Friday, December 18, 2009

So much has happened...

Mother and Dad: Santa-ing all over the place!
Malee: In and back out of the hospital. 'Tis the season...
Grandma: In the hospital, then surgery, now on 5th floor of Gibson General.
Granddaddy: So sorry that he has died. Words cannot yet express what I feel. Sad mainly.
Lauren: GREAT STUDENT!!! GOT PRIZES FOR: behavior during lunch, attendance, turning in her homework. Super kid and I was told by one teacher today (not Mrs. Arnold) that Lauren is "just precious!" Makes a momma proud.
Jack: Talking like a champion 3 YEAR OLD! How did that happen so quickly?
Rebecca: Having another baby. Just in time, too. I need a baby to snuggle and give back...
John: Getting back to a normal schedule, which is good for all of us!
Me: Doing it all and loving every minute of it!

Monday, November 02, 2009

Happy Halloween


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Originally uploaded by The Joys of Motherhood
Jack had shed his doctor costume by this time of night, but he was cute, you have to take my word on that one. Lauren was a perky cheerleader and Daisie and Daphne were cute kitties. After an evening of trick or treating and getting lots of good candy, the kids all got to play at Rebecca's for over an hour and eat some pizza. Fun times!!!

Jack is liking school by the way and Lauren got a straight A report card. Also, we went to the dentist today and NO CAVITIES for either kiddo! Yippee!!!!

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Overheard:

"What's that sis?"
"It's an alien. They're not real. They pretend to live on other planets, but Earth is the only planet that can sustain life."

************
"How you sleep, Momma?"
"Not too well Jack since you and sis woke up so early..."
"Here Momma. Love my nigh night. Sorry."

************
"Momma? You the best Momma."

************
"Mom? I couldn't sleep anymore with Jack yelling so much. Sorry."

Friday, September 18, 2009

School and all

Overall, school is going well for Lauren. Great spelling tests and coloring like a professional. Reading is coming along quite nicely as is touch math. Her teacher is wonderful and patient and nice. All qualities you want in your child's teacher. We have walked to and from school most days this school year and the few days we haven't, she isn't too happy. We should walk until weather keeps us from it. Not looking forward to nasty weather for lots of reasons, but I will miss talking to her on our way there and back.

PTA is also taking on a life of it's own for me this year. Have you joined our PTA yet? Let me know if you are interested!

More later...

Saturday, August 29, 2009

You say tomato, I say to-mah-to...


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Originally uploaded by The Joys of Motherhood
We have some. Do you want any?

We are having a great school year. Lots of new friends, reading more words, promoting PTA...by the way, have you joined Harper's PTA? It's $5...Anyway...

Jack is doing well, Jenna spent last weekend with us and had fun, John is traveling a lot for work, our street is being worked on so our sewer doesn't collapse, the work trucks are SO interesting for Jack...

Wow! We are busy in a good way, and I will try to post more later...

Monday, August 10, 2009

Beauty

This was our Sunday morning. Smiles and sunshine. Sweet babies and swimming and it was lovely. A fun weekend followed by the start of school Wednesday. Lauren will be in first grade and Mrs. Arnold will be her teacher. She is excited and scared. So am I.

Here we go...

Sunday, July 19, 2009


Vacation

We had a wonderful time. We went to Chattanooga, TN, to Ruby Falls, Rock City and rode the Incline Train. Of the three, Rock City was the best!! It was pretty scenery, nice temperature, and best of all, at our own pace. If you haven't been, GO!! http://www.seerockcity.com/
Then we went to Ft. Walton Beach, FL. The kids liked the beach, but LOVED the pool! Lauren was a fish before we went, but reached a new level of swimming and flipping and jumping and cannonballing!!! Jack had a lot more freedom this year since he uses his swim belt and can move all over. Made the whole trip easier since my tiny monkey wasn't attached to me the entire time in the pool!
We ate some good food, did some shopping, and a whole lot of swimming!!!

Monday, June 29, 2009

Having a ball at the mall!


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Originally uploaded by The Joys of Motherhood

Fun on the farm at the family reunion


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Originally uploaded by The Joys of Motherhood

Notice that she has my coke...


Summer...

So...summer...so far we have finished VBS (she loved it!!!), ACROS fun and fitness camp (she LOVED IT!), and we are now finding out how good she is at swimming. She's pretty good. Really, she is. She can swim underwater, doggy paddle, jump in and go under, and has jumped off of the diving board (OMG!!!!!!) and isn't afraid of the water, which scares me a little bit.
Jack has longed to go to "bibey scool" (I'm quoting how he says it) and to "gymnastis", and now it's swimming he wants to do, too. Instead, he got to go to the park that sits next to the pool, which isn't quite the same, but we do what we can.
We have spent a lot of time with our friends the Morris' and swam in their pool and jumped on their trampoline and played on their swingset and they were kind enough to keep the kids overnight for us so we could go to an out of town wedding this last weekend. They are awesome friends and we are truly blessed to have them in our lives.
I will post a few pictures in a minute, but with vacation coming up and then school starting I am beginning to wonder just how fast time flies...

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Summer vacation so far...

Has been awesome! We have had a lot of lazy days, just what summer break is all about. She is signed up for VBS at Aldersgate again this year, a week at Acros, two weeks of swimming lessons and then we will leave for Florida.
Both kids are signed up for the EVPL summer reading program.
We are going to have a great summer!!!

YAY for us!!!

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Watch this...

30 seconds later, she went to the front of the swing, grabbed his feet (like I do to her to swing her) and pulled him out of the swing and from where I was sitting, I heard him hit the ground. Not good. He is ok and so is she after being slightly traumatized, but hey! Life goes on...

We are officially done with kindergarten and she did AWESOME! All four grading periods, A honor roll, perfect attendance, 3 grading periods of citizenship, and she got the teacher for 1st grade she (and I!) was hoping for so that's the icing on a delicious cake!

I am SO proud of her! May her school career always be so successful!!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Raphael Jude

By the way, here is the new nephew. It took a while for me to post it, but here he is! Cutie!!!
Is this working from my phone? Just what I need! Another way to express myself, anytime, from anywhere!!

Name that park....


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Originally uploaded by The Joys of Motherhood
Yesterday, all of the kids went to the park to play and enjoy the first really nice day in WEEKS! Also, the lion that used to be a water fountain and is now a trash receptacle/band aid holder/keeper of typhoid (I mean, have you seen that thing lately? EEK!) is still there, though I don't know why.
Jenna got to play for the first time and seemed to love the swing. We think it brought back memories of being a baby in her swing that she loved so much.
Jack is not a bit afraid of the big, red and white twisty slide. I, however, am.
Lauren was making rock angels. They are a lot like snow angels, but in the dirty rocks....anyway...
It was a gorgeous day spent with great kids!

Saturday, April 11, 2009

The new nephew

He's here. His name is Raphael Jude, 19 in long, 6 pds. 14 oz. lots of dark hair and monkey toes (I mean that in a kind way!).
And he was born on our 10 yr. wedding anniversary. What a fantastic gift! A baby! And I didn't have to give birth to him! YAY all around!!!
Emily and Mark seem very happy, if not a little tired. The best is yet to come for them.
Lauren LOVES to hold Rafe! LOVES IT! Jack doesn't seem to notice him much, but talks a lot about going to see "Baby Rafe" so he knows that babies name. That counts for something, right?
We are getting some things done up here and eating some good food, but nothing compares to a new baby.
I will post pictures after I find the one that is best of him and his beautiful little face. In the meantime, you get us.
Now we have a niece and a nephew and two perfect kids of our own. Life is indeed good!

Sunday, April 05, 2009

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Lauren is 6

Yesterday was a fantastic day for fun. We started the day with a rousing rendition of Happy Birthday to you while still in jammies.She opened a couple of gifts and off we went to an Easter egg hunt where the kids each got a prize and enough candy that the bunny could skip our house next weekend (though he won't).
Next, we went to Sam's to pick up her cake and some food to grill out later. We ate lunch there, hurried home to change clothes and go downtown to Lic's for her friends birthday party. It was lots of fun, lots of sugar and lots of great friends with gifts to match.
Then, home again home again jiggity jig for rests and readying the house for our family birthday party.
We grilled burgers, had chips and dip and veggies, fruit and dip and then opening more presents. She got so many neat things, but I think the money from her cards was the biggest hit.
Only one time yesterday did I get teary and it was when we were getting out of the truck and I opened her door to help her out, hugged her and realized how fast time really does go. 12 yrs until she is 18. What will I do then? Sigh...
It's all going so fast, and I am enjoying watching both kids grow and change, but does it have to be so fast?????
I will post a few pictures here later and all are up at my flickr account.

Saturday, March 28, 2009

STATE CHAMPION PRINCETON TIGER BASKETBALL!!!

So, we left the kids with Malee and Chuck and headed to Indy for state basketball finals and BOY! We are glad we did!
Heart wrenching, pulse stopping, we laughed, we cried, we screamed, we cheered and in the end, WE WON! Double OT and all.
The kids got to play, go out to eat and return home to their comfy beds for the night as we drove home in nasty rain and lots of lightning, but the light show was as outstanding as the game.
Way to go Tigers on an undefeated season!!

Monday, March 23, 2009

So, this is what 35 is...

I think I like it. Can't wait for more!!!

Sunday, March 01, 2009

Playhouse Disney LIVE!


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Originally uploaded by The Joys of Motherhood
A huge hit if I do say so. Jack believed that Mickey Mouse could hear him say, "Hi, Mickey!" in the most sincere voice that you ever heard (and who am I to say he didn't hear him? He does have those big ears and all...) Lauren and Jack patted with the Little Einstein's to power Rocket. We all sang with Darby, Tigger and Pooh and Handy Manny's tools even danced on stage.
Well worth the price of admission, however, the souveniers were SO EXPENSIVE!!! Ridiculously so.
The kids LOVED it!! I am so glad we were able to take them. AND we got awesome parking to boot!
Great Saturday!!!

Friday, February 20, 2009

And so it goes...

Jack is talking more and more everyday. Today he said, "Momma? Go over dere (there)? Please go now?" Wow! That's a lot of words strung together for a 2 yr. 2 1/2 mo. old. He is a very clear speaker. Reminds me of a little girl I know...

By the way, the talking at school is mostly under control, but she still is a bit chatty from time to time. No idea where she gets it though...Anyway, she is doing so well in school that I wonder if she is chatty due to lack of things to do. Case in point; she brought home a worksheet from school the other day and had it done in one minute and I am not kidding. Eighteen fill-ins and she was right on everyone. If she is doing work that quickly while she is at school, I know why she is talking. She's bored.

I know the school has to bring everyone up to the level where they need to be for 1st grade, but since half of her class DID attend preschool, why are these kids being made to do work that is beneath their ability? It seems unfair either way you look at it. On one hand, you wouldn't want to have the kid that is being left in the dust, on the other hand...you have Lauren and her equally qualified classmates in the high ability courses who are buzzing through the work and then getting bored.

What's a kindergartner to do?

More later...

Sunday, February 08, 2009

This is my blog, so I'll brag if I want too!

Lauren is smart. We have all known that for a long time. However, she took a test at school and will now be in the High Ability section of kindergarten. This will focus on different think/problem solving styles with a small group in her classroom. Harper is piloting this program for kindergarten for EVSC, so we are very excited!

YAY LAUREN!!!

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Winter sucks the life from our tree...

It all started Monday night with some snow and ice and a phone call from EVSC that there would be no school Tuesday, and it went downhill (weather-wise) from there. Tuesday night/Wednesday early morning we lost power and by 9 am, the house was 57 degrees and we were packing to move to Princeton for a few days. We came back Thursday and it was 44 degrees in the living room. By Saturday, it was 41 degrees in there. We lost our fish to the cold...Lauren cried and cried. We had a funeral and promised a new fish or two and she pepped up. On Saturday afternoon about 4:30, Vectren held up it's end of the bargain and restored our power. YAY!!! We were lucky to only lose a few groceries and freezer items.
Today, we are getting some groceries and snacks for the Super Bowl and have a Junk-Food-Bowl and a good time at home.
Tomorrow will start our first "normal" week in three weeks. Malee is home from the hospital and feeling much better, we have power, Lauren should have school again...ah!
Life is good!!

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Tomorrow is day 100! (of kindergarten)

They are having a 100 day celebration at school tomorrow with treats and all. Lauren is very excited!!

Jack is getting so funny. Ask him a questions and he answers, "...um...sure" or falls down on purpose and says, "Not again!" That kids cracks me up! He is just like Lauren. Cute, funny, smart.

Good thoughts going out to Malee since she is in the hospital again this Jan. Lauren and Jack miss her SO much and we hope she is home soon!

More later...

Monday, January 05, 2009

Things almost forgotten:

*Lauren used to insist on wearing socks on both her feet and her hands to sleep in. I had to always pack enough socks for daily wear and bedtime when we traveled.

*She would sing the song "Pop Goes the Weasel" right and try to teach us the song and we had to sing it back wrong and she would correct us and we had to try to "learn" it again.

*When I woke Jack up a couple of weeks ago after going to bed with my hair wet, he looked at me and said, "Uh oh Momma. Hair. Boken . (broken)"

*Jack insists we all cheer when he potties on the potty whether we are home or out. And we do it. Every time.

There will be more to come, I am sure, but these things were on my mind right now and if you know me, I have to strike while the iron is hot, or it's gone forever.