Stating the Obvious

I was trying to think about what to write, and there are so many things that have and have not (due to illnesses) gone on around here, and not much exciting to mention. But once I started to think about it, I realized that the things that have been ordinary are still not as ordinary as I thought. Hard to explain! If that doesn't make sense, I guess I have had too many antibiotics lately and I'm a little loopy from the vert strong one I started last night that cost $102, and had too many side effects to mention. All I've experienced so far is not being able to sleep, and saw flashes of light as I laid there in bed trying to sleep. So, let me go ahead and state the obvious:

Obvious #1 ~ My kids are cute in their Halloween costumes! Em was Tigger and Lucy was Minnie Mouse. Emily had a blast at our church's trunk or treat. Then we had to make a stop at Kroger and everyone loved seeing them dressed up in there.

Obvious #2 ~ We are sick of being sick. Lucy got bronchitis at the beginning of October. Since then we've all had fevers, colds, and ultimately bronchitis, except Tyler. He's been well, thankfully. Last week I had a fever for 4 days. This week I am still coughing and called the doctor because I still have bronchitis and as I mentioned before, I'm on my 2nd round of antibiotics. Lucy woke up with another cold yesterday and had a fever last night.

Obvious #3 ~ Yesterday Roscoe got a haircut, and Emily was obsessed with him. "Mom, his haircut is beautiful!" she said. She was constantly looking for him and wanted to pet him all evening. Also, last night after I put Lucy to bed, I let Emily stay up a little while I mopped the kitchen floor. It was OBVIOUS that I don't do it too much because she was fascinated. She gawked and wanted to walk on it, and couldn't wait for it to dry. This morning, when she came down and found me in the laundry room around 7:00, she said, "MOM! The dry floor is dry!!!" Then we immediately went to let Roscoe in and she said, "MOM! Roscoe still has a haircut!" I went straight to the little journal that I have written things in off and on, and wrote those things down. She loves simple little things, and she states the obvious without even knowing.

Obvious #4 ~ Tyler has been great through all of this. He has picked up so many prescriptions, and last week he even stayed home one afternoon to help because I couldn't function. A couple weeks ago, when I woke up feeling awful, he said, "What's your dream day?" I wasn't sure and had to think about it! He said, he knows that when he gets sick, he just likes to think about his dream day and that usually makes him feel better. That weekend, he took me on a surprise trip to Cincinnati. Thankfully, everyone was feeling better that weekend before it all started back up again. Mom and Dad were in on it, and they kept the girls. He took me on the "Date of my life" and I was thrown for a loop! Everything had to do with when we met up till now. He took me to CCU where we met, shopping, was going to take me where we had our first date to O'Charley's but our plans got thrown off a little and that didn't happen. He took me to the restaurant where we went the night we got engaged, and we had gotten the code to get into the church where he used to work and where we got married. He also gave me a necklace with the girls' picture on it. That was such a big surprise, and when I look back, I realize that was a dream day. It was perfect timing amongst all the sickness and sitting in the house. It's something fun to look back on!

"Dr. Went-Well"

I was thinking about what to write the other morning for my blog, and the ideas came to me as I sat in front of the computer.....with a "Tinkerbell" tiara in my hair, my jammies on, and the girls playing on the floor around me. I thought, "What am I doing with this thing still in my hair?!?!" Emily wanted me to wear it ~ she had her Tinkerbell dress on and I decided to keep it in my hair because it was keeping my hair out of my face. I just decided to write about all the funny things that little Miss Emily has been saying and doing lately. She has such an imagination, especially while in her dress up clothes, costumes, whatever you want to call them. I have had to be quiet lately because I was going to scare the sleeping tiger if I didn't. I have had to get the witch and the snake out of her room, even at 3:40 in the morning. (To be honest, that specific time I didn't actually go down to her room, but she did come and wake me up because she was scared...."just pretending" she said, but still wanted the witch out). I think we watch too many princess movies, and too much Jungle Book (hence the snakes and tigers). She was also going to teach Sher-Con (Jungle Book) how to dance yesterday.

Now, for "Dr. Went-Well". Tyler and I got a good laugh in at lunch today. The girls had check ups today. Tyler came home for lunch and asked, "Doctor went well?" I said, "Ya, they did good, we didn't have to wait long and Lucy's bronchitis is cleared up." Emily said, "Dad, it's not Dr. Went Well, it's Dr. Lyons." Ohhhhhh, duh!

Yesterday Emily and Lucy went to Mrs. Hammel's house to be watched in the evening, while we went to a dinner we were invited to. Mrs. Hammel is one of Em's preschool teachers, and Emily LOVES her. She was so excited to go, that after her "nap" (she didn't nap yesterday, she was too excited), she said, "Mrs. Hammel NEEDS us!" She wanted to go right then. She also informed me that "I'll be a good nice attitude!" Of course, they ended up having a blast. They love going there... Nancy Jo and her husband, Cary, had a nice dinner waiting, an old Fisher Price school to play with, fish out in the pond to feed, and "Chip the Wonder Dog" to play with.

Finally, one more story. I love all the funny things Emily says and that Lucy does, but this was the best. On Tyler's birthday (Monday), he came home from work early and we went to the pumpkin patch. We had a great time looking at (and holding) the goats and donkeys, eating pumpkin bars and cider slushies, and picking out apples and pumpkins. Later that evening after dinner, before it was completely dark outside, Emily and I went out to put the pumpkins in their places. She said, "Mom, it's a good day!" She has been saying that so much and I love it. It reminds me to slow down and think about the day, and how, yes, it has been good!

The "Amazing" Swingset!

This fall we finally got a new swingset, and it's been great! It was really inexpensive ~ purchased at an auction of a swingset place going out of business. We only have 3 swings, and have yet to get a slide, glider, etc, but it'll do. It provided a lot of entertainment for us while Tyler was in Colorado, and we go out as a family in the evenings. One evening, Emily was so excited when I pushed her really high. She said, "This is amazing!" Even though we have had it for a few weeks now, she still tells me how nice it was of Daddy to get the swingset for us! Also, if you can tell at all from the picture, Emily loves to go out and swing in her "dance dresses," "costumes," or "ballerina dresses," ~ whatever she's calling them for the day! She likes to say that she's playing "dress upping".

The walnuts are finally off the tree....for a while there we would have to go inside because they were falling too much right over the swingset. The squirrels would notice us out there and they made sure they positioned themselves up in the tree right over one of us, and dropped the walnut shells right onto us. One of my shirts is ruined by walnut stains (that do not come out) because a squirrel aimed right for me and dropped quite a few pieces all at once!

Hopefully we'll get a lot more use out of it this fall. The weather has been so warm, and even though the temp is going to drop, we'll still be out there! If not, we'll be inside playing with the dollhouse....as you can see Lucy is playing with the little girl that belongs to the dollhouse!

Fall Is On Its Way

Fall is definitely on its way. We have tried to squeeze in all we can of summer, but it's fading fast. We swam on Labor Day at Tyler's parents (Mimi and Pa's), Emily stayed a few days last weekend with my parents (Grandma and Poppie's), and we will make one more trip to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo as a family next week. But, fall is definitely right around the corner. As you can see in the picture, Emily started Happy Days Preschool this week! There she is, holding her bag that she got at school. You would think by the picture that she was really excited about me taking a picture! She had to be tricked into taking a picture so I could have something to post on the blog and for her baby book! For some reason she did not want to get ready and go this morning, but she has come back both times this week saying she had a really great time! I think it will be a lot of fun for her.

Another sign of fall....our walnut tree started losing walnuts and leaves last week. Normally I don't enjoy picking up walnuts, but this year I've been able to turn it into something fun. Emily LOVES to find the walnuts and put them in the bucket. Yippeee for me! We made a game out of it ~ walnut bowling. I drew a line on the sidewalk and she "bowls" walnuts to see if she can get them past the line. Meanwhile, Lucy sits in the grass and enjoys watching, or picking at the grass. Here is a picture of the two of them enjoying our "walnut bowling" day, and then a picture of Emily in action!

We have been able to focus a lot on Lucy lately! It's amazing how with 2 kids, our time and attention is so much more divided. That's pretty obvious, I guess, but I didn't really realize the lack of "quality time" and lack of time I have just to get to know Lucy. When Emily was at my parents', Lucy got our undivided attention, and we got to remember what it was like to get out of the house with just one! A lot easier! I also have time with Lucy while Emily goes to preschool 2 days a week. Lucy has been crawling (army crawling) and is getting faster by the day. Time is flying by with her. She has been "moving forward" about a month earlier than Emily did, so I didn't expect her to be doing that by 6 months! Here is a picture of our happy little baby doing what she likes to do best ~ playing!

It's Raining, It's Pouring....and Both Kids are Sleeping!

It's been a rainy two days here in Wabash! Yesterday we had our annual Back to School Bash at the Honeywell Center outside. It's a great event because it's held downtown right where everyone can see and come for free food and games. In the evening, the little kids leave and Tyler does his thing for jr. high and high school kids ~ some from the neighborhood, some who were invited from church kids, and our kids from the youth group. Some of the kids from town were trying to pick fights, but Tyler and his buddy Jeff were keeping that under control, but also trying to make conversation with the kids that they didn't know, and ultimately inviting them as a whole to church. It was a fun, rainy day. Thankfully, people still came. I ended up going for a while, and Emily got to play some fun games, and I sure wish I would have had my camera, because she and her friend Mya walked around holding hands. :0) After a while, I left because I realized that I was just sitting under an umbrella trying to keep dry, feeding Lucy's face, Emily's face (all she ate was Cheetos... oops), and my face!

Sometimes I don't understand why I am always trying to get out and go do this and that. Why I'm not content just being at home, enjoying the day and the kids. Those days seem to be few and far between anymore. I am actually very glad for the rain today. It's a day where I have opened every shade and turned on every light, because it is so gloomy out. And, the rain has not let up. I am glad to be in this cozy, warm house today! Emily has had fun reading her 25 cent books I purchased at church (a "cleaning out old books from the library sale ~ I bought 8), playing with "Gumby", her name for her little bath tub toy frog, and playing "Pony Girl" on my knee. She has helped me with laundry, and has been well behaved (except right before her nap, but that's to be expected, right?!?!) Lucy has been chewing anything she can get a hold of, diving for toys, and "petting" Roscoe. The house is clean (well, the downstairs is at least). The laundry's done. And best of all, the girls are both napping! Yippeee!

By the way, I am quite proud of myself because I got a picture on here! It's from a couple weeks ago, but I thought it was cute.

Turning 3...Who said it would be easy?

This is my first blog, I have tried to add pictures! Something is not working! Please bear with me!!! This will probably have no pictures, which isn't as fun, but I will figure it out sometime.

Emily turned three this week! I now know what my friend Beth was talking about when she said, "Three is harder than two!" Emily hit age three and it has been complete mayhem ever since! It's been a fun week, full of celebration, lots of company, and many fits! Emily has had her fair share of fits before, but it seemed to get worse on August 15th. Maybe it was just my imagination....

We had a "Princess" birthday party on Saturday, August 11th. Grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, and cousins were present...and brought lots of presents for the birthday girl. Emily about fell off of her stool when she opened her dollhouse from Mimi and Grandpa because she was so excited! She got some cute dressup clothes in her favorite color ~ purple ~ from Grannie and Grandpa Siela. Emily had a Princess cake, made with a Barbie cake topper. It about killed me to cut into the cake, but at least I took lots of pictures.

Emily's fun week was extended as Claire and Audrey stayed for three days! It was the "wind-up" to Emily's actual birthday. They all had a great time, as we swam, went on a picnic at the park, played, and ate lots of cake and ice cream. Well, some of us had cake and ice cream. This was the tough part ~ not letting Emily enjoy her leftover birthday treats because she was busy getting in trouble and going to bed EARLY every night. And then refusing to get on the toilet right before we went out to get ice cream (I knew that the bathroom at the ice cream place was out of order!!! Goes to show how much we go there...). So, she didn't get any ice cream there. Not fun. I wanted so badly to give her some!

I know I will look back on this time in her life and laugh! But the next thing that happened (the day after her birthday) takes the cake. Please don't read if you are eating lunch...ha! I heard at least 100 times that day, "Mommy mommy mommy, my poop hurts! Hold me holdmeholdme!" We went to Kroger, which was not a good day to go, I should have known she would say the same thing while sitting in the back of the cart! Then while she's telling me that, Lucy starts crying, even though she had just had a 3 hour nap and had been fed. While at the check out, Emily fell down, I dropped my change, and Lucy continued to cry. We got home and I was ready to get both girls to bed! As I was feeding Lucy, it finally happened. I'm sure you can guess. I looked over and there is Emily standing with a goofy look on her face, but I couldn't do anything about the clean up because I was feeding a very hungry baby. I said out loud, "Can I get some BACK UP? ANYONE?!?!?!" No one came to my rescue, because it was only me! After I got Emily cleaned up and Lucy fed somehow, I put Emily in the bathtub for the 2nd time that day (that was her 2nd accident of the day). What a day!

So, the week has been full of fun, ups and downs, and stories that make me feel completely helpless but tough as nails at the same time. I can do this! I can deal with the fits because there are too many fun things to go along with them.