SPRING updates!

It is officially SPRING! Isn't it beautiful??? Of course instead of enjoying the outdoors, I am trying to do a little spring cleaning. I am on my way downstairs to wash the baseboards in the kitchen. Am I stalling with this blog post? Yes.

Anyway, here are a few updates from the week.

• We have our first official t-ball practice tomorrow. I can't wait to see how that goes. We tried throwing the ball back and forth the other day. No luck. They thought it was funny to be able to hit one another in the stomach with the ball. Throw. Hit. Laugh. Throw. Hit. Laugh. Never did a ball actually go in a glove.
• Jason has been sick since Wednesday. I don't really know what he had, but he hadn't left the couch until today, and he still isn't feeling great.
• In an effort to give him some peace, Amy, Caleb, Anna, Matthew, Austin, Maggie, and I went to Great Wolf Lodge yesterday!!!! As always, it was a blast. We got back early today so Caleb could go to his best friend's b-day party.
• On our way home today we quickly stopped at the Kenwood mall to visit the Lego store and Pottery Barn Kids. Last month we redid Matthew's room and this month we are redoing Austin's. He chose the Star Wars Darth Vader quilt. He was very excited to get it on his bed. It looks nice.
• I am doing laundry today and I hope to start packing tomorrow for Spain.
• Mom and dad kept the kids overnight on Thursday. Since Jason was sick, it was nice to have the break. We had a low key night and watched the game as we laid on the couches.
• Anybody want to buy some candy bars? Each player has to sell two boxes. In our case, we have to times it by two. Four cases of 30 bars. They are big ones, so each bar costs $2. Yep, we owe $240.00. I'm sure they'll tell us not to go door to door, but I think we are going to. Oh yes, family and friends, we'll be to your door too!

Enjoy the weather!

Sunny Sunday on the Farm

Last weekend was beautiful, and we got to enjoy it at Uncle Jesse and Great Granny's farm! After a great lunch on Sunday, we took a 2 hour walk around the farm. The boys enjoyed finding things in the creek and throwing rocks in it. It was a beautiful day, and the kids were so excited to be able to run and play.

Hot stuff!

A Few updates...

1. T-Ball starts Saturday! The boys are on the Mets. Go Mets!!!!
2. I applied to University of the Cumberlands (formerly Cumberland College) Instructional leadership-Principalship graduate program last weekend. I hope to start my first class in May (I have one to transfer in from EKU). I received my first graduate degree from Georgetown and I planned to get my second (principalship) from EKU, but with three young kids, traveling isn't possible. I look forward to an online program. I have heard great things about their program.
3. Monday night Jason and I got to have a fantastic dinner together at Carinos with a gift certificate Kim had given us for Valentines Day!
4. Maggie can count to ten. She likes to take off her shoes and count her ten toes. Too cute!
5. The boys are registered for Kindergarten at Huntertown in Versailles. I am still filling out and gathering paperwork though. Cried.
6. Sara and I got to have a girls night last night! We went to Saul Good. Great food and even better conversation. I miss her!
7. This weekend is already packed! Saturday morning we have a social worker coming for a home visit at 8:00, t-ball meeting at 10:00, lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, and life group at our house at 5:30! I'm glad my parents have volunteered to watch the kids Friday, we'll need to rest and prepare!
8. Austin is really good at mazes. He has a book of mazes and he goes through them at a pace of about 6 seconds per maze! It is so neat to watch him work. He really can visualize the path before trying it.
9. I leave for Spain in two weeks. I am very excited, but am having a hard time thinking about leaving the kids. Maggie has to go to Tot's Landing for the week. I think it's a great daycare, and I trust that she will enjoy it. My problem is thinking that the one week she doesn't have to go to school, I am sending her to another daycare. Sad.
10. Matthew is doing great. We are bonding more and more everyday. He is very sweet. Today he said, "Mommy you're like candy. I could just eat you up!"

Matthew's Birthday Party!

Matthew's birthday was laid back for us, and full of fun for him. Isn't that the best combination? We had his party last Saturday at Kid's Place. We arrived as it opened at 10:00. We brought balloons tied to goodie bags full of Kid's Place tokens, his presents, and that's it! The kids enjoyed playing the games, winning tickets, and picking out their own goodies to fill their bag. As Matthew's friends arrived they quickly joined the rest somewhere up in the gigantic jungle gym. After playing for an hour, we ate fantastic cupcakes made by Jason's mom. Matthew wanted a Spiderman themed party and strawberry cupcakes. Jackie made them perfectly to match his wishes with a surprise cream cheese frosting in the center. Let me tell you... a delicious surprise! After cupcakes he opened presents. He received some wonderful things! Monogrammed duffel bag for t-ball, great pirate themed items for his new room, spiderman toys, ball glove and cleats for t-ball, and more! After presents, the kids quickly ran back to the play area for more. It was just what he wanted.

My camera died, so I don't have many pictures.

For Matthew's birthday we bought him a new bed and redid his room in a pirate theme. For his birthday we got a pirate quilt from Pottery Barn, sheets, decorative pillows, PBK's rug, lampshade, curtains/ rod, MATTHEW board, painted Captain Jack Sparrow canvas, and two picture frames. Thank you to all who gave him these wonderful gifts! He loves his new room! Saturday night he didn't want to go to sleep under the covers because he didn't want to mess up his bed! He has made it all most every morning since. I'll post pictures of his room soon.

Friday was Jason's dad's birthday, so Saturday night we had a party for him. Lots of great family birthday fun!

So I don't forget...

I have now started this post three times. I keep erasing what I write. I can't really get what I want to say to come out right. This post was going to be a quick top three things of the moment I don't want to forget, but I am wanting to turn it into some mushy post. I'll stop right now and let my buddy Steven do it for me....

"So breathe it in and breathe it out

and listen to your heartbeat

there's a wonder in the here and now

it's right there in front of you

I don't want you to miss the miracle of this moment"

We took this picture yesterday (2/22/2010) while visiting with my dear Pa-Paw and Ma-Maw. Pa-Paw was sitting under his warm electric blanket. His hands were warm, but felt so thin. The nurse drained fluid from his stomach on Thursday and again today. Based on the measurements, he is filling back up too fast for his liver to be working properly. She told him today that his liver is shutting down. I can't help but to be so sad, but every time I cry I try to tell myself that I am being selfish. How can I want him to stay here on Earth when he will be in heaven? God's been preparing it for a long time. It only took seven days to make this place, can you imagine what heaven will be like after all this time? It is far beyond my comprehension, but I know my Pa-Paw is going to be so alive and well. So, for now I want to remember his soft, warm hands and his "I love you baby" good-bye kisses.

Austin showed me this picture as soon as I opened his classroom door this afternoon. He said, "This is a picture of my mommy and my daddy." He was so proud. Austin has enjoyed writing, coloring, and "drawing" for awhile, but this is the first picture that actually looks like something! I'm not saying I have a Picasso on my hands, I'm just saying this picture is special and I don't want to forget it!
He must just be getting better at drawing actual objects. When I said something to Jason about it being his first drawing, he reminded me of this painting from the snow day last week. Here are Austin's first two pieces of art.

I don't remember if this is Batman, Spiderman, or Superman, but that is what he was going for.

We had family night tonight at BounceU. I don't want to forget all five of us climbing to the top, waiting for each other, getting situated, counting to three, and sliding down interlocking arms. We stayed at the bottom and laughed together each time. We did this at least ten times. The kids thought it was so fun to go down together. Maggie has been so excited all day. I think it's funny she already knows the name BounceU. She is such a daredevil. She goes down the slide headfirst, upside down, rolling, and even takes off airborne with a bounce at the top. I guess I shouldn't be surprised... she does exactly what her two fine role models do. We practically had the place to ourselves tonight. We played on the slide the most, but the boys also enjoyed the obstacle course with a little climbing wall.

Weekend Highlights

We'll start with Thursday.... Amy, Caleb, and Anna came over for dinner and playtime. It's so great to have close cousins!

We had Jennifer and Nick Cooper babysit the kids on Friday night. Jason and I spent the evening furniture shopping for Matthew's room. Then, we had a late meal at P.F. Changs. It was delicious and great to eat with just Jason. We didn't have any luck with the furniture though.

Saturday dad watched the kids so we could do more furniture shopping. We ended up at Haverty's in Hamburg. We decided on a bed there. I think the dark wood is going to look nice with his new bedding. Here is the progress on his room:

It just needs one more skim coat of mud, sanding, and some paint!

Matthew's new bed


Matthew's dream room!
We purchased the pirate quilt and the Euro sham last weekend in Louisville with some significant help from Jason's mom (Matthew's b-day present from her). He will be getting some accent pieces too. I'll post a picture after it's completed!
Saturday night we went to the Groth's for Life Group. The kids played well together, the men yelled at the UK players as they watched the game, and we girls enjoyed chatting with each other as usual.
Sunday I decided I would take advantage of the beautiful day and run! We haven't ran since Oct. or Nov. and we are ready to get back in shape! I needed a new pair of running shoes so I went shopping today. These are the shoes I purchased (Asics Gel-Kayano 16):
I was proud of myself, even though I probably over did it for the first time back out. I walked .4, ran 2, and walked .4.

I thought I'd end the post with Maggie's new outfit that she wore to church today. She spins around as soon as she steps in to it. I can't wait for her to start dance in the fall!

More Snow Day Fun

Maggie loves scooping rice in and out of two containers. We don't do it often because of the mess she tends to make. Today was one of her not so messy days!

I taped brown paper to the floor in the kitchen and let the artists create. They did very well. I taped their creations to the walls in their rooms.

The kids have been great today. I look forward to our summer days together!

Another Snow Day to Play!

After breakfast and TV I decided to make the playdough recipe mom used when I was growing up. It's so easy the kids can make it. Step one: Heat 1 cup flour, 1cup water, 1/2 cup salt, 1T cooking oil, and 2 teaspoons Cream of Tarter. Stir over low heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of pan. Heat until it is no longer sticky.
Step two: Remove from pan and let cool. Once cool, knead dough. Divide into balls and poke a hole in each. Put food coloring drops in hole and knead.

Step three: Enjoy!

One year ago….
I was looking back at our snow day post from one year ago. I then continued reading. My how things have changed! Here are my favorite lines from last year’s February posts:

Feb. 17, 2009:"On Friday, Tot's Landing called me at school to inform me that my son stuck an m&m up his nose. Apparently it was stuck so far up that the teachers couldn't see it. After some melting time, Austin blew a chocolate booger. He cried hysterically."

Feb. 2, 2009:"When we pray with Matthew at night he repeats what we say. Tonight, I was praying with him while Jason was with Austin. Here is how it went...

Me-Dear Jesus

Matthew-Dear Jesus

Me-Thank you for our time together.

Matthew-You're welcome."

Valentine's Weekend

My Three Little Valentine's

Today I feel like the luckiest mom in the world. I have three sweet hearted children and one amazing Valentine. I love Austin because he is so considerate. I love Matthew because he is courageous. I love Maggie because she is sweet and sassy. I love Jason because he my soul mate. As time moves by so quickly, I want to take time to breath it all in. This is such a wonderful stage in our family, and I can't get enough of my four sweethearts.

I made these Valentine's bags for the kids and filled them full of little goodies and toys. I put them together in the hotel last night after the kids were asleep. This morning they woke up to their Valentine surprise. They were so excited. Austin kept saying, "You and daddy sure love us a lot." Then the boys started telling me how much they loved me. Austin said to the stars and back. Matthew said to the beach and back.

We started today off with breakfast at Lynn's Paradise Cafe! It is such a fun place to go. Today they had a balloon arch set up for pictures. The staff wore prom attire. It is such a neat eclectic place. If you're ever in Louisville, I suggest getting reservations.

Saturday in Louisville

We always go out of town with Jason's family for his birthday. It is always a great get-a-way together with his family. This year we stayed closer to home because I don't have Monday off (well, snow is in the forecast). We left town around 10:30 Saturday and drove to downtown Louisville. We ate lunch at the Old Spaghetti Factory. Yum! On the way Austin said he didn't want to eat there because it's broken. I asked why it's broken, and he told me because it's old. It caught me by surprise because we hadn't been talking about it. I guess he'd been thinking on that one. As we passed the high rise buildings, bridges, boats, and stadiums, the boys were in awe. They kept saying, "This is the coolest trip ever." They're so sweet!

After the Spaghetti Factory we walked to the Louisville Science Museum. We played in it all afternoon. It is such a great place for kids. I was pleasantly surprised to find out they currently have a Titanic exhibit. I loved it! I read every word of every display. Jason laughed as he told me that all they need to do to get me interested in a museum is make a movie. Funny, but probably true.

Here are a few photos from the science center:

Catching up

• We hosted a "Soup"er Bowl party for our Sunday School class "Happily Hitched." We had several soups, appetizers, and desserts. It was great to watch commercials, chat with friends, and watch football (I did watch the 2nd half). Best of all, it was at our house, so we put the kids to bed and didn't have to leave the party to do it! I made potato soup, buffalo chicken sandwiches, snack mix, chocolate cake, and a dip. Here is the link to the buffalo sandwiches and chocolate cake. If you like chocolate, you should try this cake. It's easy, very moist, and super chocolaty. I used coffee instead of coffee liqueur.
• I can't put Beth Moore's new book down! I'm only in chapter 4, but I would like to recommend it to all women. You really need to read this book!! It is called, "So long Insecurities." You can buy it at Lifeway. I also recommend following her blog. Through her blog she is leading a So Long Insecurities Discussion group. Here is the link to that post. There are currently 5,602 women signed up to discuss this book.
• Yesterday was not a very restful Snow Day! I took advantage of the day off, and made a few morning calls. We went to the doctor, pediatric dentist, and my dentist... and the pharmacy four times! It was nice to get all those things done, but having to make the day up doesn't seem fair! Maggie has bronchitis. Please keep her in your prayers.
• Woodford County gave me a second chance at a snow day. It was much better today! After making breakfast, I made a water table for the kids. They had a blast playing with whisks, measuring cups, strainers, etc. Then, we had a few minutes of school. I bought a new game called "Bananagrams." It's fun for adults, but a nice spelling manipulative for learning. The game is made of little letter tiles, so we were able to practice spelling sat, cat, hat, fat, rat, and bat. Tonight at bed, Matthew's book had the word fat in it. He was able to figure it out from this morning! I was so proud! Amy, Caleb, and Anna came over around 11:00. We made lunch, and then the kids played while Amy and I scrapbooked! I didn't really want another snow day to make up, but it may have been worth it!

Preschool Music and Art

Austin and Matthew came home singing this song from school the other day. It starts out quiet and ends in a shout. I could only manage to get one kid on video. Matthew did one showing only! This second song they have been singing for a while, but I think it's cute. The end is their favorite part.... you'll see why!

The boys had homework over the weekend for the classroom's All About Me Unit. They were asked to bring in a mobile with their name, photos, phone number, address, and likes. The boys (and Jason and I) worked very hard on the mobiles. I used the Cricut to cut out tags for their names and letters/numbers for their other information. The boys used a stamp pad to burnish the edges of the tags and used paint and foam stamps to stamp the letters of their names on the tags. They searched the house for small toys that represent their favorite toys. We collected mini airplanes, Thomas the Train, Spiderman, Spiderman web, mini baseball, paint brush, Nerf darts, and cars. These likes hung from the mobiles. I was pretty pleased with their final products!

Here is a picture with star shape clip art over our address and phone number so they aren't visible to all!