Puffy Coat Chronicles

I decided to blog about this because I am so excited and I have been trying to find a suitable winter coat now for a few years.. one that is cute, flattering and in budget! My dear friend Heather got me turned on to Lands End a while ago. I will admit I always thought of it as a granny website to buy clothes, But actually they are pretty nice. Simple designs which I like and good quality! So, Thanks H! Anyways, last year I got a coat from them from my Stepdad. But when I got it I felt like a huge marshmellow and I couldn't move or sit in the car in it at all. I decided to take it back to the Sears locally (free returns) and looked for another coat.. I never found one so I think I ended up using the coat money on jeans and a nice pair of shoes :-) Sorry G!

This year I decided I am going to find a jacket I love and hope its under 100. Well lo and behold on Lands End they have a new Diamond quilted down jacket.. the word jacket is important in this because parkas are too long and make me feel bigger than I am .. I need no more help with that thanks! So, I took to the lappy toppy and researched the reviews and overall people seems to like it, it's not too puffy, but its still warm and stylish. The one downside is that the reviews say there is some shedding since it's a down coat, but isn't that to be expected with anything "down"?

So a couple days ago I was going to purchase said coat but, I ended up sick and never got around to it on Cyber Monday.. they had it 30% off. I was kind of upset but, knowing Lands End they have a sale pretty much every week. Boy am I glad I waited because I got an email today from Lands End that had a 40% off one item and Free Shipping!

So, I just went for it and ordered it! The hardest part was picking which color I want. After much reading reviews and going back and forth between Red (which reviews said was fire engine red. Also, the color of Avery's coat) I didn't want that bright or to have mini & me matching coats. Then I liked brown since it's safe and if I ever get these awesome Sorel boots it would work well together. But, let's face it: Brown is boring.. So, the next option was white or as they had it labeled Ivory which also kinda boring but, reminds me of being a Snow Bunny. Then there was another option I was considering it was labeled Deep Amethyst. I am not really a purple girl but, everyone on the reviews was raving that it was a great color and was not actually purple but more of a cross between blue jeans and purple.

I wasn't quite sure what I thought of that, will it look good with jeans if it is jean colored? will it match my dream boots?



will my hair color go good with it? will my makeup have to change.. Yes, I think all these thoughts! I mean, This is a coat I will be wearing pretty much everyday and since it's not your common brown, my logical side had to say WHOA!! let's think about this coat named Amethyst. After much internal debate between boring brown and adventurous amethyst. I took the plunge and ordered it!

But, not before I google image searched what it actually looks like in outdoor lighting. See for yourself. I hope its as amazing as this model makes it look! ;-) Now just have to wait for the guy in brown to make its debut!



But now I think these boots might go better with it, even though they are pretty vivid, and not what I would normally order.. they might be cute?!

My little artist

Avery is a huge fan of coloring, she doesn't discriminate on the medium. Whether it be pens, crayons, markers, on paper, coloring books, wall or even windows. She is putting her mark on the world (as well as her body and clothes etc..)

I took some photos of her this morning coloring. She kept switching positions while she was coloring.. reminds me of a TRUE artist! Hey, it runs in our family! Maybe she will be the next creative spirit!











My sweet girl.. not a baby anymore :(

Alison Graduated!!

Alison is one of my oldest, truest girlfriends here in Kansas City. I first met her when I was 18, but have really known her as my friend when I was 20. I remember because I went out to dinner with her and the girls and I couldn't go out dancing with them after. We have been together through LIFE. I have lived with her and been late with her and ate nachos with her when she was pregnant with Ciara.. Every Friday night at Chili's. In college I would often sleep on her couch because I was afraid to stay at my apt all alone. We have the type of friendship that we just "get" each other.. we love to talk about ghosts, conspiracy theories and liberal points of view. No matter how much time passes or how little we talk.. we always pick up where we left off! Needless to say, Julie and I went to her Nursing School Graduation. We are the girls who are there for each other for the big moments.. I have come to find there aren't many friendships like this.. So, I am holding on tightly to these two girls as long as I can! It's been a long road for her to get this degree and I am so proud of her, she is truly one of the strongest women I know!

Here we are at her graduation via Julie's Iphone



Here is Avery with her dad's dog at her graduation party.



Love you lots Girl!

Mother's Day in St.Joe, MO

It's become an annual tradition for us to meet Nate's folks in St.Joe on Mother's Day. It's kind of a "half-way point" for us to swap kids (last summer when E stayed with them for a few days) and to meet up without committing to a full day of driving or staying over.

The kids love the rocking chairs and we love the cute photo ops they make! I also secretly love diggin around in the store for clearance chotch-skis.




Kids with Mae-Mae


Paw-paw's Girl

Did I mention their french toast is aMAHzing? Not diet friendly but, I look forward to the splurge every year! :-)

Playtime with Neighbors

It's been a while since i posted or uploaded pics from my camera. So, I will be making a few posts today :-)

We have been spending time with our AWESOME neighbors lately. China and George live at the end of our cul-de-sac and the kids are all around the same age. Both boys Ethan and Quinton are 4 and Xavier and Avery are both 1 (and both August babies!)

Here are some pics from our recent outing to Antioch Park. I had never been before and I must say I LOVE it there. So much to do and the kids got a kick out of seeing the birds and turtles and ducks! ( I didn't take any pictures of these things though.. Oops)



Avery and Xavier peeking through the railing

We took a trip down to Union Station/ Science City also. The kids had lots of fun together and the moms got to chat as well :-)


Ethan and Quinton playing in the train room



The kids all piled into the helicopter and it was a perfect photo op!








Q playing in the digging for bones exhibit.. Black sand is lovely in sandals. I was finding it around the house for a week..FYI :-)


Mama cheesin' with Aves

I love the architecture of Union Station.. Wish I had a fancier camera to capture it all!



Ciao!

Family fun day at Crown Center

We didn't have any plan on Thursday and Nathan had 3 interviews lined up for Friday so we decided to take a trip into the city! I always realize how sheltered my life is in Suburbia when I drive downtown.. I get really excited to be out exploring new land.
Especially since Nathan hasn't really experienced a lot of KC.

We headed down to Crown Center because they had a cool FREE exhibit for the kiddos to play at. It was Under the Sea themed and just had a maze type thing set up for kids to climb on and it was all painted like you were in the ocean. They LOVED it!



We decided to have lunch down there at Fritz Railroad Restaurant. They have a train that goes around the ceiling and "delivers" your food to you. Avery was loving it! "Where's Choo-choo?" she would say.







We got a little lost heading down there so, fortunately we ended up parking across the street from the shopping part of CC. This gave us the opportunity to see the fountains and let the kids enjoy the beautiful weather outside, sans jackets!





Ethan got a little carried away with the water fountains and ended up soaked. I could tell Avery wanted to touch the water but, was still too cautious :-)



It was a great Family Fun Day! I like saying that cause I know one day they will be older and will be like.. uhhhh MOM...Do we HAVE to go to Family fun day!? LOL

Call Backs

Thought it was time for another update on the job search. I am completely humbled by how much support and prayers have been given to our family. I want to say THANK YOU!! I could never repay you guys for all the kind words and "I've been prayin for you's" I have received. So, here is an up to date list of the jobs Nate is "IN PROCESS" with..

DST Systems- System Administrator
This is our NUMBER ONE hope right now. Nathan had found out about this job at the JCCC job fair in January.. (See Previous Posts)
He successfully passed the first in-person interview and is on for his second interview with a few more members of the team THIS Friday at 3pm. He is really excited about this job and would love to get on with this company.

Perceptive Software- Database Administrator
He has had a phone interview with the recruiter, taken a tech skills test and was called in for an interview this Friday morning.

Jack Henry- Database Administrator
Talked with a recruiter about this job and is at the beginning stage of the process.

Terracon and AmeriNat'l are crossed off the list.. with every NO, we get closer to a YES!<-- what my dear friend Jean says :-)

I am in a Bible Study on Monday mornings at Indian Creek and one of the readings last week was about praying for specific things when you are praying. Beth Moore states that is what God wants you to do. I don't have my book by me right now but, God knows our hearts anyways and what we want/ need. So, if he is just waiting for us to say it to him, why wouldn't we? <-- something to that effect. This is why I am putting the names of the companies on here so that if people want to pray they know specific names to include.

One more cool thing to wrap this post up..

At my MOPS group we pray at the end of our meetings for all the prayer requests that people have put in the basket. This occurs at about 11:20-11:25 or so? Yesterday morning I included Nathan's job search in the prayer basket about him receiving the perfect job for him. at 11:29 He got the phone call for the Third Interview with DST. I thought it was so awesome that some prayers are answered quickly and some take time..This gives me hope. So, Pray and Pray some more! :-)

Our Love Story

Here's the story of my Hunky Hubby and I's Romance.. (Let me preface.. this is not just about how his looks attacted me, although they did. I just like being able to chronicle the way we changed over the years and our story has the pics to go along with it.. that being said, here is the story of US!

Back in 2002 was when we first met. We talked on the phone for HOURS and said that one day we would be on Oprah for having the won the Guinness Book of World Records for having the longest phone conversation. We said we would literally stay on the phone until the taping of the imagined show and then walk out separately-- still on the phone with each other.. He was 19 and I was 21.

It turned out to be that the timing was off. He was just out on his own in college, enjoying his freedom and all that comes with that. I on the other hand, had finally decided to sober up and was about 90 days sober. The timing wasn't right. We were on two different paths. So we drifted apart and time went on. Here is a pic just to give you a reference of what he looked like :-)



Not exactly the timing but you get the picture, clean cut.. Hunky.. etc.

In 2004 we meet up again, at DeVry, where we both went to school. He was lingering around the Computer Lab with his Senior Project team. I just happened to work in the Computer Lab and with one of his classmates. So, I start to see him around more and would NOT talk to him. I pretty much AVOIDED him at all costs because he was cute and I was scared. I'm a weird girl. So, now I had no choice but to smile (at least!)at him so, smile I did.

He ended up graduating in 2004 along with my Best Friend Dan. I went to the graduation for Dan and there ended up being a perfect photo op! a few of the guys were just standing around talking so, me being me told them all to scooch in together and I snapped this photo.. (He's totally looking right at me!)



Sorry for the photo quality, not on digital camera back then, actually I think it was a winder camera. to advance to the next negative you had to wind the little wheel? Anyways. I took this picture so I could have one of this hunky dude.. since I was too chicken to say ANYTHING TO HIM!

Fast forward 2 years and I was working in the LAN LAB at DeVry. Most of my time consisted of surfing the net, doing homework and some real work every now and then. So, I was bored one day and decided to troll Myspace. Remember that? haha. They had a group on there where you could see all the DeVry student and alumni. So, I was scrolling through and saw that handsome face (previously posted is his actual Myspace profile pic) I decided I'm gonna go for it! see if he remembers me. So, I sent him a message. "Remember Me?" and he replied " Of Course, I could never forget a pretty face." I was hooked!

So, we started to chat on Y!Msgr(Yahoo) and text ALOT! It started out as texting the cheesiest pick up lines we could come up with. I was literally googling cheesy pickup lines to keep it going! :-) Then one day he decides he needs something from the Computer Lab, some software or something, can I help him out? Of course! So I grab the software and head on over.. this is what I arrived to..



Where was Mr.CleanCut? He was replaced by Mr.Hippie dude. But I knew what he had looked like and would look like again so, I didn't let a little hair deter me :-)

Jan 20, 2006 was our "official" date that we decided.. "Hey, I like you enough to not go out with other people"... We hung out a lot that month but, mostly after work or on the phone. Then came Valentine's Day. It was our FIRST OFFICIAL DATE.. where he took me out, paid for it and we were still trying to impress each other. Oh the joys of being young, single and frantic. I remember he took me out to Jose Peppers in Olathe (where he lived) and we had a small booth and there was a million other couples in there. He bought me a red rose and we all know what that means!! ;-)

We sat in our booth and Nate, as always.. was cool, calm and laid back. I, on the other hand was like a frantic ball of nerves and had butterflies flying up in my throat. He was the cutest guy EVER to me and I didn't wanna screw it up so, I played "ALOOF" <-- a word coined by my friend when I would over analyze everything he said/ I said and wonder.. what's he thinking?!What does that MEAN!? and she would say.. Just act ALOOF.. So, I did and it must've worked because he wanted to see me again.. and again.. and now forever! :)

He's still the hunky guy I met 10 years ago and started dating 5 years ago! I love this picture of him because it's his REAL smile. Not his posed smile. I Love You Natey!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I had a busy morning today. Avery and I went to Bible Study for about an hour and she got loaded up with sugar before we had to be at Ethan's preschool for his V-Day partay! Nate forgot the camera at home so, all my pics are on my phone still.

When we got home I took a family pic of us, as requested per Nate's mom. She got us a Valentine's Frame so, we needed a picture. I think it turned out pretty cute!



Then I just went crazy snapping cute pics of the kids. I made a late night, last minute run to CVS and Family Dollar last night to get the kiddos some Valentines from us. Ethan got a Buzz Lightyear Umbrella for spring! ( If I buy it.. It will come, right?) and then both got new nightlights and a stuffed puppy for Avery. Not to mention waayy too much candy.


Avery's New "Cheese" Face


Can I open it NOW?


Candid of Avery pushing out her belly

I was going through Ethan's Valentines today and I remember back in the day when you just got the card. Now they all come with some cool trinket or snack. I miss the simpler days... and to think my childhood was "futuristic" HA!


Channeling the "Bieb"

Snow Day.. Overdue.

I have been waayy behind on posting photos. So, here are a couple from the last SnOMG Storm that we had. Nathan took great pride in building a snow fort with/ for Ethan. I think it rekindled some memories from his youth, as a lad growing up in Colorado.
It was pretty impressive! But, collapsed shortly after the temperature started to climb above 30.








Sorry my pics are so big.. I am too tired to mess with it.