Sunday, June 30, 2013

Five Fortunate Years

My little Jentry Bug turns five today! I was going through some of Jentry's keepsakes this month and I came across her baby book.  How could it be that already five years have passed since I was pregnant and on the hunt for the perfect book in which to store memories that I was yet to even fathom? It was so fun to look back at the things I wrote and reminisce about the amazing events in that first, fabulous year of her life.

Ready to come home from the hospital.  She weighed less than the doll I played with as a girl!

Her BIG personality did not take long to show its adorable face.


Before long, she was turning two and into lots of trouble.  The day before her party she covered her entire self with diaper cream while I was franticly trying to finish decorating her cake.  She never was much of a napper.

Somehow another year passed and three brought on even more evidence of her bright personality.  I truly think three may have been the most difficult year thus far, however I have a feeling that the teenage years with this strong willed child might make three seem like a small scratch.

Year four seemed to prove more independence as she selected her own Barbie party theme.  It was a girls only party and she enjoyed celebrating with some of her own friends.

It is exciting to know that year five will bring even more fabulous memories that are beyond my current imagination.  This year she chose a Princess Tiana party with chocolate ice cream cake and celebrated with both friends and family. 





Happy 5th Birthday to my sweet Jentry.  I have been so blessed to watch you sprout into an amazing little girl. May God grant you many many more.

Thursday, June 20, 2013

New Shades

Jentry made her first visit to the eye doctor on Monday.  She did great!  She thought it was really cool to see all the neat tools they use to check her eyes.  First they took some pictures of her eyes and then she got to play a game and push a button when the lines flashed.  After the first few minutes, the assistant asked her if she was having fun and she replied, "Boring!"

Next they moved her into the big chair and she asked the doctor lots of questions.  The eye doctor is also her Sunday School teacher and the mother of her classmate Laurel, which really helped the visit go smoothly.  You gotta love small towns!


Next she read the letters on the chart and then they dilated her eyes.  The doctor told her that she was going to put some magic "water drops" in her eyes.  While we were waiting for the drops to do their magic Jentry said, "They're just eye drops, right?"  I laughed and asked her how she knew about eye drops.  Her response, "You know, I had them a long time ago when I was three or something."  I had forgotten but she did have to have some drops for pink eye, but I believe she was two.  This girl doesn't miss a beat.


After the exam, they gave her neat coloring book called Charlie the Bee Can See and really stylish pair of shades.  She thought she was so cool.  

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

While She Was Away

The week after school let out for summer break, Jentry attended a week of Bible School.  I was asked to be the preschool teacher and said sure!  Little did I know that I would be responsible for 21 little lambs.  It was an exhausting week, but somehow I survived and Jentry loved having her mom as a teacher.

Jentry was scheduled to go to her dad's on that Friday for THREE weeks.  I was really dreading having to say goodbye to her, however after five days of twenty-one four-year-olds  I was ready for a little break. God works in mysterious ways.

While she was gone I was able to hear her little voice on the phone, see her adorable little smile on Facetime and view pictures of what she had been up to.  This is definitely the upside of technology.  I have to thank Joey's fiance, Erica, for these amazing photos.  She is so kind to Jentry and did a great job of keeping me in the loop when I felt so far away.

Royals vs Yankees game in Kansas City

Cruising Harlan Lake

Singing while driving

2nd Place at the Orleans Diesel Drags

T-ball in Alma

Learning to ride without training wheels

Pool time in Stromsburg

Riding her four-wheeler into the sunset

Jentry also got to attend Under The Umbrella Daycare in Alma and spend a few days with my mom and her cousins in Orleans.  Knowing that she was having such a fun-packed three weeks made missing her a bit more tolerable.

When she arrived home on Sunday Nathan and I were so happy to see her.  She seemed so much older!  It was nice to have second honeymoon, however by week three we were ready to have things back to normal.  We determined we were quite boring without her.  The house was way too clean and we barely made any trash at all.  

The first thing she wanted to do when she got back to her room was play Barbies with mom.  She didn't stray far from my hip the entire day.  When I made a quick trip to the bathroom and Jentry could not find me, she began to frantically search the house.  When she found me she said with tears in her eyes, "Mom, you scared me!  I didn't know where you were.  You need to tell me where you are."  

I am thankful that she got to make some wonderful memories with her dad, grandparents and cousins, however I am very excited that she is back in my arms.  What a lucky little girl to have so many people that love her so dearly.  

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Twelve Days

Jentry has been at her dad's for twelve days now and she will not return until twelve more days pass.  This has been both relaxing and miserable for me.  I miss her terribly, however I have been able to get a few things done around the house that I would not otherwise have time to do.

For example, I purchased a new rug in Lincoln this weekend to replace the hand-me-down rug that Nathan had been given by his mother when he moved into the house.  The rug was in fairly decent shape and by no means did I hate it, but I just wanted something that was a little more my own taste and color scheme.

Before:


After:
A little lighter, pulls in the cinnamon from the walls and the style is a bit more fitting for the age of the house.

I have always loved the dark red color of the walls, however I felt it made the entire room a bit dark and gloomy.  So after swearing that I was not going to do anymore painting for a long while, my crazy self went to the paint store and painted yet again!  Only two walls this time.   I left two accent walls red and chose a lovely Greenbrier Beige to brighten things up a bit.

Before:

After:

Before: 

After: 

Even though they were minor changes I am very pleased with the outcome.  Plus it gave me something to do while I was missing my little girl.  I wonder how long it will take her to notice the change?

Next on my list was organizing our new closet and dressers.  When our new furniture arrived, Nathan and I quickly moved our things into the new room without really taking the time to do it right.  I tried on every pair of pants I own, which took all afternoon.  The result was several large bags of clothes for Goodwill and a new dresser full of clothes that actually fit.  This makes me feel peaceful.  Weird maybe, but I just love it!


Nathan even took the time to install some lovely hooks for my accessories.




We are absolutely loving our new bedroom furniture and most of all the new Tempur-Pedic mattress.  I'm not really sure how we ever slept without it.

Now what to do in the next twelve days?