Operation Graduation

Harper and Jack have been cracking us up this week with their silly jokes, funny songs, and the way they interact with each other. Jack has been talking in full sentences all week long and he's come up with all sorts of things that surprise us. For instance, we were Skyping with Papa tonight and Papa was wearing a hat and so was Jack. Jack looked at Papa and said "I am the little one. You are the big one." :)

Harper has also been singing and dancing all over the place this week. We went to the store and as we were holding hands walking in, Harper started singing "stop and listen to stay safe" when she saw a car coming. She also does solo performances of "Itsy Bitsy Spider" at a moments notice.


On Thursday, I left my two crazy little ones with Tony and I hopped on a plane and winged my way to Fort Collins, Colorado to watch my brother, Tanner, walk the stage at his college graduation.

Tanner graduated on Friday morning with a degree in civil engineering, and my mom, dad, uncle Gary and I were there to cheer him on.  They graduation was just the school of engineering, so ti wasn't terribly long, and the key note speaker did a great job. Tanner made it across the stage without falling, and we all met up afterwards for some pictures before the rain came through.

We had a great visit and I got to meet all of Tanner's friends, see the big city of Fort Collins, take a quick tour of the CSU campus, do some shopping, eat some great food, and get home in time to fall asleep in my own bed Saturday night.

Go Rams!

A local bookstore poster- my kind of day

While I was in Fort Collins, I got some souvenirs for the kiddos. Jack has been really into hats lately and I found a CSU Rams hat that I thought he would really like. From the moment I pulled the hat out of my suitcase this afternoon, Jack has been all about the hat- he even wanted to put it on after his bath!

Harper, on the other hand, was indifferent about her tie-dye shirt. She didn't even want to try it on for a picture. So, I suppose I'll put in the drawer and see if I can sell her on it later this week, or next week.

I know Tony was happy to see me when I got home (my flight out of Denver got canceled; I had to rebook by flight, and I got home about 3 hours later than expected). Tone was worried about having the kids by himself for a few days, but he had nothing to worry about- he did a great job! When we Skyped or talked on the phone, the kids were always happy and laughing. Tony was even brave enough to take Harper and Jack to the donut shop to try donuts for the first time. He said they both loved it and were covered in chocolate from head to toe.

So, that was our weekend. I can't believe that my little brother is now a CSU alumna- congratulations, Tanner! I can't wait to see what big adventures lie ahead for you! We love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

“Motherhood is a choice you make everyday, to put someone else’s happiness and well-being ahead of your own, to teach the hard lessons, to do the right thing even when you’re not sure what the right thing is…and to forgive yourself, over and over again, for doing everything wrong.”
―Donna Ball, At Home on Ladybug Farm

I thought this quote was fitting for our Mother's Day entry.  This year our Mother's Day celebration comes with both a mix of joy and grief- a double edged sword that casts a spotlight on a gaping hole left in our lives and the lives of my dear sweet babies who are growing up without their precious Mimi. We talked about Mimi today and I smiled today thinking that she would've loved to watch Dumbo with the kids this afternoon, or play in the play kitchen with Harper, or pretend to be flying to outer space with Jack. I know that she is looking down on us and smiling too. We miss you Mimi- you were an outstanding mother who embodied the quote above. You taught me so much about what it means to be a great mom- thank you for everything you gave to us. Happy Mother's Day!

This weekend the kids and I went and got our haircut- it was much needed all the way around. Jack volunteered to go first and Deb give him a "little boy" haircut. When Deb turned that chair around, I was shocked to see a boy where my toddler sat just moments before- no more curls (I know they'll quickly grow back), and just a big grin on his face. Jack couldn't wait to get up and run around the salon and play while Harper got her haircut. Harper needed a bang trim and she was happy to be able to see her eyebrows again. When she was done getting her haircut, it was my turn and Nana played with the kids while I got my haircut. We were some of the last people in the salon and Harper and Jack had a great time running up and down the halls, sitting on the couch, and looking at themselves in the mirrors. Jack also found an "astronaut helmet" that he thought was really neat. 

We celebrated Mother's Day with my family on Saturday with a nice lunch out at Gloria's. The kids enjoyed eating tortillas with beans and sour cream and cheese- they ate so much lunch I thought they were going to pop! After lunch, we went to Nana and Pop's house to open gifts and visit. They had a great time with Aunt Becky, Uncle Rex, Great Granny and Nana and Pop. 

After we left Nana and Pop's, we stopped by a friend's third birthday party for about an hour. Harper and Jack enjoyed playing on the slide and playing with their friends. When we got back home, they were worn out and got in bed early.

Our Mother's Day started this morning with tornado sirens at 7am- thankfully, the storm warning was called off and we didn't have to wake the kids up to huddle int he closet. Tony made Belgian waffles for breakfast, the kids gave me some pictures they had painted, and I spent all day in my pajamas- it was a great Mother's Day. I loved to snuggle with my little family while we watched movies this morning and play and even do some work around the house. Somehow doing the laundry and changing sheets, and all the other household chores seemed easier to do when it was raining and we were all sitting around in our pjs.

I am so thankful and grateful to be a mother to these two wonderful kids and I am so proud of them!

Our Little Corner of the World

We have had a week that has run the spectrum from a very nice birthday dinner with Tony on Tuesday night- complete with a surprise visit from Nana and Pop. Harper and Jack were excited to give their dad his presents and to show the cards they signed for him.

The kids had a great time eating dinner and playing- they especially liked Tony's cake. Happy birthday, Tony Collett!!

The kids also really enjoyed getting to play outside on Wednesday. Durinda said they played outside close to two hours, and then when I got home we went outside and played again until dinner. Jack figured out how to ride his jeep down the short incline in the sidewalk- Harper was quick to follow suit and they both had a great time giggling and taking turns riding.

Our week was interrupted when Harper started getting sick- runny nose, cough, irritability (from the runny nose and cough). After being up in the middle of the night for a breathing treatment two nights in a row, Tony took Harper to the doctor on Friday. He said that she did a great job and even sat in a chair all by herself while the doctor gave her a check up. We were told she had post-nasal drip, her lungs looked good, and to keep an eye on her while the virus ran its course.

Saturday morning we woke up to a girl that coughed pretty much non-stop. I wanted to wait and see if Harper would get better on her own, but Tony was insistent that she go to back to the doctor. So, he loaded her up after lunch and they went back to the doctor for the second time in 24 hours. This time, the prognosis was different: her lungs sounded crackly. Harper got an antibiotic and a steroid, did a breathing treatment, and was diagnosed with asthma.

I am so thankful that Tony didn't listen to me and decided to take Harper to the doctor anyway. He has been her biggest advocate since day 1, and she is lucky to have a daddy who cares so much about her.

By Saturday afternoon, Harper felt much better...but Jack started getting a runny nose. You know how it goes- we share everything around here.

Thankfully, Nana came over to hang out on Saturday and watch the kids so Tony and I could go to dinner. This visit from Nana was much appreciated, especially since our air conditioner went out on Friday night and after finding out the air conditioner won't get looked at until Monday, then having Harper's doctor visit turn out worse than we hoped, and Jack getting sick, Nana's arrival was a godsend. She also brought over the "car bed"- Tanner's old toddler bed that cousin Wyatt also used and now Jack will get to use.  Jack had fun playing with the bed tires (yes, it has tires and the headlights come on too!)

Sunday was a much better day. Harper and Jack both felt better this morning, enjoyed some pancakes and spent the morning playing, reading books, and building towers. Harper and I took Abby for a walk- just the girls. Harper looked for flowers while we walked and sang little songs- it was lots of fun. Harper also rocked her sunglasses :)

The weather was so nice that when we got back from our walk, we convinced Jack and Tony to play in the backyard for awhile. Jack played golf while Harper tried her hand at bowling, then both kids climbed into the wagon and asked me to pull them around the yard while Tony made train noises.

Abby had the best time in the yard. That dog loves to be outside in the warm weather and she loves it when we're all outside together- her whole pack in one place. She even let the kids and I brush her and she stood still and wagged her tail- I'm sure it felt good to get some of that extra hair off of her.

She spent most of the time traipsing through the yard and hiding in "the jungle". Please excuse the over grown flowerbed, but here's a great shot of our happy Abby girl- I love to see her smile.

We rounded out our evening playing inside and getting things ready for the week. Tony wen tot grab us a pizza and I was making blueberry muffins for this weeks breakfast when I looked up and saw this:

Moments like these are what helps me get through the tantrums and the frustration of two-year olds (by the way, seconds after snapping this picture they were fighting- lol).

Some funny moments of the week:

After watching a home improvement commercial this afternoon, Harper decided to "paint" her daddy. She told me she painted him yellow.

Jack put this toy bin on his head and walked around the house saying this was his "helmet";

Jack also figured out how to create his own "train"

That's all for this week. I'm going to end with pictures of these two toddlers who are growing like weeds- check out the ponytail on H! I hope these two sleep well tonight and we have a fun week around the corner.