Making Papa Bob Pretty for Christmas!

Maggie decided Papa Bob needed a makeover today and put a nice shade of pink lipstick on him!

 What a good sport!

The finished product...isn't he beautiful?!

Christmas Day

This morning when we woke up, Maggie went through her stocking from Santa.  We ate a big breakfast and then headed to Christmas mass together.  After we got home, my parents came down and had lunch with all of us.  We stepped out of the box of traditional food and had shrimp and crab legs in a steam pot with potatoes and corn.  It was delicious!!  After lunch, we enjoyed sitting around visiting and Maggie got to try out her new snow pants and snow boots when she went sledding.  We had another great day spent with family!

 Maggie got a tin cup, peppermint stick and a shiny, new penny like Mary and Laura did from the Little House on the Prairie books.  She was so excited when she saw this and knew exactly what it was from!

 She got a new pen that has multiple colors of ink.

 3 new hair bows from Santa

 drinking some nice, cold milk from her new tin cup

 Maggie got some new paints, paintbrushes, and drawing paper, too.

Dressed and ready for Christmas mass

Christmas Eve

Rob's parents and brother came in town last night, Christmas Eve.  We opened presents last night, too, since we had church early this morning.

Maggie got some new snow pants.

New snow boots

books from Uncle Jim

Rob and I get Maggie a new ornament for her tree every year.  We try to get something that represents the year somehow for Maggie.  This year we got her a Little House on the Prairie one, which she absolutely loved! 

Hello Kitty thermos

Hello Kitty slippers

Hello Kitty backback from Nana Karen and Papa Bob

Despicable Me 1&2 from Nana Karen and Papa Bob

The Little Mermaid (I only had it on VHS)

new earrings

Jacobs Christmas

Today, Rob, Maggie and I went to my parents and celebrated Christmas.  We got to spend the entire day with them and my brother's family and it was absolutely wonderful!  We talked, laughed, ate, and of course opened tons of presents!  Thank goodness Nana and Papa got Maggie a Seat Pet because it definitely came in handy for one tired little girl on the way home tonight!

Maggie's lunch

Maggie was sitting at the table today eating her lunch, playing around and taking forever to finish.  I told her to quit talking and playing so much and to eat.  She said, "Okay, but can I play in my mind?"

Santa

Rob and I took Maggie up to Bass Pro Shops to see Santa tonight! She told him she wanted an easel with paper, paints, and a paintbrush. Today was the first time we'd ever heard she wanted these things, too!!

Christmas Presents

It's becoming a yearly tradition that Maggie finds things around the house to wrap as Christmas presents for her babies.  She doesn't want them to feel left out on Christmas morning!

Thanksgiving

Rob, Maggie, and I drove to Wakefield on Thanksgiving Day for the Thurlow (Rob's mom) celebration.  After a great lunch seeing Rob's mom, dad, brother, aunt, uncle, cousins, and grandparents, we headed to Manhattan to have Thanksgiving dinner at his parent's house.  We spent the night and got up the next day to do a little Christmas shopping.  After another wonderful day together, Rob, Maggie, and I headed home.  It was a fantastic Thanksgiving filled with great food and lots of family time!

Swim lessons

Maggie finished her latest round of swim lessons, once a week for 6 weeks, on November 26th.  She made huge gains this time around, too!  She held her head under water, jumped in from the ledge, and swam short distances unassisted.  We were very proud of her and are planning to get her in lessons again when they start back up in January.  I really think continuing them, and not waiting until the summer, helps keep her momentum going!

Movie and Dinner with Nana and Papa

Yesterday, Maggie and I met up with my parents to see a movie and go to dinner.  We went and saw Freebirds in 3D.  Maggie was so excited to see her first 3D movie!  It was a cute one, too!  After the movie, she kept her 3D glasses and plans to use them as a new pair of sunglasses.  We had to pop the lenses out of mine though so she could use them as regular glasses.  She has been walking around everywhere with them on!

Another Maggie Funny

Maggie loves playing with her baby dolls.  She often pretends she is pregnant with them, too.  Earlier this weekend, she told me "Mommy, I didn't think I was going to have another baby, but then I felt coozy and I knew I was pregnant!"  My reply, "I think you mean queasy Mag."  God love this girl because she always makes me laugh with the things she says!

Halloween 2013

Here are some pictures of the prettiest peacock I've ever seen!

Maggie's Writing

Maggie was supposed to write about what she knew about animals.  The last word is her version  of the word animals!!

Another Busy Weekend!

We had parent/teacher conferences last week, which meant no school for Mags on Thursday and Friday.  She got to spend the night with Nana and Papa for a few nights because of Rob and I having to work so late.  She planned a rainbow, Halloween party, with all sorts of decorations, too!  She loves spending the night there.  On Friday, Rob and I went up for the day because Rob and my brother were doing the Lenexa Chili Contest.  Daddy and Uncle Brett slept outside in the cold, while Maggie and I got to snuggle in a nice, warm bed at Nana and Papa's.  We were back out at the chili contest on Saturday, which happened to be a much nicer day outside.  To top it all off, Rob and Brett placed 8th in the CASI division against 150+ teams!!  What a great weekend!!!

Busy Weekend!

On Saturday, Maggie and I spent the day at the Mound City Craft Fair with some of my friends/co-workers.  We saw lots of crafts, ate great food, and had wonderful weather!  After we got home from the craft fair, we went to Paola's Community Garden of HOPE. It is exactly what it says, a community garden you can help with and then reap the benefits from.  They had a pumpkin sale where all proceeds would go to our local scholarship fund.  So, we went, picked out 2 pumpkins, and had some hot cider, too.



Last night, we met my friend for her church's bonfire.  They grilled, had the bonfire, and cooked s'mores, too!

Today, after Sunday school, Maggie and I spent the day with my parents.  It was a nice, relaxing day spent with some of my favorite people!

Cloverbuds

We've decided to take Maggie out of Girl Scouts due to multiple communication issues, etc.  Instead, we put her in 4H.  Right now, she is too young to actually be considered a 4H member, but is able to be in Cloverbuds.  Cloverbuds is basically the beginning stages of 4H for kids under 7.  Tonight, she had her first meeting.  Maggie learned about insects and their body parts.  She even got to make her own lightning bug. She is using it for a night light tonight, too, because it glows in the dark!!

Ciderfest

Today, Maggie and I went to Ciderfest in Louisburg with my friend Amanda (who also happens to be Maggie's teacher) and her son Carson.  It was the perfect fall weather for it, too!  Here are some pictures from our day:

 Excited that she made it through the maze!

 First attempt

 Second attempt

Third attempt

 Final attempt...and my favorite one!! 

She insisted on holding her pumpkin on the way home!

Maggie Funny

Here's another Maggie funny:
She's not supposed to wear shirts with spaghetti straps to school.  Earlier this week, when we were laying out her outfit for school, she had picked a tank top out.  She wanted to make sure it was okay to wear to school, so she asked me if the shirt had "noodle straps".  I couldn't help but laugh before I explained the proper term for that type of shirt!

A Day Spent with Uncle Brett

Maggie got to spend the day with her Uncle Brett today since both Rob and I had to work and she didn't have school.  She definitely kept him busy, too.  She even wrote a list of everything they did today so she wouldn't forget to tell me!!

Here's her list:
1.  Went to the library.
2.  Checked out 2 books from the library.
3.  Took a short walk.
4.  Went to the mall.
5.  Rode merry go round.
6.  Took pictures (in a photo booth).
7.  Looked in many stores.
8.  Ate Chinese.
9.  Rode merry go round.
10. Bought "Willy" (a stuffed animal).
11. Watched TV.
12. Went to Toys 'R' Us (and bought a doll).

After I picked her up, I asked her what her favorite thing about today was.  She sat and thought about it for a little while before she replied, "I can't pick 1 thing because I loved them all!".  Thank you again Uncle Brett for a wonderful day!!

Grandparent's Day

Yesterday was Grandparent's Day at Cottonwood.  My parents were out of town, but Rob's parents drove from Manhattan to spend the afternoon with Maggie.  They got to see her classroom, meet her teacher, and do a little activity with her.  They even took her to the Book Fair and got her some new books and bookmarks!  They also stayed for dinner with Rob, Maggie, and I.  It was a great day that Maggie enjoyed immensely!!

Maggie, the bike rider!

We finally have a bike rider people! After many months of trying, many power struggles and some stage fright, she took off tonight!!

Maggie's First Day in First Grade

Today, Mag's started first grade.  She told me this morning she was excited and when I asked her if she was nervous she told me she wasn't.  (Thirteenth year of teaching, and I still get nervous!!)  Her teacher told me she only had to ask 4 times the difference between a hot lunch and a cold lunch, and ask which one she was!!  It is wonderful to have her so close to me since she's in the same wing as me this year!  I get to see her at recess, too.  It was a little strange at first because I'm not used to it.  When I was watching the kids at recess duty, it definitely took me by surprise when I saw her!!

Here's a pic from this morning with her amazing teacher, Amanda Gerken:

Dallas/Mansfield Trip 2013

Last Thursday, we flew down to Texas to visit our friends there.  It was Maggie's first plane ride and she did great!! She loved it and watching her smile, and seeing the enthusiasm on her face, was absolutely amazing! She watched the whole take off and landing through her window seat.

On Friday morning, we went swimming at their housing pool.  I finally convinced Maggie to jump in the water to me, too!  I asked her what she wanted me to count to before she jumped, and she told me 100!!  Needless to say, we didn't count to 100, but I bribed her with $5 if she jumped to me.  She did it, and then proceeded to jump 3 more times, for a total of $20.  It was definitely money well spent!

On Sunday, our friends' twin daughters were baptized.  They asked Rob and I to be the godparents for the girls.  It was a beautiful baptism, too.  Both the girls cried of course when the water was poured over their heads!  I forgot to take my camera to the church for the baptism, so pictures for that will have to wait.

We flew out to KC on Monday morning.  Once again, Maggie did really well.  Once we landed, we got in our car and drove to Mansfield, MO.  We met Rob's aunt and uncle and their twins at the cabins we stayed in.

On Tuesday, we went to Laura Ingalls Wilder's Museum and the site of her home.  There were many items in the museum that belonged to Laura, her family, her husband and his family, and their daughter Rose.  After touring the museum, we got to walk through the house Laura and Almanzo had built.  Then, we got to tour the house Rose had built for them.  Maggie was in awe of everything and asked lots of questions about it.  It was great to see how memorable it was for her.  Rob even bought a cookbook at the gift shop that has a lot of the foods they made in the books.  He and Maggie are very excited to start cooking!

After we toured the museum and homes, we went to Baker Creek Pioneer Village.  They had an old time restaurant there that you could eat at, too.  The food we ate was made from all the items they grew in their garden and was delicious!!  Then, we toured the Pioneer Village and got to see what life was like back in the pioneer days.

We had heard about an old soda fountain in a little town not too far from where we were, so we headed over to check it out.  Eva Drug Store in Eva, MO, has the soda fountain and still sells ice cream for 5 cents a scoop!!!  Maggie ate her entire double scoop ice cream cone!  Later, after we went back to the cabins to let the kids rest for a little bit, we went to dinner at the Tastee Freez.  I didn't get a chili dog though!

We left Wednesday morning and were definitely ready to be home.  It was a wonderful trip filled with many unforgettable memories!!

Swimming Lesson Pictures

Maggie completed her lessons last week, a much better swimmer with more confidence.  Rob and I talked about it and are planning to get her in lessons this fall when they start up again.  Hopefully, we can keep the momentum going!

Swimming Lessons

Maggie started swimming lessons yesterday.  We decided to try a new place so that she'll hopefully get more out of it.  She absolutely loves the water, but is so timid to try a lot of things.  Well, go figure, she started off in one class yesterday and her teacher came over to talk to Rob and I after they finished.  She said she'd prefer that Maggie be in a different class because she has the skill level, but is timid in the water.  She didn't want her to get overwhelmed with the kids that were in her original class, so she suggested the other one.  Today, Maggie went with her new class and seemed to do much better.  This girl will be a swimmer yet!!

Maggie's Cardiology Follow-Up Appointment

At Maggie's cardiology appt. last week, we were told the hole in her heart and leak in her ventricle are still there. She has always had the hole in her heart and her cardiologist hasn't ever seemed too concerned with it since 20% of the population has this. Her doctor said she very well could have had the leak in her ventricle the whole time, too, but they just weren't able to see it because of the thickening of her muscle tissue in her heart. Now that her heart tissue is completely back to normal, they can see it. She would like to follow up with Mag again in 3 years. So, we are choosing to look at the positives: nothing is worse, her muscle tissue is completely normal now, and her doctor isn't too concerned since we don't go back for another 3 years. Thank you for all of your prayers!

Cowgirl Maggie

Rob and I were taking advantage of the cooler temperatures this morning and working in the yard. Maggie came out of the house and surprised us with her outfit. I asked, "Hey cowgirl, where are you headed off to?" Maggie's reply, "I'm going to go shoot us some dinner!" This girl doesn't skip a beat!!

Branson

My parents were chomping at the bit to make another trip down to Branson. Unfortunately, Rob had to work and I had tutoring, so we couldn't go. So, they took Maggie. They left Tuesday afternoon and came back yesterday afternoon. Maggie said it was really hot, but she swam for hours everyday. Papa took her in the mornings for a couple hours and Nana would take her again at night! They fished, too, but Nana was the only one that caught anything. When she got home yesterday, she wanted to write about what they did because she didn't want to forget anything when she told the neighbor girls about her trip.

I went to a restaurant.  I went to Walmart.

I swam a lot and I fished.  I did not catch anything.

Nana did.  She caught a rainbow trout fish.

BBQ Contest

Last weekend, Rob, my dad, and brother did a BBQ contest. It was extremely hot, but we all had a great time. The past few years, they have started doing smaller contests because we seem to have a better time with them (not as stressful, not as many teams, not as many overall people, can just have more fun). Well, this contest was near a church that had the school right next to it. The best part about it was that Maggie could go play on the school playground with some friends and I never had to worry about her. She played hard and I only saw her and the other girls when they were hungry or thirsty! On top of everything, the guys took 2nd place in brisket!!

Field Trip to Deanna Rose Farmstead

Play Day

Here are some pictures from Maggie's Play Day:

 Waiting in the stands for her turn to run track events!

 Future track star!

 Running the obstacle course!

 Potato sack race

 Great class pic!

 Getting ready for some tug-of-war

Drip, Drip, Drench (like Duck, Duck, Goose with sponges)

 Another obstacle course