Big Day

Yesterday was Recognition Night for the Co-op Haven participated in this year. She picked this outfit out herself. Didn’t she do a nice job?

Sadly, Libby’s Spring Gymnastics Show was at the exact same time! So, Haven sat with another family during her Recognition night. That choked me up a little.

Here’s Libby at the end of her show! Each girl got a moment on the podium. It was cute. Right before this, the older, competitive gymnasts came out and performed for us. They were really good. The budget conscience parent in me couldn’t help thinking sarcastically…

“Look, for just 40 easy payments of $1,099.99 you too can see your daughters in sequence leotards flying across the room.”

Libs did a fantastic job on her skills and I was super proud of her. She was poised and focused! I am so in awe of her little muscles.

Where was Tim during all of this??? He was my faithful companion – helping me pick out flowers and cards for the girls, carrying in the cheese platters for the co-op, practicing for his 50 states quiz in a hot and sweaty gym. Couldn’t have done it without you Buddy!

Happy Monday everyone!

Therapy Dog

Well, it finally happened. We all kind of cracked up after our drive home from the Burbs and there were several minutes of very ugly behavior by all. There were a few blood curdling screams, one slammed door, and a brief shouting match across the house. It was 4 minutes of insanity and at the end we were all angry.

I put the kiddos to bed, but Haven and I had to wait up to take care of a dog for a friend. The other two were too tired and too angry to fall asleep as planned, so at 10:15 pm we all slunk into the van, humphing, and sighing, and squinted our eyes are each other.

Then we opened the front door and Maisy the dog came scooting around the corner – so happy to see us. I’d never met Maisy before so I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I knew she was a sweet dog right away. After we let her out to do her “business” we brought her back in and loved on her a little.

Before I knew it I was on the floor with her head in my lap and my face in her fur. I let out one little self-pity sob and one tiny mommy regret sob. Maisy took it all in stride and when I lifted my head up to look into her big brown eyes, all my anger was gone – along with everyone else’s.

Apologies and hugs all around. Kids slept well. Thank you Maisy – my little therapy dog. You really saved the day.

Geneva

I grew up in Wheaton, IL. Every now and again we’d walk around Geneva, IL because Geneva had a few cute shops located in beautiful, remodeled, historic homes – The Little Traveler being one of my favorites. It was so interesting to walk through the front door of what used to be someones home and snoop around a store. 

Today the kids and I drove up to St. Charles to see my parents. Dad took us to Graham’s Fine Chocolate and Ice cream shop in Geneva. I couldn’t believe how many more “cute shops in historic homes” had opened up in Geneva. We stood in line behind a lady dressed up as a steam-punk fairy. She was handing out her business cards to children – maybe she does birthday parties? 

When we walked out of the shop a vintage Jaguar from the 40′s slid into a parking spot. It was cream and a convertible. Wowza!  A stylish couple parked for a moment and purchased $100′s of dollars worth of hydrangea plants and drove off into the sunset. That’s Geneva for you. Steam punk fairies and Jags. 

We headed down to the river where the normal people were and walked along the path. 

 

That’s my dad leading the charge. Mom and I stayed behind and chatted about random stuff.  

We stopped and looked at a few ducks.

Of course, we weren’t there for 1 minute before Tim and Libby found a gigantic worm. We decided to give it to some Polish fisherman we saw next to the river. I think they were Polish. Dad said they were Polish and when he said “Goodbye” he sounded Polish himself. It was cute.

 

Then my Mom and Dad loaded us up with all the goodies we could carry – chocolates, gummy bears, pistachios, friendship bracelet making supplies, I Tunes gift cards, etc. They always send us home feeling good. 

As soon as we pulled in the driveway I started pulling up another bush. I’m addicted. I really should not have done that though. I was a little dehydrated and tired. I guess more than a little because when I went to stand up and go to the garage I kind of swayed a little and had to lay down for a while in the grass. The kiddos almost found their mother passed out under the lilac bush. 

Thankfully, the grass had been freshly mowed by a very thoughtful family, and the smell kinda of brought me around. I laid there for a minute and was OK! 

Tomorrow is neck-scrubbing day around here. I have really failed as a parent in this area. Each of my kids has a dirty, yucky, neck. GROSS. Maybe I’ll post some before and after shots. Ha Ha!

Thanks for stopping by! 

Sweets and Funnies

I got a sweet text from Haven late last night. She was a smidgen homesick and wanted to chat about the day. In typical Bridge (my maiden name) fashion – I exaggerated a few stories from the day until they were hilarious enough to relieve the homesickness. That was a sweet.

Today has been so quiet. Tim is at school. Ben is at STP. Haven is at her bestie’s house. It was just Libs and me and Kitty. We went flip-flop shopping and then to the library. Aren’t these sweet and so Libby? Definitely sweet.

I tried my best to get a copy of The Goonies to watch tonight with Tim and Libby but they were all out at the Library. I got Escape to Witch Mountain instead which looks very 70-ish, which may make it funny.

Libby checked out 9 books on different cat breeds. This afternoon she told me all about Scottish Folds and Toyger Cats. Another sweet!

I am one form away from ready to submit one of our Foster Care Packets – marriage licence. Could not find it ANYWHERE!!! I did find a whole lot of sweet notes and letters from friends from way back and I was so overwhelmed by how loved I’ve been. Not that I am so love-able, but that God has provided so many loving people in my life over the years. I’m spoiled! Another sweet.

Then I noticed I’d received this in the mail.

 

This is from my dentist located in the flattest part of central IL. Um? Mountains? What in the world? Maybe it’s just me, but this totally cracked me up. Funny!

I will probably break my everyday-blogging-streak tomorrow since I’m going to visit my parents in St. Charles – but I will take some pics! Thanks for stopping in!

Discombobulated

We finished yesterday up with a trip to the barn to show our friends where Haven wishes she lived. Several world champion Saddlebred and Morgans live and train there and this is one of them. This one is HUGE. I mean HUGE – but at the same time dainty and fancy. I know – crazy!!

After the barn we went to the creek. Can you tell the kids are sunburned and exhausted after another late night whispering and another day of non stop trampoline? Me neither!

Tim finally got a chance to put his remote control all-terrain vehicle to the test. This Christmas present was a major score from the Grandparents. He gave it two big thumbs up for its creek-bed performance!

This morning Haven and her bestie hatched a crazy plan for Haven to go back up to Sycamore with her friend for a few more days together. It took a little bit of moving heaven and earth – but this friendship is really one of those couple-in-a-lifetime kinds, so both my friend and I felt like it was worth moving a little heaven and earth. So off she went for a few days, Math books and other Homeschooling supplies in-tow.

Everyone was feeling a little discombobulated after she left. Especially Libby who suddenly lost her best pal and was looking at a few lonely days. Thankfully Kitty was there to comfort her.

I was feeling discombobulated too which led to some very haphazard bush removal in Mary Janes. I’m sure my neighbors are really wondering what I have planned for the front yard. I pull out a bush, plant nothing in it’s place, but I do put some Petunias in my pots? I also have no idea what to do with all the branches and root balls I’m accumulating, so the garage is filled with bins and bags filled with stuff.

I scratched the fire out of myself tonight pulling an especially ugly sprawling-all-over-the universe bush. This only added to my discombobulated look as the bruises from the console removal project came in nice and blue.

Oh well. I am looking rough but feeling so good. The visit with my friend was precious. The kids had a blast. Friends have been there to help me take kids, pick up kids, watch kids, and come to my aid as my last-minute-planner issues arise with no hubby to come to my rescue.

I’m still working my way through Romans 4 with Beth Moore and feeling so ashamed for lumping her in with Gwen Shamblin. Ms. Shamblin did some CRAZY video/bible study series back in the day and I kind of lumped all women with book/video/keychain/bookmark gigs into the same boat.

Beth Moore doesn’t belong there. Sorry Beth Moore, wherever you are.

See you back here tomorrow if you get a chance!!

Friends

Super busy around here. Friends from Sycamore came!

 

They have lived on the tramp! Poor Tim has been at school while all this fun is happening. Should I let him stay home tomorrow?

 

Kitty is getting plenty of attention. Here he is being brushed by two loving girls.

It’s been wonderful to have an adult to talk to. I didn’t realize I had so much to say. My friend has asked me some great questions. The timing of her visit is divine since my “missing Ben barometer” was going crazy. 

They leave tomorrow, so I’ll post more about our visit then! Thanks for stopping by!

 

DIY and stuff

 

In the midst of tearing up overgrown shrubbery, I needed to see something pretty so yesterday we did some planters.

 

I’m not sure why I said, “We,” since the kiddos were off doing this…

 

and going off on bikes without telling anyone! Needless to say I was not as happy as they expected when they told me about their adventures at the Pizza place a few blocks away. AUGH!!!

This morning, I decided to take out the console in our van. I’ve always hated it and it was totally GROSS. After a wrestling match with the socket set and 7 bruises later I had this…

 

and this…

 

I hope it’s worth it since now I have very pale arms AND bruises all over them. All I can say is there was so much junk in between that thing and the seats we could have survived for weeks stranded somewhere. YUCKY. SHAME. GROSS.

That’s all for today!! See you back here tomorrow!