Farewell to January

Bob wasn't feeling well so I went to rotating potluck alone last Thursday.  It was a good evening, though it got kind of late because they went around and had everyone share their testimonies.  I had dropped little miss off to play with the girls so she wouldn't bother Bob and they had already gone to bed when I picked her up....  ooops.   

 I thought this was a cardboard box.  It's not.  It's a dog house.  "Wanna come in, mommy, mommy?"  Ah, got to love imagination.   

 

Saturday evening we headed to W-ton to eat pizza with the family at the condos.  It was nice to see people briefly. We had to leave early to go to Grandma Koch's 90th birthday open house at Skylines.  I never get to hang out with my cousins anymore.  mur.

Then on Sunday we went back to W-ton for Aaron and Kendra's wedding.  Cecily was actually really good in church (other than being super clingy).  We even took her up to the 'cousin section' for the wedding service and she was fairly quiet.  Well, except during the singing... and she wanted to sing jingle bells...  *eye roll*  It was all lovely and they all looked cute and they said 'yes,' so another successful wedding.

The reception was lovely too.  Good food, of course, and cake.  We told little miss that Kendra looked like a princess, so of course she wanted to see her.  At one point Shelly had taken little miss for a walk around the fellowship hall and this is where she ended up- standing right by Kendra in the line.  She was not happy when I made her come with me... "wanna see Kendra!  wanna see Kendra!"  Ayiyiyi.     Somebody needed a nap.  At least the bubbles cheered her up.

 Tuesday evening I braved the cold and went to sewing club.  Good times.  I even took some sewing along and almost finished binding the baby quilt I made.    

Otherwise we've been hanging out inside a lot.  I'm still working on cleaning out the extra bedroom.  The problem is I have sewing projects I want to finish before I move everything downstairs because it's cold down there...  hehe.  I'm such a wimp.  I did take a bunch of stuff to Goodwill though, including a whole box of books.  I know, I know!  Books!  But they weren't books we were going to read again and a lot of them came from book sales and things.  And I got rid of a bunch of relationship books.  Because, well, in general I don't like them.  They're all written by/ for people with major baggage... or they're directed to women who are nothing like me... or they're a bunch of psychobabble (5 Love Languages, I'm talking about you.  Sorry if you like that book.  *grin*).  Honestly, given our personalities, Bob and I think that if we ever have issues we'd be better served by counseling with a real person who knows us.... anyway, I'll get down off the random soap box now.   

Little mimic... reading a book and scrolling. 

 

Ryan and Christy hosted potluck Thursday night.  We had fun.  Cecily had fun playing with Grace and Eden at Bob's parent's.  She did not want to come home even though it was pretty late when we picked her up. 
So yeah, it has been a busy week.  I think I'm ready for spring now. 
Oh, and apparently I look like I'm due in February.  *sigh*  I really, really hope we have at least three months yet.  Because seriously, we'd be looking at a very, very long hospital stay if anything happened now.  So far I have escaped too many dumb comments this time- probably because I'm in the baby room at church and all bundled up elsewhere...  but I shall leave you with this lovely chart:

*grin*
Blessings.

The Chateau

We decided to take advantage of the long weekend and spent Sunday night at the Chateau in B-ton.  I have vague memories of staying there for Kary's birthday...  It was cheaper than the Peoria hotels we've gone to, and nice enough for me.  (Honestly, the older I get the less I like staying in hotels.  They're just dirty.  And smell funny.  Maybe I'm just too cheap and should stay at some nicer places...)  Anyway, somebody was very excited about the swimming pool.  (Which was very nice and clean, if heavily chlorinated.)

 

Little miss started talking about 'I swimmin' as soon as we got there.  She had soooo much fun.  And I forgot about bringing a life jacket or floaties or anything so Bob and I did not have quite as much fun since she has absolutely no fear of the water.  Here she is ready to jump back in to Bob.   

 Her idea of swimming was kicking her feet and flailing her arms and telling us she wanted to go 'dis way,'  while we did our best to hold on to her.  Good times.   

 
We took a break for supper and some reading.  "Dere was da mouse!  Bright-eyed!  Begone!" 

 
I took her back down to the pool after supper... she was a little less crazy and spent most of the time jumping off the side over and over and over.  She didn't really want to go to bed, but she did eventually tuck in her bear-bears and lay down...

 
We all slept in Monday morning.  Cecily and I took advantage of breakfast; she finally got to have pancakes and hot dogs sausages.  Sunday morning she sobbed through breakfast because we weren't having pancakes.... yeah...  so she was quite excited to see them at the hotel.  Then we came home.  It was a lovely mini-vacation.

While I was making supper that night she decided she was too.  After many trips back and forth to her room she wanted Bob to come eat super with her.  First they prayed...

 Then they had quite the varied repast.  So funny.

Bob took Tuesday off also, which was lovely.  He came grocery shopping with us and then we baked approximately 15 dozen cookies... because somebody signed up to bring treats for his whole division.  'Sure I can make cookies for you to take to work, how many do you need?'  'Oh, there's at least a hundred people... and they might eat more than one....'  Eeesh osh.  *grin*  We kept some at home, but what he took was completely gone. 

After a short break from potty training over Sunday and Monday, it has been going much better!  Hallelujah.  No accidents in undies today and all successes were unprompted by me!  She even wanted to use both potties at G and G Beutel's tonight.  *eye roll*  I was trying to help Grandpa figure out some stuff on their new computer after we listened to church; she was making the rounds.  She also wanted Grandma to sit down on the ground and play with her.  *sigh*  At least she likes them, right?!     

Blessings.

I have not yet begun to fight

So the last few weeks have been full of potty training... which has not been going all that well.  *sigh*  Although, today has not been that bad.  Of course, since we're babysitting tonight, she hasn't actually been in undies all that much.

The poor princess bundies have not fared well....

 
She's fond of sitting in piles of her blankets and animals.

 Sunday evening we got to go to Matt and Jenni's with some other cool people.  Little miss had a great time with all the kids.  I got to go quilt Monday evening.  Wednesday I had to get up super early (for me anyway... hehe) for an OB appointment.  My mom came over because Cecily was still sleeping when I left.  Oooooohhhh, and my OB switched to the one hour glucose test!!  Hallelujah!  Great rejoicing from me...  I only got stuck once! 

I picked little miss up in W-ton- we got Pepperfries with Grandpa and Grandma for lunch.  She was in a friendly mood and was waving at everyone in the restaurant.  No idea where she comes from. *grin*

Otherwise it has been quiet around here.  And we've got towels scattered around the house, and I bought an extra crib mattress protector because it fits perfectly on the love seat cushion, and I'm worried that the house smells like an outhouse and I'm just used to it.... 

Random things- this is our sewer pipe cover in the basement.  I'm afraid that it's one of those projects that future owners will look at and say, 'what were they smoking?'  But, it's much nicer than an exposed sewer pipe. 

So now that it's done we moved these book cases from G & G Koch's house into the room.  I've been moving things out of Cecily's new room and they're filling up fast.  Still not sure what to do with the ceiling...  I still like the fabric idea.  We shall see.

 
 The steps are finally painted!  Yay!!  They still look like rough basement stairs with a so-so paint job, but hey, they aren't brown!  Or orange! 

 Smile!  Camur!  *grin*

 I used some of my Christmas money to get new blinds in the living room.  The old ones were stained, broken, and hung crooked.  I wanted to try bamboo blinds- privacy, but I can still see out enough without feeling like a snoop peeking out behind the shade to see if the mail man came yet.  Bob is not completely sold.  He would probably prefer heavy blackout drapes.  *grin*  

 And finally, we have three picnicking fairy princesses tonight.

Blessings.

There are strange things done in the midnight sun...

In honor of the cold, I suggest reading some Robert W. Service poems, in particular, "The Cremation of Sam McGee."  Preferably out loud, to whomever will listen.

Last Saturday Bob's girl cousins had a brunch with Grandma Koch out at Skylines, and then we didn't leave the house for a while.  Hooray for winter. 

Church was canceled Sunday, and we pretty much just rested.  Except for going out briefly to clear the driveway before it got super cold.  Little kids in snow gear are so funny...  and then little miss found my ski goggles.  I'm hoping that someday she'll like skiing more than her father does and want to go with me (provided, of course, that I'm actually in any shape to ski...).  She looks like a mini ski bum.  *grin*

 We battened down the hatches that night.  Cecily's room is on the northwest corner- so cold and drafty!  So we hung blankets over her windows, which helped with the drafts, but the walls were still cold to the touch.  She didn't get to wear her (summer) fishy jammies to bed and she got lots of extra blankets.  We turned the heat up a few degrees, and I was paranoid enough to keep cabinet doors open; so far no plumbing issues! 

Bob's car had battery troubles Friday, so he figured it would be safer to do some work from home Monday... little miss and I made cupcakes just because.  She had a great time putting the liners in the pan.  

 And crushing cracking the eggs.

 And taking the liners back out.

 And eating sprinkles.

Tuesday evening we finally got to leave the house to go to Kendra's family shower at the farm.  Cecily spent the evening running around with Cliff and eating "marshpillows." 

Somebody was pretty sure she needed to help daddy upgrade his computer.  Don't worry, we did not let her anywhere near the expensive, delicate electronics.  *grin*  All I've got to say is, it is much quieter now.  I guess that's what happens when your new graphics card has its own cooling system (or something like that?). 

Today we went out and about and got paint chips for Cecily's new room, and fabric for a baby quilt.  She wanted the bright purple paint chip...  I think we're going to go with a nice gray... now I just need help deciding how dark of gray.  Feel free to stop by and voice your opinion.  And of course, since we've been cooped up, we had lunch at Culvers because somebody wanted "pepperfries, O.K." 

Blessings.   

A Deep and Dark December

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I must say I'm glad it's over... it's fun... but... whoever said Christmas with small children is more meaningful is lying.  It's stressful and exhausting.  Anyway.

This is before festivities started- her favorite napping spot.       

 Just chilling and taking up most of the couch...

 Christmas eve we went to the Koch Christmas.  "Christmas Koch" according to little miss.  She had a great time with all the kids and we ate too much good food.

Tea party with Daddy- want some more?   

 
We let her open her stocking that night because there were new church toys in it. 

Christmas morning we went to W-ton.  Little miss got to wear her Christmas dress.  I have this problem with seeing cute dresses that are either too expensive or not available anymore.  So I ended up sewing her dress about a week before Christmas.  Every little girl needs at least one blue velvet dress in her life, right?  *grin*

 After church we went home so somebody would take a nap, and we opened our presents from each other.  "ohoho, what is it?"

 

Then we went to the farm for the evening.  Mom made the usual feast.  Then it was time for presents.  Shelly braided Cecily's pigtails...  looking at pictures with Lena.

 I made my dad a quilt.  It looks like a Hudson Bay Blanket, which I love.  (Well, I had somebody machine quilt it, but I pieced it.)

 

Somebody was not very interested in presents, unless they were Uncle Jakey's.

 
The day after Christmas we celebrated with the Schlipf's in Gridley.  Bob got sick that day, so he stayed home.  I didn't take any pictures, but Cecily had a great time prancing around in her new princess dress and playing with 'Nina.' 

Then we had a short break from festivities.  One afternoon Cecily kept herself busy while I was cooking by making supper too.  In her new apron.   

 Monday was Wyss Christmas, aka, the Day of Days.  It started off badly... little miss woke up too early and was not happy about it.  So it took us that much longer to get ready.  Yeah, kind of a miserable morning.  But there was still plenty of food left when we got there, so we didn't miss out on the third best meal of the year (after Thanksgiving and Christmas supper, of course). 

She did cheer up and had fun playing with Neal and Kim's girls. 

 

And Kacie and Shelly who let her drink waaaay too much "Pepper."

Then she didn't take more than a 10 minute nap and was kind of a wreck the rest of the evening. Woot.  Hooray for dealing with a whiny, clingy toddler who only wants Mommy.  I feel like I never get to spend time with my cousins anymore because I'm either taking care of her, or she must be with me at all times.  Oh, and by then I had a headache. 

She fell asleep on the way home and didn't wake up when we carried her in, so she ended up sleeping in her clothes.  It was pretty funny when she woke up- "want fishy jammies!" 

We didn't make any plans for New Years Eve, other than church, which was a good move.  We had just pulled into the garage when Cecily piped up in the back seat, "She want chocolate shake."  Soooo.... Bob humored her and went out and brought back shakes.  Silly girl. 

Bob's family celebrated Christmas the next day and I didn't take any pictures.  I took little miss home for a nap... she slept for two hours... that never happens!  Poor tired girl.  Then we went back out in the snow for supper. 

Today Bob had to go to work and Cecily and I relaxed and took down Christmas decorations.  She asked me this morning- "all done Christmas?"  Haha.  I wasn't the only one I guess...

Anyway, I didn't make any new years resolutions... if I had they probably would have involved unfinished house projects and potty training.  woot woot.  *sigh*  I was thinking about New Years past...  particularly that weekend five years ago at Kaleigh's.  How much has changed... and how much I still miss those days. 

Blessings.