Baby Shower IT"S A GIRL!!!!

Yeah for PINK!

It's a baby shower for Baby girl Turley.

When: January 10th

Time: 2pm

Where: Home of sister in law Mariesa Turley

(Main cross roads are Pecos and Higley. Go East on Pecos. Turn South on Nappa. Follow around and turn left on Tatum (it'll be just past a little park). The street curves around to the right then the left. Turn on 1st street on left which is Woodside. It's the second to last house on Right... 3783 E Woodside. Call 480.219.0332 if ya get lost

Registered @ Target and Babies R Us.

Addresses Needed ASAP

Ok Girls, I'm missing a few of your addresses. Please leave a comment with your address or even better, email me at greenmnm022@hotmail.com with your address.

SET THE DATE!!!!

I want to make sure you get an invite for the baby shower, which, as of right now is set for January 10th.

(I still can't believe I'm have a girl! I'm a bit freaked out and really nervous.)

I will also do an "INVITE" post with all the baby shower details just in case I don't get all your addresses in time. You are all invited and I know that several of you are out of town and are most likely not able to come. :( I understand and I so miss you guys who are too far to see often.

:D

LOVE, MANDI

Christmas Video

3 New POSTS!!!!

Enjoy the update.

Mess of the week

Hey, it's really quiet. I wonder what Brock is up to.......

Apparently it was time to do dishes.
Can you see the bleach spot on his shirt! Grrrrr. So frustrating. I love this cute shirt that is now a pj shirt.
"Don't worry mom, I'll get a rag and clean it up"

"Owwww"

"Ya Brock, bleach doesn't feel good on the skin!"

I know he's just trying to help, but oh my gosh!

Also, while I was in Vegas Bran said that he found Brock in our closet, sitting on the floor with the light off attempting to paint his toes and fingers with my nail polish. He said Brock had it all over his feet and hands, but didn't get hardly any on the floor! He again said "Oww www" as Bran tried to get the polish off his skin with the nail polish remover.

I really wish he had the camera for that one!

Misc updated pics of our activites,,,,There are a lot!

In order of most recent

Here is my stud of a husband dressed up as "Cousin Eddie" from his favorite Christmas movie "Christmas Vacation"

Yes, he even wore the black socks with shorts. :P

My sister in law Shauna throws a Christmas Party every year for her Brothers and sisters with a new theme. This year's was a PJ party. We had awesome omelette's and waffles along with homemade egg nogg! We played 80's video games. The goal was to be the highest scoring to win the prize. The girls played Centipede and the boys, Excite Bike.

PS: props include IBC Root beer and a chocolate cigar from See's candy.

Brock being daddy for the day.
"The time in now......"
Branson learned to tie his shoes this week! Yeah finally!

Beau in action.

The highest suspension bridge. It literally passes over the non water side of Hoover Dam.

Can you see the cars at the bottom of the pic. They help put the height in perspective.

Every time I see it, all I think is, "Holy Crap! that's high!!!"

I went to Amb's baby shower thrown by her friend the beautiful and talented Michelle (on the left) and her super fun and adorable boss Paula (middle).

It was at Paula's AMAZING home and it was a true baby shower hook up! Amb's ended up with a mound of baby gear and the cutest "Advice for the new Mom" scrapbook filled with support and self help ideas, including pics of all of us who gave the advice right next to our pages. All done and put together by the end of the shower.

The cake.

Me, Mom and Ambs

Us and our little girl bellies.

Amb's got her wish. She was insistent that she would have the 1st granddaughter.

Amb's due: January 17th

I'm due:February 1st

Brock totally fell asleep behind Bran while watching him play a computer game. I hear Bran calling me form the room, "Mandi, can you come and help me out?!"

"Help out with what??" was my response.

"OH! Let me get a pic 1st!"

Hahha So funny!

We put up our tree. The earliest we've ever put it up, but only because I talked Bran into a fake one. I was not up to decorating and lighting a real tree this year. Plus let's face it, their so expensive when you don't have the moola. This cute little tree was a great walmart Black Friday deal.

Brock finding the just right spot for his ornament.

I woke him up from a nap to get the boys from school. Told him he gets a sucker for being a good boy for taking a nap and next thing I knew, he was napping again, sucker and all.

And have you heard, he LOVES Bananas!!!! On this particular day he snuck into the kitchen several times and managed to eat 4 of them. This is him, on his 4th.

YUMMMMMY!!!!

You want some?

EN FUEGO

Bran got tickets to an ASU Game a few weeks ago. It was my 1st and it was so fun! Here's Bran frustrated at our quarterback. He kept holding onto the ball way to long. Despite that though, WE WON!!! It does help when you play a crappy team. Funny, I can't remember who it was even. Go Sundevils!

A belly pic.

It was so funny for Bran to walk through the crowds. People kept looking up and taking 2nd looks to see if they recognized him as someone important..... (his height makes him an easy target for, "Who's that guy?")
The Tuba's rock'n out. I love the sound of the band at games.

Me and Bran, very happy to have a date night. Thank you Kyle for the Tickets!

New fav

So a new favorite blog to lift and inspire service: 25 acts of kindness

Check it out under my favs.

We're kind of doing a similar thing with the boys. Every year we make a paper chain to count down Christmas but this year we decided to write down a service on each ring that we are to do for the day. Most are done individually and a few as a family. We also have a secret service star that we pass around to eachother. If you find the star on your bed, that means a service has been done to you and now it's your turn to do a secret service.

So far, it's been fun to try and think of things I can do for the boys or for Branden.

Halloween plus 2 other new posts

Here are just a few of the Halloween pics I got. My camera was literally shutting down between every pic. I hate when my batteries die at the most inopportune times! The cute girls to the right are my nieces Paige and Taylor. They wanted to come and hang out with us for Halloween and spend the night, which of course I was all for. They are so fun! (Paige is the cutest nerd ever and Taylor insisted that we called her "Tyler" to help her really get into being a boy for the night)
GRRRRRR! Brock Ryan the LION! The only pic he let me take with his mane on. On the back of this cute little lion pull over was also an adorable tail. So cute, but so very HOT! I'm thinking it was like 78 outside Halloween night.
Shauna the fairy in her tutu. ADORABLE!

I wish I would have been able to get one of just the boys but Brock was having none of it.
He was a TOTAL LION! Fussy, non cooperative and roaring about every little thing!

And I just have to say. I'm really not loving Halloween. Bran hates halloween and turns into a grouch! And I think trick or treating is so dumb! Why do we teach our kids not to ever take candy from strangers but on Halloween we personally walk them up to the doors of strangers and ask for candy!?! I totally find something wrong with this!
I do love dressing up though.
So, I will be brainstorming for the next year of an alternative to trick or treating for our family.
Seeing a movie, going to dinner, watching movies at home, party with lots of candy, a trip, OH DISNEYLAND WOULD BE AWESOME!!!!
maybe.........???
Any ideas anyone?

Boys

I was talking to sweet Sis. Augustine and while I was talking this is what my boys were doing.

I don't know how they got, "Boys, go open the car up for Brock so he can drive and then play on top", Out of "Boys, go get into the car and buckle in Brock for me."

James said, "Hey mom, take our picture."

So I did.

Trouble

If your child is quiet, this is what he/she is most likely doing................

Brock apparently noticed that although I was just about 6ft away, I was completely focused on getting the primary folder updated for the new Hawes ward primary secretary who was needing the updated info in a matter of minutes. Branden came into the room and said, "Hello! Did you not notice him getting into your lipstick?"

ARE YOU KIDDING ME RIGHT NOW?! If I had noticed, I would have stopped him... DUH!!!
Oh and do you see all those little things on the floor. He also had found my stash of mini rubber bands and dumped them all out, all over.

OR your child could be doing this......Playing or should I say painting or even BATHING in the peanut butter.

"But Mommy, it's so yummy!"

"Ya want some?"
(as you can see he smeared it all the way up to his left arm pit. )

As you can see, we have to keep a close eye on this one. He's even almost made it to the top of our fridge so he could get his binky down.

Crazy Turley Boy!

Update

Nothing too exciting has been going on, but here are some pics of a few of our activities and such.


Here is sweet Brock,
(aka: Trouble) with his favorite binky's. Why are they his favorite... they're the only ones he has left. Once these are gone whether lost or visited by the scissor monster (that's our little secret! When we find a binky lying around, we clip a little hole in the top so there is no happy suckling and then put it back where it was momentarily forgotten. When he comes back to it, he finds it's not working. He brings it to us and we say, "Oh no! It's broken. Go throw it in the garbage." And he does. Thus creating a situation where we're not taking it away. He's having to "let go" of the binky himself. NO MORE BINKY!!!! Yes, there is a period of being upset at bedtime but it is short lived. We just remind him that he has to throw it away because it was broken and it's "all gone". This works with kids attached to their bottles too.

Moving On.......

Here is a fun little thing I did a few weeks ago. I blinged this cute onsie I found on clearance at Target (LOVE TARGET) and these hecka cute shoes. You can't really see in the pic, but the stones are placed in the middles of the hearts that cover the top of the shoes.

The same day I did these beauties for myself. I needed some bling flips that would go with my gold toned jewelry. The buttons you see belonged to my Grammy Bates'. She had what we called "the button box" which was a tin that was filled with all sorts of buttons. We loved to dump the whole tin out and sort through all the treasures. When she passed away, I wanted that button box. Unfortunately, so did my aunt, but I did get just a pinch of her sewing stuff, and one of the things among some spools of thread, a few thimbles, needles and a taped together again measuring tape, were these buttons. With them I started my own button box. So between the 3 hours it took me to decide on my stone pattern, I decided I wanted to used my special buttons too.

I ALSO ....................................

Taught 2 of my sister in law's how to make tutu's.
My sister in law's Shauna and Denise and I watched the Relief Society Women's conference together. After, I showed them the baby tutus I had made. Shauna loved them and I told her how I wanted to make one for myself for Halloween. She was way excited about that idea and said, " I wanna be a fairy and have a tutu too! Will you help me?"

Of course I was only too happy to teach her and Denise how to make them.

This really adorable blue, black and shimmer gray is Shauna's fairy tutu.

I'll be sure to get a pic of her all fairyed out on Halloween.

This cute number was made by Denise for her grand daughter McKenna.

And here is the "Bumble Bee" Tutu I made for my niece Izzy busy bumblebee. (That's what we call her)

I also found the cutest wings for her.

I can't wait to post a pic of her all bee'd out for trick or treating.

Here is Miss Izzy herself getting cleaned up after eating one of Brock's birthday cupcakes.

Mr. Brody also enjoying a cupcake. Well, more like enjoying the frosting. This is his second cupcake which I totally encouraged. There were a ton of cupcakes!

He was too cute about it!

BROCK RYAN TURLEY 2 YRS OLD

Cupcake face and all.

Happy Birthday Brockers!

All the cousins and friends who came to play at the park with Brock. (Left to right: Bryce sitting on his sister- McKenzie's lap, Brock, Izzy sitting on JJ's lap, Avery, and Brody.)

Thanks for coming and playing with us!!!!

Me and my favorite calling.

Here is a pic I took at our last Primary meeting as a presidency.

Left to right: Wendy Echols-1st councilor, Me- Secretary, Lori Call-2nd councilor, and Jenny Stewart- President.

I love these women so much and I'll miss not getting to have our monthly meetings and our lunches together. Poor Wendy and Lori were told the morning of the primary program that they were going to be released! SO THE WRONG TIME!! They cried/teared through the whole program. I guess it was a blessing that I was told early on. If I had been told the same time as the others, there would have been not just tears but full out sobbing, and that would have been uncontrollable! Jenny got to keep her calling, but I told Lori that the 3 of us will just all have to sit together in Relief Society. She liked that idea.

Super Sad Sunday

Today was not a great day. We've been attending Hawes ward, (the ward that we lived in before we had to foreclose on our house.) WE love this ward so much and have been determined to get our family back into ward boundaries ASAP. Today after church the 1st councilor said he needed to meet with us. He released us from our callings. I just started crying. I couldn't help it. He did say we were not being kicked out of the ward. I guess there are big changes happening next week. Desert Wells ward has been asked to meet with us next Sunday. We're thinking it's because the Desert Wells ward is HUGE and ours in the smallest in the stake. So, rearranging of boundaries is what we suspect. And that's why we think we got released. If the boundaries change..... which new ward do we belong to without an address to place us???
I have loved my calling, serving as secretary in the primary and I really love the amazing women I have served with. I love the Hawes ward and all the awesome families. It's been everything Bran and I have ever prayed for in a ward family. I can't imagine it being changed. My calling and ward was kind of my anchor and helped me stay focused despite all the inconsistency that's been going on with work and our home situation. Now I don't know what to do with myself. We will be attending the double ward sacrament meeting next week to get all the info of true situation and then we'll be going from there.

I HATE change. I don't cope well with big unplanned change.
I do know that Heavenly Father is in charge, and relays his needs to Pres. Monson, and those in Salt Lake and on down the line of priesthood holders who make prayerful plans for changes like this.
It doesn't mean it's easy. Not at all.

Totally forgot!

I have been brave and it paid off.

A few weeks ago I saw a poster in our church building for duet and solo auditions for a Christmas concert for the community that Chandler Heights Stake does every year. Those of you who know me best know how much I love love love to SING and this poster peaked my interest.

I asked around and a few people who attended last year said it was AMAZING with about 1,000 people in attendance.

I totally went out on a limb and auditioned.

As I was sitting there listening to others try out, I kept thinking, "why am I hear???" (pregnancy paranoia was kicking in and my heart was racing a mile a minute. It's one thing to be asked to sing, but another to put yourself out there and say "PICK ME!" It is so scary!)

But I told my self, "No, you have to do this even if you aren't what they want. It's good to do."

Well, It was good, and Heavenly Father must love me a lot because I really wanted a part. (A little confirmation that I can sing and my family and ward members aren't lying to me to be nice. (Watching American Idol has put these fears in my head, because apparently, people lie.... A LOT! Although, I'm pretty positive Bran would have told me if I did suck along time ago....................).

Turns out, I so sing alright because...

I totally got a solo/duet part!!!!! Sis Kirsten Millsap (who is so fun! I adore her!!!) told me that the her and the 2 other "judges" loved the tone and pure sound of my voice. They have paired me with another sister, Lori (I don't remember her last name, I will add that later when I get it told to me again).

We'll be singing "Heirlooms" sung originally by Amy Grant. I really love the sound of this song.

We'll be soloing, then be in unison, then harmonizing. I have to have it completely memorized, which is the next scary undertaking. I have to get it engraved in my soul basically. I'm pretty sure I can do this with lots of practice because I did manage to accomplish this with one of my most favorite Christmas songs "Mary's lullaby" which Amy Grant also sings, and Jessica Simpson has a great version also. I've sung this song many time along with the Church video " Luke II". It had to be inspired because the song and the video fit perfectly together. CHILLS ALL OVER!!!

Just a Note: If any of you want me to do it for a special family home evening, a Christmas enrichment night, or whatever, I would love to do it!

Anyways~

I am so excited!!!!!

So I am extending an invitation : PLEASE COME!

What: Chandler Heights Christmas Concert

When: Saturday Nov. 28th or Sunday Nov. 29th.

Time: Soon to come

Where: Queen Creek, Az (exact location soon to come)

A quick Update

Just a quick update that there's not much going on. Just everyday life stuff that we all do.
James did get his Bobcat award for scouts this last week. He is love'n all the of fun being 8. Branson is singing "Do as I'm doing" with Brock right now and Brock is freaking because the song is over. Branden is at the Priesthood session with his brother and brother in laws and I'm wondering what the heck I want for dinner and contimplating cleaning up my room a bit. You'd think that sharing a room means sharing the job of keeping it clean...... NOT! I get to clean it like it's my own room but I can't decorate it as such (I tend to go too girlie for Branden) AND I have to share the space with a BOY! Which really isn't that bad most of the time. I do have someone there to caress/scratch/rub my back everynight.
ANYWAYS.................

A RANDOM NOTE: Bath and body works has a new sent called LEAVES. It smells SO GOOD
So Good!!!.......and fresh and light and clean and totally like Fall, all at the same time. I have it in the wallflower version but I think they carry the candle too.
And, I bought really cute grey maternity jeans at Old Navy for $3 dollars yesterday. Their a bit big but I'm Just going to alter them.
Lots of Love

It worked

Thanks Mandy for adding me!

Hey add me!!!

Mandy Stewart!!!! Add me to your list of bloggers would ya! I wanna be able to check you and your cute family out and what your up to! Let me know if you need my email address.

Girlie Fun

Ok girls. I am so excited that I now can fully enjoy LITTLE GIRL STUFF! Here is my latest creation inspired by my friend Wendy Lee who had some at her fun boutique she had at her house. The pink one is size 0-6 month and the purple around 1-2yrs, depending on the child of course. Brock fits into the purple one nicely ;P He'll be 2 in Oct.

I'm thinking of doing custom orders. For example - The price for these would be $20 not including shipping.

These prices would be for sizes 0-2 yrs at "ballet" length. For larger sizes and an option for longer length, the price would increase. I'm unsure how much because I haven't made a larger one yet but I'm thinking around $35. Also, swavarski crystals could be added (think sprinkles of sparkle) for an extra $10.

When I get my bracelet thing going (hopefully sooner than later) I would love to do a set with a matching bracelet. HOW CUTE WOULD THAT BE!?!?!

I think I might be making myself one for Halloween. Options: Cute Witch, fairy, angel, princess. I'm leaning towards witch. Black leggings, black sparkly toile skirt maybe with either orange or purple toile and ribbon sprayed down with the fun fabric glitter, black shirt and a fun withes hat! So simple and so fun. Although, It would be fun to do a princess themed one to go with my tiara. ( I keep one on my jewelry armoire to remind me that I am of royal birth, a daughter of a King as Jenny Philips would say)

NOTHING CAN TURN AROUND A CRAPPY DAY LIKE PUTTING ON YOUR PRINCESS BALLET SKIRT AND A TIARA. ALL PROBLEMS NO LONGER MATTER. WHY??? CAUSE YOUR A PRINCESS!!!!! Bran has come home to me wearing my tiara before. "Bad day?" he asked. "Not anymore" I said.

Anyways..........

I totally hate trick or treating but I love dressing up with the boys.