One week

I can't believe it has been a week since I have posted. Probably b/c not much has been going on or I've just been too lazy!
Piper has been a real gem lately to get to sleep. We start at 7:30 and usually by 9 she is finally giving up and going to sleep. So we spend all that time listening to her talk, sing, cry, scream....and going in there every 15 minutes or so to give her back her blanket and pacifer that she has thrown out. Presley is always asleep before her.
So Thursday we had Steve's work party and Carlyn came to babysit....we warned her about Piper!
His company had rented out 1908 Draught House in Johnston, free food and free drinks! This is about the only time of year that I see the people he works with, it is always a good time, everyone is very nice and the company is really good to work for, so we have been lucky!
We got home about 11 and Carlyn said that Piper didn't cry once! Are you kidding me? So I told her that she is hired at 7:30 every night to come over and put her to bed! HA!

I actually took Friday off from work, I had an extra day of PTO to burn and NEEDED to get some stuff done! So Piper and I slept in until after 8, I dropped her off at Generation at 9 and then I got some Christmas shopping done and went home to organize! I went thru ALL the toys in the basement and purged. I put all pieces with their other pieces, I put all the baby toys in a tote, I threw away all the junk toys (missing pieces, McDonalds toy crap), went thru the stuffed animals and put a bunch of toys that NEVER get used into storage! Felt good....and so far, the basement isn't destroyed so my hard work has actually lasted 48 hours!
Steve picked Presley up from school and they went to go buy a small Christmas tree for her room, she has been wanting one and we said that if she continued to have good dropoffs at school that she could get one....she picked out a purple one! They those two had a daddy/daughter dinner at Perkins (they love that place!). Piper and I hung out at home, she was really good for me and kept herself occupied without too much whining!

Saturday Steve got up super early and went to work, I couldn't sleep and both girls were up by 8 so once Steve got home from work we headed out to Jethros Bacon for brunch.....we rarely leave our house before noon, so this was exciting for us to leave the house by 10! We had a pretty successful brunch out, the girls love breakfast food so this Jethros worked great for us...despite the full cup of milk that Piper knocked on the floor! Oops!

We got home about noon, Piper napped and Presley went outside with Steve for a while. But that girl had a TERRIBLE afternoon! I don't know if she was just bored or what, but goodness. It took every ounce of us to get her under control, without us losing our control.....and of course, doing it so that Piper wouldn't wake up! It was very rough 2 hours for her (and she had her new Christmas tree taken away already!). That night our neighbor had a holiday party, so we headed over there about 5 assuming we would be there for 15 minutes, the girls would be bad or bored, then they would want dinner and we would have to leave........WELL, the girls were surprising good, he had a TON of food to eat of which the girls LOVED (and we were nice enough to let them have chips, cookies and fruit for dinner!) they were able to run wild in his basement and we didn't end up leaving until after 8! So it was really nice to hang out there and meet some new people.

Today, we had our Packer party at mom's that was combined with Holly's birthday party! After the last roast at my dad's retirement party, we decided that this might be something we have to do for everyone on their birthdays....so Holly was the first victim! It was really funny! I was crying from laughing so hard and it's nice that no one (yet) has been too offended!
Piper napped good, Presley, Boston and Mary played good.....successful Sunday (minus the Packers losing. Boo.)

Retirement!

So my daddy officially retired last week! Friday my mom made a great roast dinner for him and we all came to join...and somehow this dinner turned into a 'roast'....like the ones you see on Comedy Central, where they just bash on everyone and make fun of everyone. Steve was ready, he had prepared for 2 days. Holly and Jerry had nice things to say. Holly made us cry, Jerry made us laugh after he thanked my dad for having 3 hot daughters with nice cans! (This is how our family is, this is NOT out the norm!) Steve's was so good, he took jabs at everyone, nothing too mean but all too funny! I do have it recorded on my phone, hopefully I can upload it sometime for you to hear! This 'speech' included making fun of my wine habit! :)

We were there way too late having a good time and the girls were being good too, but we didn't get them home and into bed until after 10:30. Piper did not sleep as late as she should on Saturday morning getting up at 8:30, Presley on the other hand slept until almost 10:30!

 

Johnston had their holiday fun at the library that afternoon, so about 3 we woke Piper up from her nap and all got ready to head up there.  In the beginning, Presley was NOT impressed. She kept saying she was bored and wanted to leave, I think there were too many people for her and like typical Presley doesn't like to have fun if this is what she knows we want from her! :)

 

FINALLY, we talked her into doing a craft! She loves crafts at home and once we convinced her to do one, then she wanted to do them all!

Her reindeer, filled with reindeer food to sprinkle on the lawn for Santa's reindeer on Christmas!

I kept Piper entertained with books, we might have to go to the library more often during the cold winter months!

Her snowman!

Neither one wanted to see Santa, which was no surprise to us. Presley cried on Santa's lap when she was 9 months old, other than that....we don't even get close. Piper covered her eyes when we walked up to him and then hid her face from him. So we might be a family to NEVER have pictures taken with Santa. Oh well!

 

Today we have done nothing. I'm still in my pj's, didn't do my make-up....I did clean the kitchen, sweep the floors, do laundry and make banana bread, so I wasn't completely lazy ALL day!

We are going to have to get these girls out of the house over the next couple months though, they get bored and just pick on each other ALL day long. I spent my first hour this morning playing games with Presley, a little Uno, War, Mancala....over and over and then we had to play school for hours! Piper just stands in the kitchen and cries b/c she wants food....she will eat all day if we let her!

Another one bites the dust

So Wednesday I went out for Holly's annual friend dinner at Olive Garden! 5 girls and 2 large bottles of wine! Full bellies and lots of stories and laughs!
I got home and both girls were in bed (way to go Steve!) and this was the first night since Saturday night that Piper slept in her crib all night without waking up every 20 minutes forcing us to just give in and let her sleep in our bed!

I woke up this morning, got ready, went in to start the wake up process with Presley. Her cheeks were red and she wasn't covered up....she complains every morning that she is cold! So, so, so cold...colder than a popsicle with ice cream on top....so she says!
So I went in to Steve and told him 'My prediction, Presley will be sick today'. The first thing she said to Steve was that her head hurts and she didn't want to go to school. After 1/2 hour of arguing, begging and trying to figure out if she was really sick....we called grandma....again.

So Steve went to work, I took Piper to Generation, dropped Presley off at mom's and then headed to work....a 1/2 hour late. (I've been on time ONCE this week! OOPS!) She wasn't faking it. Two naps at mom's, bright red cheeks, not eating....UGH! My poor baby.

So thank you mother once again for coming to our rescue! Love you!

The fun

Piper didn't sleep good on Sunday night either, the runny nose and watery eyes started.
Monday morning she started in her new room at Generation, the Freshman room! This is her fourth room in a year, but I think she will be in this room until August! Fingers crossed!
And of course, they called me about 3 saying that she woke up from her nap with her eyes matted shut but that she was acting fine....Um ok. I picked her up and she just looked like crap, so like a good parent we went for our favorite mexican dinner and headed home hoping for a good night of sleep.
But that didn't happen. I got her an appointment with the doctor at 8 am and she had an ear infection. And b/c we are the luckiest people on the planet, I was able to take her to mom's for the day!

Thanksgiving #2

Saturday we did alot of nothing, Piper actually took an early nap which worked out perfectly for us to leave for Earlham at about 3. It was great to see everyone, we don't see this side of the family nearly enough! The girls warmed up VERY quickly and went off playing with their cousins!

Piper, Sam, Presley, Tilly and Ava

Piper, Gavin, Presley, Ava and Sam

Presley and Ava are 3 months apart and I'm so happy they get along and have fun together!

This year.....

2 years ago....

4 years ago....with cousin Gavin

We got home WAY too late and both girls were awake until 10:30. Piper did not sleep good. UGH. So she slept in our bed with Steve and I slept with Presley! Piper slept until about 9 and Presley slept in until almost 10! Again, we did alot of nothing until about 1 and then we started to get dressed and ready and headed to my parents for the Packer game (GO PACK GO!).

 

It's amazing how a 4 day weekend and I don't feel like we got anything done. Laundry was half done, the house was a mess, we needed to go to the grocery store. So on to another fun filled week of chaos! :)

Friday Night Date Night

So Sam and Boston asked me and Presley to be their dates for Friday night at Disney on Ice, we took P a couple years ago and she was only slightly interested but this year the main features were Cars, The Little Mermaid, Tinkerbell and Toy Story 3, so I figured she would be more in to it!

She fought liking it......it was like a 15 year old  girl embarrassed to be with her mother at this thing....until Toy Story came out! Then she was finally into it!

Ken totally stole the show! He was HILARIOUS!

I think in the end she enjoyed it, next year maybe we'll try to take Piper too?!

Piper-roo

Piper now calls herself Piper-roo or Piper-roni....again, we need to tone down the nicknames. She ADORES her sister and now only calls her seester! She wants to do EVERYTHING Presley does....now if we can get the attitude to go away!

 

Friday we decided to put up the Christmas tree! Presley was VERY excited! I think last year she 'understood' the whole Christmas/Santa thing....but this year she is VERY excited about all of it!

Piper watched her decorate the tree

and said 'cheese' for me

and tried to put on decorations...which just meant her laying ornaments on tree limbs, but at least she tried!

and a little Piper nonsense!

Presley had her butt in the air....so Piper HAD to do it too!

Patiently waiting for lunch! I told her to 'freeze' so I could get the camera....she knew she was looking cute for me!