with marshmallows... YUMMY!!

The BEST thing for croup

WOW over 75,000 pins on PINTEREST, Thank you!!!

I hate CROUP. My grandma told me about this 18 years ago when my then 2 year old was suffering with nasty croup. It has been a lifesaver ever since with my boys who have all had reoccurring croup and other respiratory crap, I hope it can help you too!! I Love comments, please leave one below :)

1 cup Ice
1 cup Rubbing Alcohol
Bowl
Hand Towel
Washcloth

Put washcloth, ice and alcohol into bowl and cover with hand towel for 1 minute. Ring out wash cloth, wrap around neck of child and cover with hand towel to help subside fumes. Leave on until washcloth is warm and repeat until croup cough loosens.

If you try my grandma's remedy, leave a comment :)

Disney Dollars

We are starting something new at our house... Disney Dollars!!  The boys are going to start earning them for things they do around the house, getting good grades etc to use on our trips to Disneyland!!

Using Disney Dollars can add to the fun of a Disneyland visit, especially for kids. Many people have heard of Disney Dollars, but do not know exactly what they are, where to get them, or how to use them. For those interested in purchasing Disney Dollars to use during an upcoming visit to Disneyland, the following information may be useful to you!

Disney Dollars are fun money to use at Disneyland - Disney dollars are a currency that can be used at Disneyland Resort, including Disney's California Adventure, and Disney World. Disney Dollars can be used at shops and restaurants inside the parks, and sometimes at concession stands within the parks as well. Disney Dollars are decorated in Disney characters and art, and are especially fun for children to use as spending money during a Disney vacation. Disney Dollars can be purchased in increments of $1, $5, and $10. Disney Dollars do not expire.

Disney Dollars can be purchased in multiple ways - Disney Dollars can be purchased on site at the Disneyland Resort, and Walt Disney World. You can purchase them within some of the shops within the parks, or at City Hall at both the Magic Kingdom at Disney World and Disneyland. They can also be purchased at your local Disney Store, or online through the disneydollars.net eBay store (although these are usually Disney Dollars that are no longer in circulation and therefore, are priced higher than the amount they are worth). Finally, Disney Dollars can be purchased through Disney directly via snail mail. Send a request specifying exactly how much you want in Disney Dollars, and in what denominations, as well as a check or money order payable to Disneyland for that amount plus $10 for shipping and handling to: Disneyland Resort (line 1), Ticket Mail Order (line 2), P.O. Box 61061 (line 3), Anaheim, CA 92803-6161 (line 4).

Disney Dollars are easy to use - Use Disney Dollars just as you would use regular money. Be aware though, that when you spend Disney Dollars, your change will be given in standard U.S. currency. For this reason, it might be better for kids to be given small denominations of the Disney Dollars. Additionally, if at the end of your Disney vacation you find that you have Disney Dollars left over that were not spent, you can exchange them back for standard U.S. currency. You can do this before you leave the resort, or at your local Disney Store when you get back home.

Target Practice!!

I have lots of little nephews who are taking on the big adventure of potty training!! Having 3 boys I found that it’s not always fun (or even easy) to potty train boys, but it does make for some interesting memories *LOL*

My boys are all boy and what boy doesn't love a little target practice. When toilet training my boys I made a little target practice game out of Froot Loops!! Try not to keep them "playing" for a long time becomes it will become all game and no potty training. End each target practice with "ending game" rules... snapping their pants, wiping any dribbles on the rim, closing the toilet and washing their hands.  I found that within a couple of weeks they had it mastered and it became easier with each child.  Being a boy is fun, so why not let them have a little boy's only fun with potty training? It will make your life much easier and your little man will love to see the look on his face when he’s beaming with his accomplishment.  Good Luck!!

Meet the Hitchhiking Ghosts!

Gus, Ezra & Phineas