Preschool and other stuff

So we are doing preschool with two other mom's in my ward. It is pretty fun...I am not sure how much the kids learn but it gives me a chance to get to do some fun crafts.....so far we have made glittery play-dough, bouncy balls(nit pictured) and chunky crayons....next time I am planning on making some glow in the dark slime with the kidos.....should be interesting.
Hailey in her new bed....I finally took the step and moved her to her crib....she has been sleeping pretty good in it and I think she likes her own space.....where her sister can't attack her.
So I started these baby shoes for her awhile back and today I decided to finish them....I love making cute little accessories for girls...but next time I try these...I will have to break down and buy a pattern....so they turn out a little more....professional:)
Finished product...I also need a new camera, one that takes better quality pictures...if you have any ideas let me know.



On another note....Avery had her first encounter with the baby monitor...this is how it went...
Avery was watching cartoons in my room and I had just put Hailey down for a nap in her room. I turned the monitor on and left the room. Not much later I heard Hailey crying...and then I heard Avery..."Hey....mom I hear Hailey....where is that coming from?" I go in and show her the monitor...a little while later Hailey is still crying and I see Avery grab the monitor and say into "Hey Hailey....shut it...I am trying to watch cartoons!" I tell her that it is not nice to talk like that and that Hailey can't hear her in the monitor.....so she yells louder into the monitor "Hailey quiet please I am trying to watch cartoons!" While laughing I tried to explain that although we can hear her, Hailey can't hear us...I think she gets it now.


Also soon to come...Matt and Amie's new additions.....I know...suspenseful..

Family Time

Ahh Sunday naps......that's all I have to say.
So I had to show off this cute little dress I bought Hailey for super cheap.....it came with this adorable hat.......Matt got her dressed....and took this picture...so of course the hat isn't positioned just right and the tag is hanging out....but it gives you an idea of just how cute she looked.
Taco Night! This is how we do taco night at our house.
I love authentic Mexican food and there is nothing better then carne asada tacos....So this is how we roll....first I marinate some steak then grill it. You have to have corn tortillas....because they are just yummy....then you heat up the tortilla and then start building your layers. Next you put on homemade re-fried beans...they are so good and very easy to make. Then you put your yummy steak on, then avocados, sour cream, salsa fresca, cotija cheese, and cilantro....and there you have it.....a mouth watering taco...

The Girls

We put Hailey in this little bouncer because she loves to stand up.....she is not so cuddly anymore...she is learning how to wiggle....she can sit up on her own and is almost turning over.
Yah for the bouncer!

She also likes her swing...this is how I found her the other day. She had fallen asleep and it looked so uncomfortable.

The apple does not fall far from the tree....

Having kids you never really think how much they turn out just like you.......you always hope they are better versions and as I look at Avery I feel like she is a little individual.....but today she did something I totally used to do. She was asked to clean her room and she did......but as I opened the closet the large pile of toays and clothes spilled out....she had just shoved everything in her closet. I just had to laugh because that is what I used to do all the time when my mom asked me to clean my room. When I got done laughing I told her to do it right and put everything away......she sighed and rolled her eyes and said..."fine mom....geese so bossy."

Updates

Hailey has been growing like a weed and my little baby is not so little anymore. She is starting to grab things and tries to sit up on her own. I am just always amazed at the changes she makes everyday. The one thing that has not changed is her smiley, sweet personality. She is such a fun and cuddly girl.
Hailey loves the bath. She is so fun to watch, she loves to kick and splash......Avery loves to help bath Hailey and she always wants to sing the "splish splash" song....it is pretty cute.
Las Vegas baby! Ya Matt and I spent a week in Vegas and it was awesome. We went for his work conventions and it was a much needed vacation. We left Avery with my parents...and she loved it......and we took Hailey with us. I found out that if you do not want to be noticed in vegas....don't bring a baby. We were smothered by people who wanted to see our little package.

The weather in Vegas was amazing....everything was so green and sunny and then......I had to come home to two feet of snow......oh well it was great while it lasted! On another note Matt, my dad and I are in a competition to loose weight......and by looking at this picture it is much needed...uhh me...not Matt...he is not suffering from baby weight that wont come off. So anyway we just started and guess who has lost weight already......ya Matt...not me....and why is that? Well he told me one of the reasons is that he is so busy at work and does not eat...total cheater...my hubby is so competitive that he will skip meals to win.....he wont even eat second helpings when I offer them to him.......this guy is a rock...I am thinking about adding pure fat to all his meals........just kidding......(sinister laugh)

Also in the life of Avery....she has been acting so obedient since she spent the weeks with my parents....and she wants to help do chores.....I think that has a lot to do with my mom and my grandma.....so thank you ....thank you! Also she has been saying "yes sir and yes mam" I don't know where she got that...but it makes me laugh.

Anniversary Dinner Cheesecake Factory

Last weekend was our 5th anniversary and man how time has flew by and 2 kids later we are one happy little family. Our anniversary sort of falls on a convention for work so we spent 4 days in Vegas being wined and dinned by the big oil guys which I must say steak every night wasn't too bad of a deal. We left Avery with Grandma and Grandpa Nelson and flew out of Boise and when we came back into Boise we stayed with our Aunt Tresa and Uncle Jeff along with Grandpa Erickson. We stayed in Boise for a day and watched some of the girls state basketball tourney which was a good time and also ate at one of our favorite places for dinner and took some pictures of the awesome food.

Even though we didn't really have any time to just ourselves I love spending time with Amie, she is my best friend and even though she thinks I would rather hunt all the time rather than spend time with her she is wrong.......I love her so much and am so thankful for someone that shares a lot of the same hobbies and ideas that I do. Life in the last 5 years would be pretty bland without her and she is an excellent mother, wife and friend I could ask for. Thanks for all you do!!

From the Mouth of Avery

Avery is known for saying funny things.....or whatever is on her mind and sometimes she just cracks me up...so here are a few things she has said lately that I thought I would share.

Instead of saying "Mom can you do my a favor," she says "can you do me a favorite"

Instead of saying you hurt my feelings...she says..."you hurt my faults"

The other day she yelled "Hailey is crying....she needs to eat your boobs."

One night we were having dinner and she kept saying that she wanted to do the juice thing....I didn't understand what she was saying. She said "you know the thing where you tap your cups together and then say juice." "Ohh you mean cheers," I said "you say cheers and then tap your cups together." She looked at me and then rolled her eyes..."No mom you say juice not cheers, cheers is when you are at a game and yell GO Team GO, Go Fight Win!"

My girls

My Girls

Little jumpers....these were given to the girls by my grandma and I love them....Avery loves her lady bug dress!
Avery's new hat...she loves it because I have one that is similar...she is a funny girl.

Christmas Morning

My favorite Christmas present!
Avery has been into dressing up so I got her a dress up box with lots of clothes she can pretend in.
Modeling her apron.
We invited our dear neighbor Mr. Barney over for Christmas morning. He lives alone and has no family so having him in our house was really special and added to our Christmas morning.
Avery was giving him some wonderful smiles.....he is so thoughtful of our girls and made sure to get them some Christmas presents. Avery loved the little tea set he got her.

Christmas Photos

Christmas pajamas or peejamas as Avery calls them.
Another little smile
Jess came home for the Christmas vacation and Avery loved having someone to spend time with. They even had slumber parties and painted nails and played games.....it was fun to have her home.
So with our family it takes about 15 pictures to get a semi-good picture......mostly because Avery can't sit still long enough to get her picture taken.

Christmas Elf

This year I decided to make a lot of our Christmas gifts. It started out really fun but then with everything else going on in my life it got a little stressful when it was Christmas Eve and I wasn't done with everything. So here are just a few of the projects I made. This top picture is a scarf I made for my sister including a headband and necklace. This picture turned out bad...but you get the idea.
A reversible apron I made for Avery to go with her play dough oven set.
A fairy outfit for my niece.
Another fairy outfit for one of Avery's Erickson cousins.

Other projects included......more necklaces, a purse, rice bags, sugar scrub, dress up dresses, outfits for the girls, and a blanket and crayon roll for Avery....honestly looking back I don't know how I got it all finished:)

Litte Miss

So I had to post a picture of how chubby Hailey is getting....I love it...she is so cuddly. Except for in this photo...she does not like getting dressed.

Little Miss Hailey is such a smiley baby but it is so hard to catch her smile on camera.