Silly sayings and kid updates

The kids have been cracking me up lately with some of their funny sayings.  Abby sings along to most songs in the car now.  It's amazing how much she can remember and how fast she learns songs.  I think that she's singing the right words but now and then she sings loud enough that I can clearly hear her.  And the other day she was singing along to Paparazzi by Lady Gaga and instead of "paparazzi"  she belts out "Papa Frosting".   How funny is that.  I kinda like it.

She's also on a health food kick now.  Somewhere along the way she has gotten into her mind that junkfood will make her sick and die if she eats it.  Now I'm all for promoting healthy eating but not when she's afraid of DYING if she eats it.  Before she has a bite of anything now she asks 2 questions; "Is it healthy?" and "will it make me feel better?"   Ooookaaayy.  I've decided that she gets honest answers (mostly, she does think chicken nuggets and french fries are healthy!) and hopefully if we don't make a big deal out of it she'll eventually get over her fear.  I mean, she won't even eat 1 M&M without serious coaxing.  I guess there are worse things she could be concerned about.  Along with the food thing she is always asking me to "check her head"..."is it hot, warm, or cold"  I finally got it through her brain that when I say it's "normal" that she is fine.  She's a nut.

Trey is my funny, funny, funny little guy.  He is getting quite an imagination now and says so many outlandish/crazy/hilarious things that I really need to start writing them down as he says them.  He loves his new Batcave toy he got for Christmas and played with it for half an hour the other night, chattering non-stop the whole time.  He loves making things fight and die.............I'm sensing a theme with my kids.  What is that about??!!  His new favorite thing too is HOT CHOCOLATE!  I couldn't get either of them to try it hot forever.  They have both been cold milk drinkers but Trey decided that since Mommy gets hot coffee sometimes that he wanted his hot too.  Now they both love it that way!  I don't know why I'm so excited by this but it just delights me for some reason.  

We did have an awesome Christmas morning here and a celebration the weekend before at my mom's but I haven't gotten around to uploading all the pics yet so check back tomorrow!!

latest cake!

We had my mother-in-law's surprise birthday party last night. 

I offered to make the cake for it and here's how it turned out! 

Trey is my handy helper in the kitchen.  He loves to bake, cook, clean and all that.  So I let him "help" make some of the flowers. He just melts my heart!

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho

It's back to full time I go!  Starting on the 23rd of this month I will be back to a full-time position at the coffee shop.  I'll be M-F 4:45-12.  An opportunity came up and I was pretty confident that if I didn't take it, I wouldn't be offered it again.  And I really couldn't pass up the chance to add a heft chunk to the family money pot.  So, even though I will miss the two weekday mornings I get with my babies I know that I'm doing something that will provide us with more opportunities and the chance to do more things.  Wish me luck!

Catch-up

So apparently I"m not a goer or a doer or a blogger!  Oh well, here's the latest Gardner business. 

We went real Trick-or-Treating this year, Abby was all about it.  She kept asking if she was the best trick-or-treater ever.  Of course she was!  She was a bumblebee and Trey was a monkey this year.  I have one picture I think (lame, right?) but it's on my phone and no matter how many times Jerry explains how to get them from the phone to the computer I just don't remember how.  Oops.  So use your imaginations.

We went to Disney on Ice in November.  We went last year with just Abby but decided that Trey was old enough to go with us this year.  It was unbelievable!  All the princesses/princes plus Toy Story characters and many others.  It was such a huge hit with the kids, I hope they have another show in Everett next year.

We did Thanksgiving dinner at Jerry's parents' house on Thursday and then drove to Bremerton that Saturday to celebrate with my family.  Both events were super fun!  Abby and Sophia are now at the age where they just run off to play and when I went to check on them I was informed that I should GO AWAY!  And so it begins that I'm not wanted when friends are around!

Jerry did most of our Xmas shopping on Wed and Thurs nights of Thanksgiving.  I love it since I'm not much of a shopper!  We have a few more items to get but now it's mostly wrapping and decorating that I have to do...the fun stuff if you ask me!  And Jerry is working a  24-hour shift on Christmas Eve and won't be home until 9:30-ish so it's up to me to keep the kiddos upstairs until he gets home - should be interesting!

We went to Woolley's tree lighting/parade Saturday night and that was fun.  It's a short parade and the SW Fire Truck is always by far the best decorated thing in the parade...all thanks to my bro-in-law Glen.

What happens when Abby and Luca do boy makeovers!

High Tea in the Gardner house

I am not...

a go-er.  Or a do-er.  I don't like having a lot on my agenda or having to be places frequently.  Work, errands, picking up Abby and going to volleyball.  That pretty much sums up the extent to my weeks.  I don't like to have organized time at home.  I like to just see how the day goes.  I don't spend all day doing chores and cleaning stuff.  I like to hang out with my kids and just do whatever suits them for the most part.  Given the choice between going somewhere with my kids and staying home with them I will choose staying at home over 90% of the time.

However, Jerry and I did get a babysitter (Taylor!!  Our favorite girl!) on Saturday night and go to the SWFD Boot the Burn auction/dance.  A few drinks in and I was having a great time.  There were tons of people, some good friends of ours included, and the auction was a huge success!  I managed to not be slurring my words and keep all my clothes on so Jerry said I wasn't embarrassing to him :)  That last line makes me giggle.

And I did take the kids down to the house of one of my besties for a playdate last night.  She has twins and our kids all get along super well.  The boys played swords, guns and video games upstairs and us girls had "girl time" downstairs.  It was super relaxing which is good because this is a long week for us!!  And in case you were wondering, hanging out with Ranelle and the twins falls into the 10% of times I like taking the kids somewhere.  Cheers to great friends.

Boo

Today started well.  Now it sucks.  Cranky kids.  Abby: no nap.  Trey: blood-curdling screaming followed by a teeny nap.  The end.

My New Obsession

I am beyond obsessed now with making/decorating cakes. I've only made 4 or 5 in the last 6 months but they've been so fun!  It's pretty cheap entertainment for the kids and I have just been needing a fun/relaxing hobby for myself.  Here's pics of my latest one we made this past weekend.

 I really just wanted to try making the bigger pumpkins so those were all me.  It then turned into a whole pumpkin patch that the kiddos helped with.  It's all edible and made by yours truly.  So fun!

 Kids were super excited to see it finally done...so the could eat it.

 Their Halloween Monster faces.

And here's an extra pic simply because he's so cute....

 All he needs is the morning paper

Trip to the Farm

My friend/coworker, Ranelle, and I have become friends with one of our customers and we finally all had a free afternoon to bring our kids over to her place to check out their place.  What a fun day it was!!!!

Harley, the great dane.  Such a sweet and gentle guy and how great you could pet him without reaching far!

Trey was all about petting the guinea pigs

Trey and Axel trying to find more guinea pigs

He kept trying to get the poor, not hungry, rabbit to eat a carrot

She was convinced that everything would bite her so she stood like this.  Weirdo

He loved this car

Chasing down the fainting goats

Jack and Jill and oh so cute!

Roger was so sweet and set up a hay ride for the kiddos...a nice break for the mommies!

Doesn't he just look like an orphan

Waiting so patiently for his popcorn

Swingset was a huge hit with my babes

Little monkey loves to climb

An afternoon on the farm sure makes for a tired gal!

The kids have been talking so much about how cool the farm was and they are very much looking forward to another visit.  We are even going there tomorrow to take our family pictures in the barns.  Originally we were going to take them at a park but it looks like the weather isn't going to be very cooperative for an outdoor shoot so the Oudman's were so sweet to let us use their place

Trip to the Park

The days were so nice for the last week or so and we took advantage of it one day with a trip to the park with some super good friends.  It was just Trey and I since Abby was having an overnight with Grammy but he sure loved not having to share attention with her!

Luca!  The most creative little lady I've ever met

Ready for the race

And the winner by a landSLIDE (get it?!), ROGAN!

Swinging with Kaley