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as much as i have enjoyed this blog for over a year, i've decided to make a change.

you can now view our family updates at


www.thecounts.weebly.com

Ungrateful Heathens

i love music. all forms of music.

i started playing the piano when i was four, as a second to my dad playing the fiddle. i continue to play it poorly decades later.

my piano was one of the first things ryan surprised me with after moving to ste. genevieve. yesterday evening i was feeling nostalgic and decided to tickle the ivories. ellie jumped up on the bench with me and assisted while i played from a few music books.

within a matter of minutes i could hear my son screaming, "mom, i can't hear the tv"!

i turned my head to see my husband even shut the doors to the kitchen to block me out. jerks.

when will a mom ever be appreciated?! do i really have to wait until my kids move out?

----

today the school bus drove right past the house while all four of us were sitting on the front porch. we sat completely stunned not knowing what to do.

while i hunted down the phone to call the school, i heard yelling. the driver had turned around, parked and warren was giving her a piece of his mind. i'm sure she got an earful all the way to the school parking lot. poor thing.

First Day

warren had an amazing first day of school. yet, that could be my perception. he went back today, so i assume it wasn't too miserable.

i was able to take off work at 3 so i could be home when the bus arrived. was pretty careless considering fridays are somewhat busy at the newspaper, but i was caught up with my tasks and truly wanted to be there for him (okay, maybe it was just for me). his bus arrived around 320 and this time he was sitting up front. seemed pretty happy to see us and he even received a "super" sticker for his first day of school.

his teacher has supplied a custom folder with clear sleeves that houses a calendar on the back. each day she will adhere a sticker to the day of the week completed to let parents know how their child behaved. i'm guessing every child received a "super" their first day.

he said after the bus arrived he had to sit in the gymnasium until his teacher's name was called then they went to the classroom. he couldn't tell me the student's names that sit at his table and didn't seem too impressed with lunch.

"mom, five kids brought their lunch today. i need a lunch box".

"no, you don't".

his favorite part of the day was story time. his teacher read 'the kissing hand' and 'froggy goes to school'. he said they all got into trouble while listing to 'froggy...' because froggy had a dream that he went to his first day of school in only his underpants. warren said they started chanting "froggy's in his underpants, froggy's in his underpants" - his teacher didn't find that too humorous.

he said he didn't take a nap because the teacher said he didn't have to. i was not pleased. then warren clarified they had to lay down and 'rest' - they didn't have to close their eyes. i tried to explain to warren how important it would be to close his eyes. he would feel better and have more energy at afternoon recess. i don't think he fell for it.

he had colored a picture of a bear going to school for the first day and at least had his colors where they belonged. we were also instructed to provide afternoon snacks for this week. other than that, no notes or red flags informing us our child was the devil incarnate.

i was a happy mom.

we kept busy over the weekend working in the yard and bagging a year's worth of aluminum cans to take to recycling in return for a small pittance. although we sprayed, we all looked as if we had the chicken pox from the mosquito bites (i'm starting to get REALLY anxious for fall). ryan grilled fish, cabbage and brats for dinner and then we celebrated terri's birthday.

the weekend passed far too quickly and this morning i don't think anyone was anxious to get ready to take on the world.

ellie was confused walking to the car because 'war-war' wasn't with us. made me a bit sad, so tomorrow i think i'll let her watch him get on the bus.

i'm certain i'll have an update by week's end. that is, unless something out of the ordinary occurs... oh, how i hope he has a "super" week :)

Start of the 13 Year Sentence

wed.
i decided to keep warren home with me to spend some quality time. not sure how much of that we accomplished, but still it was a nice day. mom and her friend came over early and we picked bushels of apples at my editor's house. warren wasn't too cooperative since he thought it would be more fun to juggle...

he and i attempted and succeeded at a dutch apple pie! it's fantastic! i love to bake but cannot. everything i create looks like compost, but tastes pretty good. therefore, i was elated something actually worked. and no, i can't make a crust, so thank you, pillsbury.

we did laundry, watched the original 1976 bad news bears (my first time), warren napped and off i went to pick up ellie.

then it was snacks, baths, clean clothes and loading up the car with warren's school supplies for open house. we had to stand in line until they opened the doors and it was a complete mad house. wall to wall people and and the cacophony! warren led us to his classroom and he found his seat, cubby and folder. of course he just wanted to play but by 615 the presentation was to begin, so he had to sit still. we brought ellie with us (we weren't supposed to) because i wanted something to focus on. she certainly kept me busy while ryan was able to take in all the teacher was saying. we felt pretty comfortable with things and were home by 7.
warren was pretty disappointed he had to go to preschool thurs., but as his last day i thought perhaps his teachers would have something special for him.


thurs.
warren got beat up at preschool. what a way to end a 3+ year experience.
i can actually say he wasn't at fault. he passed a kid sitting in time-out and the kid kicked him, punched him and knocked him down. warren had a bloody lip but didn't act too miserable.

ryan prepared a fantastic meal, i finished all of the paperwork for school and warren completed his homework assignment. ellie was a pain to be around - extremely cranky - for i've refused to let her take an after school nap; makes bedtime a nightmare, literally. plus she refuses to eat meat now. only fruit and cheese: slices, crumbles, shredded, with macaroni, etc. how the kid goes to the bathroom i have no idea. it felt like a long evening, but warren was bathed and in bed at 8... we were in bed by 9 and i was asleep by 930.

but i didn't sleep. i was up off and on all night. i just couldn't shake the worry about his first day. sometimes being a grown up isn't easy.


fri.
up at 615... good grief. we have always risen at 7. how things will change in our household. i'm proud to say, warren was up first.

then he spent 10 min. heaving in the bathroom. a kid after my own heart :) kidding! he was perfectly fine - nothing came up. i think it was just sinus drainage. he didn't complain about an upset stomach, headache or anything - so i guess he didn't get the 'nervous gene' after all. lucky guy.

ryan was already preparing breakfast for him. warren said a month ago he had to have bacon and eggs his first day. his dad didn't let him down. we instructed warren that everyday now he must wash his face, fingernails, brush his teeth and hair. by the time i made it into the bathroom the hand towel was soaking wet. forgot to tell him to use a washcloth... nice.

we had picked out his clothes the night before and when he started to put on his shirt, ryan noticed an ink tag still attached. great.

he wore his backpack for over 30 minutes after he picked out a different shirt, his sister spilled his glass of milk all over her and had to be changed. super.

the bus was to arrive at 725. we sat on the front porch until 740. our neighbor came out to send him off as well. was very thoughtful and wonderful. ellie rolled around in the dirt before we could catch her but i wasn't in the mood to change her again. when the bus arrived, ryan rushed him so i didn't get my hugs and kisses :( he tried to get in on the driver's side, which was pretty funny and we watched him walk ALL THE WAY to the back of the bus. how silly.

took ellie to preschool in her dirty dress sniffling the whole way. was starting to hit me. daily i would take ellie to the baby room, then come down the ramp to have warren waiting for me with hugs, kisses, 'i love you' and "can i have gum when i get home?" today he wasn't there for me.

i know it's completely selfish to be so emotional. at least warren didn't see me cry. next week will be easier and by sept. it will feel as if this is how it has always been. change and the uncertainty of newness can be frightening for so many people. how thankful i am my son doesn't give a hoot about any of that. he was giddy all morning.

how ironic this time next year we'll be praying school starts even sooner to get him out of the house! :)

good luck on your first day, son!

warren and ellie waiting for the school bus

warren's first day of kindergarten

Blessings

our weekend plans were pretty flexible. we knew we would go school shopping for warren and partake in ste. gen's annual jour de fete celebration around ryan's work schedule.
ryan worked this morning for 5 hours and we decided to endure shopping today. we drove 40 min. to the nearest 'metropolis' for goods and first stopped at applebee's for lunch. wasn't too shabby. the tough part was sorting through 800 items on a menu to choose only one. i'm still not certain i made the right decision :)
next was jcpenney's to purchase clothes and shoes for warren. he didn't have much input in the clothes dept., thankfully, but deciding on a pair of shoes was a nightmare. he wanted spiderman... we told him he was too old. ellie wanted out of her stroller and once removed threw all the shoes she could reach on the floor. meanwhile, warren picked out the most hideous pair of sketchers i had ever seen. was not easy convincing him they weren't 'his style' (no, he didn't buy that). we finally compromised on some brown sketchers, but good night nurse was it painful.
following our experience at penny's was aldi's for discount groceries. we prepared ourselves by getting two carts to entrap the kids and it wasn't as bad as we had anticipated.
home we went with a cooler full of frozen foods, boxes of canned goods and the kids eating fresh grapes as if it were an addiction.
we got a call from ryan's stepdad that he and his friends were coming down to jour de fete and we told them to park at the house and we would visit when they finished their shopping/sight seeing.
groceries were unloaded, put up and veggies washed, diced and prepared for upcoming meals. by the time we were able to sit down, company arrived. we had a great visit while fighting off mosquitos and dodging croquet balls.
after they left we came inside to relax and get the kids to nap when the phone rang. it was ryan's dad. he never calls. something was wrong (of course i always think that every time the phone rings).
sure enough grandpa was in critical condition in the emergency room. something concerning his intestines and blockage. talk was sending him to st. louis for surgery.
(you must understand, ryan's paternal grandparents are THE MOST important people in his life. yes, he loves me and his kids, but his grandparents are and shall always be what makes him 'him'. they helped raise him, mold him and introduced him to a life of love only few have ever seen. this was really frightening.)
we called my parents quickly to see if they could keep the kids so we could make it to the hospital before they had to send him off. mom was asleep but dad didn't mind us bringing them over. had to wake mom up once we got there, but made it to the hospital right after grandpa got out of surgery.
apparently there was blockage and he couldn't go to the bathroom. they were able to remove the mass of liquid and he was like a brand new man! they are sending him to st. louis tonight to finish the surgery properly and i just wanted everyone to keep him in your thoughts. all will be well, but for a brief moment we were concerned. i'm amazed at how stubborn a person gets when he ages. grandma finally told him this morning that either she and their daughter was taking him to the emergency room or she was calling 911! guess we know who wears the pants in that family :) we feel so blessed grandpa is well and will be back to normal soon.

you never know when we'll need him again if our car breaks down :D

Inflation

i'm certain most people i converse with have to hear me complain about the cost of gasoline these days. i'll even throw in (for good measure) the cost of milk, beef, electricity and natural gas. i wonder how so many others make ends meet when we find ourselves struggle at times. but those expensive items have nothing on what we had to deal with last night...

warren lost his first tooth.

he seems awfully young to lose a tooth, yet it wobbled for weeks and he actually pulled it out himself! thankfully we can see his 'adult' tooth about to break through, therefore it was probably time.

we had never had a serious discussion regarding the tooth fairy, so we had to explain about placing his tooth under his pillow; she would come and exchange it for money; yada, yada, yada.

warren informed us that his friend bobby just lost her first tooth. the tooth fairy left her $5.00.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? SERIOUSLY.

i know i'm old... but i received dimes for small teeth and quarters for the large ones. $5.00 for a baby tooth? i was stunned. he still has a mouthful that will fall out too? what is the going rate for top incisors? good grief.

my son received a $1.00 bill from his dad.

guess i'll go to the bank and get a loan :)

Finally, Family Fun

after our unpleasant trip home from columbia last week, we promised the kids something fun before school started. we contemplated a jaunt to grant's farm, yet weren't too sure about gas prices, and the like. after visiting with our good friends, will & laura, we decided to stay over at their house one night and take both families the next day to st. louis.
we had the most amazing time! i'm probably the only 33 yr. old, life-long missouri resident who had never been. i think i was more excited than the kids! the threat of rain was looming, yet we were able to at least view the majority of the park before getting drenched. i simply cannot share how wonderful the park was! www.grantsfarm.com the tram ride, history lesson, the adorable rescued animals and very happy kids. what more could one want? afterwards it was lunch at chuck e. cheeses... and OUR car made it home. ha!

yesterday terri called me on the way to the airport (flying to sacramento for a bday weekend with her son) and noticed st. louis news vans at the american legion hall in town. she called the office to see if we knew what was going on. of course the editor took off early, the sports editor/photographer/reporter is in nebraska covering baseball, therefore it was up to me and my co-worker to seek out the information. we were able to find out a 16 ft. alum. fishing boat capsized with presumably 2 men in the mississippi. the boat had been recovered. we were sent out with cameras and notepads hoping to uncover the mystery. as horrible as the situation was, it was exciting to be lois lane for an afternoon :) although television newscasters aren't celebrities, per se, i was a bit giddy hearing betsy bruce tell the sheriff she was 'going live at 5 o'clock'. i. am. a. dork.

warren and judah enjoying the view from the tram

rare cattle

will and judah feeding the famished baby goats

warren and caleb

i tried to capture the regal beauty of the american bald eagle. guess this guy wasn't too pleased... he lifted his feathers to go #2 for me...

caleb, judah, ellie and warren trying to keep dry
recovered boat (on ramp) found at the ste. genevieve marina

Beautiful Babies

yesterday our good friend, angie, came over to let us meet her new bundle of joy, maggie. angie used to work with both myself and ryan years ago, therefore it's pretty fun having a friend we both can share :) maggie was born in may and is the sweeting thing! hasn't lost any hair, gaining weight wonderfully and has a smile that makes me giggle. even though our visit was short, we were so happy to have them here.

Race Fans

a few weeks ago it was announced that 'nascar night' was to be held at i-55 raceway in pevely. since ryan and terri are such dirt-track fans, they had planned to go. although exhausted, ryan didn't back out and they had a wonderful time last night. they were able to see a lot of the drivers and apparently had pretty good seats... most of the professional photos taken last night [stlracing.com] show ryan and terri taking it all in... the filth, the stink, and eardrum-busting noise. (guess you can tell i wasn't invited) ha!

Home At Last...

foreward: this is REALLY long - if you don't want to read just enjoy the slide show. ryan took photos with his 35mm as well and will be posted once developed. we borrowed mom's car for our trip to make it there and back safely. we packed enough for 3 days and 2 nights. and have i mentioned warren is allergic to bee stings?

day 1:
we prepared to take off sat. at 730, yet with me forgetting jewelry and having to drop off plastic peas warren found under the couch to our 'parent's as teachers' educator, we can honestly say we left at 8. ryan informed me i was to start the drive and i'm proud to say i drove the entire time until we reached kahoka. overall it wasn't too bad. the kids didn't sleep as we had hoped and i drove through rain 20 minutes. we arrived at aunt gloria's at noon, and we were thrilled to get out of that car! it was over 90 degrees with no breeze and it was a blessing to be eating indoors. gloria's home was immaculate and we were able to visit with her husband, charley, grandma and grandpa, aunt gina and kim, aunt julie, heidi, kendi, alana and aubrey. gloria put on a spread with fantastic summer fare that was also healthy! i loved the cheese they just brought back from wisconsin and gloria's homemade black bean salsa! but the best part was aunt gina's taco salad - my favorite dish from childhood. we all had a great visit and although i wasn't able to sit and linger i'm pleased that warren and ellie didn't break anything! the kids played in the mud (it had rained the night before) and i took in gloria's beautiful landscaping, garden, greenhouse and lovely back patio. surprisingly we stayed for 5 hours and would have stuck around if we hadn't worn out grandma and grandpa.
we headed to the weber's home and warren couldn't wait to get on their trampoline! that only lasted a few minutes since there was so much to get into, but again, the kids seemed to behave! i don't know what happened! perhaps it was that their dad was along for this trip? larry prepared the grill and we had the thickest pork chops i've ever seen. ryan helped grill so larry could rest and mary whipped up homemade mac & cheese and cucumber salad in a matter of minutes. that woman's cooking talent is newsworthy, i swear! i can't forget to mention her homemade cherry and chocolate pies we had for dessert :) we were quite lazy just resting on the screened-in porch and watching the kids play.
warren came up to us saying his foot really hurt and i saw a tiny red dot on the side. he never said he saw a bee, so we assumed it was a thorn or something... boy were we wrong (i did give him benadryl just in case).
ellie started to pick up her bag of diapers and i asked her to put them back. she ended up bringing them to me and laid on the floor for me to change her. everyone thought it was the cutest thing - until the diaper was opened and we saw what unripe apples from gloria's back yard can do to your digestive system :)
once larry saw how ready she was to have a dry bottom, he gave us the most beautiful potty chair ever! he made it for his new grandbaby coming this fall, but his daughter was wanting something in a lighter color. it has a built-in magazine rack and toilet paper holder. ellie just loves it and sat in it all weekend. (if anyone wants one... let me know. $40 for a lifetime of poopy memories.)
we went to bed early and snuggled up in their freezing air-conditioned house. it was awesome!
*unforgettable: before we went to the weber's we stopped at a convenience store to get some beer. while waiting in the car i saw a Mennonite exit the store with 2 huge bottles of mountain dew; dressed all in black in the unbearable heat. he walked to a conversion van and the back door slid open. inside were at least 20 more! i'm not exaggerating. more people dressed in black left the store for the van all carrying mountain dew :) it was like a bearded clown car on caffeine. ha!

day 2:
it stormed during the night and i left the windows down in the car... my son woke up with a foot the size of a watermelon. he wasn't complaining too much of pain, but just looking at his cankle made me sad. we gave him more benadryl hoping what the doctors' have told us in the past 3 years would actually work this time. we took off around 8 planning on being at jessie's around lunch time. the drive was pleasant through memphis and queen city (rhonda vincent's hometown) and once in kirksville the a/c on the car started making an odd noise. we turned it off until we could no longer stand the heat and made it to jessie's by 1130. ryan grilled brats and hot dogs for lunch and we oohed and aahed over their new kitchen. they recently installed new cabinets, counter top, sink, dishwasher and refrigerator. it looks amazing! we made it to carrie's before 2 and chaos ensued :) the kids played outside in the unbearable heat. warren hit baseballs for what seemed hours and wouldn't stay off of his foot. we tried putting a bag of frozen blueberries on it and covering it with a sock, until we saw a bright purple foot dripping juice on the floor. we were able to catch everyone up on the goings on in kahoka and when the shade hit, we prepared for the birthday party! jessie had to work and jason was worn out since jack had had a fever for a few days. but mom convinced him to come out since she needed her 'grandkids on the couch' picture (you can see how cooperative my son can be). barry grilled 2 different fish courses and we had potato salad, hummus, bruschetta, and salsa with the majority of ingredients coming from carrie's garden. after dinner we sang happy birthday and carrie served homemade lemon cupcakes for dessert. georgia's friend, luke brought her a swimming pool and everyone took turns trying to blow it up. the kids swam until i was eventually doused with a water gun - but not before grandma jumped in! (this is when my memory card filled up) barry went home taking mom & dad with them, scott and luke left and thankfully kids were ready for bed. this time, no a/c - but we slept in the basement where it wasn't too miserable.
*unforgettable: no one had to go to the emergency room! yeah!

day 3.
warren's foot was blistered, purple and oozing. we covered it up with bandaids hoping he wouldn't offend his dr. at his eye exam. carrie offered to watch ellie for us and we loaded up our luggage in the car and headed to town. we stopped to see barry & brittany's new home and played with grace until it was time to leave. we went to dr. heather's optometry office (the weber's daughter) and had a great time. warren was a doll and his eyesight is perfect and his eyes healthy. we visited with heather longer than we probably should have, then left for the mall (ryan had to have a new hat). it was already reaching 95 degrees and nearing lunchtime, so we called carrie to see if she would let us stay over one more night. we spent time at the mall then went grocery shopping as not to eat all of carrie's food. we had brought with us tons of japanese eggplant from our friends tim & terri to share and carrie planned on an evening of italian. so we followed suit (but by this time we needed some meat!) and had the makings for salad, bread, baked italian sausage pasta and a watermelon for the kids. before we reached the grocery store the a/c made another noise. this time we just turned it off and had to settle for 98 degree wind in our faces. we had lunch at carrie's upon our return and she was able to get georgia down for a nap and rested herself. we unloaded the car and i washed all of our clothes. ryan and i watched the kids and helped clean up what we could from the night before. brittany & grace came over and we took the kids for a swim. jessie was able to bring her kids out a bit later. ryan started working on dinner and dr. heather also stopped by enjoy the feast. kelly came home from work (probably not too pleased to see a house full of family again!) and we ate, laughed and played with the kids until we wore them out for bath time! barry came after his shift at work and they ended up staying over as well. i took the kids to bed and the 4 of us ended up sleeping in a full size bed. was pretty funny - and uncomfortable :)
*unforgettable: not only was no one sent to the emergency room 2 days in a row, there was only one major upset when ellie bit georgia. other than than all of the kids got along (and the adults too!)!

day 4:
in the middle of the night it stormed and i was elated that we had taken all of our luggage out of the car (mom's trunk leaks since the convertible top is busted). the weather cooled drastically and as we loaded our car in the light rain, we were extremely thankful to be leaving tues. instead of mon. carrie prepared homemade waffles with fresh blackberries mom & dad had picked and after breakfast we were southbound. we left carrie's at 9 and 5 miles from her home it began to pour, thunder loudly and lightening flashed everywhere around us. we couldn't drive faster than 30 mph for we couldn't see anything. by the time we got on 63S towards jefferson city, it was dangerous and truly scary. ellie went to sleep immediately and warren thought the storm was 'so cool'. before we reached ashland we had to pull over on the side of the road (like everyone else) praying the storm would cease and the idiots driving 70mph passing us wouldn't slam into us. soon as we stopped the battery light came on the dashboard. the first chance we got, ryan was able to get us to shelter at a convenience store in ashland. i called dad to see if this was something normal or of concern. they just had a new battery installed less than 2 months ago so it couldn't be that. i suggested taking the car to a shop but ryan was determined to get it home. he knew it was the alternator and if we turned everything off, we should make it. no radio. no dvd player. no a/c. and not a damn thing to read. so the kids and i slept off and on. through jefferson city, we made it. then st. james and in steelville we stopped for snacks and drinks. i even called dad to let him know where we were and all was well. we knew we would be home at 1230, so eating lunch at a restaurant wasn't an option. about 15 miles from potosi all of the lights came on the dashboard. then the gauges went straight to zero. ryan started using language i've only heard in movies :) road construction signs appeared and as soon as we were stopped in traffic, the car died. literally. died. ironically a truck in front of us did the same thing! ryan helped them push it up the hill hoping they would help us - but no, they didn't come back. i started crying when i realized the windows wouldn't work and they were up, there were no curbs on this road and NO CELL PHONE SERVICE! warren told me to stop being sad :) and ellie just sat back drinking her juice. ryan pushed the car and i steered it the best i could out of the way - but we were basically taking up the entire lane. i opened the doors to give the kids some breeze and ryan walked up and down the highway hoping to get some form of cell phone service. nothing. we got out the emergency road side kit - thank the Lord ryan remembered to pack it - and there was nothing really of use except jumper cables. i couldn't fathom posting up a sign saying "emergency! please help!"... we saw a truck pulling out of a driveway behind us and when it got close, ryan flagged it down and asked the driver to jump our car. of course i was leery. all you hear about or read in the news is horror stories of monsters harming strangers. miraculously this was not the case. we charged the car for about 5 min. and it started! they also noticed the drive belt had busted. we prayed it would get us at least to town then we could take a good look at it and get professional help. the first thing i did was put the windows down just in case. we made it less than a mile down the road. this time we were able to pull into someone's driveway and our good samaritans pulled in behind us. they pushed the car out of the way and offered us a lift to town. this husband and wife probably felt really sorry for us seeing the 2 kids in the car seats, but still i couldn't stop crying. i find it difficult to believe at times there are such generous and thoughtless people in our society today. we transferred the electronics and costly items to one bag. we grabbed ellie's car seat for they had one for their grandson already in their truck warren could use. ryan had to sit on my lap and warren jabbered the entire time to town. we had them drop us off at the super 8 motel and ryan explained to the front desk clerk about our situation. they welcomed us to their lobby without hesitation. we unloaded our bag and my purse along with the car seat and i thanked the couple nonstop. they even offered us money! can you imagine? once we settled into the motel lobby i called dad. then we called ryan's grandpa in bismarck. he was bringing a new battery and left immediately. we waited for an hour for him to arrive and guess what... we forgot diapers! warren went with ryan and ellie and i waited for 3 AND A HALF HOURS. she whined, cried, wanted nursed and pooped her pants 3 times. i felt miserable for her. the staff turned the tv on cartoons, opened up their conference room for me to nurse, but ellie just wouldn't nap. i would take her outside to walk around, get her some juice and they even fed her a danish. but it was horrible. it even stormed while we were there. i did realize ryan was actually working. it wasn't as if he was out with the guys tying one on... but i was very unhappy. when they came back with the car at 430 i grabbed the diapers and wipes and couldn't even look at him. :)
they were able to change the battery and get the car to autozone. they had to replace a $20 driving belt but it required ryan to remove the fender, jack the car up and borrow tools from the autozone staff as well. during his work something snapped and hit his hand. he didn't think it was broken because he could move everything, but it pretty much looked like warren's poor foot.
the seats were soaking wet, but we made it home by 530. the kids and i slept the entire time.
our neighbors and friends in town were worried and glad to finally hear from us. we had a trash sack full of clothes for ellie that were drenched so we immediately did laundry, ate dinner, bathed and passed out. we were so thankful to be home and safe. no matter how upset we were, we know all that matters is we're okay.
*unforgettable: no comment :)

today we woke somewhat perky, took the kids to school and life seems kind of normal. ran errands and hope to have a pleasant afternoon. ryan will be traveling to pevely to the I-55 raceway for nascar night, so let us hope i have two happy kids on my hands tonight.

thank you all again for having us over the weekend. we had a fantastic time and can't wait to see you again!

Growing Up

five children from warren's daycare will start kindergarten next month. they hosted a graduation party for those leaving; handing out diploma's, gifts and of course a cake.
and yes, my son HAS to button his shirt all the way to the top. makes a mom proud :)

Good Ol' Summertime

i am not particularly close to my extended family. it isn't intentional, it's simply a fact. my parents moved 5 hours away from their hometown before i was born, therefore i have not had the opportunity to grow close to my family as others have. perhaps i felt jealous at the relationships some cousins had with both sets of grandparents when i was growing up, yet i really have never believed i had missed out on anything. it was simply a different way of growing up. we traveled back and forth a few times a year - for holidays, birthdays and anniversaries until kids had their own schedules and plans.
by the time i moved out, traveling to see family seemed unimportant.
then i had warren. i found my heartstrings pull when i would think of my grandparents. living in columbia we were only 3 hours away and made the trip a few times for celebrations. living in ste. genevieve made the trip more challenging. warren and i traveled to kahoka for a funeral, he and i went with dad for a birthday party and soon after ellie arrived.
besides ryan's work schedule (oftentimes 7 days a week) just the idea of 2 kids in a car for 5 hours was exhausting! my dad's parent's have never met her. they have plenty of pictures, but obviously that isn't the same.
earning a week's paid vacation this year has allowed us to make plans to visit my grandparents and other family. i'm pretty excited, but just as nervous. showing off ornery kids isn't fun.
it will be a short trip, but overall pleasant if the weather cooperates and the crowds aren't forced indoors. my aunt has offered to host a lunch at her home, our friends offered us a bed and my sister will expect us the following day. after celebrating georgia's and barry's birthdays, we'll be heading back home monday.
we were also hoping if ryan is able to get caught up with work, we would take a day off for grant's farm or the transportation museum. but we'll have to see how tired we are after driving 12 hours the weekend prior.

my mom phoned a week ago and surprised me with an invitation to take the kids and go with her to kahoka for her family reunion. at the time the idea seemed wonderful except she wanted to drive up and back in one day. i wouldn't be seeing her side of the family during our vacation trip, so the timing was perfect. then i remembered i was to be by myself at work that week covering for two people. and i would have to work 5 days (i know, i have it so rough). by last thurs. i was too tired to think about traveling and called her to back out. she informed me that we could stay over at hotel so the kids could swim and we would leave the next morning. that sounded a lot nicer than the kids sitting in carseats for 10 hours! i mentioned dad could come over and stay with ryan then sun. we could all go to the county fair when we returned. the plan was in motion and she told me to expect her at 6am on sat.

6am... that meant getting up before 5 to get myself ready then fight with the kids to wake them up, get them dressed and ready. and that's exactly what happened. was far from a fun hour in our house. besides our clothes, we had to have diapers, wipes, toiletries, snacks, juice, dvd player, sunscreen, medicines (just in case) AND i decided to bring food to prepare at the reunion and a crockpot. i'm certain mom was not impressed when she pulled up to the house and saw my stack of luggage on the patio :)

we left after carseats were buckled in and i was to drive the first half, then she would finish up. we made it in record time. the benefit of leaving that early meant no traffic through st. louis. ellie slept most of the way and warren wouldn't stop talking. we ate breakfast in troy, switched drivers, then the fun began. ellie did NOT want in her carseat. i started a movie for the kids to watch, but ellie wanted to hold the tv and push all of the buttons. when that didn't work out, she found it entertaining to kick warren in the face. my mom laughed for at least 30 minutes listening to me tell my kids the exact same things she told me 25 years ago... we stopped in hannibal to reserve our room at the holiday inn and were smart to do so - they only had 2 rooms left! the sky had looked dark off and on, so we made sure to get a hotel with an indoor heated pool. driving through canton was sad. the flooded crops, homes and vehicles made me ironically thankful that ste. genevieve was spared this year.

we arrived at my cousin's home by 1045. my mom had mentioned an inground swimming pool, but it was larger than i had anticipated. warren HAD to go swimming instantly and without water wings, i was pool side constantly. ellie, of course, wanted to stand next to the pool and watch. but she wouldn't sit still, nor could i leave her side. i had to remind warren to stay where he could touch and follow ellie everywhere. i don't think i finished one sentence within 3 hours because i was either chasing ellie around the house and yard - or making sure i could see warren's head above water. mom helped, i'm not trying to seek out pity here, but this was her party and i wanted her to be able to visit with her siblings all she could (12 out of the 13 were there!). i couldn't begin to estimate the number of people... over 100 i'm sure. was chaotic, loud and so nice to see this group of people together laughing, eating and catching up on each other's lives. mom attempted to go swimming with ellie, but she threw a fit and wouldn't stay in the water at all. then i had to fight with her to keep her clothes on. she wouldn't get dressed, so i let her run around in her little swimmers the rest of the afternoon. every 5 min. i had to pull them up because she pulls them down (i guess her little crack enjoys the fresh air).
rain and lightening dampened the festivities (no pun intended) and after 3 hours i was spent. i kindly asked mom when she would like to leave and she was honestly ready. she was 'visited out'.

back on the road we went... this time... both kids slept! we were looking forward to a relaxing evening with a good meal, swimming, a few cocktails and a wonderful nights sleep!

it was pouring when we go to the hotel and cold. we got up to our room and mom & warren went to get the luggage from the car. within a few minutes, warren knocked on the door telling me 'grandma said i could come back - she'll do it herself'. i thought it was odd but maybe mom worried about the rain... then she came in the door with a flushed face and a frown. warren had ran off, into the elevator with strangers and back to our room. how in the heck he even remembered what floor or room we were in was beyond me. but mom never told him to come back. after a bare-butt spanking and a stern lecture about kidnapping, i made him call his dad. i had hoped his attitude about things would change.

we unpacked, looked at magazines and travel brochures about the town and chose to drive around, eat an early dinner, swim until the kids were worn out and enjoy some peace and quiet. we drove around in the rain and saw more 'tom and becky' memorabilia than you can imagine. we ate at a dive with overcooked food and ellie refused to eat or sit in her high chair. by the time we got back to the hotel, we were asking ourselves why we even left southeast missouri. warren went to the bathroom, and locked the door and shut it on his way out. i had to call the front desk to have them open it. i was just about at my wit's end. then we went swimming. the pool was freezing. ellie didn't want in, warren slipped and fell twice; so back up to the room we went. warren threw a fit, ellie wouldn't keep her diaper on and i have a feeling my mom was about to disown me. finally the kids played hide and seek long enough to let us relax and i found a movie on tv they could watch. we were so bored we went to bed at 845.

up the next morning at 5, ate the free breakfast at the hotel and southbound we went. ellie slept until we stopped to get gas and warren kept occupied watching tv. i took over driving after filling up the tank and mom had to deal with 'kid duty'. ellie was angry until we got home. we tried everything to ease her, but nothing worked. that was until mom gave her a note pad and what i thought was a pencil. we were almost home when i turned and saw her beautiful chubby legs... covered in black ink. ha! i don't think i've ever been happier to see my home.
as soon as we saw dad and ryan i told them "do not mention the F-A-I-R!" and mom said "gary, i think i'm ready for you to take me home". :)

after unpacking and cleaning up, we all napped. i think i could have slept all day. but after doing dishes and loading the washer, i felt as if we 'needed' to do something. so yeah, we took the kids to the fair. :D ellie hated the animals, warren wanted to spend all of our money on junk games but we loved it all! there is something amazing about county fairs, no matter where you're from. we then had dinner at our friend's house and visited with them for hours.

we all went to bed early and anxious for our 'normal' lives to start today. then warren came in my room at 5am with an earache... i know... it never ends. to work and school we went, then a dr. visit on my lunch hour and he has infections in both ears. he has spent the afternoon with his dad and ryan hasn't called yet, so i'm hoping warren hasn't locked any doors or ran out into the street.

as our weekend was hectic we just have to look forward to doing it all over again this saturday! we'll see some of you this weekend!

ellie falling asleep on "nana terri's" shoulder

2008 BARRY REUNION

chad's massive swimming pool

grandma, ellie, aunt carol barry and warren

the sunbather

our one second of peace and quiet

FAIR DAYS

warren sliding down hay bales on cardboard

ellie fishing for a toy (and she got just what she needed - a hacky sack)

ellie refusing to get close to the cows

warren playing in the tiny barn

warren's pony ride

angry ellie unhappy about having to go home

Our Freedom

we were quite excited about the 4th this year. the kids are big and we can enjoy!
last year ellie was stuck in a car seat and warren complained about the noise.
our town offers a celebration at the city park each year with day long activities, music, food and events. it seems to be 120° each year, so we just go for the fireworks. the finale of the day is a fireworks display and we take the kids, sit in the back of the truck with drinks and snacks and enjoy the summer night light up with glory.
we were thrilled this year to learn the 4th would be on a friday and invited ryan's stepdad and his girlfriend over for ribs and other fattening fare. i even attempted to make a homemade blueberry pie to celebrate the holiday. i found it somewhat festive, yet know not what others thought. (by the way - it was perfect! - well the crust not so much)
it rained for two days and thankfully it ended by mid-morning friday. they arrived around 4 and we had a fantastic afternoon.
as a foodie, i am ELATED with new and interesting ideas. pam made 3 different cheese balls, but instead of 3 large lumps of heaven, she rolled them into individual balls. that way each person could take a ball and crackers/veggies on their plate without having to double dip. brilliant! she did a beef & green onion, bacon & blue cheese, and a mixed fruit. the fruit was SO good, i'll be posting the recipe as soon as i get it!
the mosquito bitten and 'off' scented clan left for the park around 830. we organized the bed of the truck with a tarp, comforter and turned on the cards' game.

within 15 min. the show began and ellie screamed.

she didn't stop.

i'm not certain if it was simply the lights or just the noise. she was horribly disturbed and she and i ended up sitting in the cab of the truck until it ended. i thought she would sit on my lap or perhaps in warren's seat (she is TERRIBLY jealous), but no. she sat in her car seat with a sippy cup and wouldn't budge. was sad to endure because i enjoy watching fireworks with warren, but what is a mother to do?

overall the day was great and i'm thrilled we were able to spend it with family. maybe next year ellie will tolerate more.

---

i also know that i vowed to post recipes each time i posted this summer. i didn't lie, i just forgot :)

this is one of our fave paula deen dishes we'll enjoy tonight for dinner:

georgia chicken

1/4 stick unsalted butter melted in frying pan
add 2 tbsp chopped shallots and 1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
saute for 10 min
add 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or chicken tenders)
cook 10 min. on each side
top with 2 cups of mozzarella cheese

amazing!

happy july 4th weekend!

Sick and Tired of Tired and Sick Kids...

a few weeks ago, our 'brilliant' son ran through the weeds to the field next to our house to retrieve his baseball. all he had on were swimming trunks. ended up with poison ivy from his neck to in-between his toes. once it was full blown he looked like freddy krueger... disgusting. and the scratching! i don't how many times i told him to stop or how much caladryl we went through...
thankfully by last friday, he was looking much better except that he needs a haircut. i think tonight he will get the clippers outside on the patio :)

while warren seemed to heal slowly but completely - ellie began acting odd. she quit eating as much, sleeping as much and ran a low grade fever. spots developed on her nether regions and today the doctor confirmed she has 'hand, foot and mouth disease'. warren had had it as an infant and it was horrific. even his mouth bled. ellie's affliction isn't as bad, but we certainly feel sorry for her. it will simply run its course and she will be back to school on thursday. apparently it is going around daycare (would have been nice if we were informed ahead of time - for you see, i tend to freak out over the simplest things).

now the reason for this post; i promise my plan was not to vent...
ryan's grandpa gave us a tricycle last week probably as old as i am. last night the kids were able to play outside for awhile before it got too dark.

Family Ties

we have had an exciting week thus far and are truly exhausted from it!

we found out a few months ago that two of my dad's sisters (from northeast missouri & iowa) would be traveling through southeast missouri during their summer vacation. they wrote stating they would like to stop by to visit and see our home. as excited as i was, i was just as nervous thinking about cleaning the damn thing :)

we have 14 rooms in our house that we do actually use. therefore, each one is far from tidy. i do semi-well keeping up with the kitchen and ryan keeps the living room tidy. other than that - it's a free for all. ha! when people find out where we live and ask what our decor is... we honestly tell them "sticky". tiny handprints are on every glass door/window (most likely a few tongue prints) and door jambs... cheerios can probably be found under couches... tupperware and pots & pans clutter the kitchen floor (the only 2 cabinets ellie is allowed in)... shoes and laundry are piled on the backporch/mudroom... and don't EVEN get me started on the upstairs.

we tackled our home with fervor the past few weeks. one room at a time. forgot to eliminate cobwebs or vacuum the stairs - but other than that, ryan did a great job! ha! it was honestly fun having the house practically showroom ready. made us anxious to spend more time there and a bit proud of what we have. too bad it takes having company to make us clean!

i was able to leave work at noon and prepared our meal and dessert. cut fresh flowers to put in vases and even remembered to order 'the anvil's' famous onion rings for snacks (the other famous delicacy in ste. genevieve is liver dumplings... ugh... must be an acquired taste). left at 4 to get the kids and our guests had arrived with mom while we were gone.

we all had a FANTASTIC visit and i laughed more than i could explain. the kids were well behaved, for once. and i honestly never thought about the house one they were there. they made me feel so comfortable, i never even worried about it. now that is the greatest kind of company to have ever!

we decided wed. that we would take the kids and visit ryan's grandparent's in bismarck. we were to have a late lunch, then stop by mom and dad's to see his sisters again, have dinner and go home and crash. we left at 1 - got home at 10. was a hot, long, weary and wonderful day.

i took some photos at ryan's relatives but when i got the camera out at mom & dad's the batteries died... just my luck.

the kids slept on and off during our car rides, so ellie was up until 1145 last night! i was miserable this morning with warren fighting taking a bath and ellie pooping her pants right before we were to walk out the door.

i'm now looking forward to a weekend of nothing to do. at least the house is picked up (so far)...

after our recent visit we're thinking about taking a little trip up north next month to see my grandparents. they have never met ellie. yeah, i'm certain i'm THE worst grandchild they have. ryan and i are putting our heads together to come up with a sensible vacation plan, therefore those of you in houston, columbia and kahoka may see us soon!

grandma and grandpa counts

aunt theresa helping ellie clean up

ryan grilling for our lunch

ellie and her juice cup she wouldn't let anyone take away

Can You Tape Kids Up?

okay, so i'm a horrible parent... wed., while finishing the last section of the cabinets the kids wouldn't leave me alone. therefore, i gave them something to do... neither belly looks pleased

up until a few weeks ago ellie would have nothing to do with our friend tim. he has quite a deep voice and his presence alone frightened her. tonight she couldn't wait to dance with him and yes... thank the Lord... she fell asleep.

just kidding...