Snapshots

This could be titled Sunday Snapshots. 

Kalia wanted a selfie with her and I Sunday Morning.

I am not selfie queen.... by any means.

We came home from church to a giant mess to clean up in the kitchen. I got 2 bags of Crab Apple fruit leather out on Saturday morning to dry on Monday for lunches, and both bags leaked ALL OVER.

Grandma and Grandpa came over for dinner and to play lego and read stories.

DIY Bath Bombs

This project is brought to you by Grandma.
Grandma really really enjoys her bath time.
Scented oils and salts, a ebook or a netflix show, or just time to sit and relax.

She also really enjoys using bath bombs but they can get rather pricey. So she decided to make some herself. Mom ordered a 10 lb bag of citric acid online and a whole wack of essential oils- read a ton of recipes online- then called me up to come and help her.

So me and my family spent the entire afternoon over at moms on Saturday. The bath bombs only took us about 40 minutes, but we enjoyed being around each other just like it used to be. We did the science experiment with the kids, I showed Grandpa some more stuff with his Apple TV, we all watched Big Hero 6 together and then had dinner with the missionaries. It was a total flash back to last year. :)

We tried a couple different things for molds, Easter Eggs and a Cake pop mold. But in the end we just formed them into a ball and let them dry for 24 hours. We took 2 home that night for the kids Sunday Baths, and the loved them... the girls loved it so much they got water ALL OVER the place and got it a bit of trouble. The bombs smelt amazing and the water felt fantastic.

I have already made another batch with a friend- to show her how easy it is. Below is Moms new Bathbomb Jar. I have a feeling we might be doing this often for the next couple years.

Color walk

We have totally been into experimenting for a couple weeks.

On Saturday we tried the walking colored water experiment.

The kids did lots of it, with Mom and Grandma helping with the food coloring... mostly because we ran out of red and had to make do with what we had.

I loved watching the kids run to check on it every 10 minutes. They were so delighted when it worked!

Thursdays

Every year there seems to be a easier day then all the others.

This year, it bounces between Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Tuesdays Barker and Remy have play group. Once a month at our house, and then 3 times a month at others houses. Play group goes from 9-12 and after playgroup is lunch and naps. Then by the time the girls get home from school the day has flown by, and usually I have gotten a ton of stuff accomplished.

Thursdays are excellent for a completely different reason. Barker has no preschool, and I never schedule errands or appointments on Thursdays. We stay home. ALL DAY. Sometimes in jammies, sometimes the kids watch movies all day, sometimes we craft or bake or read books or WHATEVER. Thats the point.

Last Thursday the kids played the morning away in the basement, while I cleaned, blogged and did YW and Craft Night stuff. Barker paused in his play time to show me how he writes his name. Then after naps, Barker spent most of the afternoon outside playing while I made Soft Pretzels.

I let Barker play outside by himself, but Remy cant go out unless a adult or Kalia is around, so after Barker was done playing by himself, he asked if we could do snow cakes. My kids LOVE playing snow cakes, I figured, sure why not.

Barker and Remy were still going at it when the girls got home, and the day seemed to fly by.
The end of having little ones at home all the time seems to be coming way to fast. Barker only has a year and a half left with me at home and Remy has three years at home. There was a time that it seemed I would ALWAYS have little kids and babies... not anymore. :(

Just for fun. Here is a picture of Kalia and Annaliesse doing snow cakes at about the same ages in February 2011, along side a picture of Barker and Remy doing snow cakes January 2016

On a side note: Remy no longer wants her face covered at nap time. I put her down for a nap yesterday and she told (yelled) me she didn't want her face covered. Then she did the same thing today, in our family that is a huge sign of growing up. I totally cried at naptime today.

Blog Book 2015

Our 2015 blog books came this week! I am not sure who loves them more- the kids or Mommy. Actually every year I debate whether or not I want to blog anymore- it's a lot of work and takes numerous hours. It's the kids joy at looking at the old blog books that keep me going.  :)

This is the first year I have had to order 2 books for one year. Too many photos and the books will only print so many posts. The first book January - June is 150 pages and July - December is 198 pages. The kids have been looking at them lots and then pulling out older books. My one little wish/regret is that when I first started blogging I wish I blogged more about everyday life - and not just whatever flew into my brain. Oh well. 

Live and Learn and Blog. 

Snapshots

Our newest family game. Sitting around the Living Room and shooting each other. The little ones get the bullets, Mom and Dad reload and generally the little ones shoot.

I found this picture last week... I love it and I miss him as my baby.

Some toe nails needed clipping before church.

The ottoman is a never ending toy.

I have been working on our DIY Valentine Decor.

We had a friend give us a couple ski helmets and ski goggles. Thank you so much Courtney!!

Blake

Angie stopped by this week to visit for a couple hours. Angie is in our ward and we serve together in Young Women's. We were friends before our callings, but when you work so closely with someone your bound to get closer. Plus with Justin being home more and no more Slave Lake we have been able to start doing couple nights again, and Angie and Logan (her husband) are regulars. Anyways Angie just had her first baby, Blake, in December. He is darling, so darling.

The kids LOVED him. LOVED him.

Everyone needed multiple turns holding him. Blake was such a trooper, he just laid there, and Angie was super awesome letting the kids each have a turn :)

Thanks for coming by Angie- we would love to see you and Blake anytime!!

Whipped Butter

I had a giant thing of Whipping Cream that really really needed to be used.

So my Mom goes, just make it into butter.

I was all like... Um, Ya Ok. Who knows how to do that?!?

Moms all like- you don't know how to make butter out of whipping cream?!?

So Sunday after dinner we made Butter with the kids :)

It took about a hour of shaking. Everyone took turns. While we shook we watched science experiments on You Tube to get the kids excited. It tastes great :) I cant wait to show the YW how to do it :)

Soap

Have you ever thought about making soap?

No?

Ya. Me either.

When I started up craft group again in September a couple ladies really wanted to learn how to make soap. It took me a couple months to find a teacher and make the date.  I was excited to offer the class, but man was it a pain to fill. Connie graciously agreed to teach the class, but since she was coming all the way from Glenwood, she wanted at least 20 at the Beginner class and at least 8 at the Advanced Class. 

So we opened the classes up to the RS in the High River ward and our class was very well attended :)
Twenty Five women came to the Beginner class and we learned a ton about soap that night. Connie showed us her Laundry Bar and Laundry Butter. Taught us how to make both- and we watched her make a batch of Head to Toe soap.

Saturday I had the advanced Soap making class at our house, I sent my family away for nine hours and Connie taught us WAY more about soap making. I couldn't believe the amount of information about soap that is out there, and the process it is to make a bar of soap. But I learned and I know how to make soap.

Not only did we learn at ton, I spent the day with 11 other ladies I normally would not have. It was great chatting and getting to know each of them.

We made 8 different kinds of soap. 100% Coconut Oil Soap. 100% Olive Oil Soap. 100% Lard Soap. 100% Canola Oil Soup. 30-30-30-10 Head to Toe Bar. 30-30-30-7-3 Caster Oil Soap. 30-30-30-10 Oatmeal Cream Soap with Almond scent. AND 30-30-30-10 Clay Lemongrass scent.

While I was cutting it Monday morning and getting it ready for all the women who attended, I found 2 kinds that I liked the best. I am leaning toward the 100% Lard Soap as a favorite and the Oatmeal Cream Almond Soap. Although the Clay Lemongrass one (the maroon looking one) smells really really good.

Bedroom change

Have you ever cleaned up projectile vomit from the top of a triple bunk bed?!!?

No?

Its so totally disgusting.

Kalia and Annaliesse like to sleep together in the top bunk sometimes. It's cute, they love spending time together. Wanna know what's not cute? Cleaning up projectile barf from the top bunk all the way to the bathroom. Cleaning it off 2 Giant stuffies, 1 body pillow and 7 twin sized blankets. Luckily it missed 2 pillows, 8 small Stuffies, hair brush, cell phone and Annaliesse. So. Gross. 

The next afternoon Justin and I made some changes.

Yes their bedroom is way more crowded but easier access for running to the bathroom to barf :)