Some GOOD news...

We are proud land owners!  We bought a lot out North & are so very happy about this!  God once again orchestrated something completely unexpected and wonderful for our family.  More to come on this later.  For now, here are a couple of pictures of our children standing on the site of our future home(that Shane will build=so fun!)

It really is everything we have prayed about and needed as far as a lot.  It's 4x's the size of our current lot.  It's the perfect location, school Dist, is builder Shane ready, and more.

 This journey and new chapter, to be continued...

NJP Updates

Nolan=the energizer bunny!  This little lad moves at 100 mph nearly 24/7!  He is a character, still loves hard, fights hard, is learning so much, is curious about e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g.  As soon as his eyelids open, he is ready to talk your ear off, and already has a list of questions to ask =)  That's what makes him Nolan. 
Wanted to share some of the pictures from his Spring program last week, as well as some other random pictures that make me laugh.  It was pretty sweet to hear him practice his songs for the program.  Jesus paid it all was one of the songs they sang.  It's one of my favorites and to hear Nolan sing it with a sweet little voice melted my heart.  I love his school, he loves his school,  I love his teacher, he loves his teacher, as well as the staff!  We are cherishing this next couple of months, because next year he will be in school all/full day...and I still can't think about it.  This.  Will.  Be.  HARD.  For.  Me!
Something from last week~
Leo was whining, he loves our phones and cameras and if he sees them, cries because he wants.  So Nolan says "Leo you're not always going to get what you want always, it's life!"  Hahaha...so true Nolan J. Patrick!  Oh how I love you!


Counting out 100 pieces of popcorn for his 100th day of school project.  Um ya the ear protectors, so we borrowed them from the Herzogs when Nolan went to the Monster Truck show with his cousins...but he liked just wearing them at home too, because he's a goofball! 

Yep, there's ALWAYS a random picture on our camera taken by NJP~he took this of his (stuffed animal)dog Tucker.

100th Day of school!  Was a comfy cozy, stay in your jammies day.  We made 100 pancakes & other breakfast food.  Was a fun day for the kids!

Nolan often puts a bucket on his head for a helmet, or better yet, makes them out of boxes.  He's resourceful!

My little hunk~looking rather dashing buddy!

Getting ready to head out for his Spring Program!

Kindergarten BoYz!

Nolan and Sweet Emily~so....Nolan adores this little girl, and she adores him.  Shane and I went to H.S. with her Mom, Shane knew her well.  We keep teasing that we'll pull this photo out for their wedding ;)

They ask to have play dates, and wait for each other in the morning so they can line up together~so darn cute!

We didn't get a family picture :(  Leo was sick this night and well, the evening didn't turn out quite as planned.  Such is life right?  ;)

I am sure I get my good looks from my Papa Jerry...

who watches down on me from Heaven!
This is a picture of Shane's Dad(Jerry Bruce Lofstedt) when he was 18 months old. 

Below is Leo at the exact same age!

And this is Leo at the exact same age, when he turned 18 months! It's so sweet~you can see where Leo gets his curls, eyes/eyebrow shape, his smile, his mouth, his look in general! It melts my heart to see the strong similarities! I know it has touched Shane's deeply, as well as his Mom's, sisters, and anyone else who knew his father.

Wish we could have met him! Shane, Shawna, and Dianne have the best stories to share. Shane has always said his Dad was his Hero, and I can understand why when I hear about him, when I see pictures and videos of him.  A hero indeed~he was also a pilot in the Air Force and served our country!  One of the best gifts Shane's Mama has continued to give him are old videos from his younger years in life.  They are a wonderful collaboration of different life, family, friend events.  She has put in so much to create these!  It's taken so much work, because she's transferred hours upon hours of VHS videos onto Cd's. Priceless, and we love to watch them, especially the kids! We often explain to the children that they will meet him one day in Heaven. Until then, he knows they are here on Earth, and he watches over them.  Life can be so unfair!
*By the way, Leo is inching towards 20 months~EEK!!! These pictures are a couple months old, at 18 months, which shows you how behind on am on pictures, & blogging!

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Bringing back Calgon...

Oh how I remember this commercial growing up, lol! My brother Noel is currently working on a set design today in LA for the new Calgon commercial...that's right ladies, they're bringing it back. What woman doesn't love soaking in a tub full of Calgon Turquoise Seas? Gave me a good laugh!

Cuteness, with a side of naughty ;)

This is a video I took of my 18 1/2 month little pooger. Love him. He gives himself up before I even know he's up to NO GOOD. Like when he's pulling outlet covers out of the sockets, so naughty. He'll start saying no, no...no, no. His new favorite word is "why?" Thought we'd have a few more years until he questions things, but I guess not. Did I mention this little ham is determined :")  So here he is while I am unloading the dishwasher.

Oh Leo, my sweet baby boy! When will you ever sleep through the night...this question always running through my mind? How I love you so, love your little body, your golden/honey colored curls, your smell, your voice, when you say "hold you" (instead of hold me) as you come up to me, the way you giggle, watching you play with Liv & Nolan, better yet, listening to you say their names. You are 2 kids in one, determined as ever. The PICKIEST eater in this family. A champion nurser, and snuggle bug. That you remind us to pray during meals because you fold your tiny, yet chubby hands and say pray and at the end say amen...in the sweetest voice. I love that you call yogurt "yogi" coloring is "bubble" and that one of your favorite places is outside, to run, to go down the slide, to be free.

Creative, passionate, nurturing, sweet, spicy, kind, a lovely little Lady!

Those are a few words to some up my Noodle.  Liv and I are similar in many ways, but as she's growing up, I realize she is actually wired much different than I.  I have always recognized her creativity, her imagination, and analytical mind.  She's very observant and has an incredible photographic memory.  The last part she definitely gets from me...the analytical part too ;)  but the creative, artistic side, is not at all from her mama.  I am sure she gets that from her Uncle Noel.  She is a total TINKER...truly reminds me of Tinkerbell from Disney, the way she creates things.  I love watching here create.  She has  a unique touch and style to everything, always making it her own.  She is hodge podge type of girl, and it's always fun to see what she puts together.  Like her bedroom, and how she's decorated~ 
*I made her a duvet cover and just recently finished it.  Not sure why I thought it would be a good idea to start a project like that when I have 3 young children, but I did...and I learned that I probably won't be making another one for quite awhile.  I love quilting, it's so relaxing.  But I felt like I was on a time limit, so it kind of took the fun out of it.  So we went to the fabric store and Liv picked out all the fabric on her own and I will post a picture of the finished project.  So thankful that Gammy came over to help me measure, cut, and sew for the last part of the quilt~the back.  I was doing all those things with a baby on my hip so it was a huge blessing to have her helping hands.  Her Gam also made some curtains for her out of fabric that Liv liked.
*We were at Hobby Lobby a couple weeks ago, she picked out some paper.  I'm not kidding, this girl goes through craft supplies so fast!  She picked out cute Valentine themed paper and came home and started making valentine's cards for her class.  It's this type of thing I love about her, she loves making things her own(which again, is so not me, wish I had it in me!)
*Her newest interest is guitar.  Over Christmas break she would tell Shane and I that she'd been writing songs.  So I figured she was just jotting things down here and there.  I was wrong!  She had an entire journal of songs that she'd been writing.  Next came her performing them using her toy guitar, the one she got when she was 4 years old.  With that, let's just say that all the storage on my camera has been taken up by the dozens of videos we have recorded.  For several weeks she kept asking for a real guitar, and if she could learn to play.  I thought about it, prayed about it, thought some more.  Fast forward...Well, today was her first lesson.  We got her a guitar, and the she's on cloud 9 learning to play it at home, and now she will have a weekly lesson.  I have to say, when she's strumming, and just learning how to play while sitting next to me, it helps me relax, I LOVE hearing her play.  It's a peaceful sound.  Can't wait to see what's in store for her with this.   We are a music family(even though her Dad was the only one who played instruments growing up)  But you know what I mean, the 5 of us are obsessed with music!  We shall see what happens, very excited for Olivia. 
*She is still dancing and is working on the routine for her recital in June.  At one point, my children are going to have to stick with one thing at a time.  The thought of 3 kids in all sorts of different activities in the future is a little scary. 

Making Valentines

Liv's duvet cover...this is the fabric she picked, you can see the curtains in background.

When she got home today, she wanted me to listen to what she'd learned today.  Her first song is Take My Life, one of my favorite Christian songs!

Alright, I know, this was way long.  But I have been wanting to write about my favorite girl.  Sweet & Spicy she is~The other day telling me "you need to slow your engine"!  I about died, but she was right, at that moment, whatever was happening, I was too intense :")