February FUN!

Enough with the sad and gloomy blog updates....Time to share some of the FUN things we've been up to lately!

On Thursday February 6th, my parents arrived in Jackson and the first thing we did was pick Kyndall up at pre-school.  I hadn't told her that Grammy and G-Daddy were coming, but rather decided to let them surprise her by standing outside of her classroom and waiting for her to see them.  It was SO sweet!  She first saw my Mom and screamed "GRAMMY!!" and gave her a big hug.  Then, she spotted my Dad and went running towards him yelling "G-DADDY!!"  I wish I had taken pictures because it was so cute!

We came back to the house where Kyndall was immediately showered with gifts from friends back home, sent by way of my parents.  She is one loved little girl, that's for sure!

Thanks, Mrs. Stephanie!!!

Mrs. Teresa sent gifts too......

G-Daddy also had a little surprise for her.....

LOVE this!

Spoiled??  What makes you think so?

That night my Mom and I went to my monthly Sunday School ladies Bible study and left Kyndall, Matthew and my Dad at home to hang out.  Mom and I didn't get back until after 10:30 and everyone was already asleep when we got home.  

Friday was COLD and rainy so we just hung out around the house while Matthew was at work.  Kyndall enjoyed having my parents here to entertain her and I was very appreciative of the break!  That evening, Matthew's parents arrived and we enjoyed a big pot of chili and a warm fire.  

Saturday morning we awoke to TWO surprises! One was great and the other was not so great!  The first was SNOW!  A good bit of snow had come down overnight, and there was just enough for Kyndall to play in.  The second (and not so great) surprise was a nasty, horrible stomach bug that had swept through our house while we slept.  My Mom and Matthew were in pretty rough shape, but at that point the rest of us hadn't caught it yet.  The worst part was, it was also Matthew's BIRTHDAY!  He spent his entire day in bed and miserable.  My Mom had it the worst and was VERY sick.  We didn't see either one of them all day long.  I did my best to play "nurse" running back and forth between bedrooms checking on them, bringing them trash cans, cold cloths, Gatorade, etc.  I was just praying hard that I didn't get it too!  I was also a little nervous, since BOTH of my "escorts" to Vanderbilt were down for the count!  

The rest of us tried to make the best of our Saturday by enjoying some play time in the snow!

Of course, you can't have snow without making snow cream!

Snow princess

The REAL Kyndall!

Mrs. Pam came over for a little while and brought her new puppy, Knox!  Kyndall absolutely went nuts over him!  He's so so cute!!

The poor birthday boy didn't even feel like going out to dinner that night or opening his presents, so those of us who were well just ordered out from a local diner and called it an early night.  

The next morning, Matthew was feeling 100% better, just a little weak still.  My Mom, however, was still pretty sick on Sunday.  This was supposed to be the day that all of my friends came together for prayer time at my house over my upcoming appointments, but after finding out that about 12 of my girlfriends had come down with the bug as well, we decided to call it off until everyone is well.  I've never seen a stomach bug sweep a town as fast as this one did in Jackson!  Later I found out that many of the kids and teachers at Kyndall's school were knocked down by it, and just a day after my Dad returned to Tallahassee, he came down with it as well and was out of work all week!  Even my Mother-In-Law got a touch of it during the 3 days that she was here taking care of Kyndall.  Somehow, by the grace of GOD, I was one of the only ones who didn't catch it, despite being right in the middle of it.  That's amazing to me, considering I don't even have an immune system right now.  I think the Lord was protecting me and I'm so thankful for that.  The last thing I need is to be sick as I'm waiting patiently for my call.

Even though the prayer time was canceled, we decided to have some friends over that evening to celebrate Matthew's birthday. Glory and her family had already experienced the bug, so I figured they were safe to enter our germ-infested home!

We grilled hamburgers, opened gifts, enjoyed a yummy birthday cake and had a great time celebrating Matthew's birthday a day late!

Monday morning came EARLY as Mom, Matthew and I left the house at 5:15 a.m. headed for Vanderbilt.  My Dad and Matthew's Dad also left at the same time, heading back south to Thomasville and Tallahassee.  The next three days were spent at Vanderbilt, as you've already read.  

Fast forward to Thursday morning, when Mom, Matthew and I were all back in Jackson and well rested after a good night's sleep in our own beds.  Grammy and Nonie went with me to drop Kyndall off at pre-school, where she was having her class Valentine's Day party.  

While Kyndall was at school, I treated my Mom and MIL to a fun, girly lunch at one of my FAVORITE places, the Antique Mall.  They both enjoyed it and we had a fun time while we waited for Kyndall to finish up at school.  

Later that night we participated in our very first flash mob!  It was SO fun!  A friend of mine wanted to surprise her husband for Valentine's Day and invited us to be a part of it.  I don't have any pictures, but there are several videos floating around on Facebook!

Friday was Valentine's Day, so after I returned from my doctors appointment, we kicked off the morning by putting together Matthew's Valentine's Day gift and making fun-fetti cupcakes!  It was a rainy, nasty day so this provided Kyndall with something fun to do while we were stuck at home.

She knows a good thing when she sees it!  Just a little taste.......

We received a very special delivery from the local florist and the card was addressed to "The ladies of the house".  This is how it was signed......

Turns out that Matthew, my Dad and Matthew's Dad all conspired on this Valentine's Day surprise earlier in the week!  Sweet!

We started to go a little stir crazy from all the rain.....

While we waited for the cupcakes to cool, Kyndall helped me wrap up everyone's gifts and set them out to be opened later that night.

Finally, the moment she had been waiting for...........

Ta-da!  Kyndall's masterpieces!

When Matthew got home from work we all exchanged gifts with each other.  There was something for everyone!

Remember how I told you she's completely obsessed with super heroes??  

Kyndall's loot.  RIDICULOUS.

Since ours Moms were still in town, Matthew and I darted out for a quick, kid-free Valentine's Day dinner alone.  Such a treat!!

I found these pictures on my camera a few days later.  Apparently, this is what went on while Grammy and Nonie were left in charge!  =)

And then, this happened.  "Flying" around the house like a complete maniac thanks to all those Valentine treats!

She did this herself and I thought it was too funny not to share!

Finally winding down for bed in her new Valentine's Day jammies from Nonie and Poppie

Saturday was spent relaxing and enjoying our last day with Grammy and Nonie.  We actually hung out in our PJs most of the day.  Kyndall enjoyed playing with her new Valentine's Day goodies, including this workbook that I got her.  I was pleasantly surprised to see how well she did with it!

We went out to dinner one last time but poor Kyndall wasn't feeling well and ended up falling asleep in my arms before our food even arrived.  I ate my entire dinner with one hand that night.  =)

We didn't even bother changing her clothes when we got home, just put her straight to bed in her jeans and t-shirt!  Thankfully she woke up feeling better the next morning.

My Mom and Matthew's Mom left early Sunday morning around 7:15 a.m.  We were all SO sad to see them go!  Even now, Kyndall still goes into each of their rooms several times a day looking for them and I have to remind her that they went back home.  Now, it's back to reality and routines as we gear up for another busy week.  Matthew is in Dallas until the end of the week, so I've been thrown back into it full force, going from three extra sets of hands to none but my own!

Kyndall will have her very first dental check up tomorrow, so I'll be back with pictures and stories to share about that!!!  This dental hygienist Mommy is WAY too excited about it!!!  =)  I just hope she cooperates and that we make it out of there without too many tears and screams.....not from Kyndall, but from the poor soul who will be attempting to clean her teeth!  Wish I could just do it myself!

Have a great week!