Weekend recap

Our weekend started on Thursday and it was a good one.  Hubs had five days off from working overnights and surprising we all have our heads still.  Too much time together with different parenting styles does not do us good.  But we survived and had a good time together.  All five days.

Thursday Xander wanted to go to school and since he didn’t give me any signs that he was sick (no fever, no bathroom runs, no throw up), I decided that he should be okay.  At preschool he had Muffins for Moms, so I stayed with him the first 30 minutes and he showed me his favorite toys, ate a muffin together, and I asked some questions for a sheet for the teachers.  One question was, why is your mom special? (something like that).  He amazed me with his answer and he said “because God made her.”  Smart boy.  Another question was, what does your mom like to do?  He said “homework.”  No buddy, I don’t like homework, but yes, that is what I’m ALWAYS doing it seems.  Ugh…I hate that he thinks I like homework.

We started our night by playing Jake and then headed to Sterling’s room to play Barbie’s. 

When I picked the kids up Thursday afternoon it started their spring break.  Parents night out was supposed to be Friday night, but two teachers were sick so they had to cancel.  Here’s where I feel bad.  Was Xander really sick and I should have kept him home?  Hubs and I actually had a date night planned (for the first time in forever!).  I was excited.  We enjoyed drive through. 

I received my Zulily package in the mail.  I ordered Sterling a full size American Girl doll and two bishop dresses.  The doll she will get at Christmas and I can’t wait to put her in the dresses!  Perfect details for spring. The pink dress was supposed to come with a blue bow, but the bow was not with it so I emailed Zulily and they refunded the whole dress price plus gave me a $10 credit to the store.  I was not expecting that since it was only the bow missing.

Saturday I had a thirty-one party and ordered a bunch of new bags.  So excited to get those in!  I ran some quick errands and then got busy on homework.  Boring Saturday.  The kids and I rented the new Annie.  Xander didn’t sit through it like he does the original, but still seemed to enjoy it.  I enjoyed the movie but still prefer the original.

On Sunday I woke up with a sore throat and Xander a fever.  He complained of his neck hurting all day (throat?).  We watched the new Annie again, but this time, Smushy took a nap…which is a sight I don’t see enough.  I wish I’d get regular naps out of him and Sis without them needing to be sick.

Have a great day and now I need to get ready for some important company that comes in a few days!

Life Lately

Remember last week when I mentioned hubs will be working overnights for a week?  Well it totally blows!  Do you know how impossible it is to keep two toddlers reasonably quiet so he can sleep while we’re awake? Totally impossible people.  And it’s stressful.  For both the kids and I.  I felt like all I said to them all weekend was “BE quiet, daddy’s sleeping.”  It’s a good thing our house has three floors because we were able to head to the basement for a majority of our days but we could only take so much time spent down there.  I really don’t know how anyone can work an overnight shift with toddlers at home.  I was thankful for Monday to come where we’d be out of the house for 6.5 hours. 

Have you ever threatened to give your kids toys away?  I totally did this past weekend.  I even went as far as putting all the basement toys in garbage bags.  Not even joking.  Do you ever get tired of telling your kid to put their toys away 5 million times?!  I think with the stress of trying to keep the kids quiet this weekend and being forced to the basement pulled on my nerves like never before.  I was so tired of telling Xander to pick up his toys that he wasn’t playing with that I just grabbed bags and started stuffing.  Even his beloved stuffed Jake (Disney pirate character).  Man did he cry!  I kept telling him that some other boy will love his Jake just as much as him.  He thinks I can just drive him to the new boys house and he can ask for it back.  I’m not really giving his toys away, but he’s not getting them back until Saturday morning.  The toys are in time-out.

Somehow I missed a schoolwork deadline last week.  I kept looking at my schedule during the week and I kept seeing that everything was due on the 22nd, so I procrastinated, like usual.  I’m the queen of procrastination and I always do well with my grades.  But I need to stop.  When I looked at my schedule Saturday morning, I noticed I had a big assignment due the night before.  Oops!  It’s in the class with the nit picky teacher too.  Not good, not good!  This week I’m going to do better and work on my work during the week.  I need to get on top of it and stay on top. Spring break got me off my groove and I didn’t get back on it.  Gotta catch up this week.

Yesterday was hubs last day of work until MONDAY!  Woohoo!  We get the ole man home with us for a few days.  I picked the kiddos up early from school yesterday because Xander hasn’t been feeling well.  He kept complaining his belly hurt and was in the bathroom a bunch.  So, they called, and I went to get him.  He’s now resting up in his room because if he’s getting the flu, we want his germs to only be around him.  He’s actually okay with it.  Thanks to a recent Peppa Pig episode I think!

Xander’s going to stay home from school today since he may have a bug of some sort.  Sterling walked into school yesterday without crying for the first time in three weeks. Will she do it again today?  We’ll see.  I’m hopeful.  While Sterling is at school today I want to finish my environment paper (4 pages).  I have to make a classroom environment Reggio Emilia inspired with the classroom as a third teacher.  Fun times.

Tax talk.  I had to file an amendment to our 2013 taxes yesterday.  We received a letter from the IRS stating we owed them $889 for a Form D info missing.  Well I went in 2 weeks ago with the letter to H & R Block, where we get our taxes done every year, and they wanted me to do some investigation. I did and went back yesterday with my findings.  The manager input the 1099-R and we didn’t owe anything.  When the info was put in, our adoption credit carried forward and covered it.  Always go to the professionals. I would have just paid it myself because we never received the form (because they had our Germany address still!) and so I looked at it as our fault and would have paid.  Good thing I took it in for the professional to look at.

I’m itching to get my hands back on my sewing/embroider machines!  One more month!

The kids love their new activity I created for them.  The idea was inspired from non other than Pinterest.  Sterling caught on to the idea quickly, but took her longer and didn’t finish. Xander didn’t understand the concept at first, but then picked it up and quickly finished.  Xander was particular on where he stuck his clothespin.  His was always in the center, under the number (except for #16).

That’s it.  Have a great day!

That’s it.  Have a great day!

Birthday pics continued

I just wanted to add in some pictures I didn’t put on the first post.  For breakfast she chose to enjoy powered donuts.  I stuck her princess candles in each donut and she blew them out and enjoyed her donuts.  She had 4! 

Big brother also enjoyed donuts with her.

Right after I finished baking and decorating the cupcake dress, I quickly wrapped presents, hung a banner, and gathered her presents under the banner. 

This picture is actually from the cleaned up version of her opening her presents.

Admiring her outfits from Nana and Papa. 

Testing out her bike

Big brother thinks he could show her since she couldn’t figure it out.  Why is a bike so much different from from a tricycle?  Both kids learned to ride the trike last summer, and for some reason they can not figure out this bike.  However, the next day, we took the bike to the driveway and Sterling rode it, fell off, didn’t want to ride it, got back on and kept going.  You go girl!

And her dinner of choice with her other favorite characters! 

So her day may not have been “glamorous” as so many other toddler extravagant birthday’s and parties you see online, but this little girl is so loved and her day was perfect.  Everything was just what she wanted. She didn’t need an extravagant party with 50 of her friends. She was able to celebrate with her friends at school and her family at home.  And the family that couldn’t spend the day with her called her.  She got a call from Nana and Papa, Auntie Stacy, Talyn, Kinley, Bode, Maisyn, Auntie Renee and Jayla.  She is loved and her birthday was perfect.

We love you, Sterling!  You are our “lucky charm!”

Friday Favorites

Hello friends!  I’m so excited that spring is hear and warm weather is on the horizon.  I’m also excited for the thunderstorms that we get here in the Nebraska.  Weird? Perhaps.  Storms mean you get to stay inside and take it easy…or get things done that you haven’t had time to get done.  I’m ready, either way!

Linking up again this week with all the sweet ladies.  Darci, April, Christina and Natasha from Five on Friday and Narci, Erika, and Andrea from Friday Favorites.

{One}  My little mini had her 3rd birthday this week.  You can read more here in this post, and I’ll be making another post with the pictures from the main camera for Monday.  It was a fun and simple day!

{Two} We purchased tickets to Disney on Ice Frozen.  We’re going to give the kids something for Easter letting them know we are going soon.  They are going to be SO excited!

(Image from Google)

{Three}Warm weather.  I love when the weather is in the 60s and 70s.  That’s perfect weather in my book.  Today we headed to the park and the kids took off the socks and shoes! 

{Four}My sister’s family may be coming to visit Easter weekend.  I’m hopeful that they will.  It would be awesome to meet my newest niece!  If they can’t make it, I’ll be up to visit them in May.

{Five} I amazed myself and baked and decorated the mini a Sofia cupcake cake dress in 3 hours.  It’s not perfect, but she loved it!  At last minute I switched it from a giant cupcake to the Sofia dress, and I’m glad I did.  Her eyes lite up!

{Six} Family game night.  We’ve started adding in game night at least once a week and it’s been so much fun!  We all have fun and get many giggles in during that time.  We’ve been playing Roll & Play, it’s such a hit!

{Seven} Getting out and staying sane.  It’s always been hard to take both kids out by myself.  Only because when they are together they act like buffoons and are loud and embarrassing.  So, for the past year, I’ve been minimizing outings with both kids alone.  Today, the three of us ventured out to the children’s museum, lunch (inside a restaurant, not a drive-thru), and the park.  There were a few meltdowns inside the museum all from Sterling, but Xander did awesome the whole time.  He said he didn’t have fun though because the princess wasn’t there today like the last time we visited.  He’s looking for his future wife?!

They painted their faces, rode the train, played in the ball suction area, “on the farm” area, and a little play area at the museum.  We stayed for three hours!

This picture cracks me up because Sterling was concerned about the empty highchair and then Xander ran upstairs and ran back down and said “here’s our baby”.  They sat down and ate.

Meltdown 4,356 because Bubba had a horse and she wanted it. Three year olds are though people.  Really tough.  I remember going through this same phase with Xander and a few months ago he got better and now we’re dealing with this little thing. Six to eight more months of this craziness!  Hopefully that’s it!

{Eight} Preparing supplies to create Sterling some literacy learning kits.  I feel she’s a bit behind on recognizing her letters and numbers.  So, I’m going to make it fun for her.  I picked all this up from the Dollar Tree. 

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a great weekend!

 

                

Pippi Longstocking (1988)

This week and next week hubs is participating in an exercise for his work (pretty much practicing for real world events) and he’s working overnights.  Since he’s sleeping when the kids normally go to sleep and they always fall asleep in our bed, I have to keep them awake until he wakes up so we can go to the bed. 

So.  While wasting time, I was surfing Amazon and since we’re Prime members, I was looking at the movies and came across Pippi!  I LOVED this movie as a kid and just knew Xander would love it too. Did you love it too?  He’s obsessed with Annie and this is also a musical type.  He’s totally captured by Pippi.  He watched it twice yesterday!  Twice!  Crying because I tried putting something else on.  Asking if we’re staying up late and watching movies.  Yep, we sure are. 

I love that Xander is beginning to enjoy watching non-cartoon movies.  Sterling still enjoys her 30-45 minute shows.  Soon she’ll start enjoying them too, I hope. 

What non-cartoon shows do your kids enjoy?

So far he enjoys: Wizard of Oz, Annie, Pippi, Hook, Batman, and Spiderman

Speaking of Amazon Prime, do you have the Fire TV/stick?  I would love some tried and true feedback as we’re looking into getting them and cutting our cable in July.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Sterling

Sterling, yesterday you turned 3!  Wow has time flown these past three years. You are such a big girl and don’t mind playing on your own.  You’re a mama’s girl and I love all your snuggles. You’re my little sidekick and daddy thinks you are glued to my hips because you are wherever I am.  You adore your big brother and “miss Bubba” when you are at school and he’s at preschool.  The past three weeks has been extremely hard dropping you off because you cry every day because you will miss your Bubba.  I’m hoping this changing soon because I hate seeing you so upset at drop off.

You’re still an extremely picky eater.  You prefer to eat frosted mini wheats, oatmeal, pancakes, cheese roll-up, chips, applesauce, yogurt, cheese stick, macaroni shapes, chicken nuggets, hotdogs, apples, bananas, strawberries, pears, and fruit snacks.  You love to sneak mommies iced coffee too.  In the past two weeks you have started enjoying cake (you’ve always spit it out before!) and an occasional sandwich (still not often, but at least you don’t gag as often).

Your favorite toys are Minnie Mouse, Sofia, glitter glider princess set, Anna and Elsa (Frozen), memory games (you’re good at them!!), your baby-dolls, and a new favorite toy is your Barbie dolls from Auntie Stacy.  Your favorite cartoons are Peppa Pig, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Dora, Caillou, and Sofia the First.

Your favorite things:  You love to color and draw, and dance and sing.  You are always singing something, and when you find space, you add in some dancing.  You’re a proud dancer and always curtsey.  So adorable!  You love playing outside, going for our family walk/run on our favorite trail, riding your 4-wheeler, chasing Bubba, and watching cartoons.

You’re sassy!  Oh my are you ever sassy!  I didn’t know a three year old could have so much sass.  You are a bully to Bubba. You are always pushing, scratching, and yelling at him.  (you remind me of myself and my big sister when I was growing up, lol!)  You have such a caring and loving heart. You appreciate things and have great manners.  You are loud and bossy.  I guess that goes with being sassy, right?  You’re also an emotional drama queen.  You have mommy and daddy wrapped around your little fingers!

You were so sweet and wanted to share your favorite cookies with your friends at school.

You officially potty trained yourself two weeks ago and you haven’t looked the other way.  I’m so proud of your determination.  I was hoping you’d be potty trained before you turned three, and sure enough, you did it!

You love choosing your own outfits and insist on changing your outfit multiple times a day. You normally pick a dress or skirt with a shirt that don’t match.  You’re only a kid once so I usually let you where what you pick as long as we aren’t going anywhere special. 

For your birthday you received some pretty great gifts for your birthday this year.  From mommy and daddy you got a new bike.  Bubba got you a Barbie doll.  Auntie Stacy and her family got you 2 Barbie dolls (swing-set and pool sets).  Nana and Papa sent you 2 outfits and a t-shirt.  Grandma Naomi sent you a dress, book, Easter movie, candy, and bracelet.  Opa contributed to your college fund.  Your teacher, Ms. Ashley gifted you books, 7 puzzle 

set, memory game, balloon and a princess inflatable wand.

Your birthday menu you picked out was:

Breakfast:  powdered donuts with apple juice

Lunch: Cheese-roll up, apple sauce, yogurt, cheese stick, wavy chips and a juice box

Dinner: Macaroni shapes and hotdogs

While you were at school, mama was busy running around town trying to figure out what sort of cake I was going to make you.  You are so in love with Sofia that I chose to make you a Sofia princess cupcake dress.  It took me 3 hours to get it done and I was rushing because I wanted it done by the time I had to pick you back up.  I also picked you up a giant Sofia balloon…which you popped today!  You loved it and gave her a hug and kiss.

You loved your cake!  You were jumping up and down saying thank you thank you!  So sweet!  As soon as you noticed the crown you threw off your school birthday hat and wanted Sofia’s.  You didn’t like us singing to you this year.  You have become a very shy person when the attention is on you.

Sterling, the past three years has been incredible watching you grow and learn.   I love you baby girl, I hope you grow up and do the desires of your heart!

Calvin Klein Reveal

Last month, I received a sample of this men’s cologne for testing purposes last month.  It arrived just in time for Valentine’s Day. 

As a teen I was a loved Calvin Klein (CK) products and was excited to let hubs test out this new product.  While I conducted the obligatory sniff test.  Hubs currently uses the CK Eternity so he was just as excited to give this a try.  After I sprayed it on him, because that’s the fun part, he liked it!  He smiled and kept asking if I liked it.  Of course I did.  It has a subtle scent that is an easy to wear, every day cologne.

This sample was a win and he’ll most likely receive a full size bottle at our next gift exchange.

The packaging was simple

Inside was a card, the sample, and a little card wallet

I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Five on Friday + Friday Favorites

Happy Friday the 13th!  Hope you day goes as planned and nothing unexpected happens.

Linking up with Darci, April, Christina and Natasha from Five on Friday AND this week I’m going to add on Friday Favorites with Narci, Erika, and Andrea

Why two different link ups?  Well, I’m hoping to start following new moms (or dads) with interesting blogs.  Just what I need, right, more blogs to read.  I love reading blogs and learning new ways to do things.  It would also be awesome if I had new followers, it would bring the interest of blogging our projects and everyday life again.  So, if you’re new here, WELCOME!

Let’s move onto my favorites from the week..

{ONE}  Look at this sweet comparison…my little babies and now big kids!  I miss the baby days and pray it don’t take 10 years to get pregnant again (only 7 left, ha!  but who’s counting?!)

{TWO}  This girl makes me SO proud.  She’s been a little stinker to potty train and last Wednesday she came home from school and everything clicked and the birds were singing!  She’s been in undies since Friday with NO accidents.  Who is this child and where did her determination finally come from?  I’m so glad we’re not stressing over this task anymore.  She’s pretty excited about it too and waves “bye-bye” to her poopy every. single. time.

{THREE}  Sleeping babies.  Have you ever looked at your phone (or camera) and notice you take a zillion pics of your sleeping kids?  I do. I admit.  I love sleeping babies.  They are so peaceful and innocent.  I don’t ever think I’ll ever taking them.  Okay, maybe when they are teens it won’t occur as often.

{FOUR}  Warm weather.  Like 70 degrees warm!  This weather makes my heart happy.  And somehow it can make a mood happy too.  That winter frump was so happy to leave.  We’ve played outside everyday but two days because some days I just had to get chores done on the inside.  Kids don’t understand.

{FIVE}  Veggie Straws.  Have you had these babies?  I’ve always been scared to try them. They don’t sound good, but man, they are my new favorite addiction.  I got a huge bag from Sam’s Club for only a dollar more than the small bag at HyVee.  Score on that find!  Xander even loves these.

{SIX}  Spring Break and Birthday Prep.  Sterling turns 3 on Tuesday and Xander turns 4 seventeen days later.  Since I’m on spring break this week from classes, I thought it would be perfect to get that shopping done.  I decided Tuesday would be the run around day to get it all done.  Sterling had other plans though.  Sterling has decided in the past two weeks that she does not enjoy going to school on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  When I went to drop her off, she cried and clung to me so tight.  I decided not to push her inside and just take her with me.  We had a fun time, but I didn’t get presents bought as planned since she was with me.  I’ll go this weekend while Nick is here to watch them.  I was able to run to the cookie store to get some premade dough to try to make her cutouts.  We went a bunch of places, just no birthday presents.  I was able to sneak in some Minnie Mouse clearance plates, napkins, and banner in my cart from Target though.  I had her distracted with a windmill from the dollar spot.  She took a great nap in the car too. 

{SEVEN}  Spring cleaning.  I started cleaning out my closet.  What a nightmare!  What do you do with your good conditioned clothes that you just don’t want anymore?  Are there any adult consignment shops?  I normally just take them to goodwill, but wonder what my other options would be.  We have accumulated so much crap that it’s time to downsize our wardrobe and storage room crap.  Kids will be on spring break at the end of the month so I’m hoping to tackle the basement storage then.

       

Have a great weekend friends!

Sterling’s awesome week + a shiner

This little girl is about to turn THREE next week!  We had a pretty big week lasweek.  On Monday’s I go to the kids school and assist the teachers with the group of kids.  There’s a little boy that loves to sit next to me during story time and Sterling is always jealous of him.  On this past Monday, as he sat next to me, Sterling went behind me and bonked her eye pretty hard on the sensory table.  She had a nice shiner for the week, but it healed nicely and she’s back looking normal now.  I love helping the teachers on Monday’s, but Sterling is becoming a non-fan of going to school.  I don’t know if it’s because she wants me there every day or if she just is tired of it.  Her class is pretty small now because her little girl friends moved to the three year old class when their birthdays came, but Sterling will stay in the two year old class because there’s only six weeks of school left.  I don’t mind because I know Sterling LOVES her teacher and I think I may be a bit partial too.  I just hope that she’ll start wanting to go to school again.  We’ve had a few instances of her crying at drop off over the past month and today, she did it again.  I decided to just keep her out of school today and not push her.  

Her shiner…

 

Today as I ran my errands, I had this little unexpected tag along.  We ran around all over the metro.  Target.  Toys R Us.  Babies R Us.  Stride Rite.  The cookie shop (to pick up cookie dough for her birthday).  Home to drop the dough off in the refrigerator.  HyVee.  Home to unload groceries.  Eat a mighty fast lunch.  Conferences for Xander.  Hobby Lobby.  Pick up Xander.  Commissary to pick up our groceries I ordered online.  A much needed stop to Starbucks.  Finally, HOME!  It was a busy morning/early afternoon with my sidekick, but she managed to take a great nap in the car!  I loved having just her with me today.  I never get to enjoy just one kid anymore so this day was fun.  Next I need to plan something to do with Xander.  I’m hoping I can convince her school is fun tomorrow morning because I typically help in the preschool room on Wednesdays.  I told her if she goes to school tomorrow then I’ll give her a sticker. She was excited, so we’ll see. 

She came home from school on Wednesday, had to use the potty, and then I heard….”mommy!  mommy! I POOPED!” Oh man, she was excited.  As was I…because I’ve tried getting her to poop on the toilet before and she wasn’t having it.  I guess when they say you need to stop pushing them and they’ll do it when they’re ready is true.  Since then I haven’t had to prompt her to go to the bathroom.  She goes all on her own.  On Friday, she started wearing undies to school.  And has been in undies since!  We even did all our errands today in undies!  Brave brave mommy?!  She’s good at holding her potty until we get to a toilet so I guess I wasn’t too worried (but I didn’t have a spare outfit, because I wasn’t planning on having her with me!).  I stopped stressing over her going potty in her pull up and she started using the potty on her own.  I back off and she soars above my expectations!  Five full days in undies and no accidents is awesome.  Her teacher thought she was ready sooner, but I was scared because I didn’t want to take the chance of messy accidents.  So, I took her teachers advice and put her in undies and what do you know, she was right!  Sometimes you just have to listen to others, put your guard down and listen.  It may have taken 9 weeks, but I feel safe to say that she is day trained.  Most mornings she wakes up dry, but we still have about 2 nights a week where she wakes up wet.  I’m not stressing nighttime though.   Sterling, you’re amazing!   You put your mind to something and you do it, full force.   Mommy loves you!

Spring Forward

I have to admit that I’ve never had an issue with a time change before today!  I’ve been off ALL day.  The day flew right past us.  We awoke at our normal time, 6 am, only it was already 7.  We always lounge in bed and watch cartoons for at least half an hour.  By the time we made it down to breakfast today, it was 7:45.  I then had to create a menu plan for the week and order our groceries online so I can pick them up on Tuesday.  Showers.  Getting ready for a walk.  Going to the trail for a walk.  Lunch (at 230!).  Homework, two assignments needed done.  Baths for the kids at 5.  Dinner?  Yeah, well that didn’t happen until 7!  I’d planned to make pork cutlets, green beans and rice, but yeah, I didn’t have time.  I was still working on homework at 5:30.  So we had Panda Express.  Yep, super healthy right here.  Gag!  Kids fell asleep great tonight, but I assume they’ll both be in our room in about 2 more hours.  I don’t know how I was able to transition to a 7 hour time change so easily and frequently when we were living in Germany.  Hoping tomorrow will be a better/smoother day. 

(found via Google image)

The struggle is real today people.  The struggle is real!

I hope you had a smooth transition to losing an hour