Alllllrighty, then!!!

Well, it's been forever...well, ok, six years, but it could take forever to catch up! IF I can catch up on here...this format has changed, perhaps too much for me to enjoy using. I don't like it. I think I'll have to break the catching up into days-parts-posts- you get it. I'll be covering kids getting older while I do not...HAHAHA, right! (as if). The joys of puberty...again...Grief, this will be the toughest one, might take many tries and tissues. Gray hair (oh wait, that falls into the getting older post, yes? Meh, S'all good! Oh...and I can't forget a post about quilting and Poke'mon! :) I'll do a brief rundown of kids. I now have a son-in-law addition, he's wonderful!! He brought Emily back to Michigan!!! YAY!! So, the Michigan kid count is 4 and Minnesota has stolen away 3 (for now!) I now have 7 grandson and 1 granddaughter! The last two grands were just born this past July...10 days apart! I'm in Grammy heaven!!!! <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 Zita has just started 8th grade....(pardon me while I breathe into a brown paper bag for a moment!)....I mean, she was just in 2nd grade last year, wasn't she??? She will be starting her 8th year of piano in a couple of weeks and, since it's been a while...she chose her primary instrument for band....**drumroll** Trombone! She is VERY good at it, but after playing it for a couple of years, she has decided that she doesn't like it..but, will still be playing it in band. (for now) I suppose this will have to do for now, it's getting late and I'm not even sure if this is going to post. We shall see! Until later...days, not years this time... Y'all have a lovely Labor Day weekend! Love Ya :) P.S. After reviewing the preview, I'm going to have to figure out paragraphs on here...That's all. Looks good, otherwise.

Sooooo....all that happened!!

  WOW...I guess it has been a little while...Ok, OK....it's been a really long time. I guess that's what happens when life presents itself! 

  Six years, 2 marriages, 2 graduations, a new grandson + 3, and a 2nd grader!

  Whew! So, starting with child displacement...I can definitely say....I DO NOT LIKE IT ONE BIT! One in Minnesota and one in Ohio..soon to be Pennsylvania. No, not cool. Grand Rapids for one of the couples is OK..that's only 3 hours and 15 minutes away...do-able...but c'mon...different states..ugh! To know me, is to know that I don't travel...don't really care for long drives...not sure why, I just don't. I suppose it's from being a stay-at-home mom for so many years, that I just hermit-tized! I know, that definitely is NOT a real word, but yeah!<---definitely a="" but="" describe="" feeling="" font="" it="" nbsp="" not="" only="" s="" the="" to="" way="" word="">
  Oh, yes, 2 more of the kids leaving the house this fall to head to college..**enter tears**..I can't even fathom yet how sad I will be on August 25th...I mean, yes, I'll still have Zita home with me, but she will be the ONLY child at home now. Do you even realize how long it has been since this house has been a one-child home???? At least I have 11 years until she graduates! I had BETTER be getting more grandchildren in the future!

  I have a new bestie! This is one thing my life has lacked for many years. Don't get me wrong...I have a lot of friends, but I haven't had anyone that I could really call my BEST friend...she makes a section of my heart happy in a way that it hasn't been since high school. She's the "Talls" to my "Smalls", I feel a little empty when she's gone. It feels good to know that people are honestly surprised when you're NOT together somewhere! A best friend is, indeed, a rare gift! 

  So, as I stated earlier, Zita is now in 2nd grade! She is an amazing child! Yeah, I know, I'm her parental...I'm a bit biased..but that's ok! :) She loves school! She loves to read! She even loves math (her father's child there!!). She started piano lessons this past year...she LOVES it! Her siblings are curious as to which instrument she will pick once she gets into band..she is leaning towards Trumpet or French Horn. I would like it to be trombone...but one thing is certain...NO CLARINET!!  Sorry to all you Squidwards out there...I just know that I would not be able to handle all the honking geese! She could follow in her brother, Dominic's shoes and  play 3 different instruments in band. However, we will have to wait until 5th grade to see which she actually chooses to start with! Another thing this child loves is Legos! I have to admit, I love them right along with her! (They're a good math teaching tool, too! Just sayin') We will be heading to Legoland again sometime this summer...I can't wait! Oh yeah..she can't wait, either :) 

  I feel so scattered through this whole post..but, it HAS been 6 years! Hopefully the next one won't be too far off and a little more composed.  

Y'all enjoy the first day of summer!!
Love ya :)

Soooo.....yeah....it's been a while!

Well, what can I say...it's been QUITE a while! A lot has happened in a year :)

Zita is a year old now, she's walking, chattering, signing and just being downright adorable! I can't imagine what life was without her!

Ben has just finished his 4th year at CMU...no more music for him though *sigh*, he has taken up Religion as a second major now...and not with the idea of becoming a pastor or anything Christ like : ( just....religion(s).

Alex has finished his 2nd year at Delta and is ready to head to Grand Valley in the fall....it's going to be too weird to have him gone, of all the kids so far, he's been here the longest (not counting Jon, who STILL lives here!), I think Zita will feel his absence, too. I think he's ready to head out into the world though, as much as I don't like it, but I have to let go, eh?

Em just finished her first year at CMU, not sure if she liked it or not. She's still pretty undecided as to what she wants to do with her life, I guess that's pretty normal, at least it is around this household! She's been working with her other parental_unit on docks since she got home from college, but will be leaving soon for a summer camp job, she's pretty excited :)

Christen and Dominic are still in school, only for about another week-ish. They've both been busy with little league, however, Christen has yet to play a game. Soon enough, soon enough!

Ugh, 25th class reunion this summer!! Where did the time go!?!?!?! Oh yeah...into kids ;) hehehe. I guess it'll be nice to see friends from school and people that I graduated with. Funny things, reunions. Some people treat you like you've been friends forever even though they forget how much they detested you in school, how they went out of their way to avoid you, God forbid you happened to be their locker partner the first day of school...amazing how quick you got a locker to yourself :) NOW, you're friends on Facebook...talked to as if somehow, an alien stole their memories....*shrug* go figure....There are people that I can't wait to see again! Why is it that we feel as if we KNOW these people, just because we spent time on a building with them for 9 months of the year. How is it that we can start up conversations as if no time has gone by at all? It's a strange relationship that we have with fellow classmates, I could almost find myself getting defensive for these people, but really, who are they to me? Before FB, they were just people that I got to visit with every 5 years...I dunno, strange, but not strange.

How about that weather!!!!!!!!!!! Today finally feels like summer, although, technically, it's not summer yet! Weird weather though...rain, rain, rain...oh...and more rain. Let's not forget about the wind! Whew! I feel so heartbroken about the people that have lost their lives in the South and West. Wow, so many tornadoes :( So many lives taken. So much destruction. I think I'll take my cold, snowy winters as opposed to tornado alley!

It feels strange to be blogging again! I hope to get back into it again, though.

Hi Sarah :) I hope you didn't give up on me!!!

Up next...."The Diet"....stay tuned!

Y'all grab your bug spray, you're gonna need it!

Love Ya :)

Hiccups, kicks and punches......

Well then...let's see if I remember how to do this blogging thing, since it's been so long!!!

I am now 30+ weeks along in this pregnancy. I'm loving it! Yes, even all the punches, kicks and just within the last 24 hours, hiccups! Not my hiccups, mind you...the baby's :) I haven't been here so long that I don't even think I've announced that the baby is a girl! I really can't wait to hold her in my arms, to hear her first cries, to count all her fingers and toes, to study her face to see who she resembles the most! 8 (ish) more weeks! Of course, Tom says 6 more weeks...he swears she will be born on my birthday...hehehe...I say she'll be born on the 13th...but that's only because I want her to wait until after the Spring Band Concert! It will be Emily's last High School career concert and Dominic's first....AND....they're doing a duet together!!!!!!!!!!! I'm so excited...I don't think that's ever been done before...a 5th grader and a Senior....a Euphonium and a Saxophone!

This pregnancy has pretty much flown by! Even with poking my fingers 4 times a day! Of course, there are the days that I do something really stupid, like trying to carry a full laundry basket with the soap and softener piled on top...not a good thing by the way! I'm now in the process of cleaning out and arranging an area for me to take care of her in the middle of the night...lots of work to be done there! It felt really, really, really, really good to go to bed last night...whew! I still have quite a bit to sort through, some to get rid of and some to set aside for the rummage sale. I wonder if I'm nesting already!?!?!?! Possible.

Emily has found out that she IS Valedictorian of her class!!! YAY Emily!!!!!!!!!!! Now, she just has to find time in her busy schedule to write her speech :) Not sure WHEN she's going to find the time though, especially now that it's softball/track season. She's pretty busy with band stuff, too. She auditioned at Concordia and at CMU this past weekend for their school(s) of music, and this weekend she has State Solo/Ensemble to go to. I'm not quite sure yet when State Festival is, thankfully it's only in Bay City, though, not too far of a drive!

Oops, I just looked at the time...I need to go and poke my finger (for the 2nd time today).

Y'all go out and find your first Robin of Spring!
Love Ya :)

In the Pink

20 weeks and counting! It's now the New Year, 2010 to be exact, and in May we will be holding our new daughter! (God willing!)

I've had so many different feelings with this pregnancy than I did with the other 5. It's just really hard to explain to people how one pregnancy can be so different from any of the others. I'm more confidant this time around as far as knowing what to expect, and not freaking out when it's not the same as before....however....sometimes, that is exactly what freaks me out! I'll say to the doctor, "That never happened with any of the other pregnancies", to which I'm comforted with the words, "They're not all the same"...well, duh! I do know that...but still. Yeah, rambling...sorry.

Gestational Diabetes = 4 finger pokes a day and eating (healthily) about every 2 1/2 hours. BAH! I want a big stinking bowl of Lucky Charms, THANK YOU VERY MUCH!!!!! Funny thing is, at 20 weeks, I weigh 2 1/2 lbs. less than I did before I got pregnant. Good thing? Yes! I was told just today that I would probably weigh 120 lbs. if I had been eating this well and weren't pregnant. *rolling my eyes*...yeah, yeah, I know, I know....so anyway....I'll just keep eating my carbs worth and enjoy all the kicks and stretches I'm feeling inside, knowing that it's SO worth it!

It's almost time to head to All State Band again with Emily...did I mention that I'm proud of her!?!?! Yeah, I thought so! I'm sooooo happy to be closer to the convention center this year than we were last year. It was sorta OK last year because she had Jake to walk with back and forth, but this year, she's the only one from our school to audition and make it. This year, it's just out the lobby, down a short hall, down the escalator and then hang a left. Very cool! The only dumb thing about this place is that you have to pay $5 a day if you want to use the pool and exercise room. For as much as you pay for the room, it should be included....along with a mint on your pillow!! Well...OK..they give you a shoe horn (I'm allergic to mint anyhow.) I wonder if it being the "Amway" Grand has anything to do with the Amway company? I sure hope there's nobody there trying to get you to sell their "L.O.C." Not that it's not a good cleaner, mind you! I just don't really want to belong to any selling pyramids!

Making this trip down to G.R. with Em is making me think of the trips that we'll have to make down there for Alex should he actually transfer to Grand Valley as planned. Hmmm...that's a mighty long trip! Over double what it takes to go and see Ben.

I'm proud of myself, Ben left to go back to school yesterday morning and I didn't cry!!! I pouted...but, no tears! Em is definitely glad to have the room back! *sigh* I miss Ben :( I think I'm going to have a really hard time when Em leaves next year...I'm not even going to start thinking about it again right now.

Have I ever mentioned how amazing Victoria's Secret is? Well, not the store itself, or even the 'barely there' bras and panties.....it's the Secret Garden body care collection that I'm talking about! It all started with Em's friend Jenny...she got Em some "Love Spell" body spray for Christmas a couple of years ago and it smells AMAZING! So, following that I started to get her more stuff and then found "Berry Kiss" for me! Ohhhhhhh, it's so lovely! It's nice when they give you gift cards for $10 off, but SOOOO sad and annoying when it gets closer to the holiday and they've RUN OUT of EVERYTHING you want!!!!! Grrrr...very frustrating! Now, I'm out of body butter...very sad situation :( They assured me that they should be getting the shelves restocked very soon....sure...AFTER your nice gift card expires!!! Oh well, cross your fingers for email coupons!

I see that I've rally rambled on, I guess I should go and finish reading one of my Christmas books, "Strength in what remains" by Tracy Kidder. It's a very good book about a man that escaped his home in Burundi, Africa as a young adult, coming to New York with only $200 in his pocket. It's made me shake my head with wonder at how the atrocities could happen as they did and still are in Africa with genocide, poverty, diseases and rapes :( Very sad. When I finish this book, I'll be reading my gift from Ben..."Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" yes, AND zombies. Should be an interesting read, heh.

I hope y'all are getting more snow than us, and enjoying it!!
Love Ya :)

Blood, Food, Walk, Blood...Repeat

Ahhhhhhhhhhh, sweet November! I love Fall and the anticipation of the first beautiful snowfall!! However, I think I will be anticipating late spring this coming year a little bit more :)

Yes, Sarah, the rumors you have heard are true ;) I am, indeed, expecting again! If you were at all curious about my title, well, that is all part and parcel for this little bundle of joy. After having 3 previous cases of gestational diabetes and a few rather large babies, my new O.B. decided to test me early for diabetes....lo and behold, it was rather high :( Now I have to poke my fingers 4 times a day. It's really not as bad as I thought it would be....the poking, that is....but, the eating 5-6 scheduled times a day is HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!! I really, really can't stand it, but I will tolerate it for another 5 months and 2 1/2 weeks (give or take a week or so). My due date is May 29, 2010, I, however, don't think that I'll hold out for that long, with all the others I never went past 38 weeks. God forbid I had with Dominic, he was already 10 lbs. 2 oz. when he was born, could you imagine if he had had another 2 weeks to grow!?!?!?!?! OUCH! I already have a bump popping out and the night before last, I felt him/her move for the first time! God is AMAZING! As far as the him/her, I go for my ultrasound on Dec. 21, so, yes, we will find out what he/she is.....I've never been one to like to wait! It's been fun hearing the kids' choices for gender, I've even heard twins...one of each! Uhhhhhhhh...NO!

It's still early in the game, but I've already decided that one of the first foods I want after deliver is ICE CREAM!!!!!!!! I seriously hope this isn't something that I crave throughout this pregnancy! My craving better be water! I can have as much of that as I want....ugh!

On to other stuff....Oh yes...Proud Factor! Emily made CMU Honors Band again this year, her concert was 2 weeks ago and was wonderful....the music they played was:
Ballo del Granduca by: Jan P. Sweelinck
...And the Antelope Play by: John Carnahan
Army of the Nile by: Kenneth Alford
Pineapple Poll, No.'s 1,3,4 by: Arthur Sullivan (my fave of the day)

....while on the way home, she was fretting over whether or not she had made All-State Band again this year, they were expected to post the results by the time we got home from CMU. She hurried to the computer, held her breath and pulled up the MSBOA site.......
SHE MADE ALL-STATE AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
I'm so, very, very, very proud of her!
This year, I didn't make the mistake of waiting to reserve a room...oh nooo, I called and got a room at the hotel that is the CLOSEST to the convention center!!! YAY for me!!!! It was quite a walk last year from the Marriott, I'm just glad that the Amway is giving a deal, too. I actually think it's $4 a night cheaper....sure, $8 isn't that much, but hey...cheaper is cheaper! It's going to be nice to not have to walk past all those stupid parking garage entrances/exits and have to smell all that cigarette smoke! This year should be more pleasant too, I won't be coughing my lungs out (God willing!). I'll just have to reserve a fridge so that I can keep my food close at hand...*sigh*.

Well, I just noticed the time, and it is time for snack...all 30 grams of carbs of it. yay.
I hope everyone has a Blessed Thanksgiving, I know that I have extra to be thankful for this year!

Y'all eat some ice cream for me!
Love Ya :)

September and Sunny

Ha...it's been so long since I've blogged, I had to stop and think about my password to get onto here! How's that for pathetic!?!?

Can you believe the 'fall' we're having, it's the summer we never had, even with humidity!! It's Sept. 24th and we've had the air conditioner on! OK, so my toes are cold right now, but hey...I have a cold and the cooler air is much nicer for breathing purposes! (I'll put socks on later)

I think my new favorite breakfast is a western egg and cheese English muffin. No, the egg isn't from the west, I'm referring to it being cooked in the 'western omelet' way...green peppers, onions, and bacon instead of ham. (no, no potatoes) I do add a dash...well, OK, a few dashes of Red Hot sauce too :) All I have to do now is figure out how many carbs is in that nice little meal. Yes, I'm on a diet, which is absolutely and perfectly fine with me!! Maybe I'll even lose a little weight before I gain it all back!! ;) I do like eating healthy though, it's kinda like a challenge...no, it really IS a challenge! I'm up for it though.

It's a very exciting time right now....Homecoming time! As you know, or have read before, we've had 3 Homecoming Kings in our household; Jon, Ben and Alex. Well, just this week, Emily was voted onto the Homecoming Court!!! **applause** We went dress shopping a couple of weeks ago already, so, that task is done! We have yet to find shoes, that task is this weekend! She's really thinking about buying a pair of cowboy boots to go with her dress, we already saw them and she tried them on before. Oh yeah...I do mean cowboy boots...their homecoming theme is "Country", the boots really do go well with the dress too! Her dress is tea length, Ivory in color with a Champagne colored satin sash around the waist. The boots are a 3/4 length boot, not high ones. She wanted to wear a hat, too, but that just wouldn't work out with hair-do and (hopefully) a tiara!!! We'll know on the 2nd of October :)

I'm finding it very hard not to think about May and June! Those are going to be busy, busy months! With Em being a senior, I have to get all the plans in motion for her graduation party. I think she's planning to have a recital at her party too, that's going to be cool! Last year, at Alex's grad party, the theme was cupcakes, next year at Em's it's going to be Cheesecake! I've already seen in my mind how I want the table to look! I can't wait! Of course, Em really only wants me to concentrate on cheesy potatoes and BBQ venison again...oh, and meatballs!

Have I mentioned that I'm happy?

Whoever came up with the idea of lotion in tissues, they're a GENIUS!!!!!!!!! I really feel like I should take stock out in Puff's Plus...they've been my friend and companion these past few days! I used Kleenex brand for a day, my nose is STILL sore from them :( I now have my beloved lotion filled tissues! The only bad thing about them...you can't clean your glasses with them!!!!! Yeah, I tried that once...years ago...not a good outcome!

(miss you, Sarah)

I suppose I should get going and figure out my carb count and figure out what I might eat the rest of the day. If I plan it out, I'll be less inclined to cheat ;)

Y'all go out and take a lovely fall walk today!
Love Ya :)