Project 365: 348-358

December 14- "Christmas Eve dinner" at Ricks drive-in. The four of us are having our own little Christmas tomorrow before we travel this weekend.

December 15- We had Christmas today. The kids got Leap pads (and toothbrushes.)

December 16- We rented a boat tonight and took a moonlight ride around Naples Island. So warm and beautiful.

December 17- This is what the kids convinced me to let them get their dad for Christmas. We just got batteries for it about an hour ago, and I'm already ready to put it in the goodwill pile. Silent toys are so underrated. 

December 18- I'm kind of obsessed with all things many. So these "you are here" mini Starbucks mugs from LA were a must-have for stockings this year. We enjoyed a little hot cocoa after our walk today, complete with micromallows. 

December 19- Nighttime tangerine picking. 

December 20- I seen a few people hashtagging "my real home" today. Some challenge about not being afraid to post pictures of messy corners or rooms. Anyway, I'm not joining in on that, but it reminded me of a comment my smart-ass husband made a couple days ago while admiring all of the changes Addie has been making to her dollhouse. He said, "Cute. It looks like Addie is trying to make her dollhouse look like our real house." (Okay, it's kind of funny.) BUT, I don't care, because memory filled homes are better than Martha Stewart homes.

December 21- We made it to Mimi and Papa's house. Christmas in Utah.

December 22- I don't think this poor little guy has ever made it through a trip to Utah without getting sick. So sad it's at the beginning of the trip this time. 

December 23- Uncle Scott was a good distraction to these two today while I got some baking done.

December 24- Cutest little Mary, Joseph and a little shepherd. They looked so darling and were so quiet while their great grandpa read the story of Jesus' birth.

Project 365: 291-308

October 18- They didn't finish all of their dinner, But they're still trying to inch their way to the playground without us noticing.

October 19- A couples baby shower for one of Paul's friends. This is all the guys, minus one, plus wives and kids.

October 20 – Goin' on a fall hayride at Irvine Park.

October 21 – "I get my Ya-ya's at IKEA, you have to put them together yourself but they cost a little less." (Name that TV show.) It's time for some new dressers. We're building and painting this week.

October 22- We had to go to IKEA tonight for missing parts to one of our dressers. Only to find out that the parts aren't available, and the dresser is out of stock until sometime next week. At least kids eat free on Tuesday. So, silver lining. Whatever.

October 23- Garrett is always very thoughtful about where he'll put his Trader Joe's stickers. Addie's are always covering her arms and clothes before we even make it to the car.

October 24- Garrett got a gift card for his birthday from his auntie Mara and Uncle Aron. He was pretty excited to have his own "swipe card" at the store tonight. (And no I didn't make him use it on barbecue sauce or mustard. He got a Dusty book.)

October 25- We were determined to find fall on our walk today. It took a lot of trees but we found some pretty great colors.

October 26- These two are ready to go trunk or treating.

October 27- Knottsberry farm.

October 28- I had to do food for two events this morning. So it was a pajamas, underwear, fend-for-yourself kind of morning. The kids played great together (thankfully) until around lunchtime. And all I had to do during naptime was clean the kitchen from top to bottom, pick up every platter, every shipping box, and every children's book we own. NBD. 

October 29- The kids found the Christmas trees at hobby lobby. And I found way more than what I went in for.

October 30- Paul have the day off today so we did some Christmas shopping. (I'm hoping to be done by Thanksgiving this year.) They were all pretty excited about it.

October 31- This is the way to trick-or-treat! Happy Halloween!

November 1- I finally finished the IKEA dresser today that was missing parts. Paul ended up cutting the missing pieces for me so we didn't have to drive out there for a third time. I still need to write them a letter.

November 2- The kids are napping, Paul's working, and I'm using a blow dryer to heat up dry hot glue so it's easier to scrape off the floors of the dollhouse I'm re-doing. It's a fancy Saturday around here.

November 3- Like father like daughter. Dave Ramsey addicts, working on the budget.

November 4- My trash talking texts to our friends in Chicago didn't work for me. And Aaron Rodgers getting hurt didn't work for my fantasy team.

Project 365: 282-290

October 9- Addie's been jealous all day but Garrett is potty trained and she's not. But don't be fooled, this doesn't motivate me to potty train her. She won't actually go, she just wants to sit there all day. And when I make her take a potty break, (a break FROM the potty), 30 seconds later she needs to "go 'gain."

October 10- It was fine with me that these two wanted to walk me in the airport today. And Garrett pulled my suitcase the whole way. I'm about to board an airplane with no husband and no kids. This is a first for me since having a family! I'm going to miss these two, but I'm so excited for a long weekend away. And thankful to Paul for booking me the ticket and watching the kids alone for the next four days! 

October 11- The World of Coke in Atlanta Georgia. Pretty much the coolest museum honoring a soda that I've ever been to. (The only one I've ever been to.)

October 12- A plantation home in Roswell, GA. I'm loving it here. Such a charming little town.

October 13- It's really blurry, but I got a quick shot of the kids seeing me tonight at LAX after four days away. They were pretty excited, and Garrett brought me flowers. I had the best time in Atlanta with Mara and Aron. I didn't want to leave, but happy to be home, too.

October 14- The kids enjoyed their Atlanta souvenirs today. Coca-Cola shot glasses full of milk, and green T-Rex cookies with pink sprinkles.

October 15- Addie fell into a planter box in a parking lot today on the way into the doctor. Her face hit a tree stump. ... "Yes doctor, my children are always closely supervised and cared for...what made you ask that?"...

October 16- Garrett has Addie pinned. But he looks like the one who's struggling to break free. Black eye. Missing tooth. Badass. I'm so in love with her (and him.)

October 17- Monster pumpkins.

Project 365: 262-281

September 19- She's kind of dirty and she's kind of losing her mind. Addie doesn't do road trips without getting sticky from head to toe, and without losing her mind.

September 20- I cut 8 inches off my hair today. And for the first time in way too long you can't see any grays. (This is post hot tub ponytail hair so don't judge the style.)

September 21- Family dodgeball. It's a big deal.

September 22- We celebrated a day early with my whole family in St. George. My boy will be three tomorrow! He loved everything about his construction party, especially the cake.

September 23- And just like that, he's three.

September 24- The kids showing me some rocks at Zions national Park.

September 25- Dinner at Pirates Cove pizza in St. George. Don't ever go there. The kids took the race car video game very seriously, even though it was on the game over screen, the whole time.

September 26- Having a popsicle and saying goodbye this afternoon after a week in St. George.

September 27- I called Bapa White last night to see if they were up for grandparent day today. I wanted time to unpack, do laundry, and other general home from vacation housework. They've been gone for two hours and so far I've put a load of wash in and started catching up on the DVR. It's a lot of work.

September 28- Garrett was so excited that Paul finally put his new bed together tonight. This bed is quite possibly the worst decision we've made as parents thus far. The mattress is too deep so it comes to the top of the safety rail. I wouldn't mind if the bed wasn't 4 feet off the ground. The whole thing turns over to be at normal bed level so we'll probably have to do that even though I was looking forward to the extra floor space. But for now he's on the mattress under the bed frame. Addie is so jealous that she refuses to go to sleep and she's been screaming in her crib for almost an hour. Garrett was so excited that he did a running dive onto the mattress and his head nailed the wall and he started screaming. I had to lay with him until he was almost asleep, and now Paul is back consoling Addie who at almost 2 years old, can't believe she still doesn't get top bunk.

September 29- Apple tasting for breakfast. Eight varieties, along with cheese slices, peanut butter, and caramel for dipping. It's amazing how different they all taste, especially when tasting one right after another.

September 30- I'm overwhelmed with stuff. Time for a yard sale. Today I held up approximately 78 stuffed animals and asked the kids with each one "keep" or "get rid of." They each said keep approximately 78 times. They won't even miss the more than half that I said get rid of.

October 1- Can't wait for these to turn orange. Tangerines fresh off the tree are the best part of California.

October 2- The best thing about having kids close in age is they can share clothes. Not really, but he did wear her pajamas to bed last night, and those are his shoes.

October 3- Garrett just probably walked in wearing his helmet that he had from about nine months old till just over a year. I found it a couple of days ago well de-junking. ... I was at a conference with Garrett once when he had the helmet, and a man came up to me and started asking what kind it was, how long he'd be in it, etc. When I finished answering his questions he went on to tell me that his now 12-year-old daughter had one when she was a baby. He went on to tell me that he and his wife intentionally never took pictures of their daughter wearing the helmet, and when she was "graduated" from it they threw it away and have never told her, and have no intentions of ever telling her that she once wore one. ...WHY??... I don't get it. It wasn't a great four months, but it wasn't bad. And it's certainly not a chapter of our lives I'd ever erase. He was just as cute in the helmet as he is now!

October 4- Just finished de-junking the entire house. Turns out we have plenty of stuff to do one of these tomorrow.

October 5- We had to have some fun today after Yard sale day. (Selling, not buying.) Chinese food and a fun little pumpkin patch.

October 6- Mimi's working on a quilt, and Garrett decided he needed to get his play iron and help her.

October 7- I sold Addie's dresser at the yard sale Saturday. Thought we could do without for a while, but I realized later that we still kind of needed one, and I wanted to bigger one than she'd had. We found the perfect fit for her tiny room. (Not the one in the picture, it's ugly. They just liked marching around it.)

October 8- Our afternoon snack is usually grapes or apples, or cheese and crackers. Something semi-healthy. Today it was ice cream. One of those days.