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.

Hello from Florida

I am here on Marco Island for the 4th November in a row with Michelle and Robin (2 of the mommies that went to China when we wentto adopt our girls). Heidi stayed home again this year. Her hubby had a bad fall at home while building their new house. He broke numerous bones in one of his legs/feet a few days before we left. We missed her again this year.

We did our typical beach things, lots of shopping and also eating yummy good food. We had less beach time this year since Hurricane Ida caused some weather related issues. Darn it. Today it was quite a bit cooler and we have had a ton of wind at times. So, no beach today. We did enjoy a day in the condo watching MaMa Mia, the rest of Twilight and making chocolate chip cookies. Good and very lazy day!

It was a great week! I head back home Friday night.

Our little friend

We adore Justin and each year I try to take pictures. I didn't do as good of a job this year. Lighting just didn't seem right, but Justin is so cute, so......

More Halloween Fun

Anna dressed up as a witch this year, Justin as a Lion, Logan as a Robber (who did NOT do any trick or Treating) and Brandon was a Monster Rocker or something like that. The day started with a photo shoot with Justin. We also went to our church in the afternoon for Trunk or Treat. Barry took Anna and Justin and Brandon around the neighborhood and also to our parents' church to their Trunk or Treat. I stayed around the house to pass out candy. OH MY....our new neighborhood had a TON of people out and about trick or Treating. There were cars and people and kids everywhere.

Halloween cookie time

FALL LEAVES

 

 

 

 

Just doing some yard work at my parents' house last weekend