Behold The Desert Spiney Lizard

Chris was working in Cave Creek yesterday and found this:

His childhood boyish instincts kicked in and he brought him home for these kidos:

He's really quite smart and plays dead A LOT.

He can't fool us!

Monsoon Madness

YIPPEE! the first BIG storm!!!

Poor Lily was scared, but too wet and smelly to let her come in

because of

THIS!!!

and THIS!


LOVE IT!!!

Good ol' Peanut Butter

Ellie doesn't like it when she gets gum in her hair.

Neither does her mom.

Versital Pencils

Ellie: "Look mom!"

Mom: "Ellie, that's disgusting."

Ellie: "It's not disgusting. It's wonderful!"

Birthday Party Pics

The birthday boy

Presents!

Pleeeassse can I have some?!

Make a wish!

Mmmm...Yum!

To top off the evening we had a good game of toss the birthday boy!

My Baby is TWO!!!

Two years ago today

Peyton Jack Prince

was born!

What a lovely birth it was!

He came on his Grandma Doris' Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO BOTH OF YOU!!!

COMING SOON

Party Pictures

7 random things about me...

I've been tagged by Kim

1. I remember dates pretty well. I'm kind of a freak of nature. I see a calendar in my head and there's names all over the place on certain dates. Growing up I thought everyone had a calendar in their head. It's really bad to the point where someone will tell me a day that something is going on and I'll say, "That's so and so's birthday or anniversary or so and so's due date, but really had their baby on such and such a date". I try really hard to just think it and not say it out loud cuz I get a lot of weird looks like I'm crazy.

2. I LOVE LOVE LOVE newborns! I wish the newborn stage lasted a full 6 months to a year. They are soooo cute and little and cuddily. My baby is almost 2 and it's so strange that I am not expecting another one....a good thing though. I need the break!

3. I slept with my baby blanket till I was 25. As a kid if I forgot to bring it to sleep overs I would have my mom bring it to me. It was no secret I HAD to have it. After I got married Chris wondered if I would ever give it up. I honestly thought I never would. After 6 years I weaned myself from it. It went like this: from hugging it every night (I never sucked my thumb and smelt it like some) to putting it above my head between my pillow and the wall to it landing on the floor once and I didn't HAVE to pick it up...immediately, to eventually putting in the hall closet. And guess what? It's STILL there! Trust me, it's an impressive feat. I see it every now and then and think, "Oh look, my blanket" and then I manage to walk away. I still love it. My mom told me once I should cut a square of it and frame it and use it as decor! I don't know what the hell she was thinking!!! She's crazy to think I could ever freaking CUT it!!!

4. I wish I could play piano. I am really pathetic and listen to George Winston and will lay in bed with my eyes closed and picture myself playing with a huge audience watching me and thinking wow, that girl is sooo talented! Lame, I know. I will take piano lessons someday! But I'm sure I'll never be good enough to have a huge audience at a concert. I'll have my own concert with just my family...and my friend Corinne cuz she's going to teach me :)

5. I want to be a flight attendant. I want to work like 2 to 4 times a month and have all the flight benefits so I can take my family where ever I want and travel a ton and make lots of memories.

6. I pee my pants a little bit almost everyday. I really do. I have I guess what they call incontinence. Or something like that. It use to only happpen when I had to run after a child running into the street or jumping on the trampoline or when I yell really loud. But now it is to the point where I am just standing there making dinner or walking down the hall. I have a friend that has the same problem, I won't name any names, and she checked out the surgery you can have to fix it. BUT one of the possible side effects is loss of sexual function. So we both decided peeing our pants a little everday isn't so bad.

7. I laugh when people get hurt. I seriously can't help it. If you stub your toe or smash your finger or run into a garbage can while riding your bike (Annelise) I WILL laugh. I try soooo hard not too. Chris gets so mad and I have to hide my face. If someone got hurt so bad like getting hit by a car I WOULD NOT laugh. I would freak out and most likely be useless in that kind of an emergency. Or if an old person fell and broke their hip, I WOULD NOT laugh. (note: I have not experienced either one of these. It's just an assumption that I would not laugh.) I do have to say, that I don't laugh when my kids get hurt. I think it's just other people my age or older.


Now I tag: EVERYONE who reads this! (who hasn't done this already)

Let's Party!

Every summer Taylor does a 2 week summer theatre workshop with her cousin Sydney,

taught by her Aunt Jenee.

The kids did an awesome job!

And of course, Jenee put together an awesome show!

Thanks for all the fun memories!

Sydney and Taylor

Grandpa, Grandma, Taylor and Lori

Awesome job Taylor! We love watching you perform!

Iowa- In a really BIG nutshell!

This post is not entirely in chronological order.

This trip was just way too fun to tell EVERYTHING!!!

And I don't think my kids will let me sit here long enough to detail it.

Uploading the pics alone was way too long of a task!

We are smiling here, but the flight from PHX. to Denver was nothing to smile about.

The cabin pressure and the turbulance were aweful! We both felt so nauseous and headachy.

It was YUCK!

Luckily the flight from Denver to Kansas City, Missouri was MUCH better.

It is a lot cheaper to fly into MO. than it is to Des Moines, Iowa.

Unfortunatley Kansas City is nearly 3 hours away from my sisters house and Des Moines is 5 minutes away.

So when we arrived we had a long drive ahead of us in the middle of the night.

These gas stations are all over the place.

Why don't we have CREATIVE names for our gas stations?!

We had good eats at Champps Bar and Grill,


but not before we took tons of pictures of ourselves.
I'll just share one and spare you the rest.

For those of you wondering, my sister-in-law, Kim, came along with me.
Us 3 do well together :)



We shopped a TON!!!


Are we HOT or what?!


Grandma Cook and Grandma Black.

I met a BUNCH of family I had never met before.

I had the most wonderful time being LOVED on by my sweet little Miss Kinley!!!

Seriously in hog heaven with this little girl!

Nothing like sharing some FISHY KISSES!!!

My sister's beautiful kids!!!

Kayleigh, Mason, Mckinley, Kyndall (not enjoying being squished)

PEACHES N' CREAM CORN

The yummiest corn ever!!!

We brought home a dozen and I so wish we would have had room for more!

On Saturday night we went to the Funny Bone Comedy Club.

I can't even described how freakin' hilarious it was!

We laughed so stinkin' hard!

This was one night I would love to relive over and over!

We were right up front!

We saw LOTS of spit FLY, but none landed on us thank goodness!
My very BEAUTIFUL sister!

and very BEAUTIFUL sister-in-law!

These 2 guys were AWESOME!!!

John T. Bush and John Pinnett

You may recognize John Pinnett from Revenge of the Nerds and Comedy Central.

Pauly Shore is coming to the Funny Bone on July 27th!

I am soooo sad that I won't be there! He's so cute!

But I don't know how clean his shows are.

GOODBYES SUCK!!!

Mason is my little man!

The last picture just before boarding the plane.

I had the most fabulous time!

I can't wait to go back!

Missy, it's your turn to come here now!

For a more detailed version click HERE

Leaving on a Jet Plane!

I am off to Iowa in a couple hours to visit my sister, Missy, in Iowa! I can't wait to get there and start enjoying my little vacation! I'll be back on here Monday to tell you all about my trip!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Welcome Blake Brian Banfield!!!

My sister in law, Melissa, gave birth to her 3rd baby at 3:43 this morning. He was 7 pounds 11 ounces and 21 inches long. He has 2 very excited sisters who can't wait to play mommy with him when he comes home!

A Match made in Heaven!

Peyton has been sporting this look for a little over a month now.

Caved, but just a little..

So we caved, but it was just a little. Only one episode last night and one this afternoon. We were going to wait until I got back from Iowa to start Season 3 of 24, BUT I just couldn't stand the thought of waiting a full week. No staying up past midnight! We have total and complete self control.

Unexpected Surprises...

For the 4th we headed up to Payson, Arizona to watch the fireworks in cooler weather. The drive was pleasant. Taylor had been sick and still not feeling that well, but we decided to go anyway.

On our way up...







Taylor slept.




Preston was excited.








Ellie made funny faces.

Peyton was happy.

When we got there we stopped at Chili's for dinner. When we got into the restaurant we gave them our name and told them for how many. We were with my brother in law and his family. Then Peyton promptly threw up all down the front of Chris. I stood there in shock and gave a little laugh.

We decided it was time to leave before we had anymore fun.

On our way home...

Preston through a fit since we couldn't stay.

Ellie made more funny faces.

Taylor and Peyton complained of not feeling good. Then Peyton barfed all over himself.




Then fell fast asleep.

Chris drove us safely home in his new shirt from Walmart.

sidenote: We have NEVER been able to drive thru Payson and NOT stop at Walmart and buy at least one item of clothing. When we go camping, we either forget to bring a sweater for someone or socks or shoes. It's an amazing thing that just happens to us.

When we got home I bathed Peyton, and of course Ellie had to jump in. Meanwhile, Chris got out some sparklers and other firworks that I don't know the names of.

The kids had a blast. Taylor and Peyton miraculously recovered and acted as though nothing ever happened. Motrin is a wonderful thing!

Ellie wanted NOTHING to do with it.

Our neighbors came out and joined our illegal fun and I actually thought to have them take a family photo!

THE END!