Halloween Pirate Pictures

 Ashley over at Sunshine & Shade Photography really came through on these!  

How adorable are my Pirate Girls??!!

I picked up the costumes for a total of $13 at Good Will.  I went in and grabbed everything red, white and black and anything with stripes.  We had the shoes, belts and jewelry.  We had one hat the girls were fighting over so I bought an eye patch & sword at WalMart for $1 and told them one pirate could wear the hat and one could wear the eye patch.  Luckily that ended the fighting and both girls were happy with the hat/eye patch outcome.  I went to the Spirit Halloween store and bought both sets of tights for full price  

which killed me because the tights alone cost more than both sets of costumes!  

Yes.........these shoes actually fit Miss Amberly. 

Can you believe they make ladies shoes that fit a 7 year old?

These are her latest favorites.  She wears them constantly....

my little high heeled girl.

Ashley couldn't get Cassidy to smile and she couldn't get Abby not to smile. 

It was quite funny!

Ashley....Thank You, Thank You!  These will be a treasure for years to come!

Go check her out HERE for more info on pictures for your family♥

Family is the Best

Last night we had a family party over here for my brother Matt.  It was his birthday and we went all out with strawberry shortcake and Just Dance on the Wii.  Yep, my brothers humored me and all four of us danced our hearts out.  Well, I danced my heart out..they went along with it.  They love me a lot because if you could have seen their faces you could tell that there is no.way.in.heck they would dance for just anyone♥  My cousin Amy came over too and her husband showed everyone up in the dance department.  I told them I see a Wii under their Christmas tree this year!

As the party got rolling it got hotter and hotter in here.  I thought I was having hot flashes and I locked the kids outside because the back door kept getting left open.  We kept turning the A/C down but it didn't help.  What a night for the A/C to go out.  Luckily we were able to sleep with the windows open and it wasn't too bad.  The guy is here now fixing us up.

I gave all my brothers this picture from our last family party.  I put the kids in age order and it's so fun to see the different heights.  My brother Kurt's kids are the shorties  (he will kill me if he knew I said that) who are also standing on their tip-toes.

Mine are the two girls in polka dots.  Love Abby's no teeth.  

I'm sure going to be sad when her teeth come in.

I love how these cousins are all so close in age, live close to each other and see one another often.  I grew up with no family around and it was always a dream of mine to have family everywhere for my kids.  And we do!  Both sides and plenty of cousins to romp around with.  My dream has come true and I'm so very grateful for that.

 (credit-pinterest)

Insta Friday Pics

I am loving the idea of posting your phone pics.  They would be lost in phone land forever because I would never remember to post them and to be honest the pictures in my phone are the real-life pictures that happen without planning.  Love them!  So if you want to join along go HERE to Life Rearranged and link up.  It's fun...I promise♥

 My girls love to sit on the bikes in front of Red Robin.  

We don't go there often but when we do it's a picture moment.

Cassidy is my pickiest eater.  She only likes "hot food".  I made a rule this summer that we would only eat out once a week.  It has proved quite helpful in getting Cassidy to find things she likes here at the house or to be creative.  This is what she made today: grilled cheese, tomato soup with a garnish of spinach and cheese and a fruit cup!  Go Cassidy!

My nephew Jordan is going to be tall.  I mean really tall.  

He's 13 and he is already 6 ft and just look at that hand!

Miss Abby loves to bake and is a master at making mini muffins in our babycakes maker they got for Christmas.

Miss Abby just had to have her picture taken with Justin Bieber at Dillards.  

She definatly has "Bieber fever"!

Please help me...these are back in style!
For Big people mind you.........this was at Forever 21.
 
How about a pair of these to go with the onesie above?

Each week we have "cousin swim day" on two different days ( two set's of cousins)  

This picture is of the kids getting some treats for cousin London and Royce's birthday.

InstaFriday

So I found this new blog this week and I ♥ it.........a lot.  Life Rearranged.  She is really quite clever and has tons of fun things on her darling blog.  Fridays are her "InstFriday" linky party so I thought I would join.  I love a good excuse to take pictures and document our life.  This is the deal-e-o:  Take pictures during the week using your cell phone.  Then post only cell phone pictures on Friday.  She uses the Insta App for her iphone but I used my regular camera phone app and then I used the Retro App because I thought it was a little more funky for the Friday post.  Wanna play along?

Abby has been so, so very sick for eight days today.  We have been to urgent care, our regular doctor and the dentist trying to find out how to make her feel better.  Diagnosis?  A major viral infection that has to run it's course.  hopefully she will get better soon.  It's so hard seeing my baby sick.



Cleaned out the girls rooms today.  Six garbage bags full of things to donate and two bags that went to the trash.  I told them I wasn't going to buy them one more thing for school until their rooms were in tip-top-shape.  Miss Abb's needs a little more help but she got too tired and doesn't feel good.  We will finish this weekend.  Next on the list? Kitchen cupboards and pantry!



It may be hot here but the Arizona sunsets are so gosh darn pretty.  I love the summers because we have clouds!  I ♥ clouds.  They only show up when it's blazing hot and humid but it makes things bearable to watch those puffy pretties!

I told you it was hot around here.  Proof is in the picture.  

I'm so used to it I don't even have the fan on high-haha.

This is my favorite water cup.  An insulated Jamba Juice cup.  I have to run by Circle K every now and then to grab a handful of long straws but it's totally worth it.  I drink 4 of these a day of ice cold water.

 

The only way we get to see rain is by going through the car-wash.  We went to this a couple of weeks ago and Abby is in love with the drive-thru-car-wash.  She now requests it when we are out and about.  Funny how the little things can make one so happy♥

Click HERE to read more or link up

leave a comment if you play along so I can come see your pictures!

Random Pictures of the Week

 

Everyday while I wait for the kids at the bus stop 

I am amazed with how many nests are in this tree!  

I loved looking at this box of hats and pile of pom-poms sitting on my kitchen floor.
It's so happy!

Miss Abby bought me tulips for Christmas and they are starting to pop up out of my planter!  

I can't wait♥  

Tulips are one of my favorites.

5 little monkeys sitting in my bed.......

My family came over Sunday night and the little's were restless so I put them in my bed with popcorn and a movie and surprisingly they were content and happy for a good HOUR!

(Zac, Abby, Garrett, Will, Sara Jane and Flower the cat)

Cassidy made hot chocolate for all the neighbor kids playing outside.

She's so SWEET!

Well, that's my week in pictures.  

Tomorrow is 12 on the 12th so I will be have a whole slew more to show ya!

Have a fun weekend.

Harley and Berkeley

My brother Joey came over before Christmas so I could take pictures of his boys.  It was to be a surprise present for his wife.  These boys are complete opposites except for the fact that they are so darn cute.

I mean look at Berkeley.  He's almost 3 and I could just eat up those cheeks!  He's the spitting image of my brother when he was that age.  Grandparents always say, "he/she looks just like so and so at that age!"  I always thought, "how in the world do they remember that?"  Now I know.  I was 10 when Joey was this age and oh boy can I remember every time I look at this little guy! 

Harley is getting to be so big!  He towers over his cousin that is the same age.  I bet he plays football when he gets bigger like his older cousin Caleb.  He doesn't like to look at the camera but we got a few of him smiling and showing us his beautiful eyes.

Look at those eyelashes! Curly and long.  So not fair!  Thanks Joey for letting me take pictures of your sweet boys!  I loved doing it!

family - oct

my friend ashley started taking self portraits of her family every sunday.  i used to take pictures of my girls every 1st sunday but that was years ago...sad but true.  my new goal is to take a family self portrait at least one sunday a month.  hopefully i will get better as the months go buy.  this one is hilarious and i was so afraid that my camera would fall off the car it was perched on (and i say perched lightly).

here's a few things i do love about this picture:
cassidy's smiling face - she's wearing high heels for the very 1st time in a public place, all the green in my yard, tom our best daddy ever, and miss amberly who always packs a church bag filled with treasures and a baggie of bread to snack on.

also...i'm hooked on this site that i leave playing in the background while i work on the computer.  i bought the cd it's so good!

Pictures for Kim

Kim, this was by far the easiest photo shoot yet! You are so easy to please and made me laugh with all your funny comments. Lets do this for every holiday!

They came.
We took pictures.
At my house.
Kim and I made her Christmas card while the kids jumped on the tramp.
They left.
It took one hour!
Seriously..........And look at how photogenic she is!
Every picture I took of her was perfect.
The boys - they liked to close their eyes.
But her...
Kim - you're PERFECT!

Pictures for Lori

We call this friend Posh Spice
Except she's more darling and cute and so much sweeter!
Isn't her family just gorgeous!

Thanksgiving Fun

We had a very nice Thanksgiving. I thought we wouldn't be doing anything at all since both families had other plans but it worked out.

(Abby & London)

First we started out by having brunch at my house with Tom's parents and sister Elena's family. We had waffles with strawberry's and whipped cream, sausage, bacon, muffins, orange juice, apple juice, fresh fruit and "omelet eggs". It's got everything an omelet would have - green onions, tomatoes, fresh basil, cheese - but it's scrambled. Much easier!
Then we spent the morning playing bowling on the Wii. Man that thing comes in handy when we have people over. It's instant entertainment! The kids took turns jumping on the tramp while I lounged around after my big meal.

Slade playing the Wii

At 2pm we headed out to take family pictures of ALL of Tom's family. Mike and Colette were in town so I scheduled a photog session with me as the photographer. It was a big undertaking but it turned out after everyone got there. Now we have a family picture with everyone but Dave and Patty. He was sick and unable to come. The kids had a fun time playing with their cousins while we were waiting for everyone to show up.

Yes - this is a BIG family!!
We are missing two people in the picture Patty and Dave.

We then headed over to Gary and Sues for dinner. This was a nice surprise since I thought we weren't going to eat a turkey dinner this year. It was nice spending it with family. Even if the family is HUGE and LOUD and CRAZY!!! It wouldn't be any fun otherwise!

For my family dinner we met on a different day. It's easier that way. Then you don't have to eat twice. We all went to Matt's house this year. The food was delicious! Thanksgiving is my favorite dinner of the year. I love every single bit of it. And I eat every single bit of it too! My family is a huge cranberry sauce fan. Just my brothers and I. no spouses likes it and I don't think any of the kids like it. Tom's family hates it so I usually end up bringing it just for me. It's nice to have brothers who like the same thing as I do so I don't think I'm crazy! Or should I say normal around the crazies!

This was such a fun night! I loved the tracking system

After dinner Matt brought out the Dukes of Hazzard card game I got him for his birthday. (this was a favorite childhood game that we played 1000's of times)He had made an elimination board for us and had us play till someone won. I forgot what that's called. Anyway it was soooo fun! I think my brothers and I were the only ones who liked the game but we all had lots of laughs non the less.

Jones, Pam and Tom playing Dukes of Hazzard!

The winners were me, Zac and Pam. We even got prizes! Great job Matt for putting that on. Good Times I tell you!

The Winners!