snips & snails.

on tuesday, my littlest baby turned six. since we are going to florida next tuesday and mark left for a boys golf trip for a few days on mad's birthday, mad decided he would rather have his birthday bash next week down in the sunshine.  but, being who i am, i couldn't not do something at least a little special for that boy of mine.  so, the night before marcus left, i had him build a frame for a fort. max and i then spent the morning {max was too excited sick to go to school.;)} putting it together and making it "birthday" ready.  treats were taken up to his school and i read his favorite book to his class, which he requested that i don't do in a loud tone or use different voices, basically i was asked to read it monotone. we spent the rest of the day celebrating in the fort with aunt kenna, books, gifts, games and movies.

my dearest, little maddy pie- let me tell you a little about the 6 year old you that i adore so much.  you love your hair, some may say you are quite obsessed with it. no one is allowed near it, and you put gel in it 5-6 times daily and are very proud when it is at its hardest. what you wear is also an important part of your daily routine and you love to clothes shop...thank you.;) you still love meat & veggies more than anything else, and still carry a hatred for cheese {minus kraft mac and cheese and dad's "famous" grilled cheese sandwiches.} you are the boy with 102 nicknames. back scratches and books are two of your favorites. you have the cutest, most infectious laugh ever heard. even the lady in target who told me she stood on the aisle next to us and  just listened to you laugh for 5 minutes agrees.=) you love to be outside, riding your bike, playing in the snow, hiking the mountains, swimming in any and every body of water. you are up for anything, anytime. you have an adventurous little soul and everyone that is close to you can't enough of your fun, free spirit. you love sports like your daddy and music like your mama.  but, there is nothing in this world you love more than your brother, max. for your birthday, you asked for what max has been wanting so you could give it to him.  you hate to see him get into trouble, and threaten to beat up anyone who is remotely unkind to him. there are few people that truly care about someone else's happiness more than their own, but you are one of them. max is very lucky.  and we are very lucky to have you in our family. 

i love you so.

mama

{maddy asked that i wear my fancy dress for his birthday. i do as i'm told.;)}

mad's birthday menu {as requested}:

garlic chicken {lots}

broccoli

edamama {edamame}

mac & cheese {but "the good kind." meaning- not homemade/healthier, but kraft.;)}

ice cream sundaes {or a bowl full of mostly chocolate syrup.}

{mad made this sign. what are you? illiterate? it clearly reads "no grown-ups allowed.";) ::  i cut this sign from a cardboard treehouse he made a few weeks ago. darling.}

{he loves his hair glue, and more is always better. right?=)}

{"pirates sail and lost boys fly..."}

i can't believe how fast his little life is going by. heartbreaking. i usually leave the door cracked while he showers at night {showers.}.  the other night i did just this, and mad said, "mom, you need to close the door all the way.", to which i replied that i needed to be able to make sure he was okay.  maddy then said, "you just don't want me to grow up!" and i realized that was the truest truth i have ever heard. i don't, not one bit.  but, since there is not a thing on earth i can do to stop it, i will just hold tight to the memories i have of him as my little angel baby and cherish them always. 
happy birthday, sunshine angel.

tooth-es

madden lost his first tooth.

 {last picture taken of his baby smile.}

{<3- the tooth fairy. first tooth kept for good luck.}

two days later, he lost another. 

she wore that dress like it was a saturday.

last week was my birthday, and what a birthday it was! i went to the jazz vs. lal game with mark and his crew, out for dinner and laughs with my sisters and one of my best, came home to a cake made by my boys {with only a little instructional help.;)}, had quality time and pointy cheese toast with girlfriends, a very fun lunch with mark's mama and sisters, a horror movie, a jim gaffigan show and a saturday night out on the town.

30 is not so bad.

 {sisters -1}

birthday love...

well-wishes, star sprinkles, handmade hats, thoughtful -y- funny gifts, star crowns, fave shopping discounts, concert tickets x2,  cupcakes,  pretty necklaces, my dream come true,  texts that had me dying, front porch surprises, lots of love.

{beautiful hat made, with love, by my sister, ken. dee's always thoughtful gifts.}

a little birthday love from all your sisters and de ann

Happy birthday to our sister who....

1. Has been on more vacations so far in 2012 than Jo went on in all of 2011.
2. We now refer to as our little, tiny sister.
3. Makes more trips to target than anyone else and still does not have their red card 5% cash back.
4. Believes that breakfast deserves a good dessert afterwards.
5. Cannot put down a sleeping baby. Not even her own. For at least the first few years of life.
6. Takes the role of Auntie Claus very, very seriously.
7.  Takes 2 months to decide where to hammer the hole for a picture...and she always regrets it.
8.  Is a photography addict.
9.  Doesn't want to end up on the hoarders TV show in her future.
10. Timberly says is the best, most thoughtful & beautiful of all my sisters. (the rest of us, deann included, were rightfully offended.)
11. Cannot pass by the Christmas tree with names without taking at least 10 and then crying later hoping all of the names were taken.
12. Quickly surpassed her teacher (andrea ) in fashion....andrea rues the day she ever showed her how to curl her hair with a flat iron
13. Has boxes of all kinds of magical things in her basement just in case a loved one is in need.
14. Should've been a foot model ... If it weren't for that 2nd toe that became morbidly obese!
15. Knows every lyric to every song.
16. Picks the sweetest, most fun friends so the rest of us can have some too.
17. Is the go-to girl for the correct version of any family event!
18. Throws the most exquisite part-ays! With the sweat and labor of her family members to set up.
19. Goes above and beyond to make the most thoughtful and beautiful presents for any employee at her kids' school if they anything to do with her kids:  secretaries, custodian, crossing guard, ere'body.
20. Unwraps any present someone else wraps so it can be done "properly".
21. Once was a famous journalist. We've got the paper to prove it. The Sledger.
22. Embarrasses her boys and husband when she does the robot dance.
23. Knows every quote from all our favorite movies...cat on a hot tin roof, little women, while you were sleeping...
24. Is our own resident "Beth".
25. Would hide in the linen closet for hours to avoid simple chores.
26. Shoulda been a artist or an architect.
27. Who suddenly stopped sneezing 5 times in a row every morning. How do it know?!
28. Is our own family stand up comedian.
29. Has an endearing nickname for any one who walks in her door.
30. We could never love anyone like we love our sister:) 

birthday.

today is my birthday and the beginning of a new decade of my life. 

little, red birthday book.

originality. 

happiness galore.

robustness.

song i love.

so far, so good.

"birthday"- bird & bee

run right back.

st. george, utah

lovely views, breakfast at 25 main, antique stores/art galleries, new jewelry, cafe rio, dance off, swimming pool, video games, pizza factory bread twists, back massages, redbox movies, feeding orange peel addiction, nothing open on sunday, book loving, football games, full moon, exploring the land, rock collecting, roadtrips, little black submarine repeated, forgotten make-up bag, two weekends in a row.  

save a place, i'll be there.

i'm sure everyone knows about newsies coming to broadway this spring, but are you as excited as i am about it??  it was the start of my love for christian bale, and  i think it's only appropriate that someone who saw the movie thirteen times in the movie theater way back in '92 be there.

also, i am most excited for the hunger games movie to come out in a couple months.  i read the first book like 4 years ago and waited years for the others to come out only to read them in a day.  an easy read {the series is geared towards young adults/teens}, but probably the most enthralling book i have yet to befriend.  this song playing {"safe & sound"} is from the soundtrack. taylor hooked up with the civil wars for it, two of my best. it's the loveliest. right now i think of my precious, little family when i listen to it, but i have a few ideas about where it will be placed in the movie. {peeta in the hole? prim?} adore.

for auld lang syne...

we celebrated our new year down in st. george. it was suppose to just be a resting point on the way to the utah game in el paso; but somehow, between the orange peel and  having a big nice house to stay in, we never found our way out.

our new year's eve started off with a big bang, the big bang theory marathon, that is (i love that show.). and then mad and i threw a last minute, sparkle, pajama party for our little family to rock in 2012.  we went to target (shocked are we?) on saturday and got some dollar items, clearanced christmas decorations, a few treats and put together a pretty decent little shindig to say goodbye to what was a great 2011.  we played games (spongebob cranium, battleship) and talked about our favorite memories from the past year. mad put on a rock show with his paper jams guitar, and max, again, showed us how quickly he can master a lego hero factory figure. horns were blown, {easy to clean} confetti was thrown, kisses were shared and our first family photo of 2012 was taken. it was a grand time...up until about 1:15 a.m. when maddy started bawling and said, "i'm just so tired." then we had our first great sleep of the new year.  take a look...

{going to florida was the best part of 2011 for maxer.}

{mad's favorite part of 2011 was surfing at the beach house.}

{max's pictionary-- be sure to write the word first then draw the picture.=)}

{meanwhile, mad must make sure eeryone knows the correct answer.}

 {we had pomegranate drinks, ate our 12 grapes at midnight and had blacked-eyed peas the next morning, so we should be set with plenty of good coming our way in 2012. also, kalani went to our house on the first to watch the football game we recorded. so, we also had a tall, dark, handsome man as the first person to visit our home which is supposedly suppose to bring something good.}

happy new year to all i love!! 

2012 is looking bright so far. i am very hopeful and impossibly excited.