Jump Rope For Heart

Alright friends and family...a bit of a parenting fail I just realized.  Paige is raising money for jump rope for heart.  Rob and I both did this when I was younger and had a blast!!  We don't want anyone to feel obligated to donate but would greatly appreciate it!!  Here's where the fail comes in, donations close Dec 1st.  Sorry for the short notice.  If you go to her website here:

Donation Link

Thank you Thank you in advance!!!

Nikki

First Snow of 2015

Well we made it until November 20th before it even got cold enough to snow, I feel like that's a win.  I also know the first snow in Iowa brings a lot of mixed emotions for many people.  I think on Friday I heard "its about time", "yay the holidays are coming" and "crap I hate this".  I personally am one of the people who likes the snow.  I don't mind everything that comes with it, until March when it's just dirty slush then I hate it.  I love how happy Paige is when we tell her it's going to snow and when she goes outside to play in it.  This year has been different though, Henry put on all of his snow gear w/out any tears and is currently outside running around with Paige.  I think the days of me taking pictures of him watching from the window are over.  Today is the first day that the kids have been able to get out.  Friday we got called from daycare saying Henry has another fever (thankfully it's gone!) so we had movie night Friday.  Saturday we went to Rick and Gail's to hang out and watch our Cyclones lose, it was really cold to be outside.  So today the kids are out with Rob running around the back yard.  I can here them yelling and laughing while I type this.  We hope everyone is doing well.  I'm inside cleaning getting ready for Thanksgiving.  We're hosting again, but this year its a smaller group.  Tuesday brings pie baking, Wednesday cleaning and shopping, Thursday we'll do 2 Thanksgivings, and Friday we're starting a new tradition I hope, we're going to Disney on Ice!!  It's Henry's first show so I'm excited to see his face.

Have a great Thanksgiving everyone!  I know myself and my little family are very thankful for all of the support we receive from our family and friends!  We couldn't do this crazy thing called life without everyone's help!!

Where did October go?

Well I just realized today that I haven't blogged since Paige got her cast on.  Work is crazy this time of year, my Etsy shop has gotten very busy, Rob was sick, Henry was sick, and the list goes on and on.  This is how I'm surviving right now.

Henry got sick right before Halloween.  Ear infection, fever, and croup.  He finally got him on the mend and now it seems a cold has snuck up on him again.  This was him one day while we were home.

With my Etsy business keeping me very busy, the kids have taken up a lot of craft time as well lately.  Henry has found a love for painting just like his big sister.  I think the two of the could sit here forever.  It's funny when we bought this desk and I bought those chairs I thought how great they could craft together.  It's nice to see them actually doing that.

Paigey and I had a Mommy & Paigey date.  We went to a movie just us girls.  It was a lot of fun for us to get out of the house.

The way the cast came off was an event.  We went to the doctor after 3 weeks they did x-rays and decided we better be safe then sorry with her arm so we kept it on one more week.  When we went back the 4th week it came right now.  She was so excited.  It was stiff for a day but she's back at it, including monkey bars (lord help me).

Rob got invited to go to the opening ISU basketball game, so the kids and I had movie and pizza night.  I should say they did I was falling asleep on the couch.  Burning the candle at both ends will do that to you.  Our cyclones won by a lot and Rob had a blast.

Then this last weekend we celebrated my birthday!  Friday night we went with friends to a wine & beer expo here in Des Moines.  We went last year and it's a lot of fun to walk around try new wines and eat food.

Saturday our kids went to Grammie and Papa's.  Rob and I spent the day being lazy and it was amazing!!  We rented a movie, took a nap, and watching ISU football.  We also installed our new headboard that Rob built.  I couldn't be more excited for how it turned out!  Moving onto nightstands next.  Rob did an amazing job!!

He also surprised me by building me a necklace holder for the wall.  I was excited as I had no idea!  He thought I saw the board in the garage, I explained to him there were so many boards in the garage I didn't pay attention.

My best friends Graham and Pat came up before my birthday dinner.  Graham built me these amazing pie boxes I had my eye on!!  It was the year of heart felt handmade gifts and I love every minute of it!

We're running 100 mph and the holidays are starting to ramp up.  We're doing great.  The kids are growing like crazy.  Paige is reading and spelling.  She's getting so good at it.  She absolutely loves school which is all we can ask for.  Henry is talking more and more and turning into an aggressive but sweet boy.  He will throw or kick any ball that is near him and he has an arm on him.  He's stringing sentences together and having full conversations with us, still a little shocking with us.

I'll get better at posting photos now that work is getting move level.  I hope everyone had a great October!  Here's to Thanksgiving and all of the amazing holidays to come!