Safety

So everyone knows we have a swimming pool that we love! When we moved in to this house it had an above ground pool with a really nice deck around it. Cute little stairs going up to it and all. What it didn't have was a gate to keep kids out. They had one but never installed it. I guess since they had older kids they didn't find it necessary. So the first thing we did was install the gate. We had older kids but a baby on they way so we were thinking ahead. Time went by and we are always careful about making sure it is latched at all times.
Later when Nick was about 6 mths old I decided I HAD to have a pond. We put so much work into it got it all running and looking great and after several days of working hard we stepped back to admire our hard work and I thought OMG what did we do this for? We have a baby! So I always made sure he wasn't near it and the kids I keep didn't get near it.

Lots of time has passed and as the kids have gotten older we pulled out the pond for a smaller one. One that was not so deep. We also never leave the kids unattended ever. We take lots of steps to make sure we have no accidents. I have since then started getting very worried because Ashlynn loves our turtle in the pond and so do the other kids. Nick never really cared to much for it. So Terry decided to have a custom fence and gate made to go across our patio so we can look but not fall in. This helps so much. I don't leave the kids out alone BUT it only takes a second. I could NEVER live with myself if we had a drowning or anything close.




Problem solved right?
Wrong!
My mind in constantly worrying about stuff (since my dad's "accident" at work that cost his life) I will think of every single way something can go wrong. So I decided to step in the kitchen and watch what Ashlynn does.
I have to say since Nick was about 8 weeks old he has been swimming and we have always taught him to wear a life vest or you do not step on the deck. She didn't care for the pool last year at all so we didn't really work on it to much. As I stood there in the window I watched Ashlynn walk up the stairs and try for about 15 minutes to unlatch one of two latches. She did it! OMG I am now freaking out. If she can do that one she can do the other. I will say again I never leave them out alone BUT my little mind thinks ok if one of them gets hurt or something that causes me to run in anything can happen in seconds. So here I go again to find a better latch.

This last picture is Ashlynn looking into the pool. She didn't just walk up to the gate for no reason at all either. I threw a toy in from the other side because I knew it would get her attention and she would try to get to it. My goal was to have her concentrate on something she wanted really bad to see if she could get to it.

My love

I found this picture today from our last trip. I love it.

Fitness

Off to the gym we go. I LOVE LOVE LOVE going to the gym. I am not sure if it is actually going that makes me so happy or the fact we all go. I love going with my husband. I know we do EVERYTHING together but it is really nice to work out with him. We talk,laugh and goof off together. The girls love it too. This started off with just me going a year ago but now we all go and love it!

Almost summer time! I love this time of the year but it is so hard for us to stay indoors. Camping gets better and we actually slow down from sports,school and life. There is nothing better than quality family time. Makes me happy. We decided not to take our Colorado trip in June. One reason is we just got Lauren a car(still can not believe it), Ashlynn still hates being in the car for long periods (me too), and we wanted to stay a little closer. So more details to follow on our next amazing adventure.

Life is beautiful and it is only the beginning!

Share some things...

I know I talk about the kids ALOT but they are my life! I could go on and on about how proud of each of them I really am BUT today I just want to share a couple of pictures I took. I bet you can not guess the 3 that are my favorite....

First I will tell you...Lauren brought this little fellow home from school a few months ago. He was a tiny little guy, not so much anymore.






Need I say more? These are my favorite non children pictures...I think.

Getting Natalie ready

I am so very ready for school to be out but before it is over we have to get Natalie ready for Cheer try-outs. HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I didn't think it is something she should do only because she is SUPER SUPER GOOD AT SPORTS! Every sport she has ever played she has been the star of the team. She is so athletic BUT I am not going to stop her from trying out. I will back her up completely and do whatever it takes to encourage her to try her best. I asked her if she will be upset if she doesn't make it. She replied "no then I will try out for mascot". She then said "if I don't make either then at least I can say I tried and won't feel like I missed out on it".
That makes me so happy that she can be so positive about it! I remember when I tried out in 7th grade. I was so scared and all my mom kept telling me was I should not try out because I was not the "cheerleader" type. I still remember those words till this day. I hate that my parents didn't push me to try for more things and maybe that is why I have the girls try everything at least once. How do you know if you are good at something or will like it if you don't try?

So wish us luck! I hope she makes it so that she can have the fun experience!

Sylvan Beach Pageant

What a very stressful event! I was on the edge of my seat the entire night. Lauren didn't win but she had so much fun doing this.

Lauren and Mr. Wallace her Cheer coach. Notice the hoop at the bottom? That is not what we originally had under tha skirt. It was much better without it. Always next year...

Believe it or not she was more concerned with eating afterwards than not winning. She loves to be in front of a large audience performing so this was perfect for her.

We learned alot from doing this event. Like don't wait until the night before to walk in your dress! It may be to long and you are not going to be able to fix it. Yikes!!

Growing up

Well it is time for me to admit I am over 30. I swear to you for the longest time people would comment about how young I look but since I have had Ashlynn I have noticed a few wrinkles and other signs of aging. NOT GOOD! But really who cares? I am so happy to be me it is crazy. Sure I could stand to lose a few pounds but really if that is my biggest problem in life I am doing good. I have never been happier and so in love. Terry is the absolute love of my life and everyday he comes home I get butterflies in my tummy. I love all of our children and am so extremely proud of them. They always put 100% into everything they do.
I sometimes wish I would have met Terry earlier in life but I really think I had some growing up to do. I also believe we had to be "pulled" thru bad relationships to really learn to truly appreciate each other. Sounds silly but I think it is true. He is my BEST FRIEND and I am so thankful for that.
Our family has been blessed!

Why?

My days lately have been filled with Why? For What? How come? At first I thought it will pass. Then I realized I keep answering Nick. Here is how it was today....

ME: Nick please don't ride your bike in the street.

NICK: Why?

ME: Because I said

NICK: How come?
I ignore him!

ME: Nick please stop asking mommy why with everything I say.

NICK: How come?

ME: Because

Nick: For what?

ME: Because it is driving mommy crazy!

NICK: But why?

As you can see it didn't get me anywhere. I decided for the rest of the day I would change the subject every time he said WHY? FOR WHAT? HOW COME?

Almost 4 years

It has been a little over 3 and a half years since Lauren had her braces put on. We have seen the Orthodontist have 2 children and now she has another one on the way, staff changes and our little girl blossom into a young lady. I never imagined it would take this long but the wait was well worth it! I will post before pictures later.

End of year Cheer banquet

This year has been a little dramatic. Girls did not get along, cliques were formed, and lots of drama. I would like to think it is not normal but from what I hear from other parents at other schools there is always drama when you have a group of girls. I will spare you all the crazy details and just hope for a better year next year. Anyways did I mention Lauren made C0-Head Cheerleader? Very exciting! The banquet turned out great! I was in charge of a slide show...that should have been easy but at the last minute it just didn't go as planned. BUT Natalie was a great help and got the kids gift bags together and did everything she could to help me. I also volunteered to get a cake and at the last minute I panicked thinking it wasn't going to work out. I was worried the girls would think the cake was juvenile looking.

But when I saw the cake I was in love! It was perfect for our Safari theme!!! Not only was it way to cute it was the best tasting cake ever.

The girls danced the night away...




Watching them dance sure does make you feel a little old.

Froberg Fruit and Vegetable Farm

Friday we went to Froberg Fruit and Vegetable farm. Oh how exciting! We actually got to go out and pick our own Strawberries! I thought it was so neat.You walk in and grab a bucket then just start picking. I really didn't want to leave this place. I know what you are thinking...expensive right? NO! You pay by the pound. $1.80 a pound and that is what the grocery store charges. We then walked around the market. I love this stuff and thank god Terry does too. I don't know what it is about walking around these places that just take me back to being a kid with my great grandma. I really can't wait to go back.

He thinks he is a celebrity.

So Nick rode his little bike all day yesterday and when Lauren got home she was watching him out front. Suddenly she heard a POP! He busted his back tire! Yes a hole in the tire. I couldn't help but laugh because to hear him explain it he said his shirt blew up his back and it was "weally weally loud"
Daddy and Nick went to the store to find a tire tube and while they were there Nick kept saying "Daddy tell that person" So each person they passed Terry had to say how he is a big boy without training wheels and he busted his tire. Nick would just stand and smile. Each person they told acted like it was such a big deal and would give him a Way To Go and a high five. That has to make a boy feel good.

Last night we decided to put his new little skill to the test and went for a bike ride in our neighborhood. He did great and stayed behind me and in front of daddy. This is great for us because we love to bike ride. We had stopped because he was to big for a bike seat but to small to follow. As we went down the streets every time we passed a person Nick would yell " HEY LOOK AT ME! I AM RIDING WITH NO TRAINING WHEELS!" I would just giggle and smile.
I guess I really get a kick out of this story because people don't have to care but everyone we passed made such a big deal out of him riding. People were clapping, yelling way to go, and smiling at us.

What a big boy!

Remember in my Easter post I told Nick he couldn't have the Spider Man bike until he rode without training wheels? Ahhhhh he did it!


I was jumping up and down cheering and crying! I am so happy for him.

Read me..

I don't know if I have ever told you this but if you click on the pictures they get bigger.

Swing

Ashlynn had a not so grand experience with the swing....flipped right off! Don't worry she got right back on and kept up with her swinging.

What have we been doing?

I know you are asking what we have been doing...a few days have gone by since I wrote anything. Hmmm let me see. Lauren had Cheer try outs again for the 2010-2011 school year. She made Varsity again!

My dad and step mom came into town. I can say it was a great visit as always but it goes way to fast. We love when they come to visit. It is kind of funny but we have to hide it from Nick because he gets so excited and will not stop asking over and over when he will be here.


Yes the girls still color eggs. I will let them forever!


Easter came and I became irritated over the fact it is so commercialized. Here is how it happened. For about a month every time Nick wanted a toy or something we would say maybe the Easter Bunny will get it. Then 2 weeks before he fell in love with a Spider man big boy bike. I told him "no you have to ride your other bike without training wheels before you get a new bike." He immediately said I bet the Easter Bunny will get it. I didn't put to much thought into it. He had also been talking about Toy Story movies so it was no biggie.
So a few days before Easter I went to buy everything and got Toy Story 1 and 2 and thought nothing of it. I also bought Ashlynn a cute little tricycle. Terry came home and said OH MAN we are going to have one upset little boy. I kept saying no I don't think so. Well the night before Easter Nick was still talking about this bike! I started to panic. I kept thinking HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? So then I was mad. Mad at us for saying for weeks "maybe the Easter Bunny will bring it" and mad about the fact they I bought Ashlynn a trike. So just to keep "the peace" we did not give Ashlynn her tricycle. Owe well, next year we are going to do it all different. Oh yea in case you are wondering...he never mentioned the bike because he was to excited about the eggs all over the yard.