New additions to our family

First let me say, I am so far behind on things.  Some days I can get a lot done and that’s usually because I’m wanting to get them done.  Other days I’m sluggish, tired, and just don’t feel like doing anything so nothing gets done.   Today?  Well I’m definitely tired thanks to our new additions (lol) and so I’m sluggish and well don’t feel like doing a darn thing.

Somehow our family embarked on a journey to add more members to it. I’m not sure how exactly it happened, maybe Ryan could tell you — and don’t let him tell you it was all me.  ROFL.  I just know it happened fast and ended fast!  Yesterday we picked up two of our newest family members – Sox and Hayley.  Both are beautiful cats.  Sox is male and Hayley is female.  So yes, there is more than just one male in the family now, lol.

Ok, so now we have two (two that yelped all night keeping ME and only me awake all night long….yawn….they are great, though) new kitties in our family TODAY we pick up the last addition to our family…………drumroll please……..GAVIN!!!!!!  He is a sweetheart, male black lab/saint bernard mix.  He is about 1.5 years old and just so well behaved.  We were getting a little frustrated at the dog search process and stumbled across Gavin and we knew instantly he was perfect for our family.   I can’t wait for the girls to meet him tonight.

So the last 6 days or so have been a whirlwind of chaos and spending LOTS of money, lol.  Who knew dogs needed so much?    We are even going to be more crazy and attempt to take him on our Mt. Vernon trip this weekend.  Yes, I know, you are laughing and shaking your head wondering how crazy we have become.  lol.  I think our entire family is very excited about all these new changes and we’ll have a blast as we ALL get settled in.

Hopefully I’ll have some pictures soon.  I do have a few of Gavin, but not great pics so I’ll wait.  Poor guy got neutered yesterday so I’m not sure how he’ll be today when we pick him up.  It might take him a few days to adjust to even back to what he was when we adopted him on Monday.  Oh and yes, Ryan and I just last minute adopted him at lunch Monday, lol.

Sox is still scared –give him time–it’s only been a day.  Hayley is a wild one and already rules the roost!  So we are currently at 3 males and 4 females in the house now.  Ryan doesn’t have to feel so alone now.  ROFL.
((HUGS)) to all.

P.S.  Oh and I have Ryan on record saying that after we get settled with our new additions, that we could consider a puppy as well so Gavin has someone to keep him company.  Yep!  You heard it here first before he changes his mind.  ROFL.

Eagle Ridge for a work vacation

It was that time of year again, my work summer retreat.  I had to work 2.5 days of it and the rest was vacation, baby!  We left Monday the 15th and got back Saturday the 20th in the evening.  It was a great trip.  We had our same 3-bedroom villa as we had last year – Townhouse 5.  We also got to have our same babysitter come back and watch the girls two evenings while Ryan and I worked.  Her name is Helene.  I hope we get her back again next year if we have our work retreat there again.   Besides the working, which wasn’t too much work, lol – we got to have a lot of fun as a family.  We swam, we biked, we ate lots of fattening junk food and resort food (lol), we shopped at our favorite boutique – Poopsies, as well as other shops.  We went pontooning, horseback riding, and went to the spa!  Yes, the spa!  The girls got their fingernails and toenails done and I got a swedish massage and facial.  Ahhhhhhh!!!!!!  lol.  We also drove a little bit into Iowa and went to the place called Crystal Lake Caves.  It was neat and awesome for the girls to see a cave for the first time.  Oh and we lounged around, was lazy and watched movies.  ROFL.  A great vacation all around!

The only……teeny negatives, if you want to call them that about the trip were I dropped and broke my iPhone (sniff, sniff).  I locked the keys in the van (but Galena territory security got them out for FREE!!) and Kylie had another bike accident and bumped her head – no major damage though.

So all and all a great trip!  I do not think we took much pictures, though, sad to say.  We were so busy having fun we didn’t have the camera on us.  I’ll have to dig through the cards and see what was taken.

A week and 1/2 and we are on our way to Mt. Vernon to visit family for the 4th.  Then the next vacay is a camping trip with friends THEN our cruise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   YAY!!!! What a fantastic jam-packed summer for us.    We’ll need a vacation from the vacations when we are through with summer, lol.

Ahh, another weekend rolling around

I love the weekends.  I love getting to spend more time with my family.  I like getting things done around the house, instead of sitting at work all day thinking about what needs to be done, lol.

Today is my 1/2 day and I get to spend it with our girls.    I get off at noon and I’m going to go pick up our shower door.  Yes, it finally came in!  I’m super excited, for real!  I’m tired of taking a shower in the basement – it’s been 2 months, lol.  Then the girls and I are going to go get groceries and tinker around at home until Ryan gets home from work.  He had to go to Shiloh today so I don’t get to eat lunch with him…sniff…sniff so we’ll anxiously be awaiting his arrival home so we can all start our weekend!

This Sunday is Ryan and my 12 year wedding anniversary!!!!!  We’ve been through so much theses 12+ years and I am so glad we are here together to continue to share in such a special life.  I love you, sweetheart!!!!

Memorial Day weekend & the loss of a family member

May 22 mom called in the evening asking if the girls could go to the St. Louis Zoo the next day, Saturday.  We of course said yes, since we knew we had many things to do on Saturday and they would have much more fun going to the zoo.  So I took them to swimming lessons while Ryan worked on the bathroom tile.  Afterwards I took them to grandma & papa’s to go to the zoo.  They didn’t get home until around 10 pm that night and they looked like they definitely had fun!

Ryan finished the bathroom tile over the holiday weekend and I know he was extremely happy to finish that project.  We both did outside work as well.  So overall we got a lot done over the weekend and had decent weather to do so, until it rained on Monday the 25.

The holiday weekend was a pretty good one up until Sunday late afternoon.  The girls and I had a baby shower to go to for Nora B. earlier in the day and then Adysen was coming over to spend the night.  After the shower all of us went into town to go to Sam’s and to get dinner.  When we got back the girls wanted to swim in the pool (Ryan put it up earlier that day so it was still filling up) and Ryan and I were going to hang up the tomato plants at the playground.  While we were doing that I looked over in the yard and noticed bugs flying on Smokey   She had been attacked by what we assume was a dog and appeared to have been killed rather quickly.  It was absolutely horrible and we were trying keep our composure since the girls had no idea what was going on while playing in the pool.  Ryan went up front to start a burial plot for her under the circle tree where we’ve buried Cindy and Jake.  When he was finished I talked to the girls and explained to them what had happened and if they wanted to say goodbye to her before daddy buries her.  They asked to see her (literally) and so Ryan hestitantly did so and then we said our goodbyes.  The girls balled.  We all did.  It was a very difficult night and we tried to be upbeat with Adysen there.  She ended up leaving around 11 pm that night because she missed her mommy.  The next day (Monday the 25th) was pretty sad, too.  It is still a complete shock. She is supposed to sitll be with us.  She was an awesome family member.  She maintained the outside from bugs, snakes, mice, etc and was just a loving animal to all of us.  We will never be able to replace her. She was one of a kind.

We love you, Smokey, and you will be missed so much.  We are sorry we couldn’t protect you from what got you – that we weren’t home when you needed us.  We love you.

Will this bathroom ever be done?

That is the question these days, lol.  Last night I finally got to scrub the tile in the master bath.  Ryan did such an excellent job.  I am so proud of him, learning a new skill and doing it so beautifully.  I will admit the grout color is not what I would have wanted, and Ryan will admit that as well, BUT it looks great and I absolutely LOVE our new floor.  I can’t wait to get the rest of the room done so we can enjoy it more.  Maybe even take a long hot bath together again, like we did a few times before having children????  hee hee.  We did sit and take a bath together, and just sit there and read books and relax.  Ahhhh, that sounds like heaven these days.

It took me all night to scrub that floor and I need to go over it again tonight.  Soon…..soon we WILL be done with that bathroom and I have to thank my wonderful husband for doing such a wonderful job with the room and for putting up with me on this “honey-do” project that he really didn’t sign up for.

I love you, hon!  You are the best!

Kindergarten has come and gone

Kylie has officially graduated Kindergarten with flying colors!!!  Yesterday was her last day – she got out at 11:30 a.m.  I still can’t believe our baby has finished K and will be going on to 1st grade.  She is so smart, so brilliant, and her mind – her dedication to learning reminds me so much of Ryan.  I can’t wait to see her learn more and more.

She is changing so much.  Some days she can get so mean to people – not using her manners, yelling at her sister, just being her age, lol.  Other days she is so sweet, so kind and so loving.  She IS female, lol.

This past weekend we took out her original earrings and put new ones in.  She picked milkshake earrings.  So cute!  She looks so girlie in her earrings and I LOVE it.  She’s growing up so fast and I want her to stop.  I need both my babies a LOT longer than what I get with them.  I need to remind myself every second of every day that I need to savour every second or else they will be gone some day.

Oh gosh, it’s been a few weeks

Time just flies.  Do you know that?  I’m sure you do.  I really thought I was keeping up with our family blog – like I was just here last week, but I see it’s been two weeks.  sigh.  Where does the time go?

Well, Megan finished her first year of Pre-K last Friday.  It ended with a field trip to Midstate Gymnastics for an hour of fun with classmates.  I can’t believe we’ve made it through the year.  I remember Ryan and I being so worried about her starting school at only 3.5 years old.  I remember Ryan thinking maybe it was a bad idea to send her.  Megan’s therapist, Arina, and I thought it would be good for her.  Well, I truly believe it did her well, even though there were a lot of struggles until we found out her food allergies and lactose deficiency.  After that she was doing excellent at school.  I know all of us are extremely greatful to Megan’s three teachers for all they’ve done to help us get through this year.  We couldn’t have asked for a better support team.  You know that saying “It takes a village to raise a child”?  (or something like that, lol).  Well, it does, and we have an AWESOME village raising BOTH our children.  We are truly blessed.

Kylie still has this week and one day next week of school and then she is finished for the summer.  I think Ryan and I are more ready for the school year to be over than she is, lol.  I can’t believe that kindergarten is almost over.  Wow!  Kylie has made such advancements in school this year.  She’s learned to read, and fairly well.  She is doing math that I never thought she’d do at this age.  Her artistic skills just amaze us.  We are still not sure where she got them from.  I don’t know how she compares to others, but to us her artistic ability is good for her age.  I’m sure there are more advancements I’m not thinking of at the moment.  sigh.

Oh!  Kylie lost her 5th tooth the other night!  I told her she’s looking like a pumpkin now, the way she’s missing teeth here and there.  LOL.

We spent this past weekend with the Horvath family for Emerson’s 2nd birthday party.  We had a great time, despite the chillier weather.  We are planning a camping trip and hope to iron out the details soon.

Other than that, it’s mowing, cleaning up messes, and Ryan is now tiling the master bath!  I can’t wait until it’s done.

I’d post pictures on here, but it seems like an extra step, since I already post them on our website.  I’ve updated the pictures so go take a look!

Megan is gaining!

Ryan weighed Megan before bath last night and she weighed in at 31.2 pounds.  That means she’s gaining again!!!!!!  I’m so glad we pushed to figure out what was causing her pain and not to grow.  She’s so much happier and healthier looking now.
Way to grow Megan

Busy, but relaxing weekend

Saturday the girls went and spent the night with Momo and Popo Taft.  I took them to swimming lessons, first, while Ryan stayed at home and worked on mowing, yard projects, and our master bath project.  After swimming I dropped them off at the inlaws and started running errands.   I always miss the girls while they are away, but it is also nice to relax a bit, plus get some projects done that would be hard to do with them around.

Ryan and I got a few outside projects done, moreso Ryan than me.  I should have done more, but I relaxed some as well.  We also tackled painting the master bath.  I cut-in the minor areas while he cut-in and rolled the major ones.  It was a long day yesterday doing that, but we got it done.  I love the color, but it definitely is a HUGE change from the bright white sunny walled bathroom we had before.  Now it will be calm and relaxing….I hope.  LOL.  I’m excited about finishing it, but it all takes time.  There is still a LOT to do, and hopefully by June we’ll be finished and back to using the master bath instead of showering in the basement bath, doing our “business” in the upstairs/downstairs bathrooms, straightening hair and doing make-up in the foyer, etc, etc.  LOL.  We are kind of all spread out doing our thing in many areas until this bathroom is finished.  It will be worth it in the end.

A day at the museum with Megan

Today was Megan’s class field trip to the Decatur Children’s Musuem.  I was very nervous about going, especially since I had my lap surgery on Monday and was still recovering.  Suprisingly when I woke up this morning I felt pretty good, but still a little nervous about the trip.  It ended up being a wonderful day with Megan.  She made the bumpy bus ride easier by sleeping all the way there and all the way back (1 hour 15 minute drive each way).  I got to sit there, hold her close to me, and talk to another mother the ride there and back.  It was nice.  It was wonderful to see Megan interact with all the other kids, especially her friends Sophia, Morgan and Emily.  Oh and we can’t forget about Isaiah!  Ooooh Isaiah.  Megan is in love with him.  LOL.  She wanted to sit with him on the bus ride back, but I knew she’d sleep, so I kept her with me.  I got a lot of pictures from the trip, but unfortunately they are on another computer so I don’t get to post them right now.