five on friday (06/10)

Posted on June 10, 2016 by tara

ONE. We made a new friend at the playground this week- this little kitty! He comes looking for us every time we’re there. Basically, he’s the friendliest cat ever. My girls adore him, and Kaya now refers to him as “my favorite cat” whenever she’s talking about him.

He reminds me so much of the cat I had growing up, so I don’t mind him hanging around.

This photo has some awful sun flare going on, but it was too cute not to include.

TWO. My kids have turned into total monkeys! Kaya saw that cat jump up on a rock, so of course, she wanted to try it, too.

Kaelyn is trying to be a big kid before she even turns two! My heart is probably palpitating the entire time she’s on this very tall, very steep ladder, but she can do it, all on her own, so I try to let her have her freedom.Of course, I’m usually right underneath her, ready to attempt to catch her if she slips!

THREE. Flowers are blooming in our yard! It’s been a fun surprise to see what the old owners had growing here.

FOUR. We did some preschool work on the letter M this week! Kaya loved decorating the letter with marshmallows. I think I have finally found a way to plan out our activities that works for me, too. I was thinking of sharing some of our “lesson plans” in some kind of preschool series here on the blog… but we’ll see if I actually get to it!
FIVE. Little moments, like seeing my girls sitting on the back steps together, watching their Daddy work on the house, completely melt my heart. I love these two little goofballs (and this is the smile I get when I tell Kaelyn to say “cheese”… she takes instructions very seriously). _MG_3020

Happy weekend!!! 🙂

kaelyn: 23 months

Posted on June 8, 2016 by tara

Clothing size: 24-month and 2T items. Size 5 shoes.
Eyecolor: Blue.
Teeth: Sixteen!? Let me tell you, it was not easy to count them. She had several come in this month, and more that are poking through the gum or are just about to. Crazy!
Eating: Overall, she is a GREAT eater these days! She loves strawberries, salad, cucumbers, spaghetti, and shredded chicken. She eats a lot of snacks in nursery at church and will always have seconds on cereal for breakfast if you offer it to her.

Still nursing three times a day, but I’m about ready to start the weaning process here soon. She does love whole milk and will chug it from a cup.

New words: She says “no” to most things we ask her lately. She also started to truly say “thanks” instead of just making the “ssss” sound. “Yummy” is a new, frequently-heard, favorite too.
Favorite things: She got a new stuffed puppy this month (a Lab who we called “Sandy”), and that’s her current favorite plush friend. She still loves her Piggy, Blue Kitty, purple bunny, and any other stuffed puppies especially. She also loves to color, read books, and do “school” with Kaya when we have a lesson.

Being outside is her happy place. If we pass by a slide and don’t stop to play on it, she gets upset. She’s been a little hesitant to try out the new slides in our new neighborhood, especially this metal one.
Dislikes: Getting her face and hands wiped, the carseat, and getting her diaper changed. Now she tries to yell “nooooooo!!!” when she doesn’t want to do something… it really makes these tasks feel 10 times harder and way more dramatic than they need to be.
Sleep: Bedtime is around 8:30 or 9 pm, and she is usually up around 7:15 or 7:30 am. Naptime is around 1:30 pm, and she will usually sleep for about 3 hours.

She’s been a little extra worn-out lately, so this keeps happening…Nicknames: Baba, Baba Grace.
Milestones, etc.: -She loves to help out with brushing her teeth! We’ve started using the tiniest smear of toothpaste, and she loves feeling like a “big kid” and spitting in the sink.

-She is always playing peekaboo with us… usually she’ll lift her bib up over her face at mealtime and wait until we ask, “Where’s Baba?”

-She’s a great helper. She loves helping to straighten up, put laundry in the hamper, and really do any task I request of her.

-She looks up to Kaya and wants to do everything she does, like climbing the biggest ladder at the playground, using markers, and blowing her own bubbles. (She also gets angry when I won’t let her hold the bubble container, because she spills it everywhere…)-She insists on getting herself dressed, and can actually get her leggings on on her own! She’s also a pro at undressing.

-She’s really great at holding a crayon, and will sit and create “art” for probably about an hour at a time.

Dear Kaelyn,

I cannot believe you will be TWO in just a few weeks! You are sweet, funny, and adorable- you keep us grinning and laughing! You are looking less like a cute baby these days, and more like a beautiful little girl. It almost seems like you sneakily changed into a big girl without us noticing.
Lately, you’ve started yelling “CHEESE” and rushing at the camera when I try to take your picture… so this is the kind of photo I often end up with! You’re sweet and snuggly, and have fallen even more in love with your Daddy this month. I’m so happy to see you bonding and having fun, but I am already missing the days when you were just a “mommy’s girl”.

Love, Mommy

one million visitors

Posted on June 7, 2016 by tara

We’ve had a whole lot of visitors since we moved into our new home- not quite one million, but we’ve enjoyed hosting both sides of our families. It’s also been nice actually having a real guest room for them to sleep in!

My dad came up for a few days before Karl’s graduation to work on some house projects (repairing shelves, getting the dryer working, sanding down closet doors, and replacing all the locks were some of the things he did). Karl came over to hang out and help, too! My mom arrived the day before graduation. The girls are always SO excited to see her! It probably doesn’t hurt that she always brings them some sort of surprise- this time it was sneakers for Kaelyn and new socks for Kaya. Jeff and Lelia came to stay with us the next weekend! They were going to their friend’s vet school graduation, so in between those festivities, we got to spend some time with them. Lelia and I had a great 5.6-mile run together, and of course, their favorite nieces were more than happy to cuddle and give kisses.My mom and dad-in-law stopped for a quick visit as they drove through here on their way home from Utah! We cooked breakfast for dinner and went on a walk to the playground.

It’s been a busy month, but we’re so glad we have a fantastic family who wants to visit and spend time with us. We can’t wait to see them all again in just a few weeks for Kaelyn’s birthday party!

june 2016 goals

Posted on June 6, 2016 by tara

I fell off the goal-making bandwagon when morning sickness hit… but now I’m eager to get working on things, so here’s my list for June!

Choose a paint color for the family room. In my dreams, I’d love to not only choose a color, but also get all the painting done. However, I have a feeling I might be indecisive when it comes to making a decision like this, so even getting the paint will be a step in the right direction.

Sell the retro dining table and chairs the previous homeowners left in the basement.

Do school with Kaya three days per week. I know it’s summer now, but she is eager to learn and I want to take advantage of it, especially since I will probably want to take some time off in the fall when the baby comes.

Finish reading one book.

Take the kids to the library every week to choose new books.

Plan/host Kaelyn’s birthday party.

Finish backing up my computer so Michael can wipe the hard drive for me. It’s not an old computer, but it’s so slow and really needs a fresh start!

baby #3: 20 weeks

Posted on June 4, 2016 by tara

HALFWAY there! I can’t believe it! In a way, it’s gone by so fast, but at times, still having 4.5 months to go sounds like forever. I know she’ll be here before we know it, though!Baby’s size: 10 inches long from head to toe and weighing about 10.6 ounces! This is the same size as a paper airplane or a Belgian endive.
Maternity clothes?: Not yet! My regular shorts were always a little loose pre-pregnancy, so they are still feeling comfortable for now.
Gender: It’s a GIRL! It’s a GIRL! It’s a GIRL! Can you tell that we’re excited for another little princess? If you’re wondering, our 15-week scan was right about her gender… I’m just relieved to have it confirmed and be able to share the news!
Symptoms: Feeling SO great this week! No complaints.
Sleep: Generally good, just never enough hours! But that’s nothing new. 🙂
Movement: This little Pumpkin is a night owl for sure! I feel her the very most late at night, usually a couple of hours before bed… and when I wake up in the morning, I’m still aware of her fluttering around. She’s getting stronger, and I almost thought I’d be able to see her moving from the outside of my belly… but no luck so far. Michael hasn’t felt her yet, either.
Cravings: Chocolate-chip cookies!
What I miss: Nothing really.
Anything making you queasy or sick?: Nothing seemed too disgusting to me this week, haha.
Belly Button in or out?: In.
Exercising?: Ran 21.5 miles; walked another 5.6 miles. As far as steps, my Fitbit says I totaled 90,266 for the week. I’ve really been feeling great as far as exercising goes.
Mood: Joyful. It’s been a great week.
Best moment this week: Seeing our healthy baby girl’s ultrasound this week. We saw tiny fingers, tiny toes, and even her little nose! Seriously… how cute is her foot?Looking forward to: Hopefully having some more great weather this week and enjoying time outside with my babies.
Comparison: 20 weeks with Kaya; 20 weeks with Kaelyn

five on friday (06/03)

Posted on June 3, 2016 by tara

Happy Friday!!! It’s been a whirlwind of a week, with doctor appointments, photoshoots, and lots of quality family time. I’m hoping we get to relax a little this weekend, but we always have a pretty big to-do list, so we’ll see if that actually happens. 🙂

ONE. We kicked off the week in the best way possible- church, followed by naps! I think Michael uses the girls as his secret weapon for waking me up… because who could be upset about waking up to those precious little faces? They love to snuggle lately, and I’ll gladly take any chance to cuddle up with them that I can.TWO. We’ve had fantastic weather this week, and have played outside just about every day. Kaya was excited to introduce Daddy to the merry-go-round! I think this might be her new favorite place.They love going through this tunnel, too!
THREE. This wouldn’t be a Five on Friday post without a cheesy video, right? Haha. This turned out really cute… and blowing bubbles is one of our favorite things to do (truthfully, I think I like it as much as the kids do)!

FOUR. Kaya helped me make some strawberry freezer jam this week! We had leftover strawberries, so what better thing to do than make a strawberry slushie? Both girls LOVED this drink (just pureed strawberries and crushed ice); it disappeared in no time!

FIVE. I did it… I bought my three (!) girls their first matching clothes! I saw these fruity-themed leggings on clearance at Target this week, and just couldn’t pass them up for next summer. I’m sure this is the first of many matching outfits to come. I cannot wait to see them all wearing these next year. 🙂

And now I’m craving all the fruit…

Happy weekend!

Linking up here!

moving: the process (aka, we made a giant mess)

Posted on June 2, 2016 by tara

As of tomorrow, we moved exactly one month ago! This has possibly been the busiest month of our lives, but we are getting settled in and really enjoying having our own home!

Of course, I couldn’t let such a monumental event happen without sharing photos of the biggest mess we’ve ever made. Packing and unpacking seem to turn everything into a disaster zone…

… and you also find some pretty funny things in the process, like this Halloween wig! We didn’t get serious about packing up until about a week before the move, mostly because we were just going a short distance. The den became the official “box storage room”… … but soon enough, the whole apartment looked like this! Like I said, it was the biggest humble jumble of our things I’ve ever seen. We rented a U-haul truck to make this a one-trip, easy process. I think our truck was 24 feet long… and I was shocked when we filled every inch of it. I thought for sure we’d have extra space! The girls loved climbing up in the cab with Daddy once he got it home and parked!My mom-in-law came up for most of the week and helped with everything: packing, cleaning, moving furniture, unpacking, entertaining kids… you name it, she did it. I am so grateful for her help and how willing she always is to serve others.We loaded up the truck right around 5 pm on a Tuesday, and so many people from church showed up to help us! We had somewhere around 30 people who came, so we had the truck filled, driven over to the new house, and unloaded all in under two hours. Everyone enjoyed some pizza afterward, and I was thankful that the process went so quickly!My mom-in-law helped a ton with unpacking at the new house. Kaelyn wanted to be a big helper, too, so she started putting things in the pantry! Mom Irwin and I cleaned up the old apartment on the following Thursday morning. Together, it took us about 3 hours to vacuum, shampoo carpets, and scrub everything down. Once again, I was so glad to have help- it would have taken me at least twice as much time had I done it alone. My girls were angels, just playing with a random bouncy ball that was left behind, as well as reading a couple of books.Of course, I’m grateful that we could move on to somewhere bigger and better, but looking at these pictures of our empty apartment still tugs at my heart a little. That tiny kitchen where I made so many meals for our family, perfected my baking skills, and bonded with the people who helped me create those things will always hold special memories for me.

When we first moved in to our apartment 5 years ago, it seemed enormous. And it was- it was just the two of us, and we didn’t have much furniture to fill it. We grew our family there. It’s where we brought two sweet babies home, and watched them grow, explore, and learn so much. IMG_20160514_153117

Here’s to another chapter and making new memories in our new place!

baby #3: it’s a…

Posted on June 1, 2016 by tara

It’s finally official!

We’re having another sweet baby GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!We are so grateful for another healthy little princess! The ultrasound technician called her “a wiggle worm” and “very active”- just like I’ve already noticed! We ended up with a few great profile shots of her- I just can’t get over that tiny nose and those precious lips. Only a few more months until I can cover them with kisses!
Before we started our family, I never would have imagined having so many girls, all in a row… but I absolutely love it now! I had strong feelings that this baby was a girl, and Kaya did too- she would even get grumpy when we would tell her (before we knew the gender) that she could have been getting a little brother. She was adamant about having another sister- and she was right!I’m excited to see the bond this baby girl will share with her two older sisters, and the joy she will add to our family. She is already so loved.

Michael and Tara

It's Us!

Monthly Archives: June 2016