Week In Review

It began as another snowy week. Mother's Morning Out was cancelled again! Ahhhh! My three hours of alone time for the week...missed two weeks in a row because of the snow. We actually didn't play in this snow or bring any in this time around...we are over the snow for this year!

We have been out of the house a bit more this week than last. We did get to go on our date night this week (missed last week because HK was vomiting). HK and I had a short girls outing one evening while the boys spent quality time at home. Then the kids and I got out for some errands this morning. As we were getting our coats on HK says, "I love getting out of the house. It's so fun!" Me too baby!

So the dynamic duo spent some music time together this week. Nolan is rockin' out his solo here. I'm pretty sure it's one of those that sounds like someone is just screaming into the mic and you have no idea what they are saying!! Yep...that's what it sounded like!

He is letting HK have a turn (who has a mouth full of something...she has been bad this week about wanting to just get stuff to eat out of the pantry whenever she feels like it. The bad thing about that with her is that she feels like it 24/7...she has a hollow leg or two).

"Oh girl. You give that back now. I am in control of this mic right now! Don't make me bite you!"

"Thank you ladies and gentleman for your claps!"....as he bends down to make the applause button go off.

Getting some duet time in as well.

Disaster...This is enough to make me crazy. They have a way between the two of them to find a way to get every possible thing out. HK knows Nolan is not suppose to be up on her bed. I think he is trying to figure out the escape route out the window!

I don't really want to know what she is trying to do here. Maybe she is just checking for a poopy diaper?

It was obvious that he was going for the lamp! Okay...time for Mommy to break-up this unruly party and start the clean-up process. Time for lunch and at least I am hungry if no one else is!

So one day as soon as Nolan laid down for his nap, HK decided she wanted to do my Dancing With the Stars exercise dvd. It is actually a very difficult dvd...needless to say I haven't done it too much! So she got out her outfit like the dancers and put her tap shoes on. Later she switched and put on her ballet shoes.

I sat on the couch and watched...haha! She took it very serious. Then she would turn around and giggle at me. I actually got several minutes on video of her doing this. Maybe I will get around to fixing that one day.

These are the lunges during the paso doble portion. She also did the Cha-Cha section. Then she was done. She did leave the leotard on the rest of the day/evening.

Watching Leap Frog "Let's Go To School". Well, Nolan really wasn't watching it as much as he just wanted to be up in the chair with HK.

I love these two crazy mutts...the last few weeks we have had lots of quality time together!

Thursday night HK and I had a girls' outing to David's Bridal to get her flower girl dress. Aunt Ang found the one she wanted online. It is actually a miniature of Ang's dress. I only gave the twirl shot as not to give much away since it is very similar to the bride's. I'm sure that was just the first of many, many twirls for that dress! It is sooo sweet! HK was so excited. They had one that fit her perfectly. She didn't want to take it off. Then she wanted to put it on and dance with her Daddy when she got home. I think we may need to store it someplace other than our house! Then we had to look at all of the other pretty dresses. There were some I would call prom dresses. She found her dress :-). It was tulle with sequins that changed color back and forth between shades of this aqua/turquoise color and green.....sort of iridescent. It was very beautiful. Definitely full of glitz, glamor, and sort of Cinderellaish. She told me this was the one she would get when she was bigger. We also got Grampy's birthday present (he turns 60 next week), slushies, and a quick trip in Target. Gotta love the dollar bins!

This is by far my favorite picture of the week!
She is sporting her new sunglasses that we got from the dollar bins at Target. When Nate went for his nightly checks on the kids before we went to bed he called me in HK's room. I took some pictures and he videoed her.
It was too funny! I asked her this morning if she wore her glasses when she went to sleep last night. She told me yes that her eyes were scary. The glasses helped her eyes not be scared. Sleep in them every night...please!

Well only one more full week of February! Bring on March!

One more very exciting thing for our week in review...

Nate finally signed a contract for a job that will start this July. I never thought this would be such a long and drawn out process. Nate has always wanted to practice small town medicine. We tossed around so many different options for after residency. We've prayed and discussed and prayed and debated and prayed and tried to see the future. We kept coming back to the small town practice. We decided to start out where the dream started and where Nate's heart really is. We could go lots of places and do lots of things, but I want Nate to be where his heart is! So as of Monday evening, Nate signed a contract with his hometown hospital, Ferrell Hospital in Eldorado. Our hearts are flooded with so many different emotions right now! We are nervous, yet very excited. We feel very much at peace with this decision and are praying for God to give us hearts for this area. It is hard to believe that we are almost to the place that we have been working for the last 7 years to reach. Yes, I said we. I love that Nate has included me in this process all along the way. He always tells me he couldn't have done it without me. Now we all know that is not true, but I love that he feels this way! We have been in this together from the beginning and will be in it together until the end! So a part of me feels as if I signed that contract along with him even though I did not literally. I feel like Ferrell is going to be a great fit for Nate's personality and capabilities as a family doctor. We are excited about the brink of change that Ferrell is on! Hopefully many will be pleasantly surprised with what is going to happen over the next several years in that place! So if any of you or anyone you know is looking for a new family doc for themselves, their children, or their parents...just head Nate's way come July! I am so proud of him, and I cannot wait to see this dream fully blossom! So I guess what I am saying is...let the new phase begin.

I think that about wraps up the week's events.

As I am finishing typing this, HK has walked out of her room (it's suppose to be "rest" time) in a nightgown carrying her baby doll who is also in her pajamas. She is patting her and saying shh shh shh. She is now telling me some big story about her baby crying, something about her bed, putting her down at 4:00, and on and on and on the story goes. The nightgown makes the fifth thing she has had on today. 1) the outfit I put her in 2) sweat pants and an undershirt with a sweatshirt added after I made her 3) her flower girl dress from Nick and Terrah's wedding (which I think is officially too tight) 4) Ariel wedding dress 5) the nightgown. This might be a new record by 2:50 in the afternoon. Obviously she is not falling asleep this afternoon. That just makes for a longer Friday evening for Daddy & Mommy!

Happy Weekend to Everyone!

(I am getting a pedicure in the morning...thanks to my great husband)!!!

LOVEly Day

Needless to say this was not the most romantic of Valentine weekends, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. We didn't get all crafty this year with homemade cards and cookies like we have in the past. HK got the GI bug (a.k.a-vomitting) on Wednesday. It was a full time job Wednesday and Thursday just trying to keep HK & Nolan away from one another! HK missed her Valentine Party at MMO...but she doesn't even realize it yet (not until we take her Valentine's to school on Tuesday). Then I had the shower to prepare for on Friday. So cutesie and crafty fun may come next year.

Saturday was spent doin' the baby shower thing minus the Mommy-to-be.
Today Nate worked 9-5. So before work/church, we gave the kids their Valentines...some new books and puzzle for each.

Thanks to my wonderful husband, I will be getting a 90-minute pedicure very soon! Thanks baby! You know me so well!

The kids and I went to church in the snow which was followed by a nice nap for everyone.

Then I fixed Nate's favorite meal for supper (Rachel Ray's Italian Macaroni & Cheese...we call it Tyler's Pasta because that's who I got the recipe from...it taste like Olive Garden's Five Cheese Ziti). Then we all went out to Cold Stone for some ice cream. It was quite scrumptious, but I could not eat that rich ice cream very often.

The kids had some great tickling/rough-housing time with Daddy before bed.

This is one of their favorite things to do lately. Nolan is funny because he actually thinks he is pushing Nate over and really doing something to him.

Two against one... Daddy is still stronger.

Daddy and his girl
"Daddy, I Love You!"

My sweethearts and my Valentine squealing with delight.

Me and my little sweeties! (yes, I have my pj pants on with my shirt I wore today...use to do this all the time in college)

Oh the favorite thing of lately...best 99 cents I have spent in a long time!!! When I got the balloon for the baby shower I got these red heart mylar balloons for the kids. They were thrilled and had a fantastic time with them. Nolan loves to let it go and watch it float to the ceiling.

Of course, HK will then climb the walls to try and get it for him.

That is what he is craning his neck trying to see.

"Here you go Bubba. I got it for you."

Happy Valentine's to all of you! We send our love to you over the miles!

I am so thankful to have so many wonderful people in my life.

Best of all, thank you my dear husband. I love you forever and always!

Sweetest of all, I love you my dear children.

Greatest of all, thank you my Savior and Lord for Your sacrifice of love for us all and giving us the capacity to love You and one another!

Bethany's Baby Shower

This past Saturday we were suppose to have a baby shower for my cousin/friend Bethany. She is due April 8th with her first baby.

Bethany lives in Gainesville, Virginia...outside of D.C. The previous weekend they received 31 inches of snow. This past Wednesday they got another 10 or so inches of snow. They didn't even have work Mon-Thurs. So needless to say it was not wise nor was she able to fly out of the area Thursday for the baby shower in Eldorado.

Unfortunately, this was her 2nd baby shower that she had to miss because of snow! How crazy is that! Hopefully, all that snow will be done and melted long before this baby is ready to come out and join the world!

We went ahead with the shower. It was a come and go shower. I had Bethany send me some pictures of her cute self! I loved that she sent me ones in the snow!

This is her driveway...it almost hides her!

We had the shower at Bethany's parents' home. We had the food, the guests came, and HK opened the gifts (per Bethany's request). I video taped it all and sent it to Bethany.

Bethany called several times during the shower.

I am so sorry Bethany that you got snowed in, but it seemed to all work out for the best. You just take care of yourself and that baby!

Here is the end result.
Congrats Bethany & Dave and we can't wait to hear of this baby's arrival!

Kitchen Renovation Part 2

So here is an update on the kitchen. I just realized as I finished uploading pictures that I put them in reverse order of my intentions. So the top ones are the most recent.

They decided to make the ceiling...vaulted/cathedral...not sure which is the proper terminology. That decision is going to really make the room feel bigger!

You can see how the new ceiling will run.

That board is covering up where the two new outside windows will be.

The new floor is down.

Old floor being torn up

Almost gone...

And there is the basement. That is kind of creepy looking!

We'll see what kind of progress this week brings!

Random Moments

Oh how we are getting stir crazy! Last week the kids didn't leave the house from Sunday night until Friday morning. I think I got out once in between there. That was definitely way too long!

The kids have been pretty entertaining in their play.

HK is totally in to dressing herself. She is getting in her closet everyday (which makes me crazy because she pulls all kinds of clothes out). I have had to make it a rule that we don't "play" in the closet. She never wants to put on what I pick out no matter what it is. She usually picks out the same outfits every week. They are warm and comfy. The lavender fleece sweatsuit below is one of those outfits. I asked her to go get something to keep her hair out of her face...i.e.--bow, headband, clip. She came back with this Cubs visor on.

Then that afternoon while I was typing an email, HK told me she was going to make birdie food. I said okay... not really letting what she said register. So after a few minutes I realized what she said and thought I better go check.
When I found her she had her stool up to the kitchen counter. She had pulled out carrots, grapes, crackers, and Teddy Grahams. She had put a little water in and was stirring it up.

Nolan is obsessed with water bottles. I don't really buy them very often, but it seems this case has been hanging on forever. He likes to chew on them and pull the labels off. He bit holes in two bottles one morning.

Another HK get-up. Hairbow this time...even though it doesn't match.

We made binoculars one day. She wanted to make them to look at birdies.

On the same day she had on the tutu outfit, she was suddenly dressed like this 5 minutes later. This is her other favorite outfit to wear. In case you are wondering what she is...she told me she was a soldier. So she went from ballerina to soldier in 5 minutes. Never a dull moment. I'm not really sure why Nolan is upset in the background. I am sure the Private probably tried some unauthorized moves on him when the General was not watching.

Oh why did the groundhog have to see his shadow?

Spring where art thou?

Ryan's Birthday Party

Ryan, my cousin Chris's little boy, had his 6th birthday party the first weekend this month. It was a roller skating party. We went and took the kids. We tried the "real" roller skates at first with HK. They were a disaster. She would just try to move and lose all control. Of course, she was quickly extremely frustrated with the situation.

So I went and got the skates that you can just put on over your shoes. We traded out, and HK enjoyed herself so much more!
She did have one pretty hard spill, but nothing that Daddy couldn't fix!

She loved the skating and the music. She was much slower than all of the other kids with the real skates, but she didn't seem to mind. A song from High School Musical came on and she got so excited. She also enjoyed the Move It song from Madagascar.

Birthday Boy Ryan blowing out the candles.

Nolan even got some action walking around the floor.

They played the limbo (sorry for the dark pictures). HK didn't understand that she had to come off of the floor when they finally called her out. The Birthday Boy won this game!

At the very end, they got these crazy contraptions out. I wasn't sure if she was going to be able to make it go, but she did. Again, she was much slower than all of the other kids (she was by far the youngest participator).

They had several races. She was so far behind the others it was funny. Again, she was oblivious.

It was a fun evening. Happy 6th Birthday Ryan!