Saturday...not really a day of rest around here...

I am bound and determined to make Spring start! I stripped the beds this morning, changed the girls' comforter from the flannel one to the Spring/Summer one, washed our comforter and hung it out to dry (actually sunny enough to do it!) and did alot of laundry. Everyone ALWAYS comments about my status on Facebook, because I always say I'm doing laundry and homework--BUT to be honest, that's what I do outside of taking care of the family!!!!! So close to being done with college and relaxing a little this summer...

The countdown to Disney World is...68 days! I am SUPER excited and I know the girls are too, because they keep looking through the Birnbaum book and finding new things they want to do this time around!

Joe was in a meeting this morning and the girls watched "A Bug's Life" this morning in their pj's until I finally had them get dressed about 10:30! It was a relaxing morning for them, that's for sure. Did a little reading and writing this morning and this afternoon. Still have some work to finish up for Monday, but ahead of schedule compared to most other weekends!

Off to bed for now! Carissa did't take a nap today, so she's wiped out and Jocelyn is still "chatting" away with Daddy in the living room...

Really looking forward to spending some time outside this week with the warmer weather we're supposed to get! The girls go a little stir crazy when they only get a short time outside on the colder days...only 5 days til the FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

Cupcake Party Friday!

The girls (Carissa, Jocelyn and Kylie--the little girl I babysit for) have talked all week about having a "party" together. So, today while the older two were at school, I baked cupcakes and this afternoon I iced them the colors that they all like...

After their naps, they will get to decorate them with sprinkles and partake in the "party cupcakes" they have been promised...

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

Spring has Sprung...

So, I am going to try harder to update my blog instead of always going directly to Facebook for awhile...I think.

Life is pretty crazy right now, but I am loving just about every minute of it. I've been wrapping up classes in time for my college graduation (actually 10 years after when it "should" have been), babysitting more than I had in the beginning, watching my girls become more and more like "little ladies", running them around everywhere, and really looking foward to having the summer free of homework. I am excited to focus my energy on organizing, purging, and an overall "OVERHAUL" of the house. I need to get rid of so much, have a great BIG garage sale, and my new goal for this summer (or maybe a start at least) is to learn more about gardening. I never thought that I would want to do it--but I am REALLY looking forward to it. I want one of those yards that everyone drives past and says, "Wow! That's beautiful!" I don't know if it will be like that this summer, but I'm willing to start the learning process this spring/summer. I want something that I can walk out and look at and say, "I did that" and feel proud of it all. I know I have plenty to be proud of, but I just want something that I can really "dig" into and work on over the next few years. Do you know what I mean? Granted, I don't have a huge yard (heck, its not even mine--its the parsonage) but I want to try and make it something nice to sit out in and enjoy the view and smells of the beautiful flowers.

If anyone has ANY advice, let me know! I am truly looking forward to the next few months and hope everyone is as excited for Spring as I am!!!!!

Enjoy the nice weather we shoudl be getting in the next few days here in the midwest!

Mickey, Minnie, and all the Princesses in Disney World...we're coming back!!

Yep, we are going back to Disney World in May! I'm so excited, the girls are excited, and we will love it all over again...

Don't know when we'll take a vacation like this again, but my parents are going with us too! I think it will be alot of fun, less driving (because we're flying), and more time to take in the stuff we didn't do last time.

I won't start the countdown until a little later...but just know, its a week after I graduate and that is something I'm also looking forward to!!!!

Our Little Solution For This FREEZING day...

The girls love to lay on the inflatable bed we have, so since its such a cold day...we will play!!

Hope everyone is staying warm today...its actually above 0 right now!!! It only took until 10:30

...And after the Holidays, you have...

I'm not a big fan of "resolutions" but I'd like to think I can make commitments. Over a year ago, I embarked on the "weight-loss train" but it quickly derailed--somewhere around July 2008. Fortunately, there are trains to "get back on" and I'm getting on one tomorrow. We have registered to be a part of a "Biggest Losers" competition sponsored by the local hospital. We named our team Hungry, Hungry Hippos. How funny is that?!?!

So, the Mollet Family is taking a BIG step tomorrow...we are changing our diet and somewhat our "way" of life. Our life will be better, stronger, and HEALTHIER. The girls are getting so active and I sometimes feel that I can't keep up. I have not always struggled with weight and being in shape--but, I just don't know where it went wrong?! Our goal is to lose at least 20 pounds by May--but my plan is to lose more than that! We purchased a treadmill and I'm using--even if it wears me out!! I started tonight, butthen I ate--way too much! So, I will need to use all the willpower I can muster to get started and stay on the path--to BETTER health.

In other news, I am so close to being done with my undergraduate degree--I can almost feel it! January and February are going to be tough, but we'll get through it and celebrate in May...

Christmas is done, decorations are down, and we are cleaning house this winter. We are working on our utility room and extra room (turning it into a playroom for the girls). Now that I have one garage sale under my belt, I am ready to do another one this Spring. We will be getting rid of stuff we haven't used, don't need anymore, and the things we keep trying to say "oh, we'll use this or that sometime" because we're not doing it. I am putting my foot down and getting rid of a lot of stuff and getting organized!!! Please feel free to leave suggestions--if you're an "organizedy" kind of person!

Happy New Year!

Christmas

Christmas is my FAVORITE time of the year! I love the reason for this season, the lights, the decorations, the giving spirit, and watching the joy on peoples' faces.

I know that this time of year does not come without its negative side too. Like the ads that basically try to make people think that there is no God, or the fighting that goes on while shopping for the "perfect" gift. But now is the time where we must show others the love of God--not the anger we may have that only lasts for a fleeting moment! It's always easier said than done, but times call for us to be the Christians that God wants us to be--ALL THE TIME!

We celebrated our two girls' birthdays this last month and I absolutely love to see them growing up, BUT I don't want it too happen too fast. I feel selfish saying that, but its true! Carissa is already to the age that she talks about "when I'm __ next year, I want..." I remember always saying things like that and my Mom would always say "Don't wish your life away" but I still tried to anyway. I know I have to let her grow up and I am trying to embrace her life as becoming her own--not what I may want for her to do or not do, but allow her to learn from mistakes as well as the good experiences. She is already showing a maturity because of her willingness to give some of her money (that she earns for raking leaves, no less!) to offering on Wednesday night church. Wow!!! I don't think I was that way at this age, but it's just great to see her growing up in so many ways.

Jocelyn, is an emotional roller coaster these days. She is so happy when she's happy and REALLY mad when she is unhappy. She is loving dance/tumbling/tap and is really good at it--she had such motivation to go (being potty trained first) to class, she loves going to see "Miss Jodi" every week in her dance outfits and all! Life is usually pretty good for Jocelyn--as long as its going her way! She is definitely the entertainer of the family--loves to sing, dance, tell "jokes" and enjoys the attention!!

Christmas is upon us and life is going full-speed ahead and all I want to do is just slow down and enjoy it! Enjoy the time you have with family, friends, and others in your lives...the time flies by too quickly!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!

So, its Thanksgiving time again...

So, this is only the second year I will be making, serving, and recovering from a Thanksgiving dinner. We are staying home this Thanksgiving...it feels good to stay put for a holiday! Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with friends and family but I also like being at home, relaxing, and enjoying my own surroundings.

I'm always a little more sentimental around this time of the year because both of my girls were born after Thanksgiving--almost exactly two years apart. Life gets pretty crazy from this point on through New Year's, but it crazy FUN! Carissa and Jocelyn are really excited about their birthdays this year and equally as excited about Christmas.

I've got some of my Christmas shopping done already and already spent some of my own birthday money, but all around we are trying to save money to cover all the different people we buy for and cover traveling expenses too! I've been babysitting for about a month now and its been good so far. Carissa and Jocelyn have someone to play with besides each other and the little baby (whose 4 months old) is fun right now with his smiling and generally likes to be held--which is fine by me!

Well, that about sums up our lives right now. I have 5 classes left and will still hopefully graduate in May 2009--Lord willing (as my Grandma used to say!) and then I will be a little (just a little) less crazy.

Hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday!

Blogs or Facebook?

That seems to be my big question right now! I check facebook all the time, but kinda forgot about my blog!!

Life in general is the same...we get up at the beginning of the week and start with Carissa's school, my classes, Joe's classes, and the girls' dance class!! They love it all and enjoying seeing Grandma and Papa every week.

Our goal over the next few weeks is to clear out the 2nd car part of our 2 car garage so we can actually use it for our second car...it is AMAZING how much stuff you accumulate over time. I want to have another garage sale in the next two weeks, but I just have to get it all organized again!

Hope everyone's enjoying this wonderful hot, cold, warm, cold, warm, and then cold again...ugh sinus infection!!!

It's September Already...

Well...school has started for Carissa. She is in her second year of preschool (late birthday) so she is at the same school with the same teacher. It was difficult for us to explain that she would have a new group of kids in her class. She seems to be adjusting well--but she's only had two days thus far.

Jocelyn and Carissa are taking dance classes this year!! Jocelyn had to be potty-trained before she could go and she waited until the week before--but she did it! They are in the same class and they are really both enjoying it all.

I have gotten back into the swing of things with classes and am really looking forward to finishing my degree--hopefully by May:) I will be very busy this year, but I am so excited about finally finishing college...

The weather has been great here in Illinois. The girls got a little bit of a cold, but it doesn't seem to slow them down. They have the energy that I dream of!! We are getting ready to take our annual trip to Brown County this coming weekend--I live for that weekend. It's just so great to get away, relax, and do a little bit of shopping~

Well, I will post some pictures after our weekend trip. We always have some good ones!

Tradition is Tradition, Right? Circa 1985

Brian, this is for you...

Carissa found a one dollar bill on the ground going into their favorite restaurant this past Tuesday...

If memory serves me, tradition is that the two girls have to share it, right...

Remember back to Anaheim, California, week of the NACC. We were walking down the steet by the convention center and I look down and find a twenty dollar bill on the ground. The excitement overcomes me, only to have my parents explain to me that I would have to split it with my brother!!! What?!?!?! I don't know how many times I got in trouble because I walked around looking at the ground and I finally have luck in doing it! And then I had to share it?!?!

Memories, memories...shouldn't they share it too?

Disney

Disney was Wonderful...

Here are some pictures

The girls did awesome and had so much fun with everything. They did great with the traveling, hot weather, and busy week of trying to see as much as their little eyes could take in!!

The countdown continues...

Well, we've come to the time where we will be leaving in less than two weeks!! I never thought it would get here and now it is almost time...

*Right now, we're preparing for our weekend garage sale!! I've never down one, but I definitely am hoping to get rid of a lot of clothes and other items...

*I've bought some clothes for the girls and just washed them and packed them right away--unfortunately the weather has been cooler so I haven't even had to take any of the "warm weather" clothes back out and put them to use.

*We are now only 12 days away from Florida and all it has to offer--and I don't know if you can tell, but I am pretty darn EXCITED!!!!!!!!

*We will be graduating our little Carissa from her first year of Pre-school and having the honor of watching her first tumbling, tap, and ballet shows next weekend. I can't believe that the school year is already coming to an end...She'll still have another year of pre-school since she's still too young for starting kindergarten next fall. We're happy she's made good friends and enjoying the whole learning process...

*Hope you all enjoy a little bit of a warmer week this week than last!!

What Do You Think?

I have never been formally trained in CHILD SAFETY, but I went ahead and determined that this would probably not be safe for the girls!!! We had ordered a new bed, but didn't realize that the box spring for their mattress set wouldn't fit too!!

It doesn't take much, but we can usually figure out that something will or will not be safe for the kids!

*Disclaimer: We did NOT keep the bed like this! We opted to have the bedside guards higher than the mattress. Now, what to do with a box spring?!?!

37 Days and Counting...

DISNEY is only 36 1/2 days away (now that I finally got the little picture to post!!)


So, I have tried to start working on GARAGE SALE stuff--and I never really understood just HOW difficult it is to find everything I need to purge, actually decide to get rid of my stuff, and getting it ORGANIZED in some kind of manner.

MOM--I've never had more respect for you in the time you put into each garage sale we had. I'm pretty much on my own doing it, so Joe can entertain the girls so they won't freak out when they see stuff that I am getting rid of. So many clothes don't fit, but I always hung out to it all!! What, did I think they would magically fit back into the clothes?!?!

I'm getting more and more excited about DISNEY (like anyone couldn't tell). I've bought some new clothes for the girls and just washed them and packed them into their respective suitcases. Maybe this will make the time fly by before we leave!

I have 3 more class sessions for the class I'm in now, and then I have a 9 week break--and I am READY!!! Its been great to get so many classes out of the way with LincUp, but I'm not going to lie--I'm ready for a break. I won't have to start back up until mid-July. I'll stay busy with VBS, church, outside play, bike riding, and lots of evening walks with the family...

I've done a lot of reflecting the past few months and I really feel like I'm adjusting to small town living. (I always thought Lincoln was small, but Pana is definitely smaller) It's nice to know a lot of the people, be able to let the girls play on the back deck, and be able to go for walks without a lot of traffic around. We're within about a mile of a great park and we've already been a few times--at least on the dry days!

I got to mow on Tuesday and I know it doesn't seem like a fun time--but I actually enjoy the time to just ride and think...We've stayed pretty busy, so when we do get some down time, we've been trying to keep up on yard work and cleaning up outside the parsonage.

I hope everyone else has been enjoying this nice weather we've had this week. I love opening the windows and enjoying the outside air coming in allowing that nice "clean" smell in the house.

Carissa's Doing Her Part...

Tonight, Carissa has her hair cut. I know some will not like my choice to let her do this, but she has said she wanted to do it.

Jamie (Carissa's "best friend") cut her hair tonight. She is donating her hair to allow someone else to have hair--who can't because of cancer treatment. We have very strong feelings about this cause, and felt like this is something that the girls can really learn from. They get to help someone else with something that they can give of themselves.

Here are few pictures...And she LOVES her haircut!!

Easter Eve, Easter Dresses, and Easter Searching

New Easter Dresses

Coloring Easter Eggs


Ready, Set, Go...

Searching For Easter Eggs...

Easter

Disney World Countdown: 64 days!!

Legos retrieved by the "Search and Rescue Troopers" a.k.a. Mom and Dad: 0

The first question out of Jocelyn's mouth when she wanted to play on Saturday--"Can I play with Legos?": PRICELESS

Well, Joce has yet to "show" us that she really did eat a lego...What can I say? She keeps us on our toes!! She has made a full recovery and is trying to get into trouble again with anything she can get her hands on!

Carissa is just ecstatic that her dance show is coming up at the end of May. She knows that we leave for Disney World after school and dance are over. She is still ever learning at Preschool and continues to be amazed by all the great things that Mrs. Ethridge teaches her!

The girls have learned about Jesus' death and I'm excited to hear them re-tell the resurrection story after church this Sunday...They learn and recite some of their lessons each week. I'm always listening when one of them tries to tell Papa about something they've learned and jumble it all up, but still make it a great story to listen to.

Enjoy this amazing season that we have to remind us of what our Heavenly Father has given us!

Legos, the Emergency Room, and Reflux?!?!

So, today Jocelyn told me that she "ate a ego" or translated--she ate a lego!! Now, needless to say this was not one of my shining great mother moments!!! Her voice had suddenly sounded different, so I tried to get her to cough--no change/drink water--no change...so I resorted to questioning her and she was adement that she swallowed a lego--a blue lego at that.

We spent a few hours here in Pana followed by an ambulance trip to Springfield. They did xrays and determined that they didn't want it to move and cause more problems. So, they put her under and "scoped" her and found--no lego. They did find that her throat was very irritated and they were pretty sure that she has reflux. We'll have her on medicine for awhile and see a doctor again and go from there. She did SO well after the procedure and made it home only getting sick once in the van. She's sleeping and should be back to normal in the next day or so. It's amazing how quickly kids recover...

"The Diaper Dance"

I know, I know--I should be posting a picture of Jocelyn trying to use the potty, but she is learning when to try and when to test me. Anyway, she thinks its funny when she has a wet diaper--she has a specific walk when she's too wet and now she has something we call

THE DIAPER DANCE!!!!!!!

Disney World Countdown: 92 days