Quinn just LOVES her brother!

  Sometimes having two kids is completely overwhelming.... (read my last post)... and other days it is down right rewarding, and utterly adorable.  Yesterday, both kids were at the table eating a snack, and Quinn found Palmer incredibly amusing.  He would look at her.  She would laugh.  He would make a face.  She would laugh.  He would make a noise.  She would laugh.  It went on for about 20 or so minutes.  Of course, my phone/camera were out in the car.  Thank goodness for multiple tech devices!  Ipad to the rescue! :)

  The day was also filled with getting ready to head to Fort Wayne for New Years festivities with Ross' family, and we also made a quick little trip to the St. Matthews Library.  It was nice to get the kids out, read some new books (well Palmer listened to stories, Quinn just played with toys and my keys...)
  Looking forward to visiting with Uncle Sean and Aunt Meredith, Ross' parents, Falkensteins, and my BFF, Heidi and her family, as we all come together for NYE festivities! 

The mornings when you want to quit...

 I know my life is great.  Better than most. .... Most moments.  Most days.  I have two amazing children, an adorable roof over our heads, loving family and friends that surround us. Somedays are just rough, though.

 I don't know if it's the move, or putting the kids in the same room together, our small creaky house, or something else... But the kids don't seem to be getting as much sleep as they need.  And then they are fussy.  And this mama, who loves them more than just about anything in this world, needs a break.   The screaming.  The whining. The fits.  Breathe. Breathe. Breathe.  Sip coffee. Repeat.

 

Camp Christmas.... Continued!

  This past weekend up at the cabin (for Vance Christmas 2015) was so incredibly fun!  It was a new tradition in the making, as we all spent a weekend away at a cabin in Nashville (Indiana) and "got away" so to speak.  We ate food, the kids made and ate treats, we roasted marshmallows, went on hiking "adventures" (Palmer was so excited - he sang "We're going on a walk, we're going on a walk, hi-ho the dario, we're going on a walk!" Cutest thing ever, pretty much!)
  Also, per usual, my parents were BEYOND BEYOND generous!  The kids loved playing with their toys - and it was so much fun to watch them put legos together, play games, serve "tea" and play "doctor." (I ran up some pretty good medical bills! (lol!)
Anyway, it was a weekend spent away at a cabin in the woods.... our family's new "Camp Christmas!"  I can't wait for next year! :)

Just a bit of the weekend fun!

Quinn... Aunt Jone, 60 years later!

A little project that I'm working on right now, is getting a Christmas picture of the kids to put next to a very special picture of Quinn's mimi (Jerri) and her Aunt Jonie.  The picture of them, was taken in 1956, and Jone was almost the exact same age as Quinn is right now.  Quinn is almost 60 years younger, to the day, and these two special ladies look very much alike!  It is uncanny!  It also doesn't hurt that Quinn and Jone are both 2nd borns, both fearless, both laugh in the face of "you can't do that!"  We so have our work cut out for ourselves, but I just love our Jerraid girl!!

Merry Christmas from my little cuties.... 2015! (Photo comparison will be forth coming...)

"You're cute, mommy!"

This weekend is the annual Vance Christmas, and this year, we are all gathering at a cabin near Nashville, Indiana.  Before we got into the cabin, my parents rented a cabin at Brown County state park, and I brought the kids yesterday to start in on the fun a couple days early!

Last night, we took the kids swimming!  Palmer is a fish, who would stay in the water until his whole body turned blue - and Quinn seems to like it, too!  It was her first time swimming (I think?! It's been so crazy, I'm hoping that that fact isn't true!)

We went back to the cabin after, had dinner, the kids watched a movie, and then Palmer and I shared a bed (aka the cutest part of parenting so far).  I woke up to both of Palmer's hands on my cheeks saying "you're cute, mommy!"  It was seriously so adorable! 

         

And this was just the beginning of our super awesome family Christmas weekend! More updates to come!

Um... I think I forgot to blog.

In between December 2013 (!!!) and now quite a bit has happened.  I know where the ball got dropped.  In January 2014, I embarked upon taking 3 college courses online, all while working full time, and trying to spend as much time with Ross and Palmer.
Then Summer 2014 happened, we found out we needed to move to Fort Wayne, and I was taking 2 college courses online in addition to packing up our Brownsburg house.  In July we found out we were expecting a 2nd baby, we moved to Fort Wayne, and in September we learned that 2nd baby was our little Quinn!
I transitioned to working part time in the First Steps system, as a developmental therapist (what all those classes were for!) and I got bigger and bigger, until we had Quinn on February 16th, after a calm, almost unmediated birth.  Can't imagine life without this sweet girl!
(Insert crazy busyness with two under two here!)
In Fall 2014, we found out that Ross' law firm would be bought out by a firm in louisville, Kentucky, and in Summer 2015 we found out that we'd be moving to Louisville much sooner than expected!  We sold our "forever" home in Fort Wayne, and we looked at homes in Louisville.  So crazy!!!!
We were so sad to be leaving Fort Wayne family, but since Ross had been down in Louisville so much for work, we were very ready to be back together as a family!  The boxes still aren't unpacked, but we have made great progress in the 5 days we have lived there!  I'm ready to start a bit more life documentation!!! (Sorry Quinn!)
My goal is to start going back, bit by bit, and retelling more of the last couple years!  I just can't believe how jam packed and crazy these years have been!!