Fife Update!

Hello you faithful blog readers! (all three of you ;) We have been so busy around here! First and most exciting is that we bought a house!! I do have pictures, but I am kind of excited to show before and after together, as it needed a lot of work and personal touch - think hot pink bedrooms and purple kitchen - so after paint and some touch ups, I will post pictures soon. Move in day is Mother's day weekend :) We also had a visit from my sister and her girls, and Michaela started ballet. I will let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

She couldn't figure out how to sit on there right!

Every four year old should have their own ipod....right????

Michaela reading to my parents

Preschool field trip - she was hesitant at first but got the hang of it!

Heidi loves to pull this wagon all around the yard!

Dyeing Easter Eggs!

Reagan and Michaela on a frog hunt

Heidi trying to pull Lucy :)

Skipping Races

Going for a walk :)

Getting into dress-up!

Hope this was worth all that fun!

Dance party with the Winns

Easter Pictures with my favorite Littles!

Ballet!-PS. I took her out of Ballet already because her teacher didn't give her a ribbon one day - BECAUSE SHE WAS TOO ANNOYING!!!! The teacher seriously called my four year old daughter annoying!

Michaela Says.......

Awesome bedhead!

Stuck between the couch and wall - trouble maker!!

Picking her own clothes :)

She can sound out a few words now! (Hi, Boo, Bat, Bus)

Michaela and I have been butting heads a little as of late...(GASP! But it's true!) Here is a conversation we had recently.

Mommy: MICHAELA! Stop arguing with EVERYTHING that I say!
Michaela: Well, mommy, just stop saying things that I don't like to do and I will stop arguing!

(If only it were that simple right..?)

Mommy: Michaela, are you sure that you want to wear that same shirt again - it's been three days in a row now...

Michaela: Yep mom, I am sure, people won't care what I look like mom, they like me for being just me.

Mommy: You are right! I bet everyone loves you at preschool!

Michaela: I know mom, you tell me that all the time....

Michaela: Dear Heavenly Father, bless that we are thankful for our bodies, and bless that my mom can be patience and bless that maybe I can stop testing her patience too, so we can be nice together.......

Heidi is becoming more and more toddler too! She hasn't been too interested in talking, but just last week she started to imitate us on purpose. She can now say, Hi, eat, night night, and Roonie. She flat out refuses to say please, despite my best efforts! She throws the biggest fit when I ask her to say that one simple word!

Funny Heidi story: The other night my brother came to visit, and he got in pretty late. I checked on the girls before I went back to bed and Heidi was stinky. I got her up, and changed her, but really quietly and I didn't use a cold wipe, I went to great lengths to warm it up and make it a non wake up experience for both of us! I laid her back down in her crib and gave her a small bottle and snuck out ever so quietly - through this whole thing she had not made one peep. When I closed the door to her room she let out the most shrill, blood curdling screech I have ever heard! Here's the best/worst part: She screamed so loud and so long that 4 COYOTES circled our house for an hour howling with her! I am serious. Crazy right?!

Anyway, that's us as far as an update goes. We have an offer in on a house, and the bank accepted the offer, we are just waiting to finalize which could take a while as the house is a short sale. Jordan has big work news, but we are also waiting to finalize that :) Our six year anniversary of getting engaged was the 15 - so that is exciting! Other than that, we are the same old Fifes! Thanks for reading our blog!

4 Years old!

Dear Roonie:

Happy Birthday my sweet Angel Baby! You are such a sweet girl with an amazing little personality. I can't believe how smart you are - it kind of scares me! You blow me away every day with your loud attitude, or random thoughts or sayings, or just your energy. We never know what to expect from you - either in attitude or what will come out of your mouth. You are irreplaceable that is for sure. You keep us on our toes, and let us know what you want, when you want it and HOW YOU WANT IT.

Things I want to remember about you at this age are:

~Your sweet little lips. They still have the crooked "drew barrymore" thing going on when you tell a story, and you still have that adorable lisp.

~You tell the best stories!

~Still the best dancer I have ever seen, hands down. I don't know where you come up with your moves, and some of it it worrisome, not gonna lie!

~ You Drive me CRAZY. I don't know what to do about your huge attitude sometimes. I feel like I am fighting with myself at 17 years old and I don't know what to say to you sometimes.

~You really want to bare your testimony at Church, but when you get up there, you just tell daddy to tell them that you are a Child of God and you hide. You still tell me excitedly that you did it and I still cry like crazy, but you still have yet to actually do it.

~You don't like to say prayers, and I don't know why. We say them at night as a family and it is such a struggle, it worries us sometimes. We hope that we are doing enough to teach you spiritually, but we aren't sure.

~You LOVE to do family home evening. You teach us each week, and use the items to made in Sunbeams the previous week. We do it at the dinner table each Monday night and you really enjoy it.

~You are pretty mean to Heidi still. I think you like to dominate her, maybe you feel dominated by me. You really hate to share anything, so when she even looks at something yours, you scold her and take it away. She loves you though and lights up when she sees you. I do love when you go into her room first thing and say, "Good Morning Sugar Baby!" Like I do - it give me hope for you two :)

~ You are the highlight of my day. You always say something sweet, or give me a wonderful hug and tell me I am great or pretty or that I cooked a good dinner or something to make all the other stresses that come with you melt away and I know you will be alright. I want to be good enough for you Roon, and I am trying everyday to be the best mom to you, and to Heidi. You are a wonderful person with so much potential - I will try to help you reach it!

Happy Happy Birthday Michaela. We love you so much and need you in our family. Here's to another crazy wonderful year!!

Just a few hours old! 2-13-2007

First Birthday Party

2nd Birthday Party

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday 2-13-2011

Going on a Frog Hunt!

Living on 5 acres has it's benefits - Especially if there is a creek all the way in the back!!! We have gone on several frog hunts this spring - and we hear frogs all the time! The first hunt of the season was with Grandpa Sam, Daddy and Michaela, and that is when Michaela fell in love with and even a little bit obsessed with her frog - Pancake Face. Where did she come up with that name? Only she knows, but that is his name. We had him for about half an hour before we let him go, and she squealed and giggled while he jumped all over the kitchen floor :) The surprising thing? Me - squealing like a girl when Pancake Face touched me. I am the queen of catching snakes and lizzards in my childhood memories. I even put a swimming pool of snakes by my front door one night so my mom wouldn't come after me (and a bunch of friends) when we went night swimming....And then there is a perfectly harmless TINY frog - and I squealed! Kids are making me soft people. Time to call my cousins and join them for some real, Wyoming adventures. I digress. (I do that a lot though...) Anyway, frog hunting! It's so much fun! Last night we went as a foursome - and even Heidi stared at the ground a little. Enjoy the pictures!

Heading back to the creek

Such a beautiful baby!!! She isnt too sure what we are looking for......

But like a good soldier - she checks out the ground now and then

Mommy and Baby Heidi

Looking for Pancake Face's family

The original Trio

"Pancake Face" (and all the crumbs on my kitchen floor.......gross!)

Actual Size

All you need is a flashlight and a jar!

Not related - but help needs documented when it happens right?!

Goals

I am struggling with this blog thing. I feel like the updates are pretty meaningless, mostly because the people who would be interested in checking it, probably already know what is up with our life anyway.....but at the same time, I SHOULD be keeping a legitimate journal, and I don't so I use this blog as my fake blog. I don't think I will get credit for it though, because I usually just say something like we are busy, the girls are cute, adoption is neat and Jordan is hot. So. To blog or not to blog? To go private and really start "journaling" my thoughts, or stay public and wonder who keeps up with us? That is the question. Not that I have the answer right now - I was just saying that is my question. Do you read this blog? Who are you? How often do you come here? For today, my kids are both asleep and the dishes happen to be done so I do have time for a little soul baring so I will post a few goals for 2011 I am contemplating. Nothing is set in stone, mostly because nothing is ever in stone, but these are my goals for the time being.

1) I bet Jordan a cruise that I wouldn't spend any money from the bank account on the kids this year. I will consign, or craigslist to sell something first and then use the money from that to get them clothes or toys or something.....So I have a little envelope in my diaper bag with some cash in it and that is what I take with me to Target or wherever. Here's hoping!

2) We already eat pretty healthy, (ask Jordan...he kinda hates it) but I want to do even better. Nothing specific, but I want to feel like I am doing a better job that what I currently do.

3) Work out 4 or 5 times a week.

4) This may not be an issue for you but it is for me. I would like to Wash, Dry, and PUT AWAY the load of laundry that I do. It's sad people - you should see the laundry room floor. It's full or clean clothes.

5) Date night.

That is it for now. We do try to keep up with the normal, Dinner as a family, Prayers as a family and brushing before bed too....but that is the list! Here are some pictures to document our life because if you do come to this blog.....you are probably hoping for pictures....

Cooking a little dinner

Getting a few emails out of the way...

Working the field a little

Staring contest with Aunt Shawnie

Down time...

Wii with Grandpa and Uncle Morgan...(technically a cousin...but Michaela calls him Uncle)

Not flattering, but this is the truth ;)

Puddle splashing

Um...yes, she does her own hair...and Yes, I usually let her out of the house :)

Dentist!