Such is Life...

It's about time...

2011-09-28T22:34:00.000-07:00

Scott and I have been married for 6 years and never had a single professional picture taken. Not any newborn photos, no first birthday cake-smashing photoshoot. nothing.

I know, we are completely lame.

For the last 6 years, I kept waiting for the "perfect time". A time when I wasn't pregnant, or trying to lose weight after having a baby, or a time when Jack didn't have 5 stitches in his face. I came to the realization recently that it's not about capturing our family at the perfect time {because there isn't going to be a perfect time!}, but it's more about capturing our family at THIS time in our lives.

So I did it. I scheduled a photoshoot with Scott's brother Randy. Hilarious, right? Yeah, we had a photographer in the family the WHOLE time. I know, I just became even more lame.

Randy specializes in the "Rustic" look, which I love. He mostly takes pictures of old buildings and cars...even sells them! I can't wait to get these bad boys framed and hung!!

Man, we are one GOOD lookin' couple...{heehee}

I love this one of the kids...it perfectly captures some of the quirky things the kids do lately. It's perfect.

Preschool!

2011-09-12T22:40:00.000-07:00

Jack started preschool today, which we were ALL excited for. He loves school, and I love having a few hours of "Bianca" time while Laney takes her afternoon nap. It's a win-win for everyone involved!!

As Jack gets older, I see more and more of his daddy coming through in his daily habits (his habitual eating for one). I doubt anyone actually knows this about Scotty, but he lays his clothes out every night for work to make mornings run a little smoother. I shouldn't have been surprised when Jack picked up the same habit, carefully laying his clothes out every night in the hall or his bedroom. He even tucks a pair of underwear underneath his pants, and a pair of socks inside his shoes. The night before his first day of school was ESPECIALLY important. Heehee, put a smile on my face every time I walked by.

Two cute siblings. Man, I didn't realize how light Bianca's hair turned this summer...Her and Jack almost look like they have the same color hair!

The ever-huge SpiderMan backpack...it looks GIANT on his petite little body (Yes, I realize that that was a redundant statement. deal with it.)

The Diva in the background thought I was taking pictures of her...that little turkey.

The million dollar smile. This kid has "heart breaker" written ALL over him.

And this sassy lady, there are no words for her...

"Mom, take a picture of my purse"

"Hey Jack, give me one more smile for your big 1st day"

"No, not that one you stinker...the REAL one."

"Yep, that's the money shot"

Here's to another fabulous school year!!

Another fish in the family...

2011-08-16T21:42:00.000-07:00

In Utah, we discovered Laney's love for water {much like her fishy dad and brother}. We visited the splash pad in Highland several times and Miss D couldn't get enough of all the squirting water.

She tested the waters with the small spout but quickly became unamused...

On to bigger, better things.

Bianca was there too...sporting a sweet wedgie. I would be sporting a wedgie too if I had cute little buns like that!

Bianca wasn't nearly as adventurous as Laney.

I don't think this girl could be any happier.

6 years ago...

2011-08-13T01:03:00.000-07:00

A boy and girl got married.

I'm not kidding when I say "girl". Just ask my mom, I was a CHILD...what kind of mother lets her daughter get married at 19? I'm only kidding mom. But seriously.

Even if her daughter claims to be oh-so-mature. ha!

6 years ago we rented a 400 square foot apartment, which was just enough room for 2 love birds.

6 years ago we were both in school full time. I was working on a bachelors in Psychology and Scotty was working on a bachelors in Accounting.

6 years ago Scott and I were both working at the UPS Store, each making about $8 an hour. Soon after we were married, he quit the UPS Store for a framing job paying TEN bucks an hour...livin' large at that point :) I'm pretty sure our monthly overhead was only about $750, but I was worried we weren't going to be able to make it work.

6 years ago Scott had {a little} more hair, and I had a few less pounds. Just kidding hun, your hair is still as thick and beautiful as it was the day we met. Love you babe. heehee.

6 years later we have three {beautiful} healthy children. two bachelors degrees, an almost Masters degree, a home (that's bigger than 400 sq feet!), and two great jobs that thankfully pay more than $8 an hour.

We feel blessed to live the lives we do. Each day brings something new for us to tackle and something new to enjoy. We laugh everyday, cry on occasion, and love the three little rugrats that rule our lives.

I love you, Handsome.

Face painter extraordinaire!

2011-07-18T23:15:00.000-07:00

We have a myriad of unique and interesting professions in my family.

I have a brother-in-law who is a Funeral Director, a brother who is a Border Patrol Agent and paramedic, another brother who is the Assistant Superintendant at a golf course which includes some exciting things like picking off pesky rabbits with rocks, and mowing lawns :). I also have yet another brother who has become a Farrier or horseshoeing expert (that is some SERIOUS business by the way. more on that another day).

There is also my talented aunt Denise. She is naturally very creative and artistic, but has recently taken up the art of face painting. We aren't talking a rainbow on your cheek at the elementary school carnival, either. It takes some real skill to do what she does.

Over the 4th of July, we got together and let her paint the kids' faces. Bianca was in HEAVEN. I have never seen a more giddy girl...sparkles, jewels, and pink. There aren't many more important things in a 3 year old diva's life, right?!?

Bianca held so still, but she could hardly stand the wait to see herself in mirror.

She smiled and posed in the mirror all night long.

You better believe we jumped at the chance for painting the next day at brunch.

Once again, the mirror was essential. I even saw her sneak a few kisses into the mirror. no joke.

This girl KNOWS she's a knockout.

Jack joined the fun too, but he needed something manly like Spiderman, complete with jewel in the center...because every spider looks more tough with a diamond middle, no?

Let's be honest people, if the kids are doing something cool, I am most likely going to be in on the action. I'm still a child, didn't you know that?

Lookin' good.

Thanks Denise, for your fabulous work...we can't wait to get painted up again!

Summer nights

2011-07-04T18:55:00.000-07:00

There aren't many things better in life than a summer evening in Utah.

Around 7:30 things cool down a bit, and it's perfect to run through the sprinklers, and relax on the lawn.

Life. is. good.

I can't wait for 21 more nights just like this one...

Tidbits...

2011-06-26T23:49:00.000-07:00

Jack and Bianca are at such a fun age right now (I feel like I say that all the time). Their little minds are constantly racing to put things together and figure things out. Whenever I call and tell my mom about their latest hilarious moments, she always says "Did you write that down?" to which I reply "No, but I should"

So here you go Mama...

These three instances happened all in the same day earlier this week...

Jack came into the bathroom fully dressed for the day, but his pants were on backwards.

"Hey buddy, your pants are on backwards"

"I know, mom"

"how about you take them off and put them on the right way..."

"No fanks, I like them this way 'cause if they're backwards then I don't have a hole in my knee anymore. And I don't like holes in my knees"

"Ok, can't argue with you there pal"

I learned two valuable lessons with that conversation. 1) For heaven sakes, buy the kid some new pants. 2) with Jack it's obvious that "out of sight, out of mind" works...do I'm going to go ahead and use that to my advantage.

****

Lately, we have really been working with the kids on things like being kind, being grateful, being obedient...you know, all the important things that kids need to learn so that people don't think they were raised in a barn. Several times a day the kids will here me say "Are you being kind?", "Are you being obedient?", yada yada yada I'm a broken record. I know.

Anyway, the conversation went like this...

"Jack, did you clean your room up like I asked you?"

"Yeah, mom"

"Great!! Thanks so much, buddy!"

"Mom (as he rolls his eyes), don't worry...I'm BEING welcome"

That kid.

****

Most of you know how psychotic Bianca is about her wardrobe. If you need a little refresher, you can re-watch this video (and just so you know, she hasn’t grown out of these tantrums…she’s only gotten bigger, stronger, and louder. We still have tears at least once a day over what she wears.)

Lately, I’ve been letting her pick her own clothes (for the most part), and with that has come MANY conversations about things that “match”. That’s kind of a tricky concept to a three year old. (Heck, sometimes I still don’t know what things match.)

A few days ago, Bianca put on this little number...

"Mom look, white and white (as she excitedly points to the little white spaces on her shirt and pants). They match!!"

Looks like we still have a long way to go with this girl.

Hand's On...

2011-06-03T23:44:00.000-07:00

Olympia has a lot of great things to offer, especially for families. One of our favorite places to take the kids is the Hand's On Museum. It's full of little exhibits that are just that, hand's on.

The doctor's office is Bianca's favorite place to play...she likes to give the babies check-ups and look at the x-ray machine. She HAS to wear the stylin' white lab coat.

Watering the garden...

The grocery store.

"Hey babe, I want to take a picture of you and Delaney...can you make sure and flex your giant guns for me? Oh, you already are? OK, thanks..."

Silly Scotty.

The construction zone. Jack was determined to get EVERY single rock into the dump trunk.

And he did.

Geez, who is that little girl with the crack?!? Who is her mother?

Playing in the Moon sand box. Even Scotty and I got in on the action.

Have you ever played with moon sand? Totally fun.

Here is the water table that we have to pull Jack {and Scott} away from every time we come.

We always leave completely soaked, but it's well worth it!

And even though little Laney is still too young to join the fun, she is certainly never forgotten...

Later at the park

Crawlin' like crazy!

Here's to great summer beginnings...we can't wait for a little more heat and sunshine to roll our way!

Preschool, and the age of curiosity...

2011-05-07T23:22:00.000-07:00

Jack is at such a fun age. His brain is constantly working about 6 trillion miles a minute, and so is his mouth. I am not exaggerating in the slightest when I say that he asks ATLEAST 200 questions a day. This morning I recorded about 2 minutes worth of conversation between us. And for the record, I answer EVERY one of his questions.

These are the things that came out of his mouth...

Mom, what's your tongue? what's it do?

Mom, what's your throat for?

Mom, what's your stomach for?

Mom, does Uncle Max ride a horse all the time? (not sure where that one came from)

What does a horse eat?

Mom, what does a stag beetle eat?

What does a praying mantis eat? Can I touch one?

What does a Hercules beetle eat? Can I touch one? (Jack is really interested in bugs and spiders lately...we spend a lot of time at the library looking at nature books)

Mom, do tarantulas molt? Do we molt?
Mom, what's the Vinegaroon eat? (vinegaroons are like scorpions)

Mom, what does the wind do?

Mom, what's the rain for?
...as I'm starting to get a little distracted, he puts his hands on my cheeks and pulls me toward his face "Mom, mom, look at me in my face, talk to me at my face!"

And then it keeps going, and going, and going.

This kid is hilarious...exhausting, but hilarious.

****

In other news, Jack recently started preschool!! There is a little bit of a back story, so here it is...

Last September a friend commented that Jack might benefit from a headstart preschool program due to some of his social and behavioral delays.

Delays? What delays? Isn't my child perfect? :)

I wasn't offended by her opinion, but it got me curious as to why she would make a statement like that. I made Jack an appointment to be evaluated...I mean, it's not like I had anything to lose, right?!? To my surprise, they passed him though to the next round, and then the next of evaluations. (This was a process that took several months.)

The evaluations were very enlightening. It was a great for me to see exactly where he should be, and areas where he was excelling or falling short.

In the end, the conclusion was made that Jack is a VERY bright child (you can tell by his vocabulary in the above conversation), but there are certain mental processes that seem to have small glitches...namely his ability to sequence {even with things like numbers and letters}. And when his mental processes aren't clicking like normal, it tends to make him lose focus and get frustrated.

After all the evaluations (and LOTS of paperwork), he was accepted into the program and then started right up. He goes 4 days a week, and has a bus pick up and drop him off at our doorstep...Oh, and it's totally free. Yeah, not complaining about that. He is in a class with 10 kids and 2 {fabulous} teachers, then meets one on one with 3 different specialists...a speech therapist, occupational therapist, and behavioral specialist.

He LOVES riding the bus...

On the first day, I walked him down the drive way, then got on the bus with him to make sure he was situated, and the little turkey says "Mom, get off the bus...this bus is NOT for moms" Oh brother, I didn't realize kids could already be embarrassed of their parents at age 4 :) heehee

One of the major highlights of starting school was the Spiderman backpack. He is SUPER cool.

Surprisingly, it's been a hard adjustment for Bianca. She and Jack are quite close and for the first few days, she sobbed and sobbed when the bus picked him up. As you can see, her heart break didn't last long...now she loves to sit on the front steps and wait for the bus. It's pretty sweet.

We couldn't be more happy with the way things are working out. He has only been going to preschool for a 6 weeks, and we are already seeing huge improvements. His teachers and specialists are confident that by the time he goes to kindergarten, he will have no problems fitting right in.

And I'm not hatin' the three hours a day that I get with just my sweet girls either. I forgot how easy it was to go places with only two in tow :)

Laney - 7 months

2011-04-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

Good heavens, when did this little doll get to be 7 months old?!?

Miss Delaney continues to be one of the happiest, most content babies around...

**Her smile and giggles are contagious. You can't help but smile back at this girl.

**Laney Lou has been sitting for a few weeks now, and is about to crawl. She gets anywhere she wants to go by getting on all fours and lunging forward.

**Laney has two teeth on bottom, and two in the top that are going to pop through any day now.

**She loves to eat. We haven't encountered any dislikes yet among food...She especially loves sweet potatoes, squash, apples, pears, and gold fish crackers.

**Though she loves to eat and was a hefty 9 lb 8 oz at birth, Laney weighs in at barely15 pounds, putting her around the 20th percentile. I think she will have the same petite build as Jack.

**Laney takes two good naps, and sleeps 12ish hours at night.

Are you convinced that she is the dream babe yet?!?

Yeah, she is.

In fact, if I could guarantee that all my babies would be like this, you could go ahead and sign me up for 3 or 4 more. True story.

Jack and Bianca continue to love on this sweetie all day long. Where ever Laney is, Jack can be found. And no one gets her laughing harder than he does...

Man, we love this girl!

CodeSmart Inc

2011-03-31T23:36:00.000-07:00

Recently, CodeSmart Inc (the company I work for) was nominated for the 2011 Fastest Growing Business in the South Sound. The awards Ceremony was on Tuesday night, and we won!! Over the last two years we have grown from 4 employees to 23 (and I'm almost positive it was ALL due to the killer administrative assistant...yeah, that's me. heehee), and had a revenue over 1.7 million...which in a dead economy is definately something to brag about.

I don't think I have ever talked much about my job on this blog, but it's the best. I work from home, and choose my hours. The management team has always been great to work with and are completely understanding about the fact that I have three kiddos that take top priority during the day. I feel so lucky to be able to work from home...and the paycheck certainly doesn't hurt either :)

Ok, thus ends the shameless plug, now back to the awards ceremony...

These two tall guys in the back are Hans and Mark, part of the Management team. Good guys. Vicki, to my right is a Business Analyst and Project Manager. Garrett (the bearded one) is one of our Developers, and that's his cute fiance Corrine.

Here is Chad giving a little speech about CodeSmart...He is the owner of the Company, and the one that hired me. Vichet is on the far left, he is part of the Management team as well. Chad, Vichet, Hans, and Mark are the ones I work with on a daily basis.

These two beautiful ladies are married to Chad and Vichet. Love these gals. And such awesome wives to be married to men that work Ca-RAZY hours!!

And that's the back of my head...I didn't even know the picture was being taken. or else I might have shoved the rest of the salad down my throat and turned around.

I just had to add in this picture...how cute to serve salad in martini glasses. A salad bar...get it? heehee

The evening was great, but I missed Scotty...he was at home playing Mr. Mom (Froot Loops and ice cream sundaes for dinner anyone?!? Just kidding. But seriously. No wonder he's the favorite parent.)

****

In other news, little Laney has been really sick. A visit to the doctor and some tests confirmed our suspiscions of RSV. More on that in the next couple of days...

New rules and crayons...

2011-03-05T23:32:00.000-08:00

(Thankyou for all the well wishes...we are all feeling much better and are back to our usual energetic selves!)

****

We have been switching things up at the Springer house. I was sick of the noise. Specifically TV noise.

My kids didn't spend all day in front of the tube, but it was always on first thing in the morning and then all afternoon...even if they weren't watching it, it was on.

So I decided to make a change.

I wanted to see what would happen if I didn't turn the TV on until atleast 3 or 4 PM.

I was nervous at first to see how it would work. Really nervous.

The first day was unnaturally perfect, like something from the twilight zone. The kids played together all morning and all afternoon, read story books, colored pictures, and did their chores without a fight (surprisingly, they didn't even ask to watch TV)...The house was peaceful. And while they were keeping themselves busy, I was able to get LOTS of work done.

At 4 o'clock I turned on a movie and they were glued to it quietly for an hour while I made dinner and cleaned up the house before Scott came home.

The same thing happened the next day, and the next day, and the next... and has been that way for the last two weeks.

I most certainly have nothing against TV, but I'm really enjoying the difference not having it on is making in our home.

Now I'm curious...what are your TV rules? what works for your family?

******

Having the TV on less has given me the opportunity to have a lot more fun with the kiddos. It's forced me to be creative on what we do during the day, and I'm lovin' it.

Yesterday we took all of our broken crayons and melted them together.

The kids seriously spent 30 minutes on the countertop un-wrapping the crayons.

(Pardon the lame Ipod phones...my memory card is broken and I haven't gotten a new one yet)

"I did it!!"

They had fun dividing the crayons into color piles, and Jack thought he was SO cool.

And if you are a sneaky mom like me, you say something like "Ok guys, I have a REALLY important job for you. I need you to sit here and watch the crayons and tell me when they start to melt" {insert evil laugh}

After 15 minutes in the oven (and some cool down time of course) you have some fun new crayons.

A perfect rainy day activity!

Oh, and we can't forget Laney...the little sweetie partied in her excersaucer the whole time. Can you believe how much she's growing?!?

We thought we'd make it a family affair....

2011-02-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

We have become a house full of Sickies.

Jack is recovering from a nasty ear infection...still totally congested and coughing.

Delaney has some crazy eye infection, along with a fever and cough.

I wasn't able to get a SINGLE smile from this gal today. Not one.

Look at those droopy eyes. Breaks my heart.

Bianca woke up this morning and came into the room holding her throat, wimpering and saying "Jack hurt me, Mama". The poor girl was blaming Jack for her sore throat. Silly.

She took three naps today, and was tucked in bed fast asleep by 7:30 tonight.

I couldn't get her to eat ANYTHING today...even icecream and 7up couldn't sweeten the deal enough to get anything down her.

I am suffering from the same thing Bianca is. Hideous sore throat, fever, and totally drained.

Daddy rescued the day when he came home from work. We all perked up a little bit when he walked in the door. Well, everyone except Delaney...

Scott thought a dance party would get the kids going a little. I think the only person it going going was Scott.

He lulled Laney to sleep with his sweet air guitar.

having all 4 of us sick at once isn't the worst thing ever. If I have to be sick, it's nice to have all the kiddos sick at the same time so they aren't running around the house wreaking havoc while I am dead on the couch :)

Here's to hoping things brighten up in the next day or two, but for now I am going to eat another popsicle and head to bed!

The Fancy Nancy Birthday Soiree...

2011-02-13T01:27:00.000-08:00

The moments before our fabulous party were a little sketchy. Bianca had a fancy dress to wear but protested it at the last minute, wanting to throw on her OWN outfit...

Being the ~~conquered~~ good mom that I am, I let the little darling change into whatever she wanted. Afterall, it was HER party.

The sour mood was quickly brightened by the arrival of her friends. When they walked in the door, we gave them each a feather boa to top off their fancy ensembles.

We began with glittery paper, foam hearts, and glitter pens...Anytime there is glitter glue involved, you know little girls are going to love it.

After reading the Fancy Nancy story book, we made made some fancy and tasty jewelry. I thought about making real necklaces, but decided 3 and 4 year olds might have an easier time with bigger things to work with. {Um, and who wouldn't want to eat their creation after it's all over?!?}

Then came cake and presents.

That cake had some DELICIOUS buttercream frosting on it. Yeah, anytime you make buttercream frosting, it MUST have atleast two sticks of butter in it. Just sayin'.

I know the cake may not look too fancy, but in the middle it looked like this:

I'm pretty sure that having a fuscia and hotpink cake just SCREAMS fancy.

Opening presents was hilarious. All the girls started out on the couch, and each time a gift was opened they would creep in a little closer. By the end, there was 7 little girls crowded front to back to get a good look at the loot. So adorable.

{ok, take a look at my face...I think we can all guess who the real child was at the party}

The decorations were so fun to put together. You should have seen me in the party section at the Dollar Tree...like a kid in a candy store. If you don't utilize the dollar store, you are definately missing out.

A few spools of tulle, tissue paper, some Mardi Gras beads, and 7 bucks can turn any ordinary room extraordinary!

And here are our adorable party guests. It took about 40 shots to get them all looking in the same-ish direction...

Such beauties!

The party was perfect. Bianca was thrilled, our guests seemed to have a ball, and I got to act like a little kid for an hour. Win win.

I can't wait for next year!

Can't hardly wait...

2011-02-10T20:47:00.000-08:00

Bianca is turning 3 tomorrow and we decided to throw a little party for her.

I got the idea for a "Fancy Nancy" party. Yeah, pretty sure I am far more excited than she is.

Come Saturday, this house is going to be filled with 7 giddy three year olds dressed in their most exquisite ensembles, eating glittery cupcakes and grapes on frilly toothpicks (because EVERYTHING is fancier with a frilly toothpick), drinking fancy punch with their pinkies up, and stringing Fruit Loops on a licorice rope to make a fancy necklace (remember, these are 3 year olds we are talking about here!)

Stay tuned for the fabulous party details!

Getting away, and some Laney lovin'...

2011-02-07T23:14:00.000-08:00

Every mama needs to get away for a minute.

Or 48 hours....

Two weeks ago my mom decided she needed to love on little Laney for a day or two. What kind of daughter would I be if I didn't oblige a far-away Nana? When the flight was booked, I called all the other gals and luckily Candise and Amber were able to make it out too. (we sure missed Kaytie and Chersten!)

We didn't do much in the 48 hours we were together. Just the important things...

Like eat.

and laugh.

and eat.

and laugh.

and eat

yup, that pretty much covers it.

*****

Delaney was a little charmer. She loves her Grandpa.

Even with some teething going on, this girl was all smiles.

Er, smiles and drool.

Most of these cute pics are taken in the kitchen...where we spent most of our time :)

The weekend was short, but we mananged to sneak in some patty-cake....

Laney LOVED it.

Giggles all around!

Here are the four Harris beauties. Aren't we a good lookin' bunch?

As usual, the weekend was over much too quickly. I think we need to have a these girls' weekends every few months.

But next time, I think we need to meet in Hawaii.

*****

And I need to throw a BIG shout out to the Scotty Man who took care of Jack and Bianca for the weekend...when I came home everyone was still alive and the house was clean. I call that a great success!

A great recipe...

2011-02-01T23:32:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

- 3 kids (we like toddlers and squishy babies, but any type will do)

- 1 retro air-popper and enough melted butter and salt to make mama happy

- slide show

Directions:

Step 1: Any fabulous recipe should start with a happy baby. The blues eyes aren't necessary, but always add a kick.

Step 2: Find a couple of willing toddlers to assist in the popping of the popcorn. Note: microwave popcorn is acceptable, but kids go crazy over the air-popped...

Step 3: Be married to a tech-savvy hubby that hooks your TV up to your computer so you can watch a slide show of digiral pictures from the last 5 years on a big screen. If it's 1988, you can wheel out your projector, screen, and boxes of slides. {Joking aside, that is one of my favorite things to do when going home to my parents house. anyone else?}

Step 4: Drench your popcorn in melted butter and salt, then sit and enjoy your toddlers watching all the pictures...every child LOVES to see themselves, especially up on the wall. {Bianca had to point out EVERY single picture of herself...and Jack...and Delaney....and mom & dad. There was a lot of pointing going on.}

"Who's that, mom?"

{one of the reasons I love the picture below is because you can actually see the adorable lisp Bianca has...can you tell?}

"Hey, that's me!"

Step 5: finish the popcorn and the slide show, then check up on the happy baby, who has turned into the sleeping baby.

See how easy that was!?! Only a few ingredients, and the best part is...it's nearly fool-proof. success every time.

Give it a try!

You know you have too many couch cushions...

2011-01-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

...When they line up from the front of the house, all the way to the back of the house.

Er, wait a minute, maybe that means your house is too small. I haven't decided yet.

Most winter days around here are dark, soggy, and drizzley {yeah, that's a word}. I usually don't feel like taking three little kiddos anywhere so we spend a lot of time at home. And when you spend a lot of time around the house, your playtime needs to get creative. So if you have a couch with 11 cushions, it only makes sense to use them for some mean fort building. I think we make atleast one fort a day around here.

This time, after the fort fell apart, Jack thought all the cushions needed to be in a line to make a road. I never argue with an idea I KNOW is going to keep these two occupied for an extra hour {I know, call me crazy}. They ran back and forth along this road ALL afternoon.

And Laney was thoroughly entertained watching the two monkeys playing {at a safe distance of course, Nana}.

Everybody wins!

Every few minutes Jack has to check in with Baby D just to make sure she's watchin' the action...

Happy fort building/road making everyone!

Oh, and I'd like to know...what do you all do to entertain your little ones in these gross winter months?

Christmas aftermath...

2011-01-12T00:11:00.000-08:00

I've decided that Christmas is the best.

This year Santa delivered a few sweet gifts (in years past, Santa thought it was ridiculous to spend a bunch of money on gifts for kids who aren't even old enough to care. I know I know, just call me the Grinch). I swear, since Chistmas I have hardly seen the kids. They are both usually upstairs entertained with a "Car Bridge" or Princess Castle (which is so adorable by the way. I love Melissa & Doug toys) and completely engulfed in their hilarious imaginary play.

Yeah, um, notice that skateboard?!? I am banking on at least one broken bone and one set of stiches caused by that thing before this year is over. And just for the record, it was Scott's idea, not mine.

The company I work for gave us iPods for Christmas and that thing has been as good as gold at our house. It's the perfect "leverage" for a techy loving 4 year old. He knows his way around that thing better than I do. It's bordeline creepy.

Delaney got this play mat from Gramma Susie...she loves it, which means I do too :)

Bianca recieved this little puppy from our cousin gift exchange and it's with her ALL. DAY. LONG. And that big doggy purse is full of all her "trinkets"...

Hope you enjoy that puppy babe, because it is the closest thing you will EVER get to a pet at this house.

Mark my words.

****

On a totally different note, Miss Delaney will be 4 months old in a couple of days. This gal has got to be the happiest baby that ever lived. I'm not kidding. She is smiles and giggles all day, then sleeps all night. If every baby were like her, I would probably have 5 more kids. Just kidding. {But seriously}

She is rolling all over the place, and especially likes to roll onto her belly and lift herself as for off the ground as she can. She is one strong girl...but I suppose you have to be when you have a 4 year old and 2 year old trying to pummel you all day long.

Laney LOVES Jack. He gets her giggling harder than anyone.

From her end...

From his end...

Pure joy.

2010 - Our Year of "Firsts"

2010-12-28T00:48:00.000-08:00

2010 was a busy year for the Springer family, and if I had to define it, it would be our year of "firsts". Let's do a little re-cap...

- In February, Bianca experienced her first set of stitches. Jack also got stitches this year, but sadly, it wasn't his first. That kid is a constant accident waiting to happen. I wish I could say this was our first trip to the ER, but it wasn't....and this trip would be accompanied by a 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th trip. Awesome. I especially love the ER co-pays, they're the best {insert hint of sarcasm}.

- The same weekend of Bianca's stitches marked the kids' first car accident. It was awful. Luckily they were fine, but I was knocked unconscious and ended up with 10 staples in my head...oooh, my first set of staples! see, this IS our year of firsts!

- We purchased our first Minivan this year...I am officially a minivan-for-life kind of gal now.

- I met my first celebrity...The Pioneer Woman! I loved her, and she thought my hair was cute so I'm pretty sure that makes me her BFF.

- In August we purchasd our first house! With our growing family, we knew it was time to say goodbye to the apartment dwelling days. The homebuying process proved challenging, but it was well worth it. We have loved the change!

August also marked our first ever camping trip. We accompanied our friends, the Kleins to beautiful Crescent Lake and had such a great time...I can't wait to go camping again this summer and NOT be 8 1/2 months pregnant!

- In September, Sweet Delaney joined our family. I know that she wasn't our first, but she was most definately a highlight. I guess she kind of qualifies because she was our first baby over 9 lbs AND our first red head, {which is getting more red every day}. She fits perfectly in our little family. We love this gal.

Man, we had a great year and are excited to see what 2011 brings...I'm espcially looking forward to Jack starting preschool and Scotty graduating from grad school. Wahoo!

Happy New Year everyone!

Christmas Eve...

2010-12-25T16:21:00.000-08:00

Christmas Eve has always been my favorite day of the year. The excitement, the anticipation, and magic...I live for it. This year we started Christmas Eve off with Christmas movies and relaxation for most of the day...it was so nice to have a little down time. We also opened a new pair of jammies from Nana Cindy.

When clothing is involved, there MUST be a fashion show, especially for Bianca.

"How do I look?"

"Ok, how about now?!?"

"Alright, here's your money shot, mom"

Next, My little sous chef helped make cookies for Santa. Nana Cindy bought Jack this "Manly" apron...he LOVES helping me measure ingredients.

We were thinking that Santa gets sick of regular chocolate chip cookies, so we opted for Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cups...perfect for a 4 year old to help with too!

Grandma Susie and Grandpa Terry Came over for some dinner. We made LOTS of cookies for Santa so they were kind enough to help us eat a few...heaven knows Santa doesn't need to eat 40 of those cookies.

And let's not forget our sweet baby D...always happy and chubby as can be. And growing like a weed.

The evening was perfect, and Christmas morning was even better {pics to come later}.

We have enjoyed this season and all that it entails...the gifts, lights, treats, magic, and most importantly the true meaning of Christmas with the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Merry Christmas!!

Life is good.

2010-12-16T10:24:00.000-08:00

No.

Life is great.

I can't believe it's been over a month since I have posted last. Not much has been happening around the Springer house. Well, except for the trip to the ER after Jack slammed Bianca's finger in the door fracturing her knuckle. That was a fun day. Nothing like a mangled finger to get the adrenaline pumping, right?!? We also took a short trip to Utah for Thanksgiving, which became REALLY short because of nasty weather and treacherous roads. Sadly, I don't think I snapped a single picture all weekend. Oh, and winter craft shows took up a good portion of November. Glad those are done! So, I suppose a fair amount has been happening around here :)

But life is great, because of sweet Delaney. We can't get enough of her sweet temperment, giggles, and big smiles. I can already tell she will be the "peacemaker" of the family. I don't think there has ever been a more mild mannered baby. My only complaints were her sleeping habits, but those are long gone and have been replaced with a full nights sleep starting at about 10 pm. It feels good to sleep again!

Here is a little glimpse of what we get to enjoy all day... (pardon my dorky voice)

This Christmas season has been lots of fun with Jack and Bianca being a little older. We have the house decked out with lots of christmas cheer. Stockings have been hung, lights have been strung, and a beautiful Natavity sits on top of a bookshelf to help us remember the true meaning of this holiday. The kids have been loving every minute of it all! Christmas is so magical to a 4 year old, and we have been eating it up.

Ok, If you have little kiddos, you need to go to this website http://www.portablenorthpole.tv/home and make one of these videos. It only takes a few minutes, and it will NOT dissapoint! We told Jack that Santa wanted to "skype" him, you should have seen his face when Santa knew his name and had a picture of him. it was priceless. Santa "skyped" Bianca the next day and I caught a little snippet. It's pretty cute... (I love Jack in the background responding to Santa.)

I hope you are all enjoying the season!

I'll be back soon.

But don't hold your breath.

So true...

2010-11-07T22:50:00.000-08:00

I watched this video and laughed. so. hard.

Because it's true.

Sleep is crucial.

Which is why I am not in love with Laney's sleep schedule as of late. The little peanut is bright eyed and bushy tailed from 10 PM to 2:30 AM every night...but then she sleeps until 2 the next day (which I am totally not complaing about). It wouldn't be so bad, but Jack and Bianca are up at or before 7 AM. 5 1/2 hours is ok for now, but I don't think it will take long before the devil gets ahold of me :) I think I might need to start keeping a *gasp* diet coke in the fridge for emergencies.

I haven't really been fighting Laney's schedule for a couple of reasons. First, I really like that I have the morning to get a lot done, and spend time with Jack and Bianca. Also, with life as crazy as it is, I'm glad I am getting to take the time in the quiet hours of the night to snuggle her, because she is growing up much to quickly.

Having said that, I am also looking forward to month 4 when I can start sleep training this gal and get on a more routine schedule...because Nazi schedules are how we stay sane at this house, er, how I stay sane at this house.

Speaking of getting to month 4, I can't believe that month 2 is creeping up on us this week!! Crazy that she is already that old. Time is flying by!

Along with keeping me up until the wee hours of the night, Laney also loves her swing and laying under the lamp in the living/family room. If she isn't being held, those are the two places you can always find her.

When she is on the floor, it isn't without eagle eye supervision of course...do you think I would leave her on the floor unattended with Jack and Bianca around?!? Yeah, I don't think so.

Because this is what happens when she is on the floor...

She is instantly attacked with slobbery kisses (among other things).

When she isn't being poked and prodded, she will kick for a bit then pass out.

(The picture above and the one below were taken within minutes of each other...talk about a crash napper!)

And totally off the subject, I love this tiny foot. So dainty.

I hear the Delaney calling, time for my snuggling hours.

Good night!

The Halloween Happenings...

2010-10-26T23:42:00.000-07:00

Halloween is in full swing this week at the Springer house. On Monday night for Family Home Evening, we decided some pumpkin carving was in order to get us in the holiday mood. Me and Bianca had a blast taking out the "guts" while Jack stood by and complained that it was gross and "gisdusting"

Bianca wanted to show you what the guts looked like...

And here is me. There is little evidence on the blog that I actually exist, so there you have it.

Hey Jack, do you want to join in on some family fun?

"No fankyou"

{see that little gash on Jacks cheek? Um, yeah...that was a trip to the ER for 3 stitches after an unfortunate stumble off the couch onto the corner our ottoman. Man, that kid is always keeping me on my toes.}

There are no pictures of the finished pumpkin, daddy had to step in to do the carving and I had my hands full trying to keep two curious kiddos from getting their fingers chopped off. But it's a dandy...triangle eyes, a square nose, and a crescent moon for a mouth. We kept it simple as the attention spans were dwindling :)

****

Tonight we had the annual Trunk-or-treat. Bianca and Delaney each have an adorable tutu, so I decided to make them into charming little garden fairies...it's amazing what can be done with some hot glue and dollar store flowers and wings!

Bianca was beyond ecstatic to have such a pretty outfit to wear...

There you go, work it girl.

Baby D was pretty indifferent.

Or maybe she didn't love it afterall.

And then we had an outlaw. It is impossible to get a good picture of Jack if there is ANYTHING going on around him...this kid won't sit still for a second. I'll see if I can snap a better picture on halloween.

We have already had a fun filled two days...we'll have to see what the rest of the week brings!! stay tuned for more!

This n' that...

2010-10-17T23:05:00.000-07:00

I can't believe how quickly time is flying by around here. Baby Laney will be FIVE weeks old tomorrow...I seriously feel like we JUST brought her home from the hospital.

My parents came last week to see the kiddos and give Laney the love-ups for the a couple of days. It was a perfectly low key weekend filled with stories, couch lounging, baby holding, Bianca giggling, and Jack chasing.

Here's my cute mom...man I miss this lady.

Bianca couldn't get enough of my dad. I don't think I have ever heard her giggle so hard as when Papa was around.

****

Over the last few weeks Delaney has been surprised us with some crazy red hair!! Every day it gets a little more red...I suppose scotty's red whiskers and my Grandma's fiery red hair is where she gets it.

I love that I have a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead...not many people get to have a "neapolitan family"

I can't wait to see how red it will really come in....

****

This is DEFINATELY worth mentioning...drumroll please...

We replaced Bianca's gross fliplops!!

With these adorable rainboots...

It sure felt good to toss those awful shoes in the trash.

****

I still have a million pictures to post...Delaney's sweet Blessing, Jack's FOURTH birthday, and other random things.

Be patient my friends, I'll get there!!

checking in...

2010-10-06T00:39:00.000-07:00

I know I've been a bit of an absentee blogger these days, but I will jump back on the wagon soon. For now, you can all rest assured that this little darling does this for most of the day{and night, lucky us}...

Infact, we rarely hear a peep out of her.

I have to say, the transition from 2 to 3 has not been as bad as I anticipated. Ask me again when I venture out in public on my own for the first time though...I might have something different to say! I do look forward to 5 o'clock more than ever lately...when daddy walks through the door and gives me a little break.

And I still have yet to experience ALL three kiddos crying at once. shhh, don't tell. I don't want to jinx myself.

Life is good.

No, life is great.

I have lots of great pictures to post, stay tuned!

Smitten...

2010-09-18T19:32:00.000-07:00

Sweet Delaney has us all wrapped around her little finger. Not only is she absolutely adorable {yeah, I can say that}, but she sleeps and eats like you would not believe. I can feel the pounds melting off of me and on to her as she guzzles and gulps...heehee, if only these pounds actually melted away :)

At this point Delaney has been pretty well received by Jack and Bianca. Bianca seems to be indifferent for the most part. She likes to watch me get her dressed, and change her diaper, but other than that, she pays little to no attention to her. For now, I think I prefer it that way. Jack on the other hand is completely smitten by baby Laney. Where ever she is, he is.

Even if it's just while he's watching a movie, he wants he to be holding her.

And he is usually {gently} rubbing her head, {softly} holding her fingers, or {tenderly} kissing her.

I see a very protective older brother in the future for this little gal.

{Finally} Introducing...

2010-09-14T10:47:00.000-07:00

Miss Delaney Springer

Weighing in at a VERY solid

9 lbs 8 oz

Yeah, that's right, you heard me.

My belly was so big for a reason!

That hair...I love it.

The day went smoothly...we arrived at the hospital at 5:30 AM, got everything ready to go, and were in surgery right at 7:30. The C-section went quickly, and I was in recovery within about 45 minutes.

I can already tell this litle gal is going to be a daddy's girl...She is only about 15 minutes old here.

We are smitten.

Jack is in love with baby Laney...I can tell he will be a great helper at home.

Don't be fooled by the look of excitement from Bianca, it wasn't without LOTS of coaxing that we got Bianca to get this close to Delaney. She didn't want anything to do with her. It will be interesting to see how she handles things once we get home...I'm sure I'll have plenty of stories to tell!

As for mommy and baby, we are doing pretty well. My recovery is going extremely well, and I feel like I will be feeling good in no time! Baby Delaney is proving to be a fussy baby. We are hoping that the little gal is just starving...I have never had a good milk supply and with such a big baby, it takes a lot to keep her fed. Hopefully it will only be a couple more days and we will have a happy camper, well two happy campers :)

There will be more pics to come. For now, I should try and get some rest!

In just 5 hours...

2010-09-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

My alarm will ring and we'll wake up to head to the hospital. Sweet Delaney will be here before some of you even wake up!

Scotty will have the laptop ready to post pictures of the the little beauty immediately.

For now, I will try and get some sleep.

Yeah, right.

39 weeks, and what I've been up to...

2010-09-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

I am finally on the home stretch! By this time next week, I will be in recovery snuggling my sweet Delaney. I couldn't be more excited to hold a baby in my arms! But having only a week left, also means crunch time...I am mostly finished with the furniture redo's I have been working on, so this week will be devoted to crafting. We have a show just two weeks after the baby is born, so I want to try and have everything done before then.

At 39 weeks, I feel great. By the end of the day I am most certainly waddling around, but I still have pretty good energy. I am lucky to be carrying a pretty low baby, which means I am breathing easy these days. I remember with Jack and Bianca, when they were finally born I took my first deep breath in MONTHS. I have been seeing two different doctors (They will both be doing the c-section because by the 3rd one, there is more tissue and scarring to take care of). One of the doctors says Delaney will be a big baby, surely over 8 lbs. The other doctor thinks we have a petite little gal on our hands at barely 7 lbs. I'm anxious to see what we get! As long as she has hair I don't really care. Just kidding. But seriously.

From the front view, things aren't looking too bad...

It's the side view that's alarming!

Ok, enough of that.

For the last couple of weeks, I have been trying my best to put our home together. The thing about moving from a tiny apartment, to a house that's twice as big, is that it needs to be filled. Buying a house however, meant our budget would be restricted.

So, what's a poor girl to do?

Hit up all the local garage sales, of course!!

I've had a blast picking up furniture for next to nothing, and refinishing it. Let me take you on a little tour...

First of all, we needed a table. In our last place, we were on a card table which also doubled as my craft table. It was less than appealing with paint, glitter, and hot glue all over it. I pickup up this little darling for 30 bucks at a garage sale...the little old man just wanted it gone. It was in pretty rough looking shape, but a few coats of paint, some sanding, and stain made her into a real beaut.

The table is extremely solid, and I love the windsor chairs. We have black appliances in the kitchen, but the cupboards are brown, so with the table, I wanted to incorporate black and brown together. You'll notice on the chair, it looks pretty beat up...it's that way on purpose. I sanded down any edges so I could stain them brown. The pictures don't do it justice, but I love how it turned out.

Next, Our bedroom has always been too small for end tables or anything. Our bed has always been pushed into a corner. I always hated our bedroom. Now that we have a bigger Master, I want to make it a place that scott and I can go and relax and hang out.

First, there are the end tables. I got these babies for 7 dollars a piece, but did splurge 2.50 a piece on the new knobs and World Market. I painted, sanded, and stained them. I wanted the stain to really show up because I wanted to tie in the chocolate brown with the headboard.

A closer look...once again, it's got some imperfection, but that's the look I was going for.

Next is one of my favorites. I scored this rocking chair for $10.00. I wanted it to go in the bedroom, so I painted it the same color as the end tables. Funny thing about that pillow...I saw it at Fred Meyer and thought it would be perfect, but was NOT willing to fork out 20 dollars for it. As luck would have it, I spotted the same pillow at a garage sale just a few days later for 3 bucks. sweet!

Here is the base...I love how the stain brings out the lines.

When we moved, our bed frame was damaged, so I knew we had to buy a new one. No big deal, they cost around $35.00. I bought a hideous (hideous like, the paint was the color of what you'd find in a newborn's diaper, and the fabric covering it was sporting puke green, purple, gold, and black stripes. gross) padded headboard off craiglist that had a frame attached for $25.00. Double score!! I painted the wood chocolate brown, and re-upholstered the padded area with a very soft almost minky chocolate fabric I found in the clearance bin at JoAnns.

It is SO comfy to lay against (the padding is about three inches thick). It makes it so nice to sit in bed to read...or blog :)

There is still nothing on the walls in the bedroom, that will have to wait. For now, it will be a perfect place to sit and snuggle with a baby!

Lastly, The kids room is something I want to make really fun. I want to make it a place they want to play...genius idea, huh. I found this little laundry hanger at a garage sale for .50 cents, and just painted it pink then nailed it the wall. The mirror was found for 3 bucks at lowes, and I will be printing out some pink vinyl with a girlie saying to complete the look. That hanger has been great for all the accessories this girl has!

I think that's it for now...for the next month or so anyway :)

Thanks for coming along, if you have any questions let me know, and I will respond in the comment section!

And then I admit something I NEVER thought I would...

2010-08-31T23:19:00.000-07:00

I love camping

There I said it. It's out in the open now.

I've never liked the thought of camping. I think it's been like ten years since I have been, and even then I despised not showering, wearing dirty clothes, and stinking of smoke...yeah, not my idea of fun.

Scott has always wanted me to go, but my response is usually something like "yeah, right babe. That's never going happen."

Well, this weekend, Scotty ran into some friends that were getting ready to head out on a camping trip. One thing led to another, and before I knew it, I was dragging my feet through Walmart shopping for things like a tent and sleeping bags. I was having a good attitude because I knew scott really wanted to go, and if nothing else, at least we would be with friends, and there would be good food to go around! I also tried to forget the fact that I was two weeks away from having a baby (less than that now, wahoo!!)

When we pulled up to the camp site in the Olympic mountains, I couldn't believe the beauty around us...breathtaking! This was the view out side of our tent...

It's quite literally a rainforest. Amazing.

Jack and Bianca didn't waste anytime playing in the dirt, picking up sticks, and climbing anything they could. I knew immediately that they would be in heaven the WHOLE time we were there. They were both filthy within five minutes, and I just let them stay that way. In fact, Jack slept in his filthy clothes...eh, whatev.

We were there for some perfect weather. The day before had been cold and rainy, but we certainly lucked out. The mornings began cold, and so we would peel off the layers as the day went on. Here is Jack in the morning, totally bundled...

Once the sun came out, and we got out of the thick tree cover, it really warmed up.

And off came the layers...

Bianca didn't waste any time getting in the water.

Or taking her shirt off.

Jack however, went straight for the skibbies.

And I let him.

Because every little boy should climb a dock in their superhero underwear from time to time.

This handsome guy didn't feel the need to swim in his undies. He just stood around looking like a hunk...

We made to sure to take a family picture...well, the best kind you can get with two little kiddos and lots of things WAY more fun to be doing.

I wore a green shirt so you could all tell that I do indeed look like I have a watermelon for a belly :) Those cashiers weren't too far off!

Later, we went for a short mile hike, but I forgot my camera...bummer too because it was beautiful!

The rest of the group decided to take a longer hike to some waterfalls, but I opted out because ~~I can do that when I am 20 months pregnant~~ Bianca was WAY too tired. Ali took some great pics of Jack and scotty for me.

Scott said Jack was in heaven.

I don't blame the kid.

My two rugged men...

And then of course there was the food. aaah, the food.

Ali prepped some FABULOUS desserts for us.

Bananas split open and filled with milk and white chocolate chips, and mini marshmellows, then foiled up, cooked and served with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

Next she hollowed out some strawberries, filled with them with chocolate chips and little carmel balls, then wrapped them in foil and warmed over the fire...served with whipped cream of course.

Can you tell I enjoyed it WAY too much?!?

So that about sums it up...great weather, great company, great food, and breathtaking beauty.

I'm sold.

I will go camping anytime.

Oh, and perhaps one of my favorite things...after playing and hiking all day...the little kiddos look like this by about 7 PM.

Perfect.

37 weeks...

2010-08-23T23:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the moment you have all been waiting for...

When I say I am indeed huge, I'm not joking around.

Not even a little.

I have had two comments from different male checkers at the grocery store that have said "did you want me to ring you up for that watermelon you have there?" harhar you clever geniuses.

Sadly, I feel fabulous. Oh, You'll notice that I'm standing in our house!! Wahoo!! It finally happened this weekend...scott and I made the move, and at this point are completely unpacked. I've been busy getting to work on some furniture refinishing. I am sure my neighbors get a kick out of a gal as pregnant as me outside on the driveway re-upholstering headboards and painting tables (with proper ventilation to protect Baby Delaney of course). I will do a post later this week on some of my great garage sale makeovers...as soon as it's all finished and put together!

As I just mentioned, I really do feel fabulous. I have your typical aches and pains, and some crazy braxton-hicks at night, but nothing that stops me from the daily grind. I have a list of too many projects that I need to get done before this little sweetie gets here in 20 days.

I do have one complaint though.

It's my feet...ankles...kankles.

I have NEVER had swelling like this...

Goodness, let me see if I can get a prettier picture for you.

Oh, what's that you say...there won't BE a prettier picture?!? Ok.

At least I have a beautiful pedicure, and a superb hubby that gives me footrubs.

I miss my ankles.

**Sigh**

A waiting game...

2010-08-17T16:41:00.000-07:00

We are still not in the "big house" {that's what Jack calls it...but I suppose anything seems big after a 700 sq foot apartment!}. It was supposed to the 27th of July, then the 10th of August, and now it's "tomorrow", and has been for about 5 "tomorrow"s in a row.

Needless to say, I am getting antsy.

Like the kind of antsy that people are afraid of...I'm ornery and fiesty.

I think it's a combination of the home drama, and me being 20 months pregnant. Ok, I'm not ACTUALLY 20 months pregnant, just feeling that way. And it's apparently evident just how pregnant I am by the comments I keep getting..."Oh, you poor thing, you still have a MONTH left?!?" or "Wow, you are huge!" and one of my faves, "Man, are you gonna pop any day now?" Even my doctor {whose opinion I didn't even ask for} said to me at my appointment yesterday "you just look so big because you are a small person"...Oh really Doc? do you think that's what it is? I just figured I was going to be giving birth to a toddler. Thanks for clarifying that for me though.

See, can you tell I'm fiesty? I wasn't joking around.

All that really needs to be said to a pregnant woman with swollen ankles and sausage-like-fingers is "You look fabulous!"

End of story.

Rant completed...

Though we are antsy to get into the house, we have been enjoying our time living with the in-laws. I am certainly not complaining about the Central AC that's currently blasting {something pretty uncommon for Washington because it's only needed a few weeks a year. Lucky for us, it happens to be those weeks}, or the giant back yard that Jack has been playing in for literally 10 hours a day. There is also a park in the neighborhood that we like to walk to atleast once a day.

Gramma Susie has about 20 bikes to choose from, and Bianca ALWAYS chooses the one without a seat.

She's fearless.

Jack has finally mastered pedaling...once he got it down, he instantly became the coolest kid on the block.

Cool enough to wear his collar up, and sport a look that says "Just try and mess with me. I dare you."

And when we finally get to the park, the animal in Jack breaks loose and he thinks he can do anything...

Which he kind of can, that monkey has some crazy balance.

When he reaches the top he always says "Look at me mom, Ina big handsome boy!"

Yes, yes you sure are sweetie.

I'm hoping the next post will be an exciting one about finally being in the house...cross your fingers!!

Oh, and I will be posting a picture of "the belly" soon...so you can all be really excited for that :)

The little fish turns into a big fish...

2010-07-27T22:06:00.000-07:00

Jackson's floaties popped just before we went to the pool yesterday, so we decided to let him play on the steps until Grandma Susie arrived with a new pair. Scott took him out to kick his legs a little bit, and then let him go to see if he could stay afloat (I know, I know...please don't call Child Services on us). Much to our surprise, Jack just took off. Within 10 minutes this kid was swimming the length of the pool (with Daddy in close proximity of course). I caught a few minutes of the madness on camera...this kid seriously NEVER slows down.

So, do we see an olympic swimmer in the future?!?

Maybe not, but we DO see a completely worn out 3 year old who sleeps well and takes 4 hour naps...I'll take it.

Important bedtime teaching...

2010-07-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

I walked in on something a little unsettling last night.

The kids were waiting for us to come in their room for the usual bedtime routine, and I heard hysterical laughter. Normally, that would have been adorable and charming...you know, one of those moments that makes you so happy to be a parent. When I actually walked into the room, I discovered the laughter was coming from Jack and Bianca "knocking" the dolls in the head over the bed as hard as they could, like some sort of piñata or something.

Oh brother...I knew it was time for a lesson about being gentle with babies. Afterall, there will be one in the house soon!

First, daddy showed the kids how to gently wrap baby Delaney {yes, that's what we have decided to name the sweet thing...pretty darling isn't it?!?}.

Spead out the blanket, then put Delaney at the top, VERY softly. Then fold up the middle.

Then wrap her up tightly (but gently!) like a burrito.

Make sure to hold her head, and give gentle kisses.

Aaah, much better than treating the little one like a piñata.

Your turn Miss Bianca...

She was more of an observant learner. I'm sure she was just soaking it all in.

And make sure to give gentle kisses, that's the most important part.

I don't know, maybe baby Delaney will have a chance at survival afterall!

Big Changes...

2010-07-11T21:29:00.000-07:00

I know it's been a while, but there have been a lot of exciting things going on in the Springer house!

With a third little one on the way, we knew we needed to upgrade from the apartment life we have been living for the last 5 years. *Gasp* I can't believe we have almost been married that long! We started looking into buying a home and the perfect one landed in our laps. We are scheduled to close on the 27th...moving when nearly 8 months pregnant will be all sorts of fun I'm sure.

The price was right, the location was perfect, and the timing impeccable.

Here she is, brand spankin' new...

...with fabulous appliances. I don't think you all know how excited I am to have a full size refrigerator and a microwave that fits our dinner plates!

I love the big windows, and out the back of those windows is a giant wall of trees. Fabulous.

I am pretty sure this master bathroom is bigger than the master bedroom we live in now.

You think I'm kidding.

I'm not.

Hello belly. You are looking especially plump these days.

And speaking of other big changes...My belly, ankles, and face are changing at a rapid pace.

Here I am at 31 weeks. I can't believe I still have 2 months left. I feel great, but am looking forward to having this pregnancy over with. For some reason, having two toddlers around drains me like you would not believe! I can't wait to have my energy back.

And the last big change is the weather! After a freezing cold 4th of July, summer has finally decided to show it's face up here in the Northwest. Being 7 months prengnant in 90+ degree weather with out an air conditioner is pretty brutal. Luckily we have an awesome pool to pass the heat away...

I'm convinced Jack and Bianca were fish in a previous life.

Here is proof of Jack and his mad swimming skills...this kid has more energy than I know what to do with.

There you have it...lots going on, and more to come in the coming months, stay posted!

Happy Father's Day...

2010-06-20T13:38:00.000-07:00

...To a man who plays with his kids like he's a child himself.

...To a man who isn't afraid to get just as excited for a pink butterfly purse as his two year old daughter.

...To a man who can ALWAYS make any "dinosaur bites" or "bonked oodles" feel better.

...To a man who can always put a smile on his kids' faces.

...To a man whose three year old wants to be JUST like him.

...To a very handsome man indeed!

Thanks for all you do for our family Darling, I'm grateful on a daily basis for the husband, father, and man that you are!

If you think Rice Krispy Treats are too childish...

2010-05-27T14:26:00.000-07:00

...then you need to make them like this:

Then the simple combination of marshmallows and cereal will become a sweet, chewy addiction. I would know, because I have made 5 or 6 (but who's really counting) batches of these babies in the last two weeks. It might be the extra butter that makes them so wonderful, or the added peanut butter, or possibly the addition of white and milk chocolate...I don't know, but whatever it is, you need to trust me on this one.

Here is what you need:

in microwavable bowl combine-

30 large marshmallows (my kiddos love to help count!)

1/4 C peanut butter

4 TBS butter

Microwave together for three minutes, stirring after each minute.

When it's done, add:

3 C of Rice Krispies

1/2 C white chocolate chips...don't leave them out, they kind of melt into the mixture and make for a fun, creamy texture.

Press into a greased 9 x 9 inch pan, then drizzle 1/4 C melted chocolate chips over the top.

Put them in the fridge for a bit...or the freezer if you are like me and can't wait that long!

Enjoy!

Oh, and you should all hop on over to my darling mom's foodie blog to see her version of the recipe, along with some other fabulous treats! (Oh, and I stole these great pictures from her blog...there is definitely something to be said about a decent camera and good lighting!)

And then he turns into a man...

2010-05-23T21:06:00.000-07:00

As I was browsing through the clearance racks at Target, I stumbled on this adorable little suit. It was the only one on the rack, and just Jack's size. Upon gazing at the price tag, I knew it was meant to be...only $6.24!

When I dressed him for church today, I couldn't believe how old he looked...

Such a hansome young fellow...

Wouldn't you agree?

Proof...

2010-05-16T19:28:00.000-07:00

I know I have gone on and on about Bianca and her obsessions with shoes, purses, clothes, and anything "pretty". I have also mentioned that not getting her way when it comes to an outfit results in a tantrum...for like 30 minutes.

You all probably think I exaggerate about this girl and her pretty things.

I don't.

I wish it was all a gross exaggeration in an effort to make a good blog.

It's not.

And now I have proof for you. Here is a video to give you a little taste of what we experience in the name of fashion AT LEAST once a day at this house.

This is a fairly mild tantrum...there wasn't any hitting or biting involved, and I was able to get those sparkley shoes on her within about 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Oh, and don't mind the shabby looking blanket hanging with tacks over the window...Jackson thought the blinds that were there doubled as a jungle gym. That turkey. They have been removed :)

Sometimes, being a good mom means...

2010-05-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

...letting your vivacious two year old wear whatever she wants. Even if it means she wears a massive tutu, purple shirt, red bracelet, and giant flower in her hair.

Because when she gets to wear whatever she wants, the little treasures she finds outside are more exciting...

She can run even faster...

And dance even crazier...

It's easy being a good mom to Jack, because all it takes is giving him free reign to squish every bug and spider he can find...

Then not only will he be the happiest boy around, but will also be kept busy for hours.

I sure love being a good mom.

Pink, sparkles, purses, and shoes...

2010-05-03T18:41:00.000-07:00

Well folks, it looks like Miss Bianca will have a sister to share shoes and purses with...heaven help this household if we have another little gal who is as girly as Bianca. I have a feeling I am going to need A LOT more pink sparkley purses!

We couldn't be more excited about the news. I was secretly hoping for a girl just so we could take the name "Fox" out of the running. If this baby was a boy, scott was dead set on that name for his son.

Yikes.

And, for all of you wondering how this baby belly is progressing...

Here I am.

In all my glory.

.At 21 weeks.

(they pushed me back a couple weeks at my last appointment. ugh, I hate that)

Meeting the Pioneer Woman...

2010-04-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

I love the Pioneer Woman.

If you have no idea who I am talking about than do yourself a favor and go check out her site, The Pioneer Woman and you will most definitely spend a couple of hours there reading her Confessions, checking out her sweet photography skills, and drooling over some of her recipes.

Well, I got to meet her.

She recently came out with a fun cookbook, and has been all over the country at book signings. When she came to Seattle, I was graciously invited by a friend to fill an empty seat..."Um, heck yes I will go with you" was pretty much my response when Ali called to invite me. But in your head, imagine an obnoxious, shrill voice saying it.

We headed up to Seattle and waited for over 5 hours to meet Pioneer Woman. There were nearly 700 hundred people in front of us...that poor woman, can you imagine signing that many books. ugh. I most definitely didn't mind the wait though, I was with three fun gals and we just chatted, laughed, and ate for the entire 5 hours.

When it was finally my turn to meet her, I became a pre-teen meeting the Jonas Brothers. Seriously. I was shaking and nervous, and there may or not have been a tear {or two} in my eye. I honestly had no idea what came over me.

The Pioneer Woman was an absolute delight. She was so personable and friendly...and I am pretty sure we are new BFF's because she touched my pregnant belly AND said she loved my hair.

Yup, I'm pretty sure that makes us best friends.

These are the cuties I went with...what a great night!!

After we got our books signed at 10:30 PM, we all decided that a late night trip to the CheeseCake Factory was definitely necessary. Nothing like fried mozzerella and rich chocolate coconut {YUM} cheesecake at midnight! I felt like I was in college again...except this time the fried mozzerella gave me heartburn, and I was awakened by two toddlers only 5 hours after going to bed.

So worth it.

Introducing, the newest member of the Springer Family...

2010-04-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

No, NOT a baby...heaven forbid, I am only 20 weeks along!

Today we added a sweet addition to our family, a 2008 Hyundai Entourage...

This is exactly what our car looks like, she sure is a beaut isn't she?!?

I am officially in love with this mini-van. Truth be told I always thought I was an SUV kind of gal, but let's be honest...an SUV is NOT the car you want with three carseats. seriously people.

We went to the dealership today with a budget, and monthly payment in mind. When we saw this car, I fell in love with the stow-and-go seating, ceiling mounted DVD player with wireless headphones for the kiddos, automatic doors, seats, mirrors, windows (even the passenger side windows roll down, how fun is that!), and lots of other fun gadgets. I thought for sure it was out of our price range, but saw it was just the price I wanted.

After everything was finalized, the owner came out and mentioned to our salesmen that the listed price was supposed to be for a based out Entourage, when in fact ours was fully loaded.

Cha-ching!! We lucked into a sweet deal!!

We couldn't be more excited, and I am officially converted to the mini-van life style.

The Happiest Place on Earth...

2010-04-06T20:40:00.000-07:00

It's true.

Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth.

I think between work and the hideous rain we've been receiving, we could use a little dose of Mickey.

So, we decided to go.

In two weeks.

I couldn't more excited. Most of you know me well enough to know that I might was well be a 7 year old child when it comes to things like this. The "magic" is real to me, and I can't WAIT to see little Jack's face during the Pirates of the Caribbean ride!

I am giddy.

So, now I need some advice...we haven't ever taken the kids anywhere like this. Do any of you have any genius tips on disneyland with kiddos?

Come people, I need to know all the secrets!

The Utah re-cap...

2010-03-26T00:15:00.000-07:00

Before our awful attempt at driving home, we had an absolute blast in Utah. The trip was VERY last minute. My cousin called me on a friday and mentioned she wanted take a quick trip down to visit her family before her baby was born...Of course I jumped at the chance to go home for a week! We left 6 days later and had a fantastic 15 hour ride. Luckily for me, the kiddos were complete angels. (I'm sure the constant goldfish, movies, and fruitsnacks didn't hurt either!)

I knew the trip would be really low key. My mom had major back surgery just two days before we arrived, so we went down with no plans. we just wanted to relax, and I wanted to help aid in my mom's recovery any way I could.

So, we did A LOT of story reading...

And when Auntie Candise and Eliza Jane came to visit there were even more stories to go around.

And when no adults were around to read to Jack, he made do all by himself...I'm pretty sure Jack looked at books for most of the trip.

I didn't complain.

Of course we fit in some time for pudding,

and walks in the sunshine.

One of Jacks favorite things to do was play "this little piggy" with Nana's beautifully pedicured toes.

This is about the only picture I could capture of our sweet patient recovering from back surgery...she wasn't feeling quite "camera beautiful" enough for a close-up. Maybe next trip :)

Then a few days before we left, Bianca decided to liven things up with a spill out of the bathtub onto Nana's tile floor. She fell hard and split her head wide open...needing 6 stitches. Geez, I swear that girl has seen the Emergency Room more than any 2 year old should ever have to! Between this incident and the car accident two days later, you can imgaine she has become a little more clingy than normal!! (You can also notice the wound AND the bruises on the top picture of Bianca reading stories with Auntie Candise)

Paul and Kaytie came up to visit while we were there, and I was amazed at Jack's reaction to darling baby Dean...

He was smitten.

If Dean was around, so was Jack...I thought poor Kaytie would never get privacy to feed him! Seeing Jack be so gentle and concerned about him made me excited to have a new baby in the house this summer. I think he is going to be such a fun big brother!

It was so nice to come home and take it easy...I think I prefer going on a trip with no plans sometimes. For some reason, when I am home, I like nothing more than to just sit on my mom's couch and visit with family.

It was perfect.

I was also able to see a few friends, go to all my favorite Utah restuarants (oh, how I miss Rumbi's and Taco Amigo...sigh), and my Grandma Scott took me and the kids to the Aquarium in Draper (which will be a post in and of itself in the next few days!) So I guess our little vacation wasn't totally low key :)

So there you have it, our trip to Utah in a nut shell. I am also pleased to report that my mom is recovering from surgery like a champ. Even with 38 staples down her back she was still so much fun to be around...I am SURE not many people can do that!

We miss you all, hopefully our next visit to Utah will be much less traumatic, and won't involve ANY visits to the ER, stitches, staples, or totalled cars!!

A little update...

2010-03-16T22:16:00.000-07:00

Don't worry everyone, I'm alive!

I had several doctors appointments this week to follow up with injuries and other things.

I had an ultra sound to double check the baby. I had a little internal bleeding from the accident so we have been monitoring things to make sure it doesn't get worse. The ultrasound let us know that baby springer is going to be just fine...no more need to worry. phew! And I'm 15 weeks along too!

My staples have been removed, which has made a world of difference...no more sharp pains and obnoxious aches!

I have been having some awful pain in my ribs and back...I can't lift anything more than a gallon of milk, and it really hurts to bend, twist or breathe. The doctor informed me yesterday that I most likely have torn some of the cartilage that's connected near the ribs. He said it's extremely painful, and that I will enjoy this pain for another 4 weeks. Awesome!! Thank goodness for strong pain medication, and a sweet hubby who's taking care of business around the house!

Scott's amazingly generous co-workers have donated LOTS of their sick leave to him so he can be home with me. It's been such a blessing!

So there you have it folks, I'm on the mend and will be as good as new in about a month!

I promise some darling pictures on the next post!

Lucky...

2010-03-06T21:09:00.000-08:00

**Just to warn you...there are details in this post that are probably gross, but I want to make sure and remember how blessed and lucky we have came out of this ordeal....

On Saturday morning we left to go home to Washington from Utah. We hadn't been driving thirty minutes when I started to fish-tale on the freeway in Salt Lake City. The rest is all very fuzzy, but we were in an accident.

I remember swerving, screaming, and turning...Next I woke up, looked over at my darling, sweet cousin (who is 7 1/2 months pregnant too) and asked her what happened. She told me we were in an accident. I asked her if she was ok. She said "yes". Oddly enough I figured "Ok, well if you are ok, let's go!!" It wasn't long before I looked around and saw what happened. I looked down and say lots of blood (sorry, I will spare you all the pictures!) then I looked to my left and saw my door smashed into me. Funny enough, I didn't notice at that point that my window had been broken out....you'd think I would have put it together when the police officer showed up to talk to me, and I never rolled the window down. I talked to the officer, but don't have any recollection of the conversation. I remember he asked me what day and month it was, and I had no clue. I couldn't remember to save my life. My door couldn't open, so I was loaded onto the stretcher from the passenger side. I remember that it really hurt my head to be strapped to the uncomfortable backboard...well duh Jill, it hurt because you had a massive gash on the back of your head!

So we were loaded into an ambulance. The kids were perfectly fine by the way. Jack was talking about how a T-Rex bit his momma, and he thought the firetrucks were neat. As I think back, it makes me sick that I wasn't coherent enough to make sure they were unharmed.

When we arrived at the Emergency room, I started to realize how much pain I was in. The left side of my body had been hit really hard by the vehicle that hit us. My ribs, back, shoulder, hip, and knee all have bruises, and are extremely sore. Somehow, probably when I lost consciousness, I bit me tongue hard enough to swell it up, and hit my jaw. The CT scan in my head came back normal, but I got 8 staples put into the back of my head. When I think about the very few details I can remember, and how horrifying it was, I can't believe we all made it out with minimal injuries. My cousin Rachel was miraculously okay as well, but they wanted to keep her in the hospital overnight to make sure the baby was doing alright.

We are all home from the Hospital now, and have been surrounded by family and friends that have shown us more support than I could ever imagine. I feel so incredibly blessed to be part of the family that I am. I only hope I can repay the service some day soon!

As for now, we are just trying to make arrangements to get home. I am obviously in no condition to drive, so tomorrow my wonderful sister Candise is going to drive me half way, and then Scotty will meet us and pick us up. I have been missing and needing Scott so badly since the accident, so I can't wait to see him tomorrow!

I hope to be feeling better in the next few days. It will be nice to get all of the glass and blood cleaned out of my hair, and I look forward to being able to pick the kids up again with out wincing in pain.

I realize I am blessed. Extremely blessed. People getting in an accident in a car going 65 miles an hour shouldn't come out so well. I have prayed constantly since being in the Hospital, giving thanks for the way this ordeal has turned out.

Now back to real life my friends, and hopefully I will get this post out of the way with some fun photos of the trip in the next few days!!

Thanks for your love and prayers, we are lucky to be surrounded by such amazing people!

How do you brighten up a dead winter day in Utah??

2010-02-28T22:02:00.000-08:00

With a fluffy pink skirt, of course!

Well, unless you fall down....

Then it's still just a dead winter day.

Oh, and it doesn't hurt to have a fun grandpa to brighten the day either...

That's Jack's "cheeser" smile. I am rarely fast enough to catch it in a picture, so enjoy the silliness!

A true Diva...

2010-02-17T23:38:00.000-08:00

...will ALWAYS strike a pose, whatever it may be.

...will always swing her arms AND hips when walking. It's the cool thing to do.

...will constantly stop to admire her beautiful shoes.

...and touch them to make sure they are REALLY hers.

And a true Diva, isn't afraid to act like a two year old for her mom every once in a while...

*****

She got those high heels for her birthday and will NOT wear anything else. You know it's serious when your two year old walks better in heels than you do...And what's really sad, is hers are made of plastic and about 10 sizes too big.

I have a rule...

2010-02-16T01:14:00.000-08:00

Most of you know that we put the kids to bed early. our routine starts around 6:45, and the kids are in bed by 7. Though they are in bed by 7, doesn't always mean they fall asleep that early. But my rule...If they aren't crying, I don't care what they are doing. {Until tonight, that is.}

Usually they play, and look at stories for a while, but then crawl in their beds and sleep the night away.

Not tonight.

As Scotty and I were finishing a movie at 11:30 tonight, we heard giggles coming from the kids room.

So they have been "in bed" for around 4 hours.

"We better go see what they are doing" I say as Scott is already cracking the door open and saying "What the..."

We were greeted with two very guilty looking, pajama-less kiddos, and the biggest mess I have EVER seen...Oh, but Bianca had her high-heels on, of course.

Jack was quick to point out what Bianca had broken. Sure Jack, I wasn't born yesterday.

Those EMPTY and now broken totes hold all the kids clothes. (well aware of the ghetto-ness, but until we quit moving around every year, that's how it will stay.)

I honestly never realized they had so much stuff in their room.

Bianca quickly grabbed a blanket and hopped into bed with her thumb in her mouth...she knows how to work it.

Those little turkeys.

I'll deal with this mess in the morning.

Happy Birthday Sweet Thing!!

2010-02-11T01:04:00.000-08:00

A happy happy birthday to the most goofy, chubby cheeked, red lipped, curly haired, snuggle bugging, purse holding, shoe fetishing TWO year old in town!!

This little gal constantly keeps us on our toes with her silly faces, raging tantrums, and 2 going on 16 attitude...notice the plastic cell phone in her left hand? Yeah, that thing is now her constant companion along with a purse!

We love you darling, our family wouldn't be complete without your sweet, smiling face!!

A phase...

2010-02-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

Jack is in a fun phase right now. He likes things organized and grouped together. I have been snapping random pictures this week anytime I find things "lined" up. Often, when I walk into a room, there will just be a long line of cans or train tracks...It's like something out of a horror movie. Seriously, it can get a little creepy.

Things almost always are arranged in order from big to small...

And in random places around the house. This line of cars was in the dead middle of the floor...

He always lines things up according to the object...I NEVER find groups of dinosaurs AND cars together, they would be in two seperate lines. Details.

He is very protective of his "lines". If Bianca wants to get rise out of him, she just swipes her hand across his creation, then the fists start to fly! (sorry for the bad picture, apparently there was something on the lens that morning)...

And things are always grouped by color...

I am constantly amazed at what this kid comes up with. It's so fun to watch his brain at work organizing his little life.

Wouldn't it be nice if the only thing we had to worry about as adults was the way we were going to line our toy cars up everyday?!?

While the rain is away, the kiddos will play!

2010-01-23T18:30:00.000-08:00

It's a miracle.

We had a beautiful day.

In January.

In Washington.

Because we woke up to some beautiful sunshine, we decided to throw on our jackets and hit the park. It couldn't have been a more perfect day. We made sure to let the kids get an entire month's worth of energy out, just in case this doesn't happen again for a while.

Jack played Spider-Man...

Bianca screamed with excitement on the swings...

They both raced down those slides about a million times...

Bianca tried to go places she clearly couldn't. "Help me Mom"...

Jack tried to beat Bianca to the top of the rocks,

but Bianca was victorious...

And of course, no trip to the park would be complete without Scott and I acting like kids too...

These spinning chairs were much harder than they look. Trust me.

Farewell beautiful, sunny Saturday...please come and visit any time.

Phew...

2010-01-18T21:21:00.000-08:00

Jack went potty in the toilet today.

First time ever.

I was getting a tad bit worried that I was going to have THREE kiddos in diapers.

Gulp.

Today was definately a good day.

I had a feeling...

2010-01-14T17:45:00.000-08:00

I had a feeling when I started my daily run, and with each step thought..."wait, what's going on, I am going to WET my pants!"....

I had a feeling that same afternoon when I was watching TV and a State Farm Insurance commercial got me choked up. I never cry. ever....

I had a feeling that night when I had an insane craving for Teriyaki and Spring rolls at 9 PM....

I had a feeling the next morning when I brushed my teeth and gagged....

I had a feeling when I started my run again and the same thing happened....

I suppose I only need so many feelings like that to tell me...

That I am PREGNANT!!

Yup, that's right...my two partners in crime will have a new little one to train in their ways of sneakiness and intrigue...bring it on!!

Oh, and I literally JUST found out a few days ago, so don't hold your breath...this little peanut isn't due for about 9 months. seriously.

And another thing...if you didn't get a call from me, don't worry...My sweet B gave my phone a slobber bath so it's currently out of commission.

Stay tuned for more!!

The reason why men aren't stay-at-home-mom's...

2010-01-05T14:02:00.000-08:00

Dearest, darling, wonderful husband...

You can't attempt to take a nap when you have a 3 year old and 2 year old running around, especially OUR 3 and 2 year old...even if you DO put a movie on for them and remove any potential weapons.

Because this is what will happen within 5 minutes of you trying to lay down...

Love,

your beautiful, patient wife.

P.S. thank you though, for cleaning up the mess before I came home.

Note to self: NEVER, under any circumstances buy cool whip again. Ever.

It was bound to happen...

2010-01-02T15:00:00.000-08:00

The day when Bianca's nose would finally meet the timeout corner...

"Not my Princess" says her daddy.

Oh, Yes...even the most darling princesses need timeout eventually...

But she minded the Queen, and stood there stiff as a board until the ETERNAL 30 seconds were over.

You can see it will be an adjustment.

You'd have thought she was being banished from the Kingdom.

***just a little note-Bianca did indeed pick out EACH one of those articles of clothing this morning...I wasn't up for the fight and I knew we weren't going anywhere. So be it.

The Merry Happenings...

2009-12-30T22:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas with a three year old and an almost 2 year old was completely magical. Jack couldn't wait for Santa Clause to come a put presents under the tree. (don't you love that table and chairs...It pays to have a Shop full of furniture!)

We kept Santa's loot very minimal...how much does a three year old REALLY need?!?

Do these look like the faces of kiddos that were dissappointed?

I don't think so.

Bianca got a purse from Nana Cindy, it hasn't left her arm since Christmas morning. Seriously.

Daddy got a Seahawks Snuggie for Chistmas...It was a mostly a joke. But mostly serious.

Jack mesmorized by his shark sticker book, I couldn't even get him to look up!

We had a great day, filled with yummy food, family, and just enjoyed some time off.

****

And here is the Christmas Eve wound...We just took the bandages off today and it's looking really good. We opted for the glue method as opposed to stitches...the doctor was afraid of traumatizing an already freaking out toddler further with needles and thread!

if your wondering what happend...we were loading the car to head out to a party, when an excited Jack ran down the hall to go get in the car and tripped. He hit the oldschool heater attached to our wall and his forehead just popped right open. There was a lot of blood, and a lot of tears. On the way to the ER Jack was frantically sobbing, "a dinosaur bit me, a dinosaur bit me". It may as well have been a dinosaur!

Merry Christmas from Urgent Care...

2009-12-24T22:49:00.000-08:00

Nothing like a forehead split wide open to start the holiday festivities off the right way, huh?!?

Christmas Letter 2009

2009-12-23T00:46:00.000-08:00

Let's pretend you all just went out to your mail box and recieved a wonderfully crafty card, and beautiful picture of our little family.

Now, let's get real. Pictures were never taken, cards were never made, and addresses were never gathered.

If I were on top of things like I'd hoped, the letter would have gone something like this...

Merry Christmas from the Springer Family!

We started the year with a bang, or should I say a buzz, or maybe a shave. You know it's going to be a crazy year when you shave your 2 year old's hair into a Benjamin Button look alike only two weeks into it!

If you want a good laugh, you can read more about my clipper mis-hap here.

The kids continue to grow like little weeds, and I enjoy every minute of being home with them. Jack and Bianca have grown to be great little friends, I no longer have to separate them with laundry baskets.

Big improvement I would say!

Not only have the two become buddies, but also perfect partners in crime. If they are quiet and together, I KNOW there is trouble happening.

In March, Scott Started a job with the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries as an Auditor. He enjoys his work, but is looking forward to better opportunities in the very near future. He is also working his way through graduate school to get his Masters in Accounting. We are counting the days to next December when we can say he is officially done with school!! It will be SO nice to have things back to normal...as if we even know what normal is?!?

I am lucky enough to stay home with the kiddos, and have a killer job at the same time. Since May, I have been the administrative assistant for a small company called CodeSmart. They have been fabulous to work for, and It's nice to still have a foot in the professional world. Earlier this year, I invested in a Vinyl cutter, which has been a lot of fun. Several times a year, before a Show, I can be found crafting til' the wee hours of the morning.

We have had a great year, and feel richly blessed with supportive family, loving friends, and the bounteous circumstance we live in.

May you all have a Merry Christmas, and a happy, healthy New Year!

The price we pay for beauty...

2009-12-16T23:33:00.000-08:00

I know I have mentioned Bianca's obsession for accessories. It has only gotten worse. If there is a purse, scarf, or pair of shoes within reach, she will sport it. She brings me her shoes first thing in the morning to put on, and I usually have to pry them off her screaming, rigid body at night. No exageration there. Take away this girls' shoes or purse and be ready for a tantrum like you have NEVER seen before.

So, I buy her these darling black patent leather shoes for her christmas dress. When I pull them out of the box, she literally starts shaking. Her little fists balled up, and her face turned red as she ran towards me with pure excitement.

And they didn't fit.

Gulp.

I knew I was in trouble.

She refused to let me take them off, and I wasn't in the mood for a fight (so of course I grabbed my camera to document the fiasco). Look at her chubster feet bulging out of those shoes...poor girl.

She proceeded to wear the shoes for about 30 minutes, in complete pain. She was walking around sobbing, and limping, but refused to let the discomfort get in the way of those black, shiny beauties.

If she could talk, I think she would have been saying something like "Maybe mom, if I don't bend my legs while I walk, it won't hurt so much."

"Wait, that's NOT helping...come on mom, why does it have to hurt so bad to be beautiful"

"I can't. take. another. step. Please, help me!"

"Ahhh, there's the ticket. If I don't walk, it does't hurt...then I can wear them ALL day long. Phew, glad I figured that out."

It's okay Bianca, we all sacrifice for that perfect pair of shoes...

And the Winner is....

2009-12-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Random.org for making this an easy process. After taking out any multiple entries, and mine, there were 22 entries, the lucky gal is #20

ERICA

Since I can't have everyone win, I am offering FREE SHIPPING to anyone following my blog for the next week. (your shipping will be refunded to your paypal account after payment). You don't have to be a follower already, just follow before you make your purchase!

Also, look for more items to be posted in the next day or two!!

Erica, email me a jill_harris@hotmail.com to tell me which item you want, or if you want to wait for more inventory to come out!

Don't forget ...

2009-12-15T09:10:00.000-08:00

It's the last day for the Waddell Creek Rustics Giveaway!

Check the post below for instructions to enter...

The grand opening, and a GIVEAWAY!

2009-12-11T21:00:00.000-08:00

Ok ladies, it's here! Waddell Creek Rustics has finally gotten a shop up and running on etsy. The items you'll find in our little store are a combination of things from my cute sister-in-law Wendy, and myself. I do the vinyl signs and magnet boards, she keeps things a bit more prim with those darling pillows and hand painted signs. We will be listing more items in the days and weeks to come, but we thought we'd test the waters out with some of our best sellers...those scented rosehipes? A.MAZ.ING. Seriously, I want to eat them.

Now for the giveaway!

There's a catch here though, to enter the giveaway I want you to go visit our etsy shop, http://www.etsy.com/shop/waddellcreekrustics then come back and comment with feedback. Are our prices to high? what about the shipping? what would you like to see more of, or less of for that matter.

We need honesty people. brutal honesty.

one commenter will be selected at random and will get to choose ONE item up to a $15.00 value out our store...you can pick from what we have now, or hold your credit until we introduce more items....we have some great spring items already in the works!!

Ok gals, go take a look...the giveaway ends Tuesday, December 15th at 5 PM.

The problem with heaping laundry baskets...

2009-12-09T14:53:00.000-08:00

Is that they're just so

darn

comfy.

I just tried to sneak in the bedroom to grab a few things while my sweet B was sleeping...I panicked when couldn't see her in the bed. Duh mom, you should ALWAYS check laundry baskets full of dirty clothes for sleeping children.

Now I know.