Floral Monograms

This year for the twins birthday, I wanted to finally make their monograms for above their beds. When Corah moved into their room nearly a year ago, she came with her own monogram from her nursery, and the space above the twins bed’s was rather lacking.

I finally decided that the girls room wouldn’t necessarily be designed under a strict “theme.” Instead, I chose to just go with all things girly and colorful. These monograms really make a huge impact on the feel of the room.

My original plan was to fill the entire letter with flowers, but as I did that, the letter disappeared and only left a floral blob that resembled a letter. Instead, I discovered that I like the look of the flowers gathered together in one spot.

Here’s the DIY tutorial:

I bought these plain wooden letters at Hobby Lobby, and painted them with a teal acrylic paint, which needed two coats.

Using wire cutters, I took a bouquet of the fake flowers and cut each one off from the stems and hot glued them to the letter. This is kind of a trial and error process in which you try to make it look as full as possible. A lot of these flowers were actually glued right on top of each other.

Here is the final product hanging in their room! It was really simple to do, and they look so lovely in my girls colorful floral room!

Happy Birthday Aedan

To my sweet boy:

Every woman is forever changed when her first child is born. She is no longer just a woman; she is a mother. When I had you I was just a girl, not yet a woman. Honestly I had no way to prepare for your impending arrival. I had no idea what was really coming. You arrived only 5 days after my 18^th birthday. To say I was naïve would be an understatement. To say I was utterly clueless would be an understatement. To say that I was a complete idiot would be an understatement.

But here is the beauty of it: you changed my life in every possible way. I had to grow up, and fast. I had to work extra hard to graduate on time and with good grades. I had to get my priorities right. I had to not only be a teenage girl, but I had to learn to be a woman, a mother for you. Your dad and I had to learn to grow up together, in love.

I often think about what my life would be like if I hadn’t gotten pregnant at 17. I’m sure by now I would have my college degree. I would probably be traveling all over the world. I’m not even sure if your dad and I would have been together. But I never want those things more than I want you. I am so glad you came into our lives, because your dad and I really are perfect for each other, though at the time we might not have seen that. We’ve been together now for 9 years! All thanks to you!

You are so smart, so talented. I look at you, and I swear there is no way I made you. You have such joy always, and you are so patient. I see a leader when I look at you. Every time there is a chance to help someone you do it. I can always count on you to help me with your sisters, or with some house work. But I’d much rather see you play: football, Legos, running, video games, Pokémon, or rough housing with friends. You have never-ending patience when it comes to your sisters, especially little Corah June, whom you’ve always been so gentle with since the day she was born. You have a natural curiosity for everything, and I hope it never ends. You are smarter than your years. Every day I am impressed by you and proud of you.

I can see you in the future; though it breaks my heart to see it. You will be such a good husband, an incredible father. An amazing leader of men. Maybe a college football star? Maybe an entrepreneur like your dad? I wish you could be my little boy forever though. You are really growing too fast.

Thank you for being my sweet boy. Thank you for making me realize everything I’ve ever wanted from life. Thank you for making me grow up. Thank you for making me love your dad. Thank you for making me the woman I am today, I am so grateful. I couldn’t be who I am without you.

Happy 8^th Birthday to you Aedan. I love you more than you could ever know.

The day we found out you were a boy

two months old, chillin in your crib

Five months old, my sweet boy

That face! Six months old

Daddy is home from Iraq and finally gets to spend time with you. 8 months old.

Christmas time in 2007. 1 year old.

Just me and my boy. 1 year old.

Two years old

Driving with papa, two years old

that sweet face, two years old

First movie theatre experience, 3 years old

First day of preschool, 3 years old

Loving your sister Morgan, 4 years old

4 years old

You are the best big brother in the world, 4 years old

On your 4th birthday

Fishing with daddy, 5 years old

First day of 1st grade, 6 years old

6th birthday

7 years old, that smile!

1st day of 2nd grade! Getting so big now!

You love your seahawks! 7 years old.

I love you so much Aedan, you will be my little boy forever.

 

A Vineyard Wedding

Just an hour until sunset, I can no longer see the sun as it’s behind the old growth forest; this gives the sky an orange cast that’s almost too perfect. To the left I can see the endless vineyards rolling …

Summer: a paraphrase

I haven’t blogged since July. That’s so sad. My laptop died a heroic death, but unfortunately it took everything with it. I’ve always had a passion for writing. It gets all my ideas out of my head and helps me keep my sanity. Im not to keen on the desktop though, but I guess I need to get over that. So much has happened since July: So incredibly much.  I honestly don’t know where to begin.

To save all the hassle of writing up all the blogs I should have in the last 3 months, I am going to paraphrase.

JULY: Florida: 4^th of July. Many days at the beach. Mini golf, the kids first time ever. Sam’s birthday. Dave Matthews Band Concert. Art museums, yes I’m that girl. St. Augustine. Gater farm. Clearwater. Incredible white sand beaches. I don’t ever want to leave. Meeting old army friends. Shark teeth. Back to our new home in Salt Lake City: Settling in. MY SISTER MOLLY HAD HER BABY!!! A beautiful baby girl named Zoey. School started so early for the kids. Girls started Kindergarten. Since when is that okay? Pool time with Corah while big kids are at school. She had a hard time adjusting to being without her siblings.

AUGUST: I started training for my half marathon. Intense. In awe with the mountains, every day. Corah turns two. Wait, what?! My lovely friend Tiphani came to stay with me for two weeks! We took full advantage of the Utah sun and outdoors while she was here. Hiking. Beaching. Crafting. And silly drinking game nights. Enjoyed every minute and cried like a baby when she left. Continued to soak up summer sun. Talked with an old friend. Magic. Lavender fields. Still training every day for that marathon. Kayak on the lake.

SEPTEMBER: Football season starts. Are we the only Seattle fans in Utah? Apparently not. Still training. My kids are settled in school and have friends now. Makes me happy. I don’t get to go to Canada to see my new niece, so sad about that.  Flag football starts for Aedan. That’s entertaining. I get some much needed alone time. Heart break ensues. #41.  Sam started a new job at Morgan Stanley. So proud of him! Dave Matthews has his own wine? Why didn’t I know about that? I have too much free time. Grey Street. Fall décor. More Seahawks games. More training.

OCTOBER: Its already October? How? Kids are out of school for a month. We’ve been playing. Reading. Walking. It’s still warm here? This is so weird. Flag football ended for Aedan. He loved it. Sam and I have been having nightly walks together after the kids go to sleep. Works wonders. Sky full of stars. I still have too much free time. Looking into going back to school. My half-marathon is in 3 days!!! I leave for my brother’s wedding in Virginia in 5 days!! Excited to see my family! And to be at a wedding that’s on a vineyard… Wine does equal happiness.

We have packed so much into a short amount of time. Not only was it a lot of activities, but it was a lot of life changes. A lot of heart changes, a lot of up-rooting and rearranging my entire life type changes. Damn it was a summer.

I will write more, I promise. I’ve missed it too much.

Olympic Game Farm

No less than five people have recommended that we go to the Olympic Game Farm in Sequim Washington before we leave the state. That is a lot of people saying the same things, so I had to check it out! I was hoping to kill two birds with one stone by seeing my sister Jana and her sweet family as well. Mission accomplished.

First, I should say, I have a love-hate relationship with Zoos. I love animals of all kinds, but I hate seeing them in cages. I especially dislike small unnatural habitats. If you live in the Pacific Northwest and are looking for a well done animal park I would recommend Northwest Trek without a doubt. The animals are roaming 635 acres of private land that is their natural habitat. Visitors ride throughout the park on trams to view the wildlife in their natural world. It’s incredible. Please go check it out. However, I wouldn’t recommend the Point Defiance Zoo at all. The animals there are living in horrible conditions, with tiny enclosures and they almost are always sleeping, probably because they are so depressed. So if you are from here that will give you a little clue as to how I believe animals should be treated. The Olympic game farm falls somewhere between the two extremes.

The Olympic Game Farm is a drive through Animal Park, where the animals presumably have a decent size enclosure that they are free to roam. When you arrive, you pay per person, and you are given some safety rules of course: don’t open your doors or leave your vehicle, for all you dumb people out there. You can either buy their whole wheat bread for $2 per loaf, or bring your own. When you first drive in, directly in front of you are animal cages with a bear and a wolf in them. Immediately not happy about that, since I had assumed this would be a free roaming zoo. Well, moving on. Your first stop, and only time you can leave your vehicle, is an observation tower on the top of a hill overlooking the park. If you go on a clear day like we did, it’s definitely worth the stop! Gorgeous views!

Get back in your car, and you can enter the park! First thing we see are peacocks. Aedan and Morgan went in Aunt Jana’s car so they could see more, since our van windows don’t roll down. Kenley and Corah rode with us. As soon as we get through the entrance, I see Aedan and Morgan hanging out of the window with HUGE smiles on their faces, enjoying the lovely peacocks. Instantly I knew we had spent our money and time wisely; these kids were going to have a blast.

Did you know peacocks hang out in trees? I thought they were land birds….

albino peacock!

The first big creature that we encountered was a Yak. One big guy was hanging out way in front of the others, probably because he was the hungriest. He was all about that bread. Now let me think for a second, is bread a natural food for Yaks? Nope. This is not making much sense, but this is the closest anyone can get to a yak. The children are laughing hysterically when the yak’s head ends up in their dad’s lap inside the van. These big guys aren’t afraid of us AT ALL. They have been here a long time and they know how to get food. They are gentle and docile. The scenery is nice, there is plenty of shade for these animals and it seems like a very big enclosure that they are free in. Next stop: bears!

Aedan hanging out of Aunt Jana’s car.

Kenley feeding the Yak

Even Corah fed him!

Sam petting a yak! What?!

great scenery

The enclosure for the bears is a bit smaller and also guarded by a dinky fence which is terrifying until you notice the electric fence in front of it. Now I know why those bears aren’t going near the fence. This part was thrilling for me because I absolutely love bears. They are on my top favorite animal list. I have never seen a bear this close and was shocked to see how big their claws actually are! But seeing the bears sit and wait for cars to pull up, and then wave on command for food was a little depressing. Felt like a circus show. I left feeling a sad for them.

not being mean here, just asking for bread

look at those claws!!

its a little frightening how close this bear is to my daughter Morgan!

The next big place that you drive through is the Elk, deer and buffalo enclosure. This was my favorite part by far. There was a warning sign before you go in that states that you must keep moving at all times because these animals are so large they can cause damage to your car. However, almost no one was following that rule, including us. I literally had NO idea how big elk were until I saw them duck into an SUV in front of us. WOW! These animals actually put their entire heads inside your vehicle in hopes of a piece of bread. They also follow you as your drive! It was insane! This was scary for Kenley, but Corah didn’t mind at all. I could hear Aedan and Morgan in that car behind us laughing up a storm!

elk vs. ford explorer

elk is the same size as an SUV

I feel the need to tell you that a buffalo is nearly the size of our minivan. I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t go into that part of the farm if I had a smaller vehicle. That would be alarming. Sam had a buffalo head in his lap and was petting him. He could have gotten that buffalo into headlock. Until you experience, that you aren’t really living. These giant beasts come right up to you and shove their giant heads in your face! You can’t help but laugh! Did you know that buffalo tongues curl up like a Giraffes? I had no clue until one licked my hand trying to grab some bread! EWWW!

eww he licked me!!

Again, bread isn’t a natural food for these animals, so to that part, I am not a fan. I did think that the enclosures, with the exception of the bears, were big enough for the animals to freely roam comfortably. I wish that this wasn’t a for profit animal farm, instead I would rather see it be a non-profit farm giving money back to the rehabilitation of the wolf, bear or buffalo which we all know aren’t exactly “safe.” Having said that, I did enjoy my time there and seeing these remarkable creatures up close and personal. Who can say they’ve pet a buffalo? Um, I have!

I am petting a buffalo!!!

After we left the farm, we went to a grocery store and bought some picnic supplies. We joined my sister at Carrie Blake Park in Sequim to enjoy lunch together. It was a hot day by Washington standards! The kids played in the park together. My nephew Haven is so adorable! I am sad to be leaving my sister, brother in law and nephew behind! We are excited for our new adventures, but goodbyes are NEVER fun. Love you Ward Family!

What Memorial Day Means to Me

A lot of people see Memorial Day weekend as the start to summer! Many people are firing up the grill, going to the park, or going to the lake. Still others are taking advantage of store sales or spending time doing absolutely nothing.
For the few of us who have had loved ones in the military, or who served themselves, Memorial Day is something completely different.
Sam left to Iraq a mere three days after we were married. He had only been there a few months when his best friend died. He witnessed things that no 18 year old young man should ever see.
Every Memorial Day I am vividly reminded of how close I was to losing my husband. It was almost 7 years ago that my husband sustained many injuries do to an improvised explosive device while on a raid in Bagdad Iraq. If the vehicle was less than a foot closer to that bomb, Sam wouldn’t have his legs today. He likely would have bled out and died on scene.
So when people tell me, “Happy Memorial Day,” of course I am polite and say Thank You, but deep down I know this is NOT a happy day. This is the day when mothers of killed soldiers are reminded that their boy is not coming home. This is the day when widows feel their loss most deeply. This is the day when families of the lost soldiers visit the graves of their beloved.
Please take this day to HONOR those who have fallen. Please take this day to say a prayer for the grieving families. Please take this day to visit a national military cemetery. Please take this day to teach your children about the sacrifices made for them. Please take this day to donate to the Military Order of the Purple Heart or the Wounded Warriors Project. Let’s put action behind our words. Let’s give honor where honor is due. “We might not know all the names of the fallen personally; but we know their sacrifice intimately.” – Pastor Brandon Stewart.

Here are some images to reflect on.

All of the above photos were taken from GOOGLE images from search: Memorial Day National Cemetery.

Family Time in Moving Chaos

Family time is important for any family in any stage; however, during a chaotic move with huge looming transitions, I think family time is even more critical. Samuel has had a business trip every weekend for the last 3 weeks, and to have him home this weekend means a lot to us. Every Friday night there is NO social media, NO blogs to write, NO homework to do, NO deadlines to meet, NO calls to make. Our family gathers around the table like every other night, except this night, its PIZZA! I have invented MANY different ways to make pizza. Ever heard of the pizzadilla? Well, it’s incredible. I’ll blog about it later! Everyone looks forward to it all week (Especially me, because it is my cheat meal of the week!). After dinner we play together and chat while I clean the kitchen. After that its MOVIE night! But this isn’t your average family night. We make a fort! We make beds on the ground! Popcorn is always involved. We all cuddle in and watch a movie as a family. Thankfully Corah is getting old enough to hang for most of the movie before she has to go to sleep. A few weeks ago, she even participated in making her own pizza. It was mostly pineapple 😉 We are trying to keep this important family time EVEN while moving. It’s been interesting, but it has really kept us close as a family unit. It also helps us to make sure we always have something to look forward to after a stressful week! What family traditions do you have? Do you have a “family night” once a week too?

Summer Boredom Busters

Schools out for summer! What a fun time for the kids! Summer break is welcomed by all; at least for the first two weeks. Soon after the honeymoon phase, boredom sets in. What’s a mom to do?

6 incredibly EASY ideas anyone can do:
1. Let the kids wash the car! They absolutely LOVE this. Seriously, they could do it all day! Free child labor!! Get some buckets, different colored sponges, and huge bubbles! Make it a relay race! “Which one of you can clean a tire the best?”
2. If you are like me you LOVE growing things. And let me just say, children absolutely love learning about plants, animals and the circle of life. Why not give them tasks that help you and teach them at the same time? Water plants, weed the garden! Pick the lettuce! Pick the berries! My children go and do this without me even telling them. They absolutely enjoy it! Join in the fun! Hopefully you will find a lady bug or a slug along the way and teach them about their roles in the garden! If you don’t already have a garden, plant one! Go a step further and get involved in YOUR local farms! Take your kids to farmers markets as well! Teach them about the food they eat and where it grows!
3. Cooking with children can be stressful sometimes: I admit I’m a clean freak, but honestly, if you have nothing else to do on a too hot to go outside summer day, then why not let the littles get some time in the kitchen? There are some pretty cool plastic knives out there that children can use to chop produce. Why not make a summer salad? Let them set the table! When children are allowed to help in the kitchen, they are far more likely to eat whatever they made.
4. My kids absolutely love scavenger hunts! Do different themed ones! And outdoor scavenger hunt might look like this:

5. Reading time in your local library is a great way to keep your kids engaged in their education over the long summer break. A lot of libraries have reading programs built specifically for your child’s level that includes fun prizes along the way.
6. Help the children make a summer bucket list! They can feel involved in the summer plans and have a visual check list they can display. You might be surprised to know what your kids want to do this summer! Here’s one idea from Pinterest:

3 things to do if you live in the South Puget Sound Area:
1. SPRAY PARKS: This is a fantastic and fun way to beat the heat! Click here to see a full list of all the spray parks in the Tacoma area.
2. Free Museum days: There are many lovely museums here in the Pacific Northwest! But don’t pay full price! Plan ahead and go on the free days! Firstly, the Tacoma Children’s museum is by donation only, which pretty much means VERY cheap! All the downtown Tacoma Museums are free on the third Thursday of the month. This includes, the Museum of Glass, The Washington State History Museum and the Tacoma art Museum. If you want to trek up to Seattle, you will be rewarded on the first Thursday of the month at the Seattle Art Museum (all day) and the EMP (5pm-8pm only). Also the Pacific Science Center in Seattle is free on the first Monday of the month for the first 1000 entrants. Take advantage of these huge resources! Your child will love them!
3. Drive-in Movie theatre: This was one of my all time favorite things about summer when I was a kid. Luckily there is still one open in the South Sound Area! The Skyline Drive-in theater in Shelton is open Fri-Sun with a double feature each night. Bring blankets and jammies and snuggle with the kiddos! They won’t forget it! Click here for more information.

AND finally, a sign to show the kids what they should try before telling you they are BORED:

Enjoy Summer Mamas!

Talkington Clan 2013 Wrap Up

Talkington Clan 2013

What an incredible year 2013 has been for the Talkington household. 2013 was full of so many exciting and memorable moments in our young family. We laid a lot of ground work for 2014 to be a very good year.

Our youngest daughter Corah continues to provide us with endless amounts of joy and entertainment. Corah literally began running the day after her 1^st birthday and continues to advance accordingly. She is obsessed with her mommy and loves family time. She cries when mommy drops the girls off at Pre School and really loves “melmo” (Elmo). Corah’s personality and determination will continue to take hold in 2014.

Morgan is doing very well for herself in both school and at home. She started preschool 4’s at Cascade Christian. Her teachers describe her as “very intelligent and thinks a lot before making any decisions.” Morgan participated in spring ballet this year and enjoys everything about being a 4 year old girl. Some of Morgan’s favorite activities include riding her bike, coloring, school, and watching Netflix.  Morgan has and will continue to make strides and inspire everyone she is around.

Kenley is still growing at an incredible rate. She has been in the 90^th+ percentile for height since she was 1 and is projected to be 5’11-6’1…. Holy Smokes. Kenley is a fireball that doesn’t stop spinning or dancing. She also started preschool 4’s this year at Cascade Christian. Her teachers describe her as unwavering curiosity personality who loves to be a mommy with her friends. She participated in ballet this past spring and continues to excel and amaze in everything she does.

Aedan is in 1^st grade at Cascade Christian Elementary.  Aedan is a natural born leader taking command of the situation when it arrives both at home and at school. He really enjoys going to school and working hard. He tested extremely high in his 1^st grade math equivalency test and the sky is the limit for this young man. When Aedan’s not in school he is participating in T-Ball, basketball, or watching the Seahawks dominate on Sunday’s. Superbowl party at our house 😉

Jenn is doing extremely well and is the backbone of our family. She continues to be an amazing mother ensuring all our kids are taken care of. She is an artist! I love watching her create things: photography, party planning, crafts, and home projects. She always has something she is working on artistically. She has also gotten very involved in serving at our Church primarily through volunteering in the toddlers-5 year old rooms every Sunday morning. She will never get the credit she deserves and I just want to emphasize that nothing would get done without her handling all the behind the scenes work.  We will be celebrating out 7^th anniversary in 2014! An incredible 7 years with this woman!

2013 was a year that everything in my vision began to really take hold and shape our future. I finished my Junior year at the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington–Go Dawgs! I only have 6 more classes and I will have my bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance!  The opportunities the University of Washington provides for me and my families future are incredible. In addition to school, my first business venture Strideline-Spokane has really taken off. We are currently being carried in 10 different stores throughout Eastern Washington and Idaho. This year was incredible both academically and professionally and will only continue as I expand my operations into Salt Lake City, Denver, and Phoenix beginning in February.

 

What’s ahead in 2014?

2014 is going to be a very productive and enjoyable year for all of us. Kenley and Morgan will officially finish preschool this year and Aedan 1^st grade.

I will be graduating from UW’s Foster School of Business in June of 2014.

I will also be continuing my Strideline operations in Spokane and Idaho as well as expanding into Colorado, Arizona, and Utah.

Most importantly, we will be moving to Utah sometime in early July shortly after I graduate.

 

Have a blessed 2014!

 

The Talkington Clan

Washington Apples

Here in Western Washington there are so many fun fall activities. One of my favorite things is going to local farms for incredible deals on fresh produce. If you are a health nut like me, this is probably your favorite thing of the year. UHmazing. And being that we are in Western Washington, apples are the natural favorite around here. When I was in FLORIDA there were selling Washington Apples, I mean come on!

Here is one of my favorite local farms: Terry’s Berries! I have been going to this particular farm for 4 years now! Its amazing! The kids love it! Not only do they have a farm stand in the front, but you can pick your own apples, and pumpkins! They also have farm animals which my kids love watching. If you are in Puyallup, you need to check them out! Terry’s Berries in Puyallup

So what do you do with all those apples when you get home?
I have a couple ideas for you! I made both of these recipes yesterday, and they turned out perfectly!

Apple sauce:
Ingredients:
12 red delicious apples
A few shakes of cinnamon
Drizzle honey on top
Directions:
Peel, core and chop apples into small chunks. Put in crock pot on low. Shake some cinnamon and drizzle some honey on top. Cook on low for 5 hours. Make sure you stir it every once in a while. Once its done you can put it through a food processor if you want it smooth, but I really like it a bit chunkier! Delicious!

Apple’s ready to cook

Homemade Apple Sauce

Homemade Apple sauce recipe

Dried Apples:
Ingredients:
5 red delicious apples
Juice of two lemons
Big bowl of water
Directions:
If you want you can peel the apple, but you don’t have to. Core the apple. Use a mandolin slicer to thinly slice the apples. Let the apples hang out in a lemon bath (it preserves the color). Bake in your oven’s lowest setting (mine is 170 degrees) for as many hours as it takes to your liking. I put mine in for 6 hours and they were crispy. If you want it juicer, I would suggest testing them after 4 hours.

thinly sliced apples in lemon water

ready to go in the oven

Dried apples

After I made the dried apples and tasted how delicious they were, I am considering buying a food dehydrator. Do any of you lovely people have one? I’d love to hear your reviews! Also, if you know of a u-pick farm in Western Washington PLEASE share! I would love to visit some new ones! Do you have some more apple recipes I should try? Comment and tell me about them!

So go forward fellow Washingtonians and collect your apples!!