The day-in a nutshell

We have company coming this afternoon and a party to prepare for tomorrow. I don't know what it is, but I am into birthdays-they are special "holidays" around our house. I seem to be one of those mom's who plans extravagant parties-maybe more for me than for her, but alas, she has fun and remembers the last two-the horse and the castle.

This year it is Fancy Nancy- for those of you a bit out of the loop on children's books for girls.



Fancy Nancy is a wild, young girl with a larger than life personality, who adores all things fancy. She always dresses extravagantly, wearing boas, tutus, ruby slippers, fairy wings, and fuzzy slippers. Nancy loves using big fancy words such as "iridescent", "ecstatic", and "extraordinary" and anything in French. She has redecorated her bedroom with everyday items, such as feather boas, Christmas lights, paper flowers and hats. Her favorite doll is named Marabelle Lavinia Chandelier.

In Nancy's opinion, her family is ordinary and dresses rather plainly, so Nancy decides to hold a class in the art of fanciness for her family. They oblige, and Nancy helps to dress them in bows, ornaments, top hats and gaudy scarves. "Ooo-la-la!" Nancy cries in delight. "My family is posh! That's a fancy word for fancy."

So this is the list of things to accomplish today! And unfortunately it will be alone since Michael's worker called in sick...he'll be stuck until 4.

Clean the house-this list is longer than I want to admit.
Enroll in fall dance class 1-6
take necklaces up to school for MZ to check out
find my file cabinet keys on my school ring
decide on party menu and purchase food and TP
make cake
complete the photo frames and plumes that the girls will receive
charge camera-get printer dock set up
make tutu and necklace-
figure out mine and Michael's fancy outfits
must shower today
laundry, laundry, laundry

The very most important of all...change the living room into the salon and decorate for the party!

That should do it...I have about 32 hours to accomplish this feet, plus all the mom things I have to do- you know fix the boo-boos, meals, etc.
It should be fun...wish me luck!

Happy Birthday

Today my Evy turns 4. I can't even begin to believe she has been living and breathing for 1,460 days, 35,040 hours, 2,102,400 minutes, 126,144,000 seconds- give or take a few.
She was born July 29 at 5:04pm weighing 6lbs 4 oz and was 18 inches long. She was perfect in every way.
Very quickly she turned into a Grandpa's girl, showing her Daddy and I a little love.
The first family Christmas photo. I am not sure this is the one we used, but it is the one I could find today.
This is me, I mean Evy...it is so hard to tell. Notice the "Everything's better at Grandma's" shirt, in her case it is so true.
Her hair continued to grow and she became a little princess diva quite quickly. Her daddy is very smitten with her smile.
And this one, too. This picture (above) was taken just a month before her third birthday.


Today she turns 4. She weighs at least 7 times what she did 1450 days ago and she is a bigger blessing as well. I don't always love the fits she throws, but my love for her grows at least 7 fold each day-usually more. I would be lying to say that I don't miss her little tight grasp on my finger, or the smell of baby lotion and shampoo. I miss the snuggling before bed, but I am loving every minute of what I've got now!

Day 1 injectables!

This morning I went back to school for the first time since May 26. In just a few short weeks our halls will be buzzing with little children in new clothes followed by an intoxicating aroma of new school supplies. I absolutely love the getting ready for school. I always approach the first day of school with mixed emotions- overjoyed excitement and the first-day-on-the-job nervousness. As I prepare my classroom this year, it is a little different. My baby will turn 4 tomorrow and start school 2 weeks later! *sigh* Today I went to see what is in store to get ready for the year. The carpet is SuPeR cleaner-whatever they did is amazing! I started the painting process and then started wishing I hadn't, but it is beginning to look better.


Michael and I are also embarking on a new chapter of fertility issues as I will begin my injections tonight. I again have the same type of feelings as I prepare for school. Overjoyed excitement and nauseous nervousness! In just a short month will again be on another course-either preparing for baby or enduring menopause. Dr. B mentioned that the next injection cycle would probably need to be followed up with an insemination. As for this cycle, join me in praying that I will need my trigger shot BEFORE or AFTER the 10th but not on it. The 10th is a SUPER busy day for me and I don't know how I am going to fit in a drive to the doctor. He did mention that since I was older it would be a little different and might take more meds and a longer period of time. UGh...that *older* word is starting to creep into things.

So...between 1-4p.m. Evy's new bunk bed/loft should be delievered. It probably isn't making it in 20 minutes, so I am going to run out and get her comforter and some more painting supplies for the classroom.

vacation 09 (67 photos), by Amy Hartling

I'd like to share my Snapfish photos with you. Once you have checked out my photos you can order prints and upload your own photos to share.
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Estes Park, CO elev. 7522

I really didn't think that the altitude would bother me...and I was wrong. It wasn't too bad, but the side winding roads did bring on some car sickness in addition to an altitude headache.

The back of our cabin/resort had a little mountain to climb. Evy and I enjoyed going up and down the hill the first night. Eventually she chickened out.

The first full day we went shopping at the quaint downtown area. We bought Evy her first silver and turquoise ring (which she has already lost) and we all took a nap. Next to the cabin a river runs parallel to the road-icy cold rapids awaited and the family took a trip into the river several times. Evy really enjoyed playing in the river mud. We enjoyed the warm sun, cold river until it got a little too warm. I can tell you that I am NOT missing the 116 degree weather we left, but the CO sun can get toasty.

We enjoyed dinner at Hunters Chop House next to Lake Estes and then a drive into the Rocky Mountain National Park. Unfortunately, we only saw 2 wild animals. A little chipmunk and a dear. We climbed a peak to altitude of 10338ft and saw a little snow and experienced a rainstorm and 45 degree weather before we left the park at dark.

More to come tomorrow! Meanwhile enjoy the pictures!

A Long Strange Trip

Evy and Grandma in the back seat watching a movie.

Once we got into Colorado, we experienced a storm which included a tornado watch. This is the rainbow that we saw as we drove away from the truck stop in Lemar, CO.


This is the view from the Colorado Springs hotel room. We spent the night here after a long drive from Oklahoma.

We went to the Cave of the Winds and Garden of the Gods before driving to Boulder and Estes on Sat.






There was more sleeping as we drove to see my HS pal and her family.



This is the view of the back of our cabin.
More to come tomorrow!!!

Fancy Nancy Set

I have been working all morning to get the invitation for the party complete. Aren't they adorable...now the party will have to live up to the invitations!

As blonde as I pay to be!

Yesterday, I was unloading the "things" in the trunk of my car before loading up some gear and lunch for the Splash pad. I set my phone under the trunk lid, next to the struts that aid in holding it up. Oh, I know what you are thinking...I shut the phone in the trunk, smashing it into small ever-loving pieces...NOPE!

The phone slid into the tail light. Yes, the tail light. I tried to stick my hand down there and almost had the phone retrieved. Then it slipped further into the tail light housing. I tried to find the screws that would pop off the housing- with no such luck, so I went to the Internet to get some instructions. No luck!

So I gathered some kitchen tools-tongs and a 2 prong fork- and headed back out. Except this time, I got my hand stuck in the car. You need to have the whole picture to enjoy this...

Standing in my garage-door up for all the passing cars to witness-trunk lid open- daughter in the house- phone inside the tail light- hand stuck in the the tail light...no additional phone in the house. Did you get that in your mind?...it is kinda of funny huh!?!

For about 10 seconds-which felt like an hour- I really started to panic thinking I was going to need to call the fire department for some rescue- but how the heck was I going to do that?...my phone was in the stupid tail light!

I did get my hand out- not without some souvenir marks. I sought out some smaller hand help- Evy tried to get it, but knocked it through and it fell on the floor of the garage...how simple was that!?!

Not Me Monday

Oh yes... it is that time again!

Time for MckMama's Not Me Monday!

This week is was not me who let my daughter wear plastic princess shoes to dinner-because she calls them her dinner shoes. I am also not the mom who lets her daughter wear the costumes to the store. or put on lipstick in church...nope not me!

I did not go to the store and buy several shirts, with the intention of embellishing them myself so that I don't have to pay $30 for a cute t-shirt for school next year. I am also not seriously considering purchasing nursing pants to wear to my job. No, not me...I 'should' be more professional than that...however scrubs would be cheaper than getting all the snot, etc than my other nice slacks.

It was not me who decided on a whim Sat. morning to get my hair cut and colored at a salon that just moved into the mall...I didn't drag my daughter and husband along- with the intention of getting their hair cut too. I then didn't just about drop my mouth open at the bill...nope not me...I spend money without thinking.

I also was not lucky enough to get a new car this week confirming that I am SO blessed!

Going to bed with my hair wet

Tonight I am doing just that...going to bed with my hair wet.

This week, I have been facilitating a Schools Attuned worshop. I have been staying in a hotel a 100+ miles away from home. Fortunately, my opar (my mother) came along, so that I was able to spend the week with my daughter, instead of away. I like to stay in hotels, but without my whole family, it isn't complete. I have greatly missed my husband. He has been at home, dealing with the stresses of life without his lovely wife. I can say that...because he would tell you it is true.

This week has been a new experience. I am teaching a different curriculum and with a partner I haven't taught with before. I have had 4 consecutive bad hair days and I also haven't felt great. We are in the middle of ovary suppression and I ended my cycle 4 days early, which has thrown my plans for a loop- The good news is God's timing is still on track.

Anyway...at the end of the day, the participants give us feedback in the form of a reflection. Yesterday I was blown out of the water by the negetive entry we recieved. I am not sure if it was me, or her, but it bothered me. It said something to the fact that we were unanimated and monotone. Me? monotone? really?!? So I was over-the-top-oohhy-goohy animinated...and it worked. They ate it up! But, all that goohyness is exhausting...

Michael came down to enjoy some Zio's dinner and watch Big Brother with his bride. He then loaded up my daughter and mother and returned home. So tonight I will sleep in that big bed all alone- with my wet hair- hope my alarm goes off in the morning and I find myself in the midst of a good hair day- at least I owe the partcipants that...since I have been boring and monotone-you know?!?

Not Me Monday!!

Welcome to my verson of MckMama's blog carnival... Join us in liberating the choices we may or may not make this week.

This week, I certianly did not tell my daughter to take a nap and then was totally shocked when she put nail polish on her fingernails, fingers, toes, toenails, foot, leg and even her face an in her eye. She did not explain that she was trying to use the nail polish as Lash Blast- you know, "cause it makes your eyes pop" I am definately not to blame as I do not wear mascara everywhere. My husband and I did not spend 15 minutes explaining that we would probably need to take her to the hospital while she screamed and cried...hoping to flush out any nail polish in her eye. Oh...and I didn't take pictures of the faces she was making. This behavior would be particularly cruel as she has an understanding of hospitals and getting IVs and blood because her Grandpa spends lots of time there!

I also didn't let my daughter go to the mall dressed like "Fancy Nancy" and have lunch with a friend. Nah! We are dressed in normal play clothes when we leave the house. And my daughter certainly doesn't wear the same (dirty) dress everyday at home as her "house dress"!

I also did not let my (almost) 4 year old suck on a pacifer because she wanted to pretend to be a baby...when she pitched a fit before bed when I tried to take it away, I didn't win the battle by not figthing it.

I also did not cry during the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen while taking my hubby on a surprise date.

I also did not laugh so hard that I almost peed my pants when I went to go see The Hangover with my family. We don't like to expose ourselves to unhealthy language and things of that nature. And I am certainly NOT recommending that you see both of the aforementioned movies...soon!

Kids Say the Darndest Things....

Evy says some pretty cute phrases these days. She is developing quite a little personality as she races toward turning four. Although I will say that she picks up on quite a few of the things that she hears and repeats them-in and out of context.

Yesterday, she was singing a song that her and her daddy sing. It is a little back-and-forth tune- where he says " I love my Evy" and she responds "I love my daddy" They play this game for a while and she usually changes up who she loves. Yesterday, she said "I love my daddy"--"my mom is boring" Michael couldn't get over that at all.

She is definitely the speech police. If anyone is having a conversation containing too much emotion...she will say "calm down" or "chill out"! She also doesn't like people to argue. She told Michael and I to be nice to each other when we were having a little discussion in which we didn't agree.

A few weeks ago, she asked to play Red Rover as we were getting ready for bed. I asked her, how do you play red rover. She responded, "Mom you lay down, put your booty in the air, I climb on. Then you (push your nose with your index finger) and I s'plod (explode) to daddy."

She is in love with makeup- she thinks it makes her beautiful. And yes, I am preparing some sort of Biblical lesson on self-worth etc. for her (and I). Anyway, she loves the mascara commercial for Cover Girl's Lash Blast. She noticed that I use lash blast and told me "it makes your eyes pop." When she was sick Michael got her a little beauty kit that had shimmer lotion, lip-gloss and fingernail polish in it. She had been using the polish to paint my toes at times. Eventually, I guess she took it into her room and was trying to paint her own fingers, toes, legs, and even tried to use it as "lash blast" when she was to be laying in her bed resting. It was the highlight of my Tuesday! I wasn't sure what was in her eye-if she had just poked it or what. But, after many, many, many tears she seems normal, so no emergency room visit was in order.

Making a movie

Last night after a very long day which included a long meeting at church, Michael and I took Evy to downtown to see the making of the movie. Film crews have been in town a couple of days, the town square has been transformed into the 50's era. It was amazing to see our little town being thrust into a movie.

In reality it was too late, too dark for good pictures and you couldn't get too close. But, we walked around to different places and had a pretty good experience. I didn't see any famous people (like Casey Affleck, Simon Baker or Kate Hudson-some of the stars) but we did see some people whose names will make the credits. We saw some prop people, the director and some camera men. Several times we even heard some of the lines of what I can only imagine is a fight scene. It was cool to hear them yell rolling down the block when the cameras began shooting. Evy asked "what are they rolling?" We have heard the the crew was very happy to work in our little town because the people where so respectful and accommodating. It was nice to hear.