been looking at houses...

well, we spent all day looking at model homes... whew, what a long day (fun, but long)... we've narrowed it down to 3 homes, but our absolute favorite's the statton home... here's a picture of the outside of it... we'd do this elevation, but choose different brick, etc... not sure what we'll end up doing, but it's fun to dream, huh?... barbara is on her way to our home now... she should be here in about 30 minutes & will be here from 1-2 weeks (YEAH!!)... well, i'll get off here & will post again soon...

yesterday at the cookout...

we went over to my brother/sister in laws house last night for a cookout with spikes whole side of the family & we had a blast... here's some pictures of the girls playing in their pool (i did take pictures of brit, but she kept sticking out her tounge so i opted to not add them!!)... all our little ones jumped off the diving board & thought they were big stuff (even karleigh, who's the chicken of the bunch!)...

our kings island trip...

well, we returned home sunday, from a wonderful trip to kings island... we'd taken all 5 of our kiddos along with dustins girlfriend, suzy & we had a blast... we were at the park all day on saturday from 10am - 10pm & boy, were we bushed at the end of that day!... our tiny tots enjoyed meeting dora the explorer, diego, scooby doo & more, while the bigger kids were all over the park from 1 rollercoaster to another... kiara (our 4y old) rode her first ever rollercoaster (front seat & alone i might add) & she's now hooked!! (YEAH!!)... believe it or not, karleigh's the one that's always trying to act all big & bad & she's the biggest chicken of them all!!... monday, i took all the girls to dad & moms house & started braiding hair... mom mentioned how cool it was on their big front porch & that if i came over there to do their hair, then the other 2 could play outside & not be stuck indoors all day... i got rubys hair done on monday (8 hours) & then on tuesday i did karleighs (3½ hours) & also kiaras (6 hours) so all in all i braided for 18 hours!! UGH... it'll now last for 1 month & they better not decide to brush it or play in sand!!

todays mapping...

well, today i took ruby down to riley again for her to be re-mapped (where they 'up' her CI & tweek it as need be)... they commented on how well she's doing... she responded exactly correct in her session & received fro new programs (she's already on #3!!)... we go back again in october & are looking to see more incredible things soon to come...

leaving for kings island tomorrow...

well, tomorrow's the day that we're leaving for kings island... we'll get there midday, but our son dustin & his girlfriend suzy won't arrive until tomorrow night... we'll be heading to the theme park on saturday & then dustin & suzy will head home on sunday sometime, but spike, myself & the girls will all come home on monday... we're planning on a nice time with ALL of our kiddos... praying for nice weather, which we heard we're to have... we'll post when we return...

not a lot going on...

well, not a lot's been going on over the past couple days... yesterday, mom & i went to the movies & saw the lake house... it was the 2nd time i'd seen it, but moms 1st & it was sooooooooo good... i was supposed to take ruby to ISD for speech therapy today, but last night i wasn't feeling well AT ALL, so i opted to put it off & today i'm much, much better (PTL!)... i stayed home with all the girls & they played & i cleaned house & messed on the computer to set brit up a blog... it's taken forever as my computer wasn't willing (& still not) to accept what i was telling it to do!... tomorrow's errand day as we've been in all week & i really need to get out & get things done... karleigh's chicken bites (what she calls them) are in the non-passible stage now & she only got 17 of them... she'll not leave them alone, which's driving me nuts!... i never did take her to the dr., but they truly do look like chicken pox, but i guess who knows!... well, that's about it from our bunch to yours!!...

another gotcha day?...

wow, i can't believe we're celebrating yet again, another gotcha day... karleigh just had hers 2 weeks ago (july 3) & now it's rubys turn... we brought ruby home from haiti last year on this date (july 17) & man, what a difference a year makes... she's a wonderful little thing & loves being included in whatever's going on... she loves helping around the house & has a good time with her sisters (when they're not arguing)... she's adjusted well with her 2 cats & her daddy!!... it's been neat to see her progress through her hearing loss & then adjust to her ci & she's done remarkably well... i just can't imagine life without her... what a fun little girl she is & here's a picture to show you how pretty she's become...

this weekend/next week...

well, i'm not sure how often i'll be writing ver the next few days as things are going to get rather busy(ier) for us next week... not that a household with 6 people (spike said to note that 5 of them are females) isn't busy enough, but it's to get a bit busier soon... tonight we've decided that instead of going out for dinner, which we usually do, we're having dinner at home... i made a meatloaf today in the crockpot, scalloped potatoes & corn on the cob (YUM!)... not sure what we'll do tomorrow, but i'm sure we'll be gone... tomorrow night we've church, but with karleigh having chicken pox, they won't let her into class so we'll be home... sunday's still up in the air for what to do during the day, but sunday night brit's got youth at church... she's always gone to youth on fridays, but now that she's in high school, her youth meets on sundays... they just made the switch last week, but we weren't home so this'll be her first high school youth group & she's excited!... next week (tuesday) we've got speech therapy in the morning & a realtor coming over to appraise the house in the evening... (friday) we'll be leaving for kings island (yes, we told brit & she knows now)... we were planning on coming home sunday the 23, but spike's got a meeting to attend first thing monday morning & it'll be on our way home, so we're staying over until monday the 24... dustin & his girlfriend suzy are going with us so we'll have a blast i'm sure... we're all very excited about it... i'll post more when i get time...

well, we've got the 'pox'...

chicken pox that is... karleigh woke up this morning with a few bumps on her face & arms... throughout the day they've continued to increase & after naptime they'd really multiplied... we've been able to count 17 on her so far, so we'll see how she wakes up tomorrow... she had chicken pox a year ago, but only had a mild case (3 total), so i think now it's truly 'the real thing' UGH... kiara got her pickies/shots yesterday & so today she's been very cranky as she's sore... then this afternoon she didn't want lunch as she said she didn't feel good... i thought she'd devour dinner with being so hungry, but she only had a couple bites & said she didn't feel well & needed to go to bed... boy, after me having a migraine all day, i sure hope everyone sleeps well tonight (praying here!!)...

kiara & her 'pickies'...

just an update on our day today... we were up this morning for rubys voice therapy & then immediately following, i took kiara to the health department for her shots/'pickies'... she was sooooooo excited that she was going to get pickies & that ruby & karleigh couldn't come... she was beaming from ear to ear just at the thought of it... we went in & with her eyes wide, she proceeded to share with the nurse what was about to happen... she said that she was going to get pickies & that they'd hurt, but if she held really still that they'd hurt less... i kept thinking to myself, hold still - yeah right!... well, i held her as they gave the first pickie in her arm & all she said was, "oh oh oh oh oh" & just whimpered... the lady had already told her (without asking me) that if she didn't cry, then mommy would be taking her out for lunch... when pickie #2 came, she let it all out & screamed!!... then pickie #3 arrived & she cried, but was soooo ready to leave... on the way out the door she said, "i didn't cry on that first pickie, right mom?"... i said, "no honey, you did great!"... she said, "good, cause i'm hungry & ready for lunch" UGH... (we then went to chili's to eat!)... this evening dustin & suzy stopped by & visited for quite awhile & were both in very good moods & we really enjoyed ourselves... spike's away on business & won't return until tomorrow night so it's just me & the girls :(...

brit's now 15y!!...

well, today's brits birthday & she's now 15y!... she picked panera bread for lunch & sapporos for dinner tonight (& it was YUMMY!!)... her grandparents, her brother & his girlfriend all came over last night to visit & she's gotten tons of phone calls today wishing her a happy birthday (she's just loved that!)... we bought her a cake & spike picked it up this evening along with ice cream & we ate some after we get home & i'm so far beyond stuffed it's not even funny (that'll be great for the hips to eat cake & then go to bed, huh?)... we bought her a beautiful dress for her birthday, that she'd picked out & gave it to her yesterday... we're also taking her to kings island next weekend (21, 22 & 23) & she knows nothing about it (PLEASE DO NOT TELL HER, IT'S A SURPRISE!!!!!)... she's never been to kings island & has been begging to go, so she'll be soooooooo surprised!!... we're planning on driving down that friday (not telling her where we're heading), going to kings island that saturday & then driving home that sunday... here's a couple pictures i took of her today out in the yard, isn't she pretty??

today at the pond...

well, this afternoon, while waiting on spike to get home, the tiny tots & i went for a walk to the pond across the street... i took my camera & here's some of the photos i took *smile*... aren't they adorable!!...

going to haiti a bit sooner than expected!!...

well, we talked to barbara tonight & she had the opportunity to go to vietnam during our planned stay (october 5 - 12) so we called about changing our dates of our travel... when i talked to american airlines, they informed me that there was a schedule change (hmmm, how did they know why i was calling???)... they said that the day we were leaving from indianapolis, the flight time had changed from 8:18am to 7:20am & because of it being a change on 'their' part, they wouldn't be charging me a 'changing fee'... i said, "well, that's great & why i'm phoning you is, i'm wanting to back up my travel dats to october 3 - 10"... they checked & said that'd be fine & so the change didn't cost us any extra at all!! (in fact, we saved a few dollars per ticket)... barbara at this time will be flying out of PAP with us on the 10th *smile*... isn't god good!!

today at the 'nanas' park...

i took the girls to the park today (or as they say, "nana's park")... they had a blast, (here's pics to prove it!)... we met nana & brit there & ate lunch first & then they played... after we'd been then a couple hours, we decided to leave so we could get home for naps (they just loooooved that idea, NOT!)... we're now home & in they're in bed & mama's doin' the 'happy dance'!!... i think we're staying home this evening as we'll more than likely be going out tomorrow for dinner (we usually do on fridays)... better go so i can get things done before 'the angels' awake *cough, cough*... i should be sleeping right now since i've got 1 'angel' that chose to wake up at 5:10am, but i'm not as there's way to much to do (like add to my blog!!)...

brit & our 'change of plans'...

brit's at dad & moms house for the week (yes, a week!) & really enjoying herself... here's a picture of her that was taken last night at the big parade... it's a typical picture of her doing what she does best & that's chat on her cell (she gets this trait from her father, ya know!)... she's such a pretty young lady & an out & out great girl!...

well, we were planning on going to dinner & then to see fireworks, but it started raining & looked as if it was going to be a washout so we changed plans... i made dinner here, got the girls' pjs on them, put them to bed, watched a movie & ate some ice cream *YUM!*... while all this was taking place, the rain stopped, sun came back out & the fireworks were back on again, at least for others, but we decided to not chance it & stayed home *smile*... the girls all got to bed a decent times & will now get a good nights sleep after their late night last night...

it's july 4th, 2006!!...

well, we're getting ready to head to dinner & then it's off to see the fireworks near us... the girls have no idea what we're planning on doing as kiara's seen them 3 times, but she was so little, that i think this year will be the first time she 'remembers'... karleigh's now just 2y & ruby's never seen them as she wasn't home last year at this time... we head down & get some snacks & pack all the girls in our quad stroller & we're off!!... i'll try & post more when we get home as to their reactions & all... not only's this rubys first firework display to see, but she's never 'heard' them either... i'm anxious to see her reaction to their sound with hearing it through her CI *smiling*...

karleigh's 2nd gotcha day!...

well, can you believe it's been 2 years today since we brought karleigh home??... where's the time gone?... we've been 'house shopping' or should i say, house 'thinking' all day... we then went to TGIFridays for dinner & then to a midnight parade & karleigh loved it (as did the other 2)... she's doing so well & is such a good little girl... i still can't believe it's already been 2 years though... god's blessed us with so many things & wonderful children ranks the highest on that list... here's a picture taken at myrtle beach a couple weeks ago, isn't she a doll!