Thanks to Kristen

You are the best- in so many ways, right now i will just highlight one of the ways. Thanks for taking great pictures and letting me borrow them so my family can see what we do too, instead of just having to hear about it over the phone lamely with no pictures. You directly facilitate Archie's Michigan grandparents viewing of their grandson in Utah. Thanks!

Ward Halloween Party!

Ben and I were accessories to Archie: he was the Rebel 1950's style. I guess you could call him a Rebel without a cause, but he really wasn't tough enough for that, and I had to keep kissing him on the cheek because I thought he was so cute. I don't think rebels let their mommies do things like that...
This was the best family costume of the night, and I was pretty sure they won, but an announcement the next day confused me... you guys still won in my heart! Absolutely the cutest, even you Tyler.
Uncle Ben with the Princess and the Rebel. The princess is preoccupied with the fake earrings on her earlobes and the Rebel just wants the piece of candy I promised him if he sat with daddy and Alex to take a picture. Uncle Ben is the only one performing up to the standards that we expected.

We had a blast! Kristen made a chili for the cook off and it was delish, but it did not win, maybe next year! I think I ate more desserts than chili because the dessert table line was so much shorter... the kids got to do their trunk-or-treat inside because it was raining; Archie didn't really like squeezing down the hall with 30 other people so he only got about 6 pieces of candy, not that he needed more- but maybe his parents did. But don't feel bad for me and Ben, there is still Grandma's work party and the actual Halloween night, so we'll be swimming in candy by the end of the month:)

cinnamon rolls, not roles...

Business in the front... Party in the back

The beginning... my precious little boy with precious hair...
Sittin' there like a champ with his cape on, lookin' kinda bored actually...
His prize for sitting there was every once in a while aunt Kristen would feed him a bit of marshmallow :) But he took to licking the chair too, which was full of his hair....
The first stage!
The last stage. Had a bath, ready for bed. When we all got up this morning we were surprised all over again!


We took a vote one night around the camp fire and decided that Archie's hair was just long enough in the back to have a mullet. Aunt Kara was dedicated to the doo and ended up cutting it all evening; between swinging and walking around, eating dinner and running to get the clippers the hair cut took a couple of hours! Thanks Aunt Kara!
The mullet doesn't really go with his Halloween costume, but we couldn't pass up the opportunity.
While all of this was going on we had a fantastic night cooking tinfoil dinners in the backyard between Tyler and Kristen's and our house. We had s'mores and tried to cook cinnamon roles over the fire. It was so much fun! Yeah for family dinners. Grandma and Grandpa played with the kids, the boys played with the fire (and cooked the food) and the rest of us just enjoyed, except Kara and Archie they were down to business in the salon :) It was a perfect night.

The Very Peculiar Day....

It was a Friday. Our plans were the same as any other day; eat breakfast, play outside, have a snack, play outside, eat lunch, (take a nap) play outside. So, when a little lion came walking through our backyard things changed (only in minor ways however, nap time was still an absolute, and all designated eating times were still observed, really it was just AWESOME to play with a lion).

We found her in the back- we still aren't sure to this day where she came from or where she went when she left. Archie and I talked about it and we think she lives in the big tree and she only comes out on days when the tree guards are on vacation, like last Friday. The friendly animals have a whole city under that tree; that's what we think.
Well, little Archie was just walking around the house with his hands in his pockets wishing for an adventure- and then we went outside.
The little lion and Archie became friends right away. They both had similar colored 'fur'. They were about the same size. They also seemed to speak a similar language.
Archie taught the lion how to play with the toys, for, down under the tree the lions don't have toys.
The little lion even learned how to drive a car- and then....
She was gone. Archie searched everywhere, he ran through the back yard, and even asked the chickens if they had seen the lion, but she was no where to be found. The chickens didn't know where she had gone, but they did tell him not to worry. Someday she will come back, she may not be a lion, but she will come back.

I asked Archie if he was sad. He said he wasn't because the chickens told him everything would be okay.

"I don't understand" I said.

He looked at me with a loving pity in this eyes and said with confidence: "she will come back mom, don't worry."

I didn't question him further.

"But she won't be lion anymore, she'll be a horse" he said simply.

So, we'll keep our eyes peeled for a horse to climb out of the tree and appear in our backyard to play.

Video!

Kristen helped me and we figured out how to post video, finally! This is just a test video, from Memorial day, Archie, Ben and I went to a park to play, and this is them walking to the swings and swinging. Enjoy.

let's vote

after you have looked at T and K's blog, tell me who you think Archie looks exactly like.
My vote is for Zach.
My piano teacher says he looks just like Ben (my husband not my brother)
A friend said he looks just like grandpa Brady.
What do you think? (especially the picture with the popcorn)

I asked for permission...

so go check out Kristen and Tyler's blog. Krist has been documenting life much better than I have, and since we are together all the time and doing tons of fun things she has them on her blog! There is a link on the left side, just look for Tyler and Kristen!

Vacation

If I can figure out how to post video, I will put up some memories from our trip to North Carolina. But for now I will just write in a few highlights.
1. Archie adored his cousins, and tried to do everything they did, he especially liked to hold Nick's hand as we walked down the beach, so cute!
2. We tried to body surf in the cold water on a hot day. It was mostly us getting knocked down by salty monsters but it was a lot of fun.
3. We walked through pouring rain to eat "the best Mexican food on the planet", it was worth it.
4. I read a book and didn't watch tv and it was great.
5. I know this might sound a little crazy but I LOVE exercising in the humidity of the east, the west is just tooooo hot, but I got to go running on the beach and around the beach houses, and it reminded me of summers in Michigan.
6. Ben and I ate ice cream on the beach... the tide was coming in and the sand was cooling off from the day, it was a perfect date.
7. Dr. Brady (Sam) graduated and that was pretty cool. Mohammad Yunis spoke at his graduation and that was also wonderful. And Arch only squirmed and kicked a little during the graduation day- we strategically sat at the very top of the bleachers so we would be able to exit any time we wanted. As it turned out, Archie was pretty content as long as he could get out every once in a while and go pick up some rocks.
8. We got to spend a lot of time with Natalie's family as well, the Dorsey's and that was fun. Overall, a really amazing trip.

Breakfast

After a three day hiatus from bananas we are finally back on the regime. One banana in the morning, first thing, before kisses, before diaper changing, before anyone else has time to think, 'nana?' he asks. Then, throughout the day there are several more requests for a 'nana', but not in the sense that Archie is just asking for a banana, if that were the case I could deny him each time. "Mother,may I please have a banana?"
"No Archie,please choose another delicious yet nutritious snack, you have already had 12 bananas."
Okay, not quite 12, but if it were possible I am sure he would consume that many. No, his request is more of a plea, a cute, makes you want to cuddle and give him anything he wants type of plea. In his quest for a banana this is what I hear: He says "Nana?" and rubs his tummy, the sign for 'please' in ASL, and it enters my ears and my brain as "mommy I love you more than anything and all I really want is a banana to eat and to smush in my fingers and to love you forever and be your little boy forever... for...ev...er"

Maybe that is why we have such a communication barrier. Archie is just asking for something to eat and I am weeping on the inside that he isn't my little baby anymore but cheering on the outside that he actually knows what he wants and can ask for it! Being a parent is complicated, but bananas are easy, so one for breakfast and occasionally one for dinner, if there is absolutely nothing else to be eaten.

Running, Swimming, P90X-ing

So, the Biking isn't my forte, but I will get there...
The weather is not quiet warm yet, but the sun is out and it seems like everyone just can not possibly wait another minute to be outside and play! That is me and Arch at least. My brother in law Tyler has p90x so Ben and I have been doing it sporadically, it is kinda fun, but hard and it HURTS! We are getting in shape for the summer of races and relays and -athlons of all sorts! Really we are going to the beach in North Carolina in a few weeks and we just want to look good :)

So the schedule is: on April 17th I am going to attempt my first ever 10k. It is on the river trail that is just to the North of where we live, so Ben and Archie probably won't have to stand around waiting for me, they can lounge at home after they watch the dramatic 'bang' of a start.
May 1 (which is also potentially my niece's first ever birthday, (first as in the day she will be born, not turning one)): Devin, my very talented brother-in-law and I will be doing a relay run; a half marathon. We are not exactly sure how it works, but we are doing it!
And finally, as far as I know on June 12th: a true half marathon all by myself.... can't wait!

In between I'll be running and swimming and doing other fun things with my fam. I love warm weather!

Posting!

Turkish hats from Zach! Thank you, the winning team had to don the hats just to make it an emotionally fair game. At least the losers could get a good laugh in.

Archie wearing the hat Ben took from his dad at the top of the 'Y', we made it! Of course, Arch was carried the whole way and slept the entire length down, but he sure did enjoy it.

Ready for a 5k! It took us about 28 minutes. Archie is an amazing runner.

Hangin' out lookin' at something. This was not actually an exhibit, it was just a bit of forest, they loved it.

Rrraarrarararaarrr, tigers.
So much has happened and I haven't written about any of it, or shared pictures. I have been in kind of a funk lately when it comes to recording life happenings. I started a journal for Archie, basically it is just to write down one thing he did that day, and I have been keeping up on it, until I lost the journal! I swear, keeping a journal has been hard sometimes, but I've never not been able to write because I literally can't find it. Oh, well, I will just do my recording somewhere else, then transfer and Archie can sort it all out when he is my age.
So the highlights of the last few months are: I did a duathlon,5k run, 24mile bike, 5k run. Super hard. But I didn't collapse, I didn't stop running or biking or running, and I had my guys there cheering me on! It was great! However, I wasn't aware of the bike distance until after the race was over, I was operating under the knowledge that it was a 12 mile bike... during the race I thought to myself "this is taking a long time, I must be out of shape, but it feels like I am in shape..." when I talked to a few people afterwards my body and my brain clicked. We forgot the camera, we forgot the diaper bag, but we did remember our son, my bike and helmet. Who needs the little things... ( okay, sometimes you really do need the diaper bag).
So that was in St. George Ut, and it was in a beautiful red rock area, going through a national park, amazing.
So a couple of weeks ago Archie and I did a 5k, our first official one together. It was a bit of a cloudy cold day, but he just kicked his legs on the stroller, loving being outside.
Dad came to visit and that was so much fun! We hiked up to the 'Y', we played bags and ate lots of food. Oh and we watched the finale of the Bachelor and nearly gagged on all the drama.
Ben has been working hard on his thesis and other studies. Kristen and I and Kara too, are getting crafty with our etsy shop and having fun with that. We've sold to three different people!
We made a trip to the zoo for Alex's birthday, a really fun day. Archie and Alex had a lot of fun chasing each other around and seeing the different animals.

This boy can't get enough water. He LOVES to get wet, even in his church clothes...




Other Highlights:

Alex gets lost in her shirt, while Arch stands by watching.


Archie reads the paper.


Ben waits for me to get my hat too, so we can go to church...


Archie helps clean the potatoes for Sunday dinner...


And a beautiful piece of cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory, where Kristen, Kara, Alex, Archie and I enjoyed a lovely meal and delicious dessert.

Etsy, link....

Okay, so it isn't a link either..... today is going to be a challenging day I can tell.

Copy and paste it to your browser and it will magically take you to our shop.

Etst link

Sorry, that link I posted below doesn't do anything, but this one does...:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/kandyapplekrafts?ga_search_query=kandyapplekrafts&ga_search_type=seller_usernames

Etsy

I haven't blogged about our Etsy shop because I just didn't think to connect the two networks... but Kristen inspired me. So I am here to tell you that Kristen and I have been a little crafty and are selling some of our crafts. We are Kandy Apple Krafts, (spelled as one word if you are doing a search for our shop on the Etsy site) we are very slowly building up our inventory, but we have a few items if you want to check it out!

This is a link to our shop, enjoy!

http://www.etsy.com/shop/kandyapplekrafts

Pictures...

So I posted some pictures below without posting any stories... I haven't been very good since Christmas time at putting pictures up, and I promised Salem I would put something up tonight! I promise tomorrow I will fill in the gaps! So from top to bottom, not in chronological order, but all of these are from January and February. Archie holding his new baby Jose, he gives him hugs and kisses then drops him on the floor. Next, Archie going down the slide by himself, we did a picnic, with Tyler, Kristen and Alex, so much fun, and the kids would not keep their gloves on...
Family photo (okay, this one is from December)
Archie just hanging out in this chair. We went up to Montana to visit Kristen's mom and brother, just me and Krist and the kids, one day while Alex was playing outside with her mama and gramma, Archie and I came in to get a snack and I couldn't find him anywhere. I walked into the living room and he was just sitting in this chair... to be honest I was a little freaked out at first, I thought someone must have been in the house and helped him get on the chair... nope. Now it is as if it is his personal mission to climb on everything at least once before he can do anything else for the day.
Well, this boy loves to be naked, but after a pee stain on the floor we really insist that he keeps his diaper on, and he loves to stand on things that could be dangerous to stand on. Cue the-mostly-undressed-standing-on-fire-truck-scooter phase.

More later!