earl family blog

Anna takes a shot, or two

2011-12-14T21:17:00.000-08:00

Anna is always composing photographs in her mind's eye. today, i let her compose them for real. her subject: bubba!

i even let her do some "mother and child" shots. it's so rare that i am actually in front of the lens!

it's kind of hard to stop snapping pics of this little cutie, but she obliged me and got in one herself! my little artist and her baby bro!

night glow!

2011-12-10T15:46:00.000-08:00

when i heard there was going to be a "night glow." at the mall, i immediately put it on the calendar. i love hot air balloons, and so do the girls! Jason thought it sounded weird, but the hot air balloons proved him wrong!

(if the batteries on my little camera aren't charged, we get blurry photos)

but if you try really hard, you can get a really beautiful shot! also, after rolling through this gravel, Jason also saw the beauty of a BOB stroller. hopefully, that just got bumped up the wish list!

2011-12-05T20:06:00.000-08:00

father and son, enjoying Daddy's favorite bedtime ritual! following in his sister's footsteps! i'm sure he'll be moving on to videos soon too!

Christmas time is here!

2011-12-03T22:53:00.000-08:00

we started the month of right with both our ward party, and Anna's school festival on the same day!

both parties included a special visitor! Anna was more than ready to fill the big guy in on her Christmas wishes.

Maddie was pretty silent. Avery and Colin wouldn't even sit on his lap. i did coax the girls into this cute group shot.

my little buddy pretty much stayed in the ergo carrier this super cold morning.

Anna's school festival was originally the "fall carnival", which was postponed by a high wind advisory. this time, it was held indoors due to rain. luck was not on our side. but we braved the 30 degree weather for the fun! the girls got their faces painted, won lots of candy, and ate cotton candy. now that's a carnival!

student of the month

2011-11-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

we were excited to find out that Anna was chosen as Student of the Month in her class for November. our family attended the flag ceremony where she received her award.

of Anna, Mrs. Metz wrote, "Anna is an exceptional student. she shines as a kind and responsible example to her peers. she is respectful to others and tries her very best every day. i simply love being Anna's teacher!"

it makes my heart smile to know Anna is so well behaved when she is at school. she is setting such a great example to her younger sisters and brother! well done Anna!

one night in Paris!

2011-11-29T22:43:00.000-08:00

last year, the Laurels decided to implement another "travel program" for Personal Progress. we did this before when we counted our value experiences and projects as "sky miles" an earned a trip to Hawaii. this years destination: Paris!

i was released in Ausust, but still got to go to Paris with the girls!

what a beautiful and fun evening! i sure miss all my fun Tuesday nights with the Young Women!

au revoir et a bientot!

so long, Farewell!

2011-11-27T22:13:00.000-08:00

in case you didn't know, i belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. yes, I am a Mormon. you may have seen Mormon Missionaries in your neighborhood. well, if you live in/around Paris, France, you may see my brother Collier very soon! Collier has been called to serve for two years in the Paris, France Mission. as per tradition, our family gathered together to attend church together and hear Collier speak to the congregation before he leaves. it's always fun to get together, but especially to commemorate such a milestone, for Collier and for our family. he is the baby, and the third son to serve a mission in our family!

my parents, now veterans of sending a child to a foreign land for two years, let us know that it only gets harder to say goodbye!

i love these faces! they are going to miss their uncle Collier!

so, already Collier will not meet 1 new niece (due January 3rd). he asked how many others he may be expected to miss, here's my wish list: 3 total. (1 each, me, Ash, Holly....?)

in the meantime, Collier, I am so happy and excited for the experiences you will have over the course of your mission. you will have the wonderful opportunity of sharing the Lord's great plan of happiness with many people. I am happy to say that the road ahead of you will be full of new challenges. yes, these will help you learn and grow, and that is a wonderful thing! you are the best baby brother a girl could have, and i can't wait to see the man you will become! i love you and appreciate the example you are to me and my family!

au revoir et bon courage. je t'aime,

Thanksgiving Day

2011-11-24T21:31:00.000-08:00

on thanksgiving day, we had a quaint family gathering of about 50 people for dinner. as usual, my mom set up a beautiful evening and delicious food.

big cousins ate and played right-center-left,

little cousins huddled around the tv watching cartoons,

and had a craft night making turkeys. this was Anna's idea, and it was a hit. even the boys liked sticking googly eyes on their hand tracings!

i am so grateful for my huge, wonderful family!

park day!

2011-11-23T21:15:00.000-08:00

so, we went to the park with cousins and friends, and i thought it was so cute when all the kids put their shoes back on!

and why did we go to CA early???

2011-11-22T21:12:00.000-08:00

there's really only one reason. one man

(okay, plus 4 more)...

that's right, i went to Reflections. and it was awesome. the tickets sold out in 45 seconds, but i got 2! okay, they were not together. this was not Jason's favorite idea for a night out, but he manned up and took me on MY favorite idea of a night out. and it was AMAZING! 20 years of waiting and i finally heard subway song live!!!!

Jason's assessment was awesome, "i liked the rocking songs, but not the wailing songs." it's a good thing i like both! oh man, i could cure-on about this all night. now back to your regular programming.

disneyland!!!!!

2011-11-21T14:40:00.000-08:00

we came to California a day early, which meant...Disneyland!!! Barrett's family was headed there, and we got to tag along. the place was packed! as a kid growing up near disneyland, we avoided any hint of crowded-ness. but now, as a tourist, i was of the "we got to get our money's worth!" mindset. the men and Tashy took the kids on Star Tours, while Autumn and I took the baby boys (and one baby girl in-utero) on Buzz Lightyear. i was a little worried Colin would freak out, his sisters were not that into the loud sounds and blinking lights just last year, but he LOVED it. this picture makes me laugh, because I look totally into it, while Autumn looks like a woman who is 7 months pregnant and chasing a 15 month old around Disneyland. (a totally accurate depiction of our day)

i've noticed that since Colin, I have been a lot less likely to photograph our family outings. here's why: (he's always attached to me, and has very grabby hands)

the rest of the gang!

i love this picture! i love the way my kids are best friends with their cousins.

it was a blast taking the boy to Dland for the first time. truth be told, Disneyland is really for me. the kids aren't even a degree as into it as i am. they would have been fine at the park, but this was my Christmas present for sure! i love introducing my kids to MY happiest place on earth!

the babies went home with Grandma and Grandpa after lunch, and then around 9 Jason and Autumn took home the 4 little girls. this left myself, Anna, Barrett, Henry and Ash at Disneyland for the duration! it was so fun! back in the day, when i was about 12 or so, we remodeled our house and my parents got the 4 kids passes to Disneyland. that summer they dropped us off everyday while work was being done. we got to know the place so well that the workers used to let me do the Jungle Cruise tour myself. being back with Ash and Barrett made me feel like a kid again. and racing Anna and Henry around to all the rides was so fun! Barrett forgot himself for a moment and mentioned that the Matterhorn had a Yeti, so Anna and I hit the Tea Cups alone. but we got to see the coolest light show at Small World while we waited.

Tashy let each kid choose a candy at the end of the night. Anna chose an enormous lollipop and i told her she was going to fall asleep in the car and i would get stuck to her hair. (just like when i was a kid) low and behold:

and one last shot from the day. Avery and I back on Buzz:

i really improved my score that time!

vacation, all i ever wanted!

2011-11-20T14:31:00.000-08:00

we spent Thanksgiving week in California!!!!! yes and entire week. we started the week off right snuggling our cousins and Grandpa!

yeehaw! stake rodeo!

2011-11-19T21:27:00.000-08:00

every year our stake has a rodeo. yep, a real old fashioned rodeo. this year everything was on foot to avoid injury. except these cute little pony rides.

we love the stake rodeo! good food, good friends, and fun times!

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

it's the morning after Halloween, and i see that my little angel did in fact do her homework and put herself to bed. she just forgot to change out of her Jessie costume. i'm for sure winning that mother of the year this time!

Happy Halloween!!!

2011-10-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

this halloween fun was had by all! last year i scored these cute Princess pumpkin templates. Anna had a Sleeping Beauty, Avery did Belle, and Madeline's was a coach for Cinderella.

the girls nixed my plans to head out to a little grove for a pre-halloween photoshoot, so we improvised with our neighbors yard.

my sweet little Avery is a Belle lover. i have a really crazy problem with all the Belle costumes available in stores. the store-Belles all have pink flowers on them for some reason. so i whipped up a more classic Belle ensemble.

luckily, Madeline wanted to wear the southern belle costume i made last year! she rocked it!!!

and then there was my little Jessie! i love Anna's obsession with that cute little red-headed doll.

and let's not forget Bubba. thanks to Aunt Corby, he was the cutest little monkey ever!!!!

we had our annual chili party followed by trick or treating! i found that we make halloween so fun on the block that these two would rather be home than out getting candy. so i left Anna with some neighbors and brought the little girls home. they played, ate candy, and crashed hard!

when Anna came home i realized that she hadn't done her homework. i told her to get it done, then put herself to bed and i'd be back to check on her. the little sweetie did it. it was the best halloween ever.

bubba tries solids!

2011-10-23T20:58:00.000-07:00

my girls were all introduced to solids by 4 months. they showed the signs, watching everything we ate, reaching, and finally loving the eventual rice cereal. now, Colin has been slow to show any interest in food. when he did seem to reach, i jumped right in with the cereal. this was his reaction:

i don't think he swallowed one teeny, tiny bit. he hated it. hated it. i think it's gonna be a while before Bubba tries food again.

daddy daughter campout!

2011-10-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Jason took the girls camping this weekend, while i stayed home to shoot a wedding. i was sad not to go, we always have a great time and soon it will be too cold. he didn't take a camera, but i grabbed mine as soon as these faces walked through the door:

i think he took a brush but was too intimidated by the rubber bands and such to actually use one. he just left their hair as is for 3 days. needless to say, the bath that followed these photos was much deserved. many gallons of conditioner were used!

the girl who went to bed 2 and woke up 3! happy birthday to Avery!!!

2011-10-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

when i remember, i love to snap a pic of my kids on the eve of their birthdays. this sweet little lamby was saying goodnight to year number 2!

when she woke up, she was a big 3 year old girl!

wednesday is grandma day, so she got a special shopping trip and lunch with grandma and cousins. later, we had a cupcake party with all our neighbors. (i neglected to take out my camera, but it was so cute. i was living in the moment.) then we opened some presents as a family.

it was a Tangled themed day. this girl is a Rapunzel fan for sure!

Happy birthday sweet Avery! you are really growing up. 3 is your year, you're potty training, doing great in preschool, talking up a storm, and always trying new things. even though you sometimes get a little shy, you never back down from a challenging new adventure. you are always smiling, except when you wake up in the morning. but you're working on that and i'm sure soon you'll be bright and sunny then too. you love your big sisters so much and do a great job keeping up with them. i love you sweet angel. happy birthday, mom.

Colin at 4 months!

2011-10-10T20:30:00.000-07:00

while we were high in the pines, i took the opportunity to snap some pics of my baby boy at 4 months. Colin is getting so big i can hardly stand it. he is mostly in 9 months clothes now! what? the time goes way too fast!

sisters are as in love with this boy as i am. he has very little time in the day where he is not being kissed. i feel sorry for the eventual day that another woman wants to enter the picture! yikes, we'll have to learn to share him? well for now we get to smother this kid with all he can handle!

Colin, at four months you are the smiling-est, sweetest, rolly-polly baby. you rarely cry, love to play, and giggle and kick all day in your little bouncy seat. as long as someone is there to giggle and smile with you, you can literally sit and play all day. you are starting to really respond to each of us individually. i love to see you light up when your dad comes home and you get a little man time! son, we are so happy to have you in our family! love,mommy

cabin time!

2011-10-09T20:12:00.000-07:00

our great friends, the Thompsons, invited us to their family cabin for the weekend. a chance to escape the everyday, and enjoy the great outdoors. since we're on fall break, the moms stayed for a couple of extra days! the kids had so much fun. who wouldn't? this place had it all!

swing sets,

play ground,

and zip line!!!

even little Avery stepped right out for her turn on the zip line! i was so impressed with her bravery.

and of course snuggling baby boy!

we had so much fun enjoying all the beauty and fun of the mountains. the weather was cooler, the company was super fun, the accommodations were 5 star, and the activity abundant, although after the men went home, the kids did complain that the Ranger ride was sub-par. i personally thought Carrie was very adventurous! thanks to the Thompsons and Stubbarts for a fun time!

October =cooler weather = more time outside!

2011-10-05T19:47:00.000-07:00

it was one of our first days outside with the neighbors. since the temps were dipping into the low 90's we're all celebrating. a celebration calls for popcorn of course.

my neighbor Mirium is the town popcorn maker. when the kids see her with her tray of cups, they come running for that sweet popped goodness!

popcorn for all! welcome autumn!

viva las vegas!

2011-09-30T16:39:00.000-07:00

i am usually behind in blogging, but this time i blame Blogger. it's been totally slow and annoying so, i have therefore not taken the time to blog. that being said, here is a run down of our trip to Las Vegas.

State Farm had it's national convention in Vegas. every single agent in the company converged on the town for one week. we we're assigned to stay at the Wynn! lucky us! the resort is among the best i have ever stayed at worldwide. i loved it! i guess most the time they are not considered "family friendly", but since many state farm agents were bringing their families, it was a perfectly pleasant place for us.

we enjoyed many poolside hours. and i did okay with the 4 kids on my own!

Dad joined us for a little Venetian time. and this is how Bubba enjoyed most of his vacation:

this is the girls' favorite part of Las Vegas, "the singing princesses." and since I love opera, i am happy to come to as many "shows" as they like.

i love this picture, Madeline is Bubba's biggest fan and cuddle buddy. i think it's so cute that the girl who dreamed of having a baby brother named Colin takes so much time to bask in that dream come true.

Daddy chose the room at the top of the hotel. we had a sweeping view!

on the last night, State Farm put on a massive vegas-styled party for all of us. we were bused to an arena with a huge carnival culminating into a concert!

there were games, performers, photo ops and food galore!

and they got to see Lightning McQueen! thanks to State Farm sponsoring Cars 2.

Bubba loved his glow necklace!

fun was had by all. i was cracking up at all the stares and comments i got cruising the streets of Vegas with 4 kids in tow. i was a Vegas freak show. at first i was taken back, like i should rein it in and keep to myself. then i thought, you know what we are no freakier than that tatted up, rollerskating Cher look-a-like tranny! good times!

let's go D-backs!

2011-09-24T12:14:00.000-07:00

while Colin and I attended the Relief society Broadcast, the girls had a date with Dad to the D-backs game. we usually get out to 3 or 4 games a season, but this was the only one for us this year. fun was had by all!

the little camera was having some issues, apparently we have to change the battery every 2 days!

9 wonderful years!

2011-09-21T16:14:00.000-07:00

for the first time in our marriage, Jason surprised me with a babysitter!!!! that may seem small to you, but to me it was the perfect gift. we headed to Ruth's Chris with a gift certificate and ate ourselves silly! it was the perfect celebration to 9 wonderful years with the best husband and father i could have ever imagined! love you babe!

dad's finger - it's what's for dinner

2011-09-16T12:06:00.000-07:00

Colin is a constant drooler and he loves to put anything and everything in his mouth. and everything he does is soooo cute. so, here's a picture of Colin eating Jason's finger for dinner! seriously, cutest boy ever! (and his dad is pretty cute too!)

night swimming

2011-09-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

in preparation for a little pool photo shoot i have coming up, i used Avery as a model. she is such a crack up as you can see!

since i already had the camera out, i snapped some shots of my family swimming after dark!

blessing - bubba is 3 months!

2011-08-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

it's hard to believe that Colin is already 3 months! why does time always fly when the baby is born, after it has crawled by for the 9 months before! we were so excited to have our families over for Colin's baby blessing. Jason gave him a beautiful blessing and we had a lovely lunch!

the Earls:

the Beardsleys:

the grandparents:

then we adjourned to our bedroom take some family photos with aunt Renee.

Colin,

you have brought an amazing love and energy into our home. your parents and sisters adore you! you love our kisses, smiling and giggling all the time. we can't believe how lucky we are to have you in our home! i didn't realize how much i wanted a son until you were born. i can't wait to see what life has in store for you!

i love you,

Mommy

camping

2011-08-22T12:49:00.000-07:00

so, our family has a great affinity for camping. we were afraid that a new baby would make it too difficult to go this year, nothing to fear. with a little determination, we pulled it off!

the weekend started a little rocky with a thunderstorm. we had to pull off the road and park under the cover of a gas station for 45 minutes so that everything we had packed in the jeep wouldn't get trashed. then, we made it through the sprinkling to Walmart in Payson where i hopped out and bought a tarp. as we looked at the skies, we wondered if we should turn back;

the rain continued to sprinkle as we hurriedly pitched our tent and threw our stuff inside. but then, mercifully, it let up and we had beautiful weather for the rest of the weekend!

(the beautiful photos below are courtesy of my budding photographers, Anna and Madeline)

the first thing Jason bought after Colin was born was a bb gun. he helped the girls shoot, they aren't bad!

there is nothing more fun than hanging out with the family in the middle of the beautiful forest!

bubba was a joy. he loves the Baby Bjorn and would have probably slept better if i wasn't so paranoid that every sound he made was going to wake the girls.

after we put the kids down, Jason and i sat by the fire. we could hear them playing with their Toy Story dolls and looked back to see the action carried out in our own little shadow puppet theater. i wish we got video, it was the cutest! "to infinity and beyond!"

jeeping is one of our families favorite activities. we love spotting wild life, and new spots for future camps. the girls often take their afternoon naps in the jeep too!

can you stand how adorable my baby is? i can't! i have to kiss him every second!

if i had to choose a theme for the weekend, it would be flowers! the girls showered me with wild flowers.

how beautiful are these woods? every time we're up here, i picture the girls running through these tall weeds in white dresses, dancing around like little angels.

so, this time, i actually brought some white dresses, and we had ourselves a little photo session in the woods!

i love this shot of all my lovelies headed back to camp!

and lounging before changing back into our grubbies.

my men:

it was a beautiful weekend. bittersweet to me, because i missed my release as young women's president at church. but i was able to say my goodbyes the following week. serving the youth is the best calling! i hope it comes my way again someday.

back to school photo shoot

2011-08-15T12:48:00.000-07:00

so, i thought it would be awesome to forgo the posed school snap shot on a gnarly green screen background and do our own little back to school photo shoot. i thought it turned out great. but, Anna later expressed disappointment that she didn't get a traditional "school portrait." i might do both next time, but i'm for sure sticking to our own photo shoot to commemorate a new school year!

i adore this rustic apple. it was perfect for a back to school session, but the lighting was all wrong at mid-day. we still tried a few shots:

Anna brought her old notebook and wanted a picture with her favorite drawing:

finally, we made our way over to the original location:

i love this first day of school outfit! thank you H&;M!

caught this cute little hair-flip while adjusting my settings:

if she had it her way, this would be the pose for every shot! what a ham!

love my little kindergartner!!!

1st day of school!

2011-08-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

the big day finally arrived, our first born is off to kindergarten!

Anna is at Ben Franklin Charter School and loving it!

we all went down to the school on the first day to attend flag ceremony!

it was so fun, and luckily no tears were shed by student or mom. Anna marched off to class and never looked back!

CA dreamin"

2011-08-08T12:46:00.000-07:00

Autumn takes her family to Idaho every year for a family vacation, and this year she decided to carry that on to California!!!! luckily she called me and i took my family to meet her. the kids have been dying to see their cousins for a while! our trip started off on a yucky foot, first trip with Colin and we hit MAJOR traffic!!! we took an hour detour through the desert and i got to see this awesome sky:

finally, we reached grandma and grandpa's house and Colin got to meet his cousins!!!

of course, we hit the beach most days, and these kids got to go crazy in the great weather with their bestest friends!!!

me and my baby:

Jason gave the kids a treat with some crack the whip, body board style! Charlie was a huge fan!

love these shots of Madeline:

we spent one day down at Balboa, the pier, Ruby's, fun zone, ferry. in a word: awesome!

Grandpa and his newest grandson, (newest grand daughter due in January ala Barrett and Autumn!)

we took some cousin photos in these cute outfits, photos forthcoming:

proud grandparents of 7 (going on 8)

in LOVE with this shot of Maddie in dad's VP hat!!!!! Daddy's little girl!

grandpa and his girls!!!

we had fun at the beach with friends:

went to Irvine park to ride the ponies:

grandma got the girls matching shirts and they had a blast looking so sweet!!!

all in all we had a blast! love and miss our family so much!!!

Colin - 2 months

2011-07-29T12:43:00.000-07:00

oh, how we're loving this baby boy! i can't believe he is already 2 months! he is starting to giggle all the time, and really loves to play with his sisters. he's sleeping so much better now, and therefore i am now sleeping better. i love this little photo session he did with daddy!

Colin, it is so funny having a baby boy in the house! even though you're only 2 months old, you are such a BOY. we love your happy cooing self and can't wait for all that life has in store!!!
love you, Mommy

bubba and his sailor suit

2011-07-25T14:37:00.000-07:00

i love the classics! classic literature, classic rock (okay not like the Eagles, but i'm sure the Cure is considered "classic" now right??) and most especially classic children's clothing. give me peter pan collars, smocking, puffed sleeves, patent mary janes, etc. and for the gentleman: a sailor suit. (on a side note, i have been frantically hunting down classic black and white saddle shoes, anyone have any leads for me? seems they stopped making them?) anyway, i've been told (by his daddy) that Colin has 2 years in which to dress this way, so i'm living it up!!!!

and his sissy's just keep on loving his mad style!

swimming

2011-07-21T12:42:00.000-07:00

have i mentioned how much we love having a pool. it's a dream come true for summertime activity!!!! it makes for some cute kiddie pics too!

Madeline is hilarious. she really needs some swimming lessons from an outside source. she won't take her floaties off for me and Jason. she's done it, she just won't. the other day she came to pay by me in a chaise and took off her floaties. then Anna jumped in the pool, and she jumped after her. before i could react, she had swam to the side and pulled herself out. she was frantically panting, "mom, i just drowned!" i said, "no, you just swam." but she refused to believe me!

the first cut is the deepest - Madeline

2011-07-17T12:40:00.000-07:00

i think it's a rite of passage or something. maybe it's more of a flexing of independence, but it seems many a child give cutting their own hair a whirl. Anna had her moment last year. and now, Maddie has followed suit. after months of complaining about her bangs, me pinning them back each day, she finally decided to take matters into her own hands. she chopped them right off. there you go - no bangs! problem solved!

they definitely stay out of her eyes now.

her first wedding dress

2011-07-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

when Grandma and Grandpa Beardsley were in town they took Anna on a birthday shopping spree. she chose to go to the Chandler Mall, after over an hour of perusing shops, she landed at the Disney store. this is where she made her birthday selection, Ariel's wedding dress:

she wanted to look just like Ariel, so i made her a veil. i wish i had a video of Jason's face when he came home and Anna ran up and said, "Dad, what do you think of my wedding dress?" he looked like he was going to throw up.

i think he's going to be like George Banks from father of the bride, when the time actually comes!!!!

Anna loses her 1st tooth!

2011-07-11T12:35:00.000-07:00

for some reason i thought milestones were supposed to be expected. a baby doesn't just stand up and walk one day, first she cruises on the furniture, tests out standing on her own....

i thought teeth felt loose for a while, the child wiggles it with her tongue, days pass, anxiously awaiting the big moment...not so much in this house. one minute Anna comes to me with an apple and says, "this apple is gross mom, it's got red stuff all over it." i'm nursing colin, i glance at the apple. it does have a reddish/brownish tinge. i say, "throw it away and get another.' she leaves.

2 minutes late i hear her in the bathroom, "mom, i think my tooth is gone." me, "what, come here!?!?!"

the tooth is in fact gone. and lost, we think she swallowed it, checked the trash, the floor, the apple, it's gone. i don't know why, but i felt a little robbed of the moment.

Anna didn't feel robbed tough. after leaving an explanatory note, the toothfairy still left her a dollar!

crazy az weather

2011-07-10T12:33:00.000-07:00

i know the recent haboob made national news, but around here we see crazy weather all summer long. while the kids were swimming, the sky to the east was ominous as i got the kids out of the pool.

and on our way back inside, the sky to the east was bright, clear and blue!

my baby at one month old

2011-07-03T12:26:00.000-07:00

we are loving our little man. why do the newborn months go by so fast, while the pregnancy months just move at a snail's pace! Colin is so big, i am stuffing him into all his 0-3 month outfits for one last go. i just had to take a photo of him in my favorite gown.

as you can see, our time with this gown is coming to an end. thanks Jill and Carrie!

i'm loving these baby blues. since we are an all brown eyed family, these little sparklers take us by surprise. i keep snapping pics of them because they may change at any moment.

son, you are a blessing. you are growing so big, always tracking us with your blue eyes, learning to smile and react to your sisters. we love you!

my beautiful baby!

2011-07-02T22:10:00.000-07:00

Now I am six,

I'm as clever as clever.

So I think I'll be six

now and forever.

- a.a.milne

happy birthday to Anna!!!!

2011-07-01T12:40:00.000-07:00

this little princess went to bed a 5 year old....and woke up to turn six with the most awesome swim party ever!!!! (mostly because we are all so excited to finally have a pool!)

Jason can not be more thrilled that the girls love playing toothpick as much as he does! the game was a party pleaser.

and of course, a pinata! who doesn't love smashing open a cardboard character and grabbing up as much candy as you can carry!!!!

Happy Birthday to Anna!!!!!

Dear Anna,

I can't believe you are six years old. The time has flown by. It seems like just yesterday you were a baby in my arms just like Colin! You are the best big sister any kid could have. You always look for ways to help and teach your sisters, and Colin loves coo and smile with you. You have the happiest personality and friendly smile. You make your dad and I so proud. Thank you for being a wonderful, darling daughter. We love you!

love, Mom

how we spend our summer days!

2011-06-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

our days are quite simple. enjoy some baby time:

and swim, swim, swim!!!!

more of Colin's 1st month

2011-06-25T17:42:00.000-07:00

Colin's turned into a bit of a screamer. this has interfered with many a plan thus far. 1) going to girl's camp, 2) getting that ever lovin' naked baby portrait. part of the problem is that though i'm a photographer, i am also a new mom and too exhausted to put up with his screams, just for a silly picture. i should have called in a second shooter. but i think i got some good clothed shots that i'll be happy with in exchange for my sanity.

i got a new basket to try, again i couldn't be bothered to take off his clothes, or to wait until the morning to get better lighting.

i love that he gave me some awake and some sleepy shots.

i even let the girls turn the camera on me. a bold move given my no make-up face, overweight body and huge exhausted bags under my eyes. but i think these are the only pics of me and my son since we left the hospital! (and i think cropping and photoshop did an okay job with these.)

awe, this post is so much more peaceful than my actual life right now. but since he is my fourth, i know it won't last forever. i'm still basking in the glow of a newborn, albeit a screaming one!

surfing safari

2011-06-14T10:07:00.000-07:00

this is how we spent our mornings. Jason wakes up at 5:50am to go out and work on our pool fence. the girls wake up at 6:00am, put on their suits, and go "help dad work on the pool fence."

Jason loves that the girls are digging their bodyboards!

meanwhile, at some point Colin wakes up to eat. Avery wakes up to eat. and by 8:30, everyone is back in while dad showers for work! this is working for me. i just hope we figure out a morning swim when dad finishes the fence!

monkey boy

2011-06-13T10:06:00.000-07:00

having a boy has introduced me to a new side of myself. apparently i have a monkey fetish. i love this little monkey in anything monkey. who would have thought?

little man goes to church!

2011-06-12T21:55:00.001-07:00

aunt Ali sent Colin some very, very adorable little italian knit outfits. she definitely "gets" mommy! i couldn't resist dressing him up and taking him to church in his sunday best. some people think i'm crazy to go to church so soon, but sometimes you just have to be normal, you know?

(don't know why blogger won't let this photo upload landscape style)

so wish colin would have let me take the binky out, but this boy knows what he wants and when he wants it. we do not interfere with his wishes!

hooray, a pool!!!!

2011-06-09T21:54:00.000-07:00

after 30+ hours of this:

and seriously, days upon days (ongoing) of this:

we (meaning the kids, since Jason is working all the time and i can't yet) are swimming!!!!!

it's okay to be a little jealous of your kids, right?

there's something about a sleeping baby!

2011-06-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

everyday is like a newborn portrait session at our house. i am absolutely obsessed with sleeping babies, especially my own! one of my shortcomings as a photographer, is narrowing down the best shots for my clients. i just love each and every micro expression on a baby. for instance, i know all these shots are basically the same, but i love each one for a very specific reason.

1) the pacifier in the background makes me smile because we always have it on hand,

2) these two different angles show me his male patterned baldness and cute little pout,

3) and this last shot is probably the "favorite" that will go on the wall, it's just a little bit of everything Colin, so peaceful and sweet.

i'm not the only mother completely obsessed with their baby's face right?

Colin's first week!

2011-06-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

Colin has been such a joy to have in our home. it's so fun having a newborn once again. some things are just like riding a bike, others are like getting hit by a truck....again....and not remembering. Colin reminds me so much of Anna. he loves the swing.

she, and her sisters are infatuated with him. Anna is particularly fond of choosing his outfits (and her own) with care.

we have been so lucky to have grandma and grandpa here all week. they are just as tired as we are. i asked Avery to go give grandpa a kiss for her nap, and came in to see her crashed out with him.

by week's end i think i got a nighttime rhythm down for feedings and such. but the first few days were pretty hard. i love these shots because one was from the first night, Jason is sleepily trying to soothe the boy while i change him. the next is the following morning, with Colin being sufficiently soothed by big sister. it's funny that they were in the exact same position.

Colin does not remind me of Anna in the car. he actually likes it! though she always slept like this in her seat too!

i am totally in love with this kid!

and i'm not alone, no one can keep their hands off him. we are all just taking turns holding him all day!

and clearly i can't keep my lens off him either. i'm aware that 100's of shots of a sleeping baby pretty much all look alike. but to me, each is a masterpiece!

loving my sweet baby boy!!!

welcome baby Colin - the story of how i spent my memorial day weekend.

2011-05-31T11:29:00.000-07:00

following the Murphy's law, labor began on Saturday after we had stocked up for our holiday weekend, hamburger patties, buns, a watermelon, etc. i felt contractions starting at about 11am, so of course I cleaned the house, took a shower, got dressed, went to Target, got a few last minute essentials, and generally freaked Jason out. by 4 or 5 the contractions started to be less than 5 minutes apart. now, i didn't feel ready to go to the hospital, but Avery came so quickly we were both afraid of having this baby at home. so we started getting the girls squared away. by 7 we were in triage, being told I may have to go home. lucky for me, the nurse was a mother of 4 and got my drift on why i thought i should stay. by 11 I was officially admitted, and after a rough "event" with the epidural, our SON was born at 1:56 am, Sunday, May 29th. he was just one day shy of his due date. (though the Dr. thinks he may have been a week or so over actually)

needless to say, we were SHOCKED to actually have a boy. of course we knew it was a possibility, it just didn't seem like it would really happen. everyone was excited to see how much he weighed because clearly he was a big boy. 9lbs, 10oz, 23.8 inches long! a whopper!

he had come too fast for me to get a full round of antibiotics before he was born, so he had to be in the nursery to get an iv for the first day. once i got him back, i couldn't take my eyes off him!

the girls were over the moon excited. i told my parents they could tell them what we had, but Jason said they were so excited he wanted to wait until they came to the hospital! they were over the moon. i know they would have been just as excited for a girl, but a BOY, we were all blown away.

our first family photo:

we were showered with family, gifts and flowers.

then came the naming process. by now we have realized that we have to spend time getting to know our infants before we can name them. so, we came to the table with basically nothing. that is except the fact that for over a year the girls have been talking about their baby brother "Colin". last march while we were on vacation, they literally drew hundreds of pictures of our family, including a baby boy named Colin. we thought nothing of it. we set out to think of some names, we even liked a few. but when it came down to it, we realized the girls had named this baby a long time ago. once we submitted to the obvious, it felt great.

Colin Beardsley Earl!

this baby is almost never put down on his own, he is held around the clock!

we adore you baby Colin, welcome to the family!!!

when we're helping we're happy - and rich!

2011-05-24T21:58:00.000-07:00

the girls have been learning about work and budgeting. they have required chores and then extras they can do to earn an allowance. Anna has been especially helpful lately logging as many extras as she can to fill her piggy bank:

Madeline hasn't been as consistently enthusiastic. only after we tally the week's payments does she jump to and try to get stuff done. it's so funny to see their different personalities develop.

helping dad murder innocent trees

2011-05-22T21:57:00.000-07:00

as part of our pool project, Jason has decided to cut down 4 trees in our back yard. it seems a little drastic, and he actually feels pretty bad about it. but the root systems were out of control, and apparently we've been wreaking havoc on our neighbors pool for 6 years. so, the trees had to go.

the girls have been super good about waking up bright and early to go out and help dad. this helps me get a little bit of extra sleep! hurray!

i love that they're out there in their jammies and flip flops.

where's Madeline you may ask? she's a later sleeper than the other girls, she'd also rather be snuggling in bed with me than working out in the yard. i want her to have a good work ethic, but this makes me smile.

Anna's first sewing project!

2011-05-18T11:52:00.000-07:00

Anna got a sewing machine for christmas from my parents. unfortunately, it only sews a chain stitch so if you aren't really careful, you can unravel the whole thing just taking it off the needle. so, frustrated by this, i just taught her how to use my machine.

she designed, appliqued and sewed this blanket for her dolls:

super proud of my little martha, and excited to work on more projects together!

new dress - the only photos i took on mother's day

2011-05-15T21:56:00.000-07:00

Anna wore her new dress on mother's day. she was all dressed and ready by the time i got up. necklace, flower and all!

she is getting so independent. it was really a wonderful day. daddy and the girls made me a delicious breakfast in bed, including a cheese omelet, fruit, yogurt and fresh cinnamon rolls. great church meetings, and fun dinner with family. all in all, a great day, i'm a lucky mommy!

nesting

2011-05-13T21:55:00.000-07:00

when we moved the big girls to a shared room, i asked Madeline if she wanted to keep her own duvet or pick something new that had more color, like Anna's. her reply, "i want it like Anna's.....didn't you make hers special?" gulp, why yes i did. so Maddie and I searched through my stash and put together her very own special quilt. i even has some left overs from Anna's, so there's some coordination there. i love the results.

also, recently my parents brought us some dressers from their house. i painted them (one for the fourth time in my life, that was funny.) and this little beauty landed in the girls' room. i love the pink knobs.

the girls a so happy to be sharing, and Avery can't wait to transition to her "big girl room." i just need to do some finishing touches in there, but i'm resting for now!

bored at mc donalds

2011-05-12T21:53:00.000-07:00

we had our tires changed today, which called for an extended stay at Walmart. since i'm not too keen on walking around lately, we opted to spend most of our time in McDonalds getting a treat. being bored, i whipped out the point and shoot for a little silly time!

this girl can get engrossed in anything on tv, seriously, it doesn't matter what's on she's like a zombie. when she was a baby, she would even stare at the security monitors in stores.

the girls love to do silly poses and then see themselves on the monitor.

after a bunch more of these, our car was finally ready. and i was ready for a nap!

girly girls!

2011-05-10T21:52:00.000-07:00

we had some family pictures taken tonight to commemorate the 4th belly. i think we got some great shots in studio, but i couldn't resist snapping these of the girls dancing around the house when we got home.

it'll be interesting to see who we get when this baby is born. another princess, twirling around in our lives. or a prince, not quite sure what he would do in this scenario!

tile!

2011-05-08T21:50:00.000-07:00

the humans are not the only ones around here excited about the pool! Nalu does her fair share of sniffing around the work site, inspecting the latest.

and the latest is: tile!

party!!!!

2011-05-05T21:00:00.000-07:00

the Honeybees had their end of season party today. coach Paul set up a bunch of fun games and treats. fun was had by all.

the girls were so excited to get their awards. Anna's certificate was for "great team spirit".

and Madeline received "phenomenal potential" and award for being the hardest working 4 year old on a team of girls turning 6!

and the most exciting part of course: the trophies!

great season girls!!!

pool update

2011-05-01T21:50:00.000-07:00

the back wall of our pool is built and ready for tiling.

i think Jason has a hard time going to work rather than hanging out watching and participating in construction. the girls love "helping" him.

we can't wait to be swimming this summer!!!

last game

2011-04-30T22:01:00.000-07:00

we have really enjoye this soccer season! it was so fun to have the girls both be on the same team, even though Maddie had to play up 2 levels. she kept up really well with the big girls and saw a lot of improvement in her game. Anna also improved, getting aggressive and scoring goals!

Avery had been the number one fan, and can't wait until she gets to play soccer too! hopefully this love of the game will inspire some potty training! you know, 'cause only girls who wear underwear can play soccer.

way to go Honeybees!!!

caribbean queen (i think i heard this song 1,000,000 times on this trip)

2011-04-26T21:59:00.000-07:00

so, because we are super lucky, we were able to take advantage of Jason's hard-working, prize-winning ways and go on a Caribbean cruise, even though we thought we'd given it up for good. thanks to my placenta moving to the right spot, and Jason's boss being super cool, we got to cruise 2 weeks late with the pacific north westerners and mid-Atlantic State Farmers. it was super lucky, since this was the very last week my Dr. would let me travel, and the last week SW would let me fly. (it was however way after the cruise line let's preggos fly, but we didn't know that 'til we were already on board, and they didn't kick us off. ignorance, really is BLISS.)

i traveled with my full camera bag, but left it in the safe the whole time. i opted to just bring our little point and shoot, and have myself a relaxing break from it all.

the first day was spent sailing the beautiful crystal Caribbean Sea. it was a little rockier than i had imagined, but lounging on deck with my sweetie hit the spot. then he sweetened the deal by treating me to a full body massage at the ship's spa! hello, possibly, the best...day...ever! and, the food on a cruise ship is as good as they say!!!

our first port was Grand Turk, of the Turks and Caicos. we weren't allowed to sign up for the excursions we wanted, because i wasn't allowed to snorkel. so, we went to the beach and swam out the reef and snorkeled on our own. soon, we were joined by our fellow shipmates who had taken a sailboat or catamaran to the exact same spot! take that rules! we had a blast, and i especially loved seeing so many Stingrays. the beach was beautiful, the weather amazing. i think in hindsight we would have enjoyed renting a car and seeing more of the island, but our day was fun and relaxing.

our next port was St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. again, knowing what I know now, i wish we rented a car. but we did everything we wanted to, I just think we could have done more on our own, rather than with a group. we spent the morning shopping in Charlotte Amalie, a beautiful little town just a few miles from port. i saw lots of baby stuff i liked, but was restrained by not knowing what we're having. Jason enjoyed rubbing this in. we also found some beautiful art, but again i loved all these pieces featuring girls, and didn't feel right buying something in case we have a son. i'm a little weird like that. i was also introduced to blue diamonds. they are so beautiful. i couldn't commit though, i like to shop around. but i'm definitely saving my pennies for a blue diamond creation someday.

next we went to Magen's Bay, one of the "top 10 beaches in the world." i'm sure this is true, but since it was Easter weekend, everyone and their brother was kickin' it at Magen's Bay, and i'm sorry, no matter how beautiful a beach may be the experience is just not fun when you are shoulder to shoulder on the sand and in the water. this is why a car would have come in handy. it was a lovely beach, but on our own we would have gone exploring instead.

this is a little taste of Charlotte Amalie, the storm doors are so cool. this was the only time i was wishing i broke that DSLR out of the safe:

next port, St. Maarten. guys what we did? rented a car! this was the longest day we had in any port so we had planned on a car. this was a great plan! it enabled us to explore the whole island and come and go as we pleased. we got a jeep too, which was so fun. we did a little circle tour first. stopping on this pristine little beach, Maho beach i think? it's so pretty and is right near the airport, there are warning signs that you can be blown over by landing planes and it's no joke! we watched a few land and it's really trippy to have them come so close. the right hand photo is one i tried to get of a plane going right over Jason. i just missed it. he got some great video though! we shopped a little in the french town of Marigot and got a fun tribal mask to add to our collection. later we circled back for some lunch, because i never turn my back on french cuisine! on the opposite side of the island, we basked and snorkeled some more at Dawn beach. the Westin has a resort there, and with good reason. the beach has beauty to spare and the water is amazing. it was luxury at it's finest.

that day i started to develop a nagging little toothache. annoying....

that night i couldn't even chew my dinner.....

the next day, a day at sea, i was in full blown tooth disaster mode!!!! there was nothing i could do but pound Tylenol, hold an ice pack on my face, and for some reason applying pressure to the tooth helped. oh, and pray i could make it another 4 days before seeing a dentist. isn't this a great vacation photo?

thankfully, 'round the clock tylenol dosing seemed to keep everything in check. though i was far from feeling good, i wasn't chasing after 3 kids, so that perspective helped me relax and enjoy the rest of my trip. our final port was in the Bahamas, a private cruise line owned island called, Half Moon Cay. it was my favorite beach day because i got to lay on my tummy for the first time in months! (and even out my very 1 sided tan) we rented mats and floated out in the clearest water i've ever seen. we didn't get to do much snorkeling though, the reef was a little too far for me. Jason didn't feel like lugging me back the 300 yds to shore, even though i swore i could make it! probably a safe call on his part.

the whole day Jason kept saying, the seagulls look so different than at home. since i am pretty much blind, i assured him they were regular seagulls. i was wrong, they are hyper color seagulls, so unbelievably white, with deep black beaks and bright red mouth, just beautiful against the pure blue sky! so picturesque!

we wanted to do some exploring in Florida. good thing we didn't. by an unfortunate accident we ended up taking the wrong piece of luggage. luckily, the owner of that luggage found us before we unwittingly checked her bag to Phoenix. and we had to cab it back to port to get our bag. a little hastle, but thankfully we had the time!

once the clock struck noon, i called my endodontist for an appointment asap! i promptly had a root canal upon my return home! it never felt so good to by numbed up before! i'm still recovering a little from that, but i feel sooooo much better.

the kids had a blast, as usual, with my parents. i think they were more sad to see my dad leave than they were happy to have us home. i'm not offended, i'm glad. i want them to want us to go on vacation!!!!!

Easter party!

2011-04-18T21:59:00.000-07:00

Anna's preschool group teamed up with another in the neighborhood to have an Easter egg hunt in the park! i was so glad, since we will be out of town for real Easter, and these will be my only festive pics of the girls.

my mobility is limited these days, okay i'll be honest, my motivation is limited these days. so, Avery was my easiest target for hunt photos!

Anna was so excited to find "the golden egg."

these girls spent plenty of time indulging in their loot! on the way home, Madeline asked, "mom, can i stop eating my candy, my tummy is hurting?"

i guess the plastics eggs didn't hold enough candy, 'cause there was a pinata as well.

Avery's 1st party!

2011-04-16T21:57:00.000-07:00

this week Avery attended her first ever birthday party. ( a fact she disputes with much enthusiasm, as she actually has attended her sister's parties.) she was so excited. her friend Amber dropped off the cutest invitation for a Tangled themed party, a tower with a blond yarn braid hanging down. Avery carried it around saying, "not for you Anna, not for you Maddie, just me!" she carefully chose a selection of goodies for a present, and delighted in helping me wrap them.

she surprised me by being a little timid once we got there. i think she assumed she and Amber would be the only girls there. but it was a pretty big group. (Amber's mom is a very ambitious lady.) i sat with her to do a few crafts, hair bows, a pet chameleon, a necklace, a lantern, it was a lot of fun. then, she was ready for me to go. by the time i came to get her, of course she did not want to leave! what a fun party!!!

A POOL!!!!

2011-04-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

for the past 6 years, this has been our pool. a large area of rock we set aside to "have a pool someday." at first, someday was supposed to be just around the corner. then, of course, life got in the way and "someday" began to feel like a pipe dream that would never be realized. well today, that dream got one step closer to a reality!!!!

this was the scene today as bobcats and eathmovers worked their magic in our yard. the girls (and at one time, most the neighborhood) had their noses pressed up against the glass watching the action!

by nightfall, we had a gaping, pool shaped hole where the rocks once were.

and mounds of fun dirt to slide down the following day!

she may not know the full extent of what is going on back there. but Nalu will be one excited dog when that pool is finished!

more rain!

2011-04-08T20:52:00.000-07:00

we just get so excited about the rain around here!

i can't resist the photo op!

not a vacation!

2011-04-06T20:49:00.000-07:00

each year Jason has an opportunity to earn a week long trip to an exotic locale. this year, he won a Caribbean cruise! we were so excited. it would be a much needed baby moon, to relax and prepare for the next crazy stage of our life. unfortunately, due to a prenatal issue, we had to cancel our trip. i was mildly (okay, super) annoyed, because the problem would most likely clear up before our trip. and in fact that's what happened. i had a dr. appt. on tuesday and everything was fine. but instead of flying to florida on wednesday, we stayed home. bummer.

but then in the middle of the night, this girl woke up with a raging fever. the week that followed was full of pediatrician appointments, urinalysis, throat cultures and blood tests, due to this rash:

luckily, it turned out our little angel just had a virus plus a penicillin allergy. so once that was determined the rash cleared up and she started to feel better. all's well that ends well.

on top of that, Jason's boss pulled some strings and got us on another trip! so we got to take care of our little munchkin and we'll be Caribbean bound in 2 weeks!

who are we defeating today?

2011-03-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

each game day, Anna wakes with the sparkle of competition in her eye, "who are we defeating today?" she asks. a funny question since we don't keep score and even if we did, the defeating has been done almost exclusively by our competitors. but it's the enthusiasm that counts right?

incidentally, if we were keeping score today we really would have defeated the lasers, with special thanks to Anna and her 2 goals!!!!

GO HONEYBEES!!!

rain, rain!

2011-03-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

we had a little weather this weekend. soccer was cancelled, but these girls still had a blast. they put on they're seldom used rain boots and jumped around in the puddles!

cowgirl camp!!!

2011-03-17T20:44:00.000-07:00

while i was at youth conference this weekend, Jason had a daddy-daughter date with the girls. Anna decided they would have"cowgirl camp." i came home to a s'mores party by the fire, and a tent set up in the back yard. these little cowgirls were having a blast:

after the s'mores, we put the girls to bed and had a little cozy fire time. Avery started calling about 10pm, she did not want to sleep in the tent. so, i agreed to make the sacrifice to sleep inside in my own bed, while Jason got to party it up at cowgirl camp all night!

dancing time!

2011-03-09T20:43:00.000-08:00

i had an sd card go bad, and misplaced another. so far, haven't noticed anything crucial missing. i'm pretty good about backing up files right away. however, i'm not sure if i had photos of the girls' dance recital or just video? at any rate, here are some photos of the dance class they did in the fall, and a video (okay, maybe someday the video will upload) of their latest recital:

Maddie graduates!!!!!

2011-03-03T17:35:00.000-08:00

this pregnancy has been doing a number on my brain and body. i can't remember anything and most days i really wish i could stay in bed and ignore all my various responsibilities. (luckily i feel much better once i just bite the bullet and get up!) anyway, due to this condition, i have chosen to bring only the camcorder to several of our family events over the last couple of months. one of those was Madeline's "graduation" from Apples to Zebras. when i went to get those images off the camera, i realized i had only taken photos with this when she "graduated" the first time back in November. that event never even hit the blog! seeing this photo reminded me a little bit of why: (notice the crutches in the left corner)

"oh yeah," i thought, "that was kind of hard too!" anyway, enough about me. Madeline enjoyed her first turn as a big preschool girl this year. she had her big program, singing, reciting poetry, showing us all she learned all term. she knows it all, but does not relish the spotlight. her expression is priceless as she methodically goes through the carefully memorized verses. no smile, no gleam of recognition of the audience. just a chin up, let's get this over with, performance. and that's one way to get things done!

and again in March. this time all grandmas and grandpas were there, so she gave a little wave upon seeing us in the crowd. other than that, it was all business as she sang about zoo animals, springtime, and flowers!

the big school girl decided to take a hiatus for the rest of the year, she prefers the "joy school" we have at home for Anna. so, i think we'll stick to that format next year too!

Madeline's Birthday weekend!

2011-02-27T08:01:00.000-08:00

friday: Madeline and 9 of her closest friends had a blast at Peter Piper Pizza!

rides, games, build your own pizza, presents, cake! i think this party was a success!

Saturday: game day. grandmas and grandpas were there to cheer on the Honeybees!

Maddie started the game with a big kickoff!

the half time snack is her favorite part of the game, well a tie with end of game snack!

Anna is really starting to get the hang of the game.

Avery, the Honeybee's biggest cheerleader!

Sunday: Madeline's actual 4th birthday! we had the whole family over for dinner, presents, and...

cupcakes!!!!

happy birthday to my sweet Maddie Joy! you are such a lovely girl inside and out. your best friends are your sisters, and you spend your days in a blissful world of princess themed make-believe. your dad and i love how you snuggle with us every morning, even though the other girls would rather hit the ground playing! your kisses are endless, and you have made me a happy mommy with the promise that although your birthdays will come each year without fail, you will always be my baby! i love you more than i can say. you are the best 4 year old in the whole world!
love, mommy

go Honeybees!!!!

2011-02-18T08:00:00.000-08:00

spring soccer season is upon us, and in the interest of my sanity, I put the girls on the same team. the Honeybees! our first game was cancelled due to weather, but we were still ready so I snapped a few shots of these fierce athletes!

happy valentine's day!!!

2011-02-14T07:57:00.000-08:00

fieldtrip to the zoo!

2011-02-03T07:56:00.000-08:00

Madeline had her first fieldtrip with school! we went to the zoo on a very cold morning. we actually had to wear our snow clothes!

i'm so glad i got the zoo pass this year. we've gotten a lot of use out of it already!

Austy and Holly's wedding!!!!!

2011-01-15T07:53:00.000-08:00

after 11 fun years getting to know each other, our dear uncle Austy and his beautiful girlfriend Holly finally tied the knot!

obviously, our family was overjoyed! we had an awesome time getting together with family, celebrating with a beautiful family.....

and of course goosing each other!

hanging out with old pals...

seems like only yesterday these two were walking down the aisle...okay, 4 months!

our sweet little flower girls have been working overtime for the past year and a half. they are old pros by now.

then we partied!!!

the club setting and lighting in the reception site was fun to play with!

so were the Shirley Temples!

this girl partied like a tiny rock star until she finally passed out, kinda like a rock star actually!

congratulations to uncle Austy and aunt Holly!!!!

getting ready for the wedding!

2011-01-13T07:52:00.000-08:00

sponge rollers are the way to go when you have 3 flower girls in a wedding that you are in, and their father will be getting them ready!

the cousin show

2011-01-13T01:10:00.000-08:00

beardsley cousins are so wonderful! they play great together, so when things are a little crazy, during say....wedding prep, they can entertain themselves very well. in the middle of such family wedding prep, i glanced out the window to see this:

girls on stage, boy conducting the show:

he was a consummate professional. great rhythm and timing, gentle instruction to his performers, and great song choices + choreography. i love these kids!

Disneyland!!!

2011-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

i've always had a fantasy where i surprise the kids with a trip to Disneyland. in the fantasy, they erupt into squeals of excitement and laud me as a hero. it's a memory they cherish for the rest of their natural lives. this week i had the opportunity to make the fantasy a reality. unfortunately for me, the reaction was not what i anticipated. instead of screams of joy, i was met with screams of terror and crying. this was perplexing. not what i expected....at all....

it seems i traumatized these guys by making them go into Sleeping Beauty's Castle. it frightened them, and somehow this was the only memory of Disneyland they had.

after a quick review of the other fun things to do there, and a promise to avoid the castle, they were on board. it was a magical day, full of fun rides, magical encounters with favorite characters, and many rides on the carousels.

Avery was in heaven visiting with her favorite Rapunzel! and the princess didn't disappoint, giving the kids lots of special attention and loves.

Madeline got the special treat of meeting her idol, Cinderella. we saw her a few other times walking around and she would wave and say, "hi Maddie." that is one cool princess!

i thought we had lucked out and seen every girls' favorite princess. up until now, i thought Ariel was Anna's favorite, but no, it's Aurora. maybe next time.

we ended the day as we began it, on the merry go round. Maddie assumed the position of wonder.

great day to share with Aunt LoLo and KiKi, and Leila and Jude. we love our family!!!

baby Charlie!

2011-01-10T07:48:00.000-08:00

oh my, this little man is already 5 months old! he is a good little baby, always pretty mellow. we laughed that he looks like a baby with a man's face or expression. by the end of the week Madeline had dubbed him "Mr. Baby" perfect! the girls were in love with their newest cousin.

all is quiet, on new year's day....

2011-01-01T18:45:00.000-08:00

it's been pretty cold lately. which brought snow to the mountains and this white stuff to our grass:

a nice little blanket of frost greeted us this morning, and it was so exciting for the girls we had to get all bundled up and head outside to check it out.

warm jammies, one slipper, one of dad's flip flops. priceless.

Christmas Day is here again!!!!

2010-12-25T18:17:00.000-08:00

'twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house everyone was stirring because it was the annual Beardsley family Christmas Eve party, and we all knew our cousins and Santa would be there!!!

Chrismas was full of family, fun and treats. as usual, the girls were spoiled by aunt Tashy!

Santa also knew just what each girl wanted. a new baby, and baby bed, highchair, car seat, stroller, etc. for Avery!

blue stuff for Madeline. oh, and a new bike and scooter. plus, uncle Ian brought the Aquabats pilot. what more could you want!

and a very special little lady, for a very special little lady!

we had a great time in California, but missed Barrett and Corbynn! we can't wait for uncle Austy's wedding when we can really party down for a whole week!!!!

party time!

2010-12-22T17:10:00.000-08:00

we had a fun time at our ward party, where the girls we able to meet santa and give him their Christmas lists personally!

later that night they got to go to my uncle Jack's house and guess who showed up? that's right, the big guys himself! this time, he gave the girls a present off their list! talk about an exciting day!!!

even i got to tell Santa my wish list! he told me he sould see i'd been both nice and a little naught (; it's true, he really see you when you're wleeping and knows when you're awake!

temple lights

2010-12-22T17:01:00.000-08:00

we braved the cold and headed out to the Mesa Temple to see the Christmas lights. the girls were enthralled wtih the beautiful lights. and we were serenaded with beautiful carols as we strolled.

Avery was there too, she spent her time mostly in the stroller, otherwise engaged!

thank you Grandma!

2010-12-20T15:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas came early for these girls, thanks to grandma. i don't know how Santa can top all three girls getting thier favorite pillow pets!!!!

sleeping beauty

2010-12-19T14:47:00.000-08:00

coming up the stairs i see Madeline's light is still on. i open the door and see this:

a familiar scene with a twist. that's right, a little late night, covert reading under the bed.

she was out like a light. i had to drag her out from under there and lug back to bed. she didn't so much as flinch. then in the morning, i asked if she remembered being under there. she said, "yeah, that's where i read at night." i asked, "why under your bed." the reply, "the light hurts my eyes." my suggestion would be skip the late night reading and rest those precious peepers!

one tough little girl

2010-12-10T12:08:00.000-08:00

Avery's been a little under the weather lately, waking nights, runny nose, crying, so i decided to take her in to the doctor before our holiday got into full swing. the good news was: nothing was wrong. bad news: she was behind in her immunizations. poor thing got 6 shots to catch up! she didn't even cry until the last one, and it was really more of a whimper. like, "are you kidding me, when is it over!" when it was done, she happily received 2 stiickers! she's one tough baby.

(now before i get any more advice on how i could have split up the visits, given her 2 or 3 at a time.....i'm aware, i made the choice to do it at once. she was already behind a year, i needed to catch up!)

our first Christmas card of the season

2010-12-08T11:14:00.001-08:00

so, i am a little bit indecisive when it comes to Christmas card designs. i always think everything is just so cute, and could spend hours in Photoshop designing. this year, i could not pass up the 5 free deal at Shutterfly. we'll have at least 3 designs going out this year! if you want to get 5 free, hurry, the deal ends today! and photobooks are 20% off!!!!! (if you want to see designs i'm offering, head on over to http://www.britainearlblog.com/)

Keep Believing Christmas Card

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View the entire collection of cards.

we tried sponge rollers!

2010-11-21T20:47:00.000-08:00

8am church leaves me a little pressed for time in the morning, so i tried this age old method.

here are the results:

i think this is worth doing again! mostly because the girls had so much fun with it, i wasn't expecting that.

field trip: the zoo!

2010-11-19T20:46:00.000-08:00

i love the zoo! i also love taking my kids. something about the animals is magical.

this was cracking me up. the baboons were a big attraction for the kids. they were in awe of their "pink bottoms". when i spotted Madeline and this guy staring longingly at each other it just melted my heart. Maddie is such a little softy, she really loves with her whole heart.

i hope they don't ever consider trying this with a real komodo dragon!

it's great that the phoenix zoo has all these little play areas. the kids come home nice and sleepy!

and of course, the petting zoo. Madeline is in heaven getting up close and personal with the goats.

this was Avery's first time really being able to get into it. it was fun watching her mimic Anna and Maddie. she is their constant shadow, learning the ways of the world through their behavior. good thing their behavior is so good!

glamour girl

2010-11-15T20:32:00.000-08:00

Avery loves shoes! ever since she could say the word, she has woken up crying, "shoes!" she won't stay in her pajamas for a second because she wants to get dressed and put on shoes. so of course she loves to play with my shoes!

she also likes to see the photos that i take, right after i click the shuttter she says, "me see." when i showed her the above shots she said, "no me." so i took a pic of her face to appease her. but seriously, who could resist taking a picture of this face:

Madeline wanted in on the action too!

let the good times roll

2010-11-13T20:20:00.000-08:00

Jason has been sleeping in the guest room since his accident. (it's win-win, he doesn't have to do stairs, and i don't have to lose sleep worries i'm going to kick him in the leg.) so, each morning, the girls wake up and come snuggle with me for a little while. then they say, "okay, time to snuggle with daddy." then they go have a little mini party. this morning, when Avery and i woke up, we found this:

the funny part is, he suggested this because he didn't want the girls making a mess with stickers elsewhere. that is just so Jason!

field trip!

2010-11-12T20:19:00.000-08:00

Andrea planned a fun field trip for preschool. we got to go to Bashas grocery store. we got to see pizza made in a real brick oven!

go into the back of a truck making a delivery,

and completely devour a plate of grapes after a tour of the produce section. this was slightly mortifying for me as a parent, to watch my children shed their manner to shove fistfuls of grapes in their mouths. but in the end, it was just hilarious.

staycation 2010

2010-11-04T20:19:00.000-07:00

Daddy had a conference at the Fort McDowell Raddisson! this gave me a great reason to stop complaining about the hot weather. the girls and i got to hang out by the pool for 2 days. i may have had to give up a nights sleep to cuddle with an unruly 2 year old, but it was totally worth it!

brought to you by the letter K

2010-11-03T20:18:00.000-07:00

for preschool this week we studied the letter "k". i tend to not get too creative with the snacks, but today i had an idea: bite pretzels into Ks......or Os.....or I...who knew there were so many options!

though it's november, this scarf Madeline is wearing really isn't necessary in our 90 degree weather. the tank tope however is totally necessary.

halloween.....part III....oh yeah, we know how to party!!!

2010-10-30T20:10:00.000-07:00

for this round of our halloween extravaganza we had a neighborhood party. our neighbor michele planned a doozy, compete with bounce house, carnival games and cotton candy machine!

Madeline and Parker, BFF.

the cotton candy machine was a hit. i was sad not to be able to eat any. my favorite foods have not been appetizing to me lately:(

Avery had a little bit of a sugar overload, she was DONE by the end of the party.

Anna found a good balance between candy and the 3 apples she got while bobbing for apples. Happy Halloween!

halloween...part II

2010-10-29T19:46:00.000-07:00

Maddie and Anna both had their preschool parties on Friday. so, i took Maddie and Avery to Apples to Zebras, and Anna went to her party. it was no surprise that madeline wanted to be Cinderella for Halloween. this is hands down her favorite princess. i offered to make her a costume, but she opted for the "authentic" Disney costume from Costco complete with crown jewels and wand.

i was kind of surprised that Anna chose to be a southern belle. we watched some Gone with the Wind, and she wanted to be "the girl who all the boys wanted to marry." i thought i'd try the green and white dress from the bbq, but she wanted pink of course.

the little girls were so cute at the party, playing all the games and getting candy. Avery will be READY when she's a big preschool girl.

later that night, we carved pumpkins. Daddy surprised me by being pretty capable despite his condition. it was a fun day!

Jason goes to work

2010-10-28T19:35:00.000-07:00

for the past few days Jason has been going to the office for a few hours at a time. this is what his leg does after sitting up for 3 hours!

halloween. part I

2010-10-27T19:26:00.000-07:00

when the girls came back from California, they were invited to grandma and grandpa Earls' trunk or treat. i've learned in years past that they get really dirty at these, so we opted to other costumes to save the real thing for the real halloween. i opened the halloween box and let their imaginations soar.

Anna transformed herself into a "dead ghost."

Madeline took a dracula cape and witches hat to become "the scariest, nicest witch ever."

Avery rocked our well worn butterfly costume. fun was of course had by all.