2.28.2011

Monday, February 28, 2011

Joy of Love: Day 28, the future. There is so much I want and see for our future as a family. I see happiness and love and peaceful joy. When I look at my girls, I want them to be happy and honest, compassionate and hardworking and true to themselves. I want them to find love and joy in every day life and I want them to be successful. I want our girls to believe in themselves and grow their unique personalities. If the future is as much of a blessing as our past has been, then we are truly blessed.
I think this picture does well showing Abby's unique sense dressing!

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Abby had school today and Mckenzie and I ran errands. Not a very exciting day around here. It was raining so we couldn't go outside so we had to play in the house again. We skyped with Scott this evening. It was a little later than normal since he had been playing poker and ended up winning the tournament. I am glad there are activities available that he likes to participate in! Dinner, bath and bed for the girls. I have been reading to both girls and then putting Mckenzie to bed so Abby and I can work on learning to read without any interruption. She really wants to be able to read, but she still has a hard time focusing on the words and not just on the pictures. She likes to guess what the book is going to say instead of actually sounding out the words. But, we are working on it and it is fun to see her small improvements.
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2.27.2011

Sunday, February 27, 2011

A bit of advice; rain boots do not stay on one's foot when swinging really high!
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Ok, I didn't do a joy of love photo today either. Thank goodness it is a free class! We didn't go to church this morning. I couldn't remember if the time for the service changed for this week or if it was last week (we didn't go last week either because the girls were sick). If it was this week, we wouldn't have made it since the girls slept in until after 8! I can't believe how many times they have slept in recently. We did go to the park today. It was in the upper 50's and wasn't windy. We are all tired of being in the house day after day. I don't know if I have ever mentioned this before, but I really miss the weather in the South! The girls were SUPER excited to go to the purple park. It is their favorite park by far and they have missed going this past winter. Both girls made a beeline for the swings. Abby can go so high now she scares me! Mckenzie spent most of her time in the baby swing, but she did use the big girl swing a little bit. She really likes the big swing and was doing great holding on, but for some reason she let go as I was pushing her forward and fell out of the swing, landing face first in the wet mulch. She had mulch in her hair, eyelashes, her mouth. Everywhere! When I asked if she was ok, all she could tell me was her hands were dirty and she wanted them all cleaned off. My poor baby girl:( I think Abby was about 2.5 when she fell off the big girl swing. I remember that day so clearly. Scott told me that Abby was using a big swing at daycare when he picked her up and she was able to do it all by herself. Well, we both wanted to see her do it so we went out into the backyard and let her. At first we were both so cautious and guarded, worried that she was going to fall, but after seeing how good she was doing, we relaxed a little bit and commented on how fabulous she was doing. Well, of course at that moment, she fell face first off the swing. She was alright, but I think Scott and I were more upset than anything. And, Mckenzie was alright. She wasn't going very high or fast and there is a lot of mulch on the playground to cushion her fall. She got back on the swing after a little rest and wanted to go higher and higher. Needless to say, I barely pushed her and she wanted to get off the swing and play somewhere else. Abby found some kids to play with and ran around having a great time. She just had to wear her rain boots and had fun stomping around in the water puddles on the playground. When we got in the truck to go home, Mckenzie asked to watch Diego. When I explained Daddy's truck doesn't play movies, she got a little upset and asked for her paci. I didn't bring one with because I couldn't find one. She has managed to hide/lose 5 pacifiers. Actually, 4. I seemed to have lost one last night when we went to the grocery store. Luckily, I was able to distract her and she didn't throw much of a fit. Both girls actually helped me clean up before bedtime tonight. Abby only grumbled about having to do everything around here once or twice and Mckenzie only picked up one thing, but it is progress. I am looking forward to the day that they pick up after themselves without me nagging them! (I can dream right?) Both girls went to bed like champs. I think not taking a nap is the key for Mckenzie. As much as I would love for her to still nap, I would rather have a peaceful bedtime.

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2.26.2011

Saturday, February 26, 2011

The dog kept barking at me last night. I think it was because there was no room on the bed for her and she wasn't happy. Mckenzie was sprawled out and there were a ton of pillows left on the bed so there was no place for her. I kept the girls inside again today. The sun was out and it was warmer than it has been, but I just don't want to take any chances since they are both just back to feeling better. We did run to the grocery store for a couple of things tonight and then stopped to get them ice cream as a treat. They love going to Sonic for a dish of ice cream and it feels like they ask to stop every time we drive past.
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A little water painting turned finger painting!
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2.25.2011

Friday, February 25, 2011

Joy of Love: Day 25: When you love them the most. I think if I had been asked to photograph this before Scott's deployment, I would have photographed the garbage can since I really don't like garbage duty and Scott always takes care of that for us. But now, I think I would photograph Scott reading books to the girls before bed. He always has such a loving look on his face when he gets to do this and seeing his love for his girls makes me love him even more than I ever thought possible.
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We woke up late again this morning. For some reason, I didn't hear my alarm clock. It's probably because I am so used to the alarm on my phone and not the alarm next to the bed. No biggie. We made it to school on time. Abby was excited to go to school because she had a new dress to wear. Mckenzie didn't want to get out of her pj's and it took a long time to get her into clothes. Mckenzie didn't want to stay in her class again but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be. It had been two weeks since she had been in class and I thought she was going to cry like crazy but she didn't. She was sad, but she stayed with Maria as I left the room. I ran a few errands after dropping the girls off, the most important one being getting a new phone. I tried the At & T store first since they were open, but they wouldn't allow me to change the contract since Scott is the only one listed. She told me I had to bring in my power of attorney in order to get a new phone. So, I headed over to Best Buy and walked out with my new phone! Yea! I am so happy to have a phone back! I ran to Carter's to pick up some pj's for the girls and walked out with a little more than that. They had the cutest rain boots and sunglasses. The girls are going to love them! I headed back to school to get the girls. Mckenzie had a better day today; she actually played and didn't fuss as much for her pacifier. Small steps in the right direction. Abby had fun like always and wanted to have a friend over to play with. Instead of having anyone over, I took the girls to Chick fil A. They had fun running around and playing. I ran into a friend at the restaurant and had a nice chat while the kids played. Our afternoon was pretty typical. Nap and then a chat with Daddy. I showed the girls the stuff I bought for them today and Abby just had to put her boots on. I got Mckenzie a pair of tennis shoes that light up and she fell in love with those. She didn't even want to take them off to sleep! For dinner, we had a picnic at the beach. I wish it was on a real beach, but we had lots of fun anyway. I spread out a blanket on the "sand" in the living room and the entryway was the water. The girls had fun "swimming" and stomping on jelly fish with their rain boots. A few shark bites and it was time for our picnic dinner. The poor dog was drooling the entire time we ate, but she was good and only snatched a little taste when Mckenzie dropped some of her dinner. Abby kept thanking me for taking them to the beach and letting them have a picnic on the beach. When I told her I was glad I could take them to the beach, she looked at me like I was crazy and said, "It's just pretend Mom. We didn't really go to the beach!" Um, thanks for telling me it was just pretend! Mckenzie had a hard time going to bed and I ended up putting her to sleep in our bed. I laid down with her and the next thing I knew, it was 1:30 in the morning! Guess I was tired too! Got up about 3:30 to let the dog out and turn off the fireplace for the night.
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Abby getting ready for the beach. I wish I had taken a picture when she was also wearing her swimsuit cover up and her hat along with the boots and sunglasses. She was just too cute!
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Mckenzie got tired of the beach and decided to lounge on the couch.

2.24.2011

Thursday, February 24, 2011

I meant to take a picture for Joy of Love today, but I just didn't get around to it. Maybe tomorrow.... The girls slept in this morning. A miracle for sure. They both need the sleep in order to get up and running around again. We stayed in for most of the day, only going out for gymnastics. Abby had a great lesson tonight and made it 2/3 the way up the rope! And, she can almost do a backwards flip on the bar (I can't remember the name of it, but her teacher was so excited that she can almost do it!)! I am so proud of how far she has come since we started gymnastics. She really puts forth the effort and loves to do it. Mckenzie just enjoys running around and bouncing, but her skills are increasing too. Mckenzie was so cute today. She sat down on my lap with a huge smile on her face and started counting on her own. She counted to five, showing me each number on her fingers over and over. Each time she did it, her smile got bigger and I could see how proud she was to do it. She can count higher than that, but it takes a lot of prompting, so it was fun to watch her do it all on her own! I plan on sending both girls to school tomorrow, so hopefully no one will get a fever tonight. I'm not sure if I'm going to come back home and take a nap or head to the store and buy a phone. Decisions decision!

2.23.2011

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

I'm not sure what the joy of love posting is for today. I didn't take any pictures anyway. Abby told me her ear hurt in the middle of the night so I let her sleep in and figured I would take her to the doctor today if they could fit her in. Well, she woke up at 8:30 (class starts at 8:45) begging to go to school. I asked her if her ear hurt and she said no, she just wanted to go to class. When I told her she was going to be pretty late, she thought about if for a few seconds and told me it didn't matter because another little girl was late every day too. Well, she wasn't running a fever and she said she was fine, so we rushed around and made it to school only 10 or 15 minutes late. Mckenzie and I had a chill morning, just hanging out at the house. I am really looking forward to some nice weather and healthy kids so we can get outside. Talked with Scott today. It was great to hear his voice. I just wish it was May already. Mckenzie and I stopped at the post office before picking Abby up from school. I asked Abby's teachers if she said anything about her ears and they said she really didn't complain and was acting fine. Well, I just felt like I needed to get her checked out and I brought her to the walk in clinic at CVS. Turns out she has a double ear infection. I am so glad I brought her in. We picked up her medicine and we headed home. I had a meeting for Abby's school tonight so the girls had a sitter tonight. I was a little surprised both girls were still awake when I got home. They are usually so good about going to sleep for babysitters. Oh well, at least I got to tuck them in myself.

2.22.2011

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Joy of Love, day 22: Portrait. The girls are feeling so much better today so it was easy to get a photo of them today.
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We got a few inches of snow last night so I got up to shovel first thing this morning. The girls decided to sleep in this morning and I felt bad waking them so the housekeepers could clean. I'm sure they would have been up shortly anyway. Dakota was in a strange mood barking at every little noise she heard. Our day was pretty mundane. Lots of games and lots of questions. Abby has been so curious lately about everything. I love that she wants to learn and that she isn't afraid to ask questions. I think Mckenzie is still a little wiped out from being sick because she fell asleep on the couch this morning and took a two hour nap. I'm surprised she slept so long because Abby and I weren't very quiet. And neither was the dog. Dakota gets so wound up when we play hide and seek and she barks at me to give away my hiding spot. She is a little stinker! We skyped with Scott again this afternoon. Mckenzie actually spent a good amount of time talking to him today and showing him how her feet wiggle (I have no idea why she was doing that!) Abby doesn't spend that much time talking with him, but she always lets me know how much she misses Scott when she goes to bed, especially on days we have skyped. I actually cooked tonight, a little Tex-Mex chicken. It wasn't as good as normal because I made a smaller batch but I forgot to shorten the cooking time. Lesson learned I guess. The girls both went to sleep like champs tonight. I only had to put Mckenzie back to bed twice and Abby once.
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The beautiful flowers Sheri sent to me.

2.21.2011

Monday, February 21, 2011

Joy of Love, day 21: Hands.
Abby's hand
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Mckenzie's hand
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We didn't get much accomplished around here today. I did run to the store with the girls so I could pick up some silica gel. I read on the Internet that it is supposed to dry out the iPhone better than rice. We will see. The girls were having so much fun being out that it was hard to drag them out of the store. The store had a Thomas train table set up in the children's craft area and the girls probably could have spent all day playing. Abby told me several times how she wished she could have a train table. I wish there was enough room in our house for one. I know it would get a lot of use. But, they have a small wooden track that works just fine. I did get the girls a few new train cars and they were super excited to play with them. I should say Abby was super excited. Mckenzie was super excited about the jelly beans I bought for the girls while waiting in line. I thought Abby was feeling better this morning after having slept the entire night without any major coughing spells to wake her, but she started looking a little peaked this afternoon and she was running a fever again. I felt so bad for her tonight. She was coughing so hard she threw up. Lucky the dog was there to clean it up for us! I really wonder about that dog some days! I am starting to think I may have taken the girls to Target one too many times. After returning home from the store today, Mckenzie realized we didn't go to Target while we were out and started crying and asking to go there. She also did the same thing for Chick fil A when I gave her macaroni and cheese to eat for lunch. That girl knows what she likes!
Thank you Sheri (and family) for the beautiful flowers. It was a much appreciated surprise! I will post a photo of them tomorrow! Thanks again. You brightened our day!

2.20.2011

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Joy of Love, Day 20: When they are home. (I'm glad this class isn't a college course because I would be failing miserably by now!) When everyone is home, the house has such a different energy. There is more laughter and a more relaxed feeling all around. But, with Abby feeling under the weather and Mckenzie on the mend, the house feels kind of empty. Abby wanted to play some, but I found her spending more time on the couch than normal. She is running a fever and coughing still. I hope she feels better tomorrow. Mckenzie is starting to get back to her spunky little self, but she has a ways to go. Poor kid doesn't like her medicine and I have to threaten to take away her pacifier to get her to take it or sneak it into her mouth when she isn't looking. I'm just glad she hasn't decided to spit it back at me yet! We skyped with Scott today. He is doing good. I had to do some grocery shopping today and I am so thankful for online shopping. It was the easiest grocery trip ever. Less than 45 minutes from pickup to put away. It was a very easy process and the customer service was exceptional. I even got flowers for being a new customer! Both girls went to bed pretty easily tonight. I am so thankful for that. I could really use a good night's rest myself.
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2.19.2011

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Joy of Love, day 19: I think the topic for today was what is different when they are gone. Well, I haven't taken a picture yet, but there are so many things that are different when Scott is away. The house is a little cleaner(overall), the laundry a little more wrinkled, the dishes spend more time in the sink, the dog sleeps in the bed and the kids eat in front of the tv and cold cereal is ok for dinner! I will take my picture soon. I promise...
The power was off (because of the strong winds we have been having) when we woke up this morning and Abby went from room to room checking all the lights to see if any one of them worked. After each switch that didn't turn on, she would let me know it didn't work. Then she started listing everything else that wouldn't work. It was really cute to see her thinking through it all. Mckenzie is on the mend. She is still easily tired and sleeps more than normal (although, she is fighting going to sleep now).  When the power came back on, I made the girls pancakes and managed to drop the carton of eggs on the floor as I was putting them away. Lovely mess to clean up while listening to Abby tell me I need to be more careful and reminding me that I am going to have to mop the floor now. We spent the entire day in the house and kept it all low key. Books, water paints, stamps. Abby has been coughing quite a bit today and told me she was chilled. I checked her temp and she is running a low grade fever. We will see what comes of this. Hopefully it is nothing. I tried to get some cleaning done around here. I managed to get the first floor done before dropping my phone into the mop water. I had finished mopping and Abby asked me to play piano for her instead of vacuuming the floor. I said sure (had to twist my arm on that one) and she handed me my phone since she had been playing with it. I put it on the piano behind a picture and forgot about it. Later when I went back to dust, I grabbed the picture and my phone went flying right into the bucket of water. So, it is sitting in a bag of rice right now which will hopefully dry it out. I tried to shut it down, but it wouldn't even do that. Abby told me I shouldn't drop my phone into the water and I needed to be more careful with my stuff! I feel so lost without my phone. That is the only number I ever give as contact information and I don't store my numbers anywhere else. What a week! I'm hoping next week is better :-) I'm know I am complaining a lot and I know I shouldn't. There are lots of people out there that are dealing with issues that are more serious than anything we have going on. I just needed to vent...

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2.18.2011

Friday, February 18, 2011

Mckenzie's fever broke last night! She is still feeling kind of rough. I didn't even make her change out of her pj's to drop Abby at school. One of the other moms let Abby stand in line with them so I didn't have to stay there with Mckenzie. I was very thankful for that. I called the CVS to see if I could use the drive-thru to get some Children's Motrin. They said sure. I am so glad I didn't have to bring Mckenzie into the store. I don't want to run out and have to beg someone to go buy some for me again. Mckenzie and I came home and hung out on the couch. She wasn't in the mood to do a whole lot so we looked at books and watched some tv. Abby had a great day at school and wanted to play with her friends after class. She wasn't happy with me at all when I said we couldn't play with anyone today and she walked ahead of me to the car and didn't talk to me on the way home. I feel bad that she has had to give up so much this week. We skyped with Scott today. He played in another poker tournament and took third place. I am glad there is something for him when he isn't working. It was nice chatting, although neither one of us had much to say.

2.17.2011

Thursday, February 17, 2011

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Alright. I didn't take a joy of love photo today or yesterday. Mckenzie hasn't been feeling well and she has been needing a lot of extra attention the last couple of days. She has been running a 103/104 temp since Monday and this morning she told me her ears hurt. I had already decided last night to call for a sick appointment at the clinic today since the Motrin/Tylenol combo hasn't brought her fever down as much as I would have liked and she hadn't been eating like she should and was looking miserable. . So, I set my alarm so I could call in right away when the desk opened (not that I needed to since Mckenzie had been awake since 4am, crying and coughing and looking just miserable) only to be told there were no sick appointments available and I was more than welcome to use the after hours clinic that opens at 5pm. I couldn't believe it. What kind of clinic doesn't have sick appointments available at 645 in the morning when that is the earliest you can call? Anyway, the receptionist asked if I would like a nurse to call me to offer advice. I said sure, not caring one way or the other since I knew I was doing exactly what she needed. Turns out it was a good thing I had her call me since I got an appointment for Mckenzie when I told her what was going on. I don't understand how the clinic on base works, but it doesn't seem to be that efficient if you ask me. Anyway, we spent the day inside even though it was gorgeous outside and all Abby wanted to do was run around out there. But, the backyard is still a muddy mess and I am not comfortable with her alone in the front yard. I did let Abby blow some steam off in the front yard yesterday while Mckenzie and I watched her from inside, but that really upset Mckenzie and I couldn't do that to her two days in a row. Besides, she never left the couch today and never wanted to be alone, even when I would just go into the kitchen for a couple of minutes. Finally got to the doc late this afternoon to find out she has a bad ear infection and pneumonia. My poor little baby. I hate seeing her so sick. I can't wait for the antibiotics to kick in because she is just miserable. Her fever is still high and all I could give her was the Tylenol because it was too early for the Motrin and it only brought it down a little and did nothing for her ear pain. I remembered I still have some Tylenol #3 leftover from her surgery that I think I will give her the next time she is due for Tylenol. She sleeps for a little bit, then she is up coughing or crying because her ear hurts. I think it hurts so much she doesn't want to suck her paci. She is just holding it in her little hands every time I go in there. When I told Mckenzie it was time for bed and she needed her rest because she was sick, she nestled her head into my shoulder and said "no sick. me want happy" I wish I could make her happy :(

As for Abby, she was super excited to have her friend pick her up for school yesterday. It was nice not to have to take Mckenzie out in the morning. I think the last time I saw Abby so excited for school and so compliant with the morning routine was the first day of school! It made my morning easy! Well, as far as Abby was concerned. I did pick Abby up from school, but one of the other moms brought her to the car for me so I didn't have to get Mckenzie out of the car and bring her into the school. A couple of moms picked up a few things I needed at the store which really helped me out. Who knew I would need so many Kleenex and that Mckenzie would only want to drink orange juice! Abby told me she had a great day at school and begged me to let her play outside. She said her teacher told her they needed to spend hours outside playing since it was finally nice! I let her blow a few bubbles and ride bike for a bit while Mckenzie and I watched from inside. I went out for a bit with Abby, but I went in when Mckenzie started crying because she was alone. Abby has been great these last few days. She has missed church and gymnastics and play dates we had set up with friends and she has been great about it. No whining/crying or acting out in anyway because she isn't able to do what she normally is. She has mentioned that she wished Scott was home so that she could play which breaks my heart. I found her playing with daddy in her room yesterday. She had her Daddy doll sitting out and he was playing cars with her. Apparently he decided whether or not the cars could watch a movie. She had all her cars and trains lined up on her bed facing the window which I guess was supposed to be the movie screen. Very sweet. I am hoping Abby doesn't get sick as well, although I heard her coughing a bit today. No fever yet so my fingers are crossed!
I think I snapped a few photos yesterday of Abby playing outside. I can't remember, but if I did, I will post them tomorrow :)

2.15.2011

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Joy of Love, day 15: Kisses. Ok. I am going to recycle an old photo again today. With all the sick germs floating around this house, there is no way anyone is kissing anyone else! Well, maybe the dog, but she stinks. So, these photos were taken the day that Scott deployed. I couldn't choose which one to post, so I am posting both. Looking at these photos makes me happy and sad at the same time.
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Today was a long day. Mckenzie was coughing last night and ended up in my bed. Abby ended up there too because she was scared. I know she was scared last night because she bolted into my room. If she is just using the scared excuse to sleep in my bed, she has a little smile on her face as she is saying it. Last night, she just jumped into bed. Poor little girl. Needless to say, I don't think anyone got a good nights sleep. Mckenzie has been running a fever all day long. It drops down to 99 or 100 with Motrin and then she starts playing like she feels great! One time today, she was coughing so hard that she threw up. Abby was a great helper and got a change of clothes for M without even whining about it. She did a lot of whining today. They both did. Understandable since M isn't feeling well and Abby just wanted to play with her friends. A friend dropped by a movie the girls hadn't seen and Abby watched that during Mckenzie's nap, twice. She loves My Little Pony and this was one that she hadn't seen. We have the book and she really enjoys reading it. We skyped with Scott today. Mckenzie woke up in time to visit a little bit, but she was a bit cranky and not in the mood to do a lot of chatting. I gave the girls an early bath because they were restless and didn't want to do anymore play doh or water paints and they were starting to argue over every toy. Mckenzie was hand feeding Dakota lunch today and when she got bored with that, she dropped the remaining food in the living room for the dog to eat. At least it gave me the motivation to get the floors vacuumed for the day. I had already done laundry and folded it (yes Scott, I really did fold it right after it came out of the dryer) and even ironed the sheets. Mckenzie didn't eat much dinner, but as soon as it was time for bed, she decided she was hungry. Imagine that. Nothing a little yogurt couldn't fix! I ended up putting Mckenzie to bed in my room. She wouldn't settle down in her own room and she really needed the sleep. I know it was because her fever was back, but it was too early for Motrin. I gave her Tylenol, but that didn't even touch it. I have to give a shout out to Meg who dropped off some much needed Motrin. I thought I had another bottle in the cabinet, but I was wrong. So thank you! I did find the missing piece for the humidifier in the cabinet as I was looking so at least something good came out of the search!

2.14.2011

Monday, February 14, 2011

The Joy of Love, day 14: Wedding Band/jewelry. Since I don't have Scott's ring here, I decided to use a photo I took of M as a baby wearing our wedding rings on her toes.
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The morning started off really well. Abby worked on signing all her Valentine's cards to her friends while I showered and then it all turned ugly when I tried to get Mckenzie dressed. Mckenzie didn't want to get dressed and was just cranky. Abby was upset because Mckenzie had new clothes to wear and she didn't. Her words to me went something like "Why don't I ever get anything new! I don't have any clothes to wear (as she pointed to her closet)" Seriously? This kid has clothes coming out of her ears. She only chooses to wear certain ones. Mckenzie likes to wear lounging pants whereas Abby at Mckenzie's age preferred to wear sundresses. Needless to say, Mckenzie needed some pants and so I bought her some. I never thought it would cause so much drama. I guess next time, I need to remove the tags before Abby sees the clothes so she doesn't get upset! In the middle of this whole discussion, Scott called to wish us a happy Valentine's day. Poor guy was probably pretty surprised to hear such grouchy voices so early in the morning! But, we all got dressed and Abby made it to school on time. Mckenzie and I came home and I noticed she was sooo cranky and acting tired so I decided to see if she was running a temp. Yep, almost 103. Yuck! I guess that explains her crankiness last night and this morning! I called a friend to pick Abby up from school so I wouldn't have to wake Mckenzie from her nap. When Kenzie woke up, she was acting fine, but she was still running a low grade fever. I couldn't keep her still and she was running around, playing with Abby and eating all of the Valentine's treats Abby brought home. I felt bad, but I ended taking the girls out to the store to get a humidifier for Mckenzie's room. We used to have two, but one got all moldy in storage from the move and the other is missing a piece so it no longer will work. We ran to the Walmart which I really hate and Abby was worried that we were going to get the people there sick. I told her we would be careful and keep Mckenzie from coughing on anyone. Funny though, she isn't as worried about her friends because she asked many times if she could have a play date at our house tomorrow. So, we got a humidifier and some bubbles (who would have thought there would be bubbles so close to the humidifiers) and we headed back home. The girls played with some play doh before dinner and then it was off to bed. Both girls went to bed easily tonight. Abby tried a couple of excuses, but didn't put much effort into them. She did get to come out of her room though as Great Grandpa & Grandma skyped us and she heard me talking to them. I hope Mckenzie feels better tomorrow and doesn't cough as much tonight!

2.13.2011

Sunday, February 13, 2011

The Joy of Love, day 13: Routines.  We have so many routines around here, but one that I am really proud of is the fact that Abby makes her own bed.  I wish I could say she does it every day, but she does it more days than not. And sometimes she needs reminding and other days she has it made before I can even ask her. She's just like me. Somedays I really want to make the bed and other days, I could care less. I do force myself to make it though, because if I'm expecting her to do it, then I guess I should do it as well!
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Another Sunday. We headed to church even though I was feeling so lazy about going. Once I got there, I was glad to have made it. It is always such a great feeling to worship with others. The girls were a little rambuctious during the service today. Mckenzie couldn't decide what she wanted to do and Abby was very noisy for some strange reason. Usually she is happy to color quietly, but not today. When it was time for the children's message, Abby ran to the front and Mckenzie stayed back with me. A few minutes into it, she decided to she wanted to go as well so I let her go. She walked to the front, looked around and then ran back. She did that a couple of times before deciding to stay back with me. We saw some friends from Abby's school and chatted with them after the service. Then we ran to Target to get a few things for the house and some groceries. It was a quick trip and both girls behaved very well. The rest of the day was quiet. Abby worked on her homework while Mckenzie napped. After that it was a little Wiggles(I am starting to wonder if there will ever be a Wiggle free week around here!) and then bath and bed. Mckenzie threw a big fit about going to bed tonight. I decided just to lay with her because she has started coughing quite a bit this evening and I want her to get her rest!

2.12.2011

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The Joy of Love, day 12: The eyes. I chose to capture Mckenzie's eyes. They are so blue and so beautiful! I love looking into them and seeing her vibrant spirit poking through. She melts my heart!
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We had a lazy morning around here, hanging out in our pj's most of the day. The girls did a great job of playing together and I am so happy for that! We got to Skype with Scott today. He is doing well, a little stressed from his work, but overall he is doing just fine. Abby had fun talking with him and Mckenzie woke up in time to say a couple of words too. We went over to a friend's house for dinner tonight. Mckenzie was a little shy at first, but warmed up to playing with the other girls in no time. Abby had lots of fun, like always. It was a nice relaxing evening and it was so great to have a home cooked meal. We seem to be doing a lot of sandwiches and soup around here lately. When it was time to go, Abby didn't throw a fit this time (she has slowly been getting better about this), but Mckenzie didn't want to go and refused to put her shoes or coat on. Once she stepped outside, she wanted her coat, but still no shoes! Silly girl. Just one less thing to take off when we got home!

2.11.2011

Friday, February 11, 2011

The Joy of Love, day 11: dreams. I had a hard time choosing which dream to capture for Scott. He has a couple of dreams/passions that are really important to him. One is hunting and the other, bowling. He always says one day he would love to own a bowling alley. He has bowled since he was a child and loves to be on a league. Unfortunately, his work schedule doesn't allow for him to do that these days. I hope someday he gets back to doing what he loves!
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Both girls had school today. Abby had pajama day and Mckenzie had her Valentine's party. Abby, of course, was excited to get to school to see her friends and show off her pj's. Mckenzie, on the other hand, was reluctant to go into her classroom and started crying. I hated to leave her again knowing she was so upset and I am hoping she will adjust soon. I had a preschool meeting during class so I was at school all morning as well which turned out to be a good thing, because Mckenzie's teacher came to get me because Mckenzie was having a very hard time. She isn't crying the entire time (although her main teacher reported that she was. Hello, I was in the building right below her classroom all morning. If my child was screaming the entire morning I might have heard her and Abby's teacher would have most definitely come and gotten me! I asked Maria, the teacher's aide, who is the one that came to get me toward the end of class what really went on. She reports that Mckenzie is sad, cries at times, asks for her pacifier, and doesn't want to play with toys. That I believe. I am not sure about Mckenzie's teacher and I am having serious reservations about keeping her in that class.) Anyway, as soon as Kenzie saw me, she brightened up and enjoyed her Valentine's party. Abby had a dental cleaning today and did great! She went back by herself to get her teeth cleaned and wasn't scared at all. I was a little worried about how she was going to do after having a filling done and she told me she was never going back. I got a babysitter to watch the girls tonight so I could go out with some friends. It was a great night out and it was fun to have some adult conversation! I was happy to hear the girls were good for the sitter as tonight was her first night watching the girls.
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2.10.2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Joy of Love, day 10: Where they are comfortable. The kids love hanging out in the family room by the ottoman. Close to the toys, tv, and fireplace. Perfect place for them. Each girl has claimed one side of the ottoman, Abby is closer to the fireplace and Kenzie, the couch. Yesterday, they were snuggled together on the floor in front of the ottoman. That would have been the perfect picture, but this one is pretty good too.
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We had no plans today and spent a good bit of the morning playing upstairs in our pjs. I love days like this! We finally made our way downstairs and Abby started begging for a play date. I tried to find one for her, but her friends were busy today. That didn't sit well with her and she threw a nice fit over that! We got to Skype with Scott again today. It was great to see his face today. Abby talked with him a little bit, but she has this tendency to use baby talk to him and sit so low in the chair Scott can only see the top of her head. We had gymnastics tonight and I am so proud of Abby. She learned how to do a backroll all by herself! She was so proud of what she had accomplished and ran over to me twice to get hugs! We had to stop by the grocery store to pick up a snack to bring to school tomorrow for Mckenzie's Valentine's Day party. The girls begged me to buy hotdogs and so that is what they had for dinner, along with a chocolate ice cream cone. Very healthy dinner tonight! Mckenzie settled down pretty quickly tonight. I think I only put her back to bed 8 times. Not bad compared to last night!
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ICE CREAM FACE!

2.09.2011

Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Joy of Love, day 09:Passions and Hobbies. This was not the easiest one yet. There are so many things that the girls love and it seems to change from day to day. But most recently, the girls have shown a renewed interest in Polly Pockets. I am always stepping on pieces or finding a head hidden under a bed.
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Woke up to a chilly house this morning. A brisk 58 degrees in here. Apparently the heater decided not to come on again during the night. It has been shutting off more often lately and the only fix is to remove the filter compartment cover and then close it. After that it starts working again. Guess I will email the owners to see if they want to have it looked at. Abby had school and Mckenzie and I came back home to play. Mckenzie was very interested in games today, so we "played" every game we have. She is too little to play many of the games we have, but we made up our own way of playing so it was fun for Kenzie. I was the parent helper in Abby's chef class today, so Mckenzie and I headed to the school a little early to get our cleaning done. The afternoon classes are so little the parent helper doesn't stay, we just bring in snack and clean up after. Mckenzie didn't want to stay with me while I cleaned, so she hung out with Abby and her class. I am so glad that Abby's teacher doesn't mind Kenzie crashing the last few minutes of class. Abby was so sweet to her little sister; she shared her cupcake with Kenzie and let Kenzie ring the bell to signal clean up time. She loves to ring the bell, but I think she likes to teach her sister even more. Such a sweet moment to witness! Bedtime was a battle again, but I gave up after an hour of sending Mckenzie back to bed and I laid down with her until she fell asleep.

2.08.2011

Joy of Love, day 08: gift from the heart. Today's posting is supposed to be about something a loved one has said/done/promised/given to me. I struggled with what to photograph for this one. How do I capture the love and security and happiness that Scott has given me? What he does for me and the girls can't be photographed in my mind. Sure, I could have taken a picture our my wedding band because that represents all he has ever done for me or taken a picture of the kids, because what greater gift in life is there than the love and blessing of children, but none of that seemed to say it all for me. He is a great husband and father and I just cannot express enough how much he means to me, but I finally figured out what to photograph. I took a photo of our bed because it just so happens that today is clean sheet day.  Some of you may be thinking who really cares you changed your sheets today, but for me, I absolutely love clean sheets. There is just something about them. So how does this represent Scott? Well because on clean sheet night, I like to be the first one in bed so I can enjoy the sheets for just a couple of minutes while they are still fresh. Poor Scott stands by the bed, waiting so patiently for me to get settled in no matter how tired he is. I know he thinks I'm crazy and that's OK. We all have our quirks, but that is what Scott has given to me. He has given me unconditional love that allows me to feel OK about being a little different than everyone else. I don't know how many husbands would put up with something so silly, but he does because he loves me and that makes me love him even more!
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So today was a busy one around here. Mckenzie went to her second day of class. Turns out it was a pretty rough one for her, crying most of the time. They were actually going to call me at one point but luckily the school director was able to calm her down. I asked Mckenzie how her day was when I picked her up and she told me she cried. It breaks my heart, but I know she needs to get used to being away from me and going to school. I would rather she struggle with it this year when the emphasis is on socialization whereas next year, it is more focused on learning. Abby had a friend over this morning and they played together very nicely. Then, Abby went to another friend's house this afternoon while Mckenzie napped. It was nice to have some quiet time this afternoon. Abby told me she had lots of fun over at her friend's. We got to Skype with Scott today. It was great to see him and talk with him. He is doing good & keeping busy. Then, we headed to church this evening for dinner and a lesson. Abby has lots of fun, especially when her friend from school is there. Both girls were a bit feisty on the way out of the church. Abby has a tendency to run ahead of both of us and Mckenzie gets upset because she never wins. Well tonight, their little tiff resulted in both girls falling to the ground and skinning their knees. Nothing a few band aids couldn't solve though when we got home! I'm hoping Mckenzie will settle down better tonight than last night. She has come out a few times, but I think she may have settled in for the night!
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Abby & her friend

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Kenzie with a "hat" on her head! She cracks me up!

2.07.2011

Monday, February 7, 2011

Joy of Love, day 07: Generations
Well, that is a little hard to get so I decided to have each girl hold her Daddy doll. That's as good as it gets around here for generations!
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We were running late for school again today. Imagine that! If only I wouldn't hit snooze a million times... Anyway, we did make it to school on time, but I really don't like feeling so rushed in the mornings. I am sure the kids don't like it either. Mckenzie and I hung out at the house today, not doing much at all. Well, as little as a two year old will let you! We picked Abby up from school and the first question out of her mouth was to ask if she could have a play date. Every day she is begging me to have one of her friends over. Instead, we ran to Target. The girls were good for the most part, but it got to be a long trip for Mckenzie and she got very restless. When we got home, the girls started playing in the snow and they were having so much fun that I couldn't make them come inside. I decided to go grab their dolls to get the picture taken for the day since both were being cooperative. After I took the picture, the girls started playing in the snow still carrying their doll. It was like Daddy was here playing with them. Both girls were ice cubes when we came in so it was straight to a bath for them. I let them have bubble bath tonight. I really don't like bubbles. They are so messy and it takes forever to bathe the girls when they do use it. Somebody always ends up with bubbles in the eye and did I mention it takes forever to bathe them! But, it makes them happy, so we do it. Mckenzie is giving me a hard time for bed tonight. She keeps asking me to play with her and going into Abby's room. Luckily, she hasn't woken Abby yet and I hope she goes to sleep soon!

2.06.2011

Sunday, February 6, 2011

The Joy of Love, day 6: Who They Love. This was an easy one for me. Both girls have lovies that they received as gifts when they were born. Abby received a lamb and Mckenzie, a bear. They LOVE their lovies. They sleep with them, go with in the car, the store, school. They go everywhere together. They don't have special names. Just lambie and bear. But those lovies hold a place in my girls' heart that is something so special. Lambie has been through surgery a couple of times. It is painstaking work and my fingers felt like they were numb and I was surprised they weren't bleeding both times as it had to be hand stitched. But that doesn't matter. I would do it a million times over if it means that my Abby still has her comfort lamb. Mckenzie's bear is still in pretty good shape compared to Abby's at 2.5 yrs. I think the difference is Abby holds her lamb close to her face while sucking on her thumb at night while Mckenzie just bunches her bear up and sleeps on top of it.
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We had church this morning and Abby's choir sang during the service. I wish I had a video camera with because Abby was so cute. She stood up front, singing her little heart out. One of the songs she sang was This Little Light. It was so much fun to watch her sing and do the actions without a care in the world. Mckenzie got a little feisty during the service today, wanting to eat everything and anything she could find in my purse. She went through at least 6 pieces of gum and a package of fruit snacks. We ran to the grocery store and it was crazy like any weekend. We really need to quit running out of milk on the weekends! Lucky for me, the girls were in a great mood, laughing and getting along for most of the trip. It was only near the end that the girls were getting tired and started acting up. Of course I picked the lane with the slowest cashier. I should have realized it was the wrong lane when no one else was going to it. We got to Skype Scott again today. He is doing good, ran a 5K this morning before going to work. Abby asked me if we could eat in the dining room for dinner tonight. Why of all nights would she pick Superbowl Sunday to eat where there is no TV to watch the commercials. I could care less about the game this year, I just wanted to see the commercials! Both girls went to bed really well tonight. I only had to put Mckenzie back to bed 3 or 4 times!!!

2.05.2011

February 5, 2011

The Joy of Love, 05: Love to Hate. I wasn't too sure about this one and it took me awhile to figure out what to photograph. I finally decided on Ranch sunflower seeds. Scott LOVES them! I do not. They are mighty stinky and I would almost rather kiss someone with onion breath than ranch breath! Scott could eat a whole bag in a day! 017edit_edited-1 Since he is deployed, I more than happily bought him some and shipped them off. He can eat them all day long if he so desires!

We didn't go anywhere today. Our day was filled with water paints and memory and a little Wiggles for good measure. We wouldn't want to go a day without seeing the Wiggles! It is fun to watch the girls dance and sing along with the show. They both get so excited, although Abby is starting to grow out of them a little. I noticed that she would rather play with toys and listen every now and then instead of being glued to the tv like Mckenzie.

2.04.2011

Friday, February 4, 2011

The Joy of Love, day 04: what they wear. Sparkly shoes are the big thing around here. It all started on Abby's third birthday when her friend Jordan gave her a pair of sparkly red shoes. Abby fell in love with those shoes. Whenever she outgrows them, we have to buy the next size up. Mckenzie now loves the sparkly shoes and they have discovered the shoes are available in colors other than red. So, our house is filled with sparkles!
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Today was Mckenzie's first day of school. She is finally old enough to enroll in a program at Abby's school and we thought it would be a good idea to get her a little more socialized. She doesn't spend a lot of time away from me and it seems like she is ready to make that move. She cried, hard, when I left her but I know it is better to walk out of the room than to stick around. I asked Abby's teacher to keep an ear out for Mckenzie and give me a call if she thought I needed to come back. No call and I had two glorious hours all to myself! Very much needed! It sounds like Mckenzie did pretty well at school, only asking for her pacifier once (not getting it of course) but they did allow her to hold on to her bear for comfort. She was happy when I picked her up and I think it will be good for her to get out of the house a couple of days a week. It will also give Abby and I some one on one time when Mckenzie is in school on one of Abby's off days. Abby said she enjoyed school today too. She was hyper as always when I picked her up, although I think today was a little bit crazier since the kids had cookies and ice cream for a snack to celebrate a birthday! We had a playdate at Chick fil A with one of Abby's good friends. Mckenzie decided she is old enough to open her own ketchup and her once blue dress is now covered in red! Let's hope the oxiclean does it's magic once again! Mckenzie didn't want to play today, preferring to sit on my lap. Abby was so excited to play that she finished her meal in record time. Some days it has been taking nearly an hour to get the girls to eat, so it surprised me it only took a few minutes today! Abby threw a bit of a fit when it was time to leave today. She is generally pretty good, but today, she had the attitude of a pre-teen. I'm thinking she is missing Scott and is maybe acting out a little bit more than normal. Mckenzie fell asleep on the way home. She was so tired I was able to put her to bed without waking her up. Guess she is getting exhausted from all these nights of too little sleep! We got to Skype with Scott this afternoon. It is always so good to see him. It was a quiet night the rest of the day, well, not quiet as in little noise. Quiet as in we didn't do much. Dinner and off to bed. I started to get the girls ready for bed way earlier than normal and for some reason, I think it may have helped get them to bed tonight. As I am writing this, it is only a little after 8pm and I haven't heard a peep out of either of them for at least 10 minutes. I only had to put Mckenzie back into her room a handful of times tonight. She thought I was going to take away her stuffed animals, but each time I just placed her back in her bed, kissed her goodnight and left the room. Maybe that is what she needs. Or, maybe that is what works tonight. I guess only time will tell!
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Abby was very cute with Mckenzie this morning. She was explaining to Mckenzie how she needed to listen to the teachers and what was going to happen throughout the day.

2.03.2011

Joy of Love, Day Three: Now and then
I wasn't sure what I was going to take a photo of today. I thought it would be cool if I could take a photo of Scott with his almost bald head but, since that wasn't gonna work, I had to come up with something else. I decided to take a photo of Abby in her gymnastics outfit. I have photos from her very first day of class and thought it might be neat to compare the two. I feel like she hasn't been taking lessons that long, but when I went back to find her old photos, I realized she was only three when she started. She looked like such a baby! What a difference between a 3 year old and a 5 year old!
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Abby had her well child check up today. She kept telling me she didn't want to go and wondered why she had to go. She didn't throw a fit about going or anything, I think she was just curious why she had to go when she felt fine. The doctor we saw today was much better than the previous pediatrician we saw on base. She at least interacted with the kids even though she was running way behind and gave me a chance to ask questions. Abby made me laugh. When the doctor came in, Abby whispered in my ear "Momma, is she a boy or a girl?" I guess the short hair and uniform made it a bit confusing for her! I wanted to do a little shopping while I was on base, but the girls were getting hungry since it was so close to lunchtime and we headed back home instead. Abby went over to a friends house this afternoon. Mckenzie and I visited for awhile, but she was getting tired and cranky so we came back home to have a little rest time. Let me tell ya. Mckenzie was not happy about leaving Abby behind to play. She cried and cried. I put her shoes on to go and by the time I turned back around with her coat, she had her shoes off and was trying to run upstairs. I felt so bad making her leave. She loves to play with Abby and her friends, but I just knew she was too tired to stay. When Abby came home, we headed to gymnastics. Mckenzie was the only one in her class today and I could tell she was more tired out than usual. Abby worked on climbing the rope today. She is getting stronger! Abby wanted to go out to eat for dinner, but we came home and had some soup instead. A quick bath and then off to bed for the girls. Mckenzie fought a good fight again tonight, but it only lasted a little over an hour tonight. I realized tonight that taking away her stuffed animals at bedtime has become a game to her. I kissed Mckenzie goodnight, told her if she came out of her room, she would lose Dorothy and Wags and just a few minutes after leaving her room, she was out in the hallway, holding onto her stuffed animals with a big smile. Right then and there, I decided not to take them away because she had turned it into something fun. I just kept putting her back to bed every time she came out and finally, I shut her door. We have always shut her door since she was a tiny baby and lately, she has been asking to leave it open so I have been. I think it is too distracting for her because once I closed it, she settled down and went to sleep. Maybe it is just a one time thing, but I'm hoping I have stumbled onto something here.

2.02.2011

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

School was delayed again today due to weather so Abby didn't start until noon today. I'm not sure exactly what was so bad about the weather this morning, but it is what it is. It made for a leisurely morning getting ready. After we dropped Abby at school, Mckenzie and I ran to the post office to mail a package to Daddy. I hope my treat makes it to him in one piece! We got back home and it was time for Mckenzie to take her nap. A friend sent a care package today for the girls and I. It was a very nice surprise. So, thank you! It has been a long month and it was nice to get a little pick me up in the mail. I realize the girls and I are the lucky ones in this whole situation considering we have each other at the end of the day, but it has been hard lately with Mckenzie struggling with bedtime. I just wish there was someone here to help me figure it out. I can't imagine how tough this is for Scott and I don't mean to take anything away from what he is going through. It is funny how our perspective changes based on our situation. Today when Skyping with Scott, the girls were being very loud and it was getting on my nerves, but for Scott, he said he didn't mind it at all. I know he misses his girls a lot! Bedtime with Mckenzie was miserable again tonight. 2.5 hours to get her to fall asleep. Thank God Abby went straight to bed again.


The Joy of Love assignment for day two is: how they look. I took a few photos of Mckenzie and I think this one shows her spirited personality.
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2.01.2011

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

I am taking a photography class called the Joy of Love. I hope it helps improve my skills a bit and gives me new ideas on ways to photograph the girls. Today is day 1 and the topic is: what they do The girls look to help in the kitchen so I thought that might be a good thing to get a photo of today. The girls helped me bake some cookies today and had lots of fun eating the frosting! I got the replacement bookcase from PBK yesterday and I put it together without difficulty today. It looks great in Abby's room and she was so excited to help put her books and toys on it. I feel so accomplished since I never put anything together anymore. Why do it when Scott is so much better at it than me? We had church tonight and Abby was so excited to see her friend from school there again. Scott, you won't believe it, but the pastor actually remembered my name today. Last week he told me he was going to do it and he did. We will see if he remembers on Sunday! The kids did a craft project and Mckenzie really enjoyed it because it was very messy! Bedtime tonight was no fun again. Mckenzie fought going to sleep until 10pm. Two hours past her bedtime. I don't know what her deal was. Nothing I tried was working. Luckily, Abby went to bed like a champ. I don't know what I did tonight that was so different than last night, but whatever it was, it worked.

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So here is my photo for Joy of Love, day 1
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Monday, January 31, 2011

Wow, January is already over! Time seems to fly by quickly yet at the same time, it is taking forever for it to be May! Abby had school this morning and made sure to ask her teacher why they didn't have class on Friday. I didn't realize she remembered not going. Mckenzie and I came home and hung out here. She was in a Wiggles mood today, so we had to dance and sing the morning away. She loves dancing and I wish I could have gotten video of her dancing and laughing, but she needed both my hands to dance/jump. Her laughs were just huge today and her smile even bigger. Abby had fun at school but she couldn't remember what she did. I'm not sure why I send her if they aren't teaching her anything;) I think she decided not to talk to me about school today when I told her we weren't having anyone over to play after school. She wants someone to come over to play every day. I don't blame her. I get bored myself, but she had a full day of school and we had a skype date with Daddy. The girls both spent a lot of time talking to Daddy, especially Mckenzie. She made sure to show him she had been crying since she just finished time out for hitting Abby when Daddy called. I think she may have thought she was going to get sympathy from Daddy because she was upset. We ran to the store to pick up some stickers for Abby's Valentines Day party at school. We also ended up buying pink marshmallows to make rice krispie treats tomorrow. A bath and then dinner for the girls. Bedtime turned ugly again and both girls are now sleeping in my room. Abby couldn't decide on an excuse to use. It wavered between monsters in her room to missing daddy to not wanting to be alone. Mckenzie wasn't going to stay in her room as long as Abby wasn't so I have to concede that I lost the battle today. Haven't given up hope on winning the bedtime war just yet, though they are wearing me down. It took two hours to get them asleep tonight. Such a waste of an evening. I hope they sleep in tomorrow so they aren't cranky because they didn't get enough sleep.
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