Cabin Fever

Well we have not left the house since Monday and we are starting to get a little cabin fever. That is the problem with Oklahoma although we get at least one big snow/ice storm each year (and usually more) they are never prepared so the entire city shuts down for a week or longer and we are literally trapped in our house. Mike has had to take my car to work because his could not get out of the neighborhood due to the ice and my office was closed. anyways, I have had to get creative with activities to keep ellie and I from going crazy- ellie is in a big dora phase right now so yesterday we drew maps and had our own dora adventures. she was fully prepared with her backpack and her plastic backpack just like doras- it provided a least an hour of entertainment which was good in my book. the one good thing about being trapped is my kids are hilarious so they do provide me with much entertainment while i am home. plus i try (and sometimes fail but at least I am trying) as I was saying I try to appreciate all the time I have with them as I often miss these moments at work. We are supposed to get more snow next week and I am just hoping that I can get out of the house because as much as I love my kids I need to work to keep them fed- ha ha.

Winter Storm 2011

Its SNOWMAGEDON!!!!

We got 10-12 inches of snow here in Oklahoma with 50 mph wind gusts and for Oklahoma that translates to the entire city/state shutting down. So we have been lucky to get two extra days home all together this week. We have been having tons of fun because Ellie loves the snow this year as opposed to last. The pic below where she is crying is because we forced her to come inside since the wind child was -10 and she threw a tantrum- what a difference a year makes! Last year she would cry if we put her close to the snow- but now she just loves it. Mike tried to make her a make shift sled but that was a bust. They made a snowman and numerous snow angels and she has loved every freezing minute of it. Tripp and I for the most part have stayed in doors where it is warm but we did venture out for a few photos and he seemed to not mind the snow at all- pardon the pink snowsuit but he is second child who must accept some hand me downs- when he is aware I promise to only get boy stuff. As you can see, Tripp is sitting up on his own but not quite mobile so ellie still loves him to pieces since he is not yet into her stuff. I almost wish I could freeze him at this stage but I know it will all be ok. Ellie is still be a two year old but her funny moments are becoming much more abundant than her not so funny moments. we attempted to potty train since we were stuck in the house but she will have no part of it- even with the bribes I bought for her. I know she has a mind of her own and that she will do it when she is ready but I am stubborn also and am tired of double the dirty diapers- but I am exercising patience and hopefully she will make the decision sooner rather than later.

hope everyone is staying warm- good think the groundhog is predicting an early spring!!!

WAR EAGLE

AUBURN TIGERS 2010 NATIONAL CHAMPS!!!!!!

What a great start to 2011! Mike and Billy and their college friends headed down to GLendale to cheer on our Auburn Tigers and I am pretty sure it was one of the most (if not the most) exciting nights of mike's life. I am so glad he got to be there and experience it. I am an Auburn fan but to my husband it is almost a religion. He has given up so much with missing games because he was deployed (ie he missed auburn's last undefeated season as he was deployed on the JFK in the middle of the persian gulf) and because we live further away from Auburn than we would like- plus we now often have to tape the games and watch them on delay because bath time, bedtime and playing with the kids takes precedence. Through all our life changes mike has been a trouper and it seems his football watching has taken a hit which is why I am so glad he got to experience this game the way it should be experienced. Who knows when AUburn will be back in a BCS title game so Mike had to cease the opportunity! War Eagle

Where Have we Been???

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Congrats to Auburn for Winning the National Championship- Phew it has been a crazy couple of weeks.

We started the holidays by heading to clearwater florida where we celebrated Tripp's baptism- all of mike and I's families (minus uncle jack, megs and ellen claire who were all greatly missed) were in attendance at the baptism and it meant so much to us that there were so many people who loved our little tripp there- there is just something about Otto III that is irresistable- ha ha. After the baptism mike's parents graciously hosted everyone (over 40 people) at their house for a little party and it was so wonderful to catch up with so many relatives that we had not seen in so long.

That monday we headed to Disney with the Szurgots (my sister's family) and my parents. I thought Ellie's head was going to explode- there really is no great experience than seeing disneyworld through the eyes of your toddler. She was not the biggest daredevil when it came to rides and hated the 3d at mickey's philhermagic- but overall it was a great (but exhausting) day. Grace, Connor and Claire were so sweet to ride all the little kid rides with Ellie and wait to do what she could not participate in until we were gone as they were staying for the whole week.

We spent the rest of hte week in Clearwater and flew home to Oklahoma on Christmas Day which was a very relaxing travel day as the airports were not very crowded at all. we had a wonderful christmas and were so happy to be able to see both of our families- it is definitely too long before we see them again.

For new years we had a great friends the allens' over- they have two little girls- amanda and bethany who are as cute and sweet as my little Ellie which is saying alot ( ha ha)- the girls are really starting to play together and it was so fun to see them interact. in the military you meet lots of people and develop many friendships but there are few that you know will be in your life forever no matter where you travel too- I can say without a doubt that the allens are those friends and we are just so happy that they are still in oklahoma and we get this time together.

Finally mike went to the national championship game in glendale to cheer our AUburn tigers on to victory- although i wish I could have gone I am so happy he got that experience with all of his college friends. I have decided that the top four moments of mike's life (in no particular order) were our wedding, the birth of our children and attending the national championship game- at least I made it to 3 of the 4!!!! War Eagle

Hope everyone is doing well- I returned to work on Jan 3 and am loving my new job. we are still in the process of finding a permanent nanny but I know god will bring us the right person. Here is a great 2011!

My Sweet Angel

I know I have not posted pictures in a long time and I have every intention of doing so but it has been a crazy couple weeks with the holidays and getting ready to go back to work. That's right- today after 6 months off of work with my sweet angel tripp I went back to work at a new job- it was a great day and I was surprised at how much I love my new office. We have a nanny staying with the kids and it is so far proven to be a great choice.

The reason for my post though is to share the sweetest story I have about my other angel- Ellie. Ellie is in the throws of the terrible twos and often can be very dramatic and headstrong. But at the same time I have no doubt that she is also the sweetest most loving two year old girl around- as an example, this morning I was getting ready for my first day of work in a long time and I was just trying to hold it together so that I did not tear up in front of the kids or the new nanny. As I am getting ready, tripp starts to get fussy. I ask ellie to talk to her brother while I finish getting dressed. My sweet caring little girl walks right over to tripp and puts her arm around him and says "Its ok buddy, mommy always come home, she goes to work but we get to play all day, don't be scared buddy, its ok"- Ellie speaks very well for her age and no lie she came up with this whole pep talk for Tripp completely unprompted- it was almost as if God was speaking thru my little angel to me telling me exactly what I needed to hear at that moment- that my babies would be ok, that we would all be together at the end of the day, and that it was ok because this is what I need to do and my kids would always understand that- I was so thankful for that moment and I did not even cry when I left- and luckily neither did my babies.

tomorrow is another day and I am optimistic it will be as good as today- god willing!.

So much to be thankful for

We truly are so blessed as you can see from the images of little angels below. This year we have constantly been reminded how wonderful God is and his love for us. When you hear stories all the time of people who are suffering or who have lost a love one or had a sick baby, etc. I am reminded how precious life is as well as all the moments I get to share with my family and friends. This year especially I feel especially thankful for all the family and friends we have and for the amazing family God has blessed me with. A friend of mine talked about how life and one's happiness is all about your perspective and it is so true and this year I can honestly say that my perspective is focused on all the blessings I have and I feel very complete and content.

My parents came to visit us in Oklahoma for Thanksgiving and it was such a treat. Ellie had the best time with Mimi and paw Paw and Mike and I were very thankful for the entertainment of Ellie which allowed us to get settled in our home and have a much needed night out with friends. Plus we all got to watch Auburn defeat Alabama in one of the best Iron bowls ever! War Eagle- as you can tell from the pics below Ellie is a huge Auburn fan and loves to yell War Eagle- she has quickly learned that if she is in trouble or on thin ice to just yell War Eagle Daddy in her cute little voice and mike melts. We had such a fun week and it was hard to say goodbye but luckily we will all see each other again at Tripp's baptism in Tampa over Christmas- we can not wait.