Grandma's House and Pennsylvania Fun

LAST month we took a little road trip.  I am JUST now getting around to posting pictures, so I apologize for my absence!  Niles had a week off of work before he starts his new crazy schedule so we took the opportunity to visit with his family up in PA!  We stayed with his mom and dad for a week and then continued on to visit other friends along the way home.  We had a blast!  A random snow storm that made for some fun in the snow, wine tasting with his brother and wife, we had a chance to visit some old and good friends of ours, Niles' brother was indited into a wrestling hall of fame, we colored pictures for hours, prayed that our new nephew would come sooner than later, went out to eat, played cards, etc etc etc.....WE HAD FUN!

After leaving Grandma Kipps house we headed to the Pocono's to visit our dear Uncle Derek and Julia!  That was super fun also!  Uncle Derek took us to his Rec-Center where Dorian and Addy got to swim for hours!!  We now think Dorian should try out for the swim team! ha ha ha  We had yummy Pizza and when the kids went to bed our dear friends Tad and Nicole came to visit us also!  We played board games and had wine and laughed for hours!  It was sooooooooooooooooooooo good to see our friends who we've missed for so long!!!

We then left in the morning to go back to NC with a pit-stop in Harrisburg to get the BEST wings at Gilligans and see some of my friends that still lived there.  We drove part way and stopped somewhere in VA?!?! Not sure where but we had one more stop before we headed home!

When we lived in New Mexico we had an awesome group of friends. They would have given the shirt off your back if you asked for it.  We love them!  But right after Dorian was born they retired from the military and moved to VA.  We lost touch and really weren't even sure if they still lived in VA, but when we moved to NC we found them on Facebook!!!!  And as it turns out they only live three hours north of us!  So stopping to see them was a major priority on our agenda!!!  We met up with them for a late lunch and honesty I could have stayed there for days!  It was so great to see our good friends from New Mexico and so thankful for Facebook and our text message chats!!!

But after an almost two week adventure we headed back to our home in NC, to the real life!  It was fun, but I definitely can't wait to do it again!

Yummmmy Spinach Dip

I had a huge craving for spinach dip a few weeks ago.  I don't know why, I just did.  I have a really great friend in Little Rock Arkansas who made me spinach dip a few times while I was living there.   She was so kind to lend me her amazing recipe to try out.  I have never made any type of dip, other than going to the store and buying whatever is pre-made, so this was an interesting make for me.  However, it turned out great!!!! It tasted JUST like what Tricia made me back in Arkansas!! I was so happy, it was SO good! We all enjoyed it, I made it for my sister and dad when they came down, and it was enjoyed by everyone.....and well even the kids!

When I think about spinach I think about pop-eye the sailor man and how he tells everyone you will get super strong and grow up nice and big when you eat it.  Most kids HATE spinach!  And that is what I thought when BOTH of my children asked for some the day we ate it.  I was hesitant to even let them try it let alone let them go head first into eating it all day! ha ha ha  But Dorian started sneaking a little here and a little there when I wasn't watching and next thing I know both girls are hovering around the table, digging their little hands in the dip and eating the bread that went with it! AMAZING!!! 

What these pictures don't show is that Dorian was really the one who started the mess of all messes with the dip.  She left the table as soon as I got my camera out, ha ha ha.  But it was Dorian that couldn't get enough of her spinach this day.  Addeline chimed in a little later and created an equal mess compared to Dorian, if not greater! ha ha ha

Either way, funny girls I have!!!

Dorian's First Circus: Barnum and Bailey's

Dorian has a fantastic time at the circus this past weekend!  We decided that since Addeline wasn't feeling to great to let her stay home and rest while we took Dorian to her very first Barnum and Bailey's Circus!  We had amazing seats right up close for her to see and a table for her to eat at on the floor of the arena! They gave us free hot dogs, chips and drinks during the first half but that didn't stop her from eating soooo much more!  We found out that Dorian can REALLY eat if she wants to! She had chicken fingers, french fries, popcorn, soda, chips, and fresh squeezed lemonade!  And one can NOT leave a circus with out a light up toy, and Dorian didn't leave with out hers.  She chose (of course) the pretty princess one that was pink, which we didn't object too!  But all-in-all it was a great time! Dorian became a little restless towards the end but we had been there since 12:30.  We heard the inside scoop to come an hour early for a preshow!  We got there as they were opening up the doors an hour early to go down and meet the cast and animals of the circus, too cool!  She sat content on Daddy's shoulders and watched the clowns, doggies, and actors do their things! 

I know she won't remember this, but we will and maybe we'll get another chance to back next year for more memories!  It was also fun to simply hang out with Dorian.  I don't get to do that very often and it was fun to just be 100% in "Dorian World" ha ha ha.  We had to much food, took zero naps, but had a blast and that is all that matters in the end!

Niles Graduates Leadership School

Niles graduated his leadership school this past Thursday and we are so proud of him!  He had to take this course to learn how to be a leader to any troops that may be placed under his command.  Because he is being moved up from an E4 to an E5 this course was mandatory. This was a very taxing and stressful course for him.  It took up a lot of his time from home and his kiddos, but he did it and it is done!!!  To celebrate, a formal dinner was prepared for the graduating class and their supervisors.  It was a nice meal and a LOOOONG ceremony, but I was able to meet his boss and his higher ups that he will work for while he is stationed here.
Congratulations Niles!!!

My Sisters Visit

We had so much fun while my sister was here to visit!!!  It was the perfect weekend with temperatures in the 70's and a large back yard, we had a blast!!!  My dad came to visit while everyone was here and we grilled out and made great food!  Dorian played in the dirt (which made her the happiest person ever), the boys played football and tag outside, and my sister and I got to hang out!  It is so awesome I get to see them more than once or twice a year!  It is already February and I have seen them twice....pretty cool in my world!!! It was so good to have a visit from them all! Can't wait to do it again some weekend!!!

First Black Eye :(

This happened last month, that is how behind I am on blogging but still a worthy post to remember one of her "firsts".  Not such a great first to have, but it was going to happen sooner or later....so I am documenting it! 

I have been taking them to the YMCA every day with me for about two solid months now.  With our membership there is free child-watch while I work out in the mornings.  Dorian had no problems going in the first day and playing with all the children that are there each day.  Addeline, on the other hand, is still adjusting two months later.  The staff worked with us for the first two weeks with Addeline.  They knew as well as I did that she NEEDED to learn to go to other people and it wasn't going to happen over night.

Anyways, after 3 or 4 weeks of going there I had the "dreaded" tap on the shoulder as I was working out.  The lady at the front desk was standing there with Addeline, and she was crying, AND rubbing her eye.  Addeline was coming down the slide and at the end when she got up to walk away tripped over a toy and landed on another toy that hit her eye. TOTALLY STINKS!!!

I felt so bad!!! I made her go when she didn't want to go and then she gets a black eye...ha ha ha so horrible!!! But, as Addy`usually does, she bounced back with in minutes with her signature smile and all was well again.  You can clearly see in the pictures her eye was not bothering her in the least, she kind of liked getting all of the attention!

So here it is, Addeline's first black eye!!! Even with the bruises she is still as cute as ever!

Addy Cakes

Addy is a character, and her personality is really starting to shine in the past few months.  She can go up and down the stairs with ease, she can climb ANYTHING she sets her mind too, and loves to be outside walking around!  She is a diva and proud of it!!!  Addy is learning new words every day with the help of Dorian telling her what everything is.  Dorian also teaches her many other things, like how to climb things she shouldn't! he he he I can't wait to see what Addeline's personality will bring next!