April 2017

April! This was a good month. Lots of exciting things happened. We did all of our annual Easter traditions. We tagged along on a work trip with Christopher to North Carolina. Christopher celebrated his 36th birthday and we had an awesome party where some of our best friends did a 10 course meal called the 10x10 at one of our favorite restaurants, Josephines! We did for the first time this month take our kids out on day dates. I took Jack and Christopher took Francine. I hope this is something that we can continue to do as they get older. 

**Funny/Sweet Story's of the month (I remembered to write down)**

We were looking through Jack's Thomas the train magazine and we found a train named Phillip and I said "thats just like your name" and he said "No Mom...mines got an S in it". 

I put Francine to bed one night this month and I walked by her door and I heard her sing Happy Birthday to herself and then at the end she said "Happy Birthday Francine!" It was hilarious!!

#Jackamadeus - BIG BROTHER update!

• Highlight - Jack has a special skill that Christopher and I have noticed. He knows how to turn music to the perfect level for certain environments. Its amazing. We say to each other...we couldn't do it as good as he can. 
• Favorite color - Red. Still!
• Favorite food - I would say its Mac n Cheese this month or Chick-Fil-A
• Favorite hobby - We are definitely into playing outside right now
• Favorite song - Let's Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins. It makes me so hapy!
• Learning - I have found that he is really good at teaching. He will show Francine how to do something and then he will explain it to her on her level. Its really cute!

#Francineclaire - LITTLE SIS update! 

• Highlight - On Good Friday, we attended a stations of the cross service and there was one part where the group was asked to carry the cross. Francine heard that and she said "I want to carry Jesus' cross". Others heard her say it and they told me after the service how it moved them. I know it meant a lot to me to hear her say that and also carry it...but it was such a sweet moment when others came up to me and told me. 
• Favorite Color - Blue. Still! 
• Favorite food - We still aren't a greens lover over here yet, but she is enjoying freeze dried broccoli...so thats a win! 
• Crying - She has definitely warmed up to many people this month. People laugh and say, "I think she likes me now..."
• Skills - I think the best part of Francine is she is starting to play with Jack as a friend. She is also getting to be silly and joking.

Until next time....here are some photos from life lately! 

2 year and 4 year checkup!

Cheekwood Easter! 

Easter cuties!

Hosted Friend's Easter Dinner at our house!

Vacation to Gatlinburg and Asheville

Hotel living!!

March 2017

March! It was one for the books for sure! Francine celebrated her 2nd birthday at the beginning of the month. Christopher recorded 2 new records in the studio. We had a big snow in the middle of the month too! Yikes! And a big life change for me is I took a job doing some freelance work for a baking blogger from Sweden (http://www.passionforbaking.com/). I took a quick trip to Chicago with her and David Reme, a good friend of ours that introduced me to Manuela. We were in Chicago for a tradeshow and experienced a lot of great things. The Chicago trip was my first time away from Francine (2 years!! I was with her every day!!) Christopher did a great job playing both parents for 4 days! I am thankful for this month and for the milestones that are involved here. We ended the month at an Enneagram "Know Your Number" Conference with Ian and Suzanne. The information always is so incredible at these events

On Francine's Birthday!! Family photo!

**Funny/Sweet Story's of the month (I remembered to write down)**

He was on his swing in the back yard and he saw a brick in the dirt and I said "Look its a buried treasure". He said, "No - God put it there".  The back story to this is we are teaching them that God made things...even bugs...and so we don't want to kill things that God made. 

Another funny story is we were in the car and we passed a plumbing truck that had a picture of a guy and a girl like on a restroom door...he said "Mommy is that a bathroom truck?"

#Jackamadeus - BIG BROTHER update!

• Highlight - Jack loves when candles are on. I have been reading lots of books lately about Hygge, the Scandinavian word for calm/rest/peace and a whole lot more...anyway lots of candles have been going in the house and he loves it! 
• Favorite color - Red
• Favorite food - Chocolate oatmeal
• Favorite hobby - I would say doing puzzles or trains right now
• Favorite song - Trolls Theme Song still!
• Learning - We are almost half way through the reading lesson book that we started at the beginning of this year. He is definitely picking up lots of reading. 

#Francineclaire - LITTLE SIS update! 

• Highlight - She loves the animal hippopotamus. Her cute little lisp says it so cute. She also says "sassy Francine" now...the lisp and all those SSSS...so cute! 
• Favorite Color - Blue.
• Favorite food - she is still a carb lover but she does love when I make fresh carrot/celery/lemon/ginger juice. :) 
• Crying - I think we have turned a good leaf with her. It is not nearly as bad as it used to be. It could also be because she is starting to communicate more and so she is able to tell us what she wants
• Skills - I think the best part of Francine is she is starting to play with Jack as a friend. She is also getting to be silly and joking.

Until next time....here are some photos from life lately!