BBQ Cool Whip

This morning Annah woke up and went downstairs looking for Daddy, like she does every morning.  When she realized he'd already left for work, she came back upstairs and got in bed with me and slept a while longer.  When we both decided to wake up and go downstairs to get breakfast, I cracked up laughing when I saw the kitchen table...  There was an opened bag of barbeque potato chips and a container of Cool Whip with a knife in it.  Annah had been putting the Cool Whip on the chips for her "before breakfast snack" while I was still sleeping!  She claims it was good, but to me it sounds worse than any weird pregnancy craving I've ever heard of!

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Sylvia has been saying "Uh-oh!" for a couple weeks now.  Sometimes she uses it appropriately, but most of the time she just says it either because it is one of 3 things she can say ("Mama" and "Dada" being the other 2, of course) or because we laugh and say it back to her every time.  We got her 1-year studio proofs today...

Learning to pray

As Annah says her bedtime prayers, I have recently started to help her say more of the prayer on her own. I'll start out a phrase and then she finishes it how she wants. Here's how her prayer went last night...

Me: Dear...

Annah: God

Me: Thank you for...

Annah: The good supper we had tonight.

Me: and...

Annah: Thank you for the snow we played in today. And the world you made. And the shoes on our feet. I love you God. Amen.

Hearts at Home

I had the wonderful opportunity to attend the National Conference of Hearts-At-Home this past Friday while Jeremy took care of the girls from 6:45 a.m. until 10:30 p.m!  (What a great husband he is!!)  Hearts at Home is a non-denominational, Christ-centered, professional organization for mothers at home or those who want to be.  The conference was fantastic!  I was able to take workshops with Lisa Whelchel (She was "Blair" on The Facts Of Life.), Susan Alexander Yates, Jill Savage, and Dr. Jerry "Chip" MacGregor, all of whom were incredible speakers and shared great ideas.  I wish I could attend this conference every month, rather than only once a year!!

Since everyone is asking how I'm feeling...I am feeling pretty well most of the time--just tired.  I do have a lot of nausea, and here and there some days where I just try all day not to throw up.  But, I know many women struggle much more than I, so I can't complain.  I'm feeling pretty good most of the time.

Sylvia hates the whole milk.  She will take a little swig of it and then spit it out all over herself!  Has anyone ever dealt with this?  I don't know what to do, but we certainly cannot continue to keep her on formula for long.  She's eating like a champ now though! 

Weekend in Indiana

Congratulations to Mom and Dad Mc on their 35th wedding anniversary!!
We spent a long weekend in Indiana, and had a great time.  On Friday evening, we were treated to a fantastic G'ma Lopshire dinner of (Jeremy's favorite) beef 'n' noodles and lots of other yummy stuff.
Saturday evening, along with Travis and Erin, we celebrated Mom and Dad's anniversary with a fabulous dinner at the Oakwood Inn.
On Sunday, we attended the morning service at the Churubusco Church of the Nazarene. Then we met Brock, Amy, and Jalynn for lunch at the Magic Wand.  It was so nice to finally see them again for a little bit!  We went to G'pa and G'ma Lopshire's again for the afternoon.  Sylvia tried hard not to nap, but fell asleep on Great G'ma's lap a bit before we were ready to leave.  Annah and G'ma made valentine's, and Daddy took Annah sledding for the first time down the hill and driveway.  She had so much fun!  Sunday night, we talked through most of the Superbowl and ate lots of the traditional McEowen Superbowl junkfood.  Yum!
It was nice to spend some time with our families!

Don't trade Sylvie in!

A few days ago, Jeremy asked Annah if she would like a little brother. (It was part of another conversation...we're not pregnant, okay!) Anyway, Annah looked shocked and hurt and said, "NO! Don't trade Sylvie in!!!!!" As we were busting up laughing, we explained that we would never trade Sylvie (or Annah) in! When Jeremy told her that we would always have Sylvie, then would she sometime like a little brother too? Annah said, "Wow!!!! That would be terrific!!!!" We're not sure what to think of that. And, again, we are NOT pregnant. It was just a funny story that we wanted to share.


The sickness is back in the Lopshire house. Sylvia has been sick since last Monday, and both girls are now on Amoxicillin for ear infections and Vigamox drops for infection in their eyes. Jeremy is on antibiotics too and finally seeing an ENT tomorrow. I'm just gunking it through since I can't take antibiotics. It is loooooovely around here!

"Normal" Week

This past week has been fairly nice and "normal" around here, for which we are thankful. It's actually nice to have the busy-ness of the holidays over. In this somewhat slower mode we've been able to spend a little more time at home spending time together on purpose...

The girls are changing so much every day, it seems. Annah has really gotten into pretending. She loves playing with her Barbies, and always pretends they are 2 sisters and a mommy. She also loves singing--favorite songs as well as made-up ones. Her favorite Christmas song this year was, "Go, Tell It On The Mountain," which you may have heard if you called our answering machine in the past month. She's still singing it... Annah is also in the midst of three-year-old feistiness. She doesn't want to take naps or go to bed at night, eat meals, put her coat on, or anything else that we want her to do. But, most of the time, it happens anyway.

Sylvia is battling another round of sickness. This time congestion and a bit of a fever, the poor little girl. She's had a rough month. She was doing really well until last night. Hopefully this passes quickly. She really is a happy little baby. She is a real snuggler, and loves to grab onto Mommy's hair or her own for comfort, and sucks her thumb all the time too. She likes patty cake, and loves bouncing to any kind of music or anything with any beat at all--including Annah's singing.

Freezer Meal Day with Friends

Cooking Day!

Saturday, September 20, 2003

Today, some friends from church came over and we cooked dozens of freezer meals.  Lorraine has done this before, and was our leader and organizer, and I would say it was a pretty successful day.

 Dawn empties the noodle pot

 Lorraine marks and seals bags of Tater Tot casserole

 "Cheese!"

 Taryn checks the recipe..."What's 2/3 times 6 again?"

 Dawn and the 1000 lasagnas

 and the freezer is FULL!

Dimples!

See, I DO have my Daddy's dimples!

AND the cutest toes ever to appear in the world!

Sittin' and swingin'

Just having a little swing...

 

Sylvie can sit up by herself now!

 

Up!

Sylvie is big enough to go up in the air now, and loves it!