Leap Day!

Well, no matter how uneventful was today (and it was pretty uneventful!), I feel it should be documented so in 4 years, I can look back and see how different life was!  We stayed home all day-which doesn't happen very often, but it's nice when it does.  This means we did a lot of playing, Laney actually got her 2 routine naps, and there is a big pile of laundry waiting to be folded lying in front of me!  

 She loves those toes-can't let them go, even in her sleep!  Doodles napped in my bed this the morning-it's perfect because I open the blinds so Coop and I can play in backyard and just peek in on her whenever! 

 It was a sunny day in the 70's, so after naps, we spent the day outside-first, we walked Lola,

 next, it was a bike ride around the block

then, Coop took a ride on his Coupe.  He had to stop for gas-which he thinks his grass, so he picks grass and sticks in the gas/grass tank :).  It makes me laugh every time!

 We wrapped up the afternoon playing with colored rice in the driveway-such a simple thing, but keeps us busy for long periods of time!

 We happily welcomed Dad home after another out of town work trip-he has been gone waaay too much in January/February, we are so happy he will be home more in March (Mom is really happy :)).

Laney had her first real food of carrots!  She loved them, more on this later!!!

Happy Leap Day-thought we might get a Leap Year niece today, but looks like Baby McCormack is going to wait it out a little longer :).

new artwork-help!

I love Etsy!  But don't visit often, because it is a little overwhelming to me.  However, I just received an email from one of the shops I have "favorited" saying that tomorrow all items are 29% off-which means I should probably get something...right?  The problem is, I can't decide, so I need your help!

We have made our upstairs loft into our KU room, which one of these should be the newest addition?

Want to see more, check it all out here!  Thanks for your input!

Laney's 1st airplane rides!

We took a visit to Kansas last week, Adam has been traveling like crazy and I had a girls night planned in Lawrence!  I had found great plane ticket prices-so we took to the sky instead of I-35.  Overall the kids were really good, especially considering we had to sit on runway for 45 minutes due to lightening in the area.  On the flight there, Laney slept going up and cried a little bit going down.  Cooper wasn't loving it going up-his words, "I don't like this plane Mom, let's get a new one" and he wasn't exactly quiet about it.  He slept during the landing, had to wake him up to get off plane.  When we got off the plane-I asked my mom if I looked exhausted, because I was!  The kids were good, but the fact I was carrying Laney in the Baby Bjorn on my front with my diaper bag across body, backpack on, carrying Coop's backpack 1/2 the time, wrangling a toddler, and just trying to keep them busy/happy as not to disturb any other passengers was flat out tiring!

The flight home was better.  We got to the airport just in time to check in and walk on the plane since Laney had an up the back poopy diaper I had to clean/change when we parked at KCI, but better in the car than on the plane!  This time both kids slept almost the whole time and were very easygoing! 

Here are a couple pics from my phone, pretty poor quality-but there was no way I could whip out the big camera!

He's a pro

Yay Laney, I am sure this is the first of many flights for you baby girl...at least until you are 2 and we have to buy another ticket :).

Uncle Bill

Next time you see Cooper, ask him who coaches the Jayhawks...in case you won't be seeing him anytime soon, I will answer for you, "Uncle Bill."  If we are watching a game/sportscenter and Coach comes across the screen, he will say, "hey mom, there's Uncle Bill."  Yep, I am filling my childrens' heads with all things Jayhawks and loving every single minute of it!

Is this not the best picture ever?  Uncle Bill rarely shows emotion, so to me this is priceless!  At the beginning of the season when our talent and lack of depth was being questioned, I heard the best comment all season and have continued to quote it over and over again.  It was made by Billy Packer I believe (does he still commentate?), anyways, it was..."Never doubt a Bill Self coached team."  Amen.

update- 8 straight

Happy Monday!

What better way to start a week than a playdate with these kids?  They even brought doughnuts!

In the last 2 weeks, we have celebrated 1/2 birthdays around here (I am a July birthday girl, so I always recognize 1/2 birthdays!).  More on how big these kids are getting later, but here are a couple pics...

 This boy is 2 1/2!  Preschool pictures-these pic peeps must be good, not only did they style his hair, they got him to smile!

I love nothing more than hanging out with this girl while Cooper is at preschool!  Laner Doodles was 6 months this past Friday!

I read the following quote on this blog this morning and love it, need to print and get it framed for somewhere in the house.

Oh give me patience when wee hands

Tug at me with their small demands.

And give me gentle and smiling eyes.

Keep my lips from hasty replies.

And let not weariness, confusion or noise

Obscure my vision of life's fleeting joys.

So when, in years to come my house is still

No bitter memories its rooms may fill.

unknown

Another Doctor Visit :( and a couple other items :)

Yep, make that twice this week we have been to the Dr.  I took both kids on Monday (mainly for Coop) to the Urgent Care in Overland Park.  He had a nasty cough and green, snotty nose-normally wouldn't have taken him but we were getting on a plane the next day and I didn't want either kid to have an ear infection or something painful to fly with...they both checked out fine, just viral stuff.  By Wednesday evening, I was thinking they were on the mend.  But Laney likes to keep me on my toes, she woke up  Thursday with a real snotty nose, wheezy breathing, and a deep seal cough-had a feeling it was the    croup :(.  Her pediatrician confirmed that and put her on an oral steroid to reduce the inflammation in her vocal chords.  On Friday the poor girl sounded like a heavy smoker, she was hoarse and raspy, so sad.  For the most part she has been a happy girl, playing, eating and sleeping normally.  

We have seen the doctor more times in the last 2 months than I think we have in my 2 1/2 years as a mom!  Our record since January is one sinus infection, an ear infection, double ear infection, croup and viral "stuff."  That all equals- 2 rounds of amoxicillin, 1 round of omnicef, 1 round of oral steroids, with Tylenol and Delsym mixed in here and there.  I hate putting all this stuff in my kids' tiny bodies and am so ready for Spring to arrive and get rid of medicine droppers, tissues, doctor visits, and snotty noses!

 up close view of that snotty nose and those blue eyes!

This elephant is right outside the pediatrician's office and every time we visit, Coop insists on sitting on it. Then he tells me to take a picture...this coming from the kid that doesn't like his pic being taken!!  Something about that elephant!  Please notice the t-shirt and shorts, it was 83 degrees....woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was the first time to break out the shorts this year, so exciting!  Of course, I was in pants and long sleeve shirt-I need it to be about 90 before I break out shorts!

PS-We have white carpet in our house.  white carpet+kids+dog=a big mess.  So, with the spring cleaning came carpet cleaning and they look fabulous!  12 hours later, our lovely Lola gets up at 3 am and pukes on them in 2 different places...awesome. 

PPS (or is it PSS)-I am still on a game high from earlier this evening...wowza, please tell me you all saw that game?  Incredible!!!!!!!  I am afraid my children may have gained a new vocabulary from their mother-I had no filter.  You see-I married a man from Missouri and I am from Kansas and we already lost to them this year (in the last 2 minutes, but whatever, a loss is a loss), and they are leaving the Big 12 for SEC, and we were in Allen Fieldhouse where we are 90-1-haven't lost to them at home since I was in high school!, and in my books, it is one of the biggest rivalries in college sports.  Down by 19 in the 2nd half and T-Rob and company get a victory!  All of this may or may not have led me to jumping across furniture, turning my shirt inside out for rally time in overtime, letting my 2 1/2 year old rule the roost during the game...you will never know :).  Okay-swore I was not going to emotional blog about the game, but I just can't help it-ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK!  And, we are Big 12 conference champs for the 8th straight year!  

Just one last thing...

More visitors and a birthday party!

Can you believe it, we had more visitors come to the great state of Texas and city of Keller!  This time it was my great friend Jenny and her beautiful girls!  They actually came to visit their family-our friends, the Fimmens, but we managed to spend some quality time with them too!

 Our oldest are just 6 weeks apart and these 2 are about 6 months apart-surely we will be celebrating Mom's weekends together at KU, right?

 It was the last day of January!  Cooper and Anna on a little stroll thru the neighborhood, shirtless-oh so innocent!

 Matt adores Laney!  This is how he always greets her and she is all smiles!

 Happy 4th Birthday Tom!  Yep, our kid was "that kid," enough said.

 I just love this pic of Coop and his bff Tom!

Laney's first time with cereal!

At 5 1/2 months, Laney had her first bowl of cereal!  We started Cooper at 4 months, but our pediatrician really didn't push it and we were in no hurry.  But lately she has been watching us eat very closely and a little fussy at night.  I was waiting for Dad to be in town and lately that is a rarity, but this past Sunday we did it and she l-o-v-e-d it!  

 Big brother was very intrigued and wanting to feed Laney-check out her face ;).

 She was attacking the bowl-this girl was definitely ready!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I had a grand idea to get the kids in their Valentine's gear and take some pics instead of trying to rush it the actual day, for some reason I decided to try this solo!  It required some serious bribery, but I love what I got (not necessarily the background, but it's give and take these days)!  What was the bribery you ask?  Well, it was after nap and I needed Cooper to change outfits completely...so for outfit change and hair fix, it was fruit snacks.  To smile and cooperate with sis for pictures=one girl scout cookie.  I know this is ridiculous and I rarely bribe, but I was desperate!  And guess what, it worked!

 Happy Valentine's Day from Cooper and Laney!

 sweet kisses!

 this just makes me laugh!

 She is throwing herself back to see Cooper

 our little gymnast...all to see her big brother!

 oh my gosh, when did he get so grown up!  like that heart wall we created together?  there is a mini one in laner's room.

Happy 1st Valentine's Day Laney Faith!

And, at 11:30pm the night before Valentine's Day I finished Cooper's Valentine's for his class.  Oh, when will I ever stop procrastinating???  Let me answer that...never :), I work best under pressure.

 I have Pinterest to thank/blame for these!  They were fun and easy, brings me back to my days of teaching and fun holiday crafts.  I am sure the 2 year olds will totally get/appreciate it...ha!

Not to be outdone by her big brother, Laney had a little something for her special Valentine, Matt :)

Hope everyone feels extra loved today!

More Weekend Fun with the Jones'

After a fun night at the rodeo, the girls had a morning of house decor shopping (more on that later), lunch and pedis.  The boys did breakfast, worked out, and took the little boys swimming at the gym.  We all met back up at home to cook dinner, had friends over and watched the KU-MU game (let's not talk about-I like to pretend it was just a bad dream...no joke).

Caught in Action!

Oooh, these 2 boys were trouble together all weekend, but especially so this night.  Maybe it's because us parents were a little enthralled in the game and not so much what these 2 troublemakers were doing.  At one point, it was quiet so Adam went upstairs to see what they were up to.  Well, he found them in our back guest room in the corner with hands full of girl scout cookies and chocolate faces!!!!!!!!!  This means they had gone in the kitchen and snuck them upstairs, yes we should have been disciplining them but we were too busy laughing!

 We all rocked our Kansas gear and did some serious Rock Chalking, but it just wasn't enough this time :(

 This sweet girl and her sis spent the evening dolling up Lola.  I think they had her in every one of Laney's bows :).  Here she is sporting her KU pride!

They got the girls to put them in Laney's crib :).  The best part of this...the baby monitor is in her room, so we could keep an eye/ear on them!  Have I blogged about Laney's nursery yet?  I guess I need to do that, I truly love it, especially those letters that Uncle Kyle and Aunt Maggie painted!

Thanks Uncle Aaron, Aunt Cami, and Cash for coming to visit, we had so, so much fun with you all, but next time Braeden and Ava-Grace must make the trip!

More Visitors and a Trip to the Rodeo

Dad was home for a weekend and the Kansas City Jones' were here for a fun few days!  The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo was in town, so off we went!  We went last year, see our visit here, but we didn't go to the rodeo.  It was such a fun night and the little boys were in total awe the whole time.  They were entertained for the whole rodeo, over 2 hours!

 Cooper asked me over and over again, "When the bulls come on Mom?"  

 Imagine that-Cooper wouldn't cooperate for a pic

 Laney was perfect!  She sat contently through the whole rodeo and even napped for a part of it.  Don't you just want to eat those perfect round cheeks all up!!!??

 The Jones'

We can't wait to go back next year...who's coming with us? (Uncle Bryson-you would fit right in)