My Shadow

I walked in to find this sweet little sight this afternoon and decided I need to quick take a picture.  I snapped the picture & just like that this serene moment was over. 

It takes so much for me lately to pull out my camera and actually use it so I decided to just go with it and snap a picture of my 20 month old.  She is growing up so fast and it makes me SO SO sad.  

At first she wasn't too keen on the idea and probably mad that I woke her up.

It was alot of work to finally get her to warm up to the idea and not find me annoying.  I asked her to make her funny face, which she learned from Dora.  We are CRAZY for some Dora.  We have about 30 episodes DVR'd and I think she has everyone memorized.  I know great parenting skills, right! However, Dora has really saved me!

I can really not go too far without her on my heels.  Most times I am happy to have her right behind me chattering away but come homework time and piano practice it becomes very tricky.  

Singing and some actions worked to make her happy also.  


She is one busy chica, yet prefers to be lazy at home in my bed, with her jammies on watching her show.  It's sad because most days she doesn't get a choice and we have to be on the go.  I promise her one of these days I will let her stay in her favorite footsie Pj's, serve her apple juice all day long, in mommy and daddy's bed.

But for now my shadow and I are on the go, Vamonos!

Not to be forgotten

What a special day yesterday day was.  My little man's 9th birthday.  It didn't occur to me until about a month before his birthday that this really is a big year.  It's the last year he'll ever be in the single digits. bahahahahaha (mom crying).  Seriously though where does time go?

This year Carter has been very interested in knowing about the time of day that he was born at.  So as a reminder to myself (I remembered it was later afternoon but couldn't remember the exact time) he was born at exactly 4:24 pm. 

He was excited to wake up to his bedroom door all decorated with all the fun birthday stuff.  I almost forgot about doing it but Bess reminded me the day before his actually birthday.  It's funny that something so simple that I started years ago and I really didn't think they even cared about has become such a big deal to them.  I love that they actually do care and expect it now!

I am so lucky to be his mom!  Isn't he so darn handsome?

Thanks to pinterest I attempted this valentines hair do on Bess.  She was happy.....but I really should take some hair braiding classes.  

Valentine boxes that daddy helped them make.  

I love that my kids are really very happy with just simple.

Makes my life so much easier!

Another lucky pinterest find! Again easy and everyone seemed happy.

It was a very busy day.  We were able to get the kids for lunch and take them out.  They thought that was pretty cool.  
I spent the rest of the afternoon up at the school.  First helping with Bess's class party and finishing up just in time to help with Carter's class party.  BUSY BUSY!
Carter requested some Training Table for dinner and pazookies for his birthday dessert.  

Have I mentioned Carter's obsession with football?  with the Broncos? with Tim Tebow?  Well I am now!  There is not a time in the day when you won't find him without a football in his arms, often playing some catch by himself in the house.  
Grandma caught wind of this and was on top of his birthday gift this year.  He was beyond thrilled with this gift.  
He also asked received a rip stick, Nerf bow and arrow, money, and PS3 basketball game.  He had quite the day.  

(WOW! this picture screams get some more sleep lady)

This little boy is really my favorite pal.  I love visiting with him and being in his company.  Glen will be the first to tell you that we are too much alike and this is why we argue however,  I notice the older Carter gets and the more experience I get as his mother,  the more we both understand each other and enjoy being together.  I am happy to say that I want to be even more like Carter.  He's a very caring person, friend, brother, and son!  
Love you buddy!  

what keeps us movin'

This little girl has started talking up a storm.  Most of the time repeating what she hears us saying, which can be worrisome from time to time!
Her current favorite is Dora.  She loves to watch "Boots."
She's still obsessed with her so-called blankets, it's a real problem!


The other day we went to get the kids from school and arrived about 10 minutes early.  She hates her car seat and as soon as the car stopped she wanted out.  I let her out and she sat on my lap.  She continued to play with all the gadgets that the front seat had to offer.  She kept pulling on the windshield wipers and spraying the spray,  she did it over and over until I told her to stop.


Mom: "Maggie now stop or else your going to have to go get back in your seat."
Maggie: "Okay, GOSSSHHH!!!!"
She seriously sounded like she was 15.  Wonder where she heard it? To this day she can't just answer with okay, it has to include the gosh on the end.  

Carter has been taking snowboarding lessons on Friday's after school.  The bus would pick him and about 15 others from his school on Friday, his short day, and take them to the ski resort.  I think overall it was 6 Fridays.  He had a blast riding on the bus with his friends but was so disappointed when they couldn't take classes together because they were all at different levels.  We are so proud of how well he has done.  His class took the ski lift up the very first lesson.  

So many things about this top picture make me laugh!

Last Jr. Jazz game of the season and these boys went undefeated the whole way.  Us parents can't wait to get them in some competitive ball next year.  All these boys go to school together.  (a couple of the players and coaches are missing)

Bess is rockin' her spelling.  Her teacher started doing a challenge spelling test, after Christmas, for those that she thought could take on the challenge.  She has had a perfect score + all her bonuses!  And I have to say that some of her words can be a little tricky at times, especially for a 1st grader!  She's a smarty! 

It finally snowed!

We had a very brown Christmas break this year.  It didn't seem much like the holidays when it was almost 40 degrees and no white snow to be seen, the mountains were even quite bare!

About 3 days before the kids were to head back to school we finally got some snow.  They couldn't wait to get on their snow gear and head outside. 

Bess decided it only made sense that if there are snowmen that there has to be snow women too.  So she was adamant that her and Glen make one.  I think "it" turned out lovely!  

That was until they told me she was me.  Ouch!  I think she looks a little more like Benjamin Franklin?  

They spent a good four hours making some great memories in that snow & I loved seeing the big grins on their faces!

Christmas 2011

In true Kendi fashion, I was awful with taking pictures Christmas morning.  However, the video camera was going at the same time and do have it mostly documented there. 

The kids had a great Christmas this year.  There were lots of smiles and happy faces for a good part of the next week. 

While out on school break we did some snowboarding, went to the movies, went swimming, and hung out with family.  It was very relaxing and much needed!

 
It was great to have my parents for Christmas morning and breakfast.  Something we'll always remember and treasure.

The big surprise came after all the presents were open and breakfast was eaten......Carter's dreams came true. (I haven't truly decided if it's Carter's dreams or Glen's yet?)


These are the type of pets you HAVE to get when you have a dad that is allergic to the "true pets." Glen went to an allergist about 2 months ago to find out about all his allergies that have been bothering him.  The doctor made him promise that we would never own a dog, even a hypoallergenic one!  Sad day for us.  Especially our pet loving Carter.  


Glen found Diego on KSL about 3 nights before Christmas morning.  Our neighbors were very kinda and let us keep him at their house.  They actually didn't want to give him back!


Glen and Carter are currently learning out to teach this parrot how to talk.  They have already decided the first thing he will say is "Go Broncos!"
We'll let you know how that goes!

Creating a Tradition: Grand America

About 3 days before Christmas we made our way downtown to go have dinner at Little America and participate in the cute scavenger hunt that Grand America had going on.  

This is the closest my kids came to Santa this year.  I kept asking them if they wanted to go see a real live Santa someplace and they all kept turning me down.......crazy if you ask me!

When I was searching for Christmas activities to do as a family during the month of December, I was excited to see that The Grand was having a scavenger hunt around the hotel based on the children’s book, Maurice on Holiday. The hotel has 18 beautiful displays placed around the lobby level of the hotel wherein the children have to find a star with Maurice in each illustration.

When you locate the star in the giant illustration from the book, you then have to match it up with a code on the clue card. Some of these were really hard! Loved it.

The hallways are wide and it was not crowded at all so the kids could run around and tire themselves out.
 

The hallways are wide and it was not crowded at all so the kids could run around and tire themselves out.

This is the 400 lbs of gingerbread (the cupola) where Maurice lives. I think the kids appreciated it more having just made a gingerbread house of their own. It smelled delicious.

When you complete the hunt, you take the card to JouJou (the hotel’s cool toy shop) where they give you a sticker …and you check out their cool displays!
Then you take the sticker to La Bonne Vie where the kids get a special star cookie.
Maggie enjoyed looking around the toy store!

It was fun to get out of the house and make some memories. The story was cute and the illustrations were great. The treat was delish. If The Grand does something like this every year! We will be back.

Meet "Dad-En"

Maggie is one smart girl!  She has combined her dad's two names to make one simple name.  It's quite catchy & has a great ring to it.  It's got us all calling him this new name.