It's a new beginning

Hey friends and family!

We have something to tell you! Nope, we're not pregnant! We've moved...... to a new place on the web. It's redesigned, more organized, complete with video, pictures, updates on the girls, us and everything about our lives as the Tidds. Please come join us in our new space as this site won't be updated anymore. We'd love to have you! There you'll find an info post on what's new on the site so you can navigate it easier: www.thetiddbits.com.

Love to you all!

GCAI

February flew by!

All is well at the Tidd house - we're in the midst of changing places for our blog, how it's going to be laid out, new features where Gary and I can talk about how we manage our finances, parenting, house projects, technology and of course, the girls. It'll be a place where if Anna goes into her room, gets her little chair, brings it into Izzy's room in front of her crib where she's found waking up from her nap and Anna saying "hi sweeeetttheart" and pats Izzy's little fuzzy head, I can put that in there without having to update about everyone. Or if Izzy learns how to say "no" and shakes her head while saying no, I can put that in there too. Or if Gary's killing it on the treadmill, shedding some pounds and trimming out his studly body, I can put that on there (or he can if he's feeling prideful that day). Or if I run 2 miles straight and finish a 5k on the treadmill in 47 minutes, something I never ever ever thought I'd say I'd try, let alone do. It'll be more short stories, funny things we don't want to forget, milestone in our debt free lifestyle or a flat tire. It'll be there. So hold tight friends and family, we'll be back bigger and better... hopefully sooner than later. These little girls keep us busy and staying healthy, just the same. So bear with us while we design and build our new site.

The girls are doing well. We have a bought of pneumonia with Izzy last weekend that ended her in the ER, having a hard time breathing. We got a nebulizer and she started to sound a lot better. I called her a gremlin baby the way she was breathing and talking. Poor thing, now she's back to her temper tantrum, cuddly self (oxy-moronic, yes, but true). The woman who cares for our girls during the day says she has red roots somewhere in there. I don't doubt her one bit. Anna's growing a lot. Growing in her height as her jeans no longer need to be rolled up or pinned. Her hair is still thin but growing quite long. Her vocabulary continues to increase daily. We constantly have to remind ourselves that her pronunciation and comprehension of words is high but she's still 2 and still acts 2. Both these girls give us grey hair, but they bring more joy to our lives that we could ever have imagined. Their squishy hugs and dimples, Anna running around yelling "naked baby" after bath and Izzy swaying to the music of her books. We're certainly blessed and try not to forgot that everyday.

The parentals are holding their own, itching for the spring weather to come full force. We're working 2-3 days a week with running on the treadmill or swimming in the pool, continuing our journey of training for the 5k run in May, losing weight and getting fit. I joked at the Dave Ramsey show we went to a couple weeks ago, "Our kids will always think of us as rich and thin!" Hehe. I hope so. Work continues to be busy for both us and side work is a steady stream of projects. So many other things we're working on at the house and in our lives that we can't wait to share about them more in our new blog.

Hope this finds you all well, readying yourself for spring cleaning, gardening and sunshine!

Love,
Gary, Christie, Boog and Squeaky

Isabella's Big Day!

Isabella turns the Big One!

Miss Izzy had 2 big day's as her birthday fell on hump day. So we sent her off to Miss Michelle's house with yummy cupcakes and a big squishy hug. We made, what we would call her favorite meal, spaghetti and garlic bread. Both the girls scarfed it down and have the red 'stash to prove it. I picked up Itzy Bitz ice cream (those space agey ice cream balls) for dessert and again, in-hailed. Being #2 in the line up, we're filled to the gills with toys and hand me down clothes, so I picked up a few Izzy specific things for her gifts: a scoot around puzzle, small board board, a bucket for all her little treasures and her favorite, sunglasses all of which Anna claimed as her own. :) So for a small birthday celebration, she had a great day!

The big party was partied on Saturday. We kept it simple with pulled pork and beef sandwiches, fruit and jello salad with cupcakes and ice cream to top it off. We decorated in red balloons and giant snowflakes with a teal snowflake cake to share and a her own chocolate cake with red and white frosting which I think she loved. :) She was gifted a whole new wardrobe, some toys and books. She, again, had a great time with all the paper and new exactly how to open presents (Christmas was just a warm up). We had a great time with family and Izzy crashed after her sugar high. What a fun first birthday!

Slacker..... Christmas Part II

Yes, it's true. I've given myself the title of slacker for the moment, but!... I'm trying to change or really just get back to my more consistent blog posts. Poor Izzy, her life isn't near as chronicled as Anna's has been. Such is the life of a 2nd born I suppose.

Since Christmas is long gone, I'll give a more brief snapshot of the rest of the holiday with the Tidd's. The morning of Christmas we spent in sweatshirts and socks as the power decided to take the holiday off as well. The "big" gifts was a new slide for the basement and a table and chairs for Anna's room. The highlights for Anna was the 6 pack of chapstick and her new monkey watch. Izzy loved her new little duckies. Gary and I decided to get a Wii and not have anything to open on Christmas. I don't mind joint gifts at all, but I missed the excitement of the gift giving, things I found that Gary would like. So next year we'll mix it up a little again. We headed to Gary's parents for the rest of the day where we opened gifts with the family and extended family. It was followed up with a delicious meal! New Years weekend we spent in Chicago with my family. New Year Eve we met up with old friends and had a great time! The next day, we all were in town together and had a great time opening gifts, having Anna help everyone open, Izzy just enjoying all the paper and just having a fun time being together. All in all, Izzy had a great first Christmas and I'm sure the girls will really enjoy Santa following them to Chicago and back and having 2 Christmas'. Who wouldn't!? :)

Christmas 2009 Part 1

Happy 2010! We had a great, but cold and snowy December. Before I begin, here are the latest pictures of happens around the Tidd House. Izzy was able to experience her first Christmas and seemed to love it. Definitely different having Izzy at almost 1 year old experience the holidays than we did with Anna being just over 2 months old. Anna certainly understood the meaning of presents and that she felt entitled to open almost everyone's gifts whether they liked it or not. She recognized Santa everywhere and loved seeing "mish mish" trees outside and at home.

We spent Christmas in Michigan this year. Christmas Eve we had a mid-day dinner and hoped to go to the early service at church but very icy roads and 2 sleepy girls, kept us from going. Gary and I braved the roads to get to the late service to do nursery. We opened up stockings with Grandma, Grandpa and Aunt Sheila. After Anna emptied her stocking, she moved on to the rest of ours helping us unwrap and showed off the goods. We finished up the night watching some of Polar Express on the big screen in the basement. Anna was intrigued for moments at a time, but I think as the years go by, they'll love this tradition. Izzy, of course, snuggled mostly.

Christmas Day we woke up at about 6am to the click of our power going off. Any slightly severe weather seems to knock us out. About 7am found us all in bed realizing that this may be the last year the girls are clueless as to the bounty that lies on the floor below. So we all bundled up in sweatshirts, pants and socks and followed Daddy downstairs with the video camera. Anna was thrilled with the new slide for the basement and then discovered a table and chairs where she remained to open the rest of the gifts. Izzy enjoyed the toys that fit snuggly in her hands and climbing the slide. The most loved things Anna got..... a 6 pack of her very own chapstick. She could have put it on all day if we didn't snag it. Gary and I decided to not do gifts this year and buy a Wii as a joint gift. I really like the Wii so far but I really missed the giving of hunted down treasures and little keepsakes this year. So think we'll figure out a better mixture of next year's festivities. Just as I was thinking "it's starting to get cold in here" I heard a click. The furnace! Thank you Consumers Energy people to coming out on Christmas morning so we can be warm. We promptly got ready to spend the day with Gary's family. We had a wonderful dinner and opened up more gifts.

To Be Continued very soon......