Tuesday, March 31, 2015

C4C 2015

Let me set this scene.  It was Wednesday, March 4th.  This is John's birthday, gymnastics day AND the day that our area was to get hit with a BIG winter storm.  The next day, the 5th, a couple friends and I were to leave for Created for Care around lunch time.  This is something that we look forward to each year.  We make our way there and stop at IKEA, enjoy a nice breakfast and take our time getting to the retreat.  I left Wednesday with everything in place for my 1/2 day that I would be taking on Thursday and my all day plans for Friday.  It's a big deal for me to take off, but I always save my personal days for this retreat, because this group of mama's, they get it!  There is a bond there to be around other adoptive mama's and what a great time we have had getting to know one another via facebook, this conference, and family outings that we have during the year!  I am so grateful for these ladies and I was so excited about this conference.  As everyone was leaving work they would tell each other, "see ya Monday!"  I thought, yeah right, they will miss it!  John came home from Gymnastics with Olivia and I brought my phone in to find 18 texts.  Maryleigh and Lori were ready to hit the road and beat the storm.  We had text back and forth during the day, but they were ready to go within the hour.  Umm......I wasn't ready.  I was in no way prepared to leave Wednesday night.  I had work squared away, but not home.  It was John's birthday.  I had a few things left to tag for consignment, we had been out the night before so I hadn't seen my kids, school hadn't even been cancelled at this point (but was shortly thereafter) and really...it's not gonna do anything, right?!!?  
They were super sweet and said they would wait, but I sent them on because I couldn't wrap my head around packing and getting on the road that night.  Something about, "Hey John, happy birthday, I am off for a girls weekend!" didn't sit right with me.  He even kept saying, "go, go!  You won't make it otherwise!"  I stayed.  I couldn't go just yet.  It was pouring the rain and in my world, it wasn't gonna do anything.  


 Dang it, I was wrong!



We stayed in and warm.  The snow was very powdery and we were all over it.  It was super COLD.  
I messaged a mama that I met recently that lives north of here and asked if I could hitch a ride.  Cause, we are going, right!!!!  She kindly allowed me to ride and we had zero trouble getting out of here.  We left Friday morning which meant I missed seeing the Dropbox (luckily I had been earlier in the week!) with the Korean mama's and eating dinner, but I was home to see Olivia lose her other front tooth, bake together, play in the snow (briefly), and actually enjoy the day off since I was done with consignment.  

 We got to the resort Friday afternoon and I quickly found my spot with the Korean mama's.  I love catching up with this crew!  The stories we share!  Oh the stories!  I have seen the selfie sticks and have laughed, but Jen pulled one out of her purse.  Of course we had to try it out.  As we were trying to get it together a sweet lady from another table offered to take our picture to which we all yelled, "no!"  They then saw how much fun and took a shot with the stick themselves.  

After being home with cold and yuck, it was so nice to be outside and soak up some warm sunshine!  It's hard to believe that the temperature was so much warmer just 4 hours south.  NICE!  

I met a new Korean mama who is a gorgeous Korean herself.  She was super fun to get to know, and I can't wait to see her again!  

 What a great time had by all.  I think I soaked up more relaxing and catching up this time then spending time in sessions.  The main sessions were amazing and I enjoyed each one.  


Sunday, March 29, 2015

Happy Birthday Annelyn and First snow of 2015

It's hard to believe that 8 years ago we were waiting for Annelyn to be born!  I can remember it all like it was yesterday.  Ok, so I am way past a month late on this post, but go back to Valentine's Day weekend.  It was Sunday the 15th and we were off school Monday for President's Day.  Annelyn had a small hotel party this year.  She has always wanted to have a swimming party, so what a perfect idea!  Olivia was lucky enough to be invited among her friends that she had.  I love that Annelyn took time away from her friends to love on her little cousin.  We couldn't spend the night because we were suppose to get snow.  We didn't want to be stuck an hour away from home, so we came back home that same night.  


I love how Olivia adores Annelyn!

We got in the car.  Skies were clear and I continued to laugh because I was driving an hour home and there was no snow to be seen.  Again, I figured our weather people missed the forecast because we had already had our hopes up and let down several times.  Well, as luck would have it, Olivia and Easton woke up to snow!  



It's not a ton, but for around here, it was a lot!  We ended up missing that entire week of school!  Which was a HUGE blessing because of consignment season.  I don't know how we would have gotten it all done otherwise.  
The best part of going out in the cold was watching Easton's first steps.  He wasn't sure.  Their giggles were priceless.  I think for the first few days they could have stayed out all day long.  By the end of the week they were over it.


Oscar tried a few bites!

Yep, he has a monkey costume underneath.  But, he was warm!

These two....they are so much fun!!!

Friday, March 27, 2015

Valentine's Day-- a month later!

Olivia had to have a school Valentine box this year.  It was our first go at one.  She wanted a Frozen theme.  Shock, I know!!  So, I began looking for ideas.  She went the week before Valentine's saying Frozen, then Lego Friends, then American girl, then a plain ole red box!  Ahhhh!  We arrived back to Frozen and luckily I had a plan already to go.  We got our Frozen fruit snacks and began our box.  She put her name on all of her valentine's, cut her name out on the box, put the hearts on, glittered the cones, and helped put it all together.  This wasn't gonna be a "mommy do"box!


She was pretty pleased with her Frozen Valentine box!  It has since been ripped apart and thrown away.  I made sure she knew that would be the case ahead of time.  



Valentine's Day fell on a Saturday.  This was nice to be able to get up and enjoy the morning.  I got up at 4 to get the house clean and ready for an Oil make and take party.  We were in the throws of consignment season so it was a big job!  I had to move everything to make my house look like a house.  Olivia and Easton woke up to donuts and their Valentine treats.  




I finished setting up the final details for the party and we were ready!  

Next time I will have cute little stands to show my stuff, but I ran out of time, and the 'creative teacher' in me used binder clips!  





Some friends came by and learned about some of the amazing things you can do with oils!  We made a 'sleepy spray,' play-doh, and decorated cookies!  

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves!




I returned to tagging immediately after everyone left and the kids played upstairs in the bounce house.  

We finished the day with a great heart shaped pizza!  It was a fun day!  

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Honkeytonk Competition

This was Olivia's first big competition.  She went the day before with her daddy to check things out so she wouldn't be too unnerved when she saw the size of the gym.  She is use to the gym that she goes to each week, but this was a college gym set up for the competition.  She had a lot of fun seeing the big girls compete! 


She seemed really pumped when she got home that afternoon!  



Why didn't we go down to watch the big girls?!?!  Two words, consignment season!!  Easton was such huge help, as you can see.  He tried every hat on that we went through and made sure all the toys worked.

  
Glittered up and ready for competition!


Stretching and checking out everything going on. 





I love her stance.  Look at those little legs!  She is beautiful (and yes, I am a bit biased!).  They are lined up listening to the National Anthem and then introduced.
  

She has got to learn to salute like this before and after every event.  Perfect salute here, Olivia!!!  


We are so proud of you!  This was a HUGE accomplishment on so many levels!  She got 4th place in her age division!  Way to go baby girl. I could not be more proud of you.  YOU, little one, are our sunshine.  I can't imagine life without you!  YOU make our lives better by the minute.  



Sunday, March 22, 2015

A FULL couple months!

I last left off right after Olivia had lost her first tooth!  Guess what?  She has lost 3 more since then!!  We have the hardest time keeping up with them.  She swallowed the first one, we lost (but found) the 2nd one in a very shaggy white rug in my bathroomm we were baking when the 3rd one came out and she was handing it to me as I was putting something in the oven.  It almost got dropped in the oven but I happened to pop it off my hand and it flew past her onto the floor.  The 4th one she lost during gymnastics.  Whew!!!  That's a lot of teeth in a short time!  She is an adorable little toothless wonder, though.
 

tooth #2
 
tooth #3 --  No front teeth!!!
 
No picture of tooth #4.  We were at gymnastics!