13 years

Joey and I celebrated our 13th anniversary this year.  It was a Monday following Easter weekend so we did not do a whole bunch.  I told him I was going to take care of dinner and heart shaped pizza is what I had planned.  Josie wanted dinner by candlelight so we had candles lit. 

 

The kids surprised us with home made anniversary cards while they were at the Y while I worked out.  It was such a nice surprise!  The staff in the kids cove helped them anniversary but otherwise they were all done by themselves.  I LOVED this nice surprise.

And the card I gave Joey.  He really is the most awesome husband in the universe.  I am glad I am doing this life with him. 

Ella lost her first front tooth on our anniversary as well.  Of course, the tooth fairy came bringing money and a sweet treat.  Later in the week I had made corn on the cob and forgot our girls didn't have front teeth.  Josie couldn't eat it and Ella's other front tooth was too wiggly for her to be able to eat it too.  I had to cut the corn of the cob for them.  Ella's other front tooth came out the next day.  I definitely have some toothless kids now.

Easter 2019





Easter was really good this year.  We started with a 3 day weekend and beautiful weather.  Joey de-winterized the boat and I spread 15 bags of mulch and put up all our spring outside decorations.  Then Easter Sunday, the Easter bunny arrived.  We knew this because he left a painting set in the living room and mom and Dad's Easter basket was filled.  The kids baskets were no where in sight and that is because he hides their baskets and makes them go find them.  Josie and Ella were up early, of course, and I made them wait until Eli and dad woke up before they could go look for baskets.  It KILLED them to have to wait.  Dad woke up and then I told them they could wake Eli up.  Then the searching commenced. 

Ella was the first to find her basket in the upstairs bathroom closet.  She did have a little help from Josie when she spotted it first. :)  Surprisingly, Eli found his second.  Before Ella found her basket I wasn't sure Eli even knew what he was looking for.  His was in the bathroom under the sink on the main level.  And last, but not least, Josie found her basket WAAAAY in the back of the storage closet under the steps in the basement. 

After, everyone found their baskets and checked out all their loot except dad.  While dad was checking out our basket he noticed a plastic egg on the picnic table outside.  The kids went and checked it out and found 2 more eggs.  Now the Easter egg hunt began.  That bunny hid them everywhere.  Front yard, WAY back yard and even in the garage.  The kids did a good job of finding the eggs and Eli was super into the egg hunt with his Christmas PJ's on.

After all the morning fun, we headed off to church and then to brunch.  The easter bunny was at brunch and again, Eli was sketchy of the bunny and wouldn't get close to him. 

After all our morning fun Eli helped me wash and clean out my van.  We enjoyed our weekend and our family time.  We couldn't have asked for a better weekend. 

Potty training- part 2

I had tried with the potty training with Eli in January and with attitude issues, I stopped.  Well, this time it was it. I was completely dreading this but I knew he could do it and he's 3, it was time.  I did a countdown to underwear that he crossed off a day for a week until he got to underewear.  When it was underwear day I said, Ok lets go put on undies and he said NO.  Well, that wasn't a good start.  I ignored him until cause I had to get his sisters out the door for school.  Next I took a trash bag to his room and I told him to throw his diapers away cause he won't need them anymore.  He laid across them and whined that he didn't want to throw them away.  Eventually he did and took the trash bag outside.  My attitude was, he has to get this, we aren't turning back so it is what it is.  I didn't push fluids or ask him 1000xs if he needed to use the bathroom.  It's too annoying and it doesn't matter because he is done with diapers.  So the 2nd accident of morning he said " I'm wet, I pee-peed" He knew what he did.  I did not do our regular routine and we stayed home on day 1 so Eli and I got some extra loving together.

He for the most part got the concept of going #1 right away.  The weather has been nicer so being outside has been great.  I could teach Eli to pee outside and any accidents were outside not inside!! 

Everyday for almost 2 weeks, Eli pooped in his underwear.  It was the ONLY thing that was stopping this process.  He was telling us and going pee, but that  #2 was not happening.  So after he peed outside, I guess he thought it was a good time to poop outside.  Except he pulled his pants down, sat on the ground and pooped in the grass.  Not quite what I had in mind ,but he didn't poop in his underwear!!!!!  Woo!  So this potty got moved outside so he 'poop outside' and that's just what he did.  So at this point, he is mostly potty trained.  He is now, NOT telling us when he poops so he doesn't get wiped so obviously we have a bit of kinks to work out, but I think we are on the downward slope of potty training. Thank goodness!!  The not stressing about it way, worked!

This meme cracked me up after Eli pooping in his underwear for 2 weeks straight.  This is exactly how it was.  Joey and I both got a good laugh at this!

Spring is springing

The weather is getting nice, really nice.  We have been anxious to get outside after the long winter we had.  Eli wanted to have a picnic at the park so on this particular evening we did just that.  We had dinner, the kids ran and played and Joey and I actually got to enjoy some conversation that wasn't interrupted by kids.  It was great!

No I haven't been in poison ivy...I have been going to dermatology for plantar warts and I had a terrible allergic reaction to it.  I broke in hives all over my body so prednisone and steroid creams for me.  Now I'm ready if I do get into poison ivy soon.

Evvie Bishop, Nancy's daughter, had her confirmation and she asked if I would bake a cake for it. I said yes and here is what I made. 

 

The girls had their single elimination basketball tournament on one the NICEST days of the year and of course, they played 3 games to win 1st place.  I was secretly hoping they'd lose first so we could go enjoy the day.  By the end of the second game, Ella ran off the court crying.  But after a break and McDonalds she was ready for the 3rd game.  She played the best she had played all season.

 

Ella had her 6 month check up in Iowa City for her feet.  I had planned on doing a fun day with her and so I pulled Josie from school because there will very few times I will still be able to do that.  Well, I was broke out in my rash and we didn't get good news at her appointment and the children's museum I was going to take them too was closed.  It wasn't a total wash.  We got to see Ellen and Caroline Carlson who are in school in IC.  We also got to a trampoline park.  The girls had fun.

At Ella's appointment, the doctor told us that Ella is still not out of the woods with her feet and she will probably need surgery.  We are to continue with the braces and stretching.  If she requires surgery, it is a BIG surgery so I do NOT want her to have to go thru that.