4.16.09 A Trip to the Park

Deagan doing push-ups on the bike bar
A not so nice crash...
This is how Maverick rides each and every day home from school with olivia
Having a nice treat to cool off:)

4.15.09 Dance Class w/ Lillia

Olivia took a fun princess dance class with her friend, Lillia. It was just pure fun with dancing and music. The girls had a great time. Deagan loved watching them and would have gone in if they let him:)

At the end of class they each got a new tiara.
It's all about the clothes.
So excited to be doing girly stuff
Olivia and Lillia
Deagan peaking in on the girls while they were dancing.

4.12.09 Easter Sunday + TAKING OFF THE TRAINING WHEELS!

On Easter Sunday Olivia asked me if we could take her training wheels off. Since my Dad was there to help me, I decided to go for it. She had been asking me for a LONG time, but I knew I couldn't run after her myself. Well after about an hour of assistance from me and poppie, she was off on her own. She took to and didn't look back! I thought for sure we would try for awhile and have to put them back on and try again another day, but boy did she prove me wrong! She was determined and did it with no problems:) WAY TO GO OLIVIA!

Deagan, Olivia, Me and My Dad getting ready to attempt to take the training wheels off!
Olivia and Poppie
Holding on to the seat getting ready to go
Still needing a helping hand!
Starting to get it...

Taking a quick break before trying it completely solo
Her dear sweet poppie got quite a work out!
Thank goodness I didn't try this alone
And she's off... alone!
Cruising, never looking back, never hesitating!

Deagan in his new hulk jammies from the easter bunny
Olivia in her matching dress w/kit
Wanting just a little attention during the bike riding
Doing what he loves best... riding his quad.

4.6.09 Meijer Garden Butterfly Exhibit

Lindsey's Mom treated all of us to a great afternoon in Grand Rapids over Spring Break. We drove over to the Meijer Garden's to see the butterfly exhibit. It was amazingly huge. The kids really enjoyed visiting with Lindsey's Sister's kids, Jackson and Savannah. After touring the (oh so hot and muggy) butterfly house we bundled up and braved the cold to let the kids get their energy out in the gardens. I guess in the summer it's amazing out there! There is a HUGE tree house like play structure with all sorts of bridges. Then lots of fountains and sculptures. By far the most impressive was the giant horse. The pictures of the kids under it shows just how big it really was. We had a great time playing all day and going to lunch after:)

The three of us:)
Look at her beautiful eyes!
Sweet boy!
Baby Beatrice looking adorable as usual.
Deagan scared of something....

Jackson, Deagan, Olivia and Savannah in the butterfly house
Outside having a teaparty in the 40 degree weather!
A pretty butterfly
Deagan's 'pet' blue bird
The most beautiful yellow flower!

bromeliad
Olivia under the HUGE horse sculpture!
Oli and Savannah, look at the size of those feet!
Deagan looked oh so little.
The giant horse sculpture in the garden

4.5.09 Spring Break @ Aunt Linny's

Making some yummy cookies
Deagan working hard to stir!
Yes, Aunt Linny let them scoop with their hands, batman tattoo and painted nails!
break the egg...just toss the shell on the counter.
the cute fuzzy dude that entertained the cats and the kids:)

A Note from Olivia

This afternoon I found this note on the counter where she had left it for me, it says "Mom can we get ice cream?"
SUPER CUTE!

Deagan's Crazy Wording

Lately Deagan says some of the most hilarious stuff! And not even on purpose.
But I don't want to forget these sweet things....

At the dinner table he turns to Olivia and says, "Sissy you have a pickle on your nose!" She's like that's impossible, I don't eat pickles. But what he was meaning is FRECKLE on your nose:)

And constantly he says, "Mommy can I have a piggy bank ride?" Adorable! He thinks a piggy back ride is a piggy bank ride! That one I'll be sure to miss when he grows out of it:(

House

Update on the house:
Well no feedback on the house showing we had. We're basically priced right out of the market... so we knew nothing would come of it. There is a house within walking distance to the side of us that is $30,000 lower and essentially the same house!!

So after talks with the mortgage company, we are slashing the price by $22,000 hopefully by Monday.
So that should help speed things along a bit...

HOUSE SHOWING

We (finally) have our first house showing tomorrow at noon!
They are coming all the way from Ann Arbor....

Wish us luck!

Best Friends

Here are some pictures from a few months ago... the first week of February... Peter and Jeff were both in town (right before they both left) and we met up with them for the day and went out to the New Holland Brewery for dinner.
Jeff and me with a sleeping Deagan.
Poor sweet boy popped a fever right before we went out to eat, and then he passed right out.
Olivia and her "other" parents, Lindsey and Peter.
Sweet Oli

The Lion King

Here are a few pictures from our trip to see The Lion King broadway show @ The Wharton Center. We attempted to go out to dinner at Clara's in Lansing. It's a restaurant built in the old train station. Olivia was fascinated by the caboose that we could sit in to eat. The only downer was that they told us it would be a 20 minute wait and it ended up being 50. And we had to scarf down quick food and run to the show. (not fun)!
But the upside was that the show was FANTASTIC:)

Olivia and Mom at dinner
Crazy Oli eyes (that she learned from her brother)
still waiting for a table
And still waiting....
Olivia and MiMaw

Ladies and Gentlemen WE HAVE A RECORD!

As most of you know, or might be able to figure out from my blogging- Deagan is not directly related to me in the sleep department of life. Basically he could care less about sleeping past the 6 o'clock hour. When Jeff was here it was 6:30am on the dot each morning. Then last week he slowly moved to 7:30am (and I was screaming hallelujah!).
Well today WE HAVE A RECORD. Or at least one that my memory cannot recall being beaten in at least a year or so.....
drum roll please...........

This morning Deagan slept in until 8:28. Yes, 8:28. Wow. That's all I can say. Wow.

A Few Days Off

After Jeff left (again) we headed over to Lindsey's house for three nights. The kids had a great time getting 'away' and having some fun outside of our normal bubble of life. We got to visit Miss Leah and her sweet little Beatrice (and Mr. Chad too!). And then Lindsey's mom took us all (six children, five women) to the butterfly house exhibit in Grand Rapids. The kids had a great time playing in the frigid children's garden and going out to lunch too:) It was a very nice weekend away!!!!!! Today, when we returned home we had a few inches of snow... that prompted us ALL to take a three hour nap! Ahhhh....

pictures coming soon

Up, Over and all around

There's a lot to update, but I'll try to be brief....

First, Jeff is home. Well, he leaves tonight, but he's been home for three days.
We were supposed to go to Virginia for Olivia's week long spring break, but are not anymore. They are sending him to San Diego for a three week class- so he won't be in VB- hence, we are not going. But they let him drive home for three days to return my minivan to me:)

Second, talked to the mortgage company today and got some encouraging news. They are happy that we are responsible (aka never missed a payment and never late) and honest and are willing to work with us on a short sale for the home WITHOUT AFFECTING OUR CREDIT because we are military and basically have no choice. So we should be able to lower the price of the home drastically and actually have it sell this summer. Cross your fingers and hold your breath!

Third, Olivia got some weird infection behind her ear/ in her neck! We took her to the doctor this morning and they drained it (nasty nasty nasty) and put her on an antibiotic. It didn't necessarily have anything to do with her earring, but instead the piercing hole was the inlet for the bacteria and ultimately the infection. They are running labs to see what it exactly was. But she's on an antibiotic and hopefully it will disappear this weekend! Weird!

That's about it:) Hope you have a great weekend!