It's been a long time....

It has been far too long since I've blogged, and I don't even know where to begin to get caught up, but a great place to start is Lucy's 4th birthday. :)
With all the things that have happened in the past few months....Grandma's death and the recent passing of Clint McMartin, memories are what are cherished the most, and there are no guaranteed tomorrows. So, I will do my best to take quick notes each day if I can, no less than each week, and capture those precious, treasured moments of our lives.
A few updates...
Lucy, Pete, and Ella all started soccer. It was awesome to watch, and rare opportunity to have all three involved in the same thing.
We bought a farm near Osceola...IF it goes through. :) Fingers crossed. 200 acres. I want to call it Southfork. My husband doesn't understand what that means. lol
Ella is in first grade, Lucy is in preschool. Pete is with the big kids downstairs at daycare, and loving it.
I am no longer teaching night classes, and have replaced those duties with Faith Formation. The only difference is, I get to take all the kids with me. That truly is a gift. I'm teaching 7th graders too. Grandma Nancy would be proud.
There is so much to write, and I can't think of anything right now. All I know is we had a great 4th birthday party for Lucy. Grandma and Grandpa Rouse were here, Aunt Jean stopped by, and Grandpa Phil. Lucy was a star. :)
I will write more, but I'm so tired now.
Thank you God for a wonderful day. :)
What a blessing.
And thank you for Lucy. :)

Ella is 6

I can't believe she is six already?! We celebrated the day with a birthday party for another girl, Emma (who let her share blowing out her candle and they sang happy birthday to both of them), followed by a dance show (Ella's 2nd, Lucy's 1st), then bowling at the Crystal Bowl, pizza, then ice cream cake and presents with Grandpa's and Grandma's. It was an extra long day since Ella woke up at 6:00 coughing, but it was a good day. Even Ella say, this has been a busy day. :)
She got some great toys and clothes and a new camera of her own (well, sort of her own...Lucy has butted in :) that was a big hit. It was a wonderful day. Ella said the other day, I'm so glad I'm six. She also said she was sad 2009 was over. I was kind of thankful. :)

Lucy dance in her first show and was quite the little ham. I wasn't sure if she would know what to do or where to go, but she bopped right on down there with NO hesitation. LOVED it! We'll never keep her off the stage. :)

Don't get any ideas Pete......

Pete

Pete turned 2 on Friday. I can not even believe that two years have already gone by. We made cupcakes and had all the grandparents over for pasta and partying. :) His favorite gift was the adjustable basketball hoop. His shriek of excitement and glow on his face was priceless. And we never got that ball out of his hands. He ate with it, slept with it, and has shot baskets for hours since we bought it. He was even using it as a pillow the other night while helping me clean. He is such a big boy, and I fear the time is going to escape us before I'm ready. Life goes by too fast. At least we are taking the time to enjoy it. :)

Ella and Lucy slept over at Grandma Joan's last night, so Pete enjoyed a little only child time. It's always nice when we can spend some special time with each of them individually.

We are home again for two more days because of snow. We are already into the 2nd week of June now, for teachers. Yikes.

Lucy picked out a little red matchbox car for Pete's birthday, and Ella decorated some special cupcakes. It was quite the party. 57 balloons and endless smiles. It was a good day for all. :)

The next day we went to the children's museum in Iowa City, which they love! Then we watched Jeremy play against City High. The kids were SO good. Lucy loved the mascots and kept asking, "where's that chicken...bawk bawk." We met Phil and Nancy there too. Poor Ella got a huge sliver in her hand from the media bench we were sitting behind. Dr. Daddy got it out the next day with his head light. :)

Ella will be 6 in 12 days. It is so hard to believe.....


Happy birthday my sweet boy. Mommy loves you.

the funny things they say

Ella woke up last night with a sore throat and said she thought "7th and 8th graders could get this." No idea where she came up with that one.

Lucy must have lucid dreams because she will come out talking about soccer, blankies, and big elephants??! She was so certain there was an elephant in her room. And when she tells her stories, she's SO emphatic about them, which makes it obvious they are fresh in her mind. This morning was about soccer with her little friend Eiley.

This morning I told Ella we were having footlong hot dogs for lunch and she came out so excited saying they were her FAVORITE! She ran to tell Andy and see if he would have lunch with her.

Pete still isn't the verbal one, but he has definitely learned NO. :) Mommy and daddy are there too which I guess is all that really matters. :)

Biggie Boy

Pete fell asleep in his big boy bed, all by himself for the very first time. I put him to bed with a new Thomas and Friends video (Barney and all), checked on him in a few minutes....he was kicked back....checked in a few more, and he was out. Now if we could only get him and his sister to STAY in their beds, life would be good. :)

Ella and Lucy are tearing down the decorations from our Hawkeye party last week. We had streamers on the ceiling and hanging in the doorway.

Lucy just threw a little rubber mouse up on the ceiling....and it stuck. He's perched there, peering down on all of us, next to his little buddy. I think he was thrown up there a few weeks ago. Amazing stick those little guys have.

Updates

Life seems to have calmed down a bit, which you would think would give me more time to write. lol

Last night Lucy woke up after having what I presume was a bad dream, and was telling me how the animals were going to get her. Then she got up and after looking around, proclaimed the animals wouldn't get her because they were in a cage. She specifically mentioned that the deer wouldn't get her, so I'm going to blame that one on daddy for watching too many hunting shows. She's always say she wants to "shoot that deer." She has also learned the whole "you're not the boss of me" line too. I don't know who invented the facade of the terrible twos. It's threes and fours that kill us.

Ella slept at Grandpa and Grandma Rouse's last night. She called this morning and had wanted my dad to shave her leg for her. It's SO hairy. She said it looked like a man's. lol And she wanted the hair off now. I talked her out of it by telling her it would grow back like Daddy's whiskers. That appeased her for awhile but I doubt it will last.

Pete is getting wilder by the day. He still doesn't say much but he always manages to get what he wants. I think we can credit his two older sisters for that one. He is the snuggle bunny and he wants all of mommy, all to himself, all of the time. I think his horoscope said something about that. Crazy how right on those things can be.

Andy broke his finger play "muffin top basketball." Apparently that defines the physic of the old fat guys trying to relive their youth. Serves him right. But he still sure can play.

Ella's Christmas concert is this Thursday. I can't believe it! Santa better get moving! Lots of gifts to get ready.

I ordered our Christmas cards already, earlier than ever, but I haven't even started to send them out. Handed out a few. Better get on that or I'll still be late. :)

Tomorrow is December 1st. How has another year gone by SO fast???!!

No Cast!

Ella got her cast off today. It was the best birthday present I could hope for. She has a walking cast for three more weeks, then they'll xray again.
She just took her first bath in nine weeks. Her poor little leg.