San Fran

*pictures coming soon--technical difficulties*

my hubby pulled out all the stops for our anniversary this year. first, was the plane tickets out of town with arrangements for the kiddos taken care of. second, tickets to WICKED 7th row center stage.

shut up! it was F A B U L O U S! totally want to see it again. cracked me up AND gave me chills it was that good!
we saw the sights, ate dinner in 'real' sit-down restaurants, walked the Pier, took the scenic route {because no one would start crying or need to pee}, browsed the shops, and slept in. we could have stayed one more day, maybe two...or faked our own death and never returned. *wink*

the weather was colder than normal and the clouds blocked my view of "the bridge," but it didn't dampen my spirits one bit. and to think the whole weekend almost ended before it began with my gold medal sprint from security in terminal 1, to the gate in the basement of terminal 2. only to realize that in 5 years of flying delta this was the one time the flight would taxi and take off early...seriously, it was a totally "made for tv moment" and nothing an ice cold diet coke and krispy creme doughnut couldn't fix. plus i used the additional time to "people watch" in the airport. it was a dream!!

just what i needed

i've been struggling to create a routine that works, practice moderation in all things, and find the joy in motherhood that so many others experience. it seems to have been "one of those days," most days around here lately. but i'm better now because i watched this. it was just what i needed to hear. tomorrow will be a better day and a vaycay with my hubby this weekend is sure to help too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbYLKVgwztY&feature=player_embedded

it's always good to know that i'm not the only one struggling with crying, cranky kids. one day i'll miss these days. one day.

she's a keeper

yesterday, Chris asked Savanna if she'd like a sandwich for lunch. she replied, "yeah. ham, cheese on a square. no paper" turns out that the last time Chris made her a sandwich, he forgot to take the paper off the cheese. good thing she was specific this time around :)

her latest obsession is playing my "compooter." she thinks it's awesome that she can do it all herself. i think it's awesome that she's fully entertained and i get to overhear all the little "oup, agh, whoops, yeah" the whole time. although, i now have to "take turns" throughout the day if i want to check email, blog, etc.

she likes to tattle. worried about what your child is doing in the other room when your not looking. no worries, she'd let you know if they're doing something "questionable"

she's picked up the phrase "oh my gosh"

she currently refers to people/strangers as "customers"

she explains things is great detail, but often backwards. nouns before adjectives or verbs.

she won't eat white animal crackers, only pink

if something has glitter, it has "sprinkles"

she loves to dress herself. lately it's all about dresses. she likes to "twirl like a princess"

if asked to complete a task she often thinks for a minute, then replies "sure" {with a slight Boston accent} or "i no want to"

if she doesn't want something she'll say "i no like it"
if she wants to know why? she'll use how? {"how you do that?"}

she likes to find "mingos" while driving in the car...it's a game my niece taught her. when a yellow car is spotted you yell "BINGO" and get a point.

she still calls milk- muck, much to the dismay of her cousins

nine-er

Easton had his NINE month check yesterday and....drum roll please

he's healthy!

*happy dance*

weighing in at 20lbs 15oz staying true to form in the 60th percentile. reaching new heights at 30.2 inches and joining those in the top 90th percentile bracket. of course, keeping with Densley tradition and breaking records with a head circumference of 19.2 inches. great things are expected of this kid.

no ear infections, no asthma related illnesses, nothing! i didn't quite know what to do with myself. he's teething and has been for a while now, but no little teethies have made their debut. he's my little gagster. gags on everything. if it's too sweet--he gags. too bitter--he gags. new texture--gag. stage 3 baby food--gag. i found myself getting frustrated but have since found meal time to be one of pure entertainment. mixing it up for my own enjoyment. because although he will gag, he'll still proceed to take another bite. i'm sure my payback will come in due time.

his loves:

pestering his sister

electrical cords

dogs

being outside

balls

knocking things over {block towers, plants, stools}

making noise

his blankies, rock-a-byes, his bed

beginning to love books & babies

his newest trick is pulling himself up to a kneeling position, crawling over things, and discovering that the various pillows & blankets used to hid electrical cords can be pushed aside and access granted. he's very observant. he'll watch you do something, or put something away and as soon as you turn your back he'll make his move. so more baby proofing is in my future.

new words:

ma ma

da da

na na

he'll make a "mmmmmm" sound when he's hungry. he puts his head on the ground, thumps his leg, and cries when he's tired. he thinks hiccups are hilarious. peek-a-boo is a favorite game. swimming and bath time make his day while getting a diaper change is not a priority.

to infinity and beyond

i find these jammies absolutely comical.

too bad that when i went back to get the "woody"

version they were no longer available...bummer!

tee ball

i know!

i couldn't believe it either.

she went.

she listened to her coach.
she put on the team shirt AND hat.

she played.

she posed for a picture.

i was proud.

daddy was in awe.

#1 fave picture (below) {check out that smile :)}

of course, she is savanna and had her moments.

she summed it up as i tucked her into bed that night,

"it was a nice day."
and that's what truly matters. it was a nice day.

Happy FOURTH!!

i love my freedom & my country

i will be thinking of all those who are,

who have,

who miss & love those

fighting for that freedom!

thank you!

this IS the

"Land of the Free

Because of the Brave"

on a lighter note, it's just me and little e this weekend.

we may not be able to go outside to watch fireworks,

stuff our faces with bbq'd grub, or enjoy the parades; i think

i may just enjoy this a little bit more...

and i channeled my inner "Martha" and busted out some

star shaped treats. i gave up on the festive sprinkles. so

not as easy as they make it seem. just as satisfying without them.

YUM!

under

Easton is always UNDER something.

my feet

the table

this week he is "under the weather"

{love those peek-a-boo toes}

love it

he l o v e s his daddy,

but said "ma ma" first

random thoughts

• you know you've been a busy girl when you open the microwave to heat up your child's breakfast and find your "lunch" from the previous day. i'm sure something came up that made me forget to eat it, but it's not coming to mind exactly what that was. sad really.
• picking up your tummy sliding/half army crawling baby helps remind you to mop your floors when his white onsie isn't white anymore.
• i find nothing in life as exciting as unloading my cart, handing the cashier a pile of coupons, price-matching, and having them GIVE me a $5 gift card back without spending more than $20--sah-weet!!
• it's sad to admit that we're okay to have "date night" consist of him upstairs watching Wolfman & me downstairs watching When in Rome. this week i have a hunch we'll be bringing a 3rd wheel and seeing Toy Story 3. please contain your jealousy.
• i finally got around to organizing the bonus room, complete with bins, baskets, and soon they'll be labeled. i show it off so much, you'd think Nate Berkus helped. nerd.

shame. shame.

i cannot believe it's been over a month since i've blogged. okay, so i can! i've even got a big ol' list of excuses, but instead i'll just fill you in on what i've (we've) been up to. NOTHING! well, unless you count: crafting; playing; bbq's; the zoo {post to come}; yard work/cleaning house; baby-proofing {daddy proofing :)}; painting & finally hanging up everything that's been on the floor propped against it's appropriate wall; oh, and allergies. i'm pullin' the "i need an iphone" card any chance i get because frankly, i don't understand how i'm suppose to play, work, run the household, facebook, tweet, blog and keep on top of all the other requirements of us 20th century moms. not to mention any religious obligations we may have. whew. i have big plans to do a "day in my life" post here soon. that way when someone asks what i do all day, i can just refer them to that detailed description of exactly what i accomplish on a typical day...like a shower. if it includes styling my hair and putting on a respectable outfit i would feel comfortable shopping at nordstroms in--great scott, it's like a special occasion.

contaminated

that's the word that currently describes our cities public water. i am grateful for having followed the prophets advice and prepared my house for events like this. thanks to endless supply of 2-liter bottles i've stored in our basement, laundry room, and pantry we have yet to run short on clean water. "they" say it's safe for bathing, but i'm going the safe route and using the stored water for the kids bathes and our stash of costco water bottles for drinking. i of course had to make a late night run to the neighboring city for some ice because we all know a diet coke tastes better with ice than straight out of the can. i told my mom yesterday i've taken to the attitude of camping. boiling water to wash dishes, bottles and even wiping down the children. i've resorted to using baby wipes for just about everything you'd normally use a washcloth for. it's been interesting, but reassuring knowing that we're prepared. i've taken inventory of our "emergency essentials." we're good.

to motherhood

because we all know it can be a hard and exhausting at times,

but the greatest thing ever most of the time.

i spent today with a lot of great mother's.

i was lucky like that.

{the homemade card, sleeping in, gifts and chocolates at church were just an added bonus}

and because, seriously, who can't relate?

and it might have made me pee just a little:

watch THIS

thanks Liz for sharing!

again.

Easton's sick. this seems to be a weekly occurrence lately. poor kid! RSV kicked his butt and now we are reaping the effects. initially we (the doc & i) were crossing our fingers that with a little preventative medicine and occasional nebuelizer treatment we'd cross a bridge and never look back. no such luck. every time, and i mean EVERY time, Easton gets the sniffles it's a full-fl edge attack on his lungs too. i casually would poke fun at the weekly visits to the doctor's office, but i was truly expecting them to end with Savanna's 4 year well check last Tues. turns out we're in this for the long haul. i'm currently on a first name basis with the staff and Dr. L gave me a little "pep" talk and literal pat-on-the-back yesterday. it's been rough and i'm sure it showed. i hadn't slept more than 5 hours in two days. my baseball cap was my "quick fix" hairstyle and i'd been consuming more diet coke and granola bars than i'm sure is recommended {not to mention the fact that it was SNOWING as i pulled into the parking lot}. a little "your a good mom," "there's nothing you could have done to prevent this," pep-talk was very much appreciated and welcomed. so here we go. another bout of antibiotics, daily neb treatments followed by steroids, and house arrest. i'm seriously considering a "bubble boy" suit for this kid.

for the record, our list of ailments the last 3 months {since Feb}:

RSV-first experience
ear infection
lung infection
double ear infection-2 different antibiotics and shots needed
RSV-yup 2x in one season, not common, but happens
double ear infection-tubes anyone? anyone?
2-week hiatus of good health
double ear infection AND lung infection

here's to health insurance, prescription medications, and diet coke without em' "life" would surely push me over the edge :) *cheers*

me lucky charms

Happy St. Patty's Day!

{get your pinchers ready}

Silly little leprechaun left us each a little GREEN

she Loved her "silly" socks,
but not so much the camera
so feet are all you'll get

except. . .
these TWO crazy boys!
it was GREEN love all around.
my luck should be on the rise with all the kisses and snuggles my little guy got
we will be spreading the luck all month long
who could resist those cheeks? {f.y.i. its a 12 mo shirt}
our little cousin Kamden even got in on the action
he plays at our house while his mommy "go to work"

he's HUGE

i LOVE LOVE LOVE my kids. But as you can see from the picture "baby Easton" is a buckle full of fun! LOVE HIM! i seriously maul the kid with kisses and tickles. he's the best sleeper, nap taker--okay "cat" napper :), and he really doesn't fuss unless he's tired or sick. *sigh* Savanna was a hard baby so she has every reason to be jealous. she loves to hold him and help, or be included, with the daily activities. {more on her later}

just a typical picture. Easton's hamin' it up & Savanna is rare to have a good photo op.

just chillin' outside while mom plants flowers. love the shades!

love this picture! he loves his saucer & it's a good thing, some days it's his 2nd home :)



typical "doh!" face




found this: snapped by dad and cracks me up!

i call him little dude, tank, my boyfriend, etc. seems that i've hit the nail on the head with T A N K!

i took him in for his 4 month appt and he is off the charts--not really, but almost.

weight: 16.5 pounds--70%

height: 26 inches--80%

head: 17.75--97%

things he loves right now:

• his toys
• music
• the exersaucer
• "johnny" the jumper
• his big sister {thinks she's hilarious}
• rice cereal
• his own bed
• snuggling in the blankets

poor baby

our little man has been sick this last week with RSV. its been scary at times and exhausting to say the least. most my time has been spent at doctor's appointments, counting his breaths, or disinfecting/washing anything and everything he's come in contact with. i'm crossing my fingers that we're on the home stretch. we picked up a nebulizer yesterday and after only two treatments, my fun-loving, sweet baby boy has returned. it's endearing that through it all Easton's never been short of smiles. just a little reminder that this too shall pass :)

she's my idol

so normally i wouldn't say anything, but i'm just so excited that i can't hold it in anymore. you see, when i was a manager for AEO in good ol' beantown i was HER boss! back then she was just a little high school student, but her spunky nature made us quick buds. i am crossing my fingers that she makes it ALL THE WAY! i can't believe it, but i may actually be following American Idol for a whole season without fail. GO ASH, GO ASH!

*check out her audition here

{update: she MADE the top 24! tune in Tuesday and then VOTE for her even if she tanks :)}

amen

i think i may just have to make this into a vinyl sign and hang it on my front door.

EXCUSE THIS HOME

Some homes try to hide the fact

that children shelter there

Ours boasts of it quite openly

the signs are everywhere

For smears are on the windows

little smudges on the door

I should apologize, I guess,

for the toys strewn on the floor,

but I sat down with the children

we played and laughed and read.

And if the doorbell doesn't shine

their eyes will shine instead.

For when at times I'm forced to choose

the one job or the other,

I want to be a homemaker

but first I'll be a mother.

snow fun

3 monther

he's THREE months!

what?!? where is the time going? never mind, that my new baby isn't really new anymore. i love new babies, but i really, really, really love smiley, cooing, discovering babies. i am sooo lucky i got this kid. he is such a happy baby. he may be starving, sitting in a poop-filled diaper, have a cold or toothache, but you will more that likely get a smile or two between his cries. he's a great sleeper--beats his sister hands down. most nights i'm guaranteed sleep from 12-6am followed by a "down to business" feeding and another 3-4 hours. love it! {now, if we could only get Savanna to comply. that's a whole other story}
what's he up to now:
grins & giggles
belly laughs
tickley necks
kisses
grabbing toys
talking to "friends" {lights, fans, etc.}
loving mirrors, big sister, and daddy
following mommy with his eyes
crying for attention
bath time splashing

say cheese

being back does have it's perks--my sister-in-law is a photographer! lucky for me, she took some pictures of the kiddos just before Christmas. i'm sure there are many more photo shoots in our future :) one of these days Savanna may actually smile and pose for the camera like she's NOT being tortured. some of these are just classic! {and YES, i have "the glare" picture framed and hanging on our wall}

it's bad

it's really, really, bad!

S.E.R.I.O.U.S.L.Y.

i really should have planned better. having a baby at the beginning of the "busy" season was not the smartest thing i have ever done. okay, so it's really not the birth that set off the late-for-everything, short-on-time, and over-booked schedule. it was ME! i need to learn to say "no" more often. i need to lower my expectations. i really, really need that craft room in the basement. *wink, wink*

they say that a picture speaks a thousand words. these are no exception.

Savanna loves having the "upstairs" to play in and watch "my tv" {meaning her shows. when i'm watching something its "mommy's tv"}. organizing it has been a whole other challenge. i HAD to snap this shot not only because this is typically the state of the 'unseen' portion of our house, but it's wasn't even an hour before that i'd just picked up and put everything away. that my friends is why i rarely, if ever, pick-up or put away any of her things. i just kick them to the general area with my feet most of the time.

in our house, the apple didn't fall very far from the tree--

my excuse: i only get a few minutes here/there to work on a project. i get distracted by mundane, everyday chore, kid(s). i have "momnesia." there really isn't an excuse, or need for one. my life is crazier with two and it has taken me by surprise. my goal is to be better at managing my time. until then, this. is. my. life.