Life...

It has been an interesting couple of weeks. Our house is officially on the market, and Randy and I spent 2 weeks do to dos. Fixing the yard, spring cleaning everything... and we didn't quite finish in time. I started working, and was really enjoying it, but... things happen. Randy found out he is going to be working most of the summer, with a week off here and there. This changed the need of me to work. The girls were starting to break down, and made it clear that they did not want me to work. I would come home, and if Kimmie was awake she wanted me to sleep next to her so I couldn't leave. Me working was unnecessary, but I was enjoying the little breaks, even if it got in the way of everything. Through the counsel of my family, I had to decide that this is the most important time for me to be home with my children, and if i don't have to work I shouldn't. Well, I don't have a backbone, and it took a week before I finally called and told work I just wasn't coming anymore. I feel like my work ethic shot through the roof, but it is a relief to be free of it.
Now I am home, and frantically cleaning and finishing the packing before anyone decides to come look at my house. I am super worried that my house will not sale, and we are going to be having some financial issues.

Happy notes. Erin came for a week!!! She is on her way to Europe now, but it was so much fun to see her (I saw little with me still working). My girls loved it! She is such a great person, and helped as much as she could in the craziness my home was this last week. Count down is on until the rest of the Harrops are here, and then Randy will be home for Kristina's Open House. I can't wait. It is a matter of accomplishing everything now.
Kimber has started Singing about EVERYTHING! she sings about going potty, and snakes (don't know where that came from) and anything. It is really cute. She sings words over and over again, when we ask what she is doing she says "Singing" like we are stupid.
Nikki is walking, and walking and walking. She doesn't want to be carried, and told where to go. She is also vary fearless. We went to the park the other day and she would walk of the ledge of the slide to fall on her back and slide the rest of the way down, squealing the entire time. I love being a mom and watching them grow and become their own person.

Graduation 2009

I finally graduated!!! Okay, it is just my Associate of Arts with a 3.77 GPA, I finally finished something. 6 years after I finished high school. I was a little unsure about walking. Randy was at work, and I felt like it would be a burden for anyone to come. But I walked. On the 7th we had a dinner and rehearsal for graduation. A friend from high school was also graduating so I spent the evening with her and her family. While we were there Mr. Williams, a math teacher from Colony, was talking to us and asking questions about our degree, and how going to school went. Afterwards he asked for our names and if he could talk about us in his speech at Graduation.

Graduation comes... I am nervous, excited and a little worried about getting my school books for my class that starts on the 18th. (School never ends). As we walked in, I realized how lucky I am. Rick, Julie, Ryan and Krissee were there from Randy's side of the family, with our two girls, my brother Richard was there, Miles and Monica Victors as well as Taron and Daylon Deeds with their families were there. All just for me. The BEST part was RANDY came home early from work and SURPRISED me there!! A little egotistical, but I was so grateful to have so many people there for me. I ended up know a lot of people from the community and church there, and it was great to realize how many other people I knew at graduation.

Mr. Williams did mention me, and went on to say how I was balancing life well, having my family as a priority, and also a goal of teaching to help with my community. I was beet red.

Thank you everyone for coming, and helping me with babysitting, helping with homework, and encouraging me to keep going when I was ready to quit. Thank you soooo much!

How stubborn Nikki is

Nicole is now almost 14 months old. She just barely figured out how to go down stairs backwards, and only falls when she tries to stand and dance. She only figured this out with the help of our friends son spending an entire evening teaching her. Well last night Randy came home around 10 pm, after visiting Gramma and Papa. Nicole had hit her second wind and was punch drunk goofy. We woke Kim up, and got her out of the car to get her ready for bed, and were doing our regular routine, when Nikki crawls to the couch, stands up and turns to face me. she starts to take a couple of steps (she has been doing that for 2 months now). She fell, laughed, and crawled back to the couch to repeat. after the 3rd attempted we realized that she was practicing and trying to walk across the room to me. All 3 of us started to cheer for her and she finally did it! after moments of her clapping and giggling, she crawled back to the couch to do it again.

I am excited she finally decided she wants to walk, but what does this mean for her future with her personality? ;-) She is defiantly strong willed, and stubborn... who knows where that came from?

Name that Baby

Eveyone always says my girls look just like me, but nothing like eachother... well, you tell me. Can you name that baby???

Easter

Easter was a lot of fun. I think it was the first we really celebrated in our home. Saturday I went with our friends Taron and Daylon Deeds to the Air Force Easter Egg Grab. It was fun. We waited 20 minutes for 5 seconds of egg grabbing. The kids had fun though. Kimmie only wanted pink eggs, and Nikki just wanted to check things out; I would but eggs in her basket and she would pull them out, look at them and then through them. After the egg grab, we spent the day with the Deeds, and colored some eggs.

Sunday we didn't do a lot, we went to church with Gramma and Papa, wearing our new pretty Easter Dress (which I didn't get picture of yet... grumble...) and I went to pick up Randy. Sunday night we had the Easter Bunny make a special stop, and Monday morning the girls got their baskets. They had fun going through everything, and playing with the new stuff they got. Nicole really enjoyed the grass.... good thing we have vacuums!

Cinderella

Kimber loves her Disney Princesses. I am guessing that Ariel is her favorite, but she has me singing the Disney songs all the time. The other day Kimber wanted to watch my Rodgers and Hammerstein's version of Cinderella. Hours later we were driving home from visiting Ron and his family, and she started singing "It's possible.... EVERYDAY."

I hope the video clip sounds okay (she had me singing too... so sorry about that)

WebCams

I convinced my mother to buy a web cam months ago. Randy and I use it all the time when he is gone, so I though now that Grandma and Grandpa moved to Kansas they can still see the granddaughters. After buying the web cam way back when, we finally set it up last night. Kim LOVED it!!! Grandpa read her an Easter story, and counted eggs with her. Kim talked all about it as I was putting her to bed. I personally think it was my parents that were more excited. It was so fun. Kim is pretty good at talking on the phone, but she always think they can see her, so she is trying to show them what she is wearing or her favorite toy for the day. Web cams are just amazing for that!!

Besides that, life has been fairly normal. I had a slumber-party with my girlfriend in Anchorage, and let the girls run wild with her sons. Kim crashed about 4 the second day, and slept until 7... It wore her out!!

I figured school out!! I am graduating this spring with my AA (with honors) but i am taking a class this summer and student teaching next fall and can graduate with my AAS Early Childhood Education. I am so excited, the end is near. I am getting my AA this spring just in case something comes up and I cannot get my AAS this fall (like moving). But all my work is paying off. I want to get my BAS, but I think I need to wait a bit on that, school was much harder than I thought it would be with 2 kids.