Frank had his 18 month checkup this past week. He is slowly growing, but at least we are making some progress!!!!
Weight 21 lbs. 4 oz. 3rd%
Length 32 1/2 in. 50th%
Head Cir. 18 5/8 in. 32nd% (or something like that)
We are so grateful he is growing! Thanks for all the prayers! :)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, October 22, 2011
The Crazy Life
It feels good to have time to blog again! It has been a while! Lately I have been living "the crazy life." I have had roles of wife, mommy, full-time teacher, and student. Needless to say, my "free" time has been minimal. It has been stressful, but should start to get better!
Last weekend I completed my second course since July (for a license renewal and pay scale increase). WAAAHOOO! I finally submitted it today along with a huge sigh of relief!
Report card grades were due Thursday and parent teacher conferences are Monday and Tuesday evening. If I can get through those days, it should, should, should, get easier!
On Wednesday, the third grade at Jefferson will be having their 4th annual Pumpkin Drop. I am lucky to be involved with it this year, I guess. :) My students are just absolutely fantastic this year! They have created some great pumpkin contraptions and I am excited to see how they work. However, I will be the one dropping the contraptions from the PFD's ladder truck at 88ft. Not sure how I feel about this, but the students in my class were EXTREMELY excited to have me go up there. It's a big deal for them. Please pray it's not super cold, rainy, snowy, windy, that day! I don't need any more stressers! :) I'll let you know how it turns out!
Then, on Thursday, we are heading to Wisconsin Dells!!!! I CAN NOT WAIT! I am so excited to have this long weekend with my boys! We are also going to be joined by some pretty fun company which I am really looking forward to as well! (and of course Moose Jaw!)
The boys are doing well with everything. I love them so much! Frankie is doing better with is eating/growing/and pinching at daycare. We will go for his 18 month check up in a couple of weeks. I hope he is gaining enough weight to not be such a concern any more. Jak is amazing! He loves school still and is learning so much! He loves daycare, too, which is such a relief! He's so easy, though! This past week he told me the letter sounds from A-Z! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!! Mrs. Bonnie, Mrs. Janet, Ms. RheeAnn and Ms. Amy have been wonderful teachers!
We also were able to get our family pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. I have been so busy, I haven't even had a chance to look at them! I will try to go through them and post some soon!
Life is good right now. I continually wish I were home with my boys, but I am still trying to stay optimistic that day will come. I know we are very blessed.
Last weekend I completed my second course since July (for a license renewal and pay scale increase). WAAAHOOO! I finally submitted it today along with a huge sigh of relief!
Report card grades were due Thursday and parent teacher conferences are Monday and Tuesday evening. If I can get through those days, it should, should, should, get easier!
On Wednesday, the third grade at Jefferson will be having their 4th annual Pumpkin Drop. I am lucky to be involved with it this year, I guess. :) My students are just absolutely fantastic this year! They have created some great pumpkin contraptions and I am excited to see how they work. However, I will be the one dropping the contraptions from the PFD's ladder truck at 88ft. Not sure how I feel about this, but the students in my class were EXTREMELY excited to have me go up there. It's a big deal for them. Please pray it's not super cold, rainy, snowy, windy, that day! I don't need any more stressers! :) I'll let you know how it turns out!
Then, on Thursday, we are heading to Wisconsin Dells!!!! I CAN NOT WAIT! I am so excited to have this long weekend with my boys! We are also going to be joined by some pretty fun company which I am really looking forward to as well! (and of course Moose Jaw!)
The boys are doing well with everything. I love them so much! Frankie is doing better with is eating/growing/and pinching at daycare. We will go for his 18 month check up in a couple of weeks. I hope he is gaining enough weight to not be such a concern any more. Jak is amazing! He loves school still and is learning so much! He loves daycare, too, which is such a relief! He's so easy, though! This past week he told me the letter sounds from A-Z! I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!!!!!!! Mrs. Bonnie, Mrs. Janet, Ms. RheeAnn and Ms. Amy have been wonderful teachers!
We also were able to get our family pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. I have been so busy, I haven't even had a chance to look at them! I will try to go through them and post some soon!
Life is good right now. I continually wish I were home with my boys, but I am still trying to stay optimistic that day will come. I know we are very blessed.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Adjusting...
So....Frankie seems to continue to need every one's prayers (actually, we all do!) Adjusting to a daycare is going ok for everyone, but Frankie seems to be having the most trouble adjusting. He is really struggling with...I am not really 100% sure I know exactly what! He is happy at the daycare, doesn't get too upset when he is dropped off, naps well, eats well, is extremely happy every time I pick him up, but he HITS and PINCHES other kids! It is to the point where the other kids are getting marks on their faces and the parents are complaining. I have "that" kid in daycare that the others are afraid of and the parents don't like. Terrific! :(
We are very blessed to have such caring ladies to care for him. I know they love him and he loves them. He is just going through a phase (or so I keep telling myself). And, I know he feels bad, because when we talk about it, he pouts and buries his head. Poor guy.
My heart is very heavy. I want so badly to be home with him, but I can't and I know that he is probably acting out as a result of frustration with me going back to work. I've dealt with enough kids and situations like this that I feel so frustrated that there isn't anything I can do to fix it this time. :( I want him to be loved and liked and to not be the bully! Most of all I want him to feel loved and happy and safe.
He's just so stinkin' cute and little!!!! Maybe it's all a compensation for being little! HA!
Actions they are taking at daycare:
-telling him "No no! No pinching! No hitting! That hurts!"
-putting him in the highchair for time out...but now it's the playpen so he doesn't associate the highchair with being in trouble since he needs desperately to eat!
-we are doing the same thing at home as we see it happen
What else can you do for a 16 month old? :(
Please just pray for him and us. I'll take any advice, too! :)
We are very blessed to have such caring ladies to care for him. I know they love him and he loves them. He is just going through a phase (or so I keep telling myself). And, I know he feels bad, because when we talk about it, he pouts and buries his head. Poor guy.
My heart is very heavy. I want so badly to be home with him, but I can't and I know that he is probably acting out as a result of frustration with me going back to work. I've dealt with enough kids and situations like this that I feel so frustrated that there isn't anything I can do to fix it this time. :( I want him to be loved and liked and to not be the bully! Most of all I want him to feel loved and happy and safe.
He's just so stinkin' cute and little!!!! Maybe it's all a compensation for being little! HA!
Actions they are taking at daycare:
-telling him "No no! No pinching! No hitting! That hurts!"
-putting him in the highchair for time out...but now it's the playpen so he doesn't associate the highchair with being in trouble since he needs desperately to eat!
-we are doing the same thing at home as we see it happen
What else can you do for a 16 month old? :(
Please just pray for him and us. I'll take any advice, too! :)
Friday, August 5, 2011
Frankie 15 months and other stuff
Well, our little peanut stays little! We will be lucky if he reaches 20 lbs. by 18 months! haha He had a great checkup other than weighing only 19 lbs. He is still in the 1 %tile, but 75th in height and 25th in head circumference. He's growing, just not filling out. I love Dr. Miller. He is so positive and trusts that I am doing everything I should be doing. Frankie is not malnutritioned, just skinny mini! We discussed some options to help plump him up and decided to meet with a nutritionist to see how we can get creative and incorporate some more protein in Frank's diet. We'll see how that goes. I guess if I can get some new ideas on what to feed him, it'll be worth my time. I'll let you know...hahaha! In the meantime, I just pray Frankie stays healthy and strong and at least keeps growing...up!
Here are the charts for those of you who are interested:
18 months Frank Jak
weight 19lbs. 25lbs.
height 32" 33" but may not have been recorded correctly....
I don't have Nick's 18 months and don't know mine.
A little news on Jak....we took him to see his first movie in the theater last night! We had a Mommy, Daddy, Jak date! We went to see Cars 2. It wasn't great, but it was fun. It cost just as much for us to get a popcorn and pop to share as it did to get in to the theater! Oh my goodness! :) We were also the ONLY people in the theater, so we got to choose where we sat! Jak thought that was pretty cool! Nick and I both agreed that we would have rather watched the movie at home on the couch, but were so very glad to give Jak that experience. I think he liked it. He seemed pretty excited last night, but really hasn't talked about it much. Other than he thought is was pretty neat we got to choose where we sat! HA! He's funny. He has told me several times today that, "At the movies you get to pick where you sit, but in an airplane they tell you where you sit." :) He's cute! We had a great time and I'm sure Frankie had a blast with G and P Chaney.
I am currently working on my second grad course for the summer. I got signed up late which has been a blessing and a headache. I finished my first course quickly and enjoyed it (or at least enjoyed it as much as you can for a grad course). It wasn't boring, I'll put it that way. I picked up a few things, but other than that it was just an easy, put in my time course. My second course, which I was really excited about, is disappointing me. I am not enjoying it and am having a hard time getting motivated to work on it. Plus, I have a million things going through my head and need to do before school starts in a week. Needless to say, there is not much down time for me and the stress level has raised significantly. Luckily I have my babies to slow me down (or maybe distract me is a better way to put it.)
Here are the charts for those of you who are interested:
18 months Frank Jak
weight 19lbs. 25lbs.
height 32" 33" but may not have been recorded correctly....
I don't have Nick's 18 months and don't know mine.
A little news on Jak....we took him to see his first movie in the theater last night! We had a Mommy, Daddy, Jak date! We went to see Cars 2. It wasn't great, but it was fun. It cost just as much for us to get a popcorn and pop to share as it did to get in to the theater! Oh my goodness! :) We were also the ONLY people in the theater, so we got to choose where we sat! Jak thought that was pretty cool! Nick and I both agreed that we would have rather watched the movie at home on the couch, but were so very glad to give Jak that experience. I think he liked it. He seemed pretty excited last night, but really hasn't talked about it much. Other than he thought is was pretty neat we got to choose where we sat! HA! He's funny. He has told me several times today that, "At the movies you get to pick where you sit, but in an airplane they tell you where you sit." :) He's cute! We had a great time and I'm sure Frankie had a blast with G and P Chaney.
I am currently working on my second grad course for the summer. I got signed up late which has been a blessing and a headache. I finished my first course quickly and enjoyed it (or at least enjoyed it as much as you can for a grad course). It wasn't boring, I'll put it that way. I picked up a few things, but other than that it was just an easy, put in my time course. My second course, which I was really excited about, is disappointing me. I am not enjoying it and am having a hard time getting motivated to work on it. Plus, I have a million things going through my head and need to do before school starts in a week. Needless to say, there is not much down time for me and the stress level has raised significantly. Luckily I have my babies to slow me down (or maybe distract me is a better way to put it.)
Monday, July 11, 2011
Summer
I can't believe it has been one month since I've last written. I'm not really sure where the time goes. In five SHORT weeks, I have to go back to work and am feeling a lot of anxiety about it. However, my boys are my distraction! We have somehow managed to stay super busy this summer, cramming as much fun in as we can! Some of the things we do on a weekly basis are:
swim, go to the park, go to the library, lunch dates, pic-nics, stay home and just play, work in the garden, go for walks, go for bike rides, play at the tennis/basketball courts, throw rocks off the pier, shopping trips, dates with grandmas, play in the sand box, play in the sprinkler, play dates with friends, golfing, golf cart rides, t-ball, etc.
We still have a lot of things to look forward to, as well! :)
Jak gets the award for having the biggest news this summer! In a little over a week, Jak started to swim without floaties, jump off a diving board, and ride his bike without training wheels! He is just truly amazing! That little stinker is just so coordinated and athletic! hahaha He has been so much fun to watch!
Frank is growing like crazy, too...well at least developmentally! HA! He is still just a little peanut. I'll be surprised if he is 20lbs. by his 15 month check up! He jibber jabbers all the time and really loves to say "eese" (please) because he wants EVERYTHING! He has figured out how cute he is because he'll say "eese" and cock his head to the side and just look at you with the biggest bluest eyes and smile! HOW can you say no to that little face? :) He is so funny and is doing his very best to keep up with big brother! My heart will be torn to pieces when I have to hand him over to someone else at the end of the summer. He's my little baby who has my heart wrapped around his finger!
In other news, Nick and I have decided to take our first little trip without the boys. When I say little, I mean just to Michigan City for the night! :) We are still so super excited about our little get away! We've been away from the boys all just one other time. We went out to a party at the club and then picked the boys up in the morning after a nice breakfast out. It was nice, but the house was eerily quiet. I am hoping that being in a hotel will help me relax more and not miss them so terribly. Maybe I'll finally be able to sleep past 7:30! We have made it a tradition to go to the outlets for some back to school shopping. It's a little pick me up when it comes to starting school. I think this will be our fourth year. We usually go for one evening without the boys. Last year we made it a family date and took the boys with us, but this year we decided to extend it a little. I am so looking forward to this time with Nick! I'm sure Jak and Frank will love their time with Grandma and Poppy, too!
Happy summer to you all! :)
swim, go to the park, go to the library, lunch dates, pic-nics, stay home and just play, work in the garden, go for walks, go for bike rides, play at the tennis/basketball courts, throw rocks off the pier, shopping trips, dates with grandmas, play in the sand box, play in the sprinkler, play dates with friends, golfing, golf cart rides, t-ball, etc.
We still have a lot of things to look forward to, as well! :)
Jak gets the award for having the biggest news this summer! In a little over a week, Jak started to swim without floaties, jump off a diving board, and ride his bike without training wheels! He is just truly amazing! That little stinker is just so coordinated and athletic! hahaha He has been so much fun to watch!
Frank is growing like crazy, too...well at least developmentally! HA! He is still just a little peanut. I'll be surprised if he is 20lbs. by his 15 month check up! He jibber jabbers all the time and really loves to say "eese" (please) because he wants EVERYTHING! He has figured out how cute he is because he'll say "eese" and cock his head to the side and just look at you with the biggest bluest eyes and smile! HOW can you say no to that little face? :) He is so funny and is doing his very best to keep up with big brother! My heart will be torn to pieces when I have to hand him over to someone else at the end of the summer. He's my little baby who has my heart wrapped around his finger!
In other news, Nick and I have decided to take our first little trip without the boys. When I say little, I mean just to Michigan City for the night! :) We are still so super excited about our little get away! We've been away from the boys all just one other time. We went out to a party at the club and then picked the boys up in the morning after a nice breakfast out. It was nice, but the house was eerily quiet. I am hoping that being in a hotel will help me relax more and not miss them so terribly. Maybe I'll finally be able to sleep past 7:30! We have made it a tradition to go to the outlets for some back to school shopping. It's a little pick me up when it comes to starting school. I think this will be our fourth year. We usually go for one evening without the boys. Last year we made it a family date and took the boys with us, but this year we decided to extend it a little. I am so looking forward to this time with Nick! I'm sure Jak and Frank will love their time with Grandma and Poppy, too!
Happy summer to you all! :)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
School days!
Jak's "last day" of school was today. I don't know if Jak understands that he is done going to school for the summer or not. He didn't have any emotions either way today. He wasn't happy or sad, but acted normal. I guess that is good! I was a little sad and have felt weird all day thinking that the school year is over already! I know people say this all the time, but this year went so fast!!! Fastest ever!
I took some pics of Jak today, similar to the ones I took on his first day of school. He has grown! :) I'm proud of him and all he accomplished this year at school!
Now, I can't wait to see him play with his friends at his picnic tomorrow! Should be a hoot!
I took some pics of Jak today, similar to the ones I took on his first day of school. He has grown! :) I'm proud of him and all he accomplished this year at school!
Now, I can't wait to see him play with his friends at his picnic tomorrow! Should be a hoot!
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| Last day of school...May 2011 |
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| First day of school...September 2010 |
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| First day of school...September 2010 |
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| Last day of school...May 2011 |
Monday, May 23, 2011
Pottery by Jak
It's so hard to believe that Jak's last day of nursery school is Thursday, with a school picnic at the park on Friday! Wow! He will miss school so much...and to be honest, so will I! He loves school and will be sad when it is over, but luckily we have a lot going on this summer to keep us busy!
To say "Thank you" to his teachers, we took Jak to the Pottery Bayou in Winona Lake. He got to pick out the pieces he wanted, paint them, and then we picked them up a week later. They turned out so cute that I just had to share them! He was so proud of them and I was so proud of his artwork! :) We had a blast making them and can't wait to give them to Jak's teachers! They are amazing! :)
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
My Little Peanut
Well, Frankie is 1! I am still in shock, I think. I am having a hard time grasping the fact that my little baby is already a year old! He is just an incredible joy in our lives. We all can't believe how much happiness he has brought us! He is a little stinker, but we wouldn't want him any other way!
Frank had his one year check up yesterday and his one year blood screening today. What a trooper! I think he did better with the blood screening than he did with the shots!
Frank, as you will see, is just a little peanut! He is growing, just not much. He hasn't gained much weight which has caused us some concern. They did some blood work to test his Thyroid today and luckily, everything came back normal!!!! He just needs to beef up! :)
Frank 1 year Jak 1 year
Height 30 inches 31 inches
Weight 17lbs. 9oz. 23lbs.
Frank had his one year check up yesterday and his one year blood screening today. What a trooper! I think he did better with the blood screening than he did with the shots!
Frank, as you will see, is just a little peanut! He is growing, just not much. He hasn't gained much weight which has caused us some concern. They did some blood work to test his Thyroid today and luckily, everything came back normal!!!! He just needs to beef up! :)
Frank 1 year Jak 1 year
Height 30 inches 31 inches
Weight 17lbs. 9oz. 23lbs.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Not impressed...
Not impressed with...
Burger King in Plymouth
Jak's behavior lately
Jak acting so super silly because he thinks it's cool or something
WalMart at noon
My lack of motivation
The rainy, drizzle, cool weather today
...and I pray that Frank is just teething and not getting another ear infection! Grrrr!
BUT...I am hoping a nice long nap for Jak will improve my day. I am also hoping for a better evening and weekend!!!
Thank you, nice, fizzy, Diet Coke for helping me through this afternoon! And, thank you for allowing me to vent! :)
Burger King in Plymouth
Jak's behavior lately
Jak acting so super silly because he thinks it's cool or something
WalMart at noon
My lack of motivation
The rainy, drizzle, cool weather today
...and I pray that Frank is just teething and not getting another ear infection! Grrrr!
BUT...I am hoping a nice long nap for Jak will improve my day. I am also hoping for a better evening and weekend!!!
Thank you, nice, fizzy, Diet Coke for helping me through this afternoon! And, thank you for allowing me to vent! :)
Monday, March 28, 2011
Florida Vacation Complete!
We had a great trip! We are all so glad we were able to get away and enjoy some beautiful Florida weather with eachother and friends! Here is a run down of our week...the goods and the bads.
Saturday:
Was perfect! We slept in, made it safely to the airport and on the plane with no problems! Jak and Frank both LOVED the plane! It was so neat to see Jak so excited! Florida was hot and sunny and the house was perfect!
Sunday:
We took our time getting ready and headed to Disney's Wide World of Sports to watch the Braves/Astros game. It was HOT, but fun! The kids were complaining, so we really didn't get to see much of a game, but it was for sure a great experience! Then, we hit the pool, which was so nice!!!
Monday:
Magic Kingdom!!! My favorite day! We accomplished a TON considering the crowd level there and the wait time to do anything!!! Plus, we had a crew of 9! haha I love Magic Kingdom. Nick and I commented on how awesome it is that it hasn't changed since we were little. They have kept it all the same...minus the new additions. Everything that is still there is still the same! Jak, on the otherhand, didn't enjoy the park so much. He just wanted to go swimming. Maybe he was still too young. I think he had fun, but I didn't get the reactions I thought I would from him. His favorite parts of Magic Kingdom were Buzz Lightyear ride, Splash Mountain, the parade, and the train!
Tuesday:
Park day and Pool day! That's it! :) It was a fun day!
Wednesday:
Animal Kingdom. We went on the absolutely neatest safarri! So amazing! We also saw the Lion King show, met Pocohontas, and Goofy, and Maddie, Lynndi, and I rode Expedition Everest! So fun! Afterwards, we found out that Ben and Lainey had been sick and we needed to get home. Bummer! :(
Later that evening, Lynndi, Maddie, Benjamin, Nick, me, Jak, and Frank all headed to Epcot for the fireworks show! That was sooo neat! We wish we could have been there longer! We really enjoyed Epcot!
Thursday:
Pool day!!! Nick was also able to go to the PGA Bay Hill Invite! He really enjoyed that and I am greatful he was able to do that!!!
Friday:
Pool day!! Last one! We also packed up and then went to Downtown Disney for dinner and shopping! I really enjoyed it! We could have spent a lot longer there as well!
Saturday:
Travel day...but...it was not as we all had anticipated! Benjamin and Lynndi woke up with the flu bug that was going around the house. They decided to not fly home Saturday, but rather fly home Monday. Just as we were ready to load the van, Jak complained of a stomach ache. Bummer! We left anyway, hoping it was just a coincidence, but it wasn't. Poor guy was sick all the way home to Plymouth. Once we got home he laid on the couch until bed and then slept for 15 hours! He woke up Sunday morning just perfect!!!! Hooray! We were never so ready to get home!!!
Overall, we really did have a great trip! I wish we could have all been healthy and able to enjoy the entire week! We'll have to go again and try it another time! :)
Thanks to everyone who prayed for our safe/fun travels! Here is a link to the pics! I'll post some on facebook, but not all of them. There are 353! LOL!
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=7058991013/a=90173811_90173811/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Saturday:
Was perfect! We slept in, made it safely to the airport and on the plane with no problems! Jak and Frank both LOVED the plane! It was so neat to see Jak so excited! Florida was hot and sunny and the house was perfect!
Sunday:
We took our time getting ready and headed to Disney's Wide World of Sports to watch the Braves/Astros game. It was HOT, but fun! The kids were complaining, so we really didn't get to see much of a game, but it was for sure a great experience! Then, we hit the pool, which was so nice!!!
Monday:
Magic Kingdom!!! My favorite day! We accomplished a TON considering the crowd level there and the wait time to do anything!!! Plus, we had a crew of 9! haha I love Magic Kingdom. Nick and I commented on how awesome it is that it hasn't changed since we were little. They have kept it all the same...minus the new additions. Everything that is still there is still the same! Jak, on the otherhand, didn't enjoy the park so much. He just wanted to go swimming. Maybe he was still too young. I think he had fun, but I didn't get the reactions I thought I would from him. His favorite parts of Magic Kingdom were Buzz Lightyear ride, Splash Mountain, the parade, and the train!
Tuesday:
Park day and Pool day! That's it! :) It was a fun day!
Wednesday:
Animal Kingdom. We went on the absolutely neatest safarri! So amazing! We also saw the Lion King show, met Pocohontas, and Goofy, and Maddie, Lynndi, and I rode Expedition Everest! So fun! Afterwards, we found out that Ben and Lainey had been sick and we needed to get home. Bummer! :(
Later that evening, Lynndi, Maddie, Benjamin, Nick, me, Jak, and Frank all headed to Epcot for the fireworks show! That was sooo neat! We wish we could have been there longer! We really enjoyed Epcot!
Thursday:
Pool day!!! Nick was also able to go to the PGA Bay Hill Invite! He really enjoyed that and I am greatful he was able to do that!!!
Friday:
Pool day!! Last one! We also packed up and then went to Downtown Disney for dinner and shopping! I really enjoyed it! We could have spent a lot longer there as well!
Saturday:
Travel day...but...it was not as we all had anticipated! Benjamin and Lynndi woke up with the flu bug that was going around the house. They decided to not fly home Saturday, but rather fly home Monday. Just as we were ready to load the van, Jak complained of a stomach ache. Bummer! We left anyway, hoping it was just a coincidence, but it wasn't. Poor guy was sick all the way home to Plymouth. Once we got home he laid on the couch until bed and then slept for 15 hours! He woke up Sunday morning just perfect!!!! Hooray! We were never so ready to get home!!!
Overall, we really did have a great trip! I wish we could have all been healthy and able to enjoy the entire week! We'll have to go again and try it another time! :)
Thanks to everyone who prayed for our safe/fun travels! Here is a link to the pics! I'll post some on facebook, but not all of them. There are 353! LOL!
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=7058991013/a=90173811_90173811/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Oh, I just can't wait!!!
We are heading out on our first week long family vacation Saturday! I just can't hardly wait!!!!
I'm so excited to fly again, be in the warmer weather, go to Disney World, hopefully get some color again, have the whole week with my husband, and I ultimately can not wait to see Jak's face and excitement! I don't think he has any clue what he is about to do! :) I asked him today what he was looking forward to the most on vacation and he said, "To go swimming." :) Granted, I'm looking forward to that too, but that is not top on my list haha
Jak is so in to Disney right now that I can't hardly wait for him to experience everything! We are going to Florida with some friends and one friend told me that it is just priceless to see these kids at the park trying to distinguish between what is real and what isn't. That is so cool to think about! The Disney cartoons are about to come to life for him and I can't hardly wait to see his reaction!!! SO EXCITED!
What I am NOT excited about is the packing. I'm stressing out! haha I am very organized and have a list of what needs to go in what, but it is so hard to pack when you still have days left here at home. I am nervous about packing too heavy, packing too light(not packing everything we need,) the cost of items we do need once we get there, what to put in a "baggie" because it's a gel or liquid, what I can or cannot take on the plane, etc. (grrrrr!) I have never flown with kids before, so this is ALL NEW to me. I'm not really complaining, because I am super blessed and excited to be flying, but all these rules were not in effect five years ago when I flew last! It's a learning experience for sure!
We are all really looking forward to a great trip and making memories with the boys! I just can't wait!!!
I'm so excited to fly again, be in the warmer weather, go to Disney World, hopefully get some color again, have the whole week with my husband, and I ultimately can not wait to see Jak's face and excitement! I don't think he has any clue what he is about to do! :) I asked him today what he was looking forward to the most on vacation and he said, "To go swimming." :) Granted, I'm looking forward to that too, but that is not top on my list haha
Jak is so in to Disney right now that I can't hardly wait for him to experience everything! We are going to Florida with some friends and one friend told me that it is just priceless to see these kids at the park trying to distinguish between what is real and what isn't. That is so cool to think about! The Disney cartoons are about to come to life for him and I can't hardly wait to see his reaction!!! SO EXCITED!
What I am NOT excited about is the packing. I'm stressing out! haha I am very organized and have a list of what needs to go in what, but it is so hard to pack when you still have days left here at home. I am nervous about packing too heavy, packing too light(not packing everything we need,) the cost of items we do need once we get there, what to put in a "baggie" because it's a gel or liquid, what I can or cannot take on the plane, etc. (grrrrr!) I have never flown with kids before, so this is ALL NEW to me. I'm not really complaining, because I am super blessed and excited to be flying, but all these rules were not in effect five years ago when I flew last! It's a learning experience for sure!
We are all really looking forward to a great trip and making memories with the boys! I just can't wait!!!
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
One big boy and one proud mama!
Jak Albert was born on March 4, 2007. He weighed 5lbs. 9oz. and was 19 inches long. He was about the 3rd percentile for weight and about the 3rd percentile in height. Today, at his FOUR year checkup he weighed in at 37lbs. and was 42 inches tall! He is in the 97th percentile in height and 65th percentile in weight! He sure has come a long way!
I couldn't have been more proud of him today! Jak is a routine guy. He needs
to know what to expect, so we talk about what will happen before we go anywhere! He loves this, as he loves being told stories. We talk about what he did at appointments when he was younger and what to expect at his next one. We went through the routine last year, however, and it failed us. He refused to get weighed, measured, and threw a fit when it was time for Dr. Miller to examine him...so I was still a little nervous about today's visit. BUT, he was a CHAMP! When he got called back, he stopped playing immediately, walked right over to get weighed on his own, got measured, got his BLOOD PRESSURE taken (he thought this was SUPER cool!), and got his temperature taken. No problem! He was calm and relaxed and even talked to Nurse Erica! He did equally well when Dr. Miller came in for the exam! Hooray! Now, Jak still had to get his Chickenpox vaccine. I opted not to have him get it at his 12-18 month checkup. He was getting so many and it was one that I knew wasn't necessary until he gets in to kindergarten. It was an easy one for me to wait on. So, he got it today and will get another dose in 6 months. He shocked me today...HE DIDN'T EVEN CRY!!!!!!! He laid down on the table held my hands and got a little red in the face, but not one single tear or cry! I couldn't believe it! What a CHAMP!!!! I was SO proud of him! Now, I pray that he won't have any reactions to the vaccine and will do just as well in 6 months!
We had a great checkup! He's healthy, happy, and too smart for his own good, sometimes! :) Since he was such a good boy, we got to go to Dairy Queen for lunch. He told me all he wanted for his lunch was a "treat." So he ordered a blizzard...but by the way he was acting (he must have been too good at the doctor's office to continue to be good all day...) he needed more than ice cream. He ate a whole cheeseburger and half of his blizzard! That helped! It was a good stop! :)
I am so proud of him!
I couldn't have been more proud of him today! Jak is a routine guy. He needs
to know what to expect, so we talk about what will happen before we go anywhere! He loves this, as he loves being told stories. We talk about what he did at appointments when he was younger and what to expect at his next one. We went through the routine last year, however, and it failed us. He refused to get weighed, measured, and threw a fit when it was time for Dr. Miller to examine him...so I was still a little nervous about today's visit. BUT, he was a CHAMP! When he got called back, he stopped playing immediately, walked right over to get weighed on his own, got measured, got his BLOOD PRESSURE taken (he thought this was SUPER cool!), and got his temperature taken. No problem! He was calm and relaxed and even talked to Nurse Erica! He did equally well when Dr. Miller came in for the exam! Hooray! Now, Jak still had to get his Chickenpox vaccine. I opted not to have him get it at his 12-18 month checkup. He was getting so many and it was one that I knew wasn't necessary until he gets in to kindergarten. It was an easy one for me to wait on. So, he got it today and will get another dose in 6 months. He shocked me today...HE DIDN'T EVEN CRY!!!!!!! He laid down on the table held my hands and got a little red in the face, but not one single tear or cry! I couldn't believe it! What a CHAMP!!!! I was SO proud of him! Now, I pray that he won't have any reactions to the vaccine and will do just as well in 6 months!
We had a great checkup! He's healthy, happy, and too smart for his own good, sometimes! :) Since he was such a good boy, we got to go to Dairy Queen for lunch. He told me all he wanted for his lunch was a "treat." So he ordered a blizzard...but by the way he was acting (he must have been too good at the doctor's office to continue to be good all day...) he needed more than ice cream. He ate a whole cheeseburger and half of his blizzard! That helped! It was a good stop! :)
I am so proud of him!
Friday, February 11, 2011
Love
Love is on my mind.
I love God, my husband, my baby boys, my family, and my friends. And, I can't stress to you how much. My heart has been heavy these past couple of weeks with sad, heartbreaking news from some dear friends. It really has made me realize how fortunate I am for all that I have and all that who love me! Thank you and I love you!
My boys have helped my heart fill with more love than I ever thought imaginable. Here are some of the reasons why from this week:
Jak loves, Loves, LOVES his Sesame Street CD in the car. I think it is great because he knows ALL the songs on it. Me, being the teacher that I am, love this because I know that reciting nursery rhymes and singing songs help with fluency while reading. Hooray! Anyway, I'm tired of the CD and ready for some different tunes. I put in a Kids Praise CD and he got upset with me for changing his songs. I told him that he had to sing to me "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Loves the Little Children" before I would change the CD. This is a big deal to me. I KNOW he knows them, but never sings them, so I am encouraging him to do so. Today on the way in to school he belts out in song, "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Loves the Little Children" all on his own! He knows them word for word! :) I was so proud.
Jak made a Valentine's Day necklace at school yesterday. I told him how beautiful it was and how proud of him I was! Stringing beads can be a challenge! I was impressed with him. This morning I asked him if he would like to wear his necklace to school today for his Valentine's Day party and he said, "No. You can have the necklace instead." I love that! I love the necklace!
He also made a card for Nick and me. He wrote his own name!!!! Wow! This is a big deal for me. He doesn't like to practice...rather he refuses to practice here at home, so it was so great to see! I love him so much and all he is learning.
Frankie has been a trooper with his battle with his ear infection and then his allergic reaction to his medicine! I'm so grateful he seems to be on the mend and his rash is clearing up. He has been so lovey dovey and happy :) He's always up for a fun game of pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, repeatedly shaking his head no, or "How big is Frank?" :) Melts my heart! Answer to prayers!
I just had to share these with you!
Please pray for my friends that their hearts may heal.
Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
I love God, my husband, my baby boys, my family, and my friends. And, I can't stress to you how much. My heart has been heavy these past couple of weeks with sad, heartbreaking news from some dear friends. It really has made me realize how fortunate I am for all that I have and all that who love me! Thank you and I love you!
My boys have helped my heart fill with more love than I ever thought imaginable. Here are some of the reasons why from this week:
Jak loves, Loves, LOVES his Sesame Street CD in the car. I think it is great because he knows ALL the songs on it. Me, being the teacher that I am, love this because I know that reciting nursery rhymes and singing songs help with fluency while reading. Hooray! Anyway, I'm tired of the CD and ready for some different tunes. I put in a Kids Praise CD and he got upset with me for changing his songs. I told him that he had to sing to me "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Loves the Little Children" before I would change the CD. This is a big deal to me. I KNOW he knows them, but never sings them, so I am encouraging him to do so. Today on the way in to school he belts out in song, "Jesus Loves Me" and "Jesus Loves the Little Children" all on his own! He knows them word for word! :) I was so proud.
Jak made a Valentine's Day necklace at school yesterday. I told him how beautiful it was and how proud of him I was! Stringing beads can be a challenge! I was impressed with him. This morning I asked him if he would like to wear his necklace to school today for his Valentine's Day party and he said, "No. You can have the necklace instead." I love that! I love the necklace!
He also made a card for Nick and me. He wrote his own name!!!! Wow! This is a big deal for me. He doesn't like to practice...rather he refuses to practice here at home, so it was so great to see! I love him so much and all he is learning.
Frankie has been a trooper with his battle with his ear infection and then his allergic reaction to his medicine! I'm so grateful he seems to be on the mend and his rash is clearing up. He has been so lovey dovey and happy :) He's always up for a fun game of pat-a-cake, peek-a-boo, repeatedly shaking his head no, or "How big is Frank?" :) Melts my heart! Answer to prayers!
I just had to share these with you!
Please pray for my friends that their hearts may heal.
Deuteronomy 6:5 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Frank's 9 month Checkup
Frank had his 9 month checkup today. I've been nervous about this check up for several reasons:
One, Frank refuses to eat baby food or drink anything from a bottle. He only wants what everyone else is eating and nurse (and he likes sippy cups that have the straws...and whatever Jak has). So, obviously, I was nervous about him getting enough to eat and gaining weight.
Second, he has been fighting some congestion and tugging at his ear. I wanted him checked for an ear infection and to be sure his lungs sounded clear.
Thirdly, the weather.
Well, my worries about the weather were put to rest when the clinic called and rescheduled my appointment to earlier in the day. Hooray! I was able to find a sitter for Jak and take Frank in before it started snowing! That was the good news. And, for the record, the office was planning on closing by 1:00 and possibly closing tomorrow...and still at 3:00...NOTHING! No snow, no ice, no wind. However, I'm sure that will all change.
The not so great news is that Frank is growing just fine in every area, BUT he is OFF THE CHARTS in his weight...the wrong way :(! He isn't gaining much weight! Which is what we thought all along. His right ear is also a little red, but nothing major. But, since he had the same condition at his 6 month check up, Doc decided to go ahead and prescribe him some antibiotics in case he has a chronic ear infection. If that is the case, that may be why he doesn't want to eat much! I'm nervous about the antibiotics, but if it helps him get a bigger appetite, I'm okay with it. He sure doesn't act like his ear bothers him, but maybe he'll feel even better after the medicine is in him for a while! Maybe he'll sleep ALL NIGHT EVERY NIGHT! ha! Who knows! He is just a little stinker! ;)
Other than his weight, he is a healthy, happy, baby! His lungs sound clear. :) His next checkup is his one year!!! Three months from now! Holy cow! :)
Here are the stats for Frank compared to Jak:
Frank 9 months Jak 9 months
Length: 29" 68%tile 29 1/4" 75%tile
Weight: 16 lbs. 7 oz 1.5%tile 20 lbs. 45%tile
Head Circ: 17 3/4" 38%tile
Obviously, Jak was a better eater than Frank! I'm just so glad Frank is happy and healthy! We'll keep chugging away, trying to get him to eat! :)
One, Frank refuses to eat baby food or drink anything from a bottle. He only wants what everyone else is eating and nurse (and he likes sippy cups that have the straws...and whatever Jak has). So, obviously, I was nervous about him getting enough to eat and gaining weight.
Second, he has been fighting some congestion and tugging at his ear. I wanted him checked for an ear infection and to be sure his lungs sounded clear.
Thirdly, the weather.
Well, my worries about the weather were put to rest when the clinic called and rescheduled my appointment to earlier in the day. Hooray! I was able to find a sitter for Jak and take Frank in before it started snowing! That was the good news. And, for the record, the office was planning on closing by 1:00 and possibly closing tomorrow...and still at 3:00...NOTHING! No snow, no ice, no wind. However, I'm sure that will all change.
The not so great news is that Frank is growing just fine in every area, BUT he is OFF THE CHARTS in his weight...the wrong way :(! He isn't gaining much weight! Which is what we thought all along. His right ear is also a little red, but nothing major. But, since he had the same condition at his 6 month check up, Doc decided to go ahead and prescribe him some antibiotics in case he has a chronic ear infection. If that is the case, that may be why he doesn't want to eat much! I'm nervous about the antibiotics, but if it helps him get a bigger appetite, I'm okay with it. He sure doesn't act like his ear bothers him, but maybe he'll feel even better after the medicine is in him for a while! Maybe he'll sleep ALL NIGHT EVERY NIGHT! ha! Who knows! He is just a little stinker! ;)
Other than his weight, he is a healthy, happy, baby! His lungs sound clear. :) His next checkup is his one year!!! Three months from now! Holy cow! :)
Here are the stats for Frank compared to Jak:
Frank 9 months Jak 9 months
Length: 29" 68%tile 29 1/4" 75%tile
Weight: 16 lbs. 7 oz 1.5%tile 20 lbs. 45%tile
Head Circ: 17 3/4" 38%tile
Obviously, Jak was a better eater than Frank! I'm just so glad Frank is happy and healthy! We'll keep chugging away, trying to get him to eat! :)
Monday, January 17, 2011
Little Frankie
Here are some updates on our little Frankie! Thursday night he was up and cried for 1 1/2 hours. Friday night 1 hour. Saturday night HE SLEPT ALL NIGHT!!!! Sunday night he was up and cried for 1 1/2-2 hours. Stinker! :) Poppy Chaney, he needs to give you back the $5! haha We'll get it! I hope! :) Thank you ALL for your prayers and support. Thank you!
He crawls. He gets into everything...or everything Jak is in! HA! He is a little shadow. He is also pulling himself up! This is exciting and scary! He had a hold of one of my Willow Tree Nativity sheep the other day! Yikes. We have to keep a close eye on him. He also has started trying to stand on his own. He can do it for a few seconds before he either falls or we need to support him again. He's getting braver. He wants to walk so bad! He has also started following me. If I leave the room, I often hear little breaths and the pitter patter of crawling coming up behind me! :) I love it! It's so cute!
He is also clapping now! It is so super cute! He looks at you with a huge smile and just continuously claps! He sometimes even makes a sound like "yeeaaahhh" like we do when he claps! hahahaha! So cute!
We love him so much...even if we don't sleep! ;) He has added so much joy in our lives!
He crawls. He gets into everything...or everything Jak is in! HA! He is a little shadow. He is also pulling himself up! This is exciting and scary! He had a hold of one of my Willow Tree Nativity sheep the other day! Yikes. We have to keep a close eye on him. He also has started trying to stand on his own. He can do it for a few seconds before he either falls or we need to support him again. He's getting braver. He wants to walk so bad! He has also started following me. If I leave the room, I often hear little breaths and the pitter patter of crawling coming up behind me! :) I love it! It's so cute!
He is also clapping now! It is so super cute! He looks at you with a huge smile and just continuously claps! He sometimes even makes a sound like "yeeaaahhh" like we do when he claps! hahahaha! So cute!
We love him so much...even if we don't sleep! ;) He has added so much joy in our lives!
Friday, January 14, 2011
Help!
I feel a little embarrassed to blog this, but I'm desperate! I need HELP! Frank is almost 9 months old and does not sleep more than 5-8 hours at night without waking up. If you do the math, this means I get anywhere from 3-6 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. This has been the case for almost 9 months now! I'm done. I've been done. And Nick is done hearing about it! :(
I have read many books, articles, blogs about what to do to get a baby to sleep through the night. I feel like we have tried it all! If you can think of something we are missing...PLEASE let me know! I think I'm willing to try anything! ;)
Here's the scenario...Frank wakes up and starts to cry/whine/scream and he'll do this until we come up there. Once we are up there he will want held. If you don't pick him up he screams! If you try to put the paci in his mouth, he screams! If I pick him up he leans and reaches for the chair I nurse him in or tries to attack me to eat! If you lay him back in his bed, he screams. I know he can put himself to sleep on his own, b/c he does it and has done it! UGH! He's so stubborn! :)
We have tried...
giving him a bottle of formula (but he won't drink it from a bottle)
nursing right before bed to get a full tummy
eating solids before bed to get a full tummy
special toys in crib
special cuddly toy in crib
4-5 pacifiers in crib so he can find one easily
blanket
no blanket
running the heater for warmth and sound
changing diaper
teething medicine
Tylenol
putting him in the pack-n-play
crying it out (last night is was an hour and a half of crying before I gave in. last week it was an hour with Nick)
holding him/singing to him/rocking him
not holding him and just soothing him from his crib
giving a bath before bed
not giving a bath before bed
music/no music
mobile on/mobile off
etc...
Basically, what we have concluded is that he needs me to comfort him. He wants to nurse. ALL THE TIME! haha
What am I missing? What should I try? How do I stay sane? :) haha
If anything, I needed to vent this! Thanks for allowing me to do so! I'll let you know when he kicks this habit...hopefully! :)
I have read many books, articles, blogs about what to do to get a baby to sleep through the night. I feel like we have tried it all! If you can think of something we are missing...PLEASE let me know! I think I'm willing to try anything! ;)
Here's the scenario...Frank wakes up and starts to cry/whine/scream and he'll do this until we come up there. Once we are up there he will want held. If you don't pick him up he screams! If you try to put the paci in his mouth, he screams! If I pick him up he leans and reaches for the chair I nurse him in or tries to attack me to eat! If you lay him back in his bed, he screams. I know he can put himself to sleep on his own, b/c he does it and has done it! UGH! He's so stubborn! :)
We have tried...
giving him a bottle of formula (but he won't drink it from a bottle)
nursing right before bed to get a full tummy
eating solids before bed to get a full tummy
special toys in crib
special cuddly toy in crib
4-5 pacifiers in crib so he can find one easily
blanket
no blanket
running the heater for warmth and sound
changing diaper
teething medicine
Tylenol
putting him in the pack-n-play
crying it out (last night is was an hour and a half of crying before I gave in. last week it was an hour with Nick)
holding him/singing to him/rocking him
not holding him and just soothing him from his crib
giving a bath before bed
not giving a bath before bed
music/no music
mobile on/mobile off
etc...
Basically, what we have concluded is that he needs me to comfort him. He wants to nurse. ALL THE TIME! haha
What am I missing? What should I try? How do I stay sane? :) haha
If anything, I needed to vent this! Thanks for allowing me to do so! I'll let you know when he kicks this habit...hopefully! :)
Monday, January 3, 2011
Hodge Podge
I have not been able to blog in a while, so I just have some random things to share today!
A couple of weeks ago, I was able to watch the movie Holiday Inn. It was filmed in 1942 starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_Inn_(film)
I was totally fascinated with this film. I don't know if it was the quiet house, boys asleep, presents wrapped, chores done, that made it so wonderful...or if it was that I truly loved this movie! Now granted, I did fast forward through a few songs because it was dragging on a little, but I loved it! Sometimes I feel that I was born into the wrong era! I love the wholesomeness of this film and the glamour the 40's brought. It is so interesting to me! I wish these type of films would entertain the teenagers/young adults now-a-days!
I also taped White Christmas and am hoping to still watch that sometime for the first time, (even though Christmas is over). I didn't get a chance to watch It's a Wonderful Life this year :(, but is it also taped and on my to-do list! :)
Frank's first Christmas was WONDERFUL! We all loved Jak's excitement! He was so funny...he asked for a snow shovel (because we put that idea in his head) and a board game, Sorry!. Santa decided against Sorry! and got him a car track/city/train set instead. He LOVED it! The train didn't stop running from 7:30-9:30 Christmas morning! It was perfect! We were hoping he'd be so into his gifts that he wouldn't realize he didn't get Sorry!, but one of the first things he said was, "Santa didn't bring me my board game, Sorry!" We had to explain that Santa brought the train instead because he thought he would like it better. So, now, he tells everyone when asked what he got for Christmas, "I got a shovel just like I wanted and a train. But, Santa didn't bring me Sorry! That's ok, I got a train instead." Bless his heart! :) At least he liked the train!
I have not had time to post pics in a L O N G time! So, here is the link to Snapfish for most of December and the start of January! There are pics from Jak's Christmas program at school, playing in the snow, Christmas', etc. Enjoy! But, I'm warning you, there are LOT! :)
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=6549388013/a=90173811_90173811/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Today was also a great day! The boys and I went to WalMart to stock up. We were there at least 50 min. BOTH boys were quiet, obedient, and patient, which doesn't always happen! :) It was so great! I also saved over $6 in coupons and at least that much with add matching! Woohoo! It was great! Then, we went to McDonald's for lunch...the one with the "park." I know that I am not normal by any means, but spending an hour at WalMart and then another hour at the Lapaz McDonald's made me feel pretty normal today! :) haha
I am very blessed!
A couple of weeks ago, I was able to watch the movie Holiday Inn. It was filmed in 1942 starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holiday_Inn_(film)
I was totally fascinated with this film. I don't know if it was the quiet house, boys asleep, presents wrapped, chores done, that made it so wonderful...or if it was that I truly loved this movie! Now granted, I did fast forward through a few songs because it was dragging on a little, but I loved it! Sometimes I feel that I was born into the wrong era! I love the wholesomeness of this film and the glamour the 40's brought. It is so interesting to me! I wish these type of films would entertain the teenagers/young adults now-a-days!
I also taped White Christmas and am hoping to still watch that sometime for the first time, (even though Christmas is over). I didn't get a chance to watch It's a Wonderful Life this year :(, but is it also taped and on my to-do list! :)
Frank's first Christmas was WONDERFUL! We all loved Jak's excitement! He was so funny...he asked for a snow shovel (because we put that idea in his head) and a board game, Sorry!. Santa decided against Sorry! and got him a car track/city/train set instead. He LOVED it! The train didn't stop running from 7:30-9:30 Christmas morning! It was perfect! We were hoping he'd be so into his gifts that he wouldn't realize he didn't get Sorry!, but one of the first things he said was, "Santa didn't bring me my board game, Sorry!" We had to explain that Santa brought the train instead because he thought he would like it better. So, now, he tells everyone when asked what he got for Christmas, "I got a shovel just like I wanted and a train. But, Santa didn't bring me Sorry! That's ok, I got a train instead." Bless his heart! :) At least he liked the train!
I have not had time to post pics in a L O N G time! So, here is the link to Snapfish for most of December and the start of January! There are pics from Jak's Christmas program at school, playing in the snow, Christmas', etc. Enjoy! But, I'm warning you, there are LOT! :)
http://www2.snapfish.com/snapfish/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=6549388013/a=90173811_90173811/otsc=SHR/otsi=SALBlink/COBRAND_NAME=snapfish/
Today was also a great day! The boys and I went to WalMart to stock up. We were there at least 50 min. BOTH boys were quiet, obedient, and patient, which doesn't always happen! :) It was so great! I also saved over $6 in coupons and at least that much with add matching! Woohoo! It was great! Then, we went to McDonald's for lunch...the one with the "park." I know that I am not normal by any means, but spending an hour at WalMart and then another hour at the Lapaz McDonald's made me feel pretty normal today! :) haha
I am very blessed!
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