what's going on

we are back into the swing of school days. it's coming pretty easy & so far i'm pretty excited about it. the girls both seem to be enjoying school, making new friends. it's an exciting time.

 

the bus is still going good. each morning we play "i spy" & walk on the balance beam while waiting for the bus to come.

 

 

i have been writing little notes on their sandwich bags each day. they haven't asked me to stop. and they always laugh about what i write.

we spent some time at grandma's this weekend. and we soaked up this devilishly handsome little boy. i can't believe he will be 3 months old tomorrow. seems crazy. he's still so little but it seems like he has always been here. can't remember life without that little guy.

 

here is grandma's gang. lucky #7.

 

all of a sudden fall is upon us. and with that is harvest. busy time for my farmer/grain hauler. the girls & i were anxiously awaiting his arrival home from work monday night.

 

 

weight watchers is going really good for me. i'm feeling motivated & happy. i started a blog to journal my weight loss. as of now, it is private because there are some #s on there i am not quite ready to share with the world. maybe one of these days i will share it. but for now, just typing it all out is a bit therapeutic and makes me accountable.

{hashtag truth}

Just some random #truths until I load back to school pics onto my computer...

When I registered Rachel for school, I misspelled the word seventy on the check. I had to void it & start over because, let's face it, a check for school registration is not where you want spelling errors. I had to laugh at myself. Like, here you go - "I want my daughter to get some fancy book-learnin. Cuz her Ma can't spell numbers." #truth

I cried a little after dropping both of my girls off for their first day of school. Not nearly as much as I thought I would. I'm just a little nervous for them both. Olivia doesn't have as many of her old classmates in this year's class - only 2 kids. Rachel was nervous about school altogether & worried she wouldn't be able to find her teacher. But as luck would have it, her little friend Avery was arriving at the exact same time we were. So all was well. #truth

we all survived the 1st day of school

I totally yelled at the school Monday when they sent Rachel home on the bus to our empty house in the country in error, rather than send her on the daycare van. I've since received 4 apologies from the school. But I have yet to forgive them. Maybe in due time... #truth

Today's lunch-break was the extreme highlight of the day. I had an actual real-life conversation with a guy I kinda stalk. Not really stalk. I just get pretty excited when I see him in the hallway or have any type of interaction with him. Dasani Water Guy - I'm so happy I had a brief 2 sentence conversation with you. #truth #dasaniwaterguyforever

Do the Hustle came on the radio in the grocery store the other day. Rachel immediately declared "this is my jam". I nearly lost my mind. #truth

We all went to the state fair Saturday. Olivia & I got to pet a zebra. It was the coolest thing. I felt like a kid, probably just as excited as she was. #truth

what's goin on

{typed but never published for some reason...better late than never}

it's august. and i cannot believe another month has absolutely flown by. school starts in 18 days. gaaaaaaah!!!

a lot has been going on this summer. and a lot hasn't been going on. we have been takin it easy. we have been enjoying little things here & there. these kids, bless their hearts. sometimes i feel like they don't get to do a whole lot, but they don't complain so i think they are quite happy.

my girls are enjoying a visit from jarrett's grandmother - grammie & their cousin brooke. they have stayed at my in-laws' house the last 2 nights & will stay again tonight. it is the weirdest thing ever to be home and not have the kids there. the last 2 mornings have been super strange, quiet, lonely, yet relaxing. i only have to get myself ready. but when i walk by their room with their empty unslept in beds i feel sad. only 1 more night, then brooke will come stay at our house & i will have a house full of 3 loud and crazy girls.

Rachel - Olivia - Brooke

my girls dancing & random updates

this is a reminder for me...

these girls that fight with each other, tattle on each other, and bicker with each other,

 

sometimes, something like this happens...

 

i have a sister. i know what it is like to compare yourself to your sister. you know, the whole "she gets to do this..." type of thing. well, i'm sure those days won't stop anytime soon.

 

but i need to remember, there are days like this too. absolute joy when i see my two girls playing nicely together.

 

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Olivia - today is her first day of State Farm Day Camp. She will go each Thursday in June. She went last year, and I have to admit she wasn't exactly thrilled that I signed her up again. But today taking her to the park, she got excited. Hopefully, she has a great day.

 

Rachel - she moved to the "school-age" room at daycare Monday. And boy, is she excited about it. She kept saying "I'm a school-ager now, I'm a school-ager now."

 

With Rachel's move to the "school-age" room at the center, that means both girls are in the same room. Rachel digs this. Olivia not so much. I think Liv is worried that Rachey may cramp her style. Oh well, she will get over it.

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I have tomorrow off work. I'm soooooooo excited to have a day off. I just had Monday off for Memorial Day, but so did everyone else. So this is better.

 

Plans for tomorrow - none really. I want to work on the house a little - clutter, kitchen, etc...

 

I also want to paint the shelf in my bathroom so it matches my new shower curtain.

Who would have thought that $8 for a new shower curtain would make such a big difference?! It's seriously so much brighter, and the whole room looks bigger. Plus it's chevron, duh! And it's from the dollar store.

 

I finally got around to planting some flowers. If you know me, and I'm guessing you do...this is my first ever landscaping type of thing. I planted some tulip bulbs a few years ago, but I seriously lake a green-thumb.

 

 

Tomorrow is dress rehearsal & pictures for the dance recital. Exciting times, my friends!

 

Jarrett is hoping to FINALLY get his corn planted. He traded in his seed corn for a shorter season corn. What with it being June & all. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for NO MORE RAIN for the next few days. This needs to happen, people. Really. Otherwise it is going to be pointless for him to plant. We will just have to make a claim on our crop insurance. Please no more rain for the next few days...

 

photo dump

we have all been fighting the sickness...going from winter coats, to no coats, to rain coats, back to winter coats, back to no coats -- has struck us all down with the sickness of 2013.

 

i went to the dr saturday - after a week of feeling crummy.

olivia went to the dr yesterday - after a weekend of feeling crummy.

jarrett has yes to go to the dr - but he is feeling crummy.

rachel was with me when i went to the dr & hit her head on the chair there, such is the life.

 

here are some pictures from my instagram...no real update. maybe, just maybe, i will get my real camera out sometime in the near future. in the meantime, this will have to suffice.

 

at the dr pre-head injury

breakfast date saturday

my drugs. i'm on steroids. and pissed off about it.

the girls picked all the dandelions for me. i spent the day covered up in my snuggie.

sunshine and fresh air sunday morning. dark hair for me again...dyed it that morning.

i missed seeing sidewalk chalk creations. it's a true sign of spring.

rachel draws windows/squares on everything. so coloring the bricks in this fashion is so her.

sunday afternoon olivia got some new clothes. she is thrilled. they are day-glow & i think you could see her in the dark in this outfit.

monday morning dr visit for Liv. sinus infections suck.

the Rachey girl playing outside monday evening. she wouldn't stop running for the pictures.

looking sad about going to daycare one day last week.

getting all gussied up for a date with her Owen.

putting on a concert.

right by our house Thursday evening. lots & lots of rain in the past week caused a waterfall of sorts.

sometimes she requests to be held like a baby.

The Sunroof - Makes us Just Like Famous People

Spring. Sunshine. Cruising around town with the sunroof open.

 

I think 2 weeks ago, we took dinner to my brother on his break at 7:00 pm (working 2nd shift doesn't seem like much fun). While in the parking lot waiting Olivia says she has always wanted to stand up & put her head out of the sunroof. I say go for it.

 

It was the best thing that has ever happened to her. She loved it. She says "I feel like a famous person in a limo, mom. They do this in movies." Yes, they do babe. Yes, they do.

 

 

Rachel on the other hand, not so much a fan of the sunroof being open. Photographic proof. Taken over my shoulder while at the stoplight. And I am so glad I did. I laugh every.single.time. I look at it.

 

I wish you all could hear the creep-tastic weird giggle she was doing. Clearly, she looks horrified. But has this crazy smile. It's just plain awesome.

 

 

Oh I love Spring. 

Hi. I'm Natalie

And I'm addicted to scarves.

 

Admitting you have a problem is the first step, right?

 

Seriously. I have a problem.

 

Lots & Lots of scarves.

I'm wearing 15 scarves

I have bought 2 more since this picture.

 

I love them. Really can't get enough, obviously.



Snow Blows

oooooooh winter weather...

mother nature, do you not realize it is now march?
what i would have welcomed in december or january is not cool during march.

i know winter doesn't actually end until later this month. however, i'm officially over winter. i often accuse jarrett of having seasonal affective disorder. this year, i feel like his bad mood is rubbing off on me.

lets talk for a minute about how weather effects people's moods, shall we. i found this little gem of information on wikipedia.

* Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), also known as winter depression or winter blues, is a mood disorder in which people who have normal mental health throughout most of the year experience depressive symptoms in the winter or, less frequently, in the summer, spring or autumn, repeatedly, year after year. *

the actual snow doesn't make me depressed.

it would be totally awesome if winter actually looked like this.



source



but it looks like this.



source



it looks like a white knuckle drive home. it looks like a sore back & shoulders from being so tense during the drive. it looks like cars in ditches. it looks like a huge pain in my ass.

then once it is plowed, it looks like gravel in my yard. it looks like my mailbox knocked sideways. it looks like the snow plowed into my driveway rather than away from my driveway. it's a nuisance.

treacherous is not a word i want to hear associated with my drive home.

right now, it looks so very very pretty gazing out the window. huge flakes. but before long it will get nasty.

at least we are on the tail end of winter.





Playing Catch Up

What have we been up to???

Let's see...My parent/teacher conference with Olivia's teacher went great. She is doing wonderful in school. They are reading a book about WWII from the viewpoint of a young girl. She loved it so much she wanted a copy of her own. My in-laws bought it for her & she has been reading it every chance she can get. It's called the Yellow Star. She is recovering from an ear infection. She didn't feel well Monday the 4th so she stayed home. Then she went to school Tuesday & Wednesday. She came home early Wednesday with a fever. Didn't go to school Thursday still fever & felt puny. Friday there was no school for P/T conferences. And she felt fine because she had a great time with her Bopchi & Tata. Then Saturday she didn't feel good again. Another fever. I took her to the Dr & I am glad I did. It was a nasty ear infection & sinus infection. She has since finished her antibiotic. And is acting 100% back to normal.

What about Rachel? She's healthy. No sickness for that girl. She is loving dance class these days. She also loves learning her letters in pre-school. She dances & sings all.the.time. She especially loves playing Olivia's pink guitar. She makes up songs. It's great. Jarrett is hoping that we can turn this into some type of Taylor Swift career for her. So we will keep pushing the guitar & song writing. Ha!

Jarrett? He's unhappy. He hates winter. He's tired of the cold. He's tired of the wind. He's tired of wearing a coat. And he is especially aggrivated with our current forecast. We are supposed to have a winter storm come our way tomorrow. Something like 3 - 6 inches of snow. Then turning into sleet & freezing rain Friday. Possible ice accumulation of 1/4 inch. Going to be super fabulous. I love when the forecast says "conditions will deteriorate rapidly once the snow begins. travel will become hazardous due to poor visibility". It's going to be so much fun to drive home from work Thursday.

And here are some pictures of me & my favorite girls just for kicks.

Today

Welcome, February! Wait...that cannot be right. How is it already February? 1 down 11 to go.

*************************************

Today, I will spend the day with my love. We will laugh. We will relax. We will enjoy each other's company.

You see, we are going to the truck show today. I will sit back and kick my feet up. I will read on my kindle. I will, possibly, watch a show or two. I will walk hand-in-hand with my trucker as we check out all the sights the truck show has to offer.

He will be in his height of glory. And I will enjoy seeing him being so happy. I know he is going to love spending the day talking about his truck. Explaining all the up-grades & repairs he has made to the truck in the last year.

And tonight, we will stay in a hotel room with our 2 darling daughters. We will sit back as they swim and enjoy the hotel pool. We will have pizza delivered to our room. Of course, we could come home. But we aren't. We are only traveling a mere 60 miles from home and decided to 'live a little' and stay in a hotel. Why not?

You see, the winter blues are kicking in. Granted this weather hasn't been nearly as frightful as it could be, it is still winter - blah. We decided to enjoy our little 2 day jaunt to the north. Hotels = fun for kids. Am i right? I know I always LOVED it! So these girls of ours are in for quite a treat.

life in pictures

there has been a lot going on the last couple of weeks.

mah bestie gave me the idea to do a picture a day on instragram of my girlies. so i have been. #365daysofolivia & #365daysofrachel 

#iliketalkinginhashtags #followmeoninstragram NTotten02

i have been doing good, but it's only been 7 days. i am determined to stick with it. i just want to be able to compare day 27 of the year to day 327 to see how they have grown & changed. that's a solid idea whoever came up with it.

so we have been busy with life since Christmas. making time to enjoy the little things. soak in the smiles & laughter. really enjoy life. you know, trying to be a better person & not take things for granted.

grandma's wall of handprints is growing. rachel got her lovely little hand added on new year's day along with her little cousins. also, my hand is the exact same size as it was in 1994. what does that say about me? my hand hasn't grown since i was 13 -- big hands for a 13 year old most likely. #ihavemanhands

we celebrated my grandmother's 88th birthday - which happens to be today. #happybirthday

pretty girls dancing #crazyeyes

  more dancing - except this time we couldn't watch

it snowed & looked just like a christmas card #gorgeousfrominside

i spent time in the garage doing this with these awesome guys. i love cigars. #allthecoolkidssmokecigars

school started back up & olivia was not impressed. i feel ya.

i got mah hair did - even blonder this time i think. but i love it. and trimmed up, now it feels super healthy. #blondeambition

i took down the big christmas tree sunday. wah wah waaaaaah

i missed the sparkle & twinkle lights, so i put this little one back up & put snowflake ornaments on. i will add hearts probably this weekend - it may be a year round or at least all winter tree.

we did a puzzle together last night.

and that's all the pictures i have to share today. we have done plenty. and so far 2013 rocks my socks off.