My Sweet Little Family's sweet little trip ~ day 2

9:00 AM

(the cute little slideshow I made isn't working,
so here are the pictures anyhow...)


The girls decided that mommy didn't need to sleep in on this little vacation of ours, so they both woke up at 7 AM...a little early for my liking. Nana and Bapa were at work, so we had the house (and Sophie) to ourselves! Nana came and picked us up to go and have lunch with her. She just so happens to work at the High School that I went to, so it was very odd to walk those halls again. Mom got Lindy's Subs for us to eat...a very nice 'back home' treat! She had to keep working, so we got the car, and off we went shopping! Liv took a 2 1/2 hour nap in her car seat, so we were able to get a lot accomplished. We hit my favorite place that I don't have at home...Old Navy. In a previous post I said how I wanted to get matching "Where's my peeps?" shirts for my girls from there, and well, I did that! They were even on sale! YIPPIE! I'm sure we'll be taking some photos of those in the next week or two!

Back to Nana and Bapa's house with McD's french fries in tow, we hung out until Bapa got home from work. (the first picture below is Avery watching Bapa come home from work)

Later that night we all went out to eat at Rocky Rococo's...one of my favorite pizza joints! I was surprised to bump into a high school friend Jamie and meet her sweet little girls Jayln and Justice! SMALL WORLD! We then stopped at Target of course, another of my favorites that we don't see that often. Then off to see my Grandma at her 'home'.

I call it a 'home', because that's what it is. About 6 years ago, Grandma was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. She has been getting worse and worse each time we see her. She now is in a home where she lives with 12 other people with Alzheimer's. It is a sad sight to see her not at all like she used to be. Avery and Liv will never get to know the Grandma that I knew growing up. Avery slept through the visit. She must have been tuckered out from her big day...probably because she woke up at 7AM!

Back to Nana and Bapa's house we went. Avery and Bapa had a little date night in the basement. They watched a princess movie and had popcorn! What a treat! Then off to sleep we went, ready for another exciting day tomorrow!

COMING OUT TODAY!

8:50 AM

THE NATIVITY STORY ON DVD
ELLIOT YAMIN (3rd runner up in American Idol last year) CD TODAY!

~ FYI ~

10:35 PM

I just imported my pregnancy journal to this blog.
It's on the right hand side found under March 06-Oct 06

My sweet little family's sweet little trip...day/night 1

9:00 AM

I have way too many pictures to do this all in one day, so I think this will be a re-cap couple of days. Plus, these slide shows are so fun to do...I think I might do a few more!
We left home on Thursday. Daddy drove us half way (2 1/2 hours) to meet up with Nana. Both girls proved to be great travelers. We met up with my mom at a McD's, ate, switched out the luggage, and said some goodbyes to Daddy...(sniff sniff)
Not 10 minutes into our drive with Nana, Liv began to get hungry again. I didn't have a way to heat up a bottle for her, so I was left to pump in the car. I got the pump hooked up, which was a battle because I was sandwiched in the backseat between two car seats. I got it all hooked up, and then realized that I had no suction power...URGH! So, what's a girl to do but figure out a way to pump anyhow...I'll let your imagination wander...
5 1/2 hours after beginning our drive, we pulled up at Nana and Bapa's house! We were greeted by Bapa and Sophie (their dog-shih-tzu/lapsa apso mix). The first night we went to Burracho's and then the mall. What a treat to just be in a different town, with different places to eat, and different places to shop! Bapa was nice enough to buy Avery 2 Barbie Fairytopia-Magic of the Rainbow dolls. She is soooo spoiled!
We then came home and had crazy dancing night with Nana. Avery's allergies to the dog began to act up a bit, and we had to try the inhaler for the first time, which didn't go so well. Below is a little slide show of our first night at Nana and Bapa's house!



a quick note...

7:46 PM

We're home safe and sound back in good ol' Midwest.
I will be uploading all of my 140 photos from our trip,
so be ready for viewing some Wisconsin FUN!

Couldn't resist

10:08 PM



We're here in WI, and so far so good. Liv was laughing really hard, so I just had to record it and post it...

My Blog Vacation

10:00 AM

We are leaving this morning for our 5 1/2 hour drive to Nana and Bapa's house! I'll be on a bit of a blogging break until Monday! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

Over the river and through the woods...

11:26 AM

TO GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE WE'RE GOING
...a hairbrained idea turned into reality...
Daddy is driving us half way tomorrow and Nana Dianne is picking us up for the weekend!

WHAT?

10:30 AM

I'm not a 'peeping tom' by any means, but PG and I have noticed that our neighbor still has their Christmas Tree up...Are we the only ones who think this is funny?

Matching Easter Dresses

10:30 AM

I had been looking all over for a set of Easter dresses that I liked for the girls. I had NO luck here in town, so I went to my favorite place to shop...EBAY! I can't wait to have some photos of the girls IN their dresses. I think I will take them in for some professional pictures, or have our friend Jerry come over again...

Rejoice Rooster

5:56 PM


From Christianbook.com:

"Let this rootin' tootin' rooster's colorful garb remind you of your joy in Jesus. Made of durable resin. Base reads "Rejoice in the Lord, for His blessings are great". Measures 15 inches tall."

Price: $14.99
I hope you're laughing, as PG and I are as well...Do you really need a 15 inch rooster sitting in your house to remind you of your joy in Jesus?

Liv's 1st stroller experience...

10:45 AM



What a beautiful day outside! We went for a short 10 minute walk to get out of the house, and for Liv to see what the stroller was all about. The double stroller worked out great, and the girls seemed to like it too! SEE DAD...we will use the stroller after all!

Roller Coaster FUN!

2:08 PM

This big roller coaster thing is a new toy at our house. I brought it home from work today for Avery. I think it's meant to be for 2 year olds, but oh well. It's supposed to be an outside toy, but what the heck...why not put it in our living room and kitchen?

Don't mind Gavin's junk food treats on the chair, the mess of laundry that needs to be folded, the baby toys all over our living room floor, and the kitchen that we're going to re-do this summer...




A Little, I mean a LOT about me

1:00 AM

My inbox on MySpace has been getting an OVERLOAD of surveys left and right. I decided to take the questions from about 4-5 of them, and make my own HUGE survey! I hope you enjoy getting to know more about me! If you want, please email me your answers to these questions...most of you have my email, but if not, just ask for it! ENJOY...

Where is your cell phone? in my purse
Your hair? brown with some highlights from October
Your mother? fun, works at a high school
Your father? works all the time, loves their dog
Your favorite Item? bed
Your dream last night? I don't remember
Your favorite drink? Mr Pibb, Milk
Your dream car? A nice nice van or SUV
Your fears? my kids getting hurt or feeling heartbreak
What do you want to be in 10 years? happy , in God's hands
Who did you hang out with last night? my husband and girls
What you're not good at? cooking, singing, saving money
One of your wish list items? NO MORE DEBT
Where you grew up? Wisconsin
The last thing you did? put Liv in her crib
What are you wearing? Sweats
Your pet? none...Avery is allergic
Your computer? laptop is on my lap, other one in office
Your mood? tired
What are you thinking about right now? going to sleep!
Your car? 2000 Kia Sephia
Your work? Children's clothing store, and being a mommy!
Your summer? is going to be fun
Your relationship status? married
Your favorite color? I'm not sure...all girls like pink, right? I think I really like pink and brown together.
When is the last time you laughed? tonight...Avery was Princess Fiona...very funny stuff
Last time you cried? I got teary watching Extreme Home Makeover tonight
What's your middle name? Joy
What makes you happy? My family
Are you musically inclined? not that much
Something you do a lot? change diapers, warm up bottles
Name someone with the same b-day as you? my cousin Kaylee
Have you ever sang in front of a large audience? yeah, I had a couple of solos in grade school
If you could have one super power what would it be? freeze time I think
Do you still watch kiddo movies or TV shows? ALL the time, more than adult shows I think
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? all of the parts that have changed with having a baby and growing older...I wish I still looked like I did in High School
What are you eating or drinking? Nothing
Do you speak any other language? a very small amount of Spanish
What are you listening to right now? my breast pump (sorry!)
What was the last thing that you ate? Red Vines and water
Can you drive a stick shift? yes
Last person you spoke to on the phone? my husband when I was at Blockbuster
How old are you today? 27, 28 next month
What is your favorite sport to watch? THE CONTENDER boxing
Favorite day of the year? Christmas Eve
What was the last movie you watched? Barbie Fairytopia Magic of the Rainbow
What is your favorite fall or spring? Spring
What is on the floor of your closet? Lots of clothes that need to be hung.
What are you afraid of? a lot of things...I have a lot more fears now that I am a mother
Plain, cheese or spicy hamburgers? cheeseburgers with ketchup and onions
Number of keys on your key ring? 5
How many years at your current job? Mommy 4 1/2 yrs
How many states have you lived in? 4
Favorite holiday? Christmas
Are you married? yes!
Where will you be in 1 hour? sleeping I hope
Have you been to the movies in the last 5 days? are you kidding?
What was your last purchase? I had to get groceries tonight
What's the last sporting event you watched? the NASCAR race today
If you could be anywhere right now, where would you be?At Disney World with my family
What is the last thing you purchased online?a cute GAP purse
Were you an honor roll student in school? no...far from it!
What do you know about the future? God holds my future...
Are you wearing any perfume or cologne? Vanilla Lace lotion
Do you have a tan? no
Do you have any tattoos or piercings? Just have my ears pierced
What are you doing right now? on the computer, listening to my husband eat his donuts.

Avery's Funnies...

11:00 AM


"Diversity, diversity...that's what we have in common"


(Please be kind...can't believe I'm admitting this...)
Avery: Mom...those things you have on your sides are stretch marks."
Me: Yes, Avery. That's what happens when mommies have babies. Where did you hear about stretch marks?
Avery: From the Cocoa Butter commercial.
Me: Oh, what am I supposed to do for them to go away?
Avery: Just keep growing, and they'll just go away someday!


Avery: Mom, my corn is too cold!
Mom: Oh, I'm sorry...you don't have to eat it then.
Avery: Well I think I like it cold. It's okay. Sometimes bad things happen
...a little bit later...
Avery: (cough cough) Oh no...my corn is too cold. It's making me cough...OH NO...I'm allergic to cold now!


(Not funny...but sweet)
"God doesn't want us to tell stories that can hurt, he wants us to spread nice words" (awww...)


(After Liv was all wrapped up in a towel from bathtime)
"Livvie looks just like baby Jesus"

Okay...I SO want this shirt for my girls!

8:18 PM

Word is that you can find this shirt at Old Navy.
...guess I'll be making another trip to BIG TOWN...
(photo courtesy of "Good Knight Baby"...a friend of a friend's blog)

CrAzY MoMmY hAiR SaLoN!

8:55 AM


| View Show | Create Your Own

Every week, Avery has to take a trip to a special hair salon that we like to call "Crazy Mommy Hair Salon". Her curly hair, as cute as it is, sometimes needs a little boost!

precious...

9:35 PM

This photo was taken when Avery was 2 1/2 months old when we were visiting my parents back in WI. My parent's had it blown up and framed for us for Christmas that year. It hangs above our couch in our living room...it's just precious

A Taste (just a taste) of Freedom

9:21 PM

This afternoon, hubby was nice enough to let me have some time to myself. I had a mini-breakdown this last weekend because I'm never alone...I'm ALWAYS a mommy, always doing mommy things. Sometimes I just need a break! So, he took off of work a little early today, and let me go to BIG TOWN (1 hour away) to have some 'ME time'. I still had some of my Christmas money left, so I was bound and determined to have a fun shopping spree!

I left around 2 or so, and the first thing I did was call my mom to brag about my new found freedom. I then realized, 15 minutes into my drive, that I was still listening to Aladdin. Yes, I'm such a mom. I thumbed through my Cd's and I was feeling a bit crazy, so I popped in some Alanis Morissette and jammed the whole rest of the way! It has been a very long time since I've listened to that CD, and it reminded me of high school! It surprised me how many of the lyrics are still etched in my brain.

I shopped, and shopped, and shopped some more. I was gone a total of 6 1/2 hours from my girls. I did have a nice break...one that I really needed. But I did realize something....
After marriage, and especially after kids, there is no real escape, or 'peace'. I mean the kind of peace where you have no one to think about besides yourself. As much as I was hoping that just for a few hours I could feel FREE, I wasn't. I found myself constantly looking at my watch, wondering if Avery was sleeping, or if PG was feeding Liv. And, the majority of my time spent in BIG TOWN was at children's clothing stores...sad I know. As much as I only wish that I could feel that feeling of escaping, I wouldn't trade it for the feeling of driving into the driveway and seeing my precious Avery waving at me out the window with a big smile on her face...
So, I had my little get away. I was in a completely different town than my children and my husband, which rarely if ever happens. I'm refreshed...my closet has a few new items...and the girls have some new clothes as well...
A MOM JUST HAS TO HAVE SOME TIME TO HERSELF...

P.S. Here is one of my BEST finds from Gymboree.
It was on sale for $14, regular price $50...CRAZY!

Ya gotta love Columbia snowsuits...

10:00 AM

Looking through my photos today, I noticed something I hadn't thought about before. Avery has worn the SAME Columbia snowsuit (from Nana Dianne) for 3 years now...

Here she is when she was 2 1/2...

Here she is at 3 1/2...
And today, at 4 1/2...I'm noticing that it is getting a little shorter in leg length, and it doesn't go all the way over her mittens anymore. I think this will be the last winter that she wears it, and then it goes in storage till Liv can wear it for 3 winters also. Now I'm on the search for another snowsuit...

Date night with Avery

7:30 AM

Avery loves bible stories, so tonight she and I rented "One Night With The King", which is a story about Esther. It's an "adult movie", and was a little over her head, but she still enjoyed it! Avery and I don't get much time together anymore, just the two of us. Daddy was kind enough to watch Liv so we could have a "date night" in mommy's room...

Here we are enjoying some cuddle time, and of course, POPCORN!
And here is Avery, oh, I mean ESTHER, after the movie with her robe and crown. She later got married to a King and had a baby too!

She's not always so sweet...

9:15 AM

How funny is this? I found these pictures in Avery's album, and just laughed. These were taken at her Aunt Holly and Uncle Jon's wedding reception in A-TOWN when she was 3 1/2. She didn't want to be there, obviously. I just couldn't resist sharing...

To match, or not to match...

5:38 PM

Someday they'll be mad that I liked to match their clothes.
I know I thought the matching photos of Josh and I are pretty silly.
But for right now, I'm in charge, and darn it...I LIKE IT!

I love this last photo...just chillin' on the floor, holding onto each other...

Our Miracle

11:00 AM

A friend of mine has a son that just had surgery the other day on his ears. It reminded me of what we went through when Avery had surgery as well... She was 5 days old, and I think it was the hardest thing PG and I have ever went through. To give birth to this perfect little girl, and then to have your heart break at hearing that she will have to have surgery. She was so little, and so helpless. And, the part that stunk the most...we couldn't do anything for her. She was hooked up to all these wires with lights shining on her, and we couldn't do a thing! I remember feeling like she was not my baby. It felt like she belonged to the doctors...after all, they were the ones making all the decisions. When it was time for me to be discharged, not being able to take Avery home with us...man...it was heart-wrenching...

I sometimes wonder if this is why I am the kind of mother that I am. I'm WAY TOO overprotective, I tend to shelter them, and I don't let them out of my sight. Do you think that if Avery would have been "normal, healthy" that I wouldn't be the crazy-anxiety-obsessed-mother that I am? Who knows.
When Liv was born, we were pleasantly surprised that she was totally healthy. It was very odd being able to have our baby with us in our hospital room, and not have to go down 2 floors, have a pass, do a 3 minute scrub, and put on a gown to see our child.
Every day, when the task of being a mother seems to never end, and get old...I have to remind myself of what I went through to have these girls. (What we went through to get Liv will be for another blog entry...)
Oh to be a mother...a lady on Oprah once said "Motherhood is about finding the rest of your life inside of you and giving it to someone else" Isn't that the truth...

Hair today, gone tomorrow

8:50 AM

When Avery was around 3 months old, I began to realize that clumps of my hair were coming out in the shower, and while I was brushing my hair. At first I was kind of freaked out, but with some research, I found out that after giving birth it's normal. I remember when the hair was growing back the little annoying 'baby curls' that I would have in the front of my hair. I hated these with a passion.
Well, I guess I forgot about this "normal" occurrence that happens until last week. Liv is now 4 months old, and my hair has begun to come out in clumps again. I guess it's a small price to pay for the precious girls that I have...

Ya gotta love the Midwest!

8:50 AM





I measured how many inches of snow are in our backyard today...15! We have been in a Blizzard Warning for a couple days now. School is cancelled, man...even Subway was closed last night! We're supposed to get another 2-4 inches today! Let is snow!!!!

Will this work?

8:42 AM


I ordered the 'bumbo tray' online so Liv couldn't manuvere her way out of her chair. So far, so good I would say!

What an imagination...

10:42 PM

Avery's imagination was at work tonight. She watched her 'night night' movie, "Duke and the Great Pie War", from Veggie Tales. She has this thing inside of her, where halfway through a movie, she immediately has to 'play' the movie. She can't watch the whole thing, and THEN come out and play, but has to right in the middle. Tonight she came out and told us she was getting married to Duke. Duke...being played by Simba our stuffed Lion King lion.

It was bedtime, and Daddy was saying "Avery, time to go to bed." She says, "Not yet...I have to get married first". Daddy says, "You have 2 minutes to get married then". So, here goes Avery over to the stuffed Lion (who has an Easter egg on his head as a crown) and hugs and kisses him. Then, we hear her say "Okay, we're married now!". To show his devotion to her, Duke gave Avery a seashell (played by an Easter egg), as a "symbol of true love" as Avery says. She then says that now Duke has two wives, her and Petunia. We then go on to tell her that Duke can only have 1 wife, and she says Duke picks her 'cause he loves her the most...

Bedtime comes, and Avery decides that Duke doesn't sleep in her room (thank God), but he sleeps in the living room, "'cause that's where Lion husbands sleep". Before she goes to bed, she plants another kiss on him, followed by a "goodnight Duke"...I hope she didn't hear me laughing.

I don't know whether this is cute, or just plain weird that my daughter plays getting married to a stuffed Lion...Lucky for me, I found a photo that I took back in October of Avery and her Lion husband...

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