Prayer Request

We just found out that Sean's grandmother passed away this morning. Please keep his family in your prayers. Thank you.

I am going nutsy! The kids are really testing me today. Actually the past few days. I am ready to lock myself in the bathroom with diet coke and chocolate and not come out until tomorrow! Unfortunately I can't do that as I have to kids to take to the doctor. My two asthmatics. We are nervous as August/September are Johnny's trigger months - we still don't know what it is that triggers him either. Last year he had a weeklong hospitalization each month. Ugh. Please keep them in your prayers.
They are repaving our street so the kids have had the entertainment of the street ripper uppers going by. It is pretty smelly work! I am not sure I would ever burn asphalt scented candles. The candle lady that was at Lura's would probably sell them! She sold burning embers. P-U!
I have actually cooked the past two days. Oven on and all. Call me crazy - we have no air conditioning and it gets hot in the kitchen! That will be a requirement for our rental. Central Air. We are supposed to live somewhere with it anyways due to the 3 people with asthma in this family! (Sean has it too). We have a window ac in the living room so we have been camping out downstairs all summer. It is over 90 degrees upstairs and pretty unbearable! I would never make it living in Pheonix!
I read an excellent book that I recommend to anyone looking for one. It was Saturday's at Tiffanys by James Patterson. It is not his typical work, more a romance. I cried!!!! I think anyone who likes heartfelt stories would love it! Now I am wondering if it was Saturday's or Sunday's - one or the other!
I hope that you all have a great day! I am thinking of all of you (Especially those of you with stinky noses and less colons than others!)
Oh- The trio's party is Saturday at 5:00 at my mom's. They have decided on a firetruck cake (with a hose and we have to sing Happy Birthday like sirens per Luke's instructions!), a princess cake and a Dr. Trippe cake. Dr. Trippe is their pediatrician and Johnny wants a cake that looks like him. It's a step up from the wheelchair cake! I guess.

Not my list of facinating facts.....

Hi guys. The trio is driving me nuts. I know, what's new.... Today was day 3 of VBS. The kids are loving it and my 4 have memorized all the songs. It is such a cool theme, Sonworld Adventure. Today Caitlin wore a spiderman mask the whole time. I finished my research paper while they were gone and now I just have to do the footnotes.

Sean has completed his parents porch with the exception of the concrete slab for the base of the stairs. He mixed, poured and carried over 700 pounds of concrete yesterday. He was tired! This was after a physically exhausting 8 hours of work in NO air!!! He is an amazing man.

Gabe had his last t-ball game on Monday and did well. He was mentioned in the paper for 3 singles! I can't wait to show him. Our friend Mr. G took Gabe and his grandson to the railroad museum and then swimming last friday. He had such a great time. Mr. and Mrs. G have been friends of our family for over 30 years and Mr. G and my dad did grandpa stuff together with Gabe and Mark, like riding the train to Tower City at Christmas and fishing. Thankfully Mr. G has continued that with Gabe so he gets that special time, even though it isn't with his grandpa. They have adjusted Gabe's ADHD medicine for about the 15th time and I think they have finally got the right combination. He is improving, slowly but surely.

Yesterday the kids and I spent the afternoon at my sister's. We played on the trampoline, had water gun and water ballon fights and played games. The kids had a great time. It is nice that the cousins are close in age. They are all old enough now that they can play and get along (for the most part.) Amy and I had a nice visit too.

I am on a mission to lose 10 lbs. before Kellie's party, and it all has to come from my stomach. I have the perfect shirt to wear that I love - and it will hide my arm fat and keep it from knocking anyone out in the bounce house....- but it is too snug around the belly. The other alternative is cutting it up the sides and making huge slits up to my boobs, but that might be a bit too sexy for a family friendly party. I think the spandex mini skirt will be risque enough! Just kidding!

We had a fun time playing at Kellie's house last week. The kids slip n slided and swam and Kellie and I pretty much refereed them and didn't sit much. But, they had fun. I wish there was a way to hide their hose though! Maybe that is a thought for next weekend, Kellie!

We bought our third washing machine of our 10 year marriage last week. The old one, which was two or three years old went caput! I have been trying to catch up on laundry all week and still have a ton to go.

Sean's grandmother is not doing well. They are moving her back to the hospital because her feet are turning black. Not a good sign. She is also undergoing extensive chemo because they THINK her cancer has returned. They are not sure, they just think. I question the logic behind that decision.

I need to go change for my appt. and get the kids ready to drop at Sean's parents. Have a good one. FEEL BETTER CRYSTAL!!!!

Hi guys, Happy Monday. I haven't been online much lately, sorry to be so behind on what you all are doing. Truth is I am really battling depression right now and it has got me down. I can't seem to shake this funk. A lot of it is the unknown - our house, finances, my schooling (I have been working on a killer research paper & when I thought I had finished yesterday I found out today that I did it all wrong!)... And a lot is trouble with the kids. They just will not listen. I have begun reading the book 1,2,3 Magic which has received rave reviews from many. It is a really simple idea, a well written book and I am feeling confident about starting to implement the techniques. I just have to finish the book! Tough to do when I have to rewrite an entire research paper.
I am at my mom's right now using her computer because it is NOT dialup so I can get things done faster.
The kids started VBS today and had a great time. I enjoyed my few hours of peace and quiet. Now we are going back home and back to the chaos which is my life!!!!! :)
I have been thinking about you lots, Debby! Hope you are feeling better. Look for more mail!

A Quickie weekend Review

Thursday - we played t-ball in the morning, no Tanis - no Lochlyn - no Steven and Jakob!!!! Unfortunately the guy with the pants that don't stay up and the very hairy bottom was there. The trio did fairly well. They all batted and it was neat to see how they have really improved over the weeks. Running the bases still confuses them, Caitlin hit a great one and then ran straight for second! I looked up at one point to see some cute little girl with braids laying on top of Jonathan. face to face giggling away! I tried to take a picture, don't know if it came out.
That night we had Gabe's game. We saw several people we knew, including the tiplets pre-k teacher. They were so excited. Our friends Janice and Joe were there so I chatted with her and another girl we went to school with, Lisa. Gabe did super! He even caught a ball while playing first base. We still are working on throwing with him, he kind of kicks out his back leg and does a crazy leap when he throws!
Friday - we got up and packed a cooler for our Family Fun day! We drove to the Loudonville/Mohican area and took the kids rafting. Not white water! We all got paddles and went down the Mohican river. It went great until we reached the mark where they were supposed to get us and NO ONE WAS THERE!!! We tried our best to get to the shore, but the current didn't let us. So we went past, managed to turn around and try to paddle against the current. Nothing, but tired arms!!! About 200 ft. down river we were able to get over to a muddy bank and pull up. Sean hiked back through thick weeds, trees, plants and who knows what else to try and find the people while I dealt with 4 kids and ankle deep mud. Needless to say it was not my favorite part of the day. Sean came back, said the guys were there (they were late!!!!) and told us to go down to the Mohican ramp and they would pick us up. So we get there, covered in mud! and they didn't know who we were or why we were there and didn't help us! We managed to get the raft out of the water and the kids settled down and went to a table to wait for the other guys to show up. They didn't! Finally Sean left to walk the 3 miles down the road to get our van so we could just go. After he had been gone a few minutes a nice Mohican worker came over and talked to me. Then he called down to find out where they were. Gabe ran and got Sean, the guy showed up to pick us up ( I think he was on something too) and we finally got back to the van and left. Thankfully I had packed a bunch of wet wipes so we cleaned ourselves as best as we could and sanitized our hands. Then we drove to a spot to have our picnic. It was where Sean and I had gone in February of 1998 together for a just because day. We ate our lunch at outlook gorge, took pictures and relaxed. Then drove to the firetower to let the kids climb a little ways up. Three of them opted out by the first landing. Luke wanted to go all 100+ feet to the top! We got him down after he was almost to the halfway point and he kicked and screamed for about 20 minutes that we were unfair! Then we made the 1 1/2 hr. drive home only getting lost once! After we had showered and cleaned up we made smore's in the oven and watched a movie. It was a fun day.
Saturday - We went to some garage sales. Played at home. Sean and I went to buy a new washer (our 3 year old one bit it) and then walked around toys r us to get birthday ideas for Luke, Caitlin and Johnny. Then we joined my mom and neices at BKing for dinner. It seems like I am missing something here..... I know we did something else, but I can't remember!
Sunday - Played hookey from church, except Gabe who had to acolyte, and then went to Avon. The city, not the make up products. We did some school shopping for the kids at Old Navy and Kohl's. and took them for funny face chocolate chip pancakes at IHOP. Apparantly the Old people in the booth behind us did not like us as they got up and moved to the other side of the room. I was embarassed, the waiter said not to worry about it at all. The kids weren't being awful, just being kids! Then I ran into Target where I found cool t-shirts for the boys for 40 cents!!!!! yay clearance! When we got home Sean and the kids played outside while I did laundry.
Today - we are doing storytime at the library and then who knows....

Hope you all have a great day!

Hi

Hi guys. I am back. I am still not caught up on your blogs, give me a bit.

Things here are going okay. I got back all the cards I mailed to Debby. Don't think I don't care! Think Lura doesn't...she gave me the wrong address!!!! ha! So yesterday I mailed 3 to Cheryl's and hopefully you will get them. I will re-mail more today. Sorry ahead of time for some of the envelopes. They were unusable so I had to make do with what I had! I hope that you are recovering and feeling fantastic! You are never far from our thoughts at this house!

We are gearing up for a possible camping trip this weekend. We have never been as a family and this should be interesting. Then in a few weeks we are venturing to scenic Loveland, Ohio! If all goes well and if we are still invited we are going to visit Cheryl, Kevin and Ryan - the dogs too! The kids are excited at the idea of going! Hopefully we can!!!!

There is so much to say, but unfortunately no time right now. I will check all your blogs and post again soon!