Cutie Patootie New Bathroom...

Taylor, Averi, and Connor's bathroom was in desperate need of a makeover. So...last Thursday we FINALLY did it! Dondi and Nana came over and, with their magic, got it looking oh-so-cute!
They textured and painted the walls, hung towel racks, and even painted our utility room.
I should have taken "before" pictures because you can't really appreciate the transformation unless you saw what it looked like before.
The lighting is not great in these pictures, but you get the idea. We kinda went with a monster theme. The towels are from Pottery Barn and are personalized. And Dondi painted the cutie canvases on the wall! I love how each kid has their own little space/hook and monster painting above it.
Thank you, Dondi!

One of My Favorite Quotes...

" ...but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three of them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less."
Anna Quindlen

Cherish every minute ~

Time Flies.

This is for Abi...

This is Turning Into a Blog About Our Sick Kids...

Hopefully this will be the last blog about sickness in our home. Yesterday and today Taylor has been running fever between 102-103. Turns out she has the flu:( Yuck. So, the doctor went ahead and prescribed enough meds for all 3 kids.



And on a different note...

Ed Ainsworth, our youth pastor from way back when, is going to be on the Dr. Phil show. I believe they are taping on Wednesday. TD Jakes will also be a guest that day. It is about teens and abstinence. Connie said to pray that God would get all the glory!

Ear Infections and Baby Teeth...

The past couple of months Connor has had drainage, congestion, and a bit of a cough. Just the past couple of days he has been a little fussy and pushing away his bottle. I've been suctioning his nose, leaving the humidifier on, and I even angled his mattress so he wouldn't be flat on his back. Nothing really helped, but he never ran a fever.
I didn't think it was anything other than a cold or teething.
He just wasn't feeling/acting like his normal self, so today we went to the doctor. I always hesitate to go when there isn't a fever - because it usually ends up being nothing, and I feel stupid. But today I didn't care - and I'm glad. The poor kid has a double ear infection.
She took one look and said "Whoa! Yeah, he needed to be seen." Dang, I felt bad...but I never noticed him grabbing his ears or anything. I should be better at this - he is the 3rd child!

And tonight this happened...

Taylor lost her 2nd baby tooth! She was so excited. Chad pulled it out at the dinner table. I tried to earlier, but just didn't have the stomach to do it. Taylor said to me "Use your strength!" Ouch!
Of course, she had to call Granna, Gramps, Dondi, Poppi, and Nana as soon as it happened. I guess the Tooth Fairy will be making a visit to our house tonight!

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness...

WooHoo! We are cleaning out Taylor and Averi's closet. Sounds fun doesn't it? And Heaven help me...there is SOOOOOO much stuff in there. So much that I don't even know what they have anymore. It got so bad that I avoided even going upstairs for fear of what I would find in (or in our case - spilling out of) the closet. I guess with work and everything else I just let it pile up to the overwhelming point.

The thought of cleaning anything is not a fun one for me. But the rejuvenation I feel once it's done is so worth it. I know that behind this mess is a lot of cute, forgotten-about, never-worn, clothes. And when we can actually see what we have, we'll be able to use it again. What a concept:)

It's kinda like our spiritual lives. If we neglect it - don't take inventory every once in a while, confusion sets in. If we don't use the tools we've been given we forget we have them.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10)

Well, I Better get back to work. The whole thing is starting to excite me. It's almost better than going shopping:)

I Love a Clean Baby...

Officially a SAHM...

Now that I am officially a SAHM (stay-at-home-mom), I am able to do things like take Averi to her dance class. Here is a picture from Wednesday's Watch Day. That girl has good rhythm - I was impressed!

In other news...

• Yesterday Averi was diagnosed with Asthma. We had a feeling this was coming. She has had so many allergy/sinus issues - and a cough that just would NOT go away. Poor girl. I can already tell she is better since we got the inhalers. I don't think I've heard her cough in a full day.
• Taylor has strep throat - this is the 2nd time since October.

I'll be glad when everyone is back to feeling 100%. TGIF:)

Foreign Object in Ear...

A week ago Tuesday night everything was relatively normal around the Hill House. I had just put the kids to bed and was settling in to watch The Biggest Loser. About the time I was starting to relax IT happened!
I heard Taylor crying upstairs, and the pitter-patter of Averi's little feet growing closer.
I asked Averi what was wrong with sissy. She replied: "She put paper in her ear."
I was not shocked - this was not the first time Taylor had done something of this nature. When she was 3 she pushed a jingle bell up her nose, which required a quick trip to the doctor.
BUT, she is the "older" one, and considering past experience- she should have known better:)
I called Taylor down so I could assess the damage. Shoved deep in her ear were tiny, rolled-up pieces of a paper-towel.
For a second I thought we were going to have to make a fun little trip to the ER. But with my handy tweezers and a steady hand, I was able to get it all out. And there was only minimal bleeding:)
The reason, you may ask, why she decided to do this? - She thought there was a noodle in her ear:)

New Year's Resolution...

OK...so one of my New Year's resolutions is to start a blog. I read so many of them I decided it was time to get one of my own! Besides, what better way to journal and document these precious days with my babies/family.
Speaking of babies, Connor is 10 months old as of yesterday. How is this even possible? Makes me a little sad - Sometimes I ask him if he will just stay little forever:)
But this age is absolutely the most fun ever! His personality is starting to develop and I fall in love with him more and more every day.
Some cute things he does:

• Shakes his head "NO"


• Holds his arms up to be held


• Kicks his legs and waves his arms wildly when I come to get him out of bed in the morning


• Loves to dance and bounce up and down