Chilling with Kilgers

I love that Katie takes after her dad, and is so good about taking pictures.  Here are a few she snapped this last Sunday while we were all visiting at the Kilger's home:

Breanne is such a ham.

Janey and Claire (2 months apart to the day) sitting with Grandma... Janey doesn't look so sure about this one...

Janey, mid happy squeal

Breanne and Kelly, building a big block tower

Claire and Breanne, trying to share marshmallows, I bet.

Still Hoping for an Artist

So Breanne was supposed to be finishing her nap in her aunt Kelly's room, but when we heard her yelling to come out, we found this instead:



Yes, that is nail polish. At least 4 different colors. And it was all over her legs, arms, and a little bit was on her face. I felt so sick and had such a headache by the time I finished getting it off! Upside? Breanne now has a shirt to wear for painting and other projects that I don't care about getting messy. And this time it was someone else's bedding instead of her own...

And now one for Dad...

I saw this on a friend's blog, and it immediately screamed my dad's name.  So hopefully he reads this, or someone at least shows it to him.  :)

My (other) Pride and Joy

Ok, so back in May I took pictures of my garden spot, but haven't really posted anything about it since then--well, now I am seeing results, and am so excited about it! Here are a few shots...

Yellow pear tomatoes, almost ready to pick...

First edible early girl! So excited!

My happy happy cantelope vines... see all those yellow flowers? Here's hoping they turn into fruit, and soon!

Yellow Zucchini--yes, it is zucchini, I chose yellow because my mom told me it was the easier way to notice them so they didn't grow so huge... yet I let mine get this big... on purpose! Zucchini bread, here I come!

Also happy are the daisies,

and the coneflowers, in the front bed.

Here is today's picking... So excited!

And this was my best attempt at capturing for you just how delicious this tomato was as I was salting it and eating it. Unfortunately, my camera just wanted to focus in on the sink. But I think you get the idea.

I am seriously so excited that my garden is actually doing well! Other veggies growing--pumpkins, corn, peppers, watermelon, and beans (which are really struggling because something is eating them something fierce!) More pictures to come--I took all these at 2:00 in the afternoon, so everything is a little wilty, which I didn't want to show off, so maybe I'll take a few when everything is big and full tonight.

I see a resemblance, do you?

I Got a Haircut (I really got a haircut...)

Does anyone else ever hear that song from probably the Disney Channel back in the day running through their heads when they hear the line "I got a haircut"?

Back to the point--

this:


subtract this:



equals this:




I really wanted a change, and my hair was starting to fall out in clumps (post pregnancy wonder), so I decided to chop off a bunch. I wasn't going to go quite so short, but I decided to donate it, and wanted to be sure it'd be long enough for that, so this is what happened. Whaddaya think?

This one's for you, Mom.

A few weeks ago, my mom basically requested this photo on her blog, so when Janey reached out and grabbed Breanne's hand for the first time, I thought I'd snap a photo of it.

This is How We Roll

So Janey's been rolling since she was about 3 months. Yes, I know, that's way early, but she's always liked sleeping on her side, so she figured out how to get there herself, and then just kept going. Anyway, here she is in action:

Bread as a Snack?

You Betcha!

Beautiful Baby

Janey Discovers Toys

What? I can do more than just suck on my hands? Score!

Gotta Love Summertime!

4th of July

So it's been a while since I posted any pics, but I found this sequence that I had to share--we'd just gotten back from the Provo Parade, which Breanne seemed to really enjoy, and I made the girls pose for a few pics. Cory just helped me put them into a collage on Picasa (my first time! Yay!), since his computer is updated enough to do that, even as a Mac. Anyway, without further ado, here are the pictures:

New Coloring Pages

So my friend Janet had this posted on her blog--it's a fun little website that allows you to change your photos into black and white drawings... perfect for letting the kiddos color.  I think Breanne will really enjoy coloring pictures of herself.  Here is an example of what it did to our photo:

From This:

To this:

Get your own free sketch

A Funny Story for Each Girl

So Janey is generally a very happy baby, but she doesn't laugh a whole lot yet.  I'd heard a couple chuckles out of her here and there, and she squeals a lot, but nothing that seriously constituted laughing, until the other day.  Hopefully you all are familiar with Homestarrunner.com.  If you're not, you should check it out check it out check it out.  Anyway, we have a kick-the-cheat doll from back in the day, which now resides in Breanne and Janey's room.  The other day I was getting Janey ready for bed, when she noticed the bright yellow and black doll sitting a few inches away from her.  She was reaching for it and grabbing at it, so I moved it a little closer to her.  She was enjoying it so much I that I thought I'd hit it, and make it "talk" like the cheat.  I was a little worried that it'd scare her, but instead, she burst out laughing!  So I hit it again... and again... and again.  She was entertained by this for at least 5 minutes.  We caught just the very end of it on camera, but I don't know how to get videos here yet so I can't show you.  At any rate, it was adorable to hear her little laugh.  The funniest part was that she wasn't smiling as much as she usually does when she squeals with delight, and her laugh sounded almost like a cry, but it definitely wasn't.  I love that girl.

**************************************************************************************************

So sometimes Breanne will ask me to sing her songs, like twinkle twinkle, the abc's, snowman, popcorn... she has quite a few in her repertoire.  I enjoy singing them with her, and she is really getting good at the hand motions that go with most of them (she has even made up her own to twinkle twinkle, which I think is hilarious).  She especially seems to like to sing during dinnertime, which I am glad to comply with, because sometimes when I can distract her from her food, she'll eat more without realizing she's doing it.  So anyways, yesterday at dinner, Cory started singing to Breanne.  She immediately started giving him a hard time, "NO! NO! No ninging!  No Ninging!"  I was laughing pretty hard at this, and explained to Cory what she was saying (I don't think he was listening, or else he would've understood her himself).  Breanne then looked at me and said "Mommy ning."  So I sang a song, then Cory tried to sing again, only to receive the same response.  Over and over again, all evening.

The funny part is, I'm quite certain Cory is a better singer than me.  Breanne is just hilarious.

Fast Food

Ok, first, I just want to say thanks for all your memories, that was a lot of fun, and has really brought back a lot that I'd forgotten about. And Mom--you're allowed to comment again. I really didn't mean to forbid you in the first place, I was just joking. I love hearing all your favorite stories.

On to other things: I have a confession to make. I am not a very good cook. I mean, I can really follow a recipe well, but as for coming up with things on my own--not so good, not so good. So if I decide what I want to make early enough, we usually end up with a pretty good meal, which I like. However, if I don't decide what to make, we just end up eating cereal or sandwiches or spaghettios or pastaroni... The thing is, most of my meals require chicken to be cooked and cut up, which takes a while, plus the actual meal prep, so by the end of the day, I'm too tired to put a real meal together. So my question for you is this:

What are your favorite quick and easy meals? The ones you make when you're running out of time, but still want a decent dinner to eat as a family?

I'm wanting to add some new stuff to our menu, so any help you can give will be much appreciated. Thanks in advance.

P.S.  Yes, I did just discover the "compose" tab... silly me, and I thought I knew what I was doing before!  All of the new options... wowsers!

Memory Meme

Ok, so I was just catching up on blogs I read, and found this post on my friend Janet's page, which I'd like to do here. I, probably like most of you, have been thinking a lot about my memories of Craig, and while I have really enjoyed remembering all the crazy and fun times, I can't help but wish he was here to remember them with me. This may sound a bit selfish, but I'd at least like to have that opportunity to do this with all of you, so here's the tag:

The Memory Post

1. As a comment on my blog, leave a memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you know me a little or a lot, anything you remember! If we're only blogging friends, write about a post that is most memorable.

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll be sure to write one about you... either on your blog, in my comment box, or I will email you back!

3. If the memory happens to involve my husband or kids, please include them!

4. If you can't say something nice, don't say nothin' at all ☺

And please do this on your page, too, so we can all share in the fun times together. :)

Memories

While I have a ton of memories of Craig Decker flooding back (like the way he walked crookedly on one foot, ruining his shoes, or the time he and Mark kidnapped myself and Tannie for the new drummajor breakfast, or the time he took me bungee jumping, or when he lifted me up at a really hard time in my life with bouquet after bouquet of orange flowers, asking me to homecoming, or our pictures from that dance that somehow turned out looking like wedding pictures, which was ironic, because his car had "just married" written all over it (celebrating his parents anniversary... :)), the one that has always stood out in my mind the very most, the one that means the more to me than any other, and probably the one he wouldn't remember, was the time when I was driving him home from school (along with some other kids, I don't even remember who else, though), and he gave me a simple compliment. All he said was, "Jessie, you are one of the most genuinely nice people I've ever met." Nothing fancy or big, but made me feel so great. And since that time, when I've had bouts of hardship, and not felt like being very nice, I try to think back to that simpler time, and remember how I would've responded to such situations then. And that was just Craig's way--rarely a harsh or mean word slipped from his mouth, and even though he had more to deal with in his 25 years than most people probably do in a lifetime, he kept that same great enthusiasm for life, and kindness for all he came in contact with.

You will be missed, Craig.

Around the Kilger House...

So the girls have been growing up around here, learning all kinds of new things, so I thought I'd share a few.

Janey
occasionally laughs
loves to be sitting or standing up, looking at her surroundings
can't help but open her mouth when tilted forward
rolls over (both ways--I can't believe she's doing it so soon!)
scoots all over the floor somehow
coos at and plays with Breanne
blows lots of bubbles
loves raspberries (the tongue kind, not the fruit)
likes to look around upside down (with her head hanging off your lap is her favorite)
grabs at her toys, and sometimes succeeds at getting them in her mouth
cries more than ever because she is frustrated at not being able to do what she wants
sleeps from around 11:00 pm to 8:00 am without waking me up once because she
sucks on her hands (more and more just her thumb) to soothe herself
is such a wonderful, beautiful, happy baby

Breanne
jumps with both feet off the ground
sings
climbs
pretends to cry when people on tv or around her are sad
has a "baby bird" and "baby puppy" that she carries around, pets, and feeds (don't most kids have imaginary human friends?)
turns on movies for herself, and adjusts the input for either vhs or dvd
regularly colors on her arms and legs
pumps her legs while on the swing
asks to go play at her friend's homes
helps bring in groceries
takes naps willingly
plays with and reads to Janey
helps herself to snacks
loves to fall down at the end of ring around the rosy
is totally lovable, and usually very fun to be around

The Girls look like...

So I found this cool little meter while blog hopping, and thought I'd give it a shot. Now, I'd always thought that the girls look way more like their dad than me, but this is what the meter has to say about them:

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

MyHeritage: Family tree - Genealogy - Celebrity - Collage - Morph

And believe it or not, I tried it twice with Breanne (she looks equally like each of us? No way!) with two different photos, and they both came out equal--I can't believe it. Janey, on the other hand, ranged from 8-17% more like Cory. Pretty fun stuff. Oh, and it really does use some face recognition software, so it's pretty legit, not just comparing colors or anything... wowsers, eh? :)

Lifelong Dream Fulfilled

Ok, so maybe not lifelong, but since I was about twelve, I've wanted to see Collin Raye in concert. He was my very favorite musician for a long time, and quite possibly still is. For sure in my top 10. Anyway, last night he performed at the UVSC->UVU gala, and Cory's parents were kind enough to buy tickets for most of the family to go, including us! I was SO excited!, and had a blast. Josh Gracin (remember him? AI season 2, I think) was the opener, then Collin Raye, and Joe Nichols was closing up. I'll admit, I was surprised and disappointed that Collin Raye was in the middle (seriously, not the headliner? You've got to be joking me!), but it ended up being a good thing, because we got to leave early enough to get the girls to bed by 10:30. Joe Nichols is ok, but I didn't mind missing him. Anyway, the concert was great, and I only didn't know 2 songs of Collin Raye's--recent hits that are probably on the radio now, but I never listen to the radio anymore because I never go anywhere. Interesting fact--did you know that he has had 25 top 10 charts, and 15 #1's? He could do (and did, I guess) an entire set made up of #1's. I think that really says something about him.

Anyway, it was lots of fun. I don't have any pictures (Katie? what do you have?), but I did have a blast. Thanks again, Kilger family.


P.S. The song 'I Think About You" was my favorite for years... and now it just makes me cry... before I always thought about it from the daughter point of view (Raye wrote it for his daughter), but now, having girls... Yes, yes, I definitely love Collin Raye, and his music.