The Man

1. Who is your man? Mike or Da-Da

2. How long have you been together? Little over 5 years, Married 3 on the 4th of June
3. How long dated? Little over 2 years
4. How old is your man? 31
5. Who eats more? Depends on what it is...
6. Who said “I love you” first? I did.

7. Who is taller? He is
8. Who sings better? We are both horrible singers but he is a little better than me
9. Who is smarter? Him, but lets not tell him :)

10. Whose temper is worse? Me
11. Who does the laundry? Me, unless I fall asleep with something in the dryer than he folds it.

12. Who takes out the garbage? We both do.
13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do
14. Who pays the bills?He puts the money in the account and I write the checks
15. Who is better with the computer? Ha! HIM!
16. Who mows the lawn? He does... I have never mowed our lawn.
17. Who cooks dinner? We mix it up. Whoever is not feeding Hadley
18. Who drives when you are together? It's all him... he's the man... he does the driving.
19. Who pays when you go out? Me with his money

20. Who is most stubborn? Unfortunately we are BOTH stubborn but in different ways.
21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Neither of us
22. Whose parents do you see the most? Probably my mom, but we see his mom ofter too
23. Who kissed who first? He finally kissed me on the 3rd date, I was waiting

24. Who asked who out? He asked me out. We went to eat, bowling and a bar.

25. Who proposed? Him.
26. Who is more sensitive? Me.
27. Who has more friends? Me.
28. Who has more siblings? Me.
29. Who wears the pants in the family? He does

30. How did you meet?Some friends from college wanted to hook me up with one of their other friends. However, I couldn't get over the cute guy named Mike and the rest is history!

Flashback Friday

Today's flashback is dedicated to one of my best friends, Christie. She has been a little down lately so I thought this would bring a smile to her face. This picture was taken the beginning of our sophomore year in college. I won't tell you what is in the bag, but she was headed to a party :) We had some great times in college and I am sure there will be more Flashback Fridays dedicated to the years at KSU!

Babywearing

Babywearing! When I was pregnant a read about mom's wearing their babies and how much they loved it. We registered for Snugli. Here is a picture of Mike wearing Hadley in the Snugli. This carrier worked very well for Mike but I didn't like to adjust the straps back to my size every time I wanted to wear it. This was also during the time that Hadley would not stop crying unless being held (even to sleep). So, I decided I would get a sling. I researched online and decided to order a Peanut Shell. I love this sling. It was wonderful to shop with, work around the house and anything else you can think of doing. The nice part is Hadley could fall asleep and I could sit down and she would stay asleep and be comfortable. The picture above shows her sitting up in it and looking around. I have also used it with her lying down and on my hip. But as she got a little bigger and longer I found that I needed something new. That is when I found my Mei Tai carrier. I bought mine on Etsy.com from AnnaCarrie Baby. You can find many kinds but this one was reasonably priced and homemade supporting a stay at home mom. I love this carrier as well. You can use this one on front, back, or side. We haven't perfected the back carrier but are working on it.

When we decide to have our next little darling here are a couple of carriers on my wish list:

The Custom Baby Wrap

The Moby Wrap

A Thousand Words Thursday

Wordless Wednesday

Hurricane Hadley

We have been having lots of tornadoes around the area lately. However at my house we have Hurricane Hadley. You never know when she will hit but when she does it only lasts about two minutes. Here are pictures of her destruction:

The Bachlorette

Last night was Bachlorette night at my house. Mike groaned about me watching it and then asked questions and was interested the whole time. I think he might secretly like watching it. Anyway, I would give you a recap but The Mom at Cheaper than Therapy did such a great job. You can check it out here. She said exactly what I was thinking.
Here are a few of my thoughts. I think Graham is a hottie and I loved there date on the beach. I really like Jason but wish that he would tell her about his son. I think that is just adds to his sweetness. Jeremy seems to be a frontrunner but something about him bothers me. I am starting to get annoyed by Ron's attitude. And I am not sure that the chef is on the right show if you know what I mean :) If you watch let me know your thoughts.

New Skill

Here is a picture of Hadley's new skill, sticking her tongue out. I haven't figured out if she know what she is doing or is feeling her one and only tooth.

This picture was taken at the park last week. We were there for almost an hour playing. No going outside today. It is hot and humid. Plus we got 3 inches of rain last night so the backyard is a swamp. I hope everyone had a great Memorial Day Weekend.

Big Shoes

Just a few pictures of Hadley having fun in Daddy's shoes. She hates to see him go in the morning so they were having fun before he left. What a great daddy she has.

Flashback Friday

Today's flashback is dedicated to my little brother Alex. He has just finished up 8th grade and will be going to High School next year. I still can't believe it. I think he was just born yesterday. I was 14 when he was born. I loved having a baby around the house. I still remember the day he was born. I couldn't wait to go see him at the hosptial. Of course he was born around midnight so I had to wait until the next day. When he came home from the hospital we were all so excited. He was the 6th kid so there was always someone around to hold him. I loved getting to babysit him. Well, as long as it fit into my schedule :) It has been so much fun watching Alex grow and mature. He is a great uncle to Hadley. He even learned to bounce her during her fussy stage. Whenever we go to visit he plays with her and watches her if I need him to. He even made her a K-State teddy bear for her birthday.
He is taller than me but he will always be my little brother. I love you Alex. Have a great summer.

New Couch

Here is a before picture of the living room. This is the old couch.

Here is the after picture. I love the new couch but I think it might be a little big for the area. Or is just may take some getting use to.

Reality TV

I am a reality TV junkie. There I said it! I love me some reality TV. I watch American Idol, Dancing with the Stars, Big Brother, The Bachlorette, So You Think You Can Dance and who know how many I forgot. I don't know what I would do without DVR. Once Hadley is in bed the TV comes on.

Last night two of my favorites were on. Probably my favorites because Mike watches them with me. First we watched Idol. If I had not already found the love of my life I think I would be chasing after him:I love his sweet personality with a rocker's edge. I hope he wins but have a feeling that all of the teeny-boppers will vote for Archuleta. Either way I will buy David Cook's album when it comes out.

After Idol we watched Dancing with the Stars and I was able to watch another very fine looking man.

I think I might have to become a Miami Dolphins fan just to watch Jason Taylor. What a fine specimen of a man :) Good thing I already explained all of this to Mike. He can't get jealous because he has lusted over Julianne Hough every season she is on Dancing.

Enough about my reality TV addiction. I am sure I will blog about it again.

Wordless Wednesday Screaming Addition

Weekend Wrap-up

It was another busy weekend around here. Friday night we ate at one of our favorite restaurants, Pei Wei. Then we went to the Riverwalk for some ice cream and a walk. It was a beautiful evening and Hadley loved being able to run around.

On Saturday we relaxed in the morning and then went furniture shopping AGAIN! We bought a new leather couch and it is being delivered on Tuesday. I will post pictures then. After dinner we played outside and took a stroll to the pond with the neighbors. It was another beautiful evening.

Mike is swamped at work so Sunday morning we left him at home to work and Hadley and I went to church. She loves playing in the nursery. When we got home she was exhausted and took a 2 hour nap. Then it was off to buy a mattress for our guest bed. We have been needing one for quite some time. But remember my husband is not an impulse buyer.

That is about all the excitement at our house. We have a pretty laid back week planned. It is suppose to get up into the 90's so we will probably break down and turn the AC on. YUCK! One of my favorite things is to sleep with the fresh air blowing in. I hope everyone has a great week!

BFE Babies

These are the BFEs: Megan, Christie, Laura, Me, AudraThese are the BFE babies in March: Hadley(mine), Barrett (Laura's), Lydia(Audra's), Norah(Megan's)
These are the BFE babies in May: Hadley,Barrett, Lydia, Norah
Yes, when we get together we torture them with photo shoots. Some day we know the will love it :) It has been so much fun to go through pregnancies, births and first time parenting with the best friends any girl can wish for. We just hope our kids all get along and that some day Barrett has a boy to play with.

Meme

What I was doing 10 yrs ago: I was getting ready to graduate from high school. I was going to work at Dillons grocery store for the summer and head off to Cedarville College in Ohio.





Five things on my to do list for today:

• Dust


• Laundry


• Play with Hadley


• Pay bills


• Buy mattress for guest bed

Things I would do if I were a billionaire: Invest, donate, move back to Kansas, build a house for us and one for each of our parents, save for kid's college, shop and more shopping

Three of my bad habits: Nagging my husband, worrying, and worrying


Five places I have lived:

• Winfield, KS


• Manhattan, KS


• Topeka, KS


• Wichita, KS


• Jenks, OK

Five jobs I have had:

• Customer Service Clerk


• Babysitter


• Preschool teacher


• Kindergarten teacher


• Mom

I tag Laura, Christie, Bethany and Cammie

Monkey

This is what Hadley usually does when we are in the office:

This is what she was doing this morning when I turned my back:

Flashback Friday

Since I was talking about divas yesterday let me introduce you to my sister. She is not a diva in the Paris Hilton kind of way. I just call her a diva because of her fashion and girly interests. I guess in some ways I am jealous that she has a knack for fashion and I don't. My daily wardrobe includes sweat capris and a t-shirt or if we are going out jean capris and a solid color shirt. Anyway back to my sister. She is one of my best friends. I can't say that has always been true. I think that has probably happened in the last 4 or 5 years. Before that we were doing good to be in the same room together. We are very different from each other. I let everything I am thinking be known and she keep her feelings in. She is very social and is on the go all the time. I am a home body. She loves to scrapbook and I don't have the patience. The list could go on and on forever. Despite all of our differences we are very close. We could talk on the phone forever about nothing. She loves kids and so do I. I can't wait until she has kids so that our kids can grow up knowing each other. Even though she is 18 hours away I know that our kids will be close. Hadley has already seen her at least 5 different times since she was born. Jessica treats Hadley like her own. It is so great to finally be grown-up and have the sister relationship that I have always seen between my mom and her youngest sister. Oh by the way, I am the younger sister. Jessica, well she is 30. To some of you that isn't old but a sister has to give another sister a hard time whenever she can. I love my sister dearly and am lucky to have her in my life. I love you Jess!

My Diva!

When I found out that I was pregnant it was no secret that I thought I wanted a boy. I am not very girly and didn't know what I would do with a girl. When we found out we were having a girl I was very excited. I was never disappointed, just worried about how I would do pink, dresses, dolls and hair. The only dolls I remember playing with as a child were GI Joes. My family always jokes that they were glad when I showed interest in boys. They are so mean :) Anyway, as my pregnancy went on I said my girl would not do pink or bows. Well, boy was I wrong. Hadley came into the world with a full head of hair that has had to be fixed since she was 2 months old. So we started with bows and ponytails early. I will admit they have grown on me and so has the color pink. She just looks so adorable in pink. Now, I am still not the biggest fan of dresses. She wears them to church and that is about it. However, just the other day I realized that she must have been born with her Aunt Jessica's diva gene. She has a nativity scene that she carries around the house like a purse. I don't know where she learned that because all I carry is a diaper bag. She loves jewelry. I told her we were going bye-bye yesterday and she ran and got her bracelet. What a diva. I guess my sister will have to move closer to help her with her diva skills. It also probably doesn't help that I have a thing for little girls shoes and she owns about 10 pairs (shhh, don't tell her daddy).

Wordless Wednesday

Great Weekend

I had such a wonderful Mother's Day weekend. The only thing missing was being with my mom. But we see each other often.

On Saturday we had a very relaxing morning. Saturday mornings are always "Breakfast with Dad" mornings for Hadley. She loves the one on one time with her daddy. After breakfast we all hung out as a family and played. Then Hadley went down for her morning nap. I worked on the computer and Mike worked outside. In the afternoon we went furniture looking. We always have a list of things we would like to get. We also have a credit at one of the furniture stores so we were trying to decide what to spend it on. Just a little insight to my husband, he is not an impulse buyer! I love this about him. I am an impulse buyer so he helps me think things through. We have been looking for bedroom furniture since we got married almost 3 years ago. Well, we finally found something we love and guess what? They were sold out of the night stands and couldn't get any more. YUCK! So back to looking! We did find a leather couch that we like but Mike will have to think about for a year or two and then we might get it :)

Back to our weekend. On Friday night we bought Hadley a new Sand and Water table. Saturday evening after dinner we let her test it out. She loved it. She still has a thing or two to learn about keeping the sand in the table but she loves dumping it on Daddy's patio.

On Sunday Mike and Hadley let me sleep in. We didn't make it to church. I woke up at 8:30 and church is at 9. Mike and Hadley had also made me breakfast, waffles. But, I guess I slept too long because Hadley had eaten half of it :) After breakfast we relaxed and played then it was Hadley's naptime. I was able to watch some TV and do nothing while my wonderful husband did laundry and dishes. I was wondering if we could have Mother's day once a month or week? Then we ran some errands in the afternoon. For dinner Mike grilled steaks. The best part of the weekend was just spending time with Mike and Hadley. We have so much fun just watching Hadley explore new things and grow. We are so blessed.

I almost forgot to tell you what I got for Mother's day. Hadley gave me a new digital camera for the diaper bag (so I don't miss any important shots) and a gift certificate for a pedicure and manicure. I was one lucky Mommy!

Everybody have a great Monday!

Stroller giveaway

Who wouldn't want to win this??? Click on the link below to enter.

http://www.strollerdepot.com/prize-list.php?referEmail=amberekirk@yahoo.com

Mother's day

For this Mother's Day weekend I would like to dedicate my post to my wonderful mother. She is one of my best friends. I know a lot of people say that, but I really mean it. I talk to her on the phone almost everyday. I can tell her anything and she will be honest with me. It has not always been this way. We have had our ups and downs, haven't all moms and daughters. I was not the best daughter during my teens and early twenties. As I have grown up I have learned to respect my mom in a whole new way. She is a strong and wonderful woman. She has been through some amazing struggles and is still going strong. She has a love for life and everyone in it. Sometimes I wonder how she can always seem so happy, even when she is in a bad situation. She has always given her all and more to her family. I hope that I can give that to my family as well. One thing that my mom has taught me since I was a little girl is to dream and that you can do whatever you put your mind to. When I was in college and going through some depression this would always help me to get through a rough time. I would remember that my mom told me I could do anything I set my mind to. After I had Hadley and was dealing with PPD my mom was there to cheer me on and lift me up. I will never be able to thank her for being there when I needed her most. I hope that she knows that she is the most amazing mom in the world. The world is a better place because she is in it. I love you mom!