Matching Aprons

Check out these pics of Mackenzie and I cooking last night in our new matching aprons! For a while now Mackenzie has been telling Wanda that Nana has an apron but she doesn't. So what did Wanda do? She got Mackenzie an apron!! She had been telling Wanda that I didn't ahve one either, so Wanda surprised us with matchign aprons!! So of course as soon as we got home yesterday we had to cook in our matching aprons and take pictures!! Such sweet memories!!

We may not look alike but we sure do act alike...

Helping with the biscuits

All of the sudden she reached for the salt and started adding it to the eggs. I was rolling! Can you tell she's been paying attention?

Our little cheeser!

Can you say OCD?

Need I say more???

Playing my Game

Mackenzie loves playing games on the computer so at Christmas we bought her a leap frog computer thing that hooks into the TV. We were bummed (but not surprised) when it wasn't a big hit at the time. Well in the last week couple of weeks she has started playing it and LOVES it!! I can tell she has her Mommy's lack of patience because when she can't get the mouse to go where she wants it to I hear "Ugh!!!!" and the mouse moving all over the place... and the occassional pound on the mouse pad. Ha! She just loves playing the games and its AMAZING how quickly she learned how to do it all herself including the mouse, exiting the games, going to new games etc. It's scary sometimes how quickly they pick things up!

Mickey and his bed

Well I think we've finally broken the habit of Mickey and his bed going everywhere with us... It went to Wanda's, to Nana's, sometimes to Wal-Mart and who knows where else! Thanks to Wanda for the creative bed and all the fixin's but whew I'm glad it's staying in her bed now! Honestly I don't think Wanda expected it to turn into what it did... We came back with it the first day and she said "Oh Mickey's bed came back..." I looked at her and said "Yeah, thanks for that!" and we both had to giggle!

The second night Minnie joined Mickey in his bed. Of course it's cause they are married!

Then a few nights later, Mickey had some friends join him... It ended up being Mickey (Lil Buddy), Minnie, Jamaica Mickey, and Big Brother Mickey. (Big Brother Mickey was our first replacement Mickey the first night she flipped out because we left Lil Buddy at Wanda's.)

What can top this??

I was sitting here reading blogs getting ready to post some stuff on mine while Mackenzie was watching "Special Agent Oso" before bedtime. (Don't like the show, but love my kiddo and soon she won't want to snuggle with me!) Then out of the blue she looked at me and said "I love you Mama!" with the most precious look on her face and I MELTED!! There is pretty much NOTHING in this world greater than that feeling!! (With the exception of the same look from my hubby!) Even though its hard work I LOVE being a Mommy and wouldn't change it for ANYTHING!

More Silly Bathing Suit Poses

What's better than wearing your bathing suit?? Wearing it with princess slippers of course!!

She's never done this before and then all the sudden she looked like she was gonna do a flip!

Didn't turn into a flip... just laughing hysterically with her booty in the air! Still no clue! Ha-Ha!

Ready to the beach

The other day on my way home from work I got a text message from Brian of Mackenzie's current outfit... I almost had to pull over because I was laughing so hard!! I had to get a picture of it with the real camera instead of just a pic from his phone. Mackenzie had changed clothes because she was "ready to the beach!!" Kinda funny timing for her to leave out "go to" so it makes the story even funnier! This is what she was wearing! And yes she was wearing it over her panties! Too funny! She never ceases to entertain us!!

Part of that world...

Mackenzie's favorite princess is Ariel and I can't tell you how many times we've watched the "old Ariel" (The original) and the "new Ariel" (Ariel the beginning or something like that. She loves seeing Ariel as both a Mermaid and a Princess this is why we waited over an hour last fall to see Ariel as the mermaid at Disneyworld. Well lately she's started singing alot and her favorite song to sing with or without Mommy, is THE song from the "old Ariel". Randomly enough on the way home today I decided I'd try out my video camera on my new blackberry to see how it worked. I was not expecting to stay on Mackenzie since I wasn't waiting the phone or much less get anything decent. Well the results were AWESOME! So I had to share them with you! Hope you don't expect great picture quality it is a blackberry after all...

I survived!!

Well I survived my first semester of grad school... and that's about all I can say, I survived. I can't tell you how excited I am about the month off I have before second summer session starts. To be honest, I'm not sure if I"ll continue after that... I knew it would take time, but I don't like the affect it had on me or my family life. My #1 goal was to keep it from affecting my family life to much, and hopefully I succeeded pretty well in doing that. However, the toll it took on me waiting to do school after Mackenzie was in bed or on my Friday afternoons seems to be just a little too much to handle with everything else I had going on. Granted I had other unusual circumstances this semester that added to my increased stress level, but I'm just not sure it's worth it... On top of all that I'm not enjoying it like I thought I would, not the school work but doing something for me. It's amazing what a few years and a kiddo will do to change your perspective and your priorities. I don't feel comfortable making the decision about one semester, so we'll just see what happens after the summer...

And that's how it all started...

Swine Flu.... and this is how it all started.

Just a small disclaimer... No, that is not my child... :)

Heavy Heart

I wish my first post after being gone so long wasn't such a sad one, but unfortunately it is... I'm sitting here with a heavy heart as I try to wind down to sleep. I am broken hearted for our good friends Katie and Whit who have to bury their 2 day only baby girl Lilly Claire tomorrow. I know they are finally home tonight (Thank You Father!) but without their angel and it breaks my heart for them. And tomorrow they have to do the unthinkable... bury their child. How you do that I don't know...

Abba Father please carry Whit and Katie tomorrow. Comfort them in a way that only you can do. I claim Phil 4:7 as I pray for them, "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." Please fill them with the peace that passes all understanding.

Father God, I also thank you because I KNOW that YOU and ONLY YOU are in control of every situation of our lives, even the most difficult ones. I know that you have a plan and a purpose for us, just like my favorite verse (and Katie's) says, "For, I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a HOPE and future." Jeremiah 29:11.

I am at a loss, but thankfully you are not. You know what they need, please meet them there.

I love you Father, thank you.

Maybe not...

I know I said I was gonna do better, but it looks like not so much! I've got reasons!!

• Insane Work Schedule
• Insane 2 1/2 Year Old
• Whatever Insanity caused me to start my masters
• Most likely selling my house and buying a new one
• Insane Life in General

Many other reason to be named at a later date...

Overall though I'm extremely blessed to have the life I have and wouldn't change a minute of it!! (even the not sleeping in. )

Totally Uncool Non-Trad!

For those of you who don't know... or don't remember a Non-Trad is one of the older people who was in your college classes and ALWAYS asked questions. You always thought, what you haven't gotten this yet??? Well its official I feel like one of those people now! I've started grad school in the last couple of weeks, and my friends and I have been making jokes about how we were gonna be the uncool non-trads. Well tonight we officially felt like that... we sooooo didn't get our concepts in our Finance class as quickly as we should have, even though it was just a review from our finance class in college. It didn't help that the only only guys in the class graduated in May of 07 and May of 08. We comprise 4 of the 9 people in the class, so the small numbers don't help either. I'm really hoping it will be better by next week or I might actually break down and cry! :) It's official I CAN NOT miss a Monday night!

My new favorite question to ask myself is why did I do this to myself???

They didn't match!

I got home from a church meeting to find Mackenzie in a RAzorback T-Shirt, Elmo panties, and Elmo socks. Her cute outfit was nowhere to be found. She had a cute 3/4 lenght blue striped shirt and jean skirt to wear. I even sent tights to wear under her skirt (the pant kind... not panty hose kind) because you never know if it really was gonna be 70 when we picked her up. I really wanted to see the tights under the skirt because I thought it would be cute! Well I asked Brian why she wasn't wearing them... he said he went into her room while he was cooking dinner and found her naked (except for the Elmo socks of course.) He told her she had to put clothes on so she got a t-shirt. Here comes the kicker...

I asked if she wore the tights under the skirt and he said no. She told Wanda they didn't match!!! I said what?? He said yeah, and she had the Elmo socks on when I got there. I said so the tights didn't match but the socks did? He said he even said Mackie the socks don't match and she said "Yes they do!" Apparently she's coming in to her own sense of goofy style! Why argue with it?

Latest Conversation

So if you're a parent, you know how it is after your kid has been home sick for a few days and its time to get back into the routine... Usually clingy when you leave, sometimes in a bad mood, and takes some time to get back in the swing of things.

I say this to explain the conversation I had with Mackenzie while she was in the bathtub a few minutes ago. Her friend Mattie was out sick on Monday or Tuesday and just came back yesterday.

Me: Did you have a good day? (I just got home)
Mackie: Yep!
Me: Were you a good girl today?
Mackie: Yes ma'am. (That's always the answer... at least the first time)
Me: Who did you play with?
Mackie: Mattie (Mary Claire is still out sick)
Me: Was she in a better mood today? (Yesterday morning was rough for Mattie)
Mackie: No, she was in a BAD mood!
Me: What was the matter with Mattie?
Mackie: She was mad at me. (Very matter of factly)
Me: Why was she mad at you?
Mackie: She hurt my feelings.
Me: Why did she hurt your feelings?
Mackie: SILENCE

END OF CONVERSATION!

Couldn't get anything out of her after that... It's so random the conversations you have with your 2 year old! (Who thinks she is 20)

The Beach in January

Over the weekend we told my parents that we were going to take them, my brother, and his girlfriend to the beach for their 3oth anniversary. (Just so happens our 7th is that week too!) Anyway after the initial freak out by them about not paying for the whole house, they were THRILLED! Well Mom was THRILLED and my Dad was just... well my Dad. We got a really big grin at first and then several comments about how the beach is "fine with him", "I don't hate the beach, just don't want to sit in the sun all day". For my Dad who is one of the most laid back people in the world this was excited! The initial smile says it all, I didn't over analyze after that. Anyway back to my story... So since Nana was thrilled Mackenzie in turn got super pumped! She kept saying We're going to the.... beach! (FOr some reason she whispers beach every time.) Anyway after we got home Brian ran an errand and when he came back he went to her room and came back to the den laughing hysterically. This is what I saw when I went in there...

Yep she had pulled out everything in her top dresser drawer to find her bathing suit! We had to put them both on! Who doesn't wear a bathing suit in January?? (I was thrilled to find that one we bought for Disney - that she never wore, is too big so it should fit next year! What an awesome $5 at Target!)

I told her we needed to take a bath and she immediately declared she needed to swim. Obviously I thought it would make such good memories that I let her go swimming for a while!

Check out the many facial expressions of Mackie! (Wonder where she got the facial expression thing from...)

How I've missed it...

Oh my gosh! It seems like forever since I've blogged!! I've missed it so much! Don't know if it was all the fun at Christmas, coming back from the Holidays to the insanity of the managers meeting, recovering from the meeting, starting school or something else totally... bottom line is I've missed it! Hopefully I'll be able to keep up with it again now!