I'm alive.

Barely.

Details and pictures to come.

For now, I must sleep.

Halloween Perks

It's so fun to be a parent with tiny kids around Halloween. 
 .
You get to dress them up and wish you were a kid again.

You get to enjoy the look on their faces as candy gets dropped by the handfuls in their buckets...I swear, a darling 3 year old saying "trick-er-treat" get TWICE the amount of candy as everyone else.

But the REALLY great part about being the parent is that they do all the work, and then when you tuck them in that night, you get to reap the rewards!!  I am pretty sure I have eaten more Kit-Kat's and Snickers than is moral. Seriously, for the last two nights when we put kids to sleep, I pull out the giant pumpkin bucket that's been hiding in the cupboard all day and go to town on all the sugary goodness.  It's sickening.

Don't think I am a terrible person.  No kid needs all that candy.

Right?? 

Like any responsible parent,  I kept out the Smarties, Dum-Dum's, and plain M&M's to use for bribes rewarding good behavior.

****

Here are my little darlings all dressed up...Jack's costume was a last minute "throw-together" but I think $2.00 of clearance fabric ripped into strips made for a great mummy costume.  I just hot-glued the strips onto a thermal undershirt and some of Biana's white tights.

And then there's the Angel, she was pretty ornery, so that's the best we got out of her...

Taking a break for some treats (before their mommy steals and gobbles them all up). I am just noticing that sucker on the ground next to Bianca, she had that when we left.  I didn't realize THAT'S where she got it.   Way to go Jill, Mom of the year.

Happy Halloween everyone!

Shark Attack!!

We recently had a little birthday celebration with Scott's family for Jack's 3rd birthday.  I wanted to do an ocean theme cake, so when I saw that you could turn twinkies, oreos, fruit roll-ups, miniature doughnuts, and frosting into a shark attack cake, you better believe I jumped all over it!

Jack was thrilled with the sharks, and the cousins all thought it was pretty fun too...

I think we have one satisfied three year old here...

pumpkins, purses, and slides...

 This weekend we took advantage of the nice weather and took the kids to the Pumpkin Patch down the road.   They had a great time looking at pumpkins, and trying to pick them up...  

Can't you just give the camera ONE smile you little turkey. No? Ok. Fine.

Notice Bianca's purse.  She carries that thing around EVERYWHERE.  Between that green bag, her strut, and those red pouty lips, I have quite the diva on my hands.

 There were a few slides at the Pumpkin Patch the Jack-Hammer just HAD try. Like 20 times.  No joke. 

And you better believe that I took him down that giant slide for the rest of our turns...I am pretty much a kid.

Until next year Pumpkin Patch....We will miss you!

And the winners are....

First of all, this was fun!  I wish I had enough prizes for EVERYONE to win something.  But don't worry, I see many more of these little giveaways to come...next up will involve something Christmasy, and possibly glittery.  Who doesn't love a little glitter for the holidays!

Without further ado...

The winners, chosen via Random.org (commenters were given the numbers 1-22, then the followers where given 23-30) are...

for the trick-or-treat blocks:

#9  Jessi

and for the FALL blocks:

#23 Kassi

Congrats to the lucky ladies!! email me at jill_harris@hotmail.com to claim your prize... I will get them shipped ASAP so you can have them up as long as possible!

A little Giveaway for you...

I have been the gracious recipient of more than one giveaway in my blogging days, so I thought it was high time for me to return the love.  Up for grabs to TWO lucky ladies is a little something to add to your Fall or Halloween decor...both hand cut, sanded, painted and vinyled by yours truly.

1. To enter just leave me a little comment, anything will do...Don't be shy gals!

2.  If you want a second chance to enter become a follower, if you already are then you get two chances anyway!!

3. You have until this Saturday 5:00 MST to enter.

Happy commenting!

Happy Birthday Sweet Boy...

Three years ago today you joined our family.  I had no idea that this 6 lb-chicken-legged-old-man-face baby would be capable of so much energy in the next few years to come!  You flush expensive things down the toilet, light my clothes on fire, and throw tantrums with the best of them...BUT, you are also one of the most tender-hearted, gentle, snuggly little boys I have ever met. 

You NEVER stop running. ever.  No wonder you have the quads and calves of an 18 year old.

You don't like food.  If your mom would let you (and sometimes she does), you would live on cold cereal and chicken nuggets.

Every morning when you get out of the bath tub, you HAVE to wear mom's pink bathrobe while you sit on the couch and stroke your eyelashes while sucking on your last three fingers until you almost fall asleep. EVERY. SINGLE. MORNING.

You've ALWAYS

sucked on those

 fingers when

you're tired by

 the way.

You HATE being dirty.  You are the only kid I know who can play outside in the dirt and not get it all over yourself.  It's a mystery.

You are OBSESSED with all things animal related.  I bet you would live at the zoo.  Occasionally, your mom would love to send you there.

Every night at bed time we MUST sing wheels-on-the-bus, read the "whale" book, say a prayer, and give a hug and a kiss.  This is a life or death matter...trust me.

You LOVE your little Sister. 

You are extremely sensitive to other people's emotions and reactions.  So much as a quivering lip from someone and you are in tears. 

You are a goofball, just like your daddy...you two are great buddies.  You adore each other.

Happy Birthday Jack-Hammer...We love you!

2:00 AM at my house...

With the arrival of crisp Autumn air, pumpkins, and cornstalks come the beginning of the busiest time of year for Waddell Creek Rustics.  In the next three months we will be hosting or participating in 6 or 7 shows, and though it's enough to drive anyone insane, I  thrive on the madness.  It's a sickness of mine. 

After I tuck the wee ones in bed, and get some quality snuggle time with my Man, I turn the house into crafting chaos .  The walls become lined with signs and magnet boards, our tiny kitchen table is converted into a painting/drying/sanding/vinyl applying station, and the mantle gets stocked with the "out-of-reach-kid-untouchables" (you know, things that are potential weapons to a two year old...).

So if you're in the neighborhood at 2 or 3 am, stop on by...just make sure to bring a paint brush!

***Oh, have you guys seen Glee? I just started watching it tonight and am totally hooked...brings me back to my choir days.  Man, I want to sing again!!

Atleast we know the smoke detectors work...

It seems like my child-proofing skills are being tested on a much too regular basis.  I finally have the bathroom covered.  The living room has nothing but a TV, couch, and a lamp (the coffee table and end tables were removed because of Jack's growing acrobatic skills).  In the kitchen I have put all knives out of reach, all rolling pins that could be used to cause major blunt force trama are hidden, and the toaster stays unplugged unless being used.

Just when I think the house is finally safe for my curiousity stricken lovelies, I am hit in the face with a new challenge.  Today I was preheating the oven for a tasty treat that was in the works.  I left the kitchen and returned to a terrible smell, and smoke all over.  Just as I walked in, the smoke alarm started blaring, and I whipped the oven door open and found flames.  Lots of flames.  One of my two angel babes (not sure which one...I am having a hard time getting them to fess up to it :) ) had decided to throw some of my clothes in the oven. 

Definitely not the end of the world, but I really loved that shirt...it made me look skinnier than I am in real life, AND it was new.  Those little turkeys.

Moral of the story: ALWAYS check to see if your kids have deposited any items in the oven before you turn it on, or you are going to end up with a stinky house and no clothes.

Because once isn't enough...

I just returned home from the ER for the 2nd time in one week.  Lame. 

When I got home from my trip to Utah I was greeted by a congested-coughing-achy-all-over husband.  "Just a cold" I thought...Until I was awakened at 5 AM with his uncontrollable vomiting and shaking (men are so dramatic when they barf, anyone else agree?).  I decided an emergency room trip was in order when he passed out on the bathroom floor.

Yep. Influenza.  A nasty case at that.

Awesome.

whirlwind...

This weekend I flew to Utah for two very special events (keep reading).  In the last three days I have had less than 12 hours of sleep, and have pretty much been running on adrenalin...Here's the madness in a nutshell.

-Thursday:
   3:30 pm:  board my flight with Baby B. (by the way, traveling with only one child was a dream).  She sat on the floor of the airplane and read stories while eating fruitsnacks and animal crackers.  She was being SO good that I even got to catch up on some celebrity gossip, and do a sudoku!  About ten minutes before we landed, I went to pick her up off the floor and she slipped through my grasp, causing me to catch her by the hand. POP. SCREAM.  Wonderful...we ended up in the emergency room as soon as we got to my parents house.  Poor Bianca had dislocated her elbow.  I got home from the hospital with a VERY sore and ornery little girl around 10:30...talk about a good way to start a trip, huh!  After Catching up with my sisters, I worked until 3:30 in the morning trying to get a proposal for work done.

-Friday:
    7:00 am- The alarm goes off.  Too early.  We got all dolled up for a photoshoot with just the girls.  It was fun...I always like to pretend I'm a model :) 

The rest of the day was spent cooking, laughing, shopping, laughing, cleaning, organizing, laughing, and getting all the details ready for Saturday.  I had a blast with my siblings(it was the first time in a year we have all been together).  Through out the happenings of the day I was working like crazy to complete that proposal for work with a 5:00 deadline.  There was a miscommunication between me and my boss and we had to drop the proposal at the last minute. Ugh. Stressful.  I felt sick the rest of the day for the mistake.  I hate mistakes.

    2:30 am- looked frantically around the house for Tylenol PM because I couldn't fall asleep.  Too anxious.

    2:45 am- Biana woke up needing tylenol and food.  She didn't fall asleep until about 3:30, which means I didn't either.

Saturday:

  6:00 am:  Alarm rings.  Too early again.  I was shaking.  We get ready and head over to the temple where we attended one of the most beautiful sealings I have ever witnessed.  (A little background: My sister Candise has adopted a darling little girl and after THREE years of ridiculous court battles the adoption was finally made official.) 

Here is the little sweetie, and Bianca enjoying a popsicle...  

    1:00 pm: After cleaning up the brunch in Eliza Janes honor, we all rushed over to Provo where my dad was the humble recipiant of the Silver Beaver award, an extremely prestigious award given to nominated individuals who have made a difference in the Scouting world.  The governer of Utah even made a speech...now that's important!

    5:00 pm: did a little shopping, picked up a 5 pound brick of caramel for some tasty treats I'm making for an upcoming boutique (more details on that to come!) then stopped at Rumbi's and drool over my favorite salad. Man I wish they had Rumbi's in Washington.  My tastebuds long for it.

   
 We stayed up late chatting and eating delicious food (that's what we do.  Some families play games, some families play sports, my family makes and eats good food)

Sunday:

      5:30 am: Amber leaves for the airport.  

      8:30 am: Scott leaves for the airport

      10:30 am: Paul and Kaytie leave for mesquite

      3:00 pm: Candise and Jarom leave for Idaho.

   *sigh* I miss my brothers and sisters.  We always have such a great time together.

   I was able to relax and regroup a bit today, and will fly home to Scotty and Jack tomorrow morning.

  The weekend was quick, the company was delightful, the events were spectacular, and besides Bianca being an absolute PILL (understandable though, the poor thing), I would say it was all well worth the madness!

This is a picture of the five minutes of happiness Bianca could muster up for the trip...

      

sorry about the lack of pictures, they are scattered about on different cameras...hopefully I can get a few loaded soon.

Why...WHY!!

You know when your precious, darling children do something that isn't so precious?

Don't you think good, responsible parents would learn their lesson and take the necessary measures to make sure said "un-precious" thing doesn't happen again?

Like when Jack started to walk and would constantly pull the books off the book shelf...we just took the books off the shelf permanently. When Bianca's favorite thing to suck on became the remote for the TV, we just moved it to where she couldn't reach it.

Parenthood is all about adapting. When something doesn't work, you make a change.

So, recently when Jacks favorite game became flushing the toilet, what would the responsible parent have done? keep the door closed...get one of those nifty child-proof toilet lockers...something like that.

I guess the act of just flushing wasn't severe enough to warrant any action on my part, but I should have taken action when the fascination became not just flushing, but watching things swirl down until they disappear.

A few weeks ago I had to call the plumber because our toilet was blocked. I knew it was blocked because I was missing my contact case (with contacts in them) Not only did the plumber remove the contact case (contacts missing. lovely) but also an ENTIRE tube of toothpaste, and a block. ENTIRE tube of toothpaste...I had no idea you could even flush something that huge. Apparently you can.

I still didn't take action.

A few days later, I heard a "plink" in the toilet, and ran into check it out...


Aargh, that's my wedding ring. Lucky save. Jack ran out of the bathroom and put himself right into time out for that one. He knew he was in trouble.

I still didn't take action.

A week later, I wasn't so quick...now my wedding ring is gone. forever.

I think it's time to take action. Time to make a change.
************************************************
On the flip side...I upgraded from a 3/4 carat diamond to the 1 carat! This time I went for a complete fake. The ring is beautiful and to be completely honest, I don't know one person that can tell it's not real (well, except for the 10 people that read this blog). It does have the white gold plating, but beneath it's just sterling silver. And all those diamonds...Cubic Zirconium's. Not to shabby.

Go ahead Jack, flush this bad boy...