Tacky Hour!

Once a month we try to do happy hour with a bunch our friends. We use to all go out together before the kiddos came along but now that we all have little ones, we decided to bring happy hour to us! We circulate between all our homes and each happy hour usually has a theme. This time we hosted and we had a "tacky hour". We dressed the boys in character complete with tatoos. The food was hysterical. Lots of twinkies, pork rines (sp?), cheese whiz on crackers, etc. We drank busch beer (well, not me, I settled for a Mike's hard) and all had a great time. However, the left over food all got trashed. No saving that junk! And I think that leftover beer will also sit in the garage for a long time.

PROM NIGHT!

Don and I went to a charity event for Children's Healing Art Project (CHAP). It was an 80s themed Prom night held down at an event center in the Pearl. We had so much fun coming up with our outfits. I think Don's tux is the best. I had major dress envy of some of the other girls proms dresses. Really puffy sleeves. I love the 80s!!!! The music was the best. We danced our hearts out to WHAM and Def Lepard and Poison, MJ and Madonna. I had to work a shift that day and so my dapper date came up to my unit to pick me up with a wrist corsage to boot! What a lucky lady I am! What was not so lucky though was me getting pulled over on the way home for busted headlight, expired lisence, expired insurance (expired that night and it was just over midnite) and almost expired plates. The officer was super nice and let me off the hook on all acounts. But as he was leaving he said, "Can I ask you something off the subject?" Me, "yes" Officer " Where were you guys tonight?" said while looking over our attire. Did I mention the amounts of blue eye shadow I had on and Don't neon cumberbund and bow tie???

Happy Birthday to Don!

Don is 36! Woa...

So loving, patient and kind Don quietly turned 36 this year. Unfortunetly my work schedule has not been ideal in the month of April and so I was working on his actual birthday. Big bummer. But the night prior we were able to go out to a nice dinner sans kiddos to celebrate. We went out with Matt and Sarah. Matt also has an April birthday and they were heading out to celebrate his birthday late (because he is an accountant and his birthday falls 3 days before tax day). We ate at Cafe Mingo and after decided to hit the Gypsie for old time's sake (an old college hangout) however it was closed so we went across the street to MuMus instead for a night cap! It was a great finish to a crazy wild weekend. Happy birthday darling husband. I love you so much!



Some pictures Don took of the boys on his birthday while I was working.

Frisch's Bachelorette Weekend!

Frisch is getting married!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well almost anyways! This past weekend we celebrated the last of her singlehood. Ashley (Frisch) my college friend from UP is getting married to a family friend , Anthony Gardner that I grew up with and went to school with in SLC, UT! Small world, I know!! This past weekend was pretty wild (for a surburban mom such as myself anyhow). My little friend Megs flew up for the events. She is one of the two preggos in the group. She is the cute little blondie with the big belly in the front row next to Frisch! Onchi (Allison) is also preggo. She is behind Frischy, masking her baby belly. So we started the weekend at Saucebox on Friday noc, then onto Jinx, and eventually Aura. Yes I said Aura. Needless to say I am only posting the two pictures. We were staying the whole weekend downtown in a hotel.
The next day we went wine tasting with a huge stretch hummer and had delightful food catered to us! We went to Penner Ash, Willakenzie, and the Four Graces! It was so much fun! We were back to our hotel (Hotel Lucia downtown) in just enough time for a nap before we headed out to the DOC for dinner and and intimate shower for Frisch! It was a fabulous weekend! But I was sooo freaking tired when I got back to my house on Sunday. It must have been written all over my face because the minute I walked in the door, Don instructed me to take a nap! Which I obliged. I adore my husband. That nap was the greatest gift he could have given me!

Little bath helper!

Today while I was giving Murphy a bath, Connor came in to help (as always). I gave him a rag and he went to town on Murphy's ears (much to Murphys chagrin). Then he quickly left. I thought not much of it until moments later he came back, in the nudie, and began to climb into the tub. I reached to keep him out but as I did, I had to release my hold on Murphy. I had to choose between letting Connor get in the tub with the dog, or letting my dog run through my house half dirty, half clean and soaped up and soaking wet. The pictures let you know what I chose. The funniest part is that my mom came into the house during the fiasco and witnessed the whole mess.

We Love Dr. JJ

Connor had his first trip to the dentist office! Dr. Bittner is an awesome kids dentist and we are so lucky that he is located down the road from us right here in Sherwood!!! Connor was lured into the waiting room with all the cool toys. Then the wonderful staff lured him back to the exam rooms with more toys and balloons. Then Dr. JJ lured Connor to open his mouth by letting him play with the little water squirtter thing and toothbrushes etc. Connor even willingly climbed into the chair! It was awesome! One of the cutest moments though took place in the waiting room. Connor was playing with toys and a little boy about his age came running out from the exam room crying, his mom and staffers following to comfort him. Connor stared at him for the longest time, then he walked over and gave him the toy motorcycle he was playing with. My heart burst with pride for my little boy, sharing and caring!!! It is these little moments really, that make being a mom the greatest joy in the world!!!!!!!!!

Connor was so excited to get into his goody bag from Dr. JJ, it blew his pants off!

Had to go straight to the bathroom and brush brush brush! Big boy gets flouride toothpaste now!

Spring has Sprung!

This weekend was the first weekend since I returned to work that we had free! It seems I have worked almost every weekend, and the rare weekends I wasn't working, Don had something going on or I would be gone. It was so nice to have an unplanned weekend with just ourselves. We didn't do anything exciting. But just being together made it so fun. Don got up early with Kellen. Connor snuggled into bed with me this morning and we snoozed a bit longer. (Thank you honey!). We attempted to go down to the waterfront but it was sooo bitter cold that we didn't make it far before we ducked into the Little River Cafe for hot cocoa and scones. While we were walking back to the car, Connor kept stopping and pulled and poked at his shoes. He finally just decided to walk no further and wanted to be carried (very unlike him). We kind of forgot about this and then after lunch and naps we headed out to Wash Suare so I can get some pants hemmed (story of my life) and he started to do it again. So while I as getting my pants fixed, Connor and daddy headed over to the kids shoe section at Nordstroms and Connor got himself a darling pair of stride rite shoes size 7!!! Holy cow, he is getting so big. And then he literally ran himself silly all over the mall! I am telling you moms out there. If you are ever exhausted and need to wear your little one out, take them to the mall and let them loose! Connor loves the freedom and we love the long open walkways were he gets into minimal trouble!

My artistic shot of spring time in our front yard.

Our blooming japanese maple from Onchi's grandma's yard. The most coveted living thing in our yard!

Connor's favorite past time is playing in the "beep beep" Don was out washing his car and the boys and I hung out watching him slave away. I was hoping he would wash my car too, no such luck!

I love how I caught Connor mid-air jumping in the background.

Skyler Maree Comes to Play!

My good friend Holly is hosting a big bridal shower and needed to get some shopping done. Being that we are both moms of 2 kiddos, I insisted she bring little Skyler over to play while she ran her errands. And it was quite the entertaining hour. Skyler is the same age as Connor but her vocabulary is incredible. I was so delighted to here her talk up a storm about this that and the other. She ADORES Kellen! He was actually down for a nap when she first came over, but when he awoke, her eyes got huge "He's awake!!!!" she exclaimed! And then she darted off to the nursery and by the time I caught up to her,she was almost in the crib with him! Kellen is going to blush when he is older and sees how this older girl doted on him when he was a babe! What a lucky guy!

Connor's not quite sure what to do with a girl in his room. You will notice how bare it looks in the background. That is because our little 2 year old likes to detach things and throw them across the room at any moments notice. So we keep little ammo for him.

New Mold Free Bath Toys!

So that clever Easter Bunny put some bath crayons in Connor's basket - WAY COOL. A few weeks ago my friend Holly had emailed me an article about bath toys and the mold that can collect inside. Well I had suspected that water sitting in those squirty toys could not be good, and that there well may be some yuckies living on the inside. But I chose to be niave because they provided bath time delight to my little guy. But when Holly sent me the article, I couldn't ignore it any longer. I went straight to my nursing bag, grabbed my bandage scissors and snipped my way through the squirty whale, ducky, hippo and his friends. Sure enough, much to my horror, was gross black mold covering the inners of these little bath creatures. I was so disgusted! I threw each and every one out. So for the past few weeks Connor has had one cup to play with in the tub. Poor guy. Until the Easter bunny found those awesome crayons! Connor was in heaven. He colored to his little hearts content all over that darn tub. Unfortunetly that will most likely be the last time he uses them because 1) they were almost used up and 2) they don't really "wipe off easily" as the package would have you believe. Yes, after two coats of cleaner and lots and lots of scouring, it finally came off......

Those are footballs in drawn in the background. Connor insists we draw him basketballs and footballs everytime he colors. He is obsessed with them.

Happy Easter!

What a beautiful Easter Day! Well, maybe not the weather, but the day was filled with blessings, foods, cutes kiddos and family and dear friends! Perfetion. The only thing missing was, that darn Patterson Crew. We started the morning off in a mad rush to make it to 0830 Mass, but during breakfast Connor spotted an egg hidden by the easter bunny. "Da Da, Easter Bunny!!!!! DOWN! DOWN!" (He was up in the chair and realized the bunny had come and wanted down") So we got him down and he was off on his hunt. I think he found every egg in about 3 minutes, which was great because we really were running late to mass (as always...) Yesterday while I was working, Don and the boys met our good friends the Piacitellis who were in town for Easter for an Easter egg hunt so Connor had the routine down.
Our Easter mass was beautiful as always. It was great to see our friends there and all the kiddos dressed in their Easter attire. We didn't have our camera at church but the Curdy's did so hopefully I can post some pictures soon of the kiddos at church. We spent the afternoon at my parents enjoying a lovely dinner with my family, Don's mom and grandma, Sara Allen (a dear family friend from SLC) and the Eynard Family (another childhood friend from SLC who now lives here). The Easter Bunny was extremely generous this year and I think we have more candy than at Halloween...A second load ( I already brought one pre-easter load) of candy will be brought into work tomorrow.


Kellen is so tuckered out. Poor thing had a rough week with a double ear infection!
The Corcoran Clan - a rare family photo.

Mom and Dad and the whisky (making coffee nudges)

Maimo and Kellen!

Connor on egg hunt number 2

Kellen and his basket of goods~!

Kellen was a little basket destructor!!!!!

Easter Egg hunt number one!