Two Pearly Whites

Life is slipping by too fast and I'm doing a terrible job of posting and documenting the fun and memorable things that are going on.  So I think I have a solution.  I'm REALLY going to try and post a little bit every day...probably not pictures...but at least a paragraph or two about what went on that day just so I can look back and remember.  Funny things the kids say, "first's for Violet,"...stuff like that.  I'm making no promises but am going to give it my best effort.

 

Miss Violet is happy to announce that two new pearly whites have appeared in her mouth. The  kid has been drooling a ton, was unusually fussy on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and was waking up at random hours of the night.  Saturday morning I saw a little speck of white...her lower white tooth.  By the afternoon one had broke through the gum and the other one was at the surface.  On Sunday morning they were both through and she has been in a much better mood and is back to being herself again.  Lots of cold fruit in her net and toys chilled in the fridge were helpful and soothing to her.  Hopefully I'll get a picture of that adorable toothy smile soon!

 

Our happy Vee Vee looking stylish in her new skinny jeans and shirt.

Love that expression...priceless!

 

 

Ava and I went on a field trip to McFarland Park today.  My class went along with hers so it was nice to spend the morning with her.  The weather was yucky!  We walked around in drizzle and our clothes were soaked by the time we left.  We learned lots about insects and tried to find some...but didn't have a lot of luck. 

 

Me and my Bootles on the bus

Ava heading out to the prairie

 

They were learning about how insects camouflage into their habitats so the kids pretended they were insects and hid in the prairie grass.

I LOVE this kid!  My first born and my baby for life!

Trying to catch some critters.

 

***G-Parents Day in EK***

Two weeks ago Isaiah celebrated Grandparents Day in his EK classroom.  My parents came for the morning and stayed for lunch.  Isaiah loved showing everyone around his classroom and taking them out to recess.

After eating lunch with Isaiah they joined Ava's class for lunch.

Grandpa and Grandma Richardson came to eat lunch too and spent the afternoon with Isaiah.  He was so lucky to have everyone there that day. 

This Friday is Homecoming for Ballard.  In Ava and Isaiah's eyes this means toilet paper on the trees outside our house, the king and queen all dressed up, and lots of Ballard spirit!  One of their favorite parts of the game is when the cheerleaders hold the paper and the players break through it. 

This game was two weeks ago...it's fun to cheer on Daddy's team!

My Boo and me!

Go Bombers!

 

 

My Three Happy's:

1) I brought home NO school work and Andy and I are watching a movie.  It's about time!

2) We were reading in bed and Isaiah was looking at some words that Ava brought home from school. I said, "Try to sound that word out."  He was quiet for a moment and said, "That's cat."  I said, "How did you know that?"  He then said, "I just sounded it out in my head and then said it."  He did a few more and was so proud of himself.  I'm so proud too!

3) Cooler weather...I love jeans and sweatshirts!

 

My Favorite Thing:

*My Dad got me a Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks this weekend...now that was GOOD!

My 5 Month Beauty

5 months ago God blessed us with this precious miracle.  I remember thinking...okay...we have two kids...we're done.  When I look at Violet I can't imagine what life would be like without her.  There was a reason that she came into our lives.  Ava and Isaiah have grown up so much and are so good with her.  They love her to pieces!  Andy and I treasure our three children and are so thankful that God trusted us to be a Mommy and Daddy to them. 

 

Violet makes us smile every day, her little cooing sounds and voice tell us fun stories in her own little language.  She's discovered her voice and that she can make some goofy sounds.  She is a talker...must get that from her Momma and Big Sis!

 

When trying out different veggies and fruits I saved peas for last.  I thought...Ava and Isaiah hated peas...she probably will too.  As it turns out I really think that it is her favorite vegetable so far...sweet potatoes following a close second.  She loves all fruits so I'm not sure what her favorite is.  At dinner she has a little sippy cup of water and is pretty good at holding onto the handles and taking sips by herself.  What a big girl!

 

Violet still wakes up once a night to eat...I LOVE this time with her.  The house is quiet, it's just the two of us cuddling, and then she goes right back to sleep.  It gives me a chance to think about all the things I'm thankful for and to tell Violet how much I love her.  I'm sure when she sleeps through the night again...because she was doing this for a while...I'll enjoy the solid night of sleep.  But those little moments of time with her are priceless!

 

The kid rolls and scoots all over the place.  I used to lay her on her playmat and run into the other room to get something.  Those days are about over...she moves way too much and needs constant supervision.  She's working on sitting up and can do it for a while but some days refuses and tries to push back so she can stand.  I'd say that's her position of choice...standing...she always seems to add a few dance moves into the mix too.  Violet loves her swing outside and seems to be okay with riding in the car.  She used to cry and cry when we buckled her in...but now she seems happy as a clam.

 

Her favorite book is It's a Small World (a little Disney book with mirrors) and her favorite toys are her choo choo train and her new cash register.  Ava and Isaiah love this one too since the scanner works with anything.  She still loves chewing on her rings and caterpillar.  I swear this kid is working on some teeth...who knows??

 



My little love on the day she was born.

 

My...how she's changed in 5 months.  She loves sleeping on her side or on her tummy with her behind in the air...just like Ava.

A happy camper after dinner...green beans and bananas were on the menu tonight.

And she still has those HUGE blue eyes.  I have a hard time getting her to smile for the camera.  She becomes to distracted by the little red light that flashes before I take the picture and stares at that.  Andy is much better at capturing those cute smiles!  Look carefully...I'm sure you can spot the drool coming down her chin.

 

 Happy 5 Months to You Miss Violet!  Mommy, Daddy, Ava, Isaiah, and Jackson love you to pieces!

 

My Three Happy's:

1)  Ahhhh...how nice is it to leave tomorrow morning for work and come back to a super clean house...Nichole our cleaning gal is coming tomorrow!  Can't wait!

2) The fall decorations are coming out tomorrow evening...if I can convince Andy to dig out the containers.  Since the house will be clean it's the perfect time to decorate.

3) The kids requested Green Eggs and Ham and waffles for dinner tonight.  They were pretty excited to eat and devoured their food.

 

My Favorite Thing:

I love seeing Ava and Isaiah at school.  Since Ava's in first grade I see her in the hallways, at lunch, and at recess often.  She always has a smile for me and I usually sneak her a quick hug and kiss.  Isaiah's classroom is not far from mine so I peek in a lot.  It's so fun to see him interacting with his teacher and classmates.  They both LOVE school!

 

Someone's 5!

My little guy turned 5 today!  For some reason five seems like such an age jump from four.  This probably has to do with the fact that he also started school full time this year too.  This kid continues to be the most caring, kind, smart, creative, and loving boy I know.  His smile lights up a room and he makes us laugh every day! 

We are so thankful to have him in our lives.  God blessed us when he gave us our only little boy.  There really is something to say about the relationship a mother has with her son.  He is our Boo and we love him more than he'll ever know! 

Isaiah got his crown from school today!  He LOVES school and LOVES his teacher! 

 

I made a slide show of all the parties he's had this past weekend.  We went to the Playground in Ankeny for his "friend" party and had our family over on Sunday for another one.  What birthday wouldn't be complete without dinner from Hickory Park!  We went there too.  This kid got LEGOS, LEGOS, and more LEGOS for his gifts.  All but 2 sets are put together and I kid you not that he got 10 different sets.  He worked on the Lone Ranger one tonight and loves every minute of building! 

 

Enough blabbing...enjoy the slide show...LOVE the new birthday option!

Happy 5th Birthday Isaiah!

My Three Happy's:
1) I guess I can say I'm glad I'm awake right now.  I've been up until almost 11 working on school stuff lately and have been waking up around 5:30 and sometimes earlier.  I guess we have some early risers at our house plus it takes me that long to pack 2 lunches, snacks, make sure backpacks are ready, lay clothes out...need to do that still, and get my self presentable for school.  Wow!  Life is busy but oh so fun!
2) I found a yummy recipe for raspberry lemon cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!  Have all the stuff but need to make them this weekend with the kids.  Also found a fun recipe for monkey bread that calls for butterscotch pudding.  Sounds like this might be breakfast on Saturday morning.
3) My babies are growing like weeds!  Isaiah is 5, Ava is getting taller by the day and just lost another tooth...that makes 6 so far...and Violet is such a big girl, sleeps great, and loves her baby food!  I love being a Mommy!

My Favorite Thing:
**My new GAP boyfriend cut jeans...so comfy!!!!!!!

First Day of School! First Day of School!

 

First Day of School!  First Day of School!  These are the famous lines quoted by that cute little clown fish Nemo!  He's so excited to explore the deep sea and all that it contains.  This year marks my oldest two loves embarking on a new learning journey into first grade and early kindergarten.  Ava and Isaiah were thrilled to start school today.  This morning was probably one of the very few mornings where they popped out of bed and got dressed in record time.  I love that they are at school with Andy and I all day.  We can pop our heads in to see how they are doing and I get to see Ava at recess and lunch everyday!  This year is going to be so much fun for them and they will learn a ton!

 



Miss Violet started going to Julie Emerson's house for daycare and she's been doing great!  Julie seriously has the magic touch! When I picked her up today her little notebook showed that she took one 2 hour nap in the morning and one 2 hour nap in the afternoon!    Go Violet!

Ava and Isaiah ready for their first day.  Mr. Isaiah did shed a few tears when Andy dropped him off but when Andy checked back he was happily involved in the different activities.  When we got home from school, Mrs. Astarita his teacher, sent some questions that we could ask Isaiah about his day.  He was thrilled to share about what crafts he did, what stories he heard, and what activities they did.  Ava showed me her "OWL" binder that Mrs. Schroeder sent home and the two activities that they did today.  She had a blast!

Me and my two loves before school started this morning.

Andy and his little babies...all grown up!  I must say that my husband looks very handsome in this picture!

 

 

The first week of school is absolutely exhausting but I love my job and there's nothing else I'd rather do!  Some of my little kiddos are going to be a challenge this year and I have the most kids I've had in 13 years!  But I know their little minds are eager to learn and are so excited to be at school. 

 

Happy 1st Day!

 

My Three Happy's:

1) I made it through the first day of school...it was a half day of school...but sooooo busy!

2) I planned some yummy meals for dinner this week. Tonight I made spicy chicken tacos.  These were made of shredded chicken, taco seasoning, salsa, and spinach.  The kids devoured them...I did leave the spinach off theirs.  Yeah...another recipe they love!  Tomorrow is slow cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu.

3) Miss Violet is starting to sit a little bit on her own.  She flops forwards sometimes but she's doing great!  I'm so proud of her!

 

 

My Favorite Thing:

 

 

My Aunt Barbie gave my Mom these earrings and she didn't care for them so they got passed onto me.  I love these fun orange earrings from Chicos.  There's something about adding a little bling to your outfit!

Top 5

I am so sad that summer is coming to an end...less than two weeks to be exact.  I love my job but I've been home since April and going back to reality just doesn't sound like much fun.  I can't wait to have both Ava and Isaiah at school with me and I know Violet will do great at Julie's house (the kids daycare provider) but it's going to be terrible taking her for her first day.  She'll make so many new little friends, will love Julie's two puppies, will have more toys to play with than she can imagine, and Julie will love her to pieces.  She'll get used to it but I think right now it's going to be much harder on me than it is on her.  I'll get through it...once 3:30 rolls around we'll be zooming over to pick up our littlest love.  Breathe...just breathe Amy...it will be okay!

On to the Top 5!  Here are 5 things that have been going on at our house.  It's funny how we haven't done much this summer but at the same time it's been crazy busy.  I must say that having Andy home with me has been a lifesaver!  We've spent lots of time as a family and that means the world to me!

#1) Tuesday marked the day I married the amazing and loving man!  Andy and I have been married for 8 years.  We spent this anniversary taking care of two kids who were throwing up...good times!  I love this wedding picture...if only I could look like this again.  Maybe someday!

 

#2) We made homemade dinosaur egg piñatas.  The kids filled them with candy and Andy hooked them to a tree branch.  They LOVED breaking it apart and collecting all the candy that fell.  

They're all ready to go!

Andy raising Ava's egg into the air.

Swing away!

One, two, three...

...whack!

Violet and I cheered them on from the sidelines!

Just a random picture of Violet in her swing.  If she's in here anywhere close to her nap time...that girl is out!  She reminds me so much of Ava because Ava would crash in there for a snooze too!

 

 

#3) Summer=Jammies...Andy took a few pictures of the kids looking all cozy in their pajamas.  

1 love, 2 loves, 3 loves!

"What are you doing Isaiah?"

Our beautiful Vee Vee!

 

#4) Miss Violet had her 4 month check up today.  More details on that when I do her 4 month post on Sunday.  Her doctor said she could start some eating some vegetables and fruits.  It's funny because in Ava and Isaiah's baby book it says that they started rice cereal and oatmeal at 4 months.  Dr. Foster-Wendel said that she really doesn't need the starch right now and that trying the fruits and vegetables will help her acquire a liking to the flavors.  

We did some strained carrots tonight.  She LOVED them and Andy and I were both saying that we thought she ate them like a pro.  You would have thought this kid had eaten with a spoon a hundred times.  She was so happy when we were feeding her.  After a few more days we'll try either some squash or sweet potatoes.

Ava helping me feed her.  We're working on not "shoving" the spoon into her mouth. 

So yummy!  I've been waiting for this for a  long time!

Isaiah's turn...I love that the kids are old enough to be involved!  If they had it their way I should have left the room and they would have fed her every bit.

I can't get enough of this!  Today marks the day I discovered two things...my tiny baby can now eat foods and I now have to shop in a new section at Target for 12 month stuff...bye bye to the baby area.

 

 

#5) This week our church had their Bible School program.  We went on Thursday and Friday because everyone but Violet developed the flu this past week.  It was a short virus...thank goodness...but not fun!  The kids love going every year!  They enjoy everything about it: crafts, story time, games/snacks, and music time.  

Isaiah and Ava right before it started.

Pastor Emily talking...it was a fun carnival theme and the message was about being a good neighbor and friend to people.

These kids are all about crafts and were lucky that we got to take home the three we missed from earlier in the week.

Time for some games.

Ava singing and dancing with her group.  She did a great job!

This guy didn't want to go up so he sat with me.

I love how praising God was so much fun! We bought the CD of songs so now we can continue the singing and dancing at home.

 

 

My Three Happy's:

1) The kids went to Adventureland this past weekend with my parents and sister's family.  We were all supposed to go but I got sick and Andy stayed home with Violet.  It was a yucky weekend but the kids had a blast!

 

2) I'm finally reading my new Sophie Kinsella novel, Wedding Night.  She is my favorite author and so far this book is hard to put down. 



 

3) We had the first five ears of sweet corn from our garden the other night.  Love it!

 

My Favorite Thing:

**School supplies...I love the look and smell of brand new crayons, pencils, notebooks...all of it.  Last week we bought all the stuff Ava and Isaiah will need for EK and 1st grade.