Closing Time...and EDWARDS APPLE ORCHARD!!!!

The kiddos and I busted it up to Rockford the first weekend of October to close on the old house and VISIT! (I'm STILL recovering from all the fun!)

We got in to town on the 4th, spent the night at the Hannas and then hit it Friday. We went up to the old house to walk thru one last time. We all did great. Cam actually said he likes his new home better, and so did I (miracle). Then Gail watched the kids and Patty and I closed. YEA! I felt as if the world rolled off my shoulders! I called Stuart right after and told him to buy a new TV before I got home and changed my mind!

Then Cam and I visited Aleah (and Amanda), Cam went on a date night with Emmett and Eli (Miss Gail too), visited neighbors, visited Colton, Corrine (oh, and Kari!!!), went to church at Northeast, did our Sunday night Harps, then hit EDWARDS, visited Miss Bonnie!!!!! It was AWESOME to see almost everyone (we still missed folks...that is the way it goes I suppose). Anyhow, we have a marvelous time with friends. We miss everyone so much.

Then we left, I hit IKEA on the way out (because I'm insane...me and the two kids without a lot of sleep under our belts...) it was a time. We survived. Then we got to visit Julia (Lindsay too). Cam had a fabulous time, as did Emmy with all the girly stuff around. This is where Em's hair was first put into "BOW HAIRS" ...this is what she calls anything put into her hair.

Anyhow here are some pics

OH...the horse ride at edwards...priceless. Emmy kept saying HI to everyone we passed that she knew and she chanted, "Leah ride-a da hosey, Cam ride-a da hosey, I RIDE-A DA HOSEY!!!" And not to be soon forgotten, Cam got hand sanitizer blown into his eye by the wind, we poured a bottle of water all over him and he then got his most expensive piece of clothing I've ever bought him...a t-shirt. He was SOAKED!

I hosted BUNCO

For those of you who know me, and my inability to keep a house clean, and my firm grasp on being anti-social...this was a big deal for me.

So there's my post...I did it...well...okay. I had it here, but Celeste cooked all the goodies. Credit where credit is due, and by the way SUPER yummy food!

So, there's my non-family, just Stacia post for the year.

THE ZOO!

I caved...I got the family pass for the year to the zoo around here. Its AWESOME, it has a spray park for in the summertime, a climbing playground, and a TON of animals...including a baby elephant.

So we packed up one day and called Mark and Nicole (the suckers they are) and off we went to the zoo. The tiger was really cool! But I think the family favorite was the baby elephant.

When we walked in they were doing "backyard heros", this basically meant you could dig thru dirt and touch worms, or pet the millipede. Emmy went for both, Cam did the worms - with gusto. GROSS.

We also hit the carousel...perfect

Apple Orchard HERE

Went to a local orchard here...we got to see the apples being sorted and washed, plus we got to eat one! We also went thru a corn maze, petted a cow, climbed on a tractor and a pile of hay...all in all a great time!

We went with some other buddies: Addison and Jake; TJ and Elizabeth

Then the silly adults, we decided to take 7 kids to McD's for lunch...crazy, but it all went really well!

BACK to Walmart

Okay, I'm going to spare you the details, but seriously I'm NEVER going to Walmart again. NEVER.

CLOSING

The greatest realtor in the world just called and the CLOSING IS MOVED UP!!!!!

Oct 5th!!!

Please continue to pray that all goes well, but ohhhhhhhh what good news!!!!

Walmart

That's the title...Walmart.

First, if you know me at all there is a loathing of Walmart that you pick up on real quickly when around me. It started in Rockford. The parking lot at the local Walmart there, it was INSANE. I especially loathed it during the snowstorms and subzero weather. Now, as I've travelled a little bit and been to neighboring Walmarts, I've noticed the parking lots are primarly designed in the same manner: maximum spots with little to no regard to traffic or pedestrian flow.

That brings us to this weekend.

Remember, I HATE walmart. Really.

So, Thursday the kids head to my parents for some wonderful Grandparent time. They get thoroughly spoiled and I realize I don't quite know what to do with myself, but sleep is wonderful. Stuart comes home and announces that coke is on sale at Walmart and the price is pretty ridiculous. Now, with owning two homes we've cut back and coke was one of the items. But this sale...its good. So at 9 pm we head out together (max of 6 packs per person!) we get there and there are 5 packs of diet left. That's all. Stu scoops them up and then we cruise around a bit, because we have no kids, so why not. This was a good experience...parked close, got in, got out, made our purchase with minimal fuss.

Saturday, the tire on the van is low. I had a flat last weekend in Cinti, got if fixed, but its the same tire. Its under warranty at Walmart. Stu stays home with the kids and I head out. Only our Walmart has no car service area. Off to the neighboring town I go. I have a window of 3 hours. I get there and check in, the guy is SO nice, but warns me it will be a wait. It was. I got all my grocery shopping done, plus looked at all the items they carry. 2.5 hours later, I'm on my way. Oil changed, tire plugged. Really tired.

Sunday, up going, kids dressed, fed, ready to head out the door. Tire...flat as a pancake. SO grateful it didn't happen on the road. So being the extreme fix it chick that I am, I called AAA to fix the flat in my GARAGE. SOOOOO pathetic. But, with the kids running around, I figured it'd be quicker and seriously, that's why I have AAA. They came FAST, we had Sunday School in Cam's room and then off we headed for...WALMART. I know, crazy, but I NEED THIS FIXED. We get there, its the same guy checking us in, again SO nice. And honestly I'm not losing my cool, I'm okay, this stuff happens. He says, we'll replace the tire this time. THIS sounds good, THIS I will wait for, no problem. The kids and I enter into the toy aisles and puruse for 1.5 hours the offerings of fisher price and mattle. By the way, there are princess BABIES...princess baby dolls - this was a HUGE discovery. Cam also discovered all things Diego, and I do mean all things. His birthday wish list is DONE. ANYHOW, we survive without making any purchases and without losing a kid. Its time to leave and this is what the guy tells me, "I decided to plug it again, I checked it twice, it should be fine now" - WHAT!!!!!! SHOULD BE????? Still, I don't lose it, turns out the guy who fixed it didn't talk to the guy who checked us in, but still - I think I'd rather have a new tire. This one has been plugged twice and its failed both times. Thankfully I talked to the manager and he was SO kind. I asked him to write me a note (how elementary school?) that I could come back and have the tire replaced (it was nap time by now and there was NO way I was going back in...toy aisle or not).

SO, later this week I will be returning to Walmart, to get the new tire. I will be kind. I will have a good attitude. And I WILL GET THE NEW TIRE ON THAT VAN. After this I'm really hoping to not enter Walmart for a good month, but if they have a good sale... (isn't that what started it all???? My need for a bargain...ugg.)

Conversation

So, Cam starts talking to me. You kinda never know what the talk it going to be with him. He likes to talk, all the time it seems, but its slowed considerably. He's especially NOT into giving you any information about what he's feeling, but the other day the light was green, we were alone, a snack was involved and the floodgates opened:

Cam: Momma?
Me: Yup?
Cam: I was nervous of this house. (don't you just love the term NERVOUS OF?- great one)
Me: You were?
Cam: Yeah, I was nervous of moving to this house and I was nervous of coming here.
Me: Me too. I was nervous of this house and moving too. Now what do you think?
Cam: I'm not nervous of the house anymore, I like it a lot better. And I like my new friends at church and school, and down the road, but I still really miss my Rockford friends a lot.
Me: Me too. I'm enjoying making new friends, but I miss our old ones a lot too.
Cam: Yeah, do you think our friends from up there would move here? They'd really like it here, they'd like my new friends.
Me: Well, I doubt they could all move here, but you know something really neat?
Cam (sensing the TEACHABLE MOMENT music in the background, says with little enthusiasm): What?
Me: When we get to heaven both of those sets of friends will be there, your new friends and our friends from Rockford. AND we'll all get to be with Jesus at the same time! All your friends and Jesus, don't you think that will be the best?
Cam (who understands the death concept, to a large degree): It sounds really good, but I don't want to go there yet.

Love it. I do love the fact that he wants so badly to have all his friends know each other. He's trying so hard to remember his old friends and make room in his heart for new ones. You can see the struggle with balance beginning. Old versus new, more versus few..what should he like better. Hopefully we've given him the space and permission to be sad about not being near his old friends, while still adding the right amount of encouragement to make new friends. I think he's coming along at his own pace quite nicely. He's a really neat kiddo, ofcourse I'm biased completely...but it is nice to enjoy your kid and not just be "parenting" all the time.

He also helped me do some serious yard work while Emmy napped. We had so much fun and I learned about a "Blader" that would've apparently sped our work time up considerably. A Blader is, "really sharp, but it has a strap that wraps around your wrist so you can't cut yourself and it cuts down trees all in one hit" - I think I need me one of those!

She's TROUBLE alright

This is the kind of trouble Emmy causes.

All the construction...all this mess...all because of Emery. That's right. She was going up these stairs at church when she discovered she could slip thru the bars and almost fall 1/2 a story onto the ground. Luckily the girls got a good grip and some strong arms. No harm done, just an almost heart attack for momma and now and construction zone at church.

Playing in the Rain

We got home from church and there was a nice steady slow rain happenin'. Emmy couldn't quite bring herself to go inside...so we na-keed her up and let her run in the rain. This was the expression of joy...

Visitin'

We went to visit my friend Denise, up in almost Cincinnati. It was such an easy drive...nice to know for future visits!!! Here are some pics of Denise's son, Evan and Cam playin'. All the kiddos had a fantastic time and played SO well together. Emmy wanted to "help" with the baby, tried to give Caroline her paci all the time and in the end Em ran around with the paci in her mouth!

It was such a wonderful visit...relaxing...playin' with kids...eating apples and peanut butter or whatever was on hand and simple...playing outside all day long...trees, dirt, and outdoor cats. What could be better than an old friendship mixed with 5 kids that all got along? It was beautiful.

I'm having a lot of that lately, rekindling old friendships, truly appreciating the friends left in Rockford for how wonderful they are, meeting new friends and seeing glimpses of God in them all...its been very refreshing.

We have an OFFER

Okay, its the same people that were going to buy it before. But still, as nervous as that makes us, it is an offer and it'd be great to be done. We're supposed to close Oct 19th. Please pray that this either goes thru, or someone comes along and can buy it before that. But we are so thankful for the offer...God has been SO faithful to us, wish I could say I'm the same way.... Thanks for the prayers, please continue them!!!! OCT 19th

Granny sent cards...which prompted a trip to...

THE DOLLAR STORE!!!

Cam picked well, some hockey sticks that he decided he and daddy could, "Ice Hock with in the winter"

And Emmy picked a "Ook Daddy, I got a pincess" - not princess, pincess.

Thank you Granny and Poppa - what a fun night!

Momma, I'm Loaded

This was the look that prompted that statement, too funny

Friends, here and coming

Okay, today Cam had a buddy over - Addison. And may I just say that I parented the CRAP out of this day! We pulled out all the stops and made playdough and did this new craft thing in his Focus on the Family magazine, we made a wand and AND I snookered them into dusting the entire lower level of the house. They even dusted the stairs. It was BEAUTIFUL. I got to play the part of the evil stepmom (and, seriously academy potential there) and Cam and Addi worked and laughed and goofed. Perfect.

I didn't realize how much I liked being there to see Cam interact with other kids. I was just used to always being in Kari's house, yard, general vicinity (poor woman! how she got anything done with us around I"ll never know). We'd stop by Aleah's, J's or Sean's. I don't know, I always thought it was lovely to chat with the moms, but I really enjoy watching and kinda being in on some of the playtime. I don't know...it was just a lot of fun today.

Em was SUPER tired. She had to get up early, I had an appt. so she went with Daddy for an hour. Cam had a great school day too. He's really liking it and SOAKING it up. He showed us a game he played called "Moo" (I don't really think that's the game, but it was so funny at the dinner table tonight--BTW thanks to Amanda for a yummy dinner!!!). He sorted m&m's be color and counted them. He also was reading with me and spotted the word/name God. Wow.

Just a good day. I love those. AND to top it off, the HARPS are on the way! We absolutely cannot wait. Its gonna be fun, chaos, late nights, little sleep, no routine and friends...okay, family. God is so good. And heaven is gonna rock. I know we'll be busy with our amazement of Him, but the fact that we get to be there and be amazed with our good friends is really cool.

So, there's my profound thoughts...it was a good day. G'night.

Chocolate or Cookie?

So, when I presented Emmy with the dessert options: Do you want chocolate or cookie?
Her response, without any hesitation:
"Chokit"

That's MY girl!

(She also put a piece of spaghetti on her head and said, "ook hat"

The Kids Stuff: Said and Done

Cam:
1. Counted in his head the number of kids on a page and said, "there are 8"
2. Recited his vowels
3. Tonight at dinner said, "if I eat 3 beans and 2 more, I'll have eaten 5"
4. Stu told Cam to "Potty, hands, teeth" before bed and Cam said, "potty doesn't belong, you mean bottom" Do you see the pattern???? Took me awhile. Hands and teeth are body parts...potty isn't. WOW.

Em:
1. Drags BABY around everywhere and buckles it into Cam's car seat when he's in school
2. Says, "I did it" "Stop it" "You sit" "Daddy 'mere sit" and LOTS of "comere"- come here and "'kay" (okay) ends most of her yammerings
3. She's into stuffed animals and baby dolls, and likes to take care of them...giving drinks, having them eat with her, going EVERYWHERE with her etc....

She fell pretty good today and had this little stuffed kitty in her hand. She got up, brushed herself off and said, "Oooo, kitty, 'kay?"

There's the stuff...enjoy

It was quiet one evening...not a good sign

While I was cleaning up the kitchen from a really BAD dinner and sweeping up, it was quiet...TOO QUIET. Cam had built a really cool train track, Emmy...she had "coloo-ed" herself.

She's quite proud of her "BE-BO" - bellybutton.

Cute Kids at the Park on a HOT August day

Picked Cam up from pre-school and headed to the park...thus the photos. It is SO hot, ugg. But, I'm quite thankful for hot...especially come January.

We've gone to the park the past few days right after school, because by noon its too hot to be out, unless you're in pool!

Isn't Emmy's bow a riot??? Its a hand-me-down from Cam's friend Addison. She knows its pretty too!

Cam Stuff

Cam and I took some random pics today for fun. The Diego Rescue Pack he's particularly proud of, he earned the $$ for it, and my house has never looked better! The Star Wars pic, its his new room and thanks to Miss Lindsay coming from Indy, it now looks so cool!