Losing teeth!

Ashton has lost two teeth in the last week. But he swallowed the second one when he was eating Goldfish at the zoo. He was very excited about losing his tooth and couldn't wait to tell his dad when we got home form work. After swallowing his second tooth he wrote a note to the tooth fairy telling her he swallowed his tooth. So she still left him a dollar.
We had a funny conversation after he lost his tooth. I mentioned how the tooth was held on by roots.
Ashton grew very concerned and said : Roots?? I have a tree in my tooth! Ahh that will make me die!

Party Planning

Ashtons b.day is in _ days. I know because everyday he asks "how many days utnil my b.day?" So far on his agenda for the b.day-

Eating panda express chicken
Watching a Scooby Doo movie (on the big screen) I don't think so
Tiger attack game?
Sword competition
A cannon launch?
GI Joe decorations
Ninja costumes for each child (yea right)
Pumpkin pie and brownies
GI Joe secret lab
Ninjas hide-out
Pinata
Ballon fight

We will see how many of these actually happen- he has high hopes and a creative imagination.

Starting in September there tends to be a lot of parties around this place. Which is fine by my because for some reason I really enjoy plannign parties- or think I do. Sometimes during I woner if I really do enjoy it. In Spetember we have Teras b,day, then October we have Halloween and my boutqiue, then NOvember is Ashtons party, December will be Mazzi's first b.day and then of course CHRISTMAS! So we have a lot to look forward to and a lot to plan (Lucky me). It will be nice to have Ashtons out of the way so he can stop adding to the things he wants at his party though it is adorable to see hwo excited he gets. Each day he goes in the backyard to see where we should put stuff, though I keep trying to talk him into doing it at a park because then my house can stay clean. We will see how this shin-dig turns out. A post of the Halloween party will appear shortly...

Ten Months

Look who's ten months! Our little Mazzi is turning into a busy little girl. She loves to walk along everything and put everything in her mouth. She is still the sweetest girl full of cuddles and smiles. Anytime I look at her she gives me a big toothy grin. Despite her sweetness, this little one is also a big bitter. The second she feels flesh near her mouth she chomps down. Shocking I know! Not really considering Ashton was a biter until age four and I bit clear until high school (kind-of- I was a little eccentric in ways) . In fact, if someone were to attack me to this day my first instinct would probably be bite them. But, this is not about me, it is about my little Mazzi and how much we love her despite her constant biting. . She is also a huge pincher and scratcher. I have claw marks all over my body to prove this. But look at this adorable smile.Don't you want to squeeze her? But beware- she will bite. We have nicknamed her the attack baby
At this stage Mazzi loves to play in the garbage, (q tips are her favorite find- gross!) help mom unload the dishwasher, jump in her bouncer, play outside and visit the chick-fil-a cow. She kicks all crazily when she gets excited and growls when she talks. She seems to have a lot to say and feeds off noise. If there are a lot of kids talking she joins right in and is always the loudest. Mazzi also loves to eat. Her favorite food is beans- refried, pinto, green beans, black beans- any bean. She gobbles them up, making yummy smacking noises the whole while. Mazzi makes our whole family smile. We love you little Mazz mazz and love celebrating every month of your life!

Vinyl... vinyl... vinyl

For about a month straight my every thought and spare moment is spent getting ready for my annual vinyl lettering boutique. What crafts to make, food to make, how to set up, etc. September is always that month. I had the boutique at my house on Wednesday. It was a fun night with good food and good friends- who hopefully left with some good ideas. If anyone out there is interested in anything on my blog let me know. I still have several things left and can make more of anything you see. Thanks to all my friends who supported me by coming and for helping. Thanks Coral for helping set up!!

The Christmas table...
The gift idea table...

The fall/Halloween table...
And my favorite- the food table. I tried most of this food the first time for the boutique so was very nervous about how it would turn out. But I thought it was all quite delicious!! Kim brought chocolate dipped strawberries and Niki brought a yummy lemon cake! Several of these recipes were taken from my friends recipe blog-

Appetizers:
Advocato Egg Rolls, Hot Spinach Dip, Black bean and corn salsa


The treats...
Rolo cookies, Chocolate chip cookies, Pumpkin spice cookies, Girl scout Samoan bars, bakerealla cake balls, lemon cake (thanks Niki), Easy trifle, chocolate covered strawberry (thanks Kim)





And here are all my creations... The prices are listed if anyone is interested!

Halloween cubes- 15.00 or 8.00 vinyl only

Fall block- 7.00 or 3.00 vinyl only
Boo block- 6.00 or 3.00 vinyl only
Trick or Treat frame- 8.00 or 4.00 vinyl only
Trick or Treat with metal- 12.00 or 4.00 vinyl only
Happy Haunting- 10.00 or 4.00 vinyl only
Boo block- 6.00 or 3.00 vinyl only
Loves the thing- frame vinyl only 6.50 or completed- 10.00
Reicpe block- recipe and magnet not included 6.00 completed project or 2.50 for vinyl only
Family board- 10.00 completed or 3.50 vinyl only
Happiness is frame- fits 3 8x10 pictures- 35.00 or smaller one for 4 x6's 25.00
Family metal- 2.50 vinyl only 6.00 completed
Recipe holder- same as above...
Lead me guide me stackables- 22.00 completed or 12.00 vinyl only And this is my joy- 12.00 completed or 5.00 vinyl only
Temple block- 9.00 vinyl only, 18.00 completed
Lead me guide me 22.00 completed, 12.00 vinyl only
Faith, love joy candles- vinyl only 5.00 or completed project (without candles) 16.00
Family blocks- 20.00 completed, 7.00 vinyl only
Peace blocks- vinyl only 6.00, or completed 16.00
Christmas cubes- vinyl only 8.00 or completed project 18.00
Joy block with tiles- vinyl only 4.00 or completed project 14.00
Believe block with metal- 13.00 completed or 4.00 for vinyl only
Joy bloks- vinyl only 3.50... completed project 12.00
Joy, Peace, Noel frames- set 20.00 or vinyl only 8.00

Lost at Disneyland

Last week I went to Disneyland with my friend Melissa. We were on the last ride of a fun, exhausting, hot evening. We had successfully made it through Disneyland and California adventures with six kids and no husbands without any major incidents (besides the fact that I was bribing my son to be good at Disneyland- which infuriates me thinking that I have such a spoiled kid... I mean should I really have to bribe my kid to go on rides and be good at the happiest place on earth?) Then after our last ride, the Toy Store ride, we go out the exit, which oh so cleverly leads you through the store where the kids try, inevitably to get you to buy them a toy. I tell Ashton and Tera both to put back the toys they are holding and apparently lose my focus for a moment because when I look to make sure they have both put the toys back on the shelf I do not see Tera. Ashton stays with Melissa while I tell the store's employee that my little girl is missing. A customer in the store asks what she looks like and what she is wearing and I give her the details. Panic begins to set in. I run up the stairs we just came down searching for my little girl.She's not upstairs, I run back down. At this point it hasn't even been five minutes but my emotions are running high as I picture my sweet little Tera afraid and alone. I find myself struggling to hold on to faith and keep fear out by keeping a prayer in my heart- telling myself not to overreact, which seems to be a built in part of being a woman, especially a mother. At this moment, the lady who asked what my daughter looked like came back holding Tera. She had found her walking the opposite direction looking for her mother. I knelt down next to Tera and held her while we cried together. I have never felt that relieved and felt my fear washed away so quickly with gratitude- Gratitude for my prayer begin answered, and gratitude to this stranger for helping me find my child. I didn't express my gratitude to her as I should of, I was too excited to hold my little girl. But I am so deeply grateful to her. This experience was just a reminder to not take these little ones for granted and to show them my love daily. That night on the way home Tera and I were talking about when she got lost.

Mom: Tera were you scared when you didn't know where Mommy was?

Tera: Yea cuz I can't live without you.

Mom: I can't live without you either

Tera: Yea, because we love each other.

And then I cried again. And all night after we got home I kept sneaking in her bedroom just to watch her sleep thinking how grateful I am for Tera and for all of my family.

I took Ashton and Tera on the Grizzy river run while Melissa watched Mazzi. It was so cute seeing how excited and a little bit scared they were. Tera was convinced she was going to fall off with each rapid. Each time we made it throgh one she said "we didn';t fall off!" It has now been three weeks and she will say "Remember at disneyland when we didn't fall off?"

Mazzi and Lyric holding their disneyland soccors.Tera and Tatum with brother bear.

Mazzi at Brother bears play area. For some reason this is my favorite part of California Adventure. She was such a good girl this night.

Ashton climbing the wall at the brother bear play area. We had a great day- but have taken a few weeks off to recover. We'll be ready to go again next week I am sure :)

How much longer...

How much longer will I be able to cram these three in the tub together? I am afraid not much longer... but it is awfully cute while it lasts.

Mazzi's best friend...

Each Tuesday we go to Chick-fil-a for kids eat free night. All the kids love it- including, and maybe especially Mazzi. She loves the cow and I think the cow loves her. Sometimes the cow hangs around us so much it feels a bit awkward even. But Mazzi will sit there kicking her legs and pulling at the cows face, holding the cows hands (hooves?) for as long as the cow will stay close by. Some babies don't know what to think about the giant cow, but Mazzi thinks the cow is the greatest. I am tempted to ask the cow if he/she is up for a babysitting job.