Mamma's been busy!

Ok so being a stay at home mom is wonderful, we all know that, but one of the only down sides to that is we get to look around our house ALL day long and see what we need to fix! So I have had a ton of energy lately, kinda like nesting but without the back pains and cute little bundle as a reward at the end. I have been a maniac around here at making and refinishing stuff to make it nicer around here.

So first I did my kitchen chairs. I very simple fix to make mamma smile. I think you can tell which one was the before and after and no, those are not urine stains just your everyday toddler spills.

And it may not not look like much to the naked eye but it is way better than before!!! Here is the total finished dining room....

This is my version of "art work". I made these pictures and I am IN LOVE with them!
A close up of one of the key's....
The before picture of a buffet I found on Craigslist. I was so scared of this ugly mess and wondering if I took on the wrong project for me. But after many hours of hard work and totally letting my kids run wild due to lack of supervision, I got this...

I am very pleased with it! I antiqued it to give it that french country look that I love.
I made the table runner on the buffet to match my kitchen chairs. Easy, yet satisfying.
A Thanksgiving banner....
And this ugly beast of a mirror, simply disgusting....
It looks way better now. It was not my first choice for a mirror over the buffet, it's too small but for now it will do the trick.
And this bad boy, I think I just threw up in my mouth looking at it! I saw the potential in it.
And as a result I got this! I love it for my entry way. I had no where to put guests purses and coats so, now I do :)

And then in the midst of my craziness I managed to completely throw out any good judgement and got Stella...
She is so cute and cuddly and I love her, when she does not crap in the kennel. Anyway, I am very happy with all the minor adjustments I have made around here and now you know what I have been up too!

Some things I've learned...

You always hear people saying, "Kids say the darndest things!" And I have had some experience with that myself in my life like the time I was about 6 my mom and I are going to pick up my Grandparents and I tell them "My mom says your so cheap!" After my mom turned her normal shade of pleasantly pink, she scolded me and gave me a lesson on not repeating things I hear. She also learned her lesson on what NOT to say while I was listening.

So I say things I should not say ALL the time in front of my kids, or say things that other parents might "frown" upon. I use scare tactics to hopefully keep them away from harm like the time we saw road kill and I told Hannah that if she ever crossed the street without looking both ways that is exactly what would happen to her. Or the time she ran away from me in a store and I told her that someone would take her, do things to her she would not like and she would never see her family again! Whatever don't judge. I always turned my nose up at the nay sayers and kept on running my mouth around my lil ones. Well I always tease my kids about physical pain that I will inflict on them if they don't obey such as; "If you don't clean up I just might have to beat you silly", or "Oh my gosh your not listening to me, I'm gonna have to sock you in the belly."

So it finally came back to me... (da da dunnnnnn) My neighbor came over today to say hello and she asked us what we were doing. Hannah replied that if she did not clean her mess I was going to beat her silly! "Um, let me explain what she means. I always tell her... Oh crap this is not going to sound good either way so I'll just be honest, I don't beat my kids!"

I always just thought that my kids ignore me when I speak, you know like the teacher on Charlie Brown? Wa-wa-waaaaaa Or like I speak a different language, "Do you hear the words that are comin' outta my mouth!?" And of all the things she chooses to repeat she picked that! She also tells her friends that she will sock them in the belly if they don't share. hahaha Oops!

Well just when I was feeling like I deserved the big mouth mother of the year award she says to me tonight, "Mommy when I look into your beautiful eyes I see the best mommy in the whole wide world." Melt my heart why don't ya kid!? I do praise my kids so much, tell them how amazing they are and how much I love them and I guess it is shinning through in Hannah. I may not be the most tactful momma, but I sure do feel like I'm doing something right.

So what I've learned is, definitely watch what you say to your impressionable little ones, joking or not. And second, they are ALWAYS listening, even if it's just long enough to hear the good stuff.

Pumpkin patch

I love this time of year. Love the colors, the weather, all the baking and the traditions. So it's pumpkin patch time! I love the tradition and the excitement of the whole pumpkin patch idea, just not the skeezy and very questionable jumpers. So it's always a challenge to go and get them to agree NOT to go on those overpriced "rides". We made it out germ free and pumpkins in hand.

They each picked a small pumpkin to decorate. Since carving is out of the question, they love to paint. So they painted their lil pumpkins.
They are very serious about their work!
This is such a messy job thank goodness it's only once a year!!!
And the finished product! Ta-da! I love having my own family to make traditions with.

Mommies lil helpers

I really love to spend time in the kitchen. I love baking especially, but the best part about being in the kitchen is all the help I get. I recently got four flats of strawberries for free so I made A LOT of jam! And of course, my sweeties where there to help out when they could.

Anytime I'm cooking they rush over, apron on already, pull up the chairs and ask to help. I love it so much! I'm not gonna lie though, I have a very hard time letting them help sometimes due to messes and other silly reasons. However, I am getting much better because I see how happy it makes them. So I am choosing more meals they can help me with and allowing them to help much much more. This is a pizza that they made entirely by themselves. I hope that I can teach them to love to be in the kitchen and hope I can teach them to not be as controlling as me and my mom :)

Apple picking

My family is so important to me and so is creating memorable family time. I would really like our kids to look back years from now with fond memories of their family and the time we spent together. I know that we can't always do things outside the home and go places but when we can I am trying to make it really fun for them. I really wanted to go apple picking. When I told Scott he looked at me like I was so lame! So I told him to shut it and get in the car :)

When we got to Oak Glen we had a picnic and just talked. We had very meaningful conversation with the girls and between the two of us. This is something that gets overlooked sometimes with the busyness of day to day life. Plus I finally got to actually talk with my husband! Most of my conversations consist of "You have to go poo-poo?" or "Don't hit! Please share! That's it! One! Two!! Three!!!" and lots of stuff like that. So when engaging with my husband sometimes I need to remember that I'm his wife and not his mother. So it was very pleasant to talk with him, not at him.
We were able to watch our kids and their love for animals. They were so cute talking to the animals like they were babies. So tender and sweet.
Um, hello beautiful!!!
The girls had so much fun picking apples from the tree, instead of a pile at the grocery store.
Leah is still asking if we are going to go pick apples. I think she loved it most.

It turns out that Scott had a great time! He did not think it was so lame after all. He really enjoyed the quality family time and didn't mind missing some college games on t.v., thank goodness for DVR.

And when we got home the girls and I made apple pies with all the labor we did. We made two and gave one to our friends. They really enjoyed picking the apples and then seeing the outcome of their hard work. I guess seeing the "fruit's" of their labors payed off!
They turned out delicious and the best part is that we all had a hand in it. I think this is going to be a new tradition for the Hardy's!

My burfday week!

This year I turned 28! Oh me oh my, I'm no longer in my mid twenties anymore. I'm getting so old and am now in my LATE twenties!!! Too bad I don't feel like it. I am right where I want to be at 28. Just got a house, a new car, two amazing children, my health and a hot husband, not to mention I still have my spunk! I'm feeling good :) hahaha So this year the festivities started out with a girls trip to Vegas.

I think I was a little excited to be there and be a care free birthday girl instead of a mommy for a few days. I missed my kids like crazy, but was so excited to be with my friends for a couple day.
We did so much fun stuff while there but the best thing we did was get all dolled up and go see Ka a Cirque du Soleil show. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen and we have now decided that this is a Vegas must! Totally worth the money, I even cried because the story was so beautiful.
And it was so great to stay up for hours with your two best friends chatting it up, giggling, and being silly. I love my friends, but I love my husband even more for letting me go!
I got home just in time to celebrate my actual birthday with the most important people in the world to me, minus Scott because he had to work. My sister surprised me by coming over to check out our new house and see all of us. So we decided to go to Disneyland. I never get sick of that place. She took us to the Blue Bayou and we had a great time with her!
Happy birthday to mommy! Except I gave the gross chocolate mouse to the girls because I am an ice cream girl all the way.
I was able to go to the beach with some friends for Labor day. The girls and I had a great time.
It was a beautiful day with my little baywatch beauties.
I just love these silly girls!

We were having a no t.v. day and painted some pine cones that we found on our walk that day.
And then ended the family week with a picnic at the park. This year has been amazing and I plan to make 28 an even better year than the last. More personal goals and lots of time with my amazing little family!

From the mouths of babes!

So during family home evening tonight our lesson is about loving one another. I tell a story of an old man trying to catch the bus and I notice him hurrying knowing he won't make it due to his walking cane. I ask everyone how we can show kindness and love toward that stranger. Hannah's response was "I will take that man to the hostibal (how she says it) get him a doctor to fix his legs so that he can catch the next bus!" hahahaha I loved it because she was so genuine and honest. She may not know the immediate response to help and show love to strangers but her heart is sure in the right place. I love that girl!

Fun times

With summer coming to a close and school right around the corner, we have had a couple of really fun weeks to wrap up the summer. Lots of friends have come over to visit us in our new home and it has meant so much to us. The week started off with The Jorgenson's coming out to visit and we forgot to bust out the camera! But the girls had so much fun with their friends from the old hood. I just love seeing how kids interact with one another and they all had such a great time! We love them and were very grateful for their trek down here :)

The very next day we had the pleasure of the Lauritzen clan come visit us for some sweet's and lots of laughs! I made cup cakes for us to enjoy and I think they all liked licking the frosting more than the actual cup cake, especially Michelle!!!
We had a dance off. Leah was doing the worm, Damon was break dancing, Hannah was shaking her groove thang, Valerie was doing the booty hop, and Kyle was doing all kinds of new moves! We had the best time. I have no moves or rhythm what so every so I am not caught on camera! Your welcome.
Um yeah, Damon was dropping like it's hot!!! hahahahaha
Then the next day we had my sister in law and my nieces come over to visit. And I love seeing cousins play! My brothers family and mine get together often hopefully to ensure the girls are all close forever! They swam and ran around like little crazies and we all enjoyed every minute!
Our ward had it's annual ward party at someone's house in our stake and I just have to say.... The most amazing house I have ever seen!!! We were having so much fun that I didn't snag as many pictures as I would have liked. But this hows just a small portion of the lake like pool with it's two water slides. Leah was on them all day! She is so brave, Hannah opted out.
We also went on a paddle boat ride around the whole pool, which was very large, and when we were done, so was Leah. Here is my little Irish Borrrito all wrapped up looking so cute.
And that's me on the zip line! Oh my gosh, so much fun! I only wished that I would have done it more. We all had such a great time and are already looking forward to the next year.
Our dear friends the Thomas' came down to check out the new digs and to hang out for a bit before they head out to Oklahoma for a job. I had to post this of my crazy daughter. We had a great visit and can't wait to see them in Oregon!
Hannah and one of her very first besties. Elle and Hannah play so well together and we just love Ellie-belly! Well we love all of them and were so happy to see them!
Then we headed down to my parents time share, actually my brother's family was down there on vacation so we headed down for the best day ever!
We started the day off with ceramic painting. They girls and I had so much fun. We love to paint so this was a great way to start our day off.
After lunch we swam for hours in an awesome pool. Leah had decided that she has no fear and can swim on her own! She was going under water and getting back up on her own. She also had her floaties off for a while and was doing pretty good. Too soon for me but I think it's time for swim lessons!
The cousins came back over for some more playing and dinner.
Then we went to a water park out here with some friends. We had a great time and a great couple of weeks! I know we live further South now but we were very grateful for the friends and family who came to visit us! We love you all!!!