Monday, October 19, 2009

weekend recap...where did fall go?!

Friday night, we went 2 see Where the Wild Things Are with my sis & her kiddos, plus my brother Joe...Jaden had been counting down the days...he came in the bathroom while i was in the shower on Friday morning & said "Ma! it's October 16th! can we go 2 the theater 2nite?!"...we hadn't planned on going the day it was released, but i'm glad we did...it was a seriously GREAT movie! 1 of the best kiddo movies i've seen!


Saturday, we got up & took our time eating breakfast & getting dressed...lounged around in our PJ's & cuddled up 2gether in front of the TV...then we got moving & headed out 2 Broadway's Fall Festival (my sis & her kiddos met us there too)...the wind made it feel colder out than we had expected...but we still had a great time - the kiddos bounced & climbed in these things 4 about an hour...


they got 2 pet some local farm animals...wait, is a guinea pig a farm animal? i swear there were sheep, chickens, etc there too! ~lol~


we checked out the little car show...


& the local music (not too shabby!)...


Jaden sure enjoyed it!




the best part was the kettle corn tho! OMG - heaven!


the rest of our weekend was pretty chill...we went 2 church on Sunday, but other than that, we basically spent a lot of time inside drinking hot chocolate, playing board games, coloring & watching movies 2gether as a fam...my favorite kinda weekend! ;0)


we did play outside a little...enjoying the fall colors that r in full effect now...


& we even put up some Halloween decorations that my mom isn't able 2 use at her new place...


but mother nature musta missed the memo...she's skipped fall altogether & went straight in2 winter - this morning, we even woke up 2 frost! what's up with that?!


fall...please come back!!!


2day, Ma is on a pumpkin patch field trip with Corinn...it was scheduled 4 last Thursday (& daddy was gonna go along 2 chaperone), but the rain caused them 2 have 2 postpone it...instead of a muddy visit, they'll b having quite a chilly 1 2day


how's the weather where u r?


Friday, October 16, 2009

isn't technology great?!

yep, that's "the blue screen of death"...& i've gotten it about 5 times at work this week!

our IT guys spent about 4 hrs working on my machine earlier this week...he's come by since & ran scans & checks...it'll work 4 the day - i can do my job...but occasionally, it'll crash too...he says that he'll have 2 do something major 2 it soon (new motherboard? maybe even a new machine?)...but of course, he's pretty busy right now

sooooo, i'm dealing with not only no internet at home...but a crashing PC at work too...also, 4 whatever weird reason, i'm not able 2 access any site associated with Google at work...not Gmail (or my reader), not Blogger, not Google search...seriously, i can get 2 ANY other site - just not Google...ugh!

i've talked 2 another IT guy - 1 in our Cincy office...he swears i'm not blocked or anything...& he's not really sure what could b causing it...but they'll "look in2 it"

until then, i'm getting by...using Ma's PC (yep, my mom & i work 2gether) 2 access my blog & publish comments...luckily, i have my Gmail routed thru Outlook at work, so that's not an issue...& of course, i still have access from my phone

technology really is the greatest...i'm the 1st one 2 admit that

that is, until it doesn't work!
grrrrr!



Thursday, October 15, 2009

a Trevy update & fall art...

last week, i posted a prayer request 4 Trevor...he had brain surgery last Friday, where they literally removed half of his little seizure tormented brain!

4 those of u that haven't been keeping up with Danielle's blog, i wanted 2 give an update on how Trevy is doing

the surgery went well...very long (try 10 hours!), but well...he had some irregular heartbeat worries right after the surgery & has been dealing with a killer upset tummy (lots of projectile vomiting!) & obviously a good deal of pain since...but they're hoping 2 go home 2moro...can u believe that?! 2moro! of course, with his tummy issues & having 2 receive fluids via IV, that may b delayed a little...but still! i would have expected a lot longer of a hospitilization after such a major surgery!

of course, there r some delays on his right side - a cute crooked smile (how Danielle describes it), a blind spot in his sight, a heavy right hand, some wiggly toes on his right foot - but no movement in the leg yet, etc...some loss is temporary, some will b permanent...he's definitely got a long road ahead of him, but he's been seizure free since Saturday & that my friends, is the miracle that his parents have been hoping & praying 4!

please go over 2 Trevor's blog & show some love...catch up on all the beautiful words & photos that Danielle has posted along this incredible journey that she & Jonathan have been on...i PROMISE, it'll make u hug ur kiddos a little tighter 2nite...it'll make u drop 2 ur knees & praise our most gracious Heavenly Father 4 the many blessings that u have!!!

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& now 4 some fall art...just wanted 2 share some of what's been coming home from school lately


Corinn's cute lil pumpkins...

& i love the way that she has now decided that Corinn = Skates ;0)

Gabrielle's 'Signs of Fall'...

& Jaden's really isn't fall themed (although, he has quite a few Halloween drawings going on at home), but more on a topic that he enjoys...Underwater Creatures...

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i hope u all r enjoying fall so far!

here, it's starting 2 feel more like winter (in2 the 30s last night!) but the leaves r changing & all the local fall festivals r in full force...we hope 2 go 2 Broadway's on Saturday (if it doesn't rain)...the rain started yesterday & hasn't stopped since...it ruined Corinn's pumpkin patch trip 2day (that daddy was gonna get 2 chaperone) & it's really screwing up some side work that Curtis has 2 do...even tho the forecast says it's gonna continue 2 b cold & rainy thru til Sunday, i really hope it goes away soon & the mild fall temps come back!

until then, we're having chili & corn muffins 4 dinner 2nite...then i'm gonna put on some cozy PJs & veg out 2 watch The Office & 30 Rock...this is pretty much the only time i'm saying yay 4 NBC being the ONLY channel we get with our rabbit ears! ~lol~

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

weekend recap...

Saturday morning i worked on getting some more stuff unpacked & another room put 2gether...this time, it was Jaden's turn...we got all his stuff put away & hung up - he was psyched 2 have his maps & posters & chinese lanterns & dragons hung!

luckily, all 3 kiddos woke up, ate b'fast & were feeling great! Jaden's headache Thursday night, turned out 2 b only that - a headache...he strangely ran a slight fever Friday eve, but took a 2hr nap & it was gone - never 2 return! Gabby slept off whatever was messing with her when she stayed home with daddy all day Friday...& Corinn did end up getting sick Friday night, but was feeling just fine come Saturday morning!

Gabrielle left Sat. afternoon 4 a Halloween party - she was soooooo glad the sickies didn't keep her from going! one of her BFF's grandparents set up a zip line & haunted house in their backyard...there were also tons of games & activities! she left at 1pm & didn't get home until well after dark that night!

she dressed in her costume from last year - Hannah Montana (with a few hair clips added 2 keep the crazy bangs outta her eyes!)...& she decided this is also what she wants 2 do 4 this Halloween again! thx 4 saving Mama some money girl! ;0)

the rest of us headed 2 the JMU planetarium...what we'd planned 2 do last weekend, but ended up not making it

it was a really cool show called Ice Worlds, then a presentation about the night sky...we actually learned a lot!

Grandpa had brought by a load of firewood 4 us earlier in the week...we don't have a wood stove inside, it was just 4 our campfires - so when he called & told me he dropped it off, i assumed it was a little pile...but when i went down 2 check it out Friday night i was shocked! here's what it looked like after i got it all stacked!

so Saturday eve, i got busy on building our campfire pit! we've been lucky enuff 2 have 1 at every place we've lived since the kiddos were old enuff 2 care

Jaden started out helping me with this 1 - just like he did with our last 1...but he got cold quickly & headed inside...i was doing a pretty good job on my own...

but then Curtis saw what i was doing from the window & must have felt bad 4 me...he came out 2 help & things went much quicker! ;0)

we finished up just as the sun set...it was an amazing pink sky that night - put a pink glow over everything!

Sunday, Curtis went 2 WVa 2 help my aunt around the house...she's doing a lot of yard work & putting in steps, a fish pond, etc...while he was gone, the kiddos & i relaxed & enjoyed the beautiful day!

Gabby had a fall project 2 do 4 school...we hunted around our yard 4 fall objects 2gether...

these 2 crack me up - it's so sweet 2 see them laugh & giggle & chat like best friends!

then we played...u can see our new fire pit here - we still have 2 go hunting 4 river rock 2 put around it...but we can't wait 2 try it out! also in the far left side, u can see my future garden - it's only about 1/2 the size of what my parents had (my dad sowed grass on part of it 2 make it smaller 4 me), but it's still about 6 times bigger than our little raised bed!

& here's looking the other way...right now we only have the kiddos' small picnic table, but we have plans 2 get a big one too...& a big grill...& there's electricity wired down here - so we want 2 run lights up under the roof...we've got lots of plans 4 adding our own personal touches next spring

as we were playing in the sandbox, i decided 2 make a little improvement...i grabbed some scrap wood, Curt's drill & some screws & a saw...then i added little seats 2 the corner of the sandbox...just call me Handy Mama! ;0)

so now when the kiddos r playing, they don't have 2 get their butts all sandy & wet! ;0)

we moved 2 the grass & laid back 2 watch the clouds...it had been a while since i had done that & boy, i 4got how relaxing it is!

here's Gabby's fall collection that she's turning in 2day...i think she did a great job on it!

luckily, the kiddos didn't have school Friday or yesterday...Corinn ended up running a fever yesterday & daycare called 4 us 2 come pick her up...& of course, she didn't run a fever the rest of the day tho & woke up fine this morning! well, she does have a little cough...& both girls r stuffy...but we're praying they make it thru the day at school & that the sickies r finally gone from our house! it was a weird, less than 24 hr type bug - something i hear is going around...i just hope it's gone!

how was ur weekend?

Friday, October 9, 2009

Gabrielle's 1st grade field trip 2 Luray Zoo...

yesterday, i went with Gabrielle & her 1st grade class on a field trip 2 the Luray Zoo

the bus ride was a long & bumpy 1...& of course Gabby picked a seat in the back - the bumpiest in the house! ~lol~

these BFF's played lots of hand slap games & were just being plain sweet the whole trip up

the class lined up 4 a pic when we arrived

there were lots of animals 2 see...monkeys, a tiger, all kinds of birds, wallaby's...

lemurs (or King Julian 2 most of the kiddos - u'll know what i'm talking about if u've seen Madagascar), a porcupine, a bobcat & a lynx...

there's a petting zoo section with goats, donkeys, a camel, yaks, deer...u can buy pellets & totally overfeed all those animals ~lol~

inside is the reptile center...all kinds of snakes, lizards, turtles & frogs...even 2 gators & an alligator turtle that they guess is 190 years old (it's 190lbs!)

we went back outside 4 a small show & demonstration...1st we saw the difference between a baby rat snake & full grown 1...then they brought out an armadillo that was born in the zoo

fun fact that we learned - armadillos can hold off on having their babies if the time isn't right 4 them - for up to 5 years! they also always have 4 babies - & they're always the same sex...either 4 boys or 4 girls - always!

the kiddos had a blast on this trip...they really enjoyed checking out all the animals!

on the way home, Gabby immediately went 2 sleep on me...she was a little teary too - she wanted me 2 stay & have lunch with her once they got back 2 school, but i had 2 get 2 work...so i chucked it up 2 her being upset about that...but it turns out she was trying 2 get sick!

Curtis called after picking the kiddos up from after-school care, saying Gabby was complaining she didn't feel good...by the time i got home, she was asleep in bed & felt a little warm...i woke her up 4 dinner, but she wasn't interested at all...she slept on thru the rest of the night, then woke up at 4am vomiting...she still felt a little warm when i left her home with daddy this morn, but she was back sleeping again

Jaden also went 2 bed with a migraine last night & Corinn said she "didn't feel well"...but i'm hoping it's all totally unrelated (& that Corinn is just wanting some attention too) & that this isn't the beginning of some virus or the flu!

say a prayer 4 us...that the sickies run their course thru Gab quickly & that they're then gone from our house completely!

thx lovelies!!!
♥


*side note about the zoo:

2 b honest, i struggled with the whole visit...i totally appreciate that this is a rescue zoo & that these exotic animals were once abused or not taken care of - that they're giving them a better life...but it's really hard 4 me 2 see these animals in little 4x4' pens or being fed pellet after pellet as field trip crews come in & out...some have barely enough room 2 walk/turn around in their cage, let alone run & feel free like an animal should

i don't know, maybe i'm not seeing the whole situation...maybe there's tons of room in the back somewhere & they do make sure the animals get plenty of exercise...they seem like nice people that genuinely care 4 the animals...i just felt sad touring the place :0(

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