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.
http://www2.snapfish.com/fbshareredirect/p=269211248233980213/l=2718184013/g=81347758/redirectURL=share/otsi=SALBBL/AlbumID=1730794013/a=81347758_81347758/usercomments=I_xqd%20like%20to%20share%20my%20Snapfish%20photos%20with%20you.%20Once%20you%20have%20checked%20out%20my%20photos%20you%20can%20order%20prints%20and%20upload%20your%20own%20photos%20to%20share./counttext=67%20photos/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish

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!