The 100th Post

Not anything amazing for the 100th post, just some normal everyday life, which is pretty special in itself.
Some Easter egg hunting. We have two very methodical hunters. Levi would focus in on one egg and bypass 6 others to get it. Katie had to open and empty each egg as she got it. She also was very concerned about if she had enough eggs. I told her we would need to be careful and share:)

Getting ready to hunt!

Typical Levi after playing outside. Katie comes in with some grass on her shoes and Levi comes in like this.

Some play-group fun!

Dying easter eggs at play-group.

Katie loves playing Mommy. Levi endures it.

And because it's the 100th post...

Baby Andrews #3 Due December 11th! I am 7 and a half weeks pregnant. We have always been early announcers:) Prayers for sickness to pass quickly would be greatly appreciated! We are super-excited. We were hoping to start trying again in the fall...a little earlier than "planned" but just as exciting news. I thought I had the flu for the weekend and only took the test when my nose starting getting super-sensitive. I am positive it is a girl...we'll see. I was positive Katie was a boy! We are still debating about whether or not we will find out what this little one is at the 20 week ultra-sound. Taylor says no. I say yes:)

A Collage.

I love this boy. He is one messy eater! Since we started feeding him solid foods he has had his own way. He did not like baby food and really hated being spoon fed. That was great news for me. I skipped spending money on jarred food and it let me off the hook having to sit and feed him for half an hour multiple times a day. The down side to that was he couldn't use utensils and would go full on fisting food to his mouth. Not a big deal with cheese or crackers. Quite a mess with spaghetti, cottage cheese and yogurt! We usually strip him down or just do laundry frequently. He is starting to use a spoon and a fork and still only 2 teeth!

Sloppy Joes

Broccoli Cheese Soup Goldfish

" More?"

He just says m-m-m.

Things I Love!

As a mom I always like to her about new products or awesome things. Here is a list of my top favorites this week. Not all things are kid-related. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom - One of my favorite books and highly influential to my perspective on life. I think I have read it 15 or more times. Each time I read it, I feel like I am inspired and in awe of the power of God to heal and provide. It is the story of a woman called to hide Jews during WWII. She and her family are caught and arrested. They have a faith that is challenged and yet only grows during their ensuing time in prison and a concentration camp. Seriously, life-changing and well-written. www.starfall.com - I can't tell you enough how awesome this pre-school web-site is for kids. Super-educational and fun at the same time. Katie loves spending time playing with it and has learned so much. One day she started showing me something with her hand. I had no idea what she was doing until I realized she had learned the sign for "e." I really like the calender activity, the letter activities are all great, and I have even thought about subscribing to their additional site to access the number, color and shape activities. Check it out! Go Baby Go by Baby Loves Jazz - Each week when we go to the library Katie is allowed to pick one cd to listen to in the car that week. (I pick a second one if her pick it horrible:) One week she picked this cd and I was very skeptical. I actually ended up loving it! The songs are traditional kids songs like "The Wheels on the Bus." Each song is like a jazz-re-mix. Every now and then it gets annoying with kids yelling in the background, but overall a really fun sound. Katie's favorite, after the bus, is the "Scat song." I heard her "scatting" on the potty the other day:) Check out the link to listen! Peek-a-Moo - We read this book at the library and I fell in love with it. It was perfect for Levi. He typically won't listen to any of the books, but he listened to this whole story. There is a picture of each animal and when you flip it out it says peek-a-___ according to the animal. I need to get this one! Mrs. Meyers All Purpose Cleaner - I have the lemon-scented one. I like using this to wipe counters and kids surfaces. It smells awesome and I feel better about it being used often on spaces where kids are touching and eating often. It is kind of my splurge and chore indulgence. Pampered Chef Stone-Ware Scraper - This little plastic square is my go-to Kitchen cleaner. It is so good at getting surfaces clean. I use it on the counters, table, sink, fridge and etc. It is also really good at getting into the cracks on the high-chair. (I wish I did not have a huge high-chair...that's a post for later. Things I got for the baby that I am getting rid of.) And last and possibly my most recommended item lately: itsalmostnaptime.blogspot.com - great blog from a Mom of 4 very close in age kiddos. She has the perfect mix of humor, faith, and common-sense. Love, love, love it! Some of my favorites are Parenting the Feral Child and any of her best of posts. And there you have it. The most awesome things in my life:)

Princess-Tinkerbell Birthday Party

Katie helping to make pink covered strawberries for the big party. She was interested for all of 1 minute before she started just eating the sprinkles from the jar. Her momma's daughter. Sponge curlers to have pretty-princess hair.

The birthday girl and her castle cake. 3 1/2 hours and this is the result. I used the Wilton cake set. I don't like/don't know how to do fondant so we just used a buttercream icing. It was delicious. Not too stable though. We propped up one side of the plate to keep it from falling over. Katie loved it though, and it sure tasted good!

Levi was so happy to sit with the kids eating cake. When he was done he climbed down and started trying to eat other kids' cake too.
Daddy was telling Katie she needed to wait for one more minute to open presents. We hadn't talked about presents as a part of her birthday and she was so surprised and excited when she figured out they were all for her:)

Cake! It is hard to tell, but Katie picked out pink glitter tulle to cover all the tables!

All 5 of the girl cousins. Katie is the baby of the bunch.

We made necklaces and decorated treasure/jewelry boxes. The kids did great and thanks to some awesome Nana and Grandma help I didn't have too much of a mess to pick up.

I've got some catching up to do.

Miss Independent. Loves to dress herself. I hate these pants. They are her favorites. Notice the cowboy boots. Her footwear of choice.
Daddy got powdered doughnuts and roses for Mommy.

This child is such a little explorer. I am always finding him in/on top of/or stuck.

Where's Levi. I love this stage!

Courtesy smile from Katie. She is quite the colorer/cutter-outer.

Still feeding himself. Still only 2 teeth.

Poor bruised forehead:(

Bye-bye Accord. Hello Odyssey!

Otters at the zoo with friends.

Levi wishing he could get in on the cookie decorating.

I want to make Katie a shirt: "SNITCHER."

Sprinkling is hard work.

Seriously. Seriously, this is the best picture of Katie I got on Valentine's morning.

Levi got a Valentine's cookie-pop.

Colorado breakfast-wear.

Ha.

This is for all the people who tell me, "Your kids look exactly like Taylor."

30 Years

My parents just had their 30th Wedding anniversary. We threw a "surprise" party for them. It was a surprise except that Dad knew because I needed email addresses and Mom knew because she can't ever let it be!
Katie loves spending time with Aunt Sandy. I made lots of decorations. I fnially tried to make a garland sewing paper hearts together. It was so cute, super-easy and fast!

I totally scored at Walmart. All the Valentine's decor was 75% off! Since my parents were married on Valentine's day it was the perfect theme!

We had a chocolate fountain for dessert! I am still enjoying it:)

Happy 30th Anniversary Mom and Dad!