3 more weeks!

My Mom and I have returned from our week long trip to Arizona where we spent precious time shopping, bonding, laughing, scrubbing and scrubbing some more. Their new house is LOVELY. She is thrilled and so excited to be close to her brothers as well as within a short driving distance to pretty much any shopping experience or restaurant she wishes to enjoy ;) I am happy that she's happy and looking forward to enjoying the new house with my family as well. We scrubbed every nook and cranny, got the grout on her tile floors from black to a beigy red and hung blinds in every stinkin window. It was a job! My hands hurt, my knees are nasty, but it looks lovely and again, she is thrilled. I talked to Claire and Mya everyday. Claire had a countdown going and talked on and on about all the fun she was having with Papa. He did a great job, not that I had any doubt. I was simply worried because I know how exhausting our adorable children can be ;) He took them to our farm where they rode in the tractors and fed the cows, filled up the swimming pool for them to enjoy, took them to the park nearly everyday, ventured to Minot to spend quality time with my sister, Lauren, took them to Grand Forks to see Winnie the Pooh too. One of the final days I was away, I said to Claire, "Wow, it sounds like you've had fun." She responded, "I've had a great time, a really great time." Seriously. Melted. My. Heart. She is such a grown up at times. They did have a great time. On the same note, they were glad I returned. I missed them. They missed me.

We drove to Bismarck for our week long stay with my sister Lisa and her family. Claire had a dentist appointment today. Sadly, I think this kiddo got my crappy teeth. She had 2 cavities, so one was filled today and the other will be done on Thursday. She did fabulously! I have had nothing but avoidance issues and ill feelings toward dentistry since childhood. My dentist as a child was not a kind person, so it has been very important to me that our children have positive experiences from the get go. We take them to a pediatric dentist who is WONDERFUL! She did so well and has always done so well. She LOVES going to the dentist, so cavities or not, I am thrilled! We will be brushing and flossing a whole lot better, though!

My Silhoutte arrived while I was away. This machine is INCREDIBLE! I am already in love and I hardly know its name. Ha. I have no excuse not to finish our kiddos scrapbooks now--well, after I have the pictures printed, I'll have no excuse!

I finally took some time to experiment with Pintrist. I think I am hooked! I am loving the ease of the site and the amazing ideas that are at my fingertips. Organization is not my forte, so this site has helped hide my deficits ;) Love it!

Lots of words and no pictures. I didn't  bring my camera to AZ. I should have just to show you the change in the grout color. It is truly unbelievable. More pictures will come this weekend as I am spending one last weekend with my entire family--minus Chris. I am so blessed.