I can't load my photos...

I have so many photos to post...but I can't get my new computer to take them...JEFF claims he is going to help me today!! Ian is about to lose his upper front tooth..he is really upset...wondering if he is going to look like all the other kids...with those big teeth in the front...and one grows in by all by itself while the other one waits to grow in...yea...you are going to look like that Ian.
While Ian is loosing teeth...Jade is getting teeth! She has one the bottom. She won't let me look at it or anything else related to her mouth so I can't tell with the rest.
She STOOD UP ON HER OWN YESTERDAY AND TOOK A COUPLE OF STEPS!!! She was able to balance herself long enough not to fall...why...why...why???? Why do my kids walk so early??? I wanted a baby that wouldn't even want to walk until about 14 months!! She is only 8 1/2 months!!! We are off tonight for a "date night" enjoying some sushi, but we will also be stopping to get an indoor playyard for Miss Jade!!

Happy Birthday Amanda....18 years old!!!

I am in total disbelief....as I was putting Jade down tonight, I just can't believe Amanda is 18 today. We had a party for her and she got lots of cool stuff...yep...we got her the Northface coat she has been wanting...Ian kept telling her it was a blanket...pretty smart on his part. Anyway, it just seems like yesterday that she was born...I can't believe it!
I still remember what I was wearing when I held her for the first time...and my hair...too bad I still don't have that getup...it works today...oops...I can't fit in it anymore!
It makes me realize all the more how quickly times goes by...Jade will be 18 in the blink of an eye...I just hope she sleeps all night by that time...if she doesn't she will get kicked out...hey she will be 18!! Seriously...it made me want to stop time and just hold on to this moment...I don't want anything to change...it is all to good!!
Amanda is and always has been very special to me...she used to spend every weekend with me, go on all my first dates, and she was just my all around sidekick for many years...she is great! We prayed tonight that her heart would always stay with the Lord and that she would bring others to know him and accept him. We thanked him for her talents and gifts that she has been blessed with in this life. Happy Birthday Princess...it just seems like yesterday you were born and now you are a wonderful women that I couldn't be more proud of in a lifetime!!
(she has now moved on to be called..."Queen"...Jade is now the Princess)

Goodbye Sweet Dutchess.....

When does life slow down?? Does it ever?? I thought I would have so much time with Ian in school and seriously my calendar is so full...poor Jade she rarely has a day at home with just me. She is growing so fast...she is starting to crawl...ugh! I think she will be walking by next week...she is pulling up in her crib and on our coffee table...only to be taken down again and again by her mother! She is so much fun and has added so much to this family...but let me tell you...she wears me out...I think that is it...but maybe it is that I am up by 6:00 everymorning on don't sit down again until at least 9:00 p.m.
Ian is loving school and we are so happy. He has so many fun friends!! He is really enjoying his school and learning so much about not only school subjects ,but the Bible. We are amazing how much he knows already...those little brains just take in the info!! He is starting his Spanish again in January, he is starting basketball in January, and he is going to take piano lessons. I am making him do the bb thing...he wants to only do golf and tennis, but he can start that in the Spring.
I posted a photo of Amanda and Dutchess...their dog. She passed away this past week. She died naturally at my moms house right before the Bradley game...she had been sick for awhile...I had the pleasure of covering her up and wrapped her in bags to take to the funeral home...yep...the funeral home. You don't have to take them to the vet anymore the funeral home will take care of things...my mom now has her ashes at her house. I didn't want to be the one to tell my sister/Amanda, but of course I am sobbing and Amanda calls me..I am thinking she is calling about the dog...she isn't. She gets all upset wondering why I am crying and can't talk...oh..the drama around here. Anyway..Dutch is gone and she passed peacefully at the age of 12.
Amanda has picked her college!!! I can't say it yet until she verbally commits which I think she will do this weekend. Jeff is out of town and will be back tomorrow...that is it here...nothing...I got nothing...more.

Make my day....or just scare me to death...

Jeff is home again!! He has been out of town since Monday afternoon...we knew he would be traveling alot with his new job, but he loves his job so it is well worth the travel...to prepare for this we got an alarm system at the house...the place is rigged like the US Mint...it has alarms all over the place...to many for me. Anyway, to make a long story short he goes...

Jeff leaves town
I watch the news after kids are tucked into bed
I hear about 2 escaped convicts...not like shoplifters...I am talking rapists..real sickos....so too speak
I get it in my head they are coming to MY house...I check all doors again and recheck alarm...
I think about bringing Beau inside but with all the rain his paws were muddy and it was late..
I go to bed only to be awakened by...YEP..the ALARM!!! It is 4:30 a.m. and those two men have made it into my house!! I jump up and get Ian...Jade is already with me...I slam the door..lock it...get the GUN...and I am ready to shot who ever comes through that door...the alarm is still telling me FAULT...FAULT...meaning someone has opened a door.
I am standing there waiting and I glance back at these two little faces looking me...with huge eyes!!
I then remember...call 911...I go to the phone and it rings...it is the alarm company...I answer and tell them my husband is gone....someone is in the house...they then tell me...ok...stop...it is your pump in the basement...your basement is flooding....a wave of RELIEF...I don't have to kill someone tonight....whew!
I head for the basement expecting the worse...it was fine..the pump was broken and needed to be started manually...
I thanked them...reset my alarm...and went back the bedroom...Ian and Jade were fasted asleep. I put the gun away..craweled under the covers and stayed away the rest of the night/morning.....Ian woke up and asked about the gun.. if I killed anyone...no not today....I answered back.
Thank goodness for the alarm system...I am getting a keypad put up in my room so I can see all the faults and were they take place...the chances of that happening again are so slim...we got a new pump put in by the way...and both of those guys are back behind bars...lucky for them they didn't come here...it could have gotten ugly!!!

Jade turns 6 months....

Jade...Jade...Jade..

We can't believe that she has only been with us for 6 months...not counting tummy time. She is full of life and smiles!! She wakes up with a huge smile EVERY morning...I think this has made getting Ian ready for school and out of the house by 7:35 a.m. much easier for me. She loves to be in the Baby Bjorn and watch people...she is always looking at people and studying them. She is quick...she grabs everything...I have to keep a close eye on her. She LOVES Ian...everytime she looks at him she laughs....her laugh is great! She also wears 12 month pants because of her length...she has to have the waist taken in on her pants, but 6 month pants are capri pants on her!!
She is loud!! She babbles often and it is loud..some think she is upset..no...she just likes to talk loud..she loves to stand up...I don't know if she will crawl. Ian bybassed the whole crawling thing and was walking at 9-10 months...I am thinking she will do the same...I hope not...but she has a mind of her own.
She has only been here for a short time ,but she has brought so much life/joy to this family...she is such a blessing!!!
HAPPY 6 MONTHS JADE!!!!
Oh, yea...and she is so darn cute...I forgot to add that....

A relaxing day at the lake...this past weekend we had my nephew Grant for the day...Jeff thought it would be fun to take the boys out to the lake for some fishing and looking around for deer...I thought it would be fun to ride along and enjoy the peace...Jade was at my parents house...I was so wrong

Jeff and the boys had other ideas...I was trying to enjoy the view...peaceful lake..etc..but Jeff had a supply of M80's and was blowing up everything in site...pumpkins, empty formula containers,etc. The boys loved it...I did get to see some deer run out of the woods because they were scared....we saved them for the hunters that day. Ian loves it here and claims he will build a house out here and just fish and hunt when he gets older....we dropped the bomb...you need to ask Jade...what...Jade...yea...it is hers also...no problem...they will just live together...

Homecoming week at Metmora....

This has been such a busy week..in fact...I am out the door in 20 minutes to do lunch duty at Ian's school...and than off to the parade..hope the rain STOPS.

Grandpa and the grand kids playing and watching Amanda run cross country...

Amanda after 3 miles stops by to give hugs to her cousins...she looks fine...but next time we will take before running..she was sweating...I mean "glowing"

Just seems like yesterday she was the freshmen attendant and now she is the senior attendant...how time just zips by us so quickly...

This is not her date for homecoming..they had the crowning ceremony last night...this is the same guy that she was with when they were freshman attendants..I need to dig that photo out and look at the changes in both of them...

The dance was getting ready to begin...I had to show these "kids" how was done back in the day...yep...I had to pull out a few moves...luckily I had just showered and put my ointment on so all the joints were loose..just kidding...I actually just went home after this..freshman year I stayed and danced the night away..I knew my night was only beginning...sweet Jade was waiting at home for me to dance the night away in her room. Amanda did assure me that she will be at all of Jade's events..you know because she will be 34 years old when Jade is 17!!!!! Amanda didn't get queen of the dance, but she got runner up. It was weird not seeing her "win" like always, but it was a good weird if that makes sense...the girl that won is a really sweet girl so it couldn't have worked out better and I had already told myself if Amanda didn't win I would give her the North Face jacket I got her for Christmas early as a runner up prize...it all works out...because I couldn't have kept that jacket until Christmas!!!

A close call...show and tell too much...

I will get to the close call thing at later in the blog.

Here are a few photos of Ian and Jade this week..they were getting ready to go to school...Jade only for the ride...it was only 7:15 a.m!! Yep...both dressed and I was also..in fact, a neighbor stopped and asked how does a stay at home mom with 2 kids look so good in the morning...you know makeup and dressed for the day at 7:00 a.m....is there any other way to look?? She must remember when I was a sleepaholic...you know 6 hours or more.


Ian grew his own pumpkins this summer...he planted, watered, and watched them all summer long...only one day he was being lazy and Beau(our Swiss Mountain Dog) got into the pumpkins...yep...a Swiss Mountain Dog can fit a BIG pumpkin in his mouth and run around the yard...we should have know because he likes to carry not 1..not 2..not 3...but 4 tennis balls in his mouth.

This is Jade just hanging out in her crib...she likes to play and sing to herself..and poop in her pants while in there..I got a nice surprise after I took this photo..she is happy with poopypants.

Lastly...tomorrow is show and tell at school. Ian has been thinking..thinking...thinking on what to bring and tell about...he wanted it to be something everyone would like to see, hear, and remember...oh my...that goodness he changed his mind..well...I knew I should have been worried when he told me he had decided aganist this..I wouldn't have let it occur..but this was his plan..(Poor Jeff..does he have any secrets??...No) here goes...

Ian wanted to take a pair of his dads underwear to school(clean) and tell about the time he dad was violently ill with food poisoning and he crapped his pants..not only did he do that he also threw his underwear in the yard because he was too sick to wrap them up in a plastic bag for the garbage and I was asleep...it was the middle of the night..I was tending to Jeff the following morning and I looked out the window at the fresh winter snow only to see our 2 German Shephards walking around this ?? I didn't know what it was..until Jeff told me..I went outside put them in a bag and tossed them...Ian loves us to tell and retell the story...Jeff not so much..I had food poisoning on one of our first dates so I can't really make that much fun of him...my story is worse...but I will NEVER tell...there it is..Ian's first show and tell story that never happened..he is taking some bugs instead...I asked him tonight why that would be so great and why take the underwear...he told me...I just don't understand good stories...OK.

Jade...

No photos this time...just wanted to let those that have been emailing me that Jade is doing great on this new formula...our wallets hurts, but her tummy is better..much better!!
Everyone always asks me about her...she just turned 5 months yesterday and she is amazing...she is so FUN!! Yea..I haven't slept in months...5 to be exact, but I can't take how cute she is or how much she loves to smile. How do you get mad when someone is crying at 12:00 am, 2:00 am, 3:38 am and 5:37am...you can't when all she does is look up and give you that gummy smile.
She really can work a room...I need to post photos of her at cross country meets...she screams and moves her arms and legs wildly when Amanda runs by us...I carry her in a carrier on my chest...Grant is running also this year, but she has a bond with Amanda..I LOVE IT!!!!
Ian is loving school and getting so big...my little man isn't a baby anymore. He still loves bugs...ugh!! I so thought we were over this...NO...he has his entire class interested in bugs now...
Jeff is home from his trip...3 weeks in London, Peterbrough, and Dubai...he came all tanned and rested...complaining of a cold....the strong survive...that is my new motto...
NOBODY cares if you sleep or not...sleep is for the weak...

One more thing...can anyone that reads his blog tell me why people put personal messages to their spouses on facebook...am I missing something...am I suppose to be telling Jeff how great he is, to call me, or even what to get me for Christmas?? I must be getting old...I just use the phone, text, email to personal account, or hey...WE TALK!!!!! Help me out here!!!!

Finally....finally...finally....

Finally....Jeff is home after 3 weeks away, the kids are getting over being sick, I am able to post some photos on my blog, I am getting into a routine of getting up and out of the house by 7:35 a.m....yep that is right....and finally Jade is sleeping through the night...wait...not she isn't...that brat!! She is so hungry at night that she wakes up every 2-3 hours...ugh!! I can't feed her more because of her stomach problems..she only throws it up and at the cost of this new special formula( $70.00 for 14oz. powder)..I refuse to waste money..I mean food. You did read that correctly...about the price...we are going on about $300.00 a week..she is more than our grocery bill...but you gotta love her...she is too cute!!!

Here are some photos from a day at the cemetery...weird...maybe...Ian loves them. My grandmother used to take me to this one all them time..she passed in January while I was in England and I wasn't able to attend the funeral..which is not what I had even expected, but being pregnant I couldn't just fly back and forth. I finally decided to go see her tombstone next to my grandpas...






This was one of the cool tombstones that Ian loved...even one of them has a story and I knew so many of them from my grandma and grandpa....

Warning...Don't drink Coke...that is what this should say!! I used to freak out because this boy died from drinking too much Coke while his parents were out to dinner...they usually never had soda at home, but his mom got it for a party they wer having the following night. The real story is...diabetic and couldn't take in the sugar so he want into a coma and died after drinking lots of bottles...but what a way to make a kid not want to drink Coke ever again!! I have told this one to him before so he was happy to finally see the tombstone...even had his photo.


This is my grandparents tombstone...my brother is next to them, but I wasn't going to post all the photos...it would have taken forever...we had a great time. Ian kept walking around wondering about the great grandpa he never met and about the uncle he never met...he asked soooo many questions...it was one of those days I will always remember or at least I will know that I am blogging. Who needs Wii or Xbox when you have a cemetery.

No luck with my first try at pulling teeth...

There was a time when Ian would have thought this photo was cool...he is growing up alright. This was a photo set up for Jade and he happened to be messing around and she took the photo..he was like.."Mom"..."this is for a girl"...back in the day..he would have liked it.
I would love to post all the photos I have taken of Ian, but I don't have any right now..he is refusing to get his picture taken...it has been an eventful past 2 weeks..he fell and got a huge ugly black-eye. He was running in crocs and fresh sod and fell...always a deadly combination. It is healing at the moment, but continues to change colors daily...it is now to the point that he looks like Boy George with all his eyeshadow. He has also lost one tooth and another is on its way out...literally. I picked him up from school and he announced he didn't eat his apple or carrots..he will only be eating "soft" foods for awhile..I inquire..he explains his tooth is falling out...I ask to see it...GROSS!! It is all sideways and just hanging on...gag! I don't do teeth...it makes me sick. Jeff pulled out the last one but he is out of town. We get home...I run through my mind..you can do this...just do it. I ask him if I can pull it.."NO". I just want to look...he opens..I get my courage...I take a tug with my eyes closed..expecting to see a tooth in my hand and Ian grinning with delight...didn't happen. I got nothing. Ian starts crying and screaming saying I lied....I tried to pull it. How do you defend that...I couldn't. Ian is off to spend the night with Jeff's parents...I am hoping he comes back without a tooth...I tried to explain.."Grandpa delivers babies and he has done lots of surgeries..tooth surgery he askes..darn kid..he gets me everytime. Anyway, he is off to have a night of fun followed by a day of fun with his Aunt Karen...the are going to a snake and reptile show(not fun), Lou's drive in( it is the last day of the season), Fired up( to make pottery) and someplace else that I don't know about...sounds fun to me.

Back to school....

This would be what I walked in on the first morning of school...a party in my bed...I was too busy to join...you know someone had to get breakfast, make lunch, get things organized etc.



Ian on his 2nd day of school...I got him ready this time..I posted these in the wrong order...I meant to do this one second...notice the tucked in shirt and belt...not shown in photo below...Dad's dressing.


Jeff went with us to the first big day!!



Jenna helped out around the house this summer with Ian and Jade...what a lifesaver. She came 2 times a weeks and my niece came on day a week. Jenna is off to college now and Ian is crushed...last night he told me she hasn't called yet...I explained that she had only been gone 4 days...he went on to say he wants to marry a girl like that...like what I asked...you know..pretty, likes to hunt for bugs, likes to play tanks, work in the garden, and play on the swingset. That sounds good to me. She will be back at Christmas and we are looking forward to it.

Thanks Mom....

Ian just said "thanks mom" and walked by me in the kitchen last night....I have no idea what he said it in response to, but I said "your welcome". I asked him before bed what he was talking about....I can't wait to show him this when he is in high school or college....

The list went like this(maybe not in exact order)

Thanks for...

Being so pretty....
Wearing cool shoes....
Always dressing "funky"...ok...
Smelling good when I hug you...
Not having hairy legs and armpits...

I am thinking the above come from being at an art festival last week with "natural" women and the others from being at school with some other moms that are about 25 with 15 kids and dress like they are 50....

These are the ones that meant the most...

Kissing me...
Hugging me...
Always loving me...even when I don't listen...
Smiling at me when we are at school...
I always know you are there for me...I think he means to pick him up from school
But most of all...for loving my dad, me, and carrying that Jade in your tummy...because I saw it mom...and it looked bad...you had this big roll of skin and a cut mark...(I am like enough already)...but you are looking good again...thanks mom...I was worried it would stay that way.

"Goodnight mom"..."Goodnight Ian"..."Love You"....oh yea mom..."do you think you could have just one more baby for our family?"

Photos of Ian and Jade...

Right in our own backyard.....

I have no photos this time...sorry Holli...but I just have to write this down so that I remember it in the future.

Living in England was for a time. Traveling the world was fun!! I just never realized how much neat stuff was right in front of me and I just didn't notice it and it is in the United States!!

We just got back from driving to Kentucky and Tennesee..I have done this about 100 or more times in my life...when we lived there. I can't tell you have beautiful it was...I gotta say give me dirty France or these mountains..with fresh waterfalls, the rocks, etc...not a chance I would pick the ugly steel Effel Tower.

I always thought my sisters former neighbors were crazy..they would get in the car and drive around looking at flowers, graveyards, cornfields, etc...taking photos....they loved it...I should add they were from England.

Jeff and I were sitting outside last night...this was the first time this has happened this summer...we were alone...we just talked about how we wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now...yep..Peoria Illinois is it!!

The kids....

Ian is about to lose his first tooth...as you can see in the photo it has moved away from the one right beside it...it is so ready to fall out. He is holding on to it..Jeff gets home tonight and he wanted to wait until he got home because he didn't want anyone in the house at night without daddy home(aka..toothfairy) I asked how much do you get for your first tooth...he thinks maybe $50.00 or $100.00..he will be fine with either...we don't have the same tooth fairy!!


Ask a family why they want to move back to the states...the photo will give you the answer...this is Beau!! He is our Swiss Mountain Dog...he is 120 pounds of baby!! He is so happy to have us home...he has lost 14 pounds since we got home...he was 134!! My mom gave him PBJ sandwiches before bed...not happening here!! He is so sweet and lovable...he was a given to us by someone that couldn't care for him due to his size. He know has 2 acres to run on and he comes inside during the winter...he doesn't shed and I get him groomed about every 6 weeks...he is too cute. You must beware...he loves to bump into you and it will knock you down and he loves to kiss you!!




This is Jade...my long-legged girl...not brown eyed girl...her eyes will actually stay blue/hazel color I think...those Woods genes are strong...sorry Jeff. She is so long!! She is growing out of her 6 months pants in length...I am going to have to stop buying one piece outfits because she is too long for her upper body size. She is getting a tooth...I think or I like to think...this has to be the reason she is up so early every morning. She also uses the restroom at 4:30 a.m. some mornings...I can hear her going...she will fall back to sleep, but than I lay there and think about the poop, the smell, will she get diaper rash...NOPE I can't do it...so I get up and change her...I wish she would just wait until 5:30...you know when she gets up for the day...ugh!!



I can't believe summer is almost over...Ian starts school on the 17th of August. Jade and I will start our days alone...it has been a crazy past 6 months with moving, giving birth, unpacking, all the house stuff, etc. I guess I am ready for a break...I still have more boxes to go through...that is my Fall project.

Problem solved....

I really wouldn't have written about this again...but everyone and their brother have been sending me emails...so I decided to address it. I went ahead and wrote that girl back and just said I didn't hold any grudge aganist her, but thanks and no thanks...see ya sister!!! I didn't write it in those words, but something to that effect. She didn't respond which tells me that she is probably the same girl I knew in high school...we will see at the 25 year reunion...just kidding!!

This whole facebook thing is a little weird to me...I don't even know half of these people that invite me to be their friends...I think they just want to rack up the numbers...I would love to flatter myself and think I am that popular...but it is not happening.

Looking back these past few days on high school and past experiences in life has been fun..I get so wrapped up in the today that I often forget about where I have been...wow...Life was fine back than...it was what I made it...I wouldn't be the person I am today had I not walked through everyone of those experiences...both good and bad. I am sure that plenty of people could step up and say how I did something to offend them or I was rude etc...I wouldn't remember one of those experiences because it wasn't intentional...the way people make us feel inside is about us not really them...

Life is weird...really weird.....

I am writing this more for me than anyone else...so really don't waste your time reading. I just don't want to forget this crazy thing that happened to me...I am just strolling along in life and I hit a wall from the past...yep...the past. I can't stop thinking about it...what you may ask...well sit back and read.
I really don't know where to start so I guess I will just go with it...I got a request from someone from highschool to be my friend on facebook...I didn't have my maiden name for a long time, but finally put it up. This person wanted to be my friend..this is the same person that made my life a living HELL!! I never talk about what this person did but she was really mean to me...just an example...she used to tell me how ugly I was and get all her friends to say I was ugly and looked like a monkey...got figure...I knew I wasn't ugly..yea not a supermodel, but not ugly and I certainly didn't look like a monkey...maybe M. Jackson but not a monkey. I had to pleasure of having 2 classes with her...God why??...in one class she got seated by me and stood up and refused to be anywhere near me...the teacher moved her..I was so mad at that teacher for letting her get her way...I suppose the teacher thought she was doing me a favor. She would bump into me in the hallway, kick my books, make fun of me...etc on a daily basis...what did I do...nothing. I always knew there was something wrong with her to behave this way and in some way I felt sorry for her...that doesn't mean it made it easy. I remember not wanting to go to school sometimes, walking other ways to avoid her...etc.
I understand some of the problem..I had a great sports car(which nobody had in highschool...thanks dad) I had nice clothes( thanks mom for working 2 jobs while having a disability) parents that were still married, a boyfriend etc...I was going to college...yea I was lucky....I knew it back than...but she made me miserable.
I eventually stood up to her near the end of my senior year...I still remember the day..what I was wearing..everything...I wasn't mean...just matter of fact...I remember she beamed me with a volleyball and I threw it back and her and walked over and said "lets go" you want to beat me up...than give it a try....a pin could have dropped on that gym floor...the bell rang and everyone left including her and that was it....she never bothered me again...well until now.
I can't believe I am even talking about this...this is so long ago, but I realize that there are some scars left by her or just the way she made me feel and I bet she has no idea...I really don't think she would do this today or she is a mean person..she was just a stupid young insecure girl, but you know what I have enough really good friends...
My niece who is like nice to everyone says...ignore her...she just wants to snoop about you...she doesn't like you anymore today than she did 22 years ago...you know what she is probably right...

Ian's 6th birthday party....

Ian, Jeff, Grandpa Eddie, and Grandpa Johnny before the party. They were cheking out the garden.

Jade getting ready to get dressed...she messes up so many outfits I decided to wait to get her dressed. She would love to eat those flowers. The are right outside our big kitchen window and she loves to look at them...yummy!

The theme this year was DOGS!! We had a cookout and had the family over...Ian loved all the dog stuff.

Jade finally got ready....it was a little cool so she had to wear pants. Here is one of those headbands Stacey....I have lots more where that came from. She has a small head like Ian does, so I can't use alot of them yet...they cover her face. Jeff's dad hates these headbands..along with Holli K....I think they are cute..at least for the moment.


Ian couldn't wait to blow out his candles because that meant present time. He wasn't suppose to get any gifts this year due to the playset we got him...which I forgot to post a photo of...the no gift thing didn't work...it was crazy all the stuff we got him.

I am just now starting to realize ALL that I got RID of...which was about everything I own...I had trouble finding bowls to serve food in for the party....I found all that I needed, but it is amazing look back...I don't think I could get rid of that much again...I know the new baby, lack of sleep,soreness of C-section, and the fractured right ankle...yea I haven't even really mentioned that one... had so much to do with it. The lady that took my boxes had brought stuff to me that I didn't even unpack....

Jeff and Ian enjoying the pool at Mt. Hawley Country club.....

Jade just relaxing.......

Jade enjoying herself.....

Ian and I going to catch a movie....Jadeless...
Here are just a few photos from the summer...it is just flying by so quickly. Ian has his party on Sunday...I will post photos later. He can't wait!!!
Jade is just growing so fast..and her belly button is getting smaller by the day...yep...no surgery for her!! Thank goodness I didn't freak out at the doctor about this...I was too tired!

Jade has her first cereal......

I put on my old clothes to get ready....

She looked at the spoon for a minute....

She took her first bite and the rest is history....

She is getting just so fun...laughing and smiling all the time. She doesn't really like to be held by lots of people...it makes for a miserable night for me. We are just loving every minute of her...
Ian also turned 6 last week...we are having his party on the 18th so I will post photos after that...he is so excited for his party....and the presents!!!

The nanny......

After several emails and phone calls....I must admit...maybe I made it sound too wonderful....the nanny is great, but I actually don't do spa day when she comes to the house. I hope to get to that someday....but for now...I take one and she takes the other. Jeff thinks this is insane...but I have Ian in lots of activities and it is way too hot for Jade to attend with us. I use her for Ian to do games, crafts, etc...the things that I used to do...preJade.
She is leaving us in the Fall to go back to nursing school, so I will be on my own again. I plan on unpacking more things, taking a nap once in a while, and getting together with friends. Ian has to be AT school at 7:45 everyday...I have to drive him so this means I will be very early....luckly Jade likes to rise anywhere between 4:30-6:00 a.m....did you read that...I am up everyday. I actually don't mind it...I guess it is my NEW life....oh well...Ian and I can always remember our 10:00 a.m. mornings in our dreams!!!

It has been a long time.....

Here a couple of quick photos.....Jade is great!!! She is always laughing....we just can't get enough of her. Ian dressed himself in 2nd photo...this is why I am glad he has uniforms again this year. The last photo is SNAKES....my son loves to catch things and bring them to his mother!!! I HATE SNAKES...do you understand!!!

I can actually write a little more..Jade is asleep and Ian is playing with the nanny...Jenna. Yep, I said the "N" word....I had to do it...I wasn't getting anything done around here with all these boxes. Ian and Jade love her...my niece also comes one day to help out with Jade while I run Ian to one of his 100 activities.
Let me tell you about Jade...she is so easy going...she loves to swing...she loves to laugh...she loves to be cuddled...she loves HER bed...not my bed. She is just the best. I some other photos of her that make her look like a girl rather than the one I posted, but this computer is giving me problems...so it will have to wait. She looks so much like Ian did...she is so much more low key..unless you don't have food...it can get ugly!!
Ian turns 6 on Monday. We are not having a party until July...yea...I won't be ready for it until than...he doesn't mind. He is getting an outdoor playset...he doesn't know it yet, but he will love it. I need to keep him in the yard...he rides his bike now without training wheels...ok...can you just say kill me...he is nuts on that bike. I don't know how he does some the the stunts but it makes me heart stop. I got all kinds of pads etc...nope...won't wear them...he does have to wear the helmet. I almost just wish he would wreck and get it over with...the neighbors we so funny...everyone is so proud of him...which makes him show off even worse.
Now on the the surprise...no...I am not pregnant. I miss England!! Me..I wanted to get home soooo bad and I love it here, but I miss my neighbors, house, trainer, gym, etc. I NEVER thought I would say that...but it is true. Well, that is enough for now...I will post the swingset soon...it is suppose to get put up this weekend.