Project Update....

so I know it looks like I've been busy and all, but really these projects have been in this stage for awhile, and I don't feel the need to complete any of them any time soon. That being said I thought I'd at least update you on what I  have accomplished thus far....Not a whole lot...

so the girls bathroom still needs lots of love...Contertops, new paint etc. I did make this box that turned out so cute awhile ago. It was intended for hair accessories...it sits empty....unlike me.

If you remember, this room was a lovely lavendar shade. It is now a light gray and I intend to wall paper the bottom half with "Exchangeable Wall Paper" from Sherwinn Williams. No I am not their spokesgirl, I just thought you'd like to know that wallpaper doesn't have to be permanent for those of you who love to change it up with patterns (you know who you are). I am thinking of going with a black and white Damask print for the lower half of the wall. i really want my moulding to stand out and I think that will do the trick. 

Another view...the closet and vanity I have yet to paint or decoupage haven't decided yet....

This little shelf I found at the GoodWill. I painted and sanded and stained and voila, it was worthy for my room and perfect for displaying bric a brac....

Another view, across from bed, I want to display cute fabric in the middle black frame...just haven't done it yet. I found this little victorian couch at an estate sale down the street, i love it. It's the perfect size for my little bum....riiiiight.

You remember this hutch? The one Bart said I should throw away??!! So just to recap, Bart built this 10 years ago for me before we went to Dental school, so I would have at least on piece of descent furniture to take with me. It has been sitting in my girls room unfinished collecting junk and dust. So it was time, I once again painted, sanded, stained, decoupaged, added knobs and it's still not finished!! I have to finish adding some paper and knobs and polyurthane? it several times over. But like I said, I don't feel the need to do it just yet...Someday. Until then I am still usung it for random dishes and nic knacks.... 

Now these I did the other day. I've just been home pretty much not feeling like doing much, but still feeling like I should be doing something other then eating or snuggling with Annie. So I was at anthropology the other day and saw that they had covered wooden hangers with fabric of all sorts. So that is what I am doing. I am switching over to wooden hangers, all together. I know I've gotten them from the past for pretty cheap at Ikea, I'm giving Bart my plastic hangers-hee hee and I'll take the pretty ones. Do you really think he'll care? Or even notice? I bet he'd notice more if I hung his clothes on these bad boys, I'm sure I'd get a lecture about tainting his masculinity. If that's a word.....

My girls share this bed...It's kind of a pain, they wake each other up...Everynite.....Then they wake me up....everynite.... They claim they are scared. How can you be scared in this Feminine Wonderland?

Crazy Prego Lady...

So I'm about to share too much information with all of you. And the reason I am doing this is so that you will no longer think I am perfect. I am an average Joe...or Jane. Ok, so I never let on that I was perfect but I want you to know I am not above sharing my short comings with you.. 

It all started Friday.......

I was feeling pretty crummy. And I was starving.. I then remembered that I had boiled some eggs the other day was wanting to make an egg salad sandwich..I know, I know, it's sounds disgusting!! But I so wanted it. Mayo and mustard and curry powder and I was all set. I had my soft unhealthy white bread. MMmmmm. Well, for some reason I was able to eat the whole thing. I have not be able to eat much at all, A few bites and I'm full and feeling sick. But not today, I ate it and it was soo good. And my stomach was still growling!!! No way I thought I just pounded down that whole sandwich..."Feed me" came my inner voice. Well, I'll make another one and take a bite or two and save the rest. One sandwich later I had finished my second!!! I sat in awe of myself. Holy Cow Girl!! So I'm defineitly satisfied now..

15 mins. Later I wasn't feeling so good. Oh, no here comes the sandwich(es)... I make it to the hall bathroom and to the toilet. Up it comes. And at the same time...I tinkle. Oh, no here comes more sandwich...I quickly pulled off my pants because I have to wear them later for the ward campout I reluctantly agreed to go on, and here comes the other sandwich full force along with the 32 oz. of water I had drank earlier. I was soaked and I am squating in the biggest puddle of pee-pee that Annie would of for sure gotten in trouble for if she had done it, and it was so abundant that it ran over to where I tossed my pants and soaked them anyway.... I was ticked and wet. So I'm laying on a dry part of the floor when guess who walks in the door? "what are you doing? are you ok?" asks Bart....."I'm sick and I know there is a big puddle of pee-pee, I'll clean it up in a second" "Oh, my gosh you have got to get that taken care of... what should I do?"

First of all, thanks for the advice I'll make a note of it...Second of all.."I'm not going to have you clean up my pee you sicko"......

Three hours or so later..... I'm all cleaned up and we have our tent and clothes and we're ready to go camping. Well we leave later then planned and we have to stop for food for dinner before we get up to the mountains because to be honest I can't wait that long. So we stop at my favorite pregnancy fast food...TacoBell. I love it, I crave it everyday, I know the people at the drive thru. I just say my name and then "The usual" and I"m good to go. I'm feeling daring so I decide to stray from my usual crunchy taco supreme and go for the gusto....The DOUBLE DECKER TACO...I'm getting goose bumps just thinking about it. The kids are stinkers and hate TacoBell but they order nachos supremes, all 3 of them. I'm thinking this is good because I'm sure there are bound to be leftovers, Bart's not hungry and heaven forbid I run out of food. So we get the prized food. We're traveling along and I'm getting everyone else set up and by the time I get to mine Bartel is handing me his saying he doesn't want anymore. It's like he only took 2 bites! YES!! So, he's handing it up to me with the lid on and I grab it thinking the lid is on only to find out it's an illusion. The lid pops off and nachos go flying all over the console of Bart's truck, down between the console and my seat, on my purse and all over the floor. Nacho cheese, ground beef (so they say), beans, tomatoes, and sour cream, and don't forget the chips everywhere. I was ticked...again. But mostly because I wanted those stupid nachos and now they were completely wasted!! And Bart who "wasn't hungry" had already eaten the girl's leftovers while I was cleaning up the mess. The NERVE!!!

Next Day... It's Saturday now (and again we stop by tacobell on our way home...no nachos this time) and we get home from our fun filled camp out under the stars, and I know I have to run to the store because we are feeding the Missionaries tonight and I can't take them out, because I did that last time....I go to the store and get what I need. I'm home and I'm starving and I know I have 3 hours until dinner and that's like 3 years in pregnancy time. So I know I need something to hold me over. So I had just bought lunch meat and yummy bread and decide to make a sandwich..just a half this time! SO I make it..turkey and mustard on 9 grain bread...mmm. I'm eating it slower this time while I put groceries away. I have about 2 good bites left, that by the way I'm well aware of, when I am in the fridge putting some things away. And Bart, good man that he is comes in the kitchen to help. I'm buzzing around and then go to the spot of my sandwich to finish off those last few glorious bites. Only when I get there it's gone. The whole plate. Did I move it? I look around and I yell "Bart did you throw away (or worse) eat my sandwich?" "Honey, it was almost gone so I tossed it" If there was a prize for crying on cue I would have gotten it right then. Instant tears and quivering lip..."Oh shoot, honey, I didn;t know, here it's right here it's just on a wrapper not even touching anything" he says as he's pulling my beloved sandwich out of the trash. Even when I'm not pregnant I'm aware of a bite or two that's left on my plate, it just feels unfinished like I forgot to do something, even if I don;t want it I know it's there. I don't know what happened. My poor husband felt like a creep for tossing out what appeared to him as dry crust. Go ahead say it... I'm out of control. I know it too. These dang pregnancy hormones are so powerful I can;t help it. So there you have it, now you can all feel better about yourselves after reading this. Your Welcome.

Recent Developments...

Ok, I guess I've been beating around the bush about this one. I've been getting some eyebrow raising comments and I guess I can't prolong it anymore. We are having another baby! Yes, we are excited, and yes, I'm getting chubby and feeling sick around the clock this time. Ummm, I get chubby every time, I've just never felt sick constantly before. We are about 10 weeks out, with a very long way to go, MArch has never seemed so far away... I am excited to not be prego during the summer like in every time past. I'm glad I can cover up more because of the cold...If you can believe it gets cold here...which it doesn't.

Anyhow, my kids are excited We are hoping for a boy, but we'll obviously take what we get. Bartel has already begun calling the baby "Tommy" I've reminded him several times that we are not using that name, I pretty much give him a dirty look every time he calls my stomach "tommy". And the other day he said it when a friend was over and she said "Oh, Bartel do you like that name?" His reply.. "no, I just know it bugs my mom"....Please tell me this stage will end soon?

So that's the big news, hopefully all will go well we had our first ultra sound last week and there was one healthy heartbeat. In some strange and twisted way I was hoping he was going to tell me there was twins and that's why I'm so big...But no, I'm just big as always and secretly grateful that there is only one. 

Just another week...

SO a few things this past week. Kids started school...yeah me. Everyone is alot happier these days. Also we had a Karaoke party, just us! And let me tell you Co-co rocks.We also watched Michael Phelps everynite, that was exciting, he's awesome.  Also Tatum and I made about 80 cupcakes for her cousin's bridal shower last week, and they turned out so pretty and tasty too. We had Almond buttercream cupcakes, devils food with chocolate almond frosting, and coconut with a coconut toasted pecan frosting. So good! In fact we are doing about 400 more for her wedding!!!  Anyhow, that's about it here, nothing too exciting going on, I did fall asleep for 15 mins in the aisle at target the other day...that was pretty cool.....Ok, time is a wasting, kids are at school and Annie and I are off to play! She is a different child when the other two are gone. We have so much fun together, she's not so clingy and demanding. She's actually ....enjoyable. Weird huh?

Vintage inspired cupcakes, Tatum had some great decorating ideas..

Will you marry me?

Holy Cupcakes!!

Everybody was Kung -Foo Fighting.

Still on our "Karaoke High"

The "puppy face" they also make their lips quiver while doing this...it's terrible.

This is why Bartel never gets what he wants...this face does nothing for me except make me irritated.

Rock on Co-co!!

First day of school...

Too cool. I almost didn't get this picture because his "homies" were near by watching and he was embarrassed!

Annie starts school next month at "Spuhler Sprouts" cute huh? Can you believe she's old enough for that?

New Toys...

So usually it's Bart that is in "dying need" of a new toy. But this time, it was all me. I rarely want anything so much that I do the "pout face". And really it's more of a joke, then anything I mean I know it will work because it just so happens to be the very face that Chloe uses on her dad to get something she wants. For example, a few weeks ago we were out as a family shopping for Bart for new church clothes and Chloe somehow managed to drag Bart into "Justice for Girls" and give him the whole "daddy, I really want this..." and then the "pouty, puppy dog face, and eyes look" and I promise not 5 mins. later she walked out with a new outfitt. Dang she's good. And all Bart could say was "she did the face, and she really wanted it, and she's a good girl"...Keep justifying Bart. Well, whatever she did, it worked and I took a lesson from her and worked my charm on him too. And the thing is I knew he would get me whatever it was I wanted I just had to show him how much I wanted it by talking about it more then once. I threw in the face just for good measure.   

So Bart got me my "Mac Book" and I love it. As we speak I am typing at the kitchen table and breaking up a fight between the kids. When before at the desk computer I would be yelling that they are driving the spirit out of our home..now I can whisper it.Because I'm right here. 

This Mac Book is so easy to use. Today I was asked by the young womens pres. to make a CD for their wacky olympics night. Now normally I would be able to get the music and then freeze trying to burn it onto a CD, because it never worked before. And like Apple Magic...it worked just like that! And I had my "eye of the tiger", "Chariots of fire" and so fourth all onto one CD for her listening pleasure! I was so proud of myself.  I feel so computer savvy...And my CD is awesome too! A good cd to exercise to....If I exercised right now. Which I'm not....I don't want to talk about it. Anyhow, thanks Bart my so sweet husband, I knew you would get me what I wanted without the face and promises I don't intend to keep! What a guy! I'm so gald he's mine (along with my mac book) oh yeah, and how gullible am I? So the next day BArt says, "You know, this white Mac Book is the only laptop they allow in the temple...".Serious" I say? I automatically picture myself surfing the net at the temple...."No, not really" he says....Hardy, har,har Bart....Dang blonde hair of mine. 

Back in town...

What a busy month July was for us Vans. It seemed to have just flown by, (thank heavens, one month closer to cooler weather....and school starting...did I say that out loud? Believe me, they are just as eager to start as Iam!) So we Camped in Heber, Az for the Fourth of July where the weather was much cooler so much in fact, it hailed huge marbles on us! It was crazy, especially since earlier in the day we were rolling up our shorts and sleeves to get a tan!

Then of course there was Disney land which I already blogged about who could forget Jack Sparrow! Then we had California (my favorite place!) and the beach for a whole week! We rented a beach house with our dear friends the Bryans, for the second time now, and just had a blast. Bart drove us out there then flew home and was back to work while I was lounging on the beach and reading and eating "Cow Cookies"....Don't worry they were meatless... Then he so lovingly flew back out on our final day and drove us back home. What a guy!! I sure love him.

We had so much fun we seriously did not want to come home. I know what your thinking..." why wouldn't you want to come home to 110 degree weather, chores, errands, real life etc...." Oh well, it had to end sometime right? But at least we got out of the heat for a bit. The Grandma Kimmy, came out for a few days to play with us here. I'm sorry to report she didn't get to escape the heat of St. George by coming to AZ. But We're worth it right? So we are actually ready for a schedule again, School starts next week, tonight is "meet your teacher" night, and Co-co is taking her first piano lesson as we speak! Thats my girl! Well, actually I never took piano.... My best friend Sherece tried to teach me, but everytime she came over we always seemed to find something else to do, like ....giggle and talk about boys...Good times!! Hanging with the Elders
Daddy and the kids at the pier in San Luis A Bispo?
Grandma came for a quick visit, she wanted to read to the kids but not without her reading glasses, so of course Annie had to get hers out too!
Farmers Market in Moorpark Ca, Bart was a good sport for posing as a horse, and I was fine with it as long as I wasn't the pig!!
Camping in Heber, Az at the local 4th of july parade that was mostly real estate advertisers and political candidates driving cars....Fun, Fun!

Annie almost took off Barts head with this hit! I was so impressed! Must be my genes!
Wiped out, Daddy makes a cuddly bed...don't tell him I said that!! (love you Bart)
Bartel is part merman, I'm sure of it. He was in the water just about the whole trip, I'm certain if we had, had a raft he would of wanted to sleep on it...well scratch that, the whole shark thing would probably of inhibited him.

So proud of their sand castle!
Repeat...I haven't mastered editing my posts yet...I don't want to talk about it...

Yes this is proof, I did help and I was there not just behind the camera, I have the sunburns to prove it! Well, I'm peelin a bit now..TMI sorry.

Oh, how sweet. Are they so happy to be at the beach together as a family?
NO, of course not, this is my new form of punishment, time out with a hug. They hate it. And the more they complain the longer the hug. Believe me 3 mins seems like forever to an 8 yr. old hugging his sister. Co-co doesn't mind it as much..
My beautiful Chloe....

Go fly A KITE!
And she did!!! She was so Happy!!! But when she was done I got stuck holding it...for a very long time.
This is what little 6 year old girls do to their little sister when mom isn't around. And boy did Annie flaunt herself..I don't know where she gets that from?...No seriously I really don't....I swear it's not me. I feel like your judging me now!