Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wordless Wednesday



Monday, March 28, 2011

Donuts for Dad

The kiddos had a nice surprise at school this morning - Donuts for Dad!

We had Grandaddy scheduled to meet us at school, since Mike was at the fire department. Ella and Aidan were thrilled to share some yummy donuts with their Grandaddy! 

Low and behold, when we pulled into the parking lot, there to greet us along with Grandaddy was Daddy! You can imagine the cries of joy!

The kids had a nice spread of juice and donuts, and had learned a special song that they sang, and capped off the morning by presenting the Dads with the most adorable little booklet that they had colored themselves - inside of which was an interview conducted by Miss Mindy and Miss Laura!






Grandaddy decided to take pictures, and got some cute ones of Daddy coloring a picture for both Ella and Aidan. 













It was a great morning for everyone!!!







Thursday, March 24, 2011

My Little Superhero

My Deepest Wishes for You:
There are and will be more days that you don’t have the right answers; however, always remember to learn from your mistakes.  You are growing stronger in wisdom with each passing year.

Remember to be kind to others even when you feel they might not deserve it.

Let others see the real you from the inside, the side you let me see the most.

Always be there for your family and friends. Chose your friends with knowing they have the same goals as you and that they will help you grow to be a good man.


Never let go of the sensitivity and compassion you carry in your heart.

Keep your eyes wide open to all the amazing possibilities in the world.

Have strength and courage when it is needed most.

Know that I always believe in you and don’t ever use CAN’T as an excuse, ALWAYS TRY.


Surround yourself with loving caring people, those who only have your best interest in mind.

Cherish your memories.

Remember a mistake is not a failure unless you let it keep you down.

Always take responsibility for your actions, good and bad.

If you can’t change something, change the way you think about it.

It is ok to show your true feelings. Share them with others.




My Little Princess

My Deepest Wishes for You: 

Comfort on difficult days, 
smiles when sadness intrudes, 
rainbows to follow the clouds, 
laughter to kiss your lips, 
sunsets to warm your heart, 
hugs when spirits sag, 
beauty for your eyes to see, 
friendships to brighten your being, 
faith so that you can believe, 
confidence for when you doubt, 
courage to know yourself, 
patience to accept the truth,
love to complete your life.



Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Wordless Wednesday


Friday, March 18, 2011

Fun Filled "Foto" Friday

This morning I was able to combine a little bit of work with a fun outing for Ella and Aidan!


Grandaddy needed photos taken of his (well, his employer, Dick Keffer's) fleet of private planes for a re-vamp of their corporate website. He was kind enough to hire little old me for the job!




First thing this morning we headed out to the airport and the fun began! As they brought each plane out onto the tarmac (is that what it is called?), I captured the planes and completed headshots of the pilots, while Ella and Aidan were taken into each and every plane, given snacks and treats, and even their very own planes to take home. Needless to say, Lee the pilot was a quick favorite!







What an amazing morning! Thank you Grandaddy and Mr. Keffer - we hope to take you up on your offer for a flight sometime soon!!!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Fun at Home

Since the kids have not been feeling well, we have not had any playdates in a week or so. That being said, finding new means of home entertainment has become a bit of a challenge.

The other day, we spent more than an hour on the front porch making a "town". With pavers for buildings (specifically, a house and a fire station), and rocks for roads, our town was complete!












The town creators:




Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Wordless Wednesday


Monday, March 14, 2011

Saturday Cell Phone Pictures

Friday night was absolutely awful. Poor Ella and Aidan were both up all night coughing constantly and got maybe (at best) two hours of sleep all night lonng.

Simply put, it was brutal.

Luckily, Mike was home so we were able to rotate beds and kids throughout the never-ending night. Bless their little hearts they were so darn tired. And then 6 AM hit and they were both up and ready to start their day just like the chaos had never even occurred!

I had a photo shoot Saturday morning (which technically falls into the "good" category, but for chronological reasons, falls into place here), and as soon as I got home we packed up Ella and Aidan and headed to the pediatrician's office.

Aidan was diagnosed with just a cold (thankfully managing to escape catching Ella's bronchitis). Lungs, ears, etc all good.

Ella, on the other hand, still (despite the antibiotics) has a touch of bronchitis, and now added double ear infections to her roster of illness.  A quick switch to a new antibiotic prescription and we were sent on our way.










After picking up Ella's prescription we all headed home to meet up with Grandmommy and Grandaddy who were scheduled to babysit so that we could head out to enjoy Mike's birthday present - an afternoon at Cirque Du Soliel!

Both Ella and Aidan passed out as soon as we got home, and since the pediatrician told us that they were no longer actually contagious, we decided to keep with the plan and head out to the show.

Needless to say, Totem was incredible, as are all of Cirque Du Soliel's performances. Little Baby Girl Parker got to attend her first performance - and she definitely woke up when the loud music began!




We kept in touch with Grandaddy via texting just to keep tabs and see if we needed to bolt and head home, but all went well and they had a nice dinner and went right to bed.

We headed out after the show for dinner ourselves at the Melting Pot , and were home by 8 PM.

It was so nice to have some time together, just Mike and I, to have an actual date "afternoon". It was much needed and we are so grateful and appreciative to Grandaddy and Grandmommy for taking care of our little ones for us  - we love you tons!!

Friday, March 11, 2011

Fun Facts Friday

I figured that since I am now over halfway through this little angel's pregnancy, it was about time to post a picture of my baby belly. 

You will have to forgive my overall appearance. Ella has had bronchitis and the kids have not gone to preschool, Mike has been working non-stop, and we literally have not left the house for 3+days. Oh how I wish my Mom and Dad were closer, but am beyond grateful for my good friends who served as family checking in on us, and even bringing over a meal to give me one less thing to worry about for the kiddos! 

Anyway, on to the fun stuff!

Pregnancy Highlights:
How Far Along:
23 Weeks

Baby Stats: 
Around 12 inches and weighing about 1 lb. Eyes can now open. Ears, fingernails and finger prints are all done.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 
Still 1 pound less than my first OB appt back in November

Gender: 
It's a girl!!!  

Movement: 
She is not an extremely active little one - though she does seem to wake up and "play" in the evening - around 9 PM or so. My guess is because that is usually the first time I actually sit down all day long. Mike got to feel her move for the first time on March 5!

Sleep: 
What sleep. I can't get comfortable and have constant insomnia.

What I miss: 
Sleeping on my stomach.

Cravings: 
Orange Gatorade, Unsweet Tea with lemon, anything with chocolate and sweet



.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Wordless Wednesday


Monday, March 7, 2011

Surprise Weekend Visit!

What began as a rainy, dreary weekend took a fantastic turn when we received a suprise call from Opa and Grandma Shushi on Saturday evening. They were on their way to see us for a visit!

The kids were beside themselves with excitement and could hardly sit still for the next few hours while we awaited their arrival. They could not wait to show off their new rooms, as well as what has been done thus far in the baby's room!

After a late night, the kiddos were up bright and early, eager to go to visit Opa and Grandma Shushi at their hotel. Ella and Aidan are fascinated by hotels for some reason and love to check out everything - from the bathrooms to the swimming pools!

We had some fun jumping on the bed....








....then a nice lunch at our local German restaurant....




















....and finally home for playing in the rain and the puddles.











Needless to say, it was an amazing, but all too brief visit and there were plenty of tears when Opa and Grandma Shushi had to leave that evening.