The party is over....

Ian starts school on Wednesday....I can't believe it! I know I have written about this before, but this is going to be hard. I know..I know...you are thinking she will be fine without him all day...yea...I know that...ok. I mean it is going to be hard getting up in the morning, going to bed at an actual bedtime, not watching American Idol together, Dancing with the Stars, and just so many other things that SCHOOL takes away from us. Seriously, I am stressed about having to be somewhere on time...at least his school doesn't start until 9:00 a.m. and it is only 5 minutes away. I am not a morning person, but I guess I will become one. It is really true that I need at least 9 to 10 hours of sleep....I guess I will start taking naps....that is until the baby arrives. I am hoping for a sleeper all night and up early....since I will be up anyway.
I have been trying to guess whether it is a boy or girl....I have a feeling it is a boy, but I feel totally different this time. It could be that I am a little older this time around also....and a little wiser I might add....
Jeff is gone for 2 weeks!!! I have the alarm set in the house and am getting ready to go to bed. I really don't think Jeff would hear anyone if they did break in and he was here, but something about being alone....I don't like it. I rehearse every scary movie in my head...and just want to fall asleep, but than Freddie might pop up in my dreams...I can't win. He will return on Sept 13th...
Holli and Andy invited me for dinner tonight. We had a nice time with another family that is just moving here...forgot there names already...sorry. Well, it is off to bed for me....workout with Shal in the a.m. and than a visit to Ian's school to fill out any last minute paper work.

Getting ready for school....

We tried on the uniforms and he is ready to go...I think. He hates the whole uniform thing...I don't blame him, but he likes to pick out his own clothes...which is becoming a problem. He gets his haircut today and he will be good to go.
We are in the process of cleaning out his room...all toys and books not in use anymore. We are moving them to the garage. I have been enjoying it so much...thus would be why it has taken me 3 days thus far. Ian has about 300 books...we are moving about 200 to the garage. I realized we have read all 200 we are moving....I now know why I haven't read much in the last 4 years. I couldn't believe how much he remembered from each book...yes we have been going through them.
That is about it for this house. We are going out to dinner tonight for Italian...I have been thinking about pasta all day!! My only real cravings are for apples, bananas, plums, oranges, and green fried tomatoes!!! If you haven't tried those...they are great!! I just can't get them here.

It is that time again....

I can't believe my little baby starts school in one week!!! It just seems like yesterday I took him home from the hospital. Time has flown by so quickly...it won't be long until I am taking him to get his license and than off to college a few years later. It goes by so fast...all those little sayings...I am so glad I have video and a camera. Ian has been such a true blessing to all of us...he is really amazing. Just yesterday he asked me to distinguish between two different types of juice....I don't know where he gets all this from. He is a thinker alright...he loves to tell me that I am not the boss...God is the boss and we should go to him.

I could go on and on about Ian all day...but I don't have all day. I did wonder what I was going to do when Ian went back to school...he is my little sidekick...who will I shop with..do puzzles with...read books to...etc. I will have about 7 months of freedom...yes...that is right...7 months.

Baby Saad will be arriving in the Spring of 2009...I don't know that date yet...I have my first appt. today. Ian is soooo excited!!! Jeff and I are thrilled also...we already love this baby so much...we had planned on keeping it to ourselves for awhile, but decided just to let everyone in on our GREAT NEWS!!!

I will let you know more about this after my first midwife appt....today. I will just be making it under the wire of being 40!!!

The unanswered questions....the grandparents...yes, they are sooo excitied...our entire family is so excited!!! I am taking any ideas for baby names....I am again not telling the name until the birth...I may not find out the sex this time either....we haven't decided yet....I do think it is a boy...and I couldn't be more thrilled...Jeff and I being in our late 50's raising a teenage girl would surely put us over the edge....especially if she is anything like me!!!

Our cruise....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

We had a great time on our trip!!

On our way home....

We are headed back to Venice today. We are ready to be home!! Yesterday we spent the day at the beach in Greece. It was MUCH better than the day before. Ian had a great time swimming in the ocean..there was a shark net...and in the pool. He suprised up by doing a front flip into the pool...this kid only learned to swim 3 months ago. He is doing great!! The swim teacher said he was a natural and I am now starting to believe it wasn't the 50 bucks and hour that made him say that to me. Ian loves the water and it almost too adventurous for us now. I have recovered from my near death experience...I least I felt like it was...ok. We are spending the day in Venice and heading home on Sunday. Here a few more photos from the trip...Ian says he will miss the sausage...the american kind...not the nasty English kind...I will miss not cooking and cleaning up and Jeff will miss nothing...his life will still be the same off and on the ship. It has been fun, but I just like the great ole' USA the best...give me Florida or Hawaii and I am good to go. We will call you on Sunday mom and dad...Ian has a surprise for you!!! Can you guess...no you can't so don't even try!!! Ok...he built a boat out of wood with his dad..he is VERY proud of this creation...so act really shocked!!!

Don't climb a volcano....

Today we climbed a volcano in Greece....skip it!! It was so hot and rocky!! I know what did I expect, but I hated it. Ian loved it!! He kept talking about what Cat machines were needed to work in the area. Jeff was no saying anything...lack of sleep. After the exhausting volcano climb we went to swim in the hot springs of the volcano. A boat took us out in the ocean and got about one quarter mile from the springs and shore. I did get Ian a life jacket and we were ready to get in...than Jeff forgot his googles so he goes back to get them...leaving Ian and I to get in the water. We climb down the ladder and into the ocean...Ian gets scared...really scared...he is clawing at me all the while I am in 30 foot water after climbing a volcano. I thought he was going to drown me...I felt horrible but I had to push him away and start swimming..he was so upset about the sharks...that right!! Jeff is nowhere to be found and I am about to drown in the ocean...I finally just grabbed his lifejacket from behind and started swimming to shore...all the while he was crying.
We finally located Jeff and I explained the situation about swimming back to the boat..he was going to take over this time. Needless to say, Jeff did better, but it was still a struggle. Ian freaked when we would get into the blue water with all the fish and sea creatures next to us....why did I let him watch Jaws??? Don't say that I should have hung on to his life jacket...I tried it didn't work...he was too upset to wouldn't stay still...I have the marks on my arm to prove it...bad idea from me!! We got back took showers and slept 4 hours!!!
Here are some photos from the past few days....

Don't climb a volcano....

Still no pictures....

I haven't made it in to transfer the pictures...I will tonight. We cruised all day yesterday and today we went to Turkey. We saw so many beautiful sights...lots of cool pictures. Ian was loving it...until...he had to pee!! How do you find a place to pee where Paul preached ....go behind a rock and how you don't get arrested. Jeff gave us a plastic bottle...he barely hits the toliet...wasn't going to work in a bottle. He went nobody saw and we moved on.
I did get sad because of all the animals...dogs and cats...everywhere. They didn't pay any attention to us, but they were skinny and dirty. I wanted to take each one home and give it a bath, but I knew that wouldn't work on the ship.
We went to a carpet store....I found one!!! It was beautiful...you notice I say was...it was a mere £3000.00 pounds or 6000.00 us dollars. It would have looked great under my marble coffee table. Jeff said ok...but...didn't I think that was a little overboard...people are starving and I want a rug for a living room we are never in at our house...ok....point taken...he said he would rather give the money to someone in need to to live in such a way...who does he think he is??? Anyway, at that point how do I buy the rug...I don't!!
That is about it for now. I will try to post those pictures later. We are having a great time!!

We are having a great time.....

I will post pictures later today or tomorrow morning because I forgot the thing to transfer photos and I have to get them put on a CD in order to get them on the computer...that is the only thing I forgot. Anyway, I thought I would post so that you could know we are alive mom and dad.

Venice takes over as my new favorite spot on Earth. The weather was great and we had a wonderful time. Our hotel was super!! We still have on day left there when the cruise is over so I can't wait to do some more shopping.
Ian and Jeff resting in the room and I came out to use the computer in the library area...peace and quite.
Ian went to the Kids Club today and I think he had a good time because he can't wait to go back, but he won't tell me one thing about it. He refuses to answer any questions...keeps telling me not to worry about it ...he had fun....NO DETAILS. Yes, he is my son....he is just like myself and you Amanda!!!
We stopped in Crotia today...it is so pretty. We did some sightseeing and shopping. It started off a little funny because we actually missed our trip...that I prepaid for because I couldn't understand the lady and Jeff didn't hear her. We just laughed it off and went on our own. We ended up having a great time and got around just fine. I will post photos later.....we took some neat pictures.
Well, I better go and see what those two are doing in the room...I also need to buy Jeff a necklace to keep his card on...he has misplaced this thing about 50 times...wll maybe only 5 but still...I can't take it anymore.
Grandpa Eddie....you will be glad to know that Ian has stuffed himself on icecream every hour on the hour. I am hoping that Jeff doesn't have a break down from watching all this...but hey...it vacation!!!

I know I should be packing....

I know I should be packing, but I just had to blog this so that I could remember it. Ian and I were talking about school and school lunches. He will get to take his lunch everyday. We were discussing what he could bring for his lunch each day....

My thoughts...peanut butter and jelly sandwich, apple, carrots, and a cookie or fruit snacks.

His thoughts...steak..cooked rare, squid with tomato sauce on top, grilled chicken on a wrap with greek yogurt, rice and some indian food..that would be his main courses on different days. His last request for dessert was ice cream from Paris or a pastry from Rome.

I think he will need to adjust his standards on packed lunches...

We leave today....

We leave for our cruise tonight....I just cannot get myself to get ready. I haven't packed yet...still need to get a few items at the store...etc. This is so unlike me. I am LAZY!! I am going to get packing now, go to the store, empty fridge, take out trash, and be ready to go by 6:00 p.m.!! I will also call you mom to give you the details of the trip....I better get moving!!!

Karen and Carole come to England...

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Karen and Carole came to visit us. We had a great time. We are getting ready to go on our cruise. We are leaving tomorrow and return on the 24th. I will post lots and lots of photos when I get home....gotta go pack.....

Summer fun....

We have only been back a 1 1/2 weeks and we have been having a great time. The weather has been amazing!!! It is HOT AND SUNNY...I love it. It does tend to get a little warm in the house, but I can take it rather than have it cold and rainy.

We have been keeping very busy with the other ISE families. We have been to the Burghley House Water Garden 2 times this week. Ian has had a lot of fun playing with Drake, Gwen, Brett, Kendall, Kameron, Brittany, and Sophie. The kids really enjoy each other and everyone gets along so well....it is sometimes relaxing....sometimes not for us moms.

My mother in law and sister in law will be arriving on Sunday for 8 days. Ian is so excited for them to get here.