Tobler's Photoshoot...

For Relief Society in January I won a Free half hour photoshoot with a friend in the ward, who is a professional photographer. We finally put our schedules together and enjoyed being photographed. Here is what she did...Thank you Jessica! You did a fabulous job.

http://www.epiclifephotography.com/

Make a Smilebox photobook

Sophia-isms...

Sophia:

"Mom could you please stop telling me to not slam the drawer anymore?...I am angry and you are not he Boss-of-me".

Sophia:

"Mom could you come help me paint my nails?"

Mom:

"Yes, in just one minute, let me finish my breakfast"

Sophia:

"One minute is way too long, I can't wait that long, eat faster Mom!"

Mom:

"Thanks Sophia! You did such a good job calming down and saying Thank you!"

Sophia: (after my praising)

"I hate you, I hate you Mom...But I like Dad"

Sophia:

"I think you are stupid"

Mom:

"That kind of language is not allowed in our home. We don't call people names like that"

Sophia:

"I don't care, I still think you are..."

Mom:

"Perhaps a good teaspoon full of red curry will help you not say naughty words"

Sophia:

Oh, no Mom...I am sorry...I meant that you are Beautiful"

Our family favorite...

A month or so ago we came accross this cute video. It has become the hottest thing in our family. The kids are constantly quoting what the little boy says and also speaking with an English accent. So, if you hear my kids saying "Charlie..." with an accent, you will know what they are talking about...

"Spike" came to visit...

Our Kids have fallen in love with the Neighbor's Kitty cat. Her name is "Spike". She has some beautiful colors and she is quite friendly, although she can be a bit sassy. She will definitely let you know when she wants your attention and when she has had enough! If the kids had it their way they would have a million cats for pets. Rob is allergic to cat's hair. This kitty seems to not shed too much, so Rob has been alright with her in the house.

Anyhow, the girls were playing dress up last night with the kitty, and before I knew it "Spike" was in a skirt and top. We were laughing so hard. What a good cat? She let the girls dress her up. After a while you could tell that "Spike" wasn't sure what to do with her new outfit, and she was leaping and prancing around...I think she was trying to get it off somehow. Then, she gave in and resumed to being a cute kitty ready for a nap. Thanks Grammie Deb for sharing your kitties with us.

Saturday is the day we Clean....

So, I decided to do things a little different this morning to try and get the kids really excited about cleaning. How did I do this? Well, I simply took advantage of our little problem of having too many things in "The Jail" shoe rack, and told them that in a week the first two shelves of stuff will be emptied, and everything in them will be donated to the "Goodwill".

"The Jail" thing started about 6 weeks ago and it is working great, slowly, but progressing. The kids have been taking the time to ask what jobs they can do to "free" one of their items in "The Jail". We have a list of 55 things, and they get to pick a number from 1-55. This way there is no arguing with the parents and hey, they choose their job!! With Sophia we do come up with a simple task that we know she can do, and she can have an input as to what she can do as well. She usually chooses to sweep the kitchen floor or clean the countertops. So, Cute!

I also went a step above the norm and created a little more enticement. I offered a deal that they couldn't resist. Now, Rob and I had already greed with the kids that if they do 4 jobs, they can get 5 things out of "The Jail". Usually one job means one item. So, I said today that the more jobs they did the more items they could "Free" from jail. 5 Jobs= 7 items, 6 jobs= 9 items, 7 jobs= 11 items and so on. James and Eliza did 8 jobs and they even went the extra mile with some, as well as used their "choosing" to get stuff out for their little sisters. Now that was worth watching.

Shabby Baby Girl "Picture Princess" Model Search Contest...#3

The Perfect "Picture Princess" Recipe #3:

2 Captivating Brown Eyes 1 Beautiful Catchy Smile (melted) 1 Short Luscious Hair ~A dash of her New Favorite "Botanical" dress from "Shabby Baby" Apple Dress. 2 Fashionable pairs of Dainty Bare Feet ½ Cup of Refined Olive Skin 2 Full Cups of a Vigorous Personality 2 Hand-fulls of Selflessness 1 Tbsp. of Charm and love for life 1 Tsp. of Free Spirited and Natural Beauty ~A Pinch of Sassiness & A Flair of Love to last an Eternity...

Put her in a "Shabby Baby Apple" Summer 2009 Photo-shoot and out comes a Perfect "Picture Princess" for your delightful pleasure, and new line of dresses.

"Shabby Baby" has never looked better!

"Little Girls and Girls Dresses from Shabby Baby" http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-92-botanical.aspx

Shabby Baby Girl "Picture Perfect" Model Search Contest...#2

The Perfect

"Picture Princess"

Recipe #2:

2 Beautiful Big Brown Eyes

1 Cute Spontaneous Smile (melted)

1 Short Ravishing Hair

~A dash of her New Favorite "China Doll"

dress from "Shabby Baby" Apple Dress.

2 Fashionable pairs of Delicate Bare Feet

½ Cup of Astonishing Fair Skin

2 Full Cups of a Happy Personality

2 Hand-fulls of Tenderness

1 Tbsp. of Intellect and love for life

1 Tsp. of Sweetness and Natural Beauty

~A Pinch of Spice

& A Flair of Sensitivity...

Put her in a "Shabby Baby Apple" Summer 2009 Photo-shoot and out comes a Perfect "Picture Princess" for your delightful pleasure, and new line of dresses.

"Shabby Baby" has never looked better!

"Little Girls and Girls Dresses from Shabby Baby"

http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-79-china-doll.aspx

Shabby Baby Girl "Picture Perfect" Model Search Contest...

The Perfect "Picture Princess" Recipe:

2 Beautiful Sparkling Grey Eyes 1 Cute Shimmering Smile (melted) 1 Long Gorgeous Glimmering Hair ~A dash of her New Favorite "Pink Panther" dress from "Shabby Baby" Apple Dress.

2 Fashionable pairs of cute Bare Feet ½ Cup of Stunning Pure Olive Skin 2 Full Cups of Sassy Personality 2 Hand-fulls of a Tender Heart 1 Tbsp. of Intelligence and love for life 1 Tsp. Of Wittiness and Natural Beauty ~A Pinch of Honesty & A Flair of Spunk...

Put her in a "Shabby Baby Apple" Summer 2009 Photo-shoot and out comes a Perfect "Picture Princess" for your delightful pleasure, and new line of dresses.

"Shabby Baby" has never looked better! "Little Girls and Girls Dresses from Shabby Baby" http://www.shabbyapple.com/p-80-pink-panther.aspx

Mon Petite Monet...

I spent a little time with my Sophia today painting with water colors. She is so creative and I really think that she has a gift. I enjoyed every minute with her and especially when she would finish her painting and then she would tell me what it was. I would look at it and it looked exactly at what she said she had painted. Then I took it a step further and we ventured on the internet looking for famous painters. We looked at Leonardo Davinci, Monet, Rembrandt and some others. She finally told me to stop looking at pictures because she only liked the ones with the pretty flowers and colors. I asked her if it was Monet, and she said that she really liked his pictures. What a cutie!? Here are her paintings from this morning. Enjoy... The first painting is a "b-day cake", the second "a bush", the third "a rainbow", fourth "the Lake" and the last one (my favorite) "A forest of broken trees".

Enjoying the Sun...

It is an absolutely gorgeous day in Bellingham, Wa. The birds are chirping and we are not wearing jackets or sweaters. It feels like Spring! The girls have been bathing in the Sun for the last 2 hours and playing around with our neighbor's cat. They set up some toys and books on a blanket outside. Then they dressed up as if it was summer. Juliette is wearing shorts and Sophia is in her summer dress. I can't wait 'til Spring is here to stay. I love how my girls love life and enjoy every bit of it...