Did this weekend really happen? Or was it a continuation of the previous weeks, that never end? I had Sunday off of work, but those days off seem like a blur. The million things on my to-do list, don't get checked off. They just stack up!

Kids are sporting new jammies from Nana. She came over for the weekend, watch Macie play soccer on Saturday, but it was too cold and rainy on Saturday Morning. She took the kids to Nanny McFee Saturday night and they liked the movie!

Now it's time for the kids to head to bed. Rush around and come home, have a snack, do homework, go over classroom work, read a book, and head to bed.

On my way to work this morning, the kids were full of questions for me. In the morning I could drive all the way to work with the radio on, even though I change the station again and again, looking for a song I like, and not wanting to listen to any news. Depending on the morning, the kids may sleep all the way to town, especially during harvest. But today, they had lots of questions.
Ryan asked me "Where does God live" Before I could answer, Macie answered for me, "Somewhere between here and the North Pole" That answer worked for Ryan, because the next question was, "How does God get to work?" That requires a tougher answer. I know God works through my kids everyday! It's the simple things they say, or the tough questions they ask, it's God speaking to me through them.
One day on the way home from work, Ryan was thoughtfully looking out the window asking "Where is God?" I may not be looking for God everyday, but he is looking for us, protecting us, and making sure we get to work.

Macie recieved her mid-term report. M = mastery, P = progressing and N = needs work. I remember my report cards were graded with S+, S, S- and U. Macie had "straight M's" besides needing to learn her home phone number and home address. She knows our mobile numbers, which I think are more important, since we are never home and mobile numbers are the best way to get ahold of us ;)

Macie said she was on the letter Z, but she is not done with school!!

After we sent Macie off to her first day of Kindergarten, a few weeks later was Ryan's turn for Pre-School. I was so excited how EXCITED he was about starting Pre-School. He had his Spiderman book-bag since last Christmas, ready to go to school!!!

Graduation is a big Day, even if you are in Pre-School. I can't even look at this picture without tearing up. She looks so grown up. How am I going to handle her High School graduation in twelve years? Look at the little guy, he is so proud of his sister!

Macie had a big day on her birthday! I was told I went a little bit overboard, but .... Princess party in the morning, and a family party that evening. Girls made their own magical wands with ribbon, colored paper dolls and dressed in beads, bracelets and earrings. They were cute in pink! Princess party ended with PINK lemonade, and lunch and cupcakes.

Macie's Preschool Program was in December for her All Shapes and Sizes Preschool Class. They have been practicing their songs for a long time. Before the program, we went to supper at McDonald's with Aimee, Becca and Baylee.

Some of the girls in Macie's morning class, look at their beautiful dresses !!

Spring Break 2009. I never would have guessed we would be able to travel to Florida. We usually travel north to MN each summer. This trip was a nice change of scenery, and nice weather in the month of March! We enjoyed the swimming pools at the resort and visited the Magic Kingdom, Universal Studios, and Downtown Disney. We also celebrated Dave's birthday in Florida - what a treat for him! What a great memory for the kids to finally meet Mickey and Minnie Mouse! Riding the rides and enjoying the vacation!

This weekend was busy with wedding. Wedding rehearsal, rehearsal dinner and wedding. Really. It was a great time with friends!! Weekends do not get any better than this. Congrats to Dustin and Sarah. It makes me happy to see two good friends start their life together!

Ryan Hanging out at Grandma's








Macie helping with the stakings.












Macie on phone, Ready to play outside!









This is what Christmas is about!

Once again, I let this blog go to the back of my mind, and probably lost all of my readers, again. I know that I have lots of things to bring you up to speed, and lets start with Macie's Birthday Party, Hanna Montana Style. She had lots of fun with friends and family!

So it's been a month since I have posted. All I know in the past month is we haven't been home AT ALL. We are busy visiting friends, family, or working. Lately, it's been all work and no play. Before I had to go into work on Sunday, we took the kids to Millennium Farms, in Oxford Indiana. This was a great experience for the kids. We are planning to go back later this month - weather permitting. We took the hayride, picked four big pumpkins, and they are now at home waiting to be carved. That will be a fun mess at home! Project outside!



Macie is having a BLAST at preschool. Not only is her BFFs from daycare in the same class, but they do important things like circle time and snack time. Can it get any better for a three-year-old? I don't think so. She is doing great at identifying all the letters in the alaphabet. She is also great help around the house, honoring the title, BIG SISTER.



This is my little man. He is handsome, and sweet on all the girls. There is a little girl in daycare, he loves on her and kisses her hand. What a gentleman. He loves to play with his tractors. He is especially fond of the stairs at home. He has a great vocabulary for his age, his favorite word is "cracker". That is his favorite snack!

After a little coaxing, Macie finally fed the calf. Dave did a few chores while the guys were gone to the Indiana State Fair. This calf would have been more than happy to eat more than one bottle.

Macie started preschool last week. What a hoot. She goes on Tuesday and Thursdays. Every other day is heartbreak for her when she doesn't get to go. All these girls go to the same daycare. We car pool. It's my pleasure to pick them up after preschool. It makes me appreciate my job even more that it's flexible enough to pick up four smiling princesses. From left to right, Bailee, Becca, Peyton, and Macie

Today is my birthday. I took care of my own gifts and went shopping this weekend. So,I decided to wear a new shirt today. Today might be the last day I wear this shirt. Someone asked me if I was expecting. Oops. I will let it slip.

Flowers and balloons were delivered today, too.

Next weekend we will be celebrating RD's first birthday. "Time Flies" is a good one. "They grow up too fast" is another one. You don't have to tell me, I see it everyday. I wish the weekends were longer, and the days were longer. I am not sure how longer they can get when it gets dark at 10 p.m. It is hard to convince kids to get to bed when it is still light outside.

Last night RD said Tractor. He is still working on singing Happy Birthday, and it comes out "Hap-Brit". Close. Cute.
This morning when we were loading up in the car, he said "Bye, Sis"
MM loves this talking, and I am surprised RD is talking this early, especially when MM gets all the talking in, just like the Big Guy.

Reading the blog, we are back to June, only in 2008. We should post more often, and stay in touch. My kids keep me busy. I am lucky to have healthy, happy children. MM reminds me to pray at supper. That is unbelievable. RD knows when I need kisses and love from him. That is unbelievable.

A Prayer in Spring

by Robert Frost

Oh, give us pleasure in the flowers today;
And give us not to think so far away
As the uncertain harvest; keep us here
All simply in the springing of the year.

Oh, give us pleasure in the orchard white,
Like nothing else by day, like ghosts by night;
And make us happy in the happy bees,
The swarm dilating round the perfect trees.

And make us happy in the darting bird
That suddenly above the bees is heard,
The meteor that thrusts with needle bill,
And off a blossom in mid-air stands still.

For this is love and nothing else is love,
The which it is reserved for God above
To sanctify to what far ends He will,
But which it only needs that we fulfill.

This picture of MM was taken before vacation. Corn on the cob is the best example of summer. When the sweet corn is gone so is summer. Summer really went by fast. The Big Guy commented how early it's turning dark. September is almost here. Not every project got done outside..again. This weekend I went outside and pulled weeds for one last time. The plants were looking like I needed to water them. We had about an inch and half of rain this weekend.

Every Wednesday in Longville during the summertime, HUNDREDS of people flock to this little town. The main road is blocked off for the weekly turtle race. Longville, MN is the Turtle Racing Capital of the World. MM was in Heat #7, There are 10 turtles in each heat. She WON! The Big Guy is experienced in this competition, so I guess he picked the winning turtle. My job was to take photos and keep the camera rolling. All the heat winners come back at the end of all the races (37 heats total) and compete against each other time. Looks a little crowded to me. The Big Guy got right in there. The lovely lady on the left about stepped on MM's turtle when she was on her way out of the circle. So that was the end of racing for this year. MM got a free ice cream from Frosty's . By the way, we love their Kemps cotton candy ice cream!

There's lots of catching up to do. First, See the fish, and by the way, The Big Guy and MM get a picture by Little Boy Lake. What a vacation. We spent a week in MN fishing Little Boy Lake. It was HOT, HOT, HOT! I don't think that week it would have mattered where we vacationed, it was HOT everwhere!

It's been awhile since I have posted a blog. There are a few things I have failed to mention on this blog since have have been absent. MM is saying lots of new words, purple, highchair, tummy. Mom even made it thru a birthday! We took MM out for her first boatride. It was a good evening to go out and she enjoyed every minute on the boat. She wanted to explore every inch of the boat, but a little juice and goldfish, and we were set.

Where has the time gone? Summer is almost here, and weekends just slip away from us. MM loves her new toys - thanks to mommie :) I have realized she has PLENTY of clothes so I am moving on to my next hobby - toy shopping. She is starting to get a nice Little Tikes selection. I am still on the hunt for a Little Tikes Picnic Table. If all else fails, I will go buy one at Toys r Us. We spend the evenings watering flowers and playing outside until she is very tired! My laptop crashed last week, so I am out of comission on downloading pictures until I get it back.

Nothing big happened around home this week. Finally planted the flowers in the pots! Then the next night it stormed, so they all had to go under the porch! Lots of rain this week. This weekend's project will be mulch. Nana & PaPa are over to spoil MM.

Some words MM is working on... crakers, shoes, cheese, grace, juice. Oh, and her favorite word is NO.

Have a great weekend!!

During the day I usually talk to MMs babysitter via messenger. Today she signed on to tell me They were looking at MMs pictures on her web site. MM was telling her everyone in the pictures. Mom, Dad, and then Macie said her cousin's name, Delaney. I am sure it didn't come out perfect, but I was happy, I called the big guy at work and told him, too!

This is a list of why we don't own NEW things
-My parents threw out their old end tables one weekend and I loaded them up in my truck and glued the legs back together and they now sit in my living room. MM got ahold of my drink last night and spilt the tea on one end table. It has a glass top. The tea ran under the top and it's sitting in a pool on both corners. How do we get under the glass. Is that why mom wouldn't let us bring drinks in the living room?

-Our couch and love seat was bought from a friend of a friend. It's beige...with tea stains!

-I went rummaging last weekend and bought 2 lamps to go on the end tables. They are a pretty crystal and I bought 2 new lamp shades to match my antique floor lamp-discovered at an auction. But the big guy thinks all this new light makes it too bright, so he's right behind me, dimming the lights.

-Our kitchen table is a hand me down. This table is also featured in the Big Guy's baby pictures! One time the drop leaf was not secured and tested before we set the table for dinner and the roast ended up on the wall and floor!

-The back door leads directly to the kitchen. There is no area to drop off shoes and hats and coats. We've tracked in so much in that kitchen. So I went to wal mart and bought this huge, pretty rug - it is not pretty anymore. I told the Big Guy, he can buy the next rug and see how much it cost. Maybe he'll take off his shoes next time he comes in the house.

Why don't we own new things? Maybe it's because we don't deserve them! Maybe its because we live like real people and walk in real dirt in our real shoes. We have hobbies, wait, HE has hobbies! I have MM to keep me busy. Life isn't perfect, and either is my house.

It was raining....all weekend...until this afternoon. It was raining when I attempted to straighten my hair, too. MM stopped long enough to get her picture taken with her cousin. The next day I went back to curly hair. The rain didn't stop the big guy from stopping at Rural King. I don't think we bought anything. MM took a few rides on the John Deere petal tractors. Couldn't get her away from the tractors. This is the big guy's way of keeping the rain off of MM.

Tea for two? This girl runs on caffeine and M&Ms! Chocolate is her FAVORITE! and we have to HIDE it from her. Now... lets talk about the baby! HA. M&M is maybe learning bad habits from her mommie, but I've seen a grandma here and there sneak in some chocolate (a bunny EAR) or some ice cream! We are just happy she has her appetite back and is feeling 100%. Look at this face, I think she's onry!

We had another big weekend of visiting PaPa for his bday and attending a Mother/Daughter banquet. There are new babies at church and I can imagine how happy the new mommies were to bring their new baby girls. Last year I carried M&M in her car seat and she slept thru the dinner. This year, she helped herself to her own plate. Time flies and babies grow to fast. These new mommies will wish the same thing next year. Is there a way to stop time? Not sure if I could figure that out. Is there a way to stop them from crawling up the stairs? or having the notion to jump off the couch? My house will never be the same. I swore I picked up the living room last night when we got home from the banquet. And I remember this morning all the toys I stepped over on my way out the door. Life seems chatic, but I wouldn't change it for the world, or to be debt free, or to be a size 5 (i'd take size 9). When people visit, they can step over the toys, just don't step on a weeble wabble.

TODDLER BIBS:
This is something I got this weekend from my sister's inlaw-inlaws...She makes toddler bibs. I love them, even though the sleeves are a bit long, it works out great and saves the outfits!

We are still finding left over Easter Candy around the house. I did buy her some chocolate for Easter, along what was in her eggs. Last night I found a box to put the eggs in and I was sorting through the eggs and found more candy. MM still refers to candy as "Yum,Yum."

We wore her out last night by playing outside before we cooked on our new grill. She likes to help outside, but we still have to keep an eye out on her. She has a mini shovel she will use to move around some mulch and dirt. Then she will be off and running in the yard. Like a boomerang, she comes back.

I am glad she is starting to feel better this week. Her sores are gone and she is in a better mood. Our evenings have become somewhat normal this week since the Big Guy has been rained out of working late nights. Last week he would come home around 9 or 10 o'clock. We are getting some honey-do jobs done, but there is lots to do at our house! We finally put her Little Tykes slide together. I bought it at a resale shop and got it for a great price. Thanks Nana! It took both of us to put it together. Of course, MM was right there , under all the chaos excited about her new toy. Last night when we unloaded the grill from the truck she was right there! Can't miss a thing.