Old friends, good times

This evening I went to a bridal shower for a girl that I used to work with that was being thrown by all the other girls I used to work with and some girls that I didn't work with. I was really nervous and even debated going because now that I don't work there anymore I'm kinda on the outside looking in at all the jokes and it just gets awkward sometimes! But I didn't feel that way once! I was also nervous about seeing my old boss but it was totally cool. We had a great evening eating way too much food, gooing over a baby of one of the girls' and just laughing. For the moment I miss working and seeing other adults and getting to socialize. I can't wait to go back to work one day but I know right now isn't the time.

And I also was just informed that the kids bought flowers for me while they were out tonight. Pink and yellow tulips, I love them. I don't know if it was daddy's idea or the kids but I don't care! Hannah also just said there is a card somewhere but it is for mother's day so I have to wait to open it. =) Daddy said ,"Hannah, I told you not to tell her!"

fail

I had big plans to get lots done today since Brad was coming home. I like him to come home to a clean house b/c I think it is just plain less-stressful if it is clean! If you recall, in my last post I said that is was really late when the kids got in bed and I was expecting problems out of Hannah. But she didn't give me any trouble getting up. Ryan, on the other hand, was a total bear all morning. I couldn't get anything done. So around lunchtime when I was taking trash down to the road and hanging a load of laundry out on the line, I gave up and said we could stay out there. Grandma saw us and came out to say hi. That was the end of that! He wanted to eat at her house so I made him a corndog and took some turkey lunchmeat over and we all ate lunch together. Not long after that I decided it was time for grouchy pants to take a nap. I woke him up awhile later so we could get Hannah. We walked with grandma-one mile short of 2 miles-and went home so I could start super. The kids were super tired and ready for bed at 7. so I thought!! Between the two of them I bet they yelled or needed something a dozen or more times! So I haven't heard them for half an hour and it's 20 after 9. Oh, well, I just heard Hannah yelling she's hungry. Daddy's going this time so hopefully it will be the last time!

wonderful, wonderful

This morning Ryan and I went to the mall to get gifts for the games that I am in charge of for the mother/daughter dinner on Sat. I also am trying to get an early start on VBS so I went to the Dollar Tree to look for anything good. I am specifically looking for treasure boxes like the ones mom found at her dollar tree...no luck today. But I did make an amazing find that I posted pictures of below. They had tons of wall stickers, all different designs and colors. I was so excited b/c I have been in a designing rut with Hannah's room. I love them!

After we got Hannah we went down to the track and walked and then the kids were begging to eat at grandma's house for supper so they did and then we rushed off to church. We stayed late so I could talk with Stephanie about more mother/daughter and VBS things. So the kids didn't get in bed until almost 9:30!! I hope Hannah does alright at school tomorrow!!

this is in the livingroom. The big picture is 10x13, I think, if that gives you a better idea of the size

I don't know if you can read it but above Hannah's bed I put "Once upon a time ther was a princess...with lots of stars. And I even stuck a few stars on the shelves.

This is on another wall in her room, obviously. I put the letters crooked on purpose but it doesn't look straight so I'll have to get out the level.

Ryan's room. I think I'll probably end up putting these somewhere else but I couldn't think of where. Any suggestions?

Above our bed "Always Kiss me Goodnight"

Farther away. Yes, I know I need to do something with that shelf...

good day

Today has been a good day, all in all. I had an appt to take Sammy to the vet for her mad scratching and licking. Her allergies have been making us all crazy!! So she got a steriod inj and some antibiotics b/c of the sores on her belly. Hopefully she'll be all set.

Meanwhile, grandma was here having her house and ours inspected for termites. We knew she had them b/c you could see where they have burrowed thru some of the boards in her garage. I was surprised to see they had made it into the garage b/c she had that built on right before we had our addition built on not even 3 years ago. Anyway, we thought since she had them, it was possible that we'd have them too. So they checked ours too. She was planning on going to the mall right after he was done with her house but when I told her I had an appt, she said she'd stick around and go later. I love her!! So there were papers in my door when I got home. He gave us a discount and it is going to $1000 to treat for them. But I guess it is better to get them now before they destroy the house.

Ryan found a caterpillar when we got home and appropriately named it "Caterpillar." So the first thing Hannah said when we picked her up was "why does he have one and I don't?" Like I purposely found him one and not her. So we looked when we got home but couldn't find another. Then we decided to take the dogs and and our bikes down to the track where grandma and I have been walking during the day. We found 8 caterpillers while we were there so the kids were anxious to get home and put them in their bug catchers. They dumped out the water I had brought in a bowl for the dogs and put them in their. I guess Hannah didn't dump ALL the water out b/c when we got home, most of them were dead!! But they both managed to get one live one. That's the picture at the top. I managed to get around the track 6 or 7 times on my bike with the dogs while they messed around.

Now the kids are in the tub, well now Hannah is yelling to get out. We've got a mess of blocks to get cleaned up in the livingroom adn Iwant Hannah to read to me before I read to her so we aren't going to make 7pm bedtime tonight!! =)

Circus

Brad and I took the kids to the circus on Sat. They loved it. It's becoming more and more clowns and less cool stuff but it was still good.

These are pics of our trip to the circus. I couldn't get them to move around so the pics are actually going last to first. This is the circus train cars going by our house. I think I am the only one in the world who finds it amazing that the circus people go by our house! =)

the tigers are my favorite

there is a person flying thru that fire hoop

these 2 ladies were shot out of a canon on the other side of the room and are going to land on those big air mattresses

my second favorite part, the dogs

yes, these are zebras

these guys from the audience are not being supported by anything but each other

Friday, Friday

I had an appt this morning to get the truck tires aligned. Ryan and I had to hang out there until it was done. He was so good! Yes, that is surprising. When we went into the service part of the dealership there were several cars on the lifts and he just loved it. We would have stayed back there and just watched the guys work but they wanted us to wait out front in the main part of the dealership. So we went outside and he picked out his truck. =) It's blue, imagine that. That's all he cares about. Any day you ask him about "his" truck, one thing is always the same, it will be blue. I read from a highlights magazine for awhile and he played with his car and army man for awhile. After about an hour of roaming around and what-not the guy came out and told me they couldn't do the alignment b/c there was something else wrong. He explained it all to me and said "$750" and I gave him Brad's numbers and told him to call him and tell him all that. We had been texting back and forth for awhile before that but, of course, when the guyu called, Brad didn't answer either phone. So I took the truck and told him I'd have Brad call when I got a hold of him. So now we are debating trading the truck in on something else or just fixing the problem and hoping it doesn't have any other problems. We have to decide something soon so one of my tires doesn't fall off while I'm driving down the road or something! Anyway, then Ryan and I had to go to walmart to get groceries. Once again he was surprisingly well-behaved. He's going thru the stage that whenever you tell him no or discipline him in any way he acts like you killled him and throws a tantrum. I just ignore him mostly and he quits. So it was almost 1 when we got out of walmart. He was rubbing his eyes and yawning the whole way home so Iknew for sure he was going down for a nap at some point. After we got Hannah from school that's exactly what he did! Hannah and I played a game and then did our own thing. Brad is on call this evening so I knew we wouldn't be doing anything. The kids played so well together all night. They were pretending like there were tigers in our room, playing games, wrestling and just laughing and making us laugh. I don't know why everyone was so good all day but I like it!! So finally at nine I put them to bed. Now I'm thinking about going to bed.

memories...

Ryan and I watched the family movie that dad made of the year 2007 earlier today. At first I was just putting the movie in for him so I could go clean the bathrooms but the first part of the movie was Ryan's dedication at church when he was a newborn (boy did I look awful!) and I was hooked after that. I had tears in my eyes for most of it. I don't know why looking back is so sad! Hannah looked so sweet and young (she is sweet but you know, the toddler sweet). Her hair was so long and she was so little and could hardly talk. Kara was just an infant too. You should have seen cousin Michael. He looked so little and innocent! It was great to watch. I really need to figure out what I need to have to be able to make those movies of my own home videos. I used to spend a lot of time dwelling on the past and not wanting my kids to grow up but then I spent a lot of time in earnest prayer asking God to help me just enjoy every minute that I have NOW with my kids. It is hard to not constantly ask if I'm making the right decisions or taking enough pics so I'll never forget a single moment. God really did take all that anxiety away. I rarely think about it now. Same with having another baby. I used to dwell on it and want it so bad but I truely turned it over to God and I don't spend every waking moment thinking of how I can talk Brad into it. I know that it is all in God's hands. I always knew it is all in God's hands but it's hard to really let go of it. Anyway, so I've been thinking about the kids being little all day today since I watched that movie and I'm trying to forget it but I want to watch the movie again!

space saver bags....

....as I say to Brad, "I should have invented that." I'm always trying to think of something to invent but for some reason someone has already thought of my awesome idea. For years I have seen infomercial after infomercial on those huge bags that you can fit multiple pillows in or several comforters in and then suck the air out with your vacuum and voila you have all those items in a super small package and, at the same time, my cedar chest has been overflowing with blankets, sheets, and pillows. I gave up long ago on keeping it neat and organized b/c it was so full and I couldn't even begin to shut the lid and I even put it in my closet to hide the huge overflowing box from the world. Well, one day I saw one of those commercials talking about how great they are and it dawned on me...."I need to try those!" So two bags later and I can finally shut the lid of the cedar chest! It's amazing. I don't know why I didn't think of it years ago. =)

allergies

I know it's kinda early in the evening but for us things are winding down! I decided today that I am going to try to spring clean one room, or area, every couple days or so until I get the whole house done. We'll see how long that lasts!! I started off good today and did the pantry. I took everything out, washed walls, floors and shelves, organized and got rid of some stuff and then put everything back. That took me several hours. I finished up right around lunchtime and then grandma asked me if I wanted to walk today. We've been talking about walking since last summer and just never started it. So today we loaded up Ryan's bike and went down to this little track behind a dr's office not far from us. I've never walked there before but it was actually pretty nice. The track is concrete and alittle wider than a sidewalk. 5 times around is a mile, one of the ladies working at the dr office told us. I was thoroughly surprised when grandma didn't mention stopping for a break until after our third lap! Ryan had already lapped us multiple times but that point but it was nice to be able to turn him loose and trust that he wasn't, and couldn't, go anywhere! After she rested we walked 2 more laps to make a mile and then quit for the day. When we got home Ryan wanted to stay at her house so I went home and started working on supper. I wanted to try a new recipe, Fabulous Fried Rice, from my sneacky chef book. There were several ingredients that I needed to make before-hand. Brad is in town this week so I've got to get back to cooking real meals every night. Brad and Hannah liked the meal but Ryan and I didn't love it. Ryan had ate a bunch of salad with grandma earlier. And I don't mean salad like you or I eat. This was only lettuce, spinach, yes you read it right, oil and a little vinegar I think. Not good at all if you ask me but he loves it! So I was ok with him only eating a little rice. Now they are in the bathtub. Hannah doesn't have school tomorrow b/c it is kindergarten registration day so she doesn't have to be in bed early but I don't think they will be up very late. But I might let them both sleep in Hannah's bed or something. We'll see.

All of us have allergies but mine and Ryan's are acting up the worse so far. Ryan's are worse than mine too. I start sneezing and my eyes start itching in the evening but his is all day. As soon as we walk out the door he starts sneezing and multiple times during the night I hear him. Poor kid. Right now all I can give him is benadryl and he is even too young for it but the dr gave me a dose. I can't remember the dose he gave me but I only give him alittle more than half a tsp. I need to be taking claritin but I just don't. I give it to Sammy sometimes. She has allergies all year long that cause her to lick to her belly all the time and scratch a lot but it doesn't really help her.

Well, the kids are done in the tub so I better go before the room gets flooded!

New Experiences

So I got an Olive Garden gift card from my church secret sister that Brad and I used last night. I have eaten there once, YEARS ago, and it was a first for Brad. We don't normally go there mainly b/c we like steak and chicken strips! So we were kinda nervous about what to expect. It was fancier than I remembered, to start with! The girl brought us the salad and bread sticks and asked if we wanted cheese. We said yeah and she started twisting that shredder thing. She kept looking at us kinda weird but kept it coming! Then she said is that enough? We didn't know we were supposed to tell her when to stop! It was funny. So I told her we were new to this! She also offered us a sample of some wine, which we quickly said no to! Since neither of us are big italian eaters we had to look at the menu closely. I got the chicken alfredo. I buy the kind in the hamburger helper box and we all love it. So I was excited that there was something I liked. But it tasted nothing like what I buy! It wasn't bad but I def like the box kind better! Brad got chicken marsala. He didn't love it either. The sauce was weird. I tried the chicken and it was alright but the potatoes weren't very good. Then when we were ready for a box she put my stuff in for me and gave me a bag full of breadsticks. We certainly won't make that our new favorite restaurant but we'll go if I get anymore gift cards! It was kinda fun to try something new and not know what to expect. We don't do that ever! We did try the new buffalo wild wings place awhile ago that neither of us had ever been to but we knew they'd have something we liked.

So after we ate we went to the mall so Brad could buy a new pair of shoes. I bought him a pair for his birthday but they were too small. They were too small for dad also. Everyone who has come to our house has tried on those tennis shoes! Dad said they had to be sized wrong. I dont know. But BRad says his feet have grown. He used to wear 10 1/2 all the time but the last pair of work boots he bought were like 11 something and the shoes he bought last night were 11 1/2!

Well, don't know what we have planned for today. It's much colder than it has been.

Friday!!

I enjoyed spending some time with my parents on Wed and Thur. They were going to stay till Friday but just had so much stuff to do at home that they decided to go ahead and go after we put the kids in bed on Thur. They had been in Lexington the first part of the week so I'm sure they were itching to get home!

Brad has been home today. Well, not home but not working! He had to go to the office and unload a bunch of stuff out of his work truck and he convinced his boss to let him stay in town next week and then go back to Cols the week after. So next week is going to be different! I am used to him being gone all week, doing whatever I want with the kids, eating whatever we want (which is usually things he won't eat), watching what I want to watch in the evenings, and having the bed to myself. But it will be nice to have him around. Now he is taking the kids to his mom's to spend the night and we are going to use the Olive Garden gift card I got from my Secret Sister at church and go on a date. Thanks, whoever you are! =) On his way home is going to see if he can have the new $600 tires put on the truck.

I also got my hair cut while mom was here. I think I do that everytime she comes in! It's easy to do when she can watch the little man! And I love shopping when she is with us and can entertain Ryan for me. I think he had to poop or pee in every store we went to! Not only that, it was good to have my parents around. I think I am closer to my dad than I ever have been. It's a shame that most kids don't appreciate their parents until they are older. Mom cleaned the kids bedrooms while she was here too. That was nice. They hadn't been cleaned since before cousin Michael came and stayed a week with us. So as they were going from room to room, I went behind them with the vacuum! I had to do it before they wrecked it again!

Have a good weekend everyone!

11 years later....

It was 11 years ago today that my best friend at the time, Brandy, called me and asked me if I wanted to go out with Brad, gave me his number and told me to call him. It was a Wed evening, after church, and I was standing in the kitchen washing dishes. I don't remember, but I don't think I called him. Brandy and I had recently gotten in lots of trouble for lying to our parents about where we were taking the car and my parents told me I wasn't allowed to hang out with her anymore. It was for the better but I'm thankful she and Brad spent the month prior to that trying to get me to go out with Brad's best friend, Chris! That's how I met Brad. We've been together ever since. I've never thought that God WASN'T involved in our meeting and our ever-growing love. He moved here from Columbus a year before we moved here from Cincy. Altho he didn't grow up in church, which was a must if my parents were to allow us to date, he went willingly. He got saved right before I turned 16 and would be allowed to date. When I say date I mean go out somewhere alone (I always drug Nat along before that), we spent lots of time together before that at my house or his.

Anyway, so here we are 11 years later and I love him more now than ever. I often think about the things that first attracted me to him and made me think I had a good catch. I think I'll share them with you!! They are in no particular order.

1. He was always so respectful of elders. I remember one time while we were at Exxon (I was in the car, he was going in) and this old man fell and Brad helped him. That happened more than once.

2. He didn't like his friends to curse or talk dirty around me (remember, we were in high school)

3. He was and still is a very hard worker.

4. He never pressured me to do anything I didn't want to do, you-know-what or otherwise.

5. He went to church with me even tho I know he wasn't interested at first.

6. He had muscles. =)

7. He was a football player.

8. We did lots of fun things (fishing, ride 4 wheeler)

9. He has always been self-less. He thinks of others before himself 95% of the time. Sometimes that isn't a good thing tho.

10. He quit doing a lot of things to be with me.

11. He liked me for me.

12. Whenever I asked myself where I would be or what I'd be doing if we weren't dating, I couldn't picture anything. Yes, I had my doubts about marrying him even after over 3 yrs of dating. And I'm sure he'd say the same thing if he were honest.

13. I really felt God wanted us to be together and so far, I think He was right! =)

what I did today....

Well, I wasn't going to blog this evening but I am sitting here bored so I might as well.

What I did today:
clean kitchen
clean both bathrooms on my hands and knees
laundry minus the putting away part
actually remember to take movies back to walmart
make purees for my sneaky chef recipes that I have yet to try
sweep floors
and hang out at mamaw's all evening

I'm sure I've forgotten something but oh well. My parents are coming in town tomorrow and Ican't wait to see them so that means tomorrow is going to go by soooooo slllllooowww!

Big plans, small sucess

I had big plans to get all my housework done today but, like always, I didn't get any of it done! I remembered that we had movies that needed returned to Redbox , which is at walmart, that we had forgot to take back over the weekend. And since I would have to go to walmart one day this week to get groceries I dec ided to do it all today. Well, about half way home and 2 1/2 hours later, I realized I had forgot to return the movies!! So I have to go back to walmart tomorrow and I won't get much done then either. Now I have a headache and really want to go to bed when the kids go but there are 2 loads of laundry staring at me on the other end of the couch, part of which is the sheet off my bed and all the pillowcases so I really need to do that laundry. And I have food cooking for my sneaky chef recipes that I have to do somthing with. I swept the floors last night but grandma cut our grass yesterday too and now the house is covered with grass....I'm still thankful that she cut the grass tho b/c the kids were starting to get lost in it!

Hannah got her report card today. She continues to excel in kindergarten, according to her teacher.

not so bad

Today didn't go as bad as I expected it would. I knew it was supposed to start raining at some point in the day so when I got up (at 8!!) I checked the radar first thing. The rain was still a ways off so we went outside to take the trash down to the road and I wanted to get as much done in the camper as I could before the rain got here. I think it was about 11 when the rain showed up and we had already been back in the house for awhile. The kids pretty much avoided each other all day! Michael sat on his computer about all morning and Hannah and Ryan did whatever. I did like 5 loads of laundry, the whole process, not just washing it. And I've been gathering stuff up for the camper all day. Around noon Brad called and said he was on his way home from Cols. He wanted us to meet him in Gallipolis to get food and stuff for camping. So at 2:30 we were on our way. When we got home we loaded more stuff into the camper and hopefully we'll be on our way. We are going to Beechfork but only a few of the sites are reservable and with it being SB week, it's liable to be booked but we'll see. Brad is going to call first thing tomorrow to see what is available. No pictures today since we didn't do anything fun.

run, run, run

my boy acting tough

Hannah going down a slide

what's left of Hannah going thru "the squeeze"--it used to be so hard that none of us could get thru it without being pushed thru but they must have changed it b/c we all were able to get thru on our own.

"the squeeze"

me at the end of the squeeze

Michael doing the squeeze

being nice for a change =)

I'm feeling like using a different color tonight! Today was a pretty good day. We did a lot of running and spending money! This morning I packed a lunch and we headed to the bouncy place. We were like the first ones there, we normally are b/c I think we are the only family whose kids get up at the crack of dawn! We stayed for a couple hours until the kids started getting snappy with each other then we went across the way to Marshalls and bought Hannah a new bathing suit. She didn't want any of the ones I thot were cute but she picked out a purple one with disney princesses on it and it came with a little wrap around skirt. It's cute! Then we went home so Hannah and Ryan could take a nap. Michael read for an hour then asked if he could stop. Hannah woke up not long after then I started waking Ryan up around 3 so we could go get something to eat before supper. We've been eating every meal at home and I wanted to take them all out. They chose applebees. We got there at 4, were done by 5, had time to stop at the park for awhile before going to walmart. I knew I was pushing my time with having church tonight but the kids love the park in Hurricane. There are lots of different things to do. I didn't take my camera so I only got pics at the bouncy place. So we went to walmart and got home at 6:30. Rushed Ryan and Michael into my bathroom to take a shower. I like them doing it together b/c Michael is much faster than Hannah but he always forgets something. Yesterday he forgot to wash Ryan's armpits, today he forgot to wash his feet! Oh well, he was pretty clean! =) While they were in my bathroom Hannah took a shower in their bathroom and I fed the dogs and got dressed myself. Then we went to church where I finally got to sit down and rest! Shew, just typing it all is making me tired!! After church we ate ice cream and the kids played till 9. Then it was bedtime! I finally got the laundry folded and put away off my bed and I'll be heading there soon!

Ryan's rash is starting to look a lot better. It has spread from his neck down both arms, under his chin, and on his face. The bumps are getting fewer and fewer but his face still feels grose and his eyes are itchy and red. I've been giving him benadryl several times a day but it doesn't make him tired at all and it doesn't seem to help him. Anyway, I'll probably take him back to the dr if his face doesn't clear up by the weekend.

I am not looking forward to tomorrow. It is supposed to rain so we'll be stuck in and we decided to go camping this weekend so I have to get the camper ready before Friday. That's still the worst part of camping!

this is a movie I took of the kids when I first got out the slip n slide. They had a blast today and I am pleased to say things went a lot better! I woke up at 7:30 and got in the shower before the kids woke up so I could be ready. We didn't do much for the first couple hours. After eating, I did a load of laundry to hang outside and Ryan and Michael played in Ryan's room for awhile. Hannah didn't wake up until 8:30. I called the dr about Ryan's meds that never made it to the pharmacy to be filled. The nurse called the pharmacy and got it straightened out. I didn't get asked what we were doing a hundred times or even if we could go outside! We finally made it outside around 10:30 or so. And then the fun started! I filled up some water balloons and they went back on the trampoling with them. Then after lunch grandma kept Hannah and Ryan while Michael and I went to Eleanor to get Ryan's meds. Michael was still dying to spend his money so we went to the family dollar and finally settled on 3 water guns for all them to play with. It was purely his idea. When we got back I put some of the cream on Ryan. It was like crisco. White, thick and kinda greasy! His face is starting to feel weird. You can't tell by looking at him but when you touch his face it is really dry and rough. It's weird. Anyway, so then we got out the slip n slide. We don't have any hills in our yard but they had just as much fun. We came in later, they watched most of a movie and ate a snack while I chilled on the couch then they wanted to go back out. We went on a bike ride, they played on the trampoline some more and then started to argue so we didn't stay out much longer. Everyone was pretty exhausted! We are supper around 6 and by 7:30 Ryan was soaking in the tub in some special oatmeal stuff that Stephanie gave me to try for his itchy skin. THe bad part is that the rash is mostly on his face, neck, down his back and arms so he has to lay on his back to soak the areas that need it! And it says not to swallow it or get it in the eyes. Yeah, he didn't stay in it too long! Now, finally it is bedtime and Michael and I are sitting on the couch on our laptops.

My, oh my...

Today was our first full day with cousin Michael and it had its share of ups and downs, to say the least! Him and Ryan get along great the majoriity of the time. But for some reason he thinks Hannah is always out to get him or something. I can't figure it out. And I don't know if it is his age or what but he has to disagree with every single thing I say! I love him to death but he is getting mouthy on me and I haven't gotten ther =e with my kids so I'm not equipped to handle it yet. He also asks a lot of questions. Not important questions that really need answered but "what are we doing next?" "when are we eating" "can we do this" "why that" "what are we doing later" But he's also really good and helpful.
First thing in the morning I called the dr to make an appt for Ryan to be seen b/c of his rash. Turns out he doesn't have poison ivy. It's contact dermatitis from coming into contact with something he's allergic too but rather than try to figure out what it could have been, the dr just said to give him benadryl and he would call in a perscription for a steriod cream to put on it and to have minimal sun exposure b/c that can worsen the itch and all. Yeah right!! So we left the dr and went to walmart to get a few things. Michael had money to spend (which he forgot at home) so we went to the toys for him to look for a Bakuman or something. We couldn't find them anywhere so he just started saying well, I'll just buy this or I'll buy that. So I said no, you aren't buying another gun or that huge tennis ball just b/c you want to spend the money. You need to buy something you want. So we went to the shoes. We couldn't find anything good there either so he just wanted to buy any pair of shoes so I said no! I didn't let him buy anything. He did carry all my bags for me. So we went home and ate lunch and then went to the park for awhile and then went to pick up Ryan's meds. When we go there they couldn't find it anywhere and said it hadn't been called in. So I called the dr and they said they'd recall it in. We went home, played outside for ahile and then went back later, right after 5 when the dr closed, and they still hadn't got anything from the dr!! So I don't know what happened there. I'm kinda irritated with the dr. But I can't talk to them about it until tomorrow. So Ryan is still itchy. So we came home again and ate supper and then went to the church ladies meeting. It was at Stephanie's house and she said I could bring the kids and we'd put them in the back yard! And we did! Now we are having our first thunderstorm of the season. Wish there was a way I could sit outside and watch the storm. But I'm done for the day and exhausted!


Ok, I can't get my pictures in a line so here they are!

in the car before dr appt

at park

eating supper

What a day!!

As of today, the kids have participated in 6, yes 6, easter egg hunts!! I am so ready for normalcy again. That won't be at least until next weekend, after cousin Michael goes home! This morning was the church egg hunt and we had hot dogs and dessert, from there we went straight out to Brad's mom's for easter lunch, which turned into dinner. The power went out about the time I was getting there at 1:30. The ham was done but nothing else was. So we waited around for hours and it finally came back on at like3:30 or 4, I can't really remember now. That was fine for my crew b/c we chowed down on hot dogs, banana pudding and strawberry shortcake right before going out there but everyone else was starving. They had a small egg hunt out there too. We came home around 6 and the kids went outside while daddy was out there working and I started cleaning in the house for the first time this week! My, oh my, this house was a wreck. It still is everywhere but the livingroom/diningroom area.

Ryan has some weird rash on his face and neck and I think he is getting pink eye. I can't figure out if the rash is from getting sun burnt or from the sun screen I've been putting on him. His neck is itchy and he has little tiny bumps all over it and his face. When he woke up this morning his eye was also swollen and red and watering and itchy. I hope no one else gets it but I can almost guarentee someone else will get it. The last time it was in our house, Hannah had it (I think she got it from Jess D at mom's for Chirstmas or thanksgiving one year--correct me if I'm wrong) then Ryan had it and then Brad had it just a little. I just hope it doesn't get spread to everyone who was at brad's mom's today.

Tomorrow cousin Michael will be here. Both the kids are excited. I don't have anything planned for us. I hope he can ride Brad's bike but I don't think he will be able to bc I can hardly get on it. Then we are planning on having a small b-day party for him next weekend before he goes back home.

what a day!

Brad surprised me by getting to come home last night! His boss in Columbus said they were doing such a good job and they were kinda at a stand-still for the week so they could just go home and he would pay them for today! They were obviously find with that! Since I spent the moajority of the last 3 days working in Hannah's room and neglecting the rest of the house, I came home from church to find Brad cleaning up! Love him! So today we did a few things around here and then I went to the school to help hide easter eggs for the egg hunt today. Hiding 2000 eggs for 240 kids is harder than it sounds!! We got to a point where we were just throwing them in the grass. The little kids had it so easy! But every kid was only allowed to find 11 eggs. The older kids seemed to have some trouble with that but it is over for another year!! After hiding the eggs for almost 2 hours, I hung around to watch them be found. Then I came home and ate and went back tos chool for Hannah's easter party. They weren't doing much and there were only 2 other parents there. They just got a little gift bag and ate some ice cream and then the teacher said we could take the kids home if we wanted. So Hannah got out an hour early today and tomorrow is early out and then SB next week. I'm excited to have cousin Michael next week. He is always fun and keeps the kids entertained. And hopefully it will be nice so we can spend every day outside. Anyway, so we grilled out this evening with grandma and mamaw (Brad's mom) stopped by for a few. After we ate, we sat out on the porch for awhile while the kids played outside. I'm already going to have to get out the sunscreen. I can't wait for more evenings just like tonight!