the one before the big one.

Hold on to your chairs, people. This is going to be the coolest thing you've seen in a long time. There's this lady that makes the most gorgeous fabric flowers I've ever seen, and she's probably the best stylist I've ever seen, too. I promise you, you're going to flip out...in your head.

I love this last picture the most. I want that to be my look for fall and I want to wear it every day. Plus, I think a nice olive blazer would hide beef dinner/peaches/peas baby food spit-up stains like a champ. Except I would start crying if spit-up got on my pretty new flower...

Next month is the host to the best day of the year, in my head...

my birthday! and one of these flowers is at the tip top of the list.

Keep your eyes out for the next post (200!) for an announcement, more birthday wish-listing, cute memory lane pictures, and a surprise treat!

a little premature.

So I'm almost to my 200th post, which I think is a big deal because I'm not really one to stick with things once I've started them. Like at all. For example, today I took the seats off of our dining chairs to recover them, and I'm not sure exactly when I'll get around to the recovering and putting back together. But I got the undoing done, and that's progress!

Anywho, I had this big exciting post planned for the 200th post, but when I was looking back at the list of posts, I had a few drafts that I never finished, and when I deleted them then I was a bit premature in my 200th celebration. Dang.

One of the posts I never finished was about how the Arnett Family needs to have a family reunion where the entire purpose of the reunion is to put on the musical "The Music Man". Seriously, it would be so awesome. Not to brag, or anything, but I come from such a talented family that we could totally pull off something that ambitious in a 4 day weekend. Choreography, costumes, and everything. Our only downfall may be that we've got a lot of chiefs and not enough indians in our large family. But that can be worked through. Anyways, it was a rad post where I chose my picks for the cast (like I would be in charge of that at all. Ha! I'm definitely an indian in the Arnett Family. In some circles I'm a chief, but there are way chiefier chiefs in my family, and I'm happy to be an indian.)

Do any Arnetts read this?

If you do, here are a few casting teasers...

Harold Hill - Greg Arnett

Marian - Emily Moffat

Zenita - Megan Clifford

Mayor Shin - Roc Arnett

Mrs. Shin - oh, that's a tough one. It could be any of the sistahs, but I'm going with Peg.

the lady that plays the organ - Glenna

the sha-poopie guy - Max

Amaryllis - Lynne's Chandler

choreographers - Lynne Wolfe and Madison Jackson

Music director - Rob (big duh)

Costume director - Sally (I'd like to be on her team, oh and my mom needs to be one of the pick a little talk a little ladies, too. All the aunts do. That number would be memorable, believe me.)

edited to add:

after talking to my mom, who is pretending to be not totally excited about my idea (although it's clear she really is...) we came up with some more ideas

Tommy Geeliss (no idea how to spell that one, could look it up, but, meh...) - Joe

Widow Peru (also wrong spelling, but you know who I'm talking about) - Joy

the School Board Quartet - William, Brent, John, ?

oh, and while talking to my mom, she was completely cracking me up. I would suggest someone for a part and she would be like, "no, he's too old" or "no, she's too tall" and then when she realized that I had Glenna for the organ lady and Max for the sha-poopie guy, she was like, "uh, but they're like boyfriend/girlfriend, too. That won't work" Killed me. I kept having to remind her that this is just a goof. Uncle Max and Aunt Glenna (brother and sister to each other) aren't really together, it's just pretend for a musical. The thing is, my mom is a musical theatre pro, and I think she's having a hard time with the idea that this is just for fun and that it won't be Broadway ready in a reunion weekend. Love it.

Come on, wouldn't that be amazing?

Well, now I'm only 2 posts away from the big 200th celebration!

bathtime beauties.

Here are some fun pictures of bathtime while at Grandma and Grandpa's. Reid took a bath with his cousin Kate (who's only 3-ish weeks older, we love having cousins for our kids!) and Uncle Nick took some cute shots for us.

Look at those big beautiful eyes.

Here are the babies pre-bath, with baby food goop all over their faces and slobber in their hair from licking each other.
Erik bathing Dane in the kitchen sink. Dane luh-huh-huhves baths. He's in heaven.
We don't have a picture of Alec getting his bath because he HATES baths. Like with the heat of a thousand burning suns. He screams like a banshee the whole time and as soon as I take him out and dry him off, he's fine. Then, I rub lotion on him and he just giggles and giggles. He likes the lotion part.

The bath part...not so much.

some people are delusional.

I saw this on craigslist while looking for an awesome/vintagey/scrolley headboard. This is funny for so many reasons.

Oh, and I saw an updated post where they dropped the price to $675.

Nice. Now maybe I'll consider it. Considering they still have the receipts and all.

Crazy.

if my boys were puppies...

Reid would be a Golden Retriever:

-universally loved

-always up for fun

-happy-go-lucky temperament

-loves to run around outside and play ball

-in quiet moments he loves to put his head on my lap or on my shoulder

-and they've both got the golden hair thing goin' on

Dane would be a Newfoundland:

-big and soft and cuddly

-wants to be cuddled all day

-loves nothing more in life than loving attention

-loves playing in the water

-gives you sweet loving gazes all day

-the world's biggest softie
Alec would be a Jack Russell Terrier:

-small and playful and scrappy

-never stops moving

-I'm pretty sure changing/bathing/dressing Alec is comparable to trying to do that with a Jack Russell Terrier...imagine it, and that's how difficult it is

-always keeps you smiling and laughing

-makes lots of messes to clean up

-all the non-stop activity can make you a little crazy, and then you look at his sweet little animated face and as he's climbing all over you it's impossible not to smile and tickle him

want to see what's hot for fall?

Homegirl's got panache.

Ain't no party like an Olsen party

It's been about a hundred years since the last post, so, this will be long. But long is good when it's full of baby pictures, right?

Here goes:

Here are Dane and Alec trying on the shoes I got them for the wedding. Too big, but very cute.

At the rehearsal dinner for Erik's sister Dana's wedding, the whole group had family pictures taken. Reid was periodically found running around. This is a horribly blurry picture, but I love it. It shows the Reid I see every day, carefree and full of life and wonder.
Pretty Aunt Jan consoling a cranky Dane.
Grandma with sweet baby Jane.
Here are Erik's parents with all the grandchildren. It takes a lot of attempts to get a good picture with this many little ones.

I love this last one because Reid is showing his fruit snack (our good behavior bribe trick of the trip) and Alec has a feisty face on.

A blurry picture of me, but I don't get my picture taken very often, so here it is.
This one is funny because you can see the spit-up all over my pants and Alec has a crazy face on.
The day of the wedding! We were so excited to get to go to Colorado to be there to celebrate as Dana married the love of her life, Errol. They have an amazing story and we're so happy that they have each other. The wedding was so beautiful and it was wonderful to spend the day together as a family. Here's handsome Erik with our little Reid.
Baby Dane showing off his fancy duds. Hip hip to my mom for making the tie for Reid and the bow ties for the babies!
Alec is so full of personality. He makes the funniest faces, and here he's like, "Whoo-hoo! Dana's gettin' hitched!"
Checking out his shoe.
Reid being a good boy and occupying himself before the ceremony started.
Here's the group. The three brothers, and Natalie (Zach's wife).
Dana and Dad going down the aisle. It was my favorite moment of the day. They were both teary and it was such a special and touching sight.

This was one of Reid's pictures. We let him take a few and this is from his viewpoint:

sippy cup

funny Uncle Zach

Uncle Nick with cousin Kate

lots of pretty twinkle lights
Me and the huz.
Reid digging the wedding cake.
Erik catching a dance with the beautiful bride.
After the wedding was over, we all partied at Erik's parent's house for the next week and just got back yesterday. I loved all the company and help with my little crew. They got lots of love and attention. Here's a cute shot of sweet little tummies.
Reid enjoying his first Krispy Kreme.
We went on a train ride through the mountains and got to listen to Reid's train impression. It's a good one.
That brings us to this morning. Reid is showing me "Peek a BOO!" I can't get enough of that face!

best buddies.

Reid and the babies get such a kick out of each other. The other day I was changing the babies' sheets and lowering the cribs to the lowest level (so crazy), so I put both babies in the same crib while I worked on the other one. Reid wanted in on the fun, too.

Here's Reid just being cute.
Here's the funny story of the week:

We get at Costco these animal crackers that are in the shapes of the Winnie the Pooh characters. Reid hasn't seen the movie, so he doesn't know who they are, so when I hand him one of Winnie the Pooh, I'll say, "Reid, it's Pooh Bear."

He looks at me like, "Got it. Pooh Bear."

But then he takes it from my hand and calls out, "Bear Poo!"

Not to be funny or ironic. He just doesn't know who Pooh Bear is, so logically Bear Poo would be the same thing. So funny.

old classics as new favorites.

We are slowly introducing Reid to our favorite childhood movies.

This week was Dumbo, or as Reid calls him,

"Jubbo da Eff-ent."

Umm...what did you just say, Reid? Oh, right. You were trying to say elephant. It sounded like you were saying...well, nevermind.

Next up, Aristocats.

What is going on here?

The kids are really cracking us up lately. I mean, all kids are funny...but put 3 young, very young, boys together and funny stuff happens.

Here's a good example:

The babies are rolling and crawling all over the place, and if one rolls near the other, they like to lick each other. They are definitely in the stage where they want to put everything in their mouth, and that includes their brother's foot, hand, elbow, forehead, etc.

See Dane's crazy hair? He's getting a good licking from Alec at the moment.

Here's Dane enjoying his brother's attention, and slobber.
I'm a horrible photographer, but can you see how slobbered Dane is? Alec is still going.
Nice.
Seriously, they are all over each other all the time. Rolling over one another. Pulling each other's ear, stealing toys, crawling over to each other to play and giggle...

It's too much cute.

Reid getting in on the picture taking fun. And begging me to watch "Nascho."
Do you remember how Reid is obsessed with keeping his towel on after baths? We're still in that stage.
The boys sometimes just collapse into sleep. Here's Alec, upside down (can't be good for his acid reflux) and completely zonked.
Reid...zonked.
More pictures of babies who like a view of the backyard. That's Dane with his head under the curtain.
Reid puts these silly getups together all on his own, and then comes over to me like, "here I am, being funny...want to laugh?" He closed his eyes right as I took the picture, but it's a great shot of those eyelashes. Seriously, to die for!
Funny kid.
Here's Reid teaching his younger brothers how to mess with the piano. Look at his hands, doesn't it look like he's explaining something? And look at Dane's red knees, these babies are toughening up their knees with all the crawling goin' on.

Lastly, Reid is really into "Church Song" which is when we put on a DVD of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. It's a Christmas DVD, the one with Mr. Krueger's Christmas on it and some performances by the choir...you know, the one that came with the Ensign a few years ago. It's one of his favorite "movies" and he begs for "church song, church song!" Yesterday he was asking for church song and then ran to his room to get the drumstick from his little music set. Once he had it he came back to me like, "all ready!" It's hard to see his hand (click on the picture to make it larger) but he's waving the stick around like a baton. And the funny thing is that for the faster songs he was really going for it and his face was so animated, but then for the slow songs he was so calm and reverent. He gets the vibe.