rainy weather & snow's movin' in!...

it's been raining all day long here & boy is it soggy out there... we took kiara to school today, then karleigh & i went to nana's house, went back to pick up kiara, brought both girls home for naptime, brit & ruby came home from school & now we're into the evening as spike's out on business tonight until late... i got a big box of hair supplies that i'd ordered from a friend of mine & was thrilled to see all the 'goodies'... i'm now trying to think ahead of what hairstyle i'll be doing next... it's driving me nuts this planning as i'm now ready to jump in there & do it, but we're getting pictures taken on december 10 & if i do it now, i'm not sure it'll look as crisp as it could (i know, i'm obsessing about it!)... we're due to get some snow starting tonight & into tomorrow, but at this point, not sure how much... dustin turns 21y on december & i still can't believe time's flown by that fast... spike & i are taking him & suzy out for lunch on saturday at olive garden & he's very excited about that... well, i'll add more later, but now have to get dinner started...

all but 4 gift cards, my christmas shopping's done!!...

well, you read it right, i've only 4 gift cards left to purchase & i'm done with ALL my christmas shopping!!... here's a picture that we recently took of our christmas tree (the girls had a wonderful time decorating it!!)... there's also a few pictures from today when i took the girls to the park... they had such a great time (although it was a bit chilly)... there's also a picture of brit on thanksgiving day as she's watching a movie, but paused long enough to pose for mom!

happy thanksgiving...

well, it's already the end of the year & turkey day's tomorrow... usually spike & 'the guys' from his side of the family all leave the night before thanksgiving (tonight) & head out for a camping trip of 4 days or so... well, this year, they were having trouble pulling it together as spike's been working so much overtime, a nephew of ours just got a new job so he can't take off work, etc., etc., etc.... spike decided to not go (so the trips off now) & to stay home to make sure he's got things caught up by the beginning of next week... it'll be the first thanksgiving we'll ALL be together & i'm looking soooo forward to it... there's been so much going on in our family (not immediate family) that's just plain 'not right', but even with all that, we can still see we've so much to be thankful for... god's been very good to us & he's given us so much... we've got jesus christ, our health, roofs over our heads, children around us, friends, family, etc., what more could we ask for?... it's just a nice time of year to sit & reflect on what we've got in our lives & pray for those that don't have nearly as much... again, happy thanksgiving!!

ready for the holidays??...

well, we're getting ready for the holidays around here... i've already got 2 layaways going & ready to come out soon (YEAH!)... i've got tons of other things in mind to buy, just waiting on the $$ to come in (if i could only remember where that money tree is that i planted!)... the girls will be so fun this year & with dustin & brit being older i'm really looking forward to it... last year was our first year all together, but karleigh was still soooooooo little & ruby didn't have a clue & couldn't hear, so this year for us will be a great one i think!... we'll be having thanksgiving at mom's this year i think & then spending christmas eve with them as well... we'll have christmas morning with our kids & then it's off to spike's side for christmas there... we'll be bushed by the end of that day, but it's all so fun... i've been talking to spike about putting up christmas lights pretty soon as we usually wait & then FREEZE putting them up & that's noooooo fun!... we'll see, but for now it's looking like freezing's what we'll be into *frozen smile*... well, i'll post more soon when i get time, but somedays i get none to myself, so we'll see... ttfn!

our 5 bear cubs...

well, we're still on the go over here... last night was a bit rough as i woke up having severe chest pains for about 1-2 hours... i'm a heart patient so was a bit concerned, but phoned the dr. today & they'll be waiting to hear from me if anything else occurs, but will be seeing me at the my dr. visit that's already scheduled for december 1... other than that, we're all feeling great... dustin's still working both jobs right now, getting bills paid off & planning on saving for another car, etc.... brit's started in a small group (bible study) on monday nights & really likes it... she's met several girls & they all get along really well... kiara's having a wonderful time at preschool this year & comes home with a smile on her face daily... ruby's working hard at learning new signs & also correcting us when we use one incorrectly... karleigh's been a bit 'snippy' here lately & i really don't know why... she's just got that testiness about her & we're all hoping that it goes away, QUICK!... well, that's what our 5 bear cubs are up too so i'll close for now & write more soon...

lots going on around here...

well, this weeks already getting very full so i'll blog this & then we'll see how things go & how much time i'll get to my name... i'll be taking my 3 little bear cubs out trick or treating tomorrow night alone as spike's got meetings & won't be able to go with us... wednesday evening we'll be heading to the airport as barbara's flying 2 more little ones home to their new parents... 1 of the little guys that'll be coming in's ruby's cousin so i'm very excited about that!... barbara will then be staying with us for a few days & not leaving until saturday... it looks as if she'll be heading back to the states sometime next week as well as she's got visa appointments set up for next week as well (YEAH GOD!!)... i've got another heart dr. appointment friday AM just for my checkup & am sure that'll go well... everyone here's doing great & feeling well too... we've been having chilly weather here lately, but no one's sick (praise the lord!)... dustin spent the weekend with us & so we spent a ton of time with he & suzy & was very thankful for it - we had a great time!... well, i guess i'll close now as this mama bear's getting a bit tired & feel i'm rambling... tata for now!!

boy, how time flies!...

kiara's papa beau

kiara's brother vilbo (12y)

kiara's sister lilanne (15y)

kiara's sister florette (19y) & her son chechiron (1y)

florette's other son sonson'n (2y)

karleigh's papa richard

well, we're back from our trip to haiti & had a wonderful time!... we were gone from october 3-10 & have been running nonstop ever since... our little chicklets have a fabulous time staying with 'papa kyle, angela & all their kids' (hehehe), that's what they call them... while in haiti we were with barbara walker in passing out food, back packs, clothing & visiting kiara & karleigh's birth papas too... karleigh's papa flew down from cap haitien to visit us for the day... it was so good to see him again & after having dinner together he asked us when we'd be bringing karleigh back to see him... we assured him, we would be doing this someday when she got older & he seemed very happy about that... we visited with kiara's papa 1 day & then made plans to see him again the latter part of the week... when we got there the last day he surprised us by telling us to take him down the road a bit (about 15 minutes away) & we could meet/see kiara's birth siblings!!!... WOW, what a blessing!!... well, it's taken me forever to upload these pics, so i'm heading to bed, but will blog more soon... ttfn!

getting ready to leave!!...

well, more than likely this'll be my last blog posting until we get home from haiti... we're leaving tuesday morning VERY early & between now & then, man, i'm swamped!!... tonight we're heading out to get all the 'last minute items', pick up some things out of the camper, etc... tomorrow we've got to head to the airport to make sure they're still allowing 'containers' & not making you take everything in duffle bags (boy, that'll be a pain if they are!)... we've got 8 FULL containers packed & waiting for spike to drill holes in the corners & add zip strips to them for the security aspect... brit & mom are already packed & i'll be completely packed tonight & then there's spike... UGH... he's not even started!!!... i'm sure he'll make it in time, but i sure couldn't wait until the last minute like that... we've already talked to barbara & she's got things planned for us to do while we're there & we're sooooooooo excited!... i'm the last one in our family to have been there, but that's been 1½ years ago so to me, it's been forever!!... brit's never flown & her first flights out of the country, how cool will that be for her... mom's never been to haiti & we all are looking so forward to going & seeing our little chicklets birth parents as that's always the highlight of the trip for us... i'll post again when i get back & add pictures too... all of you that pray, please pray for us while we're gone (until the 9th of october) that we stay safe, have a good time, stay well & get much accomplished while we're there... god bless you!!

my pappy...

well, i lost my pappy tonight... he was well into his years & had lived a long life, but it's still hard when they're gone... he was a very good man, hard worker & father of 4 daughters (my mother being the youngest)... when i was younger, they tell me that all my older cousins called him papaw, but then i came along & i called him pappy, but he was alright with it... i know i've heard stories where they say i'd take a big handpicked bouquet of flowers to him & say, "i picked you some fluffies"... i know he got upset as they were his flowers that he'd worked so hard on & there i was at 3 years or so, pulling them all up!... here's a picture of him in these later years along with my mother... he'll for sure be missed, but i know he's in a much better place where 'fluffies' are all around him & no one will pick them!!... he's with my memaw & their daughter kay & many other family members as well... we miss you pappy, but we'll see you again soon... we love you... toodle-doo (the same word he said every night before retiring to bed)...

where's the time gone?...

well, barbara left last thursday morning to head back to haiti & we've already gotten emails from her saying how much she misses us & our cool weather! (we just love her *smile*)... we've now gotten back into the routine of it just being 'us' around here & everyone's doing rather well... kiara & ruby go to school every tuesday, wednesday & thursday & that gives karleigh & i some 'us' time & we're loving that... we went to the library last week & we're going shopping tomorrow... i've already started putting layaways in for christmas so i don't get hit hard when the time gets here... my best friend's been in pennsylvania for a week & just got home last night (it's sure a good thing she's back!)... i wasn't able to chat with her today due to me having a bad headache & so i took a nap today (can't even tell you when i did that last)... it'll be good to chat with her tomorrow as i've so missed that... she'll be the one that'll be watching our 3 little chicklets when we go to haiti (3 weeks from today!)... they're excited, but kiara keeps saying, "can i stay with angela during the days & then come home to 'you & daddy' at night?"... she's the one that likes to be home & on 'our schedule', so i'm hoping she'll do alright... she loves spending time with angela & her family, but she's a homebody too, so we'll see how it goes... we'll certainly be praying for angela & her family as she'll have 6 children in her care that week (10 days total), between her 3 & our 3 she'll have: G6y, B4y, G4y, G3y, G2y & G2y... well, it's getting late so i'd better get to bed - early mornings around here, ya know!... i'll write more tomorrow...

whew, have we been busy!...

well, last week a friend of mine, lynn from california was flying to our home to meet up with barbara walker... barbara was bringing lynns little girl, josie 'home' & indianapolis was the meeting place... barbara had more work to be done on her teeth so they opted to arrive here, then barbara would stay for the tooth issue & lynn (along with josie) would fly home... well, nothing in that whole plan fell into place at all... lynn was already on a plane when i found out that barbara wasn't able to get a flight out due to the hurricane that was affecting haiti UGH... when lynn got here i told her of the news & she worked very hard to make things work together... i was able to get barbara & josie another flight scheduled for yesterday, september 5, but that meant lynn would be stuck in indiana until then... she worked it out at home with all her other children & so she's been here since then... we'd a camping trip with our family this past friday, saturday, sunday & monday so we just took lynn along for the ride & we all had a wonderful time... we arrived home yesterday afternoon, got ready & headed for the airport... her daughter & barbara came in last night at 8:30pm & man, was it good to see them both... lynn's chosen to rename her daughter naomi faith & she loves it! YEAH!!... lynn & naomi's both leaving tomorrow morning & then barbara will be flying out thursday morning... it's been so nice having them all here & boy, have my girls enjoyed all the added attention *smile*... well, i'm bushed & it's only 11:30pm, but i've got to get up for another busy day at 5:30am so tata for now & i'll write again tomorrow (tomorrYO as kiara says it!)...

busy next few days...

well, thought i'd better write now as the next few days are going to be extremely busy... tomorrow (tuesday) i'll get ruby on the bus & then i'm off to clean up this house ~ WHOA!!... i'll then need to leave the house by 2:30 to go pick dustin up from work & take him home... i'll stop by our house to scoop up brit & ruby & we'll then race off to the airport to pick up a friend of mine that's flying in... we'll go shopping, running around town, etc. on wednesday & then we'll head to the airport again on wednesday night as barbara will be bringing in my friends daughter *smiling*... we're all so excited!... i've not gotten to see this gorgeous little girl since january 2005 & believe me, i can't wait!!... they'll stay overnight again with us & then thursday afternoon my friend & her daughter will head to their home & barbara will stay another day or so in order to have another tooth worked on... not sure at this point how long she'll get to stay, so we'll see... we'll then pack on thursday night as we're going camping on friday for the holiday weekend & won't be returning home until monday.. needless to say, i may not be blogging for a few days!!

yesterday...

well, yesterday was spikes birthday (52!) & we went to my brother in laws house for a get together... it was a combination of party for spike & a party for their secretary that just retired... the kids swam, we all ate & had a great time... we remembered that it was 4 years ago yesterday (august 26) that we first heard about kiara & started the process... man, how time flies!... well, we're heading out now to go eat lunch & then do some shopping so i'll write more later!

this weekend...

well, tonight we opted to just stay at home so after eating dinner, we played with the girls & then put them to bed... i was able to get things done around here (straightened, etc.) so we're ready (kind of) for the weekend... i've been soooooooooooo tired/drained & sore today as i went for bloodwork this morning & it wasn't the reading they wanted so it's really tired me out WHEW! (i know i'll get yelled at from my mother as i didn't tell her!... she's dealing with a bit of her own 'body weary' things & i know she's got enough on her plate - don't be mad mom *smile*)... anyhow, i'm fine & will get better with each passing day, but for today, man i'm bushed!... here's some pictures of the chicklets that i took tonight when we were playing... aren't they adorable ~ nite!

rubys first week of school...

well, ruby's been in school now for 3 days (she only goes on tuesdays, wednesdays, & thursdays)... she's loving it already & her teacher's great!... here's a picture of her on her first day & also 1 of her & her teacher, kristyn... everyday when she's gotten off the bus, she's smiling from ear to ear & starts signing, "ruby", "friends" & "school"... she's a sweetheart!!

we're home from camping...

well, even though there was a HUGE threat of rain over the weekend (friday night, all day saturday & sunday until midday), we went ahead & went camping, praying we'd stay dry & we're sooooooooo glad we did... we'd a wonderful time as did the girls & also my parents (whom went with us)... don't ask my how i managed it, but i came away from the weekend with NO PICTURES!!... i took video, but forgot to get out my digital camera!... ugh... we're going again in 2 weeks (labor day weekend), so look out, there'll be tons of pictures from that campout... we'll be going with dad & mom again & also spikes sister & her husband (russell & vickie) will be coming along so it's sure to be a good time!... more tomorrow as i'm bushed!!

our day started with...

the girls bringing me beads that they'd found in their beds this morning!... i couldn't believe it, they all brought me some at different times, not knowing the others had done the same thing!!... they've had this hairstyle in for just over 3 weeks & we still had a week or so to go (or so i thought)... i went to put the missing beads back, but found lots of bands had snapped & it just wasn't worth it... i began with ruby, taking each & every braid out (remind me again, who was it that wanted micro braids in their hair???)... i then moved on to kiara & finished with karleigh this evening at bedtime... they're all ready to jump into the tub tomorrow morning & play for as long as mommy will let them... then it's off to the drawing board again to come up with another style... here's a picture of what we decided to do (& it only took 5 hours to get them all 3 done!!)

a bittersweet day...

well, this morning we all got up, dressed & was out the door at 10:30am... we headed to muncie to eat at brits favorite place 'carlos okellys' (mexican)... i'd decided to take her out for 'her day' as today was her last day of summer... she starts school in the morning & she's a bit nervous as she'll be a freshman & is so scared she'll get lost in the high school... after eating a wonderful lunch, we headed back to the other side of indianapolis to dj's beauty supply house for yet, MORE BEADS for our little chicklets!... after going there we went to target as brit wanted to get a certain outfit for the first day of school (nothing like waiting till the last minute!)... after that we went to pendleton for dinner with my parents & spike met us there... we ate pizza at 3rd generation & boy was it YUMMY!... we then came home to 3 little chicklets not feeling so well... kiara's complaining of needing to choke (you know what that means), ruby's got a temp of 103.3º & karleigh's running one of 101.3º UGH... well, we'll for sure be home all day tomorrow... i'll post more then!!

what we did this weekend...

well, this past weekend we went camping at clifty falls state park with our best friends (caswells) & their children... they've 3 little ones from haiti (6y, 4y & 2y) & along with ours (4y, 3y & 2y) there's never a dull moment... they're the same family that went with us to myrtle beach this summer (boy, does that seem like a long time ago - we're already looking forward to seeing mickey mouse next year!!)... it was so nice that when we got there friday night, angela had already made homemade cornbread & garden greenbeans over the fire & kyle was cooking chicken on the grill & man, was it a gooooood meal!!... we got up saturday morning & went to their town (madison) & spent the entire day walking around & they were able to show us all over... they took us to a fabulous lunch at the downtowner & we'd highly recommend it!... they serve sandwiches, chips, soup, salads, etc. & they were soooooooo good... we had campfires every night & then had to leave on sunday, but not before spike hit angela square in the eye!... yep, you read it right, he was holding a hard rubber ball (about the size of a softball) & had been holding it for quite awhile & went to throw it over to our camper, but when he went to release it, it hesitated as his hands were sweaty & about the time it did release it met up with her eyeball & boy does he feel bad now!... here's some pictures of the kids while we were out...

kiaras day wasn't so hot...

well, since we've come home from haitian camp kiara & karleigh have begun showing signs of being ate up with mosquitoes... karleighs have been driving her crazy (itching!), but we've noticed that kiara hasn't been bothered by that at all... this' been odd as kiara's our 'scratcher' anyway & scratches all the time for comfort (ie: when she's tired, sick, scared, upset, etc.)... i began noticing kiaras 'bites' on sunday night at the same time i noticed karleighs... i began giving both girls benedryl for itching & it seemed to help... i lotion the girls down 2 times daily (morning & night) & did so on monday night as well (feeling the bumps all over them)... karleighs are mostly on her arms & back, where kiaras are ALL OVER HER!... she's got them on both legs from ankles to very top of leg, both arms, shoulder blades, wrists, face, etc... when she got up yesterday (tuesday) i went to lotion her & upon starting at the high part of her left thigh & moving towards her ankle i felt something NOT RIGHT... i turned her leg over & all down her left calf was huge blister type things where the small 'bites' had been... i knew then they weren't an ordinary mosquito bite so i called her pediatrician... we went in yesterday for them to say they had no idea & for us to go to a dermatologist... we went this AM & he didn't know what it was UGH... he did want to biopsy it (which he did) & will send it off to a lab & should have the results middle of next week... here's a picture of what it looks like... we're just praying that things come back alright & there's nothing to worry about... BTW, she did fine during the procedure although she did get a pickie (numbing shot)... she wasn't very happy (alright, screaming), but in the end went out smiling (just like kiara!) & was very polite to all that she spoke to...