Fehr Times

time flies

2011-09-30T09:30:00.000-07:00

I have not updated in forever and it is possible that I won't again for awhile:) Life is crazy in our house as we are a family of six! It is has been especially hard for me to blog since we have been fostering two young boys and I am not allowed to publish info about them. They are part of everything we do so I can't just update about the rest of us.

But...we have finalized the adoption of our three year old son! Introducing Charlie!

It is amazing for me to look back at pictures of when we first got Charlie. I had not realized how much he has physically changed! I know he has changed in so many ways but these amazed me!

It has been a long road but we have come so far! Charlie has and is developing into a fun young man. Although much different, we could not imagine life without him in our family!

And as for our other little man...we are hoping to be able to finalize the adoption the beginning of 2012! He is currently 10 months old and is a joy in every way (I guess not the diaper part) :) Pictures will come as soon as we are allowed! (he looks a lot like a little charlie though)

take the hint?

2011-03-02T09:03:00.000-08:00

I was working on a Noah's Ark floor puzzle with the kids. When we finished they were all so calm and attentive that I decided to turn it into a Bible lesson. I asked them questions about Noah and his obedience and then sang them a children's Bible song about the ark. When I was done this is what transpired...
Frances: did you know God is talking to you?
me: really? what is he saying? (thinking he is pleased that I am teaching my children his stories)
Frances: He wants you to stop singing this song.
me: (amused)
frances: I prayed to him cause it is just so boring to hear you singing the same thing over and over and not stoping.

guess she has moved on from simple repetetive children's songs! At least she prays when she feels troubled right?

Cute as a bug

2010-10-14T17:05:00.000-07:00

Laney tooted one day and I said "you are a stinkbug" she then says " I'm not a stinkbug I'm a lady bug"!

photo update

2010-09-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

Some summer fun...

(that is me!!! look at that air under my board!)

Love it!

2010-08-26T05:26:00.000-07:00

Laney is officially potty training! Of all the underwear in this house she LOVES the boy ones that we have! It could just be that I am her mom but I think it is the cutest thing to see her run around in these! Go Diego Go!

She has been doing really well. She initiates 80% of all bathroom trips in a day! Hurray! I hope it keeps up because as most of you know, Frances has been a challenge in this area to this day! Surely I deserve one fairly easy one, right mom?

Lessons from school

2010-08-25T07:12:00.001-07:00

This morning Frances found a penny. She gave it to me and told me she was paying me for signing her up for afternoon Kindergarten. I asked if she liked afternoon kindergarten, she said "YES!". I asked why and she said because she got to stay home and be with me in the morning. Frances is not a mommy's girl so this was a special comment, had to put it in writing before she did something to make me forget:)

Today is day three for school. She is having fun but was disappointed yesterday at recess when she was told they couldn't do the monkey bars. She is a huge monkey these days!

2010-08-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

My neighbors came over with their lawn chairs to wait for the bus.

Here she comes!
Here she is with Marcie eating the m&m's she brought:)

First Day of School

2010-08-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

Kindergarten, ready or not, here she comes!!!

Notice the crocks? Not sure if this is a cool thing or she is trying to set a new trend. And I know the flowers are really cute but I don't get any say in how many we wear or where they go anymore. I realized today also that I need to make sure I like every outfit she owns because I don't get to pick out her clothes anymore (but I still get to do the shopping). It was not a sad departure but I did not jump for joy either (kinda hard to jump when you are sitting in your car). I did; however, stop and get myself a nice cold diet dew to help spur me into a cleaning frenzy. I am actually looking forward to turning up the radio (not so loud that it wakes the little ones) and doing some cleaning! (don't tell my hubby). Later!!!

Second Annual Girls campout

2010-08-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

Last night I slept in the tent with Frances. We did this once last year too. I know watching a movie is not very fitting with tent camping but it was something we did last year and repeated again. We just used the portable that goes in the car. Popcorn, candy, lots of bug noises but no two year olds!!!! Next year we will have to use the two room tent! It wasn't a blast but I would do it again:)

sanity check...back up to about 75%

2010-07-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

I am so greatful to a friend for lending me her crib tent! I had been searching online for a used one to buy (very hard to find) when I decided to make a plea to my facebook friends. Hurray! less than 24 hours later I was winning the battle of bedtime with laney! She is not too bothered by the tent and is sleeping much better! It was such a fight because she kept crawling out and wouldn't allow herself to relax. Now she is only crying for 5-10 minutes and then sleeping like a baby! She never asks for her paci and does not try to suck on anything else in exchange (except for once when I was changing her diaper and she sucked on her big toe and called it her paci) :) Now if only I could get Charlie to stop sucking his thumb!!!

Pros of a private backyard

2010-07-22T18:37:00.000-07:00

Tonight the kids played in the sandbox while Mitch and I did some yard work. They were in desperate need of being hosed off before even being allowed in the shower. We stripped them down and they had such a blast running around the backyard naked! The girls have such cute tan lines and then our pale bucky boy, well the poor thing just isn't as cute naked. It was a fun way to end the evening.

THE Fehr's Save the Goldfish...

2010-07-07T16:20:00.000-07:00

Well....I guess we should have called the Wonder Pets. I sent Mitch a text yesterday telling him the fish were dropping like flies. There were 3 of our 21 goldfish floating in the pond. He called me and said "I guess I put to much algea killer in last night". I said "oops". :) I put some in this morning. I could see more and more fish start to turn upside down and float to the top as we spoke. Frances helped me to quickly get a 5 gallon pail and fill it with fresh water. We caught all living fish and tried to save them. We even rigged up some oxygen for them by using the portable inflator for the water toys and a straw. When Mitch got home he hooked up the filter and pump from out fish tank onto the 5 gallon pail. They were looking okay for now. This morning, not so good. My garage smelled worse than a walmart fish deptartment! There are still a few living but I don't know if they will make it. Looks like we need to visit a walmart fish department!

On a final note...we do plan to communicate better, at least when it comes to giving the kids medicine!!!

Bye Bye Paci

2010-07-06T11:37:00.000-07:00

Today is the first day of no more paci for Laney. I did allow her to have it until breakfast as she got out of bed with it. After breakfast I took it and talked to her about being a big girl and how paci was going bye bye.

Our first paci-less nap was a little rough but better than I expected. I discovered that not only can she get out of her crib but she is tall enough to open the door and knows how to do it! I had to go put her back in bed many times and in the end she fell asleep with me holding her. She never once said anything about wanting her paci, it is like she gets it. (yeah right, wait till bedtime tonight huh?)

haircut

2010-06-30T04:51:00.001-07:00

I cut Frances' hair this week. She doesn't hold still long enough to know if I did a good job or not:) I always thought I would have a girl with long hair but short hair just seems to work best. Must be why my mom always had me in short hair too!

up and at em

2010-06-30T04:40:00.000-07:00

They say breakfast is key to a good day right? Well, Laney had me up a little earlier than normal today. I got her some strawberry milk and snuggled her in the chair while I went to shower. Got some laundry started too. So far better than most days:) I made a bagel with cream cheese and gave her half and then sat by her to check FB. She handed me her bagel at some point to hold. A little while later she wanted it back. I seriously looked all over and couldn't find it. I don't remember eating it! Guess I better make sure she gets breakfast too huh?

vacation

2010-06-26T11:35:00.000-07:00

We spent a week with family at a lake in Iowa. It was a lot of fun. There was a beach, an indoor pool, two outdoor pools, miniature golf, movie theater, crafts, and we had two boats with us! Here are a few pictures. Thanks for the great time Grandma and Grandpa!!!

Then we stopped at Mitch's brothers for the night on the way back home. The kids loved riding the tractor and pushing their "monster trucks" down the steep driveway!

Look who's two!!

2010-06-26T11:07:00.000-07:00

We had a nice family dinner followed by yummy cake and then presents for Delaney's second birthday. Delaney got a new sprinkler so it was off to the backyard for the rest of the evening. The sprinkler was fun for all the kids! Then we got out the slip-n-slide for some more fun. The kids aren't quite sure about how to run and slide so Mitch got out an old wakeboarding handle and gave them a ride. It worked great!! By the end of the night our birthday girl was very tired and ready for bed!!

She loves it so much but after our next road trip it WILL go away:(

That's my girl!

2010-06-24T05:33:00.001-07:00

This morning I sang happy birthday to Delaney and she smiled and said "i want ice cream!" Think McDonalds serves it for breakfast?

Fun with Fondant!!!

2010-06-23T13:25:00.000-07:00

My little Laney turns two tomorrow. Today Frances and I made a birthday cake while the little two took naps. I am quite pleased with how it turned out! Now I am thinking...I hope it makes it through the night! I need a nice cake box and big walk in cooler like the "Cake Boss". Not sure how I will store it till tomorrow when we are ready to eat it but I wanted to share while it was still a success! What happens to brown sugar when left out? Will it still look like sand? We will see how it looks tomorrow night at dinner!

paci plus

2010-06-01T05:32:00.000-07:00

My little Laney (almost 2) is not allowed to bring her paci out of her bed anymore. So in the morning I sometimes get a little extra time to myself. She woke me up saying "mommy! out!" I went in and told her she had to leave her paci if she wanted out. She let me know that she didn't want out then. I just left the room and started doing stuff. She has been in there for over 45 minutes! Now I hear her older sister is awake and they are playing toghether through the crib bars. Maybe I don't want to take it away when she turns 2!!

Fun times in TN!!!

2010-05-25T19:00:00.000-07:00

Lots of pictures! We had a great time vacationing at Norris Lake in TN with another family. Wish I could share some of the great pics of our little guy (a.k.a. buck). he had a great time and my dear friend Nicole got some fabulous pictures of him!!! We are all doing well and hope to see you all soon!

the things they say...

2010-05-25T18:34:00.000-07:00

reading a book to Frances tonight...
Me: read a Berenstein Bears book where sister bear "stomped up the stairs and slammed her bedroom door"
Frances: I would never behave that way!
Me: You have.
Frances: (thinking before responding)...I haven't stomped up the stairs.
Me: Couldn't help it, I died laughing....we don't have stairs!!!!

BOAT

2010-04-07T18:46:00.000-07:00

We got the boat out of storage last week. It sat in the driveway so we could get it ready for the water. All three kids love climbing in it while we work. Our little guy really really liked it! Every time I would back out of the garage he would repeat over and over "boat, boat". He would even wave and say "bye boat". So last night was launch night. We hooked up the trailer and truck and were ready to go. He did not want to get in the truck but the boat. Obviously no understanding of how this works. We drive to the marina, Mitch and the girls hop in the boat while me and C drive back around to the dock. We were afraid he would freak out on the moving boat and wanted both of us adults present. This was a mistake in some ways because he never understood that the boat came off of the trailer and into the water. We then met the rest of them at the dock and went for a ride (which I am certain was C's first ride ever). He loved it!

Now we just need to get the trailer out of the driveway and into storage somewhere. I am so tired of hearing "oh no, boat. Where'd it go? oh no, boat". He is obsessed!!!

space cadet

2010-04-01T18:09:00.000-07:00

The other morning I was frustrated with Frances and while she was in time out I told her if she didn't shape up I would send her to the moon. She proceeded to cry even harder and wailed..."I don't even have any space clothes!"

Sounds like a good one to tell her future husband someday!

New way to nap

2010-03-14T17:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who know Frances well, you know that she does not nap and has not napped for a long time! Well, today at lunch she did not like what was served. she was only asked to taste it and she was going to be allowed something else. No Way! Her option then became to try it or take a nap with the little ones. yep, she took a nap! Hmmmmm...looks like we are having special lunches every weekend now!!! :)

odd family

2010-03-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

The number of members that is. We are up to five in our house again. We have a two year old boy staying with us. He is only five months older than Delaney and is at least 2-3 times her size. I don't think I am allowed to post pictures of him at this time. He has been with us for almost two weeks now and the transition is going well. We obviously have more adjusting to do but it is going great all things considered. he is a healthy and developmentally normal child. he is all boy and man are two year old boy tantrums amazing to witness. It is like watching a natural disaster occurr! Anyhow, our house has become much louder and busier. The floors are now scattered with trains and pieces of train tracks. The girls are in heaven! They are playing with the trains as much if not more than him. So that is what is new in our family. I am never very good at keeping up on my blog but now I have one more excuse:)

Spring Cleaning...

2010-03-09T06:16:00.000-08:00

What a day it has been already! Thanks to my two youngest (I will update in another post about that) getting up early today I have already begun my spring cleaning! I have mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned behind and under the fridge.

What a good wife huh?

More like what a bad mom...I was so tired that I dozed off in the chair while I thought the 1 and 2 year old were watching Clifford. Somewhere in my dozing I was aware of the very happy sounds of a laughing toddler. I knew our little guy was running back and forth from the kitchen to the living room and having a blast, that is something we make a game out of at times so I didn't think much of it. So I finally realize that I have dozed off and open up my eyes. What do I see??????? It looks like there is water dripping from him...it didn't even take two seconds for me to realize what had happened. I had forgotten to lock the water dispenser on the fridge door! I run out to the kitchen and holy cow!

So...needless to say, I mopped the kitchen floor and cleaned under the fridge:)

value

2010-02-04T13:21:00.001-08:00

Today at my Bible study I learned that we shouldn't define our value based on what others say. I just discovered one reason why I should.

Frances walks into the kitchen with a doll in arm and feeding it a bottle.

me: You are doing such a great job of holding that baby and feeding it like a real one!
Frances: I know.
me: where did you learn to be such a good mommy? (okay, so it is a leading question)
Frances: when Delaney was a baby I watched you and said in my head that when I am 5 I want to be like that.

Gotta love the great moments!!!!!!!!!

room share take 2

2010-02-02T10:50:00.000-08:00

So the girls are going to share a room again. I have always figured they would at some point as we only have three bedrooms. It is nice to have a spare room for guests but also helps us feel more ready to accept foster children as needed. We are waiting for news about a 2 year old boy that may be coming to stay with us!

So we got a loft for Frances' bed. It is neat. I am really pleased with the way the room came together! There is plenty of room for playing in there and it looks great! Last night was the first night they both slept in there (I just moved the crib yesterday). I was very worried as it did not go well in the past. Frances had a hard time leaving her sister alone when unsupervised. That is the reason they weren't sharing anymore, it was almost like a punishment for Frances. So...it went really well!!! Delaney was so tired yesterday as she woke up earlier than normal. So she went to bed first and was already asleep when Frances went to bed. Frances left her alone!!!! Delaney did wake up around 4 crying, I went in and covered her up. At 4:45 Frances hollered "Mom" I said "what" she said Delaney is crying and bothering me and I am not ready to wake up" (thank goodness). So I brought Delaney into my room for some early morning snuggling (which turned into sleeping in until 6:50). We will see how tonight goes as they will most likely go to bed at the same time!

The "ceiling" of the loft. Hannah Montana fabric and Christmas lights!

The top board of the loft has been airbrushed with a cheetah design.

Little boy B update

2010-02-01T05:26:00.000-08:00

I went to visit last weekend. He looked better than I had expected. He was no longer paralyzed but sedated very heavily. He had not actually woken up yet when I was there but he fluttered his eyes and moved his hands and feet. he even gripped my finger and held it while I talked with him.

I talked with his mother this weekend and he continues to improve. He is now off the ventilator completely and is just receiving oxygen via the nose thing. (real medical huh?) he also was able to have his final chest tube removed. They will continue to x-ray and make sure the air does not return to his chest. He has a feeding tube for about another week, until he is breathing better on his own. He also still has a couple iv's for medication. He is awake and smiles but is very sleepy. Mom gets to hold him so that is great! It has been one month today!!!! What a haul but I am so glad to hear he is doing better!

good news!

2010-01-22T19:09:00.000-08:00

I talked with byron's mom today and he is doing better. Still don't know what the overall prognosis is but he went from 6 tubes in his chest down to just one! His lungs seem to be healing and the air in his chest is diminishing! He still has one tube in to help him breathe but they are decreasing the amount of oxygen he receives and he is working to breathe independently! He is also starting to wake up! He opened his eyes today and has been moving his hands, feet and tongue.

I am heading up to see him tomorrow. I will update more after my visit! Thanks for all the prayers!! (His mom and dad seem to be getting along really well too so more good news)

update

2010-01-15T17:02:00.000-08:00

So I got a hold of his mom. He is not doing worse but not improving yet. He now has four drainage tubes in his chest with hopes of eliminating the air. Honestly, that is all I know. :(

Prayers please!

2010-01-14T18:28:00.000-08:00

I don't have an update on Byron. I did not call yesterday, trying to give a little space as I am not really certain what my role is. I have tried calling numerous times today and this evening but get no answer in his room. When I call the nurses station they can't tell me if his mom is in the building, has been in the building or if he is even still a patient. Just praying for good news. His mom is walking around with an enlarged gall bladder so her own health is in danger as well. Thanks everyone!

Amazed...

2010-01-14T10:40:00.000-08:00

I am always amazed how when I make, or take, the time to read devotions they always relate. If not directly to me, they make me think of someone else that I should share it with. This is what I read today...

Secret Things
The secret things belong unto the Lord our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of his law. Deuteronomy 29:29 KJV

O God, why are You allowing this to happen?
Have you ever asked that question? As humans, most of us sometimes do. Whether it;s a big tragedy or a string of difficulties, we want to know the purpose. There are times, though, that such knowledge is for god alone. His purpose might be simply to strengthen our trust in him. Perhaps if he revealed the reasons, they still wouldn't make sense to us. They are for God to use for His glory. There are times, too, that if God revealed the bigger picture, we would be so frightened it would do us more harm than good. The important thing to remember is that God will never give us more than we can handle through his grace.
Some things God keeps hidden, but He brings to light those things that will help us to be obedient to Him. Our true purpose is to glorify Him and to have close communion with Him. His Word is packed full of everything we need to accomplish this. The proper question is not so much "Why is this happening?" but "How can I approach what is happening in a way that brings glory to you?" That is what will truly make us stronger.

update on little boy B

2010-01-08T18:42:00.001-08:00

Some of you know that we got word that B was in the hospital. Here is what I know...

-on the 1st he stopped breathing intermittently so his mother took him to the nearest hospital (a 15 minute walk)

-Not sure at what point he was transfered but he was transfered to the University of Chicago Children's hospital ICU.

-He has a severe case of RSV and pneumonia.

-There is fluid in his lungs and air in his chest cavity

-He has been medically paralyzed for the past three days while hooked up to many machines to help him breath and administer medicine.

-The Dr.'s cut him to get some of the air out of his chest cavity

-He had a blood transfusion last night (due to some low blood count)

-he now has a feeding tube as well

-Oxygen levels seem to be improving.

I am not a medical person at all so I don't really understand it all but that is what I have to relay. He still needs lots of prayers! I would also ask for prayer for his parents. I hope this is something that will bring them back together and help them see the importance of a healthy functioning family. They both say they believe in God, I just hope this will strengthen that relationship as well. They are still financially unstable and it has been a challenge for the mom to feed herself while staying with B at the hospital as they have no funds. Keep that in prayer as well. Thanks for all the prayers! I know they work!! All things are possible with God!

baby update

2010-01-05T15:25:00.000-08:00

FYI:

Our little guy returned to his mother. They were heading north to stay with a relative. We wish them well. He was so happy and great to have around. We will miss him but are glad we could have helped for the time we did. Thanks so all our friends and family who loved on him!!!

Christmas 2009

2010-01-05T14:57:00.000-08:00

Frances had a Christmas program as school. This picture is typical of her interest but she did know all the words!She did a pretty good job overall but sings with much more gusto at home.We opened our presents from each other before leaving for the holidays. Frances loved Delaneys set of Disney Princesses!Delaney seems to love Frances' T-Ball set!Then it was off the to the good old midwest. Where there was lots of snow and even colder temps. I ended up with dead batteries in my camera so there were not any pictures this year. Aunt Trish took this one of Delaney on Christmas day.And this one of the girls most true relationship. This is how you will most often see my girls looking lately if they are near each other. They do have moments where they play very well but it is usually Frances intruding on Delaney's space and Delaney making some disgusted face and sound. Since I didn't get any good pictures of them in their matching outfits from Santa we had to wear them again and pose once we returned home.

Just couldn't pass up posting this one!!! Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a great start to a Happy New Year!!!!

new year...new do

2010-01-05T14:46:00.001-08:00

This is what her hair looked like most days for the past three years. TaaaDaaa!!!!
Back Side profile
What a doll!

recipe request

2009-12-17T11:25:00.001-08:00

I am often asked for the recipe for my chocolate kiss cookies as well as my banana bread. I have to give credit to my mom as they are both from her. Here they are...

Peanut Blossoms (aka kiss cookies)
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter (I use blue bonnet stick margarine)
1 cup peanut butter (creamy or chunky work)
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
chocolate kisses

Cream butter, sugars and peanut butter. Beat in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Chill. roll in balls and roll in sugar (I use my cookie scoop). Bake at 350 for about 8 minutes. (I take out when still slightly doughy looking as they set a little more while cooling) Press kiss in cookie while still warm.

Banana Bread
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp soda
1/3 tsp salt
1 tbls Milk
3-4 bananas
2 cups flour
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

bake at 350 large loaves about 45-60 minutes, small loaves about 30 minutes.

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

Frances is Five!!!!!

2009-12-16T12:21:00.001-08:00

Frances had some friends over one afternoon for her birthday. The party theme was unicorn/pony. It was a great time!

I splurged and got her the big fancy balloon!We played put the tail on the Unicorn.Checking out the cupcakes.Being sung to.Yummy!Dilly Bars!!!!!

The pinataPresents!!!The silly glasses from the goody bag!

December so far

2009-12-15T19:22:00.001-08:00

Playing dolls with Grandma's doll bed (made for her by her father)

helping cook

cleaning

Delaney's first time painting.

Delaney and I are doing a swim class together. It is sooooo much fun!

Being silly

Being cute

November 09

2009-12-15T19:03:00.001-08:00

Time to play catch...catch up that is:) Here is what we have been up to in the month of November.

Playing with our newest little guy. He is now 5 1/2 months and has been with us for one month.
Growing weird things in the backyard. Not sure what this is but it was rather interesting to find it on a randomly warm day in November.
Being messy. Thanks for the cupcakes Marcie!
Being cute on Thanksgiving.
Trying out pigtails! Still loving the paci and all three blankies. And of course...playing in the leaves!!!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T11:44:00.000-08:00

Halloween was good. Check out the pretty moon! Frances was a beautiful Snow White and Delaney was a Butterfly. Frances had a fever so we just sat on the front porch and passed out candy. The girls really enjoy doing that every year. We usually have friends over to help but didn't want to share our fever. I did take the girls for a very short walk to a few houses so they could get their "own" candy. One of the things we passed out was halloween pencils. It was fun to see how many of the kids were genuinely excited about a pencil! Such fun!

And what is more halloween like than spiders...here are my girls playing with a spider that their daddy was suppose to squish. It was on the ceiling and he decided to catch it and let the girls play with it!!!

children's museum

2009-11-01T11:39:00.000-08:00

We enjoyed a visit to the Children's Museum this week. The kids were all so well behaved! There were eight kids and three adults!!

Denver Rocks!

2009-11-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

We spent 5 days in denver recently and it was a great time! The event that brought us there was my good friend Michelle's wedding. It was so great to see all of my old girls from college! They are truly great friends! Michelle's new guy seems great and I am so so happy for her/them!!!

We also got to spend some great quality time with my sister-in-law and her husband! The girls loved seeing aunt Tricia and Uncle Corey. They took us rock climbing at an indoor gym. Frances was awesome! She climbed to the top of the 37' wall probably 6 times!!

We also went up to the mountains (just in the foothills) and went for a hike. Both girls had it made as they were in backpacks. Frances was a little on the heavy side but it would have been torture to have her walking. The sites were beautiful and the weather was perfect! Just a little snow up in the mountains but none in the city.

The girls helped aunt Tricia rake leaves one afternoon as well. Tricia has a fantastic camera and took many great pictures! It was a fantastic trip! Something we will definitely have to repeat (although the airplane ride was direct it was still a challenge, we will have to remind ourselves how much easier it was than driving). thanks for the great time Trish and Corey!!

big marshmallows

2009-10-05T18:55:00.000-07:00

Here are the girls enjoying their HUGE marshmallwos from gramma JoJo.

multiple uses

2009-10-01T18:20:00.001-07:00

Most of you know that I have tried to use cloth diapers at least 50% of the time. Tonight, quite appropriately since it is getting cold in our house, Delaney discovered that her fleece diaper cover also makes a great hat! At least they get some use!!!

2009-10-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

Delaney is showing a huge interest in coloring lately. I am impressed at her attention span with it and her ability to hold a crayon somewhat correctly. Such a smart little girl!

We went to a 4 year olds birthday party and were suppose to dress up as cowboys. Frances borrowed a pink hat from our neighbor. It looked pretty good! Delaney dressed up as a cow, didn't get a picture of that.

My mom sent me a photo of these cute turtles many years ago. Frances is just now starting to eat hot dogs so we gave it a try. It was so easy and the kids could help. They loved them so much!

Package from grandma JoJo

2009-10-01T18:04:00.000-07:00

My mom told me she had sent us a package so we were excited to see it arrive today. She also asked if I would capture the girls' face when they opened it. Here is a video. Thanks Mom!!

first day of school

2009-09-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

Frances was out of character and wouldn't let me take her picture. Then she acted clingy and didn't want me to leave. Today is day four and she is having a great time with some new friends.

Visti from Gramma

2009-09-16T08:52:00.000-07:00

My mom was out here to visit over the past week. Her parents were driving to the East coast and gave her a ride. She had to fly home yesterday:( We had a great time while she was here. She had a new camera so there are lots of photos!!! We enjoyed boating, the zoo, Ringling Bros circus, the park and so much more! Thanks so much for the great visit mom!!!

Delaney with her great grandma and grandpa!

Notice Frances' hair! Delaney loved going fast and over bumbs!

The circus was great! Frances was occasionally mesmerized.

The zoo was fun as always. We saw the baby giraffe nursing!

Delaney absolutely loved the dessert exhibit, everything was at her level! She really wanted to grab the goats tail!

Frances actually got to pet a shark! They both cashed out on the way home!

More boating fun!

Gramma JoJO left the girls a message in the shower. We just found it today! (obviously no baths last night)

More camping

2009-09-16T08:41:00.000-07:00

Later in August we went camping for real. We went for just one night due to rain on Friday. We arrived on Saturday just after lunch. It was a great time with friends for all...the adults, kids and even the dogs. We had some pretty crummy wood so it was very smokey but still warm. It got quite cool at night but everyone was well bundled. The older girls rode their bikes a ton! We went for walks. The men played disc golf. And we enjoyed great food!

August camping

2009-09-16T08:35:00.000-07:00

One night in August Frances and I slept in the tent in the backyard. Not sure why I chose to use our small then but the queen size air mattress just barely fit in there. We really roughed it and brought out the laptop to watch a movie. We watched Space Buddies and ate popcorn. It was a fun time with just the two of us. Unfortunatly I had to go in the house a couple times in the night as Delaney was getting teeth:(

The next day Brayden came over and the kids just HAD to watch a movie in the tent. Such fun!

mini me?

2009-09-16T08:24:00.000-07:00

What do you think? Do you see a resemblance from Delaney to her daddy? Mitch is 1 1/2 in this picture of him holding his 11 day old sister.

balloon sightings

2009-08-15T08:10:00.001-07:00

It is common for hot air balloons to fly overhead at our house. Here are some great pics I caught on my phone the other night.

big colts fan!!

2009-08-15T08:08:00.001-07:00

For those of you who know Jake I caught him secretly wishing he could go to a colts game too! Check out how his shirt even matches the blanket!!!!

misled but not mistreated!

2009-08-15T07:52:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Mitch and I had a sitter lined up to arrive at 6. We were going to go to the park and play frisbee golf and then possibly grill out using the park grills. (I had steaks ready to go in the fridge) It was going to be a very relaxing evening for just the two of us to enjoy the outdoors.

So here's the story and I would LOVE to hear feedback.

Around 3:30 Mitch sends me a text asking "want to go to colts game". I replied "duh". (he has been known to get ticket offers from work and turn them down, me I would never turn them down even if I had to pay for them)

I never heard another thing from him until he got home at 5:45. My friend showed up to pick up her son that I was watching and I was telling her that we were going to play frisbee gold and Mitch looks at me and says "we are?". Yup, Mitch had tickets for the game THAT NIGHT.

Needless to say I had to change both my clothes and my train of thought. I was really thrown off by that. Good thing I had gotten quite busy with the kids and didn't have the cooler packed yet!

Here are some pictures. We ended up having the most AWESOME seats! 40 yard line only 12 rows up from the home sideline! Thanks to Mitchs' co-worker that changed their mind!

final pics from branson

2009-08-11T09:26:00.000-07:00

Once our friends left we didn't get in the lake much so the girls actually needed a real bath. They had a blast in the whirlpool tub with the jets on! The last night there Frances and I took our leftover bread and fruit down to the docks and fed the turtles, fish, and ducks.

Day three, four, five and six (much delayed)

2009-08-10T08:59:00.001-07:00

We enjoyed the two pools on our site as often as possible. The water was enjoyed by all!

Day two ended with a bad alternator on the boat, not a dead battery. Mitch and Blake headed out first thing Monday morning to find a replacement. They returned with a refurbished part by 10:00 and we were off for a day at an amusement park called Silver Dollar City. The park was literally a four minute drive from our condo! It took much longer to wait for the trolley than it would have to just walk from the back parking lot! We had a great time at the park…Frances got to ride her first roller coaster! Actually, the first ride we took her on was the American Plunge which had a huge drop that ended with a major splash to the face. She was in front of me and I leaned forward to see if she was ok and she said "let's do it again"! There was a great area with rides just for her size. She loved them all, the elephants, the racing regatta, the galleon, bugs, ladybugs, and frogs. She really wanted to do the swings but I could only handle once and she was not big enough to go alone. It was a tough ride for me but I managed to survive. On the Galleon she screamed the entire time, one of those I am having a blast screams. It was hilarious because it was such a mild ride and I could tell she was just doing it because I told her it was okay to scream when on the rides. We were at the park until it closed at 7:00. Home to eat and off to bed for the kids. Nicole and I continued out night by kicking the guys' butts in cards!

Day four was spent almost entirely on the boat. The guys woke up and put in the new part. The ladies packed the cooler and off we went. We ended up finding a spot where we could be on a "beach". Which on this lake meant rocks. They were beautiful rocks and I would love to have brought home enough to fill my flower beds! It was a ton of fun just swimming and wading where we could touch (as the lake is over 100 feet in most places)! Delaney had a blast trying to jump off the boat to Mitch. She doesn't mind going under the water at all! We ended up in Arkansas when looking for the smoothest water possible. It was so nice and quite, hardly any other boaters. (Though that would not have been good when we lost the alternator) Mitch had a great time wakeboarding on the super smooth water!!!!!! The Clifts also enjoyed jumping off a cliff! Then it was back home, eat and bed for kids. Then another but kicking for the guy's. The luck just wasn't in the cards for them this trip.

Day five we went back to Silver Dollar City in the morning. Finished riding rides that we either didn't get to or just wanted to do again. Then our friends had to pack up and get ready to leave. They had to be to the airport by 4:30. We ate at the condo and then headed back to Silver Dollar City for the evening "Great American Country" show at 7:00. The girls did really well and we enjoyed the show. There was one part where they called all the children to come down on stage. They were going to do the chicken dance. Frances went down but was not about to stay. She got both feet on stage and turned right around! Luckily the show was not full so the girls were able to run up and down our aisle. Frances was pretty tired and almost let herself lay down and fall asleep. Just like her momma though and can't quite do that when there is something going on:)

Day six we slept in! Then we took naps. Then to the pool. Supper and bed. What a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It was a fabulous week! Not sure why we haven't been there before now as it is our home resort. We will definitely be back another year!

Table Rock Day 1 and 2

2009-07-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we made it to Branson with no major issues. The girls traveled well and our friends air travel was all on time and smooth. We played in the pool and then headed out on the boat. Everyone but Delaney had a turn on either the wakeboard or the kneeboard. I was pretty excited as I was already improving my jump on the first day! It was a good night on the water! Then it was off to bed as everyone was pretty tired. (noticeable by the mini naps taken on the water!)

Day 2 was filled with more boating. We mostly found a great place to float and swim. It was so secluded and beautiful! Then we realized the battery was dead on the boat! Mitch swam the mile or so to the nearest boat and they generously gave him a ride back and then jumped the boat. We brought a spare battery with but it was in the truck. Then it was time for lunch and naps, then more swimming! Blake and Nicole and their girls then headed off for a magic show, we stayed back and relaxed.

Our condo is great! Two bedrooms with king size beds, a full kitchen, two baths, three tv's and a walk in closet big enough for Delaney to have her own room!

The view from our bedroom. It is the same from our deck!

This is Delaney's room!

Party details...

2009-06-24T18:53:00.000-07:00

We had a little party for Delaney tonight. Thanks to all that came! We really missed the Cramer's but hope they are having a fabulous time on vacation!

Trying to blow out the candle

It looks yummy but how do I eat it? (by the way...it is a beach ball)

She only used one hand and had to be encouraged to get messy. She liked having it fed to her.

She was in a sugar induced coma (plus it was bedtime)

Trying to clean her up she just wanted out! It looked like she had put on green deoderant!

Now on to presents! Her sister gave her a Dora pillow! Night night!

The Jewell's gave her a ride on pony! It will be a hit but she was fascinated with Brayden's hot wheels.

Frances also gave her a Little People car. She was having a great time putting the mommy and baby in and out.

Notice the new baby in the basket. Thanks Mamaw Bev!

She got some other great gifts too but we weren't able to capture pictures of them all. The new dress is thanks to our great neighbor Marcie! Thanks again to everyone who was here and to those who called with birthday wishes! We missed having all of our family here and can't wait to see you all again soon!

One Year!

2009-06-24T04:58:00.000-07:00

It is so hard to believe that one entire year has passed since Delaney joined our family! It has been such a great year! Here are some of the great things that have happened...

Delaney gained 11.7 pounds (weighing in at 18.10 yesterday)

She grew nine inches (measured 28 inches yesterday)

She traveled to many states including South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Illinois. (Don't forget all the states in between)

She seemed slow to roll over, average to sit and crawl but she started to walk quite early, a week shy of 10 months old!

She has four teeth and loves to eat anything that is on your plate. It is so awesome to see her look your plate over and then reach out and pick up a grilled onion or pepper and eat it! She is very into feeding herself!

She made the transition from nursing to bottle just fine and I am pretty sure we will not have any major problems going from bottle to strictly a cup.

She has developed a very strong liking for her pacifier and two special little blankets. They will not be so easy to divert from but that is for another time. She is so funny to watch with her paci. She likes to have two or three of them at her disposal and she will switch them out like they have different flavor or something. I will work on getting video of that.

She is beginning to talk a little. Her words include...momma, dadda, fish and hello. She says a lot more than that but we are not sure what it is yet. She has definitely discovered her voice as she has started to scream really loud when she wants something! Great...another indepenedent one!

She is a good sleeper. She takes pretty good naps (usually 2 a day sometimes 3). And she sleeps all night going down by 8 and sleeping until 6 or 7 (except the last couple of nights she has been up a ton! must be teeth or something).

She has a great laugh and an awesome smile.

She loves to dance, swim, be outside, wave at people, and eat ice cream and popsicles.

But most of all...she loves her mommy and daddy!

We love you Delaney! Happy first birthday!!!!

Father's Day Delight...

2009-06-22T13:40:00.000-07:00

I am pretty certain that Mitch had a great day yesterday! We started out by going to church, then home to have his favorite breakfast food (waffles with bacon). Then Mitch, Delaney and myself all took a nap while Frances entertained herself (for two hours)! Then it was out on the boat. It was busy out there but Frances insisted that she wanted to try out her wakeboard for the first time. We wanted her to practice wearing it in the water so when she wipes out she knows how to relax and float with it on her feet. She did really great with that. She needs to keep working on flipping herself over from her stomach to her back (most wipeouts will land her on her stomach). She can do it when holding on to the swim deck but not quite out in the open water. So then she says...Now I want to do it back behind the boat! Mitch had her right behind the boat and pulled the rope tight so she could stand up on the edge of the swim deck and get an idea of the posture. Then he had me put the boat at idle speed and she even got a little feel for how the boat will pull her. She felt like she was really doing it and Mitch was thrilled by her enthusiasm! It is scary but I don't doubt that by the end of the summer she will actually be doing it!

2009-06-19T13:10:00.000-07:00

Our first night of tubing this year was a hit! Frances, Brayden and Dionne enjoyed a nice easy ride (Dionne is only suppose to have baby rides since she is carrying a baby:)) Frances was a little bored with that though!

So then we brought Dionne back into the boat and let the kids at it. I think tube wars are instinctual! They were hillarious to watch! They had no fear (or no clue that what they were doing could easily make them tip over)! Gotta love Frances with the goggles on!

Delaney seems to like the boat but she was not real happy with the lifejacket so far. She enjoyed fishing in the boat! Love the sunscreen mohawk!

Next the kids decided to ride in the same tube together. I was not so sure about this but it went well. Frances is a hoot! She flopped all over the place acting silly. The kind of behavior that would drive us crazy in the boat! We have found an outlet for it!!!!! Horray!!!!

Then she got real brave and even hung her feet over the edge! She is going to be lots of fun on the boat this summer!

And we can't forget to thank our driver...thanks so much for a fun evening Mitch!!!

Red Gold Picnic

2009-06-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

The picnic this year was much more enjoyable than last year. Last year I was 9 months pregnant and it was in the 90's! This year it was fun to let Delaney run around the park while Frances enjoyed the activities. It was a beautiful day, perfect in the shade and tolerable in the sun. Frances loved the big caterpillar! Last year she was a little frightened and had to go with another "bigger" girl. She went over and over this year and was even pretty good when standing in line. The big slide was neat too but she only went once. Guess it wasn't worth the wait as there are lots of kids at the picnic every year! Silly Safari's were there with many live animals, snow cones, the park, and our Red Gold gift. Delaney enjoyed the license plates but daddy isn't so sure he is going to put them on a vehicle.

Fun in the sun!

2009-06-19T12:50:00.000-07:00

Frances and Brayden had a good time playing in the backyard again! The water from the hose was really really cold though!

Delaney loves walking around the backyard on the deck. She is really big into climbing up on her little chair and standing! I am just waiting for the time she actually tips over before I get to her. She is quite the climber! Can't believe she is going to be one next week!

gotta love the imagination

2009-06-12T08:29:00.000-07:00

Today Brayden is over playing with us. All of the sudden I see Frances coming down the hall like she is driving a car. Brayden is following her on all four like a puppy. She tells me she is taking the dog to the hospital to have a puppy. I hop in the car and "ride" with. Then when we get there I all of the sudden become the doctor. I call the puppy to me and tell him to roll over (thinking I will pretend to pull a puppy from his belly). Much to my surprise...when he rolls over I see a huge lump in his shirt. Through much giggling I pull a puppy out of his shirt. This is hillarious! At least it is to a mom who doesn't get much adult interaction:) I then ask what they are going to name the puppy and I am told his name is Sagile and that he is Fragile. Here is a picture of the happy family...Frances, Bumby and Sagile.

dress up time

2009-06-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

Backyardigans

2009-06-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

We have been having a great time enjoying our backyard so far this season. Here are a few pics. Pretty rare that I am in them so enjoy:) Thanks to Brayden for taking them:)

Happy Birthday Gramma JoJo!

2009-06-12T07:19:00.000-07:00

I hope my mom has a great day! I wish I could be near to give her a birthday hug! Love you! Here is a message from Frances (Delaney was napping, maybe we can catch her on video later!).

busy bees...

2009-06-06T07:17:00.000-07:00

We are all doing well. We are keeping very busy! Here is a little of what is keeping me from updating my blog more often:)

Taking care of my two gardens. We are growing potatoes, tomatoes, cantelope, many different types of peppers, sugar snap peas, lettuce, green beans, onions, carrots and zuccini.

Trying to keep the house clean:)

Getting the boat ready for the season...It finally touched water last night!

Mulching the yard and getting the flower beds looking pretty.

And of course...the girls:)

2009-05-22T10:02:00.000-07:00

Even though we are filled with saddness over missing Frances we were able to muster up enough energy to enjoy an afternoon at the pool. Delaney really loves being outdoors and the pool seems to be a new favorite as well! Not sure what happened to the last picture to make it so pink but she even looked adorable in her little robe. What a great day at the pool! Thanks Dionne!

Up, down, up down...

2009-05-20T12:57:00.000-07:00

That is the story of my life this week. Mitch and I are now a qualified "Safe Family" (http://www.safe-families.org). We have had two calls for placements this week and both fell through due to other family members stepping up at the last minute! First I thought I was getting a one year old girl and then I was certain I was getting a three week old baby girl. I just hope their relatives take good care of them! Grandma and grandpa Fehr were here the beginning of the week and they took Frances with them to see her cousins in IL until Saturday. I was so looking forward to having that "down" time to take care of an additional baby but....now I have more time to take care of this heap that got delivered today! Not nearly as exciting as a new baby but it will look nice! Wish me luck, Delaney is napping so I am off to spread the mulch:)

Growing up!

2009-05-20T08:52:00.001-07:00

My little girl is growing up so fast! She is going to be eleven months this weekend! She is walking really well, she eats well and she sleeps well. She is just a joy to be around! I wish all of our family could see her more often!

busted

2009-05-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

So I was trying to clean up the living room so I can vacuum without clogging the hose with toys...I tossed (okay, I threw) one of Frances' dolls across the room in a pile of stuff to go to the bedroom. She confronted me with a really sad face while cradling the doll and said..."mom...do you throw Delaney? (pause for answer, trying really hard not to laugh) I sadly answer "no". Frances says "Then you shouldn't throw Sara either"

I better watch my back huh?

curtain

2009-04-24T05:16:00.001-07:00

Over two years ago when my good friend Lisa moved away, she gave me this huge piece of fabric that was a sample in her husband's work stash. He sells textiles to medical facilities and hotels. While my mother in law was staying with me last month she helped me (or did all the work) turn it into a curtain for out back patio door. Thanks so much Lisa!!!!!!!!

Breaking news!

2009-04-24T04:48:00.000-07:00

Delaney is 10 months old today!

She is an amazing little girl and we are so glad she is part of our family. She has a great temperment (so far). I would have to say the most annoying thing about her is that she likes to throw all the food off her high chair tray onto the floor. Not bad if that is it. After deciding as a team to let her cry it out at night she is finally sleeping all night. Last night was night four and I didn't hear a peep out of her until about 6:30. And, she is walking!!!!!!!!!!! She has made it at least six feet before falling down! She took her first little steps on Monday and now by Friday seems to think she has it figured out.

She doesn't really say anything yet (Frances says enough so that is okay). She does jabber quite a bit though. She claps her hands together to signal that she wants more and is able to sign "all done". She is learning where her nose is as well as mommy's which is much more fun to grab (might be due to size). She loves being outside! Stroller rides are a favorite. She likes to try any food that mommy is eating. So far she seems to like most everything. Still only has two teeth on the bottom. She loves drinking out of her big girl straw cup! And I think lastly, she has a blast emptying my cabinets that aren't locked. She spews the pots and pans all over the kitchen and covers them with dish towels. Such fun!

Well, that is my girl in a nutshell. If you haven't seen her in awhile call and schedule a visit or just drop in! We love company!

Easter in North Carolina

2009-04-15T09:58:00.001-07:00

Well, we survived our trip to North Carolina. It is a 12 hour drive each way. Turns out Frances had more than a cold as we ended up at an immediate care center out there and she has influenza. Not certain about Delaney and myself but we are both not feeling well today while Frances seems fully recovered. Frances was quite calm and complacent the entire trip (very unlike her). She is making up for that in full force yesterday and today. A combination of me not feeling well and her simply being over the top are not making the return home very pleasant for any of us. I pray I will feel better soon or learn to parent better even when I feel lousy!

We had nice weather while in NC. Mitch got to try out his new foot. He did not land his flip but he was at least able to try without crying! I think he is a go for this season. I too tried out wakeboarding. I have not been on a board in over 2 years! The access to a dry suit was the only reason I even tried it. It was kind of fun but I just don't love it like Mitch does. Frances enjoyed jet ski rides with her daddy and even raced mommy one time! It was my first time ever driving a jet ski so she won!

The girls looked cute in their Easter dresses that grandma Carole bought for them. I wasn't able to get a picture of them together though. We enjoyed two easter egg hunts (three for delaney), lots of naps, good food, good company, fun fishing and good cards (mostly good for the men this trip). It was a nice time and we are glad we were able to go! Hopefully no one else gets sick! Thanks for a great weekend Blake and Nicole! Let us know when you are coming this way again!

way behind!

2009-04-05T11:48:00.001-07:00

Life is just so fast! I can't hardly keep up with my kids let alone my blog:)

Let's see...Delaney is over 9 months old already. She weighed in at 16.9 and was 25 inches. She is eating really well and seems to love anything that is on mommy's plate. Pretty sure she is working on more teeth as she is not sleeping super well. She is crawling all over the place and loves to pull up and stand all the time! She is even letting go and standing by herself for 30 seconds or so at a time. She recently started to push the little walking toy across the house without falling all the time too. Pretty crazy!

Frances continues to learn more and more at preschool. She really likes going. She spends her "down time" (not sure why it is called that:)) playing dolls and harassing her sister. She still loves to read books and really enjoys playing games, both old fashion and computer:) Did I mention that she is gearing up for her first season of wakeboarding? Yikes!!

Mitch spent 10 days in Italy for work. His father was able to go with him. They had about five days to sight see and had a good time. My mother in law stayed with me and the girls during that time. We had a really good time. I had a big list of things I wanted to work on and get done (like clean the garage and organize the attic). I was able to mark almost everything off the list! She is welcome back anytime!

Me, other than keeping up with all of the above...I have been busy this past month with Usborne. I have had two successful bookfairs and have also been working on two grant matching orders. I made the leader board for company sales in the month of March at number 17! We are looking forward to seeing some good friends over the Easter holiday. Hopefully it won't take me too long to post new pictures of the girls looking sweet.

That is all I can do for now. My house is going insane! I guess I need to give my attention back to it for now:)

2009-03-04T05:33:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that the girls are now sharing a room?

It is going pretty well. They are both asleep here in this picture. It is 8:35 on Wednesday morning and Delaney is down for her first nap and Frances is still asleep (but beginning to stir). Once Frances is asleep (and that is sometimes the problem) she is such a hard sleeper. The other night Delaney cried for around an hour and never disturbed Frances. Now our other bedroom is ready for any foster kids we might get or just for company to come and visit!

sweet and sour

2009-03-02T13:45:00.000-08:00

Need I say more?

half way!

2009-03-02T13:43:00.001-08:00

We are halfway done with our kitchen remodel/update! New stove and dishwasher are both in and working. Now we just need to get some countertops ordered and pick out a sink and faucet! Whoohoo!

Magic Medicine

2009-02-27T09:52:00.000-08:00

Sitting with Frances at lunch today and I mentioned that she could probably have some more cold medicine soon. I was reading the label to her and told her what it would do. Make it so she could breathe better from her nose, stop sneezing, no more itchy eyes, nose, and throat and that it would even help her stop coughing. She then said "help me stop talking?!" That would be great! Let me know if there is such a medicine and I will buy stock!

Also, when I said it sounded like she had a frog in her throat. She informed me that Abana (her "friend") had a turtle in her neck! :)

Splish Splash Plop

2009-02-25T17:01:00.000-08:00

Delaney LOVES bath time! Tonight she went from laying on her tummy to sitting up all on her own. I didn't know she could do that! Then, she was laying on her tummy again and I saw a little brown emerging. I whipped her out of the tub and put her on the toilet. I am NOT going to pretend that she is really potty trained but she did finish the job on the toilet! So crazy, one less diaper for me!

Relaxing Sunday...

2009-02-25T16:48:00.000-08:00

Daddy took nap

Delaney played happily, trying to conquer new feats! She is trying to pull up on everything now! Peek-a-boo over, under, and around the exersaucer was REAL FUN!!

Mommy got out an old game from her officehen she worked. Frances thought it was AWESOME!!! Careful...Don't Break The Ice!

And the whole time it was sunny and snowing outside! Quite beautiful!

forgot to mention

2009-02-17T07:35:00.001-08:00

I was talking with my mom the other night and casually mentioned Delaney's tooth. OOPS! I forgot to tell her that she had one! She officially has one tooth on the bottom and acts like she is getting more even though I don't feel anything in there. She is also able to drink from a sippy cup but struggles to tip it herslef. This weekend she figured out how to drink from a straw. I don't think my lemonade was really the best thing for her though so we will have to switch to water! Yesterday she ate homeade macaroni and cheese and loved it! she really likes to heat big people foods! Can't say I blame her!

random

2009-02-17T07:20:00.000-08:00

Frances really wanted to wear her leotard one day. It was cold so I sent her to her room to put on some pants. She came out with pink jeans on under her leo! Mitch was horrified but I let her go in public that way. You are only a kid once right?

I got a new stove! Guess I am getting old as I am pretty excited about this! When we moved in five and a half years ago I picked out a white fridge hoping that I would eventually get to upgrade the almond stove and dishwasher. Here it the stove! I got a great deal on a floor model so I got more than I was planning on.

It has pretty fancy controls that are all operated on touch. The other day I had to take D to the doctor but was also supposed to put a ham in the oven during that time. I was able to program it so that it turned itself on while we were gone! How cool!

Frances really enjoys her "Hannah Montana" keyboard that she got for her birthday! It is one of Delaney's favorite toys as well.

BAD DOG!

2009-02-17T07:15:00.000-08:00

This is what I found on the step in the garage when I came home from taking Frances to school this morning.

We have been letting Mya sleep in the garage instead of outside lately but I think that is over! I was only gone for 30 minutes!

Delaney update

2009-02-10T13:00:00.000-08:00

So she is seven and half months old already! She is finally sitting unassisted! She does still tip sometimes and does not know how to catch herself. She has one tooth that is partially visible, shows signs of more but I don't feel anything yet. She loves to eat. Vegetables are a hit whether baby food or off mom's plate. Pretty much anything off mom's plate is a hit. She even ate some chicken last night! It is so different having a child that will eat! Frances still wouldn't eat the chicken as of last night! Delaney loves her mommy and loves to be held or carried around by her! All the time! She does pretty good most nights at sleeping but occasionally wakes up and wants to be comforted briefly. She is usually awake in time to see her daddy before work, I think they both love that! She is taking 2-3 naps a day, sometimes very short and other days nice and long! She is quite tolerant of her mommy and her desire to use cloth diapers. I have been experimenting with different types and folds lately. Kind of hard on a squirmy baby:) I had gotten away from using cloth pretty much since thanksgiving and really want to make it work. I was determined to use them more often this time than I did with Frances. I am giving it my best again so wish me luck!

From snow to sand...

2009-02-10T12:51:00.000-08:00

Last post was of fun (or not so much) in the snow. Today was a warm day and Frances enjoyed playing in the sandbox after school. She had to wear her rainboots as it was kind of messy.

Delaney got her first ride in the baby swing outside as well. She was giggling so much when I first put her in it was adorable!!!! Go ahead and laugh at my video, I know it is sideways but I always forget I can't turn my camera when doing video. Maybe I will learn someday!

We had a great time outside even though it was all gray and cloudy. It was in the 60's and sadly there are things sprouting from the ground like daylilly's and crocus. I am afraid they won't survive because it will surely get cold again before spring. Time will tell.

January Fun

2009-01-29T19:11:00.001-08:00

Or not...

We got 8-10 inches of snow one day this week. I had to head out and shovel the driveway while Delaney took a nap. Frances bundled up and came out with me. She was having fun for awhile and then all the sudden she looked really sad. She told me that Abana and Esa didn't want to play with her (these are two of her imaginary friends). I was able to talk her into making a snow angel and at least going inside on a happy note.

Mya seemed to enjoy being out in the snow but there was something on the other side of the road that was awfully interesting!

Here is a picture Frances drew for me tonight. How fun is it that she can do this! She is growing up so fast! Or...I am getting really old fast because I can remember when my brother first started drawing people. We picked on him because the legs always came straight out of the head. Guess it is genetic! Uh-Oh! (just kidding Shawn!)

And here is my littlest sweetie pie after a wonderful teething biscuit (they are so messy) and some green beans. She is really turning out to be a good eater so far! What a change from Frances at this age!

Thought of the day...

2009-01-27T18:57:00.001-08:00

Whoever said "There is no such thing as a dumb question" obviously didn't have a four year old!

latest news

2009-01-25T19:20:00.000-08:00

Well, I have not been very good at updating so far this year. I guess life is busier with two kids! You't think I could remember that from when Zachary was with us! Delaney is definitely mobile now. She is not fast enough that she can follow me around the house though so if I leave her sight she gets upset (yeah, don't all moms just love that stage)! She is getting up on all four and rocking back and forth but does not actually crawl, just scoots. Frances is always trying to play with her sister. Lately it is just driving me nuts because Delaney usually ends up crying. I don't blame her as her space is totally being invaded!

Frances is still enjoying school. She continues to learn a ton of neat information. I just wish I could be more productive during the time she is gone! It goes by so fast! My women's Bible study has started back up and Delaney is going into childcare for it this semester. Mitch is really busy at work, lots of projects. He is also planning another trip to Italy. Can you believe that I am turning down the opportunity? I think it sounds crazy but I am really not that excited about it so why spend the money. It was great the first time though! We have all been sick for what seems like forever! I think since my bday in October at least one of us has felt pretty crummy. Mitch just started again today:(

Things I really enjoy about my kids right now:

reading a chapter out of Charlotte's Web each night to Frances
playing games with Frances (the right way)
the way Delaney's face lights up when she sees me
getting more than 5 hours sleep in a row!

Things I don't love about my kids right now:

Frances is really loud and obnoxious a lot of the time
Frances is starting to talk back or make mimicking faces when reprimanded (and oh that makes us mad!)
If someone else is holding Delaney and she can see her mommy...she needs her!
Delaney wants to eat the food we are spoon feeding her but she doesn't open her mouth wide enough and then all the food goes down her chin...every time!

Looks like if those are my complaints life isn't too bad! Here are a few pictures. Enjoy!

(I forgot to mention that Frances got her hair cut)

the love of a child or reality stinks?

2009-01-15T12:35:00.000-08:00

I can't decide which title I like best.

One of the great things about parenting is that your children love you so much that they are willing to do anything for you. Well, almost anything! We have been having a pj day at our house as Frances stayed home from school with a cold and what is maybe pink eye (I think it is more of a cold in her eye as it is not goopy, just red). We have all been fighting off colds so we have have been using extra hand santizer today and spraying Lysol on everything. I put Delaney down in the Bumbo seat (which she usually tries to get out of immediately) and she actually stayed there for over ten minutes! When I went to get her out...I could smell what she had been doing! It was horrific! By the squishy feel of her back I knew we were headed straight to the bathtub. Frances wanted to come and see (not sure why this excites her, we must need to get out more). As I began to take the top layer off and see the damage I exclaimed that I didn't want to do it and would Frances do it for me. She said no and insisted that I had to. When asked why, she said because I am the grown up. Reality stinks!

She is all cleaned up and taking a nap. Frances' eye seems to be pretty good. We got drops called in for us and are using them but it has not been goopy at all, still red though. She is not itching either so I am hopful that we are not really too contagious.

Did I mention that I gave Delaney pear juice for the first time last night and this morning? (hence the horrific experience) She is also now eating lots of veggies. She seems to like peas and carrots best so far. Thanks for listening! I am off to do some laundry:)

BREAKING NEWS...

2009-01-13T14:06:00.000-08:00

we have forward motion!

In other news...

We are getting much more quality sleep since returning home from our travels. Delaney is now sleeping for about 8-10 hours a night! YIPPEE!

And for a funny, yet slightly embarrassing, story...You all know the song "do your ears hang low"...well, one book we have then tells you to pick another body part and sing a silly song. We have been doing that for a day or so now. While I was feeding Delaney today (I am still nursing), Frances broke out in song and it went like this...do your boobies hang low do they wobble to and fro, can you tie them in a not can you tie them in a bow, ....you get the idea. It was so hard to explain to her that it was not appropriate because it was hillarious even at my own expense. That is one I can't wait to share with her dad tonight (in private of course because there will hopefully not be an encore)!

Off to a great start!

2009-01-02T20:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I couldn't ask for much more. On the first morning of the new year I was able to stay in bed until 10:45!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't remember the last time that happened! Over our vacation Delaney was NOT sleeping well, therefore, I was NOT sleeping well. We were up every 2-3 hours every night, yuck! Now that we are home things are looking better each night. She is at least back to sleeping six hours in a row. We are aiming for more! We have been giving her cereal since early Dec. and tonight was her first taste of sweet potatoes. She really liked them and opened right up for more! I sure hope that means she will be a better eater than our Frances! (who I must admit is much much better than before) Another great start is that Frances has also been going to bed wonderfully since the new year! She received a sleeping bag that came with a flashlight for Christmas. We have let her take the flashlight to bed for the last three nights and she has not come to her door once! No "I have to go potty" or "I need a drink" or one of her favorites "I need a kleenex"! The flashlight is perfect for little ones to take to bed because it doesn't stay on by itself, you actually have to hold the button in the on position for it to work so sleepy fingers would struggle to distract themselves with toys or books for long. Thanks Cousins Maria and Jon! And thanks to Mitch who let me sleep in and get the year off to a good start!

Vacation, vacation, vacation

2009-01-02T19:52:00.000-08:00

Not a bad life! We were home for a few weeks and then we were off again!

Our Christmas holiday was fantastic! It started at home with a visit from our good friends Blake and Nicole. They currently live in NC and were back in the area for the holidays. We were lucky enough to spend the evening with them and their girls. it was great to catch up even if the guys did beat the girls in cards.

Then, we were off for the long journey. First we headed towards MN. We couldn't make it in one day so we spent an evening at a hotel in WI. We enjoyed swimming before we were off to bed and then up early the next morning. We then made it to MN where we stayed with my sister and her family. We were able to attend my nephews birthday party for the first time ever! It was a ton of fun for Frances to be there! We wish we could have stayed longer but at least we saw them! If we hadn't stopped we were not going to see them as they couldn't get to grandma's at the same time as us this year. Then it was off to SD. We had a good time with gramma JoJo and that whole side of the family. Santa found us at gramma JoJo's as well. Frances was very excited to see that Santa ate only four of the five Oreo's she left out for him. What a great breakfast!

We also were able to see grandpa Dave and all of his family too! Here is a picture of Delaney and her great grandpa Ken. It was so great to see him celbrating the holiday with his family!

Then, we were off to IA where we saw more wonderul family! We are so blessed to have so many great family members to visit with over the holidays!!!!!!!! While in Iowa we enjoyed visiting, playing games, and swimming at the hotel. From the time we were in Lake Geneva up until now Frances has advanced her swimming skills tremendously!! She absolutely amazed me. She is not a very athletically inclined girl so I was amazed to see that she could really swim now when just three weeks ago she was just figuring out how to hold her breath and stick her face in the water! Check out this video!

Delaney really enjoyed the water as well!

Then we headed home where life is beginning to return to "normal".

Happy New Year!

Lake Geneva Wisconsin

2008-12-15T06:35:00.000-08:00

Although this may not sound like the best (warmest) place to vacation in December it warms my heart to think of the time we spent together as a family! We had wonderful accomodations. It was two one bedroom condo units that had an adjoining door so we essentially had a two bedroom condo with two kitchens and full baths! There was a fireplace and we kept the heat near 80 the whole week! There was also a big tub for swimming with the girls in warm water. There was an indoor pool which we had mostly to ourselves. It wasn't so cold once you got in. We spent one day at the indoor water park that was on site. Frances was afraid to go down the big tube slide the first time but that was it...she was in love! It was much more fun to go with daddy as he carried her up all the stairs and mommy made her walk. We went in the hot tub that had a tunnel leading to the outside where it was snowing. Brrr! We went sledding on the golf course hills but only lasted about 15-20 minutes as it was really cold! We watched quite a bit of tv (mostly history channel, animal planet, and TLC as we don't have them at home). We truly enjoyed our relaxing vacation and hope to do it again next year (just maybe someplace warmer). I think we are looking at Branson in early summer. Here are some pictures!

job perk

2008-12-04T09:12:00.000-08:00

Another great thing about my selling Usborne Books is the packaging paper! It provided great entertainment for four little girls three and under on a cold day!

set sail

2008-12-04T09:10:00.000-08:00

My grandmother made a boy quilt and a girl quilt before Delaney was born. I really liked this one with the sailboats the best even though it was intended for a boy. We use it all the time for playing on the floor! Thanks Gram!