Update for June so far

June has been very busy so far. We have started the library program again this year in Knoxville. This year we are taking two or three friends of Grace's with us. Reagan(4) and Colin(2) Cox and Ben(5) Wood. Ben went to school with Grace this past year. All three boys are cousins. Reagan and Ben compete for Grace's attention and I think Grace loves that fact. They ran me ragged on Wednesday when I took all four kids to the library, McDonald's and then to the park to eat and play. At the park we ran into a friend of mine with her two boys and her sister's twin boys and daughter. So I ended up being the "monster" and had to chase all 9 children around the castle like playground equipment.

The past weekend brought Brooks, Grace and I going to Saylorville to camp. My Aunt Dorothy and Uncle Don are park attendants there. We had my cousin Jody's daughter Kendall, who is Grace's age, come camp with us. The two girls cracked us up with their talks, playing, and general goofiness! Kendall wanted to move in with us, but Jody told her she would miss her. I can't wait for the girls to get together again.

I still don't have a camera. I am working on that. I hopefully will get a new one or get this one fixed. Who knows? I will try to update more often, it just stinks not having pictures to go with it!

Fire Hydrant Fun

Grace has awesome Grandpas. Her Papa Wade is a city worker and yesterday he flushed the fire hydrants. It did warm up a little so we followed him around and she got to play in the water a little bit. She had so much fun.

p.s. sorry about the pics being so small but my camera is broke so I am using my cell phone.

Go Cyclones ???

Grandpa Jack and Grandma Linda took Grace to the Cyclone Spring game. Brooks and I do not approve but what can you do? Just kidding. She had so much fun and is very excited about going back. Don't worry Hawk fans we are going to take her to her first Hawkeye game this fall!

Hehehe...a little fix up to this picture done by me!!!

Easter...Saturday and Sunday

We had Easter for my family on Saturday at my house. I made a really awesome pork loin and potatoes to go along with some salads and other stuff. Steve, Jennifer, Haley, Raina, Derek, Jack and Linda were there to enjoy the day.
Grace and Raina having a little snack

My mom hiding an egg :)

Grace hunting

Raina finding the first one!

We even made Derek hunt for eggs too!

Haley & Raina

Aunt Jen and Uncle Steve bought the girls these chocolate eggs with candy inside!

On Sunday Brooks, Grace and I went to early services and breakfast at church. After an early morning nap we headed over to Grandma Martha's for dinner and another egg hunt.

Grace stashing her find at Grandma Martha's

Grace, Lexie and I headed over to our cousin Beth Ann's for Easter Dessert later in the afternoon Sunday. It was so much fun to see everyone. The kids had a great time finding all the eggs and getting to play with each other. Grace told me on the way home her favorite part of her day was "Going to Beth's Lake!!!" Beth has a small pond in her front "yard" that she took all the kids to.

Sutton and Grace chillin in the chair

Riley, Jody, Kendall, Beth Ann, Grace, Eddie, Sutton, and Courtney getting ready to find some eggs!

Grace, Sutton and Kendall...man we make some cute kids!!!

BR: Riley, Sutton, Blake

MR: Kendall, Grace, Lexie, Emily

BR: Mackenzie, Lindsay, Sutton

MaKenna Reann

My cousin Tanner is a proud new daddy to Makeen Reann born April 6th. Grace got a chance to meet her, and she thinks the baby is very pretty and neat. Welcome to our family MaKenna!

Fishing with Dad and Grandpa

Grace and I went out to Roberts Creek to catch up with Papa Jack and Dad to go fishing. It was a little cold but not too bad. We didn't catch fish even though Grace said "Come on bobber catch a fish!" She of course had a good time and even got to drive the boat all by herself.

(click on the pictures to get a closer view)

April Fool's!!!

I don't usually participate in April Fool's Day. However I decided to take part this year. I started out by posting on Facebook that I was moving. It was sort of nice to see how many people were concerned about that.

After reading Jaime's "chocolate covered cotton balls" story I got my own idea. I decided to do the cotton balls and add something of my own...GREEN OLIVES!!! My first victim was my husband, I gave him a long story about how the mini marshmallows I had used swelled up in the hot chocolate. He took one and then Grace did too even though she had watched me dip the cotton balls. He gave me a classic face and a not so nice response. My next unsuspecting victim was my nephew Ashley. Poor guy was just here to do his job, he is a Schwan's man. I asked him if he liked chocolate covered peanuts and of course he loves them. His reaction was the funniest thing I have seen and heard in a looooong time. I love you Ashley!!! My next victims were the poor kids and two adults at Impact Youth Group. Some of their reactions were excellent. I had a lot of fun and no one was hurt.

Leave me a comment about your best April Fool's Day prank, either played on you or one you pulled on someone else. I will drop your name in a hat and send you a prize relating to all the fun we had.

Preschool Concert

Tonight we went to watch Grace sing at her Preschool Spring Concert. This was so much fun to see all the kids and listen to all the songs they know. Grace had a large group of admirers, she is so lucky to have so many people who care about her! Grandma Martha came and Grace saw her and yelled out "Hi Grandma Martha!" as Grandma was walking in to take her seat. Grace also yelled hello to everyone in our row that she knew. Grandpa Jack, Grandma Linda, Derek, Haley, Grandma Diana, Grandpa Wade, Grandma Martha, Raina, Uncle Dylan, Daddy and Mommy, were all there to watch her and her friends sing. It was great hearing all the songs and they even did an ABC Rock song that had sign language to go along with it. All the kids did very well, and we are so very proud of you Grace Marie!!!

FR:Owen & Jasmine

SR:Kasyn & Grace

BR:Sawyer, Aleea & Emma

Owen(cousin) he is not happy to be here and Grace

I like this one because Kasyn and Owen look so sad and Grace looks so happy?!?

Lexi, Grace and Jasmine...these three are going to be T.R.O.U.B.L.E

And last but not least this is the infamous "boyfriend" Jeremiah. They are good buddies and sadly Grace is not happy about school next year already because Jeremiah is one year older and will be attending Kindergarten :(

Friday Madness!!!

It started out as a lazy easy going day. Brooks and I were cleaning house and Grace was messing it back up. Then I got one call that asked "can you pick up my son from school and take him home for me?" Sure why not. I took him home and picked his sister up, Tori, who goes to school with Grace. She came over and they had a great time doing the usual dress up stuff. We took her back to her house and arrived back to our house to MAYHEM!!!

Haley had arrived with her boyfriend's twin daughters. Patience is the one who has a Drama Queen attitude, she also gets very mad very easily that it is almost funny. Raina is a little but not mush more calm. Raina and I bonded some what more than Patience. She loved on me all night! Grace was a little jealous of the two calling Haley "Mommy" and kept correcting them that her name was Haley. She was also very very lovey with Haley all weekend. We had a total mess in about ten minutes, toys toys everywhere. They sang, danced, dressed up, played dollhouse and partied like it was 1999. They took a bath together which the twins did not like at all and then got popcorn and a movie. The girls did not go to bed until 11:30 or later so it was a long night for everyone! The next morning the girls were treated to Uncle Brooks' famous biscuits and gravy which we all gobbled up!

We love the girls and can not wait for them to come back!

Grace decided at some point to be Spider Man!!! She looks very tough!

Lexie dropped by and joined in the fun of dressing up! She is so beautiful!

Grace, and the twins Patience and Raina

Raina, Grace and Patience enjoying their evening snack

Tyler's Birthday

Well if any of you have talked with Grace in the last month you would know that this weekend we went down to Kansas City area for Tyler's birthday! He turned two on the 18th and his party was Sunday. The theme was "Thomas the Train". Brooks, Grace and I headed down on Saturday, stayed the night with my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Tony. Tony's mom Linda, Step-dad Jim, Nancy's son Dusty, his girlfriend Bizzy and their daughter Lilly all stayed too. We had a lot of fun playing bags and Trivial Pursuit. My team lost both games :( Sunday at the party we were joined by tons of my cousin Kati's in-laws to celebrate Tyler's special day. The kids all had a lot of fun playing and it was good to see everyone again. One of the biggest highlights of the day was when Grandpa/Uncle Tony brought his semi truck and took all the kids for a ride around the block. Way to go Tony!!! Tyler received lots of nice things with the Jeep PowerWheels being one of the favorites of all the kids.
What you don't see in this picture is the only guy who is working and that would be Dusty!
Grace and Lilly, loving up each other
Pretty Lilly

Ok we have a One Year Old, a Two Year Old and a Three Year Old...this is about as good as it gets!!!

Grace trying to love up Tyler

The Jeep from Grandma Nancy and Grandpa Tony

Thomas the Train cake (notice the little Tyler print at the bottom)

Grace driving the Semi Truck

Tyler driving the Semi Truck

Saturday

These are all the cookies that the Youth Group IMPACT and others made. We are raising money to buy t-shirts for the kids, tickets to Christian concerts, sporting events, and of course to go to Adventureland. We made over $500.00 between this and some pop cans we turned in. It was a really great success! Thank you to all who made stuff, came and bought and to the people who just donated money!!!

Saturday night we headed out to my Mom and Dad's house to have "Saturday Night Hamburgers"!!! Mom and Dad made really good hamburgers and we had a lot of fun. Steven brought his Wii out and we played this for a bit. After he left the rest of us played a dice game called "Left, Center, Right". This game cost me $3 and it is soooo fun!!!

Steven

Grandma Linda/Mom and Grace snuggling

Grandpa Jack/Dad

This is soooo funny!!! This is the Mii that Steven made for my dad!!!