Men ARE from Mars :)

Dear Diary:


Tonight, I thought my husband was acting weird. We had made plans to meet at a nice restaurant for dinner.



I was shopping with my friends all day long, so I thought he was upset at the fact that I was a bit late, but he made no comment on it.



Conversation wasn't flowing, so I suggested that we go somewhere quiet so we could talk. He agreed, but he didn't say much. I asked him what was wrong;



He said, 'Nothing.' I asked him if it was my fault that he was upset.



He said he wasn't upset, that it had nothing to do with me, and not to worry about it.



On the way home, I told him that I loved him. He smiled slightly, and kept driving.



I can't explain his behavior I don't know why he didn't say, 'I love you, too.'



When we got home, I felt as if I had lost him completely, as if he wanted nothing to do with me anymore.

He just sat there quietly, and watched TV. He continued to seem distant and absent.



Finally, with silence all around us, I decided to go to bed. About 15 minutes later, he came to bed.

But I still felt that he was distracted, and his thoughts were somewhere else.



He fell asleep - I cried. I don't know what to do. I'm almost sure that his thoughts are with someone else.



My life is a disaster.



Husband's Diary:



Boat wouldn't start, can't figure it out.

I got a good laugh out of this! Oh how true to real life it is! Happy 4th of July weekend to you all!

Going to the Ball?

Today documents on of my favorite days of the year. No questions

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Bright white lights, fancy gowns...the works

Amazingly I never quite feel like the red carpet movie stars.

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Nothing says happy June like my annual trip to the dr :)

Sadly, it was not quite as exciting as last years trip.

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This year I remembered to shave (bonus for all) which helped.

 My dr was super chatty. Interested in telling me stories of Lake Powell, horse back riding, trips to Germany, and the course of other womens uterus issues...ya know all the usual stuff.

- - - - -

You would think after birthing 3 kids it would be

NO BIG DEAL

right?!

And yet...somehow you are never fully prepared for the joy.

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Monday was a beautiful day.

Weather was good, kids were happy and we headed to Cherry Hill.

 I burned myself pretty badly.

Always fun to show the dr as he checks for lumps that I am to dumb to sunscreen my boobs.

OIY!

Not to mention...pushing and proding the sunburn wasn't my favorite.

- - - - -

Yet...survival was in the cards.

 It is over.

 Farewell until next year.

 Next year I won't wear 7 pounds shoes. Those didn't help the scale :)

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Happy Father's Day weekend to you all!

Alive in June

Do you ever feel like an entire month has flown by and you haven't even had a moment to take the pictures off your SD card?

- - - - -

YUP 

That has been me this month. 

Life is GOOD but as always life is CRAZY

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Here is a SUPER brief recap of a few highlights

- - - - -

Miss Madysen did a wax museum at school. She studied and dressed as SACAJAWEA. They held up their hands and when you "pushed the button" by pushing their hands, they gave you a brief description about their character's life.

 It was super darling and Madysen did so great!

They stayed busy for hours being "wax" for the other students!

Then we moved on to end of school festivities. Sadly the weather didn't cooperate with the end of school festivities like Field Day water games in 50 degree weather.

- - - - -

So we stayed home and worked on our teacher gifts.

I have to say Coop's turned out super cute!

I'll just let the pics to the talking...

This is Mrs. Peterson. She was ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL in every way. She is patient and kind and yet taught my son oh so very much. She was just truly amazing and I am so grateful she was Cooper's first teacher.

Cooper was so thrilled to give her a "handmade" gift. It turned out so cute in the end!

As all good teachers do, she proclaimed her undying love of her special gift.

 Cooper beamed!!! :)

Then my little boy had his first graduation.

Say goodbye to KINDERGARTEN.

He even had a speaking part which he rehearsed for two weeks straight to make sure he was perfect.

Of course, as they called his name and handed him his diploma I completely teared up and just kept snapping pics to shield  my eyes. I am such a baby when it comes to MY babies growing up. 

Here he is...

My BIG First Grader now!

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He proudly professed his new "First grader-ness" all the day long!

These are his good buddies, Crew and Abbie. These three play for hours together without even a single quarrel. A mother's dream really!

Next on the agenda has been playing baseball every second there has been a glimpse of sunshine.

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Judd begs Matt the second he walks in the door to come "play pass"

This means setting up a mock field of bases and NOT taging him out after he hits his 

"HOMERUN"

Then there is Coop's Baseball

This year he is a Royal

He is hilarious to watch. This is his third year and he is doing much better.

I just wonder when he will actually understand what playing a position means. :)

Here he is playing stand off with the catcher.

As long as he isn't touched by the ball he assumes he isn't out.

So naturally he slides to make the point he IS NOT out

And continues to ensure my

JOB SECURITY

by leaving this

:)

Thus far, for summer fun, we have gone to Cherry Hill three times.

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We have about 3 extra kids here at all times and the kids are loving it

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We have gone to the library twice because Coop and Madysen are PLOWING through their books. 

Gotta say that makes me intensely happy as a Mom!

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Hope your summer is going super fun! I will try hard to be better about keeping up!

xoxo

AMANDA

My Favorite Signs of Spring

One of my favorite times of year is spring.

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Of course I am not a huge fan of rain, but I love to see the earth come alive again.

 I love that this year I awoke to tulips going crazy each morning.

I love that we have atleast one warm day a week to truly learn to appreciate the joy of sunshine.

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But my all time favorite sign of spring has to be this...

Two days of sunshine under our belts and

already these little freckles are popping up on both my boys:)

My children make me happy.

I hope they know that because I am very guilty of not saying it enough.

I love that although kindergarden is a miserable schedule on days I am trying to run errands, I still have my boys home for the better part of my days.

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Somedays they make me crazy, but for the most part, they just make me laugh.

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Course, like their dad, they think they are SUPER funny.

Although Miss Madysen doesn't really get the freckles, she got her hair cut today.

 I for one think she looks like a rockstar with this new hair cut.

 For her age, she has super AMAZING hair.

I wish mine would ever look this good to be honest!

See what I mean about thinking they're funny. :)

Cooper thinks his purpose in life is to be an overly humorous person ALL THE TIME.

His teacher has let me know that although he is very entertaining, he needs to learn not to be funny quite so often.

- - - - -

Pssht.

 Like I haven't tried to explain that one right?!

Goofy. Weird. Adorably freckled.

What can I say other than,

they each have my heart!

xoxoxo

Me

Could I be more behind?

Ok so life and writing about it has just gotten away from me.

That stomach flu clearly messed up my brain cells too. Ugh. Thank goodness its over.

And no...it wasn't over right after I posted last.

Creeped up over and over for another week. Good hell. We survived!

- - - - -

Now that we are all up and going we are back into ten million things going on.

 Haha!

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We have had a crazy two weeks. Holiday, birthday, near death experience of my lil sister, new car, soccer, performances...the list goes on and on haha!

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I just don't have it in me today to post all ten thousand pics.

But just to be current...here is the cutest video of all time.

Watch Judd at his first ever choir concert.

(PS-He is a super robot don't ya think).

I mean seriously...was that NOT the cutest of all time?

No bias here.

:)

Hope you all have a marvelous weekend!

xoxo Me

Day Five

**Our Gourmet Diet**

**Our Marathon Runners**

**Our "Man's Best Friend"**

Oh My Word

It has been a LONG five days.

It has hit us each

One. At. A. Time

- - - - -

About every 18 hours someone comes to me with the pale skin and watery eyes saying,

"Mom, I am not really feeling very good."

- - - - -

Seconds later we are running to
"Man's Best Friend"

- - - - -

It has been awful. My poor washer and dryer are wishing they could go on strike.

We are currently singlehandedly keeping Powerade in business.

And Charmin as well.

- - - - -

Today I am starting to see a faint light at the end of the tunnel.

Oh please little light,

SHINE ON!!

- - - - -

The most fun is being the Mom of 3 puking kids.

- - - - -

As if I felt super myself, I was running from room to room, taking orders, switching movies, books, leapster games, taking requests for food, making bread and refilling gatorade.

Oh and did I mention

LAUNDRY

- - - - -

Not so very long ago, I remember thinking to myself, I wish I could just take a sick day, lay around in bed and watch movies and eat angel hair pasta with butter and salt.

- - - - -

What a stupid wish.

Never again.

- - - - -

Tomorrow will be better.

It HAS to be.

If I have to go another day eating pasta and rice and white bread I am going to puke again.

- - - - -

Hopefully we have served our time and get to go without this terrible plague for...

well how about a few more DECADES!

Atleast until every person can make it to the toilet.

- - - - -

That'll be my new wish!

Farewell Ole Friend

Today was an exciting day.

- - - - -

 (Well other than the fact that I caught the stomach flu from Judd and have been, well let's say spending a LOT of time on the bathroom floor ugh)

- - - - -

Today we sold the only car my boys have ever known, and Madysen can remember.

 Not that it is sad to get a new car, don't get me wrong.

But I have a BILLION memories on this ole boy!

- - - - -

This month my ole 4Runner hit 215000 miles. That's right baby!

Gotta love a Toyota!

- - - - -

I am happy to say goodbye to several quirks though.

For instance, both the cup holder in front and back that used to hold 2 drinks, have each only held one for quite sometime. My Mom was a lil rough on my car, two different times haha!

The squealing of a cracked belt won't taunt me each time I turn over the ignition.

The seat won't nearly refuse to go back into a normal human size position when I drive AFTER Matt.

- - - - -

All of that

I WILL NOT MISS

- - - - -

But...I have loved this car.

 Before it began to have so many joyous features, it was what I had always wanted.

I brought home both my boys from the hospital in this guy.

We took LOTS of fun family vacations in this guy too.

 It was fairly nice to me in gas mileage as well.

- - - - -

Ah Memories!

- - - - -

Now we get to make new memories in our new (to us) car I have decided to name

STELLA.

She is a black Honda Pilot and comes with features my old car never could have imagined back in 96 when it was born. She is very lovely and I am quite certain we will enjoy each others company. Atleast I sure hope so beings how as a mother I spend the 2nd half of

EVERY.SINGLE DAY.

 in my vehicle.

Like we all don't right.

- - - - -

So happy birthday Stella!

 Boy our fam has been anticipating your arrival for QUITE a long time.

Welcome!!

:)

The Completed Surprise

Completed.

A word I thought was never going to be used when it came to the redo of Miss Madysen's room.

But alas, it is complete. And it turned out ADORABLE in every way.

- - - - -

I kept her out of the room for several days as I put the finishing touches on. I picked her up from school and she squealed in delight that TODAY was the day!

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I entered her room from the bathroom enterance so I could snap this pic...

Ahhhh the look of pure delight and joy! Right there baby!

She literally deemed herself speechless!

She loved every peice, every surprise...

- - - - -

I made this qulit with all these amazing fabrics at Hobby Lobby.

Then went crazy making the bedskirt and pillows.

So fun though!

So when I first started this crazy adventure...I found this hideous desk for 5.99 at savers. Oh boy...did it need TONS of work. And I naturally put way more than the original 6 bucks into it. But...

WAH LAH!!

Don't you think it turned out pretty fabulous?!?!

This was another find at the DI...

It needed a makeover to match this fun room

So...

I jazzed it up with some of the fabric from the quilt with help from my lil sister Ash!

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It was a work in progress and took way longer than it should have haha...but nonetheless turned out pretty stinkin cute in the end.

Her dresser had to be completely redone as well.

It had been painted in 5 different colors to match her previous wall color/stripes.

Again...TONS of work

But alas, turned out pretty stinkin cute right?!

I wanted a funky shabby chic type nightstand for her.

Something not just a box with drawers.
One day I found this "plant stand" on amazon and I knew with just the right finesse it could be exactly what I had in mind.

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It came in stark white so I had to paint and glaze it but it turned out very fun and funky!

Just what we wanted!

And it gave me the chance to have three more shelves to decorate!

**BONUS**

The "theme" for the room, besides screaming bright colors, is fashion and paris. I found these fun little feminine touches at all sorts of stores and just went to town on this room with spray paint. Nearly every thing in this room has been touched with spray paint honeslty.

I am so in LOVE with these funky frames you can get all of the place. Especially in pink!

This was Madysen's one request...this darling pink glitter covered dress!

 I LOVE LOVE LOVE ribbon so I tied it all over the place in this room!

Lastly, I wanted something simple and fun for the window treatment. After all, I had already made 7 pillows, a bedskirt and a quilt amongst redoing EVERY peice of furniture in the room, so I found this SUPER fun and simple idea at a boutique. I think it was just enough and turned out super fun for this room!

I was truly terrified to paint the walls all white.
But this room DOES NOT lack color that's for sure!

- - - - -

Happy early birthday Miss Madysen!

I hope you know how much you are loved!

xoxoxo

Mom

The Undertaking

 So, as mentioned, for Madysen's bday I have been

WORKING

WORKING

AND...

WORKING

On redoing her bedroom.

- - - - -

Matt and I did this crazy paint job when we were building. The ceiling is purple, the trim is a faint pink, the top half of the walls are bubble gum, and the bottom half is...well 5 different colors. It is adorable but oh my goodness was it a taping nightmare. We did the chair guard also as complete amateurs. Thankfully I didn't take any closeups :)

When Madysen was two I made her this fun GIGGLE from a fun

show inspiration on Good Things Utah.

Everything was painted in all the fun colors of the walls!

Right down to the 5 bedroom doll house! :) This one is hard for me to part with. Madysen says she never plays with it...and that makes me sad. Seriously...no more Barbies at 9 years old. :(

The bench was always one of my favorite things...

well until I saw the bench I am about to unveil! :)

So...ya ready for a sneak peek.

Gotta say...I am a lil jealous of Madysen myself.

I want one for every room in the house they are so cute.

 It started out like this...

 Sanded and primed...and a whole lot of Matt and saws and drills and glues and...well ya know

 Many honey-do-list hours later...

***WA LA***

Super cute huh....but wait for it

Then...

The completed project, pillows and all!

DON'T YA LOVE IT?!

 My good friend gave me the idea for this BEYOND ADORABLE petal pillow.

Wasn't nearly as hard as it looks either! Gotta love that!

Ok Ok

So I was gonna save it all till the finished product is ready to show...but I am just too excited

After all, I have been working day and night for weeks...I gotta atleast let my blog know I am doing

SOMETHING :)

- - - - -

So I found this hidious chair.

But I saw its potential.

 I started ripping it apart...man I hate that part.

 I am such a germ freak I wore my pink polka dot gloves

 After priming...and waiting.

And waiting...

I randomly decided to go with blue rather than white. Call me crazy!

 Then we had to jazz it up with some of the fun fabric we are using in the room!

That and a chair with a hole in the middle isn't all that great.

Least not in my opinion

Stay tuned...maybe in another week we will actually have something done?

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Ah...I best not hold my breath :)