A hodgepodge of a post.

#1:

Ah...mastitis...we meet again.

Is is not enough the I freely disown the ladies for 1 + year to give life to my children?

Is it not enough that my dresser drawer is packed with bra sizes all up & down the board thanks to my ever-changing size due to pregnancy, nursing, then post-nursing weirdness, then back to normal?

And is it not enough that normal, really never is normal. 
EVER AGAIN.

Well then.  Bring on the plugged ducts & infection.
Kind of how I'm feeling right about now:

#2:

Au revoir, Uncle Austy.

We had a good run.

4 years of a good run, in fact.

I'm not entirely sure what it was that eventually made him leave.

Possibly:

The rats that decided to move into the garage?

Tatty getting put into the Bishopric, thus leaving Aust to be my wing-man during Sacrament meeting with the kids?

The fact that sometimes the dishes come out of the dishwasher not perfectly clean...& I'm too tired to care.

Maybe it's because Tat chases him around the house blaming him & asking him where his lost key is?
Could it be the creepy messages I leave him on the shower walls with Avy's bath crayons?
You know, things like, "Good Morning, Nakey!"
Or perhaps he really believes me when I tell him I cook with breast milk instead of cow's milk to save moola?

But alas, Austy claims it was just time to get his own bachelor pad.

We've had some good times.

#3:

First ever family photo shoot!

I have some seriously talented friends.  I want a cool talent/hobby too. 

But until then, I must recruit my gifted compadres to help me out.

My awesome friend Meghan took these up at Stanford.

They turned out perfect...just as I'd hoped.

THANK YOU!!!

(pics to be posted soon)

here's the link:

Meg's awesome work!

#4:

Preschool Thanksgiving Feast

Who knew the Pilgrims & Native Americans (as they call them in preschool), feasted on bagels & Pilgrim Reese's pb-cup hats?

#5:
Dear Savvy Shopper is back in action!
After a mandatory hiatus from the sleep gods, I think I am back.
I've missed scouring the web & sharing deals.
It's a part of who I am.
It feels good to be back.
DEARSAVVYSHOPPER

#6

Buddy's 1st Birthday!

Had a lazy morning.

Spent the afternoon at the park.

I made a cake.

Avy added her own personal touch.

We sang & ate some goodness.

Opened some presents.

#7

Buster's Race Car Party!

Avy's a party planner.  She plans way in advance.  Since Buddy was about 5 months old, she has requested we throw him a Race Car party for his big numero uno.

So we did.

The only bummer was that it poured rain, so the festivities were all held inside.

Here's what we did:

Race Car Oil Box Bowling

Roads on the floor

Race Car Cake

(which by the way I totally forgot to bust out until the after party!)

Little Race Car Bear Creations





Look how clever the wee-ones are...they put lights on their bear cars!  Genius!

Cars Art Station

                                      

Cars Puzzle Station

& the Ever Popular & Entertaining...drum roll please...

Uncle Austy, the Race Car Driver.
Strike that, he named himself "Uncle Haus" for the day...
he thought that sounded like a good race car driver name.

He led the tots in a rousing rendition of Red Light Green Light & a few car songs.

He handed out Racing Certificates to all the kiddos:


He stuck Gold Cups on everyone...signed by "Haus":

In sum, it's been yet another fun & busy week around these parts. 
Go ahead & join me in wishing
Austy cozy housewarming wishes to the bachelor pad,
Linc a Happy 1st Race Car Birthday,
 Avy Happy Thanksgiving to the Pilgrims & Native Americans,
Tat good luck with finding his lost key.
& best wishes for Hayley's mastitis to leave & never return.