Technical issues...

...o.k. so I'm still trying to load a stinking slideshow...don't know what's wrong? (anyone done it before who can help me?!) I should have just loaded the pictures one by one..lol...

...I'm not giving up, and in the meantime...just go to Sherry's blog...because like always...she's beat me to the punch :)

So close...

We're all getting ready...from the top of our heads....

....to the bottom of our toes :)

Mickey Pedicures...gotta love it :)

**To clear up any confusion...these feet only belong to the girl folk who are going :) me, my sister, my mom, and my neices :)

2nd Grade Program

Friday Michael got to perform in a program at school with the whole 2nd grade.

I was so excited to be able to see this, his class has done programs before, but the parents have never been invited, but since the school was remodled and they have a real stage, they can now invite parents to come to these things.

He was very excited!! They practiced so hard (missing many recesses to get things PERFECT)

It was all about "Friends" they sang many fun songs (some of which I remember teaching when I taught school...that was a little wierd)

Each class presented a friendship poem...here is Michael's class

The other part he was most excited to show me was the dances they had been practicing...pretty great job I'd say!! heel-toe, heel-toe, slide, slide, slide, slide (he told me the steps that morning)

At the end, they all lined up and sang while a slideshow of all the kids played, they then did a song about how they are the future and showed pictures they each had drawn of what they wanted to be when they grew up.

Michael wants to be a BYU football player (there are a lot of potential football players in his class...good thing they're getting lots of practice at recess!!)

Thanks Michael for inviting me...I LOVED it (and so did Dad and Grandma!)

St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick's day is always a fun holiday for us...and this year didn't disappoint.

We cleaned the house hoping that the naughty leprechauns would leave us alone, but they DIDN'T!! The floor was covered in FAKE gold and green candy, and other green treats.



treats on the candles


new green shirts thrown everywhere




They left behind some tracks...



...in some very strange places...


...but much to everyone's disappointment we never found them. You see, Thomas was sure that someone must have caught a Leprechaun and stole their gold in order for us to be able to afford to go to Disneyland, and he really wanted to catch another one so that he could have more gold than anyone when we go.

The boys tried so hard to catch one, the devised traps (Michael took his to school for an assignment) Thomas drew up plans, but decided to try to just catch one himself. The were awake that morning at 4:15...I heard them out in the front room first excited that there was gold everywhere...then disgusted that it was FAKE!!! Darn those tricky Leprechauns.

After much coaxing and back rubbing, the boys finally fell back asleep and we tried starting the morning again at around 8:00. I think I'm going to leave a note for the Leprechauns next year that these boys need their sleep and so they'll have to wait until the boys are gone to school to visit!

The food is always fun for St. Patrick's day too...

For Breakfast we had green pancakes, and green juice,
and for Dinner, we had Cabbage Casserole, and the ever popular,

RAINBOW JELLO...quickly becoming a St. Patrick's day tradition



Robert liked it :)

And just for a little nostalgia...here he is enjoying his last year's St. Patrick's day dinner :)



The best part of the day was having fun with these three crazy boys!!

Never give up boys....we'll catch those Leprechauns one day!!!

Just call me "Little Miss Crafy Pants"

Indulge me while I toot my own horn here for a minute...

When we decided we were going to Disneyland, I started searching blogs for fun projects to do for and the kids..

I came upon these folders that held a notbook and pencil...so I decided to "disney-fy" them and tweek them a little, and here's the finished product (Michael's looks the same w/ an "M" on front...

...a little rough around the edges, and a few things I would change if/when I do them again...but they'll be great for the plane and the boys LOVE them (that's all that matters)

The other thing I wanted to make was a portable high chair thing I saw on "BabySteals" one day. I kept missing the deal for them, and without the deal they cost like $45...so I decided to hit JoAnn's armed with my trusty coupons and see what I could do on my own.

Not as cute as the originals, but it works...and will turn any chair into a high chair....and it folds up so tiny!! (it was a little tricky to make...no wonder they charge so much!!)

I was also going to turn a shirt into a shorts outfit for Robert (found cute mickey shirts at Wal-Mart a month or so ago)...well...I actually did do it, had the snaps all on, tried it on him and his body is too long for it! so I cut of the snaps and hemmed it up and he'll just wear it as a shirt (it's a size 4/5!!)

Now it's time to start making packing lists!! (who am I kidding...I've already started...I have our "liquid" bags packed for our carry-ons) nope...no one's excited here :)

Happy Birthday Baby!! (twice)

Feb 13, 2010
THE BIG "1"

The Cake (HUGE chocolate cupcake w/ light blue whipped frosting)




The decorations...lovingly hand colored by two big brothers who ADORE him!! I'm always amazed at how quickly friendships develop between brothers!

This was really the extent of the decorations...we were all about keeping it simple!!



Robert was very excited when the guests started to arrive!

(Grandma and Grandpa Walker, Doug, Michele, Jake, Corinne, Zachary, Sara, Janell, Teagan, Dawni, Zach, and of course Mom, Dad, Michael and Thomas)



The PRESENTS!!

His brothers were glad he needed some help (I don't think he needed as much help as he got!)







He received a fun train, musical bongo drums, Leap Frog farm fridge magnets (a favorite of even the big brothers...so fun!), tonka cars, see & say, popcorn popper push toy (old school fisher price) sippy cups, monkey jammies, and a swing (yes we did finally get it! it wasn't there for the party...Robert didn't notice)


Then...THE CAKE...

He was not much of a fan...too may people were in his "personal space" at first, Thomas had to jump in and blow out the candle before Robert got burned, and the singing wasn't great (just kidding)...he wasn't sure what to do or what was going on!


There were even a few tears shed and he didn't like the feel of the frosting AT ALL!!



We helped him get past the frosting then, it wasn't so bad (but still not fabulous)








He did eventually start getting in pretty deep!


Then he was done...

When Robert is done eating, he shoves his food off of his tray...he tried to do the same with the cake.



I love when he says "uh-oh" my other favorite he says is "wow" gotta get that one on video!


He decided he wasn't quite done...and had a little more cake...




The cake never did fall (much to the disappointment of every child in the room...and the mom...I really wanted it to go!)



Then we had the celebratory bath...the pictures aren't great because the bath was almost over...Daddy didn't realize that taking pictures of the bath was a part of the day :) The water was so gross and murky :)



The AFTERMATH...he did a pretty good job :)


I never did get a good picture of his favoite thing from his party...Playing with the mylar balloons...here he is laying on the ground and talking to the balloon he just sent to the celing...it was so cute!


**********
Since Robert has a cousin almost his same age, it was decided to have a combined party for them. We had that on on the 6th of March. Just 1 day after Cooper's b'day!

Robert was so tired...and not so sure he wanted to do the whole party thing again... (I was glad for another chance for him to wear his birthday shirt)



He changed his mind when he opened the presents (again with PLENTY of brotherly help)

He is in love with this Cookie Monster (and so is everyone who plays with it...SO CUTE!!)

Here are Cooper and Robert playing in their matching outfits from Aunt Natalie...she has good taste! (and there was no hope of getting them to look at the camera so this is as good as it gets)

It was a fun party with Dave's family, and the boys got spoiled (Robert got a farm, books, cars, clothes, and of course Cookie Monster!)

So much fun...I seriously can't believe my baby is ONE!! he is getting better and better at talking and walking...the Garritson house is in trouble!!!

Thanks for coming to our family Robert...We love you so much!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY!!!

I'm in trouble...

I've been checking out the schedule for Disneyland (two weeks and counting) and I'm crying (tears of excitetment and joy) at the parades and events...I'm so excited for my kids to experience the magic (maybe if I get all my crying out now I won't do it there)

Longing for that "Springy" feeling

As I have been excitedly noticing signs of spring poking through the snow (wish these were in my yard!) I feel some similar things going on inside myself...I think I feel like I've been buried under a huge pile of snow...and I'm ready for it to melt off!

I was reading this book last night (I highly recommend it)

and a few quotes really hit me...like literally made me gasp...I wanted to record them here so I could remember them (and maybe they would help someone else who reads this)

***
"Sometimes the pattern of life seems a little monotonous--and discouraging. It is like climbing a mountain and, after reaching the top, getting knocked back down to the bottom to climb it again; but I guess the fun is in climbing and not arriving. I hope so!"

My thought when I read this was...wow...sweet little Sister Hinckley hated laundry and dishes too :) Sometimes just hearing that others (especially those that seem larger than life) struggle with my same frustrations makes me feel better (I don't know if she really was talking about housework stuff...but I like to think she was)

Don't you just seriously feel like this sometimes...well guess what...it's o.k. so did Sister Hinckley :)

*****
"As you create a home, don't get distracted with a lot of things that have no meaning for either you or your family. Don't dwell on your failures, but think about your successes"
(um yeah...I KNOW what's distracting me...need to work on that..also gotta think of some successes to think about)

****
and finally...

"We each do the best we can. My best may not be as good as your best, but it's my best. The fact is that we know when we are doing our best and when we are not. If we are not doing our best, it leaves us with a gnawing hunger and frustration. But when we do our level best, we experience a peace"

I started crying when I read this (and when I just typed it again) I know that is the Spirit testifying to me that that suffocating, frustrating, feeling I've been having is that I know I haven't been doing MY best...that needs to change...

So my goal for March is to do MY best...(In MANY areas I've been slacking on)...so that I can feel that wonderful peace that Sister Hinckley talks about...I want to feel as happy and content as she looks (I know, I know, she worked on it for years...but I believe I can feel it at least somewhat)...I need that in my life and I feel like I just got a little glimpse of how to accomplish it.

Thank you Sister Hinckley (and my mom for talking about this book and inspiring me to pick it up off the shelf and read it again)