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2016-05-29T21:09:00.001-07:00

Liam's First Birthday - Construction Party

2013-03-02T16:00:00.002-08:00

I will update this post soon with more info about the day and where I purchased supplies. Just doing a picture drop for now! Thanks for understanding...and hope you have fun getting ideas for a boy's birthday party!

My husband designed the invite for Liam's party on publisher. We went with a blue print look and thought it was a great way to kick off this theme. He even created a blue print seal with our personal info on it. The license number is our wedding date!

Again the sign was created in publisher and saved as a jpeg. I then had them enlarged and printed at Costco. For a 16x20 sign I paid $5! I glued it to a poster board to make it more firm and attached it to a plastic horse.

Hardhats required at all times

Each "crew member" had a personalized hardhat ready and waiting for them when they arrived.

Dump gifts into a wheelbarrow. Monthly photos of the birthday boy on a level measuring stick

Crew punch (orange Hawaiian punch) for the kiddos.

There was also a H2O jug for the crew to fill up their cone cups with.

On each table was a road table runner made from grey felt and bright yellow duct tape

Brown bag lunches for supervisors(adult lunches) and crew (kiddo lunches). Everything is easier with the right "tools."

Smash cake! Used a real tire for a cake stand and tin foil covered piece of wood to fill the hole like a hub cap. My mother-in-law went to a local tire dealer and asked for a tire that was going to be thrown out and got the tire for free. Free is always fun!

We had sweet selections for all the crew to choose from. "Wet Paint" Rice Krispies treats, chocolate "Wreaking balls," "Steal beam" candy sticks, "Spare tire" chocolate donuts and chocolate dirt cupcakes.

Pin the nail on the Hammer. Googled, Hammer coloring page to get the image. We created the nail stickers in WORD by using a thin oval shape with a thin triangle shape attached to it.

Blue print background were left over from a room addition that was done to my in-law's home.

Nailed it!

Crew members of all skill levels had fun

Birthday Boy starting to enjoy his cake

Photo op station. Have each of your guests take a photo and use it as the thank you card

Take home construction kits for all the crew (included play-doh, chalk, a toy truck, bouncy ball, candy steal beam, truck erasers) Instead of "Thanks for coming" consider "Thank for all your hard work!" Thought of it after the tags were printed.

We had a blast at our local park on a wonderfully windy day!

More details and links to come to help assist in making your party planning easier.

How Kelli got her GROOVE back!

2012-09-17T14:58:00.001-07:00

Well hello there!

It has been a while, a long while, since I have sat down to share what is going on in our little corner of the globe. I had been curious if life really happens if it is not shared for the world to see. I am here to tell you, my friend, it does! It does indeed! [Of course I have been checking in on Facebook everywhere I go! People say in their status updates that they don't want to know when I am at the gym or what I am about to eat, but their "Like" clicks and witty comments say otherwise! Get your click ready... some sweet coffee "art" and my current weight loss plan may be coming to a status update near you.]

Life with three kiddos, ages three and under, has taken some getting used to. Summer felt like great training grounds of how to make life happen with three. We didn't have any schedule other than what we put in it for the day. No where to have to be if something went sideways with one (or all) kiddo(s).

So training began.

We trained at the pool.

And at the beach.

We trained while playing dress up.

And while playing with animals.

We potty trained.

We did training wheels and trikes.

We trained with treats.

We trained with drinks.

We trained and trained and trained. I am now feeling the benefit of all that training. I feel like having three kids is ~~totally~~ manageable. I feel like having three kids is really fun. I feel like having three kids makes us a bit of a spectacle, and I LOVE being a spectacle!

Great things were happening in the midst of all our "kid training."

There was wine tasting.

And horse races.

There were Spa Days.

And afternoon teas.

There were girls nights.

And game nights.

It was a fantastic summer. I feel like I got my groove back! [I have a strange urge to scream, STELLA!] We trained hard, we played hard, and we had the best time. Want to know the secret of life with three kids? Take one day at a time and don't be afraid to ask for help. An hour or two (or 24!) by yourself or with only adult companions has made a world of difference of how I get to come back and dive into kidland.

So grateful to all those who helped me get my groove back. Summer does not feel over because it is still a steamy 89 degrees here in Southern California. But the days of summer feel complete and we are on to the schedule of fall and all the fun it brings.

Like preschool.

And flying solo with three kids!

Talk about a spectacle...

Sanity Sustainers

2012-03-16T14:39:00.001-07:00

As I journey further into my life with three children I am finding how important it is to find the time and the things that keep me sane so that I don't lose my mind or my temper while I attempt this new stage of Motherhood.

Here are a few of my "Sanity Sustainers" that help me get through a day (or an hour, or a minute):
Doing my hair and make up
Now I realize most of you may think this is my vanity kicking in, but truly I find peace and am recharged when I do my hair and makeup. Some women clean when stressed. Others exercise. I bust out my hot rollers and eyeliner and find a sense of control and accomplishment. The better my hair looks, the more difficult the day has been. My curling iron has saved lives. My kiddos' lives and my own!
Getting out of the house
I am the opposite of a homebody. I love my home, I just don't need to be in it very much. Having children has definitely slowed me down and kept me in my home more than I would prefer. But when I am having a crazy day or ~~have completely lost~~ am starting to lose my cool (i.e. crying right along with all three of my children) I do everything in my power to get out of the house. Something about a change of scenery and fresh air put things back into perspective. I try to get out of the house at least once a day. It may be to the nearby park or the Disneyland parks, depending on how adventurous I feel, but it has to be outside my front door.
Sleep
How awful is sleep deprivation? I had forgotten the desperation and loss of normal thinking and functioning that comes with lack of sleep. Even a 25 minute power nap can make all the difference in a day to keep my wits about me.
Adult time
Last week I had my dark day. The day when the lack of sleep finally catches up to you. The day when a friend or stranger offers you a concerned tilted head smile and tears burst forth from your eyes as though a dam had just been blown to bits. That was last Thursday for me. My husband kissed me goodbye as he went off to work, I cried. My friend sent me a text checking in to see how I was doing, I cried. Read an email about motherhood, I cried. A friend stopped by and hugged me hello, I cried. My daughter told me I was the best because I took her too the park, I cried. ALL DAY LONG I CRIED! But I cried less when my friend came to visit because adult interaction made life feel a bit more normal. I cried less when my husband came home because reinforcements had arrived AND conversation with him was more than about the game Candy Land and Princesses. Adult interaction definitely keeps me sane and I am becoming much more intentional to make that happen.
Eating
This one probably needs to go because it is no longer cute to have a big round belly now that I am no longer pregnant. (I am not fishing for compliments here, I know it will take time to get back to my pre pregnant body) But when I get a few moments of peace, I want a piece of pie or cake or candy or a bag of chips to go with it! Why is bad food so tasty? I would like to make a quick shout out to all of you who have helped me indulge in this part of my sanity in the past month. I truly appreciate you loving me in this way and if anyone else would like to send me sweets to keep me sane, leave me a comment with your email address and I will gladly send you an address to send or bring sweets to!
Looking at pictures
I have been working on gathering pictures for our 2011 Family Photo book and it is so great to walk down memory lane. As I scan our iPhoto library I often land on the pictures from my honeymoon and relish the memory of that vacation and how carefree my husband and I were. My blood pressure goes down for those few moments and helps put me in a better space for when I need to tend to a tantrum throwing child.

How do you stay sane? I would love some more ideas to keeping a level head as I manage three children.

(Especially when the freaking garbage truck wakes one up from their nap! I HATE YOU GARBAGE TRUCK! Sanity Stealer right there!)

The New Man in My Life

2012-03-05T13:58:00.002-08:00

William "Liam" Malcolm was born last week and we have been in the midst of adjusting to and loving our now family of five!

He came into the world pretty easily (only three hours of labor and two pushes...I understand if you want to call me a bad name right now). He was a big healthy boy weighing in at 9 pounds 6 ounces!

The day after my last post I had too many contractions for 34 weeks pregnant and was put on bed rest for two weeks! And yes, that definitely helped my feeling of isolation! We then got to enjoy a gnarly case of double pink eye for Katie and a sinus infection for my husband. My goal was to keep Liam in long enough to get everyone in our house well for him to safely make his debut! I made my goal!

My friend, Shara, took some very sweet photos of Liam this weekend and so I thought I would share a couple of them here! (Check her post about Liam here for more sweet photos and her incredible talent.) He really is the sweetest and I can't wait to see his little personality start begin to emerge more and more.

Here is to life with three kids ages three and under! (I think I'm a bit crazy, too!) But I took the kids to Starbucks and the park today with very minimal crying. Oh, and Liam didn't cry much either.

Isolated Extrovert

2012-01-23T09:45:00.000-08:00

This past week has been such a mixed bag of joy, fear, relaxation, people I love, and too much time alone!

For most of last week my youngest daughter Kate has been fighting a fever that peaked at 105.3 and a trip to the emergency room.

When this sweet face looked like a red hot that was about to burst it completely freaked me out. As much as I tried to keep myself composed knowing that she would eventually cool down, fear kept bubbling over and several tears escaped as I held my sick baby. By the time we left the ER she was so much cooler and back to her normal silly behavior, but it was a long night of checking her temp often and keeping her fever regulated with medication.

The ER trip was on Wednesday. I had planned on taking the girls that day to an indoor trampoline place for a play date with one of my girlfriends. I had been in my house too much and was ready to get out and have some social interaction! It took everything I had to cancel and make the wise choice for Katie, because the extrovert inside me was screaming for adult interaction. Instead of getting out, I spent two more days indoors with my baby girl nursing her back to health. Thankfully my oldest (who is also an extrovert) was able to spend two days at Nana's house baking, playing at the park, and enjoying special solo time with Nana!

Friday I had my 34 week pre-natal check up. This pregnancy has been so mellow and easy that most of my check ups take all of ten minutes. Weigh in (ugh), blood pressure (great), any concerns (nope), see you in a few weeks! Since I had been having some contractions every day this week they checked to see if anything was happening because of them. She found I was 1 cm dilated and then served me my "death sentence!" She told me I wasn't technically on bed rest but that I needed to severely limit my activity.

So I have been sitting on a couch for two straight days with Katie and now I have to limit my activity?? I realize the "death sentence" may sound dramatic, but I was feeling like a prisoner in my own home!

Saturday brought so much joy as I went to the most incredible baby shower thrown by my girlfriends to celebrate the soon arrival of my little Liam. Before hand, I went to Dry Bar to have my hair done so I wouldn't have to stand and do it myself. The poor girl doing my hair had to hear a weeks worth of pent of conversation that I was desperate to get out.

Then I entered extrovert heaven! Surrounded by women I love, eating yummy food, and getting to have so many fun conversations and connect with them of what had been going on in their lives. I was overwhelmed by blessings and incredible thoughtfulness through all the gifts and sweet words of support, as well as, all the incredible details of the shower.

This was the take away gift for each guest. The small flag tag was personalized with each woman's name on it for them to take home. Every part of the shower was this well done and so thoughtful. I will share more pictures later!

I came home energized and ready to take on anything. Well anything except my oldest daughter now taken down by the same strong fever my youngest just overcame! More time indoors and staying isolated from others. I can handle reducing my activity level...somewhat. But I had planned on making play dates where I can sit and chat with my friends while the girls play with theirs!

Tears came on Sunday morning as I realized I was again stuck in my home for another several days. My husband sweetly offered to let me get out while he stayed with the girl, but I didn't want to be alone outside my house either. I was already starved for people, and it was less then 24 hours since the party. I felt like a insatiable drug addict!

So after Katie's morning nap we got out as a family for a few hours to get some fresh air for all of us!

Again I felt energized being outdoors and having the company of my husband was what I needed as we enjoyed time together as a family. We came home so Lainey could get some rest (a four hour nap later) and so I could get off my feet.

I recognized yesterday how draining too much time alone can be for me. Please hear that there are definitely times all I want is time to myself. Even extroverts need some alone time. But I love people! They give me energy and life to be with them. It recharges my batteries!

Sometimes motherhood is not conducive with being an extrovert. I am learning to figure out how to maintain through the periods of "isolation," but I have to say I did not win that battle this week. It feels like I can not get enough of people right now, but I need to wisely stay put and know that this is only for a few days and won't be forever...RIGHT?

Mom's One Line a Day - New Year's Resolution

2012-01-10T10:40:00.000-08:00

One of my New Year's resolution is to be more intentional about documenting the everyday moments that make up life. Part of that is to try and discipline myself to fill out "Mom's One Line a Day."

I received it in my stocking this Christmas and am excited about the idea of having this book filled out and the keepsake it could be for my kiddos someday. I am fearful that I won't make it past January and so I will have five years worth of January memories!

My hope is that since it truly is just one sentence a day, I will be able to stick with it. (pay no attention to my awful printing!) I can follow through with something that takes two minutes a day, right? RIGHT? I like that each page will show five years of memories for that particular day!

I almost wish they had a baby book similar to this! Lainey's has been filled in with some memories. Katie's has a few, but I am in desperate need to catch up. I fear that Liam's will look brand new as we look through it twenty years from now.

So here is for hoping!

Another of my New Year's resolutions is to not be pregnant on New Year's Eve 2012 and to be out celebrating somewhere in this dress! The dress is currently hanging in my closet, I am feeling that optimistic about this year!

What have you resolved to do in the 2012?

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice

2011-12-21T13:20:00.000-08:00

That's what little girls are made of.

We had Lainey's friend, Avila, over this morning for a play date and I had so much fun watching the girls play!

First they wanted to be ballerinas and dance to Disney princess songs. I mean, who doesn't? Right?

Katie wanted to be just like the big girls, complete with tutu and special princess doll. Lainey and Avila were happy to have a little girl to show all their cool tricks and dance moves to.

Since they were dancing to princess songs they quickly decided that they should be princesses too. Every time an Ariel or Cinderella song came on it was a chance for each girl to take the lead and perform their special song. (We are still in the phase of funny faces for pictures with Lainey. She refuses to look at the camera or smile "pretty" right now.)

Avila lives upstairs from us and it has been so fun to watch the girls grow together. They can shout to each other across the court yard, sharing all their updates from the day.

They have been friends since before they had words and have always had such a sweet little friendship. Avila has a special spot in our family's heart and especially Lainey's. They want to bring their special toys to each other's houses to share with one another. Lainey always gets excited to go to Avila's house or when we get to meet them at the park. Her first best friend.

I am so excited to be expecting my first little boy in March and all that come along with boys. Especially growing up with two older brothers, boys are what I know and love. Brothers put you on their shoulders for piggy back rides around the yard. They take you motorcycle riding and encourage you to stop being a sissy or a chicken. They teach you how to jump a small ramp on your bike and how to balance on a skate board. (They may also play dress up with you in your mom's square dancing petty coats and watch cheer leading competitions that you will later reenact together. "GO, WALLACE, GO!")

But today as I watched the girls play so sweetly together and be so incredibly girly with their crowns and costumes, it felt like I got to relive some of my favorite things about being a girl through them. We blew bubbles and pretended we were under the sea with Ariel and her friends while they ate a snack. They are young enough that it's still fun to have mom join in on the dance party and putting on fun jewelry.

It was fun being three again today!

Lainey's Princess Birthday Celebration

2011-12-18T09:22:00.000-08:00

Everyone told me the time would fly by after my first daughter was born.

For the first two months of her life I thought for sure they were all lying!

But some how my baby went from this

To this

In a blink of an eye!

How is she already three years old?

Lainey is true joy and loves people and making new friends where ever we go.

She is my girly girl!

Wants her nails done, her hair curled, plays make up and would wear a "princess" skirt or dress every day if I would let her.

She is sensitive.

Desires to do the right thing or the thing that would make you happy.

(Most of the time! She still is a very real three year old that has a draw to the dramatics, as well!)

If there is music, she is dancing!

She loves all things Princess right now.

Her favorite colors are pink and purple, and prefers that anything be sparkly pink or purple.

She loves to jump off things, on things, to things.

Her biggest accomplishment lately is riding her tricycle all by herself. She feels ready for a purple sparkly bike!

Birthdays are a big deal in our home! The day is all about you and your favorite things!

We start the day by waking up the birthday girl(or boy) with cake and presents in bed.

This was Lainey's first year of experiencing our funny morning time tradition, and she wasn't sure about it at first.

It took about thirty second for her excitement to be realized and for her to dive in to the sweets and gifts before her!

Ariel was her favorite gift of the morning. Which went perfectly with the theme of her day.

After her cake breakfast we got her dressed up like Cinderella and took her to Disneyland for lunch with Princesses.

She got to meet Belle

Snow White

Excitedly hugged Cinderella, her twin for the day!

Lainey could hardly contain herself as Aurora was about to come to our table to meet her.

Aurora reminded me more of Malibu Barbie than the Sleeping Beauty I remembered.

By the end of lunch she had her princess poses down and was ready to lead her own parade.

Some of Lainey's friends joined us to help celebrate at Disneyland!

You know it was a successful day at Disneyland when it ends looking like this!

Because I am cheap, we did Lainey's Princess lunch at Disneyland the day before her birthday so that she would still be free to get in.

On her actual birthday her Nana brought the princess magic to our house along with Lainey's favorite menu:

Mac and Cheese with Hot Dogs

Chips

Jello salad and

Pink Drink (aka Pink Lemonade)

The Disney/Princess theme continued with plates and napkins

So thankful to the grocery store across the street made these tiny princess cakes so I wouldn't have to attempt it this year!

She was well adorned with crowns, jeweled rings and a special birthday girl button!

There must be something innate in the human nature to suck the frosting off of candles. No lessons needed here!

All the princesses came to this party too!

Our girl was well celebrated this year, even without a formal birthday party.

My hope is that in future years that I can enjoy making my kids' birthdays special with out it having to mean more to me than it does to them. I seriously cried as we waited for the elevator in the Disney parking lot because we were running late for our reservation for the princess lunch. I think my disappointment would have been greater if they decided not to seat us than Lainey's would have been.

I would like to chalk the tears up to pregnancy hormones or low blood sugar, but I get so excited for certain experiences and memories to be had that I sometimes can get in the way of the memory to be had.

I would prefer to plan the things that could potentially go wrong so that I'd be okay with it, but apparently life doesn't work that way?

What is this thing you call, "go with the flow?"

All in all it was a great couple of days celebrating one of my very special girls!

I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!!

*almost as much as I love pictures with kids and balloons!*

Family Photo Shoot

2011-12-09T12:50:00.001-08:00

I am thrilled (and relieved) to share some of the photos from this week's family photo shoot on Balboa Island.

I must bow to the amazing skills of Andre Niesing and appreciate the greatness that is his handy work! If you need a photographer for anything...he is your guy. He has captured all of our major life moments from engagement to wedding to the birth of both our girls and family photos in between. I am always impressed and blown away by his work and his incredible eye and ability in capturing special moments.

Not sure if I have a number one favorite, but this is in the top five! If you click on the picture above and you can see it in black and white on Andre's Facebook page! I love how Lainey and Chad are looking at one another.

Can you tell I love balloons? When I see a picture with kids and balloons, I melt every time. I think this may be our new main family photo to hang on our wall. The one hanging up right now, Lainey is 3 1/2 months old in it. Time to update!

I had seen my friend Jenna's family photo shoot that another friend of mine, Shara, had done. I fell in love with the picture of Jenna's little girl with these "JOY" blocks and wanted to do something similar. Jenna graciously let me borrow them and copy her creativity to get a couple of sweet and joyful pictures of the girls!

I had just bribed Katie with a piece of candy cane to calm her screams right before this shot was taken. I love her little teeth and the way you can see the hazel color of her eyes.

To get a photo of Lainey with a genuine smile is not an easy task. She is such a ham these days and wants to say cheese or make a funny face when she sees a camera, that this picture feels so priceless. And her bangs are finally growing back in from her fun experiment with scissors.

I do believe in miracles because of this photo. All four of us looking at the camera and I like all the expressions on our faces. That is not an easy task with a stressed out mom and young children that would rather be playing in the sand than being held for a picture. Again, Andre is truly talented!

I have no words to properly express the sweetness that this picture is. So I won't try.

For those that know me, pictures of me pregnant are not my favorite. I have not done a maternity photo shoot with any of my kiddos and try my best to hide my belly if possible in pictures. I love them of other women and think photos of pregnant women are beautiful. (ok...most pictures, some border on the obscene) But since we were taking photos and I am beginning my third trimester today, I figured let's get at least one or two in. (Have I mentioned how much I love black and all that it hides?)

There are so many more pictures that turned out beautifully, but these are some of my favorites. This Grinch is so happy and pleased that my family and friends will put up with my crazy and that beautiful things can happen in the midst of it.

Thanks again, Andre (and Jessica-keeper of goldfish and candy bribes, purses, and props) for making magic happen with the Coltman Family.

Here comes Santa Clause...and The Grinch

2011-12-08T12:57:00.001-08:00

Yesterday we went to visit Santa and get the girls' picture taken with him.

It ended up a family photo because both the girls looked like this when we were not with in centimeters of them.

I tried all day to set my expectations low for this event, but failed miserably.

I had kept Katie up a little later for her morning nap so she would wake up right before we had to get her dressed and go. It worked like a charm until the garbage men decided to come two hours early to empty the dumpster that is right outside her window. I WAS BEYOND FRUSTRATED. Instead of a quality 2 hour nap or so...she got a sad 45 minute nap.

Feeling stressed about the sleep situation, I was still trying my best to keep my stress level as low as possible. Both girls were in good moods as we got dressed and even while we stood in line waiting for Santa.

We have been watching Santa movies for weeks in preparation. My hope was that it would diminish the fear for Lainey when she was finally face to face with him. I had explained that he was like Papa, so kind and fun and gave great gifts! I came prepared with candy canes to bribe them with. But alas, when the time came to sit with Santa nothing but melt downs all around.

That is when the Grinch showed up. I turned sour. My heart shrunk two sizes too small and I think my husband would have preferred to be with a sea sick crocodile instead of managing me along with my hysterical girls.

The best part was that I arranged to take some family photos afterward with our incredibly talented friend and photographer, Andre.

Why not pack it all in to one day since we are already dressed up?

Because I have children.

Young children.

They have about a two hour time limit for anything.

Since the girls were all smiles once they were 10 feet from Santa...I relaxed a little and had some hope that the family photo session wouldn't be a complete bust!

I think I was more stressed and uptight during our photo shoot then while I was giving birth to either of the girls. Andre had to continually remind me to relax. (He and his wife, Jess, were troopers!)

We were close to the beach which I thought would be pretty. But instead it was an obstacle because both girls wanted to play in the sand instead of stand like perfect angels for photos.

Between my forced smiles and two children to hopefully get to look at the camera and smile, we had our work cut out for us to get a decent photo. Andre sent me a preview of the photoshoot and I love it! It's a shot of our family from behind and I think that will be the winner!

I will share some pictures in the next few days.

Notes to self:

Don't do Santa and family photos in the same day.

Set expectations much much lower for pictures with children.

Don't do family photo shoot while pregnant and hormones are raging.

Remember to read this entry at this time next year to remember things will not go as planned, but to enjoy what you can and keep the Grinch at bay so the holidays won't be overshadowed by crabby mom in your children's memories!

How cute are my matching girls though?

And how great is my husband for letting me dress him in a matching color scheme with bow tie and all?

On the First Day of Christmas

2011-12-01T07:48:00.001-08:00

Day one of the Advent Christmas Bag tradition was full of emotion.

My husband got up with the girls this morning to give me a few extra moments of sleep. When I realized it was December 1st, I hopped out of bed knowing my child, who has been eagerly anticipating the morning, would not be overly excited to wait for mom to wake up to finally open her present.

Before we got to the girls' gift bags we wanted them to know why we give gifts at Christmas time. Chad found the story of Jesus' birth in Lainey's Bible and read about the gift of His birth to us and the world. He then explained that we give gifts to one another at Christmas in celebration of Jesus' birthday.

Lainey is about to turn three on the 15th of this month. Since about the beginning of October she has been telling everyone we meet that, "It's almost my birthday!" She is loving the idea that she now gets a present because of Jesus' birthday too!

Katie was thrilled at the thought that it was story time, so was ready with Mickey Mouse's Club House as her book choice.

I may have bought new jammies for Lainey so the pictures would look more festive!

Excitement continued to build as each girl grabbed her bag. Keep in mind, my anticipation is at about the same level as I am reliving my childhood memories through my girls.

The time had finally come for the first present to be opened and this was the reaction that followed...

We are not exactly sure what caused the onset of tears. I think it was hearing the words, "When you go to sleep..." because the girl would love to be awake forever and never have to sleep again. It did not take long to recover and be thrilled with her gift!

It was then Katie's turn to open her gift.

She is not as well versed in present opening as Lainey. I have a feeling that by Christmas she will have the hang of it though. Somehow Lainey still ended up the star in Katie's video.

Lainey has now watched the above video about a dozen times and laughs hysterically each time at seeing herself trip. Happy to see we have taught her that it's good to laugh at yourself. As my daughter, she will have plenty of opportunities to laugh at herself.

Katie enjoyed her Goldfish breakfast and shared some of her gift with her sister too.

With all the highs and lows of this first day of Christmas, I am looking forward to see what the rest of the month brings.

I love that I got a call from my brother around 7:30am seeing if we could hold off opening the gifts until 9:00am when his breakfast meeting was over so he could join us for the festivities. He and I are very much alike. Half the fun of giving a gift is watching the response of the receiver.

Unfortunately the gifts were already opened so instead he got to accompany the girls and I to the pediatrician's office. He got the joy of helping me wrangle kiddos and assist in dabbing drippy eyes and noses. I know how to show people a good time when they come to visit. Who wants to visit next?

Holidays are fantastic, but also feel like they can be a potential set up for disappointment. I feel like Christmas and the Christmas season is built up with so much expectation for being magical, wonderful, and perfect that anything less can feel like a let down. I love to make things special, but am learning (and hoping to pass along to the girls) that a healthy sense of reality in the midst of "special" is good to hold onto.

Even if everything is not perfect we can be joyful!

So although there were tears, the memory that we get to have and the video of Lainey tripping is priceless and I wouldn't trade it for anything. It has actually brought more joy and laughter than if Lainey would have just had a response that was all smiles and giggles.

Advent Gift Bags

2011-11-29T15:51:00.001-08:00

I am ready to celebrate!

I love Christmas! I love the Christmas season. I love an excuse to decorate. I want make things/moments special. If there is a tradition to keep or create, I want in!

We started off this holiday season, by heading to a Christmas tree lighting ceremony (along with what felt like 4000 other people) at the local outdoor mall.

For weeks before hand we watched them hand craft this tree. First they cut off all the branches. Cut them to proper length. Peg them and glue them back into place and then paint the whole tree green after the branches were in their proper places.

Mickey and friends were there to help bring the tree to light and also to bring all the kids (young and old) to life, as well! Lainey thought it was pure magic and enjoyed singing carols with her daddy!

Katie loved it too, but was on the brink of exhaustion so her and I snuggled while we watched the show.

It felt so backwards to do a Christmas Tree lighting ceremony before Thanksgiving, but it put me in the holiday spirit. (a pet peeve actually for me to start celebrating a holiday before one has yet to finish! Let me enjoy each one as they come for crying out loud). Even though it was utter chaos...I was in my element. The more people crammed into one small space, the better!

Thanksgiving came next and was a great day. I woke my poor husband and girls up before the crack of dawn so they could come cheer me on as I ran Dana Point's Turkey Trot. (I did run most of it...but walked a good portion too!) I really wanted to be gracious and let them stay in their warm beds, but there is something in seeing their faces cheer me on when I rounded a corner that made the race so much more fun!

We then headed down to be with my husband's handsome family for a fantastic meal. The afternoon was full of aunts, uncles, cousins, and cousin's kiddos. I feel so blessed to have married into a family similar to mine that enjoy being with one another. The only difference is that the Coltman family photos look like the one above. The Wallace family photos try for more of a comic relief!

Why wouldn't you pack your whole family into a hot tub in their pajamas for a family photo! It's awesome!

We finished off the Thanksgiving weekend by putting up our own tree and decorating the house for Christmas!

Lainey helped Chad hang the lights on the tree. (I'm thankful this was his year to have to do that awful chore!)

We even found old Christmas poppers and broke them all open to enjoy the toy and paper crowns inside while we decorated.

I am really excited (or as my family says "nervous nervous nervous") for December 1st. My brother dropped off the girl's advent gift bags this morning and it brings me back to my childhood. Growing up, my grandmother would send each of us kids a bag of 24 small gifts. One a day to open until Christmas day. It would be stuff like stickers, paper, candy bars, etc. AND IT WAS THE BEST THING EVER!!! There were years that I would get zealous and open more than one a day, which made it so I was not allowed to house the gift bag in my room any longer.

My brother has generously kept the tradition alive for the next generation. Lainey is at the best age and can hardly contain her excitement in anticipation of December 1st now that the bag is in the house staring at her in the face.

It feels official! The Christmas Season is here! I even have some Christmas gifts bought and the girl's outfits ready to go.

NERVOUS NERVOUS NERVOUS**

**not exactly sure where the nervous nervous nervous started, but it was constantly said in my family leading up to exciting days like birthdays, Christmas, etc. I was in college before I realized it was weird (or inaccurate) to use the words "nervous" and "excited" interchangeably as though they shared the same meaning.

Running While Pregnant

2011-11-13T20:28:00.001-08:00

I signed myself up for a 10k Turkey Trot to help motivate me to continue to work out while pregnant. The run is two weeks away and I have run/walked probably four times since signing up a month ago.

What was I thinking committing myself to run six plus miles at six and a half months pregnant?

Even though I feel a bit crazy, my run tonight felt really great. I use the term "run" loosely. I am talking more jog/walk routine than actual running. It was nice to get some endorphins flowing and see some impressed looks from my fellow gym goers as I picked up my speed on the treadmill.

It is difficult, however, to go against my competitive nature and slow my pace in order to keep my heart rate low enough so my tiny running partner has enough blood flowing to him to do crazy things like grow lungs and a pancreas!

Most that know me well, know I race other runners who are completely unaware that we are racing. Whether I am on a treadmill or a trail, if there is someone else in the vicinity I am in competition mode! If you are running at 6.5, I am going to bump my pace to a 6.6! If I am about to start my cool down and someone comes over the hill I will continue to run until we pass one another. It's a sickness really, especially since I am not a good runner or a fast runner!

I have my weigh in tomorrow for my monthly check up with my OB. I dread it each month. I am hopeful that somehow I only gained a pound or two in the month...but inevitably it is always ~~much much~~ more. With all three of my babies, I have carried them high and big. I am currently venturing out of the cute pregnant belly phase into the just BIG pregnant belly phase. I am anticipating comments such as, "Wow, due any day now," beginning soon. And the ~~annoyed~~ awkward reply of, "Actually, I still have months to go!"

PPBE is what I am diagnosing myself with. Petite Pregnant Belly Envy. I have a girlfriend that is six weeks ahead of me with her second baby and she is blessed with PPB! Since this is my third baby, experience has prepared me for my belly getting big. Not just regular pregnant big, but "OH MY GOSH, I think you will actually pop," big!

For the other moms out there, remember when you were about five months along with your first child and thought, "How can I possibly get any bigger." And then you doubled in size after that point?

Here is my most recent photo of my pregnant belly! Do you notice that I am in black? With a jacket and a scarf on? Standing in the shadows? All intentional efforts to disguise the size of my growing belly.

Even though I suffer from PPBE, I can't complain too loudly. All my pregnancies have been pretty easy and drama free. No complications or worries other than my vanity and a bigger than average belly with some leg cramps now and then. I have had it pretty great!

So, here is to hoping that running continues to feel fun for the next few weeks until the big 10k turkey trot.

Here is to hoping that it will offset some of the indulgences I partake in (like Costco pumpkin pies and Chick-fil-a's spicy chicken sandwich).

Here is to hoping that I will deliver a nine pounder this time around. Since both girls came out at 8lbs 10oz....I am thinking this boy needs to tip the scales and show his sisters up a bit! Plus, the bigger he is, the less weight I will have to lose after, right?!

This is the House that Chelli Built

2011-11-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Chelli is my celebrity couple name with my husband. We married when "Bennifer" & "Brangelina" were around, so we needed our couple combo name.

Painted by the incredibly talented Lindsey Hornkohl for our anniversary!

Four years ago today we got married and started building our home. [By home I mean family unit, not a literal house.] It feels like we have fit a lot of life into the past four years. We have moved twice, had two children with a third on the way, two job changes, annual visits to the ER, vacations, loss of loved ones, friends moved away (some have come back!), new friends made... Life is full and good.

Chad and I had a blast dating, enjoyed our engagement, and are loving being married. We had several couples invest into our time together when we were engaged. We began to anticipate something big coming along in our marriage that we needed all that prep work for. I thought it would be something dramatic like going to Africa or India to live and help those in need. But when I got a positive pregnancy test at four months of marriage, it became clear we had been prepped for a family I was not ready to begin. But now four years later and almost three children in, I wouldn't trade it! And I am so thankful for those people that took the time to help us prepare for marriage and so much that can come along with it.

I can't wait to see what the next year brings with Chad! If it's anything like the last four, it is going to be incredibly fun and bring surprises that will continue to stretch us and bring us closer together.

The following is my rendition of the old Nursery Rhyme "This is the House that Jack Built"

This is the House that Chelli Built

This is the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is the newly pregnant bride that ate the cake
That lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is the baby girl that added a look of pride to the newly pregnant bride
That ate the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is the swine flu that caused an ER whirl to the baby girl
That added a look of pride to the newly pregnant bride
That ate the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is the dad that slew the swine flu
That caused an ER whirl to the baby girl
That added a look of pride to the newly pregnant bride

That ate the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is daughter number two that came right when due to

The dad that slew the swine flu

That caused an ER whirl to the baby girl

That added a look of pride to the newly pregnant bride

That ate the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is Nana that screamed for glee with the announcement of baby number three shortly

After daughter number two came when due to

The dad that slew the swine flu

That caused an ER whirl to the baby girl

That added a look of pride to the newly pregnant bride

That ate the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

This is the dream that is better than imagined with

The Nana that screamed for glee with announcement of baby number three shortly

After daughter number two came when due to

The dad that slew the swine flu

That caused an ER whirl to the baby girl

That added a look of pride to the newly pregnant bride

That ate the cake that lay in the house that Chelli built.

Chad, Thanks for making my reality better than any of my dreams! I love you!

Harvest Day

2011-10-17T11:21:00.000-07:00

This year was the 5th "Harvest Day" celebration for my husband and I. As we were reflecting back over the Harvest Days we realized how much it has evolved and grown.

Our first Harvest Day together was as a dating couple trying for a creative date day! [2006]

Oh, if I only new how prophetic this picture was. (Who am I kidding? I was probably hoping this was a picture of what was to come between Chad and I.)

Our second Harvest day was in our first year of marriage and 8 1/2 months pregnant with our first child. [2008] (We took a year off from Harvest Day because we were planning our wedding!)

No pumpkin required for this photo, yet it is pretty close in size to the first "pumpkin pregnancy" photo above!

Our third year we had our own little punkin to hold! [2009]

In addition to adding a family member to Harvest Day we decided to invite some friends to join us too!

Our good friends showing off their prized pumpkin.

(Prophetic picture #2. They will be showing off their son in the fourth year of Harvest Day pictures!)

Year four we now had two lil' punkins in our patch! [2010]

Our friends too had their own punkin to hold this year!

Along with another of our close friends who would be showing off their punkin the year following.

Year five. It is a true miracle that a picture of us all smiling was captured. [2011]

The girls would not sit still long enough to make it over to the haystacks with all the pumpkins. More tears than smiles occurred in most pictures due to complete exhaustion.

This picture was more typical of our time at the pumpkin patch this year. My determination for a cute picture and my girls' utter disdain of being controlled.

But it was such a fun year too! More friends joined us with their lil' punkins! And yes, we have another punkin on the way that will adorn our Harvest Day 2012 pictures next year.

With each passing Harvest Day it has grown more fun (and perhaps ~~a lot~~ a little more work). It has turned out to be one of my favorite family traditions that Chad and I have! It feels like the kick off to the holiday season. We always start at Starbucks with a Pumpkin Spice Latte. (Usually iced because it is 75 degrees in the middle of October in Southern California!) Then we end the day with pumpkin carving and roasting pumpkin seeds.

Thanks to all who made this year so much fun and can't wait to see who all joins in on the fun next year!

Halloween Pumpkin Rice Krispies Treats

2011-10-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Last night I had a debrief meeting with my lead team for the Fabric of Freedom Gala that happened a few weeks ago! It was a great excuse to try the cute pumpkin treats I had seen on pinterest and bring something a little special to say a final thank you to this incredible team of women!

In efforts to find step by step instructions, I finally landed on the official Kellogg Rice Krispies website. Their version of pumpkin recipe calls for a candy surprise in the middle, that I decided to leave out because I was too lazy to go back to the store.

They also called for a green gumdrop steam, but I had bought tootsie rolls instead and I think I like the contrast of colors better.

For the vines/leaves, I wanted to use a royal icing so it would harden, but didn't have enough powdered sugar to make it. I did have a can of store bought frosting that I dyed green and it worked pretty well!

Here are a few tips that may help if you decide to make them:
*When dying the marshmallow mix once melted, use about 8-10 drops of both yellow and red dye to get a vibrant orange. I started with only 4 of each and thought it was a great color until I added the Rice Krispies!
*Continually rebutter your hands to form the pumpkins. I had to add more butter after forming two pumpkins or my hands would get too sticky and start to pull them apart.
* Let the mix cool a little bit before you start to form a pumpkin. (30-60 seconds) If the Rice Krispie mix is too warm it won't hold it's shape. You don't have to worry about rushing through forming them all before they get too cool. It took me about 5 minutes for 10 pumpkins and the last one was just as easy to form as the first.
*I cut the tootsie rolls in half and stuck them on top of the formed pumpkins. Since the pumpkins were still a little warm, the tootsie roll stuck on easily and securely.

I am a firm believer that everything looks fancier in a clear bag with a tag, even a Rice Krispies treat! I don't know if it's the shine of the cellophane, or the crinkle sound it makes when you begin to open it that brings a flood of childhood memories back...but there is just something magical about sweets in a bag!

Because these treats were being given to my hardworking team, I wanted them to feel appreciated. And all the better with Halloween around that I had an opportunity to be a little creepy with my appreciation. Change up the words for a different audiences and you can be creepy with almost anyone!

"It's almost SCARY how much I love you!" [family, kids, friends]

"It's almost SCARY how hot you are!" [Spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend, secret crush]

"It's almost SCARY what a great teacher you are!" [Teacher appreciation]

"It's almost SCARY how much I enjoy working with you!" [Boss, manager, co-workers]

Try it! It was a huge hit that was so quick and easy to make!

Recipe modified from ricekrispies.com

Makes about 10 pumpkins

INGREDIENTS:

*3 TBLS of butter or margarine

*1 10oz package (about 40) regular marshmallows

*6 cups rice krispies

*Orange and Green food coloring

*Tootsie Rolls (cut in half)

*Half can of vanilla frosting

DIRECTIONS:

-In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

-Immediately add in orange food coloring until desired color. [Keep in mind that when the WHITE rice krispies are added it will lighten up your orange color, so go add 1 to 2 more drops of orange coloring once reach the color you like]

-Add RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.

-With buttered hands, grab a handful of coated RICE KRISPIES and roll into ball. Set on wax paper to harden.

-Once pumpkins have been rolled into balls, stick Tootsie Roll half on top of warm ball and hold until stuck securely (about 5 seconds)

-Add green food coloring to vanilla frosting and with a #3 tip and decorating bag add green vines to top of pumpkin.

Enjoy!

Third Times a Charm

2011-10-09T13:58:00.000-07:00

A boy?

I thought all we knew how to make were wonderfully adorable girls!

But our fun family of four is expanding to a family of five by adding a baby boy to the Coltman Clan! I can't wait to ~~stock up on boy clothes and toys~~ meet our little man in a few months and see how our family changes with his influence and personality thrown into the mix. I of course thought baby number three was going to be another girl! Which puts me 0-3 in the guessing the correct gender of my baby! I am also terrible at the "who does your brand new baby look like?" game!

I grew up with two older brothers so when I had my first girl I was so nervous I wouldn't know what to do with her. (I get the irony that I am a girl. But it is different when you have to raise one vs. just being one!) But both Lainey (Elaine) and Katie (Katherine - Names are given only to be changed to a cute nickname in our home) are such a joy and fun personality that I couldn't imagine them any other way!

Before we went in for our ultrasound appointment to find out our boy was on our way. I watched (and cried my way through) both girls birth videos! Our incredibly talented friend, Andre, photographed the birth of our two children. This was not necessarily my idea of a good time. Let's capture on film me at my absolute heaviest, in the most pain of my life, and completely exposed. Sounds like a dream! But I have to say that I am thrilled to have the videos and pictures he captured and am still impressed with the way he froze the moment in time for us, with out actually being a part of the moment! It boggles my mind! (Apparently I was concentrating on something else at the time of the pictures, but still!) I look forward to him capturing our little boy's entrance into the world too! (Andre, this is my formal request!)

I have gone back and forth as to whether I was going to post the girls' "Entrance Videos" on here, but have decided that they are already on other blogs, Facebook, etc! So why not here too!

DISCLAIMER: THESE ARE BIRTH VIDEOS! STOP HERE IF THAT MAKES YOU UNCOMFORTABLE!

There are no "intimate" shots (no crowning glories), but there is upper thigh and lots of double chin action!

I enjoyed eating for two! ALOT! There are also pictures and video of me pushing!

Here is my invitation to you into a very personal moment. For those that have read my blog for a while this will come as no surprise! For the males in my family that read my blog, you may chose to stop here.

Elaine Rhys

Lainey Coltman from Andre Niesing on Vimeo.

Katherine Ryan

the birth of Katherine Ryan Coltman from Andre Niesing on Vimeo.

We now return you back to regular programing

2011-10-04T20:55:00.000-07:00

I am in "post gala planning" rehab, and the detox is feeling fabulous! The Fabric of Freedom Gala was fantastic and our generous guests raised a tremendous amount of money for International Princess Project and the women they support. It was a truly touching and spectacular night, but I am glad to be on this side of it.

The days following the gala I took several naps to catch up on some much needed sleep. Come to find out I may get a little cranky with lack of sleep. Surprising I know! After sleep deprivation subsided, desire to get my life back in some order cranked into full gear. Ten loads of laundry, the carpet guy (who did remember us!) out to clean our nasty carpets, and the car detailed due to a sippy cup failure and nasty milk stink permeating our SUV... life started to feel normal again! I even got to do some personal grooming like coloring my hair and getting a manicure/pedicure. Ahhh...normalcy!

It has also felt great to start connecting again with girlfriends! There is just something about girl time that is just so refreshing. It's fun when the connection involves a play date with the kiddos, but a few precious hours alone catching up with your best friend can keep insanity at bay for quite a while longer. I took for granted the healing powers of coffee and chit chat during those "pre-mom" years!

My insecurity is trying to rear it's ugly head as I have been having fun generating some new relationships with ~~girls~~ ~~gals~~ ~~ladies~~ women that I am excited to get to know better. [at a total loss of what my age group of females should be referred to right now! Girls = too young. Gals = I'm not southern enough to pull that off. Ladies = Too formal. Women = Is that the right category?] I made a last minute call to a new friend of mine to see if she wanted to rendezvous at a park with the kids since I was in her area. She was about to meet up with another mom and kids and invited me to join.

Both women coming to the park I really like and want to know better so was stoked to be able to get a few hours with them to catch up and learn more about them. It was a fun afternoon chatting and watching the kids play. We had been connecting over similar experiences with children and life changes, until I decide to be the annoying mom that makes a comment that I ALWAYS HATE TO RECEIVE! As soon as the comment came out of my mouth I wanted to somehow swallow the words back up in hopes they would go unheard. I have complained here before about the lovely strangers who want to inject an unhelpful comment when you are intentionally choosing to ignore a behavior that your child is partaking in because said child knows how to express themselves in a more productive way. Somehow I morphed into that unhelpful person with the, "Honey, are you okay?" comment to the child who was in the midst of a behavior my friend was being intentional about not responding to. My friend was gracious with me (she didn't roll her eyes at me, or anything! I think she will be a good influence on me of how to kindly handle meddlesome mothers) and continued on with the topic at hand like nothing annoying had just transpired.

The ugly head of insecurity has been yelling at me the past day and a half. It is screaming at me that I am not good enough, cool enough, creative enough. Why is it that something so small can create such a huge ugly monster? Why does one 5 second moment cancel out hours of fun and positive time together?

Well I have decided today to stop listening to the screaming because my rehab/detox up until that mini moment had been great. And today is a new day and it is finally feeling like fall here in Southern California. I got to wear boots and put my girls in sweaters and socks!

I'm so thankful that life feels back to normal. Even my foot in mouth moment is more my norm than I care to admit. How I have any long standing friends is a testament to the gracious women I am surrounded with. With the holidays ahead of us I am looking forward to time with those I love doing cheesy things that will make them groan, but will be fun memories for us all!

I feel rehabilitated!

Monster Birthday Bash - Girls like monsters too!

2011-09-29T16:29:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that Katherine Ryan (aka my little monster, Katie) is already one! This year went by way too fast. She is no longer on baby food or formula. She is a walking machine and is now facing forward with her big sister in the car. I'm thankful we have another babe on the way because I feel like I blinked and Katie went from barely moving to a big girl on the go!

I had a blast planning her first birthday and am thankful to all those creative people on pinterest and etsy that I could ~~steal~~ borrow ideas from. I will try to make sure credit is given where credit is due so if you see something you like you will know how to find it!

We lovingly call Katie our little monster. She grunts and sometimes growls and is constantly on the go and getting into anything and everything. She is not scary (except when I come into the girl's room to find her standing on a rocking chair rocking her heart out.) She is just loud and boisterous. More like an "Elmo" monster that you want to squeeze and cuddle, but also wish would pipe down after a few minutes! So when it came to themes for her birthday, a "Monster Bash" was the perfect fit!

My husband designed the invitations for the party, so unfortunately I don't have a place to tell you to get something like it. I found several cute ideas that I pinned to my board on pinterest if you want to go there to check them out invite ideas. Tiny Prints and Kara's Party Ideas are two places I looked for ideas. I found the cute little monster clip art on etsy at PeachPop'sClipart Shop for $5! The best five bucks I have ever spent. Those monsters were everywhere at the party.

I baked Katie's monster cake, but got the idea from Bakerella's website. I am just starting to dabble into cake decorating so please be kind to my decorating skills. I discovered that I hate making cake pops, but that I love Wilton's sugar sheets!

It was the perfect little cake to accompany cupcakes and suckers for the all our little monster guests to enjoy a sweet treat!

Oriental Trading Company (OTC) was the best place to find the most random and adorable monster stuff! Monster head suckers came from OTC!

Homemade cupcake toppers with the monster clipart on circle sticker labels stuck on toothpicks. Super easy, super cheap!

Hanging over the sweet treats was a chandelier made of chinese lanterns and tissue puffs. I ordered the lanterns from Amazon.com and made the tissue puffs myself. For a puff tutorial visit here. I got the idea from pinterest and recreated it on a much smaller scale!

We opted for a mashed potato bar to feed the masses. We had tied spoons to plastic cups and then let each person scoop how much they wanted and add the toppings of their choice. A hit with monsters young and old!

Fruit skewers and veggies were also available to munch on in efforts to offer a healthy snack option along side the cheese and sour cream filled potatoes! My husband was most excited that I decided to have him cut the watermelon with a heart shape cookie cutter to add the special ingredient of love!

Our hydration station was a hit! Who knew that "blue-goo" (Blue hawaiian punch mixed with Sprite) would be such a favorite. But even our birthday girl was excited to partake!

The pink and white paper straws were ordered from another etsy shop, Cakes and Kids too. She included with the purchase the little straw flag template. We decided to add the monster clip art, "K", and "Katie" to the flags to make it personal. You can also use them to let your guest write their name and keep track of their drink.

To keep our tiny monsters busy we had a few different activities to enjoy that didn't require too much parent participation.

Build-a-Monster sticker sheets came from OTC and the colored circle to stick them on are from Paper Source.

My fantastically talented friend, Lindsey at Piggy in the Puddle, created an 8ft long color wall for the kids to show off their artistic abilities!

I stole the idea from the monster party at Kara's Party Ideas.

This was my only original idea. I had bought the sticky hands from OTC and wanted to find a fun way to use them. They were one of my favorite things as a child and they have withstood the test of time because I have not seen something so simple be such a hit with young and old alike!

I bought a cheap piece of plywood from Lowes and spray painted it blue. Then with left over paper circles I printed the monsters directly on them and hole punched a hole to fit over the nails for them to hang from. Added a simple paper sign and instructions and ta-da...a game!

Around the entire party were monster smiles on a stick that we had fun photo ops with all our monster guests!

The monster smiles were another etsy clip art find from Jessica Weible Illustrations. We taped them to cake pop sticks and had a blast! It was fun to print them in different sizes for people to play around with!

Each tiny guest was able to adopt their own monster to take home. Another idea I found at Kara's Party ideas. (Can you tell I love that blog?)

Again OTC came through in having cute little monsters for sale. We tied them with ribbon and gave each one a name that hung from it's neck. I know that Sally, Clive, Lucy, and Edward all are in good homes!

Katie enjoyed her monster bash, her monster cake, and all her monster friends! We are just hoping she doesn't take up a career in optometry because I am pretty sure you are not supposed to poke your finger into an eyeball.

Send out invites to your next pity party!

2011-09-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

My last pity party I decided to make public here on my blog and I have to say, it was one of my best parties ever. If you are going to invite people to your pity party, make sure it's a good one. Serve up a lot of insecurity and self loathing. Decorate with a pretty heart on your sleeve, and make sure your goodie bag is filled with lots of fun treats like overdramatic reactions and identity hanging on by a thread.

I have to say the gifts you get at a pity party are truly some of the best I have received. A firm knowledge that I, in fact, was not alone in my some of frustrations or lack of confidence was so life giving. The gift of support and understanding, along with a sense of community from those that love me and are walking a similar road I am, made my day brighter. Presents in the form of encouragement and even admiration, talk about humbling and surprising! I am surrounded by incredibly talented and gifted women that are a constant blessing to me and my family. To receive kudos from them feels like true gold.

The best gift was just acceptance of where I was at. Thanks to all who came and the gifts you shared with me! I do like a good party, but all good things must come to an end!

Plus I have some other parties I am planning right now. My youngest, Katie, is turning one in a few weeks and her Monster bash is this weekend. Below is a small sneak peak at one of the games we created to play at her party.

Forgive the poor photo quality, it was quickly taken with my iPhone.

Then I also have the privilege to be on an incredible team full of passionate women to see modern day slavery abolished, specifically in India. For the past several months we have been organizing the Fabric of Freedom Gala and it is going to be an incredible evening! There are still a few tickets left, so if you are interested in attending, click on the invitation below and buy your tickets. It would be so wonderful to see you there!

One of these things is not like the other one

2011-09-08T11:34:00.000-07:00

Do you ever feel like you are the thing sticking out? I feel like parenthood has brought a whole new area of life to feel insecure about. To feel like you are sticking out like a sore thumb or somehow showed up naked to work. First it was did I have the right diaper bag and stroller (which I could truly care less about. I wanted function). Then it was how was my child progressing through the baby stages. Does she have her first tooth? Is she talking? Walking? Jumping? Swimming? Now it feels like if I am "neglecting" something that she should be involved in, I am stunting her ability for the rest of her life.

I took Lainey to her ballet class today and met the two other moms there with their girls. They were incredible sweet and friendly women that were ready to engage in conversation. We began with small talk about kid's names, ages, etc. That quickly turned into where did everyone live. Thankfully I rent a two bedroom apartment in the same area that they own their 6,000 square feet dream homes. One of them had to move to another neighborhood because the home she had built was surrounded by too many investors and not enough families. To which the other woman offered, "You'll find more families in the lower end home areas, like the $700k-$800k homes." I kept my mouth shut for most of the conversation because I just don't even run close to that level.

Preschool is another area that is causing me anxiety. My oldest turns three in December and I swear I have been getting questions of when she will enter preschool for two years now. Am I crazy that she is not on some waiting list yet for preschool? I don't plan to put her in until next fall since she can't enter Kindergarden until she is almost six, due to her December birthday. I figure two years of preschool is plenty of prep. Is that wrong? Will she be at a huge disadvantage? She will be doing ballet and some sort of art class this year. But that is more because she is so social and is not a homebody. We are "on-the-go" type girls.

I recognize that I live in an affluent area. Most of the time I have no issues driving up the hill to our home behind a Bentley and Aston Martin in my 2004 Ford Explorer. I know that I don't really belong, but am so thankful to be a visitor for a while. Today, it struck a nerve. Do I keep my kiddos in this culture of "success" and influence that there is always more to be gained? I grew up believing that there would always be people with more, which is not a big deal. Growing up (and even now) my friends with more invited me on vacations I wouldn't normally go on or I could borrow their clothes or get their hand me downs which was awesome!

New stages of motherhood are arriving as my children get older. More interaction with moms that are not my girlfriends. New set of expectation. New set of "normal." I tend to fight "new" until it feels inevitable that I must embrace and accept it. I'm unsure if my insecurity comes from my desire to have what others have, or if it is the fear of being rejected for not having what they do and being excluded or looked down upon because of it.

Not sure why I care today. But...I do.

My husband took a pregnancy test

2011-09-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

And that is how I found out I was pregnant with our third child!

Chad's test is on the very bottom

Chad's test was negative. No revelation of the next pregnant man here. Or that the movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger as a pregnant man becoming a reality. Side note: It really goes to show what you can do if you know the right people. I mean the man goes from being Mr. Universe to playing a pregnant man to being the governor of California?

I woke Chad up on 4th of July after I had taken my third pregnancy test (over the course of three days) and still couldn't figure out if I was pregnant or not! I am not new when it comes to pregnancy tests. I always think I am pregnant so am constantly buying tests. After getting pregnant with our first child four months into marriage, the belief that sex always leads to babies became very real! For this round of tests, I couldn't tell if I was reading them upside down or if they were in fact positive. The line that showed the pregnancy hormone was very dark, but the control line that should always be there was barely visible. Was I not doing something right? Did I get three tests that were defective? I needed a negative pregnancy test to compare my tests to be sure once and for all...insert Chad.

Let's go back three days to buying the initial pregnancy test. Chad and I were on vacation in Palm Desert with the girls and his folks. We had just finished a 28 day cleanse to prep for our swim suit bodies and were excited to be in the hot sun while enjoying my mother-in-law's cooking! We did not ease back in to regular food. Our first meal was a bacon cheeseburger and a coke from Ruby's. It tasted so good, but made me feel so bad. After a couple days of feel queasy, I wasn't sure if it was because of eating regular food or if I might be pregnant.

One night after Chad and I went to see a movie, I asked him to stop at a drug store on the way home just so I could get some peace of mind and relax for the rest of our vacation. We went in together, which I didn't think was the best idea. When you see a man and a woman buying a pregnancy test at 10:30 at night, you may conclude some sense of urgency behind the test. I discretely held the test under my arm because I did not want any questions. Chad kept telling me not to worry and put it down on the conveyor belt, to which I said I would when we were closer to the front of the line. Finally convinced to stop being "silly" I put the test down. As soon as the box touched down the woman in front of us turns to us and asks, "Oh, is this a good thing? Are you hoping for a positive or negative result?" If looks could kill Chad and Nosey Nancy would have died instantly! Laughing awkwardly Chad replies, "Well I think we are hoping for negative this time around." Instant tears pop to my eyes. I did my best to hold it together to get myself out of the store before I lost it. Nosey Nancy gathered her bought items and moved along. Finally at the cashier, our last obstacle before freedom, she blurts out, "oh how exciting...what are you hoping for?" I have never had to resist such an intense urge to hurt someone before. I was dumfounded at these women's freedom to intrude on such a personal moment.

In a tearfully dramatic performance once in the car, I lamented about my husband's dislike for our unborn child. That I somehow was a complete failure as a wife because I kept getting pregnant. That I was not the woman he had hoped for. I now attribute that show to pregnancy hormones and not my irrationality. Chad lovingly comforted me and assured me that if I was in fact pregnant, it would be great news. I pulled myself together enough to head inside and pretend all was well until we said goodnight to his folks who had been watching the girls for us. Feeling emotionally and physically exhausted I headed to the restroom and took the first test. Talk about anticlimactic! I still didn't have an answer because I thought the test was faulty due to the lack of the control line. Having only bought a single test, we fell into bed still left to wonder.

The next afternoon I went by myself and bought a three pack test kit to make sure I had plenty of backups in case I needed it. Since each consecutive test proved to be a similar unsure result as the first, I was glad all the extra tests. Finally after three days of being unsure, Chad's participation revealed our third baby was, in fact, on it's way.

Our oldest was 2 1/2 years old and our youngest was 9 months old when we found out. This was not exactly the family planning we had first envisioned when we married. We were going to wait three years into our marriage before starting our family...instead we are expecting our third child before our four year wedding anniversary coming up in November.

We are excited to see who will be joining our family in 2012. It will be a busy season that will be so fun and very busy. I'm excited that our children will be close in age. Hoping and praying they will love each other and only fight minimally. (I can live in my dreamland right now.)

What is really exciting is that when Chad and I get to our 50's, it is going to be AWESOME!!!

Please don't touch me

2011-09-06T17:21:00.000-07:00

If you are familiar at all with the book The Five Love Languages then the following sentence will make sense to you. If you are not familiar, I still think you will be able to follow along.

My top two love language are quality time and physical touch. I love a good party and being surrounded by lots of people. But when I want to connect with a friend or family member, I selfishly want them all to myself so I don't have to pay attention to anyone else. (If I'm honest, it's so I get their full attention. I'm attention hungry, what can I say?)

I also touch people. Sometimes to their surprise. I remember hugging this woman goodbye at the grocery store that I had just met. It was awkward for the both of us after I realized what I was doing. When I served tables there was usually some poor person that received my touch on their shoulder several times through out their meal. And how can you possibly share a laugh or a cry without touching them? My girlfriend, Katie, is a bruiser when she gets excited about something. I need shoulder pads around her to protect myself from her hitting.

I have noticed that my "physical touch" love language is turning into a love/hate language. I am touched ALL DAY LONG. I have two tiny pairs of hands ready to touch, tickle, and play as soon as the clock hits 7am. It's cuddle time, body slam time (why I taught Lainey body slam is beyond me), it's mommy hair brush time, shower time (I rarely take a shower alone any more). My kisses heal wounds and stop tears. My legs are there to land on for my new walker, to keep small arms out of the dishwasher, and to catch a falling child. My arms are grocery carriers, baby carriers, purse carriers (both mine and Lainey's), and swings for each of the girls to fly around from. My lap holds squirmy babies, whiney toddlers, comfort and security for both, and the tickle torture chamber. My face is stroked constantly by my very dramatic toddler who has seen "Tangled" far too many times. It is also hit and grabbed at by my strong willed baby girl who is finding hilarity in all sorts of reactions she can get.

All that to say, by the time my sweet husband comes home and would like some quality time...he often hears, "Please don't touch me." I say it to my girls somedays too, but they don't listen! Physical touch (and I am not even talking about the kind that is asking for more, just a hug or a kiss hello) can feel like pure torture at times. I just want to go for an hour without someone touching me.

When I was looking for that random statistic about how many hugs a person needs in a day (apparently it's seven), what I found was so heartbreaking. So many lonely and truly sad people that were longing for someone to hug them. Someone to tell them that everything is going to be alright. I didn't find many other people complaining of being overly touched.

I recognize that this season of motherhood is short and usually very sweet! I know there will be days that I will long for my little ones to run to me first in the morning. That I will wish their little faces to light up when I walk through their bedroom door. I think of my grandfather who lost my wonderful grandmother and doesn't have that kiss good morning or good night any more.

So although there I times I want to scream, "Don't touch me!" (especially to the stranger at the antique store groping my pregnant belly) I sit back and appreciate that I am the world to two precious and beautiful girls. And I have a husband that wants to kiss me even though I may not have showered that day and will find me attractive (or at least tell me so) when I am 9 months pregnant.

But reality just kicked in. I was holding my youngest while I wrote the last few sections and I put her down to get dinner in the oven and she started screaming since we were no longer touching. That doesn't feel sweet right now. TORTURE!!

Seducer of Nature

2011-09-04T08:20:00.000-07:00

Bumble Bees this time of year are a little entertaining to watch. They are nearing the end of their life cycle and will sometimes in mid-flight fall to the ground dead. Last year while at the pool I witnessed three mid air bee deaths. It was the first time I had witnessed that before!

The bummer is that not all bees on the ground are dead right now. While at the pool last week, Katie found out the hard way when she picked up her fuzzy friend. It's a little sad that my one year old is quicker than I am. We both saw the bee at the same time and she picked it up before I could keep her from it and *sting* right on her index finger. She did not react at all. It was like it didn't happen. She screamed when I took fuzzy friend away, but not at getting stung. Her reaction was so low, that I began to doubt she got stung at all until I opened her hand and saw the stinger still pumping venom into her pointer finger.

In that moment I began to get a bit jealous. What luck she had. Granted no one wants to get stung, but stung on the finger is no big deal. When I get stung (by bee or jelly fish) it is cause for an embarrassing moment on top of the throbbing pain.

Remember belly shirts in the late 80's early 90's? Yeah! Awesome! And as an 8 year old I was rocking one while camping with my family. As I rode my bike at neck breaking speeds around the camp ground, I rode right into the back of a bee in flight. Due to the unfortunate nature of my shirt and lack of development, the stinger ran into my bare undeveloped chest. With two older brothers who where nothing but compassionate, the sudden swelling of my left breast for the day, made for quite the spectacle and I found myself hiding in the tent until the next morning.

A few short years later, I was gifted for my golden birthday (turning eleven was incredible) with a month away at my grandparents' house. At the time I lived in Seattle, so to have a month in California with my grandparents that had a pool outfitted with a water slide and diving bored, was the ultimate paradise! A week into my trip I had worked up enough courage to go down the slide head first into the water. It was a steep slide and I felt like I was the bravest girl there ever was. With the wind in my hair, I screamed with glee towards the water's surface. But instead of joy, I hit the water in searing pain. The screams of elation quickly turned to screams of torture. My crotch felt like it was on fire. I was so confused as to what I had possibly hit on a smooth slide that could cause that much pain. Once out of the pool I saw the pervert bee still stuck to the crotch of my swim suit, mystery solved. My grandfather came rushing out of the house to the sounds of my screeching asking what had happened. "I got stung! I got stung!" I yelled through my tears. He was ready to help but needed to know where I had been stung. How do you tell your grandfather you have been stung in your private parts? So I told him, "I've been stung in my special no no spot!"

"I'll get your grandmother."

Where I learned "special no no spot" is still unknown, but it was still mortifying as a preteen to have your grandmother pour and pat baking soda on that area.

Now we move to a high school humiliation. I was on a Mexico missions trip with my high school youth group where we spent a week in Mexico building a house for a family. On the way home we stopped at a beach in Mexico and were warned to shuffle our feet and keep an eye out for jelly fish that could be present in the water. About thirty minutes into enjoying the waves and fun it felt like someone spanked me with a paddle with tiny sharp tacks across my tush! Not just one side, but both cheeks were in searing pain. One of the female leaders intercepted me as I emerged form the water, again screeching in pain, and got me laying face down on a towel to start the necessary evils of relieving the pain of a jelly fish sting. A wall of my friends formed a circle around me as my swimsuit was hiked up my rear end revealing whip like marks from the jelly fish tentacles on my now bare derrière and the baking soda cure was administered. My well intentioned youth pastor, wanting to capture fun and memorable moments from the trip, came by to see what all the commotion was about. A rolling video camera in hand. Thankfully, my humiliation did not make the final cut of the "Mexico Memories" video. Just the dance I performed with some girlfriends that is now just as embarrassing as my exposed body parts!

Upon hearing those stories, my girlfriend dubbed me the Seducer of Nature! It is a running joke in my circle, so much so, that as a gift for one of my personal showers when I was getting married I received a pair of underwear that read in crystals, "Special No No."

All that to say, a bee sting of the finger feels like stroke of luck in my opinion!