Christmas 2010

Christmas!!! I love this holiday!! Here is our tree from this Christmas. I could sit and stare at it...while listening to music...silly I know. This year the kids got a lot of wonderful presents. They were both excited on Christmas morning and it was killing them to wait till daddy got the video camera ready so we could record. Then there's mom with the camera...I think sometimes I drive them crazy! But they are only children once! Merry Christmas.

so sorry it's been so long!

Hi! It's been a long time since I posted, and I figure I better catch you up. We did a lot of camping this summer. We loved it...every weekend of it. It's so relaxing, and I LOVE the family time. The kids started school in September. Megan is in 4TH grade and enjoying all her friends she is making, and really enjoying their friendships. Tyler is in 1ST grade and loves his Teacher, Ms.Cashman. Megan had her when she was in first grade too. He is really enjoying school and has learned how to read, and quite good at it. In October, I was shocked to find out about my dearest friend since the 3RD grade. Sylvia and I have never missed a Birthday or Christmas phone call until this year. In October, one week after her Birthday, Sylvia lost her life to depression. I can never know how she felt,  I don't know much about it, but have made a promise to myself to learn about it....for her. She was a sister to me. my friend who knew all my secrets, my life...I miss her, and Sylvia, I love you even in death! I cry nightly thinking I can just call and hear your voice....but I can't. Someday we will meet again...

Sunday was Fathers Day!

On Sunday, it was Fathers Day! We were camping at Govenor Dodge State Park. The Friday before that the kids made a gift for Dad....an apron. Here is a photo of him with it on....the kids are waiting for him to wear it...

Last day of school

On the last day of school, we always purchase a gift for the teachers, this year we got plants! Each teacher claimed they've planted them already and love them, it will be a sweet reminder of my kids! I always take a picture of the kids with their Teachers, this year was no different!

First Camping Trip of 2010

On Memorial Day wknd we took our first camping trip of the season. We tried a new park that we have never been to, and that's always exciting! We went to Perrot State Park in Wisconsin. It's a beautiful park, filled with great sites, lot's of nature activities for the kids and an excellent natureist to teach the children EVERYTHING they want to learn. We even had a painted turtle lay her eggs in our campsite, and antother come to try, but the kids wouldn't leave her alone so she left! It was a very HOT weekend, and we had a blast! It's such great family time, the thing I love the most!

Susan G Komen Cancer walk/run June 5 2010

Megan and I have been doing the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure for 3 or 4 years together now. Last year, Megan told me she wanted to RUN the walk. So, on June 5, 2010, Megan and Cal and Tyler and I all did the Race. Megan and Cal RAN the 5k...their first 5k EVER! Tyler and I walked the Race, for Tyler it was the FIRST walk he's done too. Everyone did such a wonderful job. Megan and Cal RAN it in just over 30 min....WOW!!!! Tyler and I walked it in 1:40:23!!!

This year was a really hard year for me to do the Race, my good friend and old "co-worker" (or second Mother) was diognosed on April 1st with Breast Cancer. She had a Masectomy on April 15th, by June 5th, she had had 2 treatments of Chemo, lost her hair, and still looked beautiful bald, and is so strong! I love her for that! I know she will pull thru with all the support and love her friends and Family have given her! I pray that god answers all our prayers!

My baby is no longer a Brownie

Megan is now a Junior Scout. She completed her years in Brownies tonite as she crossed the bridge at our bridging ceremony. We did soooooo many things, with the troop like sending things to our adopted soldier Jonathon in Afgan, clearing tables for the Albany Fire Department, designing plates, swimming, bounce u, collecting food for our local food pantry, corn maze, a lock in at the school....the list continues. She sold the most in cookie sales this year in her troop and loves to sell them, just as much as i love eating them! I'm so proud of her!

Tyler lost his FIRST tooth!!

My "Baby" lost his first tooth on Wednesday, May 19th. I was helping him brush his teeth, and the tooth came out in the toothbrush. His right tooth was really loose, hanging on by threads, but the left tooth was the one that came out first! The Tooth fairy came this morning and gave him $5.00.... WOW!!!!!

Mothers Day

On Mothers Day, we worked very hard on our Patio as you've seen, but Mom came out to help. She watched the kids and helped with the brick. She has always been there for me and never said no...well, maybe once...but she's a wonderful Mom, Nana and despite our differences, I love her more! LOL

FURNITURE

We decided we wanted wood furniture for the patio because we thought that metal would scratch it the pavers up. We found a set we liked at Menard and put it on our
"Big Card" for 0% interest for a year. It ended up costing us $820.00 for a love seat, 2 chairs, a coffee table, a rocking chair and an end table, with cushions for all pieces.

It's FINISHED!!!!

After 3 weekends of VERY HARD WORK, we finally finished it. ALL OF IT!!!

Planting flowers

We went and picked out our flowers and spent $187.00 for them. We got hosta, sparia's,creeping phlox, dwarf lilac, and another bush I can't remember the name of.. :) We came home and planted them!

Edging

We decided to do edging on the whole thing. It was a pain in the butt, but when it was finished, looked great!

Putting the Poly sand in...to hold it together....

when we were done with the pavers, we had to put Poly sand in. It keeps it all together after you get it wet....like cementing it. This was a time consuming task. We had to sweep it in the cracks, and it would fall down, so you would have to sweep in more, until it didn't sink into it again...let me remind you that its 12 feet wide by 26 long....

Finishing Pavers

Bob and Cal worked ALL day, and finished them. Mom got in on the work, watching the kids as I helped and helping with the blocks. We worked hard too. Even on Mothers day!!

PAVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and more PAVERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pavers. UGH! I hope I never have to touch them again...and I only helped hand them to our neighbor Bob who helped and Cal. Oh, I guess I also got to load them from the pallet to the trailer and from the trailer to them. so I had them twice!! LOL. BUT I LOVE THE LOOK!!!!! :)

sand is next! this is a very important part....

the sand has to be level. If it's not done right, it could screw EVERYTHING up....so level it must be!!!!

next step....preparing the space!

We had to dig about 6 inches of dirt in some areas. It was MORE HARD WORK!!! We had to put gravel in about 2 inches, then compact it, 2 more inches, compact, 2 inches, compact....we had to do this for 6 inches. It was back breaking, we used our cart with a trailer and shovels...no machines, just hard labor!!

Paver's get delivered

We ordered our pavers for the patio on Friday and they were delivered by Menards on Sunday am. It was delivered by a semi....Tyler thought that was pretty cool! He even got to pull the string for the horn!

Gravel is delivered

We ordered our Gravel and sand. This was the next step in our process. We ordered our Gravel from Kranig. It cost us $116.00 for 12 yards. We ordered our sand from C&R Stone (Evansville) and that cost us $108.00 for 5 yrds of sand. I was gone when the sand was delivered so I don't have a picture of that one.

We start the retaining wall

Cal again works very hard on the retaining wall.Digging,and Leveling each brick to percise inch. He fills the bottom level with pea gravel and stacks....and stacks them...We all try to help, but seem to get in the way... :)