Seeing Red...

Today was long but so rewarding. Mom and I were able to get a good start on our tomatoes for the year. A semi truck near North Platte was loaded wrong and all the 96 lugs had to be got rid of. My aunt called and said we could have any we want but they had to be put up right away as they were going to start spoiling within days. We took the last 6 lugs that where not spoken for. This was just a blessing for me as my garden is not doing so great this year and it is looking like I will get very little that I will be able to can.
Just for my family we can go through about
100 quarts of tomatoes a year, it is so nice to have them put up and in our food storage. We started at 7:45am this morning and worked till 5:30pm then took a break and went out to the lake and played on the boat and tubed for a few hours and then back home to finish the last of the tomatoes. I am afraid I will be seeing red for a few days as there is juice splattered all over the kitchen. I did get the floor mopped and the walls will be left for tomorrow, I am so sleepy and daycare will be coming early in the morning.

So much...so little

Today was just one of those days where I had so much to do but so little got done...we went to church I had both Sharing Time and Singing Time to do. Then after church we met with Gran to switch the green pickup for her car (Joe's car is in the shop getting new breaks). We got to spend a little time with Gran and have one last visit before she and Grandpa go to Maine.
Then back to Ethan's park where we helped lay the rubber tiles. It looks so wonderful!! The boys and Josh Stallbaumer were getting very tired and hot so I ended up taking them home so they could play some PS3 and cool off. We took Josh back at 6pm and came home to make supper as daddy was on his way home (we have such little time to spend with him right now). A good evening with daddy and now off to bed to get ready for another bisy week.

Ethan's Park

Today we got to spend the day helping with the building of Ethan's Park. The Bazata's have designed this amazing park in Ethan's memory, it is being built at the Early Education Center. Today was a great experince for all of us being able to be part of this great day.

I have been having a hard time with Ethan's death the pass few weeks again, but I truly think that having the chance to be part of this day is another way to help with the healing process. I love and miss my little man so very much and being able to take my daycare to his park and to see kids in the community use it will always keep Ethan's love for life and the outdoors always present.

Enjoy every moment you have, count your blessings, and love with all your heart!

Two and Two...

Riley and Joe went off to Cub Scout camp today...they are there from Tues thru Thur this week. I cannot wait to hear about all the great new adventures of camp.

So it is just me and the Chan Man for a few days. Not sure what kind of FUN we will be having but no matter what I am sure we will enjoy our time together. The most important thing of all is we get to snuggle just the two of us (that's big, REAL BIG).

Fab Four...

Riley and Chandler got to have their cousins come home with us for a few days. The four did not get enough time together this past weekend so the girls got to stay. They have had a fun day just playing and creating.

I always enjoyed having my cousins around growing up and being such close friends and I love that for my boys!

My View...

We had a wonderful long weekend at the lake!! My
dear friends let us use their lake house for the weekend. We went out on Thurs and stayed till Sun. night. We spent time out on the boat and on the floating island right off the dock. It is so relaxing to just get out on the lake and enjoy the sun. I like the tubing and playing on the water but this view was my favorite of the weekend. Just laying back and soking up the sun. We had both the Chandlers and the Books out at the lake with us and it was so fun to be with family and to be able to just kick back and relax.

Fun at the Lake

Chandler, Riley and Mommy
Joey and Gwen

Firestone

What in the world is she taking pictures of now you ask yourself...well this is one of four Firestone Tires that had to be put on my van today. And after the price tag that came with them they most definitaly will be making the blog. So after a flying trip to Grand Island last night I got home and heard a weird nose, thinking it was coming from the radiator I went to bed. Got up this morning and my tire was flat, thinking I must have ran over a nail or something Joe called Garret Tire and they came and got my van. It was not 20 minutes later and they called to tell me I had been very lucky that my tires did not blow out, they said my front two were so bad and wore very weird they had not seen anything like it. All that I can say is Heavenly Father was really looking over us because it sounds like things could have been really bad if the tires would have blown on I80 going 80 miles an hour. So today I am thankful for the many blessing in life and most of all for my new tires :)

Our sweet Haedyn

Today we went to Grand Island to meet Haedyn Reece Hulme. Ty and Linz sweet new baby. She is so precious,
with lots of dark hair. She is perfect in every way!
The boys thought she was so wonderful, Chandler could not get
enough of her.
While I would hold her Chandler would remind me that I had been holding her for a long time (when only a minute or two) and that it was his turn. We are so happy for Ty and Linz and cannot wait to watch Haedyn grow. We love you all!!!

A little getaway...

The boys and I went on a little trip Sunday and Monday to Lincoln and Omaha. Riley has been wanting to try Shogun a Japanese Reastrant for a few months now (I don't care for it so I was not in any hurry to take him). So we met Uncle Ben for supper and went. It was a fun experince but as for the food not at all one of our favorites. After supper the boys and I went to the movies.

We stayed the night with Ben, Lisa, and Emma then got up Monday morning and went on to Omaha to surprise my girlfriend from High School. She had an open house for her new girl accesories business called 'Take a Bow' and I wanted to show my support :)

Then we went on to the Henry Doorly Zoo for the day!!

Then Monday Night to the Lincoln Saltdogs Baseball Game

Such a fun packed two days!!

Our day of Relaxation

Today downtown they had activites for the kids, crafts and food in the park for Bands Brews and BBQ's. I was not sure that we were going to take part as we just needed a day at home with NOTHING to do. But I am so glad we went down for a little bit. They had fun Jump Houses and Water Slide. The boys had so much fun and we got to have Walking Tacos for lunch (which are my favorite). After we got done playing downtown we went over to Strecker's and had fun playing in the backyard. It was a relaxing day of play!!

Ry on the Giant Slipin Slide

Riley and Chandler doing the Bungee Run...not sure who won
they both went flying backwards

Chandler in the Jump House

A Little Time with Daddy...

Joe is working out of Kearney till Thur. so the boys and I went down and spent the night with him in the hotel and went swimming. It was fun to get to spend the evening with daddy and of course the boys loved being at a hotel. We got up at 7am and drove home this morning so that I could be home in time for daycare and swimming lessons. I am so happy Joe is back with the Rail Road even if he has to be gone a few days at a time. Thank you for all your hard work and love for our family Joey!

Forgot...

So I took pictures today then realized as I came down to blog I forgot my camra cord to download. I have been so bad this past week...aaahh is it old age or is it the 100 or things I have going on in mine and the boys life. Who knows we can just blame it on the old age :)

We had a wonderful day today, I spent a large part of the day cooking and preparing food for the big family weekend we are going to have here at Gran and Grandpa's NEW house!

After finishing with the food prep, we helped Anutie Mandie get ready for the girls 1/2 birthday celebration. It was a fun party with family and friends. Both Erin and Micah's birthdays are right at Christmas time and so it is a little hard for them to get a friends party so Mandie decided that maybe having the 1/2 birthday they would be able to have more of a celebration with friends. It was a great time and of course the Books don't do anything without GREAT food!!

Today the boys worked out in the yard with Grandpa, helped Gran with a few chores like swiping the deck and washing the windows and a great amount of playing!! Today was daddy's day off so we got the day together!

Where is my baby??

Chandler just is not a baby any longer...he just lost his second tooth. He lost his first one right before school was out. I was a little worried as I thought maybe it was a little early for him to be losing teeth then realized he was just about to turn 6 years old. Now that the second tooth is gone he just does not look so little anymore. I don't want my boys to grow up on me, but since that is not something I can control I will just enjoy each stage and age.