1st haircut

Casey has been trying to talk me into cutting Callen's hair for a couple of months now. It was really long in the front and short everywhere else and, I guess, looked kinda goofy. I liked it. Plus, he is my baby!! I didn't have to cut Lou's hair until she was over 2!!! He was only 10 months old!

Well, on July 24th Casey stopped asking and just got out the clippers. He told me to hold Callen because he was cutting his hair. I knew there wasn't much stopping him so I did. Casey buzzed our little boy. He just sat their completely content while I cried. But Casey was right, it does look better.

Family Photos

We decided to try to take our own family photos the other day. I think they turned out pretty good. We just walked down the lane from our house . My dad helped and took the family ones and Casey or I took the ones of the kids.
I decided that taking pictures with two young children is a bit challenging. We had a lot of "almost" good pics.

I also thought this would be a good time to get some info journaled on each of us.


~
Casey Russell

Job: Member Relationship Agent at Idaho Central Credit Union and daddy to two cute monsters

Favorite foods: Ribs, hot wings, mint chocolate chip ice cream, hamburgers, watermelon

Least favorite foods: Bologna, mustard

Favorite shows: Modern Family, Sports Center, The Office, College Football Live

Favorite movie: The Dark Knight, Avatar, Benchwarmers, The Blind Side

Favorite things: Pittsburgh Steelers, Boise State Broncos, gum, family

Activities enjoyed: Hunting, playing sports

Goals for the year: Work out more




~
Kristi Chaliese

Job: Being a full time mommy to two cute monsters

Favorite foods: Cafe Rio sweet pork tacos, mint chocolate chip ice cream, watermelon, pea pods, hamburgers

Least favorite foods: Fish, meatloaf

Favorite shows: Modern Family, The Office, So You Think You Can Dance, Glee

Favorite movie: The Holiday, Harry Potter 6 and 7.1

Favorite things: The Ohio State Buckeyes, family

Activities enjoyed: Crafts, blogging, scrapbooking, gardening, reading

Goals for the year: Get in shape, be nicer to my husband



~
Olivia Chaliese

Job: Running around and playing all day

Favorite foods: Mac and cheese, cheese, chicken nuggets, berries, apple juice, cooked carrots, cherry tomatoes

Least favorite foods: Watermelon, lettuce, grapefruit, onions, peppers

Favorite shows: Backyardigans, Olivia, Miss Spider Sunny Patch Kids, Wonder Pets

Favorite movie: Right now, Dumbo. Recent winners are Lady and the Tramp, Lion King, Bambi, Lady and the Tramp II, Toy Story 1, 2, or 3

Favorite things: Pink and brown blankie, Bambi stuffed animal, Backyardigan stuffed animals, kitty cats, baby dolls, her grandparents

Activities enjoyed: Tumbling, dancing, swinging, taking baths, swimming, playing with her stuffed animals, drawing buggies

Goals for the year: Buckle herself up in the car, leave blankie at home, write some letters, get a somersault down, be completely done with sippies



~
Callen Russell

Job: Crawling around, playing all day, and getting into everything

Favorite foods: Berries, bread, hamburger, peas

Least Favorite Foods: Mashed potatoes, lunch meat, any baby food

Favorite shows: Doesn't care, doesn't watch yet

Favorite movie: Doesn't care, doesn't watch yet

Favorite things: Blue and brown blankie, binkies, his lion push toy, footballs and baseballs, his mommy

Activities enjoyed: Walking with his lion walker, trying to play with anything his sister is playing with, snuggling, taking baths, climbing on things, being chased

Goals for the year: Start walking, stop taking a bottle






As a side note, I am offically a member of the Morman mom club.... I got a minivan!! Before you laugh, you need to drive one. With small children they are FABULOUS! I can hit a button to open or shut the doors, has a power lift gate, and it beeps at me if I am backing up and get too close to anything! Isn't that great?!?! Plus, my kids are now a bit spoiled and have a DVD player. I don't use it around town but for trips it will be nice. As you can see Casey is just thrilled. We actually went shopping for an older truck for him and we came home with a van. I am spoiled. Or maybe loved. Probably spoiled.


Isn't it pretty? :)

Lou had a birthday, shout HURRAY!!

Olivia turned 3 years old on July 20th. We had a party for her on her birthday and I think she had a lot of fun. Both sets of her grandparents were able to be there, her friend Abby, lots of family, and (drum roll please) CLOE!!!! Cloe is my cousin Kindy's Chihuahua that Olivia LOVES. She had been asking me for weeks if Cloe could come to her party so I was kinda glad Kindy brought her, it made one very happy birthday girl.

Of course she was spoiled by all the wonderful friends and family that came. Some of the highlights were Bambi (which she had to show everyone, including Cloe, and still carries everywhere... go me!), big Toy Story coloring books and markers,a lawnmower, and a stuffed Olivia the pig doll.

She also got a little dress up princess dress (Princess Aurora from Sleeping Beauty) and the next day she got all dressed up in, hills and all, and went outside to mow the lawn with her new lawn mower. She has quite the sight and I really wish I got a picture but I slacked on that one!"Look, I got Bambi!!!"


What Callen was doing when he wasn't trying to help his sister open up presents.

You can see Cloe in this one!


Her friend Abby, such a cute picture that I had to put it on!


We had a Toy Story theme and Lou loved it!!! She did not want a cake so we had an army of Woody and Buzz cupcakes.
Olivia loved them!


Callen enjoyed the cupcakes too. Isn't he delicious?!?!
Papa with his war paint on, courtesy of Uncle Brandon.

Happy Birthday my sweet three year old!!!

Don't you ever grow up

I think Taylor Swift gets me. She doesn't know it, but I really think she just might be writing songs about my life. I like to listen to her CD while I get ready and Olivia usually is in there with me. She likes Taylor as well and here lately she specifically asks for "Never Grow Up."

Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in and turn on your favorite nightlight

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have honey
If you could stay like that

Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh darling don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple
I won't let nobody hurt you
Wont let no one break your heart
No one will desert you
Just try to never grow up
Never grow up

So she jumps on my bed and sings and sings and sings, "Don't you ever grow up!" And then she will stop and giggle and say to me, "But Mom, I have to grow up!"

She doesn't know it but she is right, she has to grow up. And she doesn't know it but every time she tells me it kinda breaks my heart.

So please my little Lou Lou, just try to never grow up.

10 months old

Callen Russell is 10 months old!!! I can't believe he is almost 1!!
Here is what our little Calamander is doing as of lately:

• Loves to ROAR at us, especially when at the dinner table
• Has 5 teeth, 1 (almost 2) top and 4 bottom
• Still a momma's boy
• Thinks he is pretty cool when he stands up all by himself
• Walks with a little lion walker that he inherited from his sister
• As evident from the previous 2 comments, is VERY close to walking
• Loves balls, doesn't matter what kind, basketballs, baseballs, footballs, his own... he loves them all
• As mentioned, has found out he is a boy and has made diaper changes a bit more challenging
• Doesn't really like baby food but wants to eat everything we do, so he usually does
• Is taking a sippy really well
• Waves with his whole arm
• Says "Mom" (see, mama's boy, I love it!)
• Is a little over 20 lbs
• Wears 12 month clothing
• Is scared of most dogs besides Dexter (ours) and Angel (Grandpa's and Grandma's)
• Has learned how to crawl up stairs
• Still loves his sister even though she still thinks he is a little bother instead of a little brother
• Is still a happy, good natured boy that we LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!