Snow?

So the talk of the town/Illinois- is that a blizzard is headed our way. Am I prepared? What do you do to prepare? We have milk...we have bread... we have shovels. Even 3 child size shovels... so I guess we are set!

I am curious if Jenna will have school... if Scott will have work... Is this kind of fun?

I am hopeful that my Mom's school in Kankakee area will be canceled- for her sake- bus driving and all. So prayers for that. And prayers for anyone who is not able to be sheltered or prepared for this anticipated snow.

We have sure been enjoying the current melting snow. I just Friday brought the kids to Jenna's bus stop on the sleds. And then picked Jenna up with a sled ride home. It was fun and the kids loved it! Me too.

Here are some pictures of the kids enjoying the snow and outdoors this winter. (A sweet reminder to me of the fun we are able to have while I am able to be home with them! Ahhh...)


My sweet Ash- where is the snow in this one though? Must have been a rare melted day... and rare that she actually has her mittens ON too... Ugg!


All they want to do is eat it!


This day will go down in the books as a perfect! Sledding in Kankakee with my best girlfriends and their gorgeous girls...just perfect!


My pretty big girl!


Just having fun!

oh bloggity bloggggg!!

Ugg! I just can not bring myself to work on this! I have had so many wonderful things happening with the kids and ourselves... I guess that it just is that every day is just so wonderful and full- that I fell like I have too much to catch up on!

The New Year is here! We had a wonderful time sharing the celebration with wonderful old friends! And with our beautiful cherished children! I really loved our time.

And Christmas... just one wonderful gathering after another. The kids were just precious! And boy do I want them to stay the way they are!!! Although each day is just as wonderful as the last!

Summer, Fall and now Winter- Fun! That is all I can say... it has all been FUN!!! Maybe more posts here soon! (this wasn't so bad!!)

Kankakee River State Park- Early Oct. 2010

Ya know- just one of those perfect days!

We cross the Kankakee River on our trips down to my parents. And now we have this picturesque day to know more about it!

Scott had a week day off and my mom had a half day of school. So instead of spending money at a pumpkin farm (which we ended up doing later in the month anyway!). My mom suggested a day of exploring at the state park. And it was just wonderful. I could have taken a million pictures. But I really just tried to enjoy the day and all of it's glory first hand.

It was warm and perfect! Thanks Mom for the great idea!!



Climbing the hill to get back across the bridge- who doesn't love the excitement of a bridge!


Crossing/running across the bridge


View from up atop the bridge


Sweet guy! He loved it! (we all did!)


My mom was taking some pictures of us... this is us down below the bridge


Ashley was so excited to get in! It was chilly! And rocky.


After hiking for a bit- we came to an outlook. Jenna and Nanna thought they spied a gator!!


My Mom and my Daughter
It was so wonderful!!

A new chapter

It has been since August since I have posted! Yikes! Great things have been going on. Jenna's super fun soccer, Ashley's birthday and party, Zachary's Exploring toddler classes... So I will have some catching up posts to do!!

This post though is about the big day that I will be having tomorrow. Starting tomorrow, Monday, October 25th, 2010, I will be starting a new career. Day care provider.

I will be caring for a little 17 month old boy named Andrew. Monday - Friday. 7:45 am- 4:30pm.

I wonder how it will go?

I started this process after Scott has been really stressing about our financial status. We are just not able to make it with his pay alone. We have dwindled our savings down too far. And with my possible return to teaching in the Fall of 2011, there is just too much time to try to last. So I thought that this would be a good idea.

Well it has happened very fast! I contacted my wonderful friend Christa's sister Karyn- who works at Willowbrook High school. Hoping that she could forward my intent along to fellow teachers. Because if I was going to do this- a teacher's schedule would be ideal. Well Andrew's grandmother works with Karyn- and here we are.

I have been very excited! I look forward to earning money, of course! And mostly to interacting more with my own children. I really see this as enabling me to be the stay at home mom that I have wanted to be. I hope this happens!

Andrew seems really sweet. I know that my time meeting him was very short compared to the full days that I will have with him. And I do hope that he will feel at home with us and that we can provide the care that he deserves. Just a little guy.

So wish me luck! It will be an adventure for sure!!!

I'm likin' it!

Today was a great day! How I have pictured this school year to be. Which was just about perfect!! Jenna is in PM Kindergarten. Unfortunately all of the kids that she knew prior to this year- are in AM. I could have requested AM, like all of her friends' families did. But I thought otherwise for us- and actually left it up to the school to decide for us. And PM it was.

I do feel for her, very much so- that she doesn't have anyone in her class. I was hoping for at least one of her friends to get PM as well. But no. She is taking it in stride though! Today was her 2nd day- and she seems great! I just hope she can befriend some kids soon. Although I remember that I did not know anyone going into kindergarten either- and really I did not continue to be friends with anyone from that grade as well. (my life longers I met in 2nd grade and beyond.)

Well today was just perfect. A relaxing morning wake up. Sleeping as long as she needed. After breakfast we headed to a park. And it was fun! I really love seeing the 3 kids play together and mornings is really prime time for this. After a good amount of time at the park, we headed home, Jenna rested on the couch for about 20 minutes while I got lunch ready for her and Zachary. She ate and then it was time to head to the bus stop. We got there just in time for her first ride to school. I got some pics and she was off!

I then took Zach and Ash to her school to see the procedure of her getting off the bus and I got to see some of the other kids in her class. Which was nice! Although she was disappointed that I was there! She said that had to be my last time! Funny!

While she was at school I took Zach and Ash to the Villa Park fruit market for great priced fruit and deli meat. Came home and fed myself and Ash. Zach fell asleep on the couch and Ash and I played for a bit. Got a nice phone call from my brother Douglas- we chatted for a bit. It sounds like he is pumped for a great semester at Northern! I am happy and proud of him! Get er done!!

Then I got Ashley asleep. Really just in time to go get Jenna from the bus stop. And then her and I sat on the front porch with a fudge pop each and talked about her day. It was fantastic!

Then we were surprised by our friends walking by- so they stayed and visited and played for a while, Scott got home, dinner, playing, and to bed! And their room was even straightened up nicely- so no stepping on toys in the pitch dark tonight! :)

Ahhh... I can get used to this schedule for sure!!!!

Vacation!!

All of us together in Kentucky!!


The kids- Sydney, Jack, Walt, Azlynn, Zachary, Jenna, Olivia and Ashley


Ashley at the beach - Her first time in Kentucky!


Love the Matchy, Matchy! Pink Dresses on the girls... And just a cute posin' Zach!


Our Annual Kentucky Family Vacation!!

It was wonderful- of course! How couldn't it be? Boating, beaching, pool, family... ahh!

My Aunt Janine and Uncle Gary have been working hard on their Kentucky home. And it is coming along beautifully! We spent the night there with the kids the first couple of nights. It was so nice! The house is going to be even more amazing once it is complete. Even with it as done as it was- there was plenty of room for us all. I think we decided there was 23 of us all together.

My entire family (immediate) was there! How great is that! My sis and her BF Jamie were only able to be there for the last 2 days, but my brother Douglas and my brother Brian and his GF Kristy and her daughter Azlynn were there the full time. It was really great to be together! So fun!

And my Aunt and Uncle Gary's family members that were there too- my cousin Roger and his wife Julie and their daughter Sydney, My cousin Karen and her husband Soren and their kids- Olivia, Jack and Walt.

Roger and Julie have an awesome boat- we had a blast on it and my uncle Gary's boat. Thanks so much to them for making our vacation!!

My mom celebrated her 60th birthday while we were there too. So we had a party for her. And it was great! Decorations, home made ice-cream, pinata, silly string, pin the hat on Nana... it was great. We even managed to stay up late and play Apples to Apples. With the kids all passing out on the floor to a movie.


My kids enjoying their home-made ice cream. This is a family tradition on my mom's side. They used to make home-made ice cream all the time. And it has been a while since we have done it!



Pin the hat on Nana!


Happy Birthday!!

Also on Mom's b-day we went to a winery. All the years we have been going (since 2004) we haven't ventured out. And it was fun! Can't beat a winery! Yummy blackberry wine and Havarti, cheese and bread- yummy!!


Mom and I at the winery. And all us girls enjoying our girl day!!

We also went to a Nature center. It was humming bird mania down there! And the Nature Center was having a Humming bird Festival. So we checked it out- Jenna and Olivia got their faces painted and did lots of fun things.


This one was on Aunt Janine's Deck- they were crazy over the feeder! And the girls at the Nature Center.


Us middle adults, were able to get away for the day and hit the party cove. Of course fun!


My sis Megan, our cousin Karen and I - Party Cove! All of us "adults".


Scott and I - actually enjoying our vacation! ;)

My brother Douglas, my brother Brian, his girlfriend Kristy, My sis Megan, her boyfriend Jamie, me and Scott.


Just great to be family and vacationing!!!



Soren letting Jenna drive the boat. He was so great! He was really having the kids do all the driving! He was a great instructor!!


Jenna and my Godson Jack! Having fun on the tube!


Me and my girl! Loving vacation together!


Zachary loving "going Fast!" on the boat.


Jenna and Olivia - Bead Bonaza! It was the addiction of vacation!


Rock skipping lessons from Grandpa.


Skipping/ throwing rocks...


The kids on the beach- our last morning. (and Scott... do you see him?)

Until next time!!!

Farmers Market

Our farmer's Market Bounty- sweet corn, a beautiful rose, Shake up, soap, and home-made doughnuts....

We made it to our local Farmers Market this summer!! I just love doing these things. And we went a recent Sunday. Scott was helping our good friends move. So the kids and I had time to do something fun. And we found it!! And boy did we do it up!! Home-made doughnuts! Hawaiian Shake up, raw corn on the cob, soaps, honey, blueberries, flowers, music. It was great! Jenna was a little unsure about going- but she was real happy we did! Ahhh just one of those great days together. Love love loved it!!


Her first time trying corn on the cob! She loved it!! And it kept her good and occupied!!


Jenna and the soap she picked out- she picked this one because it looks like puppy Mya (her Aunt Cindy's dog) She uses it all the time and can't wait to get the "toy" out of it!


That's one big shake up!!!