Happy 8th Birthday to my sweet, kind, loving, compassionate, smart, funny, adorable boy! He brings joy to our lives every day. We love him so very much!!!
Thursday, November 22, 2012
He's 8!
Happy 8th Birthday to my sweet, kind, loving, compassionate, smart, funny, adorable boy! He brings joy to our lives every day. We love him so very much!!!
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Diary of a Thankful Day
I am thankful that I got to spend the morning with my sweet boy and his class at their Thanksgiving Feast. It may have been the earliest I have ever had a turkey dinner (10 AM!), but it was perfect.
I am thankful that my son attends such a wonderful school that believes in parental involvement.
I am thankful for the amazing teacher that Dylan was blessed with this year, who put together this event. I can only hope that Lexie gets her, too!
I am thankful for my smart, sweet, kind, well-mannered, funny boy who is full of compassion and has an incredible spirit. I am so proud of him.
I am thankful that I get to spend my afternoons with my girls. They complete our family and bring a smile to my face every day. I am thankful for our local library that provides us with a fun, safe, and free place to learn, play, and explore.
I am thankful for beautiful November weather that allows us to happily play at the park with best friends. I am thankful that my family and I are surrounded by such wonderful friends.
I am thankful for days like this one that remind me just how incredibly lucky I am.
I am thankful that my son attends such a wonderful school that believes in parental involvement.
I am thankful for the amazing teacher that Dylan was blessed with this year, who put together this event. I can only hope that Lexie gets her, too!
I am thankful for my smart, sweet, kind, well-mannered, funny boy who is full of compassion and has an incredible spirit. I am so proud of him.
I am thankful that I get to spend my afternoons with my girls. They complete our family and bring a smile to my face every day. I am thankful for our local library that provides us with a fun, safe, and free place to learn, play, and explore.
I am thankful for beautiful November weather that allows us to happily play at the park with best friends. I am thankful that my family and I are surrounded by such wonderful friends.
I am thankful for days like this one that remind me just how incredibly lucky I am.
Monday, November 19, 2012
Pinypon Party
I was recently given the opportunity to host a Pinypon Party through MommyParties.
Lexie was so excited when the box of goodies arrived. She spent hours playing with the Pinypon caravan and Pinypon figure! I have to admit, I had fun playing along, too!
The figures are completely interchangeable. You can switch their hair, clothing, accessories, and faces with other Pinypon figures. The Pinypon caravan was so cute, plus it is very well constructed. It was an instant hit with Lexie!
Lexie had a lot of fun playing with the Nenuco Newborn Doll that we were sent, as well. She loved the fact that it drank a bottle, blew bubbles, and went potty. Lily was mesmerized by this doll, too! She kept stealing it from Lexie!
We invited some of Lexie's closest friends to our house for a Pinypon Party. Prior to the party, I heard all about how excited some of the girls were! That was no exaggeration. My house was full of excitement as the guests arrived!
The first thing they saw when they arrived was the table set up with all the goods! Each girl was able to choose and take home a Pinypon figure, plus we had two items to raffle off: The Pinypon Caravan and the Nenuco Newborn doll! It was difficult getting them to walk away!
Once the girls were settled down, I sent them on a search for Pinypon cards that were hidden in my living room. Whenever they found one, they were able to go to the table and choose their Pinypon figure. After all the figures were chosen, the girls sat down to play with them. There was lots of swapping-and concentrating- going on as they designed their unique Pinypon figure!
The girls were begging to play with the Pinypon Caravan. They were so excited when I brought it out and demonstrated how it opened up. The caravan really kept them busy!
After a little snack break, I introduced the girls to the Nenuco Newborn Doll. They loved it! So many giggles filled my living room!
The final "event" was the Pinypon fashion show. The girls put the finishing touches on their Pinypon figures, gave them names, and strutted them down the runway!
The girls sat down to play for a few more minutes while I gathered up the names for the raffle. Lexie pulled the names of the winners. There were some very happy guests in the room!
One by one, the girls began to leave, clutching their Pinypon figures happily in their hands.
I asked the girls their thoughts on the Pinypon figures, the Pinypon Caravan, and the Nenuco Newborn Doll. The result was a very loud, "We love them!"
The party was a success!
Since the party, I have received some great feedback. Two of the guests couldn't make it at the last minute. I made sure that they got their Pinypon figures. Both girls loved them! One of the moms even bought the Pinypon Caravan for her daughter, for Christmas, after my recommendation!
Lexie is still enjoying the Pinypon figures and Caravan. She has played with them every single day since we received them!
To find out more about Pinypon, visit their website.
Find Pinypon on Facebook.
Find Pinypon on Twitter.
To find out more about Nenuco, visit their website.
Find Nenuco on Facebook.
Find Nenuco on Twitter.
*I received a party kit from Pinypon and Nenuco through MommyParties. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are my own.
Lexie was so excited when the box of goodies arrived. She spent hours playing with the Pinypon caravan and Pinypon figure! I have to admit, I had fun playing along, too!
The figures are completely interchangeable. You can switch their hair, clothing, accessories, and faces with other Pinypon figures. The Pinypon caravan was so cute, plus it is very well constructed. It was an instant hit with Lexie!
Lexie had a lot of fun playing with the Nenuco Newborn Doll that we were sent, as well. She loved the fact that it drank a bottle, blew bubbles, and went potty. Lily was mesmerized by this doll, too! She kept stealing it from Lexie!
We invited some of Lexie's closest friends to our house for a Pinypon Party. Prior to the party, I heard all about how excited some of the girls were! That was no exaggeration. My house was full of excitement as the guests arrived!
The first thing they saw when they arrived was the table set up with all the goods! Each girl was able to choose and take home a Pinypon figure, plus we had two items to raffle off: The Pinypon Caravan and the Nenuco Newborn doll! It was difficult getting them to walk away!
Once the girls were settled down, I sent them on a search for Pinypon cards that were hidden in my living room. Whenever they found one, they were able to go to the table and choose their Pinypon figure. After all the figures were chosen, the girls sat down to play with them. There was lots of swapping-and concentrating- going on as they designed their unique Pinypon figure!
The girls were begging to play with the Pinypon Caravan. They were so excited when I brought it out and demonstrated how it opened up. The caravan really kept them busy!
After a little snack break, I introduced the girls to the Nenuco Newborn Doll. They loved it! So many giggles filled my living room!
The final "event" was the Pinypon fashion show. The girls put the finishing touches on their Pinypon figures, gave them names, and strutted them down the runway!
The girls sat down to play for a few more minutes while I gathered up the names for the raffle. Lexie pulled the names of the winners. There were some very happy guests in the room!
One by one, the girls began to leave, clutching their Pinypon figures happily in their hands.
I asked the girls their thoughts on the Pinypon figures, the Pinypon Caravan, and the Nenuco Newborn Doll. The result was a very loud, "We love them!"
The party was a success!
Since the party, I have received some great feedback. Two of the guests couldn't make it at the last minute. I made sure that they got their Pinypon figures. Both girls loved them! One of the moms even bought the Pinypon Caravan for her daughter, for Christmas, after my recommendation!
Lexie is still enjoying the Pinypon figures and Caravan. She has played with them every single day since we received them!
To find out more about Pinypon, visit their website.
Find Pinypon on Facebook.
Find Pinypon on Twitter.
To find out more about Nenuco, visit their website.
Find Nenuco on Facebook.
Find Nenuco on Twitter.
*I received a party kit from Pinypon and Nenuco through MommyParties. I was not compensated in any other way. All opinions are my own.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Overnight ER Visit and Week 46 {365 Project} In Review
Last night was a first for us. Our first middle-of-the-night sick visit to the ER with one of our kids. Dylan has been in the ER before, but it was to get his forehead stitched up.
Our kids were blessed with good immune systems. They don't get sick often, but when they do, it's a big deal! They usually manage to keep from catching everything that's going around, but we've hit a rough patch. Most recently, it was Lexie's week-long fever/virus. Soon after, Lily ended up with a runny nose. Dylan was the last to get it, and it came on fast.
On Friday night, at bedtime, he complained that his throat hurt. When he woke up Saturday morning, he had a mild cough that sounded like Croup, but he was running through the house within minutes. He acted completely normal all day, so we went to our friends' house, as planned. After a few hours of playing, he started to act grumpy and tired, and he quickly fell asleep. Just before we left, he woke up with a horrible, croup-like cough. He was crying and having a hard time catching his breath. We returned home, but it quickly became evident that he needed help.
After watching his father die last month, struggling to breathe, Grant was beyond worried. Dylan was acting sicker than he has ever been. He couldn't stop coughing, his lips were slightly blue, and he couldn't catch his breath.
Just before 1 AM, I took him to our local ER. Luckily, we were the only ones there. The nurse heard him cough once, and promptly called to have him set up with a breathing treatment. The X-Rays and strep test ruled out pneumonia and strep, which left him with croup. The doctor gave him a strong dose of some medication, and said he would be feeling better within 24 hours. We stayed for a few hours, so he could get breathing treatments. He was finally released around 4 AM.
True to form, Dylan recovered at lightning speed. He woke up late this morning, and only coughed a few times. He has improved so much since last night. He is almost completely better!
WEEK 46
NOVEMBER 11th
We spent the morning/afternoon at home. I finished a lot of projects that needed done around the house. After dinner, we went to my sister's house to celebrate my nephew's birthday. Afterward, Dylan went home with my dad for a sleepover. That evening, Grant and I got caught up on past episodes of the shows we watch.
NOVEMBER 12th
The kids were off school for Veterans Day, so we stayed home ALL DAY! It was gorgeous outside, so we spent some time outdoors before the storm/cold front came in. It was a much needed relaxing day at home!
NOVEMBER 13th
The big kids went back to school. That afternoon, I went to Dylan's school for parent visitation day. His class was celebrating his birthday early, so I got a chance to play a birthday dodgeball game with him and his class. It was a lot of fun watching what he does at school! That evening, I hosted a Pinypon Party. After the party, we went to our friends' house for dinner.
NOVEMBER 14th
Grant drove the kids to school. After picking Lexie up, we came home for a quick lunch, then I took her to gymnastics. The rest of the evening was spent at home.
NOVEMBER 15th
It was a typical Thursday. That evening was Moms Night Out! I met my friends at Red Robin for a great dinner, and then a few other friends and I went to see the 10 PM showing of Breaking Dawn 2! It was a fantastic night with wonderful friends! I was up really late and didn't get much sleep, but it was definitely worth it!
NOVEMBER 16th
After I drove the kids to school, we went Christmas shopping to pick up a few presents. We picked Lexie up from school, then spent the afternoon/evening visiting my parents. We got home around 9, and I did a lot of cleaning before finally getting a chance to relax.
NOVEMBER 17th
We spent the morning/early afternoon at home. Later that afternoon, the kids and I spent some time with my mom. We returned home, ate dinner, then went to my best friend's house for the evening. We had a great time! The kids played, then fell asleep early. We ended up staying past midnight since they were sleeping. Dylan woke up as we were leaving and looked and sounded horrible, which led to the ER visit overnight.
Our kids were blessed with good immune systems. They don't get sick often, but when they do, it's a big deal! They usually manage to keep from catching everything that's going around, but we've hit a rough patch. Most recently, it was Lexie's week-long fever/virus. Soon after, Lily ended up with a runny nose. Dylan was the last to get it, and it came on fast.
On Friday night, at bedtime, he complained that his throat hurt. When he woke up Saturday morning, he had a mild cough that sounded like Croup, but he was running through the house within minutes. He acted completely normal all day, so we went to our friends' house, as planned. After a few hours of playing, he started to act grumpy and tired, and he quickly fell asleep. Just before we left, he woke up with a horrible, croup-like cough. He was crying and having a hard time catching his breath. We returned home, but it quickly became evident that he needed help.
After watching his father die last month, struggling to breathe, Grant was beyond worried. Dylan was acting sicker than he has ever been. He couldn't stop coughing, his lips were slightly blue, and he couldn't catch his breath.
Just before 1 AM, I took him to our local ER. Luckily, we were the only ones there. The nurse heard him cough once, and promptly called to have him set up with a breathing treatment. The X-Rays and strep test ruled out pneumonia and strep, which left him with croup. The doctor gave him a strong dose of some medication, and said he would be feeling better within 24 hours. We stayed for a few hours, so he could get breathing treatments. He was finally released around 4 AM.
True to form, Dylan recovered at lightning speed. He woke up late this morning, and only coughed a few times. He has improved so much since last night. He is almost completely better!
WEEK 46
NOVEMBER 11th
We spent the morning/afternoon at home. I finished a lot of projects that needed done around the house. After dinner, we went to my sister's house to celebrate my nephew's birthday. Afterward, Dylan went home with my dad for a sleepover. That evening, Grant and I got caught up on past episodes of the shows we watch.
NOVEMBER 12th
The kids were off school for Veterans Day, so we stayed home ALL DAY! It was gorgeous outside, so we spent some time outdoors before the storm/cold front came in. It was a much needed relaxing day at home!
NOVEMBER 13th
The big kids went back to school. That afternoon, I went to Dylan's school for parent visitation day. His class was celebrating his birthday early, so I got a chance to play a birthday dodgeball game with him and his class. It was a lot of fun watching what he does at school! That evening, I hosted a Pinypon Party. After the party, we went to our friends' house for dinner.
NOVEMBER 14th
Grant drove the kids to school. After picking Lexie up, we came home for a quick lunch, then I took her to gymnastics. The rest of the evening was spent at home.
NOVEMBER 15th
It was a typical Thursday. That evening was Moms Night Out! I met my friends at Red Robin for a great dinner, and then a few other friends and I went to see the 10 PM showing of Breaking Dawn 2! It was a fantastic night with wonderful friends! I was up really late and didn't get much sleep, but it was definitely worth it!
NOVEMBER 16th
After I drove the kids to school, we went Christmas shopping to pick up a few presents. We picked Lexie up from school, then spent the afternoon/evening visiting my parents. We got home around 9, and I did a lot of cleaning before finally getting a chance to relax.
NOVEMBER 17th
We spent the morning/early afternoon at home. Later that afternoon, the kids and I spent some time with my mom. We returned home, ate dinner, then went to my best friend's house for the evening. We had a great time! The kids played, then fell asleep early. We ended up staying past midnight since they were sleeping. Dylan woke up as we were leaving and looked and sounded horrible, which led to the ER visit overnight.
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Saturday's Top Five Laughs
1. Lexie invents her own words sometimes. A good example: "These clips make your knots scrumple up."
2. Lily loves to stock up her toy shopping cart. She especially loves to hide things in it. Recently, we found a package of oreos mixed in with the necklaces, dolls, and play food.
3. Lexie was reading a book to me, and in it, the character eats Lima Beans. She looked up and said, "I can eat a Climo Bean."
4. I picked Lexie up from school. She said, "Mom, don't you remember we had a donation today." I thought hard about it, but couldn't remember what it was for. I felt like I was forgetting something HUGE. "What donation?" I asked nervously. Lexie sighed. "You know, that 2 hour donation today!!!" Then it hit me. "Oh, you mean the 2 hour DELAY." She sighed again. "Yeah. That."
5. Dylan has officially mastered the man cold. Proof? "I'm so sick I can't even blink my eyes!" I'm not buying it. 1 hour prior, he was riding his bike through mud.
Stop by The Mommyhood Chronicles for more laughs!
2. Lily loves to stock up her toy shopping cart. She especially loves to hide things in it. Recently, we found a package of oreos mixed in with the necklaces, dolls, and play food.
3. Lexie was reading a book to me, and in it, the character eats Lima Beans. She looked up and said, "I can eat a Climo Bean."
4. I picked Lexie up from school. She said, "Mom, don't you remember we had a donation today." I thought hard about it, but couldn't remember what it was for. I felt like I was forgetting something HUGE. "What donation?" I asked nervously. Lexie sighed. "You know, that 2 hour donation today!!!" Then it hit me. "Oh, you mean the 2 hour DELAY." She sighed again. "Yeah. That."
5. Dylan has officially mastered the man cold. Proof? "I'm so sick I can't even blink my eyes!" I'm not buying it. 1 hour prior, he was riding his bike through mud.
Stop by The Mommyhood Chronicles for more laughs!
Friday, November 16, 2012
Fashion Friday
I receive a lot of emails requesting a fashion post or asking where I get my kids' clothes. I've even received a few requests that I've kind of ignored (I'm so not a fashion blogger!) about what I wear. I have so much fun dressing my kids (Girls...Squeeeee!!!), though. I decided to give this a shot and make it a regular feature. Appearances by me may be few and far between. My kids dress better than I do, anyway!
Liliana
Headband: Made by me
Shirt: The Children's Place (from 4 years ago...a favorite hand-me-down from Lexie!)
Tutu skirt: Circo (Target...PLUS it's size 0-3 months. Those skirts last a long time!)
Jeans: Sonoma (Kohl's)
Shoes: Circo (Target)
Alexandria (AKA The Diva Who Won't Wear Jeans Without A Skirt Over Them)
Bow: Target
Shirt: Sonoma (Kohl's)
Skirt: Circo (Target...it belongs to Lily!)
Glitter Leggings: Sonoma (Kohl's)
Dylan
Shirts: The Children's Place
Jeans: Old Navy
Me...plus baby, because I felt a bit ridiculous being in a photo alone!
Dress: derek heart (Kohl's)
Leggings: Target
Boot socks: TJ Maxx
Boots: Sonoma (Kohl's)
And there you have it. Excuse me while I go put on my favorite outfit...PAJAMAS!
Liliana
Headband: Made by me
Shirt: The Children's Place (from 4 years ago...a favorite hand-me-down from Lexie!)
Tutu skirt: Circo (Target...PLUS it's size 0-3 months. Those skirts last a long time!)
Jeans: Sonoma (Kohl's)
Shoes: Circo (Target)
Alexandria (AKA The Diva Who Won't Wear Jeans Without A Skirt Over Them)
Bow: Target
Shirt: Sonoma (Kohl's)
Skirt: Circo (Target...it belongs to Lily!)
Glitter Leggings: Sonoma (Kohl's)
Dylan
Shirts: The Children's Place
Jeans: Old Navy
Me...plus baby, because I felt a bit ridiculous being in a photo alone!
Dress: derek heart (Kohl's)
Leggings: Target
Boot socks: TJ Maxx
Boots: Sonoma (Kohl's)
And there you have it. Excuse me while I go put on my favorite outfit...PAJAMAS!
