Caught in the Act

I walked by and caught Porter, who had crawled up on the counter, grabbed some pots, a fork and stirring. All that cooking with mom is really rubbing off, maybe he'll be a chef someday.

Creativity

Here I am improving my much needed creative skills. For our ward's 'Souper Saturday' We could sign up to make these spelling out family. I already had the letter for OLSEN up on my wall. I learned how to do it and got to help a couple people with theirs and it was just so much fun I had to do it. I FINALLY went over to scrapbook night with the girls and ended up doing my letters. Again, it was so fun! and this is how it turned out. It's supposed to match my greenish family room. I was over at Jen's till 2am talking with her...time flies when you're having a good time.

While I was there Brent text me and said "the number of kids I want just went up by one". I was pretty excited considering he usually texts me to say the opposite. We were actually in the negatives before he sent that last one. Thank goodness. I asked him why when i got home (yes he was still up at 2 AM!!) and he said Mason slept the whole time and Porter was just really cute and went to bed pretty good.

Halloween shopping

Here we are Halloween shopping. Don't they just look so cute in those hats? Porter is really trying to help Mason wear a hat so I can get a cute picture. Thanks Porter, maybe next time :)

A new member to the family

October 19th a new sweet little girl was added to the family. Ashley is the sweetest person I know, she is so great with kids and is going to make a great mommy. Her and Joe were just beaming when we visited them at the hospital. Joe was so sweet with her. Ashley said he had changed all her diapers so far and he was rocking her with a big smile on his face. What a beautiful little girl. Another cousin to play with. YEAH!!! We even got to see Grandpa Olsen, he just happen to get there when we did.

Puppet Show & Carnival

The weekend of the 18th Brent was away on a scout trip so the boys and I drove up to the Valley to stay with my family so we could go to the carnival with them. They are in the ward of the couple who was in the plane crash (Nie Nie) so many of the ward members plus a ton of other people put on a carnival to raise money for the family. It was really neat to see the support this family had. So many people were donating time, talents and money. My family performed 4 free shows for the carnival. I was so excited to have Porter and Mason watch and perform with everyone. I only did one number and Michelle said a reporter was putting a picture of that one in the newspaper. The boys loved watching and I think they had fun performing the one or two numbers they did, even though it doesn't look like it from this picture. Haha.

Yeah... go Porter!! I'm lovin the face lol.

Here we are, watching the show

No they are not in a parade, Mason is just very friendly. :)

There's that cute face just watching away.

Those aren't chickens

We have a couple of chickens that Porter likes to play with. This picture is the first of many times I have gone outside to find my boys playing in the chicken cage. One time I caught them just as they were scurrying inside, I was curious how Mason was able to get in so I watched. Porter lifts the door, then holds it open as Mason crawls in. Then they are stuck till I pull them out, at least Mason is. Then they are off to take a bath. Sometimes I'll be in the house (I leave the back door open when Porter's out there so I can call to him every once in a while or hear if he's hurt) and hear Porter screaming. I immediately run outside and he's yelling "momma, momma...chicken bite me, no bite." So I carefully get him out. So he's been pecked at a few times but that doesn't stop him from going in again. I'm thinking Brent is going to have to build a play house or some kind of cool fort for the boys to play in so they won't crawl around in all that chicken gunk. YUCK!! Porter even crawls up the little stairs to the second level. One other chicken story. Porter was yelling for me so I grab Mason, who has a wad of something in his mouth, and rush to the first priority, the screaming one. Once Porter is safe and sound I turn to Mason stick my finger in his mouth and pull a mouth full of chicken poop out. I've gotten past the whole 'watching for any tiny thing that they might put in their mouth', but chicken POOP is definitely over the line. Well "what doesn't kill'em makes them stronger"....right?!

From the mouth of babes

Brent and I will often times take turns sleeping in when he doesn't have to leave for school too early. One will take car of the boys and the other gets another hour or two of sleep....heaven! Once the lucky one wakes up Porter will be so excited, run to them and say;

"mommy sleep all day?!!?"..."Mommy sleep all day?!!?"

He uses this phrase "all day" often, it's his way of saying "you did that a long time". Yesterday Brent got out of the shower and Porter excitedly says

"Daddy shower all day and all night?!!?"

This was new. I guess it was a really REALLY long shower. We got a good laugh out of that.

We are always trying to keep Porter on track with being polite. I think we know we've done a good job when he helps us out too. We were sitting at the dinner table and gave daddy a little piece of food and reminded daddy to "Say thank you!"

So independent!

They become so independent so soon! My little Mason thinks he doesn't need me anymore. For a couple months now he refuses to let me spoon feed him. He is determined to do it all on his own. He is a good eater but it is hard to find so many things that is soft, since he just got his 5th tooth, and that he can easily pick up. Cooked veggies, soft fruit and noodles are the popular thing right now. He is just growing up so fast, I can't believe it.

Making dinner

Porter ALWAYS insists on helping mommy with dinner. Since he was really young this has been our little nightly ritual. He is a great helper...well sort of. 4 or 5 rolls around and up on the counter he goes. Stirring, mixing, rolling and doughing totally hands on. He is definitely winding down for the day and can get a little grumpy by this time, but as long as he can help make dinner he is happy. Again notice his little tongue out as he is concentrating on rolling the the meat into balls. You can see how helpful he is, those little "baby ones", as he calls them, are Porters'. Mason also likes to be close by making sure we are doing the job right. It may take longer getting dinner done, but I love that they want to halp and that being with me makes them happy.

Porter's Project

Saturday Daddy took Porter over to Home Depot to the work on a their free kids craft. They get all the material, an apron, goggles and little badges when they complete a project (kind of like in scouts). Brent got some great pictures of him working on his little planter box. Notice that as he is working he has his tongue out so he concentrate. He gets that from MamaZelle (my mom). It's so funny what passes down from generation to generation. The break was so nice for me too. Mason took a nice 3 hour nap, so while they were gone I got to relax and get some other things done. Everybody wins.

Allergic you say?

I think it's official, both Porter and Mason are allergic to bug bug bites. Porter has always really reacted to certain bug bites. This week Mason was bitten by something that he reacted to as well. Unfortunetly I don't know what is giving these horrible spots to my sweet boys. They play outside all the time so who knows.

This is Mason's little arm with that BIG bite

And here is Porters (the pictures don't do it justice)

Yep, that huge bump on his arm is the bite...I wasn't kidding when I said he reacts to them.

My little man and my BIG helper

Porter...my little man and BIG helper. I've never been one to be afraid of, or get grossed out with bugs, but now that I have someone else to do the job I will gladly give it up. Anytime I see a bug I call for Porter who is more than happy to take care of it for me. He knows the drill well. If it's a cricket or grasshopper, and he's alive, catch it and feed to our pet tarantulas. If it's anything else grab a wad of toilet paper, squish, throw into the toilet and flush. He does such a good job. THANKS PORTER!

Our little pets can eat quite a bit. It's a fun activity for Porter and daddy to grab their 'bug catching gear' and together catch as many crickets or/and grasshoppers as they can. Then Porter gets the pleasure of dropping them into the terrarium. Mason is sure to be joining them soon, as you can see. Thanks guys!

....and he knows a way to my heart

Guess I'm not the only one with the secret. He knows a way to my heart too. I love how willing he is to go outside to grill. Brent claims he can't cook but everything he does cook turns out great. Grilling is a man's job and boy does he do it well. Everything on the grill is so much better. Thanks Brent! I LOVE YOU!

Oh no...he's Regressing

Ever since Mason has arrive Porter has strived to be more like him, ya I thought it was supposed to be the other way around too. It's been so funny to watch. At one point he was babbling again saying "goo goo" and "gah gah". He must see that Mason is getting attention for it and wants some too. A couple of months ago we were at church and Porter was crawling everywhere, just like Mason, and someone asked "Can he not walk yet?" he's quite convincing. The other day we were practicing with Mason on walking. Porter saw and had to do it too. "My turn, my turn!" So we let Porter take turns with Mason walking to Mommy and Daddy. I was just cracking up because we were only about 2 or 3 feet apart and he would hold our hands, just like Mason, to walk to us. I guess they will learn and relearn things together. :)

Brotherly love

A little one-on-one before going to bed.

I have loved having 2 boys, ok so 3 counting Brent. I must admit I'm a bit of a tomboy. I've always loved going out and doing the guy things. Sports, quading, camping, shooting anything active and outdoorsy. It will be so much fun to enjoy all that with my boys. It's so fun to watch them play together. Porter has always had such a love for Mason, gentle and loving, yet obviously older who know what is his and what he wants. He is great at making Mason happy, sharing, entertaining him or adjusting his play to fit little Mason. this picture illustrates this perfect. Porter LOVES that bike. Anything that has wheels really...esp that bike and all his cars. Well Mason loves to do what big brother is doing, oft times following him around the house and becomes Porters guiny pig. We've found them getting into something together and there is Mason smothered in vasoline or Viccs Vapor rub or poop all over his face, body and hair, but sure enough has a BIG grin on his face. Porter on the other hand knows he's in trouble, but you can't help but smile or laugh when there Mason is so happy just to be with his big brother and doing what he's doing. So back to the bike...here you can see that Mason grabs on, Porter will slow down for him to do that, and continue in a slower speed for him. Mason then crawls along, holding onto the bike, around the house. Once Mason let's go, Porter will stop and wait for him to grab on and off they go again. Two peas in a pod. I love that they have so much fun together.

Doing HAIR

Although I have my cosmetology license I don't practice it all the time. I usually don't advertise too much. My true love (besides Brent) is medicine, but when I get to cut or color someones hair I really enjoy it. Not only is it nice to spend time with that person and talk one on one but I love the outcome! Making someone look and feel better about the way they look is so exciting. My absolute favorite is to do an extreme makeover, but a retouch, cut or color is very satisfying. I wish I took more before and after shots. It's so fascinating to see what a little cut, color or just product and do to a persons appearance and self esteem.



Camille and I get
together about every month or so taking
turns to do each others hair. It is a fun play
day for our children and a whole day to
catch up on things. I love those days I get
to hang out with my sister. Not to
mention, our children have a blast.

A few BEFORE and AFTER shots, can you tell I specialize in the guys cuts?

SLADE

MIKE

MASON

JARED

In the process...

Did you know?....Here's a fun fact about me. I worked for Sport Clips for about 8 months and while there entered into a nation wide competition. We had to send in before and after shots of our the cuts we did that we felt were the 'in' style with a write up about how it fit their life style and physique. I ended up being one of the 10 winners who were flown to Texas to meet the Sport Clips owners, stay in a high end hotel, given models to cut their hair, surprised with a $500 shopping spree and had posters made to hang up in the store we were working in. It was a really fun experience.

Beauty School...

Oh the memories. 1600 hours
spent in that building making
friends, learning to do hair hair
and more hair.

Camille and I off to take the state exam to get our license!! We PASSED!!

Simple Pleasures in life

Publish Post

I'm sure all kids are like this, but I always wonder why I try to get the perfect toy for my kids at Christmas or birthdays when the wrapping paper and boxes are always the best part for them. And why do they easily become uninterested in toys when pots and pans and are always fun? I love those simple pleasures in life that kids are so in tune with. Going outside, watching an ant run around, helping stir the pancake batter, throwing a rock, giggling, playing pick-a-boo, sitting down to read a book, finding a familiar face in a picture, bath time, finding the penny that was dropped, immitating daddy, finding a letter in your hand, singing popcorn, smiling, holding the spoon, making messes, playing around, giving a hug, getting a hug, fishy kisses, waving, make believe, moving (being mobile), coloring, catching a cricket, babbling and on and on. If only, I just took time to see how important those things are in life, to enjoy them more. More importantly if I could see how important those things are to my children, to walk in their shoes and look through their eyes and adapt that simple perspective, I would be a better person. A better mom. More patient, loving, happy, humble and most importantly full of love for those and that around me. I realize I must be a good example for them, however I am so grateful for the example they are to me! I love you Porter and Mason.