Turning THREE and DIRTY JOBS

Mommy made cakes to celebrate the kids birthdays in Min... Josie turned 3 a few days ago and had the same Raggy Ann cake to celebrate in Il.

At the Party we let everyone know our Good News that we are going to have a baby in March Lord willing.

Uncle Chad got Xander to help with the Dirty Job of Cleaning up "YOU KNOW WHAT" in the horse pasture.

Uncles, Aunties, and Horses

Here's our Uncles and Aunties in Min... We got to see Aunt Tammy ride barrels in the Rodeo. Her horse was Poppey and they finished within the top 4 that day (I think.) She and Uncle Chad almost always have popsicles in the freezer for us and we look forward to that everytime we go visit them.

Uncle Cody and Auntie Jen have lots of horses too! As the Horse Ferrier and the Large Animal Vet Assistant they make quite a pair. We usually get to ride horses at one of my Uncle's houses. Josie was sorta a ham when it came to Uncle Cody this time.. (Corse it wouldn't have anything to do with Him calling her "My lil' sweetheart"... :)

Bike Trip #3 (17.5 miles)

We started in Morris June 29 (where we started last time) and went the other direction to Seneca & Marseilles. Again it was 11 miles to the nearest water and toilets. We still followed the canal on one side but there were farms with sheep, corn, and soybeans on the other often. Hardly any wildlife except the tiny toad (the size of my thumb nail) that Josie played with in the back of the cart. In the first picture "Our Knight" in his Blue Truck comes to rescue us and buys us supper! What a man! The Kids and I waited for him in a small park in Marseilles.
Xander was speedy this time and I am not sure if it was that he had more air in his tires or the Cor energy supplement I gave him that contained Green Tea and Ginseng! After our ride... He actually ran laps when we stopped at the outside diner and did Jumping Jacks as he waited for Dan to bring him his corn dog! CRAZY KID!
The 2nd picture is a sign that has pretty accurately documented our travels.. we started at Brandon Rd in Rockdale the first trip and have hit every destination through Marseilles... 48 miles to date!

Bike Trip #2 (18.5 Miles)

Just 2 days after trip one on June 6th , we packed up again; going only one way from Morris to the place we ended last time in Channahon where Dan picked us up. What a welcome sight he was after 18.5 miles and pulling not only the bike cart with all our stuff in ...but the last mile I also pulled Xander and his bike (with a bungie cord, see photo) due to some floppy handle bars. We were so ready to call it quits. It took us 5-6 hrs total and that includes the stop at the park with the pitcher pump... the turtle holding...Picture taking (Josie took the one of Xander and I)... and the tree we had to overcome across the path due to the wind storm the night before. Xander had to refuel with Performance every .5 mile or so and Nana was in and out of the cart so progress is pretty slow (and that doesn't even mention the emergency Big Job Potty we had to do in the woods) We also came across a huge tree with a huge hole in that fit Xander, Nana, and Josie in. At this point we have gone 30+ miles on the I&M canal Bike Path.

Bike Trip #1 (12+ Miles)

I decided that we should make a project out of biking the area bike path through the many surrounding towns, one section at a time. I was determined to get a few pages Scrapbooked within a few days with our photos, documentation, map, and stats. This one took us from Rockdale -Joliet and into Channahon. Where we turned around and went back. 12.28 miles.
Xander has just learned to ride bike this April and tires easily but was quite a trooper. As in the middle photo he pulled his feet up to rest on the bike bar in a shady spot and he says "huhhh, My legs are just out of energy again.. I need some Performance (a sports drink w/ electrolytes in) " It took up all afternoon but we had a good time seeing all the canal animal life (2 kinds of turtles, hissing geese with their babies, carp, and once Xander slammed on his breaks and I very nearly did not stop in time to avoid an accident... he did this to show me "the Most beautiful bird ever!" After a slight scolding I told him that was called a Red Wing Black Bird.) We brought these children's field guides and identified many Flowers and berries.
Josie had Nana 1/2 the time in the bike cart... the other half I was encouraging her to keep up with a leash beside my bike. Josie fell asleep 1/2 mile from the car.
It was a good first ride... We averaged 2-3 miles per hour... not great stats but WE DID IT!

Soccer Dad

We are done with Xander's first Soccer year. The Blue Dragons, the 2 practices a week and Sat games are all history now. This photo is my favorite. Josie and I have handsome men. Yeh? Maybe Xander will like soccer as much as Dan did as a kid.

Thank goodness for Dan this year too because his first practice I had Xander put his socks on then his Shin Guards.. after all the shin Guards were so cute with the Adidas logos, patent leather & shinny metal exposed.. and the socks would make the straps more comfortable right? Well come to find out the socks go over the guards... (wouldn't that stretch the socks out?)! How strange but sure enough all the other kids had their socks on over their guards too!

I guess Dads are better at these things than Moms!

Did I mention that at the first practice we were making introductions and I am aware that all the Moms and Dads are forming opinions of the rest of us Moms and Dads.. Xander stretches a bit and does one Jumping Jack and says in the clear, loud voice I taght him to use: "Hey Coach! I already did this .. this is the 2nd time today we did exercises... Me and my Mom did Sweat into the Oldies already today!" I felt a buch of eyes on me and just offered a little wave and smile to all (including both coaches that were looking at me with a raised eyebrow and slight smirk). :)

They Are such Good Kids & Puppy when They are Sleeping!

I know I am backtracking a bit.. I should have put these shots before the shaved ones but oh well. Josie takes a nap everyday almost in the pack-n-play with Nana. They take turns sleeping with her in their bed. Now; least all you want to all rush out and get a puppy, let me tell you- Folks, I seem to be cleaning up "Pee Pee or Dirties" all the time! Josie is "eagle eyes" and it seems like several times an hour I hear "OH OH mommy I see (Nana's) Pee Pee!" (or the other). Josie is having a bit of a set back on the keeping her bed dry and her getting busy playing and not making it to the potty... I might have 2 sets of sheets /comforter (one from nap time) one set of kennel rags, and several pairs of clothes to launder + all the puppy potty to clean up. We have Half our Kitchen blocked off and she is penned up on the tile often but now she climbs the gates and gets out. I have half the house covered in newspaper. Then there is the occasional stepping in a pile and taking several steps before your child realizes it. (this is my personal favorite) Then there is the Hamster's (yes she is ONE very spoiled Hamster)3 cages to keep clean. I have seen more Potty lately than I ever thought imaginable! This is just a chapter that will soon be past in my life I keep reminding myself! I will look back one day and wish for these first years in our family again. (But Thank Goodness for the awesome power of Basic Germicide, Airsource, and Bounty! All of which I use liberally! :) )

Then I shaved Nana

She looks like a different dog Huh? As a matter fact we tease people that Know her that we got a new dog. She runs along the bike as I hold her leash pulling Josie in the cart behind my bike. Xander learned to ride bike this April. Round the neighborhood we go! Josie insists on bringing her babies. Here she fell asleep before we could get home.

Meet Nana Part II

We made Nana a box for all her dishes, rags, and dog stuff we are quickly accumulating. I let the kids decorate it w/ stickers and color in her name in big block letters. We wrote "Nana the Wonder Dog on it". Xander loves this expression.

The Kennel is a huge attraction for the kids but mostly Josie. She gets SO upset when I lock Nana in there and Nana whines/barks to be let out. Josie begs/insists to go in there with her.... and how can I say "No" to Faces like theirs?! Esspecially when they team up on me!?

Meet Nana- Our New Puppy

We love our pup-Nana (and as people usually say "As in a nickname for Grandma?"... in which I reply "NO) as in the loyal dog in Peter Pan."
This was MAY believe it or not...soccer practice was so cold I fortunately brought Josie's Snow Pants and Coat... and my puppy was dressed in Josie's polar fleece! We finished watching practice warm & toasty.



Josie loves "me (her word for my)Nana". She was such a good dog in the first few weeks of getting her that she sat where ever I put her without jumping off beds or laps. If only I could get my kids to do the same! :)

Two of our Blessings

So Blessed To Be ME!

I guess I would love to start a blog for friends and family... so they can see how good life is here for us, and how much I adore my husband and two great kids. They are the heartbeat and breath of my life. I look into their eyes everyday and wonder why I am so lucky!
Josie today pushed her chubby nose to mine and said, "I like you Mommy! ...Mommy, You happy?" as she always asks me.
"Yes, Mommy is very happy." I try to assure her... and I am!

The other day, Xander sensed that I was stressed out a bit and he said with the cutest grin: "Mom, do want me to come over there so you can pet my head? (he just got buzzed for summer) You always LOVE to pet my head! It's so SOFT."

At times these I realize how blessed (we) I am! We have some great kids and as I tell them-
I am so happy God picked ME to be their mom!

I know I make mistakes raising them but I know God is bigger!

I hope we will step up to be the best parents we can be...
I want to teach them to be individuals of BIG Character and much Integrity...
but most of all I pray they come to know the Love of Chirst... Know Him as their Personal Savior and to live their life to Glorify HIM.