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Tuesday, December 23, 2008

hehe!!!

I could feel the baby hiccuping for the first time today!!! What a weird feeling and gets annoying after a while...hehe!! Love it!!!

Something that I have to share with others because it really hit home for me!!! We had our winter meeting this Sunday and we heard about experiences. It was said that we have to find peace IN each experience or in the midst of a storm rather than asking for the experience to pass. Neal and I have been in some storms lately, and we ALL have our own battles, and I always want them to pass but maybe if I found peace amidst the storm it would make the experience easier and it would pass quicker. Something else that I heard recently by someone else who moves around a lot...to try and teach your children and learn your self to find home no matter where you are. This is something else that I have been struggling with. It seems that by the time a place feels like home we have had to pack up again and move but I need to learn to find that peace of home no matter where I am and as long as my family is with me that's all that counts. Ok that's all the food for thought that I have for today : )

Monday, December 22, 2008

It's a fracture : (

Our baby has a fractured leg and has to wear a cast which he is going to have put on this afternoon : (

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Not funny but kinda...

So yesterday, like a good mama, first thing in the morning I give my baby his ibuprofen and wrap his foot up like the dr. recommended : ) Well all day long Conner was favoring the foot that was wrapped up so Neal and I were starting to think that he was faking this whole thing. Finally after supper Neal comes downstairs with Conner and asks me if I see anything weird?!?!? Right away I realize that I had wrapped up the wrong foot!!!! Not a very good mama after all!!! Sometimes I feel like there is no head on my shoulders at all!!!

Ummm yeah...the pictures below....that's the wrong foot all wrapped up!!!I probably should not even admit to doing this huh???

Friday, December 19, 2008

Quick update!!

Showing off his awie!!!
Lounging around on the futon eating snacks and watching Backyardigans!!!
After I wrapped his foot back up again this morning...he's getting used to it though!!!


We took Conner in this afternoon to get his foot checked. They did an x-ray but won't know the results till Monday. For now we are just giving him Ibuprofen and wrapped his foot up which he does not like at all. He has been SCREAMING since I wrapped it up even more so then when he actually hurt it. He's still not walking on it at all but has figured out that he can crawl!!! This was so cute...before we went to the dr. we were waiting for Neal to get dressed and Conner has this thing that whenever dad is getting dressed he has to get his shoes...well today was no different...he was in so much pain you could see but he limped over to get his shoes. The 3 steps he took with my help was the most walking he has done since Wed. morning. Poor kid really did have a bad dr. appointment today. We also did his 2 year check up today and he got shots and got his finger poked and then the x-rays which were not fun at all. I could not go in since I'm pregnant but Neal had to hold him completely still for the pictures and Conner did not like that at all...I was down the hall and I heard him screaming. Poor baby!!!!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Cookies and drama!!!

My morning started out so well. Conner slept in till after 8:00 and Sasha took a nap short after her mom dropped her off this morning. It was nice and quiet and I was able to get so much accomplished. Got the laundry finished dishwasher unloaded usual house chores all done well before Conner and Sasha woke up. Unfortunately things went sour once Conner got up...sweet as always he gives me a hug and kiss when he first gets up and then goes wild. Sasha was sitting on the bed and Conner was showing off for her. He was jumping off the bed...as he's jumping I'm telling him the 5 little monkey thing hoping that maybe he would actually listen but as usual he just ignored me. Well on one of his jumps he landed on his foot wrong and now he can't stand on it or put any weight on it so mama has to carry him everywhere. It's not swollen or even bruised and we can move the ankle and he can bend his leg so we will try and wait for a little bit and see how he does but if it does not get better we might have to take him in and see what the problem is. Poor kid...always getting hurt or sick. We sure have had much drama lately...I ended up in the emergency room on Sunday and today Conner hurt his foot : (

The girls and their kidos got here for our cookie exchange and play date around 9:30 but I felt like a terrible host because I was holding Conner the entire time...he would not let me put him down. He wanted to play so bad with the other kids but just could not walk : ( We had a nice time though chatting and watching the kids play!!! We had lots of yummy cookies too...I made chocolate covered cake balls, sugar cookies and another gross recipe that was definitely not worth all the effort. Then Kelsie brought chocolate chip cookies and Sara brought these yummy wreath cookies. We never did get to make the chocolate covered pretzel rods...maybe next time. Thanks girls...I think I have my sugar fix for a while now. At this rate I may be 100# heavier by the end of this pregnancy!!! Thanks Sara for picking up the Tylenol for me...made my morning a little easier!!!

I went to the library this afternoon after Neal got up and got a bunch of videos for Conner since he can't get around and play but he wont let me get up either I have to sit right next to him and watch them with him. I hope that he will be a little better tomorrow!!

Scratch that again!!!

There has been a change in our plans again...for the better we hope. Neal will no longer be starting at Sun Prairie in January. He will still be going to one of the Madison stores early next year but at this point we do not know which store or when. The plan as of right now is for him to come off the overnight schedule in January but stay at the Eau Claire Store. This is such a relief for us, it gives us just a little more time to sell the house and rent out the apartment. It's just what we needed time. Now lets hope that they do switch things all around again but that's just wishful thinking. They really do not give you much time to make plans or make a decision they give you an option and you either take it or leave it by the next day.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Blue eyed chocolate face!!!

Neal and Conner have both been enjoying mamas cookies...we were barely moved back to the house and all I could think about was baking and cooking...ohhh how I've missed having a functional kitchen, a stove that does not burn everything, burners that don't go out in the middle of boiling water, a faucet that does not spray water all over me every time I turn it on. Ahhh the Simple pleasures : )

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Conner and his crazy hair!!!

I think he was abour 4 months here!!
Take a look at that evil look he's giving me....he's 2 here!!!

At the Kalahari!!!

Last weekend we went to the Kalahari for Conners b-day....we had a blast!!! Conner is a little fish!!! Opening a present from Mommy and Daddy....he gets so excited...it's really cute!!!
He was so cold but just LOVED all the fun things that the Kalahari had to offer!!!
The next few pictures are actually at our hotel in Madison where we went before heading to the Kalahari to check out the are where Neal will be working. Conner is so brave in the water and LOVES jumping off the edge and going ALL the way under water. Good thing that daddy is so willing to catch him cuz I just freak out...it's scary.
More jumping!!!
My 2 cute guys!!!

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Moving Day!!!

We have started to move back to our house this week!!! Most of our things are already over there except for the big furniture!!! Neal is going on 48 hours without sleep now so he's really dragging his feet....I'm not sure how he does it. I cleaned the carpets in the bedrooms today and I have one more rug to do and one more bedroom then on to patching holes and touch up paint....fun...fun. I'm hoping to have the house ready for an open house this Sunday but I'm not sure if I can pull it off. Mike is coming up tomorrow...thank goodness...to help with the bigger things. What would we do without him...he has truly been a life saver through all of our moves. We owe him big!!! Neal might have to take him to at least one Bears game a year for the next few years and if he ever needs help moving we better change ALL our plans to help him out....haha. Thanks "Uncle Michael"

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Decision!!!

Neal accepted the position in Sun Prairie today and will begin there at the end of January!!!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Scratch that...kinda!!!!

Well Neal came home this morning with more difficult decisions for us to make!!! Like I said things could quickly change and they did. He was offered a position in Madison starting Middle to end of January!!! We have NO idea what to do....the move would be great for his career with almost a guarantee that within 18 month he would have his own store but we are not sure that it would be good for us as a family. The ONLY way that we could make this posible is if I stay here and he goes on his own as we can not afford to pay for 3 places unless by some miracle the house sells and the apartment rents out which is highly unlikely : ( It would be very difficult for me to be here all by myself with Conner and 9 months pregnant to add to it all. Too bad that this deal with our house did not go through we would now be home free....and so close to Rockford what a perfect opertunity. Unfortunatly if he tells them no (a decision which we have to make by Monday) and he takes a differant position at the Eau Claire store it would almost guarantee that we would be here for another 18 months!!!

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Discouraging news!!!

Well we found out yesterday that we may not be moving back to Rockford early next year after all. This makes me a little sad and frustrated. I was really looking forward to being closer to home and back to Illinois....Wisconsin has not been very good to us. Because of the economy being down Target is making some cut backs and some changes meaning that Neals promotion is being put on hold for the time being : ( We are still planing on putting the house up for sale and hoping it sells quickly and getting back into an apartment.

Happy b-day Conner!!!

Our baby is 2 today : ( He will always be our baby though!!! The 3 of us get to go to the Kalahari this weekend to celebrate the special occasion and we can't wait. Thanks for all the gifts everyone...Conner loves all his new toys!!!

We woke up to some white stuff on the ground today. We will see what Conner thinks of it...hopefully we can get out there and make a snowman and play a little this afternoon...Mama's excited!!!! Conner has his play mate back today!!! We have not had Sasha in well over a week and I think that they missed each other as they are playing so well together so far. Conner is even sharing his toys but I'm sure that wont last : ) I think Sasha is missing her mama a little but she's such a good little girl!!!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Clumsy ME!!!

Well I was hoping this would not start yet but it has...the clumsiness. It's terrible...I drop everything, trip over everything, spill everything. Yesterday when we got home I could not keep anything in my fingers I dropped the kitchen scissors and literally cut off the side of my big toe...at least it was me and not Conner. Then today I stubbed one of my toes and it's all swollen and blue and purple. I think I may be dangerous for the next few months!!! I have to say that I am enjoying this pregnancy SO much more, other than the usual discomforts and aches and pains of pregnancy I feel great. I was miserable with Conner!!! Not sure if anyone else has these but I had them with Conner as well...delivery nightmares!!! It was actually quite funny in a strange sort of way!!!

Our Thanksgiving festivities!!!

Grandma Jenny with Mallory!!!
Mallory smiling away!!!
Papa Rick and Tommy!!!
Ok so because our son is a brat and will not sit still for a picture with ANYONE this is how we were able to get all 3 of them in one frame!!! Angie is hiding holding Tommy up!!!
Grandma with her babies!!!
Cute Mallory chowing on some licorice!!!
Snack time!!!
Adorable Tommy...he's too cute!!!
Mallory pushing her stroller around the house!!!
Our CRAZY kid jumping off the couch and a VERY tired daddy in the background!!!
The table!!!
The cook : )
Carving the bird!!!
Not sure what they were looking for!!!

The guys getting some first tastes!!!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Score....

Neal is making chicken tacos for supper....I don't have to cook....score!!! As much as I am NOT looking forward to moving and paying for two places again it will be SO nice to have a kitchen you can cook in.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

So little!!!

Conner 1 week old with a very proud daddy!!!

I was trying to pack a few things for the hospital this past week...yeah I know I'm weard but I like to be prepared. Well I'm having a hard time believing that Conner was ever as small as some of the tiny things that I packed up....SO incredibly small. What hapened to my baby and how did he get so big so fast : ( He will be 2 in 2 weeks!!!

Fun Friday mornings!!!

Friday mornings Conner and I join a few moms and their children at the Sports Center where the kidos can run wild and have tons of fun. Conner loves going and I enjoy a little adult conversation which I do not get too much at all...well Friday mornings is basically it for me right now. Neal has totally switched to the opposite schedule of me so he sleeps when I am up even on his days off and then he gets up and does homework or tries to get some down time which usually means him sitting in front of the computer and if you know Neal he can only concentrate on one thing at a time...he's very focused. I'm definitely ready for him to be done with all this or I might just go nuts myself. I'm on a countdown...less then 4 months left now : )























An up side....

He's had a cold for the last few days and thinks it's so fun to get his buggers suctioned out!!! So maybe him sticking things up his nose has an up side!!!
He's smiling although he looks miserable...poor kid!!!

Thursday, November 13, 2008

ooohhhh pretty!!!

I have managed to kill all but 2 of my plants in the course of the last year and a half...with all the moving and working on houses and traveling they got neglected. I did save my hibiscus tree...kinda. I took it out too early this spring and we had a frost and ALL the leaves fell off so it was just this stick standing outside but it came back this summer and I did get a nice surprise last week...one bloom.

Picking up bad habits!!!


Conner has started to suck his thumb...ugghhh. He does not do it often but he does it and I'm not looking forward to breaking that habit : ( His other new thing is sticking little objects up his nose and sometimes both his fingers...still trying to get a picture of that one!!!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Can't sleep!!!!

SOOOOOO I was incredibly tired all day long today and I could barely keep my eyes open, now it's after midnight and I can't seem to be able to settle down. Every time I lay my head down thoughts keep haunting me and keeping me awake.

It's so hard to believe that Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away. I have to say that this is our favorite holiday and we are looking forward to it very much. This will be the first year in a long time that we will be able to really enjoy it since Neal will be off from Monday till Friday night. I believe he said that this might be the last year that Target will be closed Thanksgiving day so in the future he will probably be working.

I will not have Sasha this week so my plan is to start packing and getting things ready for yet another move : ( Not looking forward to it at all but it sure will be nice to have a kitchen table again and a microwave and most of all my own washer and dryer. We will be listing the house for sale as soon as our renters move out. We are not in a huge hurry to sell it since we will not know anything about a move till February or March and if Neal has to go to a new store before the house sells then I would probably stay in Eau Claire alone with Conner and with the baby if the baby is here. Might be kinda hard but we might not have to do it either. Neal was planing on taking a month off work when the baby arrives and he still might be doing that especially if he is in between stores. He will also be going up for interviews in January...we will be quite busy for the next few months.

It sure has been cold the last few days and looks like we will be getting some snow here. I guess we have been a bit spoiled with the nice mild temperatures but it's really starting to feel like November now. I am looking forward to the 1rst real snow...I'm hoping that Conner and I can have some fun this year....get all bundled up and go outside sledding or to make a snowman then come indoors for some hot chocolate. I need to find my snow boots : ) I just wish that winter was much shorter...if it could last for only a week or two and then go back to being warm!!!! That would be nice!!!!

Yay my baby boy just tippie-toed in and climbed in and snuggled up next to me...maybe I will be able to fall asleep now : )

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Fun at the park!!!

Little trail leading out to the Eau Claire river shore!!!
Sitting on a big hand!!! Plump....throwing rocks into the river!!!
Watching the ducks close by swimming in the river!!!
His hair is all sticking up from the static!!!

Hmmmmm...what is he getting into now???
Weeeeee.....
Nope I'm not letting go of that ball you will have to pry it out of my hands : )

Really MOM the park...we can go to the park. We used to go EVERY day at least for a little bit but not so much anymore we do not have one close by the apartments and by the time we move it will probably be too cold for the park : (