Missing you lots and lots especially today!

My mom and dad were supposed to come to visit this weekend, but one of my dad's best employees had surgery and is recovering, so Dad couldn't leave. Darn appendicitis.

Anyway, just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you and missing you and also a little bit feeling sorry for myself. Just a little...

So, here's a funny story with a little background for those of you who don't know my family. My parents own a grocery store that has been in our family since 1917: Wolfe's Market. It has delicious gourmet items you can only get at specialty stores and a beautiful deli of home-made meals that I miss all the time (especially when I'm pregnant, which I'm not by the way) and has a gorgeous mural on the wall. Anyway, it is always the second or third place we go when I visit home. I miss it often.

Growing up, there was really only one other grocery store in town. My friends were not allowed to shop there. Or tell me that you got something there. It was a swear word in our home. The place we are not allowed to step foot in. The place that we only go at desperate times, like when Jeff had a horrible cold sore and needed medication on the way to the mountains over Thanksgiving. We were having so much fun in the car waiting for him, that we snapped some pictures:

and then we noticed the V-word made it in our picture. Oops. Evidence.

There. Much better!! I don't remember how long we laughed in the car after this picture. A long time.

I love you MOM and DAD! Can't wait for the 4th or 5th week in April. We will have so much fun: Target runs, eating out, playing trains, catching up, carousel rides. I'm sure Jeff will try to find Avatar playing somewhere in a 50 mile radius, and if there is still time, planting flowers. As long as that doesn't get in the way of all of our other fun plans. Oh, and Hobby Lobby. Just for you dad.

Joy School Mom's Heaven

For those of you who do at-home preschool with your kids, you want to see these blogs!

Confessions of a Homeschooler

I have clicked on the PreK topic, but she has helps and ideas for teaching all ages

ABC and 123

They do posts on each letter of the alphabet with ideas and projects

Holiday Ideas- here's Easter projects

Learning Games like this Singing Game

Ideas on how to organize your playroom, craft room or preschool area

Gosh, I could go on and on and then when you follow links, you get more great ideas (and keeps me up all night, it's 12:35 am, what am I doing?)

Anyway, they are hosting a giveaway for an entire curriculum kit-- the one that I have been wanting! So I hope I win-- cross your fingers for me and go ahead and enter too, cuz I'd be happy for you if you won!

Jackson's Walking!!

please please please turn your volume down. (I'm loud. We think it's genetic.) Or better yet, just mute your computer while you watch! :)

A funny conversation about Play-doh

"Wook Mom. Daddy boke it."

"Daddy broke your play-doh?" I asked and looked at the green glob of goo still in it's tub with a finger hole pocked in it.

"No, he just wanted to make a face... let's add another eye and a smile. Perfect!"

"Oh. YAY. You bixed it, mommy. Tanks."

"Yup, no prob buddy."

"I not buddy. I just Ty'yer."

"Oh that's right. Go show daddy your smiley face Tyler."

Tyler turned it upside down.

"Now it a bad 'miley face."

"You mean a frowny face?"

"No it bad cuz it hit baby and it on time out. Bad 'miley face."

Zach's Birthday Fun!!

So, I need to catch up!!

In the few days after diarrhea and before laryngitis :) where everyone was feeling good, and we were out and about. Zach, Tyler's best buddy turned 3. Their b-days are only a few days apart, so we usually do something special with them together.

They had so much fun on the carousal at Stone Briar Mall!

A cute shot of Becca and Zach!

Even Jackson joined in on the fun!

What an exciting day!!

More yummy bubble gum medicine

Well, I conquered the doctors office today (anyone else LOVE taking kids to the dr? I don't know how I could do it with another child, I think I'd need to pay a sitter or bribe my husband to come along or something). Anyway, found out Tyler has laryngitis, which is funny, because I can hear him JUST fine! But I am happy he'll be on antibiotics (the pink bubble gum kind. YUM!) and hopefully feeling better soon.

Jackson doesn't have an infection yet, but last time they got colds, Jackson followed suit and I took him in 2 days later for an ear infection. We'll see.

So, since my kids don't just lay around and watch movies and cuddle when they are sick (I wish!!) here are some fun pictures of my little sick cutie pies: (love all the snot?)

Tyler couldn't seem to keep his eyes open, we'll try again tomorrow.

That'll be the exciting thing I do tomorrow while confined to my messy little house. Take.good.picture.of.tyler. and

try to be nicer to Jeff. Sorry honey! No sleep=mean wifey. I love you!!

Sick, sick, sick

Well, the boys finally got over their stomach bug. Just in time to get another set of colds and I think Tyler has croup. Since Saturday night, he'd wake up periodically through the night with a super high fever, coughing and crying. Jackson's been waking up too, I think just uncomfortable and always in between Tyler's bouts making sure mom indeed gets no sleep at all. One night I stayed in our bed with Tyler- listening to him breath and Jeff slept on the couch with Jackson sleeping on his chest. We are in survival mode. Get through the day, get through the night...Planning to go the doctor today but I'm not happy with my current one so I think I'll switch try to find another doctor. Wish us luck!

Spring Cleaning!

So, we've been confined to the house for the past week due to diarrhea (not me, the kids-- you wanted to know that, right!) and today the boys finally got out to play! The weather was so crazy. Beautiful this morning, thundered, lightning-ed and poured for an hour or so (of course while I was loading/unloading the groceries), and then ended sunny and clear! Oh, I can see spring coming and I love spring! Especially in Texas; it's warming up and the weather is so fun and exciting.

We've been doing some rearranging and guess what?!! We're gonna have a playroom! Slash guest room. My parents are coming to visit at the end of the month so they will have a room all to themselves (along with all of our favorite toys just in case they get bored in the middle of the night) Jeff's work got an office now and so he moved his desk and computer over there. His Grandpa gave us his laptop (Grandma used to use it) so I still have one at home to use for... blogging! and emails and etsy and the such :)

So, be on the lookout for some pictures of our new room :)

here's my suggestions to a beautiful day:

do some {almost} spring cleaning (a cabinet, junk drawer, anything, it feels good!)

open the windows and air out the house

smell the flowers (or plant some)

listen to the rain (or turn on the faucet)

(I'm in a funny/weird mood)

and if you want something else to do, to celebrate spring, go here! I love doing these swaps, it's so fun to put together a package for someone and to get new holiday decorations and goodies!

Tyler is 3!!

All week, we've been working on the "how old are you?" conversation. Tyler would say, "I almost not 2, I almost 3!" and hold up 3 fingers.

On Thursday, preschool was at our house, so we had a little birthday party at the end!

The kids loved the blowers, and of course the cupcakes!

I died the batter and the frosting green, because GNEEN is Tyler's favorite. (Yes, gNeen)

On Friday night, we did cake and ice cream and had a few friends over for a last minute party.

Because Jackson's b-day is on New Year's Eve, we did poppers on his birthday. I guess Tyler thinks every party gets poppers, because he saw them at the store and said, "get this, my birthday" So, we went outside and popped poppers and instead of yelling Happy New Years, we yelled Happy Birthday! I guess this will be a family tradition of ours! :)

I loved watching Tyler's face as we sang to him his favorite song. He followed along with the words, "to YOU" and was just delighted when we sang, "to TYLER"

Don't you love his frog/monster/alligator "3" shirt?!

I had envisioned a beautiful dirt cake with a road for the cars and some grass... this is how it turned out... (I'm obviously no cake decorator!)

While no one was looking, Tyler decided to take a taste :)

Our college friend Neil just moved here to work with Jeff and he set up a projector for us to watch CARS on the big screen!!

We had a great day! HAPPY BIRTHDAY TYLER BOY!

You know your baby is hungry when...

...you find him by the play kitchen chewing on a plastic hotdog and crying!

**more on the play kitchen tomorrow!

Diaperdoo Giveaway!

My Diaperdoo Diaper Pouch is being featured on A Little Tipsy's blog! Along with the review, I am also doing a Giveaway!!

Go here for details!

Hi Texas!

We had a wonderful visit with Jeff's family this past week. Jeff and I kept saying how sad it was that it took a death in the family to get everyone together again, but it sure has put life back in perspective. At the funeral, one of the speakers said something like, if there was no mourning in death, there'd be no love in life. I really like that. The more time I spend with Jeff's family, the more I love them. We had some very tender, special moments together.

We were planning on leaving the day Grandma passed away, but Grandpa asked us to help in the funeral so we decided to stay. I said the obituary and Jeff gave a wonderful talk about his Grandma; happy memories and things she taught him. It was a beautiful ceremony and there was not a dry eye in the full chapel.

We are back home now, we split up the 12 hour drive into 2 days this time and still I feel like I was hit by a bus. "did you see it? The bus that hit me?" My dad always used to say that... :) We've been recovering from the stomach flu or food poisoning, something awful and luckily now have our own beds to sleep in. I love hotels and all, but, ya know...

Now it's onto catch up: unpacking, laundry, cleaning, orders, dishes... a shower should be included in there somewhere and also we are hoping to get to playgroup tomorrow because Tyler has been begging me to take him to the park. "The big, big, big park."

Well, that's all for now. I have about 5 hours of American Idol DVR-ed, plus the Bachelor, Greys, Cold Case and a big soft bed waiting for me. I know, my life is so hard! :)

She will be missed

Mary E. Clark, 81 of Grand Island died Thursday, February 25, 2010 at St. Francis Medical Center, Grand Island.

Services will be at 10:00 am on Monday, March 1, 2010 at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with Bishop John Henderson officiating. Burial will be in Grand Island Cemetery. Visitation will be on Monday morning from 9 am until service time at the Relief Society Room at the church. Apfel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Mary Elizabeth Clark was born January 3, 1929 in Hastings, Nebraska the daughter of Francis E. & Gertrude (Burroughs) Dickerson. She grew up and received her education in Holstein until her junior year when she transferred to Hastings Public School, graduating from Hastings High School in 1946. She attended Hastings College for one year.

She was united in marriage to Ron Clark on March 12, 1950 in Grand Island. They were sealed for time and all eternity in the Logan Temple on July 18, 1962. The couple made their home in Illinois from 1955 until 1963 when they moved to Grand Island.

She was a member of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints, member of the Relief Society at Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Her hobbies included puzzles and playing bridge. She also worked at the Temple in Denver and Omaha the last 13 years.

Survivors include her husband, Ron of Grand Island, two sons and daughters in law, Gary Lee & Cynthia Clark of Grand Island, Kenneth & Judy Clark of Peoria, Arizona, 11 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren, three sisters, Roberta Scheidies of Virginia Beach, Virginia, Margaret Bruckman of Hastings, Jane Esch of Hastings, brother, Richard Dickerson of Hastings, sister in law, Patricia of Hastings, brother in law, Cliff McKie of Georgia.

She was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Earl & Ronald Dickerson, and sister Dorothea McKie.

She was a daughter, sister, mother and grandmother to many, and friend to all.

Grandma Update

I'm sitting here in our hotel room with wireless internet (what a wonderful blessing!) hearing 3 sets of snores (and enjoying the almost-silence) to give an update on Jeff's grandma. We drove all night Monday night and got to Nebraska around 5am, went straight to the hospital. She's been asleep the whole time we've been here, so we haven't gotten to talk to her, but are sure she knows we are with her. It's really sad to see her how she is right now, since she's normally so spunky and in a funny way, sort of feisty. I believe she is fighting for her life, the best she can. She has been told to wait for us (all of Jeff's family has been here at some point this week) to get here, so we could all say good-bye and she has hung on long enough. We know if they stopped the morphine, she'd be able to respond to us, but would be in so much pain and no one is willing to put her through that (even though selfishly, we'd love to hear her voice). Kaylynn (Jeff's older sis) is coming in a couple hours and we'll head back over to the hospital for another round of Grandma memories.

It's so obvious what wonderful people Ron and Mary are. Her room hasn't been empty since the day she checked in. People have been flooding in whose lives have been blessed by Grandma and Grandpa Clark. People who aren't family, but feel like it, because they make everyone feel like family (especially me).

I'm so glad we have been able to come. It's really nice to be able to give each other strength and the boys especially (Grandpa, Ken, Kasey, Jeff) have bonded and shared each other's burdens. Jeff has said the hardest thing is seeing his Grandpa so sad and he wonders what he will do without his wife. I can't imagine my life without Jeff and I'm sure that's how he feels (plus 55 years!). We are so blessed to know that we will see our loved ones again after death and that our families are bonded together through eternity.

Dear Grandma Clark:

Grandma with Baby Tyler

Grandma and Grandpa at Kendi's Wedding (Jeff's sister)

Hang in there, we'll see you soon.

We are driving up to Nebraska tonight to be with the family. We pray we'll make it in time.

Lots of Love!