exploding casserole dishes!

Holy exploding casserole dishes Batman!

So this evening the kids I were playing "store" in the dining room with cans and stuff when we decided that we were hungry!  After looking around we quickly decided that Mac and Cheese it would be.  I filled the pan with water, set it on the stove, flipped the burner to High and we went back to playing.  After about two minutes Suzzy Q decided she needed to go out!  So we got the dog and headed out.  After about 2 minutes I hear a sound like glass shattering from inside!  I quickly rounded up the dog and kids and went to investigate.  WELL, aparently when I turned the burned on I turned on the wrong burner.  Ordanarily this would have not been a problem except today, the wrong burner had my glass casserole dish from lunch setting on it.  THE DISH EXPLODED!!!  Glass was a good 6 feet away!   It flew EVERYWHERE!  So, incase you were interested in what happens when you overheat an empty dish here are some pictures:

 All that is left of my only glass dish!

Well after sweeping several times, vacuuming and mopping I am still not sure that I have gotten all the glass!  Since we will have lots of little ones running around tomorrow I am sure I will sweep a couple more times and mop as well! 

I have said many prayers of thanks that we left the kitchen when we did...I can only imagine what would have happened had we not left! We were sitting literally 2 feet away before we left!  God was definetely looking out for us today!

SSSOOOO...every story worth hearing has a moral so here is the moral of this story...

NEVER LEAVE DIRTY DISHES SITTING ON THE STOVE!!

Lesson learned!

Thanks for reading! Love you all!

Stephanie

WIC, Santa and birthday cakes!

Just a picture I took that I like!

So today has been pretty busy! Had to go to WIC and the BX/commissary for last minute party shopping! Things went well at WIC. Both kids were weighed and measured. Konner weighs 25 lbs. 10 ozs. (90%) and was 29.38 inches (60%). Ashlynn weighed 35 lbs. 4 ozs. (75%) and was 40 inches tall (75%). Ashlynn has only gained 2 ozs. since the last appt. 3 months ago so they suggested putting her back on whole milk. After a phone call to the pediatrician I have decided not to do that. She has a very healthy appetite and eats constantly! She isn't picky but she does have her favorites! If the saying "You are what you eat" were true, Ashlynn would be entirely made of chocolate milk,yogurt,cheese and hot dogs! She will eat anything I give her and usually eats all her meals but it is impossible to keep her out of the fridge! And 99% of the time she is getting one of the items listed above! She is a very active child though so she has no problem burning off all that she eats!

Then we went to the BX for some last minute party stuff (cake toppers and serving bowls) and ended up spending $200 on Christmas/Ashlynn's birthday! Kyle and I both can't help it! We LOVE being Santa!!! I thought at first it wouldn't be any fun because Santa wouldn't bring us anything but we were wrong! We LOVE it! I love thinking about how exciting it will be on Christmas to see the kids open their presents from Santa and being SUPER happy about it! And knowing that Kyle and I are responsible for it!! It is very EXCITING!

Anyway, I think we have everything for the party and am very excited to make Konner's cake tomorrow! I have a very good idea of what I want it to look like in my head, so hopefully it will turn out! I will be sure to post pics!! I have started somewhat of a tradition of decorating cakes for every one's birthday's and I have really started to enjoy it! I think that I am going to start making a special cake for each kid on their birthday and putting pics in of them in their baby books. My cakes aren't professional quality but I do seem to have a knack for it and really enjoy coming up with new ideas!

Well, I have tons of work to do around the house to prepare for the party tomorrow! I am so excited! I may hang up the decorations tonight just to save the trouble of having to do it tomorrow! Then tomorrow all I will have to do it wait for the bouncy castle guy to deliver (between 9-11) , make the cake ( I may make it tonight and frost it tomorrow), make the fruit and veggie trays and pick up the balloons and ice at 1. Then it's PARTY time!! Can you tell I am a little excited??? If you think that I am excited, you should see how EXCITED Ashlynn is! She hasn't stopped talking about it for days! It is kinda cute!! I think she is just excited about the bouncy castle and the cake! She did pick out a cute little tape measure toy that teaches counting at the BX today to give to Konner as her present!

Thanks for reading, Love you all!

Stephanie

"Every one of you was endowed by your Father in Heaven with a tremendous capacity to do good in the world. Train your minds and your hands that you may be equipped to serve well in the society of which you are a part. Cultivate the art of being kind, of being thoughtful, of being helpful. Refine within you the quality of mercy which comes as a part of the divine attribute you have inherited."
-Pres. Gordan B. Hinkley

The cutest, sweetest, stinkiest, noisiest puppy ever!

Meet Suzzy Q!

Currently we are dog sitting for a friend while he is TDY. (He is single and his previous dog sitters have moved) She is a 9 year old lab/collie mix. Normally she has long curly hair but her daddy shaved her so she wouldn't shed all over our house! (Too bad he didn't know we have a $600 pet hair vacuum!) She is super sweet and laid back. She loves to snuggle on the couch with us pretty much lays around most of the day. She is GREAT with kids, never been aggressive in any way and LOVES to play fetch with Ashlynn.

However,

SHE IS STINKY!! I don't think I have EVER met a dog this gassy! She can run us out of the room! It is horrible!!! She has even woken me up at night! It is bad!!! I am not sure if she is always gassy or if it just the food that the kids give her (we stop them whenever possible but she has had her fair share of hot dogs and goldfish crackers since she has been here!).

PLUS,

She snores!!! Very loudly!! Louder than Kyle! Which I didn't even think that was possible! Over the years I have gotten used to Kyle's snoring and it doesn't bother me anymore as long as I am asleep before he starts sawing logs! But Suzzy! Man she is loud!

We have loved having Suzzy Q so far! We got her on Saturday the 2nd and her daddy was supposed to be home on the 9th and here it is the 14th and still no sign of his return! As much as we love having her with us (Especially Ashlynn) I am worried that the longer we have her the harder it is going to be for Ashlynn to let go when it is time for her to go home! I talk to her everyday about how we "borrowed" Suzzy from her dad but he will be back to get her one day. She seems okay with it but I guess we will wait and see when it is time for her to go!

Photography

Okay, so as some of you may know, I recently have taken up photography as a hobby! I LOVE IT!! I am by no means anywhere near a professional but I do get a few good shots here and there! Ashlynn loves to take pictures with me! She follows me around with her little camera taking pictures of everything that I do! It has become a good bonding time for us! I am learning how to use Photoshop CS5 right now, I am not very good at it but I am enjoying learning how to use it! So like I said, I am not a pro but here are a few of my favorites! I could probably post a MILLION picks so I will try to limit it!

So serious...
She REFUSED to look at the camera!

One of my favorites!

At the park!

Konner's dirty butt at the park!

Ashlynn pretending to be mommy!

Okay, so I have posted TWO days in a row!! That is a new record for me! Hehehe! I will try to be back tomorrow! Maybe I can actually get in the habit this time! Thanks for taking time to read this! We love you all!

Stephanie

Dedicated this time!

Ashlynn showing off her Pearly whites after a trip to the dentist!




Okay, So I have been saying that I was going to start a blog so the family and wonderful friends that we have made that are no longer living near us could keep up with The Lee's! Well, I have decided that it was time! So many things have happened and are going on in our life that I have decided to start blogging and STICK with it!



Konner will be 1 on Tuesday and I have VERY mixed feelings about it! I am excited for the party and I LOVE watching him grow and learn everyday but at the same time I want my little baby pumpkin back! It has been a great year for Konner! He has flown through all the usual things and health wise has been doing great! His heart seems to be perfect after a very scary start. He will have one more follow up with a pediatric cardiologist and an EKG just to be positive that everything is where it should be. For those of you that don't know, Konner was born with thick heart walls and an overall enlarged heart. We would told that it would take 2 years to outgrow (best case scenario) and if it didn't fix itself then there would be a need for surgery. He had two ultrasounds in the NICU, one the day he was born and 1 after 2 weeks, right before he came home. After several priesthood blessings, he went in at 3 months to meet with the specialist for another ultrasound and EKG. Well, everything was PERFECT!!! The cardiologist said that it looked like nothing was EVER wrong with it! God is great! After that he has been GREAT! He had some wheezing when he was 6 months which was diagnosed as mild asthma but after a second and third opinion it was probably just a severe chest cold and he will be re-evaluated at 18 months to see if asthma is even a possibility. We have been praying and have heard NO wheezing since then! On a happier note, he has been trying to walk alot lately! He hasnt taken any unassisted steps but he can balance and stand up for about a minute on his own and he LOVES to push stuff around! So hopefully anyday now he will take off! Then maybe he can keep up with his sister! He is babbling alot and says Baba and Mama and Ann (Ashlynn). If he can't see her, he will crawl around looking for her calling out "Ann"! It is very cute! He loves his big sister and no one can make him laugh the way she can! Saturday we will be having a birthday party at our house! I wanted Jungle themed but could only find madagascar stuff! So that is what we went with! We are going to have snack party foods, cake, ice cream and a moon bounce! We have always wanted to get one for Ashlynn's birthday but it is always too cold! Should be fun and I promise to post an update and pictures afterwards!



Ashlynn is doing great! She is so smart and so curious! She amazes me EVERYDAY with the things that she knows! She brings out the kids in me! She makes me start to enjoy the small things in life! (Like pulling weeds in the yard! would have HATED to do it alone but with her it was a blast!) She is SOOOOO smart! She can write A-S-H-L-N-N...we haven't quite mastered the Y yet...it is more of a g! But she tries hard and she LOVES it! She knows all her colors and shapes! She can recognize every letter of the ABC's if I show them to her and can spell her name, CAT,TOY (thanks to toy story!) BOY,BALL , MOM and DAD! She is very artistic as well! She loves to color, paint and do craft projects! Guess she got that from me! She also loves going to church and having scripture study with mommy. She has learned just about all the main stories from the old testament. She also loves to say her prayers! Sometimes the things she prays for are so cute! She also inspires me to remember to be thankful for the little things, like our couch and pizza! Things that I take for granted everyday! She loves to tell me how much she loves Jesus and can't wait to teach Konner about him! She is growing up fast! It is hard for me to believe that she will be 4 in just a few months! She went to the Dr. last week and weight 39.8 lbs and was 3'11" tall! She is wearing 4T-5 clothing and a size 11 shoe! (guess she got that from me too!) She went to the dentist today and had PERFECT teeth! No cavities or soft spots at all! She did very well with sitting still and holding her mouth open! I was very proud of her! She also got 2 halloween stickers and the first thing she did when Kyle picked it up was share one her stickers with her brother (she stuck it to his forhead, but hey, she was sharing right?) She is very excited for Konner's birthday party! She has had a blast helping me plan all the details! And then Halloween, She can't wait for "holiday!" (I told her she had to stop watching british cartoons!) She is going to be Jessie, the cowgirl from "Toy Story" and Konner is going to be Woody! I am borrowing a wagon from my neighbor to take pictures tomorrow! Promise to post them!
*funny Story*
Today Ashlynn and I were talking about Heavenly Father and how he knows what is in our hearts. So Ashlynn looks at me a little confused and says "How does he see in our heart? Are there windows?"

Kyle and I are doing well! Just trying to get ready for our move to Germany in April! There is SOOOOO much paperwork it is crazy! I don't remember all this when we moved here but we have another family member now so that is just more paperwork! Kyle is super excited to go to Germany and learn a new job! We are all excited actually! I don't think Ashlynn really understands that we are leaving but she talks about it alot and is excited to go to a new "Jesus school" (what she calls sunday school) and make new friends!
Well, there is lots of housework calling my name so goodbye for now but I PROMISE I will be back soon!
Stephanie

An introduction

I guess I will start with a little update on everyone and we will go from there!

Kyle is doing great! He just returned home from a 6 week TDY but will be home for quit a while now! Hopefully until the baby is born but I'm not holding my breath! Well technically he was only TDY for 4 weeks and then he got to spend two weeks with his family! Which was really good for him! It had been over two years since he had seen them and he had a great time! When he got back he took his test for Staff, he thinks he did well, but we won't know how he did until around October! This is his third time testing and we are all feeling very hopeful! Both times he tested before he missed it by single digit points so hopefully this time will be a go!! **Fingers crossed**!

I ,Stephanie, am doing great as well. Finally moved past the morning sickness stage and am feeling much better! I am 14 weeks 4 days preggo and I am starting to show just a little but not enough for anyone to know I am preggo! Just enough to feel like a cow! LOL! Oh well, soon enough I will be huge and wish I was still tiny so I guess I should count my blessings and move on!! I have actually enjoyed this pregnancy a lot. I was really tired in the beginning but that just gave me a reason to take a nap with Ashlynn which has turned into quit the bonding time for mommy and Ashlynn. I haven't had the headaches like I had with Ashlynn either! Although something I didn't have with Ashlynn..."the fog". Sometimes I swear it is like I have lost my mind, I can't remember ANYTHING!! For example, the other day Kyle and I went to the Commissary to get some MILK and I was getting WIC. Well I got everything but the milk and bread and when I went to the milk there were a million people standing there so I decided to go get bread and come back for the milk. Well, after I got the bread , I proceeded to the checkout where I checked out completely and was handed my receipts before realizing that I hadn't gotten my milk! The only reason I was getting WIC was because we were out of milk!!! 8 free things of milk, just gone and then to make things worse I had to go out to the car and tell Kyle so I could get the card and go back in and BUY milk!! It was very embarrassing and when I checked out I actually started CRYING! I think the boy working the register thought I was nuts!!
Things like that happen to me pretty much daily! Well, I guess I can just count down the next six months until I get my mind back!

On to Ashlynn, Ashlynn is 2 1/2 now and she has this wonderful thing she has learned how to use called ATTITUDE!! She loves to yell and tell me no and now she tries to hit me too! We are getting better at that though! Now she mainly just yells and throws fits. She has also grown alot in not so annoying ways! She can get herself entirely dressed! I have to pick out the outfit but she can put it all on, even her shoes and 9 out of 10 times they are on the right feet! She still struggles with socks a little but its a good things it is summer time! Sandals!!! LOL! She has also become quite the artist. She LOVES to paint with water colors and to draw with chalk! We actually have a back porch now so she can draw with chalk all she wants!!! She likes to watch me crochet and thinks that she can do it too but it sure is cute to watch her try! She can also say just about anything! No more guessing!!! Which is really a huge relief for me! She is really big into puzzles right now as well. She is pretty good at them. She has one that is three bears and they have different faces and clothes and you match them together and dress the family and it is her absolute favorite right now! She hasn't put it down for like a week! She also likes to help with housework, which is nice when she is supervised, yesterday while I was getting dressed she decided to clean the coffee table with baby wipes and OATMEAL!!! with syrup...it was very messy and very hard to clean up! But she helped! And then once while I was in the bathroom she got the sunscreen from the laundry room, and swiffered my hallway with it! Also very messy and very hard to clean up! I didn't have the camera on hand so I didn't get a picture of either but next time I promise to have pictures!

Baby #2 doesn't do much but sleep but we had an ultrasound done at 10 weeks and everything looked great! He/she was perfect and had a very strong heartbeat. We should have our 20 week ultrasound towards the end of June and we will be able to find out what we are having! I want to stay surprised (even though I am pretty sure it is another girl) but Kyle isn't that patient! He just has to know! So I am sure we will be finding out! My mom wants to have a shower in the states for me and she wants to know, plus it would make registering easier!

Well, it is now time for The Young and the Restless so I am going to go and then I am pretty sure my hall could use another mopping! Hope everyone has a blessed and wonderful weekend!