Jack Turned 3!

As Jack's birthday rolled around, we immediately knew what the theme of his party had to be...SUPERHEROS!!  The day turned out great!  We grilled out, had cake and candy and cookies, we got a bounce house for the kids and all around had a good time in the back yard with family and friends!  Jack got spoiled with gifts, as usual!

At his 3 year check up he weighed 29 pounds 6 ounces and was 36 inches tall. Still my tiny little man, but the doctor wasn't worried because he is still on the same steady growth curve he has been on since he was a baby! BUT just as a comparison - I took both kids to the doctor last week together (Norah had Bronchitis and Jack had Croup) and Jack's weight was 28 pounds 7 ounces and Norah's weight was 18 pounds 6 ounces! Only a 10 pound difference and he is 2.5 years older!

The cake tables...with no cake..

I didn't get a good picture of the cake, but this is what it was and it seriously looked just like this!  It was awesome!

Backyard Set up!

The bounce house didn't match the theme, but no one seemed to mind!

Bean being the DIVA that she is!

One of my favorites - Sophia Claire

A little slide time!

Breckin!

Lovin' the bounce house!

Jack, Addy and Breckin - my brother's two kids.

CANDY!

Blowing out the candles!

Momma, Daddy and Bean got Jack a Spiderman Bike!

Jack and Piper - she is future wife material!

Spiderman Pinata!

 

This is my favorite picture of the day!

Bounce House Fun!

 

Norah and Miss Tonya - Tonya is our daycare provider and we couldn't be more lucky!

We also did a little fishing and he caught a birthday fish! Can't beat that!

Memorial Day Weekend

Every year we go to Glenpool, OK for the Spear Family reunion (the timing couldn't be worse because it always falls on Jack's birthday...boo!). This year we had an infant in tow so I was on edge the majority of the time. One year we didn't go because I was due with Jack any day, and by the next year Jack was 1 and drinking milk and no bottles or formula to drag along and he was sleeping through the night! Norah however was still getting up every 3-4 hours and I don't trust the water in different towns so I had to fill an empty milk gallon jug up with our water and I wouldn't risk washing bottles in the water either so I had to pack enough bottles for the entire trip. It was a nightmare! The best part, at this time Norah still HATED her car seat and wouldn't sleep in it longer than like 30 minutes without waking up and screaming, but to my surprise she did WONDERFUL in the car and the trip actually seemed like a turning point between her and her car seat! Here are a few pictures of the weekend and in case you are wondering; yes it's at a house in the middle of town, yes they just sit in the yard the whole time, the best part is the 10x10 foot swimming pool at the Best Western we stay at (that has the doors on the outside mind you)...need I say more?

 

Upcoming Posts

I know, I'm adding more post topics and I haven't published any from the original list.  Forgive me, I'm tired! Soon, very soon!

I am seriously behind in my blogging! Work is crazy right now, Chris is traveling alot and it's summer!  :-)

Here are some upcoming blog posts though that are either already drafted and I need to add pictures or that are great ideas and aren't written yet!
1. My Superhero
2. Norah's 4 Month Update
3. Memorial Day Trip to OK
4. Two Engagements
5. Jack's 3rd Birthday and Check Up
6. Double Trouble in the Tub
7. Jack's First Slumber Party
8. Norah's 5 Month Update (Can you believe she turned 5 months last week?)
9. A Bow Addiction
10. New Home Tour - A Year Later
11. Independence Day!
12. Wisdom Teeth Extraction
13. Norah Thinks Jack is Funny!

14. Baptism (Chris actually went to church!)
15.  Norah's 6 Month Update
16. Momma Got  A New Ride!
17. Jack @ The County Fair

Now, I know you are all dying from the excitement of these potential posts BUT really this list is more for me to keep everything straight! Don't think these are all gonna happen in the near future either, but I'm working on it!  All with good intentions!  Life just gets in the way sometimes and it's much easier to post a picture to Facebook or Instagram then it is to type out a post and upload photos!

Follow me on Instagram @ darci_spear since I know you'd love to keep up with our daily lives in a more "real-time" fashion!

xoxo

2011 - Year In Review

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before?

Well, I've been pregnant before, but this is the first time I'm pregnant with a baby GIRL!

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

My 2011 resolution was to "Enjoy The Moment" and stop stressing over the little things...well I'm not sure that really happened. This year has seemed to be FULL of stress - selling a house, buying a house, getting pregnant, not having a very stress-free pregnancy, etc. If I had to make another resolution for 2012 I'd say 1. Deliver a happy, healthy baby girl, 2. Stop using horrible language in front of Jack, 3. Complete the Warrior Dash in May, 4. Enjoy my family, 5. Get back in shape. I actually saw a picture of a FB friend's yesterday that said "Work Hard, Eat Clean, Talk Dirty" - that might be my motto for 2012 as far as getting healthy and working out.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, Kortney had Saylor in June and Brandy had Preslee in August.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thank goodness.
5. What countries did you visit?

Zip, Zilch, Zero
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?

Zero credit card balances - this is definitely a big goal of ours this year.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

I'm stealing this from a friend, May 22nd - the day of the Joplin tornado.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Getting out and making new friends. I was invited to join a Bunco group after we moved to Frontenac this past summer and I was hesitant at first, but now I love it and I've gained 11 new friends!

9. What was your biggest failure?

Probably using the TV as a baby sitter for Jack. I've been so tired and on edge this whole pregnancy that it's just easier to let him watch cartoons all night then for me to be an active participant in his play.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Our new house! Love it...although we might be having a bad tile job issue that has just cropped up, ugh - it's always something!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

IDK
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Who cares...I definitely learned this year that relationships should not be one sided and if they are they aren't worth your time - so I've moved on.
14. Where did most of your money go?

House, Bills, Decorating
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Getting pregnant!
16. What song will always remind you of 2011?

Any of Adelle's songs, she was ALL OVER THE RADIO
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

Happier, Fatter, Poorer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Sleep
19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Worry
20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve in Columbus, Christmas morning in Columbus, Christmas Day in Chanute
21. Did you fall in love in 2011?

Not really...
22. What was your favorite TV program?

Criminal Minds (still - I love that show)
23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don't hate anyone, but I have evaluated some relationships and decided they weren't worth it.
24. What was the best book you read?

The only book I read this year was Jaycee Dugard's book - it was pretty good.
25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

IDK
26. What did you want and get?

We sold our house and bought a new one in the exact neighborhood I wanted!
27. What did you want and not get?

A million dollars.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?

Oh gosh, we watch so many movies I couldn't pick a favorite.
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I honestly can't remember, probably didn't do anything on the actual day - probably dinner on the weekend.
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

The year has been pretty good, I can't complain too much.
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?

Maternity Clothes, ugh!

32. What kept you sane?

Friends - the few that are always available to talk (meaning text or email - who actually talks on the phone anymore?) and listen - they are the best!
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Kind of funny, but I love the crew of the Kidd Kraddick morning show! Haha!
34. What political issue stirred you the most?

I'm not really informed about politics much, but I guess the whole "The War Is Over" and all the troops coming home would be the one I heard about the most?
35. Who did you miss?

Charlie and George, we gave them both away to new homes, great homes - but I still miss having a little dog around for company!
36. Who was the best new person you met?

Cassie - at work, she is great!

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.

Time is precious, don't waste a minute.
38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I'm going to claim pregnancy brain and say IDK?

In Love

With This Picture!

It was taken at a friend's wedding this past Saturday!

xoxo

Hide and Seek

Someone needs to explain the concept of hide and seek to Jack, because obviously I don't know how to get the point across! He has recently developed a love of playing hide and seek, but he is the world's worst hider! He usually just hides his face so he can't see you, but you can definitely see him! Or if he does manage to actually hide the majority of his body, all you have to do is say "Where's Jack?" and he promptly replies with "I don't know!" It's really very cute! He also has a tendency to use the same hiding spot over and over (under our bed pillows that are usually still laying on the floor because Momma isn't great at making the bed). He likes it when Daddy hides and he gets to find him! George usually actually finds him and then Jack just follows George, but it still totally counts! Daddy gets mad at George for always giving him away, but it's still fun! Jack just laughs and laughs when he gets found or when he finds Daddy - it's so cute to see him walk around saying "Daddy? Daddy? Where are you?" Love this kid!

xoxo

HOT

I thought I should post an update on us since it's been awhile, but I really don't have much to say b/c it has been HOT and when its hot this Momma don't do outside! :-)

Jack has been spending a lot of time at his Papa and Meme's house on the weekends so that Chris and I can try to finish getting our house in order, I'd say we are 85% of the way there. I finally got some pictures up and put around, but I know everything will be moved around 100 million times due to my OCD-ness! I got so mad at Chris once he made me put out pictures b/c he knows I HAVE TO move them 100 times before I decide to leave them alone. I'm not talking move them across the room or to another part of the house, I'm talking moving them centimeters! :-) Chris thinks it's funny, me - not so much!

Last weekend Chris and I did take a mini-vacation to Branson, just the two of us! It was HOT! Chris shopped til he dropped and I complained about it being hot! Chris did buy my a new Coach purse, so that was GREAT! We shopped, slept, ate, and swam - it was nice! No schedule, no places we had to be - NICE!

Jack is talking more and more every week, it's so cute! I'm starting to get concerned though b/c he only wants to do 3 activities/play - #1 Play Ball (baseball), #2 Ping (swing), and #3 Jump (on the trampoline). He has ZERO interest in ANYTHING else and it drives me nutso! I'm sure it's a phase and it will pass, hopefully sometime soon! I'm so sick of playing ball! :-)

xoxo

Happy 4th of July

xoxo

our new yard

Our new house has a nice sized yard, not too big not too small! I think Jack actually got the best end of the back yard stick...see the last picture - yes it's staying! :-)My most favorite feature of our yard is probably our mailbox, it's so cute!
Front Porch

From the sidewalk!

Back covered porch - with ceiling fan!

Roll down bamboo shades!

Back covered porch view!

Jack's new Play Set! Whoop! Whoop!

xoxo

moving out and moving up...

The Spear Family is finally moving!

Our old (first) home!

Our new (second) home!

More pictures to come early next week!
xoxo

Osage Beach

Our weekend vacation consisted of alot of rough-housing...

playing at the park...

sliding down slides...

and playing with play-doh...

all while enjoying the lake view!