A little haitis...

(is that how you spell haitis??) Anyway, tomorrow is moving day and we have frantically been trying to get all the last minute stuff done. Can I just say that moving SUCKS and even so much more when you have children!! BUT it will all be worth it in a few days!! And needless to say, the blog will be slow for a while!! See ya when we see ya!!

Pigtails and blue tongues?

The pictures speak for themselves.

Playdough worth eating...

My friend Joanne sent me this recipe for peanut butter playdough. We had fun making it, playing with it and most of all eating it!

Peanut Butter Playdough:

1 cup peanut butter

1 cup nonfat dry milk

2/3 cup powdered sugar

Mix peanut butter and milk. Add sugar and work in with fingers. If it is too dry add more peanut butter. If it is too sticky add more dry milk. Make fun creatures by adding raisins, chocolate chips, pretzels etc. Eat! Repeat.

(Cell phones are Emma's favorite thing to make with ANY kind of playdough!)

Still no Africa

We've had our map of 'blog hits' active for quite some time now. (Over 1 year at least) Please refer to the map on the right side of our blog. After all this time and after many international hits, we've not had one hit from Africa.

I think that this is a clear sign of the extreme poverty of the continent. We certainly don't have a blog that targets Africa, but to have no hits at all is a bit telling. I've been reading a book about Bono and his efforts to encourage debt forgiveness to African countries.

I can't say that forgiving debt will cause hits on our blog, but perhaps it will begin to encourage economic development.

Here's to Africa!

Kate pictures...

Here are some recent pictures of Kate...

In her Easter Dress...

Random pics...

And both my girls in their matching Easter dresses...

Pantene Beautiful Lengths...

...is the first campaign of it's kind. It's the "...first in the country to encourage women and men to grow, cut and donate their healthy hair to make wigs for women [not children] who have lost their hair due to cancer treatments." Unlike Locks of Love, Pantene Beautiful Lengths only requires 8 inches of hair. I've wanted to dontate my hair for a long time, but wasn't sure I could make the 10 inch committment that Locks of Love requires. My friend Joanne told me about Pantene! I was so excited and today I bit the bullet and did it!! I was excited to get my hair cut (it's been driving me CRAZY) and to be able to donate it! I can wear it straight, curled under, flipped up or "shaggy short". :-P Here are some pictures:

BEFORE...

AFTER (it's shorter in the back, angled to the front)...

The PONYTAIL...

Our new house...

Here are a few pictures of our new house. We are very excited to get moved in, but we're having a little trouble getting excited about packing! Hopefully, we will get motivated to get that done!! But why rush - I mean, really, we have 4 weeks! ;-)

Front of house...

Better picture of wrap around porch...

Living Room...

Dining room...

Kitchen...

Jack and Jill bathroom between the girls' rooms...

Master bedroom...

Master bathroom...

Master shower...

One more of the master shower...

"It's Emma's birthday!"

The video speaks for itself! I laughed so hard I was crying!!

Emma's March Madness picks...

Here are two videos to give you an idea of how Emma made her picks to contend for the Kelly traveling trophy. I wish the videos could fully show you just how hilarious this was! Jonathan had her picking numbers out of a bowl for EVERY SINGLE GAME!

Springtime...

This is what I woke up to this morning! I LOVE spring and the blooming of spring flowers!!

It's official...

Our house is under contract!! We CANNOT believe it!! It has all happened so fast (we had an offer after only being on the market 2.5 weeks and everything was all settled within a month of being on the market)! And just like with buying a house for the first time, we have learned a lot about selling a house through this whole process. We thought we had really gotten the house ready to sell. Well, what we think is ready and what the inspector thinks is ready can often be two different things!! He didn't find much wrong with the house and we don't have too many repairs to make. But the next time we sell a house we will be a little more proactive and will know what to check before the inspector comes (like exposed wood on any outside trim, a broken mailbox and a crack in the cement)!!

(Kate isn't in this family photo because it was a little chilly outside and the wind was blowing a little. :-) )

Big girl...

I put Emma's hair in a pony tail this week. She looked so grown up!! I had to take a picture and let you all see her!

A few pics...

Here are a few pictures of the girls. I know I haven't been as diligent in posting pictures of them as some of you would like. ;-) Sorry!

My 2 girls!!

Kate getting a little restless...

Kate all ready to meet the people at Daddy's work for the first time...

She's not happy ALL the time...

As a matter of fact, she can get pretty mad!!

This and that...

Things have been a little crazy around here! After putting our house on the market, I felt like I needed to keep it spotless all the time just in case we had a showing. We are supposed to get notification of a showing at least 1 hour prior. Do you know how long an hour is? I mean really know?? It's not long when you've got a house to clean, which includes picking up a toy explosion!! After the first showing, I realized what needed to be done each night and each morning "just in case". We've had a total of three showings. Our first one was about a week after the house went on the market. The second was 2 and a half weeks post putting it up for sale. That showing brought an offer!!!!!!! Can you believe it? We couldn't! After some negotiations, we've signed a contract. We aren't officially "under contract" until we agree on some things after the inspection (which was Monday). So we still show the house until that happens. There was a 3rd showing this past Sunday and we've been told those folks are interested in the house as well and may want to see it again this weekend. The Lord has been gracious to us to sell our house so quickly in such a horrible housing market!! Pray He will be just as gracious in giving us a clear picture of where He would have us move. We think we know where that is, but are still parying about it. The house we like is not quite big enough, but we feel like we can finish the attic to add 2 rooms and possibly a bathroom. We'll hopefully know more about that this week. I said things have been crazy, but I'm afraid they are about to get even more crazy, with packing, etc.!





In the midst of the house stuff, my friend Michelle was in town. She lives out of the country and we only get to see her once or twice a year. Our oldest girls are about the same age and are SOOOOOOOOOOOOO cute together. They were able to play together on several occasions. Here are some pictures and a video. Her daughter's name is Vera, but Emma generally calls her "Efra". :-) She can't quite say Vera yet!!

Taking turns sliding

Taking a ride in the wagon - Vera couldn't understand why Emma wouldn't buckle herself in.

One, two, tree JUMP! (watch the video for the whole effect!)

Saying goodbye

I have to be honest...the last video was cut short because I had to make sure everyone was OK, but mostly because I was laughing so hard!

It's morning.....

I get up at about 5:50 each morning. The house is quiet and everyone is usually fast asleep. That has changed recently, but for the most part it holds constant. I try to get ready as quietly as possible each morning to prolong their much needed rest.

'All of this next part is in the dark' After my shower this morning, when I opened the door to exit the bathroom, I could hear Emma through the monitor calling for Daddy. Since it was about 6:30, I thought she may go back to sleep.

I entered the closet as I usually do to dress, and after about five minutes, the door opens and in walks Emma. Apparantly, Mommy heard the calls and acquiesced.

As Emma rubbed the sleep from her groggy eyes she said...."It's morning....I get up!"

Then we went downstairs to get chocolate milk and coffee.

Is Charlotte growing up?

Usually I leave the posting up to Nicole, but I thought I'd share one of my most recent encounters with the city of Charlotte.

I had a very late meeting this past Wednesday that lasted until after 9pm. Afterward we went to Carpe Diem (Elizabeth Avenue near Presbyterian Hospital) to process through some of the agenda items. As we were walking out of the restaurant a guy walked right up to Joe and started asking him for money. As we walked he kept the conversation going while Joe politely declined his requests.

The point of all this is that this is happening more and more in Charlotte. Charlotte is becoming a bit city with all of the perks (plenty of entertainment) and consequences (poverty) included.

What should be our response? These events never happen when you have 45 minutes to spare. They seem to happen when you are exhausted, late for work, when it is raining, when it is freezing cold, and you don't have any cash. I don't know about you, but I never have cash. Just 15 minutes earlier, when we were settling our bill, we remarked how none of us ever has cash.

Can't wait to hear your responses!!

DeJaVu...

(Ok first let me say I don't know how to spell the title...)

Seems like I've made this post before...probably about a year and a half ago. I did...here it is. We had to buy another one.

I did some research. I drove to Target. I put it in my basket and then I paid for it. I brought it home and put it together. The difference is we spent more money this time...it BETTER last longer that the one we bought last August! It's a Bissell Healthy Home Vacuum.

Overcome with emotion...

I've cried at least once everyday since late last week. Some friends of ours in Texas have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of their first child. But this delivery was not the "conventional" delivery. They've tried for many years to have children of their own and the Lord has chosen not to open their womb. It has become more clear than ever to them just why He chose this path for them. They began pursuing adoption. I don't know all the details of how this came about or exactly how long it took to find a birth mother. But the main thing is they did find a birth mother about 5 hours away from their home. Over the last few months they have been traveling to visit this birth mother and even go to doctor's appoinments with her. This young mother requested that our friends be in the delivery room with her when she had the baby. This Monday, the 18th, she was induced and our friends were right by her side. Reading all the updates has been the sweetest thing and has so touched my heart. I just cannot imagine how hard it was for this mother to make this decision...to first choose life for her unborn child and second to give this child to another family. Before I had children, I thought about birth moms giving up their children for adoption but I don't think I really ever thought about how incredibly difficult it has to be. Thank you birth moms who choose life and choose to allow your children to be adopted. What a blessing you've given their adoptive parents...my friends in Texas, especially!!

Wanna buy a house??

'Cus our's is FOR SALE!! No, really...it is!! Our Realtor is bringing the sign for the front yard this afternoon. We've wanted to move closer to the city for a long time, mainly to be closer to Jonathan's work. We found a house we like and have made a contingency offer. Even if we don't get this house, we are going to leave ours on the market and conitnue looking. Click here for the listing. And if you don't want to :-P , here are some pictures that are with our listing...