Christmas Day!!

What a wonderful day! Matt and I woke up around 8:30am and were surprised that Chloe was still out cold. So we took care of a few last minute details waiting for her to wake up. Matt couldn't take it anymore and declared, quite loudly, "Michelle, what are we going to do with all of these presents?" It was only a matter of seconds before we heard her door squeak open. She was still sleepy so I am sure Matt woke her up. She couldn't see the presents right away because of how the furniture in the living room was set up. Of course as soon as she saw the piles of gifts she was beside herself. We let her get into her stocking first and see all the goodies that were in there.

Matt woke up Aidan soon after. Aidan saw his toy tool bench and an extra large stuffed monkey he was so excited he could barely talk. He was so excited to play with his new tools that we could barely get him excited about digging into his stocking. After the kids got into their stockings and found lots of candy, cool new flashlights and Christmas rubber duckies, we opened the rest of the kids' presents from Matt and I. Aidan got the ABC magnet set he loves to play with and Little People of course. Chloe got an American Girl doll that looks just like her and a bunch of clothes and accessories to go with it. The kids than opened their presents from their out of town relatives. By than Aidan had the whole present thing down and tore into packages with glee despite being a little tired and still a little sick.

We had breakfast right after that. Nana and Poppa joined us for a delicious breakfast of eggs, sausage, hashbrowns and cinnamon rolls dripping with frosting. We all ate until we were stuffed. After we cleaned up and got everything put away we headed back to the tree to open more presents. The kids spent the better part of an hour opening all the goodies Nana and Poppa spoiled them with. A lot of what the kids received were toys to play with at my parents' house (not that Matt and I complained about that). Chloe got a lot of much needed clothes and Aidan got two tricycles (one for our house and one for Nana and Poppa's) plus much more.

After the presents were exhausted, the kids played for a little while and than it was nap time. Aidan and Chloe both needed a nap. Chloe didn't get one but laying down for about an hour seem to give her the rest she needed. Aidan crashed for about three hours. The poor little guy was still in the grip of his nasty cold. It gave the adults the chance to have a quite, relaxing afternoon.

In the late afternoon my brother, Michael, sister-in-law, Kim, and Kim's mom, Gerri came over to have dinner with us. We had a good time chatting while we all worked together to get dinner ready. I was able to use some of my new Christmas presents to set the table. I got brand-new wine glasses and beautiful red chargers that made the table look festive. We all enjoyed the supper of roast beef, potatoes, carrots, and salad. We had sparkling apple cider to drink which Chloe took a dislike too (her tastebuds have been weird lately). Aidan loved the apple cider and had an immediate sugar rush after two glasses full.

After dinner we had both Cox families over for dessert. We had so much dessert we didn't have the room to eat it all. Chloe and Claire played all night with Aidan annoying them at every chance he got (he's such a good little brother). We relaxed and chatted all evening about all kinds of things. We laughed at silly things the kids did and had a wonderful evening.

Christmas Eve!

What a wonderful Christmas Eve! We had a lazy day since Aidan was fighting a bad cold and as usual I was fighting some afternoon morning sickness. We got all our last-minute shopping done so we were ready for the next day. I went to Christmas Eve services at our church by myself and did a dramatic reading. The service at our church is nice but the thought of my 17-month old and five year old holding onto candles makes me a tad nervous. Plus Aidan was not up to going.

After the service we at a yummy lasagna dinner (made by Matt). My mom ate dinner with us and enjoyed spending some time with the kids. When we were all done with dinner we opened our Christmas Eve presents. We all got brand-new pajamas (our family tradition) to wear for Christmas morning. Aidan wasn't sure about opening his at first so he decided to stand on the box first. After he watched Chloe ripped into her present her kind of got the idea. Chloe loved her pajamas especially when she realized that they said "princess" on the shirt. It took a little time to get the kids into bed since neither one was very willing to go down for the night. Eventually both kiddos were in bed. So Mom, Matt and I went to work getting presents ready for the morning.

Poppa soon arrived with a truckload of gifts. We had to move the coffee table and an end table in the living room to make room for all the loot. We even had to stash stuff in the tree which we've never done before. It was quite a haul. We were all exhausted when we done and ready to get some sleep before the morning.

Christmas Cookies & Gingerbread Houses

Today we went to Aunt Lisa's house to make sugar cookies and gingerbread houses. Lisa was there with all her kids, Jenny and her three were there and Shauna (I hope I spelled that right) a friend from school was there with all of her kids. It was a house full which is generally the case when we go to Lisa's house. The kids were so excited to see each other that they weren't interested in making cookies when we first got there. So the adults mixed the sugar cookie dough so it would have time to set before we rolled it out. After the dough was made the kids tackled their gingerbread houses. Actually I guess you should call them graham cracker houses since that is what we used. They all had a fun, sticky time engineering their buildings. We had a few earthquakes but once the frosting glue started to dry most of the houses remained standing. Aidan enjoyed watching the festivities as he snacked on graham crackers and candy. Chloe was so excited to see some of her friends from school outside of school. It was a great day of visiting and enjoying one another's company.

Santa Claus

Today we went to a Children's Christmas Party held for Matt's command. There were simple games set up along with a bouncy house (a huge hit as you can imagine). We had pizza and popcorn. Both the kids seem to enjoy themselves. Later in the afternoon Santa Claus came by to say "hello" and give each child a goody bag. Chloe, of course, was all into Santa and told him that she wanted a red ballerina (not sure where she got that one). Aidan was exhausted by the time Santa arrived and wanted nothing to do with him of course. All in all it was a nice afternoon.

Growing Pains

After a few weeks of playing with it, Chloe lost her first tooth tonight. She was so excited today when it was loose enough to move in a circle or in other words--hanging on by a thread. Tonight she had her Jazz/Tumbling class. She was playing with it all evening of course, like any kid would. She sneezed towards the end of class, while she was playing with it and pulled the tooth right out. I think the amount of blood scared her, I didn't think to warn her about that. But she was so proud of herself and eager to share and show the world the gap in her teeth.

Here is Aidan comforting Chloe over the loss of her tooth. It is not very often we catch the two of them cuddling with one another. They are usually too busy playing or Aidan is busy annoying Chloe by getting into her stuff. So we figured we'd better take the picture while we could.

She has decided that she is going to give the tooth to Santa Claus because the Tooth Fairy doesn't need any teeth. Pretty cute huh? I am thinking about getting a little bag for the tooth and hanging it on the tree. She can check the bag on Christmas morning to see what she gets. If anyone else has any ideas let me know! Leave a comment.

Ladies Night Out

Last night we went to the south end of the island to see our local dance company's production of the Nutcracker. Nana and Poppa surprised Chloe with her Christmas dress (an early Christmas gift). She was so excited. I had her convinced that she had to go to the Nutcracker in her jeans and shirt. She was not very happy with that plan. So when Poppa showed her the dress, she was speechless (if you can believe it). The dress came with a matching tiara and purse so of course our little "princess" was in big girl heaven. She looked absolutely beautiful and she knew it too. Nana and Mommy looked quite smashing as well but Chloe of course stole the night.

We went out to dinner at one of our favorite little restaurants on the south end. It was so nice to go out to dinner before the show. We attempted to do that last year but it didn't work out. We ended up watching the show hungry last time. Chloe was a bit confused when we pulled up to the restaurant at first because she realized it wasn't the Nutcracker but once she understood that we were going to eat dinner she was all for the stop.

We got to the theatre in plenty of time to find our friends and our seats. Chloe was thrilled that she got to sit next to her good friend Katy. The two of them were beyond excited. Katy's parents, Becca and Paul, were there too! We saw lots of friends from school all dressed up for a night out. Chloe got to show off her beautiful Christmas dress to all of her friends.

Once the ballet started both girls were completely mesmerized. The costumes are stunning and all hand-made. The sets and props were all painted and designed by our school's art teacher, she is an amazing artist. Plus the stage where the performance was held is incredible and very state-of-the-art, we don't have anything close to it on the north end of the island. Chloe remembered quite a bit of the show from the year before. She couldn't wait for the giant Christmas tree to grow, for the Nutcracker to come to life and for the mermaids to appear. Her biggest shock was when she discovered that "Madame Bumbles" (she wears a large dress where lots of little dancers hide under) was actually a man in stilts. I can believe it is a man that dress is HUGE and it looks very heavy.

Chloe got a "Clara" Nutcracker and Aidan got a red Nutcracker from the gift shop. We figured they would be fun Christmas decorations to add to the house. Although I may have trouble packing Chloe's away, she is rather attached. After the show the art teacher gave us a tour of the backstage. Both Katy and Chloe were thrilled to be on the stage and able to touch the set and props. I even got a picture of Chloe sitting on the chair used in the party scene. She was pretty excited about that. We headed home right after that and stopped off at Applebees for some yummy desserts. We ran into the Cox and Newman families there and had a good time. All too soon it was time for bed!

Aidan Candids

I thought I had better put some pictures up of Aidan. I don't have any of his new haircut but I will get some soon! He has been quite a handful lately--into everything, testing boundaries, and full of energy. But we love every minute of it!

Christmas Play

We are all doing well just extremely busy. Last night we performed our big Christmas Musical at church. It was a large undertaking with many people helping and supporting the event. We started planning the play in August and have been rehearsing once a week since September. It was so much fun and all the kids (including Chloe) had so much fun singing and acting. I actually got the opportunity to act, which is a rare event since I usually direct. It was very refreshing to be on stage and have fun that way too! Chloe decided at the last minute that she had to be on stage too and got to play an extra during the beginning song. She was so excited to be on stage. I think the acting bug has bit. :)

Well now that the play is over things will slow down quite a bit for us over the holidays if you can believe it. Next weekend Chloe, Mom and I are going to the Nutcracker. We went last year and now it has become a Christmas tradition. As soon as Chloe started to see the Christmas decorations going up she wanted to know when we were going to see the Nutcracker again. She has really gotten into dance this year and is looking forward to seeing all the ballerinas with the "fancy shoes" (pointe shoes). It should be a fun night. I will try to take pictures.

That's all for now. I need to pack things up from the play and get things back to normal. Have a great week!

Thanksgiving Day!

We had a great day spent with family and friends. We ate way too much great food followed by great desserts. We got to visit all afternoon which was a nice break from our busy lives The kids played hard all day and are completely exhausted tonight. It won't take long for them to crash for the night.

I hope you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving with family and friends. May God's Blessings continue to flow in all of your lives.

Feeling Better

Thank you all for your prayers and support! I am feeling much better, still fighting the queasiness a bit but I can live through it. The stomach cramps are still there but are much less painful and far between. I honestly think I either ate something the baby didn't like or have a touch of the stomach flu that no one else in the family got. I am ready for this pregnancy to be over and I still have 27 weeks to go. Joy!

A Day at the ER

Once again this pregnancy is taking its toll. I woke up at 1:30am with horrible stomach cramps and nausea. The pain was so severe it kept me up most of the night. By 8:00am my stomach hurt so bad that I had no choice but to head to the hospital. I dropped the kids off at Mom's and Matt took me to the ER at the closest county hospital (I was not about to go to the base for something that could be serious).

It was quite a long day (made worse by the stomach cramps and nausea), the ER was flooded with patients. I had a battery of tests run: an ultrasound, blood drawn and a urine sample. The tests came back fine. The baby is fine and moving around during the ultrasound. The doctor is not sure why I am having such bad cramps. It could be the stomach flu, something I ate (but highly unlikely since no one else is sick), or the early stages of appendicitis. We have to see how I feel in the next 24 hours to determine if my appendix needs to come out.

We appreciate your prayers and support through this rocky pregnancy. We will let you know how I am feeling over the weekend.

Cutie Pies!

Somedays the kids are just way too cute. Today was one of those days. Chloe has been asking to have her hair curled so last night after her bath we put in the curlers. She was also sporting a new outfit so I thought I would take a picture before she lost all her curl (her hair is so fine that it won't hold curls for more than a few hours).


Aidan was just being a clown as usual. As soon as he saw the camera he began to ham it up. Too funny! He has recently discovered that he likes having his picture taken although I am sure he has no idea what that little silver box does.

All Dressed-Up!

What a busy day! October 31 was a full day especially at Chloe's school. She had a harvest party in her Kindergarten class. They had a HUGE breakfast feast. Leave it to Chloe to pick out an original costume. All the girls in her class were princesses and she was the only Super Girl. She was quite proud of her choice but was way to cute to put fear in the hearts of any evil doers. :) Aidan hung out at the school in is adorable monkey costume. He loves his Halloween costume and couldn't get enough of it. Each time I would take it off so he could eat he would scream at me to put it back on. It was so cute.

That night we went to a local church for "Trunk or Treat". The church fills the parking lot with decorated cars and trucks and the kids go to each trunk for their treat. It is a lot of fun and much better than wandering around the neighborhood in the dark hoping someone is actually home. We were there for about an hour and had hot dogs. Both kids got plenty of candy and were done when it was time to leave (the rain didn't hurt their decision either). After that we ran to Nana and Poppa's house so the kids could show off their costumes.

It was a fun day. Chloe is already thinking about what kind of costume she wants to wear next year. Aidan is still dragging his monkey costume around the house trying to put it on. :)

Only One Baby

Today we had our first sonogram of the baby. We are only having one baby (much to everyone's relief). The due date they originally gave us was wrong. So the new due date is May 16th. I am 3 months pregnant. I am hoping that the nausea will finally start to abate. So here is the first photo of our baby so I guess the question now is....

BOY or GIRL?

Pumpkins!!

The weather has been so unpredictable lately that going to the pumpkin patch has been almost impossible. Either it is too wet and muddy or just too downright cold. So we went to the pumpkin patch at Safeway. It was cheating I know. But the kids had a blast.

Chloe wanted to make a princess pumpkin (of course) she (with Mom's help) did most of the carving on her pumpkin. I think she had the most fun putting all the sparkles on the tiara. The best part was when we had to scoop the guts out of the pumpkins and Chloe squealed when I made her pull out the guts. Aidan had a blast pulling out the guts and than eating them. He had so much fun making a mess in all the pumpkin guts. He has now learned how to climb up into the dining room chairs (and the table) by himself. He is quite proud of his new skill but Mom and Dad are not too sure.

We ended up with two fun pumpkins and they look wonderful on the front porch.

Test Results

I spent the morning being used as a pin cushion by our local hospital during my 3-hour blood glucose test. The test was to see if I have gestational diabetes or not. Having to fast for 15+ hours is not fun especially when I get extreme nausea when I don't eat when I need to. Anyway, I just heard from the nurse and I do not have gestational diabetes. Hallelujah! I do have to stick to a diet of sorts--no simple carbs (which I try to avoid anyway), lots of fiber and fruits and veggies. Matt is convinced eating like this will help him lose weight. So we will eat healthier and see what happens. I have to go through the glucose testing again at 28 weeks.

Thank you all for all your continued prayers and support. We appreciate it so much!

A Mommy Thought

Why is it when I am doing the dishes (which I was up 'til about two minutes ago) both of my children wanted nothing to do with me? But as soon as I walk into the office to blog real quick while a pan soaks they are both in the office driving me crazy? They were both playing contentedly in the Family room just a few minutes ago, what's the deal? Chloe is on the other computer chattering about this and that (nonstop) and Aidan is using the dryer like a drum. Is it just me or are children born with a sixth sense that tells them, "if I bug Mom now she will put me to work, so I better make myself invisible but wait she is doing something other than work so now is a good time to see how much I can test her sanity." Or is it just my children? :) Don't get me wrong, I love my kids but sometimes I wonder if it isn't a conspiracy to see how senile we can make Mom. :)

15-Month Check-Up

Aidan recently had his 15 month check-up. He is perfectly healthy despite a slight cold. He weighs 23lbs. and is 30in. tall.

Pregnancy Ups and Downs

Another week of nausea and sickness has past. Sorry the opening line isn't more exciting but that has been the week. Matt and I are getting excited about the pregnancy and Chloe (and her Aunt Lisa) insist it is twins. I am having double the sickness of the other pregnancies and I am already showing (but that could just because my body hasn't gotten totally back into shape from Aidan). We find out on October 31st, if it is one or two babies causing all the mischief to my body.

We did get a confirmed due date, May 22, 2008. I was excited that the due date was not in the summer. I feel so bad for women who are due in August and September, July was miserable enough. This date means a lot of work on my part for school over the next year. My annual play is June 7th. YIKES!!! So I had the fun of announcing to the class that we have to get busy. Next week, we start on props for "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz". At least this play is simpler to produce than last years and I can buy almost every costume. Yippee!!

Well as we are busy planning where the baby(ies) will stay, what we need to get, the car situation and everything else involved with a new addition. This week we got some upsetting news. I had seven vials of blood drawn and a blood glucose test on Monday (the joys of pregnancy :) ). My test results for the blood glucose test were a little high which has the doctor concerned this early in my pregnancy. The high test results could just be that my metabolism has slowed a bit during the pregnancy which is not a big deal (that is what we are praying for). But it could also mean gestational diabetes which can cause problems for all of us. Having a baby over 9lbs automatically puts you at risk for getting gestational diabetes with the next pregnancy. Next Friday I go in for a 3 hour blood glucose test to determine if I have gestational diabetes. If you could please pray we would greatly appreciate it.

Portland Conference

We made it safely back from our trip to Portland this past weekend. I went to a Stampin' Up! Regional Conference on Saturday so Nana, Chloe and Aidan came along. We had a great drive down there Friday, we sailed through Seattle (if you can believe it). Once we reached Portland things quickly changed. Traffic down there is a nightmare. Plus there were 4 or five major conferences and events going on in the city that weekend so that did not help. We hit 4 or 5 hotels looking for a room before we finally found on in Tigard. It was a fabulous hotel and we will definitely use it again.

Saturday I went to my conference and was on sensory overload I learned so much about stamping and different techniques. I also came home with a stack of projects I made and a new stamp set. (Check out my other blog for more specifics http://michellesstampinpad.blogspot.com). Nana and the kids hung out and played at the hotel and had a blast roaming around. That night we met my Aunt Kim and Great Grandmother Helen for dinner at a fabulous Chinese restaurant nearby. No kidding, it was the best Chinese I think I have ever eaten.

Sunday we took our time heading home after hitting Babies R' Us (I had to see what was new of course) and Costco. It was a fun weekend despite the nausea and sinus headaches. I keep praying the morning sickness will go away once I hit three months! :)

Big News!

I am reminded again of how powerful the connection is between our kids and God. I might just rethink the next time I tell Chloe to pray about something. This has been a week full of shock, excitement, shuffling around and big changes! Next week I will be eight weeks pregnant. Big surprise for us (not that we weren't expecting a positive result from the hospital). This was not what we had planned (God had another plan for our family) but we are beside ourselves with excitement. Two Kids IN DIAPERS!! Not ideal when Matt is getting ready to retire, but at least the Navy will pay for the birth of this one. :) We don't have a confirmed due date yet, I should have that in a few weeks after my first appointment with the nurse. I will keep you updated. We are also hoping and praying that Matt will actually be here for the birth (he may have to leave not long after that).

Chloe of course is beside herself and is insisting that she is getting a little sister this time. Aidan will have a huge adjustment coming up in the next few months, I pray that it goes well and he isn't lost in all the chaos a new baby brings. Chloe has been begging for a little sister since we had Aidan, not that she doesn't love him, but he's not a girl. So Matt and I told her to ask God (not really sure how to answer her pleadings any other way). Apparently God listened. She has also insisted that we are having a girl (for her) and a boy (for Aidan). So the polls and bets are on (check the sidebar on the right for the latest poll). I don't know if I'd put anything past her at this point. I will let you know all as we learn more!

Women's Retreat

I went to a Women's Retreat Friday night and Saturday with church. Mom and I went together. It was such a refreshing time full of fun and growth. I see most of these ladies each week on Sundays but I don't have the opportunity to get to really know them at an hour and a half long service. So it was so nice getting to know these ladies in a new and different way. We stayed at Camp Casey in one of the old barracks (it was pretty dusty and musty) but other than that it was nice. The views of the beach and water were astounding. The weather quickly turned nasty Saturday morning making a walk along the beach a miserable experience in the wind and rain but watching the storm blow in was beautiful.

We had an incredible speaker who was very down-to-earth and transparent. I don't like listening to speakers who seem to be talking at me not to me. This speaker was very poignant and funny using her own life experiences as examples to prove her points. I learned a lot about myself (which can be a scary thing, I'll admit). The worship was awesome as well.

Whenever we have retreats or events at church (especially for Women's Ministries) we always have the best food. This weekend was no exception. Baked Ziti (I think) and tira misu for dinner, pull-apart sticky buns and an egg/sausage casserole for breakfast and a salad bar for lunch. Yum! Plus all the chocolate and snacks we could eat. Which we did. We also made some cards, gift boxes and bookmarks for crafts. Which I helped with, it was so much fun to use my Stampin' Up! skills for the Lord. We stayed up until 2am playing jump rope, talking and toilet papering people into their rooms. We had so much fun.

I came home physically exhausted but emotionally and spiritually recharged. I don't get to go to many retreats but I am already looking forward to the next one!

Another Week Flies By!

It is hard to believe that October starts tomorrow. Where did September go? This past week has been the same as usual. School, dance and more school.

We got Chloe's school finalized. We now have her signed up for speech therapy and three hours a week in a learning center to help her with her cognitive skills. This will hopefully help add to our school work at home. Chloe is flying through her Kindergarten curriculum and is learning so much with her one-on-one time with Mom. I am so excited with her progress. She is still enjoying school and despite a few issues seems to be settling in.

Aidan is growing in leaps and bounds both physically and socially. He is now saying, "Hi," "Dada," and "Momma," when he feels like it. He is climbing onto everything and getting into everything. He is suffering from a terrible case of diaper rash that is incredibly painful. So please pray for him. I am hoping I can get him an appointment in the morning.

Matt is doing well in his college class reading and writing papers. I know he will be glad when the semester is over although he is already planning on taking an English class next term. He is trying to settle into his new command but Monday he is already being moved to a new position. Hopefully he will find a new job.

I have had a long week. Thursday morning I came down with a horrid case of food poisoning and have been fighting it ever sine. I finally feel better tonight and am not as queasy or tired. So Lord willing I am finally on the mend and can be ready to go this week.

Kite Festival

Today we went down to Camp Casey for the local Kite Festival. We got there at the tail end of the event, due to Aidan's nap, but we still got to see some amazing kites. Aidan was in awe and kept pushing his hood back so he could see everything. Chloe couldn't stop talking from the moment she saw the kites from the car windows. Bailey was so excited to go on a walk that she couldn't stop sniffing everything. There were trick kites, people flying kites to music, spinners and so much more. It was really neat to see. The weather was perfect for kite flying, a bit chilly but an awesome wind that kept the kites flying high.

We headed up to the lighthouse and the fort after a while to look around. It has been a few years since we've brought Chloe over there. The height of the fort made me nervous when she was a toddler. She was pretty excited to see the lighthouse but too scared to go up to the top. Maybe in a few years. Once she saw the fort in the distance she asked if we could go to the "playground". That of course got a good laugh. We walked around the main part of the fort for a while and let the kids look at the guns and into the rooms. We weren't really prepared for a day of hiking, we had the umbrella stroller with us (definitely not a great choice for hiking around). It meant that I had to lift the stroller, Aidan and diaper bag down stairs. I can feel it in my shoulders tonight.

It was nice to get out of the house for some family time.

Mariners Game

Matt and I managed to get a night away from the kids. We went to a Mariners game with a group of couples from church and school in a 15-passenger van. It was almost like being in Youth Group again and going on a retreat. It was so nice to have a grown-up, night away. The last time I went to a Mariners game was when they played in the Kingdome (some of you may realize how long ago that was). It was so BORING! But I was looking forward to the game in our fairly new, Safeco Field. It is a beautiful facility. Even though we had "nosebleed" seats (when you have free tickets you can't be choosy) the views of Seattle were gorgeous especially as night fell and the city lit up.

The game was fairly boring at first and I think we were all wondering why we came. The Mariners have been on a very BAD losing streak and it didn't end with Saturday's game. But the last two innings were intense, including a Homerun hit and some incredible double plays. So we were all getting in to the game at the end. By the time we left the field with sore bums, garlic breath (we all had the yummy garlic fries), hoarse voices and stomachs full of overpriced food, we were all pretty tired. But that didn't stop us from laughing and joking most of the way home.

It was nice to get a way from the kids for a few hours but so sweet to come home to see happy, sleepy smiles on their faces when they realized we made it home. I know they enjoyed us being away so they could enjoy an evening of spoiling from Nana and Poppa. They know a good deal when it comes their way.

Family Photo!

Matt had to check in today so he had to shave the goatee he has been sporting for the past month. Chloe was excited it was gone, she didn't like Dad's scratchy face. Aidan didn't even notice as usual. I miss it, as soon as he is done with the military he won't have to shave it off. Yeah!

First Day of Kindergarten

Here is Chloe all decked out for her first day of school. She was as stylish as could be in her leggings, tunic and tennis shoes. She was so excited to finally be able to wear her new clothes (thanks Nana and Poppa). She had such a hard time deciding what to wear so Mom had to step in and decide for her. Chloe has her backpack, which she takes everywhere (not that it is really necessary). It is heavy since we store all of her school workbooks and journals in it. This helps keep us organized and we won't lose anything (I hope).

Chloe had so much fun her first day of classes. She talked my ear off on our way home from the school. But when someone else would ask her about her day, all she could tell them was that she was "now a Kindergartner". That was all that mattered. After months of waiting it was finally here. She is really enjoying school and looks forward to it each day.

Gearing Up for Kindergarten!

It's hard to believe my little girl is going off to Kindergarten next week! She is so excited for school to start again, this has been a very long summer for her. Today she got to pick out her school backpack. She knew she wanted something with butterflies on it (she has been all about butterflies lately) and was very specific in her search. She actually found a purple and black backpack with butterflies and flowers on it (I was surprised). It is a cute backpack and seems very sturdy so it might actually hold up for a few years.

When we got home from backpack shopping, there was a box on our front step, for Chloe. She was so excited. It was her curriculum for the school year. I decided to go with a Christian curriculum called LifePac. It is very easy to teach from and does not require a pile of books either. For Kindergarten all she needs for Math and Language Arts are two workbooks for each subject that will take her through the year. I have a Teacher's book that is so easy to follow. Chloe was so excited to get her books and was ready for her first lesson. So as soon as Aidan was down for his nap we got started.

Chloe loves learning and did awesome for our first day. We didn't go through everything our daily routine will require for the school year, but it was nice to get into the workbooks and get started. Next week we will get a bit more in depth with her school but for now, an hour was enough. Classes start next week and she is besides herself with anticipation. I think we will have a long weekend.

Starbucks Junkie!

These pictures were actually taken on THAT DAY, before Aidan was into everything. Chloe and I came back from our shopping trip with Starbucks and of course Aidan had to have some. He loved Chloe's Orange Cream Frappuchino. He would get furious if he couldn't get anything from the bottom of the cup or when I took it from him to stir it so he could get more. He was hysterical! He has been trying to drink our coffee any chance he gets and he was so excited to get the rest of Chloe's drink. Can you tell he was born in Washington State?

One of THOSE Days!

Have you ever had one of THOSE days? I am sure you know what kind of day I am talking about, especially if you are a parent. THOSE days when your kids test every button known to man just to see what kind of reaction to get. Or when your kids know that you are mentally, physically and emotionally spent and that you will be an easy target. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and would do anything for them but sometimes . . .

Chloe was a great kid today. She patiently waited while I sat through two meetings at school to get ready for the start of school on Monday. We even got to go shopping, just the two of us. Not for anything super exciting but it was nice to spend some time with just her. We picked up some map/posters for my geography class, some folders I needed to keep me organized for school and her primary journals for her daily work (basically composition books for elementary students). She is getting so excited for school to start up again. We even stopped in at Starbucks (a rare treat) and splurged on Frappachinos. (I know, I spelled it wrong Lisa).

Than we came home. Aidan woke up screaming about everything. Anything and Everything would send him into a full blown temper tantrum--on the floor, kicking and screaming. Nothing made him happy (not that we were catering to his demands). I finally picked up the screaming mass of toddler and set him on the floor in his room and walked away. After he calmed down he came out. Not a great start to the evening.

While I was trying to make dinner (which turned into an absolute disaster) he got into everything. First it was removing all the cans out of the pantry. As soon as I was busy putting those away, he had moved on to our room. I found him unrolling our toilet paper and playing with his baby monitor. I cleaned that up, just to walk into the kitchen and fine plastic containers all over the floor. By than he was happy with Chloe in the family room so I worked on dinner a little more. Than I heard a noise. Sure enough he was at it again. He took my melted, almost empty Frappachino cup and was finger painting--the floor, the garbage can, his face and hair.

Sometimes I wonder if I am cut out to be a Mom to a boy. :) AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Okay, I feel better now.

We Have A Window!

It has been over a year and we are still working on finishing up the garage/office conversion. Wow! What a project! But it is getting there. Now it is all that little stuff that always gets overlooked. I don't think anyone who owns their home can ever say that it is COMPLETELY, DONE & PERFECT! Especially in a 50+ year old house.

On Thursday our great friend James (THANK YOU) came over and helped Matt install a brand new window for the office. Which involved prying the metal frame out from under our siding. But in just a few hours they had the new window in place and secure. Aidan kept hearing all of the banging and talking going on and had to be in the office to watch. He loves being anywhere Daddy is.

Matt spent time over the weekend finishing the caulking and the trim work. It was the only window in the entire house that was not changed to vinyl by the previous owners (go figure). Now we just have to add some trim and paint. Okay, let me rephrase that --Matt will be adding the trim and I will be painting. Matt does not paint.

It is so nice to have actual sunlight fill the office (not that we have seen too much sunlight here lately). We had to keep the old window covered with a blanket to keep out drafts. We can now open the window (not even an option with the old one). It is also great to have Matt outside puttering around in the garage and driveway with all of his power tools. Leave has been good for him.

Wet Your Pants Funny!

If you want a great laugh you have to check out this auction listing on Ebay. The auction is over but the story behind the auction is laugh outloud hillarious!

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130144061675&ru=http%25

If you are up for more laughs, than check out this funny mom's blog!

http://mom2my6pack.blogspot.com

Bailey's New Do

We are down to one dog now--our Cocker Spaniel, Bailey. She got a much needed haircut and bath today. The pile of hair under the table was HUGE. She used to look like a giant blonde mop. Now she looks a bit more like a beagle rather than a cocker but that will change as her hair grows out. She smells so much better and feels much better, I am sure. Since she is all clean we let her in the house today and she is so happy to be inside she can hardly sit still.

Bailey is so sweet and great with the kids. She let's Aidan beat on her and she just stands still until he is done than she walks away. Chloe and Bailey have always had a special relationship and have played great together. Bailey and Felix get along too! They just sniff one another and than move on. Silver on the other hand is not impressed with Bailey. As I am writing this, Bailey is sitting contentedly at my feet and Silver is hiding under the futon growling and hissing furiously. It is almost funny. Oh, well. Silver is just going to have to get used to the dog. Bailey was here first.