November's Nonsense

Wanna know what random things happened in November? Read on...

{...A BIRTHDAY...}

I had a birthday. It was a very low-key birthday, but it was a good one. Eric surprised me with a game. There's been a game around for awhile called Munchkin and it's one Eric and I both like and even a few of the kids like it. Well, recently they came out with a Nightmare Before Christmas version and that's what I got!

SOURCE

The kids made dinner for me and then we played my game. Eric, Tanis and Shaylyn so very politely let me win. Okay the truth is Eric was super close, but I managed to pull it off in the end thanks to some cards Tanis had to throw away.

I had some very giving relatives that gave me money for my birthday. I used some of that money at The Wood Connection to buy me some crafty crap. 

If you want more info on why I chose to do these two crafts, you can read about the turkey here and the rules sign here.

{...THANKSGIVING...}

Of course we celebrated Thanksgiving. My neice had a birthday party the night before and so we just opted to stay at Eric's mom's house for the weekend. So on Thanksgiving morning, I was able to help her prepare Thanksgiving dinner and the older kids helped set the table. 

We had a good meal with one of the smallest crowds we have had in years. Around 6 we headed back over to my mom's house. Eric played a few games with my dad, little brother and my brothers in law. They had a great time. I spent a majority of the night in the same position holding a sleeping 2 year old. That was no easy task with a baby belly in the way. 

My mom, brother Donovan and little sister (who was in my same position with a 3 year old and no baby belly) played a game as well. I'm proud to say that Donovan and I whooped my mom and sister's butts.

Before the little boys fell asleep, my little sister planned a little craft that we did. The kids made little turkey headbands with the feathers saying what they were thankful for. My cute 3 year old nephew just randomly named a few people in the room - I was surprisingly one of his favorite people that day. Woot!

Tanis, Nate, Ailey and Jace all made one. Shaylyn and Lex were too busy playing with cousins they don't see very often and when Shaylyn did see the craft, she and a couple other cousins opted to make Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle masks out of them. Go fig.

I was so excited to see that one of my niece's was dressed similarly to Ailey. Thankfully it was her 'twin' and they had so much fun together.

{...AN ANNIVERSARY...}

Eric and I got married 17 years ago on November 27th. We decided to have a very low key anniversary this year in an effort to have a bit more money at Christmas. This was a very good idea as we spent most of the anniversary in the car. 

Having spent the night at Eric's mom's we spent the morning getting things cleaned up and put back together. We left shortly after lunch and do to many unexpected circumstances we needed to take my nephew back home. He slept over at my mom's and his mom really wasn't thrilled at the idea of driving all the way back to my mom's to get him. (She also live an hour plus away from our mom) 

Because we were literally in the neighborhood, we offered to get him and meet up with her. Well, my little sister played a Speedy Gonzales and got to our meeting spot about a half hour before we would get there. So we changed the meet up place and then we changed it again. We eventually got her son back to her, but then we had the 20 minute trip back home. 

We got home and unloaded the car (somehow we always end up with tons of stuff after being with Eric's mom) and I then made myself presentable. We decided to go to Olive Garden as we hadn't been there in a long time. We got lucky and found a good parking spot and there was literally NO WAIT on a FRIDAY night! Thank you Thanksgiving and Black Friday shoppers! Sadly, we had a miserable experience. I ordered a drink that didn't taste the way I thought it should. The salad had a very miniscule amount of dressing on it and neither of our orders were anything to rave about. But we were fed and that was good enough.

We then ended up at Target. I needed a few things and also had a gift card from my birthday to spend. After wandering the store for probably an hour or so, we checked out. We then headed to the game store where Eric 'works' to pick something up. While there he was trying to decide if he should use his birthday money for a huge piece for one of his games. He debated for probably a half hour but then gave in. 

So yes, very low-key, but we spent the day with each other and that was all that really mattered to me. It's good to know we can still enjoy each other's company while doing the simplest of things and a good reminder that we make sacrifices for each other on a daily basis. Shopping isn't Eric's favorite thing to do, especially when there's no plan. I don't particularly enjoy standing around while someone makes a decision either, but these are the kinds of things we find ourselves doing a lot.

{...ERIC'S BIRTHDAY...}

Eric's birthday may has well never have come at all. I didn't do anything for him to acknowledge it in any way and I still feel guilty. He asked for one thing from me: devilled eggs. I told him I could do it after I dropped Shaylyn off at dance. I went to the store and grabbed what I needed, including a package of carmels for him. I got home and realized I only had 2 eggs and I was at the store. Failed yet again and I still have yet to make those eggs for him. His only saving grace, I suppose was that I gave him the freedom to play a new video game all day. So maybe he was happy.

I spent the night of his birthday getting a few things done on the computer, but Jace needed some love. So I did what I needed to on the computer left handed, which I'm not and held Jace with my right hand. And as soon as I turned the camera on my phone on, he was a happy camper.

And that, my friends winds up the month of November. It went by eerily fast!

What Happens Next...

October's Oddness

Now we'll take a look at the random happenings from October. There are a lot. October was pretty much chock full of random...

{...DADDY'S SOCKS...}

Jacen is a Daddy's boy in so many ways, but one way I've never seen in any kid I know - is a love for socks. Even if they are Daddy's and 20 sizes too big!

{...JUST BECAUSE IT'S FALL...}

I love surprises, even if they are in the form of flowers, so this special delivery was super exciting to me. Eric knows me so well.

{...JACK'S JACK O' LATERNS...}

Eric and I were called to teach the 10-11 year olds in Primary awhile ago and one of the boys in our class is named Jack. He stopped by one night and had this plate of cookies for us. He (his mom) had perfect timing as I was craving something sweet and these sugar cookies hit the spot. I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed at how different sugar cookies can taste depending on the recipe. I may have eaten all 3 cookies (not in the same night) and didn't leave any for Eric - but I was doing him a favor as he doesn't much care for sweets anyway.

{...HUNGRY, HUNGRY HIPPOS...}

Nate got Hungry, Hungry Hippos last Christmas from my brother. We had it put up in a closet and he never asked to play it much. Recently though, it made it's way down and it's been being used quite often. I was super surprised to see every age group in my house playing this game together. After Nate and Ailey had been playing for quite some time, Jace jumped in. Lex, Shaylyn and Tanis thought it'd be fun to play with him. I just sat in amazement that something so simple could entertain a toddler and teenagers. I was thankful for such a game one time in my life.

{...SUNDAY AFTERNOON ANTICS...}

We spent a lot of Sunday afternoons visiting with Eric's mom. The kids spent a lot of time messing around. One such Sunday gave us some good laughs. Jace had went into the play room and came out with a bucket on his head and one in his hand. He kept them on for a good 5 minutes or so and laughed right ablong with us.

This same Sunday, Eric mom's best friend, Kathy was also visiting. Kathy was kind of like a 2nd mom to Eric and his brothers when they were growing up and has since become something of a 2nd Grandma to the kids. Nate and Ailey especially like having her around. Ailey was playing a game on the Kindle and somehow convinced Kathy to sit down and play with her.

{...STUDENT OF THE WEEK...}

Shaylyn's never been a 'bad' student, but about 5th or 6th grade she got in the bad habit of not turning in her homework. It didn't matter too much in elementary school, but when she hit middle school, it did affect her grades a little bit. She still managed A's and B's because she does well on tests, but those B's could've been A's had she put forth a little more effort. For some reason we've seen a shift this year and she is on top of her homework and turning it in. So much so that her History teacher nominated her as Student of the Week. I was thrilled to see the award, I think she was just more thrilled for the free milkshake.

{...THINK ABOUT WHAT?!?!?!...}

Ailey was being a bit naughty one night and we sent her to her room to 'think about what she did'. Apparently Jace followed her into her room and instead of taking the time to think about her actions, she took the time to play artist....on her brother. Thank goodness for washable markers.

And that's another glimpse of the randomness that is our life in the Hardy household. It's never boring in these four walls.

What Happens Next...

September Shenanigans

Most of September was just a bunch of random happenings. We have months like that, and it's perfectly okay with me.

{...FASHION SENSE...}

Eric's mom was at Costco one day before we had gone school shopping and saw a cute outfit that she just had to get Ailey. So when I actually had Ailey wear it I had to take a picture. This outfit also came with a grey jacket thing with yellow flowers on it, but it was way too hot this day to put it on as well.

{...JUST DANCE...}

We were watching one of Ailey's best friends while his mom was at the dr. These two decided to play Just Dance and it was hilarious to watch. The song they chose has got to be one of the most difficult dances on the game, but it's also one of the most fun ones. (Sorry for Shaylyn's chatter during the video - she must not have realized I was recording)

{...REPLACEMENT...}

I happened to notice one day that the freezer wasn't freezing things anymore. I mentioned it to Eric as it had happened before and he was able to fix it. When he got home from work he went about trying to fix it the same way, but decided it was a lost cause. 

We took a trip to Best Buy as that was the best payment plan we could find and took a look at what they had. We made our choice, but it was goint to take a week and half to be delivered. That was a crazy long time to go without refrigeration, but we managed using coolers and a lot of boxed and canned foods.

It was almost like Christmas Day for me when my new fridge arrived.

{...Out with the old...}

{...In with the new...}

{...LITTLE DANCING FEET...}

I finally got around to getting Ailey into a dance class. I chose to go with a tumbling, tap and ballet combo class as she's never had any dance before. I thought for sure she'd be all eager to go, but she wasn't nearly as thrilled as she'd led me to believe she'd be whenever she talked about dancing before. Either way, we got her to go and she actually did enjoy herself.

{...CUTE KIDS...}

Jace loves being outside and when he figured out he could play in the backyard, he spent a lot of time there. One day I decided to go sit out there while he played. Ailey joined in a little later and these two just looked so cute that I started taking some pictures. I was super happy with some moments I just happened across.

{...He was giving kisses...}

{...MAKE ROOM DADDY...}

For the most part, Jace and Ailey get along really well. However, they are also both prone to jealousy when mom or dad is holding one and not the other. This almost happened one night with Daddy, but thankfully Daddy has long arms and long legs. The perfect amount of space for 2 little bodies.

{...SILLY DOG...}

There are moments as owners of dogs that make you laugh out loud. This was one such sight. I don't know why our dogs are so attached to soft things...

(...JUST CHILLIN'...}

My older sister sent my little sister and I a text one day with a photo of her daughter in the dryer and with the caption, "I have to get this one out of the dryer." 

My little sister responded with a photo of her 2 year old literally hanging on the bar in the car like a monkey while waiting to get his sister from Kindergarten. She replied with "Haha! Do you need us to buy some towels so you don't have to dry her? Then we have monkey boy over here..."

I quickly snapped this photo of Jace and said, "Don't know why you two are having issues, mine is being an angel."

{...2 YEAR OLD TWINS...}

So I was watching my friends boys again while she had a dr. appt. Jace and her kid are only 4 months apart or so and it gives me a pretty good idea of what having 2 year old twin boys would be like. I'm grateful the Lord never blessed me with twins. I might really be crazy. These two monkeys were having the funnest time peeking through the blinds at absolutely nothing...They are fun, but a lot of work.

What Happens Next...

The Sooner State: Day Four

Sunday was a bit of a slow day. Eric's mom had told me that Grandma and Grandpa had church at 9:00 and I didn't think there was anyway we could get 13 people ready in time with only one bathroom - even if people showered the night before. I was willing to try, but Eric didn't think it was even worth the shot. The next morning we discovered that church really wasn't until 11 and we would've had time to get there.

Instead we spent the day (quite literally) playing games. In the interims we had people shower and bathe. The last person was ready for the day at like 1:00 in the afternoon. I don't know how I grew up in a house with 9 people and 1 bathroom....

After dinner and as the afternoon/evening games began, Greg's dog, Charity decided she needed in on the action...

She soon decided playing with Jace was a more fruitful way to spend her evening.

I have a great live-in babysitter. I'm glad that my little guy loves his big brother so much.

Then we played a game that even Eric's grandma could play. She didn't really understand the theme of the game, but because it only requires rolling dice, she could figure it out. It was fun to watch her play.

We then tried Dominoes cause it was also a game Grandma could manage. Jace also thought he should play...

{...The 'Rule Nazi' searching the interwebs for the 'real rules'...}

Then it was decided that game time had run it's course and Jace was all set to go with some cars. I can't believe how much this kid enjoys cars...and crashing them.

We really had a fun day being together and playing games.

What Happens Next...