547 days old!!!!

Now I am not one to really feel homesick, as a child I remember getting homesick once while I was visiting my cousin when I was 8. But other than that, I have always enjoyed being away from home. Not because I don't like my family, or the comfort of home. I just really love finding new things to do. However I am feeling a bit homesick this week. I am missing the majority of my family being in town for the week for my cousins graveside service in Hooper. My brother recently was able to come home, I haven't seen him in 3 years. My little brother and his adorable wife announced they are having a baby in March. My cousin who moved to Boston the same week we moved to Texas went home to visit and I am JEALOUS! And this weekend is a family reunion, that I will be missing. *sigh. 
Alright, my venting and pity party are done with. I just needed to get that out of my system. My family is a pretty tight net, I have very strong bonds with several of my cousins. My Aunts and Uncles are pretty stellar too. And my immediate family is da-bomb.

Anyway today is the day, today is the day my sweet bouncing baby girl, is no longer a baby. Well that actually happened months ago, I just have been in denial and am just now catching up. Today she is 

18 mo. old!

I just can't believe it. The time has flown. But I wanted to share with you what she is up to and what she loves...

Hi My Name is Azure Rae!

Today I am 18 months old. Here are the things that I am up to these days...

I'm always very happy (except when I'm throwing a tantrum, and my tantrums are epic)

I love to be chased down the hallway, and hide behind the chair in my room when mommy wants to change my diaper. 

When I fall or get hurt, it only takes me a second and I jump back up and do it again.

I love to climb and jump off of furniture.

I love yogurt, blueberries, grapes, beef jerky, cheese and Ketchup... I'll eat Ketchup on anything!

I'm not a picky eater, I'll eat almost anything. Although I do not like some textures, like applesauce or mashed potatoes... GAG!

I LOVE to give hugs and kisses to everyone around, I am not shy one bit and love to make friends everywhere I go. Particularly at the store, or waiting in line with mommy and daddy at the DLV. Strangers are my entertainment.

I LOVE, LOVE..... LOVE it when daddy comes home from work!

I am very much like my parents and anything outdoors is an adventure.

I love airplanes and helicopters, eveytime I hear or see one I point to the sky and wave to daddy.

I love to dance, talk on the phone and take baths and showers.

I tolerate, no I like, no love, no I am OBSESSED with PUPPIES!

I enjoy sleeping, and need my sleep. My mommy hopes I will always take a nap cause I am like my daddy and need my sleep.

When we go for a drive, I like to drive too with my own steering wheel, and if an unruly driver comes along, I honk them to death!

Speaking of honking, I love to honk peoples noses.

The words I say the best are: Daddy, Brett, Mommy, Azure, Eye, Shoe, Puppy, Bath, Uh Oh, Thank You, Jesus, Bum, Hi, All done, No, Plane and if I try really hard I will say Izzy (my favorite cousin)

I love to blow kisses.

I run everywhere I go.

I think I am a big kid, like 15. 

 
                 I like to cause drama like I am 15.

I like to be a big girl and help mommy clean, vacuum and do the dishes. And when mommy sews, I like to annoy help her by standing in the middle of the fabric, when she is trying to cut. And when she isn't looking I like to climb up to the table and push the buttons on her sewing machine before she catches me.

I like to help Daddy type on the computer and work on his motorcycle. I steal hand him his tools and squat down next to him to see what he is up to.

I love to color, paint and trace my hand.

I am a very bubbly busy girl, who loves to be loved, and is always finding ways to make others around me smile and be happy. I am also very stubborn and hard headed. But I am the light of my parents life. They shower me with love and all their attention. They spoil me and give me just about anything.      

To top this day off. I am packing up the binkies and we are saying GOODBYE! I thought about doing this months ago, but I just wasn't ready; I also felt that Azure wasn't ready. But I'm glad I didn't cause that same week she had the worst teething episode to date (7 teeth at the same time, 5 of which were molars) and I don't think anyone in our household would have survived without the binky. But this last couple of weeks Azure has been sick and her throat was so sore that she wasn't eating or drinking and she didn't want her binky. Well she has been back to normal for a couple of days now, and if I try and give her a binky at bedtime, she throws it and gives me a nasty look. So she is more than ready now and I feel I am ready if she is ready. I think she secretly believes that the binkies hurt her, so she is mad at them. So wish us luck! 

A day of REST!!!

 Sunday's are nice, aren't they? 

You get to sleep in, take it easy, and on this particular Sunday I even got breakfast in bed!! 

Well...sort of. It was the thought that counts. I would have gotten to eat it in bed, except that a sick toddler had just thrown up her strawberry milk all over my white sheets! 

But thanks anyways, dear. I loves me some scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast.

So here in Texas our church doesn't start until 1:30p.m. Which at first, I thought I was going to have to take a sabbatical until January, because let's face it, that time block stinks!! But now that we are in the groove. It's actually not bad. *Here's to hoping for the same outcome next year when we have 8:30a.m. church!

Our typical Sunday routine begins with getting out of bed around 8am. Which is late in our house. Azure is an "alert when the sun comes up" girl. 

After rolling out of bed we cook a nice breakfast, rather than the cold cereal that usually is generated in our bowls during the week. 

Then it is lesson planning, bath-taking, straightening the house, preparing dinner in the crockpot time. 

Next is my favorite part... Naptime. Now I am not a nap taker, It makes me feel worse than before. That, and I just can't settle down. I'm too much of a busy body. However, my two sidekicks are nap seeking soldiers. 

So that means that I get peace and quiet, and no messes for 2 whole hours!

Today Azure is sick, so I'm hoping she sleeps longer. And then Brett and I will be doing the trade shift for church. Today was supposed to be RaeRae's first day of nursery, but that isn't happening now. So for today, it's my turn to go to sacrament meeting and then come home while Brett goes to YM's.

Bedroom Makeover Reveal!!

One week and a few days give or take and my bedroom is done! Well almost. There are a couple more things that I am in search for, but overall I am in love with my bedroom!

Before I reveal the pictures, may I just say how A.MA.ZING the Olympics were!! I really don't know what I am going to do with all my time now that they are over! *tear, sniff 
If watching those super human bodies, doesn't encourage you to work out and push yourself more, than I don't know what will.

Anyways, I just had to throw that in. On to my room. So with great work comes great sacrifice; and by that I mean; my house went without a mop, my laundry remained stained, my dishes remained crusty, and my child remained undressed and untamed! And that does not even mention what I looked like!!! But I did manage to make dinner every night. Go me!

Brett has always complained about all the pillows I have on our bed and how I complain when he lays on my bedspread! So what did I do?!... MORE PILLOWS!!!! Yay!

That Black Bedspread was a temporary replacement for our one we got when we got married, that fell apart. I let Brett pick it out, since we only needed it until I found one I loved and had money to spend on a new one. Well 3 years later, there sat the $17 Ross, bachelor pad bedspread! Needless to say I still haven't found one I absolutely love and am willing to spend $$ on, so I dug out our old, very old... old as in Brett's college bed down comforter. Gave it a good wash. And viola! This will get me by until that magical day when I stumble across the one I LOVE!

So here they are, my After photos:

I must brag that I indeed made ALL the pillows (except the one with the Eiffel tower on it)! And seeing as I  failed the sewing portion of home ec. in Jr . High and never really touched a sewing machine since, until this past Christmas when my MIL gave me my AMAZING singer, I'd say I deserve a high five!

If you took a peek at my before photos of my room, you would have noticed this little lady. You would have also noticed that she was black (just like everything else was, how ironic). So with a little paint, and a patient hand I gave her a facelift. This costed me $0. Thanks to my thrifty hubby who found a coupon on FB for a free quart of paint from Ace Hardware I chose the color Sweet Tangerine. The gray paint I already had in my library of craft paint, I then hot glued a piece of burlap (that I already had) to the back of the glass to help enhance the quote. I think she looks Fab!

This is the only place where I went over my budget of $0 and spent a few bucks. I haven't been sewing for long so my fabric collection is slim. So I went as cheap as possible. I used the old pillows that were previously on my bed and made slipcovers for them. And like I said before. I did not make the Eiffel Tower pillow. I bought her about 2 weeks after we moved, and hid her from the hubb saved her in a special place, until I was ready to make the commitment to my room. I got her for 50% off at the time. The fabric for the bow pillow was leftover from a previous project. The yellow pillow I made from this tutorial I found on Pinterest, the sea foam ruffle pillow I also found the idea on Pinterest. I bought the fabrics for $1.50 each, with a coupon of course!! I used a canvas material for the "je taime" pillow that I also had leftover. I thought about using the print on fabric method, or painting. However because nap time was coming to a close, I decided to go with the easy Sharpie route! And to top off my pop of color on the bed, I found 2 turquoise pillow cases for $1.97 at Walmart. So as a grand total, I spent (drum roll please).... $4.97!!!! Another high five, PLEASE!

I know the back wall is still bare. I am still working on making frames to go on both sides that contain pictures of the awfully sick day that I vaguely remember glorious day, when I married my man. I also want to make a throw blanket for the end of the bed.

These shelves were... guess what color? You guessed it, BLACK! They give some much needed PIZZAZZ to these awesome french books that Brett has had for years.

I know what you are thinking, you are thinking, WOW this post is never going to end! You are also thinking, so that is what makes Brett smell so good. Why yes, yes it is, Very Sexy for Him from Victoria's Secret; a bottle of cologne that an old girlfriend bought for him... that he still has. Maybe I should be worried that he hasn't used it all up yet, maybe because he secretly is holding onto any remnants of her he can. HAHAHA j/k Anyways, this tray I already had that I scored at Ross for $2 about 2 years ago. I painted the rim to help it out.
I don't know about you, but I'm thinking I might have to consider checking myself into paint rehab after this makeover. I'm addicted.

This is my favorite part of the room! Need I say more?!
 I invite you to look back upon the before pictures of these 2 items, and bask in the beauty of them in present day. Ready? Ahhhhhh........

My over all goal for this week was to bring sunshine and a sense of freshness to my room and I feel I have achieved that. Though there are still a project or two, or three, or four, or.... nevermind. Anyways, it's not 100% complete. But I can at least find myself sleeping more peacefully at night.

Let me know what you think, or if you have any suggestions of things I should do/ should have done. 

Thanks!

Miss Independent

So I posted yesterday about me making over my bedroom. Well that was actually a project I took on last week. And though I am finished I have yet to post the pictures, I have a couple more decorations to complete before I want to show it off.

On the other hand, wow what a busy morning we had! Azure and I took Brett to work again this morning, then we met up with some friends in the ward to go walking. After that we met up with some other friends in the ward for a playdate/ visiting teaching/ swim day. On our way home Brett was in need of a Monster (energy drink) so we delivered one to him. And that was all BEFORE noon!

Can I just say what a negligent mom I am. Azure is SO independent and thinks she is 15 and has the attitude of a 15 year old, therefore, she thinks she can do anything by herself. It has gotten to the point where I don't even stay within arms reach of her anymore at the pool (only because if anyone tries to remotely help her, she screams, therefore I have given up) may I remind you... she is 18 months old!!! She doesn't even know how to say her own name correctly, but she can go swim in the deep end with nothing but an inner tube keeping her from sinking to the bottom! And for me to allow this of my child is extraordinary, considering I myself do not go into the deep end! I was the kid in swim lessons that wouldn't even put my whole head in the water or even consider not plugging my nose with my fingers!

So today what's going on? As the other moms that have multiple children with their youngest being Azure's age, are being super moms and holding their kids in the pool AND keeping track of their other ones making sure they are not drowning, I am sitting there looking like a fool with my not-even-2-year-old swimming in the deep end with the older kids. I might as well have had drool dripping down my chin!

I don't feel my child is anymore special than your children, I don't feel like she is any cuter than your children (well yes I do, but I'm not going to act like it). I just wish my baby would slow down and be my baby!

Bedroom Makeover Before:

So for awhile now, OK so for almost 2 years now, I have been wanting to do something different with my bedroom. It was boring to me (I get bored easily) and I wanted something new and fresh, and with lots of color. But I still wanted to keep the Paris theme. Not only because I'm obsessed with going there one day, but Brett also studied abroad there in college, served a French speaking LDS mission and graduated with a minor in French AND I told him that I would only marry him if he took me there one day... still holding him to that!

However my decorations were dark and dull after 5 years. I need color in my life. Lots of COLOR!
But I am on a strict Budget (or as my wallet tells me...$0) and our apartment will not let me paint the walls a color I would enjoy. So the challenge begins! And because I have been glued to the Olympics anyways I decided this is a good time to do it!!!

Before:

Not bad but you can't live with the same decor forever! Or at least I can't.

*Oh and please excuse my awful quality pictures. I had a toddler who thought she was supposed to be in every picture, so I had to act fast once she disappeared out of sight.

Professional Passenger...

It's a rare occasion when I am able to experience what Brett does day in and day out. Though I have been more fortunate than other pilot wives, I'm up to about 18 or so flights in a helicopter in 4 years. 4 of which have been just Brett and I.

I think I love flying just as much as my husband. I have been telling him for years now, that for a  Bday present I want an Intro Flight, ( to learn more about one of those thing-a-ma-bobs click here ) . I have yet to enjoy one of those, though 2 years ago on my birthday, I did get to fly with him for the first time by ourselves. 

The view from above amazes me every time. I feel like a kid again playing city with my hot-wheels and micro-machines; and building miniature cities with legos. That's what is feels like. Nothing compares to flying in a helicopter. No runways, still being able to see detail on buildings and people swimming in their pools because of the ability to fly lower than everyone else, no tiny windows that only allow you to see a square foot of the outside world. I love it and I couldn't be more enthusiastic and proud about what my man does for a living! 

Well enough of that gushy stuff; back to this weekend...

Brett called me Friday afternoon and told me to find a sitter so that I could go with him on a flight over to Dallas Love. He had a firework tour and was to pick up his passengers there. So I got to go along (probably the only opportunity I will get here in the Big State) so of course I did all I could so that I could go!

The Hunk, pre-flighting

Why am I always the one looking dumb, and he is never paying attention!

So EXCITED!!!!

#1 Rule of living in Texas: Own a pool!!

Not the best pic, but the dome in the distance is Cowboys stadium
and the bright stadium lights to the right of it is Rangers Stadium.
There was a Rangers game that night so there was a TFR
(temporary flight restriction), so this was as close as we could get.

This was the first time I thought it was weird that there were no mountains, I miss my Wellsville's

Object in camera lens is closer than they appear! This dude was on top of us,
at a safe distance of course.

Downtown Dallas

Awesome Date Night!!!!

We're not in Kansas anymore, Toto...

So for the 1st two months we have been gone, our house in Logan has sat there quietly empty. Thankfully this last week our renters have finally moved in. I hope they love my house as much as I did do. I miss that house. As much of a pain, a house that was built in the 1920's is, I love it!!

For many reasons, I wanted to share the pictures of our house as we left it. #1  This was the house that made us 1st time homeowners #2 This house was Azure's 1st home #3 We will never forget the precious moments, friendships and feelings that were made here.

We put so much time, sweat and tears and most of all $$ into it in the short 2 years we lived there; and we had so many more hopes and dreams for this house and feel it came along way since we bought it.

Sorry they are random, and I didn't take any of the basement which I should have. Oh well, such is life when the time period in which there is a job opportunity, job interview, packing and moving cross country is within a 20 day period! Whew don't EVER make me do that again.

Oh I miss my pantry, where I could actually stock up at the store and have a food storage!

Sorry for some reason I could not get this picture to rotate. So it remains awkward, just like the picture portraits with that part of the kitchen.

Awww our tiny one person bathroom. How I don't miss trying to brush my teeth while Brett was using the bathroom. And this is after we remodeled the bathroom and gained more room between the bathroom and the toilet!


Oh and at one point, this 1 bathroom had to service 3 grown men, 1 newborn and 1 mommy! (In the almost 5 years of marriage I had lived with more than 1 man under my roof). Good thing I always got along with boys so much more than girls growing up, I even asked my Dad when I went off to college if I could live with a bunch of guys over girls cause I didn't know if I would survive. I did, miracle have it. But that is a whole different story.
Let's just say I have had many roommates in my day!

 I miss having a fenced yard of my own, and the patio... oh the patio... and the garden... and the firepit.

Our firepit that we dug the first summer, then Brett revamped it with a stone bench connecting the garden. Not amazing or glorious. But we loved it and it was perfect.

This house was not our dream house, nor was it a jaw dropper. But it was MY house and that made me love it that much more. Kinda like a kid and a toy. Just any old toy is just that, any old toy; but if its your toy... you don't want to share it nor get rid of it. *sigh