Back from the Unintentioned Blogging Hiatus

It has been a while since I have been chillin' in the blogging world. I am almost 15 weeks pregnant and I feel like in those past 15 weeks, I am a person who roams the world wishing to sleep. Not lazy, tired! Oh so, tired. I feel like it sounds quite substantial to say, 'Hello, yes, I am pregnant with my third. Why yes again, I have two very active boys (one borders on maniac... a well intentioned but defiant, maniac).'I've had friends describe such children as 'curious, little scientists, problem solvers, exciting human beings', I need to angle my perspective more to appreciating my little scientist's experiments, as opposed to silently thinking, 'please calm down. Why, why did you just rip that book and head butt your brother? Why did you bang my two nail polish bottles over my cream carpet stairs leaving them stained orange (deep red fades to orange)? Why do you continue to spit everywhere after I ask you not to? Why do you take a bite of food, chew it a few times and spit it out on the floor? Why do I not have a dog to eat your half masticated food that was spit on the floor? Why are you so cute and melt my heart directly after I want to pull out my hair?'
People used to tell me that Porter was easy. I felt there was certainly a level of difficulty to my task as a parent for sure BUT was always bewildered by their children. I have since lost my bewilderment. Now I look at people with quiet, well behaved children and am happy for them but kind of feel perturbed. My thoughts have on occasion gone like this, 'You don't really know what it's like. You don't know how I suffer during sacrament meeting. Nobody in this room can sympathize with me. You just can't know when your 2 year old sits there with a peaceful, almost spiritual zen-like smile on their face. What do you know?!' I actually don't think these things maliciously, it's more with air of 'oh, please, you probably think the scenarios in Robert Munsch books are actually exaggerations.'


Super Cute! I say, 'EEEEEEeee', and he scrunches up his face and does this really adorable cabbage patch kid look.

I had just given the boys each some sort of kitchen utensil to lick delicious chocolate cake batter off of.

Grady looked at his spatula with 'curiosity' and wiped it all over the counter. He then preceded to lick it off the counter instead. No one can deny that if you ignore the logistics of having to clean it up, that's quality funny right there.


I just thought this was a funny picture of his body language displaying whining, mixed in with demanding something, topped off with his cute gap-y teeth.

The day of INFAMY! That was a bad day. I stumbled upon a brand new bottle of deep red, Opi nail polish smashed on the stairs. This picture does not do it justice because they were puddles that couldn't absorb due to already being over saturated. Hours and hours of scrubbing, carpet cleaner, nail polish, oxy clean, lysol, acetone, etc. He was very sweet for the rest of the day.
To make a short story, really long, I have been unmotivated and tired which has resulted in a lack of blog posts; however, I still cruise the blogging scene, indulging on others blogging.
I wanted to say thanks to my cousin Krymsen for re-designing my blog. She has talent oozing out of every finger and finger nail. A new and different talent for each appendage. She said, 'Can I pretty, pretty, please, please, design your blog?' Why, twist my arm and beautify my blog! It is so much fun! Now I just need to move forward and fill up all of my cool tabs she created.

Little Projects

I really enjoy giving out little gifts. I know it makes people feel great to be thought of and in a sense, it's a form of service to be thinking of others. Any kind of holiday or random project is fun either to do on my own or to get the two mr.handsomes to help along.
Sometimes I still find it odd because six or seven years ago, this was not in my personal repertoire but now I hope that one day doing the 'little things' or going just a little above and beyond the norm, or doing something pleasantly unexpected for others will be something that my kids will remember and carry on. By golly, I think I'm fleshing out part of my legacy to pass on! Well, I'll be darned. ;) Although to clarify, my Mom did try to teach me to write thank you cards and be a good guest but I'll admit when the world truly revolved around me, I wasn't consistent at these acts. Now I try to do that and more.

People, who does not love a cheesy play on words? As much as people mock puns and combo words, everyone secretly has an initial little laugh. Just let it out. They're almost sort of funny! 'Smeeps' is funny and a cheery delivery around Easter time. I got this idea off of eighteen25.



A birthday present I gave to my friend. I got the idea off of House of Smith.


This was just a fun project for thing 1 and thing 2 (I think that's what I'm going to dress them up as for Halloween! It's so funny...to me.) Porter and Grady's lives revolve around cars, more especially the ones that look fast. They got to paint their own and for almost a whole day, they loved to play with them. Porter was very particular with his. He really wants a race car with blue wheels. He always talks about being a race car driver that drives a car with blue wheels. In addition to this desire, he told his kindergarten teacher his name is 'Speed'. He has already told me this many times but now he's trying to make official in his social circles. Last year his name was to be McQueen but now he claims McQueen is for babies and he is Speed Racer who is faster than McQueen. As humorous as this all is, never laugh because he is dead serious. ;)

My Hairy Concern

Grady really needs a haircut! It's so long right now. If he puts on a hat, the poor dude turns into Cousin It Jr. (but with more texture of course!). The dilemma is thus: when I get his hair cut it goes straight for about a month and once it gets longer, it returns to my satisfaction level of large/voluminous and curvy/curly. I want to get family pictures done BUT if I get it cut now, that means I risk losing the curl...but he needs it shorter.
This may not be an epic decision like those determining to go to war but I, in my little homey, small world am torn by his hair. His hair is near and dear to me. I'm getting 1/4 of an inch cut off today...Maybe this less is more approach will work.

Here is Grady shortly after a haircut (with his mouth full. He really gets a kick out of showing people his food. I have many pictures under the category: Grady's seafood):

Here is my baby after it is grown out:

AND, Just for FUN!
These pictures were taken back in January. I could not stop laughing that day. I did his hair in what I felt was style: un chic mobster. I'm sure I gave him a complex because every time I looked him in the face I burst out laughing. Picture how you would feel if every time someone looked at you they started laughing! Still, I indulged myself. We were on our way to Church and Lane claimed Grady was not his son that day. That's cool. It was all worth it, sadly to say, for my own entertainment. My justification is he is incredibly adorable and can work that ponytail!
p.s. Inspired by my cousin Sarah who did it to her son first. The idea was a keeper and I followed likewise. It would've been even better if we could've gone to Church together with both our boys in such spectacular and might I say, fashion forward, hair statements.

They're Magically Delicious!

So I found a fun pattern for leprechaun ears on my good blog 'friend', makeandtakes. You know, I loved it when I saw it but I couldn't put my finger on what was a little off. They are hilarious. So check. They were a big hit with the recipients. Check. Ah-hah, the culprit is the fact that leprechauns may wear green, St. Patty's day is characterized by green BUT are leprechauns green? As far as I know in regards to mythical characters (they should be real though. I would be a pot of gold hunter), they are NOT GREEN. They're Irish! Who is green? Yoda. These are the perfect Yoda ears.
Get this! Porter was detailing out the 'Lucky Charms' box and whoever is in charge of advertising did not do their research! Where are his pointy ears? Porter was like, 'He (referring to Lucky) doesn't have pointy ears'. Well, one more thing to add to the pile of things that don't make sense in the world! I told him that there are two species of leprechauns. One type has pointy ears and the other type don't. Now that I write this out, I can't believe I told him that. I should've fully laid the blame on General Mills. ;)

I wanted to give Grady a reward for keeping the ears on for so long (a solid three minutes, which in our terms is likened unto an eternity). I think he is grasping the fact that Mommy wants a picture and then he can dip them in water and tear them to shreds. He humors me. What a good son.

They're so cute! I feel like the dreaded aunt that pinches cheeks but it's worse because I'm their mother! Their cuteness never tires for me. The aggravating whining tires me but the faces the whining comes from does not tire me.

Surprise! Happy St. Patrick's Day! As a side note, I have always been baffled that 'Lucky Charms' does not sell extra bags of just their dehydrated marshmallows. Everyone would buy them! Anyone who eats a box wants to pick out more marshmallows, only to pay for it during the next bowl when the findings are scarce. I would always buy extras to put in my cereal. I would add it to other cereal. If only the right people knew how smart I was! I would let them know they are losing out on a serious money maker. Am I right or am I right?

Oh, Valentine's...and a short monologue.

I like blogging for three reasons:
1)It's a journal of my family. My life.
2)It's a more personal way to keep updated on friends and family...well, more personal than a facebook status. You're able to read what's happening right from the horses' mouth (here's a two part question, where did that ridiculous saying come from and am I even saying it right?)
Lastly:
3)People, mostly women, have turned blogging into a livelihood. There's creative genius' online and I get to browse their blogs and better myself (become more awesome). Getting ideas and sharing them again with someone else has practically turned into a hobby. As a bonus, I like to be able to admire and support women with ideas and ambitions.
My life story p.o.v. on this is, I actually used to pride myself on not being crafty and not having well honed domestic skills but I have had a turnaround in the many moons since then. The phrase, 'necessity is the mother of invention', comes into play and it kind of took off from there. It’s rewarding to make life fun and fulfilling with what you have to work with. Don’t get me wrong, if anyone wants to share some millions I wouldn’t turn it down but as for now, this is a way for me to look at the glass half full instead of half empty. I can create what I need instead of being sad about not being able to buy it. I can make a food item I’m craving. I mean hello, store bought muffins are nasty and oily. Frankly, most of the things I make, or can make, I like better anyway. So there cruel world!

This post relates more to item #3 on my list. I pretty much want to show off.
We did a couple of fun things in honor of the day of love so consider this idea sharing. The pay if forward of blogging. Ah, sweet.

This is what I started out with for Porter's Valentines to hand out at school. Wait for it, it gets AWESOME!

Ta-Da! Trick of the eyes! It looks like he's holding a 3D sucker and guess what? It's real, no illusion!

25 Valentines later.

Buttermilk syrup. It was good. Like really good.

Red Velvet Heart Pancakes. Yet again, really good.

Chocolate dipped fortune cookies prepared for a punny result.

The goods inside the Chinese food box.

Almost there.

Hah! 'I am so fortunate to have you for a teacher!' Punny and sweet. This was for Porter's kindergarten teacher for Valentines. Porter often expresses his wishes for Mrs. Havens to come over for a play date. Teachers mean the world to kids.

Grady's Grand 2nd Birthday

Grady, like his predecessor brother before him, loves Frosty the Snowman. When I sing it, Grady gets diggy wit'it and starts bobbing his head to the beat of 'thumpety, thump, thump, look at frosty go'. I figured a snowman themed party was where it's at for my winter baby.

I am aware this tablecloth looks nasty but it was a disposable paper one and we had just had a pancake breakfast on it. I didn't think how it would contaminate my picture so! The main focus should really be on his tiny, cute lips, attempting to blow out two candles, which as it turns out, I blew out for him.

Pancake and sausage breakfast. Ooh la la

How incredibly genius is this?! That's rhetorical. It was not my genius however, but I have to say, I did alter it a bit...so though the doughnut head was not my own idea, the felt body was. It was a Neilson milkshake drink (they're nasty by the way, but I figure kids would like it because it's sugary. I don't have great faith in their palates yet. And I mean, I couldn't just buy plain milk, this is a party, who doesn't expect a supply of fun, sweet goodness. Forget the veggie platter.).

Craft. Grady was not interested but it was fun anyway.


Grady is excitedly opening this present from his Aunt and Uncle that was here since Christmas. There was a lot of anticipation behind him finally being able to open it.

This was the take home treat. We like to thank those that party hard with us.

Tapioca Pudding

This is a tragic tale so prepare your dry eyes for some salty tears. Never mind, it's only truly tragic to myself.
I love tapioca pudding. All the way down in the US of A, you can buy cook n'serve JELL-O tapioca pudding. Here in Canada, all you can do is buy the tapioca beads and make it from scratch. Lame. Oh, how I love my JELL-O cook n'serve tapioca pudding. I had one last, blessed box that I had imported from my last trip when I had the sudden urge to eat it. So I made it but I had my two darling children around. Though deep down, I wanted to eat it all myself, I contemplated and realized I would be a kind, self sacrificing mother; that the act of sharing this highly prized commodity would be forever ingrained in their memories.
Not only did I share but I gave generous portions! This is what I happened upon moments later! Wasted. Porter barely touched his (as in licked his spoon with the very tip of his tongue...no licking is not the right word, he touched it with his tongue) and Grady dumped his almost immediately and slapped, spread, and swam in his pudding. I gasped and he gave an exaggerated smile and then continued to thwap it with his hands, loving when it sprayed further than the last time. He knew he was cute. I knew he was cute. We had a mutual understanding of this but I still felt that inner sadness as I wiped it all away. BUT he's cute so this account still has a happy ending.