just call us Heavan.

but they are still good for a quick little laugh. enjoy.
2013-03-23 17.22.59 from Heather Mann on Vimeo.

2013-03-23 17.28.09 from Heather Mann on Vimeo.

2013-03-23 17.29.17 from Heather Mann on Vimeo.

2013-03-23 17.31.30 from Heather Mann on Vimeo.

2013-03-23 17.51.49 from Heather Mann on Vimeo.

conner had an assignment at school where he was supposed to do a service project. he chose to bake cookies and hand them out to our neighbors, telling them how much he liked being their neighbor. he had to bake the cookies all by himself and document the project with pictures. i was surprised at how little help he needed. it never ceases to amaze me how quickly my little family, and these little men of mine, are growing up. every once in awhile i will glimpse an image of what my boys will look like as young men. and it makes me sad and excited all at once. and every once in a while, i feel like i can actually see them growing. like i can see little bits of their baby-ness fading away, and they really are turning into boys. not little babies. not little toddlers BOYS. and then i shout out at them STOP IT! STOP GROWING RIGHT THIS MINUTE!  and then we all have a good laugh. and i hug them just a little tighter. and then think about, maybe, just maybe, having another baby.



“So come with me, where dreams are born, and time is never planned. Just think of happy things, and your heart will fly on wings, forever, in Never Never Land!” -J.M. Barrie

you should check out this cool website. this magical lady gets all the coupons from all the stores in your area and posts them all for you. then she makes a weekly meal plan using all those sale items.  THEN, she takes that meal plan and makes a grocery list for you. then you can take that list to walmart and price match most of the stuff so you don't have to drive around to all the stores. WHAT. it's the coolest thing ever. i have been trying it out for 2 weeks and so far so good. here's the catch. it's not free. well, the first 2 weeks are. but it's only 5 bucks a month after that. so cheap. so easy.

anyway. i get excited about things and just thought you should know about this awesomeness.

the end.

you are SIX. say what? six? that can't be. but it is. and what and wonderfully awesome six years it has been. you, my little obi, are simply amazing. you came into this world as a happy, content baby, and have been so ever since.


you are a peacemaker. with a little bit of a kick every now and then. you are thoughtful. and heartfelt. you are funny and love to laugh. our favorite place to tickle you has always been right under your chin. you do this funny little through-the-teeth-raspy-laugh since you were a baby, that you still do that exact same way. too fun. we can't get enough of it. or you.


you have a freckle right in the middle of the back of your right hand that i simply adore. and oh how we love your hair. you have amazing, trademark hair. when we cut it recently you asked me if you could have your big hair back. and that you never wanted me to cut your big hair off ever again. i agree. i like your big, wild hair.



you are full of love. you give the best, longest hugs. the tight-around-your-neck-in-a-good-way-kind. you are never content with just 1 goodnight kiss. it's usually more like 20 or 30! you really are precious. and sweet. and kind. you are a thinker. you take in the world at a difference pace then your brothers. a little more methodical. you still have the cutest lips when you make plane sounds. i hope you never grow out of that.


and lately you hate to wear underwear. you dress yourself, and i always have to ask if you put on your underwear. and the answer is usually no. in fact, most of the time you go to school without underwear one too. and you hate jeans. you have a bit of a meltdown anytime i ask you to wear jeans to school. and if you do wear jeans, you can bet your aren't wearing underwear with them!!!


you still say "doggles" instead of "goggles". you say "thwelth" instead of "twelve". and you are obsessed with your stuffed animals big bear and carld dog. yes. you named him "carld". not to be confused with "carl".



i am beyond grateful for you, little orion. our obi.
you are loved so much. by so many.
you are a brightness in this world.
and in my life.
you are happiness.
and i love you.
forever.
and ever.
and ever.

mom.

today you turned one. ONE. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! you have been in our family for one whole year and sometimes it seems like that time has just flown by, and that it can't really have been a whole entire year already. and yet, at the same time, it feels like you have always been with us. that you have always been a part of our wonderful family.


i remember when i was pregnant with you, life was not the easiest for me. let's just say that i liked to sit down and not move, or do anything, a lot. i liked sitting so much that there is a permanent dent in the couch. i was sort of like eeyore for awhile, ya know. just going along, kind of ho hum about life in general. i wore a lot of sweats and was just tired a lot. and big. very big and very tired. trying to keep up with your three older brother's really was a lot of work!


and then you came along. and it was like you really were a magical little bird beast. my gloominess just sort of vanished and you were like a little ray of sunshine. we all couldn't help but smile when you entered our lives. magic baby. you are a blessing to our family.


sweet little griffin, you are the cutest, sweetest, little babe and we have been so grateful to call you ours. you are a funny little man, full of laughter, giggles, random screams, lots of leg kicking excitement, and sweet snuggles since you were a wee one.


and now you are one. walking all over the place. practically running. getting into everything. climbing all over your brothers. wrestling with your dad. sharing hugs with me. making the funniest faces. your kisses are the best, it seems like you are just going to slobber over our whole face. you love it when your brothers make you laugh. you can say mama. and that makes me so happy. you love adventure and being outside. slides and swings are your favorite. you belly laugh whenever you do anything that makes you go fast.


and i love you.
thank you for being mine.
and ours.
thank you for bringing such large amounts of joy to our lives.
love you always and forever. to the stars at mars and back again.

mom.

i will write more about this wonderful little mann and his wonderful first year. but for now. enjoy some of his faces...

for reals. i have been wanting/meaning/trying to go to the tacoma kids museum for a few years now. in fact, we have gotten all ready, lunches packed, and made the drive to tacoma only to drive around and never find the museum. on more than one occasion. and i don't think i am that bad at directions. i know evan would say that i am really bad when it comes to making u-turns, but finding a place. come on. i can do that. i think the old childrens museum must have been invisible or something, cause to this day, i still have no clue where it was located. it's a good thing the new one is super easy to find now. we went today with our good friends monique and her kiddos. it was awesome. the boys had so much fun, and the museum is just the right size. plus, you pay what you can...and that is just awesome! not that i am a total cheapskate. i mean i am. but ya know...some of these museums are like 8 bucks per kids to get in. and i have more than 1 kid. so that gets spensive. ya know.

i have made cookies from this mrs. fields cookbook for as long as i can remember. pretty sure i used to want to look like mrs. fieds. i mean, she can cook bake and is totally hot. just look at that hair! anyway. this cookbook was my moms, with all her awesome tips and handwritten notes. i have a lot of cookbooks like that since she has become gluten free. i came across this "peanut butter oatmeal ranch" cookie recipe and thought it sounded so strange and gross that i had to try it. i never really did though. while i was making them i sort of changed the recipe so that it would be something that i would want to eat. the original recipe isn't as gross as i thought it would be. it doesn't have any ranch dressing in it!

and here's the other thing. i am not a health food nut, but if you can have things with healthy stuff in them, well then cool. but i don't go and buy organic food, or make sure that everything i eat is farm fresh or all natural, cause i just don't care to. but these cookies do have whole wheat flour, natural peanut butter, sunflower seeds, honey, and oats. that's some healthy stuff right?!?!

so here is my/mrs. fields "chunky peanut butter honey oatmeal white and chocolate chip cookie with sunflower seeds" recipe!
(this is the original recipe with my variations)


here's what you need:

3/4 cup whole wheat flour (i do a little extra)
3/4 all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 cup oats (old fashioned or quick)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup salted butter
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (i use natural chunky peanut butter and add about 3/4 cup more)
1/4 cup honey
2 large eggs
2 tsp. pure vanilla
1 cup raisins (ya right. gross. i throw in chocolate chips instead. sometimes white chips too.)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (again, maybe not. i did try it this time and it's ok, but i didn't love the aftertaste of the seeds. i have done pecans too and it's good. but really, if you do crunchy peanut butter you don't need any other nuts.)

here's what you do:

01. preheat oven to 300.

02. in a medium bowl combine flours, baking powder, and oats. set aside.

03. in large bowl, or mixer, beat sugar and butter at medium speed to form a grainy paste.

04. add peanut butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla. beat until fully combined. do not over mix.

05. add the flour mixture and remaining ingredients.

06. drop by spoonful onto ungreased cookie sheets.

07. bake for 18-22 minutes or until bottoms turn golden brown.

08. immediately transfer to a cool, flat surface.

09. get a big ol' glass of milk, 2 cookies, and enjoy!

i like to decorate a little here and there for each month. nothing major. mostly a wreath on the front door and a banner on the fireplace. ya know. so that kids think i am a festive mom! this year i made two new march decorations to put around the old homestead. a cute new paper strips shamrock inspired by merrilee. and i got this old gross gold bamboo frame at goodwill for $3 and spray painted it white, and badda bing, badda boom. and lovely little frame. i made an easter bunny paper strip thing for april, and i think i might just have to do one for every month.

and of course a new wreath. i made a yarn ball wreath a few years ago that totally crashed and burned last year. well, not literally. it actually froze in the ice storm and dropped and cracked into pieces. bummer. i loved that wreath. oh well. here is the old one...


so i needed to make a new one. and this is what i came up with. i don't have a tutorial for it, cause well, that takes time, and i don't want to take the time to write a detailed one. i will say this though...it is super easy and you can find all the felt flower tutorials you will ever need on pinterest. the end.