leaving the single digits behind!

Happy 10th Birthday, Carter!
Wishing you all the best as you leave the single digits behind.
You are a delightful young man! You are so kind,thoughtful,funny,talented and a very bright spot in our lives. Your jokes always make us giggle!
We love you so much!




















{photo by our talented friend, Mer}

the boys are back in town... uummm I mean "SCHOOL"

It's true, it was back to school for our boys today! Our house was buzzing last night as the boys laid out their new school clothes, packed their backpacks & looked for the bike lock keys...that is a whole other story...we're not going there tonight!














The yearly photo of the boys school clothes. Tanner did this the night before he started kindergarten & it has become the tradition.
*Take note, Garrett has his underwear laid out right where he would wear them. Carter is a little more modest this year, they are tucked into his shorts. You can't see Tanner's, he is on to his Mom & the whole blog/picture thing -LOL!

We put the boys to bed @ 8:30 last night & it took them another hour to fall asleep! They were so excited for today. Here are a few shots from our morning!


The yearly photo shoot out on the front porch is a must. The children are asked to bring flowers for their teacher. Each flowere represents each child & the diversity of the classroom! It is a fun tradition that my boys make sure we don't forget.




















Brody did not want to be left out. We couldn't get him to stay out of the pictures. It was pretty cute. He even carried a flower to school like the big boys.














Seriously, he was not going to be left out of anything. Here he is showing us what grade he is going into.















Here is "Mr. big man on campus" himself. Tanner is now a 5th grader! Where did my baby boy go?














Here is Mr. Carter. Ready or not 3rd grade...here he comes!
















And this cute boy started kindergarten today! I held it together really well until the little boy in line, next to us started to cry. I lost it when his Mom started to cry. Thank goodness for sunglasses :-). I am so excited for Garrett & this new adventure in his life. He was all smiles & so happy to be there. He has a super teacher & we couldn't be happier for him.


























I anxiously waited for the boys to get home today. I wanted to hear all about their first day of school. Garrett had a great time. He told us he got to see the library, computer & music rooms. Tanner & Carter bolted into the house saying that they had the nicest teachers EVER!. I can rest easy, the new school year is off to a great start.

Long time...no blog. I have every intention of blogging daily (that's a lofty goal, isn't it?) & then life just happens! I thought I would do, what I seem to do the best & that is a RaNdOm post of the things we are enjoying or making us crazy right now...you decide!

If you know Carter & have had any interaction with him lately, you would know that his 8th birthday is on March 11th (this Wed.). 8th birthdays are a pretty big deal @ our house. He will be baptized this Saturday as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. He is so excited. I couldn't get him out of bed this morning, day light Savings has really thrown the boys for a loop(that & the fact that Tanner & Carter are trying out for the Select Soccer teams right now & playing baseball & practicing)this year. Anyway, Carter was not budging but as soon as I said his birthday was just 2 days away, he popped out of bed & said "is it really just two days away"?. He was so excited, you would have thought I had just told him he could open all of his presents 2 days early-LOL! Tanner had student council early this morning so we all piled into the car to take him. Mind you, the car ride to school is just two minutes if you hit the light right. I guess Carter just couldn't wait till we got home, he passed his notebook up to me & this is what I read:

I love how he wanted me to write him back. Sure, let me put the car on cruise control & I'll get right back to you Carter - so FUNNY!

My LO's have been posted on the Green Tangerines Flickr account for January's kit club. You can find my cards on pg. 2(the h-e-l-l-o card w/ circles is mine too-no name) & my layouts on pages 4 & 5.
Check them out here.
Click on Kit Club & then click on gallery.

I just turned in my Feb. Kit Club samples. My Tan-Man layout is one of my favorite layouts ever...am I allowed to say that? I loved working with all of the product in this kit. Kinsey did an amazing job picking out paper, ribbons, embellishments, etc..
I heart the Feb. kit club :).

Garrett is loving his sunglasses. I found them @ DI for .50 cents...best .50 cents I have ever spent. He keeps asking if he looks cool in his sunglasses.


In case you can't tell...we are enjoying the California sunshine & my neighbors house is STILL for sale. Somebody please buy it!

It wouldn't be a perfect week for me if there wasn't some time for coupon shopping.I scored some super deals this week. I purchased 5 boxes of cereal for $2.75 (that included the tax)@ Safeway. I actually did this deal 3 times. My boys go through cereal like you would not believe.


I hit Walgreen's this morning & look what I scored for about 2 dollars & some change.
Yes! You read that right...2 dollars & you do see two pkgs. of diapers there & WIPES!. I paid 1 dollar for the wipes & another dollar for the 2 cans of Ajax, everything else was free after the coupons & the $10.00 Register Reward I received.

So grateful for my friend Laina & the time she takes to post super deals on her site. Thanks Laina...you ROCK!

This is this weeks KOW @ Green Tangerines.

I just happened to have random pictures on John & I on my desk but you could totally use family pictures or pictures of you & your kids. This kit went on sale last Thursday & is available till it's gone. It was a fun one to create.
(sorry for the blurry picture, I was in a hurry to head home).

Have a happy Monday & don't forget to find the things in your week that make you happy!