Happy birthday to my handsome little man! I can't believe he's two already. The time goes by so quickly. It seems like just yesterday I was waddling around knocking things down with my HUGE belly. Levi teaches me so much everyday. He's such an amazing little guy. Everyday I watch him grow into his own little person. He is so unique and different from any child I've ever encountered. I love him so much and I am sooo thankful for him. Happy Birthday Levi!!
'First time banger' is what the stylist called Sierra yesterday. We did some school shopping and the first stop was the salon. Here's her before and after shots. I love the bangs (much to my surprise)!
Can summer already be approaching it's end? How can this be?! I'm no where near ready for summer to end. It's just not fair (that's my kids' favorite phrase, thought I'd try it out). Sierra's birthday has already gone by and Levi's is coming this week. School starts back up in 14 days. That's the only good part of summer ending - school starting!! It just doesn't feel like summer's been here nearly long to be leaving already. There's so much I still want to do ~ like swim everyday, take the kids to the zoo (although, I've been waiting for cooler weather) and the same for Cedar Point. I suppose that I can still those things (except for swimming) in the fall weather, it would be more comfortable. But that's not the point! I still don't want summer to end!
The Hannah Montana concert was on tv Saturday night. If you have a tween daughter or know any tween girls or ever shop at Wal Mart then I'm sure you've heard of Hannah Montana. If not, then I'll tell you that she's a 15 year old girl (daughter of Billy Ray Cyrus, 'My Achy Breaky Heart' guy) that the money making machine known as Disney has morphed her into a tweeny bopper TV/Rockstar. She's all the 'rage' on the tween scene right now. Disney aired the concert on tv and it also featured The Jonas Brothers, which are a Disney tweeny boy group of three brothers (one of which has caused Sierra to fall in love). Wal Mart has been giving out free 3-D glasses for weeks in preparation for the big premiere. The concert was being shown in 3-D (probably should have mentioned that). 
The girls were soooo excited for the concert. They talked about it all day. Sierra had a countdown running. We had bought Hannah Montana microphone headsets as part of the treat bags for Sierra's party and the girls were planning on using them during the concert. The concert started at 8:00 so at 7:45 the girls ran upstairs to change into their Hannah clothes. I had no idea that they had 'hannah' clothes so I was anxious to see what they were going to wear. As they changed I started the popcorn and ice cream floats that I had previously promised. The girls arrived in the living room in their Hannah attire. 
The concert started and so did their screaming. For a second I thought Hannah Montana was standing in my living room. I had so much fun watching them. They were aggravated with the 3-D glasses. They wouldn't stay on. So, I got out my hole punch and some leftover curling ribbon from the party and tied them to my children's heads. FYI: FREE GLASSES WILL REQUIRE MOMMY'S CRAFT BOX. With glasses back on so was the concert. They screamed, they danced, they screamed, they sang, they screamed, they ate, they screamed. It was like they were actually at the concert. I can only imagine what it would be like to take them to a live concert. It was alot of fun just watching them have so much fun.
Sierra's 9th birthday isn't actually until Tuesday but she had her sleepover party on Friday. The girls had alot of fun. Everything of course had to be Hannah Montana themed. I made so many water balloons that I thought the skin was going to fall off my finger. Sierra and one of her friends totally drenched me with water while I was wearing all of my regular clothes. Sierra thought it was absolutely hysterical. Why is it always so totally cool when you get a grown up soaked? The girls put on a fashion show for me. Well, actually they insisted that I be the photographer for the show. They had fun and were actually pretty well behaved.
Today is the big day - Sierra's Sleepover!!! Yeah! She is soooo excited. She is having a Hannah Montana/Jonas Brothers theme. We're just decorating her bedroom rather than half the house. (Hey- it's a sleepover) I'm excited for the party too. The parties get harder as the kids older. I always thought they would get easier, but they don't. The party itself isn't hard it's all the pressure I put on myself to make it absolutely spectacular and better than the last. Won't I eventually max out on ideas? But I haven't maxed out yet and this party is going to be great!
What can I say about this picture? This was pretty much how my entire weekend was. We didn't really do much but it was fun just the same. Max enjoyed his stroller ride and the girls loved the fact that Max would stay in the stroller (Lola would not). Levi thought it was pretty cool too. We had just a normal, relaxed weekend without any wild animal encounters (unless you count the small mouse Dave killed in the basement). Now we're getting ready for Sierra's Birthday Sleepover this weekend.
Levi gets the bravery badge today! Daddy made a fire for the kids last night with smores and hot dogs. Is it still considered 'a fire' without the smores? Levi held his first sparkler last night!! What a big boy! On the 4th he wouldn't even consider taking a sparkler. Of course, he wouldn't take the sparker from me. I had to give the sparkler to Dave and then Dave gave it to Levi. Almost as if he didn't trust me.
So, I know I've been a TOTAL slacker lately with the blog. I just haven't felt like it. There's been much I've wanted to say but just didn't feel like putting out the effort it would require. Isn't that just terrible?! LAZY! Normally, today would not be the kind of day I would pick to blog as I am feeling a little 'down' today. Last night, about an hour after bedtime, the girls came downstairs to let me know that there was a bird in Sienna's room. Everyone knows I don't like birds and they don't like me but at least they don't carry rabies, unlike bats. However, to no surprise, it wasn't a bird but actually a bat. My investigation led me to discover the bat hanging on Sienna's window blinds. Now, it was after dark and the girls had already seen it fly from the hallway into Sienna's room. Obviously, I was absolutely petrified. I closed the door, tightly and put a towel over the space between the door and the floor. The bat was now trapped inside the bedroom and I felt safer. I checked on Levi (who was already sleeping) and thoroughly inspected his room and all the other rooms for bats. After deciding that each room was bat free and pulled all the doors tightly closed and went downstairs to call for mental support. My brother-in-law, Brian the Bat Slayer, had to work so we were on our own for the evening. Needless to say, I decided the girls would sleep with me in my bed but I couldn't get them to go without me (also needless to say). At one point I did get brave and decided that I was going to go get the bat. I made it as far as the bedroom door and I could hear the bat on the other side flying around and squealing. Needless to say (again), my bravery left me and I quickly checked on Levi, resealed his door, and RAN back downstairs.
By 1:00 am, the girls were fast asleep next to me in bed. Sleep didn't come as easily to me. I kept worrying about Levi being in his room by himself. He made a couple of noises so I went in to check on him. He was fine, I covered him back up and turned to walk out of the room when I see a bat flying up and down the hallway. I quickly slammed the door closed and scooped Levi up. There was no question about it now, he had to sleep in my bed with the rest of us. Good thing I have a king size bed, but it still wasn't a comfortable sleep. Anyway, I grabbed Levi's blanket and threw it over top of him (as to shield him from the bat confrontation that I feared was inevitable). I peeked around the door and saw no movements so I was gonna make a run for it (you know that long run across the hallway - 2 steps max) but then I heard it flapping around on the steps just around the corner. So I closed the door back. Levi laughed at me. I peeked again and the bat was flying around the hallway again. I closed the door. Levi laughed. I peeked again but the bat was still flying. I closed the door. Levi laughed. This went on for about 20 minutes before Levi quit laughing and just seemed very annoyed. I was annoyed too and hot. Between having already turned off Levi's fan and the blanket I had covering Levi and the one I had thrown over my head, I was starting to sweat and had had enough of being trapped in this room. So, I called out to Sierra through the baby monitor hoping she could open the bedroom door and Levi and I could just bolt through. However, she could sleep through a tornado and never heard me. Again I realized, I am on my own. I peeked around the door and didn't see or hear it so we ran for it. Obviously, we all survived but it was a terrible night. I didn't get much sleep for obvious reasons. And the small bit of sleep I did get wasn't very restful.
So, today I am left with the realization that I have a bat problem. Here is my reality: bats have now entered the living quarters of my children, David works on the road so I am mostly home alone with my kids, I am terribly afraid and unable to deal with the bats, - which all brings me to the harshest reality of all - I have to find a way to either keep the bats from coming inside or find a way to overcome my fear. Which would be easier to do? At this point, I have no idea. Brian the Bat Slayer came over this morning and did a thorough inspection of the house from top to bottom and NO bats were found. Can you believe that?! Not ONE?! For real? They obviously know how to come and go as they please but this is ridiculous. I don't know what I'm going to do.
As much as I love our house I HATE the basement. And I have since day one. It reminds me of a scene straight out of Saw (if you've never seen the movie, I don't suggest it). It's yucky, creepy, gross~ I just hate it. The basement also happens to be home to my washer and dryer. So this totally sucks. I get totally creeped out every time I go down there ~ it never gets easier. Not only is my basement home to my washer/dryer, it is also home to the 'Animal Kingdom Gateway'. My family laughs at me and teases me because I enter the basement in a very cautious manner. I do a full eye sweep of every wall, floor surface, door, rafter, everything before I step into it. I have already encountered a bat, 2 birds (at the same time), a spider the size of my big toe, another bat (today), and another spider the size of my big toe (also today). This is a picture of today's bat. After the first bat encounter I now REFUSE to go the basement after dark. I really don't think this is normal. Dave (says) he did a thorough inspection of every spec of the basement and cannot find where they're coming in at. BIG BIG thanks to my brother-in-law, Brian. He came over today and removed my bat!! Words cannot describe my gratitude!
And here's a cute picture of Sierra with her hermit crab from Myrtle Beach, Angel. Just because I cannot make a post with only a nasty bat pictured.
What exactly is it about the slip-n-slide that is always so much fun? As a child I loved some slip-n-slide action. As an adult, I have no desire to throw myself down on a piece of plastic that is going to send me sliding while spraying water in my face. Knowing my luck these days I'd probably throw my hip out and loose a contact. But the kids LOVE it! Brandon and Sierra played on this thing ALL day.
Sienna was a little more hesitant with it. She wouldn't just throw herself down on it. She would get down on her knees and then kind of scoot to the end. Levi didn't even get to try or see the slip-n-slide. I don't feel bad about this one bit. I did not feel like going to the emergency room that afternoon. No matter what my 'ER Frequent Visitor Card' says, I don't enjoy visits to the ER.
Slip-n-Slide + Levi = Emergency Room
Summer is finally here!! Yeah! I swear, I thought it would never come this year. I'm not going to mention all the rain we've been getting because I'm trying not to complain and just be thankful for the warmer weather.
Today, we packed our cooler, picked up Maddie and Bub, and went to the rec for some swimming. Let me say, that water was FREEZING but that didn't stop the kids.
I couldn't get in past my knees. They swam around that pool like little fish.
Sierra was very excited to discover that she is tall enough for the slide this year. Since she wasn't tall enough last year she had to pass a swimming test to go on the slide. She was very grateful to not have to repeat the test. 
We had fun and I'm sure the fun will continue. I'm dying to get some good pictures of the kids in the water but it's a little hard when I'm the only adult. Levi can't be trusted for 2 seconds. I think I walked about 5 miles today just following Levi from one side of the pool to the other. Levi is my 'exercise plan'.
It is sooo nice to have Sierra home!! She had so much fun on vacation in Myrtle Beach, even though she was the only girl. Luckily, Brandon was able to go on vacation too, so at least she had her homie with her. Notice how tan she is in this picture. Let me add that the two boys on the far right live in North Carolina. All the kids decided to buy boogie boards with some of their 'vacation money' and they had a blast riding the waves on these things.
This is a picture of the pool where they spent any time they weren't on the beach. Here they got to do lots of cannon balls and dives. And probably run off anyone else trying to use the pool! They even got to swim here a couple of times after dark. There's always something cool about swimming after dark.
Here's a few shots of everyone at the pier just outside of their condo.
Sierra and Brandon both had a wonderful time. They chatterboxed my ear off the entire way home from WV. I'm so thankful that they were able to make the trip with Dad and Hilde. I only wish Maddie and Sienna would have been able to go (Maddie had sport commitments and Sienna just wouldn't go without Mommy). I just wanna say thank you to Dad and Hilde for giving them such a great time and memories that will last them a lifetime!!
She's coming home!! Tomorrow's the day! I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself. This is a picture of 'Bonnie & Clyde' getting their thug on. We bought Sierra a prepaid cell phone for her trip and it was the best thing I could have done. It helped so much that she was able to call WHENEVER she wanted. And she called alot. I sent her picture messages of the kids playing outside and she would send me picture messages of her by the pool. But I am very ready to have my Sierra Rose home. It's just not the same without her. Thankfully, my van has been fixed~ the window and the air conditioner. YEAH!! It will be a much easier drive this time.
Summer is finally here! If you were in Ohio this past weekend then you already know that. It was HOT! As we all know, that is all I've been asking for. However, it was pretty bad timing for me. I took Sierra and Brandon down to my dad's on Friday. They were leaving at 6 am on Saturday for Myrtle Beach. As I was out and about on Thursday I discovered that the AC in my van wasn't working. That put a slight damper on a 7 hour drive in 95 degree heat, but I could deal with it. On Friday I arrived at the school to pick up the kids and leave immediately for WV. Upon arrival at the school I discovered that now my window would not go back up (of course I had it all the way down, my AC wasn't working and it was 95 degrees). This discovery had me a bit concerned but it wasn't going to stop me from getting those kids down there.
I got the kids to Dad and I made it back home, but it was one rough trip! We were soooo HOT! It was miserable. My arm (yes, just one arm) got sunburned and then night came. Suddenly, I was freezing! Of course I had no jacket with me. I was a mess. When we finally arrived at Dad's (12:30 am), I was exhausted and extremely thankful for a place to lay my head while bundled up under some blankets. Saturday morning came early and with the discovery that my hair would not be brushed before starting my hot journey home. All of that massive wind from the day before had left my hair in knots~ EXTREME knots. I only brought my big comb, which is usually more than sufficient, but not this time. I feared I would either break my comb or literally loose it in my rat's nest. So, I just pulled it back and went on my way. By the time I made it home my hair was beyond a disaster. Words cannot describe. I am still amazed that my hair brush was able to handle the mess.
We had some storms come through here last night. Lots of lightning and thunder to scare the crap out of Sienna and Lola and keep them glued to me ALL night. Imagine my horror when I awoke this morning to find that my phone had been struck by lightning. The bottom of my phone base was singed, my desk was singed, the phone jack was singed and my curtain was singed!! The phone had burnt/melted away from the phone and the entire line was black (not it's normal color of cloudy clear). I was horrified! It the curtains would have caught fire at 3am~ I can't even think about it. Thank God it was what it was. Things could have been dramatically different.
Overall, things are good here. Sierra and Brandon are safely in Myrtle Beach having a blast. My van window is fixed and the AC will be tomorrow, hopefully. I have a phone working in the house, for the most part (couple issues there to work out but it's coming). Sienna and Levi's health is doing much better than last week. I do think Levi might have pink eye again, but I still have some drops for that so I'm sure he'll be fine. My house is still safely standing. I know better days are upon us!!
It has been a really rough couple of weeks at my house. My kids are sick and just won't get better. It started when Levi got pink eye a couple of weeks ago. Anyone who has ever had to do administer eye drops to a 21 month old boy can tell you, this is NOT a pleasant experience, for anyone around. The girls would actually ask me to wait until they could get upstairs before I got the drops. The pink eye recheck was upped by a couple of days when all the kids woke up with fevers about a week later. The doctor appointment revealed that all three of them had ear infections in both ears. About 3 or 4 days later Sienna turned around and walked right into the door jam in the kitchen. She ending up vomiting which led us to the ER to discover that she had a mild concussion.
Three days later we were back at the doctor's office for a recheck on the concussion and to investigate a new fever that started that morning. 
Her head was doing fine but her ear infections were worse than before which meant that the antibiotic was being ineffective. We started a new antibiotic, Omnicef, which led to an allergic reaction resulting in a pink polka dot rash all over her body. Oh~ I forgot to mention that her and Levi had this nasty cough. It was very shallow and dry and lasted ALL night, NON STOP. I felt so bad for Sienna. She had it much worse than Levi.
Luckily, the day that the rash showed up we already had doctor appointments scheduled for the recheck on the ear infections. (How sad is that?) This doctor appointment revealed that Sierra was good to go and back to normal. Levi and Sienna not so much. They both still had the ear infections and now had Croup (sp?), as well. If you don't know what Croup is, it is a cough that restricts and enflames the air passage. This results in a sound similar to a seal barking, according to the doctor. I 
never would have guessed that's what a seal sounds like, but hey, whatever. So, they were given a steroid to open the air passage and new antibiotics.
We are finally starting to show signs of improvement, but it is a very slow road. The rash is almost gone but still slightly lingering. The cough no longer sounds like a 'seal barking'. That's good. That means that the air passages are open and normal. Now, the cough goes deep in the chest and I can hear things breaking up. So, I suppose that's good too. But it's still hard to listen to your children cough all night.
As we all know, it's terrible and heart breaking when your 
children are sick. It's so hard to force this medicine on them telling them it will make them better, only to find out that's it not making them better at all. In some situations, it makes them worse. But, slowly, we are improving. And that gives me hope.
June is finally here and this is the last week of school! I am so ready for summer and HOT weather. I'm talking high 90's! Sierra is getting ready to go to Myrtle Beach with Dad. She leaves on Friday and will be gone for an entire week. I'm going to miss her terribly but I am so excited for her. She is so excited. We all have things to look forward to and sometimes that has to be enough to get me through the day!
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