Things at the Rogers' house

Totally random things I am thinking of:

• So glad that the weather has taken a turn for the warm. We were able to go out on Sunday afternoon and enjoy a little time outdoors. Harrison LOVED it!

• I have just finished up my 3rd class for my Masters program and have started on my 4th. I am waiting to see what my grades are, but so far, I have made 100% of all of my assignments so I am hoping for a great score on my final paper which would continue my 4.0! Fingers crossed!



• I have started couponing and it is so much fun. Who knew that planning your shopping trip could be so exciting! This was my first try. I bought these at Walgreens for $19.00. I saved $16 right off the bat of the purchase prices, but I also got a $7 back reward for my next purchase. So I really just paid $12 for this. I have totally been degerming with these wipes!





• We have been tossing around the idea of trying to go to Disney this fall. Maybe a money tree will grow in the backyard...... That would be nice...but seriously, we are ready to go somewhere as a family of 4!


• Ava and I got our hair cut yesterday. She got several inches cut off and I am hoping it will bring back some of that nice curl.
  

• I bought some new scrapbook supplies, so maybe if I can ever get a handle on the disaster that is my craft room, then I can sit down and do some new work!


• As of right now, barring any more snow, our spring break will remain intact. However, if we are out once more for weather, we lose the first 3 days of break. :( No snow, PLEASE!
  
• Harrison, all boy, all the time and loving his trucks!
  

10 on Tuesday - Valentine's Day Recap

10 on Tuesday - The Valentine's Day Recap Edition

1. We celebrated our Valentine's Day meal on Sunday night since Monday evening was going to be so crazy. I made the same menu as last year. We had Rachel Ray's Neapolitan pasta, Ceasar Salad, and garlic bread. Delicious.

2. I saw this recipe a few weeks ago for Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip cookies so I made some. So rich, but soooo good. I took the leftovers for my students at school, because I definitely don't need those laying around the house!

3. Ava was so excited about her first Valentine's party at school. She took Ring Pops, M&M's, and of course, her Valentines.

4. I made the wreath following a tutorial I saw here. Easy, but hard on my fingers!

5. I made Ava's shirt following a tutorial I saw here. I was working on hand-stitching around it when my needle broke and I didn't have another one. I just hot glued the bow on.

6. The kids loved their Valentines.

Harrison chowing down on his moon pie from Nana and Pop.

Ava with her Princess card from Aunt Bethany.

Harrison with his monkey from Daddy and I.

Harrison with his card from Aunt Bethany.

Ava in her Fancy Nancy dress she got from Daddy and I.

7. Ava says it like this "ValentiMes." And so do some of my high schoolers. :(

8. Ava loved making Valentine's for people. I didn't have any envelopes large enough to send, so some of you may be getting Valentines this summer.

9. Thank you for the recent comments you all have been leaving on the blog. I love reading them!

10. Guess that's it! I am planning on updating the LO of the blog soon since Ava is no longer 3 and 1/2 and Harrison is definitely bigger than 3 or 4 months!

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day from The Rogers Family

Just wanted to share a pic of my wreath. I made it and I am really proud of how it turned out! :) I also made Ava's shirt in these pictures.

Ava - Beautiful Girl

Ava-

This has to be one of my all-time favorite photos of you. To me, it captures those beautiful eyes and that grin that says, I am probably about to make some kind of silly face.

You don't know how much I love you and how much alike we are. I guess that is why I get so frustrated by you sometimes. We are like two peas in a pod.

What I want you to grow into is your beauty. You are so beautiful on the outside, but I want you to develop your inner beauty too. I want people to see not only your outside, but your kindness as well and I tend to get frustrated when you don't show that beauty that I know is inside there.

I know that as the years pass, I will look back on these trying times we have with a fond remembrance of when you were little, so I am concentrating on trying to breathe more and relax some and take things in stride.

But no matter what, I love you, little girl. And you will always be my little princess.

Love, Mom

Harrison - The Ladies' Man

Oh, Harrison -



I did it to my little brother and now it shall happen to you.


What, you ask?


Pictures of you wearing girl clothes. Specifically tutus and tiaras. What more could a super manly boy like you want?



On the one hand, you have tons of trucks to play with and love being so boyish and nasty. Then you turn around and bring me this tutu and say "Uh!" and try to step into it.


I oblige, because you are so sure you want it on. And then I dash for the camera so I won't miss it.


And dear child, when you are a senior in high school or working on being a real ladies' man, these pictures will resurface for my enjoyment.


You know why?



Because I am your mom and that's just what I do. But rest assured, it's only because I love you so much. (And because that pink tutu really brings out your eyes!)



Love, Mom

The story of the Combo Pack

A few weeks ago I noticed Ava typing away furiously on the ipad. I asked her what she was doing and she said, "I'm ordering a Disney World Combo Pack." I had her bring me the ipad so I could see what she was doing. We have an app downloaded that allows you to watch park videos and basically wants you to book a trip. Sure enough, she had clicked on the "Order a Planning DVD" and was working on filling out her information. It was so cute! So together, we ordered a Disney World Planning DVD and I ordered it in her name. Our confirmation told us that it would arrive in 2-3 weeks.

Every day she would talk about her Disney World Combo pack and wonder if it would arrive. It was so much fun talking to her about it. And everyday she would get excited to see if it would come. As it got closer to 2 weeks, she got more impatient. Then it started inching to 3 weeks and she was getting frustrated.

A couple of weeks ago when we were out for snow, we were sitting at the dining room table when Ava saw the mailman coming. He had his mail and a small box which Ava was so excited about because she thought it was her combo pack. However when I got the mail, it wasn't left at our house and there was no combo pack in sight. Ava declared that the mailman had "STOLEN HER COMBO PACK!" Hilarious! So much funny stuff coming out of this girl's mouth.

So last Friday, the mailman finally brought her her combo pack. It was addressed to her and she was tickled. We had to watch it that night and she flipped through the little pamphlet over and over again.

I guess what's she's telling us is that she is ready to go back to Disney! :) Me too, dear, me too! ;)

Jan. 31 - Feb. 5th

Jan. 31st - Bradley has gotten Ava into collecting cards. Not baseball cards, but Toy Story cards. I think at last count she lacked one in having a complete collection. Jan. 31st - Ava and I before she had her last game.

Feb. 1st - We tried Brussel sprouts for the first time. I told Ava they were mini-lettuces. She was not fooled. She did not like! :( I on the other hand likey!

Feb. 1st - b - They were just too cute playing together.
Feb. 2 - So tuckered out that he passed out in his high chair.

Feb. 3rd - no pic

Feb 4th - Ava and the combo pack. I will tell that story later...

Feb. 5th - The 1oth Anniversary of my 21st! LOL. Just some cheesecake with the kids. Bradley and I went out to dinner and on the way home we stopped so I could get a couple of slices of cheesecake from Sweet Peppers. I bought the turtle for Ava and I and a strawberry one for Harrison and I since we are unsure about the nut allergy. I actually preferred the strawberry! Yummy deliciousness!

Jan. 23 - Jan. 29 - Project Life

Jan. 23rd - bought new bedding for our bedroom. Now we just have to paint. It is brown with a little bit of plum. Jan. 24th - Finally got my new dishwasher installed. It is soooo nice after not having one for 2 years!

Jan. 25th - no pic

Jan 26th - another snow day!

Jan 26th

Jan. 27th - trying to make play-doh (see previous post for details)Jan 28th - Ava playing bendaroos

Jan 29th - A group shot from our visit to KY. We had a fantastic time!