A Day with the Dahlia's, Oh, and Nellie too:)

Once a month or so, my dear friend Nellie comes to visit us and stay for the weekend. I am truly blessed to have her for a girlfriend. We have been buddies since we were in the 6th grade, and my how time flies. She has watched me through my relationship with my parents, my husband (6 years of dating 1st), then through both of my pregnancies. Only a true girlfriend would tell right after you have given birth to your 1st child, "Your toes look horrible! I can't believe that you went out of the house with them looking like that! Now put them up on this stool and let me give you a pedicure!:)" It was wonderful to know that I had a friend in this world that would not only tell me the truth, but help me fix it and pamper me at the same time. After about the 5th month with my pregnancy with Payton, I could no longer reach my toes again. Nellie to the rescue! Every month when she came down for the weekend, she would pamper me and make my toes "pretty" again. I love Nellie for always taking the time to be my friend. My True Friend!
Here are a few photos from the last weekend that she came down. We went down to the park at Point Defiance and went through the Dahlia Garden...

Every time I try to video Payton, she just stares at the camera. Finally, yesterday, she smiled and giggled for me. Granted, you can hear Reese in the backround screaming that she is "flying like a birdie", but here you go anyway!!!

Pumpkin Patch

On Thursday we went to the Pumpkin Patch with Reese's pre-school class. It was a wonderful organic farm in the Puyallup Valley called Terry's Berries. We had a lovely tour guide named "Farmer John" who showed us the ins and outs to farming. Reese informed us that she is ready for us to have a garden and chickens. Yes, that is right, me the city girl is getting chickens! Jason and I are going to take the winter to get our back yard all ready including a coupe and shed built. As well as the garden beds prepped. So needless to say, we all learned a lot at the pumpkin patch this year!
All the kids loved the mud puddles! I would only let mine walk through the thick muddy ones! I am not one for dirty! Good thing I only have 2 girls:) Anyways... here are a few pics from our 1st field trip...

Reese listening intently to "Farmer John" about how to grow potatoes


The Mommy dreaded mud puddle


Reese picked corn, mmmmm yummy!


Daddy helping Reese pick some yummy apples! We even brought some home!


And the pumpkin! She picked a great one! Just her size and nice and round...


And finally a snack with her whole class before we left. What a great time we had! Even perfect weather:)

Happy October...

Reese and I baking together is one of my favorite things. It actually inspired a whole kitchen remodel and a mamoth center island just for her and I to do so. So this was our project today...Oreo Cookies (Homemade)...
I dyed the cream cheese frosing filling orange to make "Happy Halloween" cookies!
I will share the recipe with you, and maybe you can put your own twist on it...

I told you easy! I use boxed cake mix and pre-made cream cheese frosting. I will give you the recipe for homemade frosting, but who can beat the price. The tub of frosting was on sale for $1, and just cream cheese for the frosting is over $2.50! Cheap and Easy:)


I like to whip the canned frosting to make it fluffier. You can also add your food coloring here. Just red and yellow to make orange.


The munchkin loves to frost the cookies. Beware, it is sometime hard for them to keep it out of their mouthes!!!


And then she FINALLY gets to reap the reward of baking cookies! Still warm to boot...



Oreo Cookie Recipe

2 packages of Devil's Food cake mix
1/2 cup shortening
4 eggs
**Mix eggs and shortening, add cake mixes. Roll into 1" balls and flatten. Lay on baking sheet and bake on 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Cool cookies.

Cream Cheese Frosting

8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
2 & 2/3 cup powdered sugar
**Mix and spread between two cookies!

Eat and Enjoy...

Happy Halloween Everyone!!!

My Sweet little bundles of joy! That's what I am suppose to call them right?

Being crafty is what saves my days. I HAVE to have a project going on, or all my days run together, Reese pulls at my pants whining and I feel like I nurse all day long. My latest project include making these headbands for Payton. Seeing how she has very little hair (very unlike Reese at this age) I don't want her looking like a little boy. Nothing wrong with little boys, but she lacks those parts so why not make her pretty? Jason thinks these headbands are ridiculous, and I can kind of understand, but they are also so stinkin cute and so is she in them.

See? Cute huh?

And cute again...

And then it all goes wrong! This is where I understand Jason. I went up to the kitchen to pull the cookies our of the oven and I heard Payton grunting. Uh-oh. I go back downstairs to find this! How funny! She didn't even care. I think she was just glad this one was nude colored. She could at least see through it!

And my sweet girl Reese. She loves kissing her sister. Next we were bored, so I turned on the radio...

And I see Reese "Shaking what her Mama gave ger!"

10 Necessities

Here are 10 things that make life easier, nicer and just more enjoyable!

My Swiffer Vac. With new hardwoods, 2 dogs, a 3 year old and a hubby, this thing has saved me! I use it everyday...

I have struggled with my complection since I was 16. I use to take all kinds of medicine for it, but when I got pregnant with Reese, I had to find something that was safe to use with her growing in my tummy! I have been hooked on it ever since. I know every time I skip a day. It's not pretty!

Oh Baby! There is nothing better for snuggling and keeping a new baby close to you then a Moby. My girlfriend lent this to me and I use it all the time. I even figured out how to nurse in it. It's great for getting things done and letting Payton nap.

This is my new, yet old favorite. This sewing machine use to be my Grandpa Ben's. My Mom thought I might like it when he passed away last year. It sat in the box for a year until I had had enough of Jason razzing me about it. I finally figured the thing out, and I use it all the time now. Who says things have to be new? This is a trusty old machine and I love using it.

This is a MUST! A hot, steamy cup of creamy coffee in the morning! With 2 children, enough said.

As a nursing Mommy, I am always thirsty. I drink about 100 oz. of water a day, and this is always with me. I LOVE my Camelbak!

I have noticed no-one put this on their list! Are you all CRAZY? Where would any of us be without our trusty communicators? I am lost with out this. Don't count on me to remember your # if I lose it!

As you can see, these Citizen's are well loved, I think I took them off right before I took the picture. I bought them right before I got pregnant with Payton, and they are one of the only ones that fit. We all need a good pair of jeans that make our butts look good, right?

I have been addicted to Downy since Jodi's mom used it high school! Her clothes were always so soft and smelled so good! Well now they have more scents, and my new favorite, and must-have is Gardenia.


Last, but not least, I must have a good conditioner. My hair has always been so tangly. My girlfriend Rachel introduced me to this one and it is my new favorite. My hair brushes like silk after my shower. (Notice I get the big one, I use a LOT, and Reese needs conditioner now too! Life is getting expensive with 3 girls in one house!)