Enjoying Summer's End

I can't believe August is almost over. It feels like summer never really began, so it shouldn't be able to end so soon. I think this was the most rainy summer I've ever experienced, funny because last summer we had record breaking rain-less days. Well, we've been taking advantage of what we can. We've gone on some bike rides, jumped on the trampoline, ran down hills, and swam a bit. Hopefully next year when we get our pool we will have a sunnier summer.

The Price of Naptime

So, I've come to realize, you CAN put a price on naptime, and apparently it's over $1000!

Sage starts Preschool in a couple weeks (crazy). I found out, after the fact, that our school district started UPK (which is free 5-day preK). I got on the waiting list, and found out I would be able to get in after all, but only for the afternoon session which runs 1pm-3:30pm. So, I was faced with a awful choice because that time frame falls into naptime. Ryder goes down great for his naps, but only when he's tired. This preschool time would also mean Sage wouldn't take naps M-F, and Sage, without a nap, is a awful thing. She didn't take naps for about a year, and I thought her crankiness and moodiness was just her being a girl. It wasn't until I re-introduced naptime that I realized she was just tired. So, she has been taking naps, everyday, for about 6months now. Well...I decided the stress of dealing with all that isn't worth it. As much as I would LOVE to take advantage of FREE PreK....it's not worth it.

Wet Children

I'm so done with this rain!!! My yard is a swamp, my deck is a big puddle, hardly got to use my trampoline, thunder and hail keeps waking up the kids. I'm sick of telling them they can't play outside, so they are outside now, in the wetness...ahhh...what are you going to do. I guess the up side is that I've hardly had to run the A/C...lol. Jay actually turned on the heat last week (it's off now) I refuse to run the furnace in August. CRAZY. At least there is Dairy Queen to make my summer delicious. The best summer dinner in my book....breadsticks and ice cream. I guess, as far as the weather goes, there's always next summer.

7 Lucky Years

It's my ANNIVERSARY!!!!!

Wow, how time flies!....7yrs!!! I spent some time looking at some old pictures today, they made me laugh and cry. Thinking about the past, the memories we shared. I figured I'd write a little bit about how me and Jay met. It was 1997 (I was 17) and we met through a mutual male friend. I was dating someone at the time, and the mutual friend was both a friend of my boyfriend, and of Jay...though my boyfriend and Jay did not know each other. (did that make sense?). Anywho, I ended up leaving my boyfriend at the time for Jay. Me and Jay were together only 6weeks before I had to leave to be an exchange student in Brazil. It was really hard doing the long distance thing, and even harder to keep our relationship going when I came back 6months later. Our love got us through the tough times and we got engaged on Valentines day of 1999. He proposed to me in the car (it was Feb.) at Glen Falls. We got married 8-11-01, and have lived happily ever after....kinda.... The last 7yrs have had a lot of great moments, of course the birth of our kids being the best moments. There have also been some really hard times, like the death of Jay's Dad. I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about it. Even though he wasn't my own Dad, he was as close as they come, and loved me like a daughter, I miss him every day, and it kills me that my kids never got to meet him. On a up note, in the last 7yrs we've bought a house together, and made a happy life together. It's crazy that we've known each other for over 10yrs...but a good crazy.

Here's to 7+ more years of great times together! (and yes, those are flamed champagne glasses)

Puppy Love

What is better than one puppy????....TWO!

They are SOO adorable!

Lucy (the black one) now has a brother named Lucky. Grampa stopped over today and surprised us with a puppy visit. Ryder was in his glory! He was oh so excited, kept laughing and yelling "doggie".

Sage didn't want much of anything to do with them, little dogs kinda freak her out. Which I don't quite understand, because who doesn't love a puppy?

*SUPER*STAR*

Yes, she is super. She is a superhero who helps and rescues people.

She is too cute :)

It's a bird...it's a plane...no, IT'S A DISHWASHER!

IT'S REAL! I heard rumors about it in May, but nothing ever came of it...until now! After 5 yrs of doing dishes by hand...I HAVE A DISHWSHER! It's pretty cool too. It has two drawers that run independently, so you can do a big or small load, depending. Poor Matt spent a entire day of his vacation fighting with my kitchen to put it in...I am SOO thankful. It fits perfect too! I bought the powder for it today, and am very much looking forward to using it! The only problem I have already run into is Ryder turning it on, grrr, it has a lock to keep it shut, but I guess it's not "Ryder proofed" (what is?).

"Mixed" Party

That is what Sage reffered to her's and Ryder's joint birthday party today....kinda cute.

So this year we decided to try a birthday brunch instead of a dinner. Dinners always end so late, because you have to start them after naptime (if they nap), then you are stuck cleaning and putting away toys until all hours of the night. Anyways, today's Birthday Brunch went really well. I finally got to cook some brunch foods that I had been wanting to try, but am always working weekend mornings, so I never get a chance.

The kids looked adorable in their little birthday clothes. Ryder had a "skull button down", and Sage was excited to wear her flower dress (she loved the yellow flowers on it).

It was so nice, we ate, did gifts, had ice cream cake, cleaned up, and took a nap...(we all took naps).

Sage wants to play with everything she and Ryder received. We have already made some pictures with her art supplies, and cooked cookies in the easybake oven. She has been enjoying her roller skating doll (she even took her nap with it). Ryder got a lot of cars and trucks, and has enjoyed racing them across the family room. They got a lot of gift cards too, which is great, because they are not getting everything at once...plus, Sage loves having money, and enjoys shopping.

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Last year's party

This year's party

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Ryder is defiantly becoming a little man!