There has been so much going on, my life feels like a whirl-wind of events. So blogging has been the LAST thing on my mind.
First off, after a fairly short battle with leukemia, my grandpa Fowlks passed away in the neurological ICU at IMC, surrounded by family. I miss him. Terribly. But I know that he is healthy, happy, watching over, and waiting for us. The funeral service was beautiful filled with talks and musical numbers by my very talented family members. We were missing a few members of the family (they were in Africa hunting and weren't able to be here unfortunately. But they had a good trip and made it home safely :) )
(Me and My Beautiful Cousin Leslie at Grandpa's funeral
(Me, My cousin's wife Chantelle, and my cousin Sharise at the luncheon after the funeral)
(Ben and I at the luncheon)
On that note:
Shortly after moving into our new home I had left the dog food out on the porch and had a whole flock of Magpies surrounding it (grandpa's favorite target to shoot with his pellet gun:)). So I figured the surest way to get rid of them was to bring the food into the house.... One of the Magpies decided that he was just going to invite himself in as well... So here I am (terrified) with a Magpie standing in my dining room. WISHING grandpa was there to shoot the darn thing I tried to shoo it out and instead it made a horrific noise and flew around my kitchen, knocking stuff off my counters and table before it finally flew out the door. I'm sure my grandpa planned the whole thing and sat back and laughed. (He knows more then anyone just how much I HATE birds. They are my biggest fear!) Needless to say the dog food stays in the house and that back door remains shut when I see magpies in the yard. :)
And now about the house...
We listed our Town home for sell and were under contract with a buyer after 2 weeks, we officially sold our town home and moved out on our 4 year anniversary.
Busy day.
We lived with Ben's family for the next month. I never realized how much I truly enjoyed having my own space until we (a family of 4 and a dog) were living in one room. Talk about CRAMPED! ha.
It really was a good experience for me, though. I learned a lot about my in laws and their family dynamics (which, in turn, helped me learn a little bit more about my own husband. His habits and such.) I ADORE my in laws, they are one hilarious bunch of people. I had a lot of fun just hanging out and talking to them, getting to know them better. I've been a part of their family for going on 5 years and I have never gone out of my way and taken the time to really get to know them individually. I wish I would have sooner.
We found our new home the day it was listed (it already had 3 other offers on it by the time we saw it in person) we fell in love with this little brick rambler the moment we stepped foot inside.
It didn't feel like just another house, it felt like our home.
While the house needs some love and a few things need updating (the home was built in 1978) It has everything on out check list.
So we submitted an offer and it was accepted (after a counter offer or two).
We were finally able to start moving in on August 2nd and are pretty much settled in. I'm still working on decorating and painting and rearranging (if you know me at all you know that this will be never-ending). We are LOVING our backyard! We have spent more time out playing, picking apples, pulling weeds, mowing the lawn, trimming the trees, and of course shooting paint-balls. Chloie LOVES to tell me every morning as she opens the back door (usually just wearing her shoes and unders) "I go out side, Ma, Ok?!".It has been so fun going from a small house with NO yard to a house perfectly sized for us (its not big by any means but it fits us! Comfortably) with a rather large yard. Its been a dream come true for us.
Over the last two weeks since we moved in I have been able to get my kids back on their regular schedule (my in laws probably think I just let my kids do whatever, as far as bed time and nap time, only while living at grandma's house. I assure you. :)) and I have been able to get Chloie more focused on potty training, which has been a success! FINALLY! I started mild attempts to potty train her at 18 months and have been trying different tactics ever since.
She has proven to me that no matter what I do, it has to be her decision to go on the potty. No amount of bribing, singing, dancing, cheering her on was gonna cut it. She was going to do it when she was ready and not a moment sooner.
This kid is teaching me what it means to be a parent every day. I do NOT control this child. I guide her, I teach her, and I love her. I do not control her. She is her own person, she is already making her own decisions daily and rarely doing what I tell her to do, when I tell her to do it.
I have started asking her to do things and she normally says "ok, ma!" or she says some thing like "not now. I busy".
I have been put in my place. Humbled I guess, I am not her "master", I am her MOTHER. AND I AM LOVING IT! Her personality, her independence, and her unlimited amount of attitude amazes me everyday!
(got into mommies makeup, blamed the baby)
She loves riding in the shopping cart with baby
Sometimes we both could use a nap...
first outing with out a diaper!
Being a goof
Playing on the front porch
Evelynne (AKA baby) has brought on a whole new set of experiences(challenges) for me as a mom. She is determined! Into EVERYTHING, constantly falling and getting right back up, desperately trying to keep up with her older sister. We have bumps, bruises, scrapes, and cuts constantly. I'm always explaining her various "battle wounds", from scrapes on her face from the garbage can she pulled over on her self, to the goose egg on her forehead from a temper-tantrum she threw on the hard wood floor... This girl is going to give me a run for my money! She is wild.
But rarely isn't smiling or giggling. Which I love more then anything. She has fun crawling after a screaming Chloie making monster noises. They are already the best of friends!
Playing at Grandma Greats
pulling to stand at Grandma Andrus'
(Eve is allergic to peaches... this is what happens when mommy doesn't read the ingredient closely enough... poor baby!)
Eating Chocolate Cake at Grandma Greats (yes yes I know... she isn't supposed to have chocolate...)
Eating ice cream (Yeah I know... She isn't supposed to have that either...)
Climbing on mommy
Loving bath time
Standing on her own :(
I LOVE being able to have him so often. He really is just the cutest CHUNKY little boy I've ever met!
Every time I tried to take his picture the other day this was the face I got!
Shopping with their Mommies! Don't they look so excited?!
Onto Family Pictures!
(Photo's by Mike Bohling)
(this is about as good as it gets with 5 kids under 4 and Jayce... hahaha)
The boys
The girls.
Our last minute attempt and family pictures with Baylie's camera.
And just a side note, Ben and I were able to go on a date on Monday (the first date we've been on in months!) It was SO nice to be able to get away just the two of us. :)
He was excited about the date but not so excited that I made him take a picture with me.... He HATES having his picture taken...
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