I bet you didn't know. . .

. . . Hayley and Jack LOVE Disco!! Click HERE to see their latest moves!

(Thanks, Courtney, for the inspiration!)

Baby of mine. . .

I went in for my final sonogram today, anxiously anticipating getting to sneak a peek at his/her little face or profile, but my sweet little one faced my spine the entire sonogram!! Kind of a bummer, but makes me that much more excited to see him/her in a few more weeks. The first thing the sonographer said was, "WHOA!! Look at all that HAIR!!" : ) I just laughed. I think that's the first thing she said at Hayley's AND Jack's 32 week sonograms too! The baby is also measuring around 5 pounds already! I know they can be a little off give or take a pound or so, but from my history (a 9 pounder and an 8 pounder) I'm sure they're close being right on! All measurements were closer to 34 weeks today and my dr. said provided my "cervix is ripe enough" he'll induce around 38 1/2 to 39 weeks! So there is a SLIM chance that I will end up with a November baby, but like I told my dr. today---my kids tend to be really comfy in there and don't come out any earlier than they absolutely have to. We shall see! It was an exciting day, even though I have NO idea what this baby is or what it looks like. (Besides being "chunky" and having a head full of hair.) : ) It's so hard to believe we're so close to the end---or should I say "beginning." : )

You know you need to cut back on Starbucks when. . .

. . . you overhear your 3 year old ordering a "vanilla latte--extra hot" at the "drive thru" (changing table in the laundry room). BUSTED!!!

Our Favorites. . .

***I just deleted half of my entry b/c I started getting paranoid about putting the actual locations of my favorite places on my blog. A psycho kid stalker would know right where to find us! So sorry for the randomness of this blog now--- : )

Today we went to one of our favorite parks to play. My kids LOVE it and so do I!

Afterwards, we went to one of our favorite McDonald's that is pretty close to where we live. But our VERY favorite McDonald's is actually kind of a long way from us. They have a thing that has stairs to climb up to get to the slide, so little people like Jack can climb up by themselves and get to the slide! At all the other ones, Hayley will pull him up to each step to help him get to the top---it's hilarious to watch. You can hear her the whole time grunting and saying, "Come on, Buddy! We're almost there!" Quite the workout for a 3 year old! : )

A fun treat today at McDonald's---one of Hayley's teachers at YCW this year is Ms. Sharla who happened to be my big sis in club at ACU!! She showed up right after us and we got to visit and catch up while our kids played. By the way---Mindy and Christine if you read this (which I'm sure you will) Hayley misses being in class with Jack!! I realized right after we started this year that if we wanted to start her in Kindergarten on time (even though she will be the very youngest in her class), that we needed to get her on track at YCW. And it made more sense for her to skip the 2's and go to the 3's than to skip next year. It was weird to realize, "Oh my goodness---she's supposed to start Kindergarten in 2 more years!!" She's doing great in her new class though and I know it was the right choice for her.

Anyone else have more favorites share?


My favorite little girl!My favorite little boy!

I can only say that for about 9 more weeks about one of them! I can't WAIT!!!!

Heavy Heart

My heart is so heavy for this family I don't even know, but I ran across on Kylie's blog. Please join me in lifting them up to our Father. I really can't begin to imagine the pain they are experiencing.

www.conorbootheandgirls.blogspot.com

Behind!

I'm so behind on blogging! Here are a few pictures to try and catch up. And this is random, but THREE of my friends went into labor today! Only one has actually had her baby so far---yay, Summer! But I thought that was wild that all 3 went into labor on the same day.

The "waterpark" in our backyard. (That's what Hayley called it.) We got it for her party and it was a HIT! Even one of her aunts got crazy and played in it. : )

I love this picture! Hayley and John have been friends since she was born! More friends!! Jack, Jillian and EmmaHayley and Jack getting ready for daddy to slide down the waterslide! This was after the party and after some much needed naps!First day of school!! I think this picture is hilarious. They are both loving school this year! Jack walks in, walks straight to his room and waits in front of the door until Ms. Heather opens it and he just walks right in w/o looking back! Ms. Heather was Hayley's teacher last year and all summer. We LOVE her!

He got this backpack for his 1st birthday---and it's perfect! : ) (He did wear shoes to school, by the way.) Aunt Tara, Uncle Dwight and Scout gave her this uniform for her b-day! Future Wildcat Cheerleader???
Or future artist??? This is her latest thing----PAINTING! We get out the paints multiple times each day. I bet she has painted at LEAST 30 things in the past week or so. It's so fun to see her discover things that she is truly interested in. I was watching her tonight and thinking, "She's actually getting pretty good at this!" Notice how much straighter her hair looks in this picture. It's called "Bed Head." The first thing she wants to do in the mornings---even before breakfast--is paint. Not sure where she gets that. The first thing I wake up thinking is, "MUST GET CEREAL." (While thinking, "I REALLY wish I could have a cinnamon roll this morning!") It's late and I'm hungry---can you tell?? : )

Busy weekend. . .

Last weekend was so busy, but so much fun! My youngest sister, Abby, came in town Friday night and we got to hang out w/ the kids together on Saturday morning/afternoon. It was fun getting one on one time with her! Then Saturday afternoon Tra and I took Jack and Hayley to see The Wiggles LIVE! We really thought Jack would LOVE it b/c he is a huge Wiggles fan, but I think he thought the whole way there as we were talking about going to see the Wiggles that we were going to the Wiggles Play Center and was extremely disappointed when he was in a dark room expected to stay in a confined space w/ nothing to play with. : ) I ended up taking him out the last 20 minutes or so of the show b/c he was so fussy! Hayley loved it though. I totally messed up on our seats---I had us in the nosebleeds but thought we were going to be a lot lower---not sure how I made that mistake?? Anyway--Hayley's classic comment was when the Wiggles came out she sat there and squinted, looked at me and said, "You can't see the Wiggles' eyes!" In other words, "Nice seats, mom." Oh well. It was still fun. We got home, put them to bed and my mom and other sister Angie came to stay the night. We had some good family time on Sunday morning just hanging out and then I hosted a baby shower for one of my long-time friends (we've been friends since Kindergarten!) that afternoon. They've been wanting to have a baby for 3 years and little Joshua Ryan is FINALLY almost here! I'm so thrilled for them. Her sister, who has also been wanting a baby for a little longer than 3 years, found out 6 weeks after Tammi that she was pregnant too!! God is GOOD!

Hayley is turning 3 tomorrow, which is very hard to believe! So we have a fun day/weekend planned for our girl. I love this birthday b/c she knows what's going on and she is very excited! She has basically planned the majority of her party. All I had to do was go get the stuff and order the cake. It's a Dora party with a Rainbow cake (not sure where the rainbow cake idea came from, but whatever), and she wants everyone to wear party hats. : ) Party hats?? She certainly did not get that idea from me. (I'm not a hat person.) I like them on other people, just not myself. But I'll wear a party hat if it makes Hayley happy! : )

Lastly, It's very hard to believe I only have 14 weeks or so left before this baby gets here. (still assuming they'll induce a week early again) That doesn't seem like a very long time! This is an active little one---I get startled several times a day with random strong kicks! It tends to be when I'm carrying Jack, as if the baby is saying, "Do you not REMEMBER how little space there is in here??? Stop squishing me!!!!" We can't wait to see this little one!!

The Wiggles coming out on stage---Jack processing where we are The "new Greg" is named "Sam." It just wasn't the same w/o good ole Greg Wiggle!

Yay for sisters! I think Hayley got the same gene as Abby in height (I even had heels on!)

Convicted. . .

Since I wrote my previous post, the Holy Spirit has been saying to me, "So how are you going to rejoice in this---it's the title of your blog you know?" My answer back for the past hour or so has been, "I'M NOT!!!! That was a TOTAL waste of time!!!!" But sweetly, gently, yet firmly, my thoughts have been redirected to rejoicing---that I have a daughter who is turning 3 years old next week (so many are still praying for a child), that she is healthy, vibrant, and energetic, and that this trivial incident is the hardest thing about my entire day. Thank you, Father, for my sweet Hayley and for the opportunity to make a scrapbook about her 3rd year! Thank you for reminding me to REJOICE in you ALWAYS! And to turn my frown upside down---even when things are a little messy!

FRUSTRATED!!!

I just lost over 20 pages of an online scrapbook I am working on for Hayley's 3rd year. (From last September through February!!!) I have spent over an hour on it while my kids are napping. If you use Shutterfly (Courtney, did you have this problem???) it KICKS YOU OFF and makes you enter your password again at random times WHILE you are working on your project. So SAVE EVERY PAGE as you complete it. I'm not sure why common sense didn't kick in and why I didn't think to do that in the first place. Just had to vent. : ( Back to work I go. . .

100 Things About Me. . .

1. I sometimes spend too much time reading blogs.
2. I grocery shop once a week.
3. I don't take my kids with me.
4. I LOVE ice cream.
5. I don't eat it very often.
6. I gain weight VERY easily. (hence #5)
7. #6 is a blessing (I have always had to eat healthy)
8. #6 is also a curse (I love to eat foods that aren't always healthy!)
9. I LOVE Cinnabon Cinnamon rolls!!!
10. I love the Cobb Salad at Fridays w/ honey mustard on the side.
11. I don't like blue cheese, but I never ask to take it off of #10 ---I just pick around it.
12. I drink lots of large ice waters with lemon from Sonic.
13. My toe nails are always painted.
14. I usually do my own toes---pedicures are rare with 2 kids.
15. I love doing favors for people.
16. I like to cook.
17. I'm not crazy about cleaning.
18. I LOVE a clean house.
19. I don't really have a hobby (unless you consider blogging a hobby!) : )
20. I'm okay with that.
21. I have played the cello since I was 10---but don't play enough to consider it a hobby.
22. I love spending quality time with friends/family.
23. I have struggled with losing my temper with my immediate family members.
24. The Lord has delivered me from that struggle tremendously over the past year.
25. I LOVE reading/watching/listening to Joyce Meyer.
26. She has been instrumental in my journey of being delivered from temper issues.
27. My friends never believe me that I truly struggle with that.
28. Just ask my family--immediate or in-laws--who have seen the uglier side of me. : )
29. One of my new best friends is the Holy Spirit.
30. I have gotten to know him more intimately over the past year.
31. I'm excited to grow in my relationship with him (and God and Jesus---a given) over the course of the rest of my life.
32. I love to bake.
33. I love having people in our home.
34. I love family time w/ Tra, Hayley and Jack on the weekends.
35. My favorite time of day is in the evenings when Tra walks in from work.
36. I enjoy leading/attending small group Bible studies.
37. I love Christian music.
38. I'm very out of the loop in the secular music world.
39. I used to feel really dorky b/c I only listened to Christian (and occasionally country) music.
40. Now I'm 100% okay with it.
41. I listen to kids' praise and worship music 70% of the time.
42. The Wiggles 20% of the time.
43. My own music 10% of the time.
44. Maybe the Wiggles 29% of the time and my own 1%---realistically.
45. I dislike being really hot and not able to cool off.
46. I love San Diego (specifically La Jolla).
47. You don't get hot there.
48. I don't like being really cold and not able to warm up.
49. I love new pajamas.
50. I rarely buy new shoes.
51. I've worn maternity clothes about 20 months over the past 3.5 years.
52. I have a feeling I'll be adding to that number---even after this pregnancy!
53. I like going to the movies.
54. I like going places by myself---even movies.
55. I like war movies.
56. That works well on date nights b/c so does Tra. : )
57. I love beach vacations.
58. I like the mountains.
59. I've snow skied twice in my life.
60. I've never been skiing with Tra (snow or water).
61. We had a lakehouse in east Texas growing up (6th grade - college).
62.We spent lots of weekends there as a family.
63. We played lots of Bible Trivia.
64. We took turns getting up in the 5's to go fishing with my dad (who by the way was SOOO patient with his girls who lost multiple lures over the years getting hung up on trees, etc.)
65. We never water skied in all the years we had that place.
66. We did LOTS of knee-boarding and inner tubing.
67. We got one tv channel---ABC---on a 3 inch tv.
68. We had 2 bedrooms---my parents had one and my 2 sisters and I shared the other.
69. Lots of sweet memories with my family at Lake Bob Sandlin!
70. My sister Angie lives in West Hollywood with her husband Adam.
71. Adam and Tra were in the same social club at ACU (but not at the same time).
72. My and Angie's last initials went from B to W---and we now both start with W-i-l-l
73. Our youngest sister Abby lives in Abilene.
74. She is dating a guy whose last name starts with B.
75. We joke with her that they can't get married b/c it isn't a W.
76. I love being a wife.
77. I love being a mom.
78. I grew up in public schools.
79. I turned out pretty good!
80. I taught 6th grade in HEB 5 1/2 years before I had Hayley.
81. I miss my relationships w/ the kids and my co-workers.
82. I lived in an apartment by myself in Euless before Tra and I started dating.
83. I loved living by myself.
84. I love living with Tra, Hayley and Jack even more!
85. I'm related to Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker).
86. I love watching football and basketball.
87. l love to read.
88. I wish organizing came more naturally to me.
89. I love to assemble products (ie. toys, cribs, etc.)
90. I love breakfast.
91. I love coffee---must always have cream (preferably flavored) and a splenda.
92. I love 2%, sugar free, vanilla lattes from Starbucks.
93. I love cereal.
94. I don't wear perfume.
95. I go through lotion phases---but overall don't like one scent for very long.
96. I shave my legs every day.
97. I pluck my eyebrows almost every day. (at least I SHOULD)
98. It is rare to ever see me without eye make-up.
99. I would love to go w/o make up and not feel naked.
100. My list is actually longer than this---which I couldn't believe---but I'm stopping here!

A Ticker

I felt like I needed to add a ticker to my blog. : ) Now everyone can watch Baby #3 grow with me!

Stay tuned. . . I made a list of 100 things about myself that I will be posting soon. I didn't think I knew 100 things about myself but surprisingly enough I did! I know you are all sitting on the edge of your seats!! : )




Here are a few more beach pictures:

More pictures!

Big D and Jack being silly!
Hayley at Sea World
Jack at Sea World
Angie and Hayley playing in the waves!
Nana helping Hayley and Jack dig a hole to China! They got really close!

"Bye Bye Diego! Bye Bye Waves!"

We got in late this afternoon from the BEST vacation!! We had an indescribable amount of fun together. It was so great getting to see Angie and Adam and my parents and my grandparents too. It was so perfect b/c we got to see lots of them, but at the same time we did lots just the 4 of us! We did Sea World and Legoland just the 4 of us, as well as some evenings. Like last night we got take out, went to a great park that you can walk to from where we stayed, and topped off the night w/ Baskin Robbins. It doesn't get much better than that. I'm more crazy about my kids than ever and more in love with Tra than ever---and SO thankful I have him!! We make a good team. It's so nice to be at a stage in our parenting that we are kind of into a "groove" and things just seem to flow better than they have in the past. Not to mention our kids are at more managable ages than they were ohhh, say, a year ago! Our anniversary was the 4th and my sister and Adam kept our kids while we went to our FAVORITE Itallian food place to eat. Then the next night my mom offered to come over and play and put them to bed while we went to a movie!! 2 date nights in a row!! We hardly knew what to do with ourselves! Hayley and Jack LOVED the beach. All but 2 days, we went down around 9:30 and headed back b/t 1:00-2:00. The kids would crash for 2-3 hours and we would read, nap, talk. It was heavenly. It took Jack several days to be okay with walking around in the sand w/o shoes on. I would take his shoes off and try to put him down, but he'd pull his legs up as high as he could and scream. Then he would carefully walk for quite some time as if trying to keep his feet as clean as possible. Too funny! Hayley is our fearless child. She ran right into those waves the first night we were there. She also rode some rides at Legoland and preferred to ride ALONE if possible. She's such a stitch.

I have almost 200 pictures, so I'll copy Courtney's idea of posting a few favorites each day for a few days.

We're happy to be home to "our house with the toys" but I honestly wasn't quite ready to come home! Thanking God for the blessing of this vacation, time with family, my precious babies and amazing husband. We can't wait to do it again with little Willbanks #3 next time!

Goin' to the mall. . .

Yesterday morning Hayley walked out into the garage w/ Tra's wallet, my car keys, and her flip flops in her hand and announced, "Hey--I'm going to the mall real quick. I'll be right back!"

Her other thing lately is coming down in the mornings fully dressed, which is great if the clothes she picked out came from the side of her closet of clothes that FIT. She gets in her plastic tub of clothes from LAST summer (I think she's grown a foot since then--ha ha) and some items from the winter. She typically adorns socks and an old pair of sandals w/ her outfits too. I have got to get some pictures and post them. Anyway--she totally gets her feelings hurt if I suggest changing clothes and will argue with me about what to wear.

Ohhhhh my. What do the jr. high/high school years have in store for us???? : )

20 weeks and counting. . .

It is crazy to me that I am in my 20th week of pregnancy already!! I have my sonogram this Friday and we are still NOT planning on finding out what it is. (Sorry mom and Tara and whoever else is totally erked that we're doing this) : ) I think it will be lots of fun on the birth day to be extra giddy about seeing who has been growing inside of me all this time! Not to mention everyone else just DYING to know in the waiting room or by the phones or wherever you are.

We've had a rough week around here---last Thursday night Hayley woke up w/ a YUCKY stomach bug that lasted a couple of days. We all were thinking we might be home free until Monday morning when I woke up SICKER than I feel like I've ever been. All I could think was, "How did Christine do this for almost 9 whole months?????????" You're super-woman, girl! I felt better by yesterday late morning, and poor Tra is taking his turn today. I just want to fumigate this house! Please pray that Jack somehow manages to escape this terrible bug! My apologies to anyone we might have passed it on to. : (

Other than that mess, things are going great over here! We're gearing up for a trip to San Diego in the near future. (I'll leave out dates for possible psychos who stalk my blog---you never know these days.) Hayley kept on saying, "We're going to go to California to see Dora!" I could not figure out why she was thinking we would see Dora there until she said one day, "We're going to see Diego and Dora!" She was hearing "See Diego" instead of "San Diego!" Ha ha ha! Poor thing is going to be so bummed when we leave and no sign of Dora (or Diego). We're planning on going to Sea World one day, Legoland another day, and beach it the rest (most likely---unless we get crazy and throw in a Zoo day or something). My parents are going to be at my grandparent's house while we're there (about 10 minutes from where we're staying) and my sister Angie and her husband Adam are coming part of the time we're there too!! I'm SOOO excited to see them. We haven't seen each other since our Joyce Meyer trip in April and I haven't seen Adam since Christmas! It will be a fun trip. My grandmother and her husband have lived in La Jolla (pronounced 'La Hoya') since I was 15ish and we (my sisters and I) went every summer and took a friend and I drove us all around in a minivan rental. Hilarious---and honestly not too safe when you really think about it. But lots of fun. I would always watch the kids running around and playing in the sand and think, "I can't wait until I can bring my own kids out here someday!" And here we are! Frances and Rex (grandparents) are members of a beach/tennis club so we get to stay on the private part of the beach w/ comfy chairs/umbrellas and swim in the pool/kiddie pool whenever we want to as well. So it's a great set up for a vacation w/ toddlers. I'm very excited to get to go on a trip w/ our family and to have my family there at the same time! Of course, Abigail---you will be MISSED!!

One last Hayley story before I go. . . she has a scary sense of direction. She'll be 3 next month and she'll say things like, "Oh, we pass the zoo on the way to Chuck E Cheese." I thought you were singing and reading books back there---not mapquesting every move we make! I won't go into WHY we were going to the Chuck E Cheese off of Hulen, but as I was driving down 35 and crossed over I-30 she made that comment. Then she points that direction and says matter of factly, "See, the zoo is over there." And she'll always ask, "Where's our house now, mommy?" I'm not sure if she's asking b/c she doesn't know or if it's a test for mommy? Hmmmmm. At least I can rest secure in the fact that she will most likely always be able to find her way home. : ) Or help me get home if I ever get lost. : ) I love that girl!

Speaking of the zoo, I took these at the zoo a couple of weeks ago. We went spur of the moment on a rainy Friday afternoon. Nice big "CHEESE" from Hayley. Jack was ready to get the show on the road.

Wiggles Play Center in Frisco!

Last Monday, Hayley, Jack and I went to pick up our sweet friend Jack Pinson and we headed to Frisco to the Wiggles Play Center! It is a REALLY neat place and I'd totally make the 50 minute drive back over there again. They have a toddler area for the little ones, a bounce house and a huge slide/activity gym thing for the bigger kids. The Wiggles music is playing non-stop, there are Big Red Cars all over the place for the kids to drive around in, there are big screens and little screens everywhere w/ Wiggles. It was my kid's DREAMLAND! They both love the Wiggles. The food wasn't anything to rave about, so I might bring lunches next time but all in all it was FUN for everyone! We met Aly and Adalyn and Tara and Scout (my sisters-in-law and their kids) out there and it was a lot of fun. We were there from a little before 11 until 1:30ish and the kids were NOT ready to go home. Needless to say, they realized on the way home that they were WORN OUT! If anyone decides you want to go check it out, let us know and we'll go with you!

I've been tagged. . .

Okay--I've been tagged TWICE so I feel like I need to suck it up and answer the questions.

First memory - We lived in Hope, Arkansas for 11 months when I was 2. My friend Shannon (who lived across the street) and I were standing on something in her room trying SO hard to reach the light switch. Her brother, Jack, ran in yelling, "The Sno-Cone man is here!!!" So we all ran outside and I got a Watermelon sno-cone. Not sure if we ever mastered the light switch.

First real kiss - Brent Glazener my sophomore year of high school.

First concert - Amy Grant/Michael W. Smith in 5th or 6th grade?? Or it COULD have been NKOTB in 7th grade. My friend Tami's mom (who died of alzheimer's a couple of years ago) drove us around afterwards to see if we could find their hotel. It was before cell phones and I remember stopping at Whataburger calling my parents LATE and telling them we were okay and on our way home. It was the coolest night. I seriously thought we'd find them and that I'd get to hang out w/ Joey and that he would want me to be his girlfriend. :)

First love - Good ole' Brent Glazener. We "dated" on and off from 7th-10th grades. Lots of break ups and then getting back together. We communicated soley by note writing our whole 7th grade year. I'm not kidding, I don't think we said 10 words to each other. So we were girlfriend/boyfriend but you would never know it! I had a shoebox of all our notes from all 4 years on/off together. We actually did progress to talking eventually and had lots of marathon phone conversations in the wee hours of the night. I would get in trouble when I got "caught." Ooohhhh, what a rebel I was! We ended up being such great friends even after high school and kept in touch. He, very sadly, died the summer of 1999 from an asthma attack. : ( I still miss him, in a brotherly kind of way. But I'm looking forward to catching up in heaven!!

First crush - Scott Trussell. I was in Kindergarten and he was in 1st grade. I would see him on the playground. He had blonde hair and his 2 front teeth were missing. My comment to my mom was, "He's SO cute, mom. He looks like a jack-o-lantern!"

First thing you think in the morning - "OUCH!" after Tra kicks me to turn off my alarm.

First book you remember loving - Are You My Mother? (as a toddler) The Babysitters Club books as a teenager.

First pet - Mary the tadpole who turned into a frog! We got her through the mail somehow. My sister had one first, so I guess technically Harry would be my first pet. Yes, she named hers Harry and my genius, creative mind came up with Mary for my frog.

First question you'll ask in heaven - "Where's my grandma???" I can't WAIT to see her again!

First thing you think of when you hear the word vacation - eating wedding cake on the beach (only those in the Honeymooners class and family will get that)

First best friend - My sister, Angie. We LOVED each other and my childhood is chalked full of memories with the 2 of us playing in our toy room, riding big wheels, skating w/ knee pads on, riding bikes, the list could go on and on. . .

Last time you dressed up - Maci Miller's wedding

Last thing you ate - a clementine (orange)

Last CD you bought - a worship cd for my kids in the car.

Last good book you read - Still reading "Intercessory Prayer" by Dutch Sheets. AMAZING.

Last time you cried - this afternoon. Long story short, I ADORE my dad.

Last time you told someone you loved them - putting Hayley down for a nap after several "GO TO SLEEPs".

Last really funny thing you did - It's more silly than funny, but I got a piece of scotch tape and taped my nose and attached it to my forehead so I had a "pig nose" and made my kids crack up. Anything for a good laugh over here! : )

Last thing you watched on TV - Little Einsteins

I tag Angie---I better be your first best friend! : )

Hayley-isms

I wanted to get these 2 things written down so I can have them to remember. I love this age with Hayley! She makes me laugh quite often. Last night I was putting her to bed and we were talking about going to see Mimi and Poppy today to give them hugs bye-bye b/c they are going to get on an airplane and they're going to be gone for a long time. I said, "They're going to Europe. Can you say Europe?" She looked at me with a confused look and with frustration in her voice she goes, "I'm not up." I then looked at her confused until I understood what she heard me say---then I cracked up laughing! I said, "Nooo, not you're up, the name of the place they are going is Europe!" And again she replied with serious irritation, "I'm NOT UP!!" What a crack up! So I left it with Mimi and Poppy going on an airplane for a long time.

This morning she found a ziplock baggie of pictures that used to be on our fridge---I know, I need to get them in a book of some sort, but that's a whole other blog. She took them ALL out and lined them up on our kitchen counter. After she finished she asked, "Hey, can you pick these up for me?" I looked at her and hesitated, as we've been working on her picking up her messes lately. She quickly threw in, "You're SUCH a good helper!" How can I say no now?? : )

This was one day last week. She dressed herself w/ her hoop skirt (that goes under her dress up princess dress), she got her mittens, her purple hat that matched (a little too small), and "my purple shoes that match my hat and mittens!" (the shoes are WAY too small!!) She was so proud of herself! : )

And He's Off. . .

So proud of himself! He kept saying, "Whoa, whoa, whoa!!" Walking like a pro!!
Proud big sister

Last night Jack decided that after 16 months it was time to start WALKING!!! It was so cute! He just took off from the kitchen to our bedroom, back to the kitchen/living area, into the guest room and maybe fell twice. He giggled the whole time. He's totally a pro and you'd never know he just started yesterday. I guess that's the good thing about walking a little later---not as many bumps and bruises! It's so weird to see him walking around. And it's weird to not have to carry him in public places, like church or restaurants. Our arms seem very empty. . . and we'll enjoy that for the next 25 weeks. : ) Way to go, Jack! We're proud of you!!

Updates, etc

Okay, all of my pregnant AND pregnant-to-be friends! Look who is now carrying maternity!
www.anntaylorloft.com
Tara sent this to me yesterday and I had to share! And for anyone else like me who didn't know that Nordstrom had maternity on the internet only, they DO! Not that I will be doing all of my shopping for clothes at these places. The favorites remain Target, Old Navy and Motherhood/Mimi. But for that special occasion it's nice to have some OPTIONS!

We have started swimming lessons this week! Hayley's class is first, then we have a 30 minute break, then Jack's class with mommy! They are both doing great, although Jack prefers the group singing/movement more than the "unstructured playtime." He has been a STINKER! Lots of screaming and fussing until we start going around in a circle as a group and singing songs and suddenly he's laughing and having fun. Too funny. I'm worn out and it's only the third day! (out of 8) I can already tell they are going to be so helpful, especially for Hayley.

Tra and I got to go out of town last Thursday-Sunday by OURSELVES! It was such a great weekend. We went to this place outside of Amarillo called The Hideaway Experience. We heard about it at a marriage conference we attended eariler this year. We went out to meet with the owners to find out more about the place and to have a couple of days of rest/relaxation/GREAT FOOD! Two other couples from our church also went out to meet the owners b/c they are going to be counselors up there this month for a marriage intensive program. Tra wants to provide this as an option for employees where he works to be able to go and work on their marriages. From the moment we arrived it felt like we were with family all weekend! We had such a great time getting to know everyone and gaining LOTS of wisdom/insight on our spiritual lives, our marriage, and our parenting. We were supposed to go out on Thursday but there was some miscommunication so we ended up getting to go to a hotel here Thursday night anyway and having Thursday and most of Friday to ourselves. It was such a wonderful time to be together and to have a break from our jobs. Our kids stayed with my mom here the first night and with his parents the rest of the time. They were happy to see us, but Sunday night Hayley asked me if I could go get back on the airplane. What a blessing for them to get such great time with grandparents! It's always hard to leave, but every time we do I'm SOOOO glad! For all of us!