JUST A FEW THINGS.

*in case you were wondering, hallie's favorite song right now is 'kokomo' by the beach boys.

 

*my current favorite song is 'midnight memories' by one direction, which i am only slightly ashamed of.

 

*but this is what i listened to on my way into work today (hi, sarah!):

 

 

*hallie's dance recitals are next week. tuesday tumbling meet, plus friday night and two on saturday. and this is what she'll be wearing for the hiphop number (the green one):

 

 

 

 

good stuff.  

 

 

FLIPOGRAM: HENRY

*max made me download the flipogram app and then made me a video of henry. i'm so glad he did, because it's pretty cute.

*did you know that henry's favorite song is katy perry's ROAR? he sings it and it's really cute.

MONDAY FUNDAY.

*i am cleansing today - doing a detox thing that will hopefully break my current sugar addiction. it must be working because i am DYING for some skittles. staying strong! whew!

 

*colorado was wonderful. i love seeing my brother and his family - and my mom was there too! i got to see some soccer games and go to my sis-in-law's baby shower. good times.

 

*so glad to be home though. i missed my family.

 

*gearing up for a busy week and hopefully some good progress on the final project of dread. i think i need to do something amazing for myself after may 9th. any suggestions?!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THURSDAY ALREADY!

a few things:

 

*my friend preston died after battling cancer. he was a super, super, super person who loved the lord, did missionary work full-time and was married with two young daughters. it makes you wonder where god is in all of this, but we all know that he has a plan. it's all up to him and it's pointless to try to figure it out. we don't know how long we have on this earth, so live the best we can so that one day we can live in heaven with jesus. i love what another friend on facebook wrote:

I'm sorry and sad that I won't get to make it to the funeral or visitation to grieve with you all. Please pass my love on to Hanna, Pierson, Paisley and the rest of Preston's family. As I've been thinking about Preston, I've been reminded of Hebrews 12:1. I feel like in many ways lots of us began running this race towards Christ together during our years at Truman. We got to keep pace together for a bit there and spur one another on. Even as we spread out it is a comfort to think of you all in the race. It seems hard to believe that our brother Preston has crossed the finish line and is no longer in the race with us. It brings the reality of the race's finish home to me. I've been really encouraged thinking about Preston in that great cloud of witnesses. He is now seeing Jesus face-to-face and I can't help but think that if he could, he would tell us "It is all worth it. Jesus is so glorious! He is who He says He is. Press on guys! Throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance this race marked out for your keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus!" This thought just encouraged me this week and I hope it encourages you all.

 

*i leave for colorado tomorrow to attend my lovely sister-in-law's baby shower. i am so excited to see my brother, beth and max and jack! i wish we all lived closer. heck, i wish we all just lived in colorado. if i could move anywhere...colorado! yes!

 

*sarah is due may 22nd. she wishes i could be there now to paint the nursery and help assemble the crib. every OUNCE OF MY BEING wishes i was there right now to make her lunch, paint the nursey and put together whatever the heck she needs. if we could please live within driving distance, i would really appreciate that. let's all move to colorado?

 

* henry got in big trouble. i definitely overreacted (maybe), but i am so damn sick of picking up food off the floor. and he knows it.

 

 

 

WELL WITH MY SOUL.

this weekend was good for my soul.

 

we celebrated easter and (hopefully) kept the focus on the ressurection of Jesus Christ. but we also spent the weekend outside, in the warm sunshine and fresh air! it was a glorious weekend and i have a happy heart and sunburned nose to show for it.

 

*hallie asked if the easter bunny was real. i decided to tell her the truth and then she choose not to believe me. in other words, she isn't ready to give up the myth. i'm okay with that, but truth-be-told, the easter bunny is one myth i'm okay with giving up. SO WEIRD.

 

*i planted four rows of spinach in my garden. this is the fourth year i have planted spinach and in four years, i've not had a single plant. i'm hoping that getting them in while the ground is colder will help them grow. the rest of the garden i am hoping to do in a few weeks.

 

*i gave hallie about four feet of garden space to do her own thing. she got seeds from a presentation at school and planted them all willy-nilly. she will probably do better than i will.

 

*i left all of my class stuff at work...accidentally! it turned out to be great. i wasn't stressed out doing school work. i'm taking tomorrow off to get a good start (!) and am looking forward to thinking about something else after may 9th.

 

*i tried to make my deviled eggs look like baby chicks. total fail.

 

*henry fell in the pond at dave's uncles house on easter sunday. fun times. (see picture below)

 

*hallie has strep throat. she's been complaining for DAYS, but i assume allergies. DANG.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OH, HI FRIDAY!

made it! friday!

 

*hallie woke up before 5am today. i don't know. 4:56am.

 

*i woke up at 5:12am and went to exercise. i really grumpy, but then i wasn't.

 

*after going home, showering, getting ready for work, getting kids ready for the day and taking them to the sitters, i bought six dozen glazed donuts.

 

*buying donuts made me think about sarah (hi, sarah! i owe you an email!). we used to pick up a dozen donuts at super wal-mart in kirksville and eat the entire box while we did our grocery shopping. we would have the cashier ring up the empty box and giggle hysterically. wow. i can't imagine why we gained weight in college?!

 

*speaking of pigging out, henry has been eating so much more lately! it used to be such a struggle to get him to eat...period. and then he would only want carbs, carbs, carbs (see above, i wonder why?!). but now we are getting him to eat! woo-hoo! still lots of carbs, but more! the pictures below he ate an entire hotdog, club crackers, applesauce, lots of ketchup (straight up) and a ton of peanut butter. and some chips. nutritious! (not).

 

*today is a beautiful day. sunny and warm-ish. we have a relatively calm weekend and it's GOOD FRIDAY! we love you, jesus! thank you for dying on the cross for us. #understatement

 

*HAPPY GOOD FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

(my view down our lane driving in from working out this morning. so peaceful.)

 

 

AND, WEDNESDAY.

*i had class last night. i talked to the other seven students and pretty sure we are all on the same page with the final project, which makes me feel better. i also took some days off in the upcoming weeks to get some good work done on it. so, that's good.

 

*i'm really into wearing heels these days. like, every work day i'm wearing heels and being all professional and such. it's a new work keri. dress for the part, blah blah blah.

 

*ROAR by katie perry is my work soundtrack. i listen to it every morning after i drop hallie off until i get to work.

 

*unless i'm listening to one directions. ya know, market research and whatnot. (but seriously. midnight memories, great song. did i just admit that?)

 

*i'm going to colorado in a week! i can't wait to see my brother and his family and celebrate baby kate coming in july!

 

 

 

 

TODAY IS TUESDAY.

right?

 

*at night before bed, henry and i say "good night" to the many important people in his life. we go through daddy, mommy, hallie, pets, grandparents, aunts/uncles and more. he loves it and we usually go through it 3-4 times before i end it with, "good night HENRY!" and then put him into bed. what i love is that i can hear him going through the list all by himself when he thinks no one can hear him. precious.

 

*hallie had her feelings hurt the other night by someone she loves very much about something she was very proud of. i was pumping her up - gotta get that self-esteem back up! - and after sitting quietly for a minute she told me, "i am so glad that god made you my mom. i really need someone that encourages me the way that you do." it was all i could do not to start bawling.

 

*dave is home! life is better when dave is home!

 

*class tonight. please pray for my final project. i am stressing out about it majorly. i need to get a good start on it and then i will feel much better. i will start this weekend. eek.

 

*this weather has officially ticked me off. the winter was long and hard, but we made it to the sunshine! i wore flipflops on saturday! and it SNOWED yesterday. i hate illinois.

 

*if you see me rocking out in the car to one direction, it's only because i'm taking hallie and kenz to see them in chicago at the end of august. so, it's really research. i need to learn the words!

 

 

 

 

 

ANYBODY STILL HERE?

mom?

 

dad?

 

lori?

 

sarah?

 

alison?

 

anybody?

 

i know it's been a long time. and it will probably be a long time yet, but i am checking in. life is pretty overwhelming right now, and i just haven't had much time to blog. as much as i would love to document this time of my life, i need to maintain my sanity, so somethings gotta go. like blogging.

 

i will keep checking in with updates and hopefully pictures/video.

 

so here you go for now:

 

henry:

henry is a terror. very much into the terrible twos, but in the sweetest way possible. he loves to push those boundaries...and stare at you the whole time, waiting for you to tell him know.

 

he goes to time out quite a bit. and the second you put him in the chair, he starts asking "all done? all done? all done?" it's pretty hysterical.

 

no news on potty training. we haven't even tried and i'm okay with that. he's not ready. he's talking more and more (in the sweetest voice ever!), but other than commenting on his weiner and "mommy's weiner," he's not quite there yet.

 

hallie:

oh, hallie. she is so smart and sensitive. love that girl. she is such a reader. i find her with a flashlight under the covers at night. she takes after her mama and nana :)

 

she loves to be outside - loves nature. loves to "work out," and is just a really sweet kid. is obsessed with tv. again, takes after her mama!

 

as for me, blah. if i make it out of this class alive, it will be a miracle. i am stressed to the max. i have a ridiculous project due in may...and i barely understand what it's about. trying not to complain, but there you go. other than that, i'm great :) and i have a great family, so that is the best thing.

 

dave is great. he recommended that i hire a cleaning lady, which i'm NOT going to take as insult. i'm going to see that as him recognizing my needs. it will take one thing off my plate, and for that i'm grateful.

 

 

 

 

the end.