Ron and Lu's New Place

Lucille came this week to watch the kiddos on their spring break.  Ron wanted to stay behind for this trip.  I think he will think twice about letting Lu go anywhere without him again.  She came in Sunday and I showed her some pics of villas I had been watching.  She liked one of them so I arranged to have Demi take us to see it Monday.  She wrote an offer by Monday night!  By Wednesday they had a contract and by Saturday the inspector came and firmed up that it is a GREAT place.  Sorry Ron, but I always get what I want :)!  Hope you like it when you get to see it Ron!  Here are some pics of Ron and Lu's New place, just 20 minute from us, woo-hoo!

I Can Fly!

So there is a great gym call All American Gymnastics near Page and Lindbergh that has these "Fun Days" where the kids can go for 4 hours of gymnastics stuff and they feed them lunch! We went last year on spring break and I thought it would be fun this year too. The girls were a bit timid last year, but this year they were pros! I am pretty sure Lydia thought she could fly! Check out the pics :)!

This is for you Dad

For those of you that knew my dad St. Patrick's Day was his FAVORITE holiday.  He was a 6' 4" leprechaun with ears, suspenders, and more.  He served green food, green beer, even dyed the toilet water green a time or two.  He took a trip to Ireland and swore he was going to move there in retirement.  When he passed away it was December and he was cremated.  We decided to do a burial for him on St. Patrick's Day that Spring.  I now consider St. Patrick's Day a remembrance day in his honor.

My cycle break is 2-3 weeks in March every year.  That means I am off school on St. Patrick's Day. This also means the girls get to play hooky with me and go to the Dog Town Parade.  This year we dyed our hair green!  We also ate green eggs and ham with green pudding for breakfast.  We had shamrock shaped sandwiches with green applesauce and green popcorn.  We drank green juice and had green ravioli, corned beef and cabbage for dinner.  We even made green cupcakes for dessert complete with candy pots of gold and shamrocks.  In all I think we would have made my dad proud!  Next year Bob will have to brew some Irish Red and dye it green :)!

Green Eggs and Ham.  We are making leprechaun ears!

Sylvia was so tired she fell asleep in the stroller.

Cheers Grampy!

Cecelia 'can' help

Cecelia heard a report on the radio that local food pantries were running low on food.  She was very concerned that some people may not be able to eat.  At first she wanted to open a food pantry in our house.  After many discussions on why this was not a possibility, we came up with an alternate plan.  For her birthday she asked the people coming to our family party to bring canned goods instead of gifts  (She still got gifts from mom, dad, grandmas and grandpas).  She also used some of her birthday money to buy a few more cans.  In all she had about 100 cans.

On St. Patrick's Day we went to Isaiah 58 ministries in Shaw to take them all of the canned goods.  Cecelia was a little taken back by the inside of the pantry.  I do think though that she sees how she helped others and I know she will want to do more.

We have a book called 3 cups that is about teaching a child to save, spend, and donate with money.  She is excited to do the 3 cups in our new home.  She really can't wait for a bank account and "her own checkbook".  We'll see what she gives to in the future.  Not a bad first attempt and giving to others.

That Old House

Today was the last day we would all be at Russell together.  We already moved, but went one last time with the girls to see our "old house" and take a family picture. 

So much has happened over the last 8 years.  When we bought the house we have a picture of Bob and I in the front yard, just the two of us.  It was our first house and we closed April 10, 2002.  We had big hopes and by Mother's Day we started demolition.  We tore out walls, replaced drop ceilings,  ripped out fireplaces with sledge hammers, replaced plumbing, did 2 new bathrooms, a new kitchen, painted, plastered, put in floors; you name it we did it!  It was a learning experience.  Bob and I made it through! 

At 7 months pregnant I was carrying drywall to the nursery with Bob so it would be finished in time for a baby!  All 3 girls came home to that nursery.  They all had many firsts in that old house.  We said goodbye and welcomed Ben back from Iraq in that old house.  We said good-bye to my dad in that old house.  Ben brought Aimee to our house for the first time for the family to meet her in that old house.  Sylvia had a broken leg in that old house.  We created many memories in that old house. 

It was a great old house, and a perfect first home.  Now we are no longer just 2 of us, we are now a family of 5 and a lot has changed.  I hope our new house can hold as many memories for us as that old house at Russell did.

Hide and Seek

We are moved into mom's house now and most of our stuff is in the garage.  That means there is a lot of open space.  The girls have loved using the space in closets and around the house for hide and seek.  I seem to be the best hider.  Twice tonight the girls couldn't find me!  The picture with Cecelia's look of horror was when Bob screamed Boo right when I popped out from behind a door.  Cecelia was not amused and was actually so scared she cried for the next 15 minutes.  Bob and I are terrible!