Finding the Balance

basketball.

2012-01-30T19:54:00.000-06:00

We've been spending our Saturdays here lately...

Look at that amazing form... =)

They don't officially keep score, but we pretty much got creamed at every single game. Bummer.
He still had fun, though.
And is already looking forward to indoor soccer!

random.

2012-01-27T21:22:00.000-06:00

The kids wrote Christmas thank you notes the week after Christmas. I'm big into thank you notes. Now they are, too. I love that.

Spoiled much?? Corey came downstairs early one morning this week and found Marley sound asleep... stretched out on the couch. She used to always sleep upstairs, but she hasn't been for a couple weeks. Now we know why.

Someone was playing in Mommy's jewelry the other day. She came downstairs wearing my two favorite necklaces. She already has good taste.

Mommy was desperate for a little peace and quiet a couple weekends ago. It was cold, cold, cold outside.

Oreo pops! Thank you, Pinterest!

These cute little organizer bins are at Wal-Mart for $2! And I only bought one. Corey should be proud of me.

Corey started this project one Saturday. Pulled out all the Tupperware... started trying to match up lids... then left it for me to finish. We now have organized Tupperware. (actually cheap Gladware/Ziploc)

You might have too many Pop Tarts if you feel the need to organize them. Or maybe it's just more fun to pull them out of a cute basket.

Someone finally decided to try ice cream! And she likes it! Crazy baby. We've been trying to get her to eat it for over a year. Sherbet is her favorite... she's her momma's girl.

Miss Carrie gave me this cute red tray and button magnets for Christmas. I LOVE it! It's hanging on the side of one of our kitchen cabinets, being used right now for our meal list. Two of these are Pinterest meals... and they may have been pinned by my husband. (He's discovered the awesomeness of Pinterest and may have been ridiculed by several of his friends on Facebook because of it.) =)

The kids both told me... at different times... that what I should do is write the meal we are having on the day that we are having it! Isn't that a great idea?! =) Unfortunately, this momma isn't organized enough for that. This is how I meal plan... just a list of 7-10 meals that will last us close to 2 weeks. Every Friday is pizza/movie night.

Miss Carrie is leaving me. I'm so very sad. Not just me... but all her families she cleans for. I love coming home to a clean house every other week. Tuesday's just won't be as happy anymore.

home movies.

2012-01-26T22:10:00.000-06:00

For New Year's Eve this year, we pulled out some of our old videos. Sophie and Lawson loved them!

We were all a little amazed by how much toddler Gretchen looks *exactly* like toddler Sophie.

I might have to dig out some old pictures to scan. Maybe a good Spring Break project. =)

baby shower.

2012-01-21T20:22:00.000-06:00

We are so excited to welcome a new little miss into our family! Less than two weeks now!!

I got to help host a baby shower for my sweet sister-in-law, Heather. (And why was I stupid enough to take pictures in front of a sliding glass door with sun shining through?!)

The M&M's and pink Whoppers were a last minute impulse buy. And they may or may not have just been an excuse to use my cute mini colanders. =)

Heather is a great aunt, so we know she is going to be an amazing mommy!

All the Jones girls...

Corey and Lawson were back at the farm this weekend, so I got to just enjoy this time with my girls. So fun.

The two grandmas...

Someone small kept sneaking to the kitchen and reaching her little hands into those cute little colanders...

We can't wait to meet you Miss Madison!

You are going to be so loved by your cousins! (and your aunt and uncle)

more pinterest.

2012-01-21T11:25:00.001-06:00

I'm pretty sure this is one of the first thing I ever pinned on Pinterest. I love it. It's one of those things that is totally my style. Red... polka dots... pictures of my kids... what's not to love about that?

(This isn't my kid. This was the picture I pinned.) =)

The frames were $3 each from Wal-Mart... metal clips were $2... scrapbook paper and spray paint were free. (Thanks, Amy D for the green!) The only change I made from the original pin was that I didn't attach the paper to the glass with spray adhesive. I just put it in the frame like you would a picture. Then I can change the paper someday if I want to.

How happy are these little faces? They are hanging in our former breakfast nook/toyroom/mudroom... right by our family rules canvas. It's such a happy little corner. (Still wanting to make some fun pillows for the benches!)

Sorry for the crooked pictures. For some reason, when I straighten pictures in iPhoto, it makes them look fuzzy.

Thank you, Pinterest, for all your fun and creative ideas! If only there were more time to be crafty...

more {me} answers.

2012-01-17T23:10:00.001-06:00

** When are we going to Target and Michael's next?
Actually... I think I might be going tomorrow! Very, very quick trips, though. So a trip with a friend will be necessary soon! =)

** How is a perfect day spent?
It depends on the day and my mood. I always thought I was an extrovert, but then a friend said that it is really determined by how you recharge. So now I think I'm a social introvert. =) I LOVE spending time with friends, but I also need some alone time. Time on the computer, time in the loft being crafty, time reading or watching TV. If I don't have that alone time every once in awhile, I start to go a little nuts. I actually choose to eat lunch in my classroom every couple weeks. Just for the quiet. I usually do a little something teachery, but then spend time on Facebook or something mindless. You know, for my long 20 minute lunch.

So depending on the day and my mood... I might choose to be alone... or with friends... or with my family. How's that for a straight answer?

Remember this happy alone day during Corey's cattle sale? Just what I needed!

But this Abilene road trip with friends was a perfect day, too!

And fun stuff like a family trip to the drive-in will definitely be repeated!

** What is your favorite holiday and why?
I love Easter. I love the music and the songs and the fact that Jesus rose from the dead. I really like Christmas, too, but Easter is my favorite.

{one of my favorites}

I get choked up every year when we sing "Then bursting forth, in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!"

** What is your favorite blog or website to visit?

I'm having lots of fun on Pinterest right now. So many fun ideas. It just makes me happy to look at my boards. Happy things that make me smile... all in one organized place. What's not to love?!

Cute things to make...

Fun colorful eye candy...

And even super cute little hedgehogs! (He's on my "Makes me smile" board) =)

I have 79 blogs I follow in my Google reader. Some are real life friends and neighbors... some are strictly blog friends, but the kind that I know exchange Christmas cards with and plan to visit someday... some are teacher blogs... some are crafty blogs. I know there are hundreds of blogs out there that I would love and be able to get ideas from. I just don't have time to follow them all. I could spend so much time on the computer if I wanted to.

** If you had 15 minutes left to live what would you want to say" to your readers , or your friends , or your kids, or your family?

Oh my. This is deep. Too deep for me to really answer right now.
Really the only thing my kids, friends or family needs to know is that I love them.
Really, really love them. More than anything.
I love them and I am so, so grateful for each and every one of them.
That's all.

(and I like my readers an awful lot, too!) =)

** i want to see your home tour! :)

Someday, Jenn! I promise! I have some cleaning to do first! (and some organizing... and decrapifying... ) But someday!

But I'll share these happy pictures now. My neighbor, Jenn, took these from her front porch. Ours is the 3rd porch down... the one with the porch swing. Isn't this is a perfect little "small town America" picture? I love it.

{me} answers.

2012-01-16T22:00:00.001-06:00

** How do you stay on top of your blogging and with so many pictures.....do you load them and leave, coming back and adding text later -- or do you sit and do it all at one time?
I stay on top of blogging simply because I know that I am recording memories for our family. I want those memories and the pictures to be in my blog book at the end of the year, so I make the time to do it.

I download pictures off my camera every few days. Once a week, at least. Then I sort them in iPhoto according to the event/activity. I'll go through each event/activity that I want to blog about and flag the pictures I want, then do some quick editing. I'll leave the edited pictures flagged until I get the time to blog about them. I usually upload the pictures and do the text/finish the post at the same time.

** What are your favorite comfort foods/meals? What is your favorite food? I know Dr. Pepper is your drink of choice as that's mine too!!
I tell my first graders every year that my favorite food is cheese. But any chocolate/peanut butter combination comes in a close second. I have a big sweet tooth, which isn't a good thing. And you're right about the Dr. Pepper, although I have created a morning coffee habit. (coffee with lots of creamer)

** When is your next ladies' night out? :)
Soon, please!! (and really... why don't any of us bring our cameras to these nights?!)

** Do you enjoy exercise?
No. I don't. I wish I did. I need to be exercising, but it's just not happening. I go back and forth between thinking, "I am going to get in shape... lose weight... look really good!" and "Eh... my husband loves me and thinks I'm beautiful. That's good enough for me."

{exactly}

** Do you like warmer weather or prefer snow?
Warm weather. Not the crazy hot temperatures we had during the summer, but warm. Fall and spring are my favorite seasons. Capri pants, a long sleeve t-shirt or hoodie and flip flops is my favorite outfit.

I do love to have one good snow each winter, though, just because it's so pretty and the kids love to play in it. I love to be inside looking at all the pretty white snow. I don't love having to be out in it, though. Not for long, at least. =)

** When you have down time do you relax, or get stuf done?It depends on the day, really. Some days I'm really motivated and get lots of things done... and other days I'm really lazy and hardly do anything productive at all. (I guess I'm mainly thinking weekends here.) During the week, it just depends. Some evenings I'll feel the need to get things crossed off my list and other nights I don't. The good thing is, when I am feeling productive, I can usually get a lot done. So I guess I make up for those lazy days. =)

{a summer list}

** When is the spring barn sale? :)
Beki isn't having a spring sale this year. They are going to focus solely on the fall sale. So mark your calendar for then, Melissa and I guess you will just have to make a road trip here to visit me in the spring!

{photo by Amy D}

answers.

2012-01-14T17:44:00.002-06:00

Thanks for all the great questions!
You've helped get me out of my blogging slump a bit.
I'll be back with more answers, soon! =)

{kid} answers.

2012-01-14T17:25:00.006-06:00

** I would love to know the significance of your kids' names...
Sophie Nicole... I've liked the name Sophie since high school. But I didn't want Sophia. Just Sophie. I had several people tell me that Sophie would be better, because when she's older, she wouldn't want to be called Sophie. But then I had a professor in college... tall, beautiful, sophisticated... named Sophie. And I knew it would be okay. =) Nicole is my middle name.

Lawson Bernn... my maiden name was Law and we just kind of made it up. (I've learned of a few other Lawson's since then, but I honestly had never heard it as a first name before.) Corey's dad was named Bernnie. He passed away very unexpectedly 10 years ago (a year before Sophie was born) and we wanted to honor him. So Lawson is named after both his grandpas.

Gretchen Jane... I don't even remember what made me suggest it, but I threw it out there one night when Corey and I were talking about baby names and we both liked it right away. And it was funny... after we decided it, I started seeing/hearing the name everywhere. On the radio, on tv, Facebook, letters from the hospital. Several people at school were trying to guess her name (I only told one friend the name with each baby) and I would tell them that they knew the name, they've heard it, it's not an "unusual" name, but that I didn't know anyone with that name. We love it. It's the perfect name for her. (and we never could decide on a boy name...) Jane is after my mom. We decided on it before we knew her first name.

Random sidenote: There is a Jones family tradition... ALL of the Jones... in-laws, cousins, aunts, uncles... everyone who didn't marry in... has a middle name that starts with an L. Everyone except my children. I guess I'm a bit of a rebel. Or a black sheep in the family. I didn't intend to buck the tradition... it just kind of happened. We didn't know if Sophie was going to be a boy or a girl, but I had known for years that my daughter was going to have my middle name. I had just always wanted that. So we decided that it our baby was a girl, she would have my middle name and if it was a boy, we would do an L middle name. We knew that Lawson was going to be a boy and all along, we were going to use Lawson as his middle name. Two weeks before he was due, I suggested using Lawson as a first name and to make the middle name after Corey's dad. And obviously Gretchen isn't an L, either. So my kids ruined the tradition. Luckily, the Jones all still seem to like us. =)

** I have 2 kids right now... i haven't ruled out a third (my husband would love a boy - we have 2 girls now)... what are your thoughts on having 3 kids? (i'm barely staying afloat with 2 (10 months & 3) is it overwhelming? do you find it totally exhausting?
I am definitely overwhelmed and exhausted sometimes. (Maybe a lot of the time) But at this point, I think that has more to do with the fact that I work full time. I've shared before that Gretchen was a surprise. We were still debating on whether we wanted to stop at 2 or try for 3 and God decided for us. I am so glad He did. I truly cannot imagine our life without her. I do like the space between them, though. Sophie and Lawson are just 2 1/2 years apart. When Gretchen was born, Sophie had just turned 7 and Lawson was 4 1/2 years old. That was so different and it has been so much fun to have "big kids" and a baby. When Lawson was 2 1/2, I couldn't imagine the thought of having another at that point. Imagine that... God knew what would be just perfect for us. =)

** What type of discipline do you practice? ex: time out? taking things away? what works for your kids?

We use time-out... we take things away (the Wii is Lawson's big motivator right now, Sophie's would probably be TV)... we do spank, but we try to save that for more serious things. We also do vinegar in their mouths when they are talking rudely or disrespectfully to us. Early bedtimes, too.

I've been to so many different discipline trainings with school that I probably use a variety of different types. I really like Jim Fay and Love and Logic, Becky Bailey's Conscious Discipline is good, too. And Larry and Angela Thompson's Effective Discipline is what our school is using now. So I probably use some of all of these with my own kids. The things that I ~~preach at~~ share with Corey are: give them choices when you can (but make sure that you are okay with either choice), tell them WHY they should or shouldn't do something... this is a big one, I think. Too often we just want kids to do what we say, when we say it. Taking an extra minute or two to explain to them why you want them to do something can make a big difference. Consistency is huge and modeling is so important. They are always watching... whether you want them to or not. Sophie's sarcasm and eye-rolling drive me crazy, but I also know exactly who she learned it from. (Darn it.)

** We are overwhelmed with toys...how do you keep your house "tidy?" do you donate? do you sell them? give them away?

My house? Tidy? Um... yeah. That doesn't really describe my house that often.

So I honestly typed that sentence and then just got up, got my camera and took a few pictures. This is what my house looks like right. this. moment.

We do have a lot of toys. Last summer when I did my decrapifying, we got rid of a lot of them. We sold a lot at the garage sale, we donated some, we took some to a local consignment store and we gave some away. I actually just read a blog post the other day about having too many toys. And now I think we need to downsize more. Or at least put some away and rotate them in and out. Summer 2012, I guess. =)

We really need to do a better job of making the kids pick up after themselves. We're working on it.

** What are your favorite books to read aloud to your classes and your kids?

There are so many fun children's books out there. Read aloud is one of my favorite times in 1st grade. All kids love to be read to. We've been doing a little "author study" at different times this year and reading books by some of my favorite authors. So far we've read Eric Carle, Tomie dePaola, Steven Kellogg and Jan Brett. We'll read Leo Lionni and Dr. Seuss, too. Junie B. Jones is fun to read and I love Patricia Polocco's books, too, but they are probably better for 2nd grade and up. "Thank you, Mr. Falker" always makes me teary. I love reading Sandra Boynton books to Gretchie.

There are just so many, many great books. I'm sure I'm forgetting some of my favorite authors.

** What chores do you have your kids do? Do they earn money for doing them?

I did a post awhile back about our little clipboards with responsibilities. We kind of stopped that around Christmas and are just now getting back into the swing of it. For that we have 11 chores/responsibilities and they do get paid for them.

* Clean room

* Organized closet (so that cleaning your room doesn't become "throw everything in the closet")

* Organized cubby

* Organized dresser

* Shoes, coat, backpack put away

* Spot in the van clean (this is one of my favorites)

* Pray at a meal

* Write something on our Thankful poster

* Write a letter or note to someone

* Do something helpful without being asked

* Compliment your sibling (this is the one that's worth 25 cents)

If they do all these things, they get $1.25/week. 25 cents goes to church, so they can earn up to $1.00/week. They do have other things we ask/expect them to do that aren't included in the pay. (Helping set/clear the table, putting dishes in the dishwasher, picking up toys inside and outside, helping with Gretchen) Again, we need to do better as parents with consistency and following through.

** What is your most favorite thing to do with your kids together and by themselves with just you?
My kids have always been big snugglers. I love to just sit on the couch with them and watch a movie together. I love watching them draw, paint, and be creative or use their imaginations. They all love to be read to. (Sadly, I don't read to them as much as I should. Especially since Sophie and Lawson learned to read themselves.) But snuggling is a definite favorite.

With each of them alone, their favorite things would probably be...

Sophie: shopping at Target

Lawson: playing a game

Gretchen: reading books

questions?

2012-01-09T20:59:00.002-06:00

Apparently I am in a bloggity slump.
So help me out...

Anything you want to know?

school.

2012-01-04T21:31:00.000-06:00

School started again.
Work day yesterday and kids today.
I was not ready for Christmas break to be over.
1st graders make me tired.
And I got a new one today.
They are small, but exhausting.

blog headers.

2011-12-31T23:22:00.000-06:00

Just so I can have them all in my 2011 book...

jones christmas.

2011-12-31T23:21:00.000-06:00

I can't wait until next Christmas when we have a new little girl running all around! Or maybe just crawling... =)

We decided it was time for an updated family picture! (Although it will only be good for another two months.)

Merry Christmas! (and Happy Birthday, Jeanette!)

sumo's.

2011-12-31T22:57:00.000-06:00

We started our Jones Family Christmas by going out to eat at Sumo Japanese Grill. We were also celebrating Grandma Jones' birthday. 50 minutes is a long time for 3 kids to wait, but they all did amazingly well. (Really... what is the point of call ahead seating??) Hearing someone whisper to their date that Gretchen was "the cutest thing she's ever seen" will always make this momma smile. =)

It was definitely worth the wait, though. Everything was fabulous! (Although I can't speak for the shrimp personally... I heard they were amazing, too.)

Lawson thought the fire was cool, but he looked pretty nervous about the whole thing. The chef kept checking in with him and asking him if he was okay. =) The last time we took him to a restaurant like this, he was only 3. His face was pretty much the same then, too.

It was kind of like Olive Garden for me. I could have eaten just the salad and fried rice and been perfectly content. So yummy!

Corey's favorite line from the whole evening... "Japanese chicken. Meow."

Gretchen watched the chef a little bit, but she spent most of her time down here in the corner, just walking around and playing. She drew and colored and looked at books. Such a sweet little thing.

Then a man from a nearby table brought the kids all a piece of his birthday cake. She wanted up in her highchair then. =)

I can never seem to get pictures of the shrimp tossing/catching...

Sophie and Lawson both loved the chopsticks...

So much fun and such good food!
Then it was back to Aunt Heather and Uncle Brian's to open presents...

fun, happy stuff.

2011-12-31T10:47:00.000-06:00

Some fun, happy, colorful things have been added to our house these past few weeks. Some were gifts and a couple I bought. None of them are really necessary, but they all make me smile...

The kids and I all got some fun new luggage for Christmas! How fun are these flowers and polka dots?!

The kids personalized bags are from Meredith at StarDesignsStudio on Etsy. She did an amazing job and the kids can't wait to use their bags! You can get your own here! My polka dot suitcase is from Target.

One of my goals this Christmas was to get the kids each their own box to store their special ornaments in. I had planned on photo boxes, but realized that those would be too small in just a year or two. These ornament boxes from Target were quite a bit bigger than what I imagined, but the color and style just made me happy. They were on sale for $9 each and then they gave me the 50% off seasonal discount. For $4.50, they were definitely worth it!

Corey and I were on a day date awhile back (thanks, Danielle, for keeping our big kids!) and I saw these cute metal mini-colanders at World Market...

See how little it is? This is a regular sized paper plate. They were just cute and colorful and only $2. My biggest problem was deciding what color to get! (Red, green, orange, turquoise... I really wanted one of each!)

I showed it to my friend and she loved them, too! She actually went to get some of her own and then gifted me with two more! (She said they were nearly gone! Everyone was loving how cute they are!) I have no idea what I'm going to do with them, but they're just so cute and happy. =)

My sister-in-law and brother-in-law gave this to me for Christmas. Heather said as soon as she saw it, she knew it was me! She's right! How fun is this calendar? It's a canvas, but covered in something that makes it dry erase. So every month, you just erase it and start over. I love, love, love the colors and the flowers! Still deciding where it's going to live, though...

And this sign from my mom. She said it made her think of me... not because my house is always a mess (although that might not be true... my mom's house is never messy. Only when we are there visiting.) =) But she said it was because I am so good about letting my kids make messes and have fun. And I love that she thinks that.

Lawson read the sign yesterday and said, "Well, that's kind of rude. We're not noisy and messy!"

I just laughed. And then he laughed and said, "Yeah. I guess it's right."

painting.

2011-12-30T16:06:00.001-06:00

Perfect for Grandma Jones' music room at school!

And... before you start thinking all "Supermom-crafts-with-her-kids"... there may have been whining, fussing and yelling during this little project. In fact, I can guarantee you that there was. But the nice thing is... when we look back at these pictures years from now, we won't remember the fussing and whining and yelling. We'll just smile, remembering the painting and the fun project we made for Grandma. We won't remember the other stuff.

Although I just wrote it down here, so nevermind that part, I guess...

christmas day.

2011-12-28T16:33:00.000-06:00

I love having my parents come on Christmas. (Thank you, Delean, for being on call for Dad!)

Lawson was so excited to show Grandpa his new remote control helicopter! But he promptly flew it on the roof. =)

This one was having a really hard time waiting for her baby sister to wake up from her nap. She did not love just having to look at all these presents and not open them!

Gretchen finally woke up and then sat like this on Grandma's lap while the other two opened presents. She was still pretty sleepy...

This was one of those, "Oh!! I love it!! Wait... what is it?" moments. =)

And the one thing that Sophie was really, really wanting... roller skates!

Grandma finally started opening some of Gretchen's gifts for her...

She cracked a tiny smile when she saw her little cow family...

Seriously. How do you teach a kid to roller skate?

And yes... she's still in her jammies. (I might have been, too...) We didn't go to church. How awful is that? We planned on going, we talked about going, but when the time actually came... it just didn't happen. We were going to our church's 11:00 service and at 10:30, we had just gotten the Wii hooked up. Sophie was creating her Lalaloopsy school, Corey and Lawson were figuring out Super Mario, Gretchie was playing with her dollhouse and I was starting to get all stressed out, knowing that I was going to have to start nagging at everyone to get dressed and get around for church. I didn't want to be that mom right then. I believe 100% that the reason we celebrate Christmas is all about Jesus. But I also know that I wanted Christmas to be a fun and relaxing time for my family. And that wasn't going to happen if I had to start getting all naggy. I also realized that the main guilt I was having was because I was worried about what other people were going to think. A lot of people from our church read this blog... what would they think about seeing pictures of us in the afternoon, still in our pajamas?! And then I realized that worrying about what other people are going to think isn't a good reason to do anything.

So I asked my kids why we celebrate Christmas. And I asked them which was more important: presents or Jesus? (It might have taken Lawson a couple tries to get the answer right...) And then I decided that Jesus would still love us, even if we didn't go to church. In that moment, it was more important to me to spend the rest of the morning relaxing and loving on my sweet little family. In our house. In our pajamas. Even if it would earn me an "Amy Nicole..." when my mom came. =)

It was a perfect day. Quiet and cozy and relaxed and fun. Together with some of the people that we love the most. Every Christmas should be like this.

through the years.

2011-12-26T21:58:00.000-06:00

2008

2009

2010

2011

Do you notice anything similar about these pictures?
The gray cardigan.
Every year the pajama pants and t-shirt changes... but the gray cardigan stays the same.
Wonder what that says about me...

christmas morning.

2011-12-26T14:25:00.000-06:00

Someone small might have eaten 3/4 of this box of Whoppers in just an hour or so. =)

About an hour after we opened gifts, we showed them this... the first clue to a little scavenger hunt.

Final clue took them here and they found the Wii hidden inside. Lawson was a little stunned. =) I didn't get any pictures after this because he came running at me and threw his arms around my neck in a huge hug. =)

Birthday cinnamon rolls for Baby Jesus!

Sophie spent a few hours out here. She turned the box from her Lala Loopsy bus into a school...

Hi Momma!

Great, great morning! The kids loved all the gifts... no bad attitudes... it was just delightful.
I had to laugh later that evening though. My sister emailed me pictures from her house Christmas morning. She said she they had a great time, but she didn't get very many pictures. There were 19.
I downloaded my Christmas morning pictures shortly after noon. There were 296. =)

And then Grandma and Grandpa came in the afternoon with more presents...

christmas morning 2011.

2011-12-25T15:05:00.000-06:00

Blessed beyond words.

Merry Christmas!

christmas eve.

2011-12-25T00:49:00.000-06:00

Our Christmas Eve this year was so very different from last year. Which is good.

Last year wasn't much fun.

This year was nice. And fun. And relaxed. I like all those things.

Decorating gingerbread cookies...

Pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream for supper...

We did make one change in tradition. Instead of watching "It's a Wonderful Life," we watched the "Good Luck, Charlie" Christmas special on Disney channel. Probably a little more kid-friendly. (and honestly... I love the show, too. Mainly because I want to live in their house.)

They each got to open one present.... new pajamas. And thankfully there were no freakouts this year over how pajamas fit. Whew. (Although we may have done ~~a little~~ a lot of talking about it during the day.)

Peppermint shakes...

And three adorably cute, happy little people in new jammies. (and I didn't even have to create a happy kids picture this year!) =)

Santa gifts are out...

And one special gift from Mommy and Daddy is hidden away...

A few cookies were set out for Santa. The others are hidden in the stove (to keep a giant dog from eating them all.)

So excited to wake up and see these smiling faces in the morning...

from us to you.

2011-12-24T21:02:00.002-06:00

elf yourself.

2011-12-24T13:55:00.000-06:00

Our family was torn this year between the Disco version and the Country.
Corey liked the country. He thinks he's got a little John Denver in him...

Gretchen makes me smile.
Seriously... isn't she the happiest little elf you ever saw?!

gingerbread house.

2011-12-23T19:11:00.000-06:00

After about 20 minutes, we just left them with the frosting and candy and let them do whatever they wanted. It earned us a "You are the funnest parents ever!" Which was nice, because earlier that day I had been "the meanest mom in the world." I guess it all evens out. =)

for jessi.

2011-12-22T23:53:00.000-06:00

This was such a fun gift to give...

We {heart} Jessi

All the daycare parents knew about it, but I got to be the lucky one who delivered it.
She hugged me. And then got teary. And then hugged me again.
I'm pretty sure she loved it.
And I loved making it for her.
Because we do love her. A lot.
And we love the way she loves our kids.

Merry Christmas, Jessi!

Thanks for sharing your idea, Meagan!

She took my Grandma and Grandpa idea and used it for her daycare provider.

That's why I love crafting with friends! Sharing ideas is the best!

gretchie.

2011-12-22T10:23:00.000-06:00

No words for these pictures, only smiles.

We simply cannot get enough of this happy little miss...

programs.

2011-12-21T20:43:00.000-06:00

Both our girls had music programs last week...

One was a little less thrilled to be on stage than the other...

Luckily, she was full of smiles when we got home.
I'll apologize now for all the pictures that are coming.
This little miss was just too cute in her little Christmas dress.

family picture.

2011-12-21T16:51:00.000-06:00

(This picture is a few weeks old. I finally remembered to scan it so I could post it here!)

We figured out the trick to getting a certain little miss to look at the camera and smile... no photographer!

But having all our family pictures taken in a photo booth might not be too practical. =)

christmas random.

2011-12-17T12:39:00.000-06:00

The pirate hook isn't really part of our Christmas decor. =) Happily, these boxes have been put away for a couple weeks now...

Finishing up the decorating was a little challenging though, when I had to keep jumping over these two...

Finally took down all our 2010 Christmas pictures last night...

I had kind of forgotten what the canvas actually looks like underneath...

I bought myself a new camera bag awhile back. It's not really a camera bag, but that's what I'm using it for.

Spent a few cold, cold hours out in the garage getting high on spray paint and making gifts for my sweet nieces and nephews...

Sweet, simple little gifts for kids who don't really need anything.

(Don't worry... I just emailed my sister after I looked at this picture and realized I forgot to go back over a couple of these cans and push down the sharp edges. Nice job, Aunt Amy.)

One of Gretchen's favorite things to play with lately. And by play, I mean just spread them all around. It's lots of fun.

My first Black Friday purchase. But it was purchased for me by my sweet neighbor, Amy D. Best way to Black Friday shop, in my opinion. =)

I did the majority of my Christmas shopping online this year. So fun to come home to boxes nearly every day!

I bought this decoration for Corey and I's first Christmas together when we were in our little college apartment. I loved it then, but I love it even more since I hot glued all the little things on there a few years ago...

Every year we forget about this little toy. And every year the kids love to get it out again. Click here to watch a video of Sophie and Lawson with it from 2007. Lawson is so little!!

Lots and lots of things on my To-Do-List this weekend!

Let's see how productive I can be!

need a smile?

2011-12-14T22:44:00.000-06:00

Here you go...

You're welcome. =)

it's beginning to look a lot like christmas.

2011-12-10T21:16:00.000-06:00

The tree has been up for awhile, I'm just a little behind on life right now. =)

Gretchen was so fun to decorate with this year. She got really excited about this Shrek ornament...

She loves finding all of her ornaments. They all three got penguin ornaments this year and she can tell you where each one is.

I tied on ribbons. That was the extent of my decorating help. The kids (and Corey) did everything else.

Ornaments were a little bit cluttered in some areas...

Gretchen loved putting the angel on this year! We laughed remembering her last year...

She wouldn't even touch it!

This girl is almost tall enough to put it on herself! (When she's standing on the arm of the chair...)

I love looking at all these fun and colorful ornaments and remembering where they came from...

responsibilities.

2011-12-04T22:19:00.000-06:00

So we've started something new.
The kids had been asking if they could get an allowance and we were looking for ways to teach them more about money... about saving and spending and using your money to find ways to bless other people.
We thought about the best way to do it and what would work best for our family. I asked for advice awhile back about this and several people suggested not having chores tied to money. They do still have certain jobs and things we ask them to do to help out that aren't tied to an allowance. But honestly, they needed to be doing more than what they were. And we needed to do better about enforcing certain things and making sure that jobs were getting done.

So here is what we have... (sorry for the lousy pictures)

They each have a clipboard with 11 clothespins/responsibilities. They earn 10 cents for most, but 1 is worth 25 cents. They can earn up to $1.25/week, but each week 25 cents goes to church. So really, they have the opportunity to earn $1.00/week.

* Clean room

* Organized closet (so that cleaning your room doesn't become "throw everything in the closet")

* Organized cubby

* Organized dresser

* Shoes, coat, backpack put away

* Spot in the van clean (this is one of my favorites)

* Pray at a meal

* Write something on our Thankful poster

* Write a letter or note to someone

* Do something helpful without being asked

* Compliment your sibling (this is the one that's worth 25 cents)

I found these cute little notebooks at Wal-Mart. These will someday be filled with kind things that the kids have had to say about each other. (and mommy and daddy can add some in, too) I want to decorate them up a little, but for now they just look like this. And I have to say... I am loving this.

We have had to make a rule that you can't say the same thing more than once ("I like the clothes you wore to church.") and you can't just write the same thing that your sibling wrote to you. (or if you do, then you have to write an additional one, as well.)

We have been doing it for a month now and the kids are loving it! And we are, too! (Although, for the record, Lawson has only earned a dollar twice. His idea of a clean room was a little different than mine. =) The last two weeks he's started to get the hang of it, though.

Things I love about it:

1. They can move at their own pace. They both usually move 2-3 clothespins right away on Monday or Tuesday. Sophie almost always has hers all moved by Friday. Lawson usually waits until Sunday to finish his.

2. I don't have to remind them about all the things to do. I will remind them that it's getting close to Sunday and they might want to check their clipboards, but that's it. Last Sunday, Lawson walked around carrying his little clipboard "so he didn't have to remember everything."

3. The van is much cleaner. =)

4. Lawson's closet is so much cleaner! He helped me organize it last weekend and we decided together where everything should go. So far it's really helping him put things back where they go, instead of just throwing it in his closet.

5. Corey and I don't have to keep track of anything during the week and make sure that they are each getting certain jobs done daily. These can really all be done in one day, if that's how they want to do it.

6. They love to read their little notebooks. And each week, after they have written in it/read it, they have played together for hours. I think there is a connection.

They are becoming more responsible and helpful, their rooms are cleaner and more organized, and at least one day a week, they are getting along a little better. Totally worth $2.50/week, in my opinion. =)

random.

2011-11-26T14:27:00.000-06:00

thankful.

2011-11-25T14:16:00.000-06:00

So many, many things to be thankful for this year. In no particular order...

Corey our house 1st graders Dr. Pepper Sophie coffee

coffee creamer (I'm probably more thankful for this than the actual coffee)

Sonic happy hour Lawson chocolate chip cookie dough

happy colorful jewelry skinny jeans (that you don't have to be skinny to wear!)

cute baby boots friends 2 year old chatter Gretchie

Jessi (who loves my sweet baby so much) comfy cozy beds

Cory Keller (and his fabulous photos) DVR (seriously love that thing)

Gina and Danielle (and our early morning chats)

Jesus praise and worship time at church M2M blogs blog friends

Facebook Carrie Leah and Abby (the best 1st grade team ever)

easy hair (that has finally grown in enough that I can wear it down again)

ponytails (that got me through those 6 months of thin/breaking hair) Amy D.

funny comments from 1st graders the first time I wore my hair down

blog books scrapbooks my camera (and all the memories that it has captured)

slippers concealer (still have dark circles even though I don't have a newborn anymore)

hair color mineral makeup amazing parents fun in-laws

the power of prayer friends who will pray teachers who care and work tirelessly

chapstick my fuzzy cat (who came home after a month away) movies

family friends who are more like family neighbors

Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim His greatness. Let the whole world know what He has done!

pumpkin patch.

2011-11-20T15:09:00.000-06:00

This field trip was a month ago, but I realized this weekend that I never posted any of the pictures.

And these little people are just too cute not to share...

The kids thought it was hilarious that the cows were eating pumpkins...

It was just a tiny bit chilly that day...

Three of my favorite first graders...

This little guy makes me smile. Someone asked him the other day why he wears pajama pants to school all the time. He shrugged his shoulders and said, "They're comfortable." I'm actually kind of jealous that he can get away with that. =)

Most of my crew. One may have been off to the side... crying and pouting and refusing to get in the picture.

My favorite 1st grader...

Love this place so much. I think it's my favorite field trip every year.

monster jeans.

2011-11-16T22:15:00.000-06:00

Thank you, Pintrest...

Lawson designed the one on the right. =)

picture love.

2011-11-15T21:18:00.000-06:00

Once again... I am in love.

Totally in love with these pictures.

I love the smiles and expressions Cory captured on the faces of my big kids...

Oh, how I wish this little miss would have smiled. Or looked at him. =)

It's not a smile, but she's at least looking at the camera...

We tried so hard to get a smile...

But this is the only one we captured...

We drove to a new location and Cory got out of the van first. He gave me some quick directions on what to have the kids do and then he went and hid. He was laying face down in the grass, trying so hard to capture some happy on this little one's face.

But she just wasn't having it...

These serious head shots were the funniest though. He took them right after the group shot above. He whispered to me to have Lawson move off to the side and then Sophie laid her face down in the grass. Gretchen is still sitting on Sophie's back. There is no way she was taking any pictures by herself.

But even without smiles... I adore these pictures.

Oh, how I love these little people!

(All photos by Cory Keller)

lawson.

2011-11-14T22:00:00.000-06:00

Found this paper from Sunday School...

What amazing thing is God doing in Lawson's life??

Helping him get out of bed. =)

(It does take a lot of effort some days...)

PlaneJane.

2011-11-13T22:11:00.000-06:00

I have super exciting news for anyone who is local!! (Wichita, Andover, Hesston, Hillsboro... you are considered local, too!) The PlaneJane girls are coming to my house this weekend!!

Remember PlaneJane?? All the fun, colorful happiness? Colorful, fun and cute. All things I love.

This was the whole reason behind our super fun road trip to Abilene this summer... Shopping for PlaneJane jewelry! I see Gina and Danielle nearly every morning and I'd be willing to bet that at least 1 of us is wearing something from PlaneJane everyday! We love it!

They have lots of fun stuff besides jewelry, too! Keychains, wreaths, birthday calendars, cute notebooks and clipboards for lists (you know I love something cute to make lists on!)... so many happy things! Perfect for Christmas gifts!!

Every color you can imagine. And every single one of them will make you smile. Promise.

Those of you that sell jewelry and usually just wear your own stuff (I know there are at least a few of you out there!), these can be perfect gifts for the little girls in your life! Sophie bought one of their $3 charms at Beki's Fall Barn Sale and wears it all the time. I'm planning on buying more as Christmas gifts for my sweet nieces!)

Mark your calendars, put it on your schedule, tell your husband you need to be gone for awhile... and come buy something that will make you smile!! And then buy some things to give as gifts that will make other people smile! We promise lots of happy things... yummy snacks... and fun conversation! Come see for yourself!! Everyone's invited!

It felt weird putting my address on here... so if you are local and interested in coming... just send me an email and I'll send you my address. You could also look in the phone book or something fancy like that. =)

I hope to see lots of smiling faces Saturday morning!! Even if I've never met you before... you are welcome! Come join us!!

baby calf.

2011-11-10T21:59:00.001-06:00

The kids were super excited to visit Grandpa's vet clinic awhile back. (Lawson's always excited to go... but Sophie and Gretchen were extra excited this time, too!) They were all anxious to see this little gal...

A 9 day old baby calf. Inside. (She had hurt her legs somehow and couldn't stand up well by herself. My dad was keeping her inside, but taking her out to see her momma a couple times a day.)

Our little Gretchie loves cows... but she wasn't too sure about being this close to one. Even a baby one.

Gretchen preferred to watch from a safe distance. And to stay on Grandma's hip.

As if bottle feeding her wasn't enough fun... then they got to take her on a ride. =)

Dad loaded her in the back of his truck and we drove across the road to where the momma cow was. (Sophie is dressed oh so appropriately for working cattle.)

Yep... that's a little bit of terror you see in Lawson's face...

Back with momma...

These are cow-loving little kids, but they prefer to love them from a distance. I can't really say I blame them. =)

advice.

2011-11-06T14:22:00.000-06:00

Sophie and Lawson have asked if they can start getting an allowance.

Corey and I are trying to figure out the best way to start this.

(Ok... mainly me. He's just kind of going along with me.) =)

I want to tie it in to chores somehow, but am trying to figure out the best way to do that.

We tried daily chores for awhile this summer and it just wasn't working out too well for us.

Mainly because Corey and I don't enforce them enough. Too often it gets to the end of the night, we have put them all in bed and we realize that we didn't have them pick up enough of their stuff. So then we end up doing it. Not proud of that, but it's the way it is right now.

So I'm thinking that we need to come up with some kind of weekly chore system. Things that need to be done over the course of the week (or that can all be accomplished in one day if they choose to wait...) and that doing a satisfactory job would result in an allowance.

I found this idea on Pintrest and really like the concept of moving the clothespins...

(Sorry... no source was listed with the picture.)

The kids have suggested a dollar a week. I think Corey and I are cool with that.

What I'm thinking right now is to come up with 10 chores... and they can earn a dime for each chore.

* Cleaning their room

* Closets organized

* Cubbies organized

* Their spot in the van clean (and food free) (Seriously... this one would be huge!)

* Write a letter/kind note to someone

It would obviously be easiest on them if they kept this up throughout the week and didn't save it all for Saturday. But... if they did, they could still get these things done. And honestly, I'm thinking of doing it this way because I know Corey and I won't be on the ball enough to make sure that daily chores are getting done. (at least not at this point in life)

We would also like to start working on the whole saving/spending/giving concept with them. I've heard of people having 3 different jars and putting a little in each jar. How do you do that when you're dealing with dollar bills?? (I realize you can do coins instead of a dollar, but don't kids think it's more exciting to get a dollar bill than to get 10 dimes?)

So what do you think? Is there a better way to do this??

What other chores should we add to our list?

Thanks for any help or suggestions! =)

roly-poly.

2011-11-04T21:49:00.000-05:00

And here she said, "I squish it." =)

summer sledding.

2011-11-03T22:56:00.000-05:00

Who needs snow?

happy halloween.

2011-11-01T22:26:00.001-05:00

My first Pintrest project! I had so much fun drilling holes in this pumpkin!

Thanks for making Sophie's costume, Mom! It was perfect!!

Gretchen was willing to look at Miss Amy, but no way was she going to smile!

This little miss figured out the candy thing pretty quick...

Blurry picture... but the polka dots were so fun! =)

pictures.

2011-10-30T23:24:00.000-05:00

We went to see my favorite photographer today. I had high hopes for adorable pictures of my little people. Cory did pictures of the kids two summers ago and then our family pictures last fall. I love his work and have always been so happy with the pictures he's taken for us.

We had a little bit of a challenge today, though. A cute little blonde pig-tailed challenge. Pictures are always easier when your child will actually look at the photographer. At least look at him without crying.

But I think he might have managed to get a few sweet ones. We'll see.

But I know there aren't any with that sweet Gretchie smile I love to see. The little scrunched up nose and squinty eyes.

So I figured I would snap a few pictures when we got back to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

I had to document this serious cuteness.

But, what do you know? She wouldn't really look at me, either. No tears... but no big smiles, either.

Stubborn little monkey...

Anxiously awaiting the professional ones!

p.s. Thanks so much for the adorable outfit, Meagan! You seriously have the sweetest hand-me-downs ever! =)

art party.

2011-10-27T22:21:00.000-05:00

Sophie has always been a little artist. She loves to draw and paint and create. My sister-in-law went to a painting party here and was showing us her finished painting and talking about how much fun it was. She said they did birthday parties, but that it was pretty expensive. But it got me thinking...

Since we only do friend parties every other year, I had been planning this one for a year. (Which for me means writing ideas in my little green notebook.) The actual work almost always happens a few days beforehand. That's just how I work. (and how the month of October works.)

Meet Beth. She's the Art teacher at our school. And she's awesome. The kids love her. Teachers love her. She's just easy to love. She's fun and creative and encouraging and tells each child that they are an artist. I knew she would be the perfect person for our party.

The aprons were from Dollar Tree. $1 each. My neighbor, Amy D., ordered us a roll of iron on vinyl for her Silhouette machine. Sophie chose a font that she liked and Amy helped us make our little purple ladybug aprons super cute! (Thanks again, Amy! They turned out so great!!)

I borrowed music stands from school. They were the perfect little easels! Michaels had a pack of 7 16x20 canvases for $20. Add on one of their 40% off coupons and my 15% teacher discount and you've got a really good deal! (Plus, I bought all the paint when it was 50% off)

I loved how all the girls were given the same directions, but each had their own unique painting. So many happy colors!

The "internal perfectionist" may have come out in this little miss at one point. She wasn't loving how her flower looked. She was so focused on the lines and brush strokes and all the little things she thought looked wrong with her painting. So I had her take a step back and come look at it from where I was standing. Then she could see the beautiful flower that I saw...

We left the flowers to dry and headed inside to continue being artists. But this time... on cookies! I first saw the idea here, but changed it to cookies, since I wanted each girl to be able to decorate her own. I also didn't want to waste time using fondant that they wouldn't want to eat. So my friend Holly sent me the link to her favorite fondant recipe. Nothing but marshmallows and powdered sugar. They loved it. (and I was amazed at how easy it was! And fun!)

We used a fancy bowl of frosting for Sophie's candles. =)

And it happened to be Mrs. Burn's birthday that day, too! So, of course, we had to sing to her, too!

The mommies had fun decorating leftover cookies that evening...

Love this girl...

Thank you again, Beth, for all the smiles you helped put on these sweet faces! We all had a great time!

p.s. For those of you that are local... Beth is available for future art parties! Find her on Facebook or leave a comment on her blog! Your little artist would love it, I know! =)

family party.

2011-10-25T18:50:00.000-05:00

I loved celebrating these two sweet girls last weekend. My favorite oldest daughter and my favorite youngest daughter. (Who I'm pretty sure will always be called baby... no matter how old she gets.)

Ignore the ballcap and no makeup. We got home from Branson at 10:30 the night before and we had early morning soccer games. It was a crazy busy day and I managed to get everything except for "shower/do hair/makeup" crossed off my list.

I decided on the way home from soccer that Sophie would love an ice cream cake just as much as one that Mommy made. Probably more, actually. And then we didn't need to buy ice cream. Bonus! =)

Such a fancy cake for my little cow loving girl. =)

resort fun.

2011-10-22T22:51:00.000-05:00

The last of our Branson posts... (then we start on all the birthdays!)

We were so happy with our resort. I would definitely recommend Stillwaters Resort to someone and we would definitely stay there again. (Our Groupon was an incredible deal!)

The kids wanted to swim so badly! The weather was perfect fall "outside at Silver Dollar City" weather, but it was just a little chilly for swimming. (The kids didn't think so, though!) We let them splash around here one day and they had a ball!

Doesn't it look like we're at the beach?!

They had these comfy beds along the outskirts. I could have stayed there all day.

silver dollar city: day 2.

2011-10-22T21:52:00.001-05:00

We found one of Gretchie's birthday presents while we were there. Hereford cows (like Daddy's) are really hard to find in stores, so this one had to come home with us. She loves it. =)

He's kissing the cow...

silver dollar city: day 1.

2011-10-21T07:33:00.000-05:00

Do you see Sophie's face? She walked by these later and said, "Curse the person who made those swings." =)

We ran into our friends from church, Doug and Robyn while we were there. Doug's brother got pulled up on stage! (I think my husband might have been a bit jealous.) =)

two.

2011-10-20T20:02:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday, Gretchen Jane!

I looked back at your birthday post from last year... and everything is still true. You are truly one of the sweetest, happiest, most joy-filled little people I've ever been around. You are just delightful. There's no other word for it.

I only wish everyone could see how sweet you are. You still get shy around people and snuggle into my shoulder... or stare at your fingers... or just close your eyes. They have no idea the sweetness they are missing.

You are talking like crazy. All the time.

But you refuse to say "love you." One day when I said, "Can you say love you?" You said, "No. I can't." =)

And you still call Lawson, "Guy." And we still don't know why.

You are snuggly and cuddly and love to be held.

You love to be outside.

You love cows.

You do a crazy little skip/hop when you are excited that is the most precious thing ever.

It is impossible to be around you for long and not smile.

We simply adore you, Gretchie-bug.

We couldn't love you more.

paddleboats.

2011-10-18T22:08:00.000-05:00

Probably one of our favorite parts of the resort was this... the free paddleboats and kayaks! The kids loved the paddleboats! (Stillwaters Resort, for those that have asked!) =)

Don't worry... one of the resort guys brought us a smaller one before she went close to the water!

Guess who had to pee while we were out on the water. Our condo was close, but those trees were closer...

Lawson made it about 3 feet in the kayak before his hysterics caused Corey to turn around.

Sophie was our brave one that loved the kayak!

Then the kids and Corey stayed down here to fish and explore while I made lunch. I could just holler from our balcony when it was ready!

fish hatchery.

2011-10-18T18:31:00.000-05:00

We started out the morning by feeding the geese our leftover pancakes from breakfast. This was the perfect way to feed them! No aggressive geese getting my little people...

Then we drove to what I find to be a creepy, creepy place. All those fish? Just nasty.

Every single bubble and splash is a fish. Gross.

You couldn't pay me enough to stick my hand in the water.

Lawson was really hoping we would see an Eastern Wood Rat...

But he thought this guy was pretty cool, too...

Creepy fish.
Don't ever go here, Meagan.
You would hate it. =)

branson.

2011-10-17T22:12:00.000-05:00

Our school's fall break is a perfect time for a little family get-away. It always falls around our week of birthdays, so it makes for a fun little celebration. Last year we went to Nebraska. Corey and I have been to Branson a couple times, but not since Sophie was a year old. I knew he wanted to go back. And he's always talked about wanting to go in the fall when the leaves are changing. (That, and at Christmas... to see the lights.) This summer we found a great deal on Groupon! 2 nights in a 1 bedroom resort condo for $129. (We paid more than that at the Hampton Inn we stayed at this summer!)

Our trip started with a bit of an adventure, though. When I booked the dates, I was using the kids school calendar as a reference, which said No School on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. We could get a better deal during the week than a weekend, so I booked it for Wed/Thurs. What I didn't realize was that Wednesday was actually a work day for teachers. A 7 hour work day. That we couldn't comp out of ahead of time. But... we could go in early, work our 7 hours and then leave.

So that's what I did. I went in early. Like, really early. Midnight early. (I actually went in at 11:00 pm. It just seemed less creepy than going in a midnight.) I locked myself in my classroom (thank you, Leah, for helping me tape over my outside window earlier that day!) drank a Dr. Pepper and worked, worked, worked. I actually worked until around 3:30 and then laid down in a beanbag... until 5:45 when the custodians came in my room and turned on all the lights. =) I don't know that I ever really slept, but I rested for a couple hours. Then I worked a little more... said good morning to the early birds that were just getting there... and was home by 7:10 am.

I foolishly thought I could sleep on the way to Branson... which didn't really happen... but I did okay. Sleepy at times, but it was worth it. I went to bed before 10:00 pm both nights there (which is really early for me). It was one of those crazy things that just makes the trip all that more memorable. =)

But back to the drive. My little people were wonderful little travelers. (They just talk to their momma too much!) They were super excited to use their new trays...

I got the idea from Julie and it really worked great! The kids loved them... the magnets kept the markers/crayons/colored pencils from falling all over... the cookie sheets were a perfect little work surface. (And they're happy and colorful... which we know I love!) Even Gretchen loved hers!

We were amazed by all the trailers outside of Joplin. Rows and rows and rows... trailer after trailer after trailer. So sad when you think about all the families that are living here now...

We made it to Springfield and stopped at Lambert's Cafe...

They did throw the rolls to us and oh my... they were yummy! Everything was!

We made it into Branson around 4:30. The trees were just starting to change, but it was still so pretty...

Loved our happy little condo. (The fold out Murphy bed was the kid's favorite thing!)

And they had fun hunting for snails on the patio out front...

This was the view from our balcony. No time to explore today since it started pouring rain shortly after we got there.

october.

2011-10-16T21:54:00.000-05:00

I was looking back at blog posts from October last year and ran across this one.
It made me laugh.
I'm pretty sure October is the busiest month of the year for our family.

Soccer.
Times two this year.
Plus Corey coaching.
3 birthdays.
Birthday parties.
Birthday presents.
Birthday treats.
A friend party for Sophie this year.
(We only do friend parties every other year.)
Halloween costumes.
Cattle sale in Tulsa.

It's just a busy month for us.
And then we do things like schedule a little trip to Branson. (a perfect Fall Break trip!)
And I do things like schedule pictures for the kids.
And I agree to help a friend with an Effective Discipline training workshop for a nearby school district.
I also signed up to sell things at a local consignment sale earlier this month. It didn't happen though.
I got swamped with too many other things and I just couldn't pull things together.

Still working on details for Sophie's friend party. (which is Saturday)
Still deciding on clothes for the kids pictures (in two weeks)
Still putting together finishing touches on Halloween costumes.
Still editing lots and lots of pictures from our Branson trip.
Still teaching and wife-ing and mommy-ing in the midst of all of it.

And looking forward to November. =)

birthdays.

2011-10-16T14:49:00.000-05:00

Two of my favorite people celebrated birthdays this week.
I didn't post about either one of them on their special days, but I did have a good excuse.
We've been a little busy these past few days. Lots of pictures coming soon!

But first, this guy. My favorite guy. The guy that God knew was the perfect guy for me and the perfect daddy for these kids. This guy that loves me, spoils me, frustrates me and takes care of me. (Some of those more than others...)

Happy Birthday, Baby! We love you more than you can imagine!

And then this girl...

This girl that made me a mommy 9 years ago.

This girl that is so much like her daddy.

This girl that loves her friends, adores her baby sister, loves things "just so," loves to dance, loves to sing, loves to draw and create and bake, and loves to feel special.

You are special, Sophie. So very special.

We love you more than you will ever know.

(at least until you become a mommy someday...)

forts.

2011-10-16T12:56:00.001-05:00

You could look at this two ways...

1. I am a really cool mom who lets my kids build forts in the toy room and eat their lunch inside.

2. I am a selfish mommy who is loving getting to eat a quiet lunch in front of my laptop going through the tons of pictures I have from the last 4 days.

Let's go with the really cool mom, okay? =)

And to keep baby sister from messing up the forts?? Let her eat her lunch on the coffee table while watching "The Wiggles." Just like an good mom would, right? =)

ju-ping.

2011-10-13T21:32:00.000-05:00

"I ju-ping, Mommy! I ju-ping!"

pumpkin patch.

2011-10-09T12:58:00.000-05:00

We made a trip to a sweet little local pumpkin patch this week. The owner is one of our school lunch ladies and she is as sweet as can be! They have an amazing variety of pumpkins and gourds and their prices are great!

Gretchen and I may not have worn the best footwear for stomping through a pumpkin patch. But our stripes and polka dots sure are cute! =)

Gretchen kept sneaking tiny "baby pumpkins" (gourds) off the big wagon and putting them onto ours...

(I wasn't going to include this picture... until I saw Corey's hand over on the side. No idea what he is doing, but it made me laugh!)

This is Gretchen, pretending that a stranger isn't looking at her and talking to her while she counts up our pumpkins...

Now to get up in the crawl space and get out the rest of my fall decorations! I can't wait to smell my favorite fall candle burning!

first grade.

2011-10-08T22:22:00.000-05:00

Thursday was Pajama Day in 1st grade!

(It was supposed to be Wednesday, but I realized I had a district meeting after school that day. And no way are my kids going to have Pajama Day without me!)

Love this group of little people.

Speaking of things I love... The Daily 5. If you are a classroom teacher who uses centers while you meet with your reading groups, order this book, read it, and consider implementing the Daily 5 in your classroom. It will change your life. Seriously. I love it. My kids love it. And it is so much less work than centers. (And so much more beneficial for them!) All of our teachers are using it this year, K-4. (Thank you, Leah, for introducing this to us!! Even though others might try to take the credit. =) )

Love these kids.

Love the Daily 5.

Really love Pajama Day.

tonight.

2011-10-08T19:18:00.001-05:00

Daddy's gone and it's been raining like crazy all afternoon and evening. We've been hanging out here for quite a few hours... (They haven't been watching tv the whole time. Right now they are building a fort, pretending that they are married and that Gretchen is a robber trying to break into their house.)

And that popcorn, the apples and cheese may or may not be our supper.
(fyi... the Mike's Hard Lemonade is just for me.)

more soccer.

2011-10-03T21:15:00.001-05:00

I don't have near as many pictures of Sophie playing soccer.

Mainly because she prefers to just stay on the sideline... (She didn't even play at all at her last game... just watched from the sideline... totally her choice.)

But she sure has a good looking coach...

Who may be really questioning why he agreed to this coaching job... considering his daughter doesn't even like to play. =)

soccer.

2011-10-03T21:15:00.000-05:00

We're almost halfway through soccer season and I'm still loving this soccer mom stuff. =)

Lawson's on a team with some of his really good friends. He's having a ball.

He was bummed to not have Daddy as a coach, but his best friend's dad is a pretty good alternative.

There's a reason they call this age, "Bunch Ball..."

I love this little guy and I love how fierce he looks. Like a little dinosaur...

This little guy was my favorite goalie. He was still learning how to drop the ball and kick it. One time he managed to kick himself in the face with the ball as it flew over his head and then into the goal. Luckily they didn't count that one. =)

children

2011-09-30T22:16:00.000-05:00

This is totally me right now.

18 children all day and then 3 all evening and night.

And I am definitely looking this frazzled by then end of the day, too.

more splashing.

2011-09-25T15:09:00.000-05:00

The video still makes me smile. "I step in water!"

But these pictures make me smile, too...