Happy Father's Day and some other stuff.

So I missed my usual Father's Day post on our Blog. 

 But here are some great men. I have been blessed with great men to be my fathers and to be my husband. I am so thankful for each one of them for some many different reasons. I count my blessings each day when it comes to them. 

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Now for some of the others....

Cullan drew the Tardis on this Etch A Sketch..

I mean seriously.. this is pretty good for being on an Etch A Sketch. 

I know I am his mom, but this kid has got some artistic talent. 

No big surprise. I mean look who his dad is!

 Also, the bugs in NC mean business. Usually when I post pictures like this, it is Briea. Nope this time it was Ayla. Garran and I were both paranoid at first thinking that she had lyme disease. But in the end we both agreed that it was probably just a reaction to a mosquito or spider bite. 

I just hate seeing my poor kids and their crazy reactions to stuff. 

Random Moments.

I came home the other day to find this. 

Kael...Meditating.. Outside after the rain. 

 Briea often likes to wear my shirts as dresses around the house. 

This time she found something different to wear!!

 And Cullan. He is not doing anything really, except looking huge. I mean, really... How is he this big. How is he turning 8 this year?

I just don't understand how time has gone by so quickly. 

randoms from my phone

now that i have a phone that i love. 

i take lots of pictures on it.

i have gotten lazy about getting them on the blog, but have vowed to get better.

here are a few that i have wanted to share.

 Popsicle cuteness!

 apparently briea had decided that bumble bee and barbie were going to get married. she said they were going to be very happy together.

 look at those curls.. i mean really...how could you not love them?!?!?!

out with lots of love. they were all snuggled up and completely asleep!

what can i say?

my kids like to move!!

too many.

i take so many pictures, that sometimes i have some that i like, but don't ever really get a chance to blog about because basically it is just a picture. so from time to time i will probably start doing this. just posting random pictures that i have taken, that don't necessarily go together but that i want to have on our blog.

(I mean really, he looks so grown up in this picture)

(she really loves makeup)

(doesn't briea's face just scream LOVE!)

My girls!

status updates.

i did not want to forget some of the status updates from facebook that i did not post on here. so this post is pretty  much just for me.

• My kids have not been listening and I just told them to go to their room when cullan looks at me and says "mom mom just watch." then turns to briea and says "here comes the tickle bug" (tickles her) then says with a cheese grin " see mom she laughs" ... how do you stay mad at that!
• is laughing at my son you just yelled to me while running to his room, "Good-Bye and Good Luck Mom!" (Sat, 19 Sep 2009)
• is pondering "If you are still in the process of raising children, be aware that the tiny fingerprints that show up on almost every newly cleaned surface, the toys scattered about the house, the piles and piles of laundry to be tackled will disappear all too soon and that you will—to your surprise—miss them profoundly." Pres. Monson. I love this talk. (Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:00:35 GMT)
• Meghan loves my kids. They make me laugh. Garran and the kids made me a surprise while I was laying down not feeling well. When I got up they brought it to me. Cullan said, here mom take a bite, I said that I would in just a minute. Kael then proudly says with a big smile "I take a bite!!" and does with JOY!! (Tue, 06 Oct 2009 )
• Meghan was just in one of those situations with her kids of "do as i say, not as i do". I had to explain why it is ok for mommy and daddy to have a watergun fight in the house but not them.. I am such a mean mommy! But Garran is soaked!!! (Tue, 20 Oct 2009)
• Meghan says you have got to have a sense of humor as a mother. Tonight after the kids went to bed  I noticed there was a small amount of candy corn left in a baggy on the table. Most of them were broken in half. I grabbed the bag and sat down next to Garran to watch tv. On about my third grab out of the bag..... i suddenly looked at Garran and said...."I'm pretty sure I just ate a crayon!. Gotta love it (Tue, 27 Oct )
• still laughing from the following conversation with my son Cullan. C-Mom why does God love you? M-Probably because I'm cool!! ;0) (said with a smile) C-Ohhhh Yeahhh BabY!! (Sat, 14 Nov 2009 )
•   wonders where my kids come up with things. Today at Target we were leaving the register and I said "Ok guys grab on to the cart" Cullan responded..."Yes Master". Yeah I got a weird look from the cashier. (Mon, 23 Nov 2009)
• is lauging at cullan eating some ice cream while looking at briea and saying "oh ice cream is nasty..it is really gross!". I don't think she is buying it. (Sun, 03 Jan 2010)
• Meghan has decided my son Cullan is pretty dang smooth. Tonight he walked up to me and said "Mom, you are the most beautiful mom in the world" I resoponded, "Thanks Cullan". He then said without missing a beat.." Your Welcome....Can I get some juice?" (Sun, 31 Jan 2010 )
•   today cullan came out of the shower and said  "Dad Kael is playing with your ...mmm...white fire hydrant" Garran went to investigate, Kael was spraying shaving cream everywhere! (Fri, 12 Feb 2010)
• Today Garran dropped Cullan off at preschool. Garran said that when they got into the classroom, Cullan said, "Ok Dad, go back to the Plane!". (Fri, 19 Feb 2010
• Meghan has a very clever son! This morning Cullan said "Mom, can I have eggs for breakfast!" I replied sure. I was checking my email, so I told him to wait just a minute. He then told me he would get them. I thought ok. He can handle getting them out of the fridge. Ya I turn around and he is eating a bag of those Reese Easter Eggs we had hidden. (Fri, 26 Feb 2010
• Meghan loves my husband for many reasons...but this conversation is just one of  the many reasons. Garran: I think the universe really does balance  itself out. Meg: Really, why is that? Garran: Because when the guy in  front of me at wal-mart who had a mullet checked out and left, at the  same time a woman with a mullet walked in. It was like the universe was  keeping the exact number of mullets it needed at Walmart! (Fri, 02 Apr 2010
• Meghan is doing some math:
  1+1=2
  2+3=5
  5+1=6! (Sat, 22 May 2010
• Garran is taking the kids to the park so I can do some cleaning..needless to say I could use a little down time...Anyways on their way out the door, Cullan says "come on dad, were busting out of here!!" (Thu, 27 May 2010
• my son just brought me a remote and said "here you are your majesty!" (Mon, 21 Jun 2010 
• so cullan has been exposed to Napolean Dynamite. This morning when I came down stairs, Cullan said to me "Mom, Do i have any sweet skills?"
  ps. He thinks it is called Holy Dynamite! (Mon, 21 Jun 2010 
• wonders what people must think when my kids say things like this. Today Cullan asked me if he could come to the store with me. I said yes. Then he throws his arms around me and says " How can i ever thank you MOM!!". (Tue, 22 Jun 2010
• So we are watching the news due to all the bad weather and on the bottom of the screen where the little ticker has all the warning i read these exact words " IF YOU ENCOUNTER FLASH FLOODING, TURN AROUND AND DO NOT DROWN" thank you news for those words of wisdom!! (Wed, 23 Jun 2010
• Cullan just ran in our house with two hand fulls of flowers. He said "these are for you mom" I said thanks and started to take both hand fulls. He then snatched one back and said "No, only these, the others are for my girlfriend!" Yikes! At least he remembered his mom though <3 (Mon, 26 Jul 2010
• yesterday Cullan had been sent upstairs to play. A few minutes later he came downstairs and looked at me and said "Look Mom, I am just going to do what I want, so I am just going to lay down here on the couch and watch TV!" needless to say he was right back up stairs. (Fri, 30 Jul 2010
• was watching a show where a lady had Quads. My son Kael said, "Mom, 4 babies would make you crazy!!" Oh the wisdom of a three year old ;0) (Fri, 06 Aug 2010
• so today at Walmart, we were pretty close to being done shopping. My hips were really starting to hurt, just due to pregnancy, so I was walking a little differently. However, my wonderful son Kael, practically yells at me, "Mom, why are you shaking your booty when you walk?" Ya that got a few looks!! (Sat, 14 Aug 2010
• loves when my kids say cute things. As Garran was heading out the door to go to school, Cullan says, "Dad be a good friend and be nice in class!". Hmm wonder what he hears all the time. (Fri, 20 Aug 2010
• overheard the following conversation tonight: Kael-"Hey Cullan, do you want to race cars?" Cullan- "No Kael, because you just ruined my life!" I think I must have missed something ;o) (Tue, 24 Aug 2010
• today at the hospital, while we were waiting for Cullan, Kael and I had the following conversation. K-"Mom we don't talk to strangers, because they might be mean and steal us, right?" M- "Yep" K-"So we don't talk to strangers so we can be together forever...or at least till the baby comes..right?" I guess once the baby comes, every one is up for grabs! (Thu, 26 Aug 2010.
• Cullan just came up to me with his wallet in hand (i made him a pretend drivers license with his picture on it to put in his wallet). Anyways, he came up to me and said "so mom, are you going to let me drive the van now or what?" (Fri, 27 Aug 2010
• is laughing again. Kael just yells from the top of the stairs.."Dad, Briea is out of her cage" Hmm wonder what that would sound like to someone stopping by. ps. he means her bed! (Sat, 04 Dec 2010 
• cullan just said that he wanted a red riderhood baby gun for christmas. guess what movie he saw this week? (Mon, 06 Dec 2010 
• Kael was sitting in time out for breaking a toy. Garran had put him there and I was in the living room. Kael yells out to me to tell me that he had broke a toy and that he was in time out. All of a sudden Cullan interrupts Kael and says "She knows Kael....She ALWAYS KNOWS!" (Wed, 15 Dec 2010
• i just asked Cullan if he was going to get dressed before the babysitter got here. He said "No, I want her to see my sponge bob pajama's so she will know how cool I am!" (Wed, 12 Jan 2011
• **update on Cullan being Awesome** within minutes of the babysitter arriving and Cullan showing off he busted his lip and started bleeding. So now he is not only Awesome but tough too!! (Wed, 12 Jan 2011
• today, I told Kael to stop doing something while we were in the van and he looked at me the way only Kael can do and just said..."LAME!" (Fri, 21 Jan 2011
• Garran just ran upstairs because he heard Cullan screaming/crying. When Garran gets up there, he says "Cullan, What is the matter, are you ok?" Cullan responds very calmly..."Yeah, I am just practicing my screams." (Fri, 28 Jan 2011 
• as we were laying on the bed this morning, Cullan says to me (while looking at Ayla) "Mom, I can speak baby english, watch! Ajo Ajo BA Ba LA la! See she understood just what I said." (Thu, 17 Feb 2011
• Today this is how I feel-- " Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying " I will try again tomorrow." (Thu, 03 Mar 2011
• Cullan asked me tonight if there would be a butler to take care of him at the hotel we will be staying at. I seriously don't know where he comes up with this stuff! (Thu, 10 Mar 2011 
• Kael- "Mom, this song is making my butt move, like Na na Na Na!" (Wed, 16 Mar 2011
• Cullan just told me to watch his hopping skills. Then a few minutes later he asked me for the number to the state department! I swear..... This kid makes me laugh everyday. :0) (Wed, 23 Mar 2011
• Cullan just asked Garran if we was impressive (I think he meant impressed) and Garran said, "Why yes I am  impressive!" (Thu, 31 Mar 2011
• I asked Cullan to hold Ayla for me while I made a bottle. Cullan took Ayla and said "come here Ayla girl, let me tell you about our childhood!". (Sat, 09 Apr 2011                                     

joy.

anyone who says that children do not bring joy and laughter into your life have obviously not met my kids yet. 

today while sitting at the table, eating lunch with my kids, we had the following conversation.

Cullan: Mom, are you allergic to camels?
Me: No
Kael: Are you allergic to dogs?
Me: No
Cullan: Are you allergic to Cats?
Me: Yes.
Kael: So if we got to a pet store, we could not bring home a cat?
Me: Right.
Cullan: But....we could bring home a Camel!!
Me: UM NO!

Cullan: Am I allergic to cats?
Me: No.
Cullan: Oh so just girls are allergic to cats.
Kael: Ya not BOYS!
Me: No, some boys are allergic to cats too. Not just girls.
Cullan: I think I am allergic to girls.

by that point I was laughing to hard to remember what else was said. 

Happy Monday!

my view!

today i took the van to have it worked on. i decided to stay at the place since it was not going to take very long and i did not have any of the kids with me. anyways this nice old fella came and sat down after I had been there for about 5 mins. We talked a little and then he dosed. I decided to snap this picture because at this point he was snoring like crazy. I thought it was funny because it looks like that Michelin Man is throwing a tire at him to wake him up!

updates and randoms.

well, we have been so busy and not necessarily doing fun things so this is just a post of what has been going on with us. 

Garran spoke with one of the professors that sat on the panel that interviewed him. She said that his interview went really well and that he was to modest about his talent. However she told him that that played to his favor. So we will see what happens. Keeping our fingers crossed. They said a few weeks and they will let everyone know.

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i went to register Cullan for kindergarten and got a nasty little surprise when arriving. they had not sent me this like 15 page packet of information that I needed to fill out and they also failed to send any kind of information saying that we would have to pay $120.00 to register him. (yes we pay taxes in illinois for school, and no that does not cover any supplies or anything like that.) I found out that we have to pay that every year and for each child. So next year it will cost me $240.00 to register the kids for school. I know this is my first kid heading off to school, but I about feel over. That seemed like a lot of money to send my kid to public school and buy supplies on top of all of that. 

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Ayla is cutting her first tooth, so she has been a little grumpy lately.. poor girl just can not catch a break. first being so sick and then the teeth. sigh. oh well. on other exciting news with her, today I bought my first size two diapers for her. the reason this is such a big deal is because by 5 months, my other kids were in size 3 and even 4 diapers. She is just our little string bean. 

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Kael has screening for Preschool coming up. I am hoping that he gets in this year. I think he will be miserable with Cullan gone all day. They play together so much and Kael is so ready for school. I am really hoping that they have a spot for him. We will have to wait and see. Here's to keeping our fingers crossed on that as well. 

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Other than that, life as normal. We found out yesterday that we have to replace the brakes on our van. I was not excited about that. Some days it just seems like money flies out of your hands before you even get a chance to know what to do with it. Oh well. It has to be done.

Well Ayla woke up and is not happy. Off to cook dinner and wrangle the troops ;0)

Hope everyone is having a Happy Wednesday!

my littles

 lizzy lu

 b bug

KB

cullan-ator

I LOVE THEM.

big kid

Garran was scanning some stuff and needed my help with organizing it. As I was going through the images of papers that he had scanned, I came across this. I looked at him and he smiled like a kid. He said, "Ya I scanned my face!" 

He is such a big kid sometimes!

love this...

love this....probably because it is so true!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!

“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”

Dr. Seuss

we have only just begun...

1:00 pm

 3:00 pm

 5:00 pm

The Blizzard of 2011 has begun. We will see what it looks like in the morning. For right now, we are pretty sure that we have got right around a foot.

Sweet Snowy Dreams!

Lilly-Pops

that is what kael calls this. instead of a lollipop, it's a lilly-pop!

just one of those things i want to remember. 

because it is AMY!

i got tagged by a friend to do this and because it is Amy, I am going to do it. She is a lot of fun, so i figure why not!

4 Shows I watch:

1. Sing Off

2. Parenthood

3. Duggars

4. Storm Chasers (not the best show might i add when you live in the midwest)

4 Things I am Passionate About:

1. My Family

2. photography (i had kind of fallen off the wagon but am really wanting to get back to it)

3. bettering my self

4. keeping in contact with close friends.

4 Phrases/Words I use a lot:

1. I love you

2. It's so loud in here I can not hear myself think.

3. You guys are crazy.

4. Don't touch that and get down!

4 Things I Have Learned From the Past:

1. Honesty is the best policy.

2. I NEED some "alone/quiet" time every day

3. No matter how well I plan out my future (whether months or years away) it never goes as expected. And that's not a bad thing.

4. Never be afraid to be yourself. It is always better than the pretend version of yourself.

4 Places I Would Like To Go:

1. Ireland

2. Brazil

3. England/France

4. Anywhere with a quite beach, sunny sky, beach chair and Garran!

4 Things I Did Yesterday:

1. Took all 4 kids to wal mart to get batteries, which i forgot.

2. Laundry...as always.

3. Read part of a book.

 

4. Talk to my sister in law.

4 Things I Am Looking Forward To:

1. Seeing the kids reaction on Christmas Morning. 

2. Garran's Christmas break!!!!!

3. Seeing Family and Friends

4. decorating christmas cookies with the kiddos.

4 Things I Love About Winter:

1. Christmas Trees - lights

2. Sledding!

3. Snuggling 

4. Hot Cocco and marshmellows 

4 Things on My Wish List:

1. a camera..im wishing on a star!! LOL

2. everything to go smoothly during the holidays.

3. To be able to see my husband more often

4. a date night!!!

I'm supposed to tag other people, so here you go!

 

Lisa N, Jean R, Stacy P, Amy B 

not to picky!

i guess when you are tired...you are tired and nothing is going to wake you up!!

(thank goodness kael's feet were nice and clean!)

this made me laugh!

so funny~

my friend rebecca posted this.
i died laughing.
so funny.
you have to watch!!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/video/video.php?v=1157595773724&ref=nf

(hope you dont mind rebecca=)

love it~

i saw this on a friends blog and loved it. good dads are awesome!

if for some reason it wont play. click here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jds1QZrJq1Y