Halloween and Hailey's Birthday

So my baby turned one on the 22nd.....and we had a big combined birthday party with her cousin Morgan. We invited the family to all come for a fun little Halloween party. There were games...spooky food and funny costumes. The picture above is Hailey in her Red Queen Halloween costume. She had her first real experience with trick or treating. Her wig took the longest time to make.....it did not help that she kept pulling out the red yarn, leaving bald spots:)
Now you may be wondering .....where are the pictures of Avery in her Halloween costume.....well there are none because she decided not to go this year. So....here is what I have learned.......I love Halloween...probably more then my 4 year old and I think I might make it a bigger deal then it should be. The next thing I learned is not to make her costumes. I made her an Alice costume and it took forever...because I had to re-draw the pattern so that it would fit her. She did not want to be Alice and refused to wear it.

Halloween night we got her all dressed up and then when we went to do her hair.......she turned into the exorcist and started screaming and pulling on her hair. So we allowed her to change back into her clothes and stay home with the grandparents to help pass out candy. She was perfectly fine with that option. I on the other hand was livid. What kid does not want to go trick or treating.....dress up in a silly costume and get lots of candy....it just does not make sense. I am seriously wondering if I need to put her in therapy....just kidding....although it does cross my mind....every time she throws a tantrum.
These were all the cuties that attended the birthday party. Matt's aunt Ginni has the best costumes for her kids....they are a riot.
Morgan and Hailey by there cake. Morgan was the cutest little bumble bee and she went around the whole night pretending to sting people.
This was the birthday cake I made. It was kind of an experiment and I wanted to do more with the fondant I had made...but ran out of time. Although it did not turn out how I wanted the cake and icing tasted really good. I found some really yummy recipes.....I think I have a little crush on moist chocolate cake.....it is hard for me to resist.

Our Halloween costumes this year were from Alice in Wonderland. Hailey was the red queen and Avery was Alice.
Hailey and Morgan opening presents.......unfortunately for Hailey any of her new toys were quickly claimed by Avery.....so she was left with just the new clothes.

This was the only picture I could get of Avery in her costume. She decided she did not like her costume and refused to wear it. What a party pooper!

Tetonia Centennial

For our town cenntenial celebration we had a parade and a picnic. While I helped Matt with his city council duties....Avery took advantage of playing with all the local kids. She loves the swings.....
This is about the age where a little crack is still cute......apparently it is not cute when your older because whenever my pants slip.....Avery says "oh gross mom I can see your bum crack." ......and then she giggles ....

Uhm sassy?

So the highlight of the celebration was the pie contest. Matt was worried that no one had entered so I threw one together that morning. After the pies were judged the winning pies were taken up front to be auctioned off. My poor pie just sat there...left abandoned on the table with a few other "loser" pies. I tried not to let it bother me...but this was the first time my food was being judged. So I went up and grabbed my pie and sat down ...alone on a bench.....wondering where I went wrong. So I taste tested it and it tasted good to me....the others pies must have been awesome....so i watched the winners go up and get there big ribbons. Then it came to the grand champion pie and they could not find it. Matt came and grabbed my pie....after I had just stuck my finger in it to taste it and they announced my pie as the grand champion. It was kind of nerdy but I was totally excited....I tried to play it cool when they presented me with my big ribbon and my hundred dollar prize...but I was pretty pleased. The judged even told me that after they tried it they had to sneak a second piece. Then it got auctioned off for 50 dollars.....I just did not tell the buyer that I had stuck my finger in the pie....I didn't want to ruin the moment:)

Tetonia Centenial

Cannibal baby....
The baby was ditched in order to hoard the candy.
And the award for the most redneck float goes to....."Dave's Pub".......our local bar
It was a fun little parade..... in a 100 years the town population has expanded to a whopping..... 250.

First Day of Preschool

First we had this kitten show up at our house and the girls just fell in love. Avery held it like a baby and Hailey got so excited when it came around.
The cat did not last long...it had a habit of riding in cars....we think it took a ride with someone.
We went and got Avery's school supplies and it was really so much fun to see how excited she got. We found a plain backpack and jazzed it up a little....she loves her backpack.
First day of school.
She needed a painting smock for school so we whipped up this one....complete with pockets and a girly ruffle.

Summer Fun

So now that summer is over I am just finally getting around to posting pictures....so this is just a little recap of what we did over the summer. I tried my hand at making clothes for the girls and lots of little baby clothes for my friends that were having babies.
We visited the cousins in Utah.
Matt played softball again and even did an overnight tournament at Bear Lake....they played all through the night and we just camped out above the field...it was a lot of fun.
Erickson Family Reunion. We went over to Boise and played at the water park. Then Matt took me out for my birthday and it was a lot of fun.
Avery loved the water park and playing with all her cousins.....unfortunately we all got burned from being in the sun all day...but it was worth it.

Playing in our little pool at grandmas house.
nelson Family Reunion over the 4th of July
Trips to the Splash Park in Rexburg.
Jumping on the trampoline at grandmas house.

Akward Converstations with a 4 year old

This morning Avery asked me a question that really caught me off guard......Sometimes it is hard to know when to be honest and direct or bend the truth a little...like when giving the birds and the bees explanation.

So Hailey was screaming and Avery asks.......
"Mom why don't you just lift up your shirt and let her eat you."

Me- "Uhmm you mean breastfeeding?" "Well she does not eat that way anymore."

Avery- "Why not"

Me- "Well because she eats out of a bottle plus I don't have any milk for her anymore."

Avery- "Why....where did it go....your butt?"

Me- "Uhh no...my body just doesn't make it anymore."

Avery- "Will your boobies go away too."

Me- "No hopefully I will always have them."

Avery- I hope I never get boobies.....and if I do I just will wear a big apron over them."

Me- Well you are a girl so you will get them when you are older

Avery- under her breath she says.......gross.

I guess sometimes I just don't realize she notices these things....and thinks about them....I just hope she does not offer all this information to her friends and teachers at preschool. I don't want her to go around and tell all her friends that they are going to have boobies when they get older.

Hailey

I can't believe how much Hailey has grown. She is almost 9 months now and it went by so fast I forget what it was like to have her as a new born:(
She is really a funny girl and I am trying to decide what her personality will be like. At times she is pretty mellow and just observes and then when you least expect it she will make a funny face that gets makes a laugh. Then she can also be a little temperamental....usually when she is tired and wants her mom...she is a little bit of a mommas girl...which I kind of like:) She is al ittle picky with some things....no binkis, no bottles, and she will let you know if she doesn't like what she is eating....usually cold baby cereal....she hates it plain...so I have to put fruit in it.

This is one of my favorite faces that she does...she crinkles up her nose and then sucks air in and out of it really fast to make funny breathing noises.

Just a little fathers day treat

So I saw these adorable cupcakes online and I knew I had to try them out. They are supposed to look like hamburgers with a side of fries. So I made a big batch to give to the Matt and Ron as well as the the fathers of the young women that I teach for fathers day.
I gave all my girls these little containers with a side of fries and put it in a lunch bag that said happy fathers day. I think they enjoyed it.
Not to worry there is no meat in these babies...just a yummy brownie and frosting....and the fries are just sugar cookies. They did not turn out as beautiful as the originals I saw on line but they were still pretty fun to make and yummy to eat.

What's the big deal?

So we were in the store the other day and I stopped by the magazine section to browse through a cooking magazine. I noticed Avery had picked up a magazine and was looking at it. As I turned to leave Avery asked if we could get the magazine. She had this huge smile and was so excited and when I looked on the cover it was Hannah Montana. Instantly I said no, and Avery kept begging but I kept my foot down. Then as we went through the store she kept finding things with Hannah Montana on them and begged and pleaded for these items. A Hannah chair, Hannah soap, Hannah fruit gummies, Hannah yogurt. By the end of this trip I was fed up with Hannah Montana! So I ask you what is the big deal with Hannah Montana? And why is my kid obsessed with her?

One of a kind

Avery loves to talk and half of what she says is made up...which I am wondering if this is normal behavior. Anyway whenever I take her in public I am always a little worried that she is going to say something inappropriate....because that has happened many times.

So whenever she comes with me to my chiropractic appointments she talks the whole time we are there to the chiropractor. Thank goodness he is a grandpa and tries to amuse her by engaging her in conversation instead of getting annoyed with her. So while we are there she starts telling stories and I am so worried she is going to ask an inappropriate question or spill some of our family secrets....like "my mommy says @#$* when she gets mad." She has said this before. But luckily she only says things like this....

"Me and my mommy went shopping and we saw Jesus at the store....he was buying presents for his kids I talk to him on the phone all the time."

"This little girl came to our house and she was lost and my mom told her to go home." (By the way none of these events really happened.)

"I am going to go on a bear date with my dad and he is going to let me shoot a bear."

"My little sister talks to me all the time, she sleeps in my bed and tells me stories she always says to me..... Hey Avery whats up?."

"My mom gave me a hundred dollars for my birthday!"

These are just a few of the stories she tells....as you can tell she is her own person. She is.....strong willed....opinionated....talkative.....constantly in make believe land......and really one of a kind:)

Do You Ever Have This Kind of Day?

Today I woke up and felt just exhausted but of course my house is a mess and my list of things to do is more like a book of things to do. I look outside hoping that we will finally get nice weather so Avery can go out and play....but it looks like more snow. That means another day of staying in our house.....which makes me a little crazy.

So I remember I have to go into town for an appointment an I don't have enough time to get ready so I just throw on some clothes and throw my hair back in a pony tail. Now here is the tricky part....I have to get Avery dressed...this is one of the hardest things for me because she refuses to wear anything I suggest and she will not wear her warm clothes because she thinks it is summer. So for 20 minutes and multiple meltdowns she finally has at least long pants on. But her hair looks like she stuck her finger in a light socket.....and she refuses to let me brush it. So finally I get the kids in the car and we are running late.

I go to the chiropractor and he works on my back and he puts this special cream on it....it smells like icy hot...but stronger.....so not only do I look awful....I now smell awful. So after the appointment I have to run to the store, little did I know that my pony tail has loosened and my hair looks crazy. So here I am running around the store in my ugly clothes ...not to mention my stench...with my crazy hair and crazy haired daughter...with her mismatched clothes... and to add to the stress she literally asked for everything in the store. I am pretty sure at one point when we were in the vegetable section she was asking to get Brussels sprouts...which confirms she has no idea what she is asking for.......and yeah for me when I got home I realized my zipper on my pants had been down the whole time. Not to mention the first thing Avery does when she gets home is spill red juice all over my kitchen floor....just to add to the mess I have to clean!!!!

I am sure everyone in town thought I was some crazy person....and that anyone with any self dignity would not go into public looking and smelling like I did. It is not even noon yet and I want to crawl back in bed and dream about the day when my life will not be so crazy!

Avery's Princess Tea Party

For Avery's 4th birthday we had a princess tea party with some of her buds. It was pretty fun to see these little cuties come in their favorite princess dress.
When the girls arrived they were adorned with their very own princess crown and necklace.
The tea party included peanut butter and jelly sandwiches princess style...the were flower shaped, fruit skewers with yummy dip and homemade mac n cheese with special noodles.
our beverage of choice was pink lemonade complete with strawberries.

Princess scavenger hunt.
We colored, played games, made jewelry, and danced around......
Avery and her best buds
Each girl got to devour their own giant cupcake complete with lots of pink frosting.
The Princesses