Ewwwwwww......

Ava (from the bathroom):  "MOMMY!  I have dia-weeah!"

Me:  "Okay.  Do you need help wiping?"

Ava:  "I'm not done yet, but can you turn the fan on?"

Me (giggling as I open the door):  "Sure, baby.  Let me know when you are done.  I'll turn the fan on."

Ava:  "Good...'cuz I'mma gonna stink up this room like daddy does."


....and BOY did she.....Thanks for that, Eric.  You couldn't have just taught her how to read or something?  Our dog won't even go in there.....

Have a good day, folks.....

First camping trip of 2011

Anyone who knows our family knows how much we love camping!  We had our first campout of the year this past weekend, and we had a great time!  Okay....so I burned the skin off of my chin in a freak s'more accident...but other than that, it was a fantastic weekend!


My younger sister, Sarah, and her sweet baby boy, Noah, got to be with us!  At the ripe age of nine weeks old, Mr. Noah is now officially a camper!   We camped up by Tortilla Flats, and the weekend gave me a good excuse to keep playing with my new camera!  ENJOY some of the shots!



Ava playing in the creek



She was the only one brave enough to go into the lake.  It was coooooooold!

Parker's very first fishing experience!  Never too early to learn, you know!

Family camping is the best!

Our camp site

Our pop-trailer



Sarah and her little camper!



Sarah and our boxer, Kona



Getting rocks to throw in the creek!

Seriously....how cute is he?

Loving on my new nephew!



We all had a wonderful time!

Ava-isms

I have to share some of the recent "Ava-isms" that have graced my daughter's lips.  Just because they're awesome....

"Mommy, when I grow up I'm going to be an artist...or an architect....or a superhero....."

"I wish I lived on Sesame Street....it is way better than our street."

"Parker's bottom looks funny.  It looks like Play-dough with a ball on it."

"I can't wait until I'm a grown up, and then I can watch TV in my own room before bed...and I would let my kids eat snacks whenever they want and never put them in time out."

"I like our new sink.  I like how it has a magic button that you can push to make the water come out like potty sprinkles."

...and my favorite from just this week....

"Mommy! I think Parker has stinkies....his butt smells like chicken."

Stay tuned, folks....more to come.  Just give her a minute....

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

Happy St. Patty's Day from Ava and Parker!

And I must share the following conversation that I had with my daughter just a few days ago:

Ava:  "Mom, do you remember how it was my St. Patrick's Day party at school yesterday, and you forgot to put my green shirt on me?"

Me:  "Yes, honey.  I'm sorry about that...I thought it was on Thursday."

Ava:  "That's okay, because nobody punched me."

Me:  "Sweetie, it's PINCH you--not PUNCH you.  They can only pinch you for not wearing green."

Ava:  "Oh."

In retrospect, now that I realize that my daughter thought that the kids were going to punch her for not wearing green, I'm so proud of how bravely she walked into preschool with her head held high that day.   That's my girl.

I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaack...........

I know....I know......I'm sorry (Hangs head in shame)......

It has been almost a YEAR since I've posted in this blog.  I can hardly believe it myself.  I promise that there have been good reasons.  I won't go into too much detail right now because I honestly don't want to type it all out right now.  Here it is in a nutshell for you:
Once upon a time, there was a woman who had two small kids and a husband.  After her son was born, she had a Mirena IUD put in.  It tried to kill her.  Instead, it only succeeded in giving her silicone poisoning and jacking up her hormones for a year and a half.  After much fighting to get her life and health back, she is her old, silly, self again.  Kristi wins.  Mirena loses.  Suck on that, Mirena.  The end.

I'm sure that future posts may deal with that whole thing sometime, but right now, I just want to focus on something else. 

It's great to be back.  I promise to keep updating regularly again.  Seriously...I promise.  I really missed doing it.

Also, I just got a SWEET new camera:  the Canon EOS Rebel t3i.  So....this blog will start having much better pictures as well.  I just got the new camera two days ago.  Yesterday was my first day to play around with it.  I actually scoffed at the manual when I saw that step one was attaching the strap to the camera....and then it took me about 20 minutes to do it.  I'm so lame. 

Okay....let's see....update:

Ava is now four years old.  I can't believe it.  Here she is on her birthday in case you need proof.

Ava is still in Hunny Bunch Preschool with her wonderful teacher, Ms. Peggie.  This year, she is also so happy to be in class with her very best friend, Allie.  Life is good for Miss Ava Marie.  We told her this year that she is able to start ballet/tap class, and her little head about popped off.

Our little Parker man turns TWO on Thursday!  WHAT?!!!!  The last time I posted was when he turned one and he had RSV.  Sheesh...time flies when you are poisoned, I guess.....  Anyway, here is a picture of him from yesterday when I went to get him from his nap.  Can you believe how big he is?

Let's see....I am doing great now and feeling better each day.  I've also been reminded how easy it is to take your health for granted until you don't have it anymore.  It feels great to feel great, and I'm truly celebrating a strong body again.  I am just about to complete an 8-week program called "Body Back" that is basically a fitness boot camp and clean eating program.  I do my final measurements, after photos and assessments on Saturday.  I might post pics...not sure yet.  The before pics might make you throw up a little bit in your mouth.... 

Also, back when I was still healing, I made a promise to myself that if I got better, I would do something to celebrate my health by doing something that I always said I couldn't do.  That, folks.....is RUNNING.   Even though I was an athlete in my much younger years, I was NEVER anything close to a distance runner.  All of my sports, tennis, high jump, etc., were sports that involved short, "bursts" of running.  I have never had to run more than a lap in my life.  And, when I was 15, I was hit by a drunk driver and lost the feeling in the side of my left foot.  That also adds a challenge...and it was also, what I now know, a large excuse for why I "just can't be a runner."

Anyway, I made a commitment that, if my body healed, I would train to run with a goal of finding a 5k to run in.  Seems crazy, but that is exactly why I chose to do it.  Call it, if you will, my Christian-friendly way of giving the Mirena the middle finger.  :-)  Soooooooo....I have been training three times a week, and I will be running a 5k (which is approximately three miles), and then running in a race that is 4.2 miles only two weeks later!  I am insane.    It's nuts to even think about it to be honest with you.  Right now, thinking about running a 5k?  It might as well be 100....  I'm doing the best I can to be ready, though, even though--right now--I am still a terrible runner.  I WILL run that day, though.....simply to celebrate that I CAN.

Eric is doing wonderfully as well.  He just got a promotion at work, and he's working so hard.  He was my rock during these past couple of years of struggling, and I am reminded yet again how lucky I am to be his wife.  Here are a couple of pictures of us from our FIVE YEAR ANNIVERSARY trip this summer (to St. Maarten!)

Hopefully, I'll have the chance to write more about trip...or at least post more pictures in a future post.  It was amazing.

So, there you have it--a short and sweet post to let you know that I did not fall off the the face of the Earth.  I'm back, and I will do everything I can not to leave you again.  Don't blame me....blame Bayer Pharmaceuticals....

Big hugs to all of you!