Girl Scouts

It has been forever since I have been able to write anything. We will just chalk it up to moving across country and trying to get everything settled. Ironically, I am chosing to do this instead of opening boxes, which is my excuse for not doing this. Call it the chicken and the egg. We are doing really well here and surpisingly feeling very at home in such a short period of time. Stephen has been to a few football games (he even bought Purdue clothing, shhhh, don't tell the Texas Tech Alumni Association.) Morgan has become a "Daisy" which is the first step in Girl Scouts. She has made a lot of friends, especially the neighbor girls who come over often. I have yet to join any organization besides church and helping out at Morgan's school when needed. I am just trying to get Cooper on a routine,(which is not working well, if anyone asks) and getting the house taken care of (which is also not working well, but hey, I am having a lot of fun avoiding it.) Cooper has just grown leaps and bounds. He has 6 teeth and uses them daily to explore everything in the house, especially to eat carpet and cat food, yummy! He is now "toddling" all over the house and his head has the bruises to prove it. He has also learned rhythm and dances to anything that remotely sounds like music, including cell phones.

Visitors

Stephen's mom, sister & our nephew came to visit for a week. We took them to the usual spots, Myrtle Beach & Charleston. We are getting pretty good at this tour guide stuff, so if anyone wants a free guide, just come on down. Morgan & Jake were inseperatable. They had the best time together. Kim even taught them how to two step. Cooper enjoyed eating sand & being spoiled rotten by his aunt & granny.

A whole new view

Our little man is getting so big! I am just beside myself with how fast my kids are growing. I think it is the most commonly used phrase & you get tired of hearing it, but when it's your kids, you are just dumbfounded that they can grow so fast. I wish I could put a book on their head or at least install a pause button (and a fast foward button sometimes.)Cooper has started sitting up this week. The army crawl is still working for him so he isn't too keen on changing that.

kids

Cool Slideshows!

Outside Fun

No one told me that it was so humid in South Carolina. It is awful, I sweat just walking to the kitchen in the morning. But we ventured outside this week, Morgan is sporting her new look, too small of shirt, white mini skirt & pink cowboy boots. We are looking for the trend to catch on & her to have her own clothing line soon. Cooper is just a mess. Getting into everything, namely the plants & cat food. He is my exercise program.

Jello Happy

Untitled from Heidi and Vimeo.

Cute Saying of the Day

Morgan met a new friend the other day, Sophie. She was so excited about our playdate later in the week. So the day comes & I had taken her to McDonalds earier. Right before the playdate Morgan is playing with her HappyMeal toy & said, "I am going to show this to my best friend, um.. um... What's her name again?"

This gives me hope that memory loss has absolutely nothing to do with age.

A Fish Tale

So I decided to go out on a limb and make a more that "everyday" meal. I also decided that it would be good to do this without the help of a recipe. I see all those people in those magazines winning awards for their recipes so I think that if they can do it, so can I. So I attemp to make what I call "Almond Crusted Salmon." Let's just say, I am glad the smoke alarm did not go off, because I did not know that Maple Syrup glaze will burn under a broiler *That's just a free tip to anyone who was thinking of asking for the recipe. Then we cut into it & it is not done, so Stephen takes over and gets it "edible" for us. Morgan decides that she will have spaghettios instead, I don't blame her, I wanted them too. But I stuck with the fish. Mmm Mmm tasty. Right at the end of the meal she decides to take a bite, I think because Stephen was nice enough to make it sound like it tasted good. And her comment to me, "Even though I didn't like your fish AT ALL, it was the best fish ever because you did your best." Always looking on the bright side of things.

Mom's Retirement Party

YEAH! Mom is officially retired from teaching! To celebrate, we threw her a party at her house. This is a pic. of the cake I made her, it was a little rushed, but turned out ok. The party was suppose to be outdoors, but with the floods, we had to hold it inside. Everything went great until.... the kids found the mud puddle, formerly known as the garden. So they all got a "mud bath." All in all, we had a wonderful time, Mom enjoy your well deserved time off.

Cute saying of the day: "Mommy, I love God. I love Santa Claus too, but I think I love God more." We must be doing something right.

Memorial Day Trip

This Memorial Day we decided that a short family vacation was in order. So we headed to Greenville, SC. Ever heard of it? I didn't think so, but we went. Had a good time though. We went to a hot air balloon festival & then to this beautiful park called Falls Park. There is a waterfall right in the middle of the park that you play on. And this suspension bridge that scares you half to death, Gerald would have loved it! We had a much needed escape & now it's back to the real world. Morgan's highlight: riding the roller coaster.

First Foods

So Cooper Man, some of you my remember "Fat Naked Man" has started eating baby food. Not only started, WILL NOT STOP! This little guy is crazy about food. Morgan had a sherbert push up pop the other day & we decided, "oh, how cute, give Cooper a lick, it will be so much fun." WRONG!!!!! Cooper went crazy for it. Pulling his sister's hair, leaping out of Stephen's arms to get to it, and screaming his head off. The whole time Stephen & I are frantically trying to fix him something to eat so he will stop. And what's Morgan doing, licking it 10 inches from his face to make sure he can see it. Her explaination, "I wasn't going to let him have it, I just wanted him to think he could have it." No wonder the kid has been crying. So the sibling rivalry starts at an early age I guess.

Beach & Graduation

We had a very busy week. Our friends came to visit from Iowa & we went to Myrtle Beach, despite the wind, it was a fun weekend. Beach, shopping & good food & friends, what more can you ask for! In addition to that, she graduated Preschool that week. Very cute ceremony!

Well summer is here, Morgan is out of Preschool & ready to go! For my birthday we had a picnic in the back yard, she loved it until the bees decided to join us. Even Sarah, the cat, got in on the action. Cooper couldn't care less. He's just so easy going.

My baby is growing too fast! He is starting to hold his head up! In this picture he is looking at himself in a mirror & smiling. Just like his Daddy!

Texas Trip

I am putting myself up for an award, or at least applying to join a mental institution. I flew to TX by myself with 2 small children. Luckily, my children we good, but that did not stop the stares & I even got asked once what seat we were sitting in & an "oh good, not by me" when I told her. On the other hand, there were some very nice people that helped us out & said sweet things to Morgan which made her be especially good knowing people were watching her. But once we got there, we had a great time with all our family. Morgan has never had so much fun! Cousins, Cousins, Cousins, 8 of them!!! Cooper was an angel & I think came back with a few of his aunts' hearts. I do appreciate all of you who spoiled him rotten & I am now working very hard to undo it! My biggest highlight was the Texas tradition of taking the kids pictures in the bluebonnets, I have been trying to time my trips home around Bluebonnet season for 4 years and this is the first time it has worked. Thanks Dad for showing us a very "Texas Day" filled with bluebonnets, BBQ and even an armadillo crossing the road.

Charleston

We took our first trip since little man was born & went with Stephen on a business trip to Charleston. Wonderful time. Morgan loved going to the Aquarium & the beach. Cooper could have cared less, he slept the whole time, which made it a nice trip for me.

I'm Back

OK, so a little has gone on since the last time I did this. You know, having those dang kids just sucks the time & energy out of you. But I am just patting myself on the back for doing this & Cooper is just 3 months old. So I will share photos from birth on... Cooper is healthy and doing fine. The C-Section went as well as it can, never any fun, but the prize at the end is worth it. Morgan is being a huge help, although we have gotten into some issues of her wanting to be a baby. But I say, if she isn't trying to hurt the child, I can handle it. She just makes sure that she gets her fair share of one on one everyday. Other than that, we have just been trying to figure it all out. But WOW how your perspective changes as you go through life. After Morgan I thought that the world was divided into people who had kids & those that didn't. Just because my thoughts about everything changed the minute I had her. Everything looked different, and selfishness went right out the window, along with sleep. And then I had Cooper. And now I am convinced, that I know nothing. I am just sure of the fact that the world is made up of many different types of people, those with no children, those with one, with 2, with 3 because I feel totally different with him here now. Your time gets split in half and your love doubles. It is the strangest and most wonderful feeling all at the same time. But we are slowly starting to figure out how to make it all work, and are having a blast doing it. Bring on the third kid! Just kidding.

So Sarah likes the crib... Along with Morgan's baby dolls. I think I will let Stephen break the bad news to Morgan & the cat that pretty soon that bed is going to be occupied and they can't play anymore. I am not sure which one will be more upset, but I am betting on the cat. It's the only place where people leave her alone.

Wee School Program

And nothing says Christmas like making 135 kids ages 2-4 stand up on a stage and sing. They were adorable and Morgan loved it, so all was well.