The Zanyiest Girl I Know!

Zaynzley is a tricky name to spell at least they way we chose to spell it.  I have always been fond of the letter Z and so I wanted to name a child with a Z name.  It just so happened that our only girl got to be the one with a Z name.  One of the most fun letters to write is Y so I added a couple of Y's.  Zaynzley is a really fun name to write in cursive!  We mostly call her Zany and she is just that-Zany.  March 1st she turns three years old.  I picked out a few of my favorite post from the last six months that featured Zany as a wee stroll down memory lane.

One bite cookie monster

Pick Your Battles

Pretzel Queen

Tricky Twos

I am looking forward to another Zany year with the cutest little three year old I know!
Happy Birthday, Zaynzley!

Ah-Ha!

My sister the great naginator, nags me endlessly to get a blog entry done early in the day. Now is that not the case of the pot calling the kettle black. Here it is late in the evening and nary a word has been writ. Let the record show.

So I'm an AFOL

I love to collect things, as many of you know. I tend to go thru phases where I will buy buy buy things, then once I feel overwhelmed I sell them. I especially love to collect toys of my youth and from various fandoms I like. So I am doubly excited when my two loves overlap, like my Lord of the Rings and Hobbit Lego. (and yes, Lego is the plural form, don't add an S!). I have loved Lego since I was a kid, though have only come out of my dark ages (a time when one does not collect Lego) for about 4 years. What is an AFOL? an Adult Fan of Lego. Just recently I was actually able to go the Lego store, and was able to get a set I had been wanting for awhile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Woo- hoo Lego Ghostbusters!

I plan on making a  Halloween display for the wonderful month of Bricktober, using these some awesome Halloween themed ones Lego made a few years ago and the yet to be released, Scooby Doo sets.  Though I will have to fight my inner Lord Business when the Carltons come over.

Declan's 11th Birthday!

Declan is now 11 years old, so hard to believe.  You watch your kids grow up before your eyes without really realizing that is what they are doing.  This around the clock parenting thing is often exhausting and frustrating but I think it is going to be over before I know it and I will miss it.  When they no longer live with me and are on their own I still will parent somewhat I assume but at a distance.  They won't climb into bed with me in the middle of the night (I hope) or need me so much.  That is good and bad as most things are.  

As Declan grows ever closer to the day when he leaves the Carlton nest I had better enjoy this sweet guy while I have him to myself .  Declan is the most helpful, kind hearted soul who is also outgoing and never afraid to talk to strangers or make a friend.  Declan was recently told by a stranger that he should be a moviestar since he has such distinctive moles (they form a square on his cheek).   Maybe he should, he certainly is a natural actor (you should see how he can throw himself across a room when Quinton pushes him) and he would love all the fame and fortune.  He often talks about his future mansion and all the businesses he will own.  I tell him he can buy me a house by his house so we can often visit each other.  

They can leave the nest but they better not go too far!

Four moles on his cheek

Declan got a new bike for his birthday 

He was in desperate need for one as his old bike was to little and broken

Declan has long loved Batman and he picked out 

this Batman Lego set with his birthday money

He loves to build Lego sets!

Lego set built

Happy 11th D-man!

A Nutty Sandwich

Have you tried a Peanut Butter and Nutella Sandwich?

Having two kinds of nuts on one sandwich may seem strange but it is quite good.  My kids all love it.  Archer has long been a Nutella fiend so much so I quit buying it for a year.  But Costco had a coupon and I relented and bought some.  Archer couldn't be happier about it.  Since we were out of milk for cereal I feed them these nutty sandwiches for breakfast.  I wanted Archer to take a selfie with his Nutella face but when he saw his face he refused and ran away to go wash his face.  Maybe I could use that to my advantage someday. 

 "Here, Archy take a selfie! What? I had no idea you had such a dirty face!"

Archer's freshly washed face 

Archy & Zany, best of friends

Why wash when you can just lick it off?

Our blog will be taking a few days off from Monday to Wednesday!  We will be back before you know it and that will give you time to try a nutty sandwich.

Thrifty Collecting

It had been some time since I had been to the thrift store.  Ashlee came to town and our favorite thing to do is "go for a look" at the thrift store.  We both collect several (read: lots of) things.  Sometimes you start a new collection just because you find something that catches your eye and then decide you must have more.  Ashlee and I both agree that you only need three to make a collection.  

Two teacups not a collection, three teacups a collection.

This day I found two new collections and decided to get rid of one of my collections.  I now collect Book of Mormons in foreign languages!  Ashlee found them and I bought them. I later learned one is in Polish and the other in Danish.  I already have a Book of Mormon in Spanish from Eddy's mission and one in French from my college days when I minored in French.  I will have to keep my eye out for more.  Since I have more than three it is a collection.  My other new collection is vintage cards and a few new ones too.  I got rid (gave to Ashlee) my yarn animal collection as I had nowhere to display it anymore.  Now I can pressure her to buy the funky homemade yarn creatures we come across.

The popcorn maker you see below is the best popcorn maker ever!  Once you try its delicious and fresh popcorn you can never happily eat microwave popcorn again.  We have been using this popcorn maker for eleven years and ours is a bit worse for wear so when I saw this brand new one, never opened I thought I had better buy it for when my current one dies.

Needlepoint butterfly for Zany's room $1.50

ASU cross stitch for Eddy's Valentine present $5.00

Vintage Tins so handy to store things in $1.00 each

Popcorn Maker brand new $10.00

Vintage Little People Chauffer FREE

Imaginext Horse FREE

Stack of books $0.25 each 

(found #4 of the Anne of Green Gable series I needed)

Eddy's present after spray painting and cleaning

 I gave it to him and he thought I had cross stitched it, I claimed that I had for a minute and then turned it over so he could read: 

I added my own post script in Calligraphy as Eddy gave me a Calligraphy set for Christmas. 

Eddy thought I should have included Carol & Jack with my name-funny guy.

I had decided to mail a few Valentines and so I picked out some cards at Walmart. I hardly ever buy cards so it was fun to read through the various cards.  That got me thinking about cards and when I saw that cards were only 10 cents I thought I might see if any caught my eye.  Well, I found some lovely glitter cards from the 1950's and 1960's.  Then I really started looking through the cards to find more.  I just love the sweet graphics and vintage thick paper.  I realized that people don't send cards like they used to and that is why you can find so many at the thrift store. I think it is fun to send cards and I am eagerly awaiting some of my kin to fall slightly ill so I can send them a get better card (I now have lots of get better soon cards).

Some of my favorites

All cards including two stacks you see in the background $4.00

Look at that sweet baby and there is micro glitter on it too

Lovely cards

A couple of my most favorite

You just never know what you will start collecting next, if you are like Ashlee and I!

Archer the Cowboy Valentino

Archer had his kindergarten musical performance with a Valentine theme.  Archer was selected to be a square dancing cowboy.  I never know how animated my kids will be in musical performances.  Archer took his performance seriously but was very animated and sang along really well.  Kindergarteners are always the cutest and as Archer is a young kindergartener was really the cutest little cowpoke.  Luckily, Germaine's Emporium (my parents store in Duncan) was able to provide the cowboy hat, boots and cowboy shirt.  I don't think you could find any more pointy boots than the ones Archer is wearing, I love them they made me laugh when I saw them.  I gave Archer a Pa mustache to finish his look.

Archer in his cowboy duds

Archer front and center

Please be my Valentine!

Archer the square dancer

Archer's square dancing was really good and he was so cute.  He really nailed it and got all the steps right.  Archer seemed to really enjoy it although when I asked him to show me the dance at home he got embarrassed and said he couldn't remember it.  At least I still have the video of the square dancing cowboy valentino!

A Happy Birthday to Declan who turns 11 today!

Farther along at the store

Still plugging away at our changes at the store, and like most projects, it always invloves more than you think. But so far I like the changes. (even if I didn't I would have to live with them for awhile as moving display cases is no fun, and awfully heavy.)

Here is where we left it, quite a mess! that cabinet in the middle is on the move

Moved and all the junk  that was in front was taken care of

I really wanted to move that large display case so if would be easier to See the building that Pa built, Carlisle's. 

It is uncovered!

Here is the new exposed area on the porch

We also made an iron display with this old ironite we had along with various irons and accessories

What They Wore-Blues

They look so much more put together before church by the time we take these Sunday photos they are already starting to undress.  The first thing discarded is, naturally, the neckwear.  Speaking of neckwear Declan is sporting a real bowtie that you actually tie.  We have several of these but we never knew how to tie them.  Since Quinton, as a teacher in the Aaronic Priesthood,  has to be to church a half hour early Eddy had plenty of time to youtube how to tie a bowtie.  I quite like real bowties and I will be keeping my eye out for more of them.  

Since we have a new ward we have new callings and I am the new Primary Secretary.  I just love secretary jobs.  I am quite happy about it and have enjoyed typing up all kinds of lists and forms basically doing all kinds of secretary tasks.  I also just love a Sunday Night when a holiday follows the next day, lovely three day weekend!  You'll find us celebrating by pulling winter weeds and cleaning up the backyard before it gets too hot.

C'mon Archer (center) smile!

What is that? After forty photos Archy finally cracks a wee smile.

Quinton holding Zaynzley, Archer center, Declan, & McCoy in suit coat

Happy President's Day!

Happy Valentines Day!

I like my Valentines old school style-simple.  Just a box of Valentines you buy at the store that are ready to tear apart and label to/from.  Nowadays, they have candy with to and from places to write on it in lieu of a card.  I don't like that as well.  

Declan had gotten their Valentines out a week in advance looking forward to addressing them.  A few days before Valentines, I finally let them have their Valentine prep party.  McCoy and Declan both had their class list of all the kids names and they began to attach the tattoos that came with their valentines.  I just let them do their thing while I worked with Archer.  After they had done about ten each I noticed they were putting them together all wrong and I had to go back, taking off the stickers and redoing them.   I have learned over the years, as soon as they get home from school to have them read through all the cards and then against their many protest throw them away.  Otherwise, I will continue to find old Valentines stuffed in their sock drawer or under their bed until the next Valentines rolls around.  

Despite my repeated warnings for Archer to gather up his candy and put it in a ziploc bag he totally ignored me. When Zany woke up from her nap and saw all that lovely candy for the taking sitting on the dinning room table she couldn't have been happier.  Archer not so much!  Many tears later we got the candy evenly distributed and our house was filled with love and sugar!  

Just as the Valentines holiday demands!  

McCoy (left) and Declan work on their Valentines

McCoy attaches his tattoos

Archer working on his Valentines

Look at his careful handwriting

Valentine loot

(Archer was not happy to take this photo but I made him)

Hope your Valentines Day is LOVEly!

Happy Valentines from Us!!!

Start 'Em Young

When I was kid I can clearly remember countless hours spent at home improvement stores like Home Depot.  My dad always had a project or two going.  I found Home Depot somewhat boring as a kid but I did like playing with the tile and laying out different patterns.  In the intervening years, Home Depot has learned if you can start kids young in building projects you can create a customer for life.  They have a workshop for kids every first Saturday of the month that is free.  My kids love to go and build something in the kids workshop.  

It's funny how kids just grow out of things of their own accord. This has happened to Quinton with the Home Depot Kids Workshop.  He didn't make a box but he was assigned to help Archer with his.  I did a terrible job photographing it as I was so busy helping McCoy with his project.  I didn't even remember to take any photos until the painting part.  They assembled these from precut wood using nails and wood glue.  They really enjoyed getting to use a hammer.

Zany paints while Eddy helps Archer

Declan carefully paints his box

McCoy really enjoyed picking his pattern

Archy, love the Saturday morning hair

Makes me kinda wish I was a kid again so I could make one!

Desert Fort

Being sixth generation Arizonan, I find the arid desert very beautiful but I know it is also dangerous. At certain times of the year you can run into rattlesnakes, gila monsters, javelinas, coyotes, and wild bulls to name a few.  My kids love to play in their desert fort but most of the year I don't let them due to the scary critters.  We have had spring weather for about two weeks now and it is the perfect time to play in the desert.  I was sad to say goodbye to winter as it was still January but it is such a beautiful time of year with fresh cool mornings and warm sunny afternoons.  Happily, it is too cold for snakes right now but the days are really lovely and pleasant.  

Before they embark on their adventure, Declan packs a backpack with water, swords, other weapons and in a old Christmas tin I pack them desert food.  Desert food is whatever I have at hand oranges, pop tarts you just never know.  I pack it in secret so they don't know what they will get.  It adds to the adventure.  Quinton was the photographer for all these photos and so he is not pictured except for his shadow.  The desert is great for a bit of sword play.

McCoy and Declan enjoy some sword play

Archer watches waiting for his turn

McCoy prepares for the death blow

(Note: Declan's awesome socks)

This one doesn't look staged McCoy must have gotten hurt

(You can see part of Fort#2 in the background)

Archer does some free running

McCoy flashes his weapon of choice

Zany didn't get to go with her brothers but when she saw the photos she said she really wants to go there.  The boys have to enjoy the desert while they can before long it will be to hot and dangerous!

Never ending projects: re-arranging at the Store

Well, I have once again decided to move displays around at the store.  Its always a big job. Here is our progress so far...

These three displays are all on the move! 

So is the record player next to the coke machine and table.

First one done! 

Second one done!

Is there anything worse than being halfway through a project? Everything also looks at its worse and that it will never be
finished

What we are working on it today..