Eastery Fun

We don't just celebrate Easter on Sunday around here.  We like to extend the fun for at least a week in advance!

We've been trying to do some memory verses, and the one we've been working on lately is Mark 12: 30-31a- "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The second is: Love your neighbor as yourself."

I saw this cute idea on Pinterest (of course) and thought what better way to live out this verse and show my girls what it means?

We stuffed the eggs full of candy and printed a little picture book of the Easter story.  Then we snuck next door, rang the doorbell, and ran.  I think I heard our neighbor open her door as we were running.  Adeline didn't quite get what was going on and was laughing the whole way.  I'm sure my neighbor figured out who it was from.  I was hoping she wouldn't know who had just delivered a bunch of candy to her three small children.  :)

 On Monday, the girls had their Easter party at school.  I wasn't sure if Adeline would make it all day because of her toe, and I knew we for sure wouldn't be going to dance, but I at least wanted them to get to hunt eggs with their classmates.

I got a call to come get my sweet girl about an hour and a half after I dropped them off, but it was no big deal.  She'd at least gotten to hunt eggs and we got to meet Daddy for lunch.  It was good to get home anyway, because it was bitterly cold and snowing.  I wouldn't have wanted to run many errands in that.

On Tuesday we went to visit our elderly friends at the nursing home.  The girls decorated little foam crosses to hand out.

Easter kind of snuck up on me, so I didn't organize the visit very far in advance.  We had a small crowd this time, but the residents were still so happy to see us.

Although Shannon and I had bought these three shirts at the same time one day back in January (or maybe even earlier) we did not plan on all our girls to be matching.  It was a nice surprise!

This time, because of her toe, Adeline rode in the stroller while Annabel got to walk.  I think Annabel was beside herself with excitement.  Adeline has always been hesitant to walk up to the residents and hand them the goodies if I don't go with her and hold her hand.  Annabel had no qualms.  She ran up to everyone she saw to hand them a cross and was so upset when they were gone.

Today the Davises came over to play and dye eggs.  Westin is such a boy and was over it after the first egg.  Adeline, however, absolutely loved it.  I think we'll have to dye some more eggs this weekend.  She had the best time.

I'd bought a tie-dye kit, but we really only got around to "tie-dying" one of the eggs.

We leave for Texas this afternoon for more Easter festivities!  I'm so excited to see everyone.  I haven't been since Christmas!

Ouches!

I worked at the rehab hospital on Saturday.  At one point during the day I got this text from Jon...

"Annabel just fell and busted her lip."  I figured it wasn't that bad since he'd taken the time to take a picture and send it to me, but for some reason I still said, "Is she ok?  Does she need to go to the ER for stitches?"  His reply was, "No.  It's not that bad, just a minor setback."

Well, I guess we jinxed ourselves because it was only a few hours later that we were in the ER, but for our other child.  We were cooking dinner and just about had it ready to go on the table.  The girls were running around like crazy like they tend to do in the evenings.  Adeline walked right up to the barstools, grabbed one, and just pulled it over.  The seat part of it fell right on her big toe.  I ran around the island and saw blood everywhere.  Jon snatched her up and ran to the bathroom to assess the damage.  I'm cleaning up the blood when he yells over her screams, "We're going to have to take her somewhere!"  Then I knew it was bad.  My very calm, cool, and collected husband hardly ever recommends going to the doctor, especially not on a Saturday evening at 6:00.

I volunteered to take her since we didn't want Annabel sitting in the ER as she was still getting over her strep throat from the previous week, and I didn't want to be getting updates from a man.  You know what I mean. Men don't offer nearly as much detail as a worried momma wants.  So Jon wrapped up the toe in paper-towels and a sock and we headed to the ER.  She screamed hysterically all the way there.  I called a friend who is an ER nurse and thankfully happened to be at work at that time.  She sent someone out to meet us to assess the toe.  I think she thought I may have been overreacting and wouldn't need to hang around at the ER, but that wasn't the case.  The nurse thought it definitely needed to be seen by a doctor and needed x-rays because it looked like it could possibly be broken.  

The ER was pretty crowded and we had to wait quite a long time.  Adeline was very upset and was crying loud enough to make everyone else in there concerned about her, but we had one family there who I know was sent there the same time as us to bless us.  The mom (I didn't even get her name) first sent her daughter over to give Adeline a juice box which calmed her down greatly.  Then when she started to cry again, the little girl came back over and offered her their portable DVD player with a Barbie movie playing on it.  It was all I could do not to burst into tears too.  I later learned the little girl's name was Annabel.  Now don't tell me that wasn't planned by God.  That family truly knew how to let God use them and love on others like He would.  I wish I knew their last name or some way to get ahold of them.

Jon fed Annabel and then took her over to our neighbors' house, then he met us at the hospital.  I wanted him there if they were going to have to sedate her for a cast or to remove the toenail.  Thankfully, nothing was broken and the doctor recommended leaving the toenail on to protect the nail bed.  Jon brought the iPad and snacks when he came, so she calmed down a little.

They soaked her foot and bandaged it up and sent us home with instructions to do the same twice a day.  It looks worse than you can imagine.  I've seen a lot of gruesome stuff at work, but I think this is just so much worse because it's my baby.  I'll spare you pictures of the actual toe, but the toenail is barely hanging on and the whole tip of her toe is smushed and bloody.

I know it hurts so so bad.  She doesn't get up to play very often, and when she does, it doesn't last long.  

I took her to our pediatrician today for another opinion.  I just kind of wanted a check-up on the progress and make sure we're doing everything we can do for it.  I'm so glad I went!  As soon as she took off the bandage she informed me that it's infected.  She put her on antibiotics and explained that this is probably why she's in so much pain.  Hopefully after a couple days on the meds she'll be feeling a lot better.  I told her I'd asked the ER doctor if we could do antibiotics as a precaution, but she had said no.  Our pediatrician said she was surprised the ER doctor didn't prescribe them because an injury like this is highly likely to become infected.

I ordered this Green Toys flower garden thing at the perfect time.  She loves to play with it while she stands with her foot soaking.

It seems like it's never ending with illness and calamity at our house, but I know this is just a normal part of having small children.  We are so blessed and thankful for God's provision.  It could be so much worse.

Spring Break 2013

What a productive Spring Break we had!  The girls left for Texas last Sunday morning with their Tiny & Big T.  Jon and I immediately started on Operation: Spring Clean.  I dumped out every single toy in the house and sprayed it with disinfectant and wiped them down with a wet rag.  Jon cleaned each foam floor tile with bleach and began assembling their new bunk beds.  We worked diligently all day, then that afternoon we rewarded ourselves with a trip to the movie theater to see Oz.  Afterwards we did a little shopping at a specialty grocery store and came home & watched TV and ate frozen pizza.  How relaxing!

On Monday, Jon went to work, and I enlisted a sweet high school girl we know to come help me clean all day.  We scrubbed every surface of the house from 9-4!  Thank you, Sarah, for your help!  That evening Jon and I went on a date to Table Mesa in Bentonville. 

Adeline spent the day with Tiny painting her nails and making pies.  Annabel was with Nana outside almost all day.  I was so glad the girls were in Texas soaking up some fresh air and sunshine because it was nasty and cold here.

 

On Tuesday, Jon took off work.  We went and had coffee when we woke up and leisurely passed away our morning.  Then we went to work on all the finishing touches of the girls' room.  We got it all exactly how we wanted it, then stayed home and grilled steaks and rented a movie that night.

The girls switched grandparents that day and got to spend some time together that morning with Nana.  That night Annabel was obviously not feeling well and was running a fever, so Jon's best friend who is a family doctor in our hometown, made a house-call and diagnosed her with strep throat.  My good high school friend filled her prescription at the pharmacy.  They both called and texted with information to make me feel like I was there.  I love small towns!

Wednesday, Jon was back to work and I spent the day running errands and treating myself.  I got a pedicure and shopped for myself an Easter dress.  What a luxury!  I also discovered a new little antique store dangerously close to my house.  I might have to put a limit on how many times I can stop there.  It is FULL of the cutest things!  All you local girls, check out Ann Marie's Farmhouse as soon as you get a chance.

Annabel was feeling better that day, so both grandmas, and my grandmother (MiMi) took the girls to do a little shopping and bouncing in Texarkana.

Adeline even got to go to Dairy Queen that night with my dad and my cousin Amanda while Nana was at church.  She was so excited about these no-drip things.  She educated me all about them when she got home and discovered that Nana & Happy had packed them in her bag to bring back with her.

On Thursday, I met the grandmas halfway and got my girls!  I was so happy to see them!  Now it's life back to normal until next week when we all travel to Texas for Easter.  I sure hope the weather is nice and warm.

We are so blessed to have such great grandparents in our lives.  This past week was a blessing to us all.

The Girls' New Room

This is what Jon and I have been working on while the girls were with the grands in Texas.

We bought them bunk beds!  I know it seems crazy.  We haven't completely gotten rid of the crib yet.  We just moved it to the guest room.  I'm sure we'll still be putting Annabel in there for a while.

I was just so excited about these beds that I had to do it now!  I love how it has stairs rather than a ladder.  It seems much safer to me.  Each stair is also a drawer, packed full of the newly organized toys.  The top bunk also has a rail all the way around to protect from rolling out.  The bottom is a full and there's a trundle under that, so lots of room for future sleep-overs.

 I got the bedding at Target and my sweet MIL embroidered their names on the shams.  I love it!

My dad built this shelf and Jon painted it and put on the knobs.  I will use the knobs to hang up the clothes I set out for the next day, etc.  I'm so excited about this shelf.  The blank space on top will be for a big picture of both girls together.  Under that picture will be a doily from Jon's grandmother.  I also love that I now have a place to display the quilts my grandmother made for both girls.  The bottom one is Adeline's and the top is Annabel's.

I call this little corner the baby doll corner.  I can see them spending so much time here with their babies.  I love it!

Now I'm off to pick them up from their grandmothers.  I can't wait for them to see it!

Annabel is 18 Months!

Annabel is now a year and half old!  Where does the time go?  I still refer to her as "my little infant" though.  Hah!

I'm pretty sad I'm not with her on her half birthday, but she's loving it at the grandparents'.  My mom sent me this picture this morning.

What is she doing at 18 months?

• Sleeps at night 8pm-8am
• Finally out of her two-week phase of needing us to stand over her crib to fall asleep.
• Naps once a day, but not very long.  Usually an hour to an hour and a half.  1-2:30pm
• Eats everything in sight.
• Finally likes juice, so we've cut back on the whole milk.  
• Weighs 23 pounds.
• Tells us when she has a dirty diaper, but won't do anything on the potty.
• Talks constantly!  Not only does she talk, she screams!  She has one volume...LOUD!  Maybe that comes with the territory of being the baby.  She just has to be heard.  She can say almost anything, but some of our favorites are:
• Made a mess!
• Come on!
• Cup & MILK!
• Thank you
• Flower! 
• Yellow & Purple
• Book
• Momma, Daddy & Adda!
• Her favorite book is a Three Little Pigs book.  She brings it to me at least 10 times a day and wants me to read it to her.  Adeline has it memorized so she "reads" it to her just about as much as I do.  I love it!

We love you, Annabel.  Keep making our days happy and loud!

A Doozy

That virus we had.  It was a doozy.  Do people still say that?  Nevertheless, it was one.  If you ever hear of anyone in your town or your group of friends being diagnosed with the norovirus, take my advice and leave.  Leave town for at least two weeks.  Do it.  You'll thank me later.  Just when you thought you were feeling better, BAM!  And you felt like death again.  It was the longest lasting stomach bug we've ever experienced.  And boy, did we all experience it.  And we still aren't all 100%.  Now we have some sniffling, coughing business going on.  I'm not sure if it's part of the noro, or if it's something else we caught while our immune systems were down.  But anyway, we feel a whole lot better than we did.  Praise God for that!

I sent the girls to school last Monday, but I probably shouldn't have.  I think it was too soon because the sniffles started the next day.  I decided after that to keep them out of the church nursery until after Spring Break.  I put Annabel in pigtails for the first time that morning.  I don't know what it is about pigtails that make me cry.  I cried the first time I did Adeline's and I cried when I did Annabel's too.  And I'll probably cry again the first time they refuse to let me do it.

Jon was the last to get the bug.  He missed two days of work last week.  I tried to keep the girls busy and entertained while he fought for his life. I don't normally bathe the girls, but I did while Jon was sick.  As I sat there and watched them splash in their "color my bath" red water, I tried to soak up every minute.  I was so tired and ready for bed, but I thought to myself, these are the days of my life.  These are the days I'm going to miss.  I watched Annabel's funny faces as she splashed around, but tried not to get any water in her eyes and I thought, "I hope I can always remember these moments.  These moments of pure bliss and happiness of my babies."

We did a little q-tip Easter egg painting...

We went to a couple libraries and had lunch with Charlie one day.

And I went to a crafting class one night and made this fun Spring banner.

Now the girls are in Texas while Jon and I work on some home projects.  I hope Spring brings with it many germ-free, sunny days!