Joy

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Lazy Summer Days

Claire finally got some flip flops!
We have looked for quite awhile now for some that fit her and stay on. Most stores don't have the toe strap like the flip flops so her foot falls out of them. Old Navy had these and they are super cute.... until she walks in them.



I found that if we put them on like this (backwards)they seem to stay on better and she can walk much faster and it doesn't look so wrong. Maybe? You be the judge.


We spend most of our days in the backyard - she cries whenever we come back inside. I don't blame her though as she has a pretty nice set up out there. She loves going in and out of the pool and playing with her many balls. Throwing wood chips into the pool is also a favorite past time

Claire also discovered she loves to sit in beach chairs and really enjoys the little pouch that hangs off the arms to hold drinks. She is all about storing rocks in them but today she was very happy to discover that her pool balls also fit in them.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Claire's Dedication

Yesterday was Claire's dedication at church. She was not cooperating at the moment, but here is the dress she wore. It was very cute. I love the layers and the way it hangs. (It's a 6-9 month) She received a little pink New Testament Bible and a certificate. We were also handed a single rose bouquet of which Claire promptly pulled off a piece of rose petal and shoved it in her mouth in front of the church.Here we all are outside afterward.

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Birthday Surprise

Josh has been aggravating me by keeping my birthday surprise from me all week. He enjoys having surprises for me and making me wonder what it could be for days. I, being the worrier that I am, picture worst-case scenarios of what it could be and hope it's not something expensive. It always is something that I enjoy in the end though so I don't know why I worry everytime.Anyway, the birthday surprise was that he took me and Claire, clear across the valley to Schnepf Farms in Queen Creek for their annual peach harvest. Because of Claire's napping schedule, by the time we got there it was 2:30 and we were starving so we went to the little restaurant they have there. It was crazy. There was a woman there that had the loudest, most explosive laugh that every time she laughed Claire (and everyone around for that matter) would jump and be like "whoa! what was that!" I was super annoyed because she would just keep doing it and it was so obnoxious, I can't even tell you.

The restaurant service was HORRIBLE and now we know to bring a lunch next time. Waiting for a table (notice all the empty tables in the background)

How much longer?
( and yes, her shoes are on backwards. We do that on purpose to help her feet not turn in so much)

By the time we got out of there, it was getting late so we got on the hayride and made our way out the the peach orchard. Claire really enjoyed the ride and she waved at the people that we passed.

We got our box and started picking. Claire was hesitant at first but she finally tasted a peach and realized that she loved them.

She ate her peaches until, for whatever reason, she threw it in the dirt and then we would pick her another one.She stayed busy and happy the whole time and she had a lot of fun exploring.

We filled our box up and headed back. Claire was ready and she promptly fell asleep on the way home. That evening, we had Denisse come over and sit for us while we used our Chili's gift card. It was very pleasant not having Claire grumbling and complaining throughout a meal. It was only our second "date" since Claire was born.
So once again, My Love planned a wonderful and fun filled day.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Mother's Day - Take 2

My first Mother's Day was very special. In the morning I got up at 6am so I could get ready for church before Claire woke up. I went downstairs to find a few gifts for me from Josh. He bought a few scrapbooking items and had pictures of Claire printed up and put them in little picture frames and a little purse sized book. He also made me the most delicious cake (all chocolate of course) and let me tell you it was soooooo good. It looked very nice too. My early morning plans were thwarted when Claire decided to wish me a happy Mother's Day by waking up at 6:20.

At church I won a little vase of carnations for being a mom the least amount of time. I don't know why this deserves a prize but I won't win another one until I am either extremely old or we have more than 5 kids (one of these days Diane) That afternoon I went to my mom's to have Mother's Day there with the fam. We also celebrated Stephen's and Bryan's and my birthday. As usual Claire and the dogs were our source of entertainment.She went swimming with Uncle Didi and the dogs.It was a good day but also sad as we knew Uncle Buddy was leaving that week to be on staff at Summit ALL SUMMER. Claire will be talking by the time he gets back!Claire made a card for him that he will receive on his actual birthday. She worked hard on it and it turned out really well. I am sure he will appreciate it.
We will miss you Buddy!

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Sod and an Early Mother's Day

Josh and I have been wanting grass in the backyard since the day we moved into our house but finances have always stopped us from going through with it. Since my birthday is this week, my mom asked what I wanted for my birthday and I thought “grass” so, my family is all giving me money for my birthday that is designated for the sod and we decided to put it in yesterday, before the weather gets too hot and/or home depot stops selling it.

We got 500 sq feet and during Claire’s morning nap (3 hours) we laid it all and it was finished. We left one side of the yard dirt because we hope to put cement down next year so Claire can ride her little bikes around. We also are going to have to water it by hand for the next year until we can afford a sprinkler system. I am so excited for Claire to be able to run around back there finally, she LOVES to be outside.

That afternoon we drove out to Chandler to spend and early Mother's Day day with the Mom and Dad McKenzie and of course Aunt Shelbe. (We saw Uncle Corey for a brief moment too. )

Claire went swimming in the big pool with dadda and grandpa but she is still unsure of grandpa at times. As soon as Claire got out of the pool, she went potty on grandma’s new rug that is in the patio area. While she was going, she looked super upset/embarrased, but Grandpa said it was okay and Claire promptly continued running around and jabbering to herself. I am sad I do not have a picture of this.

Claire got to try mangos for the first time but she mostly enjoyed her strawberry. As you can see.

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Homemade Laundry Soap

I have been wanting to try making homemade laundry detergent for quite some time but today I finally did it! I had one more loads worth of Tide left and so rather than get more Tide for $10 for 40 loads. I bought 1 bar of Zote ($1) and a box of borax ($2.78) I had a box of baking soda at home already but that would have been about $2.00. I felt like I was living in the prairie days as I was grating the soap (which is silly because if I were in the prairie days I would first be making the soap out of pig fat) but it was fun and it seriously only took about 5 minutes to complete the entire process.

4 cups Zote Soap finely grated - (1 bar)
2 cups Washing Soda or Baking Soda
2 cups Borax

  • Mix well and store in an airtight plastic container.
  • Use 2 tablespoons per full load.

After researching and doing the math it comes out to about 2.8 cents per load verses 25 cents with Tide. If I do 6 loads of laundry a week (remember I am washing diapers) it comes to Homemade = $8.73 a year and Tide = $78 a year.

I am doing a load of laundry right now to try it out. Hopefully there will not be any problems!

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Barf - A Mother's Dream

You know it's going to be a great day when you wake up to your child looking like this....



and her bed looking like this....
(don't be alarmed, the red chunks are just craisins)

Yes, that is all barf and the pictures don't even capture the chunks crusted in her hair and the wonderful smell filling the room. It was all as dry as can be, so she must have thrown up early on during the night and then wallowed in it while she slept. She never woke up crying though so it must have not been too traumatic at the time.
Needless to say, we stayed home from church, but Claire was in a surprisingly good mood after her bath and her big bowl of organic oatmeal.

Here she is giving her approval of her clean crib sheets.


Saturday, May 2, 2009

Waiting For The Breakdown

Have you ever had one of those days (or months) where it seems like you just can’t get a break? That is what our past two weeks have been like. First, the garage door went on the fritz AGAIN. It has been giving us problems off and on for about 5 months, but it finally threw in the towel. It only opens halfway, one time. After that, it just grinds on itself and you have to open and close it manually. No big deal though, we can live without that.

Then our dishwasher broke, we don’t know what is wrong with it. The buttons on the front panel don’t light up so we thought maybe a fuse had gone out. Josh ordered a part online and it turned out to be the wrong one. He ordered another part and it was the right one but when he changed it, it still didn’t work. No big deal though, we can live without a dishwasher.

THEN my car started smelling like gasoline and smoking so we took it in and it need over $800 dollars worth of work to change the fuel pump and fuel line. Then the A/C stopped working. No big deal though, we can live without that. I drove around for a few weeks with the weather getting hotter and hotter. Poor Claire, stuck in her padded car seat would be dripping wet when we got to where we were going. We are eternally grateful that Mom and Dad McKenzie thought we couldn’t live without that and helped us out.

I am just waiting for the next thing to break.

In other news…. Claire got a swimming pool!
We got a while back at Goodwill for only $16 and it is a Little Tikes. We filled it up in the morning and set it in the sun to warm up. By the afternoon it was HOT. Claire loved it.

She was in there for a long time chasing some balls we put in there and sitting on the top step of the slide splashing her flippers in the water.
That morning, Claire found her first chicken egg at Nana's house. As you can see the chicken had JUST laid it and Claire wanted to hold it very badly.

We were afraid she would throw it down or squeeze it too hard, but the egg eventually made it safely to the refrigerator.