Ch-Ch-Changes

The last few weeks have brought about some exciting changes in our life.

For starters, I got a new job with the same company that Chip works for. I work at a different office doing some analyist stuff - perfect for my OCD personality. I work with some great people and I get to dress cute! What is better than that? I hated to say goodbye to the little ones i worked with, however, my new job is better for our life and gives more stability, better benefits, etc. Plus - the people are AMAZING!

Secondly, we started house hunting. I have found some great contenders. My Dad came to visit this week (just in time for more snow) and went house hunting with me while Chip was at work. We did receive news of something that will require me to go to Texas for a couple of weeks in the next month or so. This means that the house hunting is on the back burner for a bit. The news - I'm not ready to share with the entire world yet, so I'm holding it close to the vest. :)

The girls - are great! My Dad enjoyed Pennsylvania and it was great to spend some one-on-one quality time with my Dad. I have the most amazing family (in laws included - they rock) and incredible friends. I am so grateful to God for how much He has blessed us with a wonderful support system.

In other news - CONGRATULATIONS TO AARON AND ALICIA! They are engaged and we are so thrilled for them! Their puppy also had surgery and did awesome! YIPPEE!

K9 Kingdom

This past Saturday we ventured out to K9 Kingdom for a dog meetup. It was held at a place called K9 Kingdom - an indoor dog park, kennel, dog wash place. Our friends Dino & Elizabeth with their dogs, Zeus & Achilles, joined us, as well as our friends Katherine & Lorenzo, who don't have any dogs YET but are total dog lovers! We had a good time, but the girls didn't really like the concrete floors (they had some kind of gritty material on them).

Chip toured the kennel part and it wouldn't be a place we would want our girls to stay. We weren't a fan of the kennel sizes and the fact they kennels were a couple of feet off of the ground and slick. Also, they have no outdoor play space for the dogs. I did like the self-service wash stations though! Overall, we would rate it a 6 out of 10. Clean, but not the right venue for our outdoor loving dogs...

Achilles and Addison playing with Chip

(in the background is a beagle/german shepherd mix)

Chip went to the bathroom, so the girls waited by the gate until he came back.

I wonder if they love their daddy?

Izzie and Addison playing
(notice the lobby in the background)

Beer, Bowling and Snow

Two weeks ago, we had a snow storm. 6-8 inches. It was a white wonderland. The moonlight reflecting off of the snow was absolutely amazing. I took the picture below at dusk - notice the icicles on the edges of the picnic table. So peaceful. I have seen the mountain in the background alive with color in the fall and now I see it covered in snow and ice. I am excited to see how it will look in the spring!


Of course, when it snows, outside activities tend to make you look like a snowman and you can't stay out for too long. We headed indoors with our friends Gabe, Doug, Dino and Elizabeth for some bowling. I actually broke 100 at REAL bowling (versus Wii bowling)!

Chip, Gabe and Doug

This is for my Mom. I promise that we won't join a bowling league and drink beer ALL THE TIME. :) I actually don't like beer so you are safe there. LOVE YOU MOM!

For Those Who Don't Facebook...

1. I am OCD about so many things.

2. I cannot wait to become a mom - having two miscarriages is almost more than any person can endure.

3. I would not have been able to get through the miscarriages and have a heart that still believes I will have a baby without my incredible husband, amazing family, and awesome friends.

4. I cannot believe how much God has blessed my life - in ways I never would have expected.

5. I am amazed every day by my wonderful husband - he is more than I ever dreamed of.

6. I miss the days of not having so many worries - but am also so glad that I am a grown up.

7. I so wish that I could have a do over of the mistakes I made in high school and that I could go back and tell myself to let go of what happened to me that caused me to think badly of myself and make those mistakes.

8. I believe that I have become a better, happier and stronger person as I have gotten older.

9. I am really excited for all of my friends who have had and are having precious babies. What a blessing and a gift!

10. I never thought I would be able to leave Texas and move across the country. I have and I am so glad I did.

11. I miss my girls in Texas. I love ya'll!

12. I love Texas country music.

13. I miss being a teacher, however, I am grateful and like the job I have now.

14. I love my precious dogs more than I thought a person could love a dog.

15. I am so grateful forthe sacrifices my parents made for my brother and me. They are amazing people and I look up to them so much!

16. I miss my Grandma Water - because of her, I believe that true love is kissin' in the kitchen.

17. Someday I want to live in Colorado and have a view of the mountains.

18. I'm worried about not being able to get pregnant and have a baby.

19. I realize I should not worry about having a baby - God will provide and maybe we are meant to be parents through adoption...

20. I realized after moving to Pennsylvania that I like having seasons.

21. I miss Mexican food.

22. I wish my family could visit more often.

23. I am so grateful for my wonderful in laws. They are so amazing!

24. I am so thankful that I was a Tri Delta in college - I can thank Tri Delta for my husband, my job, my life and for making it possible to have a connection in a farway place.

25. I love to shop, read and do all things girly. Of course, I also love being outdoors and having new adventures with my hot husband.

An Update in Photo Form

You will notice that these are pictures from Christmas through New Year's Eve. Hey - better late than never right?

Chip does not like waiting in the airport for three and a half hours!

Umm - I don't either!
It was worth it though because we made it to Iowa on Christmas morning thanks to a very awesome pilot who held our connection for us!

Best Mother-in-law EVER! Seriously, she spoils me!

Captain enjoying a box. That is how he rolls.

Captain and Skip bonding.

Judy with Barry & Barbara Mooselow

Jake and Chip participating in some brotherly wrestling.

Best brother-in-law, Jake, with my wonderful future sister-in-law, Kristi

Jean bowling it up on the Wii

Skip supervising Chip as he shovels the driveway (yes we had a white Christmas)

Chip looking so cute with his shovel in the snow

We were able to see our wonderful friends in Cedar Falls - home of Chip's Alma mater, UNI.

I adore these ladies. They have totally made me feel so welcome and their husbands, they are pretty amazing too. And the one on the right - she is ENGAGED! WHOO HOO, Michelle!

Precious mini-me of our friend Chuck. The mini-me - his name is Kole and he will be a big brother soon!

Kole and Chip rockin' the Iowa stocking caps.

Kristi, Jake, James, and Chip playing Trouble.

James schooled us on this game.

The Frohling women rockin' the "life preservers" (as Chip and Jake call them).

Josh and Chip eating up the ribs at Hickory Park.

Drew, me, and Ethan - they tolerated the picture for me.

I love these boys - who are expecting another baby brother in February!

:::

After our Iowa Christmas, Chip headed back to Pittsburgh and I headed to Texas to see my friend, Jennifer, who was in from California with her adorable son, Jackson. Oh yeah - and i got to spend some quality time with my family and friends. You will notice there are no pictures of my Mom, Dad, brother or sister-in-law. I think they avoid the camera like the plague - or they stick an adorable kid in front of the camera so I won't take their picture.

Jackson really likes Esparza's margaritas.

Umm - I think Aaron is jealous that Jackson is getting all of the attention from Alicia.

One of my besties,Kathy, and her husband, Phillip, is pregnant with twins - a boy, Corey, and a girl, Peyton.

We played a game of whose belly is bigger - I think it is a tie between husband and wife.

Our New Year's Eve crowd hanging at Kathy's parent's house.

You know you are a grownup when your New Year's involves zero alcohol, a Wii, incredible friends and it is a blast.

Although I totally missed my husband. :(

Pajama party! Jackson's are the cutest!

Jackson loves his mommy and his toes!

A cute boy in a SWEET (Iowa) hat!

My precious nephew, Nathan, loves his new Batman pj's and he loves popcorn.

This cute little guy is named Cade and he has three gorgeous sisters.

I had to have a surprise surgery, but the night of the surgery, I was surprised by some of my favorite people.

I was able to see these three PRECIOUS girls (Cade's sisters)- I love them!

Who Loves ...

Izzie after rutting through the snow like a pig.

Addison and Izzie "posing" for a picture in the snow with Daddy. (p.s. it was SEVEN degrees!)

Who Loves Mommy and Who Loves Daddy are the two favorite games that we like to play with our girls. I play the mommy one when I let the girls out their kennel and have taken them out and fed them dinner. I lay on the floor and say in a high pitched voice, Who loves Mommy?" I am rewarded with a Izzie falling over on her side for me to rub her belly as she snuggles against me and licks my hand so I will pet her and Addison trying to lick every speck of makeup (or skin - I'm not sure?) off of my face. It is about the cutest thing you ever seen.

Who loves Daddy is what we play when Chip gets home. The girls bark and whine at the door after they hear Chip's horn when he locks his truck. He walks in the door and Addison tries to jump up off the ground and lick Chip's ear (which she normally succeeds in doing - girl has mad hops). Izzie sits on the ground and wags her tail until Chip walks over to her at which point she promptly falls over on her side so Chip can pet her belly. Again - precious!

Coming Soon...

An update... I promise. I am blaming it on technology issues (i.e., finding cord to new camera to upload pictures) and a surgery - oh yeah, and i have these dogs that love attention and hate when I am on the computer. Seriously - how do you say No to sad puppy dog eyes?