First Ever Fashion Blog Post!

This season the hottest thing in footwear is the boot! Can't choose the pair you like the best? No problem, mix 'em, match 'em, anything goes in 2012! Don't forget that a girl is no better than her best accessory. Bracelets and necklaces are a must, but the absolute hottest item to tote around with you, dangling from the mouth is your big sisters toothbrush! Go ahead! Be bold! Work it!

Did I tell you how much we loved New Year's Eve? WE celebrated the New Year at 8:00 with fireworks and went to bed at 9:30. It was wonderful:) I guess that is a symptom of old age, being excited about going to bed early.

Do you love our old water heater in the background? What about our pool ladder? The kids use the pool ladder to jump on the tramp . . . the water heater has no excuse to have over stayed it's welcome for so long.

We also threw snap caps and Raia was so pleased to get in on the action! It was so cute to see her throw them from her high chair!

We step on these for days after.

I also made a fun New Year's resolution book for us to record our resolution's from year to year.

Here is where we stand:

Kai: read all of the standard works before 2013

Amy: Exercise at least 3 times a week/Finish BOM again/Read Ensign Each Month

Cambria: To play volleyball in Hawaii for one year/To eat more French Toast than Daddy and to beat him at every game we play.

Kiera: Do fireworks every New Year

Malachi: Do fireworks every New "Thor"

Raia: To learn how to talk/ To turn 2 year's old

I just wanted a better shot of the cute little stockings I made- for posterity's sake:)

I will also miss how cute this shelf is . . . I'll have to find other cute things to replace the xmas decor.

Raia's hair is now long enough to put in a little rubber band. It is also getting very curly. It is doing exactly the same thing as Cambria's did which means that she gets lots of fuzzy tangles and she already cries every time she gets her hair brushed. I can see the future laid out before her and it involves lots of tears and detanglers.

She loves to play peekaboo

We went to an awesome birthday party for one of Bubba's little friends. This little friend shares and affinity for superheros and so the theme for his party was a superhero training camp! It was awesome. You had to jump threw hula hoops, crawl through a tunnel, then . . .

punch down a wall and then run straight through to the bounce house! It was so fun for the little guys!

Jodie did this to her pantry door and I so want to copy her! Maybe I will do it to the door that leads to my master bathroom.

I have also recently fallen in love with the 50mm prime cannon lense . . . my heart goes pitter patter just thinking about it.

Do you see how beautifully blurred the background is . . . sigh.

We also went to my nephews birthday and his mama made these cute little barn yard cupcakes!

Bodee, one of the boys in Kai's YM's program made some chain mail (sp?) and brought it over for Bubba to try. Look at that smile! Isn't he precious! That chain mail was so heavy! It was way heavier than Raia and she way 26 pounds!

Kai had to try it too . . .

I also made these little journals for my two oldest girls. I was looking for away to increase the communications between us in a fun way and I saw this great idea on pinterest! I will be featuring the idea tomorrow on my craft bucket blog, but for now here it is. We write little notes to each other every day and the book is left under the girls' pillows. I will take the opportunity to write all the positive things I love about them and all the positive interactions I see the do throughout the day. It will be our little love book and I hope it will bring us closer together:)

That is all for now!

P.S. Shannon is hosting a fun blog hop give away on our craft bucket blog. There are prizes like TGI Friday's GC, hair accessories, Shannon's cloth diaper, cute children's bedside , bracelets and more. It is open until Feb 8th

Double Feature

While I am contemplating new strategies to get my picky eater to be, well, less picky, I thought I would let you know that I have a few new items to feature.
My dear friend, Jodi, has agreed to let me featrue her on my blog, "Amy's Craft Bucket." She is a wonderful hairstylist and she agreed to give a few helpful hair tips to my readers.
And on my photography blog (why don't I just have one blog?!) are pictures of the Brummet Family shoot. They were so much fun to be with.

Have a nice day! Oh, and any picky eater advice would be appreciated:)

The Hustle and Bustle of it All ( And Baby Name Ideas for Chris and Sarah)

The Holiday season seemed to come and go in the blink of an eye. It was busy to be sure. With the Festival of Trees that I had to produce a million crafts for, to Raia's myriad trips to the doctor's office to take care of the toe she all but severed, to the electrical fire in our security light, the minor flood in our laundry room that alerted us that our water heater needed to be replaced, ward parties and school reports, shopping and more shopping . . . we actually had a wonderful time. All those events made life difficult, but they surely didn't damper our spirits. I feel like we are a t really good place in life right now. As long as we have each other, it seems we can get through anything. Come what may and love it. (not that I am trying to tempt fate- knock on wood)

We were so excited for my family to come and visit us over Christmas break. Any time we get to spend together we cherish because it happens all to infrequently. It was also exciting because Chris and Sarah were going to be with us for at least one day before they went on to visit with Sarah's side of the family in Utah and then onto Idaho. Also, Sean and Shannon were coming to bless little Aarilynn, so it was a week of special occasions for our family.
Years ago, I showed pictures of demolished tile in our master bathroom and didn't show anything of it after because , well, frankly , it still isn't done. The tile of course went up right a way and I love it, we got a new mirror (which I would like to frame) and we had to get a new shower door because our contractor accidentally broke our old one (which was okay because it was ugly) but it still need to finish some areas that need the floor board put back up and Maybe a few more decorations here and there, but this is what it looks like now on one side of the room.

I think I want to put a gassy looking wreath above this picture the color of raffia.

This little plaque was a souvenir from the BYUH bookstore . . .

I also made a few gifts to give . . .like this headband:

and this headband:

and this headband:

And this temple picture for Chris and Sarah that I took and the aged and then personalized and then modge podged onto a tile:

I also made these thumb print cookies topped with raspberry jam and Natalie's delicious homemade vanilla spice pear jam and then drizzled with white chocolate! MMM! And I also made some coconut macaroons.

The thumbprint cookies were easy because you start with this bag and then add three tbls flour. The recipe was on the back of the bag if you want to try it!

Then Christmas morning . . . Ahhhh. The best thing about it is the anticipation of it all. Like the little girl on kid history who said that "Christmas is a time of joy and wonder . . . like you wonder when you are going to open presents."

Oh yeah, I also made the two pink and white polka dotted stockings:)

Someone adopted us this year and spoiled us with presents and food.

Love these expressions:

Cambria wore this hat for a week straight.

We had 9 am church so we let the kids open their present from Santa and their stocking before we got ready and i have to say, we could have stopped right their. The kids were so happy and so content with their ONE present. I thought it was so great that they didn't keep asking to open more because they were so happy with what they had.

Thank You Grandma!

We went to Jim and Cathy's house for Christmas dinner and had a wonderful time, although Malachi did spend some of his time hiding behind this blanket for some unknown reason.

Cathy read the kids a Christmas story . . .

And later that night we got some visitors!!! It was so fun to have a full house!

Chris and Sarah shared their exciting news with us . . . they are expecting in August!

Baby Aarilynn was blessed at our chapel two days after Christmas and I got to do a mini photo shoot with her.

We took a family picture because we are NEVER all together.

The Davis Clan

Brothers (minus one who was taking care of his baby)

Mom and Dad - they just celebrated their anniversary . . . um, 22 years I think??

Siblings

And since Chris and Sarah are expecting and we found ourselves with a lot of time on our hands we (as in the Kai DAvis Family) compiled a list of baby names that celebrate the Island that they just left and the Hawaiian links that this baby has:

For a Girl: Oahu, Corra, Coral, Roxy, Misty, Oceana, Summer, Sunnie, Waverly, Kahana, Isla, Lani, Coco (as in coconut:)) China (as in China Man's Hat), Pali, Lilo, Lolo

For A Boy: Finn, Oahu, Rusty, Sandler, Ocean, Boarder, Current, Kawela, Sonny, Cannon, Palmer, Mana Pua, Kalua, Loco Moco, Tide

And if they Want to use the initials of TVA, where they lived:

For a girl:

Tylee Vanessa Anne

Tiana Vivienne Agatha

Talullah Violet Abrielle

For a boy:

Tyson Vance Adam

Terrell Verden Aiden

Thor Vilhelm Ansel

Or If they Want to use the BYUH Initals:

For A Girl:

Brielle Yolanda Urania Helene

Blythe Yasi Uma Hadley

For A Boy:

Brett Yardly Umberto Horrace

Brennon Yosef Ulises Howard

You are welcome guys. I know you will study that list nightly until you pick exactly the right name.