Saturday, September 22, 2007

Buddy Walk

Today was the 12th Annual Down Syndrome Buddy Walk. We had a terrific time. Lots of good food, laughs and wonderful people. I am simply posting a few pics and heading for bed. Today I was made painfully aware of how out of shape I truly am.

This little guy has been my girls' biggest fan for quite some time now.

Just follow the sign! Easy right?

Still feeling Perky

We did it, but poor Boo Boo has had enough!

They even gave me a medal. Well, so they gave everybody a medal.


Our inspiration. Isn't she beautiful?

We could learn alot from crayons:
some are sharp, some are pretty, some are dull, some have weird names, and all are different colors but they all have to learn to live in the same box.

I have to say there were a lot of beautiful crayons in my box today.




Wednesday, September 19, 2007

A Poem

MY DEAR CHILD.
You are the poem
I dreamed of writing
the masterpiece
I longed to paint.
You are the shining star
I reached for In my
ever hopeful quest
for life fulfilled..
You are my child.
Now with all things
I am blessed.

~Author Unknown~


Pretty Toe Nails

I finally had a day off today. It seems like it had been forever. I was busy all morning cleaning, organizing closets, etc. Obviously a little too busy. I left Mallorie watching Little Einsteins while I was doing some laundry. I came across her in Morgan's room. She was sitting on the bed painting her nails with her sister's black nail polish. "Mommy! My toes are beautiful!" Can you believe she did not get one drop on the bed or the carpet.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Introducing

Meet "Baby Fishy". Mallorie has a weekly chore chart. At the end of the week if she gets all her stickers she gets a reward. This week her reward was a fish. He is a purple Beta and Mallorie picked him out all on her own. We will see, our family has not had a great deal of luck in the past with fish. If I can keep her from taking him out of the bowl to love on, I think that really ups his odds of surviving the night.

Saturday, September 15, 2007

It Feels Like Fall!

As I stepped out to get the morning paper the air had a wonderful crisp fallish feeling to it. Absolutely delicious. I am so excited for pumpkin patches, trips to the cider mill, gorgeous walks it the park, fall picnics and of course HALLOWEEN!

Because I worked 53 hours this week I am simply going to touch on a few of this weeks highlights, and yes I am aware that I use the term highlight very loosely. lol

-First, I worked 53 hours! Ah! For me that is a lot and I am exhausted but it is also a lot for Mallorie but she seemed to handle it okay for the most part.

-Mallorie has been accident free for weeks. Then yesterday she had four in one day. I am thinking it was all the hours spent in school. Not sure, but she was really tired and cranky Friday morning.

-Devin was attempting to suspend himself between two walls in the hallway by placing his back against one wall and his feet against the other. Now do the math..................Yes, I have a huge gaping hole in the wall where his feet were! I am thinking it is time for a lesson in sheetrock repair. He feels it was Morgan's fault because she was doing it and said "You can't do this! You're too big!" Hmmmmmm.

-Mallorie has caught the birthday bug. Not sure why, maybe because of our excited conversations about Rhonda's kids and their birthday's. She has not been to a birthday party lately. Now, every morning instead of asking "We go circus today, Mom?" she asks "It my birfday, Mom?" Cheese and Crackers! We still have over 50 days to go, hopefully she will move on to something else soon.

-Today is the day I am going to begin eating right! I am not on a diet per say but I am so tired of feeling like S***! So I will be using you all as part of my plan. I will not relay all of the boring information just the slip ups. I am hoping that will help me stay on course.

-I am off to bake some more goodies for the Hospice House. Today is employee appreciation day and they having games and a cake walk so they are asking for extra goodies. I need to get a moving. I am taking some chocolate cherry fudge bars. (I will let you know if I stay out of them.) Who knew you could get such a warm cozy feeling just from delivering cookies once a week. The families at the Hospice House really seem to enjoy having something yummy to nibble on. The House always keeps fresh soup and Panera bread on hand but the treats are just a little something extra that might add a bright moment(no matter how brief) in what is an extremely difficult time. The nurses really like it as well and it is kind of fun to have everyone start gathering around when you head into the building. The news travels quickly that a goodie lady has arrived. lol

-I think we may be off to the zoo after that. The weather is so beautiful. I am determined not to be trapped inside cleaning house! Not today.

Everyone have a wonderful weekend!

Sunday, September 9, 2007

Circus Day, Wonderful Day

Yesterday we took in the Ringling Bros Circus. Mallorie had been anticipating this day for weeks. Every morning I got the same question. "Today we go Circus, Mom?" You can imagine her excitement when I was finally able to proclaim, "Yes Mallorie, today we go to the Circus." Unfortunately I must have built it up too much. For the most part the girl was completely unimpressed. I really thought this was the year she would finally get into all the fun and excitement. This was the year she would love the lights, be captured by the music and be entranced by the acts. Nope. Her favorite part? The $10.00 cotton candy. Once that was gone she felt pretty certain it was time to go home. I managed to convince her we needed to stay so Mommy could enjoy the rest of the show. She settled in somewhat, entertaining herself with watching the lady behind us eat multiple bags of popcorn and seeing how close she could swing her foot to the woman's head in front of her without actually hitting it. She finally fell asleep during the last 15 minutes of the performance, waking up in the car. She immediately went into a tizzy of tears. "I need to go back to the circus. I's not done yet." There's always next year little girl, there's always next year.

In other news my summer long search for a train table has ended. I found exactly what I wanted, trains included for $20.00 on Craigslist. $20.00! Now that is unheard of. I was so excited, I am still talking about my amazing deal! Mallorie loves it and keeps saying, "It is just like Evan's, Mommy." I proudly pipe up "Yes it is, and for a fraction of the price which makes it sooo much better! Ha!"

For those of you who know me well, I am sure you recall my love for Vietnamese food. I have been looking for a good Vietnamese restaurant since moving to Kansas City and yesterday I found it. We were starving after leaving the circus. ( I refuse to pay $6.00 for a hot dog. The $10.oo cotton candy was an exception. I only had to buy one and after all it came with a free paper hat!) We were frantically searching for a McDonald's and because of construction I could not make any of the turns we needed to. Imagine my delight when I realized I was turning around in the parking lot of the elusive Vietnam cafe. I swear to you the place was glowing. I am certain it was divine intervention guiding me. God was speaking to my subconscious. "Eat the food you love at a much cheaper price!" So we did, it was delicious and I was happy!

After the late Vietnamese lunch and a trip to the grocery store Ernie and I decided we better make an appearance at a birthday party we were invited to. It was very nice. Good food and a terrific live band, but we were both yawning about an hour in. After all, it was after 9PM for crying out loud. We said out goodbyes and enjoyed a pleasant conversation on the ride home. Being married with four kids, those are few and far between. We strolled up to the house. Devin was working in the garage. Just when the day couldn't get any better, I heard him say, "Mark(the grand champion professional BBQer who lives across the street) brought over about 20 pounds of ribs and brisket. I could barely get it in the fridge." Life is good! The Circus, one heck of a deal, Vietnamese food and BBQ all in one day! Life is good.

Wednesday, September 5, 2007

My Mother's Birthday

You are no longer here Mom
I miss you more then you can know
Time creeps so slowly
Because I miss you so

No on can replace my mother
Nobody can take the sadness away
It breaks my heart again and again
So many things left to say

It is another year since you have gone
Not talking with you on the phone
Praying every night to dream of you
Hoping I won't feel so alone

I know you are somewhere lovely
A place of peace and love
Where no one suffers
With God and the Angels above

So please remember I love you
I speak to God everyday
Knowing he hears me
Passing on the words I never got to say



In loving memory of my dear Mother, Marsha Michel, on her birthday. September 5, 1947

Sunday, September 2, 2007

Extremely Lazy Sunday

We are having a very lazy weekend. You would think considering it is a holiday weekend and all that we might have some sort of a plan. Nah. Everything that is suggested is shot down simply because it is too hot. Although we did take in the flea market yesterday morning. I purchased absolutely nothing but it is always fun to find a shady spot and people watch. Yesterday afternoon we went to Bass Pro Shop to watch the water dog jumping competition. Mallorie enjoyed herself so much she has been asking all day to go back. I think we will check it out once it begins to cool off.