if you didn't leave me your address...

or you just haven't gotten it cause i haven't mailed it yet:)  here is the Christmas card we sent for 2008.  hope you all had a very merry one!  i will post Christmas pictures soon.  i promise:)

{the front}

{the back}... who doesn't want a ton more pics of my cute kiddos?

after a storm...

i am so grateful for these 2!!!  becks & my hunny are always so quick to get out & plow the driveway after a big snow storm.  i love how cute they both look in there cute snow clothes!

the first winter snow...

it snowed a little in the fall, but i didn't get any pics of that.  so it was really fun when we left our ward christmas party saturday morning to come out to snow falling.  the kids all loved it & thought it was the perfect christmas present from our bishop:)  luckily i had my camera & caught a couple of shots.

{first you catch it...}

{or, you can just catch it right in your mouth}

{then you eat it...}

{then you catch again... chocolate milk mustache & all}

{then you close your eyes to make one goofy looking face!}

i need your address... yea you!

i am trying to get my christmas cards out & i am missing so many addresses.  when my cell phone got stolen i lost so much info!  please email me your address so i can make sure i get you your christmas card!  britfullmer@mac.com.  thanks friends!!!

not great picture, but great memories...

my amazing photographer & friend once said, "your pictures might not always be great, but don't throw them out just because they are blurry or grainy or have shadows."  before that wonderful advice i wouldn't have ever posted these because they weren't "perfect".  but they portray the moment perfectly!

when i went in to get Avi from her nap today, this is what i found...

{messy red hair...}

{+ watching her bird, light thingy.  for the first time in who knows how long...}

{+ upside down sunglasses...}

{= 1 thumb sucking, happy girl!}

trying not to laugh, but DYING inside...

Becks loves Mondays.   school is back, he gets to see friends & of course the Disney Monday movie.  this week was Mickey's Christmas Carol.  he seemed pretty excited about it, Mickey & Christmas, what's not to love!  anyway, i was at work & when i got home Quinn told me all about this little EMOTIONAL ADVENTURE.  i am so glad that i wasn't there, because i would have laughed & that would have made him feel worse.  Quinn handled it so well & we totally laughed about it together, later, not in front of Becks.  okay, okay- here's the story...

Quinn went in to check on Becks watching his movie & when he went in Becks had tears just streaming down his cheeks.  When Quinn asked him what was wrong, Becks looked at him with the most concerned eyes & said, "Pluto is lost.  It is almost Christmas & Mickey can't find him anywhere."  "Mickey is so sad!  He just can't find him & he will miss Christmas!"  Quinn calmed him down, but said that he had sad eyes the rest of the movie.  When i asked Becks if he wanted to watch that show again with me he got a concerned look & said, "no mom, that was tooo sad!  i don't ever want to watch it again."

i am so blessed to have such a sweet, caring boy.  he truly has the softest little heart & loves everyone so much!  i hope that he stays that way!!!!  the world could use more loving men!!!!!  I love you beckster man!

all is well...

Thank you so much for all of you sweet words & comforting stories.  our doctor called us today & said that everything with Avi's blood work looked normal & we just needed to keep an eye on her.  it was such a relief!  thank you again!  it is a great feeling to know that so many people care about you and your family.  i am truly blessed!!!!

our itty bitty princess...

today Avi had her 2 year appointment.  lets just say it didn't go as well as i had hoped.  let me back up a little...

2 years ago i was almost 36 weeks pregnant & went in for a growth check (i had to have a lot of these when i was pregnant with Avi, because of the complications with Becks.) it started with my weekly non-stress test (i hate that name... they totally stress me out!), everything was looking fine, so i went in for my growth check.  the tech started looking & telling me that he could see chubby cheeks, hair, all looks good... blah, blah, blah.  the peronatologist came in & was checking things & that is when i got the news- did i mention that i was alone?!?- the Dr. says to me... "she looks good, about 4 lbs. 9 oz.." "she is measuring at about 33 weeks."  my worst nightmare was happening all over again.  Becks was 5 lbs. 1 oz. when he was born, full term, & they had no idea that there were any problems till after he was born.  

the doctor told me at that time that i had to have Avi that day.  i started crying and asked if there were any other options.  she said that if i came in everyday over the weekend, which was Thanksgiving weekend, i could have her monday.  so i did & she was perfect, little, but perfect.

now back to today-- avi has always been little!  she has still never been on the growth charts for weight & we have had to go every few months for growth checks.  i have just been praying lately that this appointment would be different.  it wasn't.  she had actually dropped from the -15% to -25%  on the weight charts.  that is not good for little people.  at 2 years old she finally weighs 20 lbs... even!  hey, look on the bright side-  i can finally turn her forward facing in her car seat, legally :)  so after a urine test, 2 shots & 8 blood tests, hopefully we will have some answers soon.  please remember avi in your prayers.  i just keep hoping that she is just skinny & lucky & it is nothing major like they are thinking!  Thanks for letting me blab.  

Avi & the beloved pArTy HaT...

this year for avi's birthday i really wanted to start a new tradition.  i love the idea of the celebratory crowns, but i deep down wanted it to be a fancy party hat!  i started gathering ideas & was so, so happy with the results & so was she.  i have to say that it is not always easy having a high maintenance child, but in this instance it was perfect.  she didn't want to take the thing off!  she freaked out every time it started sliding off & treated it like it was made of gold... what a Diva!  needless to say the hat was a hit!

{the beloved hat}

{the party princess}

it's my party & i love it...

this year avi's birthday fell on Thanksgiving day.  we celebrated Saturday & it was a blast!  unfortunately this perfect little skirt, that i made the shirt to match, didn't come until Monday.  major bummer!!!  anyway, we had to take some pics of her in her birthday outfit... even if they were a little late!  i will post the rest of the birthday pics this week.  enjoy these cute & silly faces until then!

family pictures November 2008 edition...

every year the fabulous Haley Ann Warner takes our family pictures.  since she is going into earily retirement... at least from family photo shoots.  i had to hire her one last time!!!!  oh how i wish she would change her mind!  but if anyone understands about trying to balance work & family, i promise i know her delema!  i know that i am totally bias as there mom, but my kids are pretty dang cute!!!!!!  too bad they had to be bribed with suckers & Avi with her snuggley.  Thanks again Haley!!!!!

Thanksgiving take-home boxes, this is a long one!...

My amazing, talented, beautifully creative friend Debbie Lew is my fun partner in crime for this little project.  She did this a few years ago for her Thanksgiving guests & it was so fun!  She is my muse for all things crafty & am so glad she helped me make these little lovelies.   I think this is such a great idea & we wanted to share it with all of you.  I know that it is a lot of pictures, but i wanted to give you step by step instructions & also a couple of different style to finish them.  I hope that you will feel as inspired by debbie as i do!!!  

{Thanksgiving take-home boxes}

{the ingredients...}

the theme for our boxes was turkey sandwiches.  you could pack whatever you wanted in yours, but we found these things easy to pack.  You can also do a couple of different things in the construction of the boxes.  the year debbie did them, she cooked another turkey a couple of days before thanksgiving.  she didn't stuff it, she just filled it with lemon & herbs & cooked it up.  She made up her boxes with her daughters before thanks giving & just refrigerated them until she was ready to give them.   You could also have all of the packing products (boxes, cello bags, waxed paper, jars, twine, ect.) ready for your guest after your Thanksgiving Feast & they could pack up there own, just the way they want.

Here's what we filled ours with...

{stuffing...}

{turkey...}

{cornbread...}

{pumpkin chocolate chip cookies...}

{yummy bread... you could also use rolls}

{cranberry jelly & gravy... in recycled anne made jelly jars jars}

{we adorned them with vintage clip art cards...}

{just printed out of books on linen paper & cut with pinking sheers}

{we used a 6 x 6 kraft colored box... we got ours from Xpedx}

{we wrapped our stuffing...}

{in brown waxed paper...}

{the same way...}

{debbie's mom used to wrap...}

{her sandwiches for school lunch...}

{perfect!}

{we started with the jelly & gravy... heavies on the bottom}

{& then packed the rest in.  with the lighted on top.}

{we finished this one with brown satin ribbon & one of the clip art tags.}

{another we simplified & tied up with turkey twine & added fall colored leaf die cuts.}

play around with it & just have fun.  this time of year is for family & friends to spend time together & enjoy the things we are so blessed with.  

Happy Thanksgiving to you & yours!

artsy avi...

Avi's latest obsession is drawing.  she wants to color non-stop... on everything, with anything!  she loves coloring on scribble pads with crayons & markers.  she calls every color GREEN.  i love how she holds the crayon perfectly.  & she's alway so excited to tell me what her little drawings are.  

{picking just the right color... green}

{what mommy?!?}

{i love the way she holds the crayon!  so cute!}

{she loves tracing her hand}

{what color she brings to our life!}

love you baby girl~ Mommy