Trying something new

I've been trying to find a better way to "blog" because I want to record a better family history. I was looking for an app that could somehow tie together a daily journal and picture. Then I realized that's basically blogging. So here I am in the blogger app giving it a try!  Since most of the pictures I take are just on my phone, the quality won't be that great but I figure it's better than nothing and I'll be glad I documented what we were up to. This will be a good way to do something with all the pictures on my phone and keep a journal along with it. 

Andrew has been out of town sooooo much lately. In April he was gone 17 nights! (Which means we probably had fast food about 17 times.) I'm beginning to go a little crazy! And the poor girls are probably feeling it too! Freddie and Amy drove up last week to see us during their spring break. It was fun to have them here for a few days and really nice to have some help. 

Here are a couple of pictures of what we've been up to this week. 

Breakfast time ....

Discovery Place (We get in free with our Children's museum pass. We took Freddie and Amy with us last week and had such a fun time that we went back again on Monday. We also watched Turtle Tale 2 in 3D and a penguin documentary in 3D. They were just 15 minutes each so it was doable for all the girls.  And I even enjoyed them :) ...

Water table ...

Taking a break for some lunch (ie granola bars, chips, applesauce pouch, and water fountain) ...

Molly Playing/building with some fun magnets ...

Penelope Building a car to race (She was getting a little frustrated they didn't have all the right parts to make it exactly like the picture) ...

Headed to church- Andrew was out of town that's why I'm making a silly anxious to tackle church alone face ;)  ...

It was ward conference and the stake president wanted the ward mission leader to speak (aka Andrew) but luckily for Andrew and unluckily for me he'd be out of town.  And also unluckily for me I had a training meeting with stake YW pres after church that lasted way too long.  Eleanor and Penelope entertained themselves just fine but Molly was a pretty big mess.  While I'm at it I should probably document the anatomy of a typical Sunday these days. We have 1 o'clock church, but Andrew leaves around 10 for meetings.  I try and put Molly down for an early nap around 11 and cross my fingers she actually falls asleep. Then around 12:30 I have the girls load up in the car and I wake Molly up, throw some clothes on her, buckle her up with a sippy cup of milk and some semblance of a lunch that fits in a ziploc baggy and we're off to join Andrew at church. Not quite sure that really qualifies as a day of rest. 

Molly has loved playing the piano ever since Amy (aka Mimi) was here. She heads to the piano and says "Mimi". It's so cute. She really loves Amy!

And that's about it. I guess I'll go ahead and post this and see how it goes. Pretty easy so far. I really hope it works. I want to be better at recording little moments. Seems that the days are just speeding by and I am forgetting all the special times we have together. Even though sometimes it seems a little crazy I really love my girls and I'm so glad I have them by my side basically all the time! 

I'll record everyday stuff from iPhone pics while on my phone/iPad and for bigger events or when I get out a real camera I'll make separate posts for those using the computer. Ciao for now :)

The Everyday {February}

What? You never strike a pose with your calculator??

Makeshift beauty salon in the kitchen

Some words of encouragement scattered around the house for Andrew has he prepared to take the bar exam.  He took it February 26-27 and should get his results back in a couple of weeks.  I'm sure he did great.  He worked so hard to get ready for it.  Needless to say, February 28th was a great day!!

What's wrong with this picture? Oh yeah, Penelope is 2 1/2 and sitting in the high chair while Eleanor feeds her :)

Introducing, Queen Molly.  This sweet baby is such a good sport and she loves hanging out with her big sisters!

Heart shaped pancakes for dinner

This is how we feel about being at ChickfilA :)

Reading mom's magazines

For Penelope anything works as a microphone.  This girl is our little performer, she loves music!

Eleanor helping feed Molly, while wearing a baby beanie on her head of course.  And who's that in the background on the coffee table without a shirt on singing into an empty water bottle? Oh, that's Penelope :)

Matching jammies!

Wearing mom's boots again

Deja Vu? Yeah we are frequent customers at the Sam's Club Cafe

Your kids aren't the only ones who get upset and throw fits in public places :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Riding in the racecar buggy at Harris Teeter

                                       

Can't believe we got so much snow here!

Strolling through the mall, double decker style

Mischief alert: Penelope did some artwork with a brown marker on about 13 of our stairs.

Rolling through Lowe's...wish they had these kinds of buggies everywhere!

 

The Everyday {January}

Somehow in the 15 minutes I'm taking a shower or putting Molly down to sleep, Eleanor and Penelope find a way to get into some serious mischief.  This particular time they painted Penelope. (Another time, which I didn't take a picture of because I was so mad, they had a yogurt fight and wasted about 10-12 tubes of gogurt and made a HUGE mess in the kitchen)

Impromptu concert on the coffee table before bed.

This is how we roll at Sam's Club...Pizza and Icees, lunch of champions ;)

Molly was wearing these jammies and I couldn't help recreate a picture we have of Eleanor when she was about the same age...

Eleanor (five months)

We never pass up a photo-op with Barbie at the entrance to Walmart...

or with Bob the builder at Toy's R Us

Tummy time!

Nothing like some video chatting and adding google effects.  The girls love having facial hair :)

Looking good, Eleanor!

Hi Miss Molly girl!

Cozying up with some Mickey Mouse Clubhouse while I clean the kitchen

Mischief alert:  They made a "tent", put the computer on the floor to watch something, and cut open their own freezie pops. Pretty sure I need to find a new time to take a shower!

Our house is going up fast!

We set up a real tent in the living room and had a pretend campout

4 year checkup (she actually turned 4 in October...better late than never, right?)

4 month checkup...we love this roly poly little cutie pie!

Highlight of January: This girl is potty trained! Woooo!

A few other things that happened in January that I don't have pictures of:
-my back went out on me and I was in some serious pain for almost 2 weeks.  After a couple trips to the chiropractor I felt much better!
-Andrew started an 8-week prep course for taking the bar exam.  He'd go into work a couple hours early to study and then stay a couple of hours late.  It was like he was back in school all over again.  We went a little crazy, and I'm not sure how I ever survived all the years he was in school.  Actually, yes I do know how I survived...I didn't do it all by myself, I KNOW I was not alone. That is exactly what the atonement is for.  I was reminded of this in the March Ensign in an article about the enabling power of the Atonement.  It mentions a verse from the hymn "How Firm a Foundation":

Fear not, I am with thee; oh, be not dismayed,

For I am thy God and will still give thee aid.

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,…

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand. 

That's exactly how I feel, I know He gave me strength to do things I couldn't have done alone.
Elder Bednar said, “The enabling power of the Atonement strengthens us to do and be good and to serve beyond our own individual desire and natural capacity.” I love that and I know it is true!