An early happy vday to all of you! Nothing like 8 or so inches of snow! That's okay with me. I got to spend the day with my kiddos and did some major baking. Homemade runza for dinner, some peanut butter-chocolate chip cookies for desert. And, we went outside for some snow angels and snow fun in the back yard. The cleaning is still waiting for me. However, the girls did get their room back into respectable shape.
Look what is happening to my oldest daughter. She's growing up. Right before my eyes. She's challenging us... finding her boundaries. I'm sure this will continue for the next 15 years or so. Moments of sweetness, like reading to her brother, helping him up when he falls in the snow and giving him pushes on the sled. Then, there are moments where she seems so ungrateful. "I don't have to". "Fine"! Gestures where she plugs her ears when we talk, stomps out of the room. Where, oh where, is my instruction book!
Demolition begins on our Master bathroom. Actually, there is nothing "master" about it. It's barely big enough for the toilet and sink. However, it needs to be done and we'll be one step closer to getting our house on the market, if we so choose.
Why is it after a vacation you need another day to recoup? Great Wolf Lodge was a blast. The girls tried everything... the regular waterslides and the raft waterslides. Eli was upset he couldn't go on some of the bigger slides but enjoyed the smaller ones. Personally, one day was plenty for me and I'm glad we were staying at a different hotel Saturday night. I have to say I was very impressed with the lifeguards... very attentive. The beds on the otherhand, all sagged to the middle. Saturday, we stayed at the Marriot in the Plaza, which was just minutes from my bro's house. The room had recently been remodeled and was beautiful. However, the pool, which was not yet remodeled, had much to be desired. There was no heat in the pool room or in the pool itself. They could adjust the pool temperature (it would take 2-3 hours) but not the room temp. The hot tub felt like what the pool should feel like. But, the kids enjoyed it anyway and we warmed up with steaming hot baths and showers = ) So many good eats in KC as well... Arthur Bryant's and Cheesecake factory...YUM!
I did NOT take any pics of Great Wolf Lodge. I didn't want the added stress of worrying about a camera. Worrying about 3 kids is enough and I was there to have fun. However, I did get some pics of Nora =)
Eli has been pretening to ride motorcycles around the house. He uses just about anything... my tripod, foldable kids chairs, etc... So, when we spotted a little one at Target for $20, we knew he had to have it. Plus, he kind of gets the shaft with his bday just after xmas. He LOVES it! He was helping daddy put it together last night.
Valentine's day is coming and we have already begun to make our homemade vday cards all 65+ of them. Eli has absolutely no interest in them! I think his sister's will pick up the slack for him = )
And, what you have all been waiting for, 'lil Miss Nora!
This is my fave but I did a horrible job of editting the outlet in the lower right hand corner. I'll have to redo that!!
I got a little carried away with this one and her face got too light. I'll have to fix that, too!
Well, the family and I are taking a little vacation this weekend. We are going to KC to see my sweet little niece, and of course vist my bro and SIL. I will be doing her pictures as well = ) While there, we're going to the Great Wolf Lodge. I'm excited! I'm already starting to make the to-do list of all the things we need to pack! Seems like so much for such a small trip!
Schuyler got her hair cut last week. She wanted to look like Kit Kittredge from American Girl. So, she has a cute little bob and we modernized it by inverting it. She loves it and gets so many compliments. It makes her look older, too. Schuyler also experienced her first roller skating party. The last time I left her at a Birthday party, she broke her arm at Lost in Fun. So, as you can imagine, I was very hesitant to leave her and ended up staying in watching. She took a lot of falls to start with but by the end, she was steadily making her way around the rink.
The potty training continues. I'm not sure I'm set on doing this. Every night I'm doing a load of wash! We'll see!
Here's a few pics from the Shirette Kiddie Clinic.
Image sent from my bro = ) Isn't she just the sweetest. I see a lot of her mommy in her.
And, on the potty training front, Eli had a MAJOR break through last night. He went poopie on the big potty. Go Eli!
BIG news!! My brother and SIL had a baby girl last night around 9:05 p.m. Her name is Nora Taylor and she weighed in at 7 lbs 5 oz and 20 1/2 in long. Meghan ended up having a C-section but she is doing fine and recovering. Nora is doing fine as well. This is their first child and I'm so excited for them. I can't wait to see my brother as a father! I can't wait to meet my niece and hold her. I'm envisioning her with a head full of dark hair and beautiful hazel eyes, similar to her mommy's. Well see if I'm right! Now, I need my bro to email a pic!!
Speaking of being an aunt, can you believe I'm an aunt to the beautiful young lady below, who will be a HS SENIOR next year! Sheesh. Where does the time go? I've finally had some time to go through some of the family pics from Thanksgiving.
Speaking of seniors, I'm starting to expand my horizons and break into the HS senior market. I'm looking for a few representatives for next year's senior class so if you know of someone, please send them my way. I'll put some info on my business blog, link to the right. It will include a reduced session fee with some freebies = )
Family news... Schuyler can play the harmonica!! They learned it in music class and she is surprisingly good. Not near as screechy as the violin was! Parent visitation was last week and it was so fun to watch the girls perform. We got a sneak peak of the costumes as well. Schuyler's is very simple. Black capris with dance written down the leg with a tank top, in their choice of color, black, white or pink, with dance written on it. Schuyler chose the white. I love her teacher's philosophy. Her mother appreciated costumes that kids could wear again or for everyday where and now that she is a mother, she has adopted this approach for her classes!! Mack LOVES hers. It's bright pink with black and kind of hard to explain!
Eli officially started potty training yesterday. I have decided that little boy briefs and boxer briefs are just the cutest thing = ) He is pretty cute in them. He has also informed us of his male genitalia by saying "my penis"!
There is a yucky flu bug, more like flu monster, that made it's way through our house 2 weeks ago. Diarrhea and stomach flu. Schuyler was the only one spared! Our house smelled very medicinal for a couple of days!
Oh, I almost forgot about the Shirette kiddie clinic. The girls had SO much fun. They did an awesome job performing at half time. Schuyler was center court! Mack was in the front row, right in front of me! Made for a great photo op!
Guess whose birthday is today? Mr. Eli. My babe is now 2!! Where have the last 2 years gone? He has brought us balance in a house that was once full of estrogen. We delight in his mischevious grin and boyish ways. He is a handsome little devil with his tow-head blond hair and big blue eyes. He's a momma's boy and though at times it would be nice not to have someone glued to my side or right under foot, I enjoy our bond. The potty training will begin before I know it and the diapers will be gone. Such bitter sweet moments.
We got him just one gift for his birthday. It's a motorized John Deere vehicle with front loader and trailer. Mark stayed up late and put it together so it was waiting for him in the living room with a bow. I wasn't there to see his reaction but Mark said his eyes got really big and he said "my sheen"? (meaning my machine).
Eli and I spent quality time together last week as Mark left for the Gator Bowl and the girls went to MO to see their cousins. I finally was able to paint my accent wall that I have been wanting to do for ages. Now, if I can get Mark to hang my shelf I'm sure I can find something to put on it!
Mark had a rough time getting back to Lincoln. Multiple delays, rerouted flights, and the wait for de-icing. Instead of 4:30 pm it was 12:30 am! Luckily, he has a great father-in-law who was able to pick him up from the airport= )
Mack missed her dad a lot. There were tears the first night but we found one of daddy's worn shirts from the laundry hamper. I said to her, "Here, smell it. It smells like daddy." With her big pout, she replied "It does smell like daddy". Pretty cute! She cuddled it at nights and it made the trip down to MO!
Oh, Cindy that you for your comments. Hope you had a good xmas and happy new year, too!
Eli let me snap a few shots, not many, while the gang was gone. Hat is one of my mother's creations =)
