The twins 6th Birthday

We had their friend birthday party at the Treehouse at Glenview Baptist Church. Then we went to Port Aransas for our annual family vacation and had the family party there. Maddie was sick with a stomach bug on her real birthday so she missed taking cupcakes to school. I sent the cupcakes in the next day even though Maddie was still sick because we were leaving town for a week. Her teacher sent home her special birthday hat. Ryan took donuts to his class.

Cowboys Game at New Stadium

We went to the Cowboys game at the new stadium last night with Mike's parents. It was very cool and the stadium is AWESOME! It's really hard to describe it but we had a great time.

I-phones rock!

I've had my I-phone about 2 weeks now and I LOVE IT! I downloaded an app called runkeeper and today on my run it tracked my distance and pace. Then when I got home I went to the website and it showed me a map of where I ran, the pace for each mile and the elevation. It is AWESOME! I also love being able to check my email whenever I want and not waiting for my 10 year old computer to boot up. Seriously, my computer is 8 years old and getting slower by the day. Plus, you know how Mike has that obsession that you can't leave the computer on so I have to turn it off and on everytime I want to use it.

Can a 5 year old be depressed?

Maddie told me the other day that sometimes she feels like crying and doesn't know why. What does this mean!? Can she be depressed. Everyday when I pick her up from school she is in the grumpiest mood and usually in tears by the time we get to the car. She says that everyone is mean to her after school. Not her friends, but me, Ryan and Tori. The only thing I can think of is that she is overly tired or hungry. Once we get home and she has a snack she's fine. I already moved her bedtime up 30 minutes earlier. Maybe she's having a hard time adjusting to kindergarten?

Now on a different note, their birthday party up here is on Oct. 3. Ryan invited 3 friends from school and Maddie invited 6 or 7. There are also some mutual friends. Do I do anything about the difference in the number of birthday gifts? Comments please!

Chicago trip

I went to Chicago (well really Naperville) this past weekend on a house hunting trip. My friend Lynn went with me. We spent 3 days with the realtor looking at houses. The first day we looked in Naperville, close to the train station. I didn't find a single house I liked in our price range. They were all old with old kitchens and bathrooms. I was very depressed that first day. The 2nd day we looked in Aurora which is a little further out. The first 3 houses made my short list, what a relief! The 3rd day we looked in Wheaton and Lisle which are closer to Chicago. Again, nothing I liked in our price range. It's going to be different.

When we got home I decided I needed to do some more staging to my house. Lynn came over and rearranged furniture and what a difference! The house looks great and my realtor is sending a professional photographer over Friday to take more pictures for our listing.

Ryan's glasses

Here is Ryan in his new glasses. He is farsighted and needs to wear them all the time. He got them last night and refused to wear them to school today. He started crying and wouldn't get out of the van at school. I finally put the glasses in his backpack so he would get out of the car. I walked him to the gym which is where the classes meet before school. I talked to his teacher and she said she would work with him on it. Later this morning I got an email from her that he had proudly worn his glasses all morning and all his friends think they are cool. She's the best teacher ever!

"Get Out!" Tori's first day of school

"Get Out!" That is what Tori told me when I walked her into her classroom and helped her find her cubby. Every other kid in the class (and this is no exaggeration) was crying or clinging to their parent. Tori just stood there looking around and when I asked her if it was okay for me to leave she said "Get Out!" You don't have to tell me twice! She had a great first day. She was so proud. She brought home a note that had all of the day's activities on it that she has been carrying around for the last 2 days. She keeps it folded up and then brings it to me and asks me to read it to her. She loves to hear what she did. Her favorite part is when I say "Tori went to the bathroom 4 times." She and another child are the only ones potty trained in the class. I felt almost giddy as I drove home that morning after dropping her off. I hadn't been childfree without feeling like I had to rush home to relieve Mike or a sitter in 2 1/2 years!

Princess Tori

This is a picture of Tori before she went to her first birthday party that the twins weren't invited to too. It was really special for her to do something by herself for a change. It was a princess party so all the little girls dressed up.

First Day of Kindergarten

Maddie and Ryan had their first day of school. It was a little crazy. The camcorder battery was dead so I didn't get to video. I had to drop them off in the gym where they lined up with their class. My stomach was upset the whole morning. I emailed both their teachers when I got home to see if the kids had made it to the right class. Both teachers emailed me back on their breaks and assured me the kids were fine. So far they love it. They think it's neat that they both are doing some of the same things but in separate classes. They have recess at the same time and one day they had pe together so they see each other some during the day. I've been picking them up in the car lane because it's so hot outside but the car lane has been taking 20 to 30 minutes. Maddie likes it because she gets to sit outside with her friends and wait but Ryan wants me park and walk up to get him so I'm going to try that today. Tori's first day of pre-school is tomorrow. Luckily her teacher is a very good friend of mine from playgroup so I'm not too worried about her.

The joys of moving

This is everything that has gone on since my last post:
1. Meeting with 2 local real estate agents and having to choose
2. Termite inspection
3. General inspection
4. Structural and Foundation inspection
5. Talking to Chicago realtor
6. Talking to spousal assistance relocation coordinator
7. Finding someone to replace 17 broken tiles in kitchen
8. Meeting with moving company (tomorrow)
9. Having house deep cleaned
10. Having 17 tiles removed, after having house deep cleaned
11. Spending 3 hours trying to get rid of dust after the tile removal
12. Realizing the housekeeper will have to come clean again due to tile removal mess
12. Cleaning and de-cluttering all closets
13. Debate with Mike over whether to buy a new shower curtain for home showings
14. Telling my boss I'm moving
15. Meet the Teacher
16. Dentist appointments for myself and all 3 kids
17. Haircuts
18. Back to school shoe shopping on tax free weekend
19. Being told by Mike that Ryan's shoes are too big, and Maddie's are too small
20. Almost losing a toenail from running
21. Planning house hunting trip to Chicago

Chicago

We are moving to Chicago. I don't have a lot of details yet. Mike took a new job that he is super excited about. He starts Sept. 1. Our house will go on the market sometime after that. We'll stay here until our house sells. It's going to be a big change. We've been looking at the western suburbs. Housing is a lot higher than here in Texas. Mike will be riding the train to work. More details to come.

Detroit

Tori and I took a trip to Detroit to visit my sister Dale, niece Koren, nephews Josh and Aaron, and their kids, all aged 17 months to 5 years old. My dad, Becca and Matthew went also. We stayed at the Spring Hill Suites, courtesy of Mike's hotel miles. We had such a good time! The first night we went to Dale's house for lasagna and brownies. She lives across the street from a playground so the kids got to go play. The next day we went swimming at the hotel pool in the morning. That night we went to downtown Detroit and saw Comerica Park (the Tigers stadium.) Then we rode the "people mover" which is the downtown light rail system. We ate dinner in Greek Town. We spent the next day Greenfield Village which is a historic village put together by Henry Ford. The complex includes the village and several museums. It was too big to do everything so we just did the village. They had lots of historical cabins, schools, the courthouse where Abe Lincoln tried cases, a steam train etc. Tori was so good, she went the whole day with no nap! That night we went to Josh's house for a BBQ. The food was great and it was the first time all the cousins were together. It was a great trip and I can't wait to go back again.

First tooth lost

Maddie lost her first tooth on May 1, 2009. She lost her bottom front left one. It had been loose for awhile and she kept playing with it. Finally she asked me to help so I got a wet washcloth and tried to pull it out. That didn't work but it loosened it enough that she was able to get it out a few minutes later. She was soooo excited. The tooth fairy came and brought her $1.00.

Team in Training Part 2

I signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Team in Training Program again for the Fall Season. This time I am volunteering as a mentor. I have a group of 8-10 people that I mentor throughout the season. My main job is to help encourage them with fundraising. I'm really excited about this season. I started running again this week and my goal is to run the full Rock N Roll Marathon in San Antonio in November. I'm not fundraising this time, just giving my time.

Swine Flu

Swine Flu panic is in full swing here. Fort Worth ISD closed all of their schools until May 8. They are a HUGE district, and of course, right by us. Our schools are still open and taking extra precautions. Maddie's school wipes everyone's hands as soon as they walk in the classroom. The water fountain is covered with plastic with a closed sign on it. Today only 3 of 8 kids showed up in her class. (well, 1 is on vacation, 1 went to a baseball game, 1 had a little sister who busted her nose open, 1 was just a no-show and 1 didn't come to school because she's scared of the flu) This is all according to Maddie.

Ryan's class had perfect attendance today. He said he didn't have to wash his hands before dinner tonight because he did so much hand washing at school today. They have sent home 1 letter and 2 emails regarding the flu. Field trips and all after school activities have been canceled.

Tonight Maddie and Ryan had swim lessons. Usually the pool is packed. Tonight there were only a few brave souls there. All of the toys in the waiting area were gone. While I was watching them swim, one of the employees walked around with a lysol can spraying everything in sight. One mother told me at her child's school they've been told not to touch each other. Another mother yelled at toddler not to touch anything while they were walking through the building.

Mike wanted me to keep the kids home from school today to avoid getting sick. I sent them anyway and figured if they close the school, they'll have enough time at home. We'll see what happens.

I think there's a monster in here!

Two weeks after we got Jasmine we decided to adopt her mother as well. The kids and I happily picked her up, so proud that we were reuniting mother and daughter. Well, they didn't remember each other. The first night Daisy was just as sweet as she could be but after 24 hours of Jasmine's constant hissing, she decided to fight back. Mike was out of town during this time and the kids were in my bed. Both cats wandered in and Daisy started making a long, low, scary growl. Ryan woke me up saying "Mommy, Mommy, I think there's a monster in here!" I laughed and laughed and laughed. Needless to say, we only kept Daisy for 4 days. Thank goodness her old family agreed to take her back.

Jasmine the kitty

Here are some pics of our new kitty Jasmine. She is beautiful and we are so glad Mike finally broke down and said we could get one! She is really sweet and playful. She loves to sit in your lap. She has to be in the same room with you and will cry if you leave without taking her with you. The kids love to hold her. The very first night I brought her home she curled up next to Mike on the couch and fell fast asleep. How could Mike resist!?

A few quick pics

I just wanted to post a few pictures. Not in the mood to type right now because I just spent an hour and a half typing up my work reports from this weekend! But I do want to announce that Crystal had a baby girl, Camilla Rose, and everyone is doing good. I can't wait to meet my new niece!The pictures are Ryan and Tori with "Uncle Pat" who came to visit last weekend and Tori after she got into Maddie's play makeup. That's what the pink stuff on her cheek is. Yesterday she got into my mascara and had black all over her chin. This morning she took off her clothes and was rubbing deodorant all over her body.

Hanging in There

I just haven't been in the mood to blog lately. I had to break down and go to urgent care last week. I had an ear infection and an upper respiratory infection. One steroid shot and some amoxicillin and I'm starting to feel better. Now Ryan is sick. Mike got sick again too, I think it was the flu but he won't admit it. It was bad enough that he had to cancel a trip out of town last week. Uncle Pat is in town for the weekend so he and Mike are at Buffalo Wild Wings tonight watching Nascar. I worked all day and came home in a grumpy mood to a house that looked like a pig sty. I was very grumpy and probably scared poor Pat out of the house.

I've been so sad today because Maddie's spanish teacher passed away. I didn't know him but his wife is a teacher at her school and he taught spanish to Maddie's class and the kindergarten class. He has 2 sons, one who is in kindergarten at her school. He needed a heart transplant and didn't get one soon enough. The class had just made him cards last week. They sent out an email for us to tell the kids however we thought it best. At school they are going to tell them that he is living in heaven with God now. I had to tell Maddie tonight. She wanted to know if he was in heaven and who her new teacher would be. He was only 40.

On a lighter note, today is my sister-in-law Crystal's birthday. Happy Birthday Crystal! And hopefully we'll have a new addition to the family VERY SOON! (Crystal and John's baby is on her way!)

Bowling, Biking, and Dress Up

House of sickness

This past week has been the house of sickness. Mike had a bad cold, Maddie had a stomach bug, then Tori, then Ryan, then I got Mike's cold and still have it. Needless to say I haven't felt like blogging or doing much of anything else. Mike has been great helping out. He had to watch the kids all day Sunday while I was at work and then when I got home I went straight to bed (at 4:30!). He even got up with them Monday morning and took care of them until he had to start working. Today they are at school and Tori is taking her nap right now. I just finished typing my work reports and thought I would make a quick post. I just started feeling nauseated. Please don't let me get the stomach bug too!!

And the training wheels are off

Maddie and Ryan have a neighbor friend named Griffin who is 4. Last weekend Mike took them our kids to the playground and they saw Griffin there, riding his bike, with (gasp) NO TRAINING WHEELS! Mike came home and wanted to know exactly how old Griffin was. When I told him he was a full year younger Mike decided that it was time for the training wheels to come off. A few days ago we took them off and started practicing. I quickly realized that teaching someone to ride a bike is not for me. I was easily frustrated and quick to yell. When Maddie said she wanted Daddy to teach her and not me I realized that I was probably stressing her out way too much. So Mike taught them both and I stood on the sidelines which was just fine with me. You'd think Mike would be the one easily frustrated but he was just as patient as could be. So here's to Mike, SuperDad!!

Should I throw out my Butter Brickle ice-cream?

I just bought this new Bluebell ice-cream called Butter Brickley. Then I realized that they are recalling peanut butter ice-cream, cookies, crackers etc. I haven't seen BlueBell on the list yet but should I throw it out or risk salmonella? I'm the only one who eats it. I hate to throw out ice-cream, it's one of my last vices....

Catch Up

Here's a little of what we've been doing. Tori turned 2 last month. My brother, sister-in-law and nephew were in town from Alaska and we celebrated with them by going to the zoo and eating cupcakes. We went to San Antonio for Christmas. Santa brought Ryan an outdoor camping tent, Maddie a play kitchen and Tori a stuffed puppy in a doll stroller. Sam, Jake and Meagan came down a few days after Christmas and spent some time with us. The little can't understand why the big kids sleep till noon. We had the house painted with the exception of Mike's office. Tori spilled the paint for it on the carpet so we had to take out the carpet and will be replacing it instead of painting that room. Sigh.