A Birthday Message to McKenna

This free scrapbook generated with Smilebox

Happy Valentine's Day!!!!!

Today is my favorite day ever. There is no other holiday that makes me want to buy presents and decorations like Valentine's Day. Here are a couple pictures of our morning. The girls woke up to a heart attack in their room and then followed the trail of candy hearts to their Valentine Love Baskets. (Complete with a mailbox).

Wearing their cool new shades

HOPE ALL OF YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY FULL OF LOVE.

Pedicures Anyone?

Last week Lauren wanted her toes painted. And who did she want to paint them? Jeff. So he happily (maybe that's not the right word) obliged.

Lauren patiently awaiting her nails to dry

Kenna also got a much needed pedicure from Jeff. Doesn't she look like she loved it?

Hmmmm.

I can't believe that it has been so long since I have blogged. So tonight while Jeff is studying I will buckle down and update. Here are some of the things that have happened since I have last blogged.

1. Thanksgiving. Ha ha ha

2. Christmas. Ha ha ha

3. New Years Eve. Ha ha ha

Okay seriously here are some things that have happened.

1. I had my first cake job. I charged about as much as the cake cost to make. Not mentioning the probably eight hours I spent making it. I made it for a baby shower that a nurse Jeff met while on his psych rotation was throwing.

2. Lauren got her first haircut. She did really great and when I told the lady who was cutting it that it was her first haircut she said, "her first, first?" Yes I know that my child is four and still has short hair.

3. Lauren is potty trained at night. I had been putting off letting her wear underwear to bed, but she hasn't had an accident. Knock on wood. She just gets up and goes on the little potty in her room.

4. I Celebrated my 25th birthday. Jeff was really sweet. I said here are a list of my wants, and if they don't happen I will feel sad on my birthday. Crete Paper and balloons, (decorated before I wake up) a store bought cake, and scrambled eggs for breakfast. We were at Jeff's parents house and they didn't have crete paper and balloons, so he so sweetly got up super early to make a Wal-Mart run.

5. McKenna stubbed her toe on Christmas morning. Jeff's parents have these neat swinging doors in their living room so their dog doesn't go in there, but Kenna got her toe under one of them and cut it. That healed up pretty well, but then the nail bed got really red and infected. When we got back to Omaha I took her to the doctor and she was on two different antibiotics. Then all the skin peeled. Anyway a month later and it just about looks all the way back to normal.

6. Lauren had her preschool Christmas program. She was so cute and got so excited when people started clapping.

7. I got addicted to Super Mario Bros. for the Wii. Jeff and I missed midnight on New Years Eve because we were so absorbed. I think we stayed up till 1:30am. When we found out that we missed it we leaned over gave each other a kiss said "Happy New Year" and kept on playing.

8. I have decided that Jeff is doing residency somewhere warm. I hate snow. I hate cold. I hate winter.

9. I ate a whole package of E.L. Fudge in three days. I guess that's not exactly true. Jeff ate two and the girls each had one.

10. I have felt really stressed out. My girls have been sick off and on for the last month and they are totally unstable, and melt down over the littlest things. I feel like I am just trying to survive. I think I need a vacation.

11. We got our family pictures taken by a friend in our ward. Here are a couple of my favorites.

12. I'm now a red head.

13. I bought a brand new pair of Merrell shoes from Goodwill today for $9.99. Sweet. I'm wearing them right now.

14. While waiting for Jeff to get the camera out of the van for me I decided to clean out our email inbox. I just erased 1028 messages. There were some from March 2008. So if there was something important that you have sent me and I haven't responded you should probably call me because I didn't look at them. I actually never look at my email, hence the 1028 messages.

15. Jeff and I went ice skating for one of our dates. It was really fun, especially when I backed into a wall while skating backwards only to find that it was an open door and I totally fell back and bruised my arm and had a couple a 7th graders laugh at me. Super embarrassing.

16. The Christmas Story. Lauren was Joseph and McKenna was Mary. Are you loving the costumes?? If you can get past the scary eyes. This was before the performance. McKenna was terrified to ride on the donkey (Jeff). So Lauren rode on the donkey (by this point McKenna was out of her costume and just in a diaper. Lauren was afraid to knock on the inn door, so the donkey did and when my brother "the innkeeper" opened the fabric door he was mean and scared both of the girls and neither of them wanted to finish, so nobody actually got in the stable during the production. All that hard work for nothing.

It was actually still very good. We sang songs in appropriate spots and my niece played her violin. And my little niece was the angel and she left her costume on. We had dinner in the "inn." Which included flat breads, cheese, figs, fruits, grape juice and was surprisingly good and filling.

Hopefully I won't be such a stranger to my blog. I hope everyone is doing well and staying healthy.

A Funny Story

Lauren got to play with her boy cousins a while ago and they taught her a little bit about guns. Well a very little bit. She was building with legos and built herself a gun. She jumped onto the couch and said "I'm GUN GUN GUNNING." As she was getting off the couch she dropped her lego gun and said "Oh!!!! My Shoot." Got things a little bit backwards. Kind of on the same note she calls the washer "the wet dryer." Funny Funny girl.

McKenna has been saying quite a few words, but I'm not sure anyone would know that they are words.

Cookie= coookie

candy= andy

Hold me= olde mie

jacket= jayka

croc= cock

boots= boots

map= map

backpack= baa paac

rock-a-bye= rok-by

book= bok

diaper= biper

blanket= E-E

milk= mock

goodnight= nigh nigh

sock= ock

help= eeelp

tickle= ickle icke

apple= oppole

She also says mommy and daddy, uh-oh, yes and no. That's all that I can think of right now, but I am sure there are more.

Things I hate

1. Forgetting to set our clocks back and show up at church an hour early. When we pulled in I said "There aren't very many cars here for 9:00 o'clock and 11:00 o'clock church." And when we were walking in the halls I wondered why there were so many people, but it didn't click until I walked into the nursery and saw a bunch of kids that were not in our ward. So Lame.

2. I hate beef jerky, or deer jerky. Just the smell makes me so nauseous.

3. I hate falling asleep before I have done my bedtime business. (washing face, brushing teeth, praying).

4. I hate waking up at 2:00am to do bedtime business when I have falling asleep before doing bedtime business.

5. I hate having headaches everyday.

6. I hate how quickly and thoroughly addicted I get to things. (Italian Soda, HGTV, Glee (which I said I was giving up, but I'm on the wagon again), Scarecrow and Mrs. King).

7. I hate that whenever I borrow anything from anybody it winds up broken. You have been warned. Loan at your own risk.

8. I hate getting back from the grocery store and then realize that I forgot something.

9. I hate fish, all kinds.

10. I hate that I eat too much and then feel like I'm going to throw-up all night. (While typing this I am eating a cookie, after I have already had a big dinner and dessert).

11. I hate that whenever I have company the food never turns out like it should.

12. I hate being startled awake. I feel jittery and nervous for like a half-hour.

13. I hate returning things to the store. It is such a hassle.

14. I hate that apartments don't have a ceiling light in the living room.

15. I hate math. Hate. Hate. Hate.

16. I hate all the new songs by Tim McGraw

17. I hate going out to dinner and end up getting mediocre food. If I wanted mediocre food I would have stayed home and made dinner.

18. I hate the bitter winds of winter.

19. I hate the smell of gas fireplaces.

20. I hate getting stains on new clothes.

Confessions

1. In ninth grade I stapled my finger on purpose to see if it would hurt. It did.

2. I stick candy wrappers in the couch cushions. Or just throw them on the floor.

3. I have had an Italian soda almost everyday for two weeks.

4. I somehow graduated from high school without taking a world history class and sometimes when people talk about history I have no idea what they are talking about.

5. I like to eat macaroni and cheese cold.

6. I'm scared of going into a new building (ex: doctor's office, community centers, schools) because I think I'll get lost or I'll do it wrong (if there is a way to actually find your way wrong? (If that makes any sense? (So I always give myself some extra time ))).

7. I usually only like books or movies if there is a love story involved.

8. I didn't get asked to prom junior or senior year. In fact I don't think I ever really got asked out on a date until after I graduated from high school.

9. I daydream about having hundreds of pairs of heels. Lined up lovely on shelves of course.

10. Jeff and I had our first kiss before our first date.

11. I cried watching "Cars" today. You know the part where Lightening McQueen stops to help "The King." Gets me every time.

12. I hate washing windows.

13. I had headgear that I had to wear at night when I was a teenager.

14. I still use my fingers to count. (Only the hard ones like 7+5 and 8+5).

15. I love to eat laffy taffys becuase its candy and entertainment. (But only the pink kind).

16. I think that I am a little bit psychic. For real.

Conversations

I just want to entertain you with a few of Lauren's conversations that I overheard.

Lauren: "I eat my boogers. Sometimes they are old and yuckers. And sometimes they are yum yum yummers."

(This was so funny to me, kind of disgusting, but still funny). We have been working with her on this, but every time we tell her not to, she thinks it is funnier and ends up doing it more.

Here is the second conversation

Lauren: "Lauren, do you believe in God?"

Lauren: "No."

Lauren: "NOOO???? Why not?"

Lauren: "Because he lives so far far away."

I can't believe that it has been over a month since I blogged. I have felt busy but I am not really sure what I have been up to. Here are a few things that I can think of:

1. Making a stick horse for western day at Lauren's preschool. Let's just say that it involved sewing. Shocker right?

2. Making a dress for western day. Which incidentally didn't get worn on western day.

3. Working on a magnetic board. Why is everything so much harder than it should be.

4. Christmas shopping and Christmas dreaming.

5. Family trip to Vala's pumpkin patch with Lauren's preschool.

6. Sick with G.I. flu (sorry, no pictures of that).

7. Reading lots of books.

8. Making stuffed fabric pumpkins which my sister says look like apples.

9. Refereeing two girls who always want what the other has.

10. Working on polishing off two bags of Halloween candy before Halloween.

11. Playing in the beautiful fall leaves while it is still warm.

What I did this Weekend

1. Went to the grocery store three times in one day

2. Got carded for buying non-alcoholic margarita mix.

3. Went to three stores looking for a picnic basket (can you believe that we don't own one)

4. Couldn't find a said picnic basket (can you believe that we STILL don't own one)?

5. Went on a picnic with Jeff (with food in a paper sack (it's a step up from the regular plastic sack)).

6. Finally went to find out what was at Memorial Park

7. Wasted a good hour and a half at Nebraska Furniture Mart (I could go on every date to NFM)

8. Went to G.I. for the Nebraska State Fair

9. Went to a Demolition Derby for the first time ever

10. Ate a deep fat fried Twinkie for the first time.

This is the girls at the D.D. my camera died before I got any pictures of the cars. Look at the picture above and see how dirty Lauren's hands are. It was so windy at the fair and sand would just blow into your eyes. I came home and felt so dirty. There was even dirt in the girls' ears.

This was Lauren's first day of preschool. She loves it. On the first day of school the teachers sent her home with candy and she has been in love ever since. It is so weird picking her up from preschool. She seems older somehow. She is learning things that I didn't teach her and when she tells me stuff that happened in preschool I just have to believe her because I wasn't there. And I don't think McKenna knows what to do with herself. I decided that McKenna would never cry if Lauren didn't take toys away from her, she was so quiet while Lauren was at preschool.

Vote Here

Okay so Jeff and I recently watched the new Pride and Prejudice with Keira Knightley and then last night we stayed up til 1:00am watching the six tape Collin Firth Pride and Prejudice. And had a fairly heated discussion about which one was better. Jeff thinks the new one is better (I think it is because he thinks that Keira knightley is cute), he also says that it makes you feel more emotion than the old one does.

So which one is overall better? Leave comments here.

Cake

I made this cake for my really good friend's baby shower. It took me all week, but since it is something that I love to do, it doesn't bother me at all. (But I do have to say just one or two cakes in a year is enough, and if I did more than that I probably wouldn't love it).

The cake isn't perfect by any means but it is the best one that I have done. I made my own fondant this time and it was much easier to work with and so much softer. I can't comment on the taste because I didn't taste it, and haven't tasted store bought fondant either. (Oh and I didn't make any of those other tasty goodies. That was all Melanie).

Out of the Mouth of Babes

I had to post this conversation that I had with Lauren just now.

Me: I love you babe.

Lauren: I don't love you.

Me: Really???

Lauren: I love just my Daddy. I love for you to go to cub scouts.

Our Home (basically pictures of our apartment)

Okay for some reason blogger has been really weird for me. I know that one time I had pictures up of our apartment, but the post is gone. So here is round two of our apartment. Sorry if you have already either seen these pictures, or been to our apartment and know what it looks like. Also for those of you who are interested I decided not to go back to school right now. I AM SO RELIEVED. I just thought that I would need a lot of support and Jeff needs support too. I guess I'll wait until I am a more motivated person or until Jeff isn't busy. (I'm not really sure which one will come first).

(The painting above the fireplace is one that I painted. I know it doesn't look like much and it really isn't much, but it does look better in person). This last weekend I took a class from a "Certified Bob Ross Instructor" at Hobby Lobby. It started a 9:30am and went until 3:30pm. It was long and I had a sore neck and shoulders for the next couple of days, but I do now have a painting in my kitchen of a "happy, dead tree." I think that must be my theme.

It's pretty self-explanatory as to which room is which. And sorry about the tree being in the picture again. I know I already posted about it, but I do really love it.

Things I want to Do

The weather the last two days has been hinting at fall. I love fall the very best out of all the seasons. It's the kind of weather that makes me want to....

1. Clean out my car and take it to a car wash

2. Go buy cool jackets. (I love layering)

3. Go buy boots (I love boots)

4. Make pumpkin chocolate chip bread

5. Go through boxes and toys and re-organize

6. Go on a picnic

7. Kidnap Jeff from school and go do something fun

8. Sit outside and just take deep breaths.

9. Make casseroles and warm food

10. Buy a backpack and other school supplies.


MMMMMM.......I love fall

Things I learned in Texas

1. The sun is much hotter there, and you burn much more quickly.

(Did I mention that is was hot)??? Look at my sweaty girls

2. Spray on sunscreen put on in the wind isn't a good idea. Hence the learning of numero uno.

3. The ocean is very loud.

4. I decided that I am scared of the ocean because of its vastness. I like to see boundaries.

(Lauren loved loved loved the ocean)


5. The ocean is salty. Yuck

6. I could live in San Antonio. The riverwalk made me feel like I was in a different country.

7. Shammo is very very huge.

8. A whale show can make me emotional enough to cry.

(Here we are awaiting the show)

9. 3 adults in the backseat of a minivan makes for a hard time sleeping in the night


10. Pepto Bismol is a very good product. Don't ask.

11. I am scared of roller coasters. I opened my eyes once and saw that I was a bit tilted and really high and going really fast and then promptly closed my eyes and tried to relax for the rest of the ride.

12. It is possible for both of my girls to fall asleep after SeaWorld before we even left the parking lot. Just a wee tired, you think????

The girls awaitng swimming at SeaWorld. The water was so warm from the heat that it almost wasn't refreshing. Lauren went down her first waterslide here.

13. Boogie Boarding is really fun and really tiring.

14. Historic Galveston is a really sweet place.

This is the hotel that Jeff and I stayed at.

This is a place where Jeff and I ate dinner. It was really good except that we walked over a mile to get there. Through kind of a not so good part of town. Next time we'll drive. (Lesson number 14 1/2).

Picture of Us before we walked to dinner. We probably didn't look like this when we got there. Did I mention that it was really really hot??

15. Hurricane damage is quite frightening. (It has been 2 or 3 years since the last hurricane and there is still damage that hasn't been fixed. As in a giant hotel that is half in the water. (Some of the walls were missing and all the windows were broken and they are just now starting to tear it down)).

16. GPS is a life saver.

17. Toll roads are stupid

18. Houston drivers are crazy. I was driving and there was a huge billboard that said "Use caution Next 20 miles. 5 dead and 70 injuries." Scary right? So I look over and on the other side of the road there was a huge accident and lots of firetrucks and ambulances. Luckily we only got honked at once or twice, and missed the barricade on a quick exit. Hee Hee. Maybe I shouldn't have been driving.

19. Barney can keep Lauren entertained for hours. Literally hours. We Know.

20. Family Vacations are a lot of Fun.

Back to School

Jeff had to go back to school today. We were so very sad. Anyway here is a sweet conversation between Jeff and Lauren.


Lauren: You have to go back to school????

Daddy: Yep.

Lauren: Why do you have to go back to school?

Daddy: So I can finish and be a doctor

Lauren: (In the saddest voice you can imagine) I don't want you to be a doctor.

M&Ms

Today I am feeling a little sick. Just a fever and a few aches, but I am fine otherwise. I have so many back posts to do, but right now I am just going to say that we are trying to potty train Lauren. We gave her a drink and told her that if she went potty in the toilet she would get two M&Ms (her choice). Well it has been one hour and she has been five times. She just barely gets off the potty and washes her hands before she announces in a semi-excited, semi-terrified voice that "I'm GOING." I'm ready to put a diaper back on her.


Soon I will post about our trip to Texas and all other past excitements.

Also I am need of a good ice cream. I am so tired of going to the store and buying ice cream and having it not be good. But here is a list of kinds that I don't like

1. I don't like chocolate ice cream
2. I don't like butterscotch
3. I don't love caramel
4. I don't like nuts.


So if you have a favorite ice cream that doesn't involve these things leave a comment and I'll try it and if I love it, then I'll be greatly indebted to you.

Blonde

So as promised here are a couple of pictures of random projects and my new blondies.

This is a picture of the hutch I bought on craigslist for my kitchen. It was a ghastly shade of forest green but it is much better now especially with the new hardware.

This is a picture of our dining room. Are you noticing my beautiful tree. This is what I tell everybody who asks about it; "It is like a fake tree, but it's real, but it's dead." Cool Right???Here is a picture of me and my girl. She went 'peeps' on the potty for the first time last week. It was kind of exciting actually. We go to the doctor today for her three year check-up and for McKenna's 15 month check-up. (I want Mickey to be her nickname but spell it like this: McKe. Is that totally dorky)?? (I'll need your help calling her that though, more than one person has to call her McKe for it to be a nickname).

And here are my new blond hairs. Okay my hair is not usually this flippy-outey, this is my attempt at straightening, Pathetic right? The hair is okay for summer, but I have no intentions of being a permanent blond.

Today is Jeff's boards, so if you can say a little prayer for him, I know that he would appreciate it. I am so glad that it is ALMOST OVER. !!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bragged about Jeff on my family blog, but I'll brag about him here too. He recieved a regent scholarship again this year. I am so proud of him and all of his hard, focused work that lets him be a great student and a great husband and father. (Just a side note; it you look closely behind me you will see my giraffe covered bar stools)

Another Year

Create a scrapbook design

Lauren's third birthday was a week ago. Sorry it took so long for me to get this posted but our borrowed internet wasn't working. Sheesh. So enjoy it. We borrowed my parents old digital camera (thanks again). (Why didn't I think of that earlier)??? If my house ever gets cleaned maybe I'll post pictures of our new 'crib.'