Vandalism?

All Memorial Day weekend long we have had non-stop traffic going to and from our neighbors across the street. It has been insane. Never the same vehicle twice, never staying for too long, always leaving stuff on the ground that they didn't bother to pick up before they left. It started on Friday with a steady stream. Then Saturday through Monday were incredible, sometimes what looked like hundreds of people at once. There was never a dull moment over there. On Monday they even started playing loud music. Even yesterday (Tuesday) and today (Wednesday) they have had traffic, although not nearly so bad, just a couple here and there every hour or so. Crazy. It's going to take them days to clean it all up. I'll tell you more in a minute -- I even have pictures to show you.

Meanwhile, we got some new family pictures taken at a local park. Our kids are growing up so fast that it always seems like we need a new one.

We even got Koda in on them this time.

Adelyn and I went to Saver's the other night (Curtis and Hadley were at the ward father/sons overnighter -- although they didn't stay overnight) and picked up some new dress-up clothes. Look at these way cool shoes! (they're about the same size as those plastic princess ones you can buy at the dollar store)
Here's Hadley in some of the new stuff. (My mom even donated a cowboy hat) I got a small (but still big on him) jersey, a hideous clip-on tie, some sunglasses, a yellow rain jacket and those shoes -- something a boy can dress up in a little better. But he still really likes the necklaces and the green boa.
Back to the neighbors across the street.
The music on Monday that I mentioned was Reveille (sp?) and TAPS. It was beautiful.
Did I get you? :)

The Short(er) Story of Adelyn's Hair

I was asked a while ago to show off some of the hairstyles I have done on Adelyn. I'm finally getting around to it. Sadly some of my favorites haven't been captured on film and I can't explain them without pictures.

We were blessed with a daughter who was born with a TON of hair. So we bought tiny little clips and "did" her hair every day. I thought I was an amazing mom.

Then her hair disappeared and we were left with a bald little girl with slow-growing, blonde hair. We put bows on her most days -- had to make sure she still looked like a girl.

After a while, she got a mind of her own and decided that she didn't like stuff on her head. Her hair also got a mind of it's own and never did anything but stick straight up. Most days you couldn't tell if she was a boy or a girl. This lasted for months. There went the "amazing mom".

Then the hair finally started to get long enough to lay down. We still didn't ever do anything with it.

Then one day Adelyn got a dress as a gift. It came with something to cover her hair. While she still wouldn't let it stay on very long, I took it as a hint.

We started to do her hair again. As long as we didn't put much in it and as long as it took almost no time to do, she'd let it stay in. So, she had a barrette in her hair most days. (mostly to keep it out of her eyes)

Then one day for church I decided to do it "cute". She let me!!! That was the start. Although most weekdays we still just went with the barrette. (this is piggies with just the top section of hair)

Then I discovered movies... as a form of distraction for her. After that I was able to do her hair cute most days. And since she didn't really notice me doing it, I could do more complicated things. She also got used to it enough to leave it in all day. (cascading ponytails with just the top section)

(hair "net", self-explanatory?)

I only used the top section for a really long time. The sides were too short to use and going "mohawk" style didn't sound cute. (this is just a side view of the last one)

Then we got more daring. Here's our first attempt at french braids. We had to put the ponytail on as soon as we were out of more hair to add -- and it was hard enough there.

Some days still looked like this by lunch. But they were getting fewer and farther between.

As the sides started to get longer, we tried to incorporate them. This one (cascading ponytails starting on one side and going all the way over to the other in a "headband" style) was the start of a bunch of variations of "headband" styles that we really like on Adelyn.

Then we tried out a curling iron on her hair. It went pretty well. (three small ponytails, turned under [topsy-tail] with clips for decoration)

We got braver with how much hair we could put up in just one ponytail. (half the hair pulled back)

It didn't always work.

We have experimented with different parts. (zig-zag part and french braids) My favorite right now is with one zag at the top and curving french braids to follow it. (I don't have a picture right now, I think I'll have to get one)

We tried different things with her bangs. (lopsided piggies -- not on purpose, and side-swept bangs)

Then we ran out of ideas so we found a couple of hair blogs online (thanks Michelle) with new ideas. Two of my favorite are listed on my list of "other interesting websites" if you're interested. ("headband" french braid, where you only take hair from one side)

Then we started to mix ideas. (small zig-zag part with half up in piggies, flipped out the ends and spiral-curled the piggies)

Then we tried harder things. This one is off the "Girly Dos" website.

Same with this one. So was that funky braid on one of my last posts. (it was just overhand knots with hair added as I went, which, by the way, worked out way better as two braids down her head instead of just one, but of course -- no picture of that)

Adelyn still doesn't like to sit still for the all-over spiral curls. So we started doing rag curls. After bath night, I put a little spray gel into her hair, take small sections, curl them around my fingers and securely tie them with a small strip of cloth. The next morning it looks like this, which is great because normally her hair has no curl at all.

It's fun. Especially since her hair is really getting long and thicker all over her head now.

I've traded in the curling iron (most days) with a 1 inch straight iron -- it's quicker and easier. Because of that I curl her hair under most days now. I love having a girl.

I'll post other pictures of her hair as I get them, but I don't think to take them until it's too late most of the time.

Lariann

I always read the obituaries. Not because I'm depressed or anything; mostly to look for any of Curtis' clients that die. (most of them are old/sick) Every now and then I'll see someone I know for other reasons. This time I was shocked.

The last time I saw Lariann was at a "girl's night out" party at my friend Jessica's house. It was a couple of years back and Lariann told us about her year-long (so far) fight with an awful brain tumor and pregnancy. It seemed like a terrible ordeal, but because of how she told us about it, I just knew that she'd beat it. She was so upbeat. So while I was surprised to see her in the obituaries, perhaps I shouldn't have been. Three years with an incurable brain tumor would get to anyone.

I knew Lariann from high school marching band. We went through college marching band together as well. Since then, I haven't spent much time with her, but I can honestly say I will miss her sarcastic optimism and her permanent smile. I pray for peace for her husband and very young daughter.

Random Pictures

This might be my last post for a while. I'm all caught up. I think. These are just some random pictures that I thought deserved to be blogged about. They are in no special order -- I didn't want to spend the time to rearrange them.

Here's Koda, he's always trying to find secluded spots where he can have two things: peace and quiet away from the kids, and some sunshine to warm him.

This is one of the reasons why. Adelyn thinks she's big enough to tell Koda what to do, even if he doesn't want to. He's not so keen on the idea but usually lets her have her way for a little bit, before he just gets up and walks away. (sometimes with her in tow if she's still holding on to his collar trying to tell him where to go)
Sometimes the kids play really well together. It's wonderful. Here they are "cooking dinner" together, as Adelyn calls it.
This cup is almost as big as Hadley is. He thinks he's pretty cool wandering around with it.
This is a favorite activity for Hadley, not Koda. He walks up to Koda while the dog's laying down somewhere. Then he sits down, turns away from Koda and scoots up to him (nudging into his belly or neck, it doesn't matter). Once there, he flops backwards and lays out on Koda kinda spread-eagle. After a couple of seconds, he'll reposition and do it again. While he's there he'll pull on Koda's ears or lips or poke him in the nose or eye. After a couple of pokes, Koda gets tired of it and stands up and walks away. Either that or he'll lick Hadley on the face until Hadley gets tired of it and leaves.
The kids have a "dress-up" drawer in their room. They love it.
Even Hadley thinks it's fun. I think we need some more unisex and boy dress-up items. We do have a few (like a wizard hat) but that's not what he goes for.

Here's Hadley trying on Curtis' shoes. He even figured out how to walk around in them for a few steps.
Here's a funky braid I tried out on Adelyn. It was kinda loose and didn't last long.
Adelyn loves climbing the neighbor's apricot trees.
Here's Hadley falling asleep as he eats lunch. Some days it is so hard for him to make it 'till after lunch before he goes down for his nap. The videos are even funnier (he feeds himself as he falls asleep) but I don't know how to put them on here. Sorry.
You'd think the dog was a stuffed animal, the way he just sits there for Hadley. Sometimes Hadley will even straddle his neck and sit on his head. Still nothing. Notice the green blush brush in Hadley's hand. He steals all my make-up brushes while I'm getting ready and I find them throughout the house.
Again playing together, this time in a cardboard box.
Hadley knows where the cereal is kept. He gets into it instead of coming to me and whining (to tell me he's hungry). I come in later to find Koda eating cereal off the floor because Hadley emptied the bag in his quest for the marshmallow in the bottom of the bag.
Outside helping Curtis with the yard work.
Hadley's first surgery. On the dog, no less.
Helping me unload the dishwasher.
"Is the cake good?" "I don't know, I'll think about it."
She loves to line things up. If Hadley messes her up, she'll take him somewhere (like their bedroom or Koda's kennel) where she can close him in. Then she'll go back to fix her work while I go find the screaming kid who wants out.
That's all I can think of right now. Enjoy.