Life Lately

I'm noticing that if, perhaps, I blogged more frequently, I wouldn't have to squeeze so much into one little post... but I think that the photos I choose are worth so much more than the words I could write. In this post I'll include photos from February to current...

Here's what's happening in the lives of the Van Courts lately:

Daddy/Phillip: is having a wonderful year at work, and we're quite anxious to see how the fiscal year turns out, especially coming off of one of the worst wheat crops in 20 years.  He has received a couple of job offers for moves within the company that we have, so far, turned down.  One to Minneapolis, MN and the other to Chicago, IL.  They just weren't quite right for us or our family... though we have a feeling that we may be getting more of these offers to more seriously look into in the near future.  In our personal life, we've FINALLY redone our master bedroom and graduated to a King Sized bed!!!  What a HUGE difference it makes! Unfortunately, we started out with an off brand tempurpedic mattress and HATED it... so we are awaiting the delivery of a good ol nothing fancy pillow top mattress in the next couple of weeks. Our room looks like a grown up room instead of a modge-podge of college dorm room furniture!

Mommy/Kristin: I'm having a great year getting rid of things!  At our garage sale in October I made around $800 and have since become quite addicted to eBaying items!  I'm over $3000 in sales since September! It's wonderful, Phillip loves getting rid of things... I love getting rid of things for a great price!  The kids' Christmas was paid for by our eBay earnings! I'm also doing my first consignment sale (going through and thinning out baby girl clothes... I've got 4 giant bins full of them!) this weekend, so I'm anxious to see how this works out! According to the Excel Spreadsheet, I have the potential to make over $800 if it all sells!

Callie/Bitty: She is just becoming quite the smarty pants! Her can write her own name (first and last) is working on learning mommy's phone number and our house address. She likes school ok (has started having some separation anxiety issues but does well  as long as her best friend Jerzie is there to walk into the classroom with her)... We've been dealing with a few normal, age appropriate behavioral issues (just pushing buttons, saying no, or that she doesn't "want to" do something) and trying to lose naptime (mommy DESPERATELY needs naptime!)... but she truly is just a sweet baby girl that loves her baby brother and family more than anything in the whole wide world.  Also... she LOVES Disney Princesses (something mommy has been anxiously awaiting to happen!  I LOVE them too!)

Willie/Bay Bay; He is just the smartest, nimblest, little man baby! He has Callie's agility minus her fears... and because of that we will find him climbing on or in nearly anything! I often feel as though I'm wrestling a hungry alligator if I'm attempting to keep him from something he really wants to do... he's SOOO strong! His hands are only slightly smaller than Callie's and he wears a size 6 shoe (Callie is just barely in a size 8!)... and we never give him enough credit for how intelligent he is! He picks up on things so quickly! One of the funniest things he's done lately, was toot while I was holding him, I responded by holding my nose and saying "Ooooo, stinky boy! PU!" The next time he tooted, he ran over to me, to hold my nose! I was cracking up laughing... that Silly Willie!

Willie helping Sis with her homework (yes that is a surgical drape covering the table! :)

Family Dinners around the table are always silly!

Even when little girls are dressed as pretty princesses (The Belle dress from Beauty and the Beast, this dress belonged to Auntie Boo when she was a little girl!)

The look of excitement in Daddy's eyes... He'll love me for the photos in the years to come!

I am quite proud of my husband for learning how to do Bitty's hair in a pony tail... on this particular day, he was requested to do her hair!

Man's best friend... need I say more? This is a 100% candid photo... I love my boys!

In real life, my children are typically mismatched dirtball kids... but we have a lot of fun.  I've decided that perhaps I need to take more real life photos :)

In an attempt to get a few things done around the house and keep the babies busy... I had them paint the back door with some old lotion (I don't love the smell of it and want to get rid of it!)... they loved it!  The clean up really wasn't that bad either!

Dirtball baby lotion painting his face...

I wish I'd caught his baby blues looking directly into the camera... he's so handsome (even when he DESPERATELY needs a haircut!)

The Van Courts, at Gee's NEW house in Derby... all ready to go see Disney on Ice!

At the beginning of the show, when Mickey and Minnie came out... I felt myself totally overwhelmed with emotion.  Something about sharing something so special with my baby girl and being so excited about that, I had tears in my eyes.  It was SUCH a neat experience!

We met up with our friend Jasmine there... it was so fun to see the girls so giddy about the princesses!

Obviously our favorite part! FROZEN!!! Callie was completely mesmerized... AND singing every song!

Just before we left, Auntie Boo put a little bit of make up on Bitty... and Gee did Callie's hair in a beautiful Elsa braid... it was so fun to see her get dressed up!

And just like that... naptime is over!  I hear a little voice calling "Moooooommmmmeeee" over the monitor.  Love and kisses to all!

Fabulous Florida!

Our wonderful vacation to Florida for 2015 has already come and gone... but what a fabulous time was had while we were there!  For those who don't know, we have the opportunity to travel to Naples, Florida with Phillip for Scoular every February as he attends meetings... it gives the family the chance to enjoy some warmth and sun away from the long dreary Kansas winters.  This year we brought Auntie Pup (my sister Stefanie) along as our "nanny"... we simply couldn't have done it without her!

First and foremost, I would like to post this... Yes, we did survive Florida Winter, when it got down to 38 degrees one night... it was pretty chilly, especially for these Kansans that packed for the beautiful 80 degree weather we're used to enjoying in Florida!

 I love these feet... the only thing missing in this photo are two little paws from our beloved Beans... but he was being happily weenie-sat by Miss Stephanie, our very favorite babysitter in Salina (of course, after our family!)

Our first day on the beach was PERFECT! Just as Florida always is... 80 degrees with a warm sunny sky.  I lathered the babies up with SPF 50... but failed to lotion up myself... which led to a very burnt back. I should have known better... I just didn't even think of taking care of myself!

Willie's first footsteps in the sand.  He was in awe!  He immediately sat down to see exactly what the funny new feeling in between his toes was.  He loved it! And he was so good to not eat any of it!

The two most handsome men I may ever know! I sure do love these boys!

My single earthly reason to live... for these people.  I never knew this kind of love could even exist!  Oh how I adore these 3!

Bitty being attacked by a bird on the beach (she really wasn't... but the timing of this photo had me giggling!)

And the reason for her being attacked... her brother was chasing the sea gulls! (Taking over from where Callie left off last year!)

Auntie Pup soaking up some sun for her engagement photos... This woman is a blessing and a saint.  She loves my babies and me... and she went out of her way to make this the best vacation!

Day 2 on the beach was much different than the first day!  This was the day of Florida's winter! We were in shorts and jackets to enjoy the sand and surf!  Willie was so fascinated by all of the different textures to walk on!

And Miss Bitty loved collecting shells! We were nearly the only people on the beach this day! The weather was right around 55 degrees for a high... but it wasn't going to stop us from enjoying the beautiful scenery!

Day 3 in Florida... Uncle Dooley (Dalton) came to visit, he was on his "spring break"... so here are the "teen parents" at the Naples Children's Museum!

Pup the Eagle!

My Bitty... her sure didn't feel well for most of the trip, she had the sniffles and a terrible cough... but, she was still just as sweet as ever! I'm so impressed with how well both of the children did!

Bitty did finally get around to chasing birds on Day 4 after Daddy finished his meetings!

My loves walking on the beach!

Bitty found her very first starfish! Which she promptly brought back to the room in a bucket (a gift that was given to us by the hotel!) we all thought this starfish was not alive because it was all dried out... however, after Callie went to bed that night... we looked in the bucket to find it had climbed half way up the side of the bucket!  It was terrifying! Luckily Dalton and Stef agreed to take a midnight stroll on the beach to release it back into the ocean... it still gives me the creeps to think about that thing climbing around in our hotel room!

Us...

I also got to have lunch with my long time friend (and bridesmaid) Annie Ermanis... she's currently living in Tampa and drove down to have dinner with me! It was SOOO good to catch up!  Obviously we were enjoying a little dessert here :)

Looking at the photo, I am reminded of how blessed we are to have such a wonderful family.  Having my children play with their great grandparents is one of life's greatest joys.  Also, getting to revisit the beautiful place where Phillip and I shared our Honeymoon is always a treat!

We had a great trip and cannot wait until next year... We love Florida!

An Update, thanks to Grammie

The holiday's were a whirlwind, filled with family, friends and the Flu... only to be followed by a crazy busy Bridal January! Grammie Lou sent me a text message today mentioning that she hadn't gotten to see much of her grandbabies lately, for which, I realized, I'm long overdue for an update. In the last month, we have bought and sold a total of 4 vehicles (Phillip got a new truck and I graduated to a minivan).  His truck sold easily via a Facebook (Craigslist-like) 

Buy/Sell/Trade group while my Ravy went to my sister Stefanie.  We LOVE our new vehicles and are excited to put miles on them traveling to see friends and family! After Christmas, Phillip and I have been focusing on updating our master bedroom. Yes, after 5 years, we've graduated to a King size bed, and, well... it's WONDERFUL! The whole room looks so grown up and put together (for anyone that had seen it before... it was definitely the last room on our list to put any effort in to!)... I'm still working on a few details... but hopefully soon I can post some photos! While we've been working on that room... the kids have spent most of their time enjoying the new bounce house and ball pit... it's the greatest thing of all time!

Here is a project that I spent several months working on... Our very first family yearbook... I hope to complete 2014's before Christmas this year... but, my goodness I take A LOT of photos! I just want to share it with you all... chances are, if you look close enough, you just might have made the yearbook!

(Click on the Link below and it should take you to view an online version of our Yearbook)

2013 Van Court Yearbook

Anywho... enough with my rambling... here's a few recent candid photos!

Little Miss Missy is obsessed with her Cousin Mavy... and her Cousin Mavy is pretty obsessed with Lego's right now... so here is the sweets and her DaDa making a monster truck (we forgot the instructions in Cheyenne, so Phillip found some on google!)

Callie certainly looks like a goober (actually a lot like me when I was little!) and their faces are covered by Greek Yogurt (a staple in our household)... but they do love each other!

My handsome (messy) man baby, Williard

Because of illness, Callie's school Christmas party was postponed until after the holidays... so here we are, celebrating her "winter" party... it was so fun!

Callie with all of her school friends!

And dressed up as snowmen!

The party was too much fun for Willie... So thankful that Gee, Boo and Pup all made the trip to the party to help out!

Willie's latest hangout... my Tupperware lid drawer... he just crawls in, unloads the drawer, sits for a minute and then carries on about his day... Silly Willie! (Please pardon the long hair and mismatched jammies!)

I have about a million more photos on my phone... but it's late... and I'm sleepy... so off to bed I go... I will try to post again soon!

Love, Kisses and Beans' Licks to everyone!