More on Living Greener

Remember this post about Living Greener. Well, I have done it! I use 90% less paper towels, no more plastic water bottles, and I now use. . .
I live my life reading all about cloth diaper this and cloth diaper that and it almost made me think that here is where I would tell my conversion story and then I remembered that you guys are not reading this to hear my whole story. You can thank me from boring you with all the details but I will say a few things.

How many times have you stood staring at diapers at the store cursing that you have to spend more money on the thing that will cover your baby's bum for such a short time all the time wondering when your kid would be potty trained so the stincking diapers could stop? Many many times for me.

When I tried cloth diapering with Rory I had just bought a few diapers and washed them all the time. She pooped literally 5 times a day so is was over fast. This time around I bought most of the things from the get go that would help me be successful and I love it. Having the right diapers makes a big difference. See how pretty! (I even have a couple missing- they are dirty :)
"Modern" cloth diapers having amazing features like velcro and snaps. You can also get "one size" diapers that adjust to fit babies from birth to potty training.The right wipes, pail, wet bags, detergent has made all the difference. This contraption has been awesome too!



I will never look back! This just feels natural to me and I have made the investment. Does this use more water? A little bit more. Is it worth it as far as the environment goes? Absolutely. Is it easier on the pocket book? In the long run absolutely- not upfront. Does it open a whole new obsession? Oh yeah!! I would be more worried about the time and water that our mini dishwasher is using cleaning dishes for 5. Don't get me started.

Happy Valentines!

I have not been into writing much lately. I feel like a dork when I write:) I am more about pictures. We made some yummy Valentines for classmates and teachers. We tried putting sprinkles on the bottom, then chocolate, then brownies but it did not go well. Classmates ended up getting one plain brownie with a note I bought off Etsy to look like them then printed out.

Teachers received a plate of brownies, choco covered brownies and just choco hearts. After I bought the Etsy printable I saw some cute ideas I want to use for next year that is even easier, cheaper, and almost cuter than these. Good Fun!

Look Who's Reading Now!

I really was not sure if Simeon would read before Kindergarten like Josh and Rory. He is our more normal kid and we love that. We love that he loves to play with toys instead of figuring out the workings of a neuron. He could have gone to school this year because of the wack California start date but we held him back because he needed more time. We do a preschool co op with 4 other friends and it was magical how he started to read so quick. He can sound out most words and he likes to do it too. Such a proud Mama Moment!!

Family Pics

We waited to take our family pics until we got to Boise this year. If you did not get one and you do not live within 10 min of me, give me your address. If you live close and you really do want one- I can hand you one:) There was some definite Photoshop Elementing going on.

Pop!

We had a Christmas Eve we will never forget!

Which is Which?

Okay everybody- All these pics were taken on Christmas morning with the 3 boys. 1 kids was repeated. Who is Who??

A

B

C

D

Ward Christamas Party

Our Christmas Vacation

Much to my bitter chagrin I can not post the video from our ward christmas party which really saddens me and has been the main hold up in my blogging. I want to stay in order see and how can I skip the video from the ward christmas party??

Anyway, my girlfriend posted her Christmas pics a few weeks ago and said she was the last one to post it. Not true Audra! I have you beat!

We decided to drive straight through to Idaho in one day and I let me tell you- it went perfectly. No crying or whining and we got to Rexburg in 14 hours. Not bad with 4 kids eh?? The drive home was much worse with bad weather, traffic and a baby who had had enough.

We stopped in Rexburg overnight to see Roger's brother's college graduation in the morning. Good Job Chad!


We stayed the night at my sister Charlotte's house and were able to see 2 other sister's that I NEVER see- Miriam and Caitlin.
We then took off for Boise/Pine and spent nearly 2 weeks relaxing and playing. I think the pics can tell the rest





I have to explain here that Josh drove the snow mobile all by himself a few times and only hit 1 tree:)

Simmy's Birthday Party

I usually don't post birthday parties that I have thrown because I always worry that someone that read's my blog will feel like their kids should have been invited but was not. I give my kids a limit on guest and they choose who they want to invite. I often try to persuade them to invite a certain kid and they just don't for whatever reason. Hopefully no one will be offended :)

Simeon had a "Mario and Sonic at the Olympic at the Olympic Games" Party. The boys first colored their goody bags that I had printed a Mario and Sonic on. We then went on to the games. I got most of my ideas from here. We had a Yoshi Egg Toss Event, a Trampoline Event, a Fireball Throwing at a Goomba Event, a Spinning Event and a Pin the Nose on Mario Event. You should be able to click on the pic to enlarge.


I emptied eggs and put confetti in it and markered them up for the Egg Toss. I made beanbags out of fire fabric and Roger painted a goomba on a foam core board. The prize for the spinning contest those noise maker sirens. The kids wore mustaches for the Mario Event. That was too cute!! The cupcake topper was Mario and Sonic pics that I Shrinkey Dinked.

The kids had soo much fun! I threw the party together in 2 days and you could tell with details like decorating but it so worked. I had the cupcakes all nice and neat in a cupcake carrier but they did not hold up to Simeon throwing the container around. Such is life!!

Good Fun!!

No 3 Arms

In case you were interested in a picture that does not have 2 kids with three arms/hands- here one is- just in case you are into that kind of thing:)

The Rest of October

I had some fun with Photoshop and the Pumpkin Patch

This photo is a collaboration of 4 photos merged together.

Decorating for Halloween

A Halloween party with my Ghoul, Skeleton, Fortune Teller, and baby that was too big for his costume

Good Fun!

Wanda and Zelda

I need to back track a bit on my blog. I have been wanting to share this party since we had it but I waited for pictures and then when I got the pics I slid away from the blogging world. So with out further adieu. . . I hosted a Wanda Witch Party. I have mentioned a website I LOVE before called Meckmom.com. No? Sheesh, I should have. On her site she posted a Wanda Witch party tutorial 2 years ago. I was interested but did not embark. Last year I really wanted to do it but with all the Prop 8, Lights on Broadway, Trunk or Treat, and such, there was no possible way but I did ask my good friend Amy of she wanted to co host with me. Being Amy, she of coarse jumped on board. We bought some things for the party at the after Halloween sales and kept it on the back of our brains. Come July this year, we were ready to get the party started and here it is in its abbreviated form. 50 couples from our newly organized ward received this invitation (BTW- when I converted word docs to pdf to jpg to put on the blog they came out blurry- of you click on them they will enlarge)

If you can't read it, it is an anonymous invitation to a Wanda Witch party. That's right! No one knew it was us.
After we had the couples RSVP we had around 23 couples including us because remember, no one know it was us so we were able to play along. We divided the group into teams really trying to put people from each of the wards that were put into our new ward into 1 group. Mix it up right? We also selected a Team Captain and gave them instructions. We challenged the groups to pull pranks on other groups to win points


Some pranks were Vaseline under door handles, bird seeds,

writing on cars,
saran wrapping cars,
and my group made caramel onions.This was a fabulous way to get groups together before the party to get to know each other better. The Orange Group, the Menacing Monsters pranked 14 people, 1 of which was not even coming to the party to get them back for not coming to the party.

We then all met at a nearby gazebo to start the race.

Then the 46 of us jumped in the cars and took off.

In the cars we worked on clueslike these
and looked for hints at each location


and looked for ingredients to our witches brew

Our group went to the wrong pumpkin patch (I might have led them astray)
but we made it to the right one- Martha, you are too cute!

Each group had to take a creative picture and the winner got an extra point. Unfortunatly the winning picture is lost on the taker's computer. They were unique and the rest of us basically had the same idea






The group that made it to the ending location 1st took a picture showing how "bored" they were waiting. Might I add here that this group lacked a certain amount of honesty :). My co host was in this group and was powerless in controlling her group with out giving it way that she was the boss.
They surprised the groups that came after them.



Then we had a PaRtY! By this point, everyone new who Zelda (my co host) was because the party was at her house. They had to vote to decide who Wanda was. Sadly for me, almost everyone knew it was me. One person used my computer at my house and saw my emails (we switch off babysitting and she had brought my kids home). Martha knew because she thought she could not come anymore and I told her but then she decided to join. There were a couple more like that but the rest were just guessing. I guess it had Kelly written all over it.

Even though the 1st place group were clear winners, we had a tie breaker anyway. A person from the 1st 2 groups had to eat the caramel onions. Again, the orange team were clear winners


This was such a blast that really helped a new ward unite a little more. I know of more pictures that have not been sent to me that were hilarious but I could not wait any longer to post about my party. Too Fun!!