Hello Monday! {Christmas Decorating}

 

 Hello Christmas Tree fully decorated in all of its glory!

 

 

Hello Christian making sure the ornaments reached the very top of the tree!

 

 

Hello Little Man too busy decorating to look at me!

 

 

Oh there is your smiling face!

 

 

Hello Little Miss helping with the Christmas decorating as well!

 

 

Hello Christmas season ... you are my very favorite!

Hello Monday! {Jelly Belly Factory}

Hello Sweet Treats and Fun Outings at the Jelly Belly Factory!

Hello sweet boys who love taking exciting adventures with me!

Hello big pregnant belly! I feel like I look much larger in photos than in real life!

Hello candy ... I love you so much!

Hello my boys! I love that you tried the icky Jelly Belly flavors just to say you did it! 

Hello funny faces!

 

Hello orange sherbet, red apple, tutti-fruiti, and toasted marshmallow jelly beans!

Hello jelly beans in the shape of vegetables!

 

Good bye Jelly Belly Factory! Thank you so much for the sweet treats!

I cannot believe it is already Sunday night!

Wow! This weekend really flew by with my getting very little accomplished. 

I did spend an amazing Friday night with my college girlfriends. We had a glass of wine (Pinot Grigio – my favorite!), snacked on some yummy treats, gobbled up slices of pizza, and chatted until the wee hours of the morning.

I don’t think I have laughed that hard in so very long! It is so nice to be able to discuss school, professors, pre-clinicals/student teaching, and students with those who truly get it.

On Saturday, I slept in.

Truth be told I like being awake before the boys get up but this didn’t happen on Saturday. So from the second I was awake I was being beckoned to get drinks and breakfast. Two cinnamon rolls and a glass of apple juice later I sat down in front of the TV.

And there I sat all day. I watched movie after movie until I felt I should get up and be some what productive. So I got up and made dinner for my  family.

Dan went out to run some errands. To be honest I think he needed some space from the giggly twins (Jacob and Christian). Those two can be such a handful sometimes.

But when he came back he had a present for me!! I love that man! I honestly couldn’t ask for more in a person.

One-Yard Wonders: 101 Sewing Fabric Project; Look what you can make with one yard of fabric! By: Rebecca Yaker

I have had my eye on this book for quite some time now – well ever since I got a sewing machine from Freecycle.

This book contains 101 sewing project all using only one yard of fabric. I cannot wait to go to the store and get some fun and colorful fabrics so I can try them out.

I am pretty certain I am going to make a great big bag to hold my school books for my first project.

Today was yet another unproductive day. I woke up late again so the gigglers were already up and at ‘em. They prepared their own breakfast this morning so I settled in with a great big cup of coffee.

I didn’t go to church this morning and I already wish I had. Going to church starts my week off on the right foot and I haven’t been in a few weeks.

I did go to Johnsen & Taylor with my Mom today. I love looking around at all the wonderful Christian books, art, mugs, and trinkets. Although I am not really a trinket person. I saw so many things I would love to read and hang in my home. I did buy one book called The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner.

I cannot wait to begin reading it although with all my classwork I doubt I will be able to complete it any time soon.

While I was gone shopping Dan hung pictures up around the house. When I came home I was so happy to see things hanging from the otherwise bare walls.

As for right now, I am doing laundry and finishing up some school work. Hopefully, I will have time tomorrow afternoon to finish the rest of it.

So that was my super unproductive weekend.

What did you get done (or not) this weekend?

The Great Drive of 2009

Well ... I am officially home, unpacked, and clothes cleaned. The house is still kind of a disaster but I am working on it. Since we left at 9 p.m. within 2 hours both of the boys looked like this.
Ha Ha Do you think they will not appreciate the fact that I posted these pictures when they get older? The drive was super long but they did awesome. (Both going there and coming home.)

The boys loved swimming in the hotel pool. Jacob strengthened his swimming skills and Christian learned to swim without floaties. I am so proud of both of them.

The only problem with them loving the swimming pool as much as the did was that the sunscreen didn't stay on their skin. We all got very red.

Jacob was calling us the red family. (FYI- we are all pealing and I don't like it one bit. It grosses me out.)

The night before the wedding Brandon and Kim had a beautiful rehearsal dinner for everyone.

This is Brandon and Kim ... aren't they the cutest?


This is my whole family. (From left to right and top to bottom: Me, Mom, Dan, Mark, Michael, Vicky, Jacob, Christian, and Matthew)

Brandon and Kim had the cutest rehearsal dinner cake. Since Brandon is a pilot this cake was specifically designed with him in mind.


Brandon and Kim's wedding took place on top of Bogus Basin. It was so beautiful there. The sunset was killer.







Brandon and Kim had such a beautiful wedding.



This is Landon and the flower girls. He is such a cutie and he loves Jacob. He gives me kisses when I drop of Jacob and head off to work.

This is Landon's mom, Tanya. She is just so beautiful. Tanya and I are only a year apart and we basically grew up together. I am so thankful to have her be apart of my family.

This is my Aunt Tammie and Uncle Brian. (Brandon's mom and dad)

Here is Brandon (the groom), Andrew (my cousin and best man), Michael (my brother), and Mark (my brother). They are all very close. We are so lucky to have grown up together.

The bride and groom. Isn't this a beautiful view?



This is Dan and me. Dan was such a trooper the whole trip. He drove the most, took care of the boys while I was at the bridal shower, and made sure we had great lunches and dinners.
Boy do I love him.

How did you like that for a post with pictures? What did you guys do this past week?

Brandon & Kim are Married!

What an exhausting week this has been. We have driven a long way to be a part of Brandon and Kim's wedding. They did not disappoint. The atmosphere and surroundings were stunning. I swear I could see heaven from as high up as we were. I will definitely post pictures when I get home. The sunrise was spectacular. We are leaving in a couple hours to drive home. Please pray for us to have safe travels. Specifically pray for Dan since I am not much help in the driving department. I can only drive about 4 hours at a time. I am going to take a dip in the pool now. I will catch you all up with the festivities tomorrow night.

PS- we are all sun burnt. Jacob has been calling us the red family.

We are here!

After 24 hours in the car with Dan, Mark (my brother), Jacob, Christian, and myself ... we are finally here! Both little boys are sleeping. Dan, Mark, and myself have showered and are now enjoying an ice cold beer and pizza. Thank you for your prayers. They helped us through some terrible rain in Iowa and Nebraska. I am so tired. I will update more tomorrow.

Boys will be boys!

Dan and I took the boys to The Arboretum last weekend. It was a hot day and the boys loved playing in the rock river. It was a great way for them to cool off and they had a blast doing it.


Here is my handsome boyfriend. He wasn't paying attention to me so I snapped his picture. He loved being outside too. Grown up boys are still boys!
Here the boys are moving rocks to stop the water from flowing. They had a blast but they never really figured out how to stop it. It was funny watching them play. By the time they got out of the water they were soaked but cooled off.
Jacob wanted me to stop taking his picture. I guess I was interrupting his fun!


How cute are these boys? I am a lucky girl. I have a beautiful son and Dan brought Christian (what a cutie) into my life as well. I have all that I could ever want.

Here they are hanging from the tree top ropes. They have this whole Swiss Family Robinson tree thing at the Arboretum. They boys ran through it at least a dozen times.

I love when we have amazing days like this. Jacob and Christian would play video games all day if we let them. So getting them outside and not having them complain once is a feat in itself.

On a side note .... Before I met Dan I always said (to anyone who would listen) I would never date a guy who was divorced or had a child. I thought it would be too complicated since I have a baby daddy and a son myself. Then two years after Dan and I started working together, he took me out and we have been together ever since. God works in mysterious ways. He brought Dan and Christian into my life and I couldn't be more thankful.