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.

Our Christmas Letter to the Masses

Hello Friends and Family!

I love the Christmas Spirit and how we are reminded to focus more on the people around us. We’ve been having a wonderful time this year teaching Porter about the true meaning of Christmas and about the significance of the birth of the Savior. Here’s a long winded update of what our family has been up to this year.
This past year our travels have revolved around specific family and friend events. My Grandpa Harrison had his 80th birthday up in Fort Kent which was a great visit. Later in the summer, we were able to to attend the Trim’s first family reunion down in Oregon. On the way up from Oregon, our little family stopped in Vancouver to visit my Grandma and Grandpa Seu. I was able to learn more about my family history from that side of the family which was a great experience. We went to two weddings, one where I flew solo to Utah and also one as a family to Rexburg where I was a bridesmaid. We really enjoyed visiting our family and friends within the province and getting to visit those who live far away. Hopefully in 2011 we can continue to strengthen and build our family/friend relationships and get to see those we weren’t able to last year.
Lane has had three great things happen this past year for him as a police officer. One, he was entrusted to train four rookie police officers (because he’s so awesome). Two, though he didn’t make it on the Hawc helicopter team in September, he did have the best test scores. He needed a few extra courses and some acting time as a Sergeant, which he has completed and is re-applying in January. At least he still gets to go up in the helicopter a few times a month. Last, and this is the best part of all, Lane passed his incident command course!! He was already able to be an acting office sergeant but this course enabled him to be an acting street sergeant. He is the big chief on the street so watch yourself. He’s decided he doesn’t want to yet apply to be a sergeant full time because of his desire to pursue the helicopter team but this was yet another way for Lane to move forward in his career. I still want to give him high five’s whenever I talk about it.
Apparently he has a lot going on because there’s one more noteworthy thing to mention. Lane has been putting a lot of effort into getting sponsors in the hopes he can attend the World Police-Fire Games and compete in the ATV motocross in New York this upcoming summer. He served his mission in New York which is really special and 2011 also marks the 10 year anniversary of 9/11. It’ll be an incredible experience so we’re really hoping that sponsorships work out.
As for myself, I’ve been able to continue classes at the UofC part-time. I attend an aerobics class regularly and it’s been liberating to feel stronger and healthier. I’m also the room parent for Porter’s kindergarten class which I like because it really enables me to be more involved and still somewhat in control in this ‘unknown’ school realm. I love being a Mom and spending my time with Porter and Grady, doing my best to raise them to be wonderful little men. So that’s kind of a big deal though it remains the same year to year!
Porter has been in swimming and soccer this year. His highlight was turning five and going to school where I also convinced him that kids who go to school have to zip up their own jackets. That really worked well for me. This was also the first year in many that we didn’t have a Thomas the train birthday party. I kind of regret saying that it was forced. There’s only so many takes you can do on a Thomas birthday cake so he settled for Dinosaurs.
Porter is absolutely loving school and he’d probably challenge anyone who did not give praises to his beloved kindergarten teacher. He has learned so much in such a short period of time. His school is a little more rigorous in the homework department but he really takes pride in the work he does. His only slight disappointment this year was when he was a hamburger for Halloween and every other boy was a superhero that wanted to eat him. He liked being a hamburger up until that point. He loves making crafts. There is not enough tape or styrofoam plates that could fill his needs.
Grady is really funny but balances it out quite nicely by being mischievous. His smile envelops his whole face because his smile is so big and once the dimples reveal themselves fully, it’s like his whole face is smiling. This is his trick after he has thrown yet another random item in the toilet. My cousin kindly put it that he’s not being bad, he’s just ‘busy’, as he turns on the water jug, dumps the dog food, digs in the plant dirt and goes to empty out a cupboard. Yes, Grady is adorable and ‘busy’. He loves to play fight, jump, run, dance, and tackle. He was in swimming lessons earlier this year and loves the water. He loves jumping off the edge of the pool like walking the plank would be a party. Grady loves to cuddle, play with cars, and read books. So along with funny and mischievous, he’s also pretty perfect.
Upon reflection, it’s great to look back on a year. We had some really great experiences together as a family that were worth the work and sometimes strain behind it. We loved every minute, with the exception of Grady screaming in the car. We hope everything is well and hope we get to hear how you are.


Love The Trims