Trying To Get It Done

I have pictures of Ethan's birthday party and actual birthday that I am trying to get ready to post. I don't know yet if having Photoshop Elements is a good thing or not! Now I want to edit and fix every picture I think about posting! :-)

I had yesterday off, but am working the rest of the week, so I'm not sure when I'll actually get to finish them...hopefully soon!!! Sorry for the delay!

Ethan had a great birthday!!! Thank you to everyone who thought of him, sent him cards, e-cards, or gifts! He was excited about every single one of them!

At the very least, no one is throwing up anymore...three weeks of it was plenty thank-you-very-much!!!

Roby has this week off work because he worked the last month or so pretty much nonstop, and when he wasn't working he was on call.

Oh, did I mention that school was closed for the kids today because the wind-chill was negative 25???!!! I had never heard of school closures because of the cold!!! I completely agree though, all those kids that stand waiting for the bus would get frostbite pretty darn quick!

P.S. I didn't know school was closed until I got Natalie half way to school and another mom that didn't know either pulled over and told me. I had to go to the other side of the school to try and get Ethan to let him know he needed to come home. He was upset because he was so cold and thought he was late...thus locked out of the school. We were all freezing by the time we got back, and we were outside less than 15 minutes.

From The Weekend

I haven't posted in a while just because I was too lazy to get the cord to connect my camera to my new computer. :-) Its really not that hard, just kind of annoying.

*****

On Friday Natalie had two friends come over after school, and both ended up spending the night. They played great (most of the time) and didn't bug Ethan too much!

Coloring and eating a snack.

After a few hours of coloring, playing house and Barbie's I made them a tent to play and sleep in. They spent the rest of the evening playing in there! It's wonderful how something as simple as a sheet can entertain them so much!

Posing for the camera.

Because Natalie had two friends to play with, I let Ethan play video games a little longer than I usually do. He had no complaints about it!!!

I started getting the girls to settle down around 9pm, then tucked them in at 10. I let them whisper and giggle for an hour or so before going in and shushing them repeatedly for the next hour. Finally, at midnight I had to move Natalie into Ethan's room just so they would get some sleep! Roby and I stayed up a bit longer watching movies, and I didn't hear the kids in the morning until 8:10. At noon I sent the girls home so we could eat lunch and do a few things before Ethan and Nat headed over to the neighbors house so Roby and I could go on a date. Sunday morning I found out that Ethan had thrown up at the neighbors house and really wasn't feeling well. They were both sick the rest of the day, and Natalie was yesterday too. Ethan went to school today only for me to pick him up at 1:45 because he wasn't feeling well again. (He threw up in a trash can as I was signing him out.) Natalie is now feeling a lot better and is excited to be able to go to her Valentine's Day party tomorrow at school. Ethan on the other hand has to stay home. I really hope this is the last round of sickness that we have in our house for a while!!! haha I know I'm funny.

*****

Ethan's birthday is coming up here pretty quick! It seems to sneak up on me every year! He got his first present in the mail this weekend! He was extremely excited about it and can't wait to spend it! (I told him he had to wait until after his birthday to see if he gets any more so he can get something bigger.)

(Do you like my new Photo Shop skillz???!!! I didn't think the amount should be shown on here...)

Determined

A few weeks ago, Natalie brought home a bright red envelope. It was already sealed with some kind of project inside that she made during free time at school. I asked her what it was, and she told me it was "a surprise for Mrs. Stephanie!" I asked her if I could open it and see, but she didn't want me to. We addressed it, she stuck the stamp on, and put it by the front door so she could put it in the mailbox the next morning.

I just talked to Mrs. Stephanie, and she got her surprise a little while ago. Natalie had made her a little purse with a flower on the front (that she put some confetti and rice in), and what looked like a bookmark. I have no idea why she was so determined, but she made it especially for her!!! She has even asked many times if she could send "S" one of her extra Valentine's Day cards. I think I'm not the only one that misses our friends in Germany!!!

Trimmed

We had only gotten Ethan's hair cut once since we've been in Nebraska. Every time I asked him if he wanted it cut, he said, "No I want to grow it longer." I tried letting him do this, but it was looking rather shaggy! Monday I couldn't stand it any longer, so I took the kids to a salon close to our house. They even listened when I told them what I wanted for the kids' hair!! Can you believe that?!?

She left Ethan's hair long on top, cutting the sides and back to make it look much better.

We have only had Natalie's hair trimmed about five times. If you haven't heard it before, its because she wants it "long like Rapunzel."

Trying really hard to sit still.

Cutting no more than an inch off...

...giving her hair a much healthier look and feel.

I was very pleased with the salon, and will for sure be taking them back next time. I may even go there when I need something done to my crazy hair!

Every Little Bit Counts

This weekend Natalie told me about a bucket her teacher put in the classroom. This bucket is for any change the kids can bring in to help a little girl in need. She told me that this little girl is really sick inside her body and has to go to the doctor a lot. The money they bring in will help her parents pay for her doctors. I thought it was really sweet how concerned Nat was about this little girl. Although not much, I emptied our "Christmas Fund" jar into a baggy and sent it to school with her. She was beyond excited and couldn't wait to empty it in the bucket.

There are situations like this all the time and all over the country...and we can't help many of them. But I'm glad she can feel good about helping at least one.

Aaahhhh!!!

A couple weekends ago (when Ethan was sick) Natalie was invited to go to The Amazing Pizza Machine with a friend. They had a great time eating, playing games, and of course getting prizes! Her favorite prize are these vampire teeth! She was sneaking up on me for three days trying to scare me!Of course I was scared every single time!!! Who wouldn't be?!?! :-)