It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas!

First of all, Merry Christmas everyone! We have been so busy over here at the Baetz house with finals, shopping, school, parties, and birthdays. The kids absolutely loved putting the Christmas tree up! It was Avery's first real time to be able to hang ornaments and stuff, so they had a lot of fun. I am happy to say that most of the presents have endured the kids and pets, although, we've had a few casualties. (Like Avery taking it upon herself to open some- thankfully her's, or the dog jumping on the window when the UPS guy comes crushing them with his mighty paws- which happens a lot here, or when the cat decides a different present is comfier than the one he found last night to lay on...)

We had our first "snow". Which Hunter was so disappointed that school wasn't cancelled! And it only lasted a few hours. But it sure was pretty and put us right in the Holiday spirit.

 We had our first company Holiday party with Cody's work. It was a lot of fun. We look forward to many, many more parties with "Hunter Heat & Air" and are so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful company. 

 Avery just keeps growing and growing (I know, I know, they're supposed to do that!) But I wasn't prepared *and still am not* for her turning two this month. It's gone by so fast! It's amazing how much more she absorbs and can say now. 

 We celebrated her 2nd birthday by having a little "cowgirl" themed party. We had a horse for all the kiddos to ride (and some of the adults), we decorated cowboy/cowgirl hats, and ate delicious snacks & cake. She LOVED riding the "neigh- neigh" and still talks about it. She got her first pair of cowgirl boots for her birthday from her great-grandma among many other presents: baby dolls, stuffed animals, and horses. 

 We sneaked away for a family picture. This is what was sent in our Christmas card this year. 

 But the highlight of December-in my opinion- has to be the kids' picture with Santa this year. It was pretty funny. On the way there, we had a blow out, fixed the tire, and still made it to see Santa. I made sure to keep telling Avery who he was and what he brings good little girls. Once we got to the mall, we watched other kids sit with Santa. Once it was our turn, I told Hunter to keep smiling no matter what Avery did. And he did just that. She was not having it. But it sure does make for good memories. Now, anytime the word "Santa" comes up, she says, "No, no, Santa!"... Let's just hope next year won't be as traumatic. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas Holiday! I will try to update sooner than later.

-Meagan

A's, Terrible Two's & Pumpkin Patches

I know I always say this, but man oh man- how did November get here so fast?! With my school, Hunter's school, Avery starting her terrible two's, and animals galore, I've hardly noticed October! 

Hunter is doing great in school, bringing home A's and "Excellent" papers. He has a best friend, Joey. They are inseparable and so cute! 

Avery, like I said, has hit her TERRIBLE 2's. And boy are they terrible!! She enjoys screaming, yelling, running from me, hitting, more screaming, etc. I can't keep up  ha ha. I cannot believe she'll be 2 in a month! I need to start planning her b-day party, any ideas?

October highlights: We went with my mom to the Pumpkin Patch, kids dressed up as Jack Sparrow & a ladybug as Halloween, and I started another round of a 6 week class at school. 

Hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather, I am! Enjoy your November too because these months are passing way too quickly. 

-Meagan :)

October Already?

Wow! September officially is gone! I have so much to update y'all with!

First, I am doing well in school. I am taking 3 Classes on Tuesdays & Thursdays & 1 Class on Saturdays. I just finished my first Saturday class (they each last 6 weeks) and Made an A! I'm so proud of myself. This class was very interesting because it was an actual course needed for Elementary Education. The course was titled "Earth, Space, & Environmental Science." The instructor was amazing & I learned tons about science (which never really interested me until now). Not only did I learn, but I learned how to teach it to elementary students. It was a lot of fun.

This past weekend I attended my first Teacher's convention. It was very interesting & valuable. I was grateful for the information the vendors and instructors gave.

Hunter-oh Hunter! He is absolutely LOVING 1st grade! Let me just say his reading level has skyrocketed! He was doing good in Kindergarten, but now, man! I'm one proud Mama!

A few days ago, He came home declaring his love for his newest girlfriend named Alexis. I figured it too would pass. Well, one day I decided to surprise him and walk into the school to pick him up instead of through the carpool. Lo & behold Hunter is walking out hand in hand with Alexis! He sees me, blushes, gives her a goodbye hug, and walks over to me like nothing had just happened! What am I gonna do with him?!

Avery is just growing up as fast as can be... it's amazing to me how much she learns in a matter of months! She is so girly, loves shoes, make up, jewelry, did I mention shoes? Ha ha ! She LOVES shopping with Mama (daddy doesn't appreciate it though). She is going to day care while I go to school 2 days a week. Some days it's hard, others it's okay- she likes playing with "the kids" as she says. I've been debating whether or not to sign her up for a pageant... We'll see! I think it'll be fun (as long as I don't turn psycho TLC mom)... ha ha!

We have been going to church as much as possible, we really love our church here. Definitely know that it's where God wants us to be. That is a really comforting feeling :)

Avery has a cardiologist check up on Thursday- I'm sure everything is still just great, but I will update as soon as possible.

Hope everyone is doing good. Love reading other people's blogs! Enjoy mine!

-Meagan

Back to School

Hey everyone! Man, July flew by. After record-breaking heat & more heat, & oh did I mention heat? I barely noticed that it was August because temperatures are just getting worse. It finally rained a couple of days but only brought the temp down a little.

There have been a lot of new things going on in the Baetz house. First, and most importantly, I started school again! I am more determined than ever to finish my school work & finally have a degree. I cannot wait until I can be doing what I want to do- teaching kids! My dream is to teach 4th grade, because that was the BEST & my favorite grade. I am taking a computer class, an English class, a sociology class, & an Earth, Space & Environmental Science class which I take for 6 Saturdays from 8am-5pm. (It was killer today-my first day- but so worth it in the end).

Hunter has been at his grandma's since the 3rd when his baby cousin was born. Glad he can spend some time down in TX with them before his school starts, but I sure miss him! I finally got his baseball pictures from a couple of months ago- they are so cute, if I can get my scanner to cooperate, I'll post a picture. He is going to be in 1st grade- I CANNOT BELIEVE IT! He's so smart & helpful. I just love him & love bragging about him. His 6th birthday is the 29th & chose a pirate theme this year for his little party.

Avery is getting some teeth-I feel like I've been saying that forever- but she is teething once again. For some reason, it seems like each time gets worse. There are hours during the day that I wonder where my sweet Avery went ha ha. She's smart & TRYING to start potty training. She wanted to sit on the potty for a while (never actually went potty) but tried. Now, she wants NOTHING to do with it. So we'll see. I'm not going to try to push it. She tries to count now, loves singing songs, & watching her tv shows. But her favorite thing is dancing. We cannot wait until she's old enough to enroll in a dance class! That will be fun.

Anyways, that's a little about what's going on over here. Oh, we have now had our first snake, an armadillo, deer, cows--who leave nice "cow patties" & of course, raccoons. It's definitly been an adventure! Hope everyone has a nice weekend!!

4th of July Holiday

First of all, I'd like to say Happy 4th of July to everyone! We celebrated like a lot of other people did I'm sure: hanging at the lake. Cody's grandparents own a cabin down at Possum Kingdom lake and every summer we try to get out there a few times. This time has been kinda hard because Cody's job is real hectic around the summer so this weekend was probably the only time we'd be able to get out there. Unfortunately, Hunter was exhausted from a vacation with his dad prior to our lake weekend, so he went home early to his grandma's. But other than that we had a great time & we wish it could have lasted longer.

On our way home we took a different route than usual because we had always gone the extra long way through Ft. Worth & back up to Ardmore. We typed in our address in the GPS & it took us through some little country towns. We had no idea where we were, so when we came to a gas station we decided it'd be best to stop & fill up & get some snacks just in case we didn't see any other stations for a while.

We pulled up to this gas station in a small town I can't even remember the name of & there is this dog with his head literally in the trash can. Me, being the city-born girl that I am asks the cashier "Is that y'alls dog?" I guess she took offense to that question by the look on her face & just shook her head "no". We finish paying & walk outside to pump the gas. This dog just walks up to us & is very friendly. He immediately takes a liking to Cody & follows him. We had some dog food since we had taken Roxy (my Yorkie) to the lake with us, so I got the dog a bowl & fed him & gave him some water. In the meantime, some of the town locals pull up to the station & start telling us "You need to take the dog! He never eats, his owners disowned him!" All sorts of stuff about his terrible "supposed" owners. We decide to load him up in the back of the car & bring him home. He already had a name: Hank the Cow dog! (Oh how I loved those books...!) So, this is a picture of Hank. Who has already won all of our hearts & is supposed to be outside but I let him come in...

Us Country Folk...

That's right. I said it "Us Country Folk". The beginning of June marked yet another new adventure for us: country living. We moved from the "city" of Ardmore to the "town" of Dickson. If I told you it was only about 10-15 minutes away you'd think that wouldn't give you enough time to really get into the country, but it does. Now, my fellow Dickson-folk might be reading this & having a laugh at me calling their precious town deep country but I don't care. When you have nightly run-in's with raccoons, birds creating nests in your outside vent for the vent-a-hood, & frogs in your toilet you may agree with me.

Week 1- The mother-in-law discovery. She was in our kids' bathroom & she came out hollering. She had used the bathroom on a little frog who was somehow just camping out in the toilet.

Week 2- The raccoon madness begins & hasn't stopped since. We have 2, possibly 3, PESKY raccoons that literally watch us- waiting for the perfect moment to scurry on up our porch & find a snack; dump out our trash bins searching for the perfect midnight meal; or rummage through the fire pit hoping to gnaw on some food remains.

Week 3- The squeaking noise. Most people, especially city people, associate squeaking with mice... & so did we one day. We started hearing little "pip squeaks" by our oven! Searching high & low, we couldn't find any mice (thank God). So, it just was our mystery squeak until the other day. I was outside cleaning up- 'cause that's what us housewives must do- & guess what I find in the vent leading inside for the vent-a-hood? A baby bird's nest!! YAY! The squeaking is just birds. *HAPPY DANCE*

Those are just the main happenings around the newly titled "Baetz Wildlife Center". But I do have to mention a funny raccoon story that I tell everyone. Here it goes.

(This was one of our first nights to meet the little raccoon devils by the way- so don't make fun of us too much.)

We came home from going out to dinner, pulled up to find a raccoon just making himself at home on our patio trying to get into our trash bin. The scary part for me was that he just sat there even when he saw us pull up & start to yell at him to leave... Fast forward about 15 minutes & I had put the kids to bed & Cody was officially in "stake out mode". He goes & hides in our car in the front yard with his BB gun (no, we don't own an actual gun---YET). A few minutes into his big stake out, he calls me "Honey, come toss out some ham. I wanna use it as bait." All I could do in that moment is just laugh. I still laugh as I tell the story. In a matter of weeks we have turned into "country" folk--- and you know what? It's been fun.

Despite all this wilderness talk, there are a few normal perks to the new house that everyone would enjoy, one being a pool! We love it, minus the extreme amount of work and money goes into it... it's a lot of fun. The second is the location. Our neighbors aren't too close, but close enough & we know almost all of them. The school district is fabulous!! But, I've gotta say my FAVORITE part of the entire house: my master bath tub:) Speaking of, I'm going to go now & take a nice, long bubble bath. Hope y'all have enjoyed my tale.

Catching Up- like always

It has been a while since I have written, so I'll get y'all up to speed in our crazy life!

We got 2 baby chicks from Hunter's school. His class kept them incubated & they hatched on Easter. Hunter volunteered us to take some home- despite what Cody wanted. At first, they were adorable & soft & fun. Then after just 2 weeks they had out-grown their makeshift home in a tub with a heat lamp in our half-bath. So, we put them in a bigger tub & took them out to the garage. Now, you'd think 2 baby chicks would stay cute little babies for a while, but that idea is VERY wrong. A week or so after we moved them to the garage, one of them started growing "bumps" on his head... I was puzzled & grossed out. Then a few days later- he developed things hanging from his chin/neck... I decided to no longer handle these odd chicks anymore & made Cody do it. Yes, I am a city girl- so don't make fun of me for being scared! Yesterday, I had had enough. The odd chick with a bumpy head & hanging-down-thingys COCKADOODLE-DOOED at me! Within minutes, I had a friend on the phone agreeing to meet me & take these birds to her parents' farm. Whew. No more chicks in the Baetz household! But I have to say, I am proud of myself for lasting that long!

On a better note, Hunter started baseball a few weeks ago! He's loving it! His first game is Monday, we cannot wait. Also on our schedule for Monday is Hunter's little graduation. His school is having a program & took cap & gown pictures- very cute, I'll have to scan it & put it on here.

Also, in the beginning of April, I started selling Scentsy. It's a company that sells wickless candles! I love it & am having so much fun. It's nice to have a little extra income coming in :)

In the midst of all this craziness, we are attempting to begin packing. We decided to move rent houses- I think I mentioned previously in a blog about it. It is about 10-15 minutes East of Ardmore (still considered Ardmore as far as mail purposes go) but it is actually called Dickson. I already registered Hunter for 1st grade- AH! He knows one boy that'll be in 1st grade too, so that's good. It's smaller than the public school he was going to this year, so he'll get to grow up with the kids he starts 1st grade with. We are excited & stressed. I am definately not looking forward to another move- but sometimes God gives you gifts wrapped in other packages, hopefully this is one of them.

I celebrated my 23rd birthday last Sunday! I can't believe I am already 23... I know to some that is YOUNG, but to me I feel old! I had a great birthday- got to celebrate two baby showers that same weekend (that was fun!) & went out to eat & shopping. Lots of fun.

Well, I am going to stop blabbing now. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Our weekend plans: packing & possibly going to the animal shelter for a kitten (once we get out to Dickson, we'll need an outdoor cat to keep the mice & rodents away.. Oh my gosh, I just sounded so "country" haha)...

The Bucket Heads

I hope everyone had a good weekend! We sure did!! Before I go into our weekend escapades, I'll write a little about what's been going on in the Baetz house :)

The kids & I finally got over sinus infections!! (Now we all have allergy issues, but at least that's not as bad as sinus problems).

Hunter has had a few school activities (it being the end of the year now). The most recent: a bounce house day! Here he is with a few of his friends, the one right next to him, being his BEST friend :)

Now that Spring has arrived, we have been pulling out some Easter decorations, Avery loves bunnies & ducks. Her newest word: "quack quack".

Now to this weekend's activities: we went to the Ft. Worth Zoo! Avery had gone once before last summer, but she wasn't that aware. This time, she had a blast! She said "hi" & "bye" to every animal.

And yes, she got a treat :)

Her favorite: the bird cage where birds fly around you. You can get a stick with some bird seed on it & feed them. Avery had a blast!

The main reason we went to Ft. Worth for the weekend was because Sunday was my brother, Aaron's birthday. We surprised him by being at the restaurant with his friends when he arrived! He was surprised & I was so glad we came in.

Now, you are probably wondering why my title is "Bucket heads"... here is the explanation. Last Thursday some terrible storms rolled into Oklahoma. My mother-in-law wanted us to drive about 10 minutes out to Cody's uncle's house where they have a storm shelter. A few minutes away from there house, the hail started! Not tiny little baby pieces, I'm talking almost baseball sized hail! We made it to the house with distraught kiddos & we were a little on edge too. The weather was on saying it was North of us. So we started making dinner & going about our evening.

All of a sudden, the hail got bigger, the wind got worse & the weather told us to take cover. You must know something before I continue: Melinda, my mother-in-law, is very... I'm gonna say... Cautious when it comes to things, like the weather. So, all of a sudden, when the weather channel said those two little words: TAKE COVER, she goes nuts! Running around emptying laundry baskets & shooing us out the door. We ran with laundry baskets (buckets) over our heads to the storm shelter!! I wish we could have seen ourselves!! Long story short, everything was good for us, tornadoes to the northeast, but we were safe. (Much thanks to Melinda for her creative hypochondria).

Home Show, Bounce House, & Possible Move...

Hello again! I just laid Avery down for a late nap (more like rest because I hear her in there still) because she was being grumpy. So I have a little time to write. Last weekend was the annual Home Show here in Ardmore where a bunch of neat companies come out & set up booths & advertise their products. Cody's employer (which happens to be his cousin) had a booth set up & so did his dad. Both Saturday & Sunday we were up there- it was a lot of fun. I actually met a lady who sold Scentsy (the wickless candles) & we really hit it off. I ended up purchasing a product from her & glad I did. That night I came home & researched it & ended up buying the starter kit. I am now a Scentsy Consultant! I am pretty excited about it & have been mailing & giving out catalogs today. Last Thursday I started not feeling well, I had a lot of congestion & my chest hurt. I tried to take over the counter medicine & feel better on my own. A week later, I was still not feeling good. I ended up sucking it up & going to the doctor. Good thing, turns out I have a sinus infection, pharyngitis & early bronchitis! I am now on prescription medicine & am hoping to feel 100% soon enough. Today was bounce house day at Hunter's school. I went up there with my mother-in-law & Avery & got to watch Hunter jump around on a few bounce houses! That was a lot of fun! This weekend there is supposed to be some kind of Easter thing at the park, we might go there tonight! If so, I'll post pictures. A few weeks ago, we found out there will be a rent house ready this June in Dickson, about 15-20 minutes East of where we are right now. It is out in "the country" which would be a big change for us- both good & bad. The pros: great school district for Hunter, lots of room for the kids to play (about 1/2 an acre- I know that isn't very much at all, but it is to us), has a pool, right next to family, the master bathroom is to die for!, and there is a storm shelter. The cons: it is a trailer (it's in nice shape, just a few minor updates needed-but a lot different from a brick house like I am used to), it's "out of town"- meaning no quick little trips to the store anymore (good/bad), & the worst part- ANOTHER MOVE! ugh! I am so tired of moving... I really wanted this house to be it for a while. Sometimes God has other plans though... & I think this is one of them. The landlord is very sweet, willing to knock of rent $ in exchange for updates, & I just get this feeling that it's the right thing to do (any advice is welcome). So, in closing, we've had a pretty mellow last few weeks. If we decide to move, we will need to start packing (which I totally dread) but feel it will be worth it. I hope everyone has a great weekend. It's supposed to rain/thunderstorm a little here & I am so excited. I really love storms -not too serious- though :)

Spring Break Recap

Once again, it has been a little while since I have blogged. I am currently lounging on my comfy couch watching my newest TV addiction, a show called Army Wives. I don't know why I never got into it before now because it is a great show!

Also, I am about 7 pounds lighter than last time I wrote. I have been taking Zumba two times a week & Spinning class once. The rest of the week I run on the treadmill or use the elliptical. Like I mentioned it a previous blog, I am determined.

This past week was Hunter's Spring Break from school. He began his break at his dad's, then to my mom's then drove up here with my brother & his girlfriend (who came up to spend a few days with us again). We went out to the lake & grilled out one night, saw a movie, & went to the zoo while they were here. We had lots of fun!
This picture is of Bam Bam. He is such a little cutie pie. After taking him to the vet recently we discovered he would be too big to breed with Roxy. So we are debating whether or not to keep him & get him fixed or what our other options are.

Avery was a little scared to feed the animals at the zoo, but after a while, had tons of fun & didn't want to leave!

Sunday after church, my mother-in-law decided we should all venture up to Davis & find a new restaurant to eat at. Unfortunately, we didn't find what she was looking for & we ended up eating at a Chinese food restaurant (which was fine, just not interesting). So we left & started heading home & decided to stop at Turner Falls. We definitely weren't prepared - still in our church clothes (which aren't "church" clothes in my definition because I am used to Catholic church clothes... A.K.A. dressy clothes, but they weren't hiking/wading/swimming kind of clothes either).

We did have lots of fun, despite our "Church" clothes. Today my calves hurt so bad- almost to the point of not being able to walk. Let's hope I can stretch those out! (haha) Until then, hope everyone had a good weekend/break (if your child was on one)!

Talk to y'all next time :)

The Baetz Family Adventures

Well, it's been a few weeks since I have blogged, so I figured I should give a little update. (I know everyone secretly waits & waits for me to create a new post haha). Let's see if I can remember what we have been up to recently. Two weekends ago we ventured down to Fort Worth for the weekend. (This mama needed to do some shopping). I got the kids some Spring clothes & my cousin a wedding gift. We saw my brother & his girlfriend- which I must point out was the highlight of the visit, in my opinion (that one was for you, Shelby).
We have had some pretty warm days here recently, however our mornings are still pretty chilly. The kids love being outside so we have been able to soak up some much needed sun, ride bikes, & play in the bounce house. The last few days it has been very windy (which I cannot stand) but nice out.

I signed up myself & the kiddos at the local YMCA. I have been going religiously every morning to "work-out". Let me tell you why. In preparation for the upcoming weekend's festivities (my cousin's wedding in Lubbock, TX) I was shopping for some much needed clothes. I pick out what I thought to be a suitable pair of shorts, appropriate length, a size smaller than I had expected, & kind of pricey for my taste. But still I trudge to the dreaded dressing room & try them on. The only word that might do what I saw some kind of justice is D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G. So, holding back tears I throw them back on their hanger & leave the store. The very next day, my bigger-than-I-would-ever-admit-booty was at the Y getting myself back into shape. And that is exactly where I have been 3 days in a row now. Go me!

After much thought & consideration, we decided to purchase a male Yorkie. He was the perfect little puppy at first, then it happened... (Kind of like when Avery was first born how cute & sweet & perfect she was, fast forward a few months & a diva came out). Well now he is going potty all over the house (thank the Lord we have wood floors because carpet wouldn't handle this mess), he wines when he gets put to bed in his kennel, & he is trying to get milk out of our female Yorkie, Roxy! I asked the vet if she had ever heard of such a thing, she giggled at me. Of course she had.

Meet Bam Bam. Remember The Flintstones? Bam Bam suits him very well. He had his first round of puppy shots this week & we received his registration papers in the mail yesterday. Now, we are waiting to see how big he gets to see if Roxy will be able to breed with him.

Avery is getting 2 molars right now, oh the fussiness! But great, memorable milestones... Oh & I forgot to mention why Avery was pictured in a laundry basket. That is her new hang out spot... her & the dogs will just sit in there & play. It's the cutest thing.

I think that about wraps it up for the Baetz house Adventures the past couple of weeks. Tonight is packing night, for tomorrow we will embark on a new adventure... driving 5 or so hours to Lubbock with a diva 15 month old & a very talkative 5 year old! Wish us luck. Everyone, have a good weekend!!

Weekly Adventures in the Baetz Household

Yes, you guessed it, Spring has arrived in Ardmore! Avery & I went flip-flop shopping today. (Which, by the way, is so much more fun to do when daddy or bubba isn't with us, just us girls.) We tried on different sandals & had girl fun!

So now that the grass has completely recovered from the massive snow piles we have beautiful, thick green grass sprouting up from the ground! I hadn't even noticed them until I saw Roxy chewing on something. I walked over & to my surprise I found green! I hadn't seen anything truly green in a while, so it was quite a surprise!

Hunter got a hair cut (he has Spring pictures on Monday- so we thought he'd better look extra handsome.) Today, he came home from school with a confession, "Mama, I have a new girlfriend." Me, giving a look only a mom can give, "Oh really? What's her name? How did you get her to be your girlfriend?" Hunter: "Her name is Gracie. & Well, she told me that she loved me, then I told her I loved her." Rolling my eyes, "So that makes you bf & gf?" Hunter: "Yes, mama!!" ---- Lord help me!!!!

& Avery did a little window shopping... Myself, Avery, my sister-in-law & mother-in-law had a nice afternoon "downtown". We went to a tiny little hamburger diner (when I say tiny, I mean TINY... only two tables & then a bar with bar stools & that is all she wrote for seating room.) But let me tell you- this place was amazing! The best onion rings I've ever tasted & a mouthwatering burger... fattening, I know, but oh so good. It really makes me appreciate this town & it's history. My mother-in-law, Melinda, told me how when she was younger her Granny would drive through the Drive-Thru & pick up some burgers at this same place. Amazing. Cute. Historic. Old memories told & new memories made.

Lastly, I did it. I gave in & took Roxy to get professionally groomed at Pet Co. She LOVED it! I will definitely do it more often for her. She was so pretty :) We are thinking about making an investment (as we are going to put it) & purchase a male Yorkie to breed... & it will be my "job". We are still in the research stage & making sure we can put money aside to invest money then make money.

This weekend we are going down to Fort Worth to visit (and I need to get my cousin a wedding gift). I am really excited. I haven't been home in about 2 months so it'll be nice to see family & friends. I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Let's hope it doesn't get too warm ;)

Great News!

I just got off the phone with my grandma (my Nana) and she is so generously paying for us to stay in a hotel in Lubbock for my cousin's wedding coming up in March! I am so excited. Without her help, I really don't think we could have afforded to go & now I get to see so much family that I haven't seen in so long! Many of whom haven't met Avery before so it will be a lot of fun! Hunter is so excited that he gets to stay in a hotel- I don't blame him. It brings me back to the childhood days of our little vacations. We didn't care where we went as long as we got a "cool" hotel room :)

Avery has been really fussy since last week (well since she was born :) but even fussier recently) So I took her to the doctor & found out she has a sore throat & tiny ear infection :( poor baby! Hopefully she can get to feeling better soon, especially by March 5th! It doesn't slow her down at all. She's successfully beaten up Hunter, Roxy & myself in the last few days. I'm telling' ya, this girl can hold her own! Boys beware. Forever ;)

Here is my weather update: pathetic! The forecast said there would be 6-10 inches of snow.... MY BOOTY!! We got MAYBE 2inches & a little ice underneath... AKA pathetic! (That is what I'm used to having lived in Texas all my life) I was "ready" for another winter storm but this... ugh! And Hunter's school still managed to be closed 2 days!! Really?! Well, we have enjoyed our time together. Avery really loves when Hunter is home all day so she can play with him & his toys. Although we didn't get the promised snowfall we did get the promised temperatures. This morning it was 3 degrees and once I saw that, I didn't even look at the windchill. I didn't want to know. I was just thankful that I left my faucets dripping last night. This afternoon it has "heated up" to 30 so most of the snow/ice mixture is melted away. Looks like school tomorrow. Perfect timing for Friday!

I don't think Cody & I are much for celebrating Valentine's Day... we might see a movie the next weekend but other than that, we usually just exchange cards. Which brings me to my next rant. Cards... WHY ARE THEY SO EXPENSIVE? Last time I checked ONE Valentine's card should NOT cost me $6! Are you kidding me???!!! Sorry, honey, but your card isn't one of those. I found a suitable, much less expensive one that will work just fine. I already told Cody that he better not spend $6 on a card or I'll be forced to steal his wallet & not allow him to ever make another purchase. Ever.

On a better note, I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend & good Valentine's Day but remember everyday should be like Valentine's day. You should always tell your significant other how much you care about them :)

As the kiddos are watching Barney (oh that takes me back...) I decided to give y'all a little update. Hunter still has a little cough & Avery has been extraordinarily fussy so I'm guessing she is still a little "fluish" but other than that, all is well over here.

The last couple of days we have had temps in the 30s-40s but there are still a few patches of snow/ice mixture that the sun hasn't reached. And it won't get a chance to because our forecast is calling for snow tonight & lots of it! Here is the part I'm worried about: HEAVY SNOW & BLOWING & DRIFTING SNOW. HAZARDOUS TRAVEL DUE TO SNOW-PACKED ROADS & LOW VISIBILITY... ACCUMULATIONS: 6-10 INCHES. OTHER IMPACT: DANGEROUSLY COLD WITH A MINIMUM WINDCHILL FROM -5 TO -10 DEGREES!

Yes, another Winter storm is about to pass through Ardmore & everyone is in panic mode. Last week after having a few barely above zero days with ice & snow everywhere our stores didn't receive their usual shipments. Wal-Mart was out of eggs, cheese, yogurt, water... you know? The important things!! So now, everyone has been using these few days to stock up & since we have the only Wal-Mart for miles & miles, everyone comes here. No bueno for this mommy who writes lists & still forgets things. I feel like Wal-Mart is my 2nd home! That or the Library (oh my, I just sounded like my mom!)

The other night we went to our favorite restaurant here in town called Two Frogs & this is what we discovered. One of their dessert items: cotton candy.... a huge heapin' plate of cotton candy & it was GOOD! (no, Hunter did NOT eat all of this by himself haha he had lots of help... *cough ME cough*)

Avery turned 14 months yesterday (Feb. 7) I just can't believe how big she has gotten. I know I've said that since she was tiny, but it is really starting to sink in now that she is becoming more & more independent. She follows Hunter everywhere! It is so cute!! He gets so frustrated but I just remind him how much his sissy loves him & that he is her role model... he likes that a lot :)

So, hope everyone is staying warm. I will update on our weather tomorrow! Have a nice Tuesday night :)

Shelby: This One's For You

The kiddos playin' in the bounce house in January!

Me, Shelby (Aaron's gf), Olivia(my sister)

The miracle is- my brother got a girlfriend! ha ha okay okay I won't be mean to him... His girlfriend seemed quiet at first, but boy was I wrong! Last weekend, my sister, brother & his girlfriend, Shelby, came up here to Ardmore to visit. I know you are probably thinking, "Awe how fun!" Well, it should have been, except for the fact Aaron started getting a cough on the way up here & it got progressively worse each second he was at my house :( Lo & behold, everyone else gets sick!! So what should have been a lot of fun, still was fun, just not what we had expected.

I picked out a few terrible movies, we all lounged on the couch, then I took the girls to see our "mall"... which by the way conisists of about 10 stores (if that) but it was still fun to get out of the house & see the Ardmore sites ha ha. While they were here, the weather was by definition "beautiful" (not to me, I hate when temperatures get over 50-60 degrees haha) but it was a smothering 70+ and we busted out the inflatable bounce house that my mom and her boyfriend had gotten the kids for Christmas.

Turns out, Aaron gave Hunter, Avery & Cody the flu (probably Olivia & Shelby too) but we still had lots of fun & plan on doing it again soon :)

The best part of all is that I get along with Shelby so good! I always tell her "we are long-lost best friends" because we have so much in common. We talk all the time & she is probably the funniest person I've ever known :) I am so happy my brother found a classy, hilarious, beautiful girl to be his girlfriend & to be a part of our crazy family! I just hope that she can be a part for a long time, maybe even forever (if she can put up with my brother haha)...

Your Bitterness is My Bliss

We are freezin' our bootys off in Ardmore! And I am loving it! This is what I have wanted since I was a little girl, continuous "winter storms" back to back causing hazardous roads & snow days! I have all my blinds open in my windows so I can soak in every second of my dream scenery.

Although Hunter is sick (diagnosed with the flu on Wednesday) I allowed him to sneak outside for a few moments of bliss. Shh, don't tell the doctor :)

We woke up this morning to snow falling peacefully down on top of what was already a frozen yard. This week we've experienced the lowest temperatures I ever remember feeling with windchills way below zero! The roads have been sanded & yet there is still no sign of pavement. And now, all 5+ inches of snow is covering all of it up again.... Is this what it feels like to live "up North"? If so, I have taken a bite of the icey wonder & want more :)

Roxy, our tiny 4-pound yorkie, still doesn't enjoy the bitter cold snow on her itsy bitsy paws, but this time she came out to play shivering in her black felt dress.

Forecast for this weekend: temperatures teasing the freezing point (32 degrees), but not long enough for more snow to come our way on Sunday and again Wednesday and this girl is happy. Have a good weekend all, especially those who enjoy this weather as much as I do!

Buuurrrrr! That's the only word I can think of right now...

So somewhere burried down there are our patio steps... wonder where they went? Oh, maybe under all that snow! Real, powdery, freezing cold snow!! Didn't know if we would ever get some real winter weather considering just 2 days ago it was 70 degrees & we were out on this very same patio with our inflatable bounce house enjoying the warm sun!!

This is our backyard/road on the side of our house. Who knew that there was a road there? It is gorgeous & I am so happy today!! This is what winter is supposed to be like. School closed (even though Hunter has been at home sick anyways), Cody is off work, & there are just mounds of not treaded upon snow to frollic in...!

This snow convinced me to cook a nice, juicy pot roast. So just imagine treading through the snow, up my steps (they are somewhere down there) & through my front door inhaling the crock pot aroma... mhm. All that is missing is a fireplace....

Here are my poor boots, that tried so hard but didn't succeed in keeping my feet warm for the 3 minutes it took me to take pictures! What do you expect? It's not like they were made for this kind of weather :)

Sadly, Hunter and Cody are sick & I am trying so hard to not get myself sick or Avery sick, so we aren't going to go play in this wonderful powdery snow... It is currently 10 degrees with a windchill of -6 so I guess it's for the better we are staying warm inside today.