Monday Mugs - Then and Now

Are you in need of a mindless Monday Blog post? Are you struggling to deal with the weekend being over and can't muster the strength to type a single word? Well, Monday Mugs are for YOU! I may or may not "borrow" ideas from IheartFaces and post my interpretation of their weekly theme. Without submitting my photo for judgement and not being forced to follow the rules.

Mondays are hard! Blogging on Mondays shouldn't be!

Today's theme for Monday Mugs is: Then and Now
I decided to use pictures from my kids' first Easter and their most recent Easter.

Lily 2003 and 2010

This was not Lily's first Easter, but it was the first Easter that we had a digital camera.

Ashton 2004 and 2010

Bailey 2004 and 2010

Daisy 2009 and 2010

If you are in need of a simple Monday post, JOIN ME! Grab my button from the sidebar  and link up your own post!

Next week's theme is: Celebrating Mom

Monday Mugs! - Smiles

I am So sorry for the delay in posting this morning! Our internet had a Daisy sized meltdown lastnight just as i was finishing up this post.

 On with the show!!!

Are you in need of a mindless Monday Blog post? Are you struggling to deal with the weekend being over and can't muster the strength to type a single word? Well, Monday Mugs are for YOU! I may or may not "borrow" ideas from IheartFaces and post my interpretation of their weekly theme. Without submitting my photo for judgement and not being forced to follow the rules.

Mondays are hard! Blogging on Mondays shouldn't be!

Today's theme for Monday Mugs is: Smiles

Here are just SOME of the different types of smiles that I love!

I LOVE:

Smiling through her fear from her first time in a swing smiles.

Smiling just cuz my Mom said "HI!" smiles.

Perfectly posed and cooperative smiles.

Baby wearing her Mom's blessing dress that was made out of HER Mom's wedding dress smiles.

Obvious that Subject is saying "cheeeeeeeeeeeeese!" smiles.

Adorable grin + little curls in the back + perfectly holding block prop + trying not to fall off the chair by holding on for dear life smiles.

Chubbing out your darling skin + pink spots between eyes smiles.

Snaggle-toothed smiles.

ToothLESS smiles.

Laughing because my Mom just talked potty talk in order to get me to smile smiles.

Smiles + dimples + wife beaters + summer tans smiles

Barely enough hair to make a curl, my Mom glued a bow on my head, still a bit snaggle-toothed smiles.

If you are in need of a simple Monday post, JOIN ME! Grab my button from the sidebar (with code, thanks to Shana) and link up your own post!

Next week's theme is:  Then and Now

Wordless Wednesday - Nothin' New

So I flipped through the picture case with my eyes closed and pulled out a cd from October 2005

True Story Tuesday - Excuse ME!

It was June 2008.

I was about 6 months pregnant with Miss Daisy.

We were on a mini-vacation at a local resort.

We were all enjoying the beautiful pools and the kids LOVED the waterslide.

I was relaxing in a lounge chair and trying to get pictures of the kids swimming.

I made asked all three of them to sit on the edge of the pool for a quick photo.

I was using hand gestures to get them to scoot in to position.

I guess he couldn't tell that I was trying to take a picture.

Yes, that is a stranger, obviously dying to be in a photo with my cuties. I briefly thought about tracking him down and letting him know that I had a pretty cool picture of him jumping in to the pool.

NOW head on over to Once Upon a Miracle to hear more true stories!

Warm Thoughts

I searched through all of my photos for a "Bundled Up" shot that I could submit for IheartFaces this week. There's just not much bundling up goin' on here in Phoenix! So I thought I would send all of you, who aren't going to have 85degrees this week, a nice warm-up hug!

Soon, we will all be enjoying days like these!

Just a Few Photos

I tortured the entire family the other day and made them pose for pictures!

The older kids are always very helpful and smile and hold still for their pictures. So I only have to take a few pictures of them to get good results. As you know, Daisy is not quite as accomodating. When I take her pictures, I just shoot and shoot and shoot and hope that I get atleast 1 good shot. Check out my options from this photo shoot:

I tried to get a group shot. Yeah right Mom!

What Would Your Children Say?

Ok, I know I'm late, but I couldn't miss out on sharing another funny story. Lily likes me to re-tell her this story all the time!

Lily was 4 and we were in a public bathroom. There was someone in the stall next to us.

Lily said (not quietly) "Wow! It really stinks in here. I think someone is going poo!"

I put my finger to my mouth to try to keep her from saying anything else, but she responded by saying (not quietly) "Why do we have to be quiet?"

OH THE EMBARRASSMENT! And Comedy!

Here are a few pictures of all the kiddos around this time:

Lily bowling for the first time.

Ashton Lily Bailey

My Two Guys. Doesn't Bailey look like he is going to chub right out of his skin?

Movin to AZ

Ashton and Bailey's first birthday

Brothers watching their sister play outside

I love to look at old pictures and reminisce about old times! I hope you don't mind!

Hop on over to http://familyamericanstyle.blogspot.com/ to hear more from hilarious kiddos!

Blog Hop - Favorite Photos

Luckily, I didn't use all of my favorite photos in the last fave photo blog hop! Here are a couple more!

SistersDo you think these two like eachother? Hard to tell! Lily likes to close her bedroom door, turn her music up really loud and dance in her room. Daisy has joined her on a few occasions. Now, whenever Daisy hears Lily's music she goes nuts. She starts dancing and crawls as fast as she can toward Lily's room. Yesterday I thought she was going to bounce right out of her walker she was jumping and dancing so hard.


Brothers

Usually when I see this scene, I am sitting on the couch looking out the window and wishing I had my camera. But on this lucky day I had my camera around my neck when I witnessed my two boys heading out to the sandbox together. I just flicked a tear off my cheek from remembering.

From Ashton's Mouth

Yay! It's Wednesday again. I am loving letting all of you hear what my silly kids say. Visit http://familyamericanstyle.blogspot.com/2009/07/what-keeps-us-ticking.html to hear from other funny kiddos!

Last weekend we took a little stay-cation. On Saturday we went downtown and got to ride the train. The boys thought this was the best part!

Even Miss Daisy enjoyed the train.

We went to the Phoenix Museum of Science and had a blast checking out all the displays and we watched a really cool 3D Shark Movie!

They even had a lego display and the kids got to dress up as princes, knights and princess and play around in the lego castle.

Saturday night on our way to dinner, Ashton wasn't feeling well. He said "Mom, I think I'm home sick."

We got to eat at some fun restaurants and we brought home a bunch of plastic kids cups!

When we were getting ready to head home, Donn told the kids "Say goodbye to the hotel room."

Ashton said

"Goodbye room, we will miss you!"

He was sad to leave! When we got home he said

"Mom, I think I'm hotel-sick!"

*______________________________________________*

Today was the first day of school. The house is very quiet today which is helpful during nap time, but I had just gotten used to having them all at home and now I have to get used to them being gone!

Lily has been a little worried about school because none of her close friends are in her class. I've been a little worried too! This morning she said "I am going to make so many new friends because I don't know anyone in my class!" She certainly has a good attitude! So proud of her!

I have been agonizing over whether or not to put the boys in different classes this year. They have been together from the moment they were born, and I wondered if they might like a break. They have never been too dependent on each other. I decided to try different classes this year and we will see how it goes. This morning, after the bell rang, I hung out for a little bit to peek in to their classes and see how they were doing. Bailey was busy showing his teacher his tooth that fell out yesterday and Ashton was sitting at his desk, quietly chatting with new friends. Neither of them seemed to be having any problems being separated! Proud of these guys too!