Day 7 & Day 8

So, one of my favorite things of the year is Black Friday. I love to shop and I love the madness and of course the great deals. I went to my car at midnight after scoping the deals and what I was going to try and get and our car was completely dead - CRAP! I'm so glad we have great friends who are willing to help out when needed!! So sad to say I missed black friday, but oh well. I'm over it now. We had to go buy a new car battery and then we were off to Columbia. Nate wanted to use his B-day money to get a cheap hotel for the night and then Christmas shop on Saturday morning (thanks babe :)). So we got to Columbia Friday afternoon to our hotel, relaxed and went swimming. Tanner and Joce loved it!!


Tanner was SO excited to be at a hotel. Right when we got there (after this pic) he took of his jacket, shoes and socks and got comfy :)


Happy to be at the pool. The last time he was at the pool was when his Grandpa Gibb and Aunt Stacey came to visit. He was so confused that they weren't at the hotel. It was actually kinda sad, but he cheered up.


Joce has been a water baby since day 1. She LOVED being in the pool - SO cute!!


Family pic at the pool


This was a BIG step for Tanner to jump off the edge of the pool. He usually stays on the stairs and doesn't like to venture off into the deep parts while we hold him. He finally got enough gumption and tried it. Then we couldn't get him to stop. He would jump and say "Let's do that again". He did great and was so cute!! Good job T-Man!


Having so much fun with his daddy


Tanner got this bed all to himself. He was pretty happy about that!


Joce's first time on Santa's lap. She did great and was so happy. I love this picture!!!!!!


Tanner was so funny. Before we got in line to see Santa, he had a few things that he couldn't wait to tell him that he wanted for Christmas. He was so smiley the whole time in line waiting patiently. Then as he sat on his lap, no smiles and not much to say. Santa would ask him what he wanted and would name things and Tanner would nod his head yes. His favorite part about it was he got a little xmas coloring book from santa's bag. It made his day! He said that he wants to fly to the sky and help Santa make toys. I love my cute kids. It sure makes this time of year funner :)



We had such a fun time and with the little budget we had, got all the Christmas shopping done in one day. It was a lot of fun spending time together before Nate starts school back up on Monday. Thanks again sweets for using YOUR b-day money in a way that we could all enjoy. Love you!

Day 6 - Happy Thanksgiving

Today was our first Thanksgiving away from family. We did miss everyone, but had a great thanksgiving with some friends. Nate made the turkey. It was DELICIOUS!! I was so proud. He called and got his father's recipe and man, it was tasty. We also made the mashed potatoes and corn. The Hills took care of the rolls, jello, sweet potatoes and stuffing. It was all so yummy. We had a great time. Tanner and Addy had lots of fun as usual and I had to take a picture of the "dissected" turkey that Nate and Ammon did. They were naming parts and looking for parts and.... yeah gross (definitely med students :)) Happy Thanksgiving to you all!!

Day 5 of Break

Today we got our Christmas tree up along with a few decorations while listening to Christmas music. It was SO much fun and made us so much more excited for Christmas. Our tradition before starting to decorate is to make a toast with "lite" egg nog :) (Tanner has been calling it egg juice)


Us waiting patiently while Nate went to the shed and got our Christmas things out. Joce LOVED looking out the window and trying to take the Christmas stickers off the window.


One of the first things we found was Tanner's 1st Christmas hat. Joce modeled it for us. Wish we had one in pink :)


Nate playin' with Joce. She loves to be thrown in the air.... well most of the time.


Tanner HAD to put the star on the top. He kept asking all day if it was time. We made him wait until the tree was finished. After he put it on he said "This is the best Christmas Ever" - so cute!!


Tanner and Joce under the tree. Joce's 1st Christmas tree. She loved looking at all the lights.


Joce and I in our head warmers and vests ready to go to the pie party we were invited to at some friends house.... which was a blast. I ate way too much pie!


Joce happy to be back home and huggin on her daddy ready for bed. Love it



What a fun day!!!

3rd & 4th Day of Break

So on Monday we watched the Hills Kids (Addy and Ensley) while their parents had a date night. Then on Tuesday we took our kids to their house while we went on a date. We went and saw Harry Potter. Besides the couple who were drinking alcohol next to me, the guy who randomly burped when it was quiet and the girl behind us who sobbed LOTS at a part that really wasn't that sad, It was AWESOME!! :)

2nd Day of Break (Sunday)

We did the usual for a Sunday, went to church and relaxed. I had to post how cute the kids looked for church. I love my beautiful children and can't wait for all of my family to see them at Christmas and how much they've changed and grown :)

1st Day of Break

So, the first pic was from Friday. Right when Nate got home from school after his last final - the kids wanted their daddy asap. It was SO cute. On Saturday we went to a new place in Centerville Iowa called The Columns. It was SUCH a cute little place to shop. It was like a big house just loaded with tons of different things and was only about 50 miles away. Whoever comes to visit, plan on going there :). We went and ate pizza afterwards and they had delicious pizza that we ended up getting $$off because of the long wait.


This room was full of Men's things like hunting, camping, ect... Tanner was amazed by all the Junk....I mean stuff in this room, haha


This was a random find in that same room. It reminded me of something my father and brothers would enjoy :)


I love trying on things as usual...


Nate was taking care of business while I looked around - such an awesome hubby and father!!



We are having so much fun already spending time together on this little break! The next days are coming.....

Tanner is..... POTTY TRAINED!!!

So... it FINALLY happened. Tanner is potty trained. He went pee pee and poo poo on the 16th and has not looked back since. It all happened when he was in the tubby and had to go potty. I said "why don't you sit on the big boy potty" like we always do and to my surprise he said "okay". I was thinking silently..... no way. Could this really be it. He's said this before and sat on the potty many times before and nothing ever happened. Anyway, so I sat him on the potty and to my astonishment, he went pee pee. He said "diapers are for baby Joce, not for Tanner". I was SO excited I started jumping up and down and shouting praise to Tanner of how proud I was. Then later that day he went poo poo. I couldn't believe it. The first thing he said was "Now I get to go to the store and pick out a toy". We've told him for months that as soon as he could go poo poo in the potty, he'd get to go pick out whatever toy he wanted..... (yes, we got desperate for anything to get him potty trained). So when Nate came home from school for a lunch break, he took Tanner to the store and he picked out Buzz Lightyear. He LOVES it and won't put it down. He had to eat and sleep with him. So cute! He then didn't have a bm for like 5 days, but is now going like a champ. Nate and I couldn't be happier or more proud of Tanner. We've been waiting for this day and we can finally say BYE BYE to diapers and WELCOME to the $40 or so a month we will save. WAY TO GO TANNER!!!!!!!

Happy Birthday Nate!!

Happy 30th to the love of my life!! I'm so lucky to have been married to such a wonderful guy for 7 1/2 years. I love him more everyday. He is such an amazing husband and father. Doesn't he look great for turning the BIG 30 :). It was really cute because the night before his Birthday, we were talking in the kitchen and I said "Aren't you so excited for your Birthday tomorrow". He looked at me and sat down on the floor and said "Is it really my Birthday already.....and I'm going to be 30 really" then he sat down and I obviously ran and got the camera and took a pic. It was finals week the week after so he didn't even realize it was already his bday. He chose scrambled eggs and blueberry muffins for breakfast and mexican meatloaf for dinner. I'm so glad it all turned out and I didn't burn anything :)


I gave him a big kiss and told him turning 30 would be ok (even though I think when I turn 30 I may have a break down)


I decorated the table with balloons and his presents


The kids were SO excited that is was Daddy's birthday. They love their daddy so much!!


Then he blew out his candles and we enjoyed the yummy cake



We love you SO much. Thanks for all you do for our family :) MUAHHHHHH

Nice Day

The weather has been pretty nice the past couple of days. So we've been enjoying it!! It's pretty funny trying to take a picture with these two by my side. Tanner loves to try and make Joce laugh for the picture. He is such a cute big brother. I love how it looks like she's giving a thumb's up in the background :)


Tanner loves getting his truck and his chair and putting them side by side taking turns on each of them. He cracks me up.


So I tried taking a closer pic of Joce and I to see if we look anything alike....... yeah I don't see much at all. She looks just like her daddy....SO cute!!!


Yes, Tanner on his first date at age 3...hahaha. Isn't this the cutest pic. There were lots of kids playing at the park and I look over and Tanner and Addy are sitting alone on the grass kindof far away as if they had so many private things to talk about :)


So Cute!!


I hope there are a couple more nice days before it gets way too cold because we LOVE playing and being outside!!