The Last 9 months... warning: REALLY long blog post ahead

It has been an awful long time since I have blogged. I guess I'm not as great at time management as I used to think. So for your information here are some things I think may have contributed to my blogging absence: a part time job I was doing online, every day occurrences/stresses that happen with having two kids, Noelle starting preschool, financial stress, Michael going to school at nights, a really slow/broken lap top, some personal emotional things that I had been working through, and getting pregnant. I guess blogging just wasn't up there on my list of important things to do. I apologize to anyone who wanted to know what was going on in our life. Life has been pretty busy though since September 2013 and I just let lots of time slip away without blogging. But I want to be better and here is an attempt at trying to catch up a little. So here's a warning: lots of pictures and info ahead :)

In early September Noelle started preschool. She was so excited and went in with no problem. She went Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. She loved it and became quite the social, talkative little girl and made a ton of friends. She loved her teachers. After a few weeks she knew everyone's names and a little while after that she could tell me everyone's last names J. That girl is sure smart and has her daddy's memory! She got to go on two field trips. Her first one was to the fire station!

At the end of September my mom, Alyson, and myself threw Taylor a Harry Potter themed 18^th birthday party. It was awesome. Taylor loved it and we had a lot of fun doing it. We’re pretty proud with how it turned out. Just see the pictures below J

We have loved to play at parks and be outside!

Noelle got to go to her first witches night with me, her aunts and damin Fullmer. She loved it and it will continue to be an annual tradition!

Noelle was bitten by Mikey during a play tackle. Mikey felt really bad L and Noelle was very forgiving. 

At the end of October Noelle had her fifth birthday! Her birthday was on a Sunday so I felt like we celebrated all weekend. She got to go to a movie and ice cream with a couple friends on Friday. On Saturday she got a build-a-bear and got her ears pierced (present from damin and pa Fullmer) then we celebrated at IHOP, her favorite restaurant. She also got to open a present early, her Sofia the first dress, so she could wear it at our ward's trunk or treat that night. Sunday we continud the celebration with pancakes for breakfast, a day at church, skypying with Grandma and Pa Pfeil, and had some cake and ice cream over at damin and pa Fullmer's house. She had quite the birthday weekend! I love this girl so much. She is getting so grown up and is quite the sassy little girl. She has sure got some attitude lately but she is still so sweet. She is always saying how much she loves us and she is always helping out. She is so smart and is learning so much. She is also asking so many questions and I can never keep up. She is still the light of our lives and life is sure bright, wonderful and fun with her in it!               FYI*”damin” is a name Noelle and Mikey call my mom-Grandma Fullmer. Noelle used to say “dama” and then it just changed to “damin.” So no it’s not a swear word. But it is what my kids know their Grandma Fullmer as. And ps my mom loves to be called “damin” J

Michael and I were invited to a fun Halloween party by some good friends and it was held at a mortuary. It was pretty awesome.

Halloween 2013 was so much fun!  Noelle was Sofia the first and Mikey was Wreck it Ralph. He was the perfect Wreck it Ralph and Noelle was a great Princess. We had lots of fun trick or treating at our ward’s trunk or treat and at damin and Pa Fullmer’s house on Halloween night!

 I’ve gotten better at giving Mikey haircuts. But he still doesn’t enjoy them and I still have to bribe him with a sucker and a movie.

We had a wonderful Christmas and winter! It seemed like it didn’t snow nearly as much as usual. But maybe that is because we were just so busy.

Mikey has had a rough transition not taking any more naps. I’m pretty sad about it, but he just doesn’t need it as long and as much as Noelle did. Although there are still some days that he crashes before bedtime. And usually once a week we try to sneak in a nap. And when we do he is out of it! He is such a fun sweet boy and he sure talks a lot and seemed to talk so clearly overnight.

In January we had a visit from Aunt Teandra and cousin Gavin. It was so wonderful because we hadn’t met Gavin yet and we just loved him. He was such a sweet boy and so much fun! The kids wouldn’t stop talking about him for weeks afterward.

Poor little Mikey had to go in to the ER In February because of the croup. He has had it before but this time we weren’t able to get his breathing under control. It was really scary. Well at least to me it was. He of course recovered well and was so good at the hospital.

 Oh and the very next day we had our car stolen right out of our parking spot. Since we were out until like 3:30 am with Mikey at the ER Michael stayed home from work. So I went out to start the car like I do almost every morning so I can warm it up and take Noelle to preschool. We came back out no more than 5 minutes later and the car was gone. It was pretty upsetting and shook us up a little. Luckily my parents had already been letting us borrow their truck and thanks to great insurance we were able to get a rental car really quickly. A couple weeks later they found our car. It had been abandoned at a nearby apartment complex and cleaned out. Although there really wasn’t much in there. Some car seats, cds, car supplies and some non-important paper work. Like I said our insurance was pretty great and worked with us really closely and we weren't out too much money. It all worked out even though it seemed pretty rough to begin with.

In February we had a visit from Aunt Nina, cousin Eric and cousin Riley. We were so excited to play with them and visit with them. It was the first time we got to meet little Riley Sue and she is just so adorable and sweet. The kids had so much fun with Eric and ran around and played like crazy at damin and pa’s house.

 We found out we were expecting baby #3. And at the very end of April we found out we were having another little BOY! I was surprised but so excited!!! Noelle wanted a little sister but is now so excited to be having another little brother. I’m still a high risk pregnancy because of my preeclampsia with Noelle, my blood pressure, and some other factors, but everything so far is going great. And I am so grateful for that!

Throughout the year I have received some pretty sweet things from Noelle, that she made at preschool. They are the cutest gifts ever and I’m one lucky mom to have such a sweet girl.

We’ve had some pretty fun holidays! And even a visit from an elf, leprechaun, and the Easter bunny.

Noelle has lost two teeth so far so we’ve even had a couple visits from the tooth fairy. One of those visits she almost forgot about but luckily caught it just in time J

In mid-May Noelle graduated from preschool and had quite the impressive program. They announced all the kid’s names, sang some beautiful songs, and told us all what they wanted to be when they grew up. Noelle declared to the whole audience that she wanted to be a “Mommy!” when she grew up. As you can imagine I got a little emotional. She is my little mommy J.

After a lot of work, some stressful and discouraging days and nights Michael got accepted in to the University of Utah. I’m so proud of him. There is a lot that goes in to that story but we’ll save that for another time. I’m just proud of him and excited and a little nervous to start our new adventure this fall!

I had a wonderful mother’s day and Michael had a great birthday. And even though summer has just started we have already had lots of fun and lots to do. We have visited different parks, visited friends, gone to a movie with friends, played in the water a lot and even gone to Ikea J. 

And I guess that is what has happened from last September until now in a nutshell. Hopefully I won’t be waiting another 9 months to blog again!