A Busy Week

This week held some great times and great news! We found out that Thomas was selected as one of the top ten teachers in the county. He's in the running for teacher of the year! Of course it was also a big week because John Robert turned TWO on St. Patrick's Day. Then Charlie and Michele brought Wyatt for a visit and brought news that he will be a big brother in October. It's a good thing that I passed my stress test because my heart feels so full it could explode! Here is the new "big brother to be" sporting his new hair cut that Pops & I took him for and he screamed, not cried screamed through. More than he cried for that huge knot he is also now sporting after taking a nose dive on the concrete at John Robert's birthday party trying to keep up with the "big kids".
The Birthday Boy. He is two now and wearing a size 3T/4T and size 8 1/2 shoe.. . and here is our nine month old red head. Still no teeth but she's getting pretty good at her "low crawl". I never saw a baby do this until John Robert and now Sami.

Jen made EVERYTHING green for John Robert's birthday. Including this green cake with green icing.

John Robert enjoyed his cake too (not sure what is up with his eyes in this picture). I made everyone stop singing so I could video it and MY BATTERIES DIED. The bubbles were improptu but the weather was so nice she broke into the Easter bunny's stash and the kids love love loved them. You can't see it here but we bought John Robert a tux (tails no less) for his birthday outfit. Check thier blog for formal pictures.

Of course leave it to the kindergaten teacher of the year to use any opportunity to teach. I'm not quite sure what he's showing them on his phone but it looks pretty interesting. We had a cook out at Thomas & Natalie's for Charlie & Michele's visit. Yum, chicken kabobs. Ella ate the red peppers and I was suppose to eat the onions and chicken.

We had it at Thomas's because last year Tom burt up our grill and we just never replaced it. To tell you the truth with Thomas around there's no reason. He's a GREAT bar B Q er.

Come on in Jack. Doesn't he look so old?

Ella had such a good time being one of the big kids. She will be 6 in July and has always been small for her age but she went from being the only grandchild, niece to the oldest of 4 soon to be six in two quick years and she is the BEST at being the oldest.

Then there was our weekly trip to Chuckee Cheese on St. Patrick's DayDoesn't Wyatt look like a big brother already sitting at the table like a big boy?Sami and Wyatt love each other. They each think the other is a baby. Sami is nine months and 19 pounds and Wyatt is 14 months and 21 pounds.

Handsome boy after his hair cut.

The Girls, so pretty. The grandkids to date. Does everyone think their grandkids are this cute or are ours REALLY CUTE?!

check out my updated tickers

Not Me Monday

Another crazy week. ME being the crazy one. I'm working on a post with pictures but I took 200, yes TWO HUNDRED pictures this week and I'm still going through them.

I Did Not take a couple of videos thinking I was taking a picture, NOT ME

I Did Not have to ask my son how to use MY camera, NOT ME

I Did Not (with the help of Jennifer) spend $81 (for those of you counting that was 78 items!) at the everything is a dollar store, NOT ME.

I Did Not dye my hair at home (I really don't like to be "pampered" other people touching me makes me uncomfortable, not sure what that means . .?) to then get in the shower and forget step three, the conditioner that came with it, NOT ME.


I Did Not open the windows to get a nice spring breeze and then turn the heat on because the house got cold, NOT ME


I Did Not tan for most of my life to then start getting basal cell carcinoma within a year of cancelling my tanning membership, NOT ME I'm dreading the follow up appointment when the doctor who looks younger than my kids is going to do a full "body scan".

Update on Tom

Most things happen from the chair these days

So right now things are in a routine of sorts. Ella and Sami are with us until around 4pm five days a week with me getting up early to get them and Tom driving Ella to her morning pre school. He is going through a para legal course 3 hours a day three days a week and of those three days I pick her up once and Jennifer & Jack get her the other two, one of which they come here for lunch and the other she takes her home with her and they get to go to Thomas's classroom to play and then he takes Ella home from there. Wednesday afternoons are for Chuckee Cheese.We plan to add outdoor activities like the zoo and park when it's not so wet out.

Of course there are always variations to our schedule. Places to go, people (dr.'s usually) to see. Which finally brings me to the point. Tom's PCP referred him to the Spine Center and the doctor there would like to do more surgery. So off to get more X-rays and a new type of MRI. Surgery is always bad but we really thought he was out of options. So it may be a good thing?

His disability paperwork is still not complete. He's on Admin leave which means he's still getting paid. His raise to 100% disability through the VA is also still in paperwork, although they tell him it's been approved. I wish everything was complete but it doesn't really make too much difference. He seems to be upbeat about our future. Enjoying the kids but frustrated that he can't do more.

In other news it looks like Spring has sprung on our street.

At least on our side of the street . . .

This is what is on the other side of the street













. . . and this shows our cat is shedding his winter fur. Yes, I know it's disgusting. I don't let him in MY house but the neighbors seem to all love him. I'll have to post some pictures of him soon.

A Week in our Life with Jack

On Saint Patrick's Day two years ago this big boy entered our lives never to have it be the same. I'm sure his mother will do a retrospect at her blog on Wednesday so check it out. I just wanted to SHOW you what he gives to our lives in an average week, say last week.When he is here he doesn't like to nap but after a hard day at play he sleeps very well at night. Of course he's not quite in the same spot as we layed him down or even at the same end of the bed(that's his pillow by his feet) but he does look comfy.This is the way he naps, on PaPa's lap if we really want him to sleep. He wouldn't eat the cone so we gave him a spoon to finish his ice cream.

Aunt Chel came to visit so we had crabs. We got a couple for the kids with no "Old Bay" but he still wasn't crazy about them, yet. He did like hitting it with the mallet though.

Giving Aunt Natalie a kiss.

Veggies and dip, it's healthy so it's ok that he's sitting on the table, right?

Not quite sure why all my pictures were blurry this time. Tom got me a new camera since the old one was well, old. I guess I should figure out the new one soon.

John Robert's birthday present, his new Step2 Roller Coaster. We gave it to him early because the box was so big I didn't want to store it here but they haven't taken it home yet. Ella loves it.

PaPa helping him brush his teeth. He loves to brush so we have one for him in each of our four bathrooms.

Like we don't have enough toys?!

After taking all the pots down to play he and PaPa had to put all the hooks and pots back. He was such a big help.He loves to watch the dogs outside.

He likes imaginary play too and this ark and animals is one o his favorite toys.

Look at our left handed big boy. Of course he also uses his right hand and sometimes both at the same time.

So this is just one week with John Robert as you can see we are very lucky because he is only one of four soon to be five and they make us very happy!

Not Me Monday on Sunday

I Did Not make chicken soup with the rest of an uneaten roasted chicken so it wouldn't go to waste to have the soup sit in the fridge for a week before feeding it to the dogs so it wouldn't go to waste, NOT ME

I Did Not give Jack his birthday present three weeks early saying it would mean more if we gave it to him before his other presents but really because I had no room to store it, NOT ME

I Do Not get up an hour early so that I can harvest my FV farm NOT ME

I Do Not keep the lights, & tv off while I tiptoe around the house at 6am so that I don't wake up the dogs, NOT ME

I Do Not tell Tom I'm not hungry at dinner time and even take his up to him in the bedroom, so that I don't have to eat the balanced dinner that I make him, NOT ME

I Did Not Have a Georgia Mud Blizzard for dinner last night, NOT ME

I Did Not buy myself new jeans because all mine were too big and then gain 5 pounds, NOT ME


I Did Not spend almost $100 on Ebay to buy all four of our grandchildren sailor outfits, NOT ME

I Did Not post any pictures because my camera cord is at Thomas & Natalie's house all the way across the street, NOT ME