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This just in from the CDC....photographic evidence exists of the origin of the swine flu!
Whatever you do, do NOT kiss this little girl!! (Tia, is that Ellie?!?!)

Tuesday, April 28

Carter helping me get my allergy shot

Really Old Lady

Morgan came home from school on Friday with this story in her folder. They did a unit on crows (what? you don't remember your first grade experiences with crows?!) and almost always have a creative writing assignment that relates to the topic. This is the story she wrote for this assignment and I had to laugh. Hard. Then I called my mom and read it to her...and laughed some more! In case you can't quite decipher the misspelled words the story says "This old Grandma was named Karen Swank and she fell in the pool and broke her hip and then she lost her ring and then a crow came and found it and gave it to the old woman"

I don't know which is funnier...the fact that she calls her old twice or the fact that she has her break her hip!!! Priceless.

Sunday, April 26 and the Kindergarten dilemma

Abby stopped by today on her way back to BSU from being home for the weekend and Emma wanted to show off her new reading skills! Abby was impressed!!!

This leads me to discuss a fear I have. Emma's birthday is August 4. The cut-off for Kindergarten this fall is August 1. She is 3 days past the cut off. Despite that, she is more than ready for Kindegarten. I thought Morgan was really ready, but Emma is even more prepared academically than Morgan was. She can do everything that Morgan did last year in Kindergarten already...including reading. She can do simple addition and very simple subtraction. She knows letters, letter sounds, shapes, colors, numbers, and can count to 100. Oh, and did I mention she can read?! I also would hate for she and Morgan to be 3 years apart in school even though they are only barely over 2 years apart in age! We had to submit a petition to allow her into Kindergarten this fall but have to wait until the week before school starts (!!!) before we know whether there will be room for her in Kindergaten or not. I sent an email to the principal last week asking if I should bring her to Kindergarten round up or not since we won't really know whether she can attend or not until August. He said basically that we can come if we want, but he'd hate to get her hopes up for going to Kindergarten and then not have her be able to get in because her chances aren't good. I am soooooo stressed about this because I just know in my heart that she needs to be in Kindergarten this fall. I've even prayed about it and the day after I prayed about it was the day that she started reading books. If that isn't a sign from God, I don't know what is! Anyway, I just wanted to put that out there. Maybe some of you could pray that there would be room for Emma in Kindergarten this fall!

Ironically, my mom was placed in a similar situation when I was ready for Kindergarten. My birthday is September 6 and the cut off was September 1 and the principal at my elementary school wouldn't even consider letting me start. She had me tested to prove I was more than ready, but they wouldn't allow it. So, I went to Kindgergarten at a different school that she paid tuition for me to attend. The next year, she took me back to my elementary school and the principal wouldn't put me in first grade so she gave in and put me in Kindergarten again until about 2 weeks into school when I read a book to the class. She got a phone call that night asking her if I could move up to first grade. Anyway.....now you know the rest of the story!

Saturday, April 25

My son's new favorite thing to do is lounge in our recliner while watching his Baby Bumblebee show. Like father, like son!

Friday, April 24

Big Boy Alert!

Carter is now done with the highchair!!!!!!!!!! He is now in a booster seat at the table with the rest of us (and I think he loves it!)

Thursday, April 23

Carter's new bike!!!! In the 70 degree weather!!!!! (and yes, he is crying but he loved the bike, he just wanted off about the time I was ready to take the picture so I went ahead and took it! Bad Mommy, Bad!)

Wednesday, April 22

Snuggly time with Grandma before bed! I remember when Grandma rocked ME before bed!

Tuesday, April 21

I knew it was only a matter of time before the girls decided to use Carter as their baby doll....I guess I should be glad they weren't dressing him up....yet.

Monday, April 20

*sigh*

Baby Shower!!

Today was a super fun day! I hosted a baby shower for Elizabeth (biz) Mack (who just so happens to be one of my favorite people) She is technically Chris' cousin, but she claims me too, I think. Anyway, she was here at Ball State when Morgan and Emma were born and we got to hang out with her a lot then (we're also so blessed that both of her sisters (who both also happen to be two of my favorite peoples) have been at BSU as well...Rachel was only here for a year but Abby is here now and finished up her 3rd year in 3 weeks!!!! We LOVE our Campbell girls!!!!!!!) Anyway, Morgan was Mike and Elizabeth's flower girl a few years ago (Mike also just happens to be a very cool guy!) We were thrilled to learn they were expecting about 8 months ago! She is due May 18 and I had the honor of throwing a baby shower for her today. Here she is with her big ole' belly that is so cute. (did that paragraph use more parenthesis in the whole history of the English language ever or is it just me?)

Stacy (Chris' sister) playing Baby Pictionary!

Biz giving it a go...

The Pictionary guessers!

Grandma Campbell who was a big fat cheater and wrote words!!! (just kidding!)

Chris' mom won the Baby Pictionary game!

Elizabeth got quite a few nice things........I miss tiny baby clothes!!!!

My fabulous husband stayed home with the kids so that I could go to the shower!

copied from Facebook

If you've been tagged, answer the questions and add it in a new note- tag the person who tagged you as well as some new people who you'd like to see answer these questions! :)

1. First thing you wash in the shower? Usually face, sometimes hair.
2. What color is your favorite hoodie? Pink (with BSU on it)
3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? I would hope so
4. Do you plan outfits? for my kids, yes...for me, no
5. How are you feeling RIGHT now? good, but fighting off a migraine
6. What's the closest thing to you that's red? a rose that the vet sent in memory of Bingo the day he died :(
7. What was the last dream you remember having? being on American Idol! (I have one of those almost every season!)
8. Did you meet anybody new today? Yes, the car salesman that was in the car with my mom while she was test driving it and brought it by for my opinion and when they left, Emma asked if he was Grandma's husband! HA!
9. What are you craving right now? a skinnier body
10. Do you floss? not like i should...Kara (my dentist) usually reprimands me!
11. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts....just got done working and had a few operative reports on CABGs!
12. Do you like to organize things? I like things to be organized, but I don't like organizing them.
13. Have you ever counted to 1,000? Actually, yes, a few times. It takes me forever to fall asleep so I have often resorted to counting as high as I can and when that doesn't work, I start at 1000 and count backwards by 3s....someone once said that takes more concentration and therefore your mind can't wander....but to answer the question, yes.
14. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? On a cone, lick....in a dish, bite.
15. Do you like your hair? For once, yes!
16. Do you like yourself? I like who I am, I do NOT like how I look.
17. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? If he was buying!
18. What are you listening to right now? Gilmore Girls on DVD! Best. Show. EVAH!
19. Are your parents strict? Not anymore! WERE they strict?....um....technically yes, but not really. They just made the rules and consequences for breaking the rules very clear and then remained very consistent in following through. If I got a consequence, I knew good and well why I got it and how I could have avoided it.
20. Would you go sky diving? No way. I did the Sky Flying thing at King's Island with a couple of students once while my band was performing at a festival there and I seriously thought I was going to have a heart attack.
21. Do you like cottage cheese? Not by itself but with pineapple its OK. Not something I would proactively plan as part of a meal, though.
22. Have you ever met a celebrity? Yes...Michael Jordan! (he called me "baby")
23. Do you rent movies often? Hardly ever and if we do, its $1 from the Redbox
24. Is there anything sparkly in the room in which you are? Just my personality! *cough, cough*
25. What countries have you visited? Mexico, Canada, Spain
26. Have you made a prank phone call? No, I was long distance from the rest of the world while in junior high when I might have done that, and now I wouldn't ever because they are too annoying!
27. Ever been on a train? Yes
28. Brown or white eggs? I don't think it matters, but if I were choosing, white.
29. Do you have a cell-phone? Yes...attached to my hand, usually.
31. Do you use chap stick? Habitually.
32. Do you own a gun? No
33. Can you use chop sticks? No..not quite coordinated enough for that one!
34. Who are you going to be with tonight? Well, the kids and Chris until about 5:30 and then my mom and my cousin Shelly are going to my mom's 20+ club banquet for BMH where she has been for 35 years (since 1973!!!!) and is retiring at the end of the month!!
35. Are you too forgiving? No...I hold grudges really badly. Its quite sickening, actually.
36. Ever been in love? Yes and I still am!!
37. What is your best friend doing tomorrow? He'll wake up next to me and then go to work!
38. Ever have cream puffs? No.
39. Last time you cried? I've cried every day since last Tuesday when Bingo died....which is a lot for me, because I am SO not a crier!
40. What was the last question you asked? "What did I just say to you?!" in reference to Morgan bringing her snack into the living room after I specifically told her to eat it at the kitchen.
41. Favorite time of the year? Summer
42. Do you have any tattoos? Nope...I wouldn't mind a cute little tiny one somewhere but don't usually submit myself to pain unless absolutely necessary!
43. Are you sarcastic? No...not me! (Wait, was that sarcasm? Oh darn, then I guess the answer is yes)
44. Have you ever seen The Butterfly Effect? No, those kind of movies freak me out.
45. Ever walked into a wall? *small voice* yes.
46. Favorite color? Peach/Coral
47. Have you ever slapped someone? yes
48. Is your hair curly? it used to be REEEEALLY curly, but 3 pregnancies made it straight (thank goodness!)
49. What was the last CD you bought? Jeez, I can't even remember. I think it was a Cadets CD of the last 10 years of shows for Chris for Christmas like 2 years ago. (I don't buy CDs!)
50. Do looks matter? Yes
51. Could you ever forgive a cheater? Nope. (see the period?)
52. Is your phone bill sky high? No...actually, its dirt cheap!
53. Do you like your life right now? Very very very much....although a little more money and a little less pounds would make it that much better!
54. Do you sleep with the TV on? When Chris is gone...sometimes I fall asleep while he's still watching something....but not routinely.
55. Can you handle the truth? I expect it but doesn't mean I can always handle it. (I agree, Susan!)
56. Do you have good vision? Post-LASIK...yes!!!!!! 20/20!
57. Do you hate or dislike more than 3 people? Hate? No. Dislike? Yes.
58. How often do you talk on the phone? Not very often, actually. I don't really like talking on the phone. I think it relates back to question #26 and the fact that I never got to talk on the phone when I was younger because I was long distance from all of my friends (except for Christina, and we didn't talk on the phone that much)
59. The last person you held hands with? Christopher Michael Day.
60. What are you wearing? A BSU T-shirt and my yoga pants (and socks, must have socks)
61. What is your favorite animal? Dogs
62. Where was your profile picture taken? At Chris' Uncle Brett & Aunt Lisa's house at Thanksgiving
63. Can you hula hoop? Yes, but not well....Chris is the record holder for Wii hula hooping in this house!
64. Do you have a job? Yes...a couple of them!
65. What was the most recent thing you bought? Butter to make a crumb cake for Sunday School on Sunday.
66. Have you ever crawled through a window? Yes

Bowl Baby Bowl

Our church had a fun bowling party tonight. We went to Arnett's for dinner beforehand and then over to the BSU bowling alley....there were some snacks and drinks and a popcorn machine. After a little while of bowling, they turned out the lights and turned on the blacklights for cosmic bowling! Here is me helping Emma with the little ramp thingie.

Everyone started glowing!!! Here is glowing Hayley!

Carter was rather high maintenance. It was hot, he really wanted to play with the pins at the end of the alley, he didn't want to sit still. He also got a pretty good goose-egg on his head from running into a table head first.

Glowing Emma!

Morgan bowled for real with no ramp!!!!

Carter's cool man outfit that Mommy bought on clearance last year! It was about 75 degrees so he got to wear it for the first time!

Note the goose-egg above his right eye! (before you make fun of me, Karen, I mean his right eye) Poor guy!

Bowling Buddies

I forgot to post this when we went bowling last weekend......the boys minus one kid! (Hayden)

another hearing test

After our fiasco last time at the audiologist, we decided this time, we'd go see my friend Carey who generously offered to give Emma her hearing test! When we got there, Carey looked at Carter in the stroller and said "you really aren't supposed to bring other kids to a hearing test with you!" She's such a funny funny girl! Here is sweet Emma acing (aceing? ace-ing?) doing really well on her hearing test! (you can bet your bippy I wouldn't have been able to take pictures at the other place!!!!!)

the comedian

My husband is a comedian. I bet you didn't know that. We have had this running thing we've done for longer than Morgan has been alive where we trade this silly looking object below back and forth by hiding it places.

Someone gave us this thing when I was pregnant for Morgan. It is a photo frame. When we opened it we did one of those teeth-clenched-eyes-opened-wide "ooooh, thaaaank yoooou! Its so....cute" Anyway, the next morning when I was getting ready for work I found it in my shoe. Chris had hidden it there. So, I took it and put it in his coat pocket and he discovered it when he went to work the next day. Then he hid it somewhere, etc. etc. There have been times that we've found it at pretty hilarious times. It has been hidden everywhere you can possibly think of (and some that you couldn't!) I think the longest that it ever went undiscovered was about 1 or 2 years when I hid it in Chris' winter dressy trench coat that he rarely wears. He said he was at a meeting at a client's house a few months ago when he checked in his pockets to find a business card and instead pulled the frame out! Anyway, it resurfaced then and we've been trading it back and forth again lately. The last time I had it, I hid it in his car's console that he hardly ever looks in. Well, today, I found out that he had found it when I picked up my cell phone to make a call and saw that this picture was my new wallpaper! It is such a silly game, but still fun at the same time because its just one of those little ways that I know he is thinking of me and maybe even likes me a little bit.

A little bit.

he'll kill me for this when he's older

There are very few things in this world that I think are cuter than the sight of a naked baby walking away from you. So funny. This little monkey was running away from me while I was trying to change him into his jammies and I had just gotten done taking some pictures of him so the camera was nearby. Cracks me up.
this one definitely goes into the "show this to his prom date" file.

Smart Cookie

Emma is reading. We've noticed for a while now that she'd tell us what random things said at various times but now, she can sit down with a book and read it. She is 4 1/2! I'm so proud! :) and this is another reason why we're petitioning her for early entry to Kindergarten even though she's 3 days past the cut off!

These are a few of my favorite things.....

I'm sitting here at the computer and I just felt compelled to put here for memory sake how much I LOVE LOVE LOVE the way Carter smells after a bath.

I wish I could do scratch and sniff posts so I could remember it for all of my life. Its a mixture of Johnson's Baby Lotion, Johnson's Baby Shampoo, and sweet baby boy. At least I can take a picture and remember what he looks like after a bath while snuggling with Daddy with his little wet hair all combed. Can I bottle the baby-after-a-bath smell? It makes me weepy just thinking about how little time I have left while I can get away with slathering him in baby lotion and putting fuzzy, feeted jammies on him!!!

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this is what happens when you leave a post in progress up on the laptop with a 17 month old in the room when it thunders and you remember the dog is outside so you run to other room for exactly 17 seconds

Easter Sunday

I'm in a succinct mood....so here are the Easter day festivities as they happened.

Here is Carter throwing eggs at his waffles.

Here is Carter in his seasonally inappropriate sleep wear.

Here is the carnage post Easter basket discovery.

Here is Emma with her eggs and their content. ($1.55, chocolate eggs, Andes mints, and jelly bellys)

Here is the outcome of a photo session that left me with a substantial amount of perspiration.

Afterwards, we headed to church.

After church, we ate lunch at Scotty's.

After Scotty's, we came home and took naps.

After naps, we went outside and rehid Easter eggs and then refound Easter eggs.

Bingo got attacked by neighborhood dogs in our fenced in backyard.

Bingo is now scared to death to go outside.

I fixed dinner. We ate it.

We went to bed.

He is Risen!

The End.

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter from our family to yours!!!!!!

Easter Eve

What a busy and fun day we had today!!!!

We started out with a girls' and boys' morning! Daddy and Carter went to run some errands and perform certain bunny-ly duties that had not yet been done. The girls went to the Easter Angel Breakfast at church. They had a yummy breakfast of french toast sticks, sausage, and bananas along with orange juice. After that, they divided up into 4 age groups and Morgan & Emma's group went with Pastor Marti to learn about Easter by opening up Resurrection Eggs and learning about what was inside.
Then Pastor Marti took the kids to the closed up tomb where they "pretended" Jesus had been buried. Tomorrow during Children's Church, the kids will go to it and see that the stone has been moved and the tomb is empty because Jesus has risen! It was really neat!

This is Emma and her good buddy Cade. They are in preschool together and will be in Kindergarten together next year at the same school. This picture cracks me up just looking at it. They are both making the funniest faces like they just can't believe that I'm taking a picture of them. I'll have to put this picture next to a picture of them on their graduation day! *sniff, sniff*

Here are Emma & Cade again deep in conversation.

After church, we came home and Carter took a good nap while the rest of us had lunch. When Carter got up, we all headed to Connersville to see Chris' parents for Easter. Here is Carter opening up his Easter treats from Nana & Papa!

Morgan & Emma got matching Hannah Montana nightgowns! (Nana usually gets them jammies for Easter)

Carter got to have a relatively short horsie ride from Nana whose horsie was kind of weak and got tired easily. *wink, wink*

Nana and Papa had never gotten to see Carter's camera face in person and they were laughing pretty hard at his ability to make the face when the camera was up and then immediately go right back to normal when the camera was lowered. Nana called this one his "camera face with attitude!" (By the way, Karen, I think you need to reset the date on your camera)

Here is Daddy demonstrating camera face....I'd say its a perfect impression!!!!

I don't usually think Chris & his Dad look too much alike but I think Carter sure looks like him in this picture!

The girls having ice cream cones for dessert!!!
The girls back home and ready for bed in their new nightgowns!!!

The girls eagerly went to bed ready to get up in the morning to see what treasures the Easter Bunny has left.