A Day in the Life of us.....: 2010

Friday, December 24, 2010

Wicked!!!

John and I went yesterday to see Wicked with our good friends Andy and Staci. Wow, it was amazing! I can't stop singing the songs. Ivy has learned some of the words and is singing along with me, and Porter keeps telling us to stop! It was a great time. I'm so thankful we got to go! So Merry Christmas to us, and here's to many more such evenings!

Oh, and on another note. I just realized that it has been a very long time since I have posted a picture of myself (and John) on the blog (I am not the most photogenic person, so I avoid showing off pictures of myself like the plague). Have we changed? Looking a bit older maybe?!

Monday, December 6, 2010

Can it really be?

Since I last posted......

John and I celebrated our 7th anniversary! I don't think I even realized 7 years ago what a great guy I was getting. Of course I loved him, but I didn't understand really how perfect he is for me. He is hard-working, funny, patient, and more patient! I love John.

We had John's sister Gloria and her family out for a visit. So fun!

We celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving with our "family away from our family". We are so incredibly blessed to have such wonderful friends wherever we are living!

We had our first snow-fall of the season and frollicked the afternoon away.

And now it's time to get ready for Christmas. We are loving the Christmas music, movies (Elf is our current favorite), shopping, planning.....all of it! I hope you're all enjoying the season as well. Now I'm off to deck some halls!

Friday, October 29, 2010

Here Comes Halloween!

I know there will be a million Buzz Lightyears and Jessies out there this Halloween, but I think mine are the cutest!

Nauvoo

We had a fabulous trip to Nauvoo, Illinios the last week of September. I took SO many pictures, which is why it has take me so long to post.

We go to do lots of fun things there. We met some oxen, which the kids loved. Porter went up and touched one of the oxen's horns and said "Hi goat"!

Porter also got to recognize his name on lots of signs and plaques there. It was funny to be in a place where everyone you tell his name to replies with a knowing "Ahhhh."

He is turning into such an independent little kid! He was always finding someplace he wanted sit on or climb on.

Ivy got to make a rope with this nice missionary. It was his first demonstration, and I think his "customer" was pleased! She was so proud of herself. They also got to see a brick making demonstartion, learn how they made bread in the 1840's, and watch a horse-shoe being made.

The Nauvoo Temple is gorgeous, and so much bigger and grander than I had expected. It is rebuilt of course, but it is almost an exact replica of what the early saints built in the 1840's. Amazing!

There was plenty of time for running around.

We took a 30 minute drive to Carthage, where Joseph and Hyrum were killed.

This is the hole in the door from the bullet that killed the Prophet. The window you see is the one he fell out of after he was shot (it's the upper window in the picture above). It was very emotional to be here, and I'm so glad we had the experience. Of course the kids didn't really appreciate the reverence of it, so John and I would love to go back kid-less someday!
But all in all, we had a fabulous time and were thankful for the much-needed family time!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Road Trip!

We took a little road trip to Nauvoo, Illinois last week when John had some time off. It was great! I have more to post from the rest of the trip, but here are a couple of teasers for now.

Is she really old enough for this?

This little lady started Preschool this fall! Ivy loves her preschool, and I think it's just what she needs for this year. I don't know that she's learning much (whenever I ask her what she learned she says "nothing" - so she probably either knew it already, or she can't remember), but the social interaction with kids her age and getting used to listening to teachers and being in a classroom is what I feel is really important for her right now. Porter and I have started having our own little preschool time while Ivy is at school as well. We color alphabet pages and talk, and have snacks and wash dishes together. It's fun for me, although Porter is really not interested at all. Ivy always wants to know what Porter did at preschool. She is really feeling like a big kid now!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Friend's Party

Ivy's friend's birthday party was really fun! Thanks to my friend Brittany I actually have pictures to document it!

She worked really hard for that wish- I sure hope it came true!

We had a game of "Kiss Frogbert", which was just my glorified version of pin the tail on the monkey.

The "loot". Doesn't she look excited!

The Cake! Ivy wanted a princess cake this year (last year's was a Castle....I'm sensing a theme here!) I think it turned out pretty cute, and it tasted really good.

She's 4!

Ivy turned 4 August 19th, and I am still having a hard time getting used to the idea! She's thrilled about it though, and if you ask her, she will soon be the "Mommy" and I'll have to be the little girl! We celebrated with a family party that night. My mom made her a chocolate cake, and Ivy got to decorate it. She went a little crazy with the sprinkles! Our little princess is getting ready to start preschool, and is such a good sister. She loves to help with things, especially when she gets to be in charge. She is learning how to play the piano (in a very casual way), and is still our little songbird! She's always singing a song, and we love it!

Here are some of Ivy's favorites at 4:

Favorite Food: Blueberries, and any kind of fruit

Favorite Movie: Barbie's "A Mermaid Tale"

Favorite Color: Pink, of course

When Ivy grows up she wants to be a Teacher and a Mommy, or maybe a Mermaid

Favorite pastime: Swimming, and playing computer games

Favorite Disney Princess: Belle, because she has brown hair too!

Favorite song: The Hot Dog song (from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), and Lullaby from the Children's Songbook

We love you Ivy and hope you have the best year yet!

The big gray mouse

I bought a new car while I was in Utah, so I had to drive it back home. Luckily, my Mom offered to come with me so I didn't have do it alone with the kids. Thank you Mom! On the way, we stopped in Denver and I got to hang out with 2 of my besties! I found out later that it was actually Brian and Mackenzie's anniversary, so thanks guys for spending your romantic evening with me at Chuck-e-Cheese!

Ivy and Morgan picked up right where they left off a year and a half ago! They were so excited to see each other.

Quinton is such a cute boy! I couldn't believe how much he had grown. Here he is playing air hockey with Porter. Quinton won every time, but Porter got an "A" for effort!

Vacation Style!

We love coming home to Logan. We got lots of fun cousin time in, and I got to take the kids to do some fun really fun things. The only thing missing was John!

I thought this was such a fun picture of Ivy. She's standing in front of the barn at my Grandparents' ranch. She loved watching and feeding the horses there.

My nephew Spencer hung out with us for a week, and it was really fun! He's a great kid- I would seriously keep him :)

Porter got some good hands-on instruction from Grandpa Dewey on the proper mini-golf technique.

Ivy had it down pat. Aside from a little cheating, she's a natural.

David's Wedding

John's Brother David got married while the kids and I were in Utah, so luckily we got to be there for the wedding. Ivy was a flower girl, and she was adorable! It was a really hard day from a Mom's perspective (tons of driving, grouchy 2-year-old, pet allergy attack on the flower girl), but I'm so glad we got to be there to support Dave and Demarie. It was a beautiful wedding, and I'm thankful we got to be a part of it!

Porter did sit still through the cereomony, thanks to a sweet Grandma, and a sucker! Good thinking, Dave!

The Happy Couple

What a handsome little guy!

Ivy was so proud to be a flower girl, and she felt like such a princess in her pretty dress!

And this is really what they looked like they majority of the time! haha! Gotta love keeping it real!

Beach Baby!

We had such a fun trip to Utah in August. And what summertime trip home would be complete without a visit to Bear Lake? We love it there. My little beach babies were totally content with the sand and water, especially since they made friends with the guy building a sand castle next to us, who also just happened to have popsicles. They also got to take their first rides on a wave runner! They loved it. Porter was all about the speed and bumps, and Ivy just liked a nice slow ride. So fun!

Monday, August 30, 2010

Aliens!

We were driving down the street today, and Ivy came up with this very exciting story:

Ivy: Mom! Look out for the Aliens!
Me: What Ivy? Aliens?
Ivy: Yes Mom! The little green aliens in the road!
Me: Oh no! Where are they?
Ivy: Right over there under that red stop sign. And they're NAUGHTY!
Me: Really? What are they doing?
Ivy: They're saying "I'm gonna get you!"
(As we turned around the corner)
Me: Are they gone now?
Ivy: Nope. Sorry Mom. They're still there. And they're gonna get us. Too late. I guess we made a bad choice.

What a creative mind! She must have gotten the little green aliens thing from Toy Story. I still think the things my children come up are so sweet and funny. I hope I can always remember how fun little kids are!

Monday, August 2, 2010

Children's Muesum

"It is a truth universally acknowleged that...."
Indianapolis has the best Children's Museum ever! Our membership just expired, so went to the museum a lot in the last few weeks! There is so much to do there, I don't think we actually got to every exhibit in the last year! It's great!
Now if that doesn't motivate you to come visit us, I don't know what will! hehe :)
Here are some fun pics that I took the last time we went.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Cooking Funk!

I am in such a rut with my cooking right now! I haven't really enjoyed anything that I have made lately.....help please! I need some new recipes that are healthy, easy and kid-friendly! You can leave them in the comments or email me :) Thanks guys!

Oh, and if you're looking for somethin' yummy to make here's one I got from my friend Staci:

1 whole wheat Pita
3-4 Slices tomato
3 fresh basil leaves, snipped
Grated mozzarella cheese

Heat about a Tablespoon of olive oil in a sautee pan. Put the pita in and top with tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper, and cheese. Cook until cheese is melted.
Yum!

Sunday, July 4, 2010

4th of July

Some friends in our ward hosted a 4th of July barbecue last night, and it was really fun. Ivy has some cute little friends in our ward who were there, so she had fun with them. It still shocks me that I have a child old enough that she wants to go play with her friends more than hang out with me! Porter had his first taste of Soda, and he had a death grip on that can! He carried it around all night, and wouldn't let anyone touch it. Other than me taking the first couple of sips, he drank the whole thing. We brushed his teeth really well last night :)

Summer Fun

Wow, I am behind on my blog, again! Just in case I have any readers left, here is a little update on what we've been up to. John just finished his intern year (Wahoo!), and so he is now a 2nd year resident. It has gone by FAST, and for that I am thankful. He won the "Best Surgical Intern" award this year, and I'm so proud of him for working so hard! He did, however, forget to tell me that there was an awards dinner (a.k.a. excuse to get dressed up and have a free date night) so, he's in a little bit of trouble for that.
Ivy and Porter are loving the Summer heat, and the humidity doesn't seem to phase them. They want to be outside any chance they get. We are in love with our fenced-in back yard so that they can run play and eat otter pops to their hearts' content. Our HOA also has a pool, and a really cool park so we have fun going there as well.