Visit from the Duncans!

We had some friends come to see us today! Oh wow! These kids were wound up by the end of their visit tonight! I think they all had tons of FUN! Thanks for coming to see us Duncans!! :)

Working Out and Socks + Shoes!

Just a couple of fun pictures!

We just about always have one kiddo downstairs working out with us in the mornings...usually two. The other morning before Ellie was up, Zay was quite motivated to workout with us! Pull-ups, squats, jumps...you name it - he was up for it! 

Goodness, goodness...if there is one thing that my kids do that really gets under my skin, it's this. I spend so much time putting on socks and shoes on and then tying and re-tying shoes...ONLY to have them take them all off in the car so I can do it again when we get to our destination! Ugh! I guess with sweet faces like this, you can't get too mad at them! ;)

Brother-Sister!

These two...so cute together these days. :) 

This is a picture from last weekend...we ended up getting a flat tire on our trailer after shopping at Home Depot. :(

Ellie really likes to do EVERYTHING Zay does! :)

Day 40 - 40 Days of Blogging

Well - I made it...40 blog posts! Might not have been EACH and EVERY day, but I got 'er done! And I'm really excited because it was a GREAT challenge for me! And a great reminder why I take the time to do this blog-thing! It's such a great way to keep track of our memories. I've had so many people tell me that they have gone back to some of our older blog posts and read about our journey...and I have too! It's so fun to have this journal to see where we were 4 or 5 years ago, compared to where we are today! And there is no doubt that it's only by God's doing!

Sitting in church today, I was actually brought to tears thinking about how amazing this day is. Resurrection day...Jesus is ALIVE and he's ALIVE in my life! I'm so blessed to know Jesus and to know what Jesus did for me and for my husband and my children...and for YOU! Thinking about what Jesus did on the cross for ME, I can get pretty emotional and pretty pumped up at the same time. He loves ME that much. God loves ME that much. Thank you - thank you, Jesus!

Happy Easter from our family to yours! :)

Day 39 - 40 Days of Blogging

Well in case you didn't know...we are on a boat, in the ocean and he pushed me overboard to go for a swim...we've just encountered some sharks...but dont worry...he's throwing me a "donut"!!

We then moved on to reading Ellie nursery rhymes before her nap...Zay named on story "Duck, Duck, Ellie"!

Silly faces! :)

Out to eat!

Going out to eat tonight! ...Hmmm, somehow my kitchen still got messy...but all my cooking is done, kid's food is packed and someone else is cooking my food! 

Day 38 - 40 Days of Blogging

The chances of this boy adding trouble on top of his trouble is about 100% today. Wake up sister from nap...check. Torment dog...check. Play with scissors...check. Get stuck in his bed...check. Although, I will take full blame for the last one...twin bed is waaay overdue.

I think it's obvious that he needed a nap! Later in the day after throwing him in the bath to maybe provide a little productive entertainment, he fell asleep with 2 grapes in each cheek! (Don't worry, I took them out!) :)

Day 37 - 40 Days of Blogging

Since I wasn't exactly blogging when Zay had his first School Conference, I thought I would put a quick 'report card' up here! Glad to report that he's doing well, his teachers seem to think he's pretty close to the perfect little boy and I couldn't be happier with our first year in school! :) 

I love reading his teacher's notes...he loves to make his teachers laugh and loves routine. And snack time hasn't been a problem...yay!! Speaking of snack time, it's worth noting that everyday the class has graham crackers for a snack...in the beginning of the year I made Zay's version of graham crackers so that he could eat the "same thing"...but Zay informed me early on that he would prefer to eat his pretzels. He definitely has not problem not fitting in! And on another note...he can count to 100 now, so I'm pretty sure he could have done more than 10 a few weeks ago, but you know...he's gets his own ideas of when he's going to show his skills! ;)

 One of Zay's favorite things at preschool...Art time! One of Zay's teachers brought me in one day and wanted Zay to show me his art project that day. As we go down the row looking for Zay's "sheep", we look at all the other students sheep, and they have 5 or 6 little puff-balls on them. Then we come to this one...Zay REALLY liked this project! ;)

And another art project...he tells me "Mommy, I had to pick a PINK egg because there wasn't any RED eggs!" (This week's favorite color is red!)

PKU Appt.

PKU checkup today! Of course we took our standard "we were here pic!"...and also a pic of how Zay seems to win over every lady he runs into...be it the red hair paired with his smile or the fact that he asks for PINK bandage tape and TWO stickers...one to share with his sister!

Day 34 - 40 Days of Blogging

I spy with my little eye....two little kiddos running off energy! We LOVE this warmer weather!!! :)

Day 30 - 40 Days of Blogging

So happy to remember that 9 years ago this guy asked me to marry him. Man...what a great memory. And yep, I'm still so in love with him. Mushy, I know...but I thank God daily that I get to spend my days with him...even when he's grumpy or I'm tired or the kids don't listen - it's an amazing little life we've created together and I just love it. Just like I love him. 

On another note...the kids and I spent some time outside today! For me, it was still a little chilly, but the kids LOVED it! 

Haha...I totally RAN some sprints in our back yard while the kids were playing in the sandbox. Remember how I was cold...thought it would help me warm up! And it did! I felt like I was back in track, running 'accelerations' on the football field! And the neighbors? Yeah, they think I'm nuts.

Only my kid would be wearing a stocking hat (because I'm always worried about ear infections with Zay) but then also kick his shoes off! 

She is somewhere in between being a 'rough-n-tough' little girl and being a 'girly-girl'...she has moments of both!

Day 29 - 40 Days of Blogging

After a loooong weekend, Monday didn't turn out too much better. The last few days have been full of craziness! We had a VERY clogged drain in our kitchen sink (shout-out to my hubby for getting it fixed...took awhile, but we got it!), and with about 15 minutes to spare we got the drain un-clogged right before Shane's family showed up to our house to celebrate Spring birthdays! We had a great visit with Shane's family, but then last night things started going downhill for Zay. Ellie was sick late last week, so I'm figuring that Zay caught what she had...but it is just so unfair how much worse his sicknesses are. We were up most of the night last night, and all day today he hasn't had much relief. I feel bad for my little buddy. :( Hoping we can bounce back a bit tomorrow and things can get back to normal!

My sick little guy. :(

Ellie wearing her brother's hand-me-downs last weekend...she sure made that John Deere sweatshirt look cute! :)

Day 26 - 40 Days of Blogging

Zay took it upon himself to dig out every single hat we own. Nice of him. He was certainly proud when he found a hat that had a 'hat clip light' attached to it...it was the "coolest hat he'd ever seen!!! Then of course his sister insisted on wearing a hat too...so why not a backwards stocking hat of your brother's. Never dull around here, never dull. 

Day 25 - 40 Days of Blogging

I don't have a lot to share tonight! Today was, well, busy. Chiropractor Appointment, Expensive Vet Appointment for Bailey, visit from my brother, husband working late and a lot of things around the house. And tonight I'm trying to get some work done quickly, as I have a feeling that my little girl might be up throughout the night with a bit of a cold/sickness...she's already whined a bit since I've had a chance to sit down! :(

So, bear with me...because I'm calling this a post today. BUT - I will include a couple pictures to make it more legit! ;)

Probably TMI, but this little girl was in the bath first thing this morning. She woke up with some dried "spit up/throw up" plastering her hair down. Gross, I know...but she didn't even cry in the middle of the night, so I'm not sure what to think! Oh how kids just change the order of your days sometimes!

Zay's masterpiece today. He is getting so good at drawing and writing! Take a look at that "A" - perfection! ;)

Day 23 - 40 Days of Blogging

A few weeks back, Zay had his Preschool pictures taken. I was so interested to see if he would listen to the photographer and smile (nicely) for her. I mean...he's used to getting his picture taken, obviously...but his listening skills when I attempt to take his picture aren't always the best. But looky-looky! He did great! As a matter of fact, doesn't he look like the perfect little posed child...haha! :)

Preschool Class Picture!

Day 20 - 40 Days of Blogging

A little comparison...I thought it would be fun to look back at my kiddos and see how much they look alike. We get told all the time that they look a lot like each other! In some of these milestone pics I can see it, and others I think they don't look as much alike...? Granted, these pics are just the first ones I could find, so I could probably dig a little more and find pictures that really match expressions, etc! What do you think...do they look like brother and sister??? ;)

Isaiah/Elizabeth - Newborn

Isaiah/Elizabeth - 3 Months

Isaiah/Elizabeth - 6 Months

Isaiah/Elizabeth - 9 Months

Isaiah/Elizabeth - 12 Months

Isaiah/Elizabeth - 18 Months

Day 19 - 40 Days of Blogging

This is it...this is all I've got today...two instagram pics! Better than nothing, right??? ;)

A cute little girl waiting for me as I return from the mailbox!

He makes cleaning up toys look cool!! ;)

Day 16 - 40 Days of Blogging

Top 5 funnies from the last few days/weeks...these kids of mine, they sure do provide great content for Facebook posts and blog stories! Enjoy these!

1. Zay and I had a little prayer time this afternoon (after quite a meltdown and outburst involving his sister!) At the end he says..."Hey Mommy! Maybe you can pray to God and Jesus that they will help me become a weather man when I grow up too!" Okay...but let's work on not hitting your sister first!

2. Working out with kids is challenging...literally challenging! Thanks for the added intensity on the wall sit, Elle!

3. Not even joking...stuck in a car wash right now! Exit door wouldn't open, thankfully the girl behind me was the owner's son's girlfriend, so she said she would back up so I could exit from the entrance...totally didn't work and the door closed me in for another round of washing my car! Zay thinks this is great...Ellie on the other hand was terrified the first time around...now she is really scarred for life!#hopewemakeitoutalive #mycarisSUPERclean

4. "He's got the whole world in his hands" #playdoh #hewasntsupposedtomixthecolors

5. You mean to tell me that not everyone coordinates their outfits with their snacks?

Day 13 - 40 Days of Blogging

Yesterday we took a little trip to the Children's Museum! It seems like we make it there every so often, and Ellie is really to the age that she can really get into playing. However...this is spring break week so it was packed with kids!! So little missy pretty much stuck to me like glue...at least that made it easier to keep track of both kids! ;)

Zay's favorite area...the 'hospital/doctor's office". Do you think he's a little familiar with this type of thing? ;)

Ellie and I rode in the ambulance, while Zay drove us. He kept asking us where he should take us...THE HOSPITAL, Zay...the hospital! :)

Thought maybe she'd fall asleep after lunch, but she was too interested in all the other kids!

A picture with all the other moms and kids that we went with...we had a crew!

 Remember how I mentioned Ellie was attached to my hip the whole time. The one time she wandered around a bit, she lost track of where I was. I was watching her as she kept looking up at people as if she were asking 'are you my mommy?" Then she spotted me and was SO HAPPY! :)