Packed and ready to GO!

Yeahoooo! See this, we are going to Grandma's house! BAGS PACKED. Well, Shane's bag is packed at least. According to him all you need is a few shirts some under ware and a FOOTBALL! So I guess nobody is packed so I better get busy! He picked out a crazy backpack today for pre-school. I'm not sure if it's an alligator, dinosaur, or a monster but he NEEDED this backpack at the Gap. He asked for it about every 2 seconds then got Trevor one and said Trevor needed one too. Sorry Trevs you get $2 glasses and Shane gets the backpack. Good thing for GC, coupons, $10 off cards, etc. so I gave in. Something I wouldn't pick but is sure fun for a 4 year old boy. Besides boy backpacks are ultra boring so whatever. Can't make this post long because I need to fold laundry, get Damon ready for a week without his 1950's wife, and pack our bags. I swear I don't know how Damon would live without me! Don't worry he won't starve (like he swears he will) while I'm gone and won't go to work with unmatching clothes because I stocked up on "MAN" food and got his clothes ready for 1 1/1 weeks of work! I hope he can pick out the right color shoes each day so those crimes can be solved and the FASHION POLICE don't come arrest him instead! Sometimes I think this man should act with all the DRAMA he gives me!!

We are looking forward to family, fun, and FOOD!

I can't wait we have our list and I'm sure Lanae (Tara and Cyndi are coming up this week-end) is already jealous since I will be getting Corrales, Foster Freeze, In N Out (it really does taste better after being at the beach), Andreas, The Aloha, KD Donuts AKA Donut House, Urban Cafe, and I'm sure I'm missing something! Oh, Pete's Breakfast House, Dukes, mmmmmmm. I plan to go running in the morning so I can enjoy! Oh why did I ever leave Paradise for Vegas? All this yummy food plus PERFECT weather! I am positive I won't be missing the 112 degree heat.

Wish me luck driving with the boys by myself. They really are good in the car and it's nice having a boy because if Shane needs to use the bathroom in the middle of the desert I can just pull off the road and be one with nature, which we ALWAYS end up doing! We'll miss Daddy but he'll be out next week. Sorry you had to work Damon, man I LOVE SUMMER!

Vegas Vacation!

One of the BEST reasons for living in Vegas is you get a lot of fun visitors. We had a super fun but short visit from Damon's cousin Nancy, her husband, Jim, FOUR boys and Aunt Linda! We went to dinner and had big plans for later but were too tired! They had spent 3 days at Disneyland the days prior. These 6 boys had fun playing. I think it would have been a fun adventure for them to all have a slumber party at our house! Maybe next time?!? When we drove away from dinner at Jason's Deli Shane said, "That was fun. Those boys can come to my house ANYTIME!" Shane, Trevor, Tommy, Dalton, Chase, and JT.
We had a mini vacation here is Vegas tonight for Family Night! I don't think I haven't been to The Strip since before I had Shane so we thought we should go. We just ventured to my favorite casino, Bellagio. The boys loved the flowers made into trains.

Trevor wouldn't leave this train. We stood and watched it go by about 10 times. Damon has little patience and had left the garden area and when Trevor saw him is screamed "Mear (AKA come here) Dad, mear! He drug him through all the people, back into the gardens, to his train!

Then we went outside to watch my favorite...
I saw this the first time in college with me, Lanae, Karen, and Briti. We sat and watched this FOREVER! I think we saw every show! We even teared up the first show! Anyway, the boys loved it! This was the first big shot and both Shane and Trevor jumped when it started! Trevor kept saying, "Cool, Mom, Look!"

We had a fun mini vacation but after 1 hour and a half the boys were tired and by the boys I mean Damon was the most tired!

Introducing our new PETS!

Look at how cute our new little pets are. Rocko is on the left and Rocky is on the right handmade by Shane and Trevor!
I wanted something fun to do today besides coloring so I introduced none other then the pet rock! Shane is just loving Rocko and is taking him on many adventures around the house. They have had a "nap", watched TV, played pirates in the pirates ship and even drove Mickey Mouse's car! Shane even told Rocko the 3 magic words!
Trevor so excited to paint a rock! Good thing we live in Vegas with lots, and lots, and LOTS of ROCKS!
Shane was doing his best job on his rock. He asked me if he could name his rock Rocko. How cute is he!?!

I went to grab the googlie eyes and came back to this proud moment of Trevor's! My reaction, "Are you kidding me?" Trevor thinking his new canvas is wonderful says, "No!" Glad I took his clothes off for this mess making.
Trevor when he was done painting his ROCK!
The joy on Shane's face! Oh I was just informed that Rocko is at a birthday party! What a fun Daddy for taking him there.
I couldn't get a picture of Shane with Rocky because he is Shane's little shadow and had to put it up by his face like Shane did!
I'm having to get creative to beat this heat indoors! I loved pet rocks as a kid and it's so much fun seeing the boys love of their handmade pets. All you need is a rock and some tempera paint! I have a major supply of googlie eyes from my teaching supplies so we added those on with the glue gun. Next time I will only give them each 1 or 2 colors so it doesn't turn into a brown blob like it did this time! Oh and next time I will make sure Trevor doesn't touch the shower curtain with his messy paint hands as I'm filling the tub up with water. I hope that paint comes out!

Little Mr. Manners

I was worried about Trevor. This is a picture of my sweet Trevor last year when he had No manners. Don't let that darling little smile fool you! At this age, Shane would say excuse me when he wanted to get by. He would love me and hug me throughout the day. Trevor on the other hand, would say MOVE IT and grunt when he wanted to get by and run around throughout the day making messes. The messes haven't changed but tonight I realized I haven't failed as a mother and I have a little 2 year old with manners.

Side note: That precious quilt in the background my Great Grandma Beebe (am I right on which Grandma mom?) quilted to top. She was an excellent seamstress and it pains me to think of all the quilts she would make and GIVE to new moms in her ward. I would cherish those blankets today but that is not the story. She never got around to quilting this blanket so my mom ask my Grandma Stewart to add the back and quilt it for her! AMAZING and PRICELESS.

This is Trevor now and as cute as ever! He now says excuse me when he wants to get by and even no thank you when I ask him if he wants something to eat and he doesn't want it! Wow I'm a good mom. Tonight he truly showed us all what good manner he has. I had put Trevor to bed and closed the door like always about 30 minutes before Damon went to bed. When Damon went upstairs he noticed Shane's bedroom light on so he turned it off. He then heard Trevor say in his room "Light on." So Damon turned it on and then he hears "thank you." Damon turns the light off again and again Trevor says, "light on." Damon turns it back on and hear "thanks." This goes on for awhile then I join in on the fun then Grandpa Young is visiting and comes to listen too. We go back and forth about 20 times! I can hardly keep myself from crying I'm laughing so hard! Silly Trevor you KNOW you are funny! We go in to see you and you are sitting up playing with all the wonderful toys in your bed! I can see why you know when one single toy is missing out of your crib because you quietly play with them each night when I think you are sleeping!

Staying Cool

Living in Vegas staying cool in this summer heat is a must! We have done swim lessons, swam at friends houses with pools, and have just been on house arrest not leaving our home for ANYTHING! Well, that is boring and we are sick of being inside so I finally broke out the Slip N Slide! We have used it 3 times since Friday. The only problem, we need to be outside and done before 11 a.m. or it's just too hot! This is Trevor's first time using the Slip N Slide. He was always sleeping last year when we used it! He had a blast semi running down and slipping!
I love this with Shane and Trevor running. Fun times!
Major concentration before the BIG run!
I think Shane mastered the run this year!

I know, a little crazy with the pictures but they were having so much fun!

And what does a mom do to stay cool? No, not the Slip N Slide at 10 a.m. but some nice cold Strawberry Lemonade. YUMMY!! See girls of the Somerset Ward if you came to Recipe Club you would have had some of this. **Notice my darling fabric? It will be part of a super cute apron AFTER the Super Summer Scrapbook Challenge. All my creative time is going to scrapbooking these days.
Easy Strawberry Lemonade

1 (12 fluid ounce) can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

4 1/2 cups water

1 (10 ounce) package frozen sliced strawberries (partially thawed)

In a large pitcher, mix together lemonade concentrate and water. Stir in strawberries.

Thanks Heidi for the recipe and leaving your pitcher of lemonade for me to enjoy!

Finally!

Finally a chocolate chip cookie recipe I can make. I hate to admit it but I can't seem to make those PERFECT chocolate chip cookies I think every good mom should know how to make. Every recipe I try just never seems to taste yummy AND look pretty. I know I should have mastered this before I had kids but I think I have and at least it is before Shane goes to school so he'll now have a decent looking after school snack! Thanks to the world's best Visiting Teacher, Karin, for bringing me the best CC cookies ever and then being nice enough to share the recipe. We had a BBQ to go to tonight so I decided to try out the recipe. If you look below you will see I no longer have problems with making PERFECT Chocolate Chip Cookies. You'll just have to trust me on how they taste or if you're in the neighborhood stop by and try some but make it soon because they won't last! PERFECT Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 Cup butter
1/2 Cup sugar
1/3 Cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla

Cream together in bowl. Then add:

1 1/2 Cups flour
3/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 Cup chocolate chips

Bake 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes.

**No, I didn't mess up on the recipe and forget the salt. I know, because I called Karin to double check! So easy and so yummy. Now I can work on that Mother of the Year Award I'm trying for. I think I might have a good chance because I don't have a BABY TO DROP this year!!!! WAIT, maybe that is Trevor's problem... he was dropped one to many times. Poor boy. If you don't know please don't ask how many times he was dropped in the first 9 months of his life!

Happy Slurpee Day!!!

Shane has been waiting for 7-11 and the day is FINALLY here...FREE Slurpee Day! He couldn't wait to get out of the house this morning to get his Slurpee. As soon as we were walking out the door he asked if we could come back later with Dad.

Shane is a mixer. He likes a little of EVERYTHING! Well, no Monster Mix and Latte's but other then that he loves it.
Trevor is happy with anything sweet. I wish they had these small cups all year because they are perfect for the kids! I went to a different 7-Eleven then usual and was bummed they didn't have my favorite, banana! Go enjoy a free Slurpee today to keep you cool on an oh so hot summer day!