It has hit our house ... I think Ellie brought a little cold home from school in her pocket. Claire found it but it was nothing major ... actually, I wish all colds could run through like that one did! Then Cory caught it, but it mutated and destroyed him. Now, you guessed it, this mutant virus is keeping me company! And lucky for me it came for a visit just in time for Cory to leave town today for 4 days!! Thoughtful right?
Warm jammies and hot tea are in order for the next 24 hours for sure!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Falling into Autumn!
I love Fall ... or as Ellie would correct me, "It's Fall into Autumn!"
I love the colors, the smells, the holidays, family traditions and the food associated with it!
One of our first Fall family traditions is Klicker's Pumpkin Patch! We thoroughly enjoy taking the kids there .. the wagons, the haystack mountain and giant slide, the reindeer (which we terribly missed this year), the old trucks ... and of course the pumpkins! It's really a great photo op.
This year we didn't get our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch because we grew our own! BUT ... as parental failures, we totally spaced carving them this year...???... WHAT?!!???!!? I know. We suck! BUT regardless, I've always loved Halloween and it excites me that I have kids to share that excitement with! Ellie wasn't phased at all by the lack of pumpkin carving (I will blame her for not reminding me) so we spent our time focusing on the perfect costume!
This year Ellie insisted on dressing up as Strawberry Shortcake ... who am I to get in the way of her dreams?!!? Strawberry Shortcake she was! Claire on the other hand, doesn't get to have her own opinion yet ... at least not about this ;) She was a Ladybug. Although no one asked, I conjured up a wonderful story about how the two costumes were connected (I think coordinating family costumes are THE cutest thing EVER!) ... it went something like this: Well Ellie chose Strawberry Shortcake and aside from dressing the baby up as a strawberry, we went with a ladybug that LIVED in Strawberry's strawberry patch. I didn't even get to explain it once. Oh well ... maybe next year it'll be a little more obvious.
Next we get to move onto raking leaves into big piles and jumping into them!!! We JUST, last night, had a crazy wind storm that blew all the neighborhood leaves into our yard (I want to take this opportunity to add that we have ONE tree and it's a medium sized Dogwood tree) so tomorrow after school will be spent playing in the leaves! (Pictures to come, I promise!)
Happy Fall everyone!
I love the colors, the smells, the holidays, family traditions and the food associated with it!
One of our first Fall family traditions is Klicker's Pumpkin Patch! We thoroughly enjoy taking the kids there .. the wagons, the haystack mountain and giant slide, the reindeer (which we terribly missed this year), the old trucks ... and of course the pumpkins! It's really a great photo op.
This year we didn't get our pumpkins from the pumpkin patch because we grew our own! BUT ... as parental failures, we totally spaced carving them this year...???... WHAT?!!???!!? I know. We suck! BUT regardless, I've always loved Halloween and it excites me that I have kids to share that excitement with! Ellie wasn't phased at all by the lack of pumpkin carving (I will blame her for not reminding me) so we spent our time focusing on the perfect costume!
This year Ellie insisted on dressing up as Strawberry Shortcake ... who am I to get in the way of her dreams?!!? Strawberry Shortcake she was! Claire on the other hand, doesn't get to have her own opinion yet ... at least not about this ;) She was a Ladybug. Although no one asked, I conjured up a wonderful story about how the two costumes were connected (I think coordinating family costumes are THE cutest thing EVER!) ... it went something like this: Well Ellie chose Strawberry Shortcake and aside from dressing the baby up as a strawberry, we went with a ladybug that LIVED in Strawberry's strawberry patch. I didn't even get to explain it once. Oh well ... maybe next year it'll be a little more obvious.
Next we get to move onto raking leaves into big piles and jumping into them!!! We JUST, last night, had a crazy wind storm that blew all the neighborhood leaves into our yard (I want to take this opportunity to add that we have ONE tree and it's a medium sized Dogwood tree) so tomorrow after school will be spent playing in the leaves! (Pictures to come, I promise!)
Happy Fall everyone!
Friday, October 21, 2011
Claire is ONE!
Our baby ... she's officially a toddler and we just celebrated her first birthday!
Such a bittersweet day ... I'm really having a hard time with her growing up, probably because I have "that" feeling she's our last. Makes me sad. But MAN is she CUTE!!!!
Such a bittersweet day ... I'm really having a hard time with her growing up, probably because I have "that" feeling she's our last. Makes me sad. But MAN is she CUTE!!!!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
With out shedding a single tear!
Ellie has successfully finished her first week of preschool ... and as the title reads, I did it with out shedding a single tear! The first day was perfect! Cory was home so he was able to come with me to drop her off. I attribute my dry face to him =) We stayed busy all morning. Ellie couldn't have been more excited to go to school. We got there and she chose a cubby to put her things in, then took off for the play room. I had to remind her to hug us goodbye, so she came back but was off again instantly! At pick up time she didn't really want to come home, which I think is a good thing!! Today was her second day (she only goes 2 days/week) and it was even better than the first! She actually cried today because she didn't want to leave. I can't wait for the art work to come home so I can fill up my fridge!
Here is Ellie on her first day, the first picture is before school on the front steps and the second is after school with her cousin Lily!!
Here is Ellie on her first day, the first picture is before school on the front steps and the second is after school with her cousin Lily!!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Picture Post!
Cory is gone this weekend, at a friend's bachelor party, fishing on the ocean! The girls and I are having a blast with out him! LOL! Yesterday we (Sam, Evan, Ellie and I ... Claire stayed with Grammy) went to the MF pool with the neighbor and her grandson and today we just hung out, played outside and went to visit Nona! I also decided it's a perfect night to go to the Drive-In! Kung Fu Panda 2 is playing with Harry Potter (8??) so we are going to get into our pj's and head out around 845 ... we'll only stay for KFP2 though! I had a free minute while I have friendship bread baking so I thought I'd jump on and post pictures (FINALLY)!
First ... here is Claire at her Baptism!
These were taken about a month ago at the park. (Not sure why Claire's is so big. I resized all the pics the same)
This is at Lake Joy (in Carnation, WA that Cory grew up on) at Aunt Margie & Uncle Jerry's!
This is at Snoqualmie Falls.
And here is my entire world ... sharing a Rootbeer popcicle!
First ... here is Claire at her Baptism!
These were taken about a month ago at the park. (Not sure why Claire's is so big. I resized all the pics the same)
This is at Lake Joy (in Carnation, WA that Cory grew up on) at Aunt Margie & Uncle Jerry's!
This is at Snoqualmie Falls.
And here is my entire world ... sharing a Rootbeer popcicle!
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Lovin' Summer
Well it's about time! Summer finally decided to grace us with it's presence! Although it was quite abrupt, going from 55 to 80 in a matter of 2 days, I'm not going to be the one complaining about it!
June was fairly uneventful. Lots of rain. Cory's little sister, Tiffany, graduated high school on the 13th so we made a trip up and over the mountains to see her get her diploma! I cried a little, not gonna lie. It's hard to believe she was only 10 when I first met her and now she's gearing up for college! Gah! We stayed at Cory's Aunt and Uncle's house on Lake Joy. It's the lake Cory grew up on. It was cold but we were able to let the girls play in the water long enough to get pictures! It makes Cory feel so good that his kids get to play on the same beach he played on as a kid! Aunt Margie gave Claire her first hair cut! Poor baby was desperately in need of it! Her bangs were always hanging in her face and she could never REALLY see. All taken care of! Not only can she now see the world ... the world can actually see her face!!!
Since it's warmed up we have spent most days outside! Ellie is loving the freedom of the backyard. She's become friends with the two 6 years old girls and 4 year old little boy down the street and spends a lot of time with them riding bikes between our houses (4 houses)!
July is looking to be a busy month for us! We have a few weekend adventures coming us, as well as a wedding and our annual family vacation to the Oregon coast! This year we will be accompanied by our new camera! As I requested, Cory made sure we purchased the digital SLR in time to go on vacation! Yaay! I'm trying to find time to mess around with it so I know how to take perfect pictures on the beach, but there's just so much to do! We've started scraping the neighbor's house so we can paint it for them. This is funding our recreation while on vacation ;) We do that in the evenings when it's cooler and I get out while the girls (or at least Claire) nap during the day. Shouldn't take much more than another week!
Ellie is currently in her first session of "Turtle" swim lessons! We signed her up for a 2 week class so it wouldn't interfere with our chaotic July schedule. As usual, she loves it. It's OUR opinion that the class she is in, isn't quite advanced enough for her and I'd like them to move her up to the next level. They do things with the kids below what she was doing in the parent/child classes. They have to assume that the kids starting "turtles" are entry level and have never really been in the water much, as they're only 3. Understandable ... I just don't want to waste my money. We'll see if they move her up after this session at the end of next week. Until then, we are getting ready for the 4th of July! Not sure exactly what we're going to do, but whatever it is we're gonna rock it AMERICA style!
June was fairly uneventful. Lots of rain. Cory's little sister, Tiffany, graduated high school on the 13th so we made a trip up and over the mountains to see her get her diploma! I cried a little, not gonna lie. It's hard to believe she was only 10 when I first met her and now she's gearing up for college! Gah! We stayed at Cory's Aunt and Uncle's house on Lake Joy. It's the lake Cory grew up on. It was cold but we were able to let the girls play in the water long enough to get pictures! It makes Cory feel so good that his kids get to play on the same beach he played on as a kid! Aunt Margie gave Claire her first hair cut! Poor baby was desperately in need of it! Her bangs were always hanging in her face and she could never REALLY see. All taken care of! Not only can she now see the world ... the world can actually see her face!!!
Since it's warmed up we have spent most days outside! Ellie is loving the freedom of the backyard. She's become friends with the two 6 years old girls and 4 year old little boy down the street and spends a lot of time with them riding bikes between our houses (4 houses)!
July is looking to be a busy month for us! We have a few weekend adventures coming us, as well as a wedding and our annual family vacation to the Oregon coast! This year we will be accompanied by our new camera! As I requested, Cory made sure we purchased the digital SLR in time to go on vacation! Yaay! I'm trying to find time to mess around with it so I know how to take perfect pictures on the beach, but there's just so much to do! We've started scraping the neighbor's house so we can paint it for them. This is funding our recreation while on vacation ;) We do that in the evenings when it's cooler and I get out while the girls (or at least Claire) nap during the day. Shouldn't take much more than another week!
Ellie is currently in her first session of "Turtle" swim lessons! We signed her up for a 2 week class so it wouldn't interfere with our chaotic July schedule. As usual, she loves it. It's OUR opinion that the class she is in, isn't quite advanced enough for her and I'd like them to move her up to the next level. They do things with the kids below what she was doing in the parent/child classes. They have to assume that the kids starting "turtles" are entry level and have never really been in the water much, as they're only 3. Understandable ... I just don't want to waste my money. We'll see if they move her up after this session at the end of next week. Until then, we are getting ready for the 4th of July! Not sure exactly what we're going to do, but whatever it is we're gonna rock it AMERICA style!
Saturday, May 28, 2011
I spend so much time on the computer, while the girls are napping, LOOKING for things to do ... why is it that I NEVER seem to think to update our blog?!!? I'm SOO the worst at this! LOL! Well, instead of going on and on about how crappy of a blogger I am, I'll get right to the details of what's been going on!
Claire has been busy busy busy growing and learning. It blows my mind! She was 8 months yesterday and to date, she crawls, pulls herself up, babbles non-stop ... so much more. She amazes me everyday!
Today is actually a special day for her! Today is her Baptism! I promise I'll post pictures when we get home!
Ellie celebrated her 3rd birthday last Saturday ... I cried! We had a wonderful party for her in the back yard complete with ALL her friends and a HUGE bounce house! I promise I'll post pictures of her day tonight as well!
We got our front yard FINALLY looking nice! My wonderful Mom gave me 8 boxwoods for Mother's Day, something I've been wanting for almost 7 years! One beautiful, sunny day Ellie, Claire and I ventured outside where I spent 6 hours weeding, edging, tilling and planting in the front flower beds! The next morning Cory and I set out for Home Depot in search of more boxwoods and black mulch to complete the project!!! It looks great, and I got it done the night before Ellie's party!
We also, the day before Ellie's party, decided we were going to do a raised garden in the back yard! We built the raised bed and planted our first plants in it (strawberries and onions) and built a fence around it to keep Caly out! We started 177 more plants from seeds and are going to plant those this weekend!! We're attempting Square Foot Gardening, thanks to Jim! We're really excited about it and it really helps that Jimmy is so knowledgeable!!!
Also ... pictures coming soon.
That's what we've been up to in a nutshell. Right now I have to get Ellie showered and dressed, and Claire up from her nap, fed and dressed so we can head over to the church!
Claire has been busy busy busy growing and learning. It blows my mind! She was 8 months yesterday and to date, she crawls, pulls herself up, babbles non-stop ... so much more. She amazes me everyday!
Today is actually a special day for her! Today is her Baptism! I promise I'll post pictures when we get home!
Ellie celebrated her 3rd birthday last Saturday ... I cried! We had a wonderful party for her in the back yard complete with ALL her friends and a HUGE bounce house! I promise I'll post pictures of her day tonight as well!
We got our front yard FINALLY looking nice! My wonderful Mom gave me 8 boxwoods for Mother's Day, something I've been wanting for almost 7 years! One beautiful, sunny day Ellie, Claire and I ventured outside where I spent 6 hours weeding, edging, tilling and planting in the front flower beds! The next morning Cory and I set out for Home Depot in search of more boxwoods and black mulch to complete the project!!! It looks great, and I got it done the night before Ellie's party!
We also, the day before Ellie's party, decided we were going to do a raised garden in the back yard! We built the raised bed and planted our first plants in it (strawberries and onions) and built a fence around it to keep Caly out! We started 177 more plants from seeds and are going to plant those this weekend!! We're attempting Square Foot Gardening, thanks to Jim! We're really excited about it and it really helps that Jimmy is so knowledgeable!!!
Also ... pictures coming soon.
That's what we've been up to in a nutshell. Right now I have to get Ellie showered and dressed, and Claire up from her nap, fed and dressed so we can head over to the church!
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Potty Learned!
It's official ... although today is only the 4th day, it's been a full 3 days of NO ACCIDENTS! And, Ellie has finally figured out that she can go in and go to the bathroom with out having to ask first! We kind of had to put her to the test yesterday, as we had A LOT of running around to do. She told us about 10 minutes into our outing that she had to pee, so speeding towards a gas station we went ... and she made it! About an hour later, at the Nursery looking for trees, she ran half way across the property to come tell me that she had to go, and again .... MADE IT!!!! SO proud of her, I thought it would never happen. Hahaha! If she makes it 3 more days with no accidents, a celebration at Chuck E. Cheese will commence! Woooo!
Thursday, January 13, 2011
New Year's Resolutions ...
So usually I don't make a New Year's Resolution because I'm TERRIBLE at sticking to them. But this year, I decided to go "balls to the wall" and make a few!
#1: Work it Out: I'm GOING to start working out, SOMEHOW, three days a week. Whether it's a walk around the block, getting around to doing Insanity, anything...
#2: Capture the Moment: We haven't been very good at taking pictures since we lost our camera last March. We got a new one, but hate it. I want to get a new camera and start taking pictures again! Especially since Claire is so little and changing every day.
#3: Clip, Snip & Save: Coupon clipping here I come! I am determined to master this damn art.
#4: Put it Away: Money ... always trying to figure out better ways to do it, always find other things to spend it on. Ellie needs preschool tuition from September - May... why not start saving now?!!?
#5: Time for ME: I desperately need to take time for myself. I never do. Once every other week to start. I will take an evening (6-9) and get out of the house and do whatever I want ... go somewhere with friends, knit, scrapbook... hopefully moving up to once/week!
I don't feel like I'm setting myself up for failure here, these are all very reachable goals! I'm starting a little late, obviously, but really ... is it ever really too late to make a resolution? Nah!
Now to master managing my headstrong toddler .... *sigh*
#1: Work it Out: I'm GOING to start working out, SOMEHOW, three days a week. Whether it's a walk around the block, getting around to doing Insanity, anything...
#2: Capture the Moment: We haven't been very good at taking pictures since we lost our camera last March. We got a new one, but hate it. I want to get a new camera and start taking pictures again! Especially since Claire is so little and changing every day.
#3: Clip, Snip & Save: Coupon clipping here I come! I am determined to master this damn art.
#4: Put it Away: Money ... always trying to figure out better ways to do it, always find other things to spend it on. Ellie needs preschool tuition from September - May... why not start saving now?!!?
#5: Time for ME: I desperately need to take time for myself. I never do. Once every other week to start. I will take an evening (6-9) and get out of the house and do whatever I want ... go somewhere with friends, knit, scrapbook... hopefully moving up to once/week!
I don't feel like I'm setting myself up for failure here, these are all very reachable goals! I'm starting a little late, obviously, but really ... is it ever really too late to make a resolution? Nah!
Now to master managing my headstrong toddler .... *sigh*
Saturday, January 1, 2011
HAPPY 2011!
Well 2010 is over and here we begin a new year! 2010 was such an emotional year for us. Our best friends in the entire world, Jake (16) and Boone (3) passed away 3weeks apart from each other in May. Jake, was old and having great difficulties getting around, so after lots of weeks tossing it around, we finally took him in and had him put down on May 5. A very emotional day for all of us. Johnny built him a box and we took him out to a hunting spot and buried him. 3 weeks later, on the 30th, Riley called us, as we were out of town, and told us that Boone had passed. After almost 3 months of weekly, bi-weekly and sometimes tri-weekly vet visits and an autopsy, the unofficial verdict was Bone Marrow Cancer. On a happier note, we then welcomed our new puppy Caly, from TN, into our home in July and then our beautiful second baby girl, Claire Marie, joined us in late September! We are very blessed and I hope 2011 is filled with nothing but great things for us all!
Ellie is amazing! When we are out and about running errands, she recognizes "red octagons," "white rectangles," and "yellow diamonds" signs! I love it! She asks a million and one questions! We are going to put her on the waiting list for preschool in March so she can start this fall! From my experience, I'm sure I could have put her in the 3y/o class when she was 2 and she would have done just fine! In the mean time, I'm trying to keep up her her little brain and trying not to bore her =) She's growing up WAAAAAAAAAY too fast.
Claire is outrageous! I can't believe she's already 3 months old =( she spends her days cooing, smiling, giggling and eating! At her her 2m. check up she was 9lbs. and 22'. She absolutely is in love with her big sister! She's starting to reach for things and when she gets pissed enough, she's able to roll over from her tummy to her back! I'm not ready for my BABY to be doing things like this yet!
Caly continues her training and is a fabulous dog! We are so lucky to have her! She is SO great with the kids. When we brought Claire home and let Cal in to check her out, she got down and army crawled from about 15 feet away until her nose was touching Claire's head. Then she just laid there with her! It was absolutely priceless! That's when I KNEW Cal was meant to be ours! Never had she even seen a baby and that was how she reacted! LOVE IT! She's an amazing bird dog! Her first wild retrieve was a nice sized pheasant and she handled it with out a problem at all!
So with our health and love, we're hoping 2011 is half as good as 2010 was! Here's to a new year! *Cheers*
Ellie is amazing! When we are out and about running errands, she recognizes "red octagons," "white rectangles," and "yellow diamonds" signs! I love it! She asks a million and one questions! We are going to put her on the waiting list for preschool in March so she can start this fall! From my experience, I'm sure I could have put her in the 3y/o class when she was 2 and she would have done just fine! In the mean time, I'm trying to keep up her her little brain and trying not to bore her =) She's growing up WAAAAAAAAAY too fast.
Claire is outrageous! I can't believe she's already 3 months old =( she spends her days cooing, smiling, giggling and eating! At her her 2m. check up she was 9lbs. and 22'. She absolutely is in love with her big sister! She's starting to reach for things and when she gets pissed enough, she's able to roll over from her tummy to her back! I'm not ready for my BABY to be doing things like this yet!
Caly continues her training and is a fabulous dog! We are so lucky to have her! She is SO great with the kids. When we brought Claire home and let Cal in to check her out, she got down and army crawled from about 15 feet away until her nose was touching Claire's head. Then she just laid there with her! It was absolutely priceless! That's when I KNEW Cal was meant to be ours! Never had she even seen a baby and that was how she reacted! LOVE IT! She's an amazing bird dog! Her first wild retrieve was a nice sized pheasant and she handled it with out a problem at all!
So with our health and love, we're hoping 2011 is half as good as 2010 was! Here's to a new year! *Cheers*
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