The Many Names Of Abigail Tippetts

Abigail is rarely ever called Abigail in our house. She just is the type of kid that just comes with nicknames! For the most part we call her Abby. Then it grew to Abby-Dabby. Soon it was lengthened even more by Josh to Abby-Dabby-Ding-Dong. Then when she broke her friends arm, (not really but we tease her about it anyway) the name Bruiser was added to the list. Then the other day my mom brought home some Ho Ho's for the kids to eat. Now Abbs LOVES Ding Dong's and she thinks that is where Josh got that name for her, (it is not by the way) so she announces in a way ONLY Abbs could pull off... From now on I'm Abby-Dabby-Ding-Dong-Ho-Ho ( she leaves off the Bruiser on purpose, she ignores that Josh calls her that and claims the thing never happened!)

Now only one other time in my life have I ever heard of a kid declaring a name change like that and it was my sister Cory who declared her new name was SPIKE! Well it must be genetic somehow but I really don't know if HoHo is really the name she wants stuck to her!

But until it changes (and when I say changes I mean another name is added to the end) Abby is known as Abby-Dabby-Ding-Dong-Bruiser-Ho-Ho! It just makes a mom so proud!

Let's Just Always Assume It's From Pinterest!

Yes another project from Pinterest. It is safe to assume that all of my projects lately are from this VERY addictive website! For so long I just looked and pinned things on Pinterest...I love that I'm actually completing things...if I didn't know better you would think I was nesting!

Pumpkin Time!

It's that time of the year again...for the carving of the pumpkins! Abby got a pumpkin a few weeks ago at her field trip and Elizabeth has been asking pretty much everyday when she was going to go get one. So on Saturday we went and her and I got two big ones, so that she could carve one and so could Dad! Well Josh is sick and didn't really want to carve one so Elizabeth got to carve both big ones! This is them cleaning them out. I hate this part and was inside for most of it baking!

 

Abby didn't like her hands getting dirty as much as Elizabeth did!

They had to clean up the cleaning out first before they could start to carve. We got at the store a Barbie pumpkin carving kit but it was for bigger pumpkins then what we got. So Elizabeth designed her own faces, and I have to say (and I know that I'm her mom and have to say these types of things...but really if you know Josh and I we don't just say those type of things even to our own kids) She did a REALLY good job. I was so impressed by what she created all by herself, none of us helped her.

Abby on the other hand told us that she was too little to be handling anything sharp! Yes her words!!! I love this kid. She said that she could clean it out but she didn't want to use any knives! However she got over that and decided it would be ok to us one of the small carving knives and she did carve her own pumpkin!

When they were done they set them outside in the front. They are so excited to finally have pumpkins for Halloween...and yes I know we are a little late, but at least we made them BEFORE Halloween happened!

So I said I was baking and yes the girls picked out these mummy cupcakes for me to make and no I didn't get these off of pinterest I got them from Target out of a box. However the first batch I made of cupcakes that came with the box didn't turn out at all the centers caved in! So I had to get another cake mix out of the pantry and make some more. But even after all that they turned out really cute I think!

 We took some over to our neighbors house. The girls LOVE to deliver treats to the neighbors and I think our neighbors LOVE to get treats from the girls! Don't you wish you were our neighbors now!

Elizabeth's Halloween Piano Recital

Elizabeth's Halloween Piano Recital is a more casual recital and it is in the form of a game. Everyone gets this paper with all the songs that will be performed and all the names of the performers and you have to guess what the person is playing by the clues they give you. They can give you clues a few different ways...they can be dressed like the part, they can have props to help give a clue or they can act out the clue.
Elizabeth dressed up like her part and also had props. Her song was Witches, Bats & Howling Cats. So she dressed like a witch and had a cat and bat to show them. She said she wasn't nervous and she did a wonderful job...of course she forgot to tell us all her name and she really wouldn't look out at the crowd, but she played her piece and took her bow and sat down with out acting like too much of  a dork, so we call that a success! Isabelle and Conrad also take lessons from the same teacher so they were there too and did WONDERFUL jobs with playing the piano. This was Conrad's first piano recital and I have to say he did very well!

 CAL's song was B.I.N.G.O. so he was a dog (Cory is so talented with make-up)! Isabelle's song was Goblins on Parade and she had a banner and marched to the piano.

Abby clapped for everyone and got a picture with the dog! She can't wait until it is her time to start piano lessons so that she can do these things too! 

RAD Kids Graduation

 RAD Kids is a program they have in 1st grade to help the kids learn how to get away from strangers and stay safe...it's kinda like the DARE program from when I was little. After the week of it they get to have a graduation and they get to show the parents all the things they learned! This is before they started...it is only two of the 1st grade classes, they break up the 1st graders into two different times so that it's not so crowded, and all the parents can fit into the gym to see the kids.

 Then they got into a circle to show all the parents what they learned. It is really kind of fun, they learned how to punch and hit someone that is trying to take them away! And they yelled things like "YOU'RE NOT MY DAD! or NO NO!"

 Next they got all geared up to show us their moves on a police guy! Abby was so excited to in her words, "Beat up a cop...but it is ok because they said we could!"

 For being so excited Abby didn't really hit very hard. She kind of punches like a girl! But she was happy with how she did after the whole thing was over so I guess that is all that matters. I just hope that if the time really does come to use these moves that she learns to put a little more force behind the punch then she did tonight. It was like she was hitting a bug...no I think she hits bugs harder!

This was the nice cop that got to be hit by all the kids that night! Abby said she didn't want to hurt him so she didn't hit him that hard!

After they go to the cop they run over to the play phones and call 911 for help...or at least that is what I think she is doing...with Abby who knows who she is calling!

After all the kids do that then they get to go up when their name is called and receive their certificate for completing the program.

And then they get candy of course!

Abby did such a good job after it was all over she told me that I really should of taped it for daddy. Josh was out of town and couldn't be there. I told her that I took lots of pictures but she didn't think that was enough... video really would of captured it better!

Elizabeth and I sat with a bunch of Elizabeth's friends and I was so happy she cheered SO loud for her sister and well everyone else too. My ears were hurting by the end. I know that I told Josh I wanted little girls so that we could have girl giggles...but the yelling is a bit much! But they were all so cute and cheered their loudest for the little kids! I really do love to see older siblings get excited for the little ones. This is my last RAD Kids graduation and I enjoyed every bit of it...and Abby was probably right I should of taped it!

Crazy Hair Day

It was red ribbon week this past week at school and everyday they do something different. Thursday was crazy hair day. The girls love this one and had LOTS of ideas of how they wanted their hair done. So here they are before school!

Craftroom Update...

Josh is down in Vegas right now and just texted me that there is a request for an update on my craftroom from my wonderful mother-in-law! Wow I guess she really is reading my blog! You know Trudy I do this all for you!  

I'm not done yet with my craftroom but these are all the things I have gotten done. I went really fast at first getting lots of things done but I have slowed down a bit since. The first thing after cleaning the room out and getting all the spiders to vacate the area, Josh built me this to go on the wall behind the door for all of my stamps. Don't I have the best husband. I see things on pinterest and he builds them! I painted it though, he's not big into the painting. I love it...this way I have all my stamps out in a place that I can see everything I have.

My mom has gotten a bit involved and she found this so very cute piece of furniture at a store and got it for me to put in the room to hold all of my supplies! I painted the wall behind it so that it would pop! It was really fun to pick out bright colors for this room. I'm not usually a bright painter but since this was a craftroom I went for it. My sister Cory has already told me that the color looked like a old skating rink...but I love it and I guess that is all that matters!

The big chest that my mom got is distressed so I decided to paint the cupboards that were already in there and distress them myself. I was a little nervous how they would turn out, but they came out great I even found the matching color to the chest so it looks like they have all been done at the same time. This picture is of the cupboards that hold books.

This is what they look like with the doors open. They now hold all of my scrapbooking and card making books.

 I also distressed the cupboards under the sink and changed out the knobs on all of them too.

One the wall next to the sink I have hung up my bars to hold my punches. This way they are all out were I can get to them.

 This is the filing cabinet that I...wait no Josh did paint this for me, he must love me he hates to paint...and I got vinyl squares to dress up the drawers. And yes I saw this on pinterest too.

 I'm not done labeling all the drawers just yet but I did get the top drawer done...it says Yarn!

 Once again my mom came through and got a new light for over the sink. Isn't it so cute. It's a bunch of jars hanging down! We thought it looked crafty!

 These are the silhouettes of the girls from Disneyland from when they were just babies. I thought it was appropriate to put next to the head that Josh is sculpting of his grandfather. Yes I did let Josh to have ONE of his projects in my room! I figured since he has pretty much built everything for me...

 We are getting a shutter for the window next week...that is another one of my mom's additions. I do have to say she puts in some good additions.

So there is my craftroom so far. I am still hanging things on the walls and putting things away. Josh is also building me an island for a bigger work space. Have I mentioned that I have the best husband....I will show more projects as I finish them, until then happy crafting!

Kids Really Are Just The Funniest People!

Today I was in the car with the girls and we had just come out of Petco to get more fish food for Elizabeth's fish. Abby was begging for a fish of her own in the store and I asked her if she had any money she said, "yes, 1 dollar!" I decided to go through all the things she would have to buy to own a fish, bowl, little rocks at bottom of bowl, little house or what ever she wanted in bowl, fish, and food. We landed roughly on the amount of 25 dollars. She was counting her best with her little fingers figuring how much more she needed to get herself a fish!
So back to the car, the girls were in the back discussing how Abby was going to get her hands on $25! And I use the word discussing because that is what was going on they were in a DEEP discussion!!! It went something like this...
Elizabeth: "You know you just have to be a better saver"
Abby: "I'm a great saver I have a dollar"
Elizabeth: "Let me help you out a little Abby, I have done this before. You have a couple of options."
Abby: "Really, what?"
Elizabeth: "You can wait until Christmas, and maybe Santa will give you one."
Abby: "Will Santa spend that much on me?"
Elizabeth: "I don't know Santa is kind of cheap...oh wait I'm thinking of the tooth-fairy, yeah Santa will spend like $29!"
Abby: "Wow $29!
Elizabeth: "Yep!...Or you can ask mom to do extra chores...like maybe, I don't know if she will go for this but maybe you could rub her feet, I know Auntie Cory will give you money for that! You will have to ask her. (And Yes I was right there in the front seat driving, I don't think they think I can hear)"
Abby: "I'm scared"
Elizabeth: "I can't do everything for you...Maybe you can do extra chores for Nana and she can pay you...like rub her feet she likes that."
Abby: "Yeah"
Elizabeth: "She will pay you like $5 a day maybe"
ME: Not wanted them to go to my mom asking for $5..."Um...I don't think so"
Elizabeth: "Yeah maybe like $2 or $1...but you should ask Nana"
Abby: "Well maybe we can save together"
Elizabeth: "What are you thinking I'm going to just give you my money....you have to save your own!"
Abby: "I wasn't thinking that...I wish that I could just have a fish magically"
Elizabeth: "Yeah that would be awesome....you know you will have to remember to feed it and clean it's bowl."
Abby: "I will feed it everyday before I even eat!"
Elizabeth: "I've heard that before...I said that same thing, didn't I mom?"
ME: "Yes you did"
Abby: "Who's going to clean the bowl I'm too little?"
Elizabeth: "Well...I don't think dad is going to appreciate cleaning TWO bowls...I don't know maybe...well maybe you could ask mom...but I just don't think she will do it" (little do they know I have been the one to clean out the fish bowl!!!)
Abby: "Well maybe you could clean out your fish bowl and dad can clean out mine!"
Elizabeth: "I would need parental supervision (and yes she said that I don't know where she learned that one) to clean out the bowl....maybe...just maybe dad can teach me, but I don't know"
Abby: "Man....It takes a lot to get a fish!"
Elizabeth: "Yes but I did it and so can you"
Abby: "Maybe I will wait until I'm 8 and get one then....then I will have the money"
Elizabeth: "You can have the money in a couple of months by Christmas!"
Abby: "Oh I just really want a fish!!!"

This was the whole ride home from the store...I just tried so hard not to bust out loud laughing! I think they think I can't hear them! This might not sound funny written out but believe me the way those two girls say the things they say....so funny!

The Changing Of The Seasons!

I have to start this post off by telling you all how much I love Josh! Even though he will try to convince everyone that he is this grumpy old man, he really is the most thoughtful person that I have ever known! I mentioned a while ago that I wanted to go up the canyon to take pictures before the leaves finished falling. We have been busy with one thing or another every weekend and have missed our chance to go up. So this weekend I mentioned again that I really wanted to go up before it was too late and we missed it. So this morning he made sure the girls got ready early before church so that we would have enough time to drive up the canyon to see all the pretty fall leaves. This man made sure the girls got food and dresses, and yes he even brushed some little girl hair for me just so that I wouldn't have to wake up too early and I could get some extra rest, all so I could see the leaves! Sadly this was all in vain...yes we missed it! It is still a pretty drive though and the girls enjoyed seeing how high we get on the mountain! This is a picture at the top of the mountain before you start to go back down. I made the girls get out so I could take their pictures. They were cold and didn't really want to take any pictures, but I at least got a couple.

After church I did go out side in our backyard, which still had a few leaves and took some pictures of the girls. They like to play in the leaves and liked to take the silly pictures. When I tried to take the nice one's they weren't as willing, however I got a few of them.

They made leave angles in the pile of leaves and thought that was the funniest thing in the world! Yes I know it doesn't take a whole lot to entertain them!

Abby is my biggest poser. She likes to get her picture taken. Elizabeth on the other hand just wanted to throw leaves around!

 Elizabeth LOVES to climb trees and there are plenty of them to climb here!

 They are growing up so fast I can't believe that it is already another fall!