GiGi's Visiting During Busy Times

Between traveling, starting my new job, Wellspring's website needing to be finished, getting things done with my parents house here, and Karoline's birthday, things have been SO BUSY!

We are SO happy GiGi is here. She has been a HUGE help and we are really enjoying her visit. She drove from Louisiana and brought Anderson's big boy bed (TJ's bed growing up)! I am SO excited! No, we are not putting our baby in a big bed yet, but it was a good time for her to bring it.

Today GiGi made cupcakes for Karoline's birthday tomorrow and I can't wait to eat them!! She made what was on the cover of Martha Steward in February. YUMMY!

Anyway, she is staying for another week or so because I am starting work next week and TJ has a conference he has to go to. TJ's dad will be flying in for a QUICK visit and driving back to LA with Barna. Karoline and Anderson are really enjoying having GiGi here!



Don't turn me into the police... they were only in there because they WANTED to be and I am not a bad parent! :)



Lately we have had a lot done in the yard... we got a fence put in and a sprinkler system. It's TJ's pay from my parents for doing a lot of graphics work for my dad's consulting company. They totally dug up my beautiful flower beds and yard but they did put it all back when they were finished. The kids and Buster are really enjoying the fence. I feel so much better knowing my kids can play and won't sneak away to the road (which has happened!). Despite the HUGE mess we are very thankful for our new yard accessories :) Now we just need to try and get the grass to grow!

Dixie Stampede

Friday after my flight back home we went to The Dixie Stampede with our friend Shannon (who got us a great deal on tickets), Danielle, David, and GiGi. TJ's mom was in town while I was away helping my parents and it staying for a while to help out while I start working. Anyway, it was a great show and Karoline LOVED it. At first she was not so sure (look at her in the first picture) but 10 minutes into it she loved it. It was a fun night.

Lives Changed

We had an AMAZING day yesterday at Wellspring...

Please check out our Wellspring Partners Blog to see the new post. Click Here!

Lots of pictures of the kids coming soon...

Home

The reason I went to Texas....



JUNK!

I spent three days, ALL DAY, cleaning out junk and clutter... trying to stage their house to get ready to sell. We took 4 huge loads to give away and packed up a ton of boxes and had them and some furniture moved to a storage unit. They did close on their house here on Thursday so I am READY for them to be here but they want to keep all their furniture in the house to help it sell. BUT we had to do some work to get it "show ready" (see pictures below). I am totally worn out and need another vacation to recuperate from this one... The only room that got totally finished was the living room. I am glad I was able to help them but I am glad to be home.

Their cute house...

Before:

After:

Before:

After:


Their precious dog Prissy... She loves to eat their broom. She is a precious fluffy doggy and I wanted to bring her home. I am glad she will be living close by soon!!


Sorry this picture is not in focus, but my dad does not really know how to use my SLR camera.

Headed West...

Tomorrow I head west... to Texas. I will be there until Friday. I am going to help my parents de-clutter their house and get it "show ready" so they can go ahead and list it. Before I head out of town I do their final walk through on their house here. I am SO READY for them to move here!!

TJ's mom is coming to help TJ. We are all excited and Karoline cannot wait for GiGi to get here. She promised Karoline cupcakes! So I ask that you pray for my travel and that we will get a lot finished!! Here are a few pictures before I leave...

One of my new friends, Amanda, has two precious children. Hannah is 4 and Grayson is almost 3. Grayson is in Karoline's class at school and they also live on our street. Karoline LOVES playing with them. Grayson would not stop playing for a picture but I did get Hannah and Karoline looking at a Dora book. Isn't she so cute!

Fun playing at home...


Anderson thought it was so funny trying to put this ball through the small hoop!




Oh she loves to get dressed up... Dora elbow pads and all!


Also, there will be a new post on the Wellspring Blog Monday morning (tomorrow). Check it out...

PASSED!

I PASSED my State Reat Estate Test today!!!!!!!! I have had the MOST stressful week. It has been so hard with TJ gone to get ready for this test. I am just SO happy to have it behind me. My broker signed my paper work and it has been sent off to the state. I should start working when I get back from Texas...

Here are some pictures from the week.... TJ is at the C3 conference in Dallas, TX so we are missing him... I hope he enjoys the pictures.

New Post On The Wellspring Blog

Check out the NEW POST on the WELLSPRING BLOG!

Happy Valentines Day!

We had a great Valentines Day. It started out with TJ making the family banana pancakes! YUMMY! Then I got ready for a Valentines lunch with some great gals! We ate at PF Chang. I came home and got back into my PJ's (yeah!) and relaxed with my family the rest of the day. We made cupcakes and TJ cooked dinner... TJ really cooked all day actually! It was a great, relaxing day!

Checking out the gifts and cards... Karoline especially loved the PBK placemats and plates my mom got them (for her house once they move). They have the cutest animals on them and Karoline LOVES animals. She also loved The Little Mermaid DVD we got her. Anderson got some books and a pair of shoes.

The reason for this picture... I never want to forget this. When we eat pancakes Karoline always asks "Put some North Pole on mine please"... she calls the syrup "North Pole" because of the picture!




Cupcake Time




Karoline's big KISS she made at school.

Change

Oh, THREE is coming!



Our little Princes is going through a change. It has been quite difficult on me. Parenting is the ultimate roller coaster! We pretty glided through the twos but three is very different. I know she is less than a month away from her birthday but it has already begun. Here is what this morning was like.

- Woke up happy when I walked in the room
- Mad two seconds later... she's mad! She no longer was in love with the Valentines Day shirt I got her for preschool today. She was crazy over it yesterday.
- She was mad because she didn't want the pants I had out for her to wear. She wanted to wear a stripped shirt as pants!
- She was mad at me for brushing her hair. She said "You are pulling it all out Mommy!!"
- She was mad that we were out of eggs and she was given oatmeal. This fit went on for about 15 minutes.
- She was mad that she had to go to the bathroom before getting in the car.
- She was mad because we were going in the "big car" and not the "little car"
- She was mad because I was helping her get in her car seat. She wanted to clip her car seat by herself (which she CANNOT do!)
- She then started crying on the way to preschool because she was mad that Anderson was still in his pajamas!!! She wanted him in clothes.
- She was happy when they took her out of the car!

I am in the process of figuring out how to DEAL with all the madness (literally!). If you know of any good parenting books please give me suggestions! I know this is common and as my friend Emily said, it really is a good thing because they are learning to be their own self and it is part of development. I totally understand I just want to make sure I am teaching her how to handle controlling her emotions (somewhat at least!). Thankfully I know I am not alone on this ride. God has blessed me with wonderful friends from coast to coast who are riding this roller coaster with me. Please pray for wisdom in how to handle my wonderful child! Mostly pray for me to keep my cool.

Here are some pictures from after preschool showing off her goodies. They had their Valentines Day party today.




This little man is changing too. I think we might be finished with the morning nap. I am okay with this... I actually can get a lot more done when I don't have to be home for nap time twice a day.


I can't say enough how excited I am that TJ's coming home today!