2010 here we come...

It's time to say good-bye to 2009 and say hello to 2010. As I get older, the years get harder to say good-bye to. I look back at images through the year and see my kids getting older and once again it's like a smack in the face just how fast time goes by. After the Christmas rush it's a reminder not to get stuck in the minutia of day to day things. But it's hard. I do good for a while and then get bogged back down. So, I'm making it a New Year's resolution. My implementation plan is not clear yet, but I'll think of something.

Anyway, this post has taken an extreme turn from what I had planned so let's get things back on track. I have been enjoying a much needed break from photography (with a few minor exceptions) and most importantly some much needed time away from my day job and major quality time with my kids. I've decided this is the best way to get rid of excess PTO = )

What have we been up to you wonder? Let's see. One day it went something like this. Dog pukes. Not sure how long it had sat there before Schuyler found it and it was finally cleaned up. Yuck. The 2 younger kids are napping so it seems like a good time to paint the basement, our latest project in getting the house ready for market. Oh no, kids don't sleep very long and I'm not done. Dog manages to bump both sides of her rear-end into the wet paint on wall. I stop and clean dog off. Use this as an example and warn kids again. Eli can't resist being away from mom and bumps new shirt and new jeans into paint. He is devasted for his clothes. I reassure him I can get it out however he is already running back to his room to hide behind his chair. Yes, this is what he does when he's ashamed, feelings are hurt or he knows he's in trouble. Back to the point, painting is put on hold.

Want another story. One Sunday a.m. I turn cartoons on for the kids so Mark and I can get a few extra zzz's before church. Once awake, Eli climbs on my lap with his beloved blankie. He say's he doesn't feel well which is quite obvious when he no sooner gets the words out and is now getting sick all over me. Hmm, smells like fruit juice. Eli and the girls claim he's had nothing to eat or drink. Hmm. We take him to bathroom and he gets sick again. He wants to take a bath so we make a luke warm one. About that time Mark comes in with the vitamin jar which was completely full last night and is now 1/3 empty. Looks like we foundd the culprit. Within seconds of the discovery, Eli is getting sick again. This time, there is proof as we see regurgitated vitamins. I think this will be a lesson learned for him!

There are xmas stories and othe non-important happenings but they will have to wait for another day.

Here's an internet toast to 2010 -

• New Beginnings...
• New Challenges...
• New Possibilities...
  
  
  

Here comes Santa Claus!

Our house is bounding with much enthusiasm and excitement. Translation: this means the kids are bouncing off the wall with anticipation. Rising at 5:45 am and no naps!

It looks like we will be snowed in. The forecast is constantly changing but we are expecting somewhere in the range of 6-12in with blizzard like conditions. We were supposed to be celebrating xmas eve with my side of the family but are postponing until later.

We had a pleasant visit with Santa last week. It's sure nice of him to stop at Daddy's work = ) All 3 kids actually sat on his lap this year. Eli kept asking if the big man would bite him?! Here is what they told Santa they wanted: Schuyler - High School Musical 3 DVD, McKenzie - everything in the whole wide world (yes, those were her exact words) and Eli - snacks! Really, snacks, where did that one come from.

Eli, as might be expected from a typical 3 year old boy, managed to open one of his presents while I was in the laundry room. Nice!

From Luke 2:8-14 “And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men."

you've come a long way...

My Eli! You really have come a long way in the last year + some. Yesterday we met with LPS to evaluate if we need to continue services with them. We sat at the table and they did some assesments with you. I'm sure they seemed like fun games as you smiled the whole time. They asked questions until you hit a "ceiling" or a point where you could no longer consistantly answer the questions correctly. I think you enjoyed the challenged = ) While she couldn't show me exact results, we know that you are now testing at and well above the verbal and expressive language requirements. When we started the program, you were barely below one of the required levels, but for the other, you were well below the required level. Almost into the level of "severe", whatever that means. It was the source of many frustrations for you, which resulted in behaviors I didn't know how to deal with. We will never know if you were just a late talker, your sisters did all the talking for you, or if working with LPS gave you the boost you needed. What I do know is I'm EXTREMELY proud of you and all you have accomplished. In a few short weeks, you will be 3!! Wow! Things I love right now is that you can count to 20, you can recite your night time prayer and lead dinner time prayer (and are often the first to remind us when we forget). You are sweet and sensitive mixed with a little mischevious.

Mark and I enjoyed a day up in Omaha last week! My dad braved taking the kids to a movie and over night!! Thank you! We got the majority of our xmas shopping done and enjoyed dinner and after drinks with my brother and SIL. It's been a long time since we've done that and I LOVE that my bro is close again! We went to Dario's Brasserie. Everything was simply wonderful. Top notch food, fine beers, and an elegant french-style ambiance. For beer, I chose the Lindemans Framboise, which is a beer with a mix of raspberries. I strayed from my usual dark, Guiness like beer. However, we all chose a variety and tooks turns sampling so I did get a sip of the St. Bernardus Abt 12, a nice dark beer! For my entree, I chose the Mussels blue cheese. I HIGHLY recommend going here if you have the opportunity.

A summary of Thanksgiving in pictures.

Long trip down. Eli watching Shrek. Not pictured is the girls in the back watching High School Musical.


After a little while on the road he's out! Yeah = )


Did I mention eating? In typical Thanksgiving fashion, good food and desserts were plentiful. Eli helps himself to 2 servings of dessert.


Play time. Pick-up time. Play time. Pick-up time. You get the drift.


Lots of love and chillaxin'!

time for a change...

I'm FINALLY getting around to changing my blog header. It's going to take me at least a couple of tries to get things just right. So, the blog is in a state of ever changing flux at the moment. Don't be surprised if you see a couple of different "faces" during the the process = )

her prayer

For Schuyler's bedtime prayer, this is what she said, "Dear God, Thank you for all the snow and cancelling school so my mom could stay home with us for 3 days. Maybe you could do this again in January." How very sweet is that?!

Being off the past 3 days has been good. At times, I wondered if we were going stir crazy but yesterday was truly a good day. We played lots of games... sequence, which Eli is now into, Sorry, and the Wii! Tuesday and Wednesday we enjoyed sledding down the walk path next to us. Thursday, they got the streets plowed so we could leave home. We went up to Southeast High School for some more intense sledding. Mark had got a couple more sleds so there was no fighting and everybody was sharing!! It was very apparent to me that Eli is NOT so little. Seems like the past few years I've had to carry or help him up the steep slope. Not this year. Not only can he make it up all by himself but he doesn't want mom's help nor her hand. In fact, he's able to carry the sled up and on multiple occassions (after I tried to help) he told me, "I do it by myself"!

Last night we listened to Polar Express on cd. I need to go to the library and get more books on tape/cd.

Here are my 2 of my 3 snow angels = )

This one was not wanting me to take his picture. "Don't take my temperature!!". I'm sure he meant picture but for the record, he doesn't like his temperature take either!


This ones love the snow and was screaming with glee! Some of our neighbors may beg to differ on the sound. See, you must live with her to know her different screams = )

where, oh where...

does the time go? This post will mostly be randomness as I just don't have the time I would like to devote to it right now.

Last week I found a sign written in Schuyler's handwriting and it was taped to Schuyler and Mack's bedroom door. It said, "I want to be left alone." Does it have to start so soon?! It's a little bit heartbreaking. It's independence and the need for space.

Eli is a master puzzler. The kid has an addiction. He's good. Really good. It started with 20 piece puzzles and it's now up to 50 or 60. Wow!

Mack is happy that the lights are up on our house. We did it the weekend before Thanksgiving, when it was warm. Everyday when we get home, she plugs them in. We finally put the tree up this week. She was ready to do it the minute we got back from our Thanksgiving break. Never mind the unloading, unpacking, laundry etc... that needed to be done. According to her, everybody else had their tree up. It took 3 days to get it up and decorated, with activities and what not. It passes her inspection of beautifulness (barely). Apparently, it needs more ornaments. I wanted to tell her it was because of her and her siblings we don't have as many as we used to. However, the rest of the house is not beautiful in her eyes. I think she has been looking at too many potterybarn magazines or better home and garden. So, I will be attempting to beautify my home. This is NOT my forte so I'm seeking inspiration - on a budget please! Leave me a msg or send me an email with suggestions. I don't want to let my daughter down = )

I know some of you enjoy your beer and adult beverages as much as I do. I highly recommend Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale. They had samples at the grocery store and my hubby picked it up for me. I evidently am grocery shopping at the wrong time!! They don't have these samples when I go, which always tends to be with 3 kids!!!

3 dogs...

Me: "Eli, what do you want for Christmas?"

Eli: "Three dogs."

Me: "Um, that's a lot of dogs. What would you name them?"

Eli: "Green"

Me: Hmmm, that is his favorite color. "What about the other dogs? What would their name be?"

Eli: "Pink"

Me: I might be seeing a trend. Pink is Mack's favorite color. "What about the last dog?"

Eli: "Red."

Me: Here I thought he would choose yellow, which is Schuyler's favorite color. Sorry Schuyler, guess he's going with Dad's favorite color. Wouldn't those be interesting dog names. I can just hear it now, "Come Green, Pink, and Red. Oh, and Sadie." It's a good thing the Lincoln city dog limit is 3!

Mack is officially racing around on her bike without her training wheels!! I have NEVER seen a girl so hard on herself. I think she thought she would take them off, get on her bike and go! When we started, she would get frustrated with everything. From the leaves and acorns on the sidewalk to any other pedestrian with whom she had to share rights of the sidewalk with, but specifically her brother and sister. She would play the blame game. "Mom, you're helping too much. Now you're not helping enough." After this little episode I told her I would help if she could be nice otherwise I was walking away and the choice was hers. Let's just say I didn't help and actually, I think we were both better off. She still had moments of frustration and a melt down or two but she did it herself. Go Mackie, go! Next task, learning to turn around in drive ways = )

You are probably expecting pictures of the kids. Sorry folks. I have another landscape. I shouldn't tell you this but I took it from a moving car!! Even though I would have composed it differently given the opportunity, I still like the image.

a traditional Halloween

As far as costumes are concerned. Here is our spooky spider, witchy witch and crazy cat. The spider has detested costumes since his first Halloween! Loves it until it's actually time to put it on!! Our witch LOVES Halloween and couldn't sleep the night before because she was so anxious. I can't imagine what Christmas will be like! Our cat was a bit under the weather and ran a low grade fever but that didn't keep her down. Well, really nothing keeps her down. She's kind of like an energizer bunny. These were taken BEFORE we painted faces!!

spider...


witch...


cat (with spider peaking)...


Eli has developed an obsession with Kung Fu Panda! I'm wondering when his love affair will end? He's done this with other movies... Shrek, then Lion King, now Kung Fu Panda. Time for a new one = )

Mark and I attempted and a photo shoot for our xmas card. As if it wasn't challenging enough, I thought it would be a good idea to take Sadie along, too! Hmm, must have had some crazy juice for lunch or something!! I *think* (ie crossing my fingers) we got 1 with all 3 kids and maybe one with the dog, too. I know I got a great image of Mack and Eli. As much as I'm dying to share, you might not get to see until the xmas card is done. In typical fashion, there is always some drama when we attempt a photo shoot. As we are packing up the van, Eli slams Mack's fingers in the door. Instantaneously, there is high pitched screaming and tears flowing down her face. It's already swollen and black and blue. We race home (thankfully we weren't far)! Mack is still screaming and crying and we sit her down on daddy's lap with 2 ice packs. (We figure we better double up.) She calms down with the assistance of some fruit snacks. It is still swollen and black and blue but much better than we initially feared. Hopefully, I have not scarred her for life and she will eventually do another photo shoot = )

how spectacular

How spectacular is this?! This is what I witnessed on Sunday evening, along with several other beautiful scenes. See, I had some time to myself traveling back from a photoshoot. On the way there, my mind was racing, making mental do lists and reminders and flipping through the stations. It wasn't until the way home that I let my mind rest and take notice of my surroundings. The natural beauty that God has created that I don't take notice of often enough. The way the sun illuminated the cornfields, the sky filled with beautiful white clouds, the red barn sitting in the middle of the lush green grash, and SO many other things. Had I not needed to pick up Mack from a bday party, I would have made several stops and attempted to capture some of God's beauty. I was fortunate enough to capture this sunset. I have looked at it several times as a reminder to myself to laydown my heavy burden I have put on myself. It is not God who puts it there but me. I fulfill a million roles a day... photographer, care giver, mother, wife, friend, teacher, etc... but rarely do I fulfill the one role I need to, which is child of God. I'm to busy making it from day to day, hour to hour and sometimes minute to minute. In the past 3 days I have vowed to spend more time with Him. Even if short periods. I'm laying my burdens at his feet, waving my white flag and asking for help. It's hard for me not pick it all up b/c I like the control. But really, even when I think I'm in control, I'm not.

our pumpkin... Flower Rose

We are finally on the road to recovery. Mack and Eli went back to the Montessori yesterday. I have your typical cold symptoms... runny nose, aches, and tiredness. (What a surprise being I've been coughed on for 4 days straight = ) Luckily, I've gone to bed around 9:00 the past 2 nights, which is unheard of for me. Schuyler appears to be losing her voice and has developed a cough. This a.m. she had dark circles under her eyes. I am praying she stays healthy for Halloween! Maybe I should start bathing her in germ-x as I have done for the past week!

My wonderful MIL watched Schuyler yesterday as well as do my dishes, scrub my toilets, wash and fold 4 or so loads of laundry and I'm sure there is more I'm forgetting. She is heaven sent and the reason why I was able to go to bed early.

During our time together, the 2 sickies and I were able to gut and carve the pumpkin. Unfortunately, this meant I wasn't able to roast the pumpkin seeds like I do every year but it was entertaining. This is our sole pumpkin. With the kids being down and out and now the cold, rainy weather, there was no trip to the pumpkin patch = ( I always enjoy all the activities, the fall colors, the smell in the air and of course the wonderful photo ops! Back to our pumpkin, her name is Flower Rose and I'm sure for those of you who know us well, you will know who named the pumpkin =) So from our kitchen table to your home, Happy Halloween!!

H1N1 strikes

Where, oh where do I begin... How about a little game... Where's McKenzie?

Can you find her? This my friends, is what micro soccer looks like. A herd of children trying to get the ball and break free of the mass chaos. Mack's last soccer game was last Sunday. They ended with their only win = ) The score was 3 to 1 and my little Mack scored 2 goals. (Yes, I am, one proud mama)! Oh, she has also decided on Monday it was time for the training wheels on her bicycle to come off! It's a little rough riding but she can occasionally make it from one driveway to the next. Surprisingly, she actually does better on a slight incline. That's my Mack!




There is lots going on with schools. I observed Mack and Eli at the Montessori 2 weeks ago. It was so heart warming to see Mack reading to one of the younger students. Learning to read is such an amazing thing. Eli was busy doing activities... matching physical objects to the flash cards. This was in preparation for their conferences, which was last week. (More on that in a minute). Two Fridays ago, when I picked up the kids, Mack came running up to me and said "Eli's moving to my room on Monday". I looked to one of the teacher's who confirmed this. My baby in the primary classroom!? Really? Is it possible that he's ready but maybe I'm not ready? I have mixed emotions. He was so excited and that excitement continued on his first day and through the week. Back to conferences. Mack was up first. With only 3 kids in kindergarten program, she is getting a lot of one on one and has evolved into a leader. This reaffirms our decision to keep her at the Montesorri. We had to make some sacrifices, like the new house we want. This was her time to step out of the shadows of her older sister. She can be found helping younger kids with work or snacks or reading to them. They great thing about reading to a younger child is there is NO pressure. They don't know if you mess up a word and they don't care if you do. She has completed her first workbook and is already on to the next. As for Eli, he had mastered everything in the toddler room and was becoming frustrated. He wanted and needed more.

Schuyler had her conference on Tuesday. She continues to do well in school but more importantly seems to have a true love of learning. Her teacher had many nice things to say but the one that stands out is about her as a whole. She is a leader, but not the "I'll tell you what to do kind", it's more of a lead by example. He equated it to sports, she knows what the goal of the classroom is and is there to master it and help others along the way.

Here's the saga of sickness. Thursday, after the Montessori conferences, we notice Mack and Eli were warm. Sure enough fevers, Mack low grade but Eli higher. Friday a.m. - Mack is warm but well enough to go to school but Eli is not. Saturday - Eli becomes progressively worse. His cough is now a bark and Mack's fever is going up. We call the Dr. and they say it's flu (possibly H1N1) and to wait it out. Schuyler is sent to Gma and Gpa's in Hastings. Saturday night - Eli sounds like a seal. His fever is 103.6 and the coughing spells are severe. We contemplate taking him to ER. Mark waits for 53 minutes on the line with ask a nurse. We are tired and frustrated. I sleep in regular clothes, prepared to leave at a moment's notice. Eli sleeps on me or next to me. Sunday - we get the kids into the Dr. Without the official swab, he's 95% sure it's H1N1. Eli gets a steroid shot b/c his throat is swollen and restricted. At this point, there is nothing they can do for Mack. Sunday night - repeat of Saturday night but this time it's Mack. Monday - call Dr. and they prescribe liquid steroids for Mack. Monday night - By this time, I am tired and exhausted and would like to sleep in my own bed! I get 2.5 hours of this before Mack is up. I sleep in her bed with her. Then, Eli is up, I sleep with him in the recliner. He's back to sleep and now Mack is up.

On a brighter note - Schuyler had her last soccer game on Saturday. I was solo coach and there were just enough girls to play - no subs. Not ideal! However, it was one of the BEST games. I don't know what the reason - maybe all the hard practice paid off, maybe they were so tired they figured it out they had no choice but to find their teammates - but they were passing. They did some amazing things... dribble down the sideline and center the ball to the middle, score off a corner kick, etc... Schuyler scored one of the most amazing points, the ball was up in the air and to the corner of the net. They played with guts and grit and everything they had. They tied. I was SO proud of them. I was a bit bummed I couldn't take pictures so I hope the hubby got some = )

One more thing. There has been a lot of uncertainty regarding my job. I am fortunate and will keep my job. My duties may change and I'll have a new manager. However, this is not true for everyone. It has been the first time in my life I've seen fellow friends and associates lose their jobs. Deep down I know there is a new journey waiting for them and God has a plan for each of us. I try to find comfort in this but my heart still goes to them during this transitional time. I'm in awe of their optimism.

how to make a snowman

Welcome to "How to make a snowman" with our host, McKenzie (aka Mackie). You will need a small amount of snow, warm clothing (mittans, winter coat, boots, and hat), what ever you can find for the eyes, mouth, etc..., and some determination and patience. Once you have your winter gear on, you will need to start forming the snow into balls. Mackie demonstrates below by rolling and packing snow.



Repeat as necessary, stacking each ball one on top of another, until you reach the desired height of your snowman.



Find items to use for eyes and nose. Originally, Mack chose a baby carrot for the nose and raisins for the eyes. Apply each by gently pushing them on to the face of the snowman. Note, you may need to temporarily remove gloves or mittans.



At this point, the snowman was done. However, Sunday rolled around and the snow began to melt some, as you can observe by the green grass. However, Mackie's snowman still stood. Unfortunately, his head fell off (with the assistance of the older sister) and a dog ate the eyes. This greatly displeased Mackie and so it was time to re-do the snowman. Again, the baby carrot was used for the nose. This time round pretzels were used for the eyes. Twigs and sticks were used for the ears, mouth and arms. And, as a bonus, a branch with leaves was used for the 'fro! Here is snowman in his last leg of life...



Thank you for joining us. Mackie is ready for the next snow. Me, not so much = ) It can come in November or December and that would be perfectly fine with me!

Just us...

I posted this on my photography blog but thought I would post it here as well, even though you all know who I am! This picture was taken by Jen Hoevet, a photographer based in the LaVista area. We just "met" a few short weeks ago but through the wonderful world of email, quickly became friends. Her family ventured down to Lincoln and we traded services. My ultimate goal was to get just 1, count it 1, family picture. When I saw the picture below, it warmed my heart. Don't be surprised if that's on our xmas card!!



Last night we had another McKenzism. We were at the dinner table and she said, "Mom, this is the BEST dinner ever! It's deliciable". Yes, not delicious but deliciable. Now, guess what we had... tuna noodle casserole. Really, that's all I had to cook to get a compliment like that! Wish I would have known that earlier.

It's getting cooler here in good 'ol NE. I finally convinced Mark to turn the furnace on. I've only been walking around in several layer for 5 or so days!

On another random note, I can hear again! I've felt like my hearing has been muffled for the last several months. Last week, I went to the Dr. and my ears were clogged. I think he said it was like little rocks in my ears. Not uncommon. I've had my ears irrigated before as I have small ear cannals and apparently the my ears are very proficient at making wax. Well, he couldn't get it out and prescribed some ear drops. I went back yesterday and this time he was successful in removing the rocks! My first response was how loud the Dr. sounded. He said I would likely want a volumne control b/c people would sound loud. My 2nd response, "Great, I can't wait to really hear how loud McKenzie is when she screams!!"

Blog Slacker

Hi. My name is Jill and I'm a blog slacker! Where has the time gone? Days into weeks and tomorrow is October? Really?

This past weekend was filled to the brim with going here and be there, one after another. Photo shoots, soccer games, church, and an outing with Mark. As the trees begin to turn colors and the weather starts to cool I feel a sense to slow down. Stop and look around, maybe even linger. Give the kids an extra hug and let them know how truly special I feel to be their mother. Tonight we have no activities, no where to be. I have a craving for oatmeal scotchies = ) Hmmm...

Back to the weekend, I had the pleasure of solo-coaching both Schuyler and Mack's soccer games. They both ended up tying and each scored a girl = ) I LOVE the game of soccer but even more LOVE to help young girls learn the game and grow. Mark's parents came up for the weekend so Mark and I could enjoy a round of golf with some friends. Saturday's weather was perfect! Us girls even got a legit birdie playing best ball = ) I hit the green with my drive and my friend sunk the putt in the hole!! Afterwards, we watched the game at the Embassy.

Schuyler has become a fan of Mia Hamm. We bought a children's book about her and she likes to read it in her leisure. Lately, she has most enjoyed tooling around the sidewalk on her rollerblades.

Mack is enjoying kindergarten. Her favorite activity is writing in her journal and making illustrations.

Eli, well he continues to collect sticks and rocks. It is not uncommon for me to find rocks in my purse or hear a lound banging coming from the dryer and the cause is usually a rock in one of his pockets.



One of the rugrats and my mom.

breathe and wish...

"...and breathe and wish and hope for the best for your laughter makes my entire world go round."

Just stumbled on this in my browsings and liked it. Not sure if it's a quote and if it is, who it's from?

Mack was in the mood for some pictures after nap so we went outside and made the best use of our yard. This is one of the best times to photograph her, after nap. Her hair gets little waves and sometimes is matted if she gets warm. It's very her. Rarely, if ever, do I pose her. It's so natural and effortless for her. I could stare at this picture all day. It warms my heart and brings a smile to my face. She's growing and maturing. Although spirited she may be, she is also very soulful.



Here's one of Eli... "Mom, I'm going to take these sticks and show you what I really think of you pointing that lens at me all the time". I'm pretty sure that's what he's thinking!



Schuyler had a play date the other day with one of her buds. This is SO them = )



Mack and Eli love sleeping in the bottom bunk together on the weekend. I think they are both looking forward to tonight.

We have been enjoying the beautiful evenings with bike rides. Mack and Eli in the trailer (they actually get along now - no more hair pulling)! Who ever pulls the trailer definitely gets an "extra" workout!

What a week!!

The good, the bad, and the unknown. Where to start?!

Last week I started a bootcamp fitness program. It's time to tone this body of mine and get some muscle definition back! I could tell after the first session last Thursday it was a good work out. Muscles I forgot I had were hurting. I do it over my lunch hour and I wasn't sure I could lift my sandwich to my mouth my arms hurt so bad. The man who runs it is Steve Auxier. He actually comes to Ameritas: 2 times a week during the lunch hour and 2 times a week after work. I believe he is eventually opening his own gym but for now he holds sessions around the Lincoln area. Go check out his website. I've heard from several individuals he is one of the best trainers in town.

Schuyler had a phenomenal soccer game on Saturday. She played half the game in goal and half as center midfield. She scored a goal and stopped numerous balls as goalie. The girl is tough! I was so proud of her! As our head coach was gone, I got a little taste of being head dog. The opposing team scored 3 goals in the last 2-3 minutes of the game. It was not pretty and much due to having the wrong girls in at the wrong time or in the wrong position. In other words, coaching error. Oh well. Unfortunately the better team (us) lost, but that's how it goes some times!

Saturday night, my father took the kids overnight so Mark and I had a chance to go out and celebrate our anniversary! We went to Fireworks and rented a movie. The whole night cost us a little over $10!! Got to love gift cards = ) Thank you dad!

Sunday was Mack's first soccer game. She had been counting downs days and hours! I forgot just how small their field is and how small they look on the field and in their soccer gear. As typical of a first game, there was a fair share of confusion. Every once and a while I would observe Mack playing with her hair!! However, she was the only one on her team to score a goal! She had a grin from ear to ear.

Eli had a fever ALL weekend long. From the time I picked him up on Friday until Tuesday a.m. We took him to the Dr. on Monday to rule out the possiblity of anything else. He is all healthy now.

This Tuesday marked Mack's official first day of kindergarten, although she has already been working on the material. Everyday, she comes home with a list of words...dog, pan, cat , etc... She is so enthused to be one of the leaders! Eli comes and visits her room and she loves to help him. I'm not sure that feeling is recripocated by Eli = )

We have had some anouncements at work and a massive reorganization is in our future. We have new org charts but decisions about who will be placed where will not be decided until some time Nov. It's an unsettling feeling as I truly enjoy my job, co-workers and manager.

Here are 2 new faves of my kiddos and one of Mack in her soccer gear!







Happy Labor Day Weekend!!!

9 years and counting

Today Mark and I celebrate 9 years of marriage. Really? Where has the time gone? I remember sleeping in my parents basement, my bro on one couch and myself on the other. I remember the butterflies in my stomach, the weakness in my knees, and the anticipation. I remember concentrating on Mark's face during the ceremony. We have been blessed in these 9 years but as all couples we have faced some trials and tribulations along the way, each making our relationship stronger. I love how our personalities compliment each other bringing about a balance. He is the one to always voice his opinion regardless of circumstance but yet always tactful. I often hold back, afraid to hurt feelings or not wanting to be the voice of opposition. The times when my emotions want to make decisions he gently steps in with the voice of reason. I hope for many more years to come.

As for recent happenings... Schuyler had her first soccer game, which they won. She played half the time on the field and the other half as goal, where she played outstanding. In her words, "Nobody will score", and nobody did. Mack is counting the days until her first game. She will be the one with pink shorts, pink socks, and probably some cute ribbon in her hair.

We finally went to the Farmer's Market in the Haymarket this weekend. We always pick up some goodies, kettle corn, sweet corn, a couple packages of bratwurst, and cheese. I LOVE the cheese we got. It's a buffalo wing cheese and very tasty!!

A few pics for fun!

Back from vacay...

Back from vacay! We had such a good time. We left Sat a.m. and got in around 1:30 and immediately hit the water slides at Coco Keys. That evening we went to Joe's Crab Schack, which I would HIGHLY recommend. Very kid friendly. We ate outdoors b/c it was such a nice evening. They had a balloon man making various animals so we had to get Mack a heart with little bear and Schuyler wanted a Kansas City Chiefs one, mainly for the yellow I think. Eli was indifferent. They had an outdoor playland the kids used while I sipped a Mojito and Mark had a lemonade concoction. Funny story. Mark goes inside to get a beer and Schuyler and I are talking on the deck overlooking playland. Mack comes running up, "Mom, Mom, you have to see Eli. Come quickly". I go after her and find Eli buck naked climbing up the slide. Sheesh! He thought he would go potty in the sand and then take off his shirt. About the time I'm trying to get him dressed, the waitress comes to let us know our food is ready.

Sunday, we thought about Worlds of Fun but it was raining. We had some friends with kids similar ages to ours so we got our money's worth out of Coco Keys. Then, we went to stay with my brother and SIL.

Monday, more rain. We thought our chances of World's of Fun were slim to none so we hit Union Station. It didn't start well. It was nearly impossible to find b/c we were unfamiliar with the area and you couldn't see b/c rain was coming in sheets. Get there for brunch at the old diner and Mack spills hot chocolate in Mark's lap. Not good. We go to Crayola and Schuyler throws a fit b/c we didn't buy her anything. We had thought about going to Kaleidoscope but with the kids deteriorating attitudes, we didn't want to push our luck. Get to the car and find the rain has stopped. After a phone call we decide to chance it. I'm SO glad we did. It ended up being sunny the rest of the time. Hardly anyone was there b/c of the rain and the fact it was a Monday. So, from 1:30 or so until 6:30 we enjoyed the park. No lines. You could walk up to a ride and get on. Sometimes, they would just ask if you wanted to ride again! Schuyler enjoyed her first roller coasters, the Timberwolf and the Prowler, the 2 wooden ones. Mack was upset she couldn't try it but we found enough other rides to appease her. Eli loved the planes in camp snoopy. We were exhausted by the time we left!

Schuyler started school on Wed. She is excited to be back. Her teacher is wonderful and the kids seem to love him.

McKenzie has decided she wants to permanently change her name to Kenz. Kenzie would be okay but she prefers Kenz. We'll see how long this lasts = ) We decided to have her attend the Montessori for kindergarten, like we did with Schuyler. Her official first day is not until after labor day but she has already got her workbook and is SO excited!

Pictures I'm finally editting. Sprinkler fun...




They were helping me test the light before my senior session. Mack before a bday party.


As Schuyler would say, "looking sporty". Nice icecream bar crumbs around the mouth!

a vacay before the madness sets in

We are going on a little vacay before the madness of school and activities becomes full blown. Off to World's of Fun and Coco Keys = ) Schuyler has been enjoying her week at home before school starts. It's also apparent just how busy they kept the kids at Husker kids. She has wanted to do something everyday. So, she has swam, went to the park and library, and today is bowling. She has found a love for playing card games. As of now, her favorite game is Kings in the Corner. This is good news for Mark and I since we both come from pitch and cribbage families = )

Mack had her 5 year physical. All in all, she received a good bill of health. We do need to take her to an optometrist to get her eyes checked.

We have received soccer schedules for both girls and it looks like Schuyler will play Saturdays (mainly a.m.) and Mack will play Sunday afternoons. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday will be dance and soccer, respectively.

Eli continues to enjoy riding his bicycle. The boy has got some serious legs! We have had quite a few incidents where he runs into the street. I tried to look at it as an opportunity to teach him. So, one night we walked down a house and crossed the street. Then, down another house and crossed. You get the idea. Nope, didn't work! Ugh!

Here is a picture of Schuyler and her fave Husker Kids counselor. The great thing about modern communication, you can still email and keep in touch = )

She's safe, she's safe....

she beat you to the base, uh-huh! Just an old softball chant I thought was fitting = ) Last week marked the end of softball season. Schuyler had a good season. I think her favorite position at this point in time is 1st base. I have also been working with her on the side on pitching = ) Mack and Eli have got into the fun as well. Mack is working on throwing and hitting. Eli likes batting off the tee = )

Obviously, a lot has gone on since my last blog post! The girls also enjoyed vacaction bible school last week. There were some later nights which made for tired kids but they had a lot of fun. Here, you can see the fun! Look for Mack in the 2nd picture down on the very left hand side. The theme was crocodile dock and Eli thought the croc was pretty cool. He gave him some high fives and even a love = ) As a grand finale celebration, they rented star city shores, the Lincoln waterpark on Friday from 8:30-10.00. It was uncharacteristically chill for this time of year. We arrived promptly at 8:30. Mack was done at 9:10 and Schuyler was done 5 of so minutes later!

Schuyler's last day of Husker Kids is today. As a thank you, we brought in some breakfast pizza this week for the staff. Schuyler made me bring my camera to get some pics of her and her friends and camp counselors. Her favorite is David. Today, they were having a water fun day! She has had a good time and I have been so pleased with the program. She will miss all the activities!

This weekend will be busy. Schuyler is having a friend spend the night. Mack has a playdate Saturday and then bday party on Sunday. Throw in 2 photo sessions and that is one busy weekend = )

I've kept busy with lots of photo shoots and more to come!

images of summer

The images below pretty much sum up how we spend our summers. Outdoors. There are a few things missing like...grilling, sprinklers, swimming, rollerblading, softball (and the various other sports)etc... but it gives the gist of what we do.

Alot of riding bikes, trikes, hot wheels, etc... Of course, fitting with her personality, Mack has to ride in style!!!


Playing in the grass. Or, in the case, playing with the grass = )


Good old sidewalk chalk fun!


I can't believe how fast summer goes. The girls are enjoying their second week of swim lessons. They have both improved so much and it's been nice to have them at the same time and not different times. Schuyler is swimming at a level 4 and Mack at a level 3. Schuyler was my child who was deathly afraid of the water when she was little so she has made great strides. Mack, on the other hand, took to the water immediately. I think Eli will be the same, beings he keeps saying I swim too and is not afraid to just jump in. As you can imagine, I keep a very close eye on him when we swim = )

Mark is playing in a golf tournament tomorrow.

I've come down with a summer cold and I'm trying to get rid of it!

Happy (belated) bday to our dog, Sadie. She doesn't ever get any blog love. We couldn't have asked for a better dog. She is getting some grays on her but she's still a pretty girl! Sadie was our first "baby" and then came the addition of our 3 kids. She's been there to protect every one of them and puts up with their rough housing. She's still a cuddler and takes advantantage of any opportunity to sneak into one of our beds = )

keep on trucking...

That's what I feel like sometimes. Just keep moving forward, no time to stop. Move from one project to the next, both at work and home.

Mark and I have decided we are going to put our house on the market. Our target date is Aug 1st, so we'll see if we actually hit it. Last week, the girls went to Hastings to spend time with gma and gpa and one of their cousins. It allowed us to get work done and none of the kids had daycare so it was good timing. Eli spent 2 days with his 2nd cousin. I think it would be 2nd cousin? It's my cousin's son? Anyway, he had a good time. Mark and I took some days off together to make progress on the house. We prepped the yard and laid sod. The wallpaper in the basement that was beneath the chair rail is gone and we have paint waiting to go on. I have taken 5 1/2 bags to Goodwill and sold a tub worth of clothes and several toys. This weekend, we will put drywall up where the built-in fish tank used to be in the basement. Then, more decluttering!!!

The 4th was okay. I have to admit I missed my girls! Eli HATED the fireworks. Literally clung to me. So, I didn't spend any time outside, just watched a few on the TV.

Swimming lessons began this week for the girls. Every night of the week. Schuyler is probably the most exhausted every night from all the swimming she does during the day and at lessons! Tonight, we get to watch and see their accomplishments. Can anyone recommend some good shampoo/conditioner for swim hair? Schuyler's hair needs something!!

Eli had a dentist appt this week. I had the suspicion last week that his 2 year molars might be coming through b/c he was not himself and had quite a few poopies in his pull-up. Sure enough, they are slowly coming in! I still can't say that he likes the dentist and I'm glad it's her fingers getting the brunt of those teeth and not mine!!

Random images to go along with my "keep on trucking"...