Smarty Pants

While Hayley was in the bath tonight, she wanted me to come in and give her words to spell. I went through numbers one -ten, colors, sight words, and then asked her to spell Kentucky. She looked at me as serious as can be and said "KY" I busted out laughing...she was really convinced that was how you spelled it! Needless to say, we are now working on how to correctly spell Kentucky! It was really funny, guess you had to be there.

Awesome Kid!

Hunter brought home his report card this weekend and once again did awesome! All A's and B's, Mrs. Sienicki is always bragging about how smart and well behaved he is, guess all the beatings are finally paying off! Relax, just kidding! Her comment this time was "Awesome Kid"
*Hayley wasn't at school today so we are hoping she will get her tomorrow*

For Momma

with love, From: Hunter and Hayley

Hunter and Hayley had picked these flowers for me today while we were gone buying Brian's new truck! It was SO sweet, and they both were so proud!! I had said several times that I love driving on the road and all the "wild flowers" that grow, they are beautiful!! I have been looking for some on public property to dig up and plant along the picket fence-but who needs those when you have a bouquet on your kitchen table hand picked by my kids! Reason 123,876,480 I love being a mom!!

The search is over

and Brian FINALLY found him a truck!! He has been looking at trucks for over a year and could never find one that fit the check list: 6 speed, 4 doors (I said it was a MUST) diesel, 2500, Dodge, in our budget, manual locks and doors. I am telling you all he wanted was a radio and A/C--these are far and few between!!

We made the 2 hour trip to Alexandria, KY (by Cincinnati, Ohio) to look at this truck--I was praying that this would be the "one" and everything was as good as it looked on the Internet and sounded on the phone. God was pulling for us once again and saw that it was meant to be because it all worked out!! (Thank you, Jesus!!)

This is his new "love"

Baby Chicks

are here!! Pa and Ma had a muskrat that came and almost completely depleted their chickens this past fall. We set traps, filled holes, lock up chickens and the crazy thing kept coming back night after night. So for Christmas we built them a much needed new chicken coop, this thing is complete with concrete floors and all. Now all that is left is to replenish the stock. Pop and Nana found some chickens in Ohio and had bought them and had them shipped at a day old to Kentucky! Get this, they were delivered by the mailman--we all thought that was funny!! They are getting bigger now and have "graduated" from inside the house to outside i the shed, still with a heat lamp. What is spring without your own baby chicks, right in your own backyard?? Just one of the many reasons I love country livin'

Family Fun Night

Ever since the announcement was made at church two weeks ago, the kids have been counting down the days, and it finally arrived. Lots of good food, conversations, fellowship and games were enjoyed by both kids and adults. I didn't think about taking pictures until the last minute, guess it's more about memories and not the pictures. We are truly blessed to belong to an awesome church filled with awesome friends!

Picture this...

You are walking into the kitchen while the kids are eating breakfast to see and hear Hayley giving Hunter his spelling words. I wish that stop time right then and there, they both are growing up way too fast! Seriously, how many Kindergartens do you know that could read 2nd grade spelling words? Hunter is too excited to go and tell Mrs. Sienicki this morning. I am sure that Ms. Sweazy will be hearing about this as well!!

Challenge

The second grade teachers are encouraging all second graders to try and complete the math and reading sub-test on the Study Island Program. They are challenging them to complete all them May 15th. Students who pass the sub-test successfully will be rewarded in the form of a Happy Meal and eating outside on the school picnic tables! Hunter only has one more category to complete and then he will have all the sub-tests complete. He loves to "play" on Study Island and I don't really mind or limit his computer time because it's clean, educational, fun learning!!

One smart cookie

Hunter wrote this note to Granny and Daniel tonight for his Easter Card and once again he blew my mind--he is to smart for his own good!! Check out how he underlined the titles of the books he was talking about---don't know about you all but I am impressed that he remembered to do that! Just goes to show that he is learning and absorbing everything Mrs. Sienicki is teaching him!! Keep up the good job, Hunter!!

Look how cute...

wonder if they could pass as twins?? This has now become the "norm" in our house both morn and evening--Hunter is now on breathing treatments too!

Like sister....

Like brother...

Book Fair

This week at school was the annual Spring Book Fair and the kids were more then excited to spend some of their money (along with ours) to buy some books. They each picked out 4 books and then a bookmark and have already ready almost all of them! I love my little bookworms!!!

Doctors and more Doctors

It seems as if it's now a weekly event for one of the kids to have an appointment.I am really starting to wonder if we are ever going to get over this! Guess I need to be thankful that we have insurance and great doctors who can "fix us". I won't even get started about the "Health Care Bill"

It's now the third week of March and these are just a few of the visits we have had this far:
First it was Hayley's tubes (3/8), Hunter got one of his spacers removed (3/15), Hayley's FU visit for tubes (3/17), Hunter had a sinus/ear infection (3/23) Hayley had her ear vacuumed at the ENT today (3/24)--this doesn't include our weekly trip to the allergist for shots! I am hoping for a week (or two) off before we have to start our visits to the PIDD!

Hoping for a calmer and healthier week ahead

Little Helpers

The kids and I headed over to Indiana to spend some time with Keegan, Grandma and Grandpa Fisher. It was the perfect day filled with lots of hard work and fun. As soon as we got there Hunter made a mad dash for Grandpa to "help" him finish cutting the grass on his "new toy" I swore, they were like two kids in candy store--all giddy and everything else.

Hunter and Grandpa on his new toy

While the kids were playing with Wii with Grandpa, I headed out with Grandma to buy goodies for the Spitznagel Easter--don't worry we bought lots of good candy and prizes to put in the 300 plus eggs. Yes you heard me right--it totally looks like it puked eggs in the back yard on Easter. I never remember having that many eggs for us cousins to hunt, but I guess now that us cousins are "older" and have kids of our own, the Hens tend to go a bit OVERBOARD with everything, and I do mean everything!!!

Aunt Amy helped the kids sort eggs by color

and now the fun begins...stuffing eggs with all the goodies--candy, toys and yes, MONEY!!!

Keegan was so proud to put a hot wheel in his green egg

even Grandpa got in on the action!

I think he ate more candy then he put in the eggs

The kids had a blast and enjoyed running around outside playing with Keegan too! At the end of the day, the kids were so nasty from being outside, chalk all over them and sweaty!! Guess that's a good sign of having fun! Baths were taken while Grandma got us some yummy K of C Chicken (followed by her trip down memory lane of working there!!)

Thanks for letting us come play today!

We love you and will see you on Easter!!!

Still burning

OK, so the hollar has been burning since 3pm on Friday and its still going strong--we had a lot of wood to get rid of. I took these pictures today on Saturday--there is a H-U-G-E difference already, we are so glad! Dan came early this morning and was pushing the brush to make the piles tighter and to level off where it was done burning! We will have to do this process about 2-3 times a day to keep the fire going and make sure that all the brush gets burned

Hayley, Brian and Hunter looking on

I took these next 3 pictures today (Sunday) after the fire has been going 3 days.

It looks so different already and we are glad!

Burning the hollar

Brian was on off this weekend so we took advantage of this beau-tee-ful weather we have been having and set the hollar on fire. Don't worry we called Dispatch and let them know we were going to do this! The kids were excited to be able to help him do this and have a "bon-fire" in the backyard. What says warm weather more then bon-fires? In the summer its a weekly thing at our house to have one complete with s'mores. Unfortunately we didn't get to have any with this fire--its was a bit much to have and I didn't think we could find any 8' sticks as our roasters!! Dan dropped off the dozer so that he could come and push the brush together as it burns--what a hot job!

Hunter was running up and down the hill collecting sticks to throw into our fire. He thought it needed some more, as if there was enough! I told him to be careful because there was a COW PATTY right where he was running--I just knew that he was going to end up in it head first. No sooner then I got the words out of my mouth, he took a hand first slide down the hill and into the patty! I had to laugh--he was SO mad that I took his picture! He immediately went and found some dirt to help clean off his hands. As if, this was the first time he has ever gotten cow poo on him!!

My little farmers......

After all that hard work, we pulled up a rock and had sit. It was so nice and peaceful to be outside in nature and be able to enjoy it and the fire!! Tynan and Truell (our neighbors) even came down to see what the flames were all about...that's just how we roll here on Mitchell Lane!!

This was the view at 11:00 standing in the back yard--it was much prettier in person...the whole hillside was glowing and crackling!!! Ahhh...we are living the life and IT IS GOOD

Tooth # 3

When Hayley got in the car yesterday from school, she could not wait to show me how loose her tooth was. She and Ms. Sweazy had been trying all day to pull it and even took some pictures for me, but it just wouldn't come out. You see, Ms. Sweazy is all crazy like that, she LOVES to pull out the kids teeth when they are super loose. It was barely hanging there, so I told her to lean up here and I pulled it out! She was so proud, but also sad, because she wanted Ms. Sweazy to get the joy of pulling it out!

Follow Up Visit

Hayley had her follow up appointment with Dr. Coppula on Wednesday. It was another long appointment and we were worn out when we left. Ears are looking good, tubes are still opened and allowing for lots of draining. This sounds nasty (and looks even nastier) but its exactly what we are needing and wanting! Nose is still infected and very inflamed, Dr Coppulas was hoping that the medicine he had put into her sinus cavities would help/work and that there would be an improvement at this time. There is little to no improvement. Cultures did show signs of bacteria and we are now referred to an Pediatric Infectious Disease Doctor (PIDD), he didn't feel comfortable treating Hayley, as to he has not seen a case this severe in a child so small. We are waiting for her labs and history to be reviewed by the PIDD and hopefully they will take on her case so that we can finally get her back to normal! What is normal???

My Thirty One

I am SO very excited because my purse came today!! For all those of you who were in the dark like I was, I have a new found love its for MY THIRTY ONE products. My friend, Kelly Hutt, is a consultant and brought a book to school for us to look thru, well that did it..I AM HOOKED. There are too many cute items anywhere from lunch bags, key chains, wallets, purses, beach bags etc. you name it, they have it and can be monogrammed as well! Check out Kelly's website: http://www.mythirtyone.com/15049 If you have any question let me know. I am going to have a party soon --will let ya'll know when.

OK this is what it looks like:

It's a "boardwalk bag" item #3219

It's cute, bright and springy!!

I had mine monogrammed with JWL, as you can tell the navy ended up on the navy flower. Not a big deal, Kelly is going to have it redone with JWL in red (there is red stitching and balls on the draw string) and get this.. I STILL get to carry this until my new one get here! Can't beat that can ya?

Tons of colors and styles of monogramming to choose from

Hayley has already claimed my purse

she is wanting a purse with HEW on it!

She is a mini me all the way!!!