Can The Kids Get Any Sicker???

In the past week, or so, we have been hit with around 10 inches of snow. It's beautiful, and I really don't mind it...especially when I can stay in the safety of my home and enjoy the view from our picture window. Julie is ecstatic over snow. She begs often to go out and play in it. It works out really well when she goes out with Dave while he snow blows the sidewalks and driveway. In the recent storm Dave built an igloo in our front yard with Julie. I have yet to get a picture of it with our camera, but I thought you'd enjoy the drawing that Dave made of the event. Julie likes to draw Dave pictures after he's taken her outside, as a way to say thank-you to her daddy. So, in the picture below, which was posted to the refrigerator, is Dave's capturing of the moment on paper. Julie requested a picture from Daddy as a way to thank her for playing outside with him.

 

The teddy bear girl is Julie...he even captured the polka dot scarf and striped hat, with the purple snow suit and pink boots. He said he didn't want to draw another bear resembling him, so you'll notice the boots sticking out of the igloo. Apparently Dave was sleeping in the igloo while Julie played. I was impressed by his artistic ability, and I told him I would put his name, age and date on the back, so I can tuck it away with the pictures the "kids" draw for me. He didn't think that was a good idea...

 

The reason I am posting the above picture is to actually tell you that this was taken by Julie. I was impressed at how well she did with taking a picture, so I am sharing it with you.

 

I tried to capture a sweet "sister" moment between the girls, but apparently Alayna was not impressed. Oh well, they're still cute.

Both girls have been sick for some time now. Alayna was doing better, but then over a week ago she started to get worse again. She was fussy all week, not sleeping well, and her fever returned. I took her to the doctor and by the time I got her there her fever had reached 105.3. YIKES! She was immediately given something to bring it down. The doctor discovered that her ears were infected, and her throat was very red. No wonder she's been so inconsolable. Poor baby... She's on antibiotic, and finally feeling better. She's also getting back to sleeping better at night...not perfect, but better.

I thought Julie was getting better, too. She's mostly just had a cough that's hung on forever. But when I picked her up from school Tuesday her teachers said she acted like she didn't feel well, and they thought she possibly had a fever. Well, there was no fever, at that point, but she complained that her ear hurt and her throat hurt. Ugh! So, I didn't waste time. I got her in to the doctor and sure enough both ears are infected. Thankfully it was caught in the beginning stages and she got on antibiotic right away. I am really praying we can get all this sickness behind us before we head to PA over Christmas to visit family. I'm also praying that one of these nights I'll get an uninterrupted night of sleep....and maybe, just maybe for one whole day neither of the girls will whine or complain...okay, now I'm dreaming too big...I'll just try for the sleep thing first. :)

Christmas Fun!

 

Julie was given this singing Frosty a couple years ago. It plays Christmas songs ("Holly Jolly Christmas", etc.), and bounces around at the same time. It's very cute...the first time you hear it. The five hundredth time...not so much! This is Alayna's second Christmas, but really her first one that she realizes that something is going on. She has taken to this Singing Frosty. If it's on the floor playing music then she stands next to it and dances. But, her favorite thing is to hold it while it's playing. Making it very difficult for Frosty to bounce around the way he's supposed to. I just love her expression in this picture.

We're all doing well. Last weekend was the Ladies Christmas Tea at our church, that I've been planning for the past couple of months. It was a wonderful afternoon. We had 37 ladies attend, and many of them were not from our church. It was a great outreach! My sister-in-law, Andrea, came and was our special speaker, and also our special music. She did an awesome job, and I'm not sure how we follow that for next year...I know I won't be speaking...or singing for that matter. :) The gospel message was made very clear, and the message in her songs was so appropriate for what we were trying to get across to the ladies. Stop during this busy time and truly reflect on why we celebrate Christmas. It's not about the cards, gifts, trees, cookies (well, I kind of like to think it's about the cookies a little bit...lol!), or all the other things we do. It's about celebrating the birth of Christ, and what He came to this earth to do. To save us from our sins by His death on the cross, and His resurrection! Praise God for His resurrection!!!

I hope to post more pictures soon. I've been a little behind lately. The girls and I are all battling colds. Julie still has that cough, and yes, sometimes the cough/scream still comes into play. Gotta love it... Alayna is running a fever and very discontent. I'm congested, but not too bad. I pray this is behind us before Christmas, so we don't spend our time with family in another room so we don't "plague" them with our illness'. :)

Lots to Talk About

Below is a picture I took of Julie while she was sick. She caught a virus that's going around our area. It is mostly a cough, but the cough hangs on for weeks, even months. She's had trouble getting to sleep at night because the coughing keeps her up. I have had her going to sleep propped up just to keep her from coughing, so that has helped.
Julie has her certain set of stuffed animals that she insists on sleeping with each night. Quack Quack, Doggie, Minnie Mouse, Larry-Boy & Pablo the penguin. Those are the required 5, along with her favorite purple blankie. Julie oftens asks each night to pick one more thing to sleep with, and usually that is not a problem. On this particular night she requested that she be allowed to sleep with the balloon she recently got after eating at Friendly's. Whatever...the poor child is sick, and it will make her happy. I tried removing the balloon after she fell asleep and she woke up shortly after, retrieved it and went back to bed. You'll also notice that the cat joined her this night, as well. I thought the moment was so cute I had to get a picture. Julie is now feeling better. She ocassionally coughs, but no more fever, and she's sleeping better at night...without her balloon. LOL!

 

Now, you might be thinking...GROSS! Why is there a picture of a dead deer on her blog? Well, I'll tell you...It wouldn't be a Bierer (my maiden name) family tradition if we didn't have a picture of the dead animal with the mighty hunter. Yes, Dave shot his first doe this past Monday. He was very excited, and we're excited to put the venison in our freezer. Dave tends to think my family traditions might be a bit strange, but growing up having my picture taken with several dead animals, I really don't think much about it. Dave has learned to join the fun, rather than fight it.

 

Okay, on a lighter note...here's a recent picture of the girls. Actually it was taken yesterday, on Thanksgiving. Julie and Alayna were riding the rocking horse together. In a rare moment they were both smiling and enjoying themselves. Alayna gets a little irritated with her big sisters attempts to hug and squeeze her sometimes, but this moment was pleasant. :)

 

Continuing Adventures...

Can I just tell you that I've almost completely forgotten about this blog in the past two weeks...There's been plenty to "blog" about, but it's been all-consuming and I've just not gotten around to it. I was telling my mom today about some things that have been happening and she mentioned wanting to read about it on my blog to see what I'd write...oh yea, I have a blog...duh!

First of all, if you don't know already, my husband is on an adventure of his own. A couple weeks ago he started having severe pain. After a week of off and on pain he went to the doctor. He was referred to a urologist and diagnosed with a kidney stone. He had a CT Scan this past Monday and it showed that he indeed has one stone, and it is 1/4". OUCH! It has not "passed" yet. He is on pain meds and meds for the stone. The week he was in so much pain was the week he took vacation time for archery hunting. He still managed to go out hunting, until the pain was so severe he could barely move. A day after receiving his pain meds (a narcotic) he announced that he was going to once again resume hunting. Whatever... Still no deer, but tomorrow begins rifle season and ends archery. He feels his chances will be better now. We'll see...I just hope this stone doesn't decide to "pass" when he has a deer in his sites. He'll be awfully disappointed. :)

The girls have once again come down with colds. There is so much going around right now. Alayna basically just has a runny nose and ocassional cough. Julie, on the other hand, being the drama queen she is, I believe she's dying. Okay, she's not, but I'm not sure what to think half the time. She did run a fever for a day, or two, and complained of her throat. Now, she's come down with a bad cough. It mostly affects her at night when she lays down. I feel very sorry for her, because I know it's painful. The part that gets me though is that when she goes to bed at night and the coughing starts to worsen, each cough is now followed by a scream. Last night I was at my wits end. She'd sit up, cough, and then scream, cough and scream, cough and scream, cough and scream...are you catching onto the pattern??? I know it hurts, please don't get me wrong, but when she screams she is also thrashing herself around on the bed. It almost mimics a night terror, but I know she's awake. Dave was away at a meeting last night, so I was on my own. Julie would start her cough/scream routine. At first I was talking calmly, but about 10 minutes into it I was clapping my hands, raising my voice, waving my arms and acting like a maniac trying to get her to stop. As soon as I'd act like this she would stop and look at me like I had 10 heads...okay, now I know she can stop and control the screaming part...so this is how it went all evening long. She'd fall asleep, wake up coughing, then start the cough/scream thing, I'd go in and act like a maniac, then she'd calm down and try to sleep again...5-10 minutes later the whole process would get repeated. Around 10:00 I gave up and let her come to bed with me until Dave got home. When he got home she was sleeping and we moved her back to her bed. I am often so thankful that I'm not on some reality show where they videotape our family life, I would come off as some kind of looney tune mother with a strange approach toward handling my sick child. Whatever works...

I did end up taking the girls to the doctor this morning to have Julie's cough checked out. It sounds so awful...but as always, IT'S JUST VIRAL!!! Why do I hate that answer so much??? I don't like antibiotics, and I'd prefer my kids not to be on them. But why do I feel so stupid at the doctor when they tell me my children just have colds? Last week I had Julie to the doctor because I found a tick embedded in the back of head. I was unable to remove it at home, so I had to take her in to have it removed. Thankfully that is out and no rash has appeared. The adventures of living in a wooded area. At least I wasn't told the tick was "viral" and to wait it out...I think I would have slapped the man...or at least jumped up and down, waving my arms and clapping my hands like a maniac...hey, it get's my daughter's attention!

I know I haven't posted pictures in a while. I have good intentions, I just haven't taken any pictures. My children have gone un-photographed for about two weeks now. :) Alayna is walking now...still a little wobbly, but doing really well.

Continuing Conversations with Julie...

Okay, I have some more comments from my precious little Julie. This time the conversations had a more "spiritual" tone to them:

-This afternoon we were playing a Noah's Ark matching game that she has. She was holding up the plastic Ark that goes to the game and she said "That's a nice Ark He built for the animals, God did a good job." I'm not sure if she was referring to the literal Ark, or the one made by Fisher Price...either way, I think she meant her compliment sincerely. :)

-A couple days ago I picked Julie up from school in the truck. Mind you our roads are windy, and the truck is a standard. I was concentrating on shifting gears and going around a bend when Julie yelled for me to look at something. I missed what she was looking at and she asked, "did you see that squirrel, mama?" When I said no I hadn't, she quickly answered, "that's okay, God made more."

When I told my husband about this I think it was a quick reminder to him that yes, God does make the squirrels...even though my husband prefers to hunt them with "my" BB Gun. :)

Julie is at such a fun age. Everything is so literal to her, and there is such innocence in what she says...well, except for when whe was telling daddy a lie tonight about wearing a clean shirt...but that's a whole other story. One minute she has me cracking up, the next we are having another "chat" about behavior. Kids...

Conversations with Julie...the drama queen

Tonight while I was doing up the supper dishes Dave gave the girls their baths. After baths Dave was trying to get Julie dressed for bed, and he was trying to put some Aquaphor (lotion) on her, to help with her dry skin. Julie determined that she wanted vaseline instead of Aquaphor, and began to argue with her dad. This earned her a "time out" on her bed. While in her room she was mumbling about her unhappiness and then we heard this outburst of "daddy hurts my feelings when he makes me use Aquaphor." Life is just so stinkin' hard when you're 4....

Not even 10 minutes later Dave was being silly and calling Alayna a "curly doodle." Julie proceeded to explain to him that calling people names is not nice and it hurts. She said that he should not call Alayna a "curly doodle," and he should not call her "sweetie." We were both kind of chuckling about this, when she ended the conversation by saying "You might call people names when you're mad, but I know you're the Pastor." Where does she come up with this stuff?

Pictures

Julie recently had a field trip for school to go pumpkin picking at a local farm. Dave took her on the trip since Alayna had her one year check-up the same morning. They had a really great time, and Dave captured some fun pictures, except her forgot to actually take one of her picking her pumpkin. Details...

The kids were able to go on a hay ride, pet farm animals, pick pumpkins and play miniature golf. They also had a cow that the kids could try to milk. Julie came home wearing a sticker that said "I milked a cow at Kelder Farm." I was so surprised and when I asked them about it Dave said she got that sticker because they didn't have one that said "I pet a cow at Kelder Farm." LOL! He said it took her a while to warm up to the idea of even petting it. Oh well, I'm proud of her for getting close to it.

 

Julie with the cow.

 

Julie playing mini golf. Dave said they had to play the 9 hole course twice because she was very disturbed by the fact that you lose your ball at the last hole.

 

Here's a picture of Alayna. She has a new obsession with wearing daddy's hats. She actually puts them on herself, which I think is pretty good. She's now started to put on some of Julie's dress-up necklaces too. I don't have a picture yet of that. I realized yesterday after I got her up from her afternoon nap that she actually slept with a necklace on, and I never realized it. She's a fashion icon in training. :)

Have You Heard???

 

For those of you that may not know yet, we are expecting baby #3 in May! Yes, you read that correctly. He or She was a little bit of a surprise to us, but what a wonderful surprise! We are very excited! I had this ultrasound a week ago, and everything is looking very healthy at this point.

So far I am really feeling pretty well. I could not say that with my first two pregnancies. I was really sick. I am having moments of nausea, and I'm very tired at times, but overall it's not too bad. (Yes, maybe it's a boy this time...who knows). I'm so thankful, since the girls really require a lot my time and energy.

We are in the beginning stages of looking for that family mini-van, and thinking about selling our car. The Focus has served us well, but it will never be able to fit 3 car seats in the back. Since kids now have to be in car seats until they're at least 25 or 250 lbs., whichever comes first (my sister-in-law can verify this, as she was a car seat inspector...I get all of my knowledge from her...thanks Andrea!), we will definitely need more space. :)

Please keep us in prayer if you think of it. There's lots to do between now and May. At some point we need to put Julie & Alayna in the same room, and figure out where we'll put more baby gear. Buy a mini van, a double stroller, a super-sized diaper pail (okay, maybe not that...but it might be necessary). Alayna will still be in the crib, and I'm not sure she'll be very close to potty training when the baby comes. They'll only be about 20 months apart...AAAHHHHH!!! Yes, I'm having those "what have we done?" moments...but they're few and far between, and we're truly very excited!

Family

I just had to share a few pictures from this past weekend with my family. We had such a wonderful time with them. It is always really special when we can all be together for a few days. Living 8 hours from each other makes it hard to have a lot of "quality" time.
 
Here is an adorable picture of my niece, Danika. This is my brother, Doug, & his wife, Andrea's little girl. Check out the eyelashes on her!
 
My parents with their 3 precious granddaughters. Alayna had just had a bath, since her hair had icing in it from the birthday cake. Julie was enjoying the new book that Uncle Doug & Aunt Andrea bought for Alayna for her birthday. We're still have a little trouble getting Julie to "share" Alayna's gift.
 
Here's a picture that Andrea took of my mom, brother & me after church on Sunday. I thought this was such a nice shot of the 3 of us...can you tell we're related?

1st Birthday Party

Saturday night we had Alayna's "official" 1st Birthday party at our house. Both Dave's family and my family were able to be there. Below are some pictures from the evening.

 

Panda Bear cake that I made her.

 

Alayna enjoying her gifts.

 

Alayna sitting on Uncle Doug's lap. This is where she spent most of the evening opening her gifts.

 

Enjoying the taste of her cake!

New York City

My parents came to visit us this past week. We had a wonderful time! I was sad to see them leave this morning. As well as my brother, sister-in-law & niece, who were able to come for the weekend. We celebrated Alayna's first birthday. I'll post pictures of that later.

This past Tuesday we took my parents to New York City for the day. We had such a blast! My dad had not been there since he was 5, so he remembered very little. My mom was there a couple times several years ago, with school field trips where she worked. So, it was fun to go and be tourists for the day. Dave's mom and grandma graciously watched the girls for us, so we didn't have to take them with us. They would have been miserable, and in turn, so would we.

We opted to take the train from Poughkeepsie into the city (a two hour train ride). Much easier than driving and finding parking for the day in NYC. The train took us right into Grand Central Station. From there we did a lot of walking around the city. After quite a bit of walking we made it to Times Square, & we decided that there was so much more we wanted to see, but just couldn't do it all in one day. So, we decided to take a bus tour. The ones where you ride on the roof of the bus. That was such a great decision! It was worth the money, and we got to see so much, and hear the history of the buildings, and so on. We saw Greenwich Village, Soho, Tribeca, Ground Zero, China town, Little Italy, Wall Street, Central Park, United Nations, etc., etc. It was so interesting. On our way past the UN building my dad spotted Rev. Jesse Jackson standing out front. The tour guide confirmed it was him. It was just fun to see someone famous.

After eating dinner in the city we walked back to Grand Central and we were able to board an express train home (it only took an hour & a half). We were exhausted when we got back, but we had a great time. Below are a few pictures from our fun day.

 

Mom & Dad waiting to get on the train in Poughkeepsie.

 

Dad & Dave in front of Madison Square Gardens.

 

Me & my parents in Times Square.

 

Me & Dave...a closeup. We were in Grand Central Station, but I guess you can't tell in this picture. :)

My Wonderfully Strong-Willed Daughter(s)

Oh, the joys of parenting...joys, right? I'm not kidding myself, there are "joys," right??? Yes, I know there are, but this week has been trying. For whatever reason Alayna has decided that from 4 to 5 each afternoon, it would be a good idea to be extra clingy, whine and complain, and not exactly be satisfied even if I am holding her. I know, I know...she's cutting more teeth, etc., etc., but even so, it doesn't make it less exhausting. Especially when that's the time I'm scrambling to make supper and Julie wants to put together a puzzle, or play a game. And since her sister is demanding mommy's attention, she get's more aggrivated and yells at Alayna. Which, turns into Julie going to her room, Alayna going in her crib (sometimes), and me calling Dave asking how long until he comes upstairs from his office..."I'm just wondering, for no specific reason." :) Usually this all ends with Julie saying she's sorry, and Alayna going in the high chair to be fed her pre-dinner cheerios...if she'll eat them rather than throw them on the floor.

Then, there's bedtime. Oh, where do I begin with bedtime??? Dave has had a meeting every night this week, so far. Monday night a Trustee meeting, Tuesday night an Emergency Vehicle Operating class he's taking for the fire department, Wednesday night prayer meeting, and tonight he's back at the fire house to help plan an upcoming pancake breakfast. I don't resent his commitments, honestly. I'm thankful he's found his nitch with the VFD, and he seems respected there. But, after a full day with the girls I'm anxious for some help with the bedtime routine...which goes something like this, "Julie feed the cat, go potty, brush your teeth, get your pajamas on, and finish putting away toys"....now I get Alayna changed for bed, brush her teeth, and try to keep her from unraveling the toilet paper while Julie brushes her teeth. I have a rule with Julie that I only tell her to do something one time, and if I have to tell her more than once she loses priveleges at bedtime, ie., reading a story, singing a song, etc. This has been pretty effective, and she even tells me now if I've told her something more than once. Now, none of this seems too terrible, but the drama can sometimes just be beginning once she's tucked in. After Julie is tucked in she likes to get back up to tell me something about her imaginary friend Pablo, or something she did in school, or something she wants to wear tomorrow...the list goes on...and it never fails that once she's in bed her bladder kicks into overdrive and she has to "go" again. What is it about their head hitting the pillow that gives a child the urge to squeeze that last little bit out, before going to sleep? :) Okay, so I've really had to crack down on her this week. She likes her door cracked open. So I tell her that if she gets up, I will shut the door...okay, now the door is shut...she's up again...now I will not tuck you back into bed again, you do it yourself...okay, she's back in, then she's up again...now this is where it ends, stricter disciplinary action is taken, and I hate ending the evening this way. But, it is working, and she doesn't seem to get up again. Am I making progress? Probably. Am I exhausted? Definitely! Will Dave be home tomorrow night to help? YOU BETCHA!!! He is always such a help, this week has just been exceptionally busy for him.

I told Dave tonight at supper that I think I will join some kind of committee that meets once a week, so I can go out. He asked if I'd like to join the fire department. Um...no thanks. Is there a once-a-week shopping committee that I can join?

Our daughters are such a blessing. They are each strong-willed in their own way. Julie has been Type A difficult since day 1. I tell people that she came out screaming, and has hardly stopped since. Alayna tends to be more calm, but if she's crossed by her sister (taking her toy, telling her no, etc.) then look out...this child has a scream on her. Oh I love them so much, and I pray each day that they will both give their lives to the Lord at a young age, and desire to live for Him. I pray that once they make that decision for salvation, that they would never forget it. I know so many that have doubted their salvation, because they were young and just don't remember, so I pray that they'll remember. I also pray that they would be discerning, and that the Lord would protect their innocence and purity. These are such important things...these are the things that matter most. I can talk until I'm blue in the face about behavior and discipline, but if Dave & I aren't sharing Christ with our kids, and living it in front of them, then none of the other stuff matters.

Oh, how I need wisdom as a parent. I need patience. I need perserverance. I need discernment. And I need that alone time with the Lord.

I read this past week in Galatians a verse that has been stuck in my mind. Paul is writing in chapter 4, v. 18, "It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you." This has been my prayer this week...that I may be zealous, and not just when I feel others are watching.

Thank you Lord for our girls! May they know You at a young age and serve You with all their heart.

 

Sunday afternoon we went up to Uncle Nate & Aunt Kristy's house for lunch. Grandma Legg made Alayna a birthday cake and we had a little celebration for her. Here is a picture of the cake she made. She made individual teddy bear cakes for each of the 3 grand kids that were there. It was so sweet.

 

Alayna was very excited about her cake. She is sitting on her Grandma Carol's lap in this picture. She enjoyed dipping her finger into the cake, and she kept looking around wondering why no one was trying to stop her.

 

We put one of the teddy bear cakes in front of her and let her have a great time. At first she just went for the icing, but as you can see in the last picture, she had a field day with the cake. By the end she was acting very full.

 

Dress-Up

 

Julie decided that Alayna should dress up like Snow White, while she wore her Cinderella dress. However, when I tried to capture the moment with a picture, I was met with these unhappy, unimpressed faces.

"Sink"ing

 
Here's a cute picture, I thought you might enjoy. I was putting on my make-up, and I put Alayna on the counter while I "worked" away. I was right next to her so she wouldn't fall (no need to worry, mom). She decided to slide into the sink and hang out. I had Dave grab the camera, and Julie popped into the picture, too. Julie is convinced that she needs to wear these glasses (that Aunt Andrea "blinged up" for her), in order to see. (I'm a 29 year old, married, mother of two, that drives a station wagon, using the word "bling"...does something seem out of place here???)

I decided not to take the girls to the doctor yesterday, after all. They seem to be getting better. The coughs are the worst at night, but during the day they're really doing fine. They're finally sleeping better at night, too. I'm still battling the cold, congestion, sinus pressure thing. Last night I was achey and cranky...but what else is new? Dave had to wait on me hand & foot, but I figure it's a blessed change from how I'm always waiting on him all the time...LOL! Okay, we all know that's not true. He's so good to me...he's wonderful! (I think he reads this sometimes)

Today was Alayna's 1st birthday!!! I can not believe it! We didn't do a lot today to celebrate. We're getting together with Dave's family on Sunday, and his grandma is making a cake. Then we'll have another party when my parents come to visit in October. Julie wrapped some gifts for her today. Mostly toys from her own closet, but it was a sweet gesture. Julie was pretty put-out though, that I didn't at least have a cupcake for her today. What kind of mother am I???

Well, I'm starting to bore myself here, so I better wrap this up for now. If I'm bored then you all must be nodding off. :) Enjoy the weekend!!

Apple Picking

 

Last week we were invited to pick apples at an orchard owned by friends of ours. Julie really got into it. I had to keep an eye on her as she wanted to pick apples from ALL the trees, including the ones that weren't ready to be picked yet. We came home with 5 plastic bags full of apples, and also a bushel basket of peaches. YUM! I've been busy freezing peaches, and making applesauce. I still have a lot to do.

The girls have colds, and Julie's missing her first day of school today. Both girls are coughing and congested. They've been battling this for over 3 weeks now. When I start to think it's clearing, it comes back worse than before. I made an appointment with the doctor today. Their coughs are what's concerning me most. Alayna is so raspy. I can't wait to hear the "it's just viral, you'll have to wait it out" speach....Believe me, I'm coming home with a prescription, if I have to write it myself. j/k

Feeling Crafty

Okay, on occassion I feel inspiration to do something "crafty." And no, I'm not referring to my usual ideas about craftiness, such as getting into trouble...but I'm talking about "Martha Stewart" type crafty.
 
I was feeling inspired to do a fall floral arrangement for church. I picked up what I needed, and this morning I put it together. This is the finished product. Now, I must tell you, that I am pleasantly pleased with how it's turned out. I actually think I'm going to keep it for a centerpiece on my own table, and do another one for the church. If I'm just fooling myself into thinking I have talent, and I really don't, please keep that opinion to yourself. I've always been told I'm "too sensitive." ha!
If you think I'm sensitive, you should meet my 4 year old...I was telling someone the other day that I am saddened by the fact that I have a 4 yr. old daughter that lives in chronic pain. "Ow, I hurt my toe, Ow, I hurt my leg, Ow, I pinched my finger, Ow, my nose hurts,"...and the list goes on and on. How does one live life in such continual pain. I'm not overly sympathetic either...I usually tell her, "well, I guess if you hurt that bad, then you should go to bed." When I hear those words escape from my mouth, only one thought comes to mind, "I'm sounding more and more like my own mother every day." I love you mom...

1st Day of School

 
Wednesday was Julie's first day of pre-school. I let her pick what she wanted for her special "first day of school" breakfast, and she chose french toast. Then she requested her breakfast in bed. LOL! Wait...it only gets better...I gave in to the breakfast in bed, as long as she used the lap tray. Then, while she was eating she saw a puppet in her room and said, "I've got an idea, how about you do a puppet show, while I eat my breakfast?" You may be wondering if I gave in, and all I have to say is, I put on a really funny doggy puppet show at 7:30 a.m. I was trying to keep the morning as fun and lighthearted as possible. But, as she was requesting breakfast in bed again this morning, I politely said no. Once a year, on the first day of school, is plenty for me. ha! She was excited to wear her new strawberry shortcake shirt, and princess sneakers. She didn't have any trouble going in to the school and saying good-bye to me. I was so thankful. I prayed and prayed that she would adjust well to the change. Mommy, on the other hand...well, I kept it together while I said good-bye, then I got in the car and had my teary moment. It's so hard to believe she's old enough to be doing this. But, I know this is going to be so good for her. On the way home, after I picked her up, I was asking if she made new friends. She got very excited and said, "I made new friends, that were just my size." All I have to say to that is, "Julie, I like making new friends that are just my size, too." :)

Our Simon

 
This has been a sad week in our home. Our cat, Simon, has gone missing. Dave last saw him on Sunday, and we've seen no sign of him since. Simon is 6 years old, and the best natured cat I've ever met. We still have our other cat, Reggie. He is mostly an outdoor cat, though. Simon was Julie's favorite. The kids could lay on him, pull his fur and tail, and he never got upset. Julie keeps asking where Simon is...and she is praying that he comes home. I'm just not sure he will, at this point. We live in a very wooded area, and a missing cat is not a good thing. I'm hoping he just found another home where he is being fed. I'd rather not think the worst. We miss you Simon!

Picture Perfect

 
Here is another picture Aunt Andrea took of Julie twirling in the yard. I've been playing around with the photos, using Picasa. I really love this "free" photo program, you can download through Google.

Photo Shoot

 

While I was home visiting family, my sister-in-law, Andrea, did a "photo shoot" with Julie & Alayna. The pictures were taken in my parents yard. Here is one of the photos. I'll try and post a few more soon.