Lately

 I feel like I haven't blogged forever. It's only been two weeks but there has plenty of life happening at our house. Kirk is in Chicago this week. Yes Chicago, as in the huge snowstorm that paralyzed the city. They sent him home (to his hotel room) Tuesday afternoon and declared Wednesday a snow day. He said everything in the city was closed. Poor guy had to sit in his quiet hotel room and order room service all day, with only his iphone and ds to keep him company. I would feel sorry for him if I wasn't so jealous. A quiet hotel room? For reading books, long hot bubble baths, and naps? Please sign me up for the next snowstorm! When I told my brother Brett he won my heart over by saying "I do (feel sorry for Kirk). Video games aren't as good as a wife." Isn't his wife lucky? Kirk left Sunday and will be home Friday. We are over halfway through the week, hallelujah! The girls have opted out of a lot of naps this week and it just makes for grumpy girls and a frustrated mom. The coolest part of Kirk being gone is we get to use our facetime feature (video chat) on our new iphones! Wow is it the coolest thing ever. The girls LOVE being able to talk to their dad face to face. Audrey carries him around the house (holding him up to her ear most of the time, he loves a good closeup of her ear!). Kirsten spends most of her time showing him Tiana or Ariel or the dress she is currently wearing. She asks him "howryou" about every 30 seconds, it's pretty stinking cute. We carry Kirk with us and have him help "put the girls to bed", he is even able to read the stories to them, cool huh? It makes me miss him more because I can see his handsome face, but I also miss him less because I can SEE him meaning I am less hormonal about him "abandoning" me (ha ha love being a woman).

We take lots of baths while Daddy is gone

At my wits end I put Kirsten down for a nap in her room, not wanting to take a nap but knowing she couldn't leave she fell asleep in the doorway.

We have had some really beautiful days here in Vegas. We enjoyed of every one and have spent a lot of time at the park.

Audrey and Adam swinging away

I am loving January weather in Vegas. Kirsten may be wearing her Ariel nightgown

Climbing up all by herself

Audrey is fearless at the playground

After returning home from our trip we started potty training Kirsten. The first couple of days were pretty awful mostly because I spent every waking hour cleaning up a bathroom mess. But then I realized the magic of pull ups, hello! She did fantastic and we got to the point that she would tell me when she needed to go and was staying dry (except for #2) all day. FANTASTIC. Until the time I was changing an Audrey poopy diaper and Kirsten needed to go but I couldn't exactly stop what I was doing and Kirsten had an accident in her pull up. No biggie, but she realized that she could still just pee in her pull up if she wanted, easier? she thought so. And so we have digressed big time. She goes in the toilet twice a day at the most. Please pour on the advice. We do reward candy and stickers, bribes and pretty panties. I finally see the gloriousness of a potty trained toddler and I want it badly. Please tell me how!

  

Audrey likes the stripping down part of potty training

Potty training is exhausting us all

Magical nap time. After Audrey is asleep I put a movie on for Kirsten and enjoy the quiet

Can we just take a few minutes and talk about how adorable and charming Audrey is? If I am sitting on the couch reading or watching a movie she is on my lap laying content in my arms cuddling with me as long as I am there. When Kirk and I kiss on the couch Audrey sprints over to be included. Whenever I tell her it is time to eat she runs over to her high chair and waits to be put in. When I tell her it is time to go she runs over and puts on her shoes then waits patiently by the garage door. I say it is time to take a bath and she drops what she is doing and runs upstairs to the bath. As soon as I turn the water on she yells "bubba bubba bubba" bubbles! she is a girl after my own heart! Her favorite thing in the world is still her red sippy cup, but not far behind is her coat. She drags the coat everywhere and is even sleeping with it tonight. I love this sweet little girl.

Last weekend we had a fantastic time together as a family. Saturday morning we had one of those picture perfect moments. The girls climbed into bed with us and we cuddled together as a family. Everyone was smiles and giggles and I would have stopped for a second to grab a camera but I didn't want to miss one second. Kirk, Kirsten, and I hid under the covers while Audrey tackled us and stepped all over our faces. Moments of happiness that we live for. Moments where my favorite people in the entire world are overflowing with happiness. We have our moments of frustration and exhaustion, but I love sharing my life with Kirk and our beautiful daughters. Anyway, after spending the day sanding and priming our kitchen table and chairs Saturday night we sat on the couch sharing a carton of icecream. Kirk and I each had a spoon and Kirsten jumped up and grabbed a spoon for each her and Audrey. Then the four of us dug in feeding each other bites of icecream. It was so cute and fun, I wanted to grab my camera but I couldn't pull myself away. Two perfect family moments in one normal Saturday, love it!