It's them Hicken's

I don't consider myself a "crafty" woman.  I excel in some areas and not so much in other levels of craftiness and homemaking skills.  With that being said, today I was a crafty diva!

It started out with a vision - a dream really.    Actually it was a website I happened across with Star Wars snowflakes and once Gage saw it, I knew I was going to have to pull out all the crafty prowess I could muster!  Making snowflakes is not a talent I possess.  Let me be honest, I rarely manage to fold the paper correctly.  But the boy "needed" these snowflakes for his own personal tree.  And I am always searching for ways to make him believe I am the "cool mom" I proclaim to be.   I knew I would have to at least try to make these Star Wars snowflakes.



It only took me several hours- yes hours, remember what I said about me being on differing levels of craftiness.  If I could have found better tools it would have been easier and quicker (I still haven't unpacked much from that garage).  They didn't turn out too bad, and I assure you, he thinks I am so cool.  What mom doesn't soak that up?

....and so I say to all as I drive out of sight; Merry Sithmas to all, and to all a good night!  (lol, its 1am this is the best I could do!)

Its officially finished!  Our move is OVER!!!  it took about 10 days to pack, clean, organize, throw away, donate and beg innocent people to take the stuff we didn't want.  I don't want to give the wrong impression so I will just say that although the old house is empty it doesn't mean the new house is unpacked or organized - it is clean though.....for the most part!

I don't have any photos to show because I can't find my camera and I don't even know where to start looking.  Bill can only find one pair of shoes, my piano ended up in the playroom and we can't park in the garage because that's where everything is!  Whats even worse, there is so much stuff in the garage that I don't know how we will get it out because we can't even move around in there!

One more thing - Please don't think ill of me but I won't be sending Christmas cards again this year....I can't find a pen to write with anyway!  But if you would like to send me one (I really do love them) email me for my new address!  dutchess80232@yahoo.com

It started with a letter from the school nurse; Gage had failed his eye exam.  I called Bill right away; I was freaking out.  I kept thinking that it must be some mistake because I was sure my boy could see - or rather that I hadn't noticed that he couldn't see.

I called the school nurse next.  I was sure she would tell me that they didn't really mean to send me that letter or it was all some sort of mistake; I really never noticed he had a vision problem.  After talking to her for about 10 minutes I decided that it was time to take him in for an exam and mostly so I could see for myself that my boy really needed help with the seeing.

So we get to the eye doctor and it is decided that I will accompany Gage into the exam and not Bill because I am the one with all the eye troubles (experience) and I am also the one who needs reassuring of whether or not Gage really needs glasses.  So they give him the test where he has to read all the letters and it was going well for the first 3 then he started saying letters that weren't there...then there were more letters that were not there & finally I realized my boy didn't have the perfect 20/20 like I thought he had.

So we called Bill in and picked out 2 pairs of glasses and Gage is perfectly happy with all of it!

So its been months and I'm finally getting around to that birthday post.  Does this somehow disqualify me in any way for being "Mother of the Year"?  This is Gage this year for his birthday - if you need reminding it was June 21st...he turned 8!

Gage at age 7 is the next one and the swimming ones are Gage at age 6....& again at age 5

This is Gage at age 4.....
 This is Gage at age 3.  We were in Michigan at the Grandparents "cottage" and he caught this frog and wouldn't let it go....no matter what he was doing.  And that poor frog tried to play dead a few times but somehow Gage would shake him and he would come back to life!  (This really is true!)
 Gage at age 2 - He always wanted to be just like his "Best Pal" his dad!  He used to tell me "Mom, Dad is my Best Pal and you are NOT!".......makes a mother feel great right???  not so much.
 The start of the "Best Pal"

Here is when he was my "best pal" even though it was a brief best pal-ness!  I'll take it!  In this pic - Gage is only about 1/2 hour old.  I was still in the delivery suite....this was the start of it all!  Good Times!  And now my boy is 8......

Sundays do this to me too!

Emma has been taking ballet for the last 6 weeks and yesterday was her last class!  Here are some pics

I will try to keep my "crazy" in check and not bore you with the details of how great a ballerina she is (but she really is!) and how excited I am that she obviously inherited my dancing abilities so I am including video so you can see for yourself!



These are not a greatest quality of video...I forgot my video camera and had to use a regular camera and the lighting is really bad....but hopefully you will enjoy them as much as I have!


What? I suppose you think two dozen roses is overkill for a first performance?  I think not.

I guess they were kind of heavy for a 4 year old to carry but I was just so excited - and they look great on my table!

because I have not been good at blogging as of late.  Enjoy some pics & I will figure out a much earned post!

This is from the 24th of July children's parade in Wallsburg.  That's Gage in the orange shirt on the bike that is way too small.  And there is Bill & Emma.

Here is Emma on the morning of Sam & Erin's wedding.  We were just going to Walmart to get her artificial nails (she can't help herself!).  All the gray haired ladies thought she was just so adorable!

Here is Gage partying up.  Truth is, I didn't see Gage most of the night.  His cousins Cully & Austin were there and you never see Gage when they are around.  They are always busy doing "man things"...whatever that means!

Here is a pic of Gage & Emma on our drive to Chicago...this is after about 12 hours in the car!

Here's Maya after a much enjoyed lunch....but who am I kidding - she enjoys food anytime!

Oh how cute hum I mean romantic!  Bill & I are waltzing at our Young Women's Royal Be Your Own Kind of Beautiful Ball...so tender!  It really was a lovely evening until our babysitter called at 8pm to say Maya had been screaming since we left - sorry D & Raye!

Okay so I don't know why I am including this shot...but really I love it.  I don't know why, but it is my favorite one.  Look how much fun Bill & I are having.  I think this may have been our first date (alone) in years....and I am also noticing that I am in desperate need to get my roots done!

And just because....well because.  It is her birthday today the big ONE....One year ago today she was born.  This year has gone by so fast and slow all at the same time.  She has 4 teeth and has taken first steps.  She bosses us around and tells us in a "matter of fact" way with her finger pointed at us; we may not know what exactly she's saying but the tone is clear.  All year I have gotten weekly emails from Babycenter.com about her development & imagine my shock & horror this morning to get the "Your Toddler Week One."  I don't know if I am ready for her not to be a baby anymore.  Well anyways Happy First Birthday Maya!

Well I missed it!  the whole month of August just flew right passed and I am not sure that I even noticed.  Don't you just hate that? To make it worse, I have about 450 pictures on my camera just waiting to be uploaded from various activities and vacations that we took in August!  I know how you can't wait to see that!!!!

Some highlights of August, & in no particular order (yes that's how my brain works these days!):

Gage started school (3rd Grade - how did he get so old?)
A trip to Nauvoo, Il (it was a long drive to Chicago)
A campout in Moon Lake (love to be with the Allred family)
A trip to Chicago (my grandmother passed away August 6)
A stop in Moline, IL (John Deere Headquarters)
Emma is finally potty trained (she is almost 4)
Heber Valley Girls Camp (Young Women)
Emma was a flower girl for Bill's brother's wedding (& now we have a sister in law named Erin & we love her)
That may be it for now....now to upload those photos...I wonder how long that will take?

We are an LDS family.  That means members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  Our church believes in being baptized by immersion and doing so when you've reached the age of accountability (age 8).  Gage turned 8 a month ago (June 21st) and was baptized July 10th.  It was very special for our family and even more so for Gage. 

To make the day special; I ordered Article of Faith cards with his picture on it because he wanted to give them to his friends/cousins.  If you're interested you can get them here lds-baptisms.com and here is the finished results:


 Okay so the Articles of Faith didn't turn out so well because I took a picture of a picture instead of scanning like I should have.....but in person they are beautiful!  After Gage's baptism we had a brunch with all the family.
It was a great day and we are so proud of Gage's decision to be baptized!  Now if only I could persuade him to finish those "Thank You" notes!!!!

Gage has turned 8! He turned 8 on June 21st (remember how I said I was working on that birthday post? its not done yet!)  Anyway, with turning 8 he's now a cub scout!  That has been pretty exciting for Gage because Bill is currently the Cub Master!  Bill has always been in scouts in some form since we've been dating.  We actually had a bishop tell us "Once you're in scouts, you're always in scouts!"  That has been a true fact in Bill's case.  But back to Gage's Bobcat badge Achievement.  So the ceremony goes like this: they call up the scout

And his parents- (love the hat Cub Master Bill!! haha) uhhm and yes that is an old maternity shirt I'm wearing...I'm making a fashion statement (laundry day!).  So his Den Mother is talking about the badge and how he's earned it and all this fantastic stuff I can't remember....then she pins the badge on his shirt and she gives him a pin to pin on me!!!



Then Gage got to lead the scouts in reciting the Law of the Pack! Memorizing it is one of the requirements in earning the Bobcat Badge.


Here is a pic of my mother's Bobcat Pin:


It was a lovely evening and we are so proud of Gage!



Gage went to the Jeremiah Johnson Day Camp last Tuesday and earned/awarded these also:




Did I mention how proud we are of Gage?

Wait a minute-  Why is it past midnight and still my temperature gauge reads 85 degrees???  And if you care, I have been working on a post for Gage's birthday (June 21st) & his baptism (July 10th)...later!

And now, I must turn off the laptop (see mothers day post) because its working at 10% and about to die!

Do you think I am ghetto for camping in my back yard?  Because Memorial Day weekend Bill put the tent up and we camped out.  Mostly out of boredom and also because we didn't plan on anything else to do that weekend.  It was fun and we made it all night.

This is our tent...it is quite large and I believe it is made by Bass Pro Shop or something.....I'll have to ask Bill.

Then it got a little crazy and Gage showed us how he can put his leg behind his head:

And because she never wants to be "out done"














And then it got really crazy as I remembered how flexible I once was (Thanks to Carol Hutchington for all those years of ballet).....come on, how could I not?

Yes I am slightly embarrassed!  But I told the boy I could do it and he didn't believe me!  It was a dare! A right of passage even.....There are some things in this life I just can't pass up - maybe I should.....but I just can't!

Even Maya was impressed!  So that is camping "Hicken Style" feel free to join us next time!

Last Monday, Emma cut her hair.  I don't know why.  I was in the living room nursing Maya and Emma came in all smiles and giggles and cuddled up to my arm.  And that's when I noticed.  Her bangs were all short in the middle (please see below!)


And so I calmly (I was calm at this point because I didn't know there was more!) asked her where the scissors were and then I proceeded to follow her and that's when I noticed this:

And then I freaked!  I swear the room got smaller and my breathing became quicker and I kept thinking "THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!!"  But it was.  And it was done...all over...her hair was gone.

So we made an emergency call to Lindy (Bill's sister) & set up an appointment for a consult because she does hair...professionally.  And she really is very good.   I initially thought maybe no one will really notice - we don't really have to cut all of it!  And I said so to Lindy but then Lindy burst the bubble and said "Just walk away & I will fix it"  and then there was this handed through the curtain:


And I started to cry & hyperventilate (yes I am lame like that) and Gage was imitating me & laughing about it hysterically.  And then there was this:


And this:


And finally it was finished!  It is a stacked A-Line (because she cut it so short in the back it was kind of the only option) and Emma LOVES it!




And now everytime it is washed I have to add product to it & I have to blow dry & flat iron it.....and now I am just glad that Maya was with me and Emma didn't play beauty parlor with her too!