A Lucky Laverty Family

Raking Leaves

2011-12-10T23:05:00.000-08:00

I realize this will probably change one day, but my kids love raking and sweeping up leaves. They were such big helpers so I made a leaf pile for them to jump in. They had tons of fun with that. I am glad we have a tree big enough, with enough leaves to jump in.

Christmas Lights

2011-12-02T20:14:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if you can even see them in the picture, but we actually put up Christmas lights this year. One strand of lights. They look good, a little dull though. Maybe next year colored ones.

Happy Birthday "Little Man"

2011-11-18T08:44:00.001-08:00

After waiting 15 days past my due date I finally had my little boy (though I did not know what he was going to be). He is such a joy to me. He gives impulsive hugs and kisses, tries so hard to be good, but has a mischievous streak that reminds me so much of his uncle. (He looks like him sometimes too, especially that impish grin, or the innocent face).

He got to play his first soccer season this year and even though he is one of the smallest players on the field he is the top scorer on his team. Pretty good at defense too, being right there and ready to hurl himself in front of the ball to protect the goal. So fun to watch him grow and learn. He is just the best!!

Artisitic

2011-11-05T18:25:00.000-07:00

I didn't think this shot was going to come out and it is a little dark, but for some reason I think it's the best shot I took all night.

Disney on Ice

2011-10-29T19:21:00.001-07:00

Whoever thought about putting Disney on Ice together was a genius. Disney, which people love, combined with ice skating, which people love too and is wonderful to watch. I sure enjoyed it. I know my kids did. Asher said his favorite part was "everything". We had great seats, thanks to a wonderful discount, and had a wonderful evening.

October Creative Project

2011-10-25T19:05:00.000-07:00

So this month I decided to step away from the endless stream of cakes that have been my major sources of creativity this year (there will be another one next month for Asher's birthday) and I decided instead to focus on one room in my house.

Before Picture:

This is my downstairs bedroom. Yeah, basically a "toss it in there to get it out of sight" room. well, it was not being as useful as I wanted it to be. You can't really see in the picture but the fan was crooked. That was because there is no fan box in the ceiling, just a regular light box that doesn't fit a fan. Some day I might put the fan back, but since I was trying to do this as quick as possible (the downstairs room doesn't really need a fan anyway, it's the coolest room in the house in the summer)I just replaced the light and added a side light. While the room is far from finished, I think this is a huge improvement, don't you?

Apples

2011-10-22T23:14:00.000-07:00

Nothing better than buying apples fresh from the farm. Yummy!

Cute Cousins

2011-10-15T23:09:00.000-07:00

I only have one niece. She's about 9 months older than Lydia but because of the new law in California they will be in the same grade at school. they get along pretty well most of the time. Maya is shy and Lydia is anything but but the do seen to like each other. After all, playing in the dirt is more fun if there are two.

Can't miss it again

2011-10-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

I can't miss bogging again. Lately most of the pictures I have been taking are soccer related (I took almost 200 today) so here they are, 5 games later and playing so much better.

Loomis Health and Safety Fair

2011-09-30T20:20:00.001-07:00

We went to the Loomis Health and Safety Fair today. The kids had fun. They really enjoyed getting on the police motorcycle, the drivers seat of a fire truck and in an ambulance.

Wedding cupcakes

2011-09-24T15:58:00.000-07:00

So, I was supposed to make a cake at one point, but then things changed and I made a ton of cupcakes for the wedding instead. The cupcakes were chocolate, strawberry and white, with butter cream frosting. I made the flowers on top of the green cupcakes. they were supposed to go on top of the wedding cake, and I had already made them by the time I found out I was not going to be using them anymore, so I decided to use them for something else. They looked pretty good.

Natures Little Miracle

2011-09-12T15:09:00.000-07:00

We still play cloud shapes - but this morning as I was getting the kids out the door Alanna pointed up to the clouds and this was what we saw. Pretty cool - I told the kids to imagine Heavenly Father had put it in the sky for them.

My Soccer Kids

2011-09-10T23:38:00.000-07:00

Soccer season has started. I have a grasshopper and a Battling Bluebird. this is the first year for both of them and I am so hoping that they are going to have a wonderful year.

Oops

2011-09-07T13:08:00.000-07:00

And I was doing so well. I had a post every week. All I have to say for myself is "school" and "soccer". That sums it up. Arranging carpools, signing papers, three or four practices a week. Busy busy, and I forgot to post. Oops.

Love this one

2011-08-26T16:17:00.000-07:00

I would not call my baby camera shy. Anxious to see the picture yes, but usually happy to pose.

The Continuing Saga

2011-08-24T10:08:00.000-07:00

And so the story continues. This first picture is Sunday night. She hauled her pillow downstairs and set up camp on the floor.

This is the same day, but for nap time. At least she put the blanket under her so she wasn't on the floor totally. It was probably pretty cool down there.

My Crafty Idea

2011-08-17T15:14:00.000-07:00

I actually had a crafty idea! Well, it's kind of stolen I admit. The idea is, not the design. I frequently get frustrated at the amount of garbage that accumulates on the floor of my van. The kids eat a snack and then want to know where to put the garbage and since they can't really move in those car seats of theirs and sitting with garbage sharing your seat is no fun, the garbage ends up on the floor. So I read about an idea of putting a fabric bag on the back of the seat, but the design I saw had to have a plastic bag put into it. For lazy people like me, that idea won't work cause I would always forget to put in a new bag. So I came up with my own bag. Just 1/2 yard fabric and 1/2 yard vinyl type fabric (like the kind for a cheap tablecloth). It made three bags. I love them. They have already been great and the kids ask me for garbage so they can put it in the garbage bags.

Shots from this week

2011-08-13T15:50:00.001-07:00

I finally made Asher some curtains. He has decided he wants a space room. So - here we are. it actually works well with his dark blue and black room.

This is Alanna's first picture she took with a camera. How do you like my new haircut? I wanted to try something new, and I am enjoying the shorter cut but not sure if I like it.

Alanna at her first soccer practice. She is in the light blue shirt with a design on it, black shorts and black socks.

The Magpie

2011-08-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

For some reason we have a bird that has decided to sing all night long. Our neighbors have a tree in their yard next to a fairly bright street light. I don't know if that bird thinks the light is the sun, but (not kidding you) the bird started calling at 11:32 last night. This bird has an amazing repertoire.

To back up a little, this problem started for us back in April. We figured we could live with it, it was mating season after all. It started out that the bird started calling at about 4 in the morning so I would get up, shut the windows and tried to ignore the piercing sound. But this continued for many weeks. Sometimes the bird woke up other small song birds and we would have a spring morning chorus at midnight.

In mid July or so the sounds stopped and we were relieved that the bird was finally gone. Well he must have been on sabbatical, learning tons of new sounds to sing all night long. So last night it started at 11:30 right? When I woke up at 3 it was still going strong. I had to shut our windows to get back to sleep.

This bird imitates car alarms (you know the ones that go off and make five different sounds or so?) light sabers and lazer guns, it quacks like a duck, and has so may songs that I can't tell if the sounds are repeating or not since I hear so many. In terms of musical talent I give this bird full marks. But please, someone want to come shoot it for me?

Auburn Courthouse shots

2011-08-05T14:03:00.000-07:00

The courthouse in Auburn is a really neat looking old building. I like buildings that feel old - at least on the outside.

More Lydi Sleeping

2011-07-28T12:11:00.000-07:00

She has done it again!

Need to Brag for a Minute

2011-07-26T16:03:00.000-07:00

At the end of Kindergarten Alanna was sent home with a piece of paper of 171 high frequency words for first grade (as in she should know those words by the end of first grade). I just took Alanna through all of the words, and out of 171, she could not read 20. ("Laughed", "oil", "could", and "being" are a few examples of what she missed). Hope she doesn't get too bored in first grade!!

Edited Photos

2011-07-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

I have been having fun with some photos lately. I have learned why one should take so many different shots for a good picture. Also, not all photos, even if they are taken seconds apart, look good with editing. It's been fun to learn about.

Family Reunion

2011-07-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

Boy - what a couple of days. Swimming in a freezing lake, pee wee golf, guitars, good people to hang with. And an unexpected perk. We had a professional photographer there to take some pictures.

Piano

2011-07-05T10:56:00.000-07:00

we have a lot of piano in our family. Dane plays, I dabble a little, my mother in law and sister in law play,my sister and mother play and my grandmother plays and composes songs, so it shouldn't have surprised me when Alanna came up to me and asked if I could give her piano lessons. I didn't really think she was serious but I went ahead and got out the books and showed her the first song. She mastered it perfectly in about 10 minutes. Since then she has kept after me almost everyday to give her a new song. And almost every day she is ready for one.

A few days ago I wanted to test her to see if she was really playing and mastering the songs so I had her go back and play all of the songs from the book that she had passed off. With only one goof on one song that she quickly fixed she played them all almost perfectly (her whole note only got 3.5 counts).

Soon she is going to be ready to play notes from the staff. I am not sure how quickly she will get it or if at that point her interest will wane, but it's amazing to me how fast she is picking up the music. I love it!

Family Photo

2011-07-01T08:18:00.000-07:00

I had a chance to do an unofficial photo shoot this last weekend. It wasn't really planned, I just happened to have the best camera. While I didn't take this shot I set it up and I like it. Laverty family in 2011.

Cameron Park Lake Weekend

2011-06-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

We went to visit Cameron Park Lake and see Dane's sister and her kids. My kids had a ton of fun, they love hanging out with their cousins.

June Creative Project

2011-06-16T17:39:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but I got it into my head that I wanted to have 4th of July outfits for the kids this year. So, I finished the skirts for the girls.

Trying Something New

2011-06-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

Well, we no longer have unlimited access to a pool. We don't really have any friends on the block that have a pool, and the house "cooled down" to 82 last night since there was no breeze. So I had to do something for my kids who are having some heat issues. SO I went to the store and got a slip and slide and a pool. (The slip and slide was 5 bucks, I mean, how could I not? It doubles as a great sprinkler for the dying back lawn.) We set up the slip and slide when we got home and the kids got to try it for a bit. They were really having fun. Maybe I will join them next time...

Reusing Cast Members

2011-06-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

I have noticed a problem lately when it comes to movies. If there are characters in the movie that I have seen in something else, it seems to ruin how much I can get into the movie. I bet this is one of the reasons that actors and actresses get type casted.

For example - I am watching a show, and this character comes on as the bad guy. The problem is that this person played the main characters brother in another episode. Oh, and was a poet in the one before that.

Or in movies, if the main character is someone famous. Wait, she was the evil witch, and now she is a loving and amazing mother? Maybe this is a good thing though. Maybe I will watch less movies because of it.

Not my Camera - but still a good picture

2011-06-11T22:13:00.000-07:00

Alanna is all done with Tee-ball. Today was her awards ceremony and she got a trophy and a cute little dog tag.

I love my little Yankee. She did such a good job.

Sleepy Lydi

2011-06-03T21:01:00.000-07:00

Alanna never really fell asleep in interesting places or positions. She did sleep once on the kitchen floor. Asher mostly fell asleep in his johnny jump up and I would try really hard to not wake him as I moved him to his bed. On the other hand Lydia, she is a little more interesting. Last summer she fell asleep sitting down and fell forward so her head was between her feet. Well, the other night I came out to see this. She was about 10 steps up, as sound asleep as you please.

Hacked

2011-06-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

So it appears I was hacked at some point. But apparently it was not the usual - send an inappropriate email to everyone you know - kind of job. Some people got my first one (that I heard of) and three people got my last one.

I have managed to get my account back (it was in Arabic, it took a little doing) and hopefully these emails will stop. I apologize to all who may have gotten something from me. I just hope you all know me well enough to know that whatever those emails were, I did not send them.

Face painting

2011-05-28T21:29:00.000-07:00

Playing with Barbies gets Noisey

2011-05-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

Outfit

2011-05-21T21:46:00.000-07:00

My mom is an amazing seamstress. She whipped this out while i was on a temple trip - she was almost done when we got home.

Desert in the Spring

2011-05-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

When we went to visit my parents in Arizona it was April. I am not sure if we came before, during, or after the desert bloomed, but I did get to see some pretty amazing flowers and cacti of course.

May Creative Project

2011-05-10T10:47:00.000-07:00

So I made another cake last night, to help out a friend. This is not what I was hoping for it to look like, but it was transportable at least. And it turned out good.

Haven't done my weekly picture...

2011-05-07T22:18:00.001-07:00

So here it is...

Do not underestimate the power of a four year old with a rock.

A Time of Tears

2011-05-07T12:47:00.000-07:00

Wow, so much has been going on in the lives of my friends lately, I have shed tears several times in the last two weeks alone.

A few weeks ago Dane's cousin and his wife, lost twins. she was over half way done with her pregnancy and while I don't have the details, she is devastated over having lost her boys.

I found out this morning that a fantastic woman, Bri, in our old ward here in Roseville, finally lost the battle to cancer. She has been fighting it for two and a half years now, when she was originally given 6-9 months. She is leaving behind a husband and four kids aged about 11, 9, 6 and 4. We went on a walk yesterday to return something to a family who lived near Bri and decided last minute to knock on the door and see if there was anything we could do. Her husband answered the door, he was on the phone, and said, Now is not a good time guys, then he closed the door. Little did we know that the long expected day had finally come and Bri was gone. She was only a few weeks younger than Dane.

I wish I had gotten to know Bri even more in the year that I have known the family. It was hard though. For the last five months or so she has not been able to get out of bed. Finding time to stop by and visit has been difficult since no one ever knew if it was going to be a good or a bad day. We made it over for FHE once and Bri was struggling with a migraine but she stuck it out. The few times I did get to visit with her she was always happy.

My heart goes out to those suffering from loss at this time. Bri, I will miss you, but I know you are out of pain and for that I am grateful. Carrie, I can't imagine how painful this is. My prayers are with you.

Pretty Eyes

2011-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

So this morning I was blissfully unaware that while I was in the shower, Lydia decided that she was going to pull a Mommy and put some makeup on. I am not sure if it is marker or pen, but this is what I found when I came out.

This is not the first time that she has done this. And it is usually behind my back. The first time was when she was coloring in her coloring book. How did I know that she was coloring something else instead? This morning I thought she was playing with Alanna in her room. Well she was when I got in the shower. Oh well. It comes off at least!

ARIZONA

2011-04-21T22:02:00.000-07:00

I have never been to Arizona before. But now I have and I got to go to the temple while I was there. Twice actually. Once for a session and once for the easter pageant. It was great!

April Creative Project

2011-04-13T10:24:00.000-07:00

So I didn't have anything "Eastery" for my front door, so I got some materials and made something for the front door. Best part? It only cost $3.

The Best Cheerleader

2011-04-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Alanna had a game today. So this is what her brother was up to while she played. Oh so sweet, I loved it.

Alanna on first Tee Ball game day

2011-04-04T13:14:00.000-07:00

Before Game Shot:

Hawaiian Dress

2011-03-31T14:16:00.001-07:00

My parents got this dress for Alanna when she was about 3 or so. I think it shrunk in the wash when I wasn't paying attention, but I noticed that at least so now I get to put it on Lydia. And considering she doesn't hold still for shots much, these are great pictures of her.

Cartwheels

2011-03-28T22:35:00.000-07:00

A Different Kind Of Tree

2011-03-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

So this last week has been windy, cold and rainy. We lost another large tree branch but the gutters are doing better since Dane cleaned them out a little.

I have been very domestically minded when I am not shivering, and I made this jewelry tree for my friend for her birthday. It turned out pretty well, and gave me an idea for one for me when I get a chance.

This might sound familiar

2011-03-24T09:38:00.000-07:00

Remember that tape Mom made or nursery rhymes and Pooh stories? Does this sound familiar? I apologize for the camera angle, I was trying to get the sound without her seeing because I knew she would stop if she saw the camera.

Recent

2011-03-21T09:39:00.000-07:00

So part of our tree fell off last night. it was the branch that had most of the back and about 1/3 of the tree in the middle. We are one of the last families on the street to have this problem. Evey one else has taken theirs out since this happens a lot.

Lydia and me after a bath.

I made a cake for friends last week. It's Dane's new favorite and might be mine, although I still love a good cheese cake. there was raspberry filling and cream cheese frosting along with the real raspberries on the outside. Oh so good!!

Little Jumpers

2011-03-14T10:03:00.001-07:00

I like this shot. Trying to get both kids to jump at the same time and look like they were jumping was pretty hard. so the fact that their arms turned out the way they did was just an added bonus. They are such funny kids. They love playing in the front yard and our court is a pretty safe place to be.

Opening day - T Ball

2011-03-13T22:21:00.001-07:00

Alanna had her opening day in T Ball on Saturday. They had their names called and they ran from third to home. I got this shot while holding a video camera, this camera, and having my knees hugged by a screaming baby. Not too bad! Sorry to the man whose rear is in this shot, but I was a little short on photo options at the time.

Oops, I passed 100 and didn't even notice

2011-03-06T21:14:00.000-08:00

I passed over my 100th blog post and didn't even notice. My 100th post was about changing the color of Asher's room. So... Yay I made it to 100!

So, my SIL tagged me th other day... So here is the result.

A hand writing link up
The Questions:

1. What's your name and your blogs name?

2. What's your blogs URL?

3.Write, "A quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog!"

4. Favorite Quote.

5. Favorite Song?

6. Favorite band/singers?

7. Anything you want to say.

8. Tag people.

So that couch I mentioned? Here it is!

I did finally cut the tags off the couch but (I know it's silly) it was fun to leave them on for a few hours cause it PROVED it was new!!

We looked at all sorts of couches before we got this one. I loke microfiber couches but every time I sat on one, and then my kids touched me I got shocked. Lydia's hair was standing on end all the time, and I just couldn't do it. And I did not want leather because on cold mornings leather couches are cold too, what's the point of that! So my selection was limited since leather and microfiber are "in" right now, but this one seemed to fit.

And these last pictures are of Lydia. She fell asleep this way. then she would start to fall down and she would jerk awake to reposition herself. It was so cute to watch!!

Tree in the front

2011-03-03T23:36:00.000-08:00

We have a tree in the front of the house - it's beautiful but I think it is going to smell pretty strong here in a while. But it's a pretty tree and I like it.

Dance Night

2011-02-26T18:13:00.000-08:00

Alanna has a dance night tonight - a Daddy daughter dance. She was so excited and so ready to go to the dance.

February Creative Project

2011-02-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

This year I finally did something that I have been meaning to do since Alanna was about 2. I made Sunday Quiet books. They have the scriptures in them (except Lydia's), a coloring book, twist crayons, a small set of pictures of Christ, and will have something for snacks added eventually. And there is plenty of room for toys. Yay for me!!

Alanna's Art Work On Display at a City Gallery

2011-02-15T20:00:00.000-08:00

The Kindergarteners at Alanna's school drew some pictures in imitation of Van Gogh and got their art work displayed at the local art gallery.

Dippin' and Lovin' it

2011-02-13T19:19:00.000-08:00

Kitchen

2011-02-13T17:50:00.000-08:00

I finally got my kitchen sort of set up. Thank goodness. There are lots of shelves and even a pantry. I am looking forward to getting some valances for the windows in the kitchen. It's great. It's fun to have so many cupboards, although someone did screw up on the design. Because of the drawer handle the drawer will not open all the way. Okay, who designed that? Oh well, I actually don't really have anything to put in it anyway.

From Orange to Blue

2011-02-09T22:02:00.000-08:00

Remember that really orange room? Well it is orange no more. I think it looks pretty good don't you?

Pictures of our place

2011-02-02T21:44:00.001-08:00

Unedited

2011-01-24T14:24:00.001-08:00

I was messing around with my camera and managed to get this shot. I did not edit this, I promise (other than a little cropping).

Happy 6th Birthday

2011-01-20T20:26:00.000-08:00

Today was Alanna's birthday. She was such a wonderful girl today, and she loved all of her presents. Thanks so much to everyone who made her day wonderful.

This is Lydia playing with Alanna's new horse and carriage.

New books from Great grandparents.

Kitten T-shirt. A very long awwwwww came out on this one.

Blowing out the Candles.

The birthday cake. It turned out really well, and even tasted good.

The Little One Next Door

2011-01-17T16:45:00.000-08:00

My neighbor has a daughter the same age as my little one. They are good friends but they fight a lot. I only hope some day to laugh over it. Now of course it is totally annoying.

Zooming Off to Dreamland

2011-01-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

My kids are great. They are amazing and such good kids. Tonight the two oldest decided to sleep on the floor in their sleeping bags. I snuck in to get these:

Dress Up Day

2011-01-05T12:32:00.000-08:00

So yesterday was dress up day at my house. It was warm enough to go outside (sort of) and the kids wanted to take advantage of it. The girls started out playing Three Musketeers (I don't know what Asher was doing, but it seemed to fit into the game so that was good). Lydia was following behind, running as fast as those little legs would carry her trying to play with them. It was adorable! Whatever the big kids were doing Lydia wanted to do it too.

Finally it was time for some dress up and they all wanted to do it, even Lydia. So I got this. Bumblebee, Aurora, Rapunzel and Snow White at your service.

Thanks Aunt Kayli

2011-01-02T20:45:00.000-08:00

Lydi's Aunt gave her this really cute 'little sister' shirt and matching hair clips for Christmas. So cute, I loved putting it one her and putting her hair up. Little did she know Lydi and Mommy were getting presents!

Photos to someday display

2010-12-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

Some day I am going to have a wall of photos. These would be in it. Along with a picture of the temple, and whatever else catches my fancy.

I did it

2010-12-27T09:19:00.001-08:00

Well, one of my goals for this year was to blog at least once a week. And by once a week I mean once in the Sunday - Saturday period. So at least four or five times a month. I know, I know, I don't have any posts from January: but that's because we moved at the end of January and I did not make this goal until February 1st or so. I was a little late with new years resolutions this year. But hey, I did it. I blogged at least once a week, and this post counts as the final installment necessary to complete that goal.

Don't worry, I am still going to blog regularly to keep everyone posted on what is going on. Hopefully I can keep up the once a week thing. And hopefully I will have some more interesting things to talk about this upcoming year. 2011, who would have believed it?

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2010-12-24T21:15:00.001-08:00

Exhausted

2010-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

I am soooooooo tired. I finally am home though. I think I might be missing a thing or two. We will have to wait and see. And I never, ever, ever, want to be late for a plane flight again. Fortunately my kids were angels bless them. They were fantastic.

Christmas at my house

2010-12-14T14:02:00.001-08:00

Our tree and a fun shot of Asher. I figured I should take some photos now before the branches fall any lower.

Feeling Grinchy

2010-12-10T20:48:00.001-08:00

Yes, I admit I am feeling a little grinchy. I want to go back to the days of obliviousness when I did not know how hard parents work to get everything right for Christmas. And it makes it harder that I have so many ideas for one kid and am totally clueless for the other, and the other one doesn't need anything so I am not sure what to do about that one. Sigh. And don't get me started on stockings. I am seriously thinking about dropping that tradition.

P.S. I am sure I will feel better tomorrow.
P.P.S. My tree is probably not going to make it to Christmas. It's already turning brown and is about as wilted as it normally is when I take it down. Oh well.

Oh the ignorance of youth

2010-12-08T09:00:00.000-08:00

When I was younger than I am now (27 really is still young) I remember looking at "old people" who of course to my young mind were old but they were probably only in their thirties, and thinking either "that will never happen to me" or "I will know I am old when that starts happening to me." Well, evidently some of those "old people" things start happening young. Here are a few I have run across lately.

1: Circling circus rides. Yes Mom, you were right, not that I am "older" I can hardly ride them. I took my kids to John's Incredible pizza, and they have a ride that spins in a circle while you spin yourself in a circle. I rode it twice because my kids were not tall enough to go on by themselves, and I was there with my neighbor who was really not looking forward to riding on the ride, to to spare her the torture, I went on it. Thank goodness I hadn't eaten much and thank goodness that somewhere in my very spotty dance lessons i learned the basics of spotting. It's the only thing that saved me. That was horrible!!!

2: Brown spotted hands. Actually, since i have freckles on my hands it looks like I already have these. How unfair is that?

3: Those long facial hairs you have to pluck. The kinds that come out of moles, under the chin and he corners of the mouth or wherever else. So not nice.

4: Needing naps. My Mom will tell you that I never really slept as a kid. Now all I want to do is catch up on some descent sleep. Now that I am a mom I will probably never sleep through the night again, I get that. But I never really get to nap either. I never dreamed I would voluntarily take one of those, unless I was at a sleepover or something.

Nice shot

2010-12-04T20:55:00.000-08:00

I got this shot of my girl the other day, and it turned out so pretty I just had to share.

Guilty Today of...

2010-12-01T10:41:00.000-08:00

Letting my kids eat food in front of the tv with a movie on. In my defence, I got to bed kinda late and then Asher started randomly coughing at about 2 in the morning. I gave him the cough mix and that calmed him, but he was sleepiong on the floor by my bed. Then he decided that the floor wasn't good wenough and he climbed in with me. Then this morning I got up early so I could run an errand and get the kids bathed and then a grocery run in. Now I am tired and want to sleep, especially since I have gymnastics for the kids and a bridal shower to go to tonight. So I am letting the kids eat snacks in frobnt of the tv while I do some things that need to be done, and yes I count blogging on that because of my goal for this year. I have a feeling that December is going to be a very busy month. A wedding, a trip to Oregon, Christmas, school projects, finish Christmas shopping, and all the arranging that goes into everything. But that's how it is every year I guess.

However, I need to start some Christmas traditions with my little family. We have almost always been at someone elses place for Christmas, but I need to have special things for us too. So far I have getting and decorating a tree and the house as a family the first weekend in December and setting up the nativity by telling the nativity story. Hmmmm, I think there need to be a few more. Simple things really, but traditions that I start for my kids to remember.

11 things to do with the kids this year

2010-11-28T19:48:00.000-08:00

When we moved to california we decided that we were going to take the kids to a few places this year. We wound up with 11 destinations and managed to complete all 11. However, I have since lost the list and the completion dates. So here goes to see if i can remember them

Monterey Bay Aquarium
Sonoma
Beach
Apple Hill
Camping
Coloma
Sacramento Zoo
Jelly Belly Factory
San Francisco
Old Sac and the Train Museum

Phooey. Can't seem to remember the last one. Oh well, whatever it was we did it. HOORAY FOR US.

Asher's Birthday

2010-11-21T16:13:00.001-08:00

Some pictures from Asher Dasher's birthday. He was so sweet.

Gymnastics

2010-11-21T16:05:00.000-08:00

Some pictures of the kids at gymnastics.

Pumpkin patch

2010-11-21T16:00:00.001-08:00

A little late I know but these are pictures from the pumpkin patch. Alanna went with her school class so Asher, Lydia and I went with my neighbor and her two kids to a different pumpkin patch.

Prent Teacher Conference

2010-11-16T14:28:00.000-08:00

I went to my first parent teacher conference today. Alanna is doing well, of course. She got thirteen threes and three twos. Two's mean progressing and threes mean basically mastered. Mastered for the quarter anyway. All I can say is, so glad for my little girl.

Asher Dasher Update

2010-11-15T14:37:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that my little man is going to be 4 this week. In some ways I think of him as older because he plays so well with Alanna. He learns well from watching. He knows how to write his own name, is really fast on a scooter, and is such a sweet brother to Lydia. He looks after her so well. I love how protective he is of his sisters.

He's 31.5 lbs and he's either 39.75 or 40.5 inches tall. I'm not sure which yet. If I have him lay down he's taller and if he stands up he's shorter. So, will have to have some help confirming tonight when Dane gets home.

Extra, extra, read all about it...

2010-11-12T14:28:00.000-08:00

The training wheels are off and she is on her way!!!

Crock Pot

2010-11-10T13:29:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to make more crock pot meals lately. It sure makes things earlier at dinner time. So this week I tried a lasagna. Other than the sauce (I tried a new one) it turned out pretty good. Next I am going to try a chicken show mein. I wonder if my kids will eat that?

And tonight is gymnastics night. The kids are doing pretty well. Asher does a great cartwheel. Alanna likes the bars. I am not sure that it's going to be what they stick with but at least it is good for strengthening their bodies.

18 months update

2010-11-05T10:46:00.000-07:00

My baby girl is almost 18 months. Hard to believe, but it is true.

So, she is 31.25 inches tall and 22 pounds, my largest baby yet. Not by much but still, she has the 18 month record.

And she has a whole new vocabulary now. She no longer sits and chats with me in gibberish :(. She actually tries to use words to say what she means. And she said Asher's name last night. It was so cute to see Asher's smile when she said his name. She loves her older sister and will parrot anything Alanna tells her to say. So I was trying to get her to say "Asher" last night, she stared at me, Alanna told her to say it and she did! Good thing Alanna doesn't know any bad words.

Anyway, so her vocabulary:
Mommy, Daddy, mamma (Grandma), hand, I want, I want that one, Nanna (Alanna), Asher, Airmo (airplane), bur (bird), that's silly, hungry, banana, again, no, night night, bye bye, hi, sorry, thank you, please, cheese, nummy (yummy), shirt, shoe, yellow, blue, Teagan (friend next door), eewww, gog-gog (dog), all done, house, wheee... I can't think of any others.

My beautiful baby girl, she's such a delight.

Stages

2010-11-02T11:31:00.000-07:00

I don't think I will ever get used to stages, and phases that kids go through. Just when I think I have everyone figured out, they go change the rules on me.

Some of these stages I am okay with (learning to play with older sister or brother, politeness, snuggly) but others just get confusing. Like toys. One minute they like certain toys, then they never touch them again. Oh well, I guess it is supposed to help keep my life interesting.

I did it!

2010-10-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so one of my new years resolutions was to read five classics that I had never read before. And by classics it was kind of loosely defined as "by an author you know of who wrote books quite a while ago.

So there are the ones I read:

Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Princess of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Gods of Mars by Edgar Rice Burroughs

However I did not know if that counted or not, since they were two in a series and by the same author, so just not to feel like I cheated I read one to make up for that:

The Mysterious Affair at Styles by Agatha Cristie
The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemingway
Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

Okay!! Whoo hoo!!

Lots and Lots of Pictures

2010-10-23T22:08:00.001-07:00

The kids with the makeup artist. Yeah, I'm a little tired and no I didn't dress up. Look at Alanna's hair. That took awhile!

My Lydi-bug as a Ladybug. Later I put two pigtails in that stood straight up into the air like antennae.

Asher as Robin. He told me he needed gloves and a cape and got the ones he has already so I didn't have to buy others. Bestest boy!!!

Alanna as a spider queen for Halloween.

Alanna was able to get her face painted for school so I did. These are actual redo's
from later that day.

My Lydi Reading to herself

Volunteering in Kindergarten

2010-10-20T13:29:00.000-07:00

Am I the luckiest Mom or what? A few weeks ago Alanna came home from school with the parent volunteer sign up sheet. Unfortunately they were asking for weekly, or every other week helpers, and since I still have two at home, I didn't really think I could do that. But I put a note at the bottom that said i could help once a month and I got lucky. Mrs. Santos took me up on it so i get to help in Alanna's class now.

Today was my first day. I felt a little weird when I walked in. I am so not old enough to be back in elementary school because my daughter is in it. And actually, I miss elementary school. With the exception of first grade I think those were my best years in school. Anyway, I was just putting papers in folders and gluing the first pages of the journals onto the covers, but I got to watch Alanna for a few minutes. I just loved watching her in there. And of course she kept sneaking looks at me and trying to whisper to me, all during okay times of course. When she was supposed to be paying attention she was. *sigh* so sweet!! And I get to do it again.

Background

2010-10-15T18:25:00.001-07:00

I had to change my background. My mom reads this and I remembered she hates spiders. I guess I should have thought of that earlier.

Hair

2010-10-11T11:42:00.000-07:00

Whats that song... oh yeah, give me a head with hair, long beautiful hair. Shining, gleaming, streaming, flaxen waxin. Or something like that. When I was a little girl I had long hair until the first grade when my Mom cut it all off so I would stop chewing on it. I didn't like it short (it was cute but i was very girly) so I told myself I would stop chewing on it so I could have it long. And ever after that I wore it long. I was kinda scared to cut it after awhile. I only got trims for split ends.

I finally cut it shoulder length when I was about 15. I didn't like it very much. But there was a friend of mine whose sister worked at a Regis in the mall and I went to her to do my hair and I LOVED IT!! Best haircut ever. She lives about an hour and a half from me right now, I wonder if it would be worth the trip....

Anyway, I let that hair style grow out, and then cut it to get rid of the layers, and then grew it out for several more years. I got a perm, and then after my son was born I cut it to about mid neck, almost chin level. I cut it again the next year. then I let it grow out. Then I had my daughter and I cut it again. I seem to do that. Have a baby, cut my hair, (not because of the hair pulling) then grow it out.

Well I am in a growing out phase and this is NOT A PREGGO ANNOUNCEMENT. But I am experimenting with different hairstyles, especially those that are easy to do but look good. So far I have found two that don't take very long.

So I have decided that short hair on my looks more stylish, up to date and full. Long hair is more fun to experiment with.

Help for Jade's Homework?

2010-10-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

Not sure if this is what you meant Jade, and it's a command performance so Asher was a little unsure what to do, but hey, maybe it'll be what you are looking for.

My Three Dancers

2010-10-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Hope this doesn't come back to haunt me

2010-10-04T13:09:00.001-07:00

So I have decided that while I am not now, and may never be ready for teenagers, there are a few things that might be nice about having them:

1: They can brush and flush their own teeth
2: They don't need bathroom help.
3: When it's dinner time I can put it on the table and then tell them eat it or starve without feeling guilty about it, or feeling like I have to make something else so they will eat it.
4: They can understand the concept of what clothes actually match, at least a little better. Doesn't mean that they will follow the color rules but at least they know they are breaking them.
5: I can send them outside to go do something and I don't have to go with them to watch their every move.
6: They know not to eat dirt, rocks and berries off of the bushes.
7: They put themselves back to sleep at night.

So, at least there are a few things to look forward to.

Trying to think of a blog post...

2010-09-29T13:16:00.000-07:00

And not having any luck.

The only thing on my mind right now is the cars. Mine is on the fritz - it's not the battery- and Dane's has to get a new windshield, smog check and all of that. I've just kept forgetting, and forgetting about all of that stuff, and now it's all come together in one big rush.

I wish public transportation with three kids was easier.

This Last Weekend

2010-09-20T13:01:00.000-07:00

Avast ye! One of the local library systems put on a pirate day on Saturday and we got to go. They told some pirate tales, had a "ship", or at least the back half of one, we sang some sea shanty's and of course had sword fights. It was really fun. I think the kids liked it.

The one interesting thing I was told (I won't call it a fact since I am not sure) but I was told that pirates did not actually wear eye patches to cover their eyes from scars, etc. Scars were considered to be like medals. The more scars you had paid tribute to your fighting skills. Anyway, we were told that they wore it over one eye while up on deck, and when they had to go below they would switch it to the other eye, so there was none of that awkward light to dark transition that temporarily blinds you. Interesting. Maybe one of these days I'll look it up to see if it's true.

Waiting to go in. Aren't they the cutest!!

A little boy offered to take a picture with Alanna. I didn't know this was what he had in mind.

The "ship"

I love this picture of Lydi - so cute!

The kids and their Daddy fighting. They loved this part.

Summer to Autumn

2010-09-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid my favorite time of year was the summer. I mean come on, what's not to like? No school, warm weather which means shorts, t shirts, sandals, Popsicles, ice cream, sprinklers and pools. My birthday is in the summer, so is 4th of July and pioneer day, and there was usually some trip of some sort that we took somewhere. I loved it.

Now that I am older, I am switching to liking autumn (funny right?) Actually, I think this process happens to a lot of people. We like summer when we are kids, and then we like a different season better later. Of course, it helps to be back in a place that has a season like Autumn. In Utah you kind of go from hot to snow, and in Oregon it's beautiful, but it rains all autumn.

So why do I like Autumn? Well, the first reason is one I am new to: kids going back to school. I went shopping today with just two kids and the difference was amazing!! It's a little cooler, the trees change colors, I start thinking about treats made with pumpkin, and it means the holidays (which I like for different reasons now too) are right around the corner. Decorations!! Yes, I think I am turning into one of those people who like to do decorations around the house for the seasons.

Whew!

2010-09-08T21:26:00.001-07:00

One of my goals for this year was to make sure I blog at least once a week. And for one second there I thought that I missed one! But I didn't.

So, I am reading Ivanhoe, another one of my goals for the year (read 5 classics this year). I really like it! It's in high style and sometimes it's a little difficult to follow all of the language, but it's based at the time of King Richard and this Ivanhoe guy is mixed in with Robin Hood and... Okay so it's a long story line, but I like it.

So far I have read The Princess of Mars, The Gods of Mars, Anna Karenina, and The Mysterious Affair at Styles. So Ivanhoe might be the last one... of course this depends on whether or not I count the two books by Edgar Rice Burroughs in a series. I still haven't decided if that counts or not, so we'll see how much time I have left at the end of the year to do another one.

The small happenings of last month

2010-09-02T11:16:00.000-07:00

So what happened last month in the Laverty home?

1: Alanna started kindergarten. She loves it.

2: We sold our Oregon home. We are now completely mortgage free.

3: Dane finished his MBA program. His final grades were an A and a B plus.

4: Dane started teaching Seminary.

5: Lydia started feeding herself with a spoon. She refuses to let anyone feed her anymore. Makes for messy feeding times.

6: Asher has started to learn how to spell his name. He has a hard time with the s but usually gets the others.

7: I had an unfortunate bought of food poisoning. Not fun, but it's done now.

School Worksheet

2010-08-30T19:32:00.000-07:00

Alanna's first official "homework" assignment was an "all about me" paper. it had the usual basic questions, but the blank at the end was, "But what really makes me special is..." So I asked her and at first she thought about it, and then pointed to me and said, "You Mommy." So sweet, but i didn't think that she understood me, so I tried again, this time giving suggestions. She looked at me with one of those, " I just said" looks and repeated herself. So I put it down. Alanna thinks that I make her special.