Friends!

One of the many highlights of this summer was the quick return of our friends, the Taylors.  They were only here for about a day, but it was so nice to see them!  

This was Logan and Noah then:

 

And this is Logan and Noah now:



Lindsay and I were pregnant with Brody and Luke at the same time, but this was their first actual meeting outside of the womb because they moved just before little Luke was born.  It was so fun to see and love him!

And here was the best picture we got of all of our babies.  I don't think we had a fighting chance to get a picture with all of them looking at the camera!

Ballet Year 2

Last week, Logan started her second year of dance with Destiny Dance Institute.  We love our little studio.  She was so thrilled to get back to dancing.  You could feel her anticipation when we went to the dance store to pick up new ballet shoes, leotards and tights.  She's been asking for weeks to go to the studio so imagine how thrilled she was when she woke up to a ballerina breakfast the day she was set to go back.  

Ballerina "coffee" (chocolate milk), ballerina cereal (strawberry shredded wheat) which made ballerina milk!

Here are some then and now pictures.  Then pictures are Logan's very first day of ballet, and the now pictures are from her first day of year 2.  Quite a difference!

Then:

Now:

She's back in the three year old class this year.  Last year they had her in it because they couldn't open up a 2 year old class due to lack of interest.  She seemed like such a baby in last year's class compared to the other little girls, and this year, she gets to be the class veteran!  

Then:

Now:

                                       Then:                                              Now:

She knew just what to do when she went in.  She's such a big girl, now!  (she's the little one in between the teachers)

Faux Apple Pie

So, we've been getting a lot of zucchini lately and I've been looking for new ways to use the excess.  When I found this recipe on pinterest, I thought there was no way that one could really use zucchini and have it taste like apple pie.  But I was so, so wrong.  This recipe was so good and had even picky eaters satisfied.

Ingredients:

2-3 large zucchini
1 1/4 cup sugar (I almost halved this and it was still good)
1 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon of nutmeg
3 tablespoons of flour (I used WW flour)
2 pie crusts
1/3 cup butter

Step 1: Core the zucchini and cut it up into slices.

Step 2:  Put zucchini slices in a bowl and fill to the top with water.  Put in the microwave for 12 minutes.  When done, pull slices out and have them dry for about 5 minutes on paper towels.

Step 3: Mix sugar, cinnamon, cream of tartar, nutmeg and flour together.

Step 4: Toss zucchini into mixture.

Step 5: Pour mixture into 1 pie crust.  Cut butter into slices and distribute over the pie.  Place second pie crust on top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, cool and then dig in!  

(it's even better a-la-mode)

Photo Dump

I do actually notice how absent I've been from blogging lately.  In the throws of having two busy kids and a ton of travel this summer and this has suffered.  I apologize!  I'm trying to set aside a little time each week to update everyone on our happenings so that I get at least a post a week up.  I know in a year when I look back on this absence I'll probably be annoyed that I didn't document much this summer.

Here's a little photo dump to start!

I'm not sure if I've posted this picture before, or not, but it's one of my favorites of Logan.  It may not look like anything special, but, oh boy, does it capture her personality in one shot.  She constantly walks around calling herself a "movie rock star."  Singing, dancing, talking, whatever she's doing she wants to an audience.

Back when CFA had their dress like a cow, get a free meal day, we quickly scrambled to get costumes together so we could go eat free.  Never turn down a free meal, that's one of the staples they teach you in seminary.  haha

Logan will probably be showcased in more of these pictures because she has started asking to have her picture taken.  And she actually smiles instead of making faces, so I've captured a few really nice ones of her lately!

I cannot begin to express the joy being a mom of two has brought me.  Nothing tugs at my heart strings more than when the two of them work together to get things done.  Here they are blasting daddy at the splash park.  Neither one could move the hose on their own, but together, they were able to aim and get him.

I'm not sure we even need to buy Logan a regular wardrobe, anymore.  It seems like no sooner have I put her clothes on for the day and she's asking to dress up.  This particular day, she wanted to be a princess, but we regularly see appearances from a ballerina, a singer, and "movie rock star."

And a couple more sweet snap shots of the kiddos.  These were taken at a pizza place on our way to Ohio a couple of weeks ago.  Both kids had been in the car 6+ hours but you'd never know it with the way they were smiling and enjoying themselves.  We are so blessed to have kids who travel well, especially being 10+ hours away from both sets of family.

Random Videos

I've got a whole compilation of random videos on my phone.  Instead of doing several posts with them, I figure I'll just throw the whole hodge podge together!  Here ya go!

Here's the newest installment of Logan's learning of the Shepherd's Prayer.  

Brody loves to read to himself.  Unfortunately, no one else knows what he's saying, but he seems to!

Our favorite CD to listen to in the car is VeggieTales Hosanna.  It's a great compilation of songs that adults enjoy with voices kids enjoy!  We really love it because it's fun to hear the kiddos singing songs we usually hear in church.

Brody is a major helper.  Laundry is his favorite, though.  He likes to put the clothes, clean (or dirty as the case may be) into the dryer for me.

And here's a pretty recent video of the kids dancing.  This is a song they hear in their classes at church. Brody has started asking to hear "a-na-na" (hosanna) so he can dance.  We're happy to oblige.

The Main Event

I've been meaning to sit down and write about my sister's wedding for a long time.  It's been almost 4 weeks and since we've been home we've had a case of food poisoning (I know, something about weddings and food poisoning with us seem to go hand in hand), a stomach bug, a trip to urgent care and two nasty colds....so yeah, just now sitting down to write this post.  I wanted to do it justice, you know.  She'll only get married once.

The only picture I got at the actual rehearsal was this one of Brody.  He's wearing his Super Bearer cape that Carolyn had me make for him.  She designed the center, it's a big diamond with two wedding bands in the center--so cute!

The rehearsal dinner was held at La Palma, a beautiful restaurant in Coral Gables.  

It was so warm out that evening, Brody spent a lot of time with people by the fans.

Logan and Aunt Lindsey bonded by the fan, too.

After we waited for quite a while for dinner to be served, Brody got bored and we resorted to dressing him up in different peoples' accessories to keep him entertained.  (The food was worth the wait, though)

After the rehearsal/dinner we headed home, put the kiddos to bed and Lindsey and I threw Carolyn a little bachelorette party.  Nothing like fondu and champaign to get the festivities going!

Carolyn and I got up way too early the day of the wedding and went in to get our hair done.  Though the girl who did Carolyn's hair was not entirely pleased to be up that early for work, she did a fantastic job and her hair was flawless and beautiful all day.

Carolyn's colors were apple and guava.  We went to rent a little tux for Brody but they don't make the one's with coordinating colors in his size, so we opted out of paying $75 for a black one that wouldn't match and I made him a little suit.

The wedding was beautiful.  Full of laughter and tears.  Here's Carolyn right before she walked down the aisle:

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

 You can really tell in the after ceremony pictures how thrilled Carolyn was to be married to Rand.  Even when she wasn't taking pictures with him, she was beaming.

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

This picture is kind of in a random spot in the post, but Carolyn had the lady who did her main cake make Rand a groomscake that looked like a pan with bacon frying in it because of his intense love of bacon.  It was such a hit!

I loved getting to see the kiddos all dressed up and get to participate in the wedding.  Even Brody actually made it down the aisle....though he did get frustrated when he got to the end and was expected to sit with someone instead of standing up with all of the girls.  He may or may not have thrown the pillow he was carrying down the rest of the aisle in irritation.  I'll never tell.  Though, if you really wanted to know, you could probably ask one of the ladies near the front who nearly died laughing.

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

Thank goodness for the lady at the reception who is a wedding planner and was a guest at the wedding.  Brody was having a major meltdown as his naptime hit and there was no place to put him down and she rushed over with a lollipop to save the day.  She said she always carries a stash of them to weddings knowing they're lifesavers when kiddos start to lose it.  And she was right.  Kept him quiet until lunch was served.

The dances were very emotional.  Carolyn is definitely the crier of the family and had everyone in tears every time something remotely sentimental happened.  Though, this one would have pulled a tear or two from anyone, I think.

This was the picture that I really wanted to have caught on film, I always love seeing the pictures of the bride dancing with the ring bearer.  It'll be a fun one to show at his wedding one day.

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

 And Natalie outdid herself with this gem of a picture.  I had no idea she even captured this moment I had with my boy, but I'll treasure the picture forever.

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

 We snuck to the side room and had Natalie take a family picture for us, too.  She's documented so much of our lives together, it seemed to come full circle for us when she took this one.

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

 I mentioned it before, but the reception was held at a cozy little Italian place.  The restaurant actually also has a small marketplace attached.  The colors were so vibrant in there and the pictures they got in the marketplace had so much character to them.

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

 From the porch outside of the marketplace:

Photo Credit: NP Photography and Design

I had to throw these in because I thought the ideas Carolyn had for her gifts were so unique and fun!

Here are the bridesmaid's gifts, she had a card with this poem in with them:  

"As a thank you for your help in this time of stress 

Here are some supplies to help you decompress.  

Enjoy a bubble bath and light the candle

 For getting me through what I alone couldn't handle.  

Plant a flower and watch it grow 

Use the mug and let the coffee flow!  

I hope you can use this bag with style 

Thank you for helping me make it down the aisle!"

And for the flower girls we found this sweet poem and she had me embroider a shortened version of it on a hankie for the two girls. 

The whole poem reads: 

Logan, 

Today you are young, but the years will pass by.

And you'll be a bride in the blink of an eye.

While you may not remember the day we married,

Or the part you played or the sign that you carried.

There will be a day that will burn bright like an ember.

The day that you wed you will always remember.

So here is a hankie for the day that you say,

"I need something old for my wedding day."

Props to those who made it through this novel, but I wanted to make sure to get all of it down for our memories!  

Conversations with my 3 year old

 

Loganisms:

Oh bumpers = Oh bummer

Rotilla = Tortilla

Wicked Fwitch= wicked witch

De-yummy= mashup between delicious and yummy

Mom, you have to crap yourself in. = Mom, you have to strap yourself in.

"Mommy, you have to learn to be patient.  You can't always have what you want when you want it. It's like when you make me sit in my room and I'm always patient and sit there and wait patiently like a patient person."  (p.s. for future reference one day, little one, you don't sit patiently in your room...but I'm glad you know how to use the word)

Logan recently started to "do my hair" she'll stand behind me and tug and brush and pull and then will ask me to put up the knots she's created in there.  When I'm sitting there, I know how she must feel when I'm doing her hair as she makes statements like, "Would you please sit still?  This won't get done unless you stop.  It'll take longer the longer you move."

Mommy,  I put a bumbo in your hair.  It's a pretty big bumbo.  (Bun)

"The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green passwords..."


"...you prepare a table for me in the presents of my enemies, you anoint my salad with oil..."

I taught Logan the concept of grace a few months back.  As in, you deserve this consequence but I'm giving you grace even though you don't deserve it.  She gets the concept a little too well.  It's also helped her learn to subtract quite well.  Here are how our conversations about consequences usually go:

Me: Logan, you've earned 3 consequences for disobeying while we've been out.
Logan: Ok, I know I deserve them but could you please give me grace for 2 and only give me 1 consequence?