my youngest is still sleeping...crazy...so i actually have time for a shower, breakfast, and a quick house clean up before i go for my morning run....to get a d.coke of course. loving today...except that i still have a cold. ugh

hoping to blog some pictures....someday.

No freakin way...

My son is so funny I just could blog his funnies all day.

Here's the latest...

He came home from preschool the other day with Candy Cane from SANTA! WOW! :) He told me about his visit with Santa and that he got a delicious candy cane. Thanks Santa!

So here's what he said to me this morning while I was 'decking the halls'...

"MOM!!! Stop decorating! Christmas is over!"

"What are you talking about Jacob?! Christmas is next week?!"

"No mom, Santa already came to my preschool and gave me a candy cane. It was delicious. Christmas is over. Stop decorating!!"

(cracking up inside I say...) "Christmas is next week, Santa is coming to our house too Jacob!" :D

"No mom"

Hugs and kisses....who could resist hugs and kisses after that one?!!

That was pretty much the extent of our conversation. Alrighty then Jacob. So if I understand this correctly...he got a FREAKIN CANDY CANE from Santa and he's satisfied?! Sheesh. Good thing I took it easy on the gifts this year...maybe I should have bought him a whole box of candy canes for $1.09 at Walmart and spend the rest of the $ on myself! Shoot. :) Loving our life!!!

pj

team...

After watching this video ... heath decided I should get Jacob a shirt that says "Team Jacob" I totally chuckled...its too late to lol. But it was flipping hilarious. Should be sleeping...but going online to look for ep.2 of Prep&Landing. Cute show. While watching I'll be organizing my cub scout crap and maybe wrapping gifts. Um. Maybe I'll just eat ice cream instead.

-j

sitting...

babysitting today. just stole away a few moments to check my email. the kiddos are all happy at the moment and its a stinkin miracle. loving life (again) at the moment. Today has been productive...while being a mommy of 4 today...i hand mopped my kitchen floor during naps (yes all 4 napped! miracle!)...washed AND folded 3 loads of laundry...now that ones the true miracle...did some dishes...not quite done yet...made chocolate chip cookies for the kiddos...made lunch...made dinner to pop in the oven around 4:30...cleaned the baseboards in the play room...yuck...vacuumed the window seals and around baseboards in playroom...wiped snotty noses all stinkin day...and gave hundreds of hugs and kisses. played legos, watched lady and the trap, and sung ABCs z zillion times. loving today.

Christmas Shopping...

So---my shopping is pretty much complete. My trick to not over buying...not shopping. So far this season this has worked for me. UNTIL today...I didn't really buy...But I want...

I went to walmart for cheese, eggs, blah blah...and I found so many cute things my kiddos would love! Awww....am I depriving my kiddos cause I'm trying not to spoil...um....k...I'm done asking myself that one...nope. They have plenty. Right..? Deep sigh. They'll still love me just as much on December 26th as they do today. Ok. I'm done. But I do think I'm going back to walmart to buy them round disney chairs for $17 ea. ugh. I want them. Not in the plan...but I want I want.

j

Cooking Party...

Was a success! I am DOG TIRED! I finally got home, unloaded my meals into the fridge/freezer, and jumped into bead by 3:15 am...yes yes AM! My sweet mother watched my son today while Lexi and I took a nap. heaven.

What's for Dinner tonight....um....let me choose one of the many in my freezer...and pop it in the oven!

Yay!

Why did I do all that hard work last night just to start eating it all right away? ... I want to see which recipes my family likes...then I'll try to have another (maybe solo? maybe with friends?) cooking party to stock up on meals to eat during my packing times. awww...that would be blissful.

More details about the cooking party coming soon...when I have the pictures! :)

Once a Month Cooking Party!

Yay! I'm participating in my very first OAMC Party! Wohooo! Thanks to my friend Becca for organizing EVERYTHING for the party! I was given a 40 lb box of chicken to cook and shred in advance and 6 lbs of ground beef. The party is 6pm-12pm tonight...wish me luck!

Its official---I'm canceling christmas!

My 4 year old doesn't believe in Santa. WTF!!??

Well, not really. Here's what happened yesterday...

We were looking at Christmas lights a little before dusk (hunting for Christmas lights was more like it since not many were on yet)... so ...

I pointed out a Santa Clause and told Jacob that Santa says, "ho ho ho". Lexi repeats, "ho ho ho". So cute. I'm loving all the fun new words she's repeating these days.

I then gave Jacob a little tutorial about Santa and the present (SINGULAR) that Santa brings on Christmas day. Jacob quickly corrected me and said that Santa doesn't bring a present...mom does.

A little shocked I said, "Jacob, Santa brings you a present too, not just mommy". (feeling a little weird about telling a lie...but this is considered a white lie right...a white as snow lie...haha. I crack myself up).

He told me I was wrong several times...no matter what way I phrased it the result was the same...the present doesn't come from Santa.

Alrighty then...COAL for you. I definitely didn't say that...I try not to threaten when I can avoid it. I leave the threats for bedtime and meal times. Loving this kiddo.

ps...Santa - can you please bring me one of those puppies...and a puppy nanny too. My girl really really likes "doggies and puppies", Jacob too...

J

Lately...

I let a homeless man move into my office about 2 weeks ago and can't seem to get the strength to kick him out. The piles of craft stuff, mounds of cub scout stuff, holiday decor unused, house decor taken from various rooms in the house...blah blah blah. Every time I clean up my office, decorate it in my latest blog world fashion find...it gets messy again. I decided it gets so messy whenever I'm super busy....and i have to get something done while the kiddos are awake...and they come "help" me in my office...or whenever I think I'm too busy to clean up after myself. My poor husband shares this office space with me...and like 2 feet of the office belongs to him. He's so sweet to put up with my office mess. But my living room is clean. That's all that matters right? haha. Loving my life today. Wait...did I mention that I'm attempting to clean it today? That's why I'm blogging...taking a break. Oh---also---I gave up my Maricopa Mommies blog in an effort to spend more time organizing my life --- to prepare for the move to Denver. deeeeep sigh. My 6 week moving plan starts January 12th (day after my birthday :) ... and the 6 weeks before my 6 week moving plan (ya ya sounds a little stupid when I say it out loud) which starts tomorrow includes organizing EVERYTHING I own. More info on my amazing 6 week moving plan at a later date. (haha...its not really amazing...just what works for me).

tah tah for now.

J

porch...

Yet another Jacob funny...

While eating delicious peaches this is what jacob said...

"Mom, I WILL NOT each these peaches. No I won't"

"You will eat 3 bites Jacob or you cannot leave the table"

"Mom, I WILL NOT each these peaches. I said no!"

I ignore his repeated defiance and continue doing the dishes.

"Mom, are you listening to me? I am talking to you and its time to listen!" totally said in the exact same tone as when i say it. hahaha.

"Mom, I can't eat the peaches because of the porch."

WTF?! I think to myself. "What's 'the porch' Jacob?"

"Look mom...the peach has porch on it so I can't eat the peach with the porch"

NOT AGAIN! This kid named another fruit part...the banana had DUDE and now the peach has PORCH. Note: apparently the PORCH is the butt part of the peach with the red/orange stuff. I guess PORCH is better than calling it the butt or the hole or a combination of the two. haha.

Crazy kid.

All I could think to myself was...I will not eat green eggs and ham I will not eat them sam I am. I swear my boy could write books with his crazy talk.

christmas funny

I'm so crazy busy for the next 24 hours...but I HAD to take a minute to blog this one. Still giggling...

I have a tree in my trunk (a fake tree in 3 pieces for cub scout pack meeting tomorrow...long story...maybe I'll post about that one after the pack meeting...). So Jacob had seen this tree in my trunk a few times since my dad put it in there for me (love you dad!).

Here's the conversation we had in the car tonight while on a driving date with jacob just me and him going to pump gas. (he loves that!)....

Jacob is in the back laughing hysterically and says to me, "Mom look! That car is so funny...there's a tree on it!"

I immediately know why this is so funny to him and say, "Your right jacob that's funny. Why is the tree on there?"

"Maybe it doesn't fit in the trunk mom"

"Maybe your right Jacob"

"Oh no...MOM!! It's going to scratch the car!"

"Oh no", I echo. "Your probably right Jacob...(giggle) What should he do?"

"Um, maybe he should put it in the trunk mom. haha. That's a silly car"

"Your so smart Jacob. Do you want a christmas tree?"

"Um, no. I have 3"

Under my breath, "Alrighty then kiddo"

(we have 3 little country like christmas trees...the kids love those things)

funny funny.

j

a boy

My son can make a bridge, tunnel, or track out of ANYTHING! I'm in my office making my to-do list for tomorrow (busy day!) and he's next to me on the floor making bridges out of my scrapbook scissors and punches. HAHAHA! It actually looks cool and functional too. Yes, I'm watching him carefully...(they're just those dumb decorative scissors that make squiggly lines)...I love my boy's imagination...its so fun to watching him in his own little world. I could have been irritated that he grabbed them out of my craft closet and brought them into the office (for attention no doubt) and made a mess...but who cares...he's so cute : ) Oh crap...now he's trying to use a heart punch on his white church shirt...haha. It won't work...but leave it to Jacob to figure out how to do it. gtg.

j

Christmas is coming!

I LOVE Christmas clearance---while decorating my house this year---I LOVED taking the tags off of the NEW decor I bought during Christmas clearance last year! Saaaweeeeet. This little advent calendar is one of many that we have. This one might end up being just decorative....not sure yet. Have you started decorating for Christmas? Have fun!

Thanksgiving 2009 - California!

This year for Thanksgiving we were in CA visiting "Grandma Roses House" -jacob. Most of these picture are from traveling...we had tons of fun traveling! haha. The drive was about 4 and a half hours...not bad.Lexi was sitting at a better angle for the pictures in the car...hence the plethora of lexi pictures :)While driving the kids each had their leapad to play with...one was a hand-me-down from my fabulous friend Jennifer K...and the other was super cheap at a garage sale...$5!

Thanksgiving dinner was at Heath's aunt's house about 20 minutes from Heath's parent's house (Palm Springs area...) We had a traditional YUMMY thanksgiving dinner and enjoyed spending time with heath's parents, brother and sister, aunt & cousin, and his grandma. We also had same extended family from his sister Becky's husband. (confusing). It was so nice to get a few pictures of the kids with their great grandmother on heath's dad's side. I cherish the pictures I have with my dad's grandma and I hope my kids will appreciate these pictures too since grandma Avery probably wont be with us when the kids are old enough to really remember.

Grandma Rose and Grandpa Clayton (yup...that's what my kids call them...sorta weird...but it works) were very accommodating and we even stole away some time for a date! I FINALLY saw twilight...I feel like such a terrible fan. lol. I will spare you my review of the movie...

Oh---and the MOVIE at the end of the post...that's what Jacob was doing during Thanksgiving dinner...NOT EATING...but working out. So funny. We were stuffing our tummies and he was working on his bowflex body. HAHA. love it.

Halloween

Can't find my other Halloween Pics. Hmmm. Still looking. Here's some pictures of Lexi for now. Isn't she a doll?! We went trunk-or-treating at the church and then trick-or-treating to grandma's house. That's pretty much it. The kids LOVED getting the candy. Once Lexi had a candy to hold in her right hand and 1 candy in her cauldron she was done! She just wanted to eat them both...no need for more. haha. She also had NOT FEAR when it came to the ghosts and goblins stuff. Isn't my little pumpkin such a cutie!? ps....Costume was $1 at a garage sale?!! Can you believe it!?

-

$.12 per pack

Yup. You read that right. I paid a total of $.12 per pack (including tax and the cost of coupons)

THIS IS WHY I COUPON SHOP...FOR DEALS LIKE THIS! I got a total of 25 batteries this past week from an amazing Fry's Grocer Deal! Thanks to my sister in law TENILLE who loves me sooooo much (haha) that she shared this deal with me AND ordered us coupons! Yay! So now I have 25 MORE packs of batteries to add to my HUGE battery stockpile. I was laughing cause my heath said in a totally serious tone...that he should make something to hook the batteries up to the house so we can stop using electricity...and just use duracell batteries...he totally got me for a second...he's funny. Love it. This is probably BLUE MOON deal...JUST in TIME for Christmas. :) Yay!

She loves me!

Yay! My Aunt T was so amazing to bring me presents! :) She recently came for a visit and brought all the kiddos presents...they LOVED THEM! AND she brought me vintage cookbooks to add to my collection! She said she read on my blog that I was collecting cookbooks! How thoughtful :) These books are so special ... because inside she wrote a message to me ... awww... but here's the best part ... one of the books was given to her in '82 by her mother and there's an message in there from my Grandma Moss ...who has since passed. So sweet. My Aunt T LOVES ME!! It was so fun having her in town for a few days!

I have so many fun memories of visiting her...going to magic mountain...getting to pick out my very own box of cereal...fun crafts in her BEAUTIFUL backyard...amazing halloween & easter parties...the chickens---aw the chickens...her down comforters in the guest bedroom...the tile floors that felt like ice under my feet...the sound system that Edger would play for us...her car---that felt lightning fast...so much fun.

Thanks for the cookbooks and thanks for visiting!!! We love you T!

Julie

Messy Fun!

Whoever came up with the Sand & Water table is a CRAZY Genius! This toy is So Messy...my entire patio is covered with sand! After they play outside...the tile inside my house feels like I'm walking at the beach! But...I have to admit...playing in the sand and water is so fun. I miss the beach. A california girl...relocated to what I thought was SO FAR from the beach...now to be relocated EVEN FARTHER! Deep sigh. So now...this sand table is PERFECT for my kiddos. It was funny...almost relaxing to the kiddos....then the sand fights...multiple showers...sandy carpet and tile...but all worth it. :D

"How's lunch?"

"No no mommy!" (she was scolding me for taking pictures and not eating my lunch. haha)

Just like mom!

Princess Lexi wants to be a potato---or she wants to be like me. Take your pick! (I wear glasses...in case you missed the memo...going on 3 years now I think since the NO CONTACTS diagnosis...sheesh. ugh.)

She wears these Mr. Potato glasses waaaay to much. Its funny. Silly Girl.

deck the halls

Last night out of sheer sunday evening boredom---i started decorating for christmas. Yes, I julie melissa avery decorated for christmas BEFORE thanksgiving. Shoot me. lol. My reasoning...I haven't decorated my own home for christmas for 2 years...sad. BUT I've been collecting stuff for 3 years...I love to buy holiday clearance! So...I pulled it all out in an effort to make sense of my holiday mess! I have 5 large christmas containers (deep sigh) and not enough surfaces to put all the decor on...hmmm. I also have a few holes in my decorating...I would love some cranberry bunches and some real tree trimmings...and maybe some red flowers (NOT those christmas poinsettia things...yuck). I dunno. So---my thanksgiving/fall/halloween stuff including costumes all fit into to 1 3x3 foot box. gross. Sure wish I had more. OH WELL! Maybe some pictures soon...when my computer stops hating me. Back to my housewife chores...LOVING LIFE!

pj

within whispering distance

princess lexi

at anytime when asked what she's doing, she will quickly respond, "paying!" (which means playing)



she likes to climb on the back of my chair while I'm at my desk and play with my hair...or climb on my desk and rearrange my pens...trying to sneak a piece of printer paper to scribble on.



she can say chelsey and kacie (my sisters) and they sound like this...(always loudly) "chessy", "Key-sey"



She loves to find random items of clothing and try to put them on like pants...even shirts. LOVES to wear my socks like knee socks. my recent favorite is when she wears jacob's underwear briefs. lol. LOVE IT

moved to tears

i started my day off differently today. i really enjoyed the videos on this link. Especially this one...

http://www.lds.org/topic/gratitude/

Cows

Jacob has a jungle in his room. Brown vines, green leaves, little jungle animals on the walls...its cute. (left over decor from the last cub scout pack meeting I decorated...fun fun). So anyways. I'm tucking him in bed last night and he said in a 'quizing' type of mood.

"Hey mom, what color is that cow?"

"Um, that's a zebra jacob, its black and white" (honestly...it does look A LOT like a cow)

"No mom, actually, that's a cow and its black and milk"

LOL! "It does look a lot like a cow, good night sweetie!" kiss kiss. hug hug.

"Your squeezing me mom!"

"I know...I love you!"

mondays...oh how i loathe thee let me count the ways

rotating laundry all day, no good shows to watch = no motivation to fold it

3 loads of dishes just to clean the kitchen = dishes all day

kids were usually cooped up all weekend = CRAZINESS until we get out of the house

i want a diet coke BAD cause I didn't have one on sunday = grumpy mommy

pick up takes at least and hour = tired from the up and down, room to room, back and forth to put all the stuff around the house away.

today's silly finds: lexi's toothbrush under my desk, mixing spoon in the front room under the rocking chair, toys in every single room of the house - except my bedroom (how did I manage that?), jacob's underwear (clean) throughout the house...now this one bothers me...lexi has been trying to get his underwear on all weekend. She's steal it from his room or the laundry room and HIDE to try and put it on. Love it. I just need to buy her some girly underwear...princesses, dora ANYTHING but spiderman and cars.

today will be fine...its 8am and I'm almost done with my mommy do list. thank goodness.

oh....that's why

i never gave this another thought until today...

why do they always use the phrase...

The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.

for fonts...

well...that's because it contains a sample of each of the 26 letters.

i can't believe i never noticed that.

CUTE fonts here!!! ...

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fonts/

The instructions are really easy and I'm lovin the new fonts on my computer!

Bean bob

"Where's my bean bob mom?"

"What's a bean bob Jacob?"

"The bag with beans mom"

(seriously...)

"So, its the bag with beans? The bean bob?"

"Yes mom".

(Alrighty...)

Moving to Denver?

So---we might be moving to Denver...yup...COLORADO!! Yikes! 15 hours from my mom...don't even get me started. Tears. I say might because we won't know FOR SURE until January (waiting for work to be sure)...but at this point its looking like 90% chance. I have a few dear friends asking me how I feel about it and I've had lots of opportunities to analyze my feelings...Here it goes...

I LOVE CHANGE!

I LOVE NEW THINGS!

I LOVE NESTING!

I LOVE visiting THE SNOW!

I LOVE AVERAGE SUMMER TEMPERATURES (in denver) OF 88 DEGREES!

I LOVE MY HUSBANDS JOB!

but...

I LOVE LIVING BY MY PARENTS!

I LOVE THAT MY KIDS LIVE BY COUSINS!

I LOVE THE FRIENDSHIPS THAT I'VE FORMED HERE!

but you know...

I really like that we have a job....so.....looks like we'll be following that job to denver. haha. I'm excited. I'll love it. I have to. I know I will. It gives me comfort knowing that my cousin Wendy is living in BFE and she's surviving. I can do anything..right?! One of my friends said it perfectly...the indecision with work has given me room for HOPE. Hope that I can stay in my comfortable luxury here in AZ. That hope will make it torturous until the decision is finally made...or I'll be happy. Lets just stick to HAPPY as my current state as I wait for the decision from work. Will this be my last holiday season here in AZ---WAIT---its my first---gees---NO MORE MOVING PLEASE! :D More details as they come. Busy Being Happy. Happy Being Busy.

pj

Cuddling

I decided to help give my kiddos more lovin we would start cuddling regularly. No, I julie avery don't cuddle with my kids. Jacob never liked to cuddle as a baby so I just sorta stopped trying years ago! Lexi, being like me more than her dad in this way...LOVES to kiss and hug and cuddle.

This morning while attempting our scheduled cuddling...we had an interesting experience. Each of us brought something to help with the cuddling - Jacob brought his kitty and his thomas (stuffed animal and thomas the train blanket), Lexi brought her butterfly blanket (gift from my wonderful cousin Wendy at Lexi's baby shower), and I brought a few pillows for comfort. Also knowing that I might need a shield in case things got a little out of hand.

So we headed to my bed and the conversations went like this. "OK kids, lets go cuddle for a little bit". Jacob, "What's cuddling mom?" "I'll show you sweetheart" (Note: I never call him that...but I was trying something new...more loving...lol). Attempting to tell them how to cuddle..."Here, lay down by me, grab your blankets, OK...now give me a hug...OK, now say...'I love you mommy'. And I'll say it back. And we'll give hugs and talk about whatever you want to talk about...I'll just listen and we'll be happy together". Jacob needed the full play by play plan so he knew exactly how to behave. Yes, what I said was a little cheesy...but I wasn't prepared for the explanation about exactly what cuddling is.

5 minutes into the alleged cuddling.

Jacob said, "Um...Mom...I think this is Resting"

Then he started hugging Lexi then poking her and saying, "I love you I love you I love you!" They started giggling and fooling around...Pillow fights, tickle fights, Mommy dog piles...you get the picture. Lexi started yelling in the mommy dog pile "I stuck, I stuck...I'm dumb, I'm dumb". So, apparently Lexi was done...me too.

We'll try again tomorrow.

Mission accomplished? Ya, maybe. The kiddos got some fun and lovin.

pj

coke entertainment

While cleaning the kitchen...

Took a sip of my d.coke. Set it on the counter by the dishwasher. Princess Lexi starts scooting the chair to the counter to steal a sip. I grab it, sip it and set it on the table (so she's scoot the chair back to the table to get a sip of course). Chair back in place. She steals a sip. I take a sip, set it in the pantry while a grab a snack for Lexi. She scoots into the pantry but gets distracted by the toys cleverly placed in the pantry. I take a sip while she's entertained by the toys and the snack and set the d.coke on top of the fridge and head to the garage to check on my latest spray painting project. I come back 4 minutes later to see Lexi sitting on the island in the kitchen drinking the coke. WHAT THE STINK?! She got on the fridge, then went over to the island...I'm going crazy. This girl will be an addicted. Maybe I need to switch to only water around the kiddos. Hehe. Or stop cleaning the kitchen. Either one.

Give a little whistle...

Currently I'm working on Cub Scout stuff...cutting, pasting...blah blah. Working on the decorations for the pack meeting tomorrow. Loving it --- of course. We just finished FHE where I heard Jacob say some funny stuff. Like - Hever J Grunt. Kind Noah was a bad prophet. A-bin-he-die. You know, the drill over here at the Avery's ... all comedy all the time. HAHA not. Kids are supposed to be tucked in bed...but one little money jumped out of his bed and landed smack down outside my office door. At the moment he's whistling under the door. ITS SO LOUD! I'm pretending I can't hear it and trying not to laugh. I'm glad he's practicing his whistling...its so funny. I never hear him whistle except for when he whistles under the door...weird. Tomorrow is preschool day...I PRAY he's good tomorrow. GTG put him back in bed...he needs his beauty sleep. Princess Lexi is snug in her bed...my little angel. hehe. Sure wish I was there too.

PS---might be moving to denver...more on that as things progress.

pj

I LOVE Cari...

She just gave me a total scene by scene description of the show I love Lucy that she was watching. Cracking up the whole time. Love it. Little did she know...While she was setting the stage I was picturing her as Lucy---she would totally do the same crap! Wait...does that make me Ethel?(I seriously have no clue how to spell that one) She had memorized like all the jokes and told me with such enthusiasm. haha. Friends like that just can't be separated by 400 miles. Love ya bud. CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU this weekend (for the 60 minutes I'll be in town--sad face)! Happy early birthday. Are you turning...like 50 now?

Lexi's First Pair of Heels!

This is such a funny picture. She would NOT smile for me.

I'm starting this Princess Young! Haha. Heath said to Lexi, "You look like mommy"...then we both laughed cause actually mommy only wears FLATS. I don't own any heels. haha. Heels and pajamas...that's the way to go. After her bath I put her in her pjs and she put on the heels then she went over to her vanity drawer and got out 3 necklaces to wear with the shoes. Love it. She's so cute.

Wedding Gifts

So I registered for these measuring spoons...got them as a wedding gift...then decided not to use them until I had a KitchenAid...I got that stinkin KitchenAid Mixer 2 years ago...these spoons 5 years ago...Why haven't I used them yet?! Stupid. TODAY...I pulled them out of storage and decided ITS TIME! Why 2 sets?...well of course...one for wet ingredients and one for dry...DUH! haha. When I'm having a SUPER baking day its easier to have 2 sets of measuring spoons and 2 sets of cups. All KitchenAid of course they have to be. haha.

I want red KitchenAid measuring cups...who had my name for Christmas?!

Halloween Cookie Party

Isn't that the cutest tablecloth ever! Love it. The party was at Tenille's house, my brother's wife. She's such a great hostess and the kids had tons of fun with all the toys and the trampoline!

I forgot to take pictures of the finished cookies..oops!

Jacob and Cousin Tate...getting them both to look is impossible!

Lexi LOVES Cody..she was just visiting with him.

Silly Faces

Hanging out with Lexi, Jacob, and Tate

Thanks Tenille for the great Cookie Making Party! Great idea!

D-U-D-E....!!!!

Laughter this morning during breakfast. Here's what the dealio was at the Avery Home...

Mom preparing breakfast---ham, cheese, apples, bananas, milk...jacob's request. But OH NO...mom's doing it all wrong. Let me just set the stage...Veggie Tales is in the VCR...this morning was the first time we've attempted to watch veggie tales...and it was a freaking joke. I was laughing so hard...the veggies were dancing and singing....I guess it was a Dance Video one. Love it. Lexi was jumping, dancing, and singing...Jacob was yelling to turn on Bob the Builder...I was peeling a banana. Then my boy yells...."WAIT MOM...don't put that on my plate...take off the DUDE!" What the stink? What's Dude? Jacob calls the stringy things on the banana DUDE. Seriously, that's crazy. "Take off the Dude mom, the Dude!!" I love mornings like this where my kiddos are hilarious before 9am. Laughing (for me) is necessary--I am a morning person--did you know that? I crave the comedy before starting my day...I also need a coke.

pj

Craziness...

I bought yet another popsicle maker tray...at a garage sale for $.50...this one has cute little stars for handles. Ok...so this is what my kiddos call it...

Jacob:

"My present star poscable" (sound that one out....Pos-Ca-Ble..yup...totally botched that one)

Lexi:

Her first attempt at popsicle...she yelled it over and over cause she wanted one. It was so stinkin funny.

"Pobsicle"

She says it better than jacob. Love it.

This week's popsicles...apple juice mixed with tap water. Love it. A great addition to any lunch.

A True 30-minute Meal

So yesterday was cray and I didn't start dinner until 5:45, heath was due to be home at 6 and needed to be fed by 6:15. 30 minutes to make and eat dinner. 2 grumpy hungry kiddos and a messy kitchen. Nope...dishes weren't done. Shame on me. So, since I won't cook in a messy kitchen, didn't have the time to clean it...I used the microwave...Crazy. The meal was yummy. I microwaved frozen lasagna, steam microwaved frozen broccoli, and decided I needed a little more...so I used the one burner on the stove that I could get to...to saute mushrooms. (background...dinner the previous night was a full blown fiesta: Mexican rice, beans, , shredded chicken tacos, veggies...the works. So I literally used my entire kitchen to make the mess...exhausted from the cooking and eating...left the mess. Yup...I julie avery left a huge mess in my kitchen. Surprised?...don't be...heath isn't. I like to do my dishes in the morning. So the lasagna meal...delisous...I even tried to hide that it was a micro meal by dumping it into a casserole dish. haha. I love 30-minute meals.

Interesting Evening

Last night was sorta weird and ANNOYING!

Our AC broke on Saturday...currently waiting for the repairs...hopefully today. fingers crossed. Last night Jacob came into our bed at 1:30 am, said he couldn't sleep. I think his room was too hot? Dunno. I left around 3 to sleep in his room. 5 Lexi woke up and the two of us slept on the queen in her room. Then she almost fell off the bed...so we migrated to the couch in the living room. Cuddled there. 6:12 woke up for making sandwiches and breakfast. Interesting evening. 3 beds and a couch in one evening. Loving it. Let me tell you!!

Cookbooks

After not much thought...I've decided to start collecting vintage cookbooks. Yay! I have 3. Not very exciting yet...but its a start right?! Currently I have 2 Betty Crocker 1st edition (1st print and 2nd print) and 1 Pillsbury 1st Edition. Yay! Total investment cost: $4

Love it. Have a book to donate? Pass it along cause I WOULD LOVE IT! Anything older than 1985 (my birth year...).

Thanks!

PJ

New words this week - Princess Lexi

"I poop"

"Go Away!"

"Hey!"

Beautiful...

My Princess Lexi grabbed my liquid eyeshadow and "painted" her doll, brought it to me and said, "Pretty!" I smiled, agreed, and washed them both.

That's one of those moments when I stop and think...maybe she wanted her doll to be pretty like her mommy or just like her...NO WAY could I ever get mad at such a sweet thing. She's such a girly girl! This Christmas will be full of pretend makeup, dolls, barbies, and her own Blue Bear. I swear she thinks Jacob's bear is hers. haha.

Thanks mom for giving her a totally cute doll today...PERFECT Timing! I think she may have ruined her other one with the makeup today...awww.

pj

Dinner and a Show...

When Jacob is asleep...

There's about an hour that Lexi is awake before Jacob is...so this is what lexi does...gets an ice water...sits by the TV...and enjoys the quiet....just like her mom...NOT...I'm cleaning while she's GLUED to the TV. Is the TV a babysitter at my house? Maybe....but I'm ok with getting a sitter an hour or 2 a day. :)

Totally my girl...

This is what her face is saying:

"Ha! Mom...I stole your soda from the kitchen counter, climbed into the pantry all by myself...and now I'm enjoying my wheat thins and diet coke. "

"What do you think about that mommy?"

I'll tell ya - I laughed - then thought - quick - where's my camera this face is priceless. lol. While Jacob is napping...my girl is a crack up.

When Satan goes to sleep at night, he checks under his bed for Jeffrey R. Holland
-not sure the author---but I saw it on my brother's facebook...

I really enjoyed his talk at conference and felt the strength that the Book of Mormon can bring to those that believe in its word.

Dinner

I'm attempting a weird dinner tonight. Here's the inspiration:

I found ham steak on manager special for CHEAP, I have green apples from bountiful baskets that I need to use (so far they've only been used to dip in chocolate...I need another use for them...:), I have carrots, salad, and lots of rice from a great sale at honeyville grain.

So this is on the Menu:

Ham Steak with honey-apple glaze

White Rice

Carrots (maybe brown sugar carrots, but that might be too much..you think?)

Salad

So I couldn't believe it...when I typed in Green Apples and Ham Steak Recipes in my google search...low and behold...I found a recipe inspiration. (I say recipe inspiration because the recipe I found was a little too weird for me so I changed it...lets hope its still edible. :D

Wish me luck.

J

Conference Weekend..pics of kiddos

Princess Lexi was very "helpful" while I was loading the dishwasher! :D
Jacob and heath were making a wooden train in front of the TV...whatever works...right?! Look how please he is with his work!

Great Thought...

Being a Christian is like being a pumpkin. God lifts you up, takes you in and washes all the dirt off of you. He opens you up, touches you deep inside and scoops out all the yucky stuff -- including the seeds of doubt, hate, greed, etc. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside you to shine for all the world to see.

Thanks to my super christian friend Cari for forwarding this to me. :D

Video of silly Lexi

This video is of Lexi eating Mac & Cheese. It cracked me up cause at the end I asked her to kiss me---as usual she turned to the side for a cheek kiss---but this time she pulled the camera towards her and had the camera kiss her. Lol. She's such a cutie.

Crooked Teeth...

Doesn't this corn look like it has crooked teeth? Haha. This last week I cooked, cut, and froze 96 ears of corn----had to entertain myself somehow. Paul, this one is for you---he was on the phone when I spotted this funny corn cob. Thanks for chatting with me---it helped the last 2 hours go by quickly!

Chef Heath!

So, for Heath's birthday we were going to make Taco Stacks...or some variation of that----and this was HIS creation. He's such a food artist. You may not think it looks good---but my mouth is watering just looking at it. I love my heath's cooking. :D I made all the ingredients and he put it all together. Corn tortillas, egg, cheese, black beans, enchilada sauce, ground turkey, and cilantro. It was delicious. Good job heath!

Turtle Fun!

So we have a Sulcata Tortoise that Jacob got as a b-day gift from my sisters at 12 months. The turtle was so super small when we first got it...Its grown so big! He just graduated to a big boy turtle box. Yay! The turtle LOVES it. I'm so glad. But I worry about him every time it gets windy, too hot, rainy...its stressing me out to have him outside. Oh well. He's a tortoise---he belongs outside right?! The kiddos usually leave him along---but when I'm "watering" the box they like to help. My kids LOVE to get dirty.