Jumping Kangaroos

Last week, Olivia received a trampoline from Grandpa Dressler for her birthday. Since then she and Joseph have become jumping kangaroos.

Hello...anyone there?

Mr. Joseph has begun talking more and more. Two new phrases are "ready...go" (and he throws something), and "here you go." He loves to talk on the phone (the play phone). He will get the phone, push the numbers, and then say "hello." Before we know it, he will be talking our ears off!

What a good friend

Lately Joey has been into playing with stuffed animals. He loves to give them hugs and kisses, push them in the stroller, and sit with them when he watches movies. He is such a good friend!

The Cowgirl

This week we had one of the hardest homework assignments...dressing Olivia up as a cowgirl. In the Heiple house we have "pretties," dresses, princess outfits, but we do not have cowgirl attire. So I wrangled up whatever I could and here is cowgirl Olivia. One of the cutest cowgirls I have seen in these parts!

Mischief Maker

That's our Joseph...the shirt says it all!

A Special Gift

On Saturday Olivia received a very special gift from Grandpa Dressler...a school desk of her very own. Great Grandpa and Grandma Dressler passed it down to her. Olivia loves her desk. She sits there and does her "school work." I love having the desk because I can picture my grandpa sitting there paying bills and it smells like their house. What a special gift!!!

Best Daddy Ever!

Livi and Joey love their daddy VERY much and know they can count on him no matter what!

Princess Bella

Princess Bella takes her thrown.

Happy 4th Birthday Sweet Girl!

Happy 4th Birthday Olivia!

This week our sweet little girl turned four years old! The birthday festivities started on Thursday when Olivia celebrated her birthday at school. She brought a delicious cookie cake and Tinkerbell treats bags for all of her friends. Below is a paper that Olivia and her teacher, Mrs. Tokgoz filled out together for her birthday. I cracked up when Mrs. Tokgoz asked Olivia what her favorite place to go was and Olivia said Walmart!

On Friday, Olivia's actual birthday, we all woke up very early and let Olivia open her birthday presents before I had to take off for work (I don't think that she could have waited til lunch time). I worked 1/2 a day and spent the other 1/2 with Livi, Jas, and Joey. We had a nice family lunch and celebrated Livi's day with a delicious birthday cake. (Olivia helped me decorate it!) The rest of the day we played and got everything ready for the big party.

On Saturday, we had a big family and friends party for Olivia at our house. The theme this year was glamour Barbie. We had a scrumptious buffet lunch and Olivia and I made a delicious Barbie cake for dessert. Olivia is a VERY blessed little girl to have so many people who love her and spoil her. She had a blast!

We thank God everyday for our beautiful little girl. She means the world to us and brightens our lives. May God bless Olivia and keep his loving arms around her.

Big Girl

This week Olivia had a few big girl milestones. In the beginning of the week she got her very own school board for her room. Every morning she and I talk about the weather, the day of the week, the date, and right now we are looking at the coins. We have also begun practicing writing her name. She is such a smart cookie!

The second milestone...Olivia is officially in a booster car seat! She is SO proud of herself. It took her so long to reach the 40 lb. mark. I think she was stuck at 34lbs. for about a year!

Her final milestone this week is the yearly height check. Every year on her birthday (or the week of her birthday), I measure Olivia on her height chart. She is now 3 ft. 7 in. tall. She grew about 4 1/2 in. over the past year. My little girl is not so little anymore :(.

Elefun!

Today the Heiple clan officially hit cabin fever mode. Olivia has been pleading with us to go outside and play but is has been WAY too cold, and now it is WAY too muddy. So to help with the boredom, Livi, Joey, and I played Elefun! Joey loved the game and was amazed that butterflies were flying out of the elephants trunk. He kept saying "Wow!"

Joey found another use for the nets.

The Final Product

Here it is ladies and gentleman...a Jason Heiple original (completely finished)! Might I say...it looks great!

The Joey Hoe Down

One of Olivia's Christmas presents this year was the Hannah Montana Movie. Olivia and Joey LOVE watching this movie specifically the part with Miley dances the hoe down. Joey can't resist this song. No matter where he is in the house and what he is doing, Joey will stop everything and come out to dance with Miley. I was finally able to catch it on video. Here is Joey gettin' down with Miley...

Well the weather outside is frightful...and inside is so delightful!

Happy New Year Everyone!!!

We hope that everyone had a fun and safe New Year's Eve, and we wish you all the best in 2010!

I apologize for the delay in my blogging that last couple of weeks. It has been busy/yet not so busy around the Heiple house...let me explain...

Last week was the last week of my winter break which is when I get big jobs done around the house that I can't get done when I am working. One big job was cleaning out the toy room. The number one rule in the Heiple house at Christmas is that with every new toy that comes in the house, an old toy must go to charity. So it took me about 2 days to get that job taken care of. Then I cleaned out some cupboards in the kitchen, organized some closets, ironed clothes, thoroughly dusted, and cleaned the carpets. Progress around the house was much slower this break seeing that I was recovering from outpatient surgery...but nonetheless it all got done. Then once school started I hit the ground running with several big projects.

Another hectic project going on over the break is Jason's tv stand project. For Christmas, my dad gave all of us a 37" flat screen tv (which is so awesome!); but unfortunately the old tv stand was not going to work, so Jas made a new one. It took him about 1 1/2 weeks to build it from scratch, and I have to say it is beautiful! He just needs to add glass to the doors tonight and it will be finished!

The last busy project was Olivia's 4th birthday invitation. Yes, that's right, you read correctly, Olivia is turning 4! Every year I take the kids' pictures and make a party invitation. Here are some of the glam photos we took. The party's theme is Glamour Barbie, so Miss Olivia had to look glamorous in her pictures!

So all of that was the busy part; the not so busy part was the fact that we didn't go anywhere the past 2 weeks. The weather has been so bitterly cold, it has been snowing (only the dogs have been silly enough to want to play outside), I am recovering, and Mr. Joseph is still fighting a cold/cough. We are on week 3 with this cough! He just went in yesterday to be checked again. Dr. S said that he felt it is mostly drainage but to be sure he took a chest x-ray. I was relieved to hear just drainage and no ear infection, sinus infection, or pneumonia!

This was the scene around the house lately. Sleeping in, hanging out in our PJ's, and relaxing (for the most part).

(best friends)