Sometimes Life Sucks...

Yes, true statement... sometimes life sucks! In March we found out that two of our very best friends were moving within WEEKS! The Russells and the Smiths are like family to us and we were crushed to find out they were leaving St. Louis. We were able to squeeze in a few fun things with the Smiths before they left but the Russells had a house to sell CRAZY fast so we just got to stop in and say some emotional goodbyes. I HATE goodbyes. They are the worst! We just have to remember all of the good times and memories made. Oh, and visit them ASAP in Florida and Colorado! We are already missing you guys but we are happy for the new adventures your families get to embark on! WE LOVE YOU!

Geese and Sea Lions!

(I actually spelled Miscellaneous right without checking! Go ME! LOL)

In March we did a few fun things with pics too cute to let rot away on my hard drive.

On Wednesdays we miss Dad since he usually leaves work and heads straight to church where he works with the youth in the Young Men's program. One Wednesday we brought a picnic dinner and met him at the awesome park by his work to play before he had to go. We ate dinner, went for a long walk. played on the playground, fed the ducks and geese, and played some football. It was a great time with Daddy!

This video of me scaring Bailey with a goose threat is great!
https://youtu.be/HrCrb-MZG0M
Bug VS Goose

A few pics from our March zoo trip where we got to see the new sea lion exhibit!

Snow Ball of Emotions!

It snowed a TON in February and we had a heck of a time playing! I took a bunch of pictures for a project in my humanities class. We had to capture and label 5 different emotions and our day in the snow sure did the trick! These are my emotional snow pictures...

Some more pics of our fun... getting dad, getting gotten by dad, snow angels, "Painting" the wall of the apartment with snowballs, etc...

Happy Birthday, Dear Kenzie!!!!

Seriously I cannot handle my kids getting older. Unfortunately I do not have a choice and they just won't STOP! My little baby girl is NINE PEOPLE! ONE YEAR AWAY FROM DOUBLE DIGITS!

Since her birthday was on a Sunday, we made big birthday plans for Saturday. Those plans were totally ruined by bad February weather! We got tickets to go ice skating for the first time at an outdoor rink in St. Louis. The thought of dragging six kids out on the ice in 25 degree weather and high chances of sleet and rain made me want to curl up in the fetal position. Plan B still made for a great day though!  Amanda, Chris, Rilea, and Dylan drove in for the big day! We picked up McKenzie's best friend, Brianna Birckhead, and they played at the apartment for a while until it was time to play at Chuck's (Chuck E. Cheese). The kids had a blast, won a bunch of tickets, got their brains rattled in the bumper cars, and took some pretty funny pictures. Afterwards we got pizza for lunch and the kids made Duct Tape crafts from the giant and super cute bag of duct tape Brianna got for Kenz. After we took Brianna home it was time to get ready for Birthday Dinner! Kenzie wanted a date night with the adults so we got a sitter and went to her favorite restaurant, Smokey Bones, for a belly full of deliciousness and a bunch of laughs. We had an awesome day!

 This picture cracked me up.... Photo bombed by a creepy lady on TV! LOL

On her actual birthday for breakfast we made pancakes with strawberries and whipped cream and tons of bacon (of course,). After church she opened presents and insisted on making her own "Orange Camouflage Duff Goldman Cake". Some of her favorite presents were her new hymn book, Pinky Pie, Kinetic Sand, and Cash of course! She got spoiled as usual by all of her extended family. It was so great to have the Doellman's spend the weekend with us too. Birthdays are way more fun with family!  

Well Miss McKenzie Lea, as much as I don't like it, you are growing up more every day. You are sweet and sensitive, kind and generous, You are a great friend, and excellent big sister and cousin. Your smile brightens any room. Your favorite thing to do is create masterpieces through drawing and painting. You are so smart and love learning new things. You are loved by so many people. Never forget that! Your dad and I are so proud of the person you are becoming and we love you more than you will ever know! Happy Birthday beautiful McKenzie!

More January Fun

Braxton and Rich built B's awesome T-Rex 3D puzzle that he got for Christmas. Well actually I tried to build it with him and tagged Rich in before I threw it out the window! The end result is pretty sweet, in a cool way, not a girly way of course...

We love the Science Center. I am sure I have multiple posts about this place because it is one of our favorites! It might help add to the love we have that it is FREE! We got to go play with some of our favorite people... The Greenwoods and Russells. We have missed them like CRAZY since we moved across the river. Our kids (and us moms) have been best friends since we all moved to St. Louis!

And a random picture of our delicious new creation, just to make you drool... chocolate chip brownie waffle oreo sunday. Yep!

January with MYSHOOOO!!!

We got seriously spoiled with some one on one Matthew time in January! I miss my baby brother SO much. We were ridiculously excited to have him all to ourselves! We had such an awesome week!
We went shopping, went out to breakfast (and possibly lunch and dinner multiple times), watched movies, played Clue (THAT was hilarious with the kids), and he even got to go on splits and do a service project with our missionaries! One of my favorite memories was dragging Matt to the gym for an insanity class. I almost killed my little brother! He nearly puked half way through. I am old and chunky but I SCHOOLED him! LOL
The suckiest part... the goodbyes at the airport. We got some really great pictures though without torrential downpour of tears from anyone. Oh how we love our myshoooo!!! Can't wait to see you again little brother!

CHRISTMAS 2014!!!

Christmas Eve! Ahhhhh how I love thee! There is just an air of peace, excitement, anticipation, and most of all gratitude for all that we are blessed with. This year we had our own little 2 bedroom apartment Christmas, just the five of us. While we missed our families terribly, it was kind of nice to just be us on this special day. We had a quiet night at home making pigs in a blanket, watching Christmas Story (of COURSE!), putting the previously wrapped and placed up high away from impatient little finger presents around our little baby Christmas tree, and opening a few presents. Then it was off to bed for visions of sugar plums dancing in our heads.

Rich & I snuck in the living room before the the kids woke up the next day to make sure the kids were good and that Santa actually came... guess what? HE DID!!! They all got just what they asked for. Bailey got a makeup vanity, McKenzie got a fancy art set with a bunch of supplies, and Braxton got Skylanders for his Nintendo DS. When they woke up there was literally a WALL of wrapping paper starting at the ceiling between the Christmas tree and the dining area so there was NO way they could peek. NO idea how Santa pulled that one off!

Three kids with minds blown at the amazingness that is Santa...

After coming down from the Santa high we made an awesome breakfast and got on a sugar high. Crepes for Christmas! Someone thought it would be a great idea to fill theirs with sour patch kids - as if they didn't have enough high fructose corn syrup streaming through their veins from their stocking candy, aka "first breakfast."

FINALLY time to open presents!!! Here are some of my favorite pictures of the kids with some of their favorite gifts! Bug's favorite was her Bailey-Sized Elephant "Ellie", Kenz got Just Dance for the Wii, and B was psyched about his new football! (P.S. the orange leotard was NOT EVER meant to go WITH the brown boots... just sayin...)

Now Mommy & Daddy get to open their present... out of the fridge... wrapped in butcher paper... ohhhhh prime rib baby!!!

The presents, family time, and delicious food made for great memories, but they are just added bonuses to what this day really means. Our brother came to this earth knowing the pain and suffering it would bring. He descended to earth to be our example and our Savior. Without Him and His great sacrifices we would not be able to return to live with Him and our Heavenly Father again after this life. HE is the reason and I am incredibly grateful and humbled by all that He has blessed us with in this life. Merry Christmas!