A New Craft!

Last night Sheri and I went to my friend Kathy's house to learn a new craft...

BEADING.

Kathy is a bead freak. She sounds like one of those computer geeks when she's talkin' beads. You hear a whole lot of words coming out of her mouth, but you don't know what the heck she's talking about! That girl can bead anything... and does! So we headed over to her house to pick her up and then promptly went to Bed Bath & Beyond (home of the 20% off coupon) to pick out servingware. Once we made it out of there, we headed to Michaels for our beading essentials. I picked out some awesome beads that have the same colors as my dishes, so I was really excited about that. We could hardly wait to get started!

When we got to Kathy's, she told us that we wouldn't believe how easy it all was, but we didn't really believe her. Not at all, actually. But we each beaded a bottle opener and also each made 2 pairs of earrings. Check them out! I am so impressed with myself, I can hardly stand it!


We also picked up some servingware to bead as well, but Kathy didn't have enough wire for us to do it just then. No biggie. I can see that I will be having to find time to do this more often anyway, so I can do it later! Ooooooo, I can see some cool new projects in the works!

Don't you just love it when you learn how to do something new? Especially when you learn how to make something? I just get so geeked up! Crafting is so much fun!

3 Great Friends, 4 Great Days!

This past weekend was the best of the year so far...hands down.

Sarah was here in the States for 4 fun-filled days! Our little Cannuck has been gone far too long, and we were soooo happy to have her here! The kids headed to Grandma's house for the weekend, which they were none to unhappy about, and we headed out on the town. For a whole entire weekend, I got to just be one of the girls...not Mommy, not Jen the Massage Therapist. Just Jen, part of the Sarah-Jen-Sheri trifecta. It was so much fun!

We did all the girl things...shopping, eating, drinking, laughing, beautifying, and most of all, TALKING. The talking did NOT stop through any of the aforementioned activites. And may I add that the eating and drinking made us talk even faster and about more random topics! I'm not sure you have ever heard 3 girls talk so fast and loud. Sarah holds the record though. Sometimes I find myself looking at her mouth when she's talking because I can't believe how fast it is moving and how clear her diction is at the same time. I get anxious because it seems like she won't ever take a breath and I'm worried she'll suffocate on all those words that obviously NEED to come out! You really must experience it to understand!

But we love her and miss her. And let me just say that the good ol' US of A is just not as much fun without her. Canada definitely got the best end of the bargain on that one. So, what is there to do but start planning our next get-together?

How's the airfare to Canada look these days?

Kindergarten Romance

Kendall has been talking alot lately about how she and this boy in her class, Christian, are in love... and you must say that last part with feeling, rolling your eyes up to the ceiling, and cooing. Lord.

Anyway, on Tuesdays I volunteer in Kendall's classroom reading with the kids. She and I part ways going into the building, as I have to go to the office to get my visitors badge and she has to go line up in the gym. Anyway, because of this parting, I end up in her classroom before she does.

So this Tuesday, I am up in her classroom chatting with her teacher when she comes bounding in with the rest of her class, pigtails flying, grinning from ear to ear. She runs up to me and says,

"Mama, look what Christian brought me today! He LOOOVES me!"

It was a carnation...or at least the top part. It had been popped off its stem. I said,

"Wow, Kendall! That was really nice!"

By now all the kids are excited and whispering...this was the talk of the classroom! So Cameron, a little boy who also likes Kendall, comes up to me and says,

"Mrs. Kuck, did you see what Christian gave Kendall? He says he's in love with her, but I'm in love with her!" Awww! Lucky little girl!

Anyway, Kendall's teacher comes over and asks me what is going on and I so I tell her. She laughed and said that this drama between who Kendall should choose has been going on for about 2 months and she figured now she should probably nip it in the bud, as more budding romances were starting to show up. So I watched her walk over to Christian and pull him over to talk to him. She asked him if he liked Kendall and he said yes. She asked him if he brought her a flower, and he smiled and said yes. She told him how sweet that was and told him he is such a nice boy. Then she explained to him that they are all just good friends and there shouldn't be any LOVE going on. When she finished up talking to him, she walked over to me, and could scarcely contain her giggles. I asked why she was laughing. Do you know what she said????

"He's wearing cologne..."

Heaven help me.

Wanted: The Cookie Bandit!

Yesterday I decided we had to make cookies.

Anything to put a positive spin on an otherwise yucky day.

We decided on good ol' chocolate chip. YUM! We whipped 'em up and I must say, they are VERY tasty!

So, we were in the basement cleaning up and I ran upstairs to check on Noah. As I came into the kitchen, all I could see over the bar was a little hand coming down from the rack where the cookies were cooling. I started laughing when I saw what was going on....

My little monkey had snuck into the kitchen and reached up to steal a cookie...but not without a plan! Oh no....he definitely had a plan.

He had taken one of the cookies lingering a little too close to the edge and pulled it down to take a bite. Not just any bite, mind you, but the tiniest bite you've ever seen. Then, he slyly put it right back up there. In fact, if I hadn't come in at just that particular moment, he would have gotten away scot-free! I am still in awe of the tiny little bite. He is a smart cookie, that one! (no pun intended!)

SO, needless to say, the Cookie Bandit has been caught. But he's so sweet that he probably won't have to serve his entire sentence!

A Brand New Room!

The Bug is so exicted....

We finally bought her new bed and got her room all rearranged...decluttered and weeded out. It was a job, but totally worth it! We have a stack of stuffed animals to donate to SAFE and a small pile of toys to go to Grandma Cindy's house. (Won't she be thrilled!) We went through her baskets of books and weeded out all of the ones that she is much too old for and gave them to Noah...and he was totally pleased with that arrangement! That sweet little boy is really into his books lately. Books, puzzles, and cars...that's all he wants to play with!

Anyway, now Kendall's room is befitting of a six year old. We moved her bookshelf right beside her bed and put her reading lamp on it so she can sit in bed and read if she wants. That was a big selling point, let me tell ya! She really likes her room now, and so do I! Let's just see if she likes it enough to keep it clean...

My next project is to weed out my closet. That should be fun... NOT!

We are also on schedule to move Noah into the daybed and see how he does with that. We are dragging our feet a little, of course, because there is no going back once we start that! And I also have to start going through the kids' dressers and closets to get rid of outgrown things and replace them with new spring attire. Lots of fun around here! Wanna come and help????

In Denial...

I am in denial.

Last week we went from 80 and sunny to a high of 40 OVERNIGHT.

We have been having snow flurries on and off for days.

I am in denial that spring is being delayed. SO, in honor of my denial, here are some pictures from that beautiful week we had.

The first picture is of a nest Kendall found outside...we are assuming the eggs belong to a kildeer. She was so pleased with herself for having found it! I'm sure she'll be keeping an eye on it for little chicks.


These next two pics are of Kendall and Noah playing outside and loving it. Bary was laying grass seed and planting trees while I was on kid duty. We had so much fun. Kendall is totally into baseball right now, so we let her hit for a while...all while taking a break every so often to get Noah out of the chicken coop. He is obsessed with the chickens and their pen! He is also really into climbing the "rock" wall into the little treehouse. And check out his hat! We knew Grandpa Tom would dig that. And Noah thinks it is so cool... he's always looking for his hat!


On Saturday, Dad and Taffy and Luke came out to the house because we had plans for dinner at the Fish Market. See, my birthday was Saturday, Taffy's was Sunday, and Dad's 60th was Monday. So we had a bit of celebrating to do! Dinner was great, especially since we got three free desserts! And for the record, 3 desserts at the Fish Market is more than enough for 6 people! Afterward, we headed to Jessie's, and then out to our house. The last picture is at Jessie's.

Of course, Sunday, the Easter Bunny paid a visit to our house, but he had to hid the eggs inside, since it was so miserable outside. Uncle Luke was talkin' trash about how he was going to get more eggs than Kendall, but I think she had more! Other than that, we had a lazy Sunday. At some time or another, everyone laid down for a little catnap...AHHHHH.

What a great weekend. Food, fun, and family. It doesn't get much better, does it??

A Rant...

So, it's been awhile since I've really gone on a rant about something. Well, TODAY'S THE DAY!!!

I am so fed up with these customer loyalty cards.

You know the ones I mean. The plastic credit-card thing they give you to not only take up space in your wallet, but also to hang on your already too-bulky keychain. I HATE them. Everytime I go into a store, someone is handing me a new card, and EVERY time I feel like screaming...or pulling out my wallet and showing them that there is no room for any more cards. Now, keep in mind, I am making a stand, so these are just the few I have left...and it is still enough. I know people who have 3 times this many, easily...


Now, because I am a reasonably smart individual, I DO understand the general idea behind these. They use them to collect data about the types of items you buy...demographics and all that crap. I'm sure it's all very useful and makes sense to the marketing-types. But from my point of view, it stinks. When is it enough? Did anyone ever think to wonder how many stores the average family frequents? It's ridiculous. And heaven help you if you end up at one of the stores without your card! It's either a long drawn-out process to get your info , or they just tell you that you can't get the sale price. WHATEVER. That's the s*** that makes me NOT want to shop at their store anymore.

I just want to write one of these executives and ask,

"Isn't it enough that I'm here shopping? Obviously, I like your store, or I wouldn't be here. Why can't we just go back to the days of a sales flyer that everyone could take advantage of just by showing up...not just the people who have their card??? "

And you know what really works my nerve? The ads that show this great sales price in huge red letters, and then in small white or black print, "With card". SO. ANNOYING.

Anyone with me on this?

Build A Bear...Wait! I mean BUNNY!

This weekend we were busy, busy, BUSY!!!!

On Saturday, Kendall's school had their Fine Arts Festival, in which all of the kindergarteners sang a few of their favorite songs and also had artwork on display. I didn't take pictures of that! Sorry! But I prefer video of those moments! I must say, we were really impressed with the artwork...not just Kendall's, of course, but the entire school district. There was some really great and creative stuff!

Then we came home and started to get ready for Jessie's graduation party. We had a really good turnout, and from what Jess says, everyone had a good time. And obviously I was slacking all around this weekend, because I don't have any pictures of the party either! Just too busy chasing Noah and socializing, I guess. So, congrats to Jess!!!



Well, if nothing else, I redeemed myself on Sunday. Kendall had 3 gift cards to Build-A-Bear, so we thought it would be the perfect time to go, since Grandma Cindy was here. Kendall was soooo excited. She picked out a soft bunny and decided to name her Daisy. They stuffed her, fluffed her, put a heart in her, and made Kendall follow along to a little chant to make sure the bunny would have all the best qualities. Then she was to put her hand on Daisy's heart, close her eyes, and make a wish before they sewed her up! Too cute.

Then it was off to give her a "bath", and take her to the "dressing room" to get all gussied up in the clothes that she and Grandma picked out. We headed over to print off her birth certificate, and then Grandma busted out the big news...

She was going to buy a silver pair of flipflops for Daisy...complete with rhinestones to match her sundress. OMG. Kendall was all smiles...ear to ear, baby! And let me tell you, the experience was priceless...the entire ride home she sat in the back of the van singing to Daisy, cuddling her, and making plans for the rest of the day. I'm so glad we did it finally!

Then after we got Barry and the kids home, I got a special treat! Mom suggested we go back in to town and do a little shopping...for ME!! I had some gift cards I've been needing to use at Old Navy, and we were in luck! I was able to find two pairs of capri pants and a shirt. And that is a miracle, because I can NEVER find pants that fit well! So anyway, a successful weekend all around! Hope yours was too!

Two New Obsessions

Noah has two new obsessions.

The first is his Superman shoes that Grandma Cindy bought him. Aren't they cute? He brings them to me every morning and says, "Shoes. On?" So of course, I put them on for him. He then proceeds to run around the house, looking at his shoes. I swear, that kid keeps me in stitches!

The second obsession is his nose. Yep, you guessed it...he can't keep his finger out of it. See, we've been working on parts of the body...nose, eyes, hair, mouth, belly, toes, etc. Well, that is going along just great. He's really got it!
Especially the nose.
I guess the nose is the most fun, because his finger magically found its way inside and has been residing there ever since. And all the while, he's saying "Nose! Nose!" in a very nasally voice. YUCK. Lucky for you I don't have a picture of that!

This, of course, is leading to quite a few bloody noses. And let me tell you what...being a boy, that does not gross him out at all. In fact, it just makes it cooler! Ahhhhh, the beauty of little boys!

Are we done yet???

Well, for those of you who don't already know, we have had quite a bit of sickness around here the last few months. Noah had stomach flu 3 times, and Kendall had it twice. Now, Kendall is going on her third week of extreme fatigue...and I'm not talkin' just a bit of drowsiness here. I'm talking about sleeping 16-18 hours a day! And not doing much in between, either. Poor kid. She's got a cough, sore throat, stuffy nose, tired legs, headache, and no appetite. UGH. I feel so badly for her! So today we went to have her tested for mono, and thankfully, that came back negative. The doc thinks she just has a nasty viral infection, and as we all know by now, there's nothing to be done for a viral infection but time and rest. So we are waiting and resting....

I think it goes without saying that I will welcome spring with open arms! Bring on the warmer weather!

Nothing else too grand and exciting going on. I wrapped up the Auto Show this week, and was glad to be done with it. I'm always glad it's coming, and always glad it's done for the year. It's quite a bit of work added on to my regular schedule. But hey, the check always comes right about the time my quarterly taxes are due, so that alone makes it worth it.

One more big thing for the day...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE!


Today is my sister's 33rd birthday, and this is HER year! The year where everything turns around and things start happening...so you GO, girl!

Remember when...

So do you all remember the pouty picture of Noah about a year and a half ago...from when we were at the beach on vacation? Well, this is the 2007 version.

He wanted off the horse and when I told him "just a minute", this is what I got. Seriously, how can ANYBODY resist this kid?????

Bring on Spring!

This change in the weather has me PUMPED!

I have been so motivated the last couple of days! I've been cleaning, cooking, and making lists of things I want to get accomplished. We got outside and let the kids play...and Noah was wild! He was so mad when he had to come in for dinner!

Kendall got a kit to make gummy bugs for her birthday last year, and we found it in the pantry and decided to finish it up! She made some very interesting lemon gummies...check them out. She was so proud of them...and she thought it was just hilarious to "gross" me out by eating them in front of me. (Of course, I played right along!)

Noah has just been talking up a storm. He adds 5-10 words a day now. And you know what? I think he is going to be just as much of a talker as Kendall. Lord help me.

Here are a couple of pictures of Noah being busy this weekend. The first one is him riding his scooter (and badly needing a haircut!).And this one is of him, right after his haircut, riding his spring horse. When he gets on, he says "Go go GO!!!!" Doesn't he look ornery???? And let me tell you something else...I don't like this haircut. It's cute and everything, but my goodness, doesn't it make him look like a big boy? It makes me a bit sad...

And here's one last shot of my sweet little boy. Here, he is "counting" his money. He asks for his "Piggy" and then he opens it up, dumps out all of the change, and puts it back it again, one coin at a time. Aren't we proud...
And last but not least, Kendall, Queen of the Bubbles. There's nothing better at the end of a day outside than a nice warm bubble bath!

Hope you've enjoyed the photos.

Get out there and enjoy spring, everyone!

New Words

Noah has been talking up a storm lately...and trying out quite a few new words. His new vocabulary now includes words such as:

duck
cat
kitty
dog
mama
dad
Bug (for Kendall-bug)
car
shoes
socks
truck
ball
bird
yogurt (of course, his favorite food)
coat
book
night-night
bed
bye-bye
Jessie
Amy
juice
kiss
nose
eyes
welcome
bath
fish
cracker
cheese
uh-huh (used while nodding vigorously)

So you see, there is quite a bit of talking going on around here. AND, when one of these words doesn't fit, he can always resort to his old standby: Pointing and yelling, "UNHHHHHHH!!!"
Because, ladies and gentlemen, THAT is what I hear in my sleep, when I am able to catch some!

3 weeks...?

I can't believe it's been 3 weeks since my last post! My, does time move along quickly. I guess it's time for some updates!

THE Y
We finally decided to join the Hilliard YMCA. Very exciting for us, since there is NO place to work out in our town. We went in a week ago and got the paperwork going and then
I took the kiddos swimming while Barry worked out...very fun. Kendall of course, is a little fish. Noah just wasn't sure about this whole pool thing. He just wrapped his legs around me and held on as I walked up and down the length of the pool, inching him down a little more into the water on each trip. By the end of the hour, he was in up to his shoulders and "jumping" off the side of the pool. Then Barry came in and I went to sit in the sauna while he played with the kiddos. Of course, we went on Monday too. We registered the kids for childcare so we could work out together...and let me just say for one moment that going back to working out is not easy! It's been, say, 6 years or so since I've worked out seriously...and it SHOWED. I felt lost as soon as we walked in. My aerobic capacity was underwhelming, to say the least. And I am WEAK. Yep, that's weak with all capitals... W E A K !!!! It will get better, I know. But hell, it's going to be a rough road to get to that better place.

SOPHIE
Two weeks ago we adopted a dog. A very sweet beagle/lab mix. She was everything the shelter said she was....and more.

Let's just talk a minute about severe separation anxiety. It's not pretty. In the 20 minutes I was gone to take Kendall to school the first day, she destroyed the baby gate, knocked everything off the kitchen counters and scratched up my wood door. The next day I crated her and somehow she got out. Lord knows how...the crate door is still closed and latched!

Then there was the male aggression. Every man that got within 25 feet of her was subject to lunging and crazy barking and teeth baring. One man even put out his hand in an attempt to calm her, and she tried to bite him. Not good.

After much deliberation and conversations with a dog trainer, we decided she had to go back to the shelter. She needed much more time and help than we could reasonably provide. Enter Janet.

Janet wanted to take Sophie. This would be her third rescue dog, and she fell in love with her immediately. Great. I took her to Janet's house on Tuesday night, and cried the whole way home, feeling as if I gave up on her. Then on Tuesday, Janet called and said she didn't think it was going to work out. OMG. What happened, you ask??? Well, it seems that when Janet went to work, she put Sophie in her basement (finished, of course) just because she wasn't sure how she'd do having the run of the house. Anyway, when she got home, Sophie has completely DESTROYED her basement, tearing up woodwork, carpeting, etc. So needless to say, Sophie went back to the Humane Society. She will make a great dog for someone who works from home, or can be with her CONSTANTLY. The Humane Society is going to put a requirement on her that she can only be adopted into homes with another dog so she won't be alone. I feel better about it now, knowing that it was the right thing to do, but it still hurt. The right dog is out there, I just know it!

GET YOUR SCRAP ON!
I went away this weekend for a scrapbooking retreat with my friend Beth. It was a lot of fun! And I did some really nice work, I am happy to report! The food was great, the bunking was, well...interesting. The people were really nice, and it was great to spend some one-on-one time with Beth. We stayed up Friday night working until 4:30 a.m...and breakfast was served at 8:30...UGH! But we went on and worked a bit on Saturday before heading out. The event went until 5:30, but I was done at 3. Just couldn't squeeze one more ounce of creativity out of me! Check out what I accomplished!


And that's about it for my updates! Hope you've all been keeping busy as well!

Another Snow Day!

Yes, it's true. We have another snow day....for Kendall AND for Barry.

So, you might be wondering....what are we doing to keep busy around here?

Well, of course, we've been a bit lazy. Nothing wrong with that! But you can only rest so much... especially with Noah around! So, here are some of the things we've been up to so we don't get cabin fever ( no pun intended!)...

Plenty of snuggling on the couch and watching TV. Noah's new fave is Wheel of Fortune. Go figure.

Kendall played on the computer for a while yesterday, and then did a little sewing craft. She made this little bunny...isn't it cute??


Last night we decided that we should make Valentine cookies. I baked them and Kendall decorated them. Noah and Barry pretty much just ate them...kind of like in story "The Little Red Hen". Remember how it goes?

"Who will help me plant the wheat?
Not I!
Who will help me harvest the wheat?
Not I!
Who will help me bake the bread?
Not I!
Who will help me EAT the bread?
I WILL!!!"

So anyway, here are our cookies! Very festive, don't you think? Kendall was quite proud of her decorating!


Barry, of course, had to get out and clean off the driveway...which is actually considered playing in the snow, if you know Barry. Like I said yesterday, any reason to start up that tractor! While he was out plowing, Kendall got suited up and played in the snow until she was frozen. Then, of course, hot cocoa was in order...extra marshmallows please!


I finished two scarves and worked on another scarf I'd like to finish and also finished a cross-stitch I've been working on. I also managed to read a little bit of Stephen King's Cell . Today I am hoping to get some laundry done and also work on my year-end records to finish them up so Barry can finish up our taxes. I've also been cooking. Beef and Noodles, Lemon Greek Chicken earlier this week and Stuffed Peppers are on the menu today. YUM. We've definitely been eating good!


Noah has been doing lots of playing. If we can find Kendall's old snow pants and boots, we may see if we can all go outside today. He'll totally dig that!

Snow...What a concept!

Well hel-lo, winter!

After a slow start to our Ohio winter, the real stuff in finally here. Up to a foot of snow by tomorrow morning...Barry's work is closed today, and so is Kendall's school. I will probably be cancelling my day as well. But really though, we have no basis for complaint...we had 60 degree weather all the way through January, for heaven's sake! I think that this all makes for a fabulous day to play in the snow and make Valentine cookies. And, of course, at some point Barry will have to head out to plow the driveway. (And he's not fooling anyone either...he loves to have a reason to fire up that tractor!)

Nothing else too exciting has been happening around here, really. Kendall missed school all last week. Our schools were closed due to severe cold Monday through Wednesday. Then (of course) she started throwing up Wednesday night, so she missed Thursday and Friday as well. I'll tell you what, I am ready for this stomach virus to get the heck out of Dodge! Noah is on his third bout with it...UGH! At least she got outside for a little bit to make a nice little snowman on Tuesday. Even though the snow was too dry to pack, I still think she did a fabulous job, don't you??? (And by the way...yes, it was negative wind chill and she doesn't look dressed that warmly, but I assure you she just went back out for this picture. She was out there maybe 30 seconds dressed like this - and bundled up quite a bit more while she was out building her snowman!)

A Big Bowl of Yarn

So here it is...my big bowl of yarn.

This Christmas, I made scarves for all the women. Maybe you got one! And if you did, I really hope you like it! Well, what's leftover is here in this bowl. Yarn scraps. But I have an idea for these balls of leftover yarn....

I am going to make some crazy striped scarves...just for myself. And maybe some funny hats. Because you know what? Of all the scarves I made, I made none for myself. Of course, last Christmas, when I started this knitting thing, the first scarf I made was for me...and I still love it! Although, it does indeed look a bit worn, so it's probably good that I'm doing this little project for myself!

Speaking of scarves...can you believe the change in the weather? Time to bundle up!

A WILD Weekend!

Well, the big birthday weekend is over.

The Clay Cafe was a success, and as you can see from the pictures, it was a rockin' good time! I was so impressed with each of the kids' plates...they were so creative, yet they didn't stress out about not getting it "perfect"! To me, that was especially cool, since I tend to get all worked up if something isn't turning out the way I think it should! But not these kids...they were ROCK SOLID. They decided how they were going to decorate their plates, and got to work immediately. Of course, we won't get the finished products until Thursday, and I can hardly wait to see the finished products. Riley and Kayla both painted horses on their plates. Kendall made a cupcake plate, as you can see in the picture, Devin painted an army helmet and Zach painted 2 light sabers crossing. Sophie painted a pink plate with a flower in the middle. They were all great and really colorful!

Then we took Kendall's cousins back to our house for a sleepover. OMG. It was CRAZY in this house! They ran around, screaming like banshees, played hide and seek, went out in the snow for a bit, played video games, and then settled down for a *very* short bit to have some pizza. Noah was having a blast chasing the big kids around...and they were very careful of him and really nice about letting him play with them. After we got the little man to bed, I sat down with the kids to play Whoonu. That was fun, but I think I was asking a little much of the kids to sit still and play a game for half an hour. SERIOUSLY!

The next morning, they were all up by 6:00 AM. UGH. We sat them down for a movie and tried to keep Noah sleeping for a little bit. And yet, the wildness continued!!! Turning 6 is a major reason to celebrate, I tell you!

Those kids transformed this house into a bonafide army bunker. They draped every blanket in the house over the railings, used pillows for sand walls...heck, they were even having strategy meetings. And there was LOTS of screaming and running. We just tried to stay out of the way and make sure no one was breaking the rules or getting hurt.

By 1:00 the whole family was here to have lunch, cake, and ice cream. And let me tell you what...my darling little daughter was POOPED. She was trying to keep it going, but by the time we opened presents, she was just staring at the wall, zoning out. We had to keep reminding her that she needed to finish opening her presents. And, of course, we were awaiting the over-tired meltdown. Thankfully, we never had to witness it. Check out that last picture...is that one tired little girl or what?

Alas, we made it through unscathed. And now I have a whole year to rest and get ready for next year...

Finally! An Update!

Geesh! It sure has been some time since I've posted! Things have been busy around here, as usual, so here are a few updates...

SNOW!
Ohio finally got some snow! Not a whole lot, mind you, but enough to get outside and play in. Kendall and I headed out on Sunday afternoon for some snow angels and a walk around the pond. She really wanted to go sledding, but unfortunately, our property is pretty flat! Then we came in for some hot cocoa. YUM! Actually, I think Kendall is more into the marshmallows than the cocoa...but whatever! Noah didn't get to romp around outside with us, as I don't have any boots for him yet. Guess I'd better get on it! He won't want to stay inside watching for long!

A LIFE ENDED TOO SOON...
Last Wednesday, we lost a part of our family.
My aunt Missie was killed in a terrible car accident on her way to work.
She was 35 and had 4 small children and a wonderful husband, who will miss her terribly...as will the rest of us.
She was truly one of a kind, and the life of every party. Always laughing, always smiling... always joking about "The Captain"...
And now leaving us all to reflect on our lives and how to make the most of every day we are given...because it can all change in one single moment.
Take the time to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you - today!

BIRTHDAY PLANS!
Kendall is turning 6 on Sunday. 6!!!! How does a year go by so quickly? We are doing a low-key small party this year, since I didn't have time to plan anything great with Noah being sick most of December. She has invited 5 friends to come to the Clay Cafe to paint pottery on Saturday. Then her cousins are spending the night for some sleepover fun! On Sunday, the whole family is coming for lunch, cake and ice cream. How fun! The kids will be wild, and that's the way we like it!

OVER THE HEDGE
Have you seen this movie? Sheri has been telling me for a while now that we HAD to see it. Well, it came via Netflix last week and we finally got he chance to watch it. Oh my goodness...the squirrel, Hammy, is so much like Kendall. He talks a mile a minute, has more energy than you can imagine, and has a thought train that most people aren't quick enough to follow...
Check it out! It's hysterical! www.overthehedgemovie.com

ACUPUNCTURE
I now have my acupuncturist, Brian, working out of my office on Mondays. It is going so well! He has been incredibly busy, and people are so happy with their results. Plus, driving to Dublin beats driving to Delaware any day of the week! He is also working in Minster on Wednesdays at Jeanne Bergman's office.

Spread the word about acupuncture...it's amazing! You can check out his website here.


That's it folks...a little update for January. Look for the birthday party pictures soon!

Lazy Sunday

What a great day to be lazy.

It is kind of dreary outside, just rain...no snow. We have no plans. I have spent my morning starting some laundry, cleaning up the house and playing with the little ones. It is definitely a no makeup, no hairspray day! And Barry and I are just sitting down to watch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Noah is napping, and Kendall is playing some computer games. We watched Memoirs of A Geisha last night...WOAH! Talk about getting crazy! Two movies in one weekend! That hardly even happens!

Friday night was great! We went out for a nice dinner...and then came home for some restful sleep. I slept until 8:00 with NO interruptions. I didn't move all night...and boy, did I need it! The kids did fine at Miss Kathy's...even though Noah didn't get completely settled until around 3:00 am, Kathy said it wasn't bad. He just couldn't seem to get into a deep sleep. He did sleep late though! When we called at 9:00, he was still sleeping!

Yesterday I got to have brunch with Sheri while Barry picked up the kids. What a treat! Ricotta pancakes and organic sausage. YUM! Then I came home and played with the kiddos some more! We really had a nice day. No cooking....pizza for dinner! And I'm happy to report that Noah's separation anxiety seems to be doing a little better...well, on and off, anyway!

So, anyway, I'm going to get to cuddling on the couch with my sweetie and watching my movie. Hope you all get to have lovely lazy Sunday as well!

Give the Kid a Break!

My poor, poor, baby boy.

He's just had a rough month, as you can see from some of my previous entries. The bad cold, the stomach flu, the ear infection, separation anxiety, and the insomnia. And now, we can add something else.

How 'bout a severe reaction to the antibiotic? My little guy is covered, and I mean COVERED in red spots. He doesn't seem to be bothered by them, so I am assuming they don't itch...but he looks a wreck. Don't you agree?



I am hoping this latest episode will clear up without too much trouble and we can be on our way...and back to the world of regular sleep. The little guy is really having a time of it. He's been sleeping with (or should I say ON) me for the last couple of nights. And to say the least, we've not been getting much sleep - either one of us! But overall, he really seems fine. He has been playing like crazy and chasing the cat, just like any other day!

Enter Miss Kathy....

Miss Kathy has volunteered to watch the kids for us tonight so we can have a night out with some friends. AND, to raise the bar even more, she is keeping them overnight! I thought she was nuts at first...and of course my reaction was, "Are you SURE???"

To which she responded,"It's fine. It will be FINE. It's one night of my life...so what if he doesn't sleep? We'll be ok!"

Well, how can you argue with that? And who knows...maybe he'll surprise us and sleep like a baby for her. THAT would be awesome. I can tell you one thing for sure....

I'M GOING TO SLEEP LIKE A ROCK TONIGHT. I can hardly wait to get home. Can you believe that? I am not even thinking about the great dinner we are set to have, or all the fun people we are going with. All I can think about is getting home, putting on comfy pjs, and snuggling down deep in my bed for a solid night's sleep. AHHHHHH.......

THANK HEAVENS FOR MISS KATHY!!!!

Happy New Year, Y'all!

So it is now officially 2007! Happy New Year to you!

We had a nice New Year's Eve. Nothing too exciting, of course. Sheri came out to join us for dinner and chit-chat. We got the kids to bed and just sat up talking...until 2:00 am. But hey, isn't that what New Year's Eve is all about? Getting together with friends and just doing what you like to do? So that is what we did. Good food, good conversation, fleece blankets and ice cream. Now that's a good New Year's Eve!

Also, I have a few other things to report....

Noah has an ear infection, yes. He also is having separation anxiety. And let me tell you....
THAT is a lethal combination. Although I think he is feeling better, he still wants me to hold him and carry him all day long...and the screaming that ensues when I try to sit the little bugger down so I can, say, GO TO THE BATHROOM? Well, it's not pretty. But we're working on it. If you have any tried and true ideas, I'd be happy to hear them!

Barry did get a deer this season....YIPPEE! It still needs to be skinned and cut up, but there it is, for all to see...hanging in our shed.

Noah is not scared of the spring horse anymore....NOT A BIT, as you can see in this picture! He and Kendall have been playing "Ride 'Em Cowboy" every day. That was definitely a great idea! And check out those matching jammies....red for Noah and purple for Kendall. A good gift from Dad and Taffy.

We got the house de-Christmased yesterday. Usually, this would not happen so quickly, but for some reason, this year I was just done with it all. I'm not exactly sure why, but I just WAS. Anyway, our tree had gotten so dry that Barry decided to cut all the branches off so they didn't drop all their needles going through the front door. The result was a very sad looking tree...but it did fit through the door!


I haven't yet finalized my New Year's Resolution. I'll let you know when I do. I've got some ideas though! And I'd love to hear YOUR resolutions!

Hope you had a wonderful New Years doing what you love to do with people you love! Bring on 2007!