Happy New Year!!

I have never been more excited than I am today to finally say good bye to 2010! What a year we have had!! I am ready for a fresh start. I am going into this year with positive thoughts and knowing only good things will happen this year. We have learned a lot about our strengths and weaknesses in 2010. I truly believe that 2011 will only bring joy!!

Happy New Year everyone! God Bless and be safe!!

Molly's Baby Shower

My mom, sisters and I had a baby shower for Molly last night. I can't believe she is going to be a mom in 5 weeks!! She looks amazing and it was so much fun to make a fuss over her for the night. Alli and I were able to help her get all her presents home and put away after the shower. Her house is so cute with all the new baby stuff.

Happy Birthday Emma!!

I can't believe that Emma is 5 already. The time has flown by!! She has turned into quite the grown up little girl. We had a small birthday celebration for her yesterday with cake and ice cream. It was perfect after all the festivities that have happened. She had a blast with her cousins! We are having a party at the Dance Express in January. She is so excited and can't wait to celebrate with her friends.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas this year! We have had a great time getting ready for the holidays this year. The kids are so excited and can't wait for Santa to come tonight. The older I get the faster this time of year goes by. I remember as a kid it would take forever for Christmas to get here. Now that I am a parent it flies by and I feel like we don't take enough time to enjoy it. I took the kids to visit Santa yesterday at the mall. I am late but better late than never! I got one good picture. Emma wouldn't sit with Santa or even look at him for that matter. She talked about him for days and was so excited to get dressed up to see him. When it came time she hid from him and me! I dragged her crying over by him. I didn't make her touch him I just wanted one picture.



Emma had her church program Sunday. It was so cute and I loved watching her sing in church. They had the program after mass. She did a great job and wasn't shy at all!



Sunday we also made the trip over to Owatonna to spend time with the Hoffman clan. Nick was sick so it was just my parents and I that went over. It is so great to still have them in our lives! They are definitely like family and we all love seeing each other. I just wish we could hang out more often!!




We have had a lot of snow so far this year. We continue to dig out and then get another 6 or more inches at a time. It is really beautiful here and the snow doesn't get time to even look dirty before we get a new dumping! We are heading out to the lake today to spend Christmas Eve with The Otto's. Tomorrow we will be home with my family. I look forward to seeing all our family and friends!

May God Bless you all this holiday season!!

Preschool Program

Emma had her preschool program yesterday. It was so sweet and she did such a good job. At first she was looking for us but couldn't see us. When she found us she waived and had the biggest smile! She is so sweet and quite the actress on stage. She hammed up all the songs and motions. We got some great pictures with her friends.

Christmas Decor and Blizzard

Last weekend we spent all day Saturday putting up the Christmas tree and hanging lights outside. Mom and I worked on the tree while the boys did the lights outside. Dad and I first had to get the tree up and put all the lights on. It is always a comical event at the Peterson House! Moods are scary so bite your tongue. Don't say the wrong thing or you will be in big trouble. I told Nick Friday to get his happy pants on because we were doing Christmas lights outside on Saturday. He was a trooper and stuck to it until it was done. I was quite impressed. My dad even assisted in the outside lights. He hasn't put lights outside since all us kids moved out. The house looks great and the tree always looks amazing! Mom hung all the stockings and had to add 3 more this year! It is so fun to see all the stockings hung up. Mom got the 3 additional ones made this week.

Yesterday we were fortunate to be stuck inside all day long. The kids got to experience a true Minnesota blizzard! It was nuts outside. Some people lost power and everything was closed. You know it is bad when they close Walmart! I felt a little claustrophobic when Walmart closed. It was like panic appeared. What if we needed something??? I decided to bake Christmas cookies. I was mixing them up in the basement and carrying them upstairs batch by batch to the oven. Charlie was watching me and loving every second, until he slipped off his stool and hit his chin on the Cambria countertop! I thought he just bit his tongue so cuddled him a little and he was fine. I went back to baking and then noticed blood all over his shirt. I checked him out and noticed he split his chin open. Man...if it isn't one thing it is another. Thankfully we live at mom and dad's because I was able to just walk upstairs and have dad look at it. He got out his medical glue and fixed Charlie right up. I am glad we didn't have to venture to the ER to get it fixed! The plows were pulled early in the morning so nothing was plowed and we could barely see across the road!! It was crazy but fun to have a day where we HAD to stay home and get things done. Last night at supper the kids commented to Papa how there was so much snow on the deck. Papa told them that they would have to get up early to help him shovel it all off the deck. This morning I could hear the kids awake. When I went to check on them they had their snow gear on and were ready to go help Papa shovel. Braeden said "Papa told us we needed to help right away in the morning. He is already outside shoveling without us!" My dad was snow blowing the driveway and the kids could hear him. The one time the kids actually listened and followed through with wanting to help. I had to quickly say Papa was just joking with them. It was -15 degrees this morning so there was no way the kids were venturing outside to shovel!! Too cute!

Check out the snow on the sliding glass door! The snow has drifted pretty bad on the deck. The kids are going to help Papa shovel!

Oh how I dream of the summer and can't wait to use the pool again!!

View out the front door. The drifts made it look like you could just walk right out onto the driveway! Unfortunately there are 3 steps that are all covered up.

Elf on the Shelf

I am sick of the cold weather! I love summer so the kids can get out and play all day long. The winter months get long and the kids get naughty. Well it is starting already but I don't blame them. It was freezing today and they all had to play inside. Braeden thought it would be fun to jump off his bunk bed....this happened after he told me the story about the 2nd grader that was in a wheelchair and couldn't play basketball anymore. Apparently this kid was sledding, stuck his foot out and hit a tree. He broke his foot pretty bad and had to be in a wheelchair for now. Braeden said..."well I don't stick my feet out so I am okay mom!" Then he jumps off his bed. Yep you are fine and we don't ever have to worry! Right!! My mom came down and said "look what Santa left for you!" It was Elf on the Shelf! This was the best thing that could've happened today. The kids were intrigued and Charlie was screaming..."Santa Elf!!" It was so precious! Braeden is a little freaked out about the Elf watching him all the time and that the elf never shuts his eyes. Well yes it is a freaky concept but so thankful for the person that is making millions right now to keep our kids in line for a few more weeks. I think my kids are set for a few days at least. The night was a lot better than the afternoon! The Elf is named Jackson and has been readjusted for the night.

I just wish some day I will think of something this brilliant!! In the meantime I am thankful for the smart person that came up with the 50s style book and doll that is really creepy!!!

Reconciliation

Braeden had his 1st Reconciliation tonight. What a big boy he has become!! I remember my 1st Reconciliation. I was so nervous and didn't want to go up to the Priest at all. Braeden had no fears and practiced his prayer all day with his dad. He went right in and confessed his sins! What a big boy!! He will have his 1st Communion in the spring.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving. Our weekend was sure filled with lots of fun and family. The Kings arrived Wednesday and we were able to spend lots of time with them this weekend. I always felt that we planned too much when they come to visit. This weekend we didn't have any plans and it was perfect! Mom made a fabulous Thanksgiving supper and the kids all played so hard. Patsy and I attempted Black Friday shopping but the twins were sick so she didn't stay out long. I went back out but it isn't any fun by yourself! Then I came home only to be sick the rest of the day. Yuck! It was awful. Dad got sick last night too. The bug is going through the house! The Kings just left so the babies could get home to their own beds. They had bad colds as well and were miserable! Made for a hard weekend for my sister. We love them all and wish they lived closer so we could help out more. The cousins had so much fun playing together. Sean didn't want to leave. Goodbyes suck but it is great knowing they will be back for Christmas in a few weeks!

I did get some great pictures of the weekend but once again their are no pictures of me. I was there and was the photographer!

Proud Parents

Braeden's school conference was tonight. I went alone and enjoyed a break for an hour! I feel so disconnected this year from Braeden's school year. Second graders don't have as many parties or parent involvement as Kindergartners and First graders. All day I was just hoping for a better conference than the last two years. Nick and I never felt that Braeden was ADD or ADHD like his previous school insisted. Today I was hoping that his new school would agree with us. First of all I LOVE Braeden's teacher. She is so nice and patient. Teachers are saints! Braeden's teacher had nothing but praise to say about him! WAHOO! She didn't think he was ADD or ADHD at all. She said he is a boy who is just starting to mature. Within the last 3 weeks she has scene a big change at school. She says he hasn't had any issues of getting off task. He is doing awesome. She commented about how he is such a respectful little boy that is very concerened with everyone. When kids don't have anyone to play with he will go play with them. Melts my heart! I even teared up a little because it makes me feel like we are doing something right to raise our kids. This is exactly what I wanted! He is doing outstanding in everything and is a very smart little boy. Nick and I couldn't be more proud of him! I am so happy that we chose the new school for Braeden. I feel like he got a fresh start with out any prejudgements. This year has been so great for him! He loves going to school and wants to teach high school some day. What a great compliment to his 2nd grade teacher!

Love you Max!!

It was a hard day for me today! My dog Max has had some bowel issues since May. My mom was working hard with him on his diet but it just wasn't getting better. The last few days there has been blood in his stool. Plus today he started vomiting bowel. Does it get any worse for the poor dog! Nick met me at the Vet this afternoon. The Vet we spoke to believes he either had IBV (irital bowel something) or Cancer. He said the only way to find out would be to do an exploratory surgery but 1. He is older and it would be really hard on him 2. Either outcome would make him be on meds for the rest of his life 3. It is VERY expensive! Nick and I made the tough decision to just put him down. I feel just awful!! What a hard decision to make. I felt so bad for him today because he would cry when he went to the bathroom. Poor puppy just hasn't had much a life. He has had to spend the last 6 months locked up in the laundry room so there wouldn't be accidents on the carpet or in the house. I am devastated that it came to this. We all loved him so much. The kids were really loving to help with him. We even brought him and Bella downstairs at night to hang out with us. I will miss him dearly!! Bella has been lost tonight without her buddy. She has hung out with Nick and I in the basement :(

Love you Max!! I have missed you since you had to move to nana and papas house! We were looking forward to moving you back with us when our house is ready. I will miss taking you on walks, loving you and your dang bark. It was annoying but the silence is percing!!

Prayers Needed...

I am asking all of you to add my friend Nicole to your prayers. She has Stage 4 cancer and going through a difficult patch right now. I am headed to Milwaukee to visit her on Friday and can't wait to give her a big hug.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nicolekind

Life's Challenges!

I sit here and think how crappy it is that I am living in my parents basement with 3 kids when I have two homes in Mankato. I think about what my kids have been through the last few months and just hope that they are not scarred for life!! Will this pass anytime soon? When can we have our own house again? Could we just rewind time a few months and say change our minds? Life has thrown us some lemons and I am really trying to keep up on making all this lemonade! Some days are easier than others. Well I always have an eye opening experience on my down days and realize my life is nothing...NOTHING...to complain about. We have healthy kids, a home, vehicles and love one another. One of my great friends from high school has Stage 4 Cancer. I just read her Caring Bridge post and feel like an idiot for even complaining!!! What she has been through and will be going through at 31 is just not fair. It really gave me a reality check today, which I so desperately needed. This too shall pass and everyone is healthy. Kids are resilient and LOVE living with Nana and Papa. Really does it get any better when Nana brings freshly made donuts down for breakfast this morning! My kids were in heaven. A few of my friends and I are heading to Wisconsin to visit our dear friend Nicole! We can't wait to just give her a hug and maybe help her giggle a little this weekend. This year has sucked but what Nicole is going through is so much worse!! Saying several prayers and just thanking God every day for our healthy household and hoping he can make her healthy again soon!!

Happy Birthday Nick!!

My husband turns 32 today!! Old man...haha I can say that because he is older than me. We have had a fun weekend celebrating his birthday. Saturday night his mom and dad took us out to supper at the Golf Club. Then they took the kids for the night!! That is always a great birthday present!! I got Nick tickets to the football game for his birthday. We left early Sunday and spent some time tailgating with friends before the game. It was fun to be kid free for the entire day. We really had a great time! We were quite disappointed that we left before the game was over. We left about 4 minutes into the 4th Quarter because the Vikes didn't look like they could pull it off. They did and we missed it. Oh well...if we would've stayed they probably would've lost! Today I am making his favorite supper and the kids are going to help me frost a cake. It has been a fun weekend of celebrating!

We are remembering Nick's grandpa Chuck who passed away a year ago today. I wanted to try and make Nick's birthday as special as I could because I know every year he will always be reminded of the events that took place on this day. We miss you Grandpa Chuck! I can't believe it has been a year!

Out of the mouth of babes....

Last night on our way to Nick's birthday supper the kids were telling us what they wanted to be when they grow up.

Braeden: "Mom I want to be a teacher when I grow up. I am going to live in Hawaii." Can I come live with you Braeden? "No, you can come visit but you already have a husband to live with!"

Emma: "Mommy I am going to be a doctor when I grow up. I am going to live in California and you will have to get on a plane to come see me. You can live with me and we can go visit Braeden.

How sweet! I am so glad that Braeden is enjoying school enough to say he wants to be a teacher. Emma will make a great doctor some day! She is quite the go getter!!

Sprain...:(

This week has been a long one for me. I am use to running every day or working out every day. I sprained my ankle during the 1/2 marathon by stepping in a pot hole. I thought it was fine and kept running through it. Well I should've let it rest because now I can barely walk on the stupid foot. My dad insisted that I take a week off with no treadmill or running. I knew it was going to be a long week but man I could really use a good run! Tomorrow we are going shopping for new shoes and then Saturday I am going for a long slow run! CAN'T WAIT!!

Trick or Treating

What a fun night for the kids!! We went over to Uncle Nick's and Auntie Molly's to Trick or Treat this year. It was so much fun. We had pizza and then got the kids ready. Molly and I took the kids out while the boys stayed home to hand out candy. I think we got around a block and a half before Emma fell. Then trick or treating was no longer fun for her. She was done but we made her finish the next block before we headed home. She was crying, tired and cold. It was over! We got home and the Nicks took Braeden out for a while longer. Auntie Molly made Emma some hot chocolate to warm her up. That helped the mood too. Charlie had a blast and was so cute!! Braeden wanted his bag to be full to the top before coming home. It is so fun to watch the kids have so much fun every year. Braeden said hi to everyone and called them by their costume! It was so much fun. He even went up to the scary houses this year. That is a huge accomplishment for him. He even walked by the scary costumes. I am so glad that we are getting over that fear. Emma had fun running to all the houses. Next year she requested a warmer costume. DONE!!
Here are some pictures from our night!

Home Alone

Those are words I NEVER get to say until tonight. My parents are up North for the weekend and Nick took the kids to his grandma's house for the night. They will be home for bed. I am enjoying the extra quiet house all by myself. The dogs are loving cuddling on the couch with me and not having 3 kids poke at them. We have had a fun filled week. My dessert business is taking off and I am loving it. My desserts are now featured at Charley's Restaurant in town. It all seems so unreal but I am loving every second of it! Mom has helped me bake at the commercial kitchen on weekends. She also takes care of Charlie during the week so that I can go bake during the day. It is awesome to have help!! I just finished my first cake decorating class. It was a lot of fun and I learned so much. I even made two cakes this week already. Busy times but so worth it!!

Here's to hoping for more home alone nights!!! Thanks to my great husband for giving me this night!!!

Halloween Party

Saturday after the 1/2 Marathon we had a Halloween Costume Party for the kids and all their friends. It was a lot of fun. Mom and Patsy set up while I ran. They turned the garage into a fabulous kid friendly area for all our crafts and goodies. The kids all had a blast. They ran around, played, ate and made a lot of crafts! It was so much fun and we will definitely do it again. I just request that we not do it after the 1/2 marathon next year. I was a little worn out ;)

1/2 Marathon!

I completed my first 1/2 Marathon! I am so proud of myself. I finished in 2:14:47. I was hoping for a faster time but now i have something to shoot for next year. It was a tougher course than I anticipated. Now I know I need to train on more hills...I HATE HILLS! I have taken a couple days to rest and tomorrow I plan to start training for the next race. I can't wait!! Saturday will be a day filled with running up and down hills. Here are some pictures from the race. Nick's Uncle Mike also ran the race so Nick got some great pictures of him finishing as well.

Race Day!!

I am up and ready for this race! 13.1 miles and I have been training for it for a long time. Please say prayers the rain stays away during the race!! I will post pictures later today. Off I go!!!

T Minus 1 day to Race Day!!

The big 1/2 marathon is tomorrow. I am getting really nervous!! It is suppose to rain all day. Wouldn't you just know that it would rain on race day?!?! It has been so nice all month. I was worried about having to run in snow so I guess I should be grateful that it is just rain. It will be chilly but not freezing so that is a plus. Today would've been a perfect day to run! I have tried to rest today but it isn't working out too well. Work comes first! Maybe I can get to bed early tonight. We shall see. Saying prayers that I just finish the race. I won't be disappointed with any time right now...well 3 hours would be a big disappointment. I am shooting for 2 hours but if I can get in at just a little over 2 hours that will be fine too. I will let you all know how it goes! I can't wait to accomplish my goal for the year!

Wordless Wednesday

Maine 10/10/10

Nick and I went to Portland, ME this past weekend for Nick's cousin's wedding. What a gorgeous weekend for a fall wedding!! We flew into Boston and drove up to Portland with Dean and Mary. It was a beautiful drive. The festivities started Saturday but we arrived Friday. It was nice to have the extra time. We were able to spend time with all the cousins, uncles, aunts, bride and groom on Friday night. We stayed in an Inn that was only a block from the ocean. It was amazing!! I can say that the temps were very chilly. We didn't get to experience the balmy weather that Minnesota had over the weekend. It was definitely chilly and fall in Maine over the weekend! Saturday morning I got up and did an 8 mile run. It was goregous. The time went really fast and I really enjoyed the beautiful houses, trees and ocean views I got to see. After I ran we headed over to the hotel where everyone else was staying so Nick could play tennis. He had a tennis match set-up against his cousin Dan, Brett and his Uncle Mike! It was so much fun to watch him play!! Saturday afternoon Dean, Mary, Nick and I went into Portland and went shopping. It was a lot of fun and we got to experience Old Portland. Nick and I had lunch a great little Pub. It was perfect! I really enjoyed having some time with just my husband and no one else around for a little while.

The wedding festivities started Saturday with a supper. We had a great time visiting with everyone! This truly was a great way to spend a weekend in Maine with relatives. Well relatives we don't get to see that often. We were up way to late and Sunday morning came really early. Nick had another tennis match with his Uncle Mike, Brett and Diane (stepmom to Bride)! Two days in a row for Nick to play tennis. It was a lot of fun and next time he plays on the East Coast we will make sure he has white shorts...(might have to put that on the Christmas list!)

Sunday afternoon was the wedding. What a goregous day. The clouds parted, the wind died down and the sun was out. It was perfect outside for an outdoor wedding! I don't think it could've been any better! The Bride and Groom were gorgeous and the ceremony was perfect. Everyone had a great time! I can't imagine how you couldn't when we got to celebrate for 3 straight days.

This was the most amazing wedding I have been to! It was perfect. We loved having the extra time with all of our extended family. It truly was a great event and one that will not be forgotten! Thank you Seana and Wade for sharing your special weekend with us! We wish you the best!

It's Official!

I signed up for the 1/2 marathon in Mankato on October 23rd. I am really excited to complete my accomplishment for the year. I toyed with the idea of waiting until April or May but figured I would be so disappointed if I didn't do it. No one said I had to have a great time on my first one. This should be interesting. I have been training but I have also been super busy with a million other things going on in my life. This will be one accomplishment that will feel so amazing when it is finished!!

Month In Review....

We have had a busy month. I decided instead of boring you with all the details I would post pictures from our fun times!!

Emma's First Day of Preschool:



The kids loved helping Nana decorate the outside for Halloween.



My Vegas vacation. I had so much fun with the Hoffman sisters! Thanks Heidi for the adventure on the mountain. Next time we won't get lost ;) I loved the views from the top.



This past weekend we took the kids to the apple orchard and they picked all sorts of apples for us. It was a lot of fun....just ask Nick and Molly ;)



I am busy baking desserts and training for the 1/2 marathon at the end of the month. Nick and I leave for Boston this weekend. We are so excited to have some time together without kids. Thanks mom and dad for watching them!! Everyone has colds so hopefully they will get better before we leave. Enjoy the pictures!!

Vegas here I come....FINALLY!!

If you have followed my blog this past year you will know that my Vegas trip is so long overdue. I was suppose to go for my 30th birthday but a little retina detachment prevented my trip. I have wanted to go since but there have been several obstacles in my way....kids in the hospital, moving to KS, kids back in the hospital, moving home from KS! I leave this afternoon for Vegas. I can't wait!! I am going to spend the weekend with the Hoffman sisters!! This Chica so needs a mental break from life for a weekend. The girls are having a lia sophia party on Saturday. I, amazingly, packed all my jewels, clothes, running shoes, computer, catalogs, party supplies, toiletries, etc into a carry on suitcase! It took a little creativity but I still have a ton of clothes to chose from. My computer bag is a little full but hey...I don't have to pay to check a bag! More money for Vegas!! I have never been to Vegas and I am so excited to finally get there.

Keeping Up....

Well once again I have fallen behind on the blog, sorry to all of you that read this on a regular basis! Our life is hectic! School, preschool and dance have started. In another week CCD and Sunday school will also start! Then we will add basketball soon as well. I am lucky enough this year to be able to have the freedom to drive the kids to and from school. It is a lot of work. I am in and out of the car so many times through out my day. Charlie is a trooper and comes along for the ride most of the time.

This past weekend Patsy, Sean, Isaac and Andrew were here for a visit. It was so great to see them but we sure missed Graham. I am sure he got a lot of studying done though. The boys are getting so big! It has only been a few weeks but they change so much. I love seeing how much my kids and the cousins get along. Sean always is so excited to see them. It is priceless and one of these trips we will get it on video. He gets out of the van saying, as excited as he can, "Hi Cousins!!" PRICELESS!! We sure enjoyed their visit but it goes way too fast!

Yesterday I bought a seat for my bike, Patsy's bike (Thanks Pats), so Charlie can ride on the back. Charlie was so excited to go for a ride last night. It was so cute. Tonight Nick, the kids and I went for a bike ride to Molly and Nick's. Nick was not home when we arrived. It was so fun for all of us to finally go on a bike ride. We didn't stay long because getting 3 kids to bed in the same room has proven to be a pain in the butt the last few nights...UGH! We got home, bathed the kids, skyped Auntie Ali, and put 3 kids to bed by 8:15pm. There were only a few fights tonight and one threat made to them to be quiet. All 3 kids were sleeping before 8:30pm! I think the bike ride wore them out. I am going to put it on my list for a must do every night rain or shine ;) What are we going to do when it snows? HMMM....

I am going to Vegas on Thursday. I can't wait! I get to spend the weekend with the Hoffman girls! I haven't seen them since Christmas and I have never been to Vegas. It is hard to get too excited because every time I have planned to go it has gotten canceled. I think I can safely say I am going to make it this time. Tomorrow I will start packing!!

Round 2...1st Day of School

Braeden was so excited to start school. He said he was a little nervous but knew people that went to his school so he was okay. He told me..."don't worry about me mommy I will be great! I have friends in 3rd grade." When did my little boy get so big! He has really turned into a sweet little man. It was pouring rain out on his first day here. I wasn't able to get any pictures of him in front of the school. No worries though I will have lots of opportunities for those ;) Braeden told me that he could go into school by himself this year. He said that he knew where to go and didn't need my help :( I did ask if it was okay that I just walk him to his classroom since it was the first day. He allowed me to. He looks so grown up sitting in his desk!

Emma, Charlie and I picked him up from school and we all went out for ice cream. It was great to hear that he had a great day! He said everyone is nice and he loves his new school. "Mom did you know that my classroom is only 2 doors away from where Auntie Patsy had her plays?" "Nana, do you remember when we went to see Auntie Patsy's plays at school?" Auntie Patsy you sure have left a great impression on B! He was so excited to tell me all about Auntie Patsy's school. How sweet!!

Here are some pictures that I took in the morning:

Preschool and Dance

Emma had her first day at preschool today. It was a shorter day and allowed her time to meet some kids that will be in her class. I was able to meet some of the parents. I was so happy to see a friendly face in her class. The little boy that lived next door to my parents is in her class. I sat and talked with his mom while the kids played. Emma had a great time. She was so excited to get a chance to play and is really looking forward to her first real day on Friday. Emma also had her first night of dance tonight. Of course all her dance stuff is packed in a box somewhere in storage. I fortunately kept out her ballet and tap shoes. No idea why I didn't keep out at least one leotard!! We only bought about 10 last year. Oh well...it was a great excuse for Emma and I to go shopping after her preschool class today. We got her two new leotards, tights and then some clothes for the fall. To my surprise she picked out a blue leotard!! BLUE!! Shocking of course for the girl who has everything in pink and purple. Her second one is purple but she chose the blue one first!! We had a fun time shopping. I don't get a lot of one on one time with any of my kids. I really enjoyed it today and hope to do it more often!! Emma did great at dance tonight. She was so excited to see her friend Kiera! When we decided to move back to MN I called the dance studio right away to make sure to get Emma into a class. Emma had one request and that was to dance with Kiera again this year. They were such great friends last year! Kiera is a year older than Emma but the instructor happily put Emma into the older class. She is the youngest but is so proud to be back at dance!! How cute to have a girly girl!

We have 3 kids in one room talking and bugging one another right now. They are all suppose to be sleeping since it was a big day today. Braeden starts school tomorrow at his new school. Why won't they all fall asleep?!?! I am done for the day and could really use some quiet!

New Space

I think we have unpacked everything we need for now. The kids are adjusting well to sharing a room. We have all 3 of them in one room. We set up the bunkbed and Charlie is in the toddler bed. It works really well actually. It surprises me how well it is working...KNOCK ON WOOD ;)! We have most of their toys in their room too and they know to keep it pretty clean. We are all adjusting! Nick spent the last two days hanging pictures for me. I like the homey feel we now have. It feels more like our space. We appreciate my parents letting us live in their basement!! The kids are having a blast seeing Nana and Papa every day. It is so fun for everyone right now. Papa gets great big greetings when he gets home from work. I think it really melts his heart. Nana loves that Charlie gives big hugs for no reason at all. He is a heart breaker! He just walks up and hugs your legs just because he wants to. What a sweet boy. He also says Thanks for everything. What did we do different with him? He is so polite and always says Please and Thanks...not thank you just Thanks! He even says excuse me for everyone. We are so impressed! Here is a picture of the kids sleeping in their new room Sunday night! We have a new appreciation for cozy! All that is important to us right now is that we are a family and we are together!! We don't need a big house or a lot of things we just need one another!!

Home Sweet Cramped!!!

Nick and I made the trip back to KS on Thursday to pack up the house and get everything to MN. We are so grateful that my parents are letting us move in the basement for this transition period. We are moving from a 5 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom basement. Most everything we own is in storage but we did have to bring some things to the basement. The kids bedroom looks like a lot of fun. They have a lot of their toys in it. We set up the bunk beds and then the toddler bed for Charlie. I took a picture last night of them all sleeping. They look so peaceful. We are all going to learn how to share smaller spaces that is for sure. We all get some personal space and that is called your bed!! Positive thinking is going to make this all workout just fine. A time line and a date on my calendar when I will get to move out is what will make this time even better! We are working on that date!!

I really enjoyed my summer in KS! I was glad that we got to endure the 5th hottest summer on record since they were keeping record. I am going to miss taking the kids to the fountain parks, water parks and just hanging out in our backyard. We were introduced to some new bugs, birds and rodents!! Everything is just a little bigger in the south. For all of you that think spiders in Mankato are big you need to spend a day in KS. The spiders that came through our house were huge!! At least they couldn't sneak up on me because I could see them coming from across the house!! We can't forget all the baby frogs we had in our yard when we first moved in either. They were so tiny and every where. Emma wouldn't even walk in the grass because she was afraid she would step on one! They infested our grass and it was DISGUSTING!! We found out it was from all the moisture in the grass. Solved the frog problem by not watering the lawn anymore. We went from green pretty grass to patchy green brown grass. Our water bill was outrageous until we shut off the sprinkler. Green grass is so overrated anyway!! We quickly learned that a lot of people in KS felt the same way!! On our drive back to MN I noticed it got a lot greener the more North we went. I guess the Northern states got a lot more rain this summer than we did!!

We are adjusting to our new space and it will take some time. I assume we will just get settled and then be moving again. Such is life and we are getting really good at packing and unpacking, purging and living with as little as we need!! We hope to see all our friends in Mankato soon but still need some time to get unpacked. To all our KS friends we will miss our visits terribly!! We will be back to play!!

Big Changes!!!

We have made some big decisions in the last week. I had gotten an interview for a great job in KS last week. My second interview was set up for this week. Nick and I had lots of hearts to hearts about what we wanted as a family and what we wanted individually. Nick got offered his job back at Westman Freightliner. He was excited to hear from everyone and hear how much he was missed. This all happened so fast. Westman wanted Nick to start Monday. A decision was made and we moved home to MN. We packed the house Thursday in KS and left Friday morning. It is a whirlwind in our life right now. We had to make some HUGE sacrifices!! We are living in my parents basement for the time being. We have two homes in Mankato and we can't move into either of them because they are rented. We have lease agreements on both homes so we are stuck without a house at the moment. With the market the way it is we aren't about to buy another home and get stuck!! So here we are at my mom and dad's basement a place I said I never EVER wanted to be....EVER!! We didn't have many other options. We also signed a lease in KS so we are working on getting our home rented there. I don't suggest these decisions on anyone. We are so lucky to have a very supportive family! I don't know what I would do without my parents and sisters. Dean and Mary have been a big help as well. I guess you don't realize what you have until you move. It is nice to have all the support here. I just have to get use to having everyone in my space, life and decisions. That has never been my favorite and I really enjoyed being 650 miles away from all the...expectations and opinions. We are all making adjustments. Poor Braeden went to school in KS for 3 days and then has summer break again. We feel that our decision is best for our family. We believe God offered Nick this job again as an answer to our questions on what we were suppose to do in our life. This too shall pass and we shall get through all of this. I am fortunate now to not have to work at the moment. I am going to be spending my time with my kids and helping them through these adjustments. Braeden will be going to Franklin Elementary School. Auntie Patsy helped us with these decisions and we feel he has a wonderful second grade teacher! We will meet her on September 2nd. We have spent the last few days surrounded by family and getting adjusted again. I haven't been ready to call everyone and rejoice the excitement about being back. If you are reading this and this is the first you have heard about our choice I am sorry. I just haven't felt joyful yet about all of this. It has all happened so fast and I am trying to believe that this is what God's Plan is for my family. Our goal now through the end of the year is to have more positive thinking and do more family things. We are going to be visiting our relatives that live a great distance. Our first trip will be to Duluth Labor Day weekend. I am excited to spend the weekend with my sister and her family. Our next trip will be to Milwaukee to visit Nick's brother's family. We just have to set a date. Right now we are being a family and getting acquainted with our new life. We will make plans with friends again when we are settled in. We are doing well...just overwhelmed with life right now.

First Day of School!!

I can't believe how early school starts in KS. I know that Braeden was excited to get on a routine and meet some friends. We had an exciting morning already. When we were leaving for school Emma found a snake in the garage! FUN TIMES!! I hate snakes so there were a few screams from me. I was trying to keep the kids calm and tell them it was no big deal. When it started to move I screamed. YUCK!! I found a cup and put it over top of the snake. Then we were able to head out front for some pictures!! My kids know they aren't getting out of a milestone without a million pictures!! Braeden did tell me that he was very nervous. It was not only the first day of 2nd grade but his first day at a new school. I could tell walking into school that his tummy had some big butterflies. He sat in his desk and I told his teacher we just moved here. She was great and introduced him to a friend right away. Auntie Randa brought my kids Silly Bands on Sunday. Braeden put his on and told me that he will make friends with his friendship bracelets! How sweet! He gave all but 2 away today. He had a bunch on. He said he even gave one to a girl. Thanks Auntie Randa for the little extra security blanket today ;) Braeden did tell us tonight that they aren't allowed to wear the bracelets anymore to school though because they were all a little to 'SILLY' with them. Oh well...it was fun the first day ;)

Overnight Guests....

This past weekend we had a few friends over for the kids. My friend Randa and her husband went away and we watched their two kids. It was so much fun!! The kids had a blast playing together. Her oldest kept telling Braeden they were best buds. It was so sweet. He is almost 4 and Braeden being 7 thought it was nice to have a buddy who followed him every where. Randa's little boy held his own though....my kids tried to boss him around be he would put on his pout face and they bowed to his every need!! It was so cute because he sure knew how to play Braeden and Emma and they need that so bad. Charlie had fun playing with the baby. She is 1 and Charlie being 2 showed her the ropes. It was sweet. He would tell her no when she would grab at his toys. He quickly learned that she crawls and he runs. He could get away faster. Too cute and so much fun!! I learned that going to Target with 5 kids is an adventure. Putting 5 carseats in my van filled it up! It was hard to even back up. The giggles from the weekend are priceless.

Water Park

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday I can take the kids to the waterpark earlier in the morning. We love this time. I am able to enjoy them without the crowds that come in the later afternoon. Here are some pictures from our recent trip! It was so much fun and Charlie really loves to pose. He learned that from his brother and sister!!

Getting back to reality!

I think we are finally unpacked and getting settled back in! We have had a lot of very hot days here in KS. Our 4th pool popped and there are NO POOLS in this town for sale. I did find one online so we are not so patiently awaiting its arrival. Every day I inflate our pool and fill it with water. It has a slow leak so the kids are able to play in it for a while before it deflates again. It is pretty ghetto but it works ;) We would really like there to be a pool that can withstand a beating for awhile. The plastic pools are just not enough fun for Emma and Braeden. We have tried the slip n slide but the kids just don't enjoy it as much as soaking in a pool. :( We will figure this out. Nick and I have taken the kids to the water park at the YMCA a few times. We will be going again Wednesday morning so that should burn off some of their energy...HOPEFULLY!

Braeden is all registered at his school and ready to start. He is bored and would really like to meet some friends. He starts in 3 weeks. His new school is going to be great for him. Nick and I were able to meet his principle and she seems wonderful! They are strict and that is what Braeden needs!! I can't believe his summer is coming to an end already. Emma will be starting preschool too. I need to call the church and find out all the information. Charlie and I are going to enjoy some quiet mornings together 3 days a week!! I am going to enjoy the ability to volunteer at both the preschool and in Braeden's classroom this year.

I have applied for a few jobs so I am hopeful to get something to occupy my time. I am also concentrating hard on desserts and lia sophia. The marketing has begun for both of them so I am saying lots of prayers that they will both pick up soon!! I promise to post some pictures soon!!

Home Sweet Home

AHHHH...is all I can say! I am so happy to be home!! Here is our trip in a nutshell:

June 24th: leave KS at 7am to head to Mankato, arrive in Mankato at 5pm
June 25th: van was hit, tornados went through Mankato. Both rentals flooded.
June 26th: Charlie gets croup, headed to Urgent care for steroids and breathing treatment. We were able to go home because we were staying with my parents. They really wanted to admit him to the hospital but felt that my dad was capable of making the call if Charlie had to go back in. More bad storms!
June 27th - June 30th: I had lia sophia Conference in Milwaukee (AWESOME!!)
June 30th: Nick flew in from KS, his dad picked him up from the airport and then picked me up form the bus stop from the lia conference.
July 2nd: Zak, Susan and girls arrive from Milwaukee. Braeden wakes up with severe stomach pains.
July 3rd: Braeden is still very sick. Hung out at the lake for the day while Braeden rested. Watched fireworks on the lake.
July 4th: I ran an 8K in St. Peter that was up hill the whole way!! We took Braeden to the ER because he was still very sick. He was admitted and tests were run.
July 5th: still in hospital. Suppose to head back to KS...didn't happen.
July 6th: still in hospital and contemplated being sent to Children's hospital in Twin Cities. Braedent took a nap and woke up a new kid.
July 7th: released from hospital in late afternoon
July 8th: Nick flew home
July 9th - 18th: the kids and I stayed in Mankato. Delivered desserts for a wedding on the 17th.

All I can say is that it was an interesting, exciting (if you can say that) trip home! We had a lot of downs but are looking up going forward. It was a long extended trip home. The kids and I had a great visit with all of our family. It was great to see everyone. I feel very behind in work and need to get started asap!! We are going to spend this week catching up on mail, life, laundry, and getting settled back in to our house. I am glad that we are all home and together again.

Whirlwind Trip!!

What a vacation we have had!! Braeden got home from the hospital Wednesday afternoon. We are so very grateful for Dr. Cathy Davis and her wonderful bedside manor!! I don't even know how to say thank you!! She is a miracle worker. I also have a new appreciation for my faith that is for sure! Call it what you want but I do believe God answered our prayers Tuesday afternoon. We are so very blessed. Braeden rested a lot Wednesday. We all kept a special eye on him. My sister Ali watched him so Nick and I could sneak away for a little adult time. We met some friends at Charley's. It was so nice to get away from everything for a few hours. Nick flew back to Kansas Thursday morning. The kids and I miss him terribly and I would love to get on a plane and be with him right now. We have been staying at my parents' house. It is great for Braeden because he has been getting a lot of rest that is so desperately needed.

This morning the kids swam with the Olivia and Jackson Chhoun. They all had a great time and it was fun to catch up with their mom. After they left we headed to the lake to celebrate Grandma Ruth's 91st Birthday. It was a perfect day for the lake, hot but with a gentle breeze! The kids played outside all day and we all even went on a few boat rides. Braeden and Emma stayed out there for the night and I brought Charlie in with me. He didn't take a nap at all today so he was exhausted...so am I!

We have one more week in Minnesota before we head back to Kansas to be with Nick. I am counting down the days!! I have enjoyed my time with my sisters, mom, dad and in-laws. Patsy and her family will be here Wednesday and I can't wait to see my nephews again! I am soaking all of this time up because it will be a long while before I come back.

Great Night!

Braeden had an awesome night last night. He slept great and didn't vomit at all. Everyone is so surprised with his turn around. No one can believe that he turned around so quickly. It is amazing! Our prayers were definitely answered. He was close to being shipped to Children's Hospital yesterday and today he gets to go home to my parents' house as long as he keeps food down. YIPPEE!!! We are so relieved!! I can not tell you how much better he looks and how great it is to have my boy back. Yesterday was so scary and I am so thankful to the wonderful care everyone has given my little boy! Thank you everyone for all your prayers! I truly believe that every single one must have been heard!!!

Prayers are being answered....

Braeden has had a long day!! After my last post Braeden became uncomfortable again and it turned worse. He was tossing and turning all over the place. He couldn't get comfortable and kept vomiting but it was blood. The poor kid had nothing left in him. Dr. Davis started Zantac through his IV to help with the acid. Then by 11:30 he was given Zofran for nausea. I left to shower and Nick said he threw up one more time and slept for a little while. When I got to the hospital room he was really uncomfortable again. We decided to give him some morphine for the pain and discomfort. It worked almost instantly. He feel asleep pretty quickly and took a very good hard nap. He even screamed out to Emma in his sleep. When he woke up he jumped up and out of bed. He was ready to go. He has made a complete turn around. We can't even believe it. He looked awful earlier today and we were sure it was going to be a long time before he got better. The morphine gave him the rest he needed and kept us in Mankato. He has now had a popsicle and is playing his DS. I can't believe it. He was so out of it all day and just moaned. He couldn't even open his eyes. Now he is so alert and was even able to call Auntie Patsy to let her know he is doing better!! We are still in for more tests to try and find out what is going on. We are being proactive and gave him some more Zofran to help keep the nausea to a minimum. We are hopeful he will stay doing well and will have a good nights sleep.

Thank you for all the prayers. They are working and being answered!! We are so thankful for all our friends and family!!

Update...

What a morning my poor little boy has had already! He continues to throw up but now it looks more bloody. They say that is common with all the 'wreching' he is doing. He is so uncomfortable and just miserable. He hasn't slept or rested much at all since yesterday afternoon. He has no control of his bowels anymore either!! We all feel so awful for him and just helpless. Our favorite pediatrician, Dr. Cathy Davis, was in to see him today. She is so awesome and just makes us feel so much better! She has a call into Children's Hospital GI specialists to see if we are missing anything else. They are going to start nutrition through his IV today because he hasn't had any food since Friday night. We were thankful they can do that down here in Mankato or we would've had to move him! He has had his blood drawn already and will get poked again sometime today. The nurse assistant this morning has been fabulous. She has helped me get him up, cleaned up and in the tub. I could never be a nurse EVER!! I couldn't do this every day! The smells are just horrific. We have his door open today to air out his room. Poor buddy!! He is finally resting some now. It is a waiting game and it seems that it took a turn for the worse. We are thankful that we know everyone here and they are familiar with Braeden. We feel we are in the best place right now. We are just trying to decide when Nick should go back to work. The life decisions we have made lately just aren't making sense at the moment!!

Rough Night!

As I sit here and type my Braeden is resting uncomfortably but resting. He has been up for the last hour vomiting. He has nothing to throw up anymore! At about 8:00pm he started to get uncomfortable and said his stomach hurt. He has been laying on his right side ever since. We have been up and down with him vomiting. Auntie Alli was up here watching a movie with him and that helped some. We thought he was getting better but it seems he is getting worse. His white blood cell count is down to 13.6. He doesn't have a fever and all his other vitals are good. He is a mystery to everyone and we have no idea what is going on. Two surgeons, a pediatrician, my dad and a radiologist have all looked at the CAT scan and ultrasound and found nothing. Braeden is not drinking or eating. He has taken a few tiny sips of water or sierra mist when we ask him to. I wish I could take this all away. My poor boy!! I don't understand why he has to deal with all of this. Please say some prayers. Nick is flying home on Wednesday and we would like some answers before Nick leaves!! Nick is going to have a hard time leaving and we need some prayers sent his way as well. I will continue to update as I know more. For now I am just watching Braeden and Nick sleep and hoping we can all be together again soon!! We are missing Emma and Charlie!! They did come up and visit Braeden tonight. It sure put a smile on Braeden's face. Charlie climbed right in bed with him and gave him lots of hugs. Emma also gave him hugs and made him some cards. How sweet are all my kids!! They love each other so much and I am so thankful for that!!

Braeden Update....

My poor boy has been through the mill and back!! He slept some last night and only got up once to throw up. He still has uncontrolled bowl movements. He is very well hydrated because of IV fluids that they are pumping into him continually since we got here. He did get up once today and walked the halls. They are still not sure what is causing all the discomfort in the right side. The doctors did a ultrasound and found nothing abnormal. Braeden has had his blood drawn twice today and it is not his favorite thing at all. He still isn't eating or drinking anything. He is on a clear liquid diet which consists of some nasty foods if you ask me. Poor kid has looked at the food and said no way!! We are pushing him to at least try bites of things. He is working on a popsicle at the moment. We are anxiously awaiting to hear more from the doctors on what to do about all his pain. He has lower right side pain but with the scans being negative they are ruling out appendicitis. His white blood cell count was up to 22 last night, then 17.3 this morning and now down to 13.9. They aren't sure if the fluids are diluting them or not. I guess it is suppose to be 10 or under (according to my dad). It is a waiting game and I am not a good one to sit and wait for answers. We have made some decisions about our trip home. The surgeon said that even if he is released tomorrow she doesn't want him sitting in a car to drive to Kansas for a few days. I was planning on coming back to Mankato on the 15th because Decadent Desserts is baking for a wedding on the 17th. Nick and I decided that it would be best for me to just stay in Mankato until the 18th :( I am really missing my house, bed, clothes that live in a dresser not a suitcase, and my own space. My children and husband will always come first so I understand this is best for our family just missing my stuff!! Nick is flying home Wednesday to get back to work. I am going to work from Mankato! I need to get busy on booking parties for the new lia sophia catalog. We are working hard to get everything figured out and get back to normal. We just aren't sure what our normal is yet. It seems like when it rains it pours but we flood!!! We really appreciate all our support from our family and friends. Thanks to Pierre and Jolene for bringing up an amazing supper from Charley's Restaurant tonight!! I will keep you posted as I learn more about Braeden. Right now Nick and Braeden are enjoying watching all the Star Wars movies. They are on number 5 so not sure what they are going to watch after they watch number 6!!

Minnesota PART 2

We had a great time at my parents for a few days. The kids had swim lessons with Auntie Alli all week and it is always great to see how much they can learn. Charlie loves to swim and says soups soups soups for his scoops...SO CUTE!! Braeden amazes me every year. He is doing a great job and loves to swim! He has definitely grown up a ton. He is such a sweet boy and loves his brother and sister so much. Emma is doing a great job too. She has come a long way and will continue to do well as soon as she can get over some fears. She is scared of the deeper water right now. We will get through it.

We headed to the lake Friday afternoon. The kids were so excited to go out and see Dean and Mary. Zak, Susan, Lydia and Helena also got to the lake Friday night. It was fun to see everyone!! Friday night Braeden woke up at midnight with stomach pains. He was up and down the rest of the night with stomach pains. The poor kid was miserable Saturday and actually got sick. He just laid in bed Saturday. He couldn't eat or drink anything without getting sick. His stomach was really sore to even touch. He missed the fireworks on the lake Saturday so we knew he was really sick. He was so excited to see them this year but couldn't even get out of bed to look out the window. Poor boy!!!

Saturday night I slept with Braeden and he was up and down all night long. We both didn't get much sleep at all!! Sunday morning came early!! I ran in the Freedom Fun Run in St. Peter with Graham. It was an 8K and I was hoping to just finish it since I only had about 2 hours of sleep!! It was very muggy and hot. The course was up hill most of the way. I don't train up hill so I need to start doing that. It really kicked my butt. I was able to finish though in 48 minutes!! Wahoo!! 5 miles in under 50 minutes is great for me, especially with the tough course. I can only better that time next year ;) Charlie, Nick, Alli, Patsy and her boys were all waiting at the finish line. It was perfect. We got home and Braeden was still really sick. He was sleeping so I let him just rest. I woke him up at 1pm and gave him a bath. He was in so much pain and had a low grade temp. We decided to bring him to the ER. Nick took him and I stayed with the other two kids. What a trip!! Nick sat in the waiting room for 2 hours. I came to sit with them at 4:30 and we finally got Braeden back to a room. They start labs and everything right away. He had to have an IV put in because he was so dehydrated. He had popsicles at first to see if that would help but he threw them up. Poor boy!! He had a CAT Scan...what an experience for him. They are trying to rule out appendicitis. He was admitted with a white blood cell count of 22. The normal count is 11. He had some swollen lymph nodes around his appendix but they thought it looked normal. He was monitored all night and they are hopeful it is just a GI bug that is causing all the pain. We will know more after the blood work from this morning comes back.

What a trip home!! Please just say some prayers that everything is fine and we can be discharged this afternoon. We were suppose to be driving back to Kansas today but that has been pushed off for now. We need to get our Braeden healthy!!!

Trip to Minnesota....

WOW...that is all I can say about our trip back to MN. We have scene it all!! The kids and I came home June 24th. I had two weddings to deliver desserts for on the 25th and 26th so needed to get back for that. The kids and I had a great drive home and made it to my parents' in only 9 1/2 hours. I only drove around Des Moines twice ;) I made a wrong turn out of McDonalds so that took an extra 20 minutes....UGH! It was great to see my mom and dad though!

Friday night the kids experienced their first real tornado warning! Braeden and Emma were terrified. We were in the basement with my mom and Auntie Molly. We did our best to occupy the kids. We supposedly live in tornado alley but had to come home to experience the tornados!! CRAZY!! We had a repeat Saturday night during Uncle Nick's surprise party! Fun times!!! At least everyone was safe and no damage was done. Our rental properties did get water in both basements so we are working on that right now. It is always something!!

Saturday Charlie woke up with croup so I took him to the doctor right away. They gave him a breathing treatment and steroids to help knock it out of him. At first they wanted to admit us to the hospital but when they realized we were staying at my parents they allowed him to go home. PHEW!! He did great that night and was on the mend Sunday. I headed to my lia sophia conference Sunday and was gone for 4 days! Charlie stayed with my parents. Braeden and Emma went to the lake.

I had a great time at my conference and really enjoyed a few days away!! It was definitely needed!! I love the new catalog and can't wait to start selling all the new jewelry in August! You can check out the new line starting August 1st on my website at www.liasophia.com/amyotto.

Nick flew in on Wednesday and my bus dropped me off in the cities on Wednesday. Dean picked us up in the cities and brought us to my parents. It was great to see my hubby after a week! The kids were so excited to see us too!! It is always great to all be together.

POOLS!!

Pools are suppose to be fun and filled with enjoyment for kids throughout the hot months of the summer. We have never had to really have a pool before because we would just go to my parents. Living in Derby we NEED a pool to stay cool on the hot muggy days. Braeden got a pool for his birthday. It was huge and perfect but I put it on the grass. The new sod now looks dead and when we emptied the pool it took flight. It found its way into a tree 3 houses down. Note to self never empty a pool and leave it outside without putting something in it to keep it put. The nice phone man went and captured the pool for me but it was too late. It had a huge hole in it that would not be repairable. Okay..I learned my lesson but decided I would just buy a smaller pool for the kids that would fit on our patio. The patio isn't very big at all and I wish we had a lot more space or a deck. These are all mental notes I make to myself for next year when we are going to look at a house to buy. So far we need a pantry, more storage and a DECK with a bigger patio. Anyways....I found a smaller blow up pool for the kids at Walmart. I put it outside for them to play in and it popped the first day. I have no luck with the stupid pools. The kids were fine with running through the sprinkler and the slip n slide but really enjoyed the huge pool they had when we first got here. I gave in and decided to buy them the bigger pool again. I decided to rearrange how we have everything in the back so the pool could sit on the patio and not wreck the lawn. I blew it up and put all the toys in it (picnic table, police car, etc). I was out mowing the lawn, for the first time since before Braeden was born. I thought the pool was secure enough. Well it is pretty windy today. I was out front mowing around the mailbox and saw our pool take flight. I watched it hoping it would stop and just land close by. Nope...it landed clear across the field that is behind our house. Here is what I said..."OMG I spent $30 on that thing I have to go get it." I made Emma and Braeden get pants and tennis shoes on to help me retrieve the pool. Braeden was a trooper but Emma sat by the patio door watching. We trekked through the field and thistles, that were as tall as Braeden. The whole time I was just praying a snake wouldn't slither past me or that I wouldn't step on one!! The contractors would have thought I was shot if one had because I would've screamed so stinking loud. I am sure they were already enjoying the site of me out in the field retrieving this stupid pool. I found it and dragged it home. Well the stupid thing was hard to drag home because it was so windy. It about carried me away with it. I got it home with Braeden's help. We set it up and realized it has a hole in it! DANG IT!! REALLY!! $30 DOWN THE DRAIN AGAIN!! It is sitting on my patio hoping that the air will miraculously just stay in it some how. I have tried blowing it back up a few times. I did get smarter and put some water in it to hold it put. That is key I think!! It is dang hot here and so humid the pool would be awesome. This will be resolved tomorrow some how!!

On another note my husband has the best wife ever. I mowed the lawn in this heat and decided that I will probably not do that again...well unless I have to of course. Happy Father's Day Nick!!

Pics from the weekend

Great Birthday and Great Friends

What a fun weekend we had. Thursday The Garvin's came to visit for the weekend. It was so much fun to have company! I was glad to celebrate my 31st birthday with them. Nick had to work on Friday so the rest of us went to a fountain park that Randa told me about. It was awesome! A lot better than the first one I went to. It was in a great neighborhood and had a beautiful park for the kids to run around. Uncle Joe was quite the guy. The kids loved running around with him. Even the other kids at the park thought he was pretty amazing. They all wanted Uncle Joe to chase them. It was so sweet. Friday night we had our first babysitter in KS. She was awesome and so sweet to the kids. Randa met the adults for supper at Abuelos and then Randa and I headed to the Tim McGraw concert. What a concert! I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate my birthday. It was so much fun!! I got great pictures and have great stories! The Garvin's and Nick checked out downtown Wichita and all the bars it has to offer while the concert was going on. I believe we all had a great night. I met up with them after the concert and we went home. Saturday morning came a little early and a little foggy but hey...it was my birthday and I had a blast!! Becky and I were able to head out of the house and shop on Saturday. It was so much fun. I hadn't been out without kids since we moved here. It was great to be able to check out some fun unique stores and have some girl time. I took her to my favorite lunch spot, Jason's Deli (Thanks Randa that will forever be my most favorite place!). I think she liked it as much as I do. Saturday night we grilled out and then had the babysitter come back so we could go out one more time with the Garvin's. We headed to Mike's Wine Dive and had a blast!! We ordered lost of wines to taste, had appetizers and dessert too. It was a perfect night. The waiter was awesome and really new his wines! What a fun place to work at!! We were sad to see our company leave this morning. We hope they have a safe ride home. Thank you so much for coming to visit us! It was so much fun seeing Wichita with them. I can't wait for our next visitors!!

Fair, Pool, Fire....

We had a great weekend. I don't think we could've crammed one more thing into our weekend if we tried. Friday night we took the kids out to supper at Applebee's, their favorite restaurant. Then we got to Skype Nana and Papa from the pool. It was so much fun. We even saw Isaac and Sean. The kids loved being able to talk to Sean as well as Nana and Papa!! That goodness for new age technology. It is great to see everyone when we talk to them.

Saturday we took the kids to Derby Days! Boy was it a hot one. It was Kid Fest at Derby Days so we were able to do a lot of fun things. They made sand candy, got their pictures taken, tattoos, rode on a donkey, went to a petting zoo, etc. It was fun to get out of the house and do something different. On our walk back to the car Emma was hysterical. It was at least 90 degrees and then add in the humditiy and it was sticky hot! Emma.."I am so hot I can't walk to the car! My hair is sticky, my legs are hot and I can't walk anymore!" It was so funny. We got home and got in the pool for the rest of the day. It was a perfect Saturday. While the kids were swimming in the pool Emma looked out in the field and said.."I see a fire. Look mom and dad the trees are on fire." We looked and sure enough there was a brush fire. At first we just thought they were doing a controlled burn of the brush. We live in a new development and there are big piles of brush that they clear out for a new house. They have been burning the piles. Well we haven't had rain in a week and it is super hot. Probably not the smartest time to have a fire. I called 911 and the fire trucks were sent out immediately. What an exciting night for the kids. They not only saw fire trucks but they saw the fire fighters put out a fire!! It was only about 4 houses down from us. After all that excitement we decided to go out for ice cream. Thanks Auntie Moe for the Dairy Queen gift cards. The kids loved their ice cream treats!!

Yesterday we took the kids to the water park by our house. They had a blast! It was packed and made me a little nervous but we did great. Braeden got to do a lot and has really gotten rid of his fears of the slides! He had so much fun. Emma is swimming like a fish and enjoyed swimming around and doing the slides as well. Charlie has no fears and was jumping in the pool. That is his favorite thing to do. We came home to some very tired whiny kids. They all went to bed early!!

Here are some pictures from the fun we have had in Derby so far!! It looks like we have been here awhile but it has only been a week!! Crazy how much you can do in a weeks time. I am loving being home with the kids and exploring Kansas with them.

Dance Recital

Braeden's Last Day of 1st Grade