Maddie's growing hair...

Check out this adorable 4-year old...she loves to pose for the camera. We straightened her hair after her bath the other night.

Silver Dollar City Part One

Haston, Maddie, and Daddy's first trip down the waterboggan....they were flying!!! A little too scary for dad..he wanted me to go next time!

We were FREEZING after the water rides...we anticipated the sun coming out...but it took it's time, and we were cold until after lunch. We didn't do any more water rides...

We had a GREAT day though! The kids LOVE it!

Look out First Grade..here Haston comes!

T-Ball Game...

What a slugger!

Silver Dollar City Part Two

Haston got a new bat, for his new room. It is engraved with his name!

Soaked after the waterboggan...

Enjoying that Mr. Pibb...isn't she adorable!

Curly

We've been experimenting with sponge-rollers....to make Maddie's hair curly! It turned out super cute...but our unbelievably-opinionated 3-year old...didn't like it, and it ended up in a pony-tail...
Check out that pose just before church Sunday morning...future runway-model...

Two Weeks

Hopefully we'll be closing on our new house in TWO WEEKS...so exciting! We can' t hardly wait!

I just wanted to post these pictures, and share this exciting news!!!

Coughing....and coughing

Day 12...yep, that's right, I am on day 12 of this miserable chest-cold-coughing my head OFF thing!! It isn't going away! I thought I was a little better yesterday....and then after 12 hours and 10 parent teacher conferences later....I woke up worse this morning than I was yesterday! YUCK!! I am so sick of it, but as another teacher I work with put it...it is quite an ab workout! I can feel every muscle, every time I cough! Unfortunately, everyone I work with who has had it....has had it for 3+ weeks...IT doesn't give up easily!

Maddie, on the other hand, has finished her meds and is over what was a UTI/Kidney infection! Thank goodness she's better, and not using the restroom every 30 minutes! She is in much better spirits as well!!!

Haston's Parent-Teacher conference is tonight, and he is SUPER EXCITED! Not for the conference...so much, but the fact that the BOOK FAIR is also at school. So we're shopping for books, right after I pick him up!

The house saga.....continues....we're likely making another offer on a DIFFERENT house(s) in the next day or two! We're really excited, and anxious...after the previous offer didn't pan out...that builder didn't want to budge...so, OK..keep paying interest. He may be paying it for ANOTHER 14 months! Anyway, it is probably a blessing in disguise! This house is in Clever, MO and is about 10 miles from Nixa, and about 5 from Billings...a great location, really for our family at this time! It isn't as big as we would like...and not as extravagant...but it really has what we need! These two houses are both brand new...and not quite finished yet...but this builder has 5 started on the same street...and none have sold yet...so hopefully that will work in our favor! Pray that something works out fast...we are tired of waiting! And Maddie wants her dollhouse out of storage!!! And..I want to use my new mixer...and my new espresso machine;)...Priorities...priorities....

Snow Day!

Here is on our fun-filled snowy morning this past Friday! We got out of school EARLY Thursday, and there was NO SCHOOL on Friday!!! :) We played out back for quite awhile, then the sun came out and we were able to go meet David for lunch in Springfield, and then do a little shopping! It was a PERFECT snow day! There's nothing like being out of school...and not being stuck in the house!

Maddie & I battled a cold/sore throat all weekend..but that didn't keep us down! Maddie is soooo funny! She had adopted a particular box of Kleenex that she toted with her EVERYWHERE..and along with that..she had a Small bucket, lined with a Target bag, that was her very own TRASHCAN..aka..place to put all the snot rags! It went EVERYWHERE with us! (I didn't let the trashcan go inside restaurants/stores though)

On to our house-hunting adventures....

I added it up, and we've spent more than 12 hours peeking in windows, riding with our realtor, looking inside, and HUNTING for a new house. It is exhausting! Fun, and exciting at times, but utterly EXHAUSTING! I thought though, here is a pic of the one we're looking seriously at making an offer on...It is a BRAND NEW house, but it has been complete & empty for a WHILE, and we're hoping that the builder is ready to make a DEAL! :) We'll see I guess. But, what we've decided is that, if we can get a DEAL, we'll probably go this route!

We love the house, and it has 2 acres with it, but it is the LOCATION that has stumped us. (We wouldn't even consider it if there was not a storm shelter out back, but there is..hopefully it isn't used too often )

It is not a BAD location at all, it is just outside of our original intended area, only 5 min. from where we live now----it is a mental thing..that just got me! You know, when you are totally in the realm of expecting to be in one place, and then you find something that seems so right in Another place....it throws things all out of whack! Anyway, we'll keep you updated on the process as we go through it! I am so ready to just be settled, and QUIT paying storage fees/ renters insurance. We've not had a house of our own in 4 years....we're READY!

Anyway...we're just praying about this opportunity, and hoping that we'll have some confirmation about the next step before we take it!

Love you all!

Jenny

3-Day Weekend

Well it was only supposed to be a three day weekend, but unfortunately I had to take Friday off to stay home with a sick little girl. Maddie had an ugly virus over the weekend, and ran high fever for 3 days... She's better now, but it was a long weekend.

Last night, after our recovery and a trip to Wal-mart, the kids and I made Valentine cookies. Now, I'm not that super ambitious...thanks to Pillsbury...we only had to cut-out and decorate the cookies, but my two helpers (Haston and Maddie...aka..the "Kitchener") did a great job making those hearts so beautiful! We only wish we could share them with everyone!

Haston got an awesome haircut---he is just looking too old lately! He loves his DOG! We're still trying to let the little pooch go live with Papa Dave.....we'll see!

This other picture was one of the rare moments when Maddie's ibuprofen enabled her to "perk up" and enjoy herself for a few hours! She is so silly!

Love to you all!

Our first post

Haston & I had an interesting trip to school today...icy roads and all. Slowly but surely we made it!

Haston is looking forward to the 100th day of Kindergarten, and all the excitement that comes with it! He loves school, and any special occasion there is definitely something for him to be excited about!

Maddie was looking forward to having an additional little girl around to play with today! Grandma was keeping an extra little one today, and I'm sure the "mother" in my 3 year-old will come out in full force!

We are praying and looking for a place to live of our own---this encompasses some difficult decisions for us, so please remember us in your prayers!