18 Months

The girls are now 18 months. Yay for nursery! They turned 18 months on Monday.

11 o'clock church is really hard on the girls. Passing out on the way home from church is becoming a regularly thing. The other days of the week I am trying to get them use to taking a later nap so church won't be so rough.

Making Cookies

We had fun on Monday making us some Valentines Cookies. We then delivered them to our neighbors and friends after a FHE lesson on loving our neighbors. 

Happy Valentines day

and

Happy Birthday Arizona

Designer Darling Round 2

They didn't make any cuts for Round 1. So I am still in. I did get some good feedback and critic. So hopefully that is reflected in my new kit.

This time we were given a story and  two photos as our inspiration.

We were able to make our pallet anything we wanted.

I took inspiration from one of the photos (the pink and purple) and that the story took place in the fall. I decided to created a kit that would be a pink, purple, girly fall kit.

And this is what I came up with...

Sweet Fall

Again you'll have to go to the STS site and the Designer Darling forum to snag my kit. Everything just *clicked* for me while making it. I started Sunday night after getting back from Sunday dinner with my in-laws and finished it about 2AM Arizona time. Because when you're on a creative roll you don't want to go to bed. (And when all your children are in bed, you don't want to waste the time).

STS LINK TO THE DOWNLOAD
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I hope you like it, Please let me know what you think.

Also please vote for me when the polls open on Thursday!

I will have coordinating freebies all the rest of the week on my other blog
http://scrapingarizonagirl.blogspot.com/

Officially Employed AGAIN!!!

I am so happy for our family and especially for my husband. Now our world can finally start to get some "normalcy" again. Oh I have missed schedules. He started back to work January 28th

Designer Darling Contest

Designer Darlings are on its way at Stuff to Scrap. I decided to give it a try because I know it is going to be good for me. I wanted to "play along" but I know myself well enough that if I didn't actually commit to it then I wouldn't get a round to it.

The starting color pallet was:

And what I made was this kit I named: Spring Fun

To download this kit for FREE

all you have to do is

CLICK ON THIS LINK

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to STS and then the link to the download is there.

While at STS PLEASE VOTE FOR ME

Vote HERE

By rules of the game I can't put the link to the download straight here.

But if you explore that forum there are lots of great kits for free also with the same color pallet.

There are more FREEBIES to go with my kit at my scrapbooking blog

http://scrapingarizonagirl.blogspot.com/

Check it out.

Please don't forget to VOTE

Vote HERE

Thank-You

Trip to Texas: Mills mall in Grapevine

Yes a mall is not a "fun" vacation activity for little children. But considering we don't live near a big mall like this they were at least interested.

I have never done those carts you pay for, it just seems silly to me. but we got in there and things started to get crazy and we thought maybe they would think it was more fun..... I guess so.

Cory had a walk down memory lane when he found a Games Workshop store in the mall.

And then we thrilled our son's heart when we told him he could pick any candy he wanted in a candy store. There is a reason we use the expression "like a kid in a candy store" because it is a very true statement and probably universal. Then we took our candy and started toward our next destination. 

Trip to Texas: the Great Wolf Lodge

I had only seen this resort on GroupOn. And when we were looking for things to do my husband found them on a list of great things to do with toddlers. 

Great Wolf Lodges are a chain of resorts that have an indoor water park. For those from the Arizona area, the indoor park is on the scale of SunSplash. It also have an outdoor section for the summer and good weather. It wasn't open while we were there.

It has a huge area for smaller children. And a bunch of slides for older children and adults. It has a hot tub area for adults only and a wave pool and lazy river for guest of all ages. I was impressed with out much water area there was to do.

Al though he was in heaven, but the girls.... took a while to be okay with being in the water. I do feel that by the end of the visit they were enjoying their water time, but they still didn't want to stay in all the time.

The girls were so cute in their suites. If you ever do something like this, or do public swimming areas in general bring colored swim clothing for boys and girls make spotting children so much easier.

The girls favorite part was chill'in on the chairs with their 

water bottles. 

Al was big enough to stay up late and go to story time both nights we were there. After story time the second night Violet the Wolf was there to meet and greet the kids. Him and I got ice cream too while we waited for story time.

By the end of each day our children were so tired. They could hardly stay awake to eat dinner.

Overall we had a bunch of fun. The food was expensive and not impressive at all. But for the winter deal we were able to get it wasn't too bad of a price for what we got. I don't think I could ever go and spend their "normal" full price. It just sounds way too expensive for the fact that they are going to nickle and dime you, just like any resort, to do any of the extras. In a way I've been spoiled by the cruising experience of a resort like feel. Where sure extras are extra but there is so much already included that you don't actually need a many of the extras. We will probably do it again someday, maybe in 2-3 years when Al will be big enough to ride the large slides. Maybe we can talk my sister's family into going with us.... maybe.

Trip to Texas: Children's Aquarium at Fair Park Dallas

With my husband starting a new job we took the week before he started and went on a road trip. We decided on going east since we seem to always be going west and to Disneyland. We did a lot a research to see what there is to do in the winter time west of Arizona but still in driving distance. 

We decided on going to the Dallas area and to the Great Wolf Lodge. Its only a 13 hour drive from where we live. We've gone to Salt Lake City before and that is 14 hours from where we live why not Texas.

The first thing we do once in Dallas was we went to the Children's Aquarium at the Fair grounds.

I just have to point out that the whole area are gorgeous art deco buildings. Including the aquarium.

The girls enjoyed themselves, but not as much as Al. He LOVED it. He has been into ocean predators lately and this was perfect for him. Sting Rays, and sharks, and Alligators OH MY

We gave in and each child got a toy. Yes occasionally we are push over parents. We are much more so when on vacation than otherwise. Plus we justified it because we didn't plan ahead and bring car toys with us.

And in the same park area is the stadium that the cotton bowl is played. I found that exciting. It was a must to get my picture in front of it. 

Cold Weather Play date (recipe exchange)

We hosted a play date in Jan. our first for 2013. I wanted to do a soup recipe exchange and I am so glad it worked out. My goal this year is to host one play date each month. Either at my house, at the park, or some other location.

January's play date was: Soup, Stews, and Chilies Recipe Exchange. We had everyone over for lunch. Each family brought a cold weather meal to share. We had lots of bowls and breads (I provided toasted breads) and we each got to try each other's soups. It was only the four of us, but it was a nice intimate  group without too many people to make it feel crowded and we all also got 3 new recipes that we know we like and we know work to try.

Still trying to make choices for February. I haven't decided yet what to do. I'm sort of hoping that it will warm up enough to do it at the park.

I started a board on pinterest called PLAY DATE IDEAS. I started it because no one comes to the "come to my house and we'll chat and the kids will play" play date invites in official play groups. I'm not sure why, I go and its just me and the other lady. That's fine, I like to get to know the other lady, but its not fine when its you trying to host that play date and NO ONE shows up. Same thing with a park play date. You say "we're going to the park come join us" no one shows up. But if you say "we're going to the park and having otter pops" 14 families show up. True story.  So what is it? My theory is the doing that little something more is incentive to actually stick with it and follow through by showing up.

Follow, they don't have to be complicated. The kids don't care. They just want to play with their friends. Too many moms feel if they are hosting and planing a play date it has to be big and complicated and expensive. It shouldn't be any of those things (sure they can be but again the kids don't care) Its a play date not a birthday party.

BE SIMPLE    BE EASY

Quick ideas:

1. bubbles at the park
2. cookie eating
3. hot cocoa bar or just hot cocoa
4. Read a book (mini story time at your house or at the park- see easy)
5. a very very simple craft
6. quick history lesson, maybe followed by a craft but not required
7. water guns at the park
8. kite flying
9. snack time or lunch time at the park
10. brunch (muffins) at the park
11. make a card date (mother's day, father's day, I love you cards)
12. Watch a show date 

OR you can plan something for the adults (don't do "parties" to sell if you want people to come, those make people uncomfortable and you'll get less to show up because they financially won't feel like they can participate) Such as:

1. Recipe exchanges (salads, pasta dishes, soups, cookies, breads)
2. Lunch bars (potato bar, soup bar, cheese and crackers, bread bowls, salads, sandwiches)
   these do not need to be a burden on you, each lady brings something
3. books and magazine exchange (everyone brings their finished read books and magazines to let someone else take them home)
4. Service: write servicemen, write missionaries, make a humanitarian aid craft or craft for the sick and ill. 
5. Pedicures and manicures
6. Craft afternoon (everyone brings their own craft project that they are currently working on to work on while chatting)
7. Any exchange- bring items clothes, books, home supplies, craft supplies things you're preparing to send to DI or Goodwill, let the other ladies have first dibs, everything left over goes to Goodwill. 
8. Meet at one location, park, and walk to the park. 

I'm sure there are so many more. I'm just brainstorming. Almost anything you do can either be done at your house or at the park. Parks are easy places to meet. Less stress on you because there is no need to make your home spotless, less clean up, and lots of area to play. Good luck I hope this helps all of you plan better less stressful play dates. 

I have started a pinterest board for play date ideas