The Hoffman Family

Mommy and Daddy Time

2012-02-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

Danny 2 Months

2012-02-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

Sneeze!

He went to the doctor last week and was 10 lbs., 13 ozs. Growing boy!

Schalke Soccer

2012-02-02T09:56:00.001-07:00

Christian and Daniella Lehmann sent Danny a Schalke outfit from Germany. It is Christian's favorite soccer team. The outfit is adorable!

I guess we need to send baby Samuel a Huskers outfit!

Everyone looks tired and unkempt from swimming :) Danny even got in and he loved it! I forgot my camera, but everyone had fun.

Covered Wagon Project

2012-02-02T09:47:00.003-07:00

Lexi studied the Oregon Trail in school this month. She had to make a covered wagon and present it to the class. She has such an imagination! With help from Joe, here is her covered wagon.

They even got to dress up!

She filled it up with supplies...salt, flour, beans, dried meat, shovel, gun, extra wheel, etc...

She even had a chicken coop!

She did an excellent job and got 100%!

Danny 2 1/2 weeks

2012-01-17T11:54:00.000-07:00

I took these pictures when Danny was 2 1/2 weeks. I just found them on our other camera. I can't believe how much he has changed!

Dressing

2012-01-15T16:19:00.003-07:00

Lexi has been helping to dress Danny. Since we are cloth diapering, I haven't had the kids change a diaper. Of course, they show no interest in that part anyway! They both want to hold him all the time. Chris is a great big brother and I know he can't wait till he can actually play with Danny.

Right after this picture was taken, Danny spit up on Lexi. You should have seen her face! She did not like getting dirty and I thought she was going to drop him. It was funny and I wish I had a picture.

Growing

2012-01-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

Danny is growing like crazy! We measured him yesterday and he has grown an inch and a half in 2 weeks! I am anxious to find out how much he weighs at the end of this month. I don't think Lexi and Chris were this big until they were at least 3 months old! We are happy he is healthy and growing. He is more alert, smiling and cooing. He is ticklish and hasn't learned how to laugh yet, though he tries. I am trying to get a video of him smiling and hope to post it soon.

Chris Cooking

2012-01-15T16:02:00.001-07:00

Chris finally got his turn helping me cook. I am so glad the kids are wanting to help! It is hard finding time to cook now with Danny and I usually do it in the afternoon.

I will be happy when they are old enough to chop vegetables. We watch Food Network a lot and Lexi likes to tell me that I can't chop as fast as they do. As clumsy as I am, that is a good thing!

Danny 1 Month

2012-01-06T11:26:00.000-07:00

It is hard to believe that a month has gone by already! Before I know it, I won't have a baby anymore :(

Daniel 4 Weeks Video 2

2012-01-05T09:26:00.001-07:00

Daniel 4 Weeks Video

2012-01-05T08:59:00.001-07:00

Storytime and Singing

2011-12-03T12:23:00.001-07:00

The kids did storytime together and I couldn't resist taking a few pictures. Lexi reads and Chris helps by sounding out the easier words. He is really doing well and I think we will have another great reader!

The kids like to sing to the baby every night, so here we are! I have realized the baby starts to move around a lot at the sound of Lexi's voice. He likes to hear her reading or singing. It is now Lexi's job to talk to the baby every night and tell him it is time to come out and meet us!

Family

2011-11-02T11:38:00.001-06:00

We took a few last minute family pics about 2 weeks ago.

Baby Shower

2011-11-02T11:05:00.002-06:00

Here are a few pictures from my baby shower. Unfortunately, most of them did not come out. Julie hosted the shower and we had a lovely tour of Glen Eyrie Castle. Then we had tea followed by the shower.

My friend Dana, who was unable to make it, sent the cute owl hat for the baby. I can't wait to see him in it!

Nicole and I.

Nicole, Jana and Michelle. Thanks for coming ladies! You made it special!

Julie, Michelle, Me and Nicole.

Fun pic. These are not real cigars! They are made of chocolate and I must say they are very good :)

You all made my day!

Cooking

2011-11-02T10:43:00.002-06:00

Lexi has finally shown an interest in helping me cook. She made risotto one night and it was better than when I make it!

If she doesn't have too much homework, she helps. I wish she could cut up all the vegetables since that is my least favorite thing to do! I am happy she wants to learn and will teach her whatever I can.

Happy Halloween!

2011-11-02T10:38:00.001-06:00

Ms. Sorceress and Mr. Werewolf. I made Lexi's staff and I am pretty proud of it!

Love this pic!

The kids put the sipderwebs in our bush in the front yard. They were so excited to get to decorate this year!

This was a house we went to. They had great decorations and we liked the fire pit going in the front. Lexi was terrified she was going to get burned. She her expression?

The kids had a great time and got too much candy. The weather was perfect this year!

Lexi's First Day at her New School

2011-09-12T11:38:00.001-06:00

Today Lexi started school at Colorado Springs Charter Academy. She was so happy and excited. Here are a few pictures from this morning.

Looking happy :)

This picture makes me laugh! Chris thought he had to have his shirt tucked in because Lexi did. He looks like an old man with his shirt tucked in, shorts up high and long socks pulled up :)

Lexi's new desk in her new classroom. Her teacher, Mrs. Stamer, is giving Lexi her morning cursive worksheet. They start teaching cursive writing in Kindergarten at the school, so Lexi will learn a little every morning.

Getting right to work...

A big smile before I leave.

I did not get emotional! I usually do with new things, but I knew she would be comfortable and have a great day!

Here is a picture of the school I borrowed from their website. I forgot to take one this morning.

Chris' 5th Birthday!

2011-08-12T10:02:00.001-06:00

Our little boy is now a big boy! We started the day off by surprising Chris with a morning at the gymnastics gym. We also invited a few of his friends to come play with him. He said Lexi and I tricked him! He was surprised and had a blast! Thanks to all his friend that were able to make it!

Chris picked the movie Cars as his theme. I was not looking forward to doing a Lightning McQueen cake because I have never been able to make red frosting. I got it as close as I could. Everyone was happy with the cake!

I bought the special cake pan and was not looking forward to the decorating. It seemed like it took forever! Most of it is free hand and I am pretty happy with it. I get better with every cake! I now prefer the look of fondant, but I didn't think it would work very well for this one.

The birthday boy! I can't believe he is 5!!!

Cuties!

I took the above pictures while we were waiting for Joe to get home from work.

Joe surprised Chris with some balloons. For some reason our kids just love balloons!

He had so much fun with this new track!

My sweet, sweet boy :)

Taking his first bite of cake. Luckily, he did not eat all this!

I think Chris had a great birthday!

Camping

2011-08-09T07:55:00.001-06:00

Joe took the kids camping a couple of weekends ago. I stayed home with the dogs and got to relax! Here are some pictures from their trip.

Baby Boy Hoffman Ultrasound

2011-07-26T14:24:00.001-06:00

We had our 20 week ultrasound on Friday to make sure the baby is developing properly and of course, to find out the gender :) We all wanted a boy and we are so happy that we are gonna have another one! I think I knew it was a boy, but I didn't want to say. Whenever I thought about the baby or talked about it, I always said "him" or "he" without even realizing it. When the ultrasound tech told us the gender, she said "You are gonna have another mohawk!" It was adorable since Chris was sporting his. Now we can get the nursery finished and get rid of stuff we don't need!

We weren't able to get a digital copy of the ultrasound pictures, but I took some of the printouts. They aren't perfect, but you can make things out. Here is our little boy!

He gave us a thumbs up! Chris thought it was cool and keeps doing it :)

He loved showing off his cute little feet!

It's a boy!!!

Long legs.

It was so fun having the kids at the ultrasound! In the past, it has just been Joe and I. We are always concerned and serious, making sure everything is ok. The kids made us laugh the whole time. Chris said the baby has a big nose like Daddy! He was also good at picking out the feet, which we saw a lot :). Lexi was good at picking out the face and saw it every time. Before the ultrasound, Lexi said "I hope the baby has 10 toes and 10 hands." We burst out laughing! It definitely made for a fun day.

Yesterday, we followed up with the doctor and everything looks great! Only 20 more weeks until we meet him!

Mohawk

2011-07-18T10:47:00.000-06:00

The kids visited Grandma and their cousins in Nebraska for a few days. Cousin Evan got a mohawk and Chris decided he wanted one too. His hair is long enough, it is perfect! Here is his new do!

Joe told him he can have it for a week. I told Joe he is so cute with it and it fits his personality. I hate to see it go!

Buena Vista and Aspen

2011-07-18T10:37:00.001-06:00

Julie and I took a trip to Buena Vista and Aspen last weekend. I rented us a cabin in Buena Vista and it was so cute! I can't wait to take Joe and the kids there. I love BV and would love to live there one day. It is a small town of less than 6,000. It has so much to do right there in town and very close by. The Arkansas River runs through the town and a lot of the houses have the river right in their back yards! I love listening to the river flow. We didn't even see any bugs by the water. There is fishing at a small pond in the center of town. You can kayak anywhere you see water. There are mountains everywhere, perfect for hiking. You see kids and families out everywhere. Cars are not needed in town. The houses are beautiful. Here are a few pics from our trip.

Our cabin. It had a full (but small) kitchen, dining area, bathroom, living room and 2 sleeping areas. Outside in the middle of the complex was a hot tub, horseshoes, tetherball, lounge chairs and volleyball. The cabin was pretty much right in town, but it didn't feel like it.

The Arkansas River. We hiked along it our first night there.

Julie and I the first night getting burgers at a popular place in town. They had the best onion rings!

The Maroon Bells in Aspen. It was an overcast, cool day, but still beautiful. I can't believe we have lived in CO for 10 years and have still not been to places like this!

A Marmot on the rock.

The drive up Independence Pass to get to Aspen. This pass is closed for half of the year because it is too dangerous to drive.

Independence Pass

We spent one day in Aspen, but I didn't take any pics of the town. It is very quaint, cute and remote. I loved it as well. You have to have money to spend any time there! There is shopping and restaurants galore. Huge houses on the mountains. I was a little disappointed we didn't see anyone famous :)

The next day we spent at the Mt. Princeton Hot Springs. A great day for relaxing!

Other Photos from NE

2011-07-01T08:57:00.000-06:00

Lexi is keeping her little brother safe :) I love these moments.

Dirty feet!

Playing with cousin Barrett.

Little Barrett - 3 months.

Lexi now says she wants a brother. I wonder if this little guy has anything to do with it?

Cute!

Family Photos

2011-07-01T08:49:00.000-06:00

Grandpa with his grandkids

With his kids/spouses and grandkids

With his kids

The brothers and sisters

I think they turned out great! It is so nice to capture these memories.

Fishing

2011-07-01T08:39:00.000-06:00

We took a break out of our trip in NE to do a little fishing. This pond was stocked so full of fish, the kids were catching them without bait!

So cute to watch!

They were pretty big!

Chris has been bugging us to go fishing since Christmas, so I think we found the right place!

Surprise!

2011-06-30T19:29:00.000-06:00

We went back to Nebraska last weekend for a Surprise 65th Birthday Party for Joe's Dad. It really was a surprise! It had been in the works for a few months, so we are amazed no one let it slip. The video says it all!

In case you can't hear it, he keeps saying "Holy shit!" Sorry for the language. It was hilarious! We are so glad we were able to share it with him.

2011-06-30T19:26:00.000-06:00

Lexi came home with another missing tooth today! It wasn't even loose. She said she hit her mouth on the back of a friend and it became loose. It only took a few hours for it come out. Joe is worried because it wasn't ready to come out. I hope she doesn't have problems now! The funny thing is, she has one that has been really loose for weeks and it wants to stay in!

Look at her pretty headband she made.

Chris being his silly self!

The New Bike Rider

2011-06-30T19:20:00.000-06:00

Chris has been riding his bike without training wheels for a year now and Lexi decided to join the club! I really didn't think it was going to happen as quick as it did. Joe finally took her pedals off her bike so she could learn to balance. She pushed herself around and could "ride" a bit before starting to fall. In a matter of a couple of hours she was riding! These pics are from the day she learned, a few weeks ago. Now she is racing Chris and having so much fun!

I think she looks a little scared :)

Look at her taking that turn like a pro!

Joe decided to hop on Chris' bike!

We are now a biking riding family of 4. Joe is going to be impatient waiting on #5!

Lexi's Tooth

2011-05-26T07:54:00.000-06:00

Lexi went to bed last night with a very loose tooth. She came downstairs a little bit later and it was out! She looks so cute and is talking kinda funny. She got a bag to put her tooth in and put it under her pillow. When the Tooth Fairy went to give her the customary change, he found a present of his own! A purple jewel. She is so sweet!

This tooth has been loose for quite a while. We are so happy it came out after the Germany wedding!

We would also like to announce, we have a 2nd grader! This school year went by so fast! We are praying for a great teacher next year and lots of learning.

The Bump

2011-05-26T07:45:00.000-06:00

We are excited to announce we will be welcoming Baby Hoffman #3 in early December! I am happy to be exiting the 1st trimester soon. The nausea has been a lot worse this pregnany, but the fatigue has been a lot better! We cannot believe how big I am already. My doctor said it is perfectly normal the 3rd time around. I started showing about 8 weeks. I took this picture yesterday, at 11 1/2 weeks.

I am definitely growing. Luckily, I have not gained a lot of weight. I heard the heartbeat briefly on Monday and it was such a beautiful, welcome sound!

Swimming Lessons

2011-02-23T09:28:00.000-07:00

The kids finished their first swimming session yesterday. It went for a total 5 weeks, 2 classes a week. They both did excellent and will be continuing on to the next classes. Lexi is a natural in the water. I think she finally found her "sport"! Her teacher came up to me a few times over the past weeks to tell me how well she was doing and how fast she learned. Yesterday, he told me she was the best student he has ever had. She listened to his directions, followed through and improved quickly. He also said if she sticks with it, should could become a state champ! We are so proud of her! Chris learned how not to be afraid of the water. He is always the first one in the water and the first to jump in! He had a few days where he got cold (we had lessons on the coldest days this season!) and had to get out. He can do a back float perfectly! He can't wait to be as good a swimmer as Lexi!

Aren't the cute together?

Lexi swimming.

Chris jumping in.

It was hard to get good pictures. I will try to get some more this session. Thanks, Grandpa!

Playing Around

2011-01-07T09:17:00.001-07:00

I have a couple of pictures to share from dinner the other night. Chris wasn't eating and was playing instead. I looked under the table and this is what I found. It was too cute!

I am not sure why he is using his spoon, but he is counting his toes!

We do not usually allow feet on the table, but I had to get this picture! Joe said it looks like he is praying. After I got the shot, the feet were put back in their proper places :)

Gingerbread House

2010-12-22T20:30:00.000-07:00

The kids and I decorated our first gingerbread house today. It turned out a lot better that I expected and the kids loved it!

I guess this will probably turn into a tradition. Joe said he didn't want anything to do with it, so we did it while he was at work. Tomorrow we are making sugar cookies for Santa!

Opening Ornaments from Grandma

2010-12-22T20:14:00.000-07:00

Grandma Hoffman gets the kids ornaments every year. Lexi gets angels and Chris gets snowmen. They are always so excited to open them!

Dave and Buster's

2010-12-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

Corey and Julie wanted to surprise us this year with a little trip for Christmas. We got a babysitter and they picked us up. We knew we were going somewhere around Denver, but we had no clue where! After a stop off for appetizers and gas, we were on our way. When we got close to the place, Julie and Corey were messing around acting like they were lost. We made a lot of u-turns and there was some yelling :) Anyway, we finally made it. None of us had ever been to Dave and Buster's. It is kind of like an adult arcade. Julie thought you had to be 21 to get in, but we soon found out there were a lot of families there. They have a big restaurant and then a huge game room. At first we didn't know what to think, but we warmed up pretty quick. We played lots of games. There were quite a few that all 4 of us could play and that was really fun. We laughed so hard! I loved playing air hockey, especially with Joe. By the time we were done playing games and decided to eat dinner, it was 11 pm! The food was great! Between the 4 of us, we won almost 5,000 tickets. We gave ours to Julie and Corey to get whatever they wanted. They ended up getting a Dave and Buster's sweatshirt for us.

Lexi and Chris Decorate Their Own Trees!

2010-12-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

We decided to let the kids each get their own Christmas tree this year to decorate. Here is what they came up with!

Things Kids Say

2010-12-09T08:29:00.000-07:00

Here is how a conversation between the kids and I went the other day.
Lexi: "Mommy, what is this called?"
Me: "A Blow Pop."
Lexi: "Did you have one of these when you were a kid?"
Me: "Yes Lexi, I have had a lot of Blow Pops. Some even when I wasn't a kid."
Lexi: "You mean when you were a teenager?" Starting to get sassy.
Me: "Yes, some when I was a teenager. Teenagers are still kids, though."
Lexi: "No, they aren't." Her sassy voice is in full force now. And we go back a forth a few times. Chris decides to join in.
Chris: "There was a boy one at Chipotles the other day and it was a boy teenager." He swings his hips back and forth and does his smirk.
I have to laugh, calling the teenager "it"! They can be "its" sometimes, I am sure!

Power Outage!

2010-12-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

Last night, our power went out. It is the 2nd time in about 4 weeks! The first time was because a car hit a transformer. We are not sure what happened last night, but I am guessing it wasn't fixed correctly the first time! It went out last night just as the kids and I were sitting down to eat dinner. It is Joe's late week, so he was still working. I carefully walked around trying to find the lighter to light some candles. The kids were getting scared. We couldn't see anything! After the candles were lit, I went to the basement to get the lantern for better lighting. We finished dinner and the kids decided to do a puzzle. I got a few pictures I will post below. Poor Joe, got home from work and nothing was warm :( The kids and I went with him to Burger King to get something to eat and then the kids played for a bit. The power was still out and we didn't want to go home. I was gone most of the day yesterday, so I didn't turn the heat up very far. It got cold in the house fast! It was out for a total of four hours and the temperature in the house was 54 when it came back on. Lexi didn't get to do her homework, so I guess we will have extra to do tonight!

I was using night mode on the camera to get some different effects.

I thought this one looked pretty cool.

I turned on the flash. Look at that smirk!

Fun, fun!

I just remembered something. When the power was out a few weeks ago, it was only out for about 30 minutes. Lexi was so excited it was turned on so fast. She wrote the utility company a nice letter, thanking them for turning it on so quickly. She also drew some pictures. Well, she was not happy last night! I wonder if she will write them and tell him how unhappy she was this time!

Thanksgiving

2010-12-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

We had a nice, low-key Thanksgiving with family and friends. Connie came from Nebraska and Julie and Corey came from Pueblo West. It is a nice change when you don't have to cook EVERYTHING! We usually over do it and are so exhausted by the time the day arrives. We had (have) plenty to be thankful for.

Julie and Corey relaxing after dinner.

Throwing Chris on the couch.

Lexi and Grandma taking a reading break. Not sure why they are in Chris' room?

Joe and I.

Joe with Mom (Grandma).

Cute picture of them. We should have added Chris to the mix!

The kids loved crawling all over Corey.

Trying to keep Corey from leaving! They don't get to see him very often, so they enjoyed their time.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

We Got Snow!

2010-11-10T07:27:00.001-07:00

We got our first snow of the season last night. I must say, I was not happy about it. I had to drive north of town for a book club/baby shower meeting in the dark! I made it there, but was a nervous wreck the whole time. Lexi wanted to play in the snow, but there was not enough to do anything with before bed time. We woke up to this beautiful white covering everything. Lexi asked if she can wear her snow pants to school! Silly girl! We are expecting snow again on Thursday and there is no school because of Veteran's Day. Play day!

I am not looking forward to the cold weather that comes with it, but it sure is pretty!

Little Man Gets a Haircut

2010-11-10T07:16:00.000-07:00

Chris has not had a haircut in months. It was so long, I could put it behind his ears! Finally, Joe told Chris he needed a haircut. Chris said not until you cut your hair. Joe has decided to grow his hair out. In the 10 years I have known him, he has NEVER let his hair get long! I must say I really like it. It is curly, but not kinky. Everyone has commented on it and said how much they like it. Anyway, Joe said he wasn't going to cut his har and somehow talked Chris into getting his cut. Here are some pictures of the handsome little man :)

Aren't they too cute together?

Everyone thinks I have twins now since Chris is getting so tall.

Pumpkin Carving

2010-11-02T08:23:00.000-06:00

We didn't get a chance to carve our pumpkins before our trip, so we did it last night. Better late than never, right? Joe carved while the kids and I cleaned the pumpkins out and drew faces.

They thought it felt so gross! The pumpkins were dried out, so there was not much inside. They have no idea!

Brainstorming what their face was going to look like.

Joe carving my pumpkin.

Little Miss Artist.

Aren't they cute?!

Showing off our work :)

Trick-or-Treat!

2010-11-01T10:06:00.002-06:00

We had such a busy weekend. We were in Nebraska visiting family and arrived home in time to eat dinner and go trick-or-treating! The kids had a lot of fun and we had great weather! We had Belle, Batman, Amelia Earhart and a Lumberjack.

We had a meltdown towards the end of the evening, but lack of sleep does that to you! And not to mention being in a car for 8 hours! They did good. Lexi said Halloween is now her favorite holiday :)

Nebraska vs. Missouri

2010-11-01T09:28:00.020-06:00

Saturday was a big game for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Joe is a very big fan! He and his Dad had tickets to see the game. One of his sisters does a big tail-gating party for every home game. While Joe and Bob were at the game, the kids and I were outside tail-gating. Here are some pics of the fun!

Taren, Laray and I dressed up as Nebraska coaches for Halloween.

Joe and I. It was a very nice set up. 2 tents, chairs, beer, lots of food, TV's and even a porta potty just for us!

Joe and Bob

Inside the stadium. See how close they were? 2 rows back. Lucky guys!

Look at that grin! Joe got a bit of a sun burn, but he didn't mind. Nebraska won!!!

Family in Nebraska

2010-11-01T09:11:00.002-06:00

Joe and Lexi both had a 4 day weekend, so we decided to take a trip to Nebraska to visit family. We had not been able to get there in about a year and a half, so it was time. We were able to make it to Hastings and Lincoln and see everyone. We got a bunch of great family photos.

Everyone with Great Grandma Hoffman

Everyone with Great Grandma Harms

The Great Grand Kids

The Grand Kids

Mom and Daughter

The Cousins

The Cousins with Grandma

It was so nice to see everyone! Hopefully, it won't be so long next time.

A Family Project ~ Bird Feeders

2010-10-12T08:46:00.001-06:00

Last weekend we decided to do a family project. We did some research online for woodworking with kids. Bird feeders is what we came up with. We started out Saturday at Michaels getting supplies to decorate our bird feeders. The kids picked out their own theme. They loved it! Then we went to Lowe's to get the wood. They both decorated their bird feeder however they wanted. We can't wait to complete them and start feeding the birds! We haven't picked out where to put them yet, but I am sure we will find the perfect spot. Joe and I did one together and we are quite happy with it.

Chris added an airplane to one side...

So proud!

And a rocket with a star on the other side. Do you like the flower pots? Lexi put some on hers, so Chris needed some too.

Lexi put a picket fence boarder, flower pots, a tulip and a heart...

And a sun.

Daddy painted the American Flag for her.

We made ours rustic. We added moss to the roof and cut pieces of Aspen around it.

Don't you love their hand prints on the roof? We are already thinking about our next family project!

Balloon Classic 2010

2010-09-14T09:01:00.001-06:00

Jen came up from Pueblo West with Jackson, Avery and Ruby. We had a nice dinner here and then headed downtown to see the balloons light up. Last year the kids LOVED it! This year Lexi was still into it, but Chris was scared the balloons were going to fall on him :( Lexi got into a balloon basket and the local newspaper was there. The guy took a picture of her and told us it would be online and then he got all our names. We found the picture online and you can see it here: http://gazettephoto.mycapture.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?image=31371153&event=1070550&CategoryID=47303&picnum=7&move=B#Image

A friend called me and told me the picture was in the actual newspaper, too! On the front page of the Local section. We have a great momento for Lexi!

Here are a few pictures I took:

This is similar to the one in the paper...

Aren't Ruby and Avery so cute in the NE Husker cheerleader outfits?!

My boys!

The Swanson's.

It was a fun night! I am disappointed I didn't have my good camera with me, but there is always next year!

Lexi Breaks Her Wrist

2010-08-28T12:27:00.001-06:00

We have our first broken bone! Lexi was playing on the playground after school with her friend Samantha, while the moms were talking, of course. Lexi was trying to get down from the money bars and she scratched her wrist and twisted it at the same time. She didn't cry or anything. She just didn't want anyone to touch her wrist. It didn't bruise or swell, so I was not concerned about it. She complained a little and I gave her some Children's Advil and she was fine. She woke up that night complaining that it hurt, so I gave her some more medicine. All this happened on Tuesday. She was still complaining on Thursday and we decided we needed to get an x-ray. Boy is that a long process! We finally got in to get an x-ray just before 5 pm on Thursday, 48 hrs after the incident. We went to Daddy's office, so we got to see one of the places he works. After the x-ray, I asked the tech if she could see anything. She said she couldn't tell me anything other than we needed to stick around. Finally, we got the results and there is a small fracture in her wrist. We went to see our GP the next day, Friday, and they couldn't do anything. They sent us to an Orthopaedic office. Daddy was not happy! After another long wait, Lexi got a bright pink cast! We tried to talk to dr out of a cast, but she insisted. There has been mild complaining about itching, only if she is not busy doing something. It has been an adventure! 4 weeks to go!

Waiting to get her x-ray...

She is surprised at how fast the x-rays are taken!

Ms. Karen did an excellent job!

You can see her tiny fracture.

She picked pink, of course. She already has a ton to names on it!

Daddy drawing a heart on it since Lexi can't write with her left hand.

Lexi Graduates from Kindergarten!

2010-06-17T21:36:00.000-06:00

It has been a long school year, but we now have a 1st grader! It is hard to believe. Lexi is so smart! She is already reading and doing basic math. Her love is still art, but she enjoys school and that makes it easier.

Lexi reading her part in the skit at graduation.

Lexi getting her certificate and reading award from Mr. Mulligan.

Pretty day at the park beforehand.

Daddy's Little Helper

2010-06-17T21:22:00.000-06:00

Chris loves helping Joe, no matter what he is doing! Joe had to change the tires on my car before Connie came to watch the kids for our vacation. Chris was right there helping all the way! He is going to make a good husband one day if he keeps this up!

I love those little hands!

Lexi's Track Day

2010-05-20T09:26:00.000-06:00

Lexi had her track day on Tuesday. It was not a very nice morning! It was cold and overcast. Here are some funny pictures. Lexi is definitely athletically challenged! Joe said "Yeah, you should sign her up for art classes."

This picture just makes me laugh!

Lexi and her BFF Sam.

Lexi got 5th place in the Basketball Dribble! Yay!

Chris was kinda bored and cold, so he was playing with the swings. He ws so happy he had all of them swinging!

Why is the ball behind Lexi when she threw it forward? See Joe and Chris in the background on the left? So cute!

Lexi can do the hula hoop pretty good.

Look at that face!

We are hoping for better weather next year!

Artichokes!

2010-05-20T08:21:00.000-06:00

I have not been a fan of making artichokes myself, but my good friend Julie told me how easy it is. And it was! Chris now loves them and Lexi will try a few leaves. Joe and I love them too!

Lexi is not so sure...

Now that I know how easy they are to make, I have made them several times. All you have to do is boil the artichokes for 1 hr. Drain them. Pull the leaves off - they will come off very easy. Put them on a platter. Make a sauce out of butter, garlic, parmesan cheese and italian seasoning. Pour over artichoke leaves and enjoy! You don't eat the whole leaf. You just scrape your teeth over the leaf and the flesh comes off. Your hands will get messy, but it is fun!

Mother's Day

2010-05-20T08:08:00.000-06:00

I had a great Mother's Day with Joe and the kids. We celebrated on Saturday because I had a craft show in Denver on Sunday. It worked out for all of us. We started the day out roller skating. The kids are getting better and just laugh when they fall down. Luckily, Mommy and Daddy did not fall! Next we went downtown to an Irish Pub called Jack Quinn's. I went there for the first time a few weeks ago for my book club. I liked it so much, I couldn't wait to go back! It is amazing we have lived here for 9 years and there are so many places we haven't discovered!

Lunch was great! Then we went home and I got some gifts. I received a variety pack of gardening gloves which will come in very useful. I also received a solar lamp for outside. It looks like a candle burning! I love my family!

Lexi Loses Her First Tooth!

2010-04-08T21:33:00.000-06:00

Lexi has had a loose tooth for about 6 weeks now and we thought it was never going to come out! I guess the normal time it takes, if you let it come out on it's own, is 2 months. It got really loose tonight and was bleeding a bit. I told her to wiggle and twist it and it would come it. She tried, but it was hurting. Finally, I out my fingers around it and pulled up. It came right out and Lexi had the biggest smile on her face!

Her new smile.

The tooth right beside where this one came out is loose too. She is growing up!

She was too excited to go to bed tonight. She wanted to wait for the tooth fairy. I hope she doesn't get forgotten :)

Spring Break

2010-04-08T21:25:00.000-06:00

Lexi had spring break a few weeks ago. We planned a busy week, but it was fun. We got a lot of snow one night and were able to make a snowwoman. Lexi designed the face :)

The kids were trying to make snow angels, but there wasn't a lot of room.

The next day was sunny and warm so we went to the zoo! Weird weather we had!

Look at how tiny the baby giraffe is. There were 2 new babies.

This tiger kept walking back and forth eyeing us. Beautiful.

Everytime we would walk under a bunch of trees, we would get snow dropped on us. It was all melting. The kids loved it!

I took Lexi to see her first movie in the theater. We saw Alice in Wonderland with some of her friends.

Samantha (from school), Lexi and Savannah (from church). They had fun together!

Moms and daughters. I hope to do this a lot with Lexi. I remember the first movie I saw at the theater...E.T. and I love the movie still!

We had a fun filled week!

St. Patrick's Day

2010-03-23T19:24:00.000-06:00

Lexi's friend Samantha came over after school on St. Patrick's Day. This is the friend who she had her first sleepover with. They are BFF's!

They all had their green on!

We found these pretty pueple crocus' in the yard. The kids trampled them, so I am glad I got some pictures!

Fun at Julieta's 3rd Birthday Party!

2010-03-23T19:17:00.000-06:00

Julieta had her 3rd birthday party at the place where Lexi did gymnastics. It was a lot of fun! Finally, Chris was able to get out there and try things out.

Here is the birthday girl! Her theme was "purple" so everyone wore purple or lavender. Julieta is smaller than Lexi was at that age if that's possible!

She was on a mission!

The kids loved playing in this!

Chris and his big jump...

Lexi on the trampoline and Joe on the sidelines.

There was black icing on the cake and it stained everything!

Now Lexi is asking when she can start gymnastics again. Maybe this summer...

Hiking with Friends

2010-03-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

Joe and the kids went hiking today at Palmer Park with some friends. It was a beautiful day!

Lexi and Ethan

Lexi and Ellie

Lexi, Chris, Ellie and Ethan

They had a great time! Nicole and I were enjoying ourselves at a jewelry party, so we didn't make it.

Scones!

2010-01-14T13:32:00.002-07:00

This was my first attempt ever at making scones. I saw the recipe and I just had to try it! They were delicious! Buttery, crumbly, sweet...all the good stuff! They pair perfect with coffee or tea, whatever your preference.

I added blackberries in mine and they were YUM!

Here is the recipewith my alterations:

Ingredients:

1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 egg
1 cup berries, chocolate chips, nuts, etc. (optional)

Directions:

In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside. Be careful because it doubles in size.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a large baking sheet.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar.

In a small bowl, beat the egg and add the vanilla.

Add the egg mixture to the butter/sugar bowl and beat until combined.

Pour the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar bowl and use your hands to combine.

Don’t forget the sour cream! Add to the bowl and use your hands to combine. Try not to work it too much. It was crumbly and sticky when I was done.

After dough is combined, add berries, chocolate chips or whatever you like.

Here is the hard part! The dough is really sticky. I just took a handful of dough and made it into a round and put it on the greased cookie sheet. I cooked 6 at a time. The recipe is for 12 scones, but I made 11. They are large. You could easily make them smaller and make 24. That is what I will do next time. I read some reviews and they said to chill the dough for about 10 minutes to make it more manageable. I didn’t want to wait!

Bake 15 – 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown. Stick a toothpick in the center to make sure they are done! If you make smaller ones, reduce the cooking time.

I also made a simple glaze to drizzle over mine. They were great with or without! I put ½ cup of sugar into a small saucepan and added 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir, bring to a boil and let the sugar dissolve.

Enjoy!

To store, wrap each individual scone in saran wrap. I found this kept them fresh for a few days.

Here is the link to the original recipe: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Grandma-Johnsons-Scones/Detail.aspx

Jingle Bells!

2009-12-24T13:15:00.002-07:00

Lexi and Chris singing Jingle Bells. So cute!

Harper Cocktail Party

2009-12-22T19:07:00.001-07:00

Our friends Nicole and Richard hosted a cocktail party this past weekend. It was out first cocktail party and we were excited! We got a babysitter and went and enjoyed ourselves! I knew a lot of the people, and Joe met a lot of new people. We had great food, drinks and conversation!

Nicole and I

Joe, Thad, Richard, Josh and Michelle

Michelle, Rob and Nicole

Joe and I

We can't wait for next year!

Lexi's New Haircut

2009-12-22T18:53:00.001-07:00

Lexi's hair was getting long again and we finally talked her into getting it cut. Joe and I usually do it, but we don't do a very good job! She said she wanted it cut short like Mommy's. I took her to Kiddie Kutters and she loved paying while we waited. When it was her turn, they didn't have any regular chairs available, so she got to sit in a racecar. She barely fit!

Long hair...

See all that hair sitting in her lap? Getting shorter...

We have a smile!

She didn't like the blow dryer.

Looking in the mirror...

Feeling how short it is and loving it!

This is the first time she has ever had a professional cut her hair!

Christmas Tree Decorating

2009-12-22T18:35:00.000-07:00

We always get a real tree for Christmas. I just LOVE the smell! We decided to go out in 20 degree weather to get a tree. It was cold, but luckily we found the perfect tree in just a few minutes. It is skinny and petite. Not like the fat, tall trees we usually get! It was so nice and easy decorating it. Lexi helped Daddy with the lights and then we all put on the ornaments.

Lexi getting the lights started!

Daddy making sure she is doing it right!

Almost done!

I swear Chris looks just like my brother Kyle in this picture!

This next picture was taken a few days after we put up the tree and is hilarious! Chris has on his Santa hat, Scooby-Doo underwear, socks on his hands like mittens and Daddy's boots. So cute!

Thanksgiving 09

2009-12-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

I have A LOT of catching up to do! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving at our house with family and friends. We ate, drank, talked and played a little Zilch. The kids played upstairs and kept busy after a great meal while the adults played downstairs. Luckily, there were no cooking disasters this year! We always have one thing go wrong, but I think we finally got it right!

Richard, Marilyn, Connie and Joe playing Zilch.

Another one...

Richard took this awful picture of me eating biscotti! It is the only picture I have of myself though...

The Beautiful Little Miss Ellie!

Nicole and Ellie

We did't get a picture of the other 3 kids! Ellie wasn't feeling good, so the Harper's left early. We were sitting on the couch at 7:30 ready for bed! It was great!

Family Photos

2009-11-20T21:14:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, we went to Palmer Park and took some family photos. We got some really good ones! It was a beautiful day. We hiked, took pictures and enjoyed the day.

Awww...Aren't we sweet?

Very cute!

They are getting so big!

I love this one of me and Lexi!

The family photo will have to wait! We are sending it out for Christmas. We finally got a family picture done before Christmas card time!

I HATE Dentists ~ Joe's Story

2009-11-18T19:10:00.001-07:00

Joe has always hated dentists as long as I have known him. Over the last couple of weeks, he has been sick and finally figured out what was wrong. He started out with a cold, then he got an ear infection, and then he got a sinus infection that was putting pressure on his wisdom tooth. All in a week and a half! So, he called our dentist yesterday and told him how much pain he was in and they made an appointment right away. Well, he went to our dentist and expected to get his wisdom took taken out. He came home earlier than I expected and he was livid! The dentist cut him on the side of his gums since the tooth had not come down yet and he tried to get the tooth out, but couldn't. The dentist said it had been years since that had happened. He sent Joe home with antibiotics for the sinus infection, but no pain meds! He referred Joe to an oral surgeon and I worked with them last night to get him an appointment today. This morning, after taking Lexi to school, we headed to the oral surgeon. While Joe was having the procedure done, Chris and I went to a shopping center nearby to kill some time. Joe was out of there fast! He was sedated during the procedure and decided to have both of the top wisdom teeth taken out. He is in a lot of pain and the first 2 days will be the worst. What a great way to spend a vacation day! HAHA! Joe is such a trooper, he will be going back to work tomorrow. He has laid on the couch most of the day and finally got him to eat something. Now he is playing with the kids. Hopefully, he will not have to go through anything like this again. I got a couple of pictures with my cell phone at the surgeons's office. They aren't very good, but you will get a laugh :).

His cheeks were so swollen!

Here he was smiling and talking to Chris.

I think we are now looking for a new dentsist. Any recommendations?!

Ethan and Ellie's Birthday Party!

2009-11-18T16:42:00.000-07:00

Our friends Ethan and Ellie had a joint birthday party on Saturday. Ethan will be 5 and Ellie will be 3 in December. Their Mom Nicole had a great idea to have a pajama party for them! It was so cute and the kids had fun! Ellie wanted a princess cake and since I made one for Lexi last year, I went over and helped Nicole out. Ellie loved it! Ethan wasn't so picky, so Nicole made him cupcakes. We enjoyed breakfast food, cake, games and fun! To top it off, it was COLD outside, so it was a good day to be in your jammies!

The kids playing pin the tail on the donkey.

Chris trying his turn and everyone trying to help him!

Present time!

Ellie so cute with her cake!

Ethan doesn't look happy to be getting his picture taken!

Now Lexi is asking for a pajama party next year. I was planning on taking the year off - party wise!

Halloween 09

2009-11-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

We had a very busy Halloween! The weekend before, we went to "Boo at the Zoo". The kids had a lot of fun, but not so fun for Joe and I. It took us about 30 minutes to drive to the zoo, then 30 minutes of waiting to get a parking spot. When it was finally our turn to park, they ran out of spaces! Joe had joked on the way there what if that happened. It was so frustrating! Well, Joe dropped us off and he made a parking spot for us. Luckily, it wasn't a very cold night. We walked around the zoo in the dark, getting candy. The only animals we saw were the giraffes and moneys and it smelled too bad to stay inside with them! Even with the membership to the zoo, we ended up paying more than we liked. At least we know for next year!

We started off Halloween day with a hayride at the Air Force Academy. It was fun and the weather was awesome! It was about 15 minutes long and it was the perfect length for the kids. They got to pet a bunch of horses and one kept eating Lexi's hair. I guess she smelled good!

Then we went home and relaxed for awhile. This is the first Halloween Joe didn't have to work, so we went trick-or-treating in our neighborhood. We started a little early, but the kids loved it! It was a great night for it! When they were getting cold, they wanted to go the Fall Festival at our church. We got there when it was winding down, so we didn't have to wait in any lines! They got a lot of candy there - and good candy according to Joe. It was great to be able to do Halloween with Joe this year.

Here are the pics:

The kids before going to the zoo: Shrek and Ariel.

Chris didn't know Lexi was making silly faces.

One of the horses at the hayride. They were all pretty friendly.

Lexi eating a donut with friends Ethan and Ellie on the hayride.

Chris cheesing! He thought it was so fun!

Leaving our house for trick-or-treating.

Action! They would both pound on the door and/or ring the door bell. They wanted candy!

Julie and Corey's Wedding

2009-10-21T13:35:00.006-06:00

Our friends Julie and Corey were married on Sept. 26. They had a beautiful outdoor wedding in Pueblo West, CO. I think I had more stress over this wedding than my own! Why, you ask? Because Lexi was the flower girl, Chris was the ring bearer and I made the cake! We were all over the place! Even though Joe didn't have a specific job, we couldn't have done it without him!

We had to drive an hour to the wedding in 2 cars. One car had the wedding cake and the other one had the kids! Thankfully, we made it there safe. Once we got there, we had to get the kids dressed and TRY to keep them clean. Chris wanted out of his tux as soon as we got it on him. Lexi, of course, loved her dress. She looked like a mini bride. While Joe was entertaining the kids, I was working on the cake. It was covered in fresh fruit. I finished right before the ceremony started.

The ceremony was on the deck right on the Arkansas River. Beautiful! After the ceremony we ate and danced...a lot! The cake was perfect and got a lot of compliments! Remind me how much work it was if I ever get asked to do a wedding cake again!

CONGRATULATIONS JULIE AND COREY HUFFINE!!!

Aren't they adorable?

They could be sisters!

Too cute!

The flower girl with her petals.

We fancied up her flip flops for the wedding.

The cake!

Lexi turns 5!!!

2009-10-21T13:20:00.005-06:00

My baby turned 5 on Sept. 14. I can't believe how fast time flies! We had a birthday party for her on Sept. 12. It was such a big deal, we had the theme picked out for a year! Lexi wanted a castle cake, so princess theme it was. I did a lot of research online for the cake and decorations. Even though the weather didn't cooperate, the party was awesome! I have a feeling Lexi will remember it when she is all grown up and that makes me feel good!

The table all dressed up.
The princesses castle!

Lexi getting her nails done before the party.

The princess herself! We gave her this dress right before the party and she was surprised!
The cake I made. It was great!

She got too many presents, but that is they way it happens!

I am sure she is already planning next years party!

Snow!

2009-10-20T19:15:00.000-06:00

We had quite a bit of snow today. At least enough that the kids could play in it! They had fun throwing snow balls at each other! I stayed warm inside and took pictures and video. I am posting a 2 minute video. It is cute, but a little long. Enjoy!

The Colorado Balloon Classic

2009-09-10T11:38:00.004-06:00

We went to the Balloon Classic this year during Labor Day weekend. It was our first time and it was awesome! The kids loved it! Chris has been asking every day since if we can go see the hot air balloons! The kids got in bed late afterwards, but it was worth it.

My friend Nicole took this picture of us.

Nicole and her family: Richard, Ethan, Nicole and Ellie.

I can't wait to go again next year!

Lexi's First Day of Kindergarten!

2009-09-10T11:25:00.002-06:00

Lexi's frist day of school was on August 18th. I can't believe my little girl is old enough to go to school! The hard part was leaving her at school, all by herself, not knowing anyone. The teacher said it is usually harder on the parents than it is the kids. It think he was right! Although, Lexi did look a little teary eyed when we left and it made me cry even more! She made it through the first day and loves school!
She looks so grown up!

Daddy was making her laugh so she would do her fake smile.
Almost there!
We made it a family affair!

Lexi sitting at her table.

A couple more years and we will have to do it again!

Christopher's 3rd Birthday Party!

2009-08-23T18:47:00.003-06:00

We had a Cowboy/Wanted themed birthday pary for Christopher on August 8th. It was a great success!

The cake! It was huge and heavy!

The kids table.
The kids LOVE balloons!
Chris got the biggest piece of cake. It was almost as big as him!
The little Spiderman!

Joe's 1st Mountain Bike Race!!!

2009-08-23T17:59:00.004-06:00

I am trying to play catch-up for a few weeks...

On August 1st, Joe completed his first mountain bike race! I am so proud of him! Although he didn't place, he did do something exciting...He beat out Lance Armstrong's trainer! I think that is awesome! Here are some pictures of the big day...

Here are our friends Richard and Ethan showing their support! Joe checking to make sure everything is working correct.
This is the starting line. You can see Joe in the middle wearing the red helmet and blue jersey.
Taking off for the first lap! Go Joe!
Coming in from the first lap...
Coming into the finish line...a look of determination!

The race was at the Air Force Academy. They rode 2 laps totaling 26 miles. Joe did 2 practice runs before the day of the race and he beat his best practice time. He was exhausted when it was over, but looking forward to another race!

Garden of the Gods

2009-07-28T14:30:00.005-06:00

A few weeks ago, we went to Garden of the Gods with the Swanson Family. It was their first time there. We agreed on a time to meet inside the park, but we couldn't find each other! They tried to find us first (since we arrived first), without any luck, so then we searched for them. After about 45 minutes, we were finally all together! We toured the park and it was such a beautiful day. Here are the pictures of both of our families.

Chris, Joe, Kristen & Lexi

Wyatt, Derrick, Ruby, Jen, Chris, Jackson & Avery

They came over for dinner after walking around the park. The younger kids had so much fun playing together! It is nice to finally have some family close.

Ice Cream!!!

2009-07-27T21:57:00.007-06:00

It has been such a busy summer! I haven't been keeping up with the blog like I want to, but it should be winding down soon! The kids started VBS tonight at our church. I thought it would be fun to go out for ice cream afterwards since we never do that. There is a place just down the road, a mom and pop ice cream and sweet shop. We gave it a try and it was a huge hit! Lexi wants to take Daddy there in a couple of days for a treat. She is so sweet!

They had ice cream everywhere! Lexi even got it in her hair! It was past bedtime when we got home, but they needed baths bad!

Gymnastics!!!

2009-06-26T21:01:00.006-06:00

We decided to let Lexi give gymnastics a try. We didn't know how she would like it, but she absolutely loved it! She had her first class on Wednesday. We all went, anxious to see what she would think. The class is ages 4-5 and there were about 8 girls in her class. They all had long blond hair, too! They started with exercises and the teacher, Ms. Heather, would do funny faces and make it fun for the girls. Then, it was off to try some somersaults (forward and backward), wall stands, donkey kicks and cart wheels. They had different mats set up for different activities. The somersault mats were shaped like ramps to help them out. There was a mat for the cart wheels with foot and hand prints so the girls knew where to put them. It was so fun to watch! Lexi kept steeling glances back to us to see if we were watching her and then she flashed us a huge smile! After those activities, it was off to the bigger things. Next, it was jumping backward onto a huge mat, jumping off a spring board and trying to land without falling and last, the big trampoline! When it was Lexi's turn for the trampoline, we didn't think she was going to do it. They are attached to a harness and then the teacher pulls on a rope and they go up into the air. She doesn't like going high. She will only sit on a swing at the park for a few seconds before getting off! To our surprise, she didn't hesitate getting into the harness and before we knew it she was in the air! She swung back and forth and then she did a flip! Joe and I looked at each other wide eyed, smiled and said 'wow'! She did a couple of flips and she smiled the whole time. The last 5 minutes of class, they are free to do whatever they want. Before the teacher dismisses them, they get a card with one of their accomplishments on it. Lexi's says "Lexi can do a backward roll on the choose mat". They also get stamps on their hands and feet. We do not know yet what the stamps mean, but the girls love them. That evening after class, Lexi wanted to do gymnastics outside. We brought out my exercise mat and did donkey kicks and cart wheels. I was sore the next day! Now we have to wait 2 weeks for her next class because they are on a 2 week vacation. She can't wait to go back! Here are some (blurry) shots of her in action. We had to stand behind a glass wall and watch.

Lexi doing a forward somersault.

Lexi doing a backward somersault.

Lexi on the spring board.

Lexi on the trampoline with the harness.

Maybe she will try out for the Olympics! You never know...

Kyle Gordon Kestner

2009-05-19T21:30:00.003-06:00

Today is the 10th anniversary of Kyle's (my brother) death. I cannot believe it has been that long. The pain lessens over time, but it does not get any easier. At only 16 years old, he was the greatest person I ever met. He was my best friend. I miss him dearly. I wish everyone in my life now would have known him. I get to see a glimpse of him everyday in Lexi and Chris. Even though they will never meet their uncle, I hope they one day know how great of a person he was.

I love you, Kyle.
June 2, 1982 - May 19, 1999

Lexi is going to Kindergarten!

2009-04-24T16:50:00.002-06:00

Just a quick post to let everyone know I registered Lexi for Kindergarten today! I am sad as well as excited for her! It is going to be different, but I know she will do great. I am going to miss my baby girl!

Exciting News!

2009-04-22T18:39:00.004-06:00

I have decided to start a business! I started sewing a few months ago and since I am addicted, I figured I should try to do something with it! It is in the beginning works, but I am sooooooo happy! I know it will be hard - it already is, but I want to give it my all and see what happens! I have an online store (http://advenphoto.etsy.com) and I also have some items in a boutique in downtown Colorado Springs called Kabibi Mei. The owner of Kabibi Mei is Cory and I met her at church. She also has an Etsy online shop. She started it about a year ago and just last month opened her 'brick and mortar' shop! I have never been so excited about doing something!

I really need the support of my family and friends! I am promoting where I can and a lot of people seem to like my items. I just need to build up my inventory to have a bigger selection. I have business cards, so let me know if you need any! My support system will be my biggest help in spreading the word!

The name of my business is PooLou Designs. It comes from the kids nicknames: Chrissy Poo and Lexi Lou. I wanted something that would be original and no one else would probably think of, in case I made it happen! I'm in big trouble if we have another kid! LOL!

I hope I have the support of everyone in this. I welcome and appreciate all feedback. It is going to be a long and challenging road, but I am ready for it!

It's Potty Time!!!

2009-04-16T20:16:00.003-06:00

Chris has decided he is ready to potty train! It started on Tuesday evening. He just said he wanted to go potty. He sat down and went right away and a lot! Then he went again about 30 minutes later. I was surprised! It was bed time then, so on Wednesday we started again. He really didn't go again until that evening because we spent the day at the park and then it was nap time. Well, he pooped! Sorry to gross anyone out, but for a parent, you know that is the hardest step! Today he has only had one accident and he pooped again! I am so excited! It happened the same way with Lexi. We didn't even try and she decided she was ready. She pretty much trained herself. We were thinking it was time with Chris, but he wasn't too interested, so we didn't push it. I am glad we didn't! So, this is our new parenting adventure!

Yellow Polka Dot and Bird with Peony Zippered Pouches

2009-04-14T17:56:00.004-06:00

New zippered pouches!

They match the purse below. I am hoping to get 2-3 purses made this week. It is going slow since I am still not feeling great.

Easter

2009-04-13T19:11:00.005-06:00

We had a very good Easter! We had our Easter Carnival at church on Saturday. It's a good thing because we got a lot of snow on Sunday!

The kids had separate Easter egg hunts and brought home too much candy! Lexi filled her bucket to the top, but only with, you guessed it, pink and purple eggs! It was too funny! Unfortunately, I didn't get to see Chris hunt for eggs. Joe was with him and said he didn't want to get any eggs until Joe showed him there was candy inside. There were lots of games, a bounce house, crafts, and concessions. They also had a skunk, turtle, millipede and snake come from the zoo. The kids really enjoyed looking at them.

Then on Sunday, we woke up to the ground covered in snow and it was coming down hard! I really didn't want to get out in it. We got all dressed up (thanks, Connie!) and the kids looked adorable! We went to church and there were so many people! They say that a lot of people that don't go to church, go for Christmas and Easter. I guess they were right! When the service was over, it was still snowing and the snow flakes were HUGE! It was really wet and slushy snow. When we got home, Joe took the beautiful pictures below. We had a great weekend other than me being sick on Saturday and Joe being sick on Sunday!

We didn't get a picture of my outfit, but mine wasn't new anyway!

Our little princess!Our handsome little man!
Doesn't she look like a Southern Belle?!

Alexander Henry Print 'Kleo' Tote Bag

2009-04-04T10:11:00.007-06:00

I think I love this bag!

The body of the bag is just like the orange one below. I just made one strap instead of two. Added the tie. After sewing machine problems and taking it apart once, I think it turned out great!

This one is for sale!

Orange Tote Bag

2009-04-01T20:12:00.005-06:00

On a lighter note...I created a new bag. I had an idea in my head and made a pattern and here is what I came up with:

It is very big and orange! The only thing I don't like is the straps, so I am going to make another one with straps that work better. This bag cost me about $3.25 to make! The inside lining is from a pillowcase I got at a second hand store.
It has a lot of room and I added a big pocket inside. I will post the other one once I get it made.

Lexi's Illness

2009-04-01T19:44:00.003-06:00

Lexi has been sick since Monday with who knows what. She has had a fever, chills, headache, tummy ache, throwing up...All the fun stuff. I hate her being sick and I can't do anything for her. Luckily though, none of the rest of us have gotten it. On Monday, she woke up sick, so she stayed home from school. I took Chris to school and he kept asking for Lexi. I made sure to keep him away from her, so he wouldn't catch whatever she had. The day proceeded with her throwing up a few times and just laying on the couch all day. She also complained of bad headaches off and on. Joe was at work and it was time to go get Chris at school. I felt so bad having to drag her with me, but I didn't have a choice. She kept asking if she could stay home. In the car, she was holding her head because it hurt so bad. She did ok, until we were 2 mins. from home, and then she threw up in the car. We had taken a plastic bag with us, but she misplaced it during the ride. When we got home, I threw them both in the bath while I cleaned the car. After bath time, she seemed a lot better. I thought she had gotten it out of her system. Here is a pic of her and Chris Monday night after I made them 'crowns'. I kept saying hats and Lexi corrected me.So, you can see she looks good in this picture! She didn't eat or drink much all day. She went to bed and woke up at 2am wanting milk. On to Tuesday. Joe had a dentist appointment, so he was gone most of the day. Lexi laid on the couch all day with her temperature going up and down. She didn't eat hardly anything again and it was hard getting her drink. I was focused on the fluids because I didn't want her to get dehydrated. No throwing up on Tuesday. A few bad headaches again. I was ready to take her to the doctor because of her head hurting so bad. Of course, Joe thought she was fine. She went to bed at 7pm and didn't wake up until 9:30am this morning. I thought for sure all that sleep would make her better! Then Wednesday...She woke up and wanted milk so I got it for her. She wanted to lay in bed with Daddy, so she went in there. I was downstairs with Chris and Joe started yelling. I ran upstairs and Lexi had thrown up in our bed. Joe put her in the bathtub so he could get the sheets off our bed. She was still getting sick. Then she had another bath and this time it didn't make her feel better. We made her a bed on the couch and she layed there for a few hours watching movies. I wanted to take her to the doctor and Joe said wait one more day. I was crying and a nervous wreck! Joe ordered cheese pizza just for Lexi and that made her happy. She actually at 2 pieces of pizza! I guess she was hungry! She has been eating crackers all day now and drinking juice and water. She finally got off the couch and colored a bit and played on the floor. She is finally getting better and I am so relieved! Her face is still pale, but no fever. I think she is just weak from not eating for 2 days. It has been a long week. I can hardly stand it when the kids get sick. It makes it harder that I am here mostly by myself, but we get through it.

Please Pray for My Mom

2009-04-01T19:35:00.002-06:00

My Mom just found out today that she has to go to Nashville to see a vascular surgeon. It seems my parents just can't get a break with the medical bills. Apparently, Mom had some tests done 2 YEARS AGO, and she is just now finding out the results. Because of the tests from 2 years ago and her current symptoms, her doctor wanted her to have some more tests to check her circular system. She had some x-rays and a doppler ultrasound done on her neck and legs. That was about 2 weeks ago. Her doctor called today and said the tests don't look good and he wants her to make an appointment in Nashville ASAP. He said both of her legs look bad, especially the left one. He said for her to pack a bag when she goes. The doctors there may want to do the surgery right away. I do not know when she is going to Nashville, I just hope it is soon.

I hate not being able to be there for my parents when they are going through all these things. It is tough, but I try to pray and keep a positive attitude. Please pray for her and my dad.

Peony Passion Hobo Bag/Tote

2009-03-27T16:51:00.007-06:00

Here is my newest creation. I having been sewing for about 2 months now and I love it! This is the 4th bag I have made.

There is a big pocket on the front.

The straps tie so it is adjustable.

There is a big pocket inside and a magnetic snap closure.

I love feedback! Let me know what you think. This one is for sale in my etsy and artfire shops.

Grandma and Grandpa come to visit!

2009-03-20T11:13:00.010-06:00

This is the best one of the 4 of us and you can't see Chris face!
Lexi and GrandmaLexi looks tired!
The boys
Aren't they too cute!?

We all had a great time! Too much food, that's for sure!

Bowling

2009-03-20T10:32:00.008-06:00

Lexi and I went bowling a few weeks ago and we had a good time! The boys stayed home. Our scores were pretty close, I am embarassed to say! Lexi even got all dressed up for the event!

The 4 of us

2009-03-09T16:33:00.004-06:00

Here is our 'silly faces'!

We took a few pictures of us the other night. The kids had fun with it!

The little man

2009-02-23T19:13:00.007-07:00

I didn't forget about Chris! Here is some of him hiding under the blanket last night. He thought it was so funny!

A girls' day

2009-02-23T18:42:00.010-07:00

Here are pictures from yesterday. After church, Lexi and I went to lunch at Chili's and then to the mall to try on flower girl dresses!

We had a fun day!

Kids

2009-02-17T18:40:00.009-07:00

I feel like I am writing about Lexi so much, I need to include Chris...Although this one is mostly about Lexi anyway!

Lexi is starting to form some unique eating habits. I guess I should be happy she is eating stuff together and healthier. Her first weird combination is eating a cheese and peanut butter sandwich. I couldn't believe she requested it! She never lets her food touch, so I was curious. I asked her if she had eaten it somewhere else or if one of her friends had talked about it. She said no, she just wanted it. Then I had to make her promise she would eat it all. I hate wasting food and that is what the kids are good at! She said she would and it was gone in a matter of minutes! The next one is from today. She wanted a cup filled with Vienna sausage (she has loved them since she was little and calls them 'ostrich' since she couldn't pronounce them), cut up stick cheese and carrots. She ate most of it. There was a lot, so I am sure she was full!

Here is a picture of her with her 'ostrich', cheese and carrots.

I am trying to think of what I can say about Chris. He is finally starting to talk almost in sentences and it is nice. Right now he is chasing Lexi around doing his monster growl and laughing. He is losing his baby face and is looking like a big kid. No luck with potty training yet. I am hoping he isn't too hard to train, but right now he doesn't care, so I am not going to push it. He still likes to be cuddled and that makes me happy!

Here is the kids at dinner tonight. Thought it would be nice to see what they look like now! Well, I gotta go finish dinner. It smells so good! It is a new recipe, so we can't wait to see how it turned out.

Lexi tonsils

2009-02-13T18:48:00.002-07:00

We had an appointment to take Lexi to the doctor for a consult about having her tonsils taken out. They are always swollen and it looks so painful! She doesn't complain, but we think since she has lived with it forever, she doesn't know the difference. She also snores loud at night and talks nasally all the time. I got up and took the kids to school today and told Lexi I would pick her up later for her appointment and then take her back to school for her Valentine's Day party. So, Joe and I picked her up and Joe got turned around going to the doctor! We were supposed to be 10 minutes early, but we got there just in time. We did the sign in stuff and waited...for 40 minutes. We finally told them we had to leave at 12 pm and they said we can't rush the doctor and we might have to reschedule. Of course Joe was furious! They said if it makes you feel any better, the doctor has to leave at 12 also. He got called into an emergency surgery. So, we asked does that mean Lexi will be seen by 12? They said we can't guarantee that. We just walked out and a few hours were wasted. Lexi was upset and asked why didn't the doctor want to see her? We try to prepare her for things and she does great. We took her back to school and it was lunch time and she got to have a cupcake. She was really worried about missing the cupcakes! Later today, Joe called me from work and said we are not going back to that office. I guess they have a reputation for being late all the time. I guess we will have to find another doctor or forget about it. I try not to be superstitious, but I really don't like Friday the 13th. It never seems to go well.

Lexi school

2009-01-06T14:39:00.004-07:00

Lexi is being promoted to Advanced Pre-K in the next few weeks. We are so proud of her! She moved up to Pre-K 3 months early and has been in that class for 6 months. She loves to learn and we are amazed at the things she says/knows! She is like a little grown-up. She understands a lot more than you realize! She is excited for the new experiences as well as we are!

2008-12-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

Our 2008 Christmas Card. We always send out a Christmas card and this year we were so busy, I decided not to do one. Then one night after the kids bath, they were dressed in jammies and looking so cute, I tried to get a good picture. This one is my favorite out of all the ones I took. I didn't get them mailed out until the Monday before Christmas, but I thought better late than never!

About Us

2008-12-30T14:58:00.000-07:00

Where to begin? Well, Joe and I met in 2000 on the Internet. Pretty cool, huh? At the time, it wasn't a common thing, so everyone was surprised. We hit it off from the very start and have been together ever since. We moved to CO in 2001 and were married in 2002. We were busy having fun and enjoying the mountains and decided to start a family. Lexi arrived in Sept. 2004 and changed our lives forever. She was a very demanding baby. You have no idea how hard it is to take care of a baby until you actually have one! She was the love of our lives. Then, we decided to have another baby and Chris arrived in Aug. 2006. He was the easiest and happiest baby ever! Now we had (have) 2 loves of our lives! The years have flown by and they are growing up so fast!

Joe works as a MRI tech for a group of radiologists at a hospital and finally loves his job! That makes life happier for all of us! Joe loves mountain biking, hiking, just about anything outdoors. He is the home improvement guru and if he doesn't know how to do something, he will learn. He always has a project going on and we appreciate everything he does. Joe is one of the nicest people you will ever meet. He is always lending a helping hand to someone in need, whether it is someone he knows or not. I am thankful for him everyday. He is a great husband and father!

I am currently a stay-at-home mom and have been for just over a year now. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to spend my time with the kids. Time flies by so fast and we will never get this time back. I try to enjoy every minute of it, even the not so fun minutes! I received my CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) license in Feb. 2008. I am planning to pursue a career in nursing and am so excited about it! I feel like I finally figured out what I want to do. I plan to go back to work as a CNA when both of the kids are in school, and then go back to school for nursing. It will be a few years, but the kids are more important. I love photography, hiking, gardening, crocheting, cooking, card making, scrap booking, reading, learning new things.

Lexi is 4 and is such a little lady. She is strong-willed and passionate. She is is Pre-K at school and she is so smart! She will be starting Kindergarten next Aug. I will miss her so much! She is such a girly girl - playing dress-up, wearing dresses, getting her nails painted, sometimes wearing pink sparkly eyeshadow and lipstick. She can be naughty of course, but she will always feel sorry and apologize. She loves her little brother and takes care of him. Sometimes we are amazed at the things she says and does. She acts so grown up. She is her Daddy's girl. :)

Chris is a little monster! He is such a boy! He loves cars, dinosaurs, bikes, running and jumping, making animal sounds. He is still happy, but not as much as when he was a baby. He has his little tantrums and we are trying to teach him he can't always get what he wants. It is nice to be able to communicate with him. He was a slow talker and it was frustrating! Now he talks up a storm and has such good manners (so does Lexi). They love to hug and kiss each other and it is adorable! The do fight a lot, but I am hoping they will have a close relationship in the later years.

We are a happy family and love living in CO. We miss all of our family, but are fortunate to be able to visit. Life is never dull around here!