8/52

This week was a full week and blessed by sunshine at the end! 

It may have presented us with parenting challenges, but hopefully these challenges have us all heading down the right path.

...A path that will be fun, easy, lovely, challenging, frustrating, and sweet all at the same time. 

Another loose tooth that won't be around for long 

A night that had me laughing because you discovered some male parts and a few nights later you had a hole in your pajamas that needed to be put to the test.

A book that had you excited about reading! 

A girl who is ready for her trip to Florida

"Mom, can I get one of these? Prrrrettty please!"

A deal made in the pet store that would never warrant birds in our house

(You guys have to be nice to each other for a whole year) 

A couple minutes with Matt before his last UNI Panther game at home.

My little Julia and a batch of puppy chow that was gone in two days! 

The snow melted and we were able to play in our backyard and driveway! 

A little spring cleaning

Time playing at the rec. center after  an hour of time for me:) 

"Remember when I stood at the door and cried?" -Julia 

A trip to the park and some time on our driveway...

 

And finally...

Two nights for us to bring friends together and cook for them...one of my favorite things to do! Along with it, you both got to be a kid and play with other kids. 

As far as grilling on the Green Egg goes...your Dad will probably give me a hard time for eternity because I almost put his fire out. To my defense our food was on fire and when I close the grill on our gas grill the fire doesn't go out. So why would I want to 

risk it when we had 15 mouths to feed... After removing the chicken throwing water on a fire engulfing 30$ of ribs seemed like the right thing to do. 

I'd say our week went well and hopefully you appreciated all the time we spent together. Hopefully our path will be easy and familiar this next week...what fun would that be?! 

4 year old checkup

Today, you slept until 9:20 (kept us both up from 2:20-3:45) and we still managed to get to my exercise class on time! Thank you! 

Following class we managed to squeeze in two stops and a hot dog, before heading to your 4 year old checkup. 

Dr. says everything is looking good. (So thankful) You wore your gown and even remembered to wear your underwear! You handled your two shots without making a peep and walked out with 2 stickers and a pencil! Our little brave 98/98 baby! 

47 lbs and a few inches shy of Jacob. Your face just beamed when I told you I was so proud of you! You were impressed too with your pain tolerance...

Little did you know that later on a tiny cut on your finger mixed with an alcohol swab by your brother would send you screaming as if you were trying out for the hallelujah chorus! Jacob sure felt bad about that one. 

I don't have a picture of the sweetest moment tonight. So I have to describe it so I won't forget. Click!

You and Jacob were sitting on the floor with his first aide kit out and he was taking care of your cut. He even put a plastic glove on so he "didn't get your germs." His first bambabe attempt didn't hold so well and that caused him to use a alcohol wipe to the first aid cream off. Oops. 

Oh what a night. 

7/52

Wacky Winterfest

Jacob you were so pumped to tell your friends that you sold all of your raffle tickets...and we didn't have to buy them all. That meant we had money left to take you to the school carnival and spend only 15$ to get you a couple prizes that had you and dad laughing! 

Julia, we finally made it out of the house on Friday and spent some time playing racquetball. Your hand eye coordination has really improved (hense the racquet protecting my face) and you actually hit it more times than not! We always knew you were strong...now we are seeing it in action! 

"I don't feel so well."

This was a LONG week. A fever that started Monday and wouldn't go away until Friday...makes for a week we didn't do anything:( 

I shopped at night after bed time...lonely and not much fun without you guys. I never thought I'd say that! 

After buying the necessary "sick treats" I will say that I will do my best to make you homemade Popsicles because look at what these things did to your tongues and faces.

I talked you into getting out of jeans and wearing comfy clothes to just stay in and do what you do on a long winter day. Paint snow and play with play dough, complete puzzles, clean out drawers and well, survive! 

(It's a plus when you can sleep in your clothes!) when you woke up with your hair almost touching the ceiling you said "look I'm already dressed!" 

We did survive. And took a trip to the urgent care (4yr old well check up in 2 days). Go figure. Negative results for RSV and a recommendation for Claritin.

Those results were worth the wait and we enjoyed our time together playing "I spy".

Love is what you need...

Our weekend of love...was a loaded weekend with time as a family and time for just me and dad. Just what we all needed. 

I could have done without an 8:00 am rink time...but I wouldn't have gotten to see you face off or score a goal, and then get moved down to skate with the "seasoned" players. 

In addition to Hockey we squeezed in a breakfast at Morg's, play time at the office, a movie and a clearance shopping trip to kohls. A lot can happen on a morning when you are out the door by 7:30. 

We loved our weekend together. We loved listening to you sing "rusty nails" talking with a missing tooth, crunching on your popcorn, chowing on your "shicken" I love looking at you guys and then looking at your dad and just smiling with him. Whether we are smiling at something you just did, or said, you guys are our happy. I loved looking at your cotton candy maker face, sense of style and interest in fashion this weekend. You have come s long way, Julia. Jacob, a little piece of my heart melted when you lost your first tooth. You are growing up all too fast. It's those little things that make it seem real. 

6/52

Boy what a week! We squeezed some mindless shopping in and you found new boots and a cowgirl hat to buy with your gift cards and money from you aunts:) now that's a deal! 

We met up with Gwen at indoor park

You got ready for your date night with dad..."this enough?" 

He treated you to the best milkshake at the pampake place. (I made them for the whole family on Saturday and they met your approval) we can work on the slurping etiquette later. 

Jacob and I made it to a night with panther athletes at the dome. Good thing you swished your two shots with some of the basketball players! Panther purple is harder to spot than your normal bright colors! 

Mrs. Klein is sending pictures to us throughout the week...I love this and hope that more teachers do this for parents. It's fun to see what you are up to since you don't share to much with us about your day. We even got to see a video of you eating noodles with chopsticks. 

Crazy hair day...you borrowed some of your sister's hair dye. 

You managed to play and play and play

Somehow we picked up Chinese, ate at dad's office and still had room for a whole ice cream at the game. It wasn't as exciting as the one we watched on Saturday but the season is winding down and we are glad this gets us out of the house in the long month of February. 

The following day I let you sleep in, only for you to decide you could get dressed to catch the bus, pack a lunch and not eat any breakfast in 10 minutes time! No wonder you weren't feeling up to par after you got to school. (I took you home after lunch and you rested, sorta)

Of course you couldn't fall asleep...after dad pulled your first tooth. 

Somehow you managed to make it through the next day at school and came home on a sugar high because your bus driver gave you the ok to eat candy on the bus! 

Julia and I had a treat at scratch as well. Tis the week to get happy on sugar! 

Holy moly! Our week still isn't over! 

We made it to a new friend's birthday party and almost fell asleep on the way home. 

We decided we hadn't done enough for you guys this week and celebrated Valentine's Day allllll weeeekend long! Boy are you guys spoiled...with love. 

Just a day to treasure

This morning I'm reminded that each day is a treasure...and I'm so lucky to have this gig.

Opening act might have been you, Julia,  telling me you wanted to sleep longer (which usually means everything is a battle to follow)

It was shortly followed by a little boy with a strange look on his face (a clue that I needed to investigate) and a reach to the behind! 

After you got to your room to put your underwear on (you prefer commando) you uttered these words..."it was just a bubble!" 

Thank the lord! Because two seconds later your sister came upstairs to inform me that the large wet spot on her dress was "mllk". Luckily she had her night time  outfit picked out and was willing to wear it "this day."

Even though you were dressed nearly 45 minutes before bus time (including having your backpack packed with a toy and lunch) we were lucky the bus driver looked at our driveway as he was driving away...and stopped again. (I owe him for that one!) 

So, I have only been up an hour and 5 valentines were made, you two were fed, beds made, dog was let in, sidewalk shoveled, two lunches packed etc. 

All this while my cold coffee still resides on the counter top waiting to be topped off with my favorite creamer dumped in a travel cup so Julia can get to school on time and I can have two hours to myself...to get nothing done. I do love this gig as crazy as it makes me feel sometimes. 

Another snow day

It's not too often you see a sky as blue as this...beyond beautiful. Even you two noticed the sky.

Even though the winter weather is a pain...it sure brings us together. We played and played with as many toys and games we could get out. However, watching you two chow on the soup was the best part about my job, because you two enjoyed something that I did for you and thanked me for it. 

We topped the snow day off with another basketball win...this time it was a little more exciting! 

M