Tools

House Update

We have lots of projects going on at our house right now.

This is a little one I worked on last night.

I am really happy with it!

Camera

Food Photography

This was my first attempt at food photography.  It was just kind of an experiment to see if we could get some decent pictures to use in advertising for our restaurant.

I didn't do a whole lot to the pictures.  I brightened them just a bit, ran PW's sharpen and define, then ran PW's boost at about 40%.  Any feedback from you more experienced photographers?  Does it make you hungry?  hahaha

{Southwest Chicken Salad}

{Philly with Onion Rings}

{Southwest Chicken Wrap}

{1/2 lb Burger with Homemade Chips}

The chipotle ranch sauce that comes with the chips is to die for!

{Southwest Chicken Salad}

Our #1 top selling item on the menu - and a personal favorite

Picasso

Rainbow

Ducks... again

Yes we feed the ducks a lot

It's a great workout for me (almost 4 miles)

And it's very entertaining for little Marshall man

Plus we get rid of the old bread from my work

This time I remembered my telephoto lens

I think the ducks are so pretty!   

Pickle

Play Dough

St Patrick's Day

Mustache

Buddies

We went to a little St Patrick's Day party hosted by the library.

Marshall invited a few of his buddies.  They were so nice to him!

Snow Canyon

 

 

Tractor

He got a new toy.

It's red... it makes noises... and the lights flash.

He's in heaven!

Crazy Sundays

Sunday are tough... Marshall's normal nap time is noon and that's the same time as our church.

I really don't want to miss church and I don't want him to miss it either because he loves nursery.

One week we tried putting him to down at 11am... he just played in his crib for an hour then we got him up to go to church.  He's always kind of whinny during sacrament meeting but once he goes to nursery he is happy and has fun playing.  So one week we tried to put him down at 3pm when we got home.  He cried for a little bit then went to sleep for an hour.  Then he woke up (and was still tired) and cried for almost 2 hours straight.  Actually he screamed bloody murder, we tried everything to cheer him up.  It was a nightmare!  So the next week we just kept him up and didn't give him a nap on Sunday and put him to bed at 6pm.  He slept for 14 hours that night.  So we decided that would just be the Sunday routine.  No nap and early bedtime.  

Last Sunday we put him in his highchair at 5pm to eat dinner so we could put him to bed early.  A few minutes later we found this.  I was shocked!!!  I know lots of kids fall asleep in their highchair.  But I'm not kidding Marshall doesn't sleep anywhere except his bed.  He doesn't fall asleep in our arms, he rarely sleeps in the car, he's always been a crib sleeper.  We laughed and laughed and couldn't help but record his bobble head.  We put him to bed at 5:30pm and he slept until 7:30am the next morning.  Wow Sundays are crazy.  But I really want all of us at church so we're just going to have to make it work!!

Marshall has started falling asleep in funny places.  It's so shocking because he has never done this!  He fell asleep on a four-wheeler ride with Mark.  And he fell asleep in the golf cart with Rob.  Really, this kid never ceases to surprise me!

Popcorn

One more singing video... I think this one is so cute!
We sing (and have a snack) every night before bed.
That's why he's always in pajamas and eating something.
Oh Marshall man you are adorable!!!!

Toy Storage

I don't buy tons of toys because #1 I'm a saver, #2 My house is small with no storage, and #3 I absolutely hate clutter!  But somehow it seems like Marshall has tons of stuff anyway.  Does anyone else have toy storage issues?  I really want to build something like this... and it would be perfect because I have a centered window just like this.

But I'm hesitant to block off a whole wall because my rooms are both fairly small and it wouldn't leave me many options for rearranging furniture when more little kiddos come along.  You know maybe put twin beds on each side of the window... Plus at this stage I really want Marshall to be able to get to all his toys and books so he can play with anything he wants.

I had some baskets under the changer that were cute, but it was hard for Marshall to get toys and books out of them.  So I moved them to the floor and put his trucks on the changer shelves.  I bought some little totes from walmart to store other gear.  I feel like the room is boring... and kind of "falsely" organized.  Does that make sense?

Marshall is a little OCD (I guess like his mom) and he's good about putting all his toys back where they go.  He puts the puzzles in the wicker basket and likes to have the balls together.  He even faces all the trucks going the same direction.  I guess he's my boy!

I'm going through this crazy organization/de-junking/re-decorating phase.  We cleaned out the garage last weekend and took a whole truck load of stuff to the dump.  We want to paint the ceilings in the house white, paint two walls in the house, build some shelves in our spare room closet, re-do the living room with new rug, pillows, curtains, and then by the time we accomplish all that it might be time to move Marshall into the other  room.  Wow okay we've got our work cut out for us.  If only there were more time (and money).

New Hoop

Cake

Colors

Marshall knows most of his colors.  He doesn't say them (he doesn't say much at all) but he can point to colors when I ask him and he can sort things into colors.  I have gotten out this muffin tin a few times and helped him sort fruit loops.  Now if I open the drawer to the pans he point to this muffin tin and signs cereal.  So funny!

Wise Man...

This is one of Marshall's favorite songs.
It was the third time we sang it so he was kind of running out of steam.
But fun to capture these little moments.

Soccer

Sandbox

Hoops

Mark is such a good dad to play "superman" basketball.  I'm not quite tall enough for the task.

Marshall loves loves loves it!  We are getting him a play set and basketball hoop for his birthday.

(In August) ...if we can hold out that long.  Marshall wants to play outside all day long!

Which has been fine all winter and for a few more months.  Just not sure what we'll do

when it hits 110+ degrees.  Go to the pool everyday?  Guess we'll see when that time comes.

PS - nevermind the socks/sandals thing.  I was trying to put gym shoes on him and all

he wanted was his sandals.  I got him two pair for summer and it's all he's been wanting to wear.

I didn't feel like taking the socks off at the time... so he was super styling! hahahaha

Sports Addicts

Singing

Marshall man loves to sing and dance!
(okay he loves it when I sing... and he occasionally does the actions to the songs)

Some of his favorites are:
The Wise Man Built his House Upon a Rock
The Wheels on the Bus
If Your Happy and You Know It
Ring Around the Rosie
Popcorn Popping
ABC's
Book of Mormon Stories
Army of Helaman
Old McDonald
Monkeys Hanging From the Tree
And lots of others...