New House!

 On August 10th we closed on our very first house! To say we are excited would be a serious understatement. Everything happened so fast it was hard to believe that we were really buying a home. When I came back from Vegas we had determined that we would start our search for a house. I got online and picked out three to check out and quickly realized what we were NOT looking for. After diussing with our realtor we decided to narrow our search but at our price point we had pretty well determined that we were going to get a 3 bed/ 2 bath home with an unfinished basement. As soon as I signed back onto my online account I found our home. I went and saw it by myslef the next morning and there was another couple coming in as we were walking out who were planning, from what we understood, to make an offer. I called Jakob, told him I loved it and he said well then go for it! I'll come look at 4. Within a few hours were were signing the dotted line and we got 4 bed/ 3 full baths and a semi finished walkout basement. I was pretty excited!

 Once we closed the kiddos could hardly wait to go see the new house! Don't get me wrong, it is small. I mean sure it has rooms but it's an older home and it's just cozy as could be which we love!

 One of my new favorite pictures of E twirling in the living room.

 So grown up! 

We are excited and now we get to MOVE. (So many mixed emotions about unpacking!) We are looking forward to making this house home!

Lost Car

On Friday night I woke up to a strange pounding sound. To me in my sleepy mind it sounded like someone hammering in yard sale signs. It went on for a solid minute or two and I asked Jakob what he thought it was, only he didn't wake up. After hearing it again I finally woke Jakob up and we both listed. At this point I wish I would have looked at my clock to see what time it was (it was 3:00a.m.) we heard the pounding again and then some car started and car light flicked on and they drove away. We both went back to sleep. Jakob thought, that sounds like our car... it was. 

Jakob woke up to go toe the gym 2 hours later and the car was gone. Yeah, it was a bit baffling. We called the police who said that usually kids steal them, go joy riding and then dump them somewhere. So we had some hope that it may if fact be returned to us, a little worse for wear but still driveable. They also ended up taking the car seats, which aren't cheap to replace and that car had the stereo that my Daddy installed. He said "No girl should be without a radio." and he worked really hard to get that stereo to work and while I know the car would eventually die, it was a bit mad that yet again another piece of my Dad was taken away. 

Well today thy found our car. Someone had lit it on fire. And while I am really just angry about the entire situation, the fact that they burnt the car just puts me over the edge. While I am grateful that at least there was nothing truly expensive or valuable in the car, and even more grateful that no one was hurt, I am still frustrated. They took our ONLY car and at a rather inconvenient time. And while we are blessed to even have a vehicle, and we are blessed that Jakob has a good job where we will be able to buy a new car without it being a great struggle, it just wasn't in the plan. Just goes to show be grateful for what you have an to follow promptings and instincts when you have them. RIP Goldilocks! You were a good car and I'm sorry your end was so violent!

Whoops! Broken Window

I am pretty dang awesome at killing flies with my bear hands. Flies drive me insane, I get all tense and stressed when they are in the house, so naturally I wanted to kill it. So it was up against the window and I was talking to Jakob on the phone. I hit once and missed hit again and my hand went through the window. I think I went into a bit of shock because my hand was gushing blood and all I could think about was how that damn fly was STILL ALIVE! Plus... we are moving and most landlords aren't very fond of broken windows. Pretty sure it is the stupidest thing I have ever done.

 

 I cut my finger pretty darn deep, (this picture doesn't do it justice and is after 10 minutes of putting pressure on it. I'm a bleeder.) It wasn't big and there wasn't any glass in there thank heavens. Thankfully, aside from my hand and the window no one else was hurt. I vacuumed up the glass and then proceeded to Vacuum up the fly. (Now he really had to die!) 

A few days later, we had someone come fix it. $85 later I think I may invest in a $1 fly swatter.  

3 Years Old

• Weight: 35 lbs (90th Percentile)
• Height: 3' 2" (80th Percentile)
• Nicknames: Little Man, Bear, Pooka, "Duke Manfred"  or just Manfred.

• Duke {loves} food! I feel like he is ALWAYS in my pantry or fridge. I can feed him a full meal and 20 minutes later he's begging for more. He loves any fruit, pancakes, quesadillas, eggs, and he will try just about anything.
• He is totally into cars right now.  He likes to line them up, sort them. He's pretty partial to the Disney Cars. He can usually be found with fists full of them. He also really enjoys making car of of his Duplo legos.
  
  
  
  
•  Duke is an independent soul. He likes to do his own thing and enjoys quiet play time. He loves it when Mama plays cars or lego's with him and really enjoys wrestling with E.
• He has a laugh that comes from his toes and you can't help but laughing with him! 
• We started speech therapy this year and Duke is much better at communicating. I almost always know exactly what he wants, but he will usually follow my model pretty well. He is all about mimicking and says VERY few words on his own.   

• Duke's favorite toys include; The monkey I made for him, Giraffe, Buzz Lightyear and his blue fuzzy blanket and any toy that sister is currently playing with. He likes to build towers with Lego's. He also likes Mr. Potato Head, balls, cars and trains.  
• Duke loves Toy Story and watching shows. He would be plugged in all day if I would let him. Buzz and woody are a current favorite and he loves to play with all of his Toy Story toys and run around the house yelling EEEE HAAAWWW!!

• This boy loves to rough house! Wrestling and tickling are a personal favorite! He could go on all day long!
• Duke is super sensitive. He is 100% my boy and really likes to have "nuggs" with Mama. He will race up to you just to give you a hug or kiss. He will pat your pack or stroke your hair while he's cuddling. It just melts my heart.
• He loves to get into Daddy's tools and like to try and help.
• He's pretty destructive still and when he's mad enjoys throwing anything within arms reach. It's hard since he's still not able to express himself. He knows there are rules and is respectful of them for the most part.

• He loves clothes and still cries when we try to undress him most days. 
• He loves dance parties and will get his boogie on! He also really enjoys watching music videos during our nightly dance party.  
• Duke is now wearing orthopedics for his feet. He's pretty fond of his fancy shoes but doesn't like wearing them in the house, which makes things a bit difficult.

• He is on a pretty strict routine and his knows when everything happens. If he is late for a nap he'll let you know. I have tried moving him to one nap but he just resists! I would say half of the time he still takes 2 naps a day, just depending on his mood. Here's his current routine. Up at 7:30- 8:00 . Breakfast as soon as he wakes up. Nap at 11:00. Up by 12. (this is the one we skip if we are out running errands or if he's in a good mood and if he's not up by 12 taking a second nap is a bit harder.) Lunch at 12:30. Community nap time at 2:30 (E goes down too). Up by 5:00-5:30. Dinner at 6:00. Bath at 7:15 and bed by 8:00.

I just cannot believe that my boy is THREE?!?! I just love him more than words. He is my buddy, and he holds the key to my heart. I am so grateful that I get to be his Mama Happy Birthday Sweet Boy! You are so loved!

Duke's Birthday

 We kept Duke's birthday pretty low key with lots of love for the birthday boy. We will be throwing his party once we have moved and I am so very relieved! He is Manny on his Birthday Eve! His last night being two! 

 The next day we measured him on the growth chart. This is one of my favorite household decorations. I love seeing how the kiddos grow!

This boy really gained some height in the last year! It must be all of those eggs he's eating. 

 Then Ms. Kathy came by for our last speech therapy session. I am so sad to be done with the Infant Toddler Program. Duke has come SUCH a long way over the short 6 months we have spent with Kathy and I couldn't be more grateful! We are looking forward to his transition and hope it will fit just as well and Kathy did!

 Duke was pretty excited about presents. Duke earns money for doing chores but he doesn't quite understand exactly how money and "things" correlate so unlike his sister he doesn't buy much between birthday's and Christmas. It felt good to spoil him!

 Time for some cake. I packed all of the baking things and candles thinking that we were done with them (whoops!) so I sent Daddy to hunt and gather some cupcakes and a candle. He returned with doughnuts and a big three. Duke was pretty excited!

 Happy birthday sweet boy! You are so very loved!

7 Years

SEVEN years ago our happily ever after began. In those 7 years we have moved 5 times, Jakob has gotten two degrees, and we have had two incredible children. I feel as though our story had a magical start and is only getting better as time goes by. We have sooo many exciting adventures a head of us and I am beyond excited that we get to do them together! I love growing with this man by my side and he makes me a better woman, wife and mother. Thank you for being my best friend and my love. Happy 7th Anniversary.

July Phone Favorites

July!!! Where have you gone?! I seriously think that has got to have been the fastest month EVER! Here is a round up of our phone favs!

E has been stalking my pinterest lately and she was really interested in some food art. So here is what Pintrest and I came up with.

I love reading to this girl!

I cut a few inches off of E's hair. It was time (the last hair cut she had when she was 19 +/- months old.) It was hard to say goodbye to her precious locks and even though it still reaches down the middle of her back, the fact that it once touched her bum is mind boggling. 

Manny is super into his cars right now. I just loved his little train that he built.

And his house.

 That looks comfortable...

 So Duke's birthday theme this year is Young Wild and Three. So Mom and I were brainstorming ideas and she suggested we have thin wood slabs on the table for decoration and for plate elevators. GREAT idea! Go online to see home much wood slabs are.... $25+. I almost fainted... So then I started thinking of who I may know that would have a stump.... Our neighbour Greg. So I called. He said he may have something at the lake. I said great can I have approx 3 ft? So he comes back with this HUGE stump. So then I had to think of how I was to cut siad stump... It's 18" wide, walnut. Beautiful but HUGE. So I am driving down the road one day and I see a house that is COVERED in wood. So I go ring the door bell to see if I can have a chunk of not so thick and heavy wood... No one home. So I stole a log (not pictured). Yeah, I'm a bit risky like that! So I go on FB and ask friends if they have a chain saw. They do. So I set Jakob to work chopping up my logs. It was a project but I'm sure it will be totally worth it. Stay tuned to see how we decide to decorate with them....

 Love these two!

 I won at settlers... Actually... I destroyed at settlers! Woot woot! Poor Jakob does not enjoy looking to me. And since it happnes so rarely... I tend to rub it in his face a bit! ;)

 Since we are packing some of the kids items are beginning to disappear. One of E's dresses was one such casualty. She was pretty adamant that I had to go unpack this dress so she could wear it. poor creature. So I asked if she would like to wear one of Mama's shirts. This happens to be one of my tank tops and E is in love with it. I don't think I'll be getting it back which is fine because how often do I actually wear tank tops anyways. read: never. But it does make me a bit nervous that at 4 years old she is already trying to steal my clothes.

 E is back on the chore waggon... what is she trying to earn you may ask? A puppy. Yikes!

 Love her sense of style!

 I think we need to rockers. 

And finally one of my favorite E pictures so far! she worked really hard on this bad boy! Now bring on August! Anniversary, Duke's birthday, Closing on our house and my Mama comes to visit! It is going to be CRAZY!!!!

Golilocks

One Sunday morning we were getting in the car to go to church. Everyone was buckled I had started the car to get the air running and then Jakob climbed in. He went to put the car into reverse and it died. Just plain died. 

So we all unloaded and Daddy set to work. (With his little assistant.)

 8 hours later, she was still dead. So we decided to toe it to the mechanics. So thankful for Preston who towed the car with his truck. 

So our only car was dead... and who knew for how long. In my mind we would only have to wait until Monday morning for them to look at it and hopefully we would have it back in a day or two. I was wrong... for some reason, it took MUCH longer than that. We also were in the process of purchasing a house, so we couldn't get a loan for a new car and used cars are just ridiculously expensive right now. So I posted the news on Facebook and shortly after my friend Hattie called me up. They were out of town and did not need their car so they lent it to us for two weeks.

Once they had returned Barb called me up and informed us that they too would be out of town for a week and we were more than welcome to borrow their car. We had a BBQ and invited some friends over and Heather asked what had happened with our car. At this point it was just sitting at the mechanic's while they were waiting for a part that was no longer being made (let me tell you it was frustrating.) I told her that Barb would soon be home and then we would be carless again unless we rented. She happily said, well I don't need my van since half of my family it out of town, you're welcome to it! SERIOUSLY!!!! WE HAVE THE MOST INCREDIBLE FRIENDS EVER! We didn't go ONE SINGLE day without a vehicle! After just shy of a month, the mechanic decided that they had no idea what was wrong and they transferred it over to another mechanic, who fixed the problem within a day. We are so happy to have our car back, and working and we are so happy that we won't have to be purchasing a new car for a little bit anyways. Once again a huge HUGE thank you to our friends who saw a need and just volunteered to help without hesitation! Words cannot do our gratitude justice! We are so very very blessed!