Iowa State Cyclone Fans :)

Wasp Sting :( September 14, 2009

2009-09-14T23:39:00.003-05:00

We were supposed to have our church directory pictures taken on Friday and right before....Braden got stung on the eyelid :( Poor thing. Needless to say, we had to cancel our appointment. The morning after his eye was completely swollen shut....much better now but poor guy :( looks like he got in a fight and lost :(

F~O~O~T~B~A~L~L September 14, 2009

2009-09-14T18:07:00.002-05:00

Here is my little man :) This was a "scrimmage" at Valley Stadium in Des Moines....."big stuff" for such a little boy with big football dreams!

Amelia's Baptism....September 14, 2009

2009-09-14T17:59:00.003-05:00

My beautiful baby Amelia is being baptized on Sunday, September 20th. I am so excited to FINALLY have her baptized. She will be wearing the dress that all of her siblings have worn, minus Brenner. Because of Brenner's prematurity, he was not baptized until he was 2....Ken and I took some pics of her outside...rather I did and he assisted :) I may have to get a few more before the big day :) She looks like a little doll.
To our family, baptism is a "HUGE" deal.....we take baptism very seriously and believe we should baptize as soon as possible. I understand that all children are children of God but it always makes me feel more at peace knowing we have had them formally baptized. We try very diligently to lead a Christian life and have our children in the same footsteps. Do we stumble every now and again? Absolutely....but to know God is by our side helps us to put things in a better perspective.
We are thankful that Baby Amelia completes our family :)

Britton...Our Amazing QuarterBack :) September 14, 2009

2009-09-14T17:52:00.002-05:00

Look at my little football quarterback firing up his team :) I just LOVE this photo....taken by a friend who photographs the sports teams here in town. He had a really good game.....had a lot of tackles on defense and some good offensive plays in the QB position!We have made it to all of his games with family in tote.....next week Harlan.....I can't wait to see him play :)

Getting Rid of "Old People" Bushes....September 14, 2009

2009-09-14T17:39:00.003-05:00

We FINALLY got those "old people" evergreens removed. I can't TELL YOU how much I have DISLIKED them since we moved in..... :( James Carmen came to our rescue and did a fantabulous job in removing them.....next spring Ken is going to "landscape" the area :) I am excited......We get a few months to plan that area but I even think it looks better vacant than with all those U~G~L~Y bushes!

Kindergarten Picture Compliments of Brenner September 14, 2009

2009-09-14T17:33:00.003-05:00

Brenner brought home some of his amazing artwork today :) I just love "little kid" artwork! Thought I would share.

First Day of Kindergarten...August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T21:51:00.002-05:00

Brenner had a very fun day at Kindergarten. Too bad all kids aren't enthused about school like they are on their very first day of school. He went to school with bright and enthusiastic eyes....like he was ready to take on the world.

Here is his very first Kindergarten picture that he colored....CUTE :)

When I asked him what his very favorite and most memorable moment of today was he replied "When the teacher blew her whistle for us to line up at recess!~" LOL Out of ALL the activities that he participated in today this is what he remembered the most.....how cute :)

A Very Special Friend.....August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T20:25:00.003-05:00

We had a visit from our very special friend Becky...The kids LOVE her :) I told her that I haven't even had a picture taken with all 6 of my babies :) What a crew!

Amelia Finds the Ceiling Fan and Mobile......August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T20:18:00.002-05:00

Amelia was all smiles for about FIVE minutes today....but in that time frame I snapped some cute pictures :) She is growing up but still looks like a newborn to me. She is such a pretty baby :) LOVE HER!Amelia shared some of her sacred smiles......
And she found both the ceiling fan and her mobile :) So it was a busy day of firsts!
I just LOVE to take close-up pictures of her profile :) She is SOOO pretty!

More Fun at the Pittman's August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T13:26:00.005-05:00

The kids had a great time at Wendy's :) Here is some of Amelia before she turned into Fussy Face...to Screamin' Demon.....
Wendy put Adison's hair up in her very first ponytail :)

And Braden being CRAZY with dress up clothes. Won't this be a fun one for his senior graduation table :)

Brenner's REAL First Day of Kindergarten August 31, 2009

2009-08-31T13:26:00.004-05:00

This was Brenner's REAL day of school :) We "accidentally" took him with the other day with the big kids....so this was his TRUE first day of Kindergarten. He was SOOOO excited :)

Fun at the Pittmans :) August 30th, 2009

2009-08-30T22:07:00.002-05:00

We went out to see our friends tonight and had a blast :) Wendy invited us out and the kids just ran and ran and ran and had an AWESOME time :) Here is Adison and Kasey :) Aren't they adorable :)

We ate a fantastic supper of fresh green beans from the garden as well as fresh potatoes and chicken and noodles :) NUMMY!

First Scrimmage :) August 30, 2009

2009-08-30T22:01:00.003-05:00

Britton had his first scrimmage as a fourth grader tonight and he was AMAZING! He is playing in the position as quarterback :) He fumbled early on so I was a bit worried.....but he ran two AMAZING plays and one resulted in the ONLY touchdown for the team. Britton ran 50 yards for his touchdown :) BRILLIANT!!!

Before that play he ran quite a few yards and got tackled HARD! He hurt his knee but sucked it up and played with pain and was a true champion :) I LOVE watching him play football!

Kids Say the Darndest Things.....August 30, 2009

2009-08-30T12:06:00.004-05:00

The kids have been saying some really funny things lately :) Here is a recap of what I remember!

I was discussing baptism with Braden & telling him how our Minister would put water on Amelia....etc. etc. and he wanted to know if he ONLY put water on her or if he put BOTH water and soap on her so she could have a bath :)

Mom "Brenner you have a conference with your teacher today. I'll pick you up at 1:00 from daycare." Brenner "Can you take me home first so I can wet my hair down in case it is wild?"

I was arranging our flowers and Braden wanted to know if the cattails were CORN DOGS LOL… and what was EVEN more funny is when I said NO they are cattails he gave me the funniest look :) I could see visions of "Cat Tails" in his mind! LOL

Million dollar question "Why does the sunset just shine on farms?" My 7 year old Braden would like to know :)

First Day of School.....August 27, 2009

2009-08-29T11:49:00.004-05:00

Here is the kid's first day of school.......Alison 6th grade, Britton 4th grade, Braden 2nd grade, and Brenner Kindergarten....

However it was kind of a comical day too. I took all of them to school.....Alison at the middle school and the 2 boys to the elementary school. Soon after I got all 3 boys situated in the line for breakfast I no sooner got home when we got a call from the secretary of the elementary school...... asking if we could come get Brenner as he really didn't start school until MONDAY!

Oopss.......we BOTH felt STUPID....Poor Brenner CRIED :(

Facebook post: "kids out the door.....pictures taken and a dad on the way to pick up his kindergartener who was NOT supposed to start school today....oops!"

Mommy & Amelia....August 29, 2009

2009-08-29T11:14:00.002-05:00

Mommy and Amelia...not sure why she looks like such a huge chunk with no hair :) LOL

Kitchen Renovation.........August 29. 2009

2009-08-29T11:03:00.005-05:00

I HATE HATE HATE our kitchen but have to live with it until we can completely start over with that space which will be YEARS in the making. For now, I can control the walls....

I have started painting and was able to borrow a wallpaper steamer! So, if you know me at all, I get SUPER excited about a project and have to get started RIGHT AWAY....even before the room is ready to get started on.....well I got paint on that wall just as soon as I got home :) This is as far as I have gotten :(

Oops noticed the "Before pics" are at the bottom.....too lazy to change to make it right!

Adi and Daddy :) August 29, 2009

2009-08-29T10:55:00.003-05:00

The kids brought back tiny footballs from the Cyclone Fan Fest for Ads and a hat for their daddy :) His ISU football hat got ruined in our basement :( So glad to be able to get him a brand new one for the upcoming season :) GO CYCLONES!

Cyclone Fan Fest Fun :) August 23, 2009

2009-08-29T10:40:00.005-05:00

The kids had a BLAST when I took them to Cyclone Fan Fest in Ames :) All the ISU sports teams were represented and had activities for the kids to participate in......it was a BLAST! Here are just a few of the 132 pics I took that day :)

Poor Britton .....August 29, 2009

2009-08-29T10:31:00.003-05:00

I don't know why but Amelia chooses to PUKE on Britton but she does. One day she puked on him FIVE times. This day she puked all down the front of him :( Poor kid!

Soo Many Purses....Soo Little Time August 29, 2009

2009-08-29T10:27:00.002-05:00

Adison and THREE of her purses :) Watch....she will be a purse girl when she grows up! I bought her a Little Pet Shop lunch "box" but intended it to be her new purse so she could tote around her Pet Shops in it :) They had them on clearance at Target!

Gotta Love TARGET :)

Football 2009....August 22, 2009

2009-08-23T09:58:00.004-05:00

Britton is playing in his second year of TACKLE football. Enough to give me a heart attack....I can hardly stand it because of his head injury....but he LOVES it and Ken loves it for him. My dad is very proud of him as he always wanted boys but got stuck with me and Mary....so now is his chance to have his "boy."Britton has a chance to be quarterback this year...he has to memorize all the plays..he has such an amazing memory that I am not worried about this....and I hope he does get to play quarterback...this is his dream.... a 9 year old's dream. I told him he has a good jersey number as that is/was Troy Aikmans!
I took these pics yesterday when he was waiting to have his official team and individual picture...he is so handsome :)

COMFORTABLE August 18, 2009

2009-08-18T17:44:00.002-05:00

It was so cute as this is Amelia sleeping in her car seat all snuggled in :)

Sleepy from Wendy's House.....August 16, 2009

2009-08-18T17:42:00.002-05:00

I sent Amelia to "hang" with Wendy for a couple of hours on Tuesday...had some important things to get done and this is how Wendy returned Amelia to me :) SLEEPING! In fact, I picked her up at 9:30 pm and she slept until 1:30 am :) Thanks Wendy!

Cover Girl :) August 16, 2009

2009-08-16T23:55:00.000-05:00

Almost 7 Weeks Old.....August 16, 2009

2009-08-16T23:43:00.002-05:00

I can't believe my baby will be 7 weeks in 2 days. It has been the best of times and the worst of times all rolled into one. As they say, what doesn't kill you (oops, blackboard word) only makes you stronger.

Amelia coos now and also can grab onto things (mainly her burp rag and HAIR...ouchie)

She is starting to go for stroller rides.....and is starting to become interested in her surroundings. She follows my voice and she is just the cutest baby eva..... LOVE HER!

My Cover Girl Baby :) August 14, 2009

2009-08-14T15:07:00.001-05:00

New Crib Mirror....August 3, 2009

2009-08-03T08:57:00.003-05:00

Kind of resembles a smile but unfortunately I snapped the picture on the verge of Miss Amelia breaking out into a horrible crying fit... She hasn't quite gotten into her new mirror yet.

The Calm Before the Storm August 3, 2009

2009-08-03T08:53:00.003-05:00

So sweet, so peaceful, so cute....

Almost a smile from Miss Amelia....

And then....tomato face!

Unfortunately, this is how Amelia looks

on most given days for most of the day!

Head Out on the HighWay...& Two Sleepy Heads...August 3, 2009

2009-08-03T08:51:00.001-05:00

I had to take our van in early this morning to get the brakes fixed....so I work Alison to come and lay next to sleeping beauty...

When I got home, this is how I found them :) Priceless!

Crib Time with Cute Bunny Pjs :) August 3, 2009

2009-08-03T08:41:00.002-05:00

Some crib time before crabby time with THE CUTEST pj's ever :)

I LOVE her :) August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:51:00.006-05:00

3 handsome boys and 3 beautiful girls to complete our family......it is moments like this that make my whole entire life worth living.

My greatest accomplishment in life is having given birth to SIX beautiful, strong, creative, outgoing, loving, and wonderful Christian children.

Here is Amelia Irene and she makes our family complete...I love her! :) Thank GOD for mommy and baby moments!

Women of our Church....Blessings in Disguise...August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:46:00.004-05:00

Counting our blessings is something we have been doing more than usual.....

We have had FIVE amazing ladies come out from our church to help us with our house, laundry, meals and helping us organize our very chaotic life!

We are so extremely thankful for these ladies and all of their help. I know words can not express how thankful we are and some how words just don't seem to be enough but know that from the bottom of our hearts we appreciate ALL that you have done and continue to do to help us through this dark time.

You see, we have experience the circle of life all in one month...the birth of our beautiful daughter Amelia Irene and the loss of our strong and much loved mother/mother-in-law and grandma .....Della Jean Farley Dunbar.

We have never really felt a part of a church family before. Church was something we "did" on Sundays...not lived in our everyday living like we do now. People have been generous with their time, cooking and organizational and cleaning talents. Thank you God for putting these people in our lives to help us make more sense of it! God Bless all of you!

An Amazing Place to Work...August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:37:00.003-05:00

It's no secret that both Amelia and I (and all of my family) have had a rough month. Ken has experienced one of the greatest losses of his life....his mother :( He spent nearly a month going back and forth between hospitals in Ames and Des Moines spending time with us and his mom.....It has been a really trying time and one that makes you truly question your faith....or at least say WHY?

I have been truly blessed to work for people that truly care. They care about everyone that participates within the organization and always refer to co-workers as family. I have been working here a little shy of a year.....and because we are located in 2 different buildings, I haven't gotten to know everyone like I would.

I received an email through my facebook from a co-worker and was amazed at the offering of food, etc. I was reminded that we are a family and I am part of this family. Wow...what an amazing thing to be reminded of....a family... a work family and people that genuinely care about their co-workers. ......I was brought to tears at the generosity of people that I both know and those I have yet to meet.

To our needs were brought diapers for BOTH Adison and Amelia, wipes, clothes, home cooked food, treats for the kids, and a gift card to Fareway.....which will help out so much! A dear friend from Friends of Iowa Public Television hand made a prayer shawl for me and I know it was made with such love and compassion. Again, I was moved to tears to think of how generous people were....

Thank you IPTV family :) Thank you so very much for coming to us in our time of need! It is truly nice to be a part of a work family that cares as much as all of you :)

It's a God Thing.....August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:30:00.003-05:00

I like this particular saying and use it sparingly but when it applies.....I had a God thing happen several weeks ago....I truly believe God puts people in our lives when we need them the most.

I was lucky to be blessed by an amazing person this past month. Had I not had Amelia and needed someone to check in on her I would probably have never met this person. BW was sent to us to check in on Amelia and due to all of her problems she has continued to do so. I couldn't ask for a more compassionate person to be brought into my world when she was placed here. So thank you God for seeing when I needed a special person to be placed here before me for advice, friendship, and the best gift she just gave to us...."the gift of TIME" and for BW we are truly and eternally grateful!

Monchichi :) August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:17:00.005-05:00

Just some "fun" almost 5 week pictures of Amelia :) Isn't she just the sweetest :) We'll keep her crying or not..... her big eyes make me melt......

We call her Monchichi as she reminds us of that little stuffed monkey :) I guess that is her nickname.....in addition to "Melia" as Adison calls her or Meal Worm (thanks to one of the little boys).... I think I am partial to Monchichi.... :) seems fitting for our cute little monkey!

An Outing with Alison.....August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:12:00.003-05:00

I had to get out of the house today......even just for a bit....so Alison and I "snuck" out and decided to head to see my Pa and her Great Pa at the cemetery and then on for ice cream. Alison has the GINORMOUS strawberry cone and mine is the small. I was disappointed to NOT find my favorite....lemon :( I ended up launching most of mine out of the window only to have it splat all down the car :( oops......I just really wanted the cone but maybe should not have been driving at the speed of light when I decided to launch it......Note to self......please come to a complete stop before launching ice cream out of the car....
We had some quality mom and alison time...I just love her! She is such an amazing girl that is so wise beyond her years!
I took her to the river....just for a quick glance as we were on borrowed time today. Until Amelia gets older and takes actual naps and I am not needed for feedings....we will be running on borrowed time. But non-the-less.......it isn't the quantity of time spent it is the quality and we had an amazing day....just mom and daughter!

A Time to Remember.....August 2, 2009

2009-08-03T00:07:00.004-05:00

I hate to admit this out loud but this is the FIRST time since my "Pa" was put in the ground over 3 years ago that I have visited his grave site. It is not lack of me thinking of him every single day as he was such an amazing man and my Pa.....

You see, I was by his bedside with my cousin Jen holding his hand and telling him I loved him when he took his very last breath. I will NEVER forget it. Some people call it a blessing to be there but it really wasn't for me..it was so hard to see him slip away into a lifeless state. I loved (love) him so very much and I am so proud he was MY Pa!

It was an amazing day and I wanted Alison to experience my "first visit" with me.....tears came to my eyes as I knew they would but I have cried so much in the past few weeks I am nearly cried out......

God Bless my Pa for teaching me and instilling in me all of his values....he was the most amazing man in the entire world....he was an Eagle Scout and just a person that should be on everyone's bucket list to meet (or should have been)....I love you Pa!

Crib Time.....July 25, 2009

2009-08-03T00:02:00.002-05:00

Co-sleeping in our house is the key to survival. I know many people, including medical professionals have mixed reviews on this practice but I have slept with all of my babies and never regretted it! It is the only way anyone around here gets ANY sleep!We had decided with Amelia that I would not co-sleep with her as she was in her little crib in the hospital without me for days so maybe she would be fine....well that didn't last long as I even co-slept with her in the hospital as I couldn't lift her and I didn't want to bother the nurses every time I needed her....or rather she needed me....
Trying to provide some crib time for her....and hopes that maybe soon she will enjoy her super cute Fisher Price jungle mobile...I just LOVE this line :)
Amelia looks like this little tiny peanut in this HUGE crib....she likes it for about 5 minutes and then misses her mommy......oh to be needed.... we keep trying for longer times but as of yet, she is not having it.....
Isn't she just the cutest :)

Rocking with Britton :) July 25, 2009

2009-08-03T00:00:00.002-05:00

Britton is SUCH an AMAZING brother..he is SO good with babies and never gets frustrated when Amelia cries (ok maybe after about an HOUR of non-stop crying he will kindly ask me to take her off his hands)...... But isn't this the SWEETEST picture ever? :) He loves her!

First Official Bath....July 25, 2009

2009-08-02T23:58:00.002-05:00

Here is Amelia's first official bath photos...and from the look on her face....not diggin' her bath so much :(
Didn't get any pics of her NOT crying as she was crying the ENTIRE time but boy did she smell GOOD :) Put on some of her Johnson and Johnson Baby cologne to make Amelia smell even better! :)

Spending TIme with Gramy Rene (Irene)....July 24, 2009

2009-08-02T23:55:00.002-05:00

We took Amelia over to Gramy Renes the other night...Gram loves holding her and I am so glad she is around and is able to. Gram is my last grandparent...can you believe that? My world without grandparents is going to be VERY VERY sad. :(Amelia's middle name is for this great grandmother E. Irene Pound and for my other beloved RIP Mildred Irene Pound and for MY great grandmother Edith Irene Starling......

I know my Grandma B. (Mildred) is smiling down on our little miracle.....she so loved her great grands......and we loved her so. She will have been gone 4 years this October.......hard to believe I have lived my life without her for so long. She never got the chance to meet Adison or Amelia so it is extra special that Gram is still around to enjoy my babies......new and old :)

Another Hospital Stay....July 26, 2009

2009-08-02T23:47:00.004-05:00

Another hospital stay and we got moved from our super awesome peds floor with spacious rooms and a place for Alison to go and play video games. Was transported by ambulance from home to Ames to Mary Greely and ended up staying Friday-Tuesday.
Had another surgical procedure (#2)...I just LOVE this picture of alison...I felt AWFUL for her as she lost her bed in peds and had to sleep on this crunchy chair on the OB floor. We were in the furthest room known to mankind on that floor.
Since I am nursing....Miss Amelia got to come and stay with me...I just love her :) She looks pretty cozy on my bed doesn't she...and Alison is such an AMAZING big sister.......she is a natural with babies!

Amelia is such a pretty baby.....nice hair and just overall nice features :) I LOVE HER!

Safety Camp.......July 17, 2009

2009-07-17T09:14:00.003-05:00

Brenner's last day of safety camp is today :) He will graduate at 10:30 this morning. He spent an entire week from 9-11 each day learning all about fire safety, personal safety, playground safety, bike safety, etc. What a neat program for little kids to learn all about safety and they received this cute little orange safety camp t-shirts too :)

Visitors :) July 16, 2009

2009-07-17T09:12:00.003-05:00

We had some visitors yesterday :) Trish, Molly, and Max came to see us.....too bad Amelia cried most of the time :( But nice to catch up! Trish brought our supper last night :) and brought some cute outfits and a blanket for Amelia :)

Learning to Ride a Bike.....July 16, 2009

2009-07-17T09:08:00.003-05:00

Brenner was getting a lesson on how to ride training wheel free from Britton :) He did pretty good for his first time....nice to see that Britton has a vested interest in helping Brenner learn to ride his bike :)

Brothers.......gotta love them!

Happy Two Weeks Amelia Irene.....July 14, 2009

2009-07-14T22:20:00.003-05:00

These are my very favorite pictures of Amelia :) I took these today at the hospital! I am not sure what she was dreaming about but she had some funny little Amelia faces (some of them resembling smiles) :) Happy two weeks in this world Amelia.....I know it hasn't been the best or easiest for you but we are glad you are here! We love you Amelia Irene!

Wide Eyed and Bushy Tail.......July 12, 2009

2009-07-12T16:18:00.002-05:00

My baby FINALLY woke up today :) so I assume she is feeling a bit better...... She FINALLY opened her eyes for us...... for about 1o minutes but it was worth every minute! I think she is feeling better as she is getting all the fluids she needs plus antibiotics .......

Cute Amelia :)

Sick Amelia....Back to MGMC....July 12, 2009

2009-07-12T12:26:00.004-05:00

Had to bring Amelia to the ER last night...she was admitted to the hospital and they have run a battery of tests on her.......spinal tap, blood x3, ultrasound of her head, IV, different cultures..... Poor Amelia :(

Amelia was not nursing well, we could not get her to wake up and only had 2 wet diapers in 16 hours and no poops since TUESDAY! :( She was really lethargic so we called first nurse and spoke to Dr. N., who was on call.......and he had us bring her in.

So far, we don't know any more than we did yesterday other than the ultrasound of her head was normal....

Please keep Amelia in your prayers....she looks so tiny laying in that big ol' hospital bed :(

Mmm....What I get to Wake Up to....July 12, 2009

2009-07-12T12:21:00.003-05:00

How lucky am I that I get to wake up to this sweet little baby :) She is so sweet and I just love all the baby noises and funny little Amelia faces that she makes.... Lucky Me :)

Going to the Fair.....July 10, 2009

2009-07-10T22:33:00.002-05:00

Ken took the kids to the fair tonight...not much to see and/or do but non-the-less got them out of the house. They did enjoy seeing the animals :) but as far as rides or anything...not so much.

Alison informed me that had some good snow cones........Alison and Adison both had pink lemonade :)

Amelia and I stayed home and slept....

Thank You President Geoffroy...July 8, 2009

2009-07-08T19:21:00.006-05:00

In all of my "awake" time last night.....I wished President Geoffroy "Happy Birthday"on his facebook page. When I awoke this morning, to my surprise, I see that President Geoffroy left me a little note on my page. Who would have EVER thought the President of ISU would leave me a note on Facebook.

Thank you President Geoffroy...it meant a lot :)

Amelia Irene......

2009-07-07T11:47:00.003-05:00

She's here :) She made a perfect arrival on Tuesday, June 30th. She was an easy delivery.....was induced at 8 and had her at 11:51.......pictocin.....then epidural and just waiting. Thank GOD for epidurals though! Alison and Britton each got to cut the cord :) and were there for the big event. I only had to push 1.5 times and she was here :) Cute as a button. My best friend Angie also got to be a part of our big day and that meant so much to us! She was here for our first and again for our last!

We had some complications with my post delivery surgery so we did not get released until Sunday, July 5th!

Ready for Church .......June 28, 2009

2009-06-28T17:50:00.003-05:00

Adison looked CUTE today before Sunday School.....she has her new purse and looked cute in her outfit and shoes....... She LOVES going to Sunday School :)

Boy's Room Progress & Britton? June 27, 2009

2009-06-27T12:00:00.002-05:00

Here is the progress on the boy's room! Long ways to go as well. :( You would think with THREE toy boxes that it would be a LITTLE more under control! UGH!

And, what is Britton doing? This is how I found him when I went to check on his cleaning progress!

A LONG way to Go :( June 27, 2009

2009-06-27T11:54:00.002-05:00

Trying to get our room in order for the new baby...which means moving Adison out and into Alison's room. We have a good start but have a LONG way to go :(

I am having each of the older 4 take a turn helping in here...we need to get Adison moved to her big girl bed in Alison's room this weekend and get Alison's room "Adison Proofed!"

For now, Alison is excited to share her room with Adison, which I am sure will only be short lived...soon she'll need her own room!

But for today we will keep plugging along with cleaning the rooms upstairs......New baby coming in T-3 days and counting :) We are all excited!

Cheese? Cheese! June 27, 2009

2009-06-27T11:51:00.002-05:00

Adison was "hungry" and wanted a little snack before nap today....I had Brenner run down and get a "PIECE" of cheese for her...this is what he headed back up with! LOL

Ju Ju Be BeLight Diaper Bag for New Baby :) June 26, 2009

2009-06-26T12:09:00.003-05:00

Ok...have been SEARCHING for a diaper bag (stylish of course) for some time now. Didn't want just "any old" diaper bag and was so pleased when I found the new Ju Ju Be (BeLight) diaper bag....

A very good friend gave me a gift card so I was able to find one at this particular store :) and to be honest, I LOVE it. I didn't want the big 'ol traditional bag as it just makes one feel as though they should bring too much stuff.

Truly, how much does a baby need on ANY given outing.

I also purchased the pouch "Just in Case" I would need it for some extra room :)

I searched their website and found that you can tie the shoulder strap in many different ways :) Very fun!

So, if you are in the market for a super stylish and fun "light" baby bag you need to visit their website and check out all of their SUPER COOL and STYLISH styles :)

http://www.ju-ju-be.com

Remember to look up the BeLight model :)

Let me know what you think! I am so excited now as I can FINALLY get Little Miss "G's" bag packed :) Another step in getting ready for the hospital! Hurray!

The Countdown is ON!~ Jun 25, 2009

2009-06-25T13:12:00.003-05:00

I am "patiently" waiting for baby girl "G"......Waiting, waiting, waiting! I really honestly thought she would be here before now.....I am 38 weeks and 3 days.......I gained FOUR POUNDS in 48 hours but my doctor assured me it is ALL water weight...he looked at my ankles and said "See" and I told him to look at my ankles and feel badly for me and INDUCE.....like YESTERDAY!

So, the countdown is on for this little one to arrive. We are so very excited to meet her :) My induction is scheduled for Tuesday, June 30th at 6 bells in the morning...now...induction as far as meds..no c-section planned. Never had a c-section and really don't plan to start now.

I do enjoy the kicks and little nudges :) and will miss those....but will NOT missing the swollen feet, multiple bathroom trips a night (last night I think I had 6+ of those)....and waddling around!

Say a prayer for us and our new baby girl! Keep us in your thoughts and prayers for a safe and healthy delivery (and pain free of course for mom) :) We are excited that Alison and Britton will share in this special day with us...I promised them BOTH they could cut the cord .....and my best friend Angie will be there too. Angie was there for Alison's delivery over 11 years ago and will see our very last one born too so that is very special to us!

Ladybug Cutie :) June 20, 2009

2009-06-20T18:33:00.002-05:00

I love ladybugs....ALWAYS have :) Alison has always loved them too....when she was about 2, I ordered several THOUSAND live ladybugs from Earl May and we let them go in our yard.

Not sure how much our neighbors appreciated that but Alison had the BEST time chasing them.

My sister bought the new baby some cute Gymboree ladybug clothes.....Aren't they SWEET :) I can't wait to put her in them.....maybe she could hurry up and get here! :)

Celebrating Family......June 19, 2009

2009-06-20T13:51:00.005-05:00

Kids had a great time hanging out with their cousins....fortunately the weather held out until the last 5 minutes of our time there and then the mosquitos came out in DROVES! The kids got to run around and play and rediscover their friendships!

Happy Birthday Dad June 19, 2009

2009-06-20T13:41:00.003-05:00

Happy 70th B-day Dad :) We got to enjoy his special day with my sister and nephews from Texas......my kids gave him the Ladder Ball game and everyone had a blast with that! Good food, family, and good times :)

Wednesday Morning Find.....June 17, 2009

2009-06-17T08:45:00.003-05:00

I was not really sure WHAT to think of this! I would LOVE to be enlightened as to WHAT is going on with the tortilla wrapped around a fork and left on a plate overnight? Never a dull moment!

What's Wrong with this Picture? June 17, 2009

2009-06-17T08:43:00.001-05:00

Hmmm....Britton made this at bible school....now YOU tell ME what is wrong with the picture?

Pretty SAD when a NINE year old can't spell their own name!

Never a Surprise....June 17, 2009

2009-06-17T08:39:00.003-05:00

It NEVER ceases to amaze me WHERE I will find the kids in the morning! Upon waking up this morning I found Britton and Brenner cashed out on the couch!

Not only were they sleeping on the couch.....poor Brenner's head was being crushed by Britton's leg. I can't believe he didn't wake up...HOW UNCOMFORTABLE!

My Very Good Sport :) June 16, 2009

2009-06-16T20:59:00.002-05:00

Braden didn't get to swim tonight as he still can't make it across the 10 foot by himself but he as been such a good sport! He goes to practice EVERY day :) and hangs out like a champ! It would be very hard not to be able to swim but he seems to be taking it in stride!

Swimmer Girl :) June 16, 2009

2009-06-16T20:51:00.002-05:00

Here are some "across the pool shots" of Alison :) She looks good in her suit :) Finally got swim team suits this year.... She is my back stroke girl :)

Ready.....Set.......SWIM! June 16, 2009

2009-06-16T20:46:00.002-05:00

Here were some "across the pool shots" I got of Britton...... I am not sure which race this was but he swam really well....

A Brother Helping a Brother in Need.....June 16, 2009

2009-06-16T20:42:00.002-05:00

Tonight Britton was being a GREAT big brother.... He was trying to help Braden swim across the pool......(see the kid in the background)? I chewed him out for continually splashing Braden when he was trying so hard to swim....AND he talked BACK to me! UGH!

Sock Master....June 14, 2009

2009-06-14T19:06:00.003-05:00

Here is Alison's latest passion....poor thing.. no on to "formally" teach her how to crochet....so she apparently has been teaching herself....

Here is some "socks" she made :) Pretty good for being self taught...dont' you think :)

Time for a Trim.....June 14, 2009

2009-06-14T16:57:00.003-05:00

Rudy gets a LONG coat of hair and it was starting to get a little matted.......so it was time for a little trim. I don't do the best job that is for sure but his hair does get a little shorter......So not a very "professional" job but he does come out with his summer cut.
And he smells like a Pina Colada drink :) (that is his crazy dog shampoo flavor!

First Day of Sunday School.....June 14, 2009

2009-06-14T14:11:00.001-05:00

Adison attended her very first day of Sunday School :) She was SOOOO excited! She came home and bounded through the door and said "I have a teacher!" LOL

So cute! Glad she LOVES to go to church and now Sunday School!

Silly Adison :) June 13, 2009

2009-06-13T18:51:00.002-05:00

Do you like her "whale spout" hair ? I don't want to cut "bangs" so this is the ONLY way to keep it out of her eyes and far enough away from her face that she is not always pulling out the rubber band :)

Bubble Poppin' Fun :) June 13, 2009

2009-06-13T17:58:00.006-05:00

Alison kept popping bubbles so I stuck my rather swollen foot out and popped it RIGHT on her face :) That will teach her (maybe).....

Final Touch for Faith Hope Love....June 13, 2009

2009-06-13T17:20:00.002-05:00

Final branches are in place..... Helped kind of "fill in the gaps." :) Ladder work is DONE (for right now) still need to do touch up paint......repair a screen on one of the windows and perhaps next year new wooden (faux) plantation blinds and a new floor? :)

A Coat Hook Transformed for Summer.....June 13, 2009

2009-06-13T16:35:00.004-05:00

Our winter coat hook turns into a summer goggle and swim cap holder for the remainder of the year until it turns chilly again and time for coats......

Porch Progress.....June 13, 2009

2009-06-13T15:24:00.003-05:00

Still trying to get our house in order, projects finished, etc. I decided the "Faith Hope Love" was a little bare on the wall....long wall.......not much coverage with that vinyl decal....so I added some leaves.....So.....looks a "Little" better! Fills in more of the wall.....and hopefully my black accents will start to bring everything together....the "holder" for the lanterns are also the same holders we got for outside to hang our plants on. I think they look SO COOL! Got them at Target and LOVE the design!

My Curriculum Vita in Wordle :) June 11, 2009

2009-06-11T15:16:00.001-05:00

Wordle.....To All My Teacher Friends (or Creative Souls) .June 11, 2009

2009-06-11T13:57:00.006-05:00

I found this SUPER COOL program called WORDLE. It lets you import words and make creations. The OTHER super cool thing it lets you do is pull in words DIRECTLY from a blog....so all of these words are from my blog...the larger the word, the more you used it in the blog. I have a feeling these are from the before you click on "older posts" part of my blog so probably about the first 10 or so.

Here is an exert from Wordle:

Wordle is a toy for generating “word clouds” from text that you provide. The clouds give greater prominence to words that appear more frequently in the source text. You can tweak your clouds with different fonts, layouts, and color schemes. The images you create with Wordle are yours to use however you like. You can print them out, or save them to the Wordle gallery to share with your friends.

Now, teacher friends...how EVER would you use this in your classroom?

First Swim Meet :) June 9, 2009

2009-06-10T08:21:00.003-05:00

We had our first official swim meet this year :) I guess I AM going to have THREE swimmers instead of two......Braden is going to stick it out. I went for about an hour and then had to take a little whiny girl home :( I had to wake Ms. Adison from a nap (First mistake) and she never fully recovered from that! Cried almost the ENTIRE time or pouted or walked too close to the pool, etc.

Britton swam in 4 events and Alison 2....Braden 1.....I wasn't there to see my little buddy swim but apparently he FROZE on the blocks and someone had to literally pick him up and drop him in the water....then he swam DIRECTLY for the ropes and clung on for dear life until an older swim team member got in and swam next to him. This is the ONLY way he is going to learn. I am proud of him that he stuck it out!

Sleepy Boy....June 8, 2009

2009-06-08T20:15:00.001-05:00

Brenner was in a time out on the steps (imagine that) and the next thing I knew...he was cashed out! He looks so innocent sleeping! Hard to be mad at him.....(well at least momentarily)... :P

Really? You ONLY pick up Dishes After ME? June 8, 2009

2009-06-08T20:13:00.002-05:00

Just some "proof" that I am NOT the only person that leaves dishes laying around.....Uh Huh.....when we were cleaning the front porch, we just HAPPENED upon some dishes from the OTHER adult in the house....I mean Ken!

Pudding Pop Trip/McDonalds....June 8, 2008

2009-06-08T20:11:00.002-05:00

When we made our run over to Hy-Vee for PUDDING POPS.....we ran through McDonalds for the kids :) Adison LOVED her Happy Meal :) She is probably the best eater in the car as far as NOT making a HUGE mess....

Kisses for the New Baby :) June 8, 2009

2009-06-08T20:09:00.004-05:00

I am pretty sure she was giving Kisses to the new baby although it looks like she is trying to eat my stomach :) ....... She is so sweet and often pulls up my shirt to rub my stomach or give the baby kisses :)

High School Music Loving Dad....June 7. 2209

2009-06-07T21:30:00.004-05:00

Braden was looking for a shirt in Ken's closet....one of Alison's shirts had made it in there by mistake.....all of a sudden Braden asks all confused "Dad likes high school musical?" LOL

Baby Shower Thank You.....June 7, 2009

2009-06-07T20:07:00.007-05:00

Braden wanted to know if I needed the pen I had requested to write thank you's to my baby shower friends :) Of course that is why I need a pen...and then I heard Braden run to Britton and say: "Britton you were right...they ARE her baby shower friends!"

Seat Belts.......June 6, 2009

2009-06-06T12:08:00.002-05:00

I took Brenner to the grocery store with me. We were in the parking lot and I reminded Brenner to buckle up. He said "Oh yeah, I didn't have that in my head yet!" :) LOL

S~W~I~M~M~I~N~G June 5, 2009

2009-06-05T19:38:00.002-05:00

This is EXACTLY why I cherished having my summers off...so I could spend time with my kids! They had a great time today at the pool :) and it makes me happy to see them happy!

GOOD TIMES :)

Great Buy and Great Target Gift Card :) June 5, 2009

2009-06-05T19:24:00.003-05:00

I had a baby shower on Thursday from people at work :) There are just so many nice people there. I received a Target gift card from a group of people and was able to purchase a bouncy seat.....I opted for the Fisher Price Precious Planet bouncy. I really wasn't going to get one but Ken said that is the way he likes to put the baby to sleep.

However, before buying NEW I went to the super cool second hand store called Duckworth Wearing. I JUST so happened to be in the right place at the right time. I was able to purchase the Fisher Price Rainforest Cradle (Which I had NOT even entertained buying until I saw it) .....I asked how much it was and was quoted $30.00! Hmmmm $30.00 seemed like an AWESOME buy....after all they were probably $80.00 in the store........SOLD!

Came home, got on the Internet and found out that these "cradles" retail for 140.00! WOWZA....I was even more excited and wondered if maybe they quoted and incorrect price? It had JUST come in the door for sale by the owner and was not even put out with a price on it yet....I feel very blessed to have stumbled on such a great find! :)

Getting Closer.....June 5, 2009

2009-06-05T19:16:00.003-05:00

I went to the doctor today.....had to see another doc (female) as my regular doc is on some hiatus in Germany for TEN days.....I had a biophysical ultrasound....and we got to see our baby girl in 3D~ it was SOOOO cool and she looks JUST like the other kids....so wild.

The ultrasound tech said "she has LOTS of hair"...which I think is ironic as when I had my ultrasound about 8 weeks ago at another hospital the tech said the VERY SAME thing ...so it will be interesting to see how much hair this little lady has :) I am SO EXCITED to finally meet her!

I was 1.5 centimeters dilated, 50% effaced and the baby was at a +3 station (which means she is still really high and not engaged in the birth canal). The doctor said she could touch her head but she would float away......

We have some of the ultrasound on DVD (only a little over a minute and not even the coolest part of the ultrasound...but at least we have SOMETHING)

Oh, and she currently weighs 6.1 pounds! That is what Britton weighed when he was born. I gained FIVE pounds from last week! So, total now is 14 but to have gained that much in a week...YIKES...she promises me that most of the weight is all the water I am retaining. My feet were SO HUGE today as I was on them all day.

TWENTY FIVE more days......TWENTY FIVE more days.....although I would be VERY surprised if I went that long...... She'll come when she is ready....contractions seem harder and more frequent....and hurt much more than previous ones!

Pretty soon I will be able to announce her arrival and I can't wait :)

For What It is Worth.......June 3, 2009

2009-06-03T18:53:00.002-05:00

Special Onesie.....June 3, 2009

2009-06-03T17:56:00.003-05:00

My cousin Jen dropped off a really special present the other day.....a onesie for the baby. Now, we have not "officially" decided on the name....until yesterday. When I saw the shirt and saw the name in print, I fell in love with it. What a special gift :) We LOVE it!

Photo Op...That's About It.......June 3, 2009

2009-06-03T17:51:00.004-05:00

Well so much for the NEW potty chair (although I needed one for upstairs too)....she basically sat on it....said Ribbit and that was IT!

She said "I NO POTTY!" UGH!

So, she looks cute sitting on the new potty, right? Because that is all she was willing to do today....say "cheese."

So, we'll try again another day. This stresses me out to NO END so it won't be any day soon! Guess my hopes of getting her out of diapers by the time the baby arrives is not looking likely :(

Frog Potty Chair June 3, 2009

2009-06-03T12:27:00.003-05:00

In yet ANOHER attempt to get Adison on her way to potty training...I found the frog potty at Target. I had seen this several months ago and thought it was ADORABLE :) and at 11.59......the price was right :)

There are no bells and whistles to this and all the reviews on this potty were positive!

I'll keep this one upstairs in the bathroom for now and give it a whirl. I am tired of her going to the bathroom in her diaper in FRONT of me and then saying "Change Me!"

Obviously she knows what she is doing and is aware of when she has to go.......so I am STILL hopeful we can still get her potty trained before the new baby comes!

Clean Carpet! June 1, 2008

2009-06-01T17:52:00.003-05:00

Well, it was nice to come home to "part" of our carpet cleaned :) The dining room was the first room to undergo the transformation. I wish I could get my carpets cleaned WEEKLY! I just LOVE having them C~L~E~A~N!!!The room seems SO MUCH larger with the furniture out....maybe less really is more :) Maybe we don't need all of our furniture? Hmmmm...nothing to walk around, have clothes and other junk pile up on...I'll need to give this some more thought!
All I know is that there is NOTHING like coming home to clean carpet....and I can't wait until my living room is done as well! The trick is keeping it clean (not nearly as easy as it sounds).....we have a 2 year old that gets into the fridge at will as well as any cupboard in her reach, a cat that gets into the garbage and drags it all over the house! Etc. Etc. One would think that the older kids know better.....but pretty much they don't!
I haven't checked the stairs yet to see how those paint stains are coming along! I am scared as I don't think we will EVER get those darned stains out :(

S~I~M~P~L~I~F~Y........May 31, 2009

2009-05-31T21:17:00.003-05:00

We spent the day (or the majority of it) cleaning up.......I always heard things have to look "worse" before they look better. I know this to be true after today. We spent a great deal of time upstairs and should have started downstairs? 1/2 dozen of one 1/2 dozen of the other, I suppose. But at the end of the day between getting garbage out of the garage and from the house (including the THREE potty chairs) we managed to fill the dumpster. I was surprised we had that much stuff to pitch. We decided to keep the dumpster one more week and fill 'er up again!

I think we will be good then until fall clean-up when we can toss more stuff (For free this time)... We also managed to get rid of 3 non-working televisions and one working one for FREE at the garage sale.....I am so surprised anyone took that tv as it had NO hook-ups for any type of electronics.

Ah.....S~I~M~P~L~I~F~Y!!!

Ladybug Fun.....May 30, 2009

2009-05-30T20:10:00.004-05:00

Awhile ago I purchased some Snap-n-Learn Number Bugs (ladybugs)for Adison....she has the BEST time with them. It helps teach colors and numbers! She likes it when her brothers and sister mix them up for her (different colored bodies with different colored heads, etc.)

Good Food, Good Company, Good Times.....May 30, 2009

2009-05-30T19:51:00.004-05:00

We had a GREAT time tonight :) We went to Grandma K's and Grandpa D's for supper that Britton grilled for us :) It was GOOD! We had potato chips and dip, finger jello, macaroni salad, and lemonade. NUMMY!
The kids played games in the driveway :) Who knew a ball could keep them so entertained :)
And my little Grill master Britton! He is very talented at grilling food! I am glad he has mad grilling skills :)
And my little princess who likes to water plants. Every time she goes to her grandparents, she asks to water the flowers! She usually just waters the same flower....OVER and OVER and OVER again!

Brothers......May 30, 2009

2009-05-30T17:09:00.001-05:00

Shrubs Be GONE! May 30, 2009

2009-05-30T17:02:00.003-05:00

I am excited to announce that SOON these UGLY UGLY UGLY evergreen shrubs will be G~O~N~E~ I have NEVER liked them and am SO EXCITED that sometime this summer we will no longer have to deal with them. I told the professional shrub remover "J" that this is definitely an "old person" planting! He agreed :) My plan for the space it to create a space in front of the windows that is raised (about 3 feet) and then plant some prairie plants in there. I want to get SOMETHING in there before fall...that is my only criteria.....
I am sure it will look "nakey" when they are removed but I am excited as to what is to be put in place after they are GONE!