It's going goo so far...

Most of my give away has been trash. Paperwork that has been just sitting there. I am not going to Del Taco to get my free burrito no matter how many coupons I keep! Here is te biggest five always. The rest has been mostly clothes. I'm wavering between getting rid of Kate's quilt. I have a nicer one to replace it with from my sister, but this one is still fine. I should get rid if it. But the cheap part of me is saying no:). It is potterybarn:)

Cleaning up!

Here's my little narrative. I have too much. It's me. It's not the girls, it's a little, ok a lot john. But I can only fix me:). So for the next 30 days I'm getting rid of 3-5 things (big or small) (trash or goodwill) and not buying anything that is not consumable! So here I go. I'll post my give aways later on tonight.

Happy 6th Bday Katie Girl

 September 19, 2006

 October 2006

 september 2007

 september 2008

 september 2009

 september 2010

 september 2011

 september 2012

 first day of preschool

 first day of kindergarten as a 4 year old

first day of kindergarten as a 5 year old

yes it's been forever (kerry rigsby).  With Facebook, I just can't get to this, but for my special Katie Girl, anything is possible.  every time hannah gets a year older or finishes something, i tell myself it's okay, because Kate still gets to do it.  kate is quickly approaching all those first milestones and finishing them all too quickly!  Today she is 6.  6!!!  how is that possible.  she is the most sweetest, motherly, beautiful, smart, precious little girl we could ask for.  she started kindergarten (again) and is doing so well.  she loves school, loves her friends, loves her backpack...lunchpail...uniform...matching bows, loves soccer, loves water bottles, loves her family, loves her room, loves her cousins, loves disneyland, loves everything.  she still has her whining fits, but i'll take her anyways!

well, well, well.

where have you been? you might be asking that! We have been super busy, yet super not busy at the same time! No idea how that is possible, but that what it feels like.

the house is moving along sssslllloooowwwwlllyyyy. john is working his but off. the work he is doing isn't major, so it looks like not much has been done, yet what he is doing has to be done and has to be done first. we are currently living in the one side of the house. the girls room, our room, the hallway, and the bathroom are about 90% finished. just missing moulding! windows need to be replace but we are waiting on that. we accidentally cut down the money tree when we cleaned out the backyard, so we are waiting for it to grow back:)

the girls finished soccer season. they both had good teams, with good coaches, and good parents, so we really enjoyed it. hannah is hopefully becoming quite the soccer star. kate did really well too...she loved snacks and pizza parties, and scoring goals. meghan brings up the rear with a sassy attitude and a mind of her own. she loves going where we go though i try to pawn her off on anyone who is home:)

we celebrated thanksgiving with my whole family in arizona. it was so nice to hang out. kelsey hosted us all...including jj's mom and dad and niece. we got there on a tuesday and didn't see the big girls all week until we left on sunday. they had so much fun swimming, rollerblading, trampolining, etc. they finished the day off with a slumber party each night!

christmas season has rolled around. we spend a week with kelsey and the girls doing the usual...disneyland, fashion island, the mall, fast food, and a lof of trips to walmart. candace and paige are/were here and the kids had fun hanging out with all the cousins! we are anxiously awaiting christmas morning. john wants to spend our 1st christmas here, while i want to get the heck out, but he wins. we will open presents here and then head off to my parents. 2 days late, john will take the girls to ohio to visit his family. i am looking forward to 9 days to myself. as it closer i am getting a little nervous that they have to fly and are so far away. once they land, i know i will be fine. i have nothing scheduled because i know i can do something at the drop of a hat. it's been 7 + years since i've had this freedom!

our 2nd annual visit to see the lights in naples

we transitioned megsie into a bed:( she does well at night, not so much during naps, so she remains in my closet in a pack and play

a trip to a local church for a christmas celebration and smores

a little out of order...naples

hannah's christmas play

decorating the tree

one of about 10 trips to disneyland during december

ross*axline*robers*puts*kollen

late night slumber parties

trying to deep fry the turkey...about an hour before dinner was to begin

watching the osu michigan game

best friends

frenemies

It's paying off

it's not quite finished, but we are only left with a few minor details...grout and countertops which are all coming this week! i don't give john enough credit to everyone. he has done this almost entirely by himself. we have been so lucky to have our family and friends help when they can, but this bathroom is almost entirely john ross. he has worked a full long day and then goes to the house. he doesn't eat, has to go to stater brothers to go to the bathroom, and hasn't seen much of the kids:(. he stays until 11 or 12 and then comes home to hear me nag and complain and then starts the day all over again. he has done a fantastic job!

what we've been up to

soccer. house. packing. soccer. house. renovating. soccer. school. homework. soccer. you get it. here are some pictures of the girls. we did our annual pumpkin patch visit on sunday at cal poly pomona. if you haven't ever been there, i highly recommend it. kate and hannah are busy with school, practice, and games. they are very excited for their own rooms. meghan is a pistol...telling me don't help her, i want a drink of soda, i'm not tired. you get it!

Happy Birthday Kate

5 years ago tonight, we met my sister in law at a shoe store to drop off Hannah. Kate was going to be born the next day. I remember crying and wondering how I could love another baby! Well, boy was I wrong! What a gift this little girl has been. I feel like I should have taken wedding vows with her...in sickness and in health, in good times and in bad. She's given us a run for our money! It's hard to believe that it's been 5 years since we met her. We love her so much even when she is whining because she is not a kindergartener when we tell her she is!