Birthday girl is 6!

 

 

 

 

How is it possible that Anna is 6 years old now? I am in denial! Such a big girl with such a love for life! She loves everything to eaat and she now weighs a whopping 38 pounds. Last month she never stopped eating and now she isn't eating much again. She is probably about 46 inches tall. She loves kindergarten, but still loves her time with Mommy! She adores her big brother, Logan, and loves Brandon so much that she annoys him constantly. She loves her one on one time with Daddy, too! She is a biggest crafter I know and mess maker and a super duper reader. What a blessing Anna is to all of us. We cannot even remember life without her.

She was a bit puny on her birthday and had to have her candle on her own special piece of cake. We are both kinda icky,but antibiotics are kicking in now!

We will continue to celebrate this weekend with a few friends over here for a princess party. Of course Justin will be the only prince at the party!

Valentine's Day hunt

Each year since Logan was little, we have done a Valentine's Day hunt. Sadly, my 5'9 almost 14 year old son felt too old for the hunt and was gone at a friends house. Anna and Brandon still enjoyed the clues that Barry did and like the little prizes. I couldn't really get into the spirit of the holiday this year after going to Disney and I wasn't feeling well that day.

Disney Trip!

Click on collage to make it bigger.

 

 

 

 

We had a wonderful time at Disney World. We had some rain, some sun, some cool weather and some awesome weather. The kids enjoyed every bit of it. Anna summed it up on our first night. We were on the Dumbo ride at Magic Kingdom and the fireworks started going off all around us. She said that this was the most amazing life ever. It was very sweet and so perfectly said on the 5 year anniversary of us getting the phone call that there was a baby waiting for us in China. I wish I could have frozen that ride forever. The look on her face as I looked back to her riding with Barry in their Dumbo was priceless.

Brandon conquered a few fears and rode a lot of the roller coasters. I think there was only one he didn't ride this time. Way to go B-Ray! Brandon had a blast and was such a trooper the whole time. He still enjoyed meeting some of the characters and getting autographs, but it seemed to wear off by the end of the week. He was very excited to trade Disney pins with cast members. I was smart and ordered 20 pins for $20 total from Ebay before we left for Anna and Brandon to split between them and they had a blast trading. They each bought one pin and since those were $10 each, they liked getting new pins everywhere we went for free.

Logan did a great job on the trip with his feet. He got a wheelchair only for one day at Epcot since it is so big.He was a typical teenager at times, of course, but he was a complete trooper with his feet. He has been wearing night boots to stretch his achilles and gastrocs and they must be working! YEAH....finally an answer and relief.

I was sick a little at Disney and that really stunk, but I kept on going. We had some really great meals at different places this time and the kids enjoyed eating with the characters and at all the different resorts. If you aren't familiar with the Disney Dining Plan and are going to Disney, check it out! Of course, I don't want to eat anything for a week, though, but we had some great meals.

So, after planes, monorails, busses, trams, good food, good times, we are home and exhausted from all of the Disney Magic

Disney

 

 

 

 

Disney Bound!

Had to add a couple of pictures from our trip 3 years ago. We went the same exact week in 2007. We are hoping for a bit warmer weather this time. We were pretty cold last time. The forecast shows in the 70's, so YEAH!

The kids are bouncing off the walls here! We leave in the morning. Anna insists that we leave NOW! The boys spent all last night doing the homework for next week and hopefully they will finish today. 5th grade and also 8th grade makes for a TON of work. Logan is actually lucking out. He has been able to do some this past week. A lot of Geometry, etc. Brandon has already been in his room doing homework today since 7am. Thank goodness I have been blessed with wonderful independent students in these kids. Anna only has to do a vacation journal each day and she will be exempt from the rest of the kindergarten work! YEAH.....on our way.

On a side note...PLEASE pray for our health. A friend of mine had a daughter having surgery this week, so I picked up her other 3 kids from school and fed them dinner, etc. Their 5 year old daughter became very ill here with diarhhea and vomiting. YUK....I pray this doesn't ruin our vacation! I am so sad about this.

Camping in basement,Disney, etc

 

 

 

Brandon decided he wanted to camp in the basement today. We'll see if Anna lasts down there for the night. She can never settle down, so I will be surprised if she can make it. It will be good practice for Disney next week. It takes her a good 30 min to settle, fishing singing, etc.

We leave for Disney in just a week! Next Sunday. WOO HOO. We are ALL getting VERY excited! Brandon is a little hesitant about flying again. Luckily we have a direct flight on the way there, so that will help! CAN'T wait!!!

SNOW DAY!

NO school today, due to the weather. Got the lovely wake up call at 5:44 from the school's automated system. Barry shoveled some before he left for work, but it quickly needed more shoveling. The boys went outside later on and did more. I guess it is going to blow around all night. Wondering if the kids will have school tomorrow. It was nice having them home today. I was supposed to be sanding the walls in Anna's room and trimming it out. At least the wallpaper is GONE. I didn't like her border, but I didn't mind the back wall's paper, but it is gone now.

So, we have been pretty lazy today. I did take Anna down the street to get a haircut, though.

 

 

 

Christmas Day

 

Santa navigated his way to our new house and WHEW that was a relief. Anna was pretty worried! The kids are enjoying their new electronics and toys. Anna got the CUTEST little pink video camera from Santa that he found on the DELL website on sale for $30. It is the BEST thing ever. She is having a blast with it and the quality is very good. It is the size of a cell phone. Logan also got a video camera that is small. It is a HD Kodak zi8 or something like that. Brandon is enjoying his new digital camera, but I am not enjoying it flash in my face constantly. They are all enjoying being off of school and just doing whatever.

Christmas with Barry's family

 

 

 

 

We went to the Schmidt's on Christmas Eve as usual. A delicious seafood lunch was had by all and then we hung out and opened gifts, etc. That night we went to their church service.

Christmas at the Sid's

 

We had a nice dinner and visiting with my parents, my Grandma and my sister and her family.

Just in Case

 

I sent this collage out with our Christmas cards this year. Sadly, I am STILL sending out cards. I also had some returned. Anna help me this year and I guess I missed that she didn't put postage on a couple. LOL!

Heading to Disney!

Barry got an itch to head back to Disney with the kids. I was a bit shocked. We talked to Logan about the trip first. He had to be willing to miss school and do homework there. He takes Geometry as an 8th grader and it is a 10th grade course. I wanted to make sure that he would be able to be gone from school. We have a day and a half to do homework before we leave, so that will help. Good idea to leave on a Sunday. We will need to rent a wheelchair for Logan to ride in some while we are there. His feet just can't walk very far. We had a stroller for Anna three years ago and this time we will have a wheelchair. No big deal. You just do what you have to.

Anna is literally bouncing off the walls about the trip. I thought that telling her 5 weeks away would be ok....now I am not so sure that a day away would have been better! Poor Mrs. Warren at school!

Weekend Christmas fun!

We had Chrismtas at my Grandma's on Saturday. There was about 28 people in her house. Brandon and Anna finally got to visit Santa, too. We had dinner, games and then we went to see the lights at the park. There are a ton there! Today my parents treated all of their Grandkids to swimming and food at the pool about 35 min away. The kids all had fun and I am sure it will be a quiet night around our house. They are all really tired from the swimming and waterslide, etc!

My cutie pie

 

 

 

I am really missing my gal around the house these days. She is perfectly fine at school, but she would be perfectly fine at home with me, too. I miss her throughout the day because we have been attached at the hip for many years. I look forward to the weekends when she is home. She has already asked if we can have a "Girl day" over Christmas break. I recently took Brandon Christmas shopping for a day and out to Panera for a bagel and then he picked Roadhouse for lunch. It is nice to have one on one time with each kid.

Ready for the snow

 

 

 

The kids were excited on Monday morning to see the first dusting of snow.

Christmas is Coming!

We have been quite busy preparing for the Christmas season. We have been decorating up at storm here. It is fun decorating a new house and today we finished with our real tree.

This past week Brandon had his program at school. He was Charlie Brown for part of it. Logan will have his school program this Thursday and the kids all their church program today at 4. It is always nice seeing them all sing. They did a great job. We take little Justin on Wednesdays to church and he does such a fantastic job! We will finish up with programs next Sunday when the kids are all in the Cantata at church and they will sing two or three songs.

oh and I think Anna must miss me taking pics of her, as she was quite the little posing gal!

Thanksgiving

We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving Day at Barry's sister's house 2 hours away. The adults played games and visited and the kids all had fun playing together.
On Saturday we had Thanksgiving at my parents' house. It was a beautiful day out so the kids were able to play outside with their cousins and Grandpa Joe trying out the twins' gift we got them.

Chicago

 

Barry and I went to Chicago for his work trip. I spent the days buried in a book and shopping. I met up with our friend, Erin, from Show Choir in High School. Barry and I went out one evening for dinner and celebrated our 17th anniversary. The other night we went out with his Credit Union people. It was a nice get away. While we were gone, my parents kept the kids one night at our house and one night at theirs. Barry's parents helped out, too. Unfortunately, while we were gone, the vanity sink on Logan's side of the upstairs bathroom had an issue and flooded. Thank GOODNESS my parents stayed at our house. If they hadn't, I cannot EVEN begin to imagine the where the flood would have reached! The kitchen, laundry room and probably the basement! YIKES.

Everything is all put back together now. YUK.

Catching up

 

 

It was fun visiting Anna and Brandon's classrooms for Parent Day! Anna's class did a little Thanksgiving skit. Anna was a little Indian girl and her big line throughout the play was "SHHH! SHHHH! SHHHH!"

Brandon had prepared a neat little page to make me all teary eyed about what he was thankful for. Cute.