Greenification

We got a late start on both our winter {back} lawn and garden this year, but both are thriving due to the unseasonably warm temps we've had recently. Our garden consists of broccoli, carrots two types of leaf lettuce, and spinach. We never got around to planting the peas, darn it. I'm loving this gardening bit! We definitely plan on expanding our planter in order to hold more crops next summer.We've already put the lettuce to good use! :)I can't WAIT to pick the first grapefruit and orange from our trees! They are already turning! I love me some AZ homegrown citrus, especially when it's right from my own backyard!So I'm a little appalled and a lot embarrassed about this. Of course, when you throw down seed, the birds take that as open invitation to have three meals a day from your lawn. Well, Matt had had enough of that and got out his BB gun. I won't tell you how many poor, little birdies lost their lives during Matt's rampage. This tree is Oakley. He has traveled with us far and wide and has quite the story. Matt first got him from a local nursery as a seedling while we were visiting family in Arizona. We took him back to California with us and planted him in a little pot there. See here? That's little Oakley to the right of Gavin, April 2007.Initially, when we moved back to Arizona, we had left Oakley right in that very spot, in front of our apartment porch. But one time when Matt went back for boards, he slipped into our old apartment complex and took our little tree! The tree got a wee bit neglected and was practically dead when we moved into our house a year ago. But we decided to plant it in hopes that it would come back to life and flourish.
This was one year ago. That little tree in the forefront of the picture is now taller than the brick fence! I'm amazed at how much Oakley has grown! It'll be nice when he grows to full maturity!

Aliens & Airplanes

PLANET 51

We took the kids to see this movie on Saturday morning. The kids liked it, of course. They are movie-aholics! It was just ho-hum for Matt & I.

On our drive home down Ironwood, we saw remote control airplanes flying in the air and decided to stop and see what was going down. We stumbled upon the Southwest IMAC Regional Finals, where these hobbyists compete in different categories (precision, freestyle) with their model airplanes. I had no idea these things were so HUGE from just seeing them in the sky from a distance!

The kids were absolutely fascinated by these airplanes. I loved that they have fake little "pilots" rigged in the cockpit! We only stayed for maybe 30 minutes because it was SO windy and dusty, but it was way cool!

Black Friday Fun

Yep, I did it again. Call me a diehard. Matt claims it's a money-spending-high. Whatevs. I LOVE shopping day after Thanksgiving sales bright and early in the AM! This year it was even more fun because I had a partner to share in my excitement, my dear Aunt Candy. :)
**For the record, THIS is exactly why I have a hard time handing off my camera to other people. I mean, really. How hard is it to center us in frame?!?? C+ for effort.

We hit Kohls and Target together. I was 6th-ish in line at about 2:30am. Doors opened at 4:00am, we got in, grabbed EVERYthing on our lists and were out by 4:30!! So we ran over to Target in the same shopping plaza, grabbed our free reusable tote bags and waited in line for the store to open at 5am. This is the line at Target --- alllllll the way wrapped around the side and back of the building!Definitely more frenzied here, but we grabbed the few things we wanted and were outta there pretty quickly as well. Then I headed to Toys R Us. It opened at MIDNIGHT (crazy!!!!!) and I was there around 6am. The crowds had already died down, so I strolled right in, meandered around, got what I wanted, and hardly waited in line to check out. On my way home, I jetted in to Babies R Us to get a wagon that was out of stock at Toys R Us, but I was completely done by 7:30am, just as the sun was waking up!

Me = One Happy Shopper!!! ☺

Really, unless you're there for a hot, big-ticket item, shopping on Black Friday isn't as bad as people think it is! Most people I came across were courteous and overall friendly. It's all about the attitude. I'm not in it for a knock-down, drag-out fight over some electronic item or toy. I just love the energy in the air and the official kick off to the holiday shopping season! And getting some great deals to boot!

Turkey Day - Gobble Gobble!

Our celebrating started on Wednesday with Blake & Brooklyn's 1st grade feast. I'm talking full out turkeymashedpotatoesgravycornstuffingcranberriesrollspies,the WHOLE shebang!! Each of the three 1st grade classes did a performance of little songs and poems. I love seeing the twins interact with their friends at school. I do have to say, Brooklyn's quite the Little Miss Popular!Actual Thanksgiving day, it's been a tradition in Matt's family that they put the Christmas lights on that morning. So he and his brother helped each other get the lights all done on both of our houses. It freaks me out seeing Matt that high on our roof, so I just like to stay inside and not think about it too much.The kids did a little bit of Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and parade watching while I finished up rolls and cookies. We headed over to G&G LeB's for lunch with the extended family gang. It's good to see everyone and have a chance to catch up.

Prest enjoyed his bits of his 1st Thanksgiving dinner after downing pureed sweet potatoes and apples.
He even got a couple bites of sweet treats and loves pumpkin pie! ;)Grumpy turkeyMost of Matt's family (sorry Kristin!)

Then we headed over to my parents' for dessert! Let me say, it can be both a blessing and a curse having both of our families living nearby when it comes to holidays. It makes for some veeeeeeeeery looooooooooong days. But I don't know that I'd have it any other way!

This is what's most important to me ♥These boys will hopefully be bestest of cousins! Ashton & Preston, only 4 months apart.

I don't even wanna know how many calories passed through my lips on Thanksgiving Day, but let's just say my elliptical machine and I need to be reacquainted REAL quick unless I want to weigh 300lbs after the holidays are over!!!!!!!!!!

Culturizing the Kids

Since Matt and I enjoy going to plays and musicals, we look forward to the day that we can take our kids with us to a show. We thought we'd start them off easy by attending a high school play that their uncle (my brother) was performing in, The Pirates of Penzance. We left Preston with my parents so we could enjoy the experience with Brooklyn, Blake and Gavin. They did great!!!

Waiting for the show to startHeston pirateKids with Aunt Brittney and Uncle JesseBlake & mommy @ intermissionHeston bobbyBrother~ sister~ sisterI think we actually look related in this picture!! Though obviously I'm lacking in eye makeup. ;)

Great job, Heston!! We look forward to seeing you in the spring musicale!

Second in the Saga ~~ New Moon

Saw it --- LOVED IT!!!

My sister Brittney and I had to see New Moon opening day, keeping the tradition alive!! This movie was much better than the first one, in my opinion; better acting, more action and intensity. I enjoyed the witty humor and the gasps and squeals from female audience members when Jacob removed his shirt. LOL! I've always been a Team Edward player, but the movie actually made me feel a bit for Jacob. He definitely stole the show! And it didn't hurt that he has a rockin' body when Edward's was truly lacking. :bleh: ;) The way they ended the movie definitely made me anxious for Eclipse in June!! Hooray!

Mister Mischief

THIS precious face?????????No way.

But it's true!

Definitely amazing how different Preston is from Gavin.
Gavin never got in to ANYthing.

Prest seems to think he rules my kitchen.Maybe if I look sweet, mommy won't mind that I emptied nearly 100 cookie cutters onto the floor?Trying to train the older kids to keep the toilet lid shut and the bathroom door closed...Nothing better to do on a Wednesday morning than clear the DVDs out of the cabinetNow a permanent fixture on the entertainment center doors

No joke, as I was sitting here blogging, I hear a muffled Preston cry. I immediately think Gavin has trapped him under a blanket, but Gavin is sitting glued to My Friends Tigger & Pooh, no Presty in sight. When I realized where it was coming from, in true blogging-mama fashion, I ran to get my camera and started snapping away, all while promising that I'd rescue him in a minute. Haha!

Stuck between {behind} the couch and a hard place

Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come! I don't know if I'm ready for the toddler stage!!!!! Ack!