This week's 10...

1.  Got our new Hoover Hard Floor cleaner!  We got it with our credit card points, and I thought it would take forever to get here.  Nope!  We cleaned our tile with it last night; it worked good!

2. Went and saw "Confessions of a Shopaholic" yesterday.  SO FUNNY!  I loved it.  I was laughing so hard.  Like, it was embarrassing I was laughing so hard.  But that's good, right?!

3.  Went on date with Mike on Friday.  We went to Los Hermanos and then to the Temple to do Sealings.  It was a great night. 

4.  Friday spent the day up in Centerville with my Mom and Sister.  We did lots of coupon-shopping at Albertson's and then went to lunch.  I love hanging out with them!

5.  Max cut the inside of his lip way bad on Friday evening.  It's still swollen today :(. 

6.  The weather has been so nice!  Yay!  Spring is coming.  We've been outside a lot more, and Madilyn has had a blast playing on the big swing. 

7.  Went to Wal-mart during Madilyn's dance class and almost bought her a new bike with training wheels for her b-day.  I'm going to wait and look at some other stores first, but it's way cute.

8.  Re-pierced one of Madilyn's ears yesterday.  Her right ear was just not in the right spot and it was driving me crazy.  There were some tears, but now it's PERFECT!  Poor girl, she's stuck with an obsessive mother. 

9.  Cut Mike's hair last night.

10.  Found out that one of Madilyn's favorite shows is Full House.  She loves it!  Which is great because I don't really mind watching it with her.  I used to love that show.  

This is what usually happens when I tell Maddie to "smile big"! 

 

The kids watching a movie while we were babysitting Ava. 

My view while cooking dinner Wednesday night.   My 3 favorite people.  I couldn't imagine a better view :)

I love this guy!

Madilyn was making Max laugh so hard tonight. We had just gotten home from Dance, and Max was whining. He was starving, so he just wansn't happy. I set him down on the couch so I could start fixing dinner. One minute he was crying, the next he was cracking up. I just had to share!

Cinnamon Rolls Recipe

I had totally forgot to post the recipe!  Thanks to my cousin Jessica, who reminded me.  Here it is in case anyone is interested :)

• 1 1/2 Tbls. yeast
• 1/3 c. warm water
• activate the yeast in the warm water with a little sugar
• 3 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup mashed potatoes (instant is fine)
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 8-9 cups flour

-Melt shortening and then add the milk.  Pour it into mixing bowl and add sugar, potatoes, and salt.  Make sure it's not too hot and add the yeast mixture.  Add egg, and then stir in all of the flour at once.  Let raise till double and then roll out.  Put butter all over it, and lots of cinnamon and sugar.  Roll up and cut with floss.  Put in a pan and let raise again.  Bake at 350 for about 12 minutes and then frost with Cream Cheese Frosting. 

That recipe is pretty big.  I halved it and it worked fine.  It made a 9x13 pan and also a little pie pan. 

Cinnamon Rolls

So, as many of you already know, I LOVE to bake.  I really enjoy the whole process.  Which is kind of too bad, because it makes me bake WAY too much.  I don't need all the treats around, that's for sure.  Anyway, stuff that has yeast in it has always freaked me out.  Breads, rolls, and of that just made me nervous.  I think it's because I don't like it when stuff has to raise.  It's so out of my control, and I just always hope it will actually work.   Lately, I've been trying to make more stuff with yeast in it, and today was Cinnamon Rolls! 

I've never made them before, but my mom used to a ton when we were growing up.  So I got the recipe from her.  It's one that's been passed down for generations, and it has mashed potatoes in it!  I hadn't ever heard of rolls with mashed potatoes in them, but YUM.  It's good. 

Anyway, I had to post pictures of them because I'm excited.  I know, I'm a dork! 

Here are a few pictures of Maddie.  She got jealous when I was taking pictures of rolls and not her, so she wanted some pictures too!

 

Growing up!

I have been wishing that Madilyn's ears were pierced for a little while now.  But I kept thinking, there's no way I could do it now.  A 3 year old would freak out.  Turns out that they don't really know yet what "getting earrings" entails, which works out great!  So, we went with Jessica and Ava and got her ears pierced today!!!  They look so pretty.  I'm so excited!  She liked the little pink flower ones, so those are the ones she got.  It was a fun girls day at the mall!

Before the big poke!

 

Excuse my bangs in this next picture.  I have a love/hate relationship with them. They have a mind of their own. 

Getting her dots drawn on...

This is right after her first one.  It was so sad.  She was trying so hard to be brave and excited, but after her first one, she was SO freaked out.  She was trying to smile but was crying too.  Broke my heart!  I really wish she had just been able to get both done at the same time.   I'm so proud of her.  She did a good job!

 

I told her she could pick something from the store afterward.  Luckily, she was happy with these wings.  I think they're so cute!

Ava and Maddie with their new wings :)  They are such cute little friends. 

Funny Boy

Here are a couple of pictures of Max getting his haircut yesterday.  I think he looks so cute in the cape, with his little head sticking out.  But, he was NOT amused that I was taking these!!!  Sorry that my house looks like a disaster zone in these. 

Last Week's 10.

1.  Max learned to say "binki".  It comes out more like "gunki" but it's progress.  One of the things he says most is "uh oh, binki".  When he can't find it.  I think pretty soon here we'll only give it to him at night. 

2.  For Valentines we tried to meet up with my parents at The Cheesecake Factory.  When we got there there was an hour wait.  No way.  We headed to the Olive Garden. 

3.  Mike surprised me with flowers and chocolates on Friday.  How sweet!  I didn't get him anything because we had both "agreed" that Cancun was going to be our Valentines gift.  And our Anniversary.  And birthdays. 

4.  Got three new pairs of shoes this week!  All very good deals. 

5.  The Amazing Race started last night.  Yay!  It's one of our favorite shows.

6.  Moved Max up to size 5 diapers.  They're huge!  But lets face it, size 4's can't handle the night-time. 

7.  Got a package of cute Old Navy clothes for the kids from my mother-in-law. 

8.  Went to Roxberry after aerobics on Friday.  Nothing like a good drink to make the working out worthless! :)

9.  Dropped off a picture of the kids at Mike's Grandparents house.  They are the cutest people ever. 

10.  Madilyn had lots of fun waking up on Valentines to her surprise from Mike and I.  We had made her a little card and got her a box of conversation hearts.  I had wanted to do the whole week of little valentine's surprises for her, like my mom did for us growing up, but I totally spaced it.  Next year I'll do better!

Daddy-Daughter Dance Day!

Madilyn was SO excited to have her daddy come to dance with her today. They had lots of fun! I didn't get very good pictures (I think my camera gets confused with the mirror in the back), but I did get some good video!

She was starting a plie in this:

They started learning their routine that they're performing at their Recital in May. It is going to be SO cute. It's to the song "L-is for the way you look...". Next time I go I'm going to video the instructor teaching it so that I can learn it and help Maddie practice at home :)

Here are a couple of videos of them while playing "freeze dance":

Yay!

We got our mattress today!  Maybe Mike and I will be able to sleep at night now.  Our old mattress was worn out!  It makes our bed so tall now.  Anyway, I'm excited to go to sleep tonight! 

Yesterday we went to Kangaroo Zoo with Maddie's friends Avery and Ava.   I told Madilyn at about 10 in the morning that we'd be going to the bouncy house after her nap that afternoon.  She started jumping up and down yelling "hooray!" and then immediately after that she said, "boy, I'm tired.  I'm going to go take my nap".  Haha, no, not at 10 in the morning!  Then she couldn't sleep when her really nap time came because she was too excited.  Silly girl :)  Anyway, it was nice to get out!  The kids got to burn off lots of energy, and I got some adult time with a couple of my cute friends.  It's a win-win! 

Of course Max has to squeeze into the tiniest places.  He's such an explorer.

The cute girl in the stripes kept helping Avery up.  It was way cute.  She kept pushing on her bum and Avery was pulling with all her might. 

Tomorrow is Daddy-Daughter day at Madilyn's dance class.  Hopefully I'll get some cute video from that.  Until then!

A little medley for your listening pleasure

Here is a random video of Madilyn singing some of her favorite songs. Every night, when we're tucking her in bed we have to sing "Itsy Bitsy Spider", "Book of Mormon stories", "Hands upon my Head", (say her prayers after this song) and then the "I love you song". In that specific order, no changes, with the exact hand signs. She's very particular, my little girl!

This weeks Top 10

1. Went to see Evolution of Dance with my sister-in-law Ashley and Madilyn.  It was a two hour show and Maddie watched the entire show.  She loved it. 

2.  Max broke the tile display thing that we had on our counter.  He pulled it off and it shattered.  Luckily it didn't make our tile flooring crack. 

3.  Took the kids to Chuck E Cheese on Monday.  Mike had the day off.  It was...interesting.  But fun.

4.  Went to Costco twice this week and loved the Super Samples for the Super Bowl. 

5.  Madilyn has taken to calling herself "Princess Weena!".  I couldn't figure out what she meant for awhile, but it means princess ballerina :)

6.  Played Rock Band at Ashley and Brian's on Saturday. Love it. 

7. Had an awesome activity on Wednesday for our Achievement Days girls.  We worked out and then had healthy snacks.  I love those girls.  It's such a great calling. 

8.  Had a way fun girls night. 

9. Started reading my new book "Eyes of a Stranger".  It's okay. 

10.  Found a new song I L-O-V-E!  It's called "1234" by the Plain White T's.  Check it out. Soooo good! 

On our way to the dance performance.  We were matching.  It just happened, I didn't plan it.

My kids have a few new tricks this week too:

Max standing on his truck.  He likes to watch TV like this. 

Madilyn getting ready to twirl.  She's a powerhouse!  She did actually spin around on one foot here.  It's hard to tell with no video. 

And this is Max's FAVORITE new game.  It gets him giggling non-stop. 

Climbing up

Getting ready

JUMP!  Or more like lean...

He made it!

All that equals endless fun!