Life Update: May

We've had a really incredible week already. I know it's Thursday but it feels like a Monday! Last Friday I called Penny's to make an appointment for those portraits. It was our last free Saturday till August I think. They had available 9:30 or 11:40 AM. Now, Gary and I are a good team but getting three kids out the door by 8:45, dressed up on a Saturday was just not likely so we went with the later time. I thought it would be a potential disaster. I went in desiring a great family photo, and hoped for at least one good picture for Grace's 3 year portrait, and a good professional picture of Esther since we don't have one since her birth. The kids were amazing! We got there, changed, and had to wait quite awhile. I had given them snacks in the car to help hold them over and it wasn't until the end of the shoot that Esther started to wind down. I knew she was just hungry, but I also knew if we stopped,it would be too long to feed her a bottle to start again. Esther would fuss a moment and the lady would try for one more, and Esther would be wonderful. This repeated for several shots. The kids were all just amazing and I could tell as we went, we'd love every single picture. Usually when you get pictures taken, the photographer takes a few of each pose- that day she took one, or two at the most of every pose! We caved and bought the CD so we'd have the rights to all the photos. So, Happy Anniversary to us! Good thing we chose the cheaper 10 year trip! Haha!

After photos Daddy was starving so we decided to make it a splurge family week and we went to Wendy's. After that we came home for naps (it was 3 by the time we got home!) Up at 5 or so we headed to the Fireman's Festival and got the kids arm bands so they could ride as many rides as they wanted, and they did all the kids rides, a few twice. I packed them food and we got sandwiches and fries. Nothing like fair/festival fries!! It was SO worth the extra calories!!

Now that Steph is back to working 5 days a week, and Pops travels so much, we don't see them as much as we used to so we make plans to grill lunch at their house on Sunday. I had gotten BOGO steaks awhile back and so I contributed those. We had to leave pretty much right after we ate so the kids (Grace mostly) could nap before we headed to Bible Study. We were invited to a Bible Study by a co-worker of Gary's and we're very excited about it. It's a great opportunity for us to meet new people. We had a great time, though the kids tested the boundaries more than I'd like. They did have a wonderful time and the daughters of our hosts were wonderful with them. We also, more importantly, really like the format of the study and the book we are doing. It's neat to be starting something new and having something social we can do as a couple to look forward to. A hectic weekend caught up with us about a half hour before we left, and we had a rather rough evening.

Monday was a regular day- with crabby kids and a tired mommy. I did a lot of cleaning, we had school and I'm sure we did some other things. My goal lately has been to give each child more of my individualized and undivided time and attention. Tyler and Grace both took long naps, which I was thankful for! They both woke up in better moods. Gary had a full day of work and then got to video an awards dinner for some of the students in the school. He got home about a half hour after I got the kids to bed- sure makes for a long day when reinforcements don't arrive till LATE and they are TIRED! :)

Gary was able to take sick days when Esther was born to be with me in the hospital and home a few days after, so he had to use or lose his personal days. He took one Tuesday for Grace's birthday and it was wonderful. We'd hoped to go to the zoo but low 50s and rain does not make for a good zoo day. Gary took her out for breakfast, and then we got ready to go spend her birthday money at Toy's R Us. That trip went SO well! She wanted everything in the store but was easy to steer and direct once we got the influential voice of her brother quieted. :) She got a diaper bag full of baby doll accessories, and a baby bathtub and a play kitchen toaster. Of course the toaster does not work and I tore the box apart, but she loves it all anyways. The kids have been playing house and traveling ever since. We've stayed in hotels, flown, built buildings, gone to visit all our friends and the beach and Mickey Mouse this week. So after R' Us we let her pick a place for lunch. After a long discussion about Aldi and Wendy's (She was so confused- poor thing!), we settled on Applebee's. I always forget how much I LOVE Applebee's for me and HATE it for kids. It was fine for a special day, but those kids meals are so overpriced it makes me crazy. CRAZY!!! $4 for a bowl of Mac and Cheese? And it did not come with a side but all she wanted was applesauce so we got her a side of that- about 3 tablespoons for a dollar or more. I should check the receipt. For $4 I could buy two large jars of applesauce and probably 3-5 boxes of Mac and Cheese! Ah! They had a great time though and then we hit a shoe store (no luck) and Kohl's where we found a sweater for Esther and shoes for Grace for the wedding. Then a quick stop to Sam's where I went in all by myself to return some recalled Tylenol (they sent me a letter!) and grab a few things. Finally, we headed home. After Grace napped we got all the new toys out and played. I attempted to make pizza but the frozen bread dough was not cooperating so I made a loaf of bread and bread sticks and then made home made dough. It took forever and totally stressed me out. We had cupcakes, then dinner which was fun. It was just a sweet family celebration. I suddenly realized- mid cleanup- that we'd forgotten the traditional helium balloon so Gary went off on the hunt. Dora and her friends are floating above me as I type. :) The kids are in time out for fighting over her! lol

Yesterday I got the kids all up, fed, cleaned, dressed, hair and teeth brushed and out the door EARLY for a doctors appointment! Grace had her physical and did extremely well. Tyler had to get his Kindergarten shots which was so difficult. The waiting was the worst part. He did really well but I could tell hit hurt him a lot more than he expected. By the fourth one he begged for "no more please!". The nurse did a wonderful job and Tyler stopped crying within 30 seconds of her being done. I will probably never forget the look on his face. Thankfully he should not need another shot till 7th grade. I was so thankful Gary was able to be there- he helped Tyler handle it SO well! He took a half day and since the weather turned out to be AMAZING yesterday, we went to the Akron Zoo! It was perfect! We got there about 1:30 and by 2 we had the zoo to ourselves! Grace was asleep before we got to the highway and my legs actually hurt by dinner time! I've been walking a mile or two a day on 7 incline so i was surprised to be so sore! It was another great day! Last night my late nights and early mornings trying to keep up with things got to me as I tried to clip and sort coupons and get ready to go to Giant Eagle. Then I actually went. It's getting easier. I"m learning the store so I don't wander down the aisles quite so cluelessly. I'm also getting better at figuring out the final price in my head and deciding if it's worth it. I did two transactions- I saved 52% on the first and used a $2 cat from last week, got 2/$2cats, and on the second I saved 60% and used another cat leaving me one for next week. I got my Rain Checked Niva body washes FREE which was fun. I wanted to get a CVS flier so I stopped in there. I had some Cover Girl coupons in my purse I'd not used at Giant Eagle so I thought I'd give the CVS deal a whirl. The lady was very rude to me and I spent more than I'd like, but I saved a little over 50% on my purchases and have a $2 cat there. If the foundation colors I bought match my face it'll be worth it, if not, even the two lip glosses for 83 cents won't. I might try to get some free shampoo today or tomorrow. The anxiety makes me crazy!!!

Today we're going to do some stuff related to zoo for school which I think the kids will like, my dad might come by for lunch, Steph may come over after dinner, and it'll be another no daddy at all day with the board meeting. I hope he arranges to make it for supper, but we'll see. Actually, sometimes its easier when he doesn't! The kids LOVE sandwiches! :) I have to catch back up on laundry so I can pack tomorrow for the trip to my mom's. Saturday we celebrate my grandparents. Tom and Dolly Cline have been married for 60 years!