I've Been Tagged....

My dear friend Allison tagged me a while ago and I haven't been able to do it until now. According to the rules, you have to take a picture and post the following ten things when you get tagged (scroll down to see). You're not allowed to clean up or stage. Disclaimer--I took the pictures during nap time on Wednesday, while I was baking bread. In the mean time the rest of the day happened & then another day went by, and here it is Friday morning already.

Amy Vogelsberg, Angie Castle, Jenny Chan, Janet Shumway, Tiffanie Bryant, and Samye Peterson... you've been tagged (be sure to tag 6 more victims when you post yours). Note: You have been selected because I want to get a glimpse of where you're living.

1. Your closet. (We have a HUGE closet. We've tried to fill every corner with food storage, etc.)
2. Your laundry room. (Yes, that is my ironing pile that I've neglected for weeks. And my 'craft' area needs a little attention.)
3. Your fridge - the outside.
4. The kitchen sink. (It doesn't always look like this, but I had just done the dishes.)
5. Your favorite room. (For me that's a toss up. I love my kitchen. But I really LOVE the toy room that Bill & my dad built a few months ago.)
6. What your kids are doing right now. (Madisen is sleeping like a rock- she had a cavity filled this morning so she didn't wake up with the flash. Caitlyn is supposed to be sleeping. She was reading herself to sleep here.)
7. Bathroom. (This room is large & spacious but needs a little decor help.)
8. Your favorite shoes. (A hard choice for me, but these silver ballet flats rank right up there.)
9. Dream vacation. (Bill and I have both wanted to go Hawaii forever and this fall we are going to live a dream! We will be celebrating our 5 year anniversary there- WAHOO!)
10. Self-portrait.

A New Addition

We purchased a new TV a few months ago from one of Bill's friends who was moving out of the country. Now, for those of you who may not remember our old TV, it was an oldie but goodie. It was a 24 inch box that had the VHS player attached. Back in 1999 when I got it, it was top of the line! It was still working great, but with the need to switch to digital in February we decided to take the plunge when the price was right. The only problem was that we couldn't find the ideal TV stand. If you want a wide one, the are really short. If you're going for height, then you sacrifice the width. After searching at least 12 stores, we gave up & decided to make our own. With the help our of one of our handy friends & some some hefty power tools, you can see what Bill created.

(The coloring is a little crazy b/c I was trying to reduce the glare.)

Bill never ceases to amaze me! I know the decor on the piano isn't working, too many square things all together and it needs a little pizazz- that's my newest project.

Corondao Carnival

Last night our ward had one of the funnest ward parties that I've ever attended! The activities committee went all out- way to go!! It was a carnival complete with: popcorn, cotton candy, root beer, a bounce house, face painting, balloon creations, a pie eating contest, photo boards, a train ride and the biggest hit was the professional circus group that brought their tumbling mats balance beam, & other equipment for us to enjoy. You can see that we didn't miss a thing & EVERYONE had a great time!

Caitlyn's New Do

Here are the pictures of Caitlyn's new hair do. I think she looks so grown up!

P.S. She loves to take a book to bed with her! It has replaced her binky as her bedtime comfort object. She didn't really attach to her doll like Madisen did. So after I put her to bed she can be heard 'reading' to herself- it's such a sweet sound!

Madisen's Art

Madisen has had an increased interest in drawing & coloring lately. She's getting good at holding her writing utensil & today she drew this picture on her chalk board....can you guess who it is?

It's Bill!! Complete with spikey hair & blue eyes!She's so precious!!

Aunt Kellie

We had so much fun visiting with my sister this week! She flew in late Monday night and we partied hard for 3 whole days. On Tuesday we found ourselves at the outlet mall down town where we happened on some GREAT deals! At the Children's Place I bought 5 pair of tights, 4 pair of sunglasses & a shirt for the grand total of $11.49! Then we made our traditional trip to In-N-Out before heading home for naps. After piano lessons we got out our new water hopscotch. It was a really windy afternoon so it didn't last too long before we decided to go on a bike ride instead.

(I think it's blurry b/c it was a video- which I can't get to upload right now.)

Wednesday morning was our play group at the pool. The water was so cold (darn wind) that the kids were more interested in playing on the side & most of us mom just dangled our feet in- but it was nice to cool down.
After dinner we decided that we rolled out some sugar cookie dough & made circles, like the Olympic rings. (Thanks for the fun idea, Laura!) We made a small batch so it was the perfect amount for their attention span, and mine. Madisen helped roll, cut, transfer & frost ALL of the cookies! As you can see, Caitlyn really tried but she was just a mess! And she sure enjoyed eating the dough & frosting.Thursday we decided to visit somewhere that we've never been- The Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage. The girls LOVED watching the dolphins from above & below. Madisen was interested in the white spot on the head of this dolphin. And boy was she extra excited when we learned that it's wearing zinc, just like she wears- only she prefers pink.

We felt lucky that we were able to see 2 different training sessions. It turns out that animals in motion are even harder to photograph than children.
After watching the dolphins for a while we ventured into see the lions & tigers. They are incredibly large & beautiful animals. But they weren't as exciting to watch since they are nocturnal animals.
We did get to see some playful 6 week old tiger cubs.Kellie surprised the girls with their own baby tigers- but they were more interested in people watching than looking at me.

A Quick Catch Up

*We've been watching the Olympics & I finished 'Breaking Dawn'- 2 events that have occupied most of my free time over the last 2 weeks. (That and a weekend trip to the beach, having my house operate as a salon for 8 hours one day and hanging out with my sister who came for a 3 day visit.)

*Tonight on our way to the bath, Madisen was carrying a stick & she informed me that she's the king of the blondes.

*Today the pool was a little chilly so we were swimming in the slightly heated hot tub. All (3) girlies had their floaties on so Caitlyn asked for some. She decided that she's big enough to go "Swimmin' myself!" It was exciting to see the smile creep on her face as she figured out that she could float with the help of the arm wings. From then on she wanted to "Do myself". YIKES! I don't think I'm ready for my 21 month old to think she's so BIG!

*On Monday Caitlyn got her first real hair cut! I've been trimming it to keep it from looking like a mullet, but Lisa & I decided that she needed a little more pizzaz. I was so busy trying to keep her still, that I forgot to get a picture of the action. But I'll get a picture of the finished product- tomorrow.

* Madisen found a Christmas CD in my room and has insisted in listening to it every day for about the last week. Caitlyn is going around the house singing, "Joy, joy, joy, joy". Nothing like a little holiday cheer in the middle of August to take my thoughts to cooler weather & get me in the Christmas spirit!