This past weekend we celebrated Princess V’s 7th birthday. Themes for the day had constantly been changing throughout the past month, so when I realized we were in the week of her party, I needed to get a set theme. I wasn’t too surprised when she asked for a Mario Party. We recently bought Mario Party 9 for the Wii, and it’s all I can do to keep them off it during the week.
A fun little story, when I took Princess V to pick out her very first lunchbox she was met with a hard decision. Did she pick the Disney Princess lunchbox, or the Mario lunchbox. Eventually she chose Disney Princess, but pretends that Princess Peach is just hanging out inside the castle on the background.
Since I like to throw parties last minute and on a tight budget, these were her decorations. Mark has made it a point to collect the Mario dolls, when we first found Princess Peach in an airport in Japan. We’ve just slowly added to the collection.
The balloons were so simple. I used red balloons for the Piranha flowers. A large V cut out from white paper, and given teeth, then some circles to surround them. Took all of 5 minutes. If you’re really feeling ambitious, you could add some white clouds to the blue balloons. I actually tried painting some on, but it didn’t work out too well.
Later these balloons can be used for a party game. Each child pretends to be a character, while one child (or a parent) is the flower. You want to avoid being hit by the “Piranha”. Lots of fun!
Mark headed to partyland during lunch one day to pick up some more themed supplies – Mario Plates, napkins, and a pink tablecloth. He also picked up some white gloves to send home with all the little girls, so they can dress up like Princess Peach.
Lastly we come to my absolute favorite part – the cupcakes!
For the cupcakes, we went simple, yet tasty. We used Pillsbury Strawberry cake mix for the batter. I swirled Pillsbury Pink Vanilla Funfetti frosting across most of the top, and then edged it with Pillsbury’s Hot Pink Vanilla Funfetti. This gave them the look of Princess Peach’s dress. Now you may be thinking the crown is made from fondant, but you know what? Fondant really isn’t all that delicious, and I hate making stuff only to toss it out later.
So what did I do? I made them out of something much more tasty – Tootsie Fruit Rolls. I mean really, they taste better, hold up just like fondant, and have a myriad of colors and flavors to choose from. I used the Lemon flavor for these. Each roll is cut into 4 slices. Using a knife slightly indent the center and then use your fingers to shape the points on the crown.
Fall is in the air! It has been insanely hot here lately, but the last two nights has really cooled off. I love this time of year, where we can go outside and enjoy the cool air, but not freeze yet. I saw a fun Fall Bucket List earlier today from Loves of Life, and love everything (minus the coffee drinking) on it.
Are you ready for some Fall Festival Deals! I have put together a great list of Corn Maze Coupons and Fall Festival savings nationwide. Download valuable coupons for Corn Mazes, Pumpkin Patches and Fall Family Activities.
A week ago, Comic Con came to Salt Lake City for the first time. This was an event I thought I would never go to. I grew up loving Star Trek with my dad, and the original Star Wars movies. But for me it was just something fun to watch with my family. It wasn’t until the last few years with Mark that I’ve really gotten into some other shows, and superheros with the kids.
So when my sister purchased tickets to Comic Con, Mark started talking about how much he’d love to go. I did some budgeting, and decided the experience would be fun, and something the older girls would remember. We hadn’t done anything big for the family in a long time, and plus, the kids were completely FREE. So really why not go?
For the most part we let the kids decide how they’d like to dress up. We took Princess Peach, a Minion, a Japanese girl, and Avatar Korra.
We got to Salt Lake 30 minutes before the doors opened, and let me tell you, I’m so glad we did! Because we hadn’t pre-registered we actually got into a shorter line where we needed to get our wristbands. We met some fun people in line. Once we had our wristbands, the doors had opened, so we did not have to go back outside into the hot sun. We were able to just walk right into the booth area. After a little walking around some booths, we heard there was going to be a puppet show in one of the theater rooms. Well that did sound like fun for kids, so off we went.
These guys were funny. The girls were entranced, and I had a good time sitting in a comfy chair. Mark was less than thrilled with the puppets though, so he took our little minion and went to browse more booths and see some celebrities.
There were a couple of celebrities I had wanted to go see, but lines were pretty long, and the kids could only stand in so many lines while keeping my sanity intact. So we did what was fun for everyone.
After the puppet show finished we went to find Mark and the Minion. On our way we stopped to say hi to a couple of our favorite characters –
This girl really had Avatar Korra’s outfit perfect. We were impressed.
Princess Merida was so friendly. While lost in a sea of people, and Peach begging to buy all the Mario figurines we saw, Princess Merida came up to us and told the girls how beautiful their outfits were. Then asked if we would like to take a picture with her. Well, I wasn’t going to refuse that.
Not the greatest picture, but I was fumbling, and somehow ended up with most of it in video instead of picture. Whoops!
Once we found Mark, the girls were pretty hungry, so we grabbed some slightly overpriced pizza for lunch, and sat with a couple of Gandolf’s. Then it was back to the booths, and my personal favorite, whole reason I wanted to go to Comic Con – The TARDIS.
While standing in line for our picture with the TARDIS, I told Mark that if I got inside that box, he might not get me out. He must have thought I was serious, because I never got to get inside. Not even a little peek. I rubbed shoulders with it though, so I guess that will have to be good enough.
After we saw the TARDIS, it was time to go. There was much more I would have loved to see, and people I’d have loved to talk to like Henry Winkler, aka The Fonz. But the kids needed to get out, so we headed home. As we left, we noticed the doors had been closed to more attendees, and there were A LOT more people outside waiting to get in. So much that they were starting to spill into the road, which in downtown Salt Lake City, not very safe. Unfortunately the building was at it’s max occupancy so the Fire Marshall had the doors shut. Next year, I’m sure the organizers will be better prepared for Utah’s huge fan base.
We are looking forward to coming back next year, but may stick to just Mark and I, and possibly the 2 older kids as well.
So about a month back, before we moved, but while in the process of changing careers, I asked an old friend from high school to take our family pictures. I was extremely pleased with what we got. Especially since after driving 2 hours for this shoot, I realized we had completely forgotten the clothes I wanted us to wear. Thankfully Mark’s parents had recently given us some Japanese dresses for the kids and they were in the back of the van. I hope you enjoy a little glimpse into our family life.
By far the best family picture here! All the girls were yelling “EW”
Gorgeous Princess V.
Princess C just slays me with this smile! I’ve got another one of her but hiding a little more behind the fan as my facebook profile picture.
Perhaps you can understand my days just by this one photo alone. Princess R.
Sisters. Sisters. There could never be 3 better sisters.
and then there was Prince L. My handsome and cuddly buddy.
Father and Son. Let the good times roll.
We ended the shoot at a little ice cream parlor. If you can’t tell by the hair, we got caught in a torrential downpour at one point.
*This post is sponsored by Swiffer. All personal thoughts and tips for a successful marriage are my own*
I don’t get on youtube a whole lot unless a video is shared directly with me. Some of my all time favorites are the cute old couples, who have been together forever. There’s just something about them that you can’t help like, and hope and dream that someday you’ll be that cute old couple.
Couples like Morty and Lee give me the warm fuzzies. You can see their love for each other, but also their determination to be themselves. I just love it.
Today Mark and I are celebrating 8 years of marriage. We have a long way to go before becoming the Morty and Lee couple, but it is what we strive for. Here are a few tips for a successful marriage I’d like to share.
Communicate
On our honeymoon, Mark and I listened to a book someone had given us on marriage. The one piece of advice we both grasped on to, was communication. It told a story of a couple driving.
The husband at the wheel, the wife as passenger. Wife was getting hot, and said something to the effect “it’s really warm out today”. Husband replies “yes it is”, and continues driving. The wife sees an ice cream shop ahead and says “A cool treat would be nice in this heat”. Husband replies “yeah an ice cold soda would be nice”, and passes by the ice cream shop. Wife then begins to get angry. You never listen to me, she complains. Why didn’t you stop at the ice cream shop?! Of course the husband is confused and baffled at his wife’s outburst. He had no idea she saw the ice cream, and wanted some. She didn’t communicate her wants properly, and expected her husband to just know.
This story is all paraphrased from what I remember 8 years ago. Probably not exactly the story, but you can picture it right? How often do we do this to each other. Communication is so important in your marriage.
Hold on to Wedding Vows
So many marriages include the words “For better or worse” “through sickness and health” and “till death do we part”. But how many of these become just words to couples, as they toss out their marriage because they “fell out of love”, or one spouse made a mistake that becomes unforgivable to the other.
I will tell you right now – we have had our bad times. I expect more to come. But I know that I will fight for our marriage. I know that Mark will too because I know I’ll make my share of mistakes. As I forgive Mark for mistakes, I hope he can forgive me for mine as well. In our wedding, the words “For Time and All Eternity” replace “Till Death Do you Part”. When we are having a rough patch, I remind myself of that. I want to be married to Mark for all eternity. I plan on being married to Mark for all eternity. So we work on it. We push through until we come out to a sunny day – and there will be sunny days when you fight for each other, I promise!
Take time for each other
It’s often been suggested that you should have a monthly date night. A time to focus solely on each other, without the distraction of work, kids, or chores. By reconnecting you tell your spouse that you love them. You want to spend time with them, and you want to hear what’s on their mind that that they may not get to tell you during the rush of everyday routines.
Mark and I have almost a daily date. After putting the kids to bed, we sit together with snacks and watch our favorite shows, or we pull out a book to read together. Sometimes we’ll just use that time to reconnect as well.
Take time for yourself
I fail at this frequently. I have a hard time taking that time for myself because I feel like I must be selfish. It’s not selfish, though! Let me repeat…Making time for yourself is not selfish! There could come a point where all you’re doing is taking time for you, and then it would be selfish. But whether it’s getting up early to enjoy the morning quiet daily, or doing a weekly activity, you need that time. It allows you to enjoy a moment and free your mind of any negativity. Your spouse and family will enjoy the refreshed you. I learned this important lesson recently when I went to the Inspire My Life event with just my sister in law. I felt refreshed for almost 2 weeks after that, and still just thinking about it lightens my mood.
Learn your spouses Love Language
If you haven’t read the book 5 Love Languages, I recommend it. If you don’t want to read it though, I do suggest taking the Love Language test. It’s really a wonderful gauge to see what others can do for you that make you feel the most loved. If you know your spouse’s language it will be easier to show them love, and they will feel your love much more in a way that truly impacts their life. For me, my main love language is Physical Touch. I love hugging, kissing, and holding hands with my husband. These simple acts, for me, bring us closer as a couple.
Focus on the positives
This is especially important during the rough times. We can get so caught up in the negatives of a situation that after eating away at ourselves, it will start to eat away at our marriage. A good rule of thumb is for every negative thought, think of 5 positives. I’ve often been told that I have a good outlook on life, and I do hope that’s true. Things like a job loss, have me looking at the idea that we can move closer to family. Sure a job loss has been pretty scary for us recently, and if I wanted to I could dwell on the negative impacts our family is going through, but I’ve held fast to these positive thoughts, and because of it, I feel closer to Mark in a way I hadn’t before.
Be Flexible and Humble
Because this is a post on marriage advice, I asked Mark what he would add to my list. I couldn’t agree more with him. In a successful and long lasting marriage, you should be flexible in your wants, and be willing to give things up. It is also important to be humble. To apologize when you’ve made a mistake and work to correct it. On the other side of that, I’d also like to add be forgiving. Forgive your spouse when they make a mistake and allow them the chance to fix it. An unforgiving spouse has as much fault as the one who messed up.
School has been out for a month here now, but it hasn’t really felt like summer until this week. Possibly because we’ve been holed up working on our bathroom remodel, or maybe it’s the rising temps with no AC that made it feel more real. Either way I propose a toast (with my Crystal Light Raspberry Lemonade) to the start of summer vacation.
To Summertime – May you be filled with the laughter of children running through sprinklers, and good books on the porch. May your temps stay mild, and the bugs kept to a minimum. As we begin our first ever swimming lessons, let us all kick back and relax while we enjoying your sunshine. May we remember that time spent with our children should be treasured more than possessions – and time spent with friends a bonus. As we bbq, hike, camp, and swim, let these summertime memories be just that – Memorable!
I hope you all are enjoying your summers! I’ve learned very quickly that despite my previous thoughts that 3 hours with 1 child gone didn’t leave much time to get things done, it did indeed allow my to get a lot done. I’ve spent the last few weeks reorganizing and dejunking more of our house because the child tornadoes kept tearing through. Now that we seem to be mostly on a schedule, I’m tossing swimming lessons into the mix. In just a few hours I will be poolside with a book, while my oldest 2 Princesses learn the life skill of swimming. The younger 2 are getting some special time with Mark. It will probably make for a long 2 weeks, but will be so worth it….just don’t let me forget the sunscreen!
Thankfully with such a busy week, this week’s menu planning seem to come together easily. Between swimming lessons, a trip up to Manti, and a Balloon Festival on Saturday, I really need this plan to stay on top of meals, while still having some family fun!
Last week Mark sold his truck. With a possible (and 98% likely) move again in our future, and trying to finish our bathroom remodel, I believed Mark decided to sell in order to have just a tad more money to finish things up here.
Communication was not our strong point that weekend, when 20 minutes after he told me he was selling his truck we had a buyer willing to pay our full asking price. Mark’s reason for selling was to purchase a smaller more gas efficient car that could commute him the 2-3 hours north in search of a new job.
So for the moment we hit a crossroads. I was thrilled to be a 1 car family, and Mark kept browsing cars for sale. Although I am perfectly content for the time being owning 1 car, I know in the future it will come in handy to have 2 vehicles in this fast paced world. So I did what I always do at times like this – I thought about it!
Let’s make a pro and con list, shall we? Feel free to leave me some comments with any pros or cons I may not have thought about.
For now, we are sticking with the 1 car. Not because the pros outweigh the cons. Actually, the cons just slightly outweigh the pros for me. I like to know that if there were an emergency I wouldn’t have to wait for someone to pick me up, or rely on a neighbor to get us to a hospital. That right there provides so much peace of mind, that having 2 cars will be worth it.
However, we will be waiting until we know where we’re moving, and Mark has a job before making this purchase. For now, during the summer, 1 car suits us just fine. I have gotten so much exercise in the last 3 days it’s unbelievable! I love how I am feeling, and how much fun I see the kids having on their bikes.
There has been so much going on in our lives right now. Between just being a Mom, and trying to really put more into this blog, as well as remodeling the bathroom, and other life stresses, I found myself getting completely overwhelmed.
I found my stress came out towards the house. I was tired of picking the same thing up over and over and over again. I was tired of feeling like the only one who cared to have a clean house. So I stopped cleaning beyond the absolute necessary chores.
So then one day, I was talking to my mom, and she told me something she’s often said before
Less is More.
Yes Mom, I know, but so many things have an emotional attachment to them. I often have a harder time getting rid of items then the kids because I remember what we were doing when we got them. And as before when she’s given me this simple advice, I pushed it aside, thinking I couldn’t do it. I’d be the mean mom taking their toys away, the mean wife tossing things away and saying no to more “stuff”.
And then a day or two after I talked to my mom I came across this post –
This time, my moms advice came back to my mind, and I knew I needed to make the change. We needed to get rid of a lot of the “stuff” cluttering up our house. Not just for my sanity, but to bring our family back to true happiness. We’ve spent too many days crying over toys, not finding that special toy in the mess, and tears and tantrums because “It’s too hard to clean up Mom!”
Before I made my plan of action, I presented the idea to Mark. We believe in team parenting, so I wanted to make sure he was on board, and felt good about what I was about to do as well. We gave it a day to think about, and then presented our plan of action to the kids.
Hey Kids, Mom and Dad were thinking, we have too many toys.
Noooooooooo! Don’t take our toys away!!!
We’re not taking your toys away! Calm down and listen please.
And then we did it. We involved our kids in the process to make room in our life for more family activities, instead of more toys.
The Idea: Earn money by selling toys at a yard sale. Use the money for a pre-chosen family activity.
The Plan of Attack: We told the kids they didn’t have to sell any of their toys, but if they did we could earn money for something we can’t normally afford to do. Mom and Dad wouldn’t make them sell anything, but we would encourage them to minimize and choose only a few favorites to keep.
We began with the stuffed animals. 2 large bins of stuffed animals stuck in storage, with more hanging around the toy room was a bit much. We involved the kids, and had a stuffed animal sorting party. Mark and I pushed to get each Princesses pile down to 5 stuffed toys. We ended with 1 full bin to sell (and a very happy Mama!). Now every night as we clean up the toys as a family, some may get tossed into our yard sale pile as the Princesses realize they don’t ever play with it.
The Goal: Bowling! Frequently we hear requests to take the kids bowling. Bowling can get expensive, and exhaustive with all the kids – but we know they enjoy it, and it will bring us closer as a family. It will be affordable as well. For me though, I will enjoy more time with the kids playing, instead of cleaning up their crazy messes as they try to find that 1 toy hidden in the depths of the toy box.
Think About It!
Are you being overrun with clutter?
It might not be an insane amount of toys (my kids really don’t have that many), but if it’s enough that tantrums are a daily occurrence, and you feel overwhelmed just looking at them – then you probably have too many for your space and your kids.
The tantrums truly tell us something. It’s kind of like a hidden message. To me “Mom it’s too hard to clean up” really was saying “Mom, I have too many toys, and I’ve just as overwhelmed by them as you are”
Have you ever wondered why you matter? Why should you care about things? Why should anyone care about you? Do you recognize yourself when looking in a mirror?
I believe we all at times ask ourselves these questions. It’s part of our journey to become an individual with likes and dislikes. But most importantly I believe the answers to these questions give us our self worth. They tell us just how much we value ourselves, and in turn how much we will value those around us.
Think About It!
Why do you matter? Because you’re a person. A living breathing person, you absolutely matter. Maybe you’re a mom – you sure matter to your kids, even if they don’t always acknowledge or appreciate it. Perhaps you are a teacher – those kids you teach need you. They’re practically like your very own kids. Father, daughter, nephew, grandparent – someone in this world thinks you matter to them.
From a religious standpoint – you matter to God. You might think no one in this world cares about you, but I know He does. We are all His children, and He cares for each of us individually in the struggles we go through. Just as mothers and fathers on earth, He can’t/won’t fix everything and make it all better, because He wants us to learn. Some lessons are hard to learn, others are easy. But also as parents on earth, He feels our pains and our sorrows our joys and excitements. He cares about you.
Gaining Self Worth
I didn’t use to care. That is, I didn’t use to care about how I looked, what I wore, or what others thought of me. At least that’s the outward show I gave. In truth I cared deeply what others thought, but brushed them off as not worth my time. Looking back, a big problem I had was that I didn’t feel great about me inside, so why should I care about my outward appearance? I was a nice person, that’s all that should have mattered.
It took someone outside my family to show me just how much self worth I had, and help me gain more. Mark was and is my rock in self worth. He truly didn’t care what I looked like on the outside, but looked at my heart instead. He still doesn’t care really – shaved legs or not – but he wants me to care. Do you know why? Because when I started caring, I only became a better person. When I found that looking nice, and feeling good on the inside could change more than just me, I cared. I know Mark will love me through any stage I go through, and that was what stuck. It’s taken some time to grow into this new found self worth, and it’s still growing. What I want most though, is for Mark to have a nice wife, that loves herself enough to take care of herself. Sure he wouldn’t care if I went out in a stained t-shirt, knots in my hair, and hairy legs – but now I do. I do because he cares about me.
Does any of that make sense?
Think About It.
Has someone changed your life, just by simply loving you for you?
I got a shower yesterday morning. I put Princess V in charge of the younger kids, and then allowed my trust in her to over ride any worries that someone was going to get severely hurt while I took care of me. Do you know what happened?
No one got hurt. Everyone was happy, and so was I. I took the time to show myself a little love, and our day went so much better than most. In fact, the day went so well, that even the lack of Internet didn’t get my spirits down. I did some major cleaning in the spare room, got laundry done, fed kids, played with kids, fixed the curtains Mark didn’t like, and kept up with potty training Princess R. All with a smile on my face, a calm voice, and love radiating out from me. All because I loved myself first. The kids spoke kindly to one another, homework and chores were done without complaint, and we all felt the sun shining in our home.
I still may not have a great sense of fashion, and I’ll definitely still wear my worn thin flip flops out in public. But my hair will be combed, and I will care if there are huge stains on my shirt. Because I matter to someone – I matter to me. I have a husband who showed me that, and I am so grateful for his forever love.
When you are having a rough time, it’s nice to remember the things that make you happy. Some call it the silver lining, some call it attitude, or even therapy. I call it good for the soul.
I had a pretty rough night last night. Mark was so kind and let me sleep in. After finally waking up, and taking a shower, I started to think about all the things I love that make me happy. Here is a short list for you.
Cute Kids Clothing – and the kids wearing them of course. When kids are little, getting to pick out their clothes, and make sure they match is so fun. I especially love little boys clothes.
Reading good books – like The Dressmaker of Khair Khana. It’s a fantastic read and insight into women in the middle east. Currently I have a running list on my phone of books recommended by family and friends, or that catch my eye in the bookstore. You can never have too many books to read.
The Happify Community. What a difference they are making in individual lives as we come together on their social platform. If you’re looking for a way to find more focused happiness in your life, definitely give them a try.
Good Food. Grab lots of delicious recipes right here! It seems everything can be fixed with a balanced diet, and a treat here and there, well it brings a smile to everyone’s face.
Blogging – and my new Business Cards. I loved how easy these were to create at Modern Greetings, and when I realized I messed up a quick email and call got the order fixed before printing! Great companies who work for the customer are the best.
Time with Daddy – but especially watching the kids spend time with Daddy. Nothing makes the joy in my heart swell more than seeing Dad on the floor playing with the kids, and their squeals of delight filling our home.
What Makes YOU Happy?
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, I recommend it. If you don’t want to read it though, I do suggest taking the Love Language test. It’s really a wonderful gauge to see what others can do for you that make you feel the most loved. If you know your spouse’s language it will be easier to show them love, and they will feel your love much more in a way that truly impacts their life. For me, my main love language is Physical Touch. I love hugging, kissing, and holding hands with my husband. These simple acts, for me, bring us closer as a couple.
