looking back...

Hey Grandpa, you cuttin' wheat yet?

Hayes
Harvest 2005
(13 months)

i-spy bottles

I-Spy bottles are a lot of fun to make!

I personally liked the colors and shape of the Walmart flavored water bottles so we used those.... after they were completely dried out, of course. You can google "i-spy bottles" and find a lot of great ideas. The i-spy items came from the Dollar Tree, Hobby Lobby and whatever I could find around the house.

Hayes loved separating everything out and making sure each bottle had just the right items. All three kids thought it was awesome to pour the rice in through the paper funnel. Like, totally awesome. Like, I swept up enough rice to feed half the neighborhood awesome.

It's important to not pour the rice (or birdseed) all the way to the top. You will want to leave enough space so everything can move around. Next comes the most important tip... superglue the lid shut.

I printed off simple labels showing the items to spy inside the bottle.

now taking orders!

Laura is back to taking custom orders for Larza Design. Now that she is a stay-at-home mommy, she can devote her full attention to her Larza business. Well, except for the whole "taking care of a newborn" thing. :)

Be sure to check her website out. She's one talented girl.

dirty harry

This dirty boy (look at those dirt-caked eyebrows) made me think about a picture of a dirty boy a year ago. Stop growing so fast, Dirty Harry.

"up" for a good time

Kyle and I took the boys to the drive-in last night to see the "Up" movie. Andrew, Laura and Jude met us there and we had such a great time hanging out and experiencing how people used to watch movies... you know, back in the day. :)

If you haven't been to the drive-in lately, you should go. There is just something about being outside watching a movie with the sound coming through your radio, sitting together in the grass, eating popcorn and way too much candy.

mom, i forgot to pack the magic eraser

Ellie has a new nickname.

Destructo.

The girl is constantly looking for trouble. If I don't have her in my sights, she is up to something... and that something ain't good.

Ornery, I tell ya.

But she may have met her match. Meet...
The Magic Eraser.
The Magic Eraser is well, magic.

It rescued Nana and Grandpa's office from a black sharpie... the printer, the desk, the window sill, the computer screen.

It also made spray paint disappear from the the playroom table.

And I forgot to pack it in her suitcase.

She's spending her special time with the grandparents this week. Let's face it, Mommy needed a break. Daddy needed a break. Her brothers needed a break. Minnie's gonna need a break come Thursday.

She will have so much fun soaking up all of that attention and I won't have to worry about locking all the cabinets for a few days.

Ellie, let's make it our goal that no one will have to make a magic eraser run while you are there, okay? I love you, my mischievous, little sweet pea.

shred this, jillian

Hayes wrapped up his semester at Little Gym today. The kids showed us their tricks. There was some baseball, hockey, frisbee and golf involved. He sure loves that place.

In other news... I think I am ditching Jillian for this stud in the video below. He's a creative genius when it comes to exercise. We're talking cutting edge moves that put the Shred to shame.

And yes, I'm aware that a trip to the bathroom is in dire need. But the show must go on people...