New pics of the chicks...

Thought you may want some updated photos of the ladies. We had a very fun weekend of friendship and fundraising! We spent a whirlwind Saturday first walking in the Buddy Walk for our dearest friends' son, Michael. Then we jetted off to Mairin's soccer game where she scored SIX goals (hello, Mia). We then went to dinner with our wonderful neighbors and came home for football and drinks! Sunday we ran into some good friends at church, then went to my sister-in-law's for a fall birthday celebration. Mairin caught a large mouth bass, and cured her new fear of fishing (after sending a hook through her cousin's cheek a month ago). Here are some recent photos of our fun!

Wedded Bliss

Did you see it? Pam and Jim finally tied the knot on NBC's The Office this week. It was HYSTERICAL! You should really go to hulu and watch it. After a week of lows, this was definitely a high for Pat and me (we're easy to please)... It's made for some great conversations as well!
Take a look at their wedding website!

Sweet Molly is 2!

So, we left Monday to go to Tennessee and it was Molly's second birthday! We had to forgo her party on Sunday simply because we had too much to do to get ready to go to TN. We still had cake, and sang, but we didn't do the full-blown bash we had planned.

She has grown so much. She is talking up a storm! Her vocabulary grows everyday and she reminds me so much of Maggie at that age. Molly will say the cutest things. When we sneeze, she will say, "Bless you, Mommy!" She's always looking for things and people, so she'll ask where things are, "Where ducky go?" We've sung Happy Birthday to her so much that she sings it on her own now. Mairin loves to SCREAM, "Cha, cha, cha" after each verse, so now Molly sings, "Happy birthday to you, chicka chicka!" Love it! She's definitely our charming toddler!

Happy Birthday, Molly Kate! We love you, chicka chicka!

What a difference a day (or two) makes...

My last post listed some wonderful things going on in my life, including my step-dad's waged recovery from cancer surgery. Unfortunately, in the following days from my last entry, his recovery was thwarted and he passed away. It seems that his other lasting ailments were the cause. The cancer was a mere hassle compared to his congestive heart failure, which ultimately took him, it seems. Anyway, we just returned from Tennessee and I have a funeral mass and burial to plan...

It's odd that this does not in any way compare to my own father's death. Instead, I feel a great sense of relief for Fred. He was so sick, so frail. NOT the man that I knew. The man I knew walked tall, told really bad (and often off-color) jokes to all who would listen, loved to watch racing, and wouldn't take shit from anyone. The man he had become was not the same, and I know that it bothered him. He was proud, sometimes to a fault, and being sick and not in control was really hard for him. Mom loved him too much to see this, but we saw it and it was sad.

For some, death is a very sad, very hard thing. For me, with my own father's death, I felt this selfishly, and still do. For Fred, I know he is happier now. He was able to see all his grandkids before he left. He was able to tell my mom the things he needed to say. He made peace with the Lord, and received the sacraments before he left us. No, for Fred death is a welcomed reprieve. He is standing up straight, I bet, fixing something that isn't broken and telling everyone within earshot a story about something he did down here.

While he will be missed, he is surely in a better place. Of that I am sure. Rest in peace, Fred Jenkins. Rest in peace.

Lazy blogger... part one

Two months? Really? Seems I've had a bit of writer's block lately, or as I lovingly refer to it- sleep deprivation! Not to be confused with non-workoutism + eating really badlyism= feeling really sluggishism. Either way, I'm too tired to write and/or be creative.

You see, since I last blogged, we have successfully moved, started school, and stared soccer season. That right there is a full menu of things to write about, so quite simply, I've been living my life off screen. Sorry... I will try to catch you up in ten sentences. Here goes:
1. We LOVE our new house, neighbors, proximity to all things- HOWEVER, I miss my girlfriends and have had a few nightmares about the new people in our old house.
2. School has begun anew. I have a class of 26 kids that are great.
3. Maggie and Mairin have successfully transitioned into their new school. They are making friends all over the place.
4. They've have been equally successful with the neighborhood friends they've made. The number of kids in our new neighborhood is quadrupled compared to our old neighborhood!
5. Maggie had her MRI. Results were normal, and that is fabulous! We've had probably six migraines since we've moved... still too many for a small child.
6. Fred had his gallbladder removed after almost dying from septic shock. Cancer was removed yesterday... God must have big plans for him!
7. The older two are in piano and soccer. This eats Tuesday, Thursday and Friday nights, along w/Saturdays and every other Sunday after Bible school!
8. Molly Kate has an upper respiratory infection. We're on meds... stay tuned
9. Pat? I don't know. I never get a chance to really talk to him. He's playing basketball right now. We are going out of town this weekend. It will be our first outing w/o our kids in quite a long time.
10. Molly Kate turns 2 on Monday! I can't believe it!

Ok, more than 10, but a good summary of life right now. Me? I'm fine. Getting chunky and tired, but good. I love my job, my kids, and my hubby, so that helps!

I won't wait two months next time...

My screaming girls

I'm sitting here procrastinating packing a while longer and all I hear is a panting dog and intermittent screams from the garage. It's my girls, "playing" I guess? Who knows, but those screams are endless! I'm quite certain that the high-pitched squeals are reeking havoc on many of the neighborhood dogs! Here's proof that it starts early ( I cannot figure out how to turn the video. It's turned in my Picasa file, but not when I export...)!:



Good thing she's cute!
That's all for today. Look forward to posts on outdoor concerts, chocolate wine, the big move, and MRIs...

Unwritten rules...

Today we visited with some great friends at the splash park. It was such a lovely day outside, the quintessential Indiana summer day (before the dog-days set in). The girls had a really good time, and so did I, until about ten minutes before we were to leave...

There are some unwritten rules about going out in public with children. Some that people never tell you... For instance, when you bring a sweet, like a lollipop, bring enough for every child at the venue (which Jenni did because she is fabulous, and obviously knows the rules). Here are some others:

- When you plan to leave the venue, subtract 15 minutes. That way you get out prior to the "we've stayed far too long" meltdowns.
- ALWAYS bring two drinks for each child (and a flask for you). When the first is gulped at the onset, you have a spare for later...
- Regardless of how many times you went to the bathroom before you left, any child between the ages of 3 and 5 will need to go as soon as you reach the venue.
- Everyone else's lunch is better than the one you've made, it doesn't matter that you cut off the crusts.
- The longer you are there the stronger the chance that someone will get a cut, scratch, gash... BRING a band-aide or four.
- That fluid streaming from the swim diaper is probably not water if your child has not actually been submerged, they don't absorb...
- Yes, you really should wait after applying sunblock. Don't put it on and then send your kids into the pool- sort of defeats the purpose, but we all do it...

There are so many... Some seem like common sense, but clearly when you have children common sense is at a minimum and lessens with each child. These are things that even the wisest, most experienced parents have to learn as they go. I'm just lucky that I have so many girlfriends who are learning right alongside me, and we can laugh (and cry) about it together!

For another laugh, here's a writer who has some unwritten rules on baseball and life. I thought it was funny. Hope you do, too.