April 2014

Running under the parachute at Ella's birthday.

The Birthday Girl herself.

Izzy's turn to hang like a monkey.

Addie loves her slide. It's a rare moment when it's just the two of us.

Our old buddy, Cletus.

Up we go!

Peeking out of her "fort."

Bike time. I think she needs a bigger one.

Learning to scoot.

We had a flat tire on the wagon so Mark got out the air compressor and Addie wanted to help.

This is what happens when Izzy wants to help too.

The girls all ready for school. Addie wanted to take her picture and here it is.

Izzy got this mustache sucker from her teacher for Valentine's Day. She has been asking for months to eat it and I finally gave in.

Addie needed one too.

I hope they always love each other this much. I always wished I had a brother or sister. They sure have something very special.

My two Easter Bunnies.

Izzy helping me with the scotcharoos.

Easter dress picture.

Gamma and PopPop enjoying the day with us.

Great Grandma Ruby came too.

If they hadn't already had enough sweets for the day.

My mom relaxing on this beautiful day!

Chocolate eggs must have been good!

We ended the day with a Harley ride.

 



Mark turned another year older this month. He is officially IN his 40s. We are getting old. My mind doesn't feel that way but my body sure does. The wrinkles are setting in and fatigue has won the battle. Hopefully things will get better.

This month I had continuing education so Mark was Mr. Mom all weekend. He does a much better job than I do. I think it's because he doesn't get all worked up over the small stuff. I just need to relax. If I only had a few more hours in the day to do laundry, organize closets, and plan out meals and have them half way made for the week. If I could do that I think my sanity would come back instantly.

Izzy has been busy with swim lessons, gymnastics and soccer. She loves every one of them. I told her this summer we had to slow down and bit and she had to choose one plus swim lessons. So she chose gymnastics. We are going to get a couple of goal nets to practice soccer and see how it goes. I'm not sure how good my skills are so this ought to be interesting. Matt Steinbrink, if you are reading this you may need to head up a neighborhood soccer tournament to help us practice ;). Izzy is also on the social tour with all her birthday parties. We went to our good friend Ella's at Metro Stars and the kids had a good time. Love seeing these little girls grow up. I can't believe Ella turned 6 and Izzy will be 5 in two months. Where does the time go? She is now old enough to know what is "inappropriate." We were watching a show, lets say Chicago Fire, and a little boy got hurt and was bleeding and passing out. I wasn't paying attention to what was on and Izzy looks at me and says, "Mom isn't this inappropriate?" I look up and said, "Yes Iz it is." The channel was changed quickly.

Addie is again growing more and more independent. Everything is "Mommy, I do it," and "Mommy, I did it!" Potty training is still a work in progress. We put her in panties only and she does pretty good. She will have 0-1 accidents a day and then on occasion it's like everything went out the window and she's going in her pants again. I can't wait until this is all over with. Addie is also singing, 'Let it Go,' from the movie Frozen every chance she gets. She loves princesses (just like her sister), and will brush her hair in the mirror and say, "I am so beautiful." She is quite the character.

We had a wonderful Easter. The weather turned out perfectly and Mark made some pretty amazing ribs. My parents and grandma came up and spent the day with us. The girls had a great time looking for Easter Eggs and we all enjoyed the sun shine and family. God is Good! Hope this finds everyone well and we will post next month if life isn't too crazy.

March 2014

Grandma D and Addie enjoying a day at the races for my birthday.

Izzy and Ella hamming it up.

Mark's sister Trish and two of her three girls, Ladelle and Kami.

The girls picking the winning horse. I don't think their pick was right.

Still looking for the winner.

Addie and Gamma!

Izzy had been waiting for this cupcake for hours.

My Grandma came to the races for my birthday. She has lived in Grand Island for 60+ years and had never been to see the horses race.

Kash, Aunt Cindy and Addie hanging out at the races.

My Aunt Deb and Aunt Cindy helping me celebrate.

Ron, my Dad, Uncle Geo, and Uncle Karlye betting on the horses. I don't think they won much.

My great friend Heather and her sister Melissa. They make it to GI every year for my party at the races. Love her.

My beautiful baby girl.

 

The two most important men in my life.



Yet again I am behind. How do you do it? How do you find the time? My first task is to get my girls to go to bed. I try my hardest to get them in bed by 8pm and I'm yelling at them to go to bed an hour later. Izzy, at 4 1/2, is still asking me to lay down with her so she can fall asleep. Guess who falls asleep first? Yep, me. Sooo, all those things I was going to get done once the girls were asleep just went out the window. That is why I am writing March's post almost at the end of April. Oh well, there will be a day that comes that my sweet little girls won't want me near them. I better soak it all up now when I can scoop them up and snuggle.

Izzy is such a sweet little girl with a dash of devil. She still knows how to push each and every button I have. She is still enjoying swim lessons, gymnastics, and soccer. Poor Addie just gets to ride along to all of it. Izzy is also trying to read. She will sound out each letter sound but can't quite make it flow into a word. She had a series of books called Bob's Books for first time readers. I can plan on the 10 page book with 3words on each page to last an hour. I'm so proud of her for taking interest and wanting to learn to read. I hope that is a good sign for what is to come in her academic career.

Addie has been busy this month with trying to be the most independent 2 year old she can be. Potty training is at a stand still. We haven't made any progress. She definitely tells us how life is and there is no holding back. When ever we ask her if she needs to go to the potty she will say sweetly, "No thank you."  She is also not much of a morning person. I try over and over to wake her in the mornings. She told me one time that, "Not wake up time, go away." Then when I get her up and take her to Izzy's room to get them both ready she often will tell Izzy, "Don't touch me."  Her ability to sleep late is great on the weekends. She is also hard to get to bed. If she doesn't want to be there she takes it upon herself to climb right out. I have found her on the couch before after I put her in her bed. In the middle of the month Addie was all stuffed up again so I took her to the doctor. Another sinus infection with swollen/red ears. On antibiotics again. After the appointment I asked her what she wanted for dinner. She said sausage. The girl loves her some sausage. So off to Village Inn we went. Mark had taken Izzy to gymnastics so it was just Addie and I and it was great to have alone time with her. It doesn't happen very often. Thanks for being my date little one.

At the beginning of the month I turned another year older. We made our annual trip to GI for the horse races. Mulligans and lots of family came too. We had a great time even though not much, if any, money was won.. The following weekend I took a girls' trip to Kansas City with two special neighbor friend's of mine. It was a weekend filled with fun shopping, great food, and a little bowling in the Power and Light District. We stayed at Hotel Phillips in the P&L District. It was fun to have the great girly conversation. It's been a long time. Liz even cracked me up with her inventive way to protect her leather bag from the rain....she even had to find the paper under the cabinet in the bar bathroom. LOL.

The last weekend, Mark and I got a few days to ourselves. Tax payments are due soon and we have a weekend that we get it all organized. I was on top of it this year and it didn't take as long. Soo, we had some free time. Great to hang out, just me and him. The girls stayed with my parents and my mom said that every time Addie had to go to the bathroom she would see a picture of Mark and I and she would cry for her daddy. Then she started saying she had to go to the bathroom just so she could see the picture. She cried for him every time. Must be a daddy's girl. Boy I must be chopped liver. I think it's kind of cute. When I told Mark, you could see the smile on his face that he was the special one.

I will try to be better with April. Hope you all have a good Spring.

Ariann

February 2014

 

 Izzy loves soccer!

 

 She will steal the ball and score anytime she gets a chance.

 

 Getting ready for the Super Bowl.

 

 Coloring Team Posters.

 

 All dressed up, and only football to watch.

 

 Hands on the heart for the National Anthem.

 

 I spy with my little eye....Ariel.

 

 Decorating coffee mugs for teacher valentines.

 

 Together on Valentines in Valentines jammies.

 

 Our Valentines to the neighbors.

 

 Winter Olympics representation of Ireland and USA.

 

 Japan.

 

 North Korea and Sweden.

 

 Bath time.

 

 Invited to the big gym at gymnastics. She was so excited.

 

 Kindergarten round up before the tears.

 

 Experimenting with make-up.

 

 My big girl on her "cell phone."

 

 Lip Gloss time.

 

 Happy Birthday Gamma. We love you!

 

 Shrine Circus Clowns.

 

 



Well, another month into the new year and I just don't feel organized. I have bought all of the totes to get there, now it's organizing my time. I have a few days off coming up and I better use them wisely. Much time is still occupied by swim lessons, gymnastics and soccer, but Izzy loves every minute of it. I love it that she likes to be so active. Now only if the weather would warm up so we can get outside.

Izzy somehow chipped a tooth and so we had to go to the dentist. She is always afraid to lay on the examination table when we get there. I feel sorry for the dentist. She took her X-rays like a champ which confirmed a significant chip but not far enough down to warrant any treatment. Thank God! She finished of the winter soccer session with 2 goals and a metal at the end. Gamma and PopPop were there to see her play. She wore the metal all day. She was so proud. Mid-February we went to kindergarten round up. Oh, boy. I really had to try hard to fight the tears so I wouldn't upset Izzy. Her first question out of the car was, "Why isn't Addie here with me?" The rest of the time she did pretty good until it was time to go to the classroom. The teacher, Mrs. Sherman, had to grab her away from my leg. When I picked her up, though, she was all smiles with a little mouse hat on her head. I asked her how long she cried and she told me, "I shut off the tears after I got into the room. I cried in there for a little bit."

Addie is getting sassy as ever. We are still trying to potty train and she doesn't seem to have any interest. She is talking up a storm and knows way more than a two year old should. She is very into her princesses (and Izzy's). She is crabby in the mornings and doesn't want to go to bed at night. She dances with the best of them and wants to be in the middle of everything. She is definitely my strong willed child.

Mark and I got to participate in the winter Olympics by being fill ins. We were suppose to go as North Korea and Sweden, but Mark got called into work. We had to forfeit up were great fill-ins for teams that were short one in the end. For Valentine's Day Mark and I took the girls to Biaggi's and then we went to the Lego movie. It was a great Valentine's Day. I had a lot of fun spending it as a family.

The third week of February Mark went to Vegas for work so Grandma D came to help. It was awesome being able to wake up and just get myself ready and let the girls sleep in. Thanks Grandma D. At the end of the month, Gamma and PopPop came to Omaha for Gamma's 62nd birthday. We all went to dinner at Johnny's Italian Steak House and then went on to the Shrine Circus. It was snowing like crazy, but we had a lot of fun. The girls were mesmerized and enjoyed there cotton candy. Then PopPop bought them flashy lights and they fit right in.