Under Construction

If you have not visited my blog in the past two days you may have clicked on my blog expecting something entirely different than what you are seeing now! Remember this post where I said I wanted to make some changes to my blog to make it more navigateable (pretty sure that's a real word in the inspired dictionary..)? This is all happenin folks. I've been doing some research and turns out its pretty easy to make things just how you want them on this bloggity blog! (I love you google and brilliant techy bloggers!) I'm still learning and ironing out kinks so please be patient with me as I try to make things more easier for me and you. And if you have any suggestions please throw them out there! 

Basically I have labelled all my posts so you can click on the tabs and find posts listed under that category. I hope this makes things easier instead of more confusing. Let me know what you think...thanks!

Traditiooooon!! Tradition!

Like Tevye, Kiel and I have always felt strongly about the importance of family traditions. We feel that they add a richness and depth to not only life, but the individual family unit. Throughout our marriage some traditions have naturally fallen into place while others we have thought about and tried to implement. Some of our more favorite traditions are buying the kids a new book each Saturday to add variety to their story time selection (we read alot of books around here) and having a crazy hair creation after bath time. That's right folks, crazy hair creations. We love it. Especially the kids. They do crazy dances to go along with their crazy hair and it is indeed a very special traditional moment in the Willmore household.

I give you tonight's crazy hair creations featuring the crazy Caleb and Park Man:

 Not only do we have a terrible camera, we also had terrible lighting :(

Yes, Parker's hair is incredibly long. No, I don't have any plans to cut it. Any other questions??

What important family traditions do you just love?? I seriously do want to know.

Life on the farm

Rewind back time 6 weeks...that puts the Willmore family in Arizona enjoying a warm and sunny winter day. {why yes, I am way behind on blogging so thank you for appreciating my repentance!}. I am one of those crazy mothers who feel like its never too early to start teaching your kids important things...like the satisfaction that comes with some good hard work.

 So on this particular warm and sunny day I had my kids help Aunt Mary rake the leaves in the orchard. Turns out orchards produce a lot of leaves so Mary was very grateful for all the help. 

After raking leaves they picked up pecans {and later shelled them}...I love them seeing where their food is coming from. For some reason that is important to me...that they don't just think grocery stores make everything we eat. Our garden last year was a great experience and Caleb loved eating what we grew. I'm excited for the warm weather to arrive so we can start planting again! Ok, way side-tracked there. Back to the cuteness at hand...aren't they so cute?! I love little boy energy and curiosity!

  After dumping the leaves in the leaf pile they were handsomely rewarded with a ride back in the wheelbarrow. 

So many great things happen at Grandma's house :)

Christmas *highlights*

I had a great great great (great?) Grandma who would only smile when she was very happy but never laugh because of that scripture that says "thou shalt not laugh" or however it goes...point being I'm sure we made her roll over in her grave over Christmas. 

We ate, drank, and were merry for a whole month (and longer than that for the lucky ones!). We made christmas candy galore. We gave out said christmas candy while singing our hearts (and voices) out to anyone who opened their doors for us. We were hoarse for a week after that. We watched movies and talked till all hours of the morning almost every night. We sewed new baby stockings and helped Santa find food at costco for those stockings. We went christmas shopping and after christmas shopping and New Years shopping. We ate mexican food every day. We teased dad about his new ipad, then his new iphone that came a few days later. We ate oranges by the dozen and soaked up the sun. We wrapped presents for hours and hours. We made christmas presents for weeks. We sang around the piano. We walked around the Windsor making room for more calories. We schemed plans for the next time we would be together. 

We really enjoyed Christmas.

We took Mom to Mokis to celebrate her birthday. You're getting old mom...YAY!!!

Parker read up on boy scouts while mom did her thang.

We strung cranberries and popcorn to drape on the tree...we're old fashioned like that;)

Christmas isn't Christmas without a trip to see the Temple lights!

 At the ward Christmas party.

 Ok this is where things get weird...someone stole all my Christmas Day pictures. Seriously can't find them anywhere...so you get this random assortment of pictures representing our Christmas holiday until the suspect steps forward, Kiel proves him guilty, and I get my pictures back. Until then my friends, arvwah.

Reality

Ok remember that post where I was all talking about how awesome our tree was going to look full of original and meaningful ornaments created by me and my wonderful children?? If not, refer to my prior post. Oh yes I had a beautiful image in my head as I was planning to turn our home into a wintery wonderland. My vintage glam christmas tree was going to be the show stealler.

And here's reality folks.

 A) I went to 3 different stores and those glass ornaments with which to stuff with personal touches were not to be found. I gave up and bought dollar store ornaments. Still very lovely but way off my ornament-making track.

B) There are two sets of little fingers that like to admire the said ornaments and to prevent breakage and a possible hazards (historically my babito has not done well around glass objects) the ornaments had to be placed out of reach. I risked the garland and lights getting pulled on and covered the whole tree with those so it wouldn't have a naked bottom. Those lights and garland are now quite skeewampus.

 The result and reality is my Christmas tree is very UN-vintage and UN-glam like. But you know what? I'm totally Ok with that. The chillens had so much fun helping to decorate it and although I went around and replaced the balls since Caleb liked to put them all on one branch, it feels like us. Some day when our babies are more grown up we can have a picture perfect tree. But we have enjoyed looking at our ill-decorated sparkling tree every day for 2 weeks. I enjoy looking at it after the kids have gone to bed and the lights are dim and the christmas lights are bright. Its very relaxing and fulfilling.
And of course I have nativities and other christmas decor scattered throughout the house. I just love this time to reflect on the birth and life of our Savior. He has been such a strength to me and helped me through such hard, painful times. He really is my constant friend, always there to hear my worries, complaints, pleas, and thanks. One of the most comforting things about the whole Gospel thing is knowing that God knows everything and He has a perfect plan specially designed to bring me ultimate happiness. Things can go terribly wrong all around me but He is constant...always loving, righteous, and compassionate.
Wow...I seriously meant to just post a picture of our ugly yet endearing Christmas tree on here but instead I got all mushy. That happens. Frequently.

So lest I get busy, here is a Very Merry Christmas from our family to yours. We are grateful for all the love and friendship we have shared with so many of you throughout the years. We hope your Christmas is filled with fun, food, and family (what I affectionately refer to as the 3 critical F's)! 

If you would like to learn more about the Savior and my beliefs, here is your invite :)

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I'm one of those people who start craving Christmas music in August. Before I see the pumpkins appear in stores I'm looking around for Christmas lights. Christmas means we are going to see family. It means Kiel will be off school and work. It means family time, singing around the piano, lots of sparkles, three 15 passenger vans full of my family caroling to all 96 people we know, cheerful shoppers, and possibly the best part of it all, Christmas candy. Lots and lots of it. So as far as I'm concerned, skip halloween all together, enjoy a little thanksgiving pie and then party like its Christmas the rest of the year. Yup. I released all inhibition and started playing Christmas pandora a month ago. I embrace you Christmas.

We picked up our new-to-us (i heart you craigslist!) christmas tree yesterday and that sucker is going up today. In the past we have always had a 2 feet tree that was the perfect size for our Wymount apartment and one package of mini ornaments and half a garland made that tree look a little crowded. So this year I'm going to make this 7 foot tree mine. White a red and sparkly. Glitter pine cones tied with sheer and white ribbons. And a monster bow on top. I'm making it all. OK not all but I plan on being ambitious. So with the help of Pinterest I've been collecting ideas. I also wanted to share this website with ya'll. Its fantastic. 101 christmas ornament ideas...it really helps the imagination to bubble over.

 As I get to creating whats in my head I'll try to chronicle them on here. I sure love to see and steal all your good ideas! All you crafty brilliant people you.

Be original...procrastinate!

No, thine eyes do not deceive you. Halloween is already passed. You missed it. Huge bummer.

Not. We had our church trunk-or-treat and chili cook-off party over the weekend so this is Halloween part 1. The party was a total success. All the different types of chili were so delish and the corn bread- to die for. Ha. But seriously, I've been asking myself why I don't make corn bread more often? I'm going to work on that kinda crucial flaw. And I have a killer corn bread recipe...the trick is sour cream in the batter people! The treat is moist and light deliciousness. I might have to post that recipe in the future. 

So here is how our party went in picture form:

Mr. Parks Man was originally a cowboy but after everyone congratulating me on the cutest back-woodsman they'd ever seen I changed my mind. He's a back-woodsman.

 I totally spaced the need for costumes until the morning of the party and then got so busy I forgot about them again until 30 mins before the party. I'm a slacker like that. No awesome mom award for me. But I gotta tell ya, Caleb didn't mind a bit. He loves trains so I broke out the recently emptied diaper box and cut a hole for his head and arms and then he helped me paint it red. We did a great job. You can even see the huggies baby through the paint. Then I made the details out of paper, cardboard, and tin foil and hot glued them on. He was so proud of his train costume. Works for me!

 This is our family picture taken at the ward party. Can you guess what Kiel and I were?? I'll give you hint: Kiel wore leaves on his jacket and I wore a chunky chain necklace. Yeah...no one else got it either. He was Pres. Bush and I was VP Cheney. Get it? HAHA! I thought the idea was hysterical but after telling some people who we were they asked, "who's Bush and Cheney?" Umok. Maybe not so creative...

 Although I might not receive the Best Mom Award for Caleb's costume, he did win the Most Original Costume award at the party. Go us and our originalityyyy! I'm actually not even sure what that means...no one else had one like his because they all had cool, real spiderman and superman costumes?? Whatever. We got a necklace full of M&Ms. So there shnazzy pants.

 Caleb played the cake walk game at least 46 times I kid you not. The poor boy has no matter of luck at all. 

 But eventually the nice lady in charge took pity on him and found his chair number and called it out. He won a cupcake.

 And shared it with Parks. Cause he's the best brother like that. See the frosting on his nose?? hehe

What are ya'll gunna be for Halloween?? I think Kiel and I should mix things up for Halloween day and come up with a different idea that people who are politically and citizenly challenged will still get. Also, am I the only one is getting shakey with excitement at the thought of all the yummy things my kids will bring home from trick-or-treating for me? Yeah? I'm pathetic? Ok. 

Happy Halloween!

elimen-oh! peas!!

This little monkey is sooo grown up now. I know because he started school. Now he's a student just like his daddy. This makes the monkey very happy!

The Never Bored book {um, the most awesome activity book ever...in case you were wondering} came from costco and the other two books came from the dollar store. The foot is courtesy of Caleb.

The craft and learning supplies and all the containers came from the dollar store as well. Crayons, pompoms (awesome for so many things!! sort by color, number, or make crafts with them!), googly eyes, fabric paint, buttons, glitter glue.

All these learning tools fit right inside a plastic tote that I got at the dollar store.

With the start of school, I have had to get things a little more organized. Or rather, Caleb is now more organized. Here is what his new schedule looks like:

Yeah. We like music. For music time we sing all the songs Caleb knows. That's Caleb's favorite. For dance time we blast up pandora Disney and dance like there's no tomorrow. That is my favorite. Join us anytime.

For "explore your world" we usually go outside- weather permitting- and look for bugs, or certain plants, or colors, or we count things. Ya know, whatever.

And every Wednesday we go to story time at the library and then get a bag of books to bring home.

Basically, it adds positive, educational structure to our days and we all love it! No I don't stick to it like glue. I'm way too lazy spontaneous for that but it gives us something to work at, especially when a day is getting particularly wild or boring. 

Is this teacher not the luckiest in the world?!

Didn't your momma ever tell you not to play with your food??

 For dinner I made chili rellenos and bean dip. The beans were a big hit, especially with Parks. He enjoyed eating it...here and there... But mostly he just enjoyed playing in it- drawing pictures in it with his fingers, applying it as makeup, flinging it across the room and beating his record distance over and over again. Turns out, beans are fun stuff. 

Caleb loved watching Parker play with his food...and he was probably wondering, "how could I get away with that and have mom and dad laughing and taking pictures??" Don'tcha even think about it Mr!

checking out the pile of beans he just launched over the side of his chair.

I hope this hasn't made you lose your appetite. I think its darling. But I am his mom so I suppose I could be slightly biased.......Bon appetit!