TSWD 12/22/08

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FOR TODAY 12/22/08

This past weekend…Fri, I dropped Cadence off at Madison's for her 4th b/day party - where Sarah had non-washable MARKERS in the grab bags, which Cadence used to color all overself Sat (paybacks, I can't wait!), but really Cadence had a lot of fun there - who cares if she's STILL blue! Sat, Went to visit Max fka Mohawk. He's just as sweet as he always was! It was great. I love his family! Missed Dj's 5th b/day party, but dropped off his gift. Stopped by Denise's, picked up Cadence's pics, went to Selena's & visited for an hour or so. Sun, went to Church & to Cadence's Christmas party.

Outside my window…it's ridiculously cold - our shower drain is frozen!

I am thinking…how many baths does it take to remove blue marker?

I am thankful for…everything - my family, my friends, my life

From the learning rooms…Cadence is learning the real reason of Christmas

From the kitchen…baking, baking & more baking! Pb cookies, choc chip cookies, BUCKEYES!!!!

I am creating…Cadence's b/day party invitiations

I am going…to try to clean tonite after Cadence's practice

I am reading…book 2 of some books Alan got me hooked on

I am hoping…get the house cleaned tonite

I am hearing…that we'll have a heat wave on Fri - it's supposed to be a high of 38!

Around the house…wrapping paper everywhere - trying to finish wrapping gifts

One of my favorite things…buckeyes!!

A few plans for the rest of the week: wrap gifts, clean, get ready for Christmas!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

What it feels like in Toledo, OH

ONE WEEK UNTIL CHRISTMAS!

Or seven days or 168 hours or 10,080 minutes. YIKES!
Thankfully, these numbers mean nothing to me, because I am done shopping - yes, done - not one thing left to buy. Do you know how good that feels?! Done-finito…all the gifts are ready to wrap, gifts for the nieces, nephews, sisters, brothers, Dennis' parents, my mom & Mike. All done - it's a good feeling.
This past Friday, I had a pretty awesome evening. Kari sent out an invite for a small get together at her house around 7. I wanted to go, if only to get a hug & figured I'd only stay a bit, as I don't know any of her friends. However, that was not the case, I stayed until I had to get Dennis @ 9:30 & would have stayed longer if I didn't have to get him! Her friends are funny & witty & after awhile, I was showing off pictures of Noah & Lola to Janeen & Ling, while they showed me their babies.
Sat morning, we took Cadence to my work Christmas party & she had fun. Got a My Little Pony from Santa & she was thrilled. We had Kathleen babysit her for a few hours that evening, while we finished our shopping.
Sunday we went to Church & to the grocery store & home to relax.
This evening, we are going to the funeral home to pay our respects to my Aunt Sharon, Uncle Scott & Uncle Tracy's mom, Nancy. My prayers are with them as they grieve their loss & celebrate her life.
Not much else really going on this week - I did pass my Crime test yesterday - go me…
Madison's b/day party tomorrow, for which Cadence wrapped the gifts - interesting wrapping tactics she used, by the way.
Visiting our old foster dog, Max fka Mohawk, on Sat. Looking forward to seeing him! Cadence still talks about him, so I'm telling her tonite we're going to see him. She is very impatient (hmmm..where does she get that wonderful quality?) so I've learned to only tell her about things we're going to do, a day or 2 before we actually do them.
She has a Christmas party w/her teammates on Sunday - that should be fun…we'll be making some goodies to take w/us for that.
And except for wrapping presents & Church, we will be home enjoying the Love of our Lord & remembering the reason for Christmas..

"There has been only one Christmas - the rest are anniversaries." ~W.J. Cameron

TSWD 12/15/08

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FOR TODAY 12/15/08

This past weekend…I went to a get-together @ Kari's, Dennis & I took Cadence to the Christmas party at my work, then went Christmas & grocery shopping, went to Church, did laundry & cleaned the house

Outside my window...it's raining & getting ready to turn ugly!

I am thinking…how long til my ears are completely better?!

I am thankful for…God

From the learning rooms…Cadence can almost spell her name

From the kitchen…yummy goolash for dinner tonite

I am creating…a photo collage of family

I am going…to finish House season 1 tonite

I am reading…the crime book for my test at work Wed

I am hoping...to pass the test! :)

I am hearing…the excitement in Cadence's voice for Christmas!

Around the house…Christmas is in the air

One of my favorite things…is to cuddle w/Cadence & watch a movie

A few plans for the rest of the week: work on Cadence's b/day invitations, wrap presents, do some crafts w/Cadence, go to Madison's b/day party on Friday, hopefully visiting our old foster Max

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

It's raining kittens...

For Christmas, Cadence would LOVE to have a kitten. Our cat Sativa hates Cadence…Sativa is almost 7 yrs old, she's got seniority on Cadence. I'm worried that one nite, while Cadence is lovingly FORCING Sativa to sleep w/her, Sativa will seek revenge & suffocate Cadence.
Yesterday I found an ad for free kittens. I drove to Wauseon to pick one up. My friend Amy is keeping it at her place until Christmas eve so that Cadence gets the kitten as a gift. Well there were 2 left, so I took them both. The gray one is sooooooooo loving & the whitish one loveeeeeessss to play!! They are adorable & I'm going nuts wanting Christmas to arrive so I can give them to her.

Noah chillin'

Noah on the left, Lolabelle on the right & Annabelle (Amy's parents dog)

Noah again - hmmm...I think Amy has a favorite...

Cadence & I baked cookies Tuesday - that was fun. She loves to help cook - it's always so much more mess, but really - isn't that what kids are about?
Looking forward to heading over to Kari's tonite. Just got an email she's having a little get together. Probably won't be able to stay long - I'm going to have to beg, borrow & steal to get a sitter, but I MISS Kari so much - it will be totally worth whatever I have to do to get a sitter!
I'm also going to stop by Denise's to pick up Cadence's Christmas pictures.
The kids Christmas party at work is tomorrow. Cadence will be excited to see Santa again. After that, we're going to do some Christmas shopping & then we should be all done for Christmas.
Have a great weekend!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook 12/8/08

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FOR TODAY 12/8/08

This past weekend...we mailed out our Christmas newsletters, made Rice Krispie snowmen, finished the house, watched NCIS, went to the store for MORE baking items, tried the Olive Garden fettucini recipe - it was pretty yummy & tried to make a gingerbread house - we weren't up to code & it collapsed!

Outside my window...it's cloudy & cold

I am thinking...I could have used an extra hour of sleep

I am thankful for...a child that loves to learn

From the learning rooms...Cadence is working on writing & spelling her name - she even helped write her letter to Santa - who cares if her portion was all circles!

From the kitchen...lots and lots of baking! Chocolate chip cookies, pb cookies, Rice Krispie snowmen, PB bars!

I am wearing...clothes - not pajamas and slippers - which is what I'd love to be in right now!

I am creating...a list of crafts for Cadence & I to do in the evenings this week

I am going...to work on Cadence's Christmas list tonite

I am reading...the Crime book for work - test next Wed!

I am hoping...to pass the test! :)

I am hearing...that there are going to be a lot of storms this week

Around the house...we're still finding powdered sugar from the snowmen we made yesterday for Cadence's friends

One of my favorite things...is to sit in the living room in the evenings w/the lights off & the Christmas tree lit up - so pretty!

A few plans for the rest of the week: do some crafts with Cadence, study for my crime test, finish House season 1, work on writing w/Cadence, Christmas shopping this weekend, sleep in!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Happy Friday!

Oh how I've longed for this day. Monday morning @ 7 am, when I woke up, I was dreaming of Friday. Friday @ 4:30 would be better, but I'm not that greedy - just Friday is enough for me right now! In 4 hours I will be home ready to enjoy my weekend. We're even supposed to be getting snow - so I WON'T be able to go anywhere!
The last few days have been pretty quiet, although I didn't get my "Simple Woman's Day" hope of having the house done by Wed. I've been so busy, I get a little down each evening, but tonite is the nite! The house WILL be done!
In other news - we're finally getting into a bedtime routine w/Cadence. It's been difficult b/c of the moving around & everything, but she's finally getting it..well she's at least getting to the part of sleeping in her own room. Now, if only she'd quit fighting sleep & go right to sleep!
Any ideas on how to get her to fall asleep quickly? I'm desperate!
After finishing cleaning up tonite, Cadence & I are going to bake chocolate chip cookies! Mmmm..

I also saw a gingerbread house kit on sale at Walmart yesterday & am seriously considering buying it tonite, to make this weekend. I think they're so cute & I know Cadence would love it! Dennis wants to do it from scratch, but dang…that's A LOT of work & more expensive than the $9 kit at Walmart!
We'll see..have a great weekend & be safe & Andrea if you're reading this - I'll always dial 212 before I call you - even if I'm calling NYC!

Have you ever asked the question…

Are the clothes in the dryer clean? I figured you didn't b/c, well the answer is obvious. However, Dennis called me at work today & asked that very question. So of course the girls & I were laughing about this and one of the other lady's said, "My nephew & his g/f moved in together when they were about 20, the g/f called my sister in law & asked 'how do I know which one is the washer & which one is the dryer'".
So, I guess this girl beat Dennis, but still..are the clothes in the dryer clean? Really??
Sticking to my "Simple Woman's Daybook' statement yesterday of "I am going to….finish Cadence's room", I did! She was helping of course, which made it so much longer, but that's ok, she's a good helper. I even walked in while she had the hammer & a nail in her hand to hammer into the wall - I can only see that ending badly, but I was there before she started to beat her hand bloody!
Last nite she was in her bed, asleep (or so I thought) and I was quick to fall asleep as well. Bella woke me early this morning to go outside, so as I entered the living room, I was quite surprised that it was so bright, being 5:30 and all. The brightness was due to every light in the house being on..hmmm..now how did that happen when my innocent little princess was asleep?
So, I put the dogs out, turning lights off as I passed. I go into her room and she's curled up in a ball w/her silpy covering her & her blanket on the floor. I realized how cold she must be, so I covered her up & laid back down until the alarm went off.
When I got up an hour later, I entered the bathroom to take a shower & what praytell was laying on the bathroom floor? Her pj's & pull-up. I realized, she must be completely naked! KIDS! Now, she hasn't slept in a pull up in 2 wks & when she was in her pull up she hasn't wet in it, since…I don't even know how long - 6 mos or so, but I knew, that today would be the first time in that 6 mos that she wet overnite and I wasn't disspointed. When I woke her little naked self, she was laying on a wet bed.
She was crying & tired b/c, who knows what time she went to sleep and now she had to get up and take a bath. It was not a good morning in the Stacey-Dell household, but after 20 mins, she was smelling good & warmly dressed.
Dennis had a class first thing this am, but was able to go home btwn that class & his 11 class, and get the blankets in the washer, which leads me to the original question…
Are the clothes in the dryer clean?

The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ December 1st

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FOR TODAY 12/1/2008

Outside my window…is proof winter is here

I am thinking…that a 4 day weekend wasn't long enough

I am thankful for…my life

From the learning rooms…Cadence is learning to write

From the kitchen…yummy cupcakes

I am wearing…work clothes

I am creating…a Christmas wonderland in our livingroom

I am going to…finish Cadence's room TONITE!

I am reading…the same book as last Tuesday - haven't done much reading lately - lots of unpacking!

I am hoping…to be completely & totally unpacked, put away & cleaned up by Wed

I am hearing…that you can make some decent $ selling stuff on Craigslist - looks like less work than ebay

Around the house…there are NO boxes!

One of my favorite things…is looking at the Christmas tree all lit up in a dark room

A few plans for the rest of the week: finishing Cadence's room, putting away laundry, cleaning up the last bit of unpacked items, helping Cadence write a letter to Santa & possibly selling old clothes of Cai's on craigslist for a little Christmas $$

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Thankful..

A little late - but so grateful, wanted to share…
I'm thankful for my beautiful 3 year old (4 in 28 days!), temper tantrum throwing, foot stomping, loud screaming, alphabet singing, Dora watching daughter. Because to be throw those tantrums means she's strong willed - a great asset for a woman & strong women start young. To stomp those feet, she's able to walk; to scream means she has a voice & can speak; to sing the alphabet means she's learning; to watch Dora means she can see - and there's nothing more that I could ask for from God for her, than those wonderful senses.
I'm thankful for my 2-job hating, fun loving, overly-helpful husband. Thankful b/c not only does he have ONE job in this economy, he is blessed w/2 (even if he doesn't see it as a blessing some days!). Fun loving, even when his humor gets on my nerves b/c at least he isn't cold & gray. Overly-helpful b/c even though he wants to stop for every broke down car & help family as much as possible, he could be lazy & selfish & want to sit at home & take care of only him.
I'm thankful for my health, b/c even though I'm on blood thinners and heavy it means, that I'm at less risk for a blood clots & being heavy means we have plenty to eat.
I'm thankful for my dogs & my cat b/c even though they get on my nerves sometimes, they think we're perfect & sometimes, it feels good to be perfect in SOMEONE's eyes!
I'm thankful for my job b/c this economy is bad & my job provides for my family.
I'm thankful for my apartment b/c even though it's not in a great neighborhood, we have somewhere to live all our own.
I'm thankful to my family because no matter how much drama they bring, they are who will be there in the most important time.
I'm thankful for my friends because they are great listeners & advisors. I’m especially thankful for Michele, b/c it's good to have someone you see every day that understands it all & even if she doesn't understand it all, she's listens.
Mostly, Lord, I'm thankful for this life & Your love. May you continue to bless us as we enter this joyous season, celebrating Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Please continue to open my eyes to Your love & bless me with the knowledge of Your presence.
Please watch over my family and friends as we continue on through the lives You have given us.
Thank you!

The Simple Woman's Day

Found this link through a blog I read occasionally of someone I work with..seems kind of neat..it's supposed to be done on Monday's but that's ok - let's pretend it's Monday - wait, let's not....

 

FOR TODAY 11/25/08

Outside my window...it's very dark and I'm loving it!

I am thinking...I wish it were Wed @ 3:30 pm

I am thankful for...my life - no matter how drama filled or frustrating - I wouldn't change it for the world

From the learning rooms...Cadence is learning "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas" for her pre-school program on 12/30

From the kitchen...there will be leftovers tonite

I am wearing...the clothes that I put on this morning

I am creating...a warm & inviting home for Cadence to enjoy her childhood in, even if it's only until we buy a "real" house next year

I am going...to buy dog food tonite

I am reading...Delusion by Peter Abrahams

I am hoping...for one special thing

I am hearing...keyboard clicking

Around the house...are a "few" boxes

One of my favorite things...is watching Cadence in her extracurricular activites - she's always so happy!

A few plans for the rest of the week:Unpack (whoopee), make Thankgiving dinner w/Dennis, unpack & unpack - should be a great week!

Here is picture thought I am sharing...my dream home during the best time of the year...

From one storage site to the next

We have succeeded in emptying the storage shed we were renting. Sunday was the last trip from there, it's now empty & clean. I wish I could say the same for our apt. There are boxes upon boxes now. It's awful. There is a small path from the front door to the livingroom, where the path widens for a few feet and quickly becomes narrow again as you approach the kitchen.
I was thinking, if we could live in the kitchen for the next year & ignore the front 2 rooms, life would actually be ok. There is not an item to be put away in there. I have successfully emptied every "kitchen box" and put the items in them in a new home. It's beautiful.
The bathroom - also very clean & liveable..the utility room, well except for the dirty laundry laying in front of the washer that I meant to load this am - also very clean.
Thanksgiving is 2 days away - it's not as though it has to be immaculate, as it's only Alan, Jenny, Colin & possibly Jenny's dad stopping by. But dang…how about a place to chill for a minute? I guess depending on what the contents of the box are, you might find a nice squishy one to sit in. Of course, you are taking your chances that the box if full of pokey toys.
No cable either, not a great combination for a 4 day weekend, but we decided to put it off b/c there is no way a cable guy would be able to get around in this mess to get us connected.
THANK GOD for Netflix!!
As always - have a great evening & think of me as you watch your cable & know that…jealousy runs through my veins..

Progress…but not for long

I feel like I've accomplished so much - there is not a single box left to unpack and there isn't anything left fo find a place for. How awesome is that…but I'm getting too far ahead of myself. We still have to finish getting our things from storage. So long to the neatness of the house, so long to the empty front room, so long to having all the dishes done… ::sigh::
Hello boxes. Dennis is working on bringing as much as he can this am, while Cadence is spending time w/Ahrianna. I will pick up a load when I pick up Cadence & then leave early enough to get back to storage to pick up one more load before I pick up Dennis from work.
Tomorrow I will be going to get more boxes while Dennis is at work at the hosp. We're hoping to make 2 loads once he gets off. Our hope is to have it done by Sunday. So another weekend bites the dust. Oh well, at least it's only a 3 day work week next week AND a FOUR day weekend!
Keep your fingers crossed we're able to finish this weekend - it would be such a relief - a messy relief, but a relief!

Boxes & more boxes

I'm so ready to be done moving. I forgot how much I hate it and it hasn't even been that long since my last move! I hate it all, the packing, moving, unpacking, finding a spot for everything - it's just too much work!
So, with that being said, guess how we spent our weekend…that's right - moving. Fun stuff, I'll tell ya. For starters, I worked my butt off Fri nite at my moms - cleaning & packing the rest of the stuff we had there. A whole truck load all by MYSELF!! My mom & mike were sleeping and then my mom left & mike sat on the couch & read a book - dennis was at work - so I did it all! I moved a chair, and comp, and a tote and boxes and bags. My back was KILLING me!! I ached all over by the time I was done. I didn't think I was going to be able to do it, but if I waited for Dennis, then we'd have even less time to do the storage shed & my mom wasn't there so I sucked it up & got to it. I was sweating…yuck!
Sat Alan & Dennis got our new entertainment center.
Then they went & got our couch - don't even get me started on the couch drama from Friday! Than the 5 of us (Alan & Dennis in the truck & Me, Colin & Cadence in Aunt Vicki's van-hmm..how did I get stuck w/the kids?) Anyway, we went to storage & the kids watched the dvd player, while we loaded the truck & the van. FYI, it was FREEZING on Sat!! My fingers & nose hurt they were so cold.
Got that stuff unloaded & dropped Aunt Vicki's van back off & went home to bed. It was late, we were cold & dennis had to work Sunday morning.
Sunday I unpacked A LOT and cleaned up messes and was actually pleased with my progress. Then Dennis got home…which meant back to storage for me. We dropped Cadence off at Marge's so she could help celebrate Dallas' 14th b/day - HAPPY BIRTHDAY DALLAS!! Picked up Aunt Vicki's van again (thanks Aunt Vicki!) went to storage, than to my moms & back to unload. Picked Cadence back up, got gas in Aunt Vicki's van, dropped it off to her, went to Walmart, then home, had dinner & then went to bed.
Where did the weekend go?! Last note there was no moving! Just UNPACKING!! BLAH! Got a lot done though.
Tonite, more unpacking - probably a little moving tomorrow - you know, to fill up all the space I will have emptied tonite…oh well.
Have a great evening!

Stuff x's 3

We officially started moving into our new place yesterday. I guess I didn't really post about it, but we are renting the downstairs of a 2-unit duplex. I guess the upstairs neighbors are ok…nothing special about them. He works at UPS, the girl works at Texas Roadhouse. They have a cute 5 yr old little boy - Cadence is thrilled. Hmmm…this family…they sound like someone I know… Oh yea, it's Alan, Jenny & Colin!
Not the best neighborhood, but the price is right. We're hoping to pay off this large bill we've recently received in the year we have the lease and be able to buy a house at the end of the year.
We got everything packed from my moms. Still have to get Dennis' tools from the garage & some of our stuff from the pole barn. Then Sat is the big one - storage. Yikes! We have a lot of stuff btwn Dennis, Cadence & myself - we had an 1800 sq foot house of stuff..now we're in a tiny duplex. Not quite sure where all the 'stuff' is gonna go - but we'll figure it out.
I do have a semi-good moving story - NOTHING like the last one - but I'll get to that at another time.
It was amazing to sleep in until 7 this am, not leave til 7:44 and still be at my desk at 7:59! Oh yea, that rocks.
I miss Selena & Nathan, I loved going over there in the evenings, but now we'll just have to make trips to each others houses to visit.
Guess that's it for now - I'll work on my latest move story & post soon - have a great Thursday!

CHANGE

I will only briefly touch on one of the biggest events in recent history - The NEW President - Barack Obama. How exciting to be a part of history - how exciting to look forward to the changes he is bringing to office. I had a bumper sticker on my myspace page "Too Poor to Vote Republican", but I felt it should say, "Too Smart to Vote Republican". My life has been turned upside down b/c of a republican & I am ready to sing from the trees that we have a democrat in there!
The NKOTB concert was AMAZING! We had an absolute blast & my love for Donnie has returned 10-fold! :)
We had a blast trick or treating. On Friday Selena & I took Cadence & Nathan & we ended up in Aunt Vicki's neighborhood & went with Alan, Jenny, Colin, Angie, Matt & Heaven. It's so nice to do it w/family b/c we all watch each others kids.
On Sat, Selena, Dennis & I took Nathan & Cadence to Weston, OH & they did a little more trick or treating - it was fun. It's a VERY small town & they had a community room & you could go in & have hot dogs & pop & side dishes - FOR FREE & relax. It was REALLY nice. Everyone there was so kind & welcoming. We really did have a good time.
Cadence continues to do well in pre-school & loves going every morning and Malachai is doing well in kindergarten.
Not really a lot to report here - going to the Toledo Christian Open House this weekend with the goal of entering Cadence. She loves going to the kids room at Church & is constantly singing about God when we leave, how wonderful would it be to give her that as an everyday environment?!
For now that's all I have to report - Be well & talk to you soon!

Looking forward to the weekend

Last evening, Selena & I took Cadence & Nathan to Kroger's for a Halloween Fest. They played games, got their faces painted & got candy. It was fun AND Krogers had some pretty good deals too!

Nathan getting his face painted

Cadence's spider

And, although there isn't anything terribly exciting going on this weekend, I am looking forward to taking Cadence trick or treating. Also, on Sat, Weston (a town about 25 mins away) is going to have a parade, so we're going to take Cadence to that too.

One of the main things about this weekend that I'm looking forward to is sleeping in. I know that's awful, but I truly love it! :)

Cadence has gotten up early the last few weekends OR we're busy, so while I get to sleep later than the work week, it's not as late as I'd like.

I'll keep you updated with any fun & exciting news - but don't expect much!

Camping, New Kids!! & Halloween

We're back from our 1st annual Family Camping Trip w/lots of amazing memories! It was wonderful to (re)meet Rachel in person, although we didn't really get to talk much. I also met Josh & his wonderful girlfriend, Christine for the first time. It was a great time, Becky & Brian brought their 11 day old, beautiful son, Madix with them. He was so cute and I LOVED holding him - didn't really cure the baby fever though...
I enjoyed catching up with Tarah and loved watching Cadence interact with my dad's family. Rachel's children are beautiful and so kind and polite. Her oldest, Felicity was wonderful with the younger children. She & Averi took the kids to the park 3 or 4 times and had no problem helping out with them.
We took the kids trick or treating and on a hay ride. Rachel, Aunt Sandy & Sarah have picked out our sites for next year and we can't wait!

This weekend is the New Kids on the Block concert at the Palace. Same place I attended it for the first time, almost 20 yrs ago! Anyway, if you're done laughing - or believe it or not, some will be jealous, I'll continue...
I'll be going to the concert w/about 6 girls and we'll be driving up in a mini-van - yes a mini-van and we will be writing on the windows about our love for NKOTB. Yes, we are probably the biggest 30ish yr old (oh to be 30 again..) dorks you'll ever meet - but we're not alone. The concerts are selling out quickly & are being enjoyed by many - so quite obviously, you're missing out!
Halloween is next weekend - BOO! Cadence will be trick or treating, most likely in Swanton this year. She can't wait, although she's already had more than her fair share of trick or treating! Twice at Gramma's campground, a few weekends ago during the camping trip, this weekend at Church & of course the actual Halloween trick or treat. Lucky girl - best $20 I've ever spent on a costume!
I'll try to post before Halloween, but if I don't, Happy Halloween!!

Looking forward to….

The camping trip this weekend that will be w/my dad's family!! I'm so excited - I get to re-meet a cousin that I met when I was like 13 & her kids. Also another cousin that I've never met AND… a newborn baby!!! ::giggles:: I have serious baby fever, maybe he'll give me the fix I need!! You know, except for the whole sharing him w/the other 30 people there thing… ::sigh:: probably only me & Sarah will be arguing over who holds him…but I got some weight on her - I'll take her down! :)
Seriously though..since losing my dad, it's hard to watch some of the family on my mom's side do things w/their dad or their dad's parents. I feel like I'm missing out b/c I don't have my dad or his parents. I hardly see Aunt Sandy. Thankfully, I do get a good Stacey Family fill from Sarah. She's more like a sister than a cousin!!
Anyway…just super excited, so I thought I'd share the joy.

Loss of Loved One..

Tuesday was a sad day for Dennis, Cadence & I, as we lost our beloved dog Sandie Paws. We've had her since she was born (my mom has her mom) & she had turned 9 on 9/25.
She was an amazing friend & amazing dog. We will miss her greatly. Not a day will go by, that she won't be thought of.
Until we meet again at the Rainbow Bridge…
We LOVE you Sandie!!

Colin's 5th Birthday!

Colin turned the FIVE on Saturday.  He had an awesome party & got tons of gifts!!

His party at my mom's & it was quite an affair - they had Spongebob pinata & everything!

Aunt Sharon's 50th b/day

Tiffany & Heather put together a suprise birthday part for Aunt Sharon.  We met at her mom's apartment (which is very small - it's an in ALF) & it was packed.  The family was very happy to help her ring in her 50 year celebration.

It was a good time & Aunt Sharon was truly surprised.  She said "does this mean we're not going to Real Seafood for dinner?"

Aunt Sharon w/her bottle prune juice

Four months later...

Wow - 4 months..I can't believe I haven't blogged in 4 months!
In 4 months, a lot has happened. To start...about the time I posted my last blog, we rec'd a letter in the mail that we had to go to court for our interest in our house.
Let me back up a little…
We bought our house through land contract in 5/05. We were very excited b/c it was so large & it was a beautiful, old house. We bought it through Westhaven (I know, some of you from Toledo are shaking your heads). At the time, they were the largest land contract comp in Toledo w/great reviews from the BBB & over 300 properties in their possesion.
In 11/05, John Ulmer (founder & owner of Westhaven) was arrested for Securities Fraud, Bad Business Deals, Check forgery (apparently forging his investors signatures) & Falsifying Lead Paint Reports.
We freaked out, we had given them a large down pymt & had already invested 6 mos worth of house pymts into it.
We rec'd laters in the following days, advising us, nothing would change at this time, just continue making house pymts.
Life carried on & nothing else was really heard on Westhaven. There were lawsuits being filed by investors & property owners, but really nothing new on John Ulmer surfaced.
Everything was fine until 4 months ago when we rec'd the letter to go to court.
Court was quick & to the point - we either get financed in 10 days, or we lose the house. Yes, 10 days!
We tried to get financed, but the time table was very hard to work with. That & the fact that finding an investor that would work with a Westhaven house was about a joke.
We were unable to get the financing in time & had to move. We were devastated.
Thankfully my mom & mike let us move in w/them. We are lucky that they now have a place big enough for us to stay. Funny, how last year around this time, they were moving in w/us. It's good to have family, really, what would someone do in these situations if you didn't have each other? It's temporary, just to save for a down pymt, but it's a huge relief to not have to try to find something for us & our dogs. Thanks guys.
While you ponder over why it took 3 yrs for them to get John Ulmer in court (he was in court for these charges 2 wks before the letter arrived) & why he still hasn't gone to jail, I will close with…
Life throws huge curves in our path - sometimes they are angles that you wouldn't think you could round, but God has provided us with amazing strength, so we round that angle & continue on the path, knowing that there will soon be a path so beautiful, we'll be happy that we had the angle to overcome, so we can truly enjoy the beauty we are to receive.
Lastly - here is a short story about our moving adventures...
We're about 95% moved. I'm going to the house tonite to finish up any leftover cleaning & packing. Dennis will move it tomorrow..i'm relieved to be about done!
The point of this email is to share the joy of animals…
We started staying at my moms yesterday, so on our last trip out there, we take the dogs. Scooby & Gizzie still don’t get along (going on 2 yrs strong!), so Scooby rides with Dennis. The other 4 pile into the car w/me & Cadence. Dennis grabs the cat carrier, only to realize it's our old one w/the broken hinge & the new one must have been put in storage somewhere (I just want to mention, I bought this 2 wks ago specifically for the move)…grrr..
So he duct tapes the bottom hinge so it will stay shut. Meanwhile - Cadence, me, Quinn, Bella, Gizzie & Sandie are sitting in the car where the winds were funneling the fur that each & everyone of them is shedding, to look like a white & black tornado in the car. After what seems like an eternity (I should have just done it myself, it would have been a lot quicker!), he comes out w/the cat. He says "I'll put her w/you b/c Scooby is crazy in the car & I don't want her freaked out"…sure, what's one more in a 2 door car…
As I clear my eyes from the fur & try to listen for any sirens (we live down the street from the fire station) over Sativa's loud annoying meows, we pull away from the house. Cadence yells b/c Gizzie is freaking out & standing on her.
I'm continue to remind myself that it's only a THIRTY FIVE minute drive. About 5 mins into the trip, Sativa comes wondering up to the front seat with me…meowing extra loud. That door that took Dennis a million years to rig, broke. Again, shoulda just did it myself. So the layout is - front seat - Quinn, Bella, me. Back - Cadence, Gizzie, Sandie. Back & forth - Sativa.
I have to roll my window up quickly b/c Sativa realizes it's an escape route & isn't at all concerned that it's a 65 mile an hour escape route.
I try to turn on the air, but it chokes me w/more fur than the window being down, so I turn it off. Sativa decides that she wasn't really meowing at full strength in the crate, so puts all her effort into it - driving Gizzie crazy. [For those that haven't had the pleasure of meeting Gizzie, she's a former PPI dog that has SEVERE separation anxiety. When we fostered her 5 yrs ago, she hated other dogs, cats & would foam at the mouth & eat the walls, doors & windows when left home alone. However, when she was w/us, she was fine -lucky us - & didn't mind the other dogs (although she still doesn't play w/them) & doesn't eat our home (at least not usually). She doesn't hurt that cat either, but does have a very disturbing stare while watching her. My mom said she's the type of dog that would probably eat her puppies. We call it her "crazy eyes". So we adopted her - thanks Doy - b/c at our house she's a semi-normal dog.]
So here we are, still 20 mins from my moms, when I look at the picture of us - from an outside point of view… Windows cracked, hotter than heck, Sandie growling at Gizzie b/c Gizzie is pacing the back seat & has some SERIOUS crazy eyes going on - intently watching Sativa who is undecided about where she wants to lay. Cadence crying out every few mins b/c Gizzie is stepping on her. Bella & Quinn standing w/their hot stinky breath breathing on me & their gross doggy spit dripping on my leg & arm. And of course me, trying to stay calm, while driving THIRTY FIVE minutes w/4 dogs & a loose cat.
It was a great trip & I was relieved to get to my moms. Once there, the fun didn't stop - Gizzie, Bella & Sandie are trained to stay w/us - Quinn & Scooby laugh at us & try to escape whenever they can. So, I'm trying to open the door & keep Quinn & Sativa from escaping & keep Gizzie from climbing on Cadence. Once I accomplish that, Cadence is screaming b/c she's still buckled into her carseat. I'm trying to fight to get the cat in the house & Quinn decides he's going to use the bathroom at the bottom of the stairs, while Sativa is trying to escape from my arms.
I finally get onto the porch & the neighbor kid comes running over making Cadence yell even louder b/c she wants out to play. As I'm getting the cat in the house, Quinn starts dragging me off the porch b/c he wants to check out the new yard. I fight w/him to get him to the car so I can unbuckle Cadence. Nathan has joined her at the car w/his bucket of frogs…how do I know it was FULL of frogs? Because as I was bending over to try & unbuckle Cadence with the arm not being yanked off by Quinn, Nathan proudly shoved it right into my face w/the a huge smile boasting - "look at all the frogs I caught". Ewwww…
I shuddered, mustered a smile & said, wow. Cadence was freed & went to help catch more…Quinn went to the bathroom & I was able to drag the 4 dogs into the house.
Dennis pulls up 15 mins later, brings Scooby out & she walks calmly to the tie out & gets hooked up & starts checking out the yard - peacefully - Dennis looks at me & says - "Did you unload the trunk yet?"
His services will be Thursday - please send dog food in lieu of flowers...

4/28/08



I started school today! Yikes - I can't believe I'm doing it - AGAIN! I'm going for my B.S - isn't that fitting?! My major is Organization Management-Christian Leadership.

They're summer courses are split into 3 - 5 week semesters (for lack of a better word). So the courses are very quick.

I'm taking Early Christian Literature & Adult Studies Seminar (req by all students).

I'm very excited but very nervous - say some prayers!



4/26/08



Not much happened today - I worked at the Church office & while I was there, Cadence went to Sarah's to hang out w/Madison & Dominic. They went to Pearson Park & had a blast!

14

Dear Whitney,


Another year older…14 today. It seems like yesterday that you walked into our house for the first time. I hope that you’re having a great b/day. I know btwn 13 & 15 all I did was count down to 16! I wonder if you are doing the same. No matter what you’re doing, I hope it brings a smile to your beautiful face.

Happy 14th birthday Sweet Girl! <3
Love always,
Dennis, Missy & Cadence

Thursday 4/24/08
Nothing really exciting has happened this week. Dennis had a dentist appt b/c he broke his front tooth again & they told him he has the teeth of a 76 yo (either that or he has aged VERY well). We're trying to decide how to proceed - he's teeth are awful & it's just going to keep happening.. Other than that, not really much has happened this week. We like quiet weeks! :)

Sunday 4/19/08
Lisa hurt her arm, so she went to the hospital & I kept Tae & Chai for her. I took them to Church with me - this was the first time I went to the Toledo campus. It was AWESOME. I really enjoyed it. Of course it's MUCH smaller than Pburg, but it really rocked. I'm going to attend there on my off weekends at Pburg. After Church, I took Chai, Tae & Cadence to the meet Dennis for lunch at Toledo Hosp. They had fun & ate well. As we were finishing, Lisa called & said she was ready to go. I picked her up & took her home. When Dennis got home from work, we watched tv & played Break the Ice w/Cadence.

Enjoying lunch

Oops, she blinked
Yummm
They love each other!

Saturday 4/18/08

Malachai's b/day party was today. It was supposed to be at Nickel World, but things changed & it ended up at Swan Creek. When we got there it was very windy & chilly. The kids didn't care - they loved playing. We did cake quickly b/c the wind was getting so bad. After we cleaned up & were getting ready to leave - it got warm. Figures! Alan decided to take Colin & Chai to McDonald's Playland since they didn't get to play outside for long. Matt tagged along. Aunt Vicki thought it was a good idea & took Dj & Heaven. Poor Cadence was going to be left out b/c I had to run Lisa & Tae home. Thankfully her Nana agreed to take her. She was thrilled! We picked her up & went home & relaxed for the rest of the evening.

The kids playing @ Chai's party

Alan
Havin fun even though it's chilly

Happy 5th Birthday Malachai!

Friday 4/17/08

Ranger was adopted today! I'm so excited - it was someone I work with that adopted him. He's got 7 kids so Ranger will never be bored. He's also on better pain meds - so he's not messing with his hip anymore.


Thursday 4/16/08

Not much going on today - just a regular day of work & daycare. My mouth hurt from where I got all the shots during my extraction yesterday. I did start to feel it when he was pulling & he had to stop to numb me some more. I'm happy it's finally done!

Tuesday 4/15/08
I PASSED MY TEST!!!
I studied & prayed that I would absorb all the info & that I would pass my test. Thankfully I passed!! I was so relieved, I felt like screaming from the rooftops!
We took Cadence to her pediatric dentist appt today. She was scared & it broke my heart. The repairing (cap & fillings) will be broke into 3 appts which she will be given nitrous at each one. Poor Cadence!!!!

At the dentist before the exam - note - she's happy...

Tomorrow is my dentist appt to have my wisdom tooth pulled & I can't wait b/c I'm sick of the pain. Have a great rest of the week!

Monday 4/14/08
Nothing much happened today. I had a class for Church & of course studying for my test tomorrow @ work. I'm nervous about the test - it's a big one.
Mike's Mom had a stroke over the weekend & has made an amazing recovery. The home aide was at their house giving her pills & noticed something was wrong - they got her to the hosp asap & because of it all of her side affects have reversed!

Sunday 4/13/08
Not much really happening today - Dennis has to work & our laundry needs to be done. I'll be working on that & cleaning. Ranger is going to a different foster home while he heals. He's hurting himself here b/c of his pain & we're not home all to help him through it. Poor guy!

Saturday 4/12/08
I took Mohawk to the event & met a REALLY awesome couple. I'm waiting to hear from them about possibly going to their place so Mo can meet their cat. Here's to hoping - he deserves a TON of attention - he's such a good boy!
While Mo was at the event, Cadence & I met Dennis at the hospital & had lunch with him. Cai was so excited & she got to meet some of daddy's co-workers.

Waiting for Daddy in the hosp cafeteria

Dennis, Cadence & I went to Church this evening b/c Dennis has to work tomorrow. It was a great service - I even saw someone from Home Group there.
When we got home from service, we turned off our ringer & had family nite. With us working so much & volunteering & studying (I have a HUGE test for work on Tuesday), we're not getting much family time. We watched the Alvin & the Chipmunks movie & had popcorn & sweets. It was an amazing evening - we're going to try to do it weekly!

Friday 4/11/08
I ended up making the mexican casserole for group. Apparently one the one of the girls didn't get my email offering dinner which was why she offered pizza. Since mexican was already brought up, we stuck w/that. Cadence had fun playing w/the kids & she wasn't the only girl this week - Ahrianna was there, too.

Dentists, Dogs & Daycare

On Monday - Uncle Scott was worried b/c his face was swelling up. He ended up at the hospital. After a few tests & lots of worry, he was sent to a oral surgeon to have his gums drained - ouch! Poor Uncle Scott.

Dennis had to work all day Monday - he left the house @ 7 am & didn't get home til 10:30 that nite. He was exhausted.

Tuesday was a long day for Cadence - she went to daycare all day, got picked up @ 3:45 & dropped off at Alan's b/c I was working in the Church office & Dennis had to work. I picked her up @ 8:15 & brought Colin home w/me so Alan could lay down b/c he had a migraine. When I let Ranger out of his crate - I found that he had tore his stitches! Why do dogs have to make it so much harder?! Dennis got home at 9:45 & took Colin home.

Yesterday, Dennis took Ranger to the vet & they put in 3 staples & gave us a cone so he we don't have to crate him & while he's uncrated, he doesn't chew anything in the house.

Cadence's teacher told me how sweet Cadence is...She said that Cadence was very shy the first couple weeks & that she's finally coming out of her shell. She said that Cadence loves to help the teachers in the room & that after she's helped them for a little bit, they remind her to go play with the other kids. She said that Cadence has a "best friend" named Destiny. She is also new so her & Cadence have something in common & usually go off & play with one & other. She said sometimes they play with the group. My heart was about explode..my baby has a "best friend. :)

After work yesterday, I had a dentist appt b/c part of my wisdom tooth broke off. They did the exam & b/c I'm on blood thinners, I have to wait til next Wed to have it pulled. I can't wait, though. I'll be happy to get this bad boy out! Then I have an appt for a cleaning & I have one cavity. Not bad for not having been to the dentist for a long time!

Tonite is cleaning nite - I have so much planned this weekend, I HAVE to get it done tonite.

Tomorrow is Home Group - we lucked out & are only having pizza - so no cooking this week! Woohoo!

Saturday I am attending a tupperware meeting & then we have Church Sat nite.

Sunday is Jacob's 6th b/day party. It should be lots of fun. It's a bowling party, so I bet Cadence will have a blast.

Have a great weekend!

It's true - Spring is here!

This past weekend was some of the best weather we've had in...well I don't even know how long! Saturday - I took Mo to the event & unfortunately no one showed any interest :( After the event, I took him home & went to Aunt Vicki's to get Dennis. I offered to take Heaven w/us to the park. The girls had a blast! Cadence was so tired from running around so much - she was miserable!
I was happy when she finally fell asleep..

Getting ready to go down the slide

The girls going down the slide

Cadence hurt herself on the bars2 beautiful girls

Yesterday we stayed home & did laundry & cleaned. It was sunny - not quite as warm as Sat, but nice none the less.
Today was gorgeous! We didn't get out, but had the windows & door opened. It was great. Not much planned for the rest of the week. I volunteer at the church office tomorrow evening for a couple hours. Home group on Friday..that's pretty much the extent of our week. Have a great week!

Busy, Busy, Busy

This week has been nothing but busy - I haven't had much time to myself to relax, let alone blog. So much going on where to start - I'll start with…

Last Saturday, I dropped Cadence off at Sarah's & headed w/the dogs to the event. Met a wonderful family for Ranger - however, Ranger had a vet appt on Tuesday b/c his hips weren't moving properly. The family asked to wait to see how the appt went.
Picked up Cadence from Sarah's & went home. Dennis got home from work, we had dinner & headed to church for a class. I was in need of some serious healing, so while Dennis attended the class, I went to service. After service, I picked up Cadence from child care & waited for Dennis to finish the class. While we were waiting, a lady approached us & started talking to Cadence - she said "You're Cadence, right?" I'm thinking, who is this? She said, Hi, I work at Cadence's daycare. At first I thought she was talking about the Church daycare, but then realized she meant the regular one. We ended up standing there talking for about 20 mins. She was very nice - I really enjoyed talking to her.

Madison, Cadence & Dominic

Sunday - Dennis had to work, I went to church for another service & to volunteer. The service was about why does God allow suffering. Although the answer wasn't one that most skeptics looked for, it made me think a lot & while no one knows the true reason - I believe some of the answers I came up with make a lot of sense & that brings me some peace.

Cadence ready to go to Church

Monday was my mom's surgery, so me, Aunt Vicki & Mike spent most of the day at the hospital. Mom was having a lot of pain & they thought it was from cysts on her ovaries. They removed her ovaries & found that they were full of adhesions - so bad, that the dr couldn't find them at first. The one was stuck to the back wall by adhesions!
They're out now & she's relieved but in pain. She hates abdominal surgeries & can't wait to be healed.

Tuesday was back to work & daycare for Cadence. Ranger also had to be dropped off at the vet to have his hips looked at. When they called us that afternoon, it was bad news. My poor guy has bad hips. He has to have hip surgery on Friday for one & on 5/30 for the other.

Wed was pretty laid back.

Thursday- Angie & Heaven came over for awhile & we watched Ghost Hunters while Cadence & Heaven played.

Today Ranger was dropped off at the vet for his surgery. We picked him up this evening & he looks so sad.
I went to home group tonite & enjoyed myself immensely. I couldn't stay the whole evening, bc I had to get Lisa, but we talked about suffering & did it make us better or worse. We also had a wonderful dinner - lasagna, garlic bread & salad. Cadence was the only girl today, but she had a blast.
When I got home tonite, Ranger was whining to see us. We brought him into the living room w/us & he's breaking my heart. He keeps walking on his leg - he freaks me out when he does that - it makes me hurt!

Tomorrow we'll be taking Mo to the event - hopefully he'll get adopted.

Have a great weekend.

WooHoo - it's ALMOST Friday!!!

Monday - Cadence started daycare full time. I was excited for her to be going everyday - I think going all day, every day will help her in a bunch of ways. She'll be around other kids, so she'll get lots of play time in. Playing w/other kids, will help her speech. She won't be in the house snacking w/dad all the time (dennis is a great dad, but when she's bored & wants to snack - he lets her). She'll be working on colors (she knows most of them), shapes (she know 5 shapes), her alphabet (she knows all of it but the l-p portion) & counting (she can count to 12). They will also work on writing & learning days of the week & months. I'm excited for her to learn these things. She's very smart & catches on to things quickly, but once she knows how to do it - if she's no longer challenged, she gets bored. Now, she'll be learning so many different things, she won't be bored anymore. Plus, not being stuck in the house, she'll have more to talk to Madison about on the phone!
She & Madison talk about 3x's a week - but Cadence usually only talks about the dogs or her toys. Madison goes to the babysitters, so her days have something different all the time & their conversations end up one sided & Madison gets bored when Cadence only talks about the dogs & toys.
Dennis picked up Cai from daycare & when I got home from work, made tacos for dinner. We dropped Cai off at Marge's so that Dennis & I could go to class at church. When we got to Marge's after class, Cadence was ready to come home. It had been a long day for her & I think she needed the comforts of home. Dennis pulled up in front of the house so that we didn't have to walk in the mud & as I was getting out, Cadence started crying b/c she thought I was going home & she was leaving again. She just kept saying, I want to go home too. I brought her in the house & she curled up on the couch next to me. We headed to bed around 9:45 - I was exhausted, but I think Cadence was fighting it. She kept talking & trying to stay awake. I finally got her to sleep & I was out before my head it the pillow.
Tuesday morning it was much easier to wake Cadence than yesterday. She was a little cranky in the bath, but once she was dressed, she was much happier. I dropped her off at daycare & she kissed me good bye. She was very shy, but I'm hoping it didn't last long & that she started playing. I only checked on her 1 time yesterday! I was so proud of myself… I'm not sure if it's b/c we didn't see each other much yesterday, but I felt like I had to check on her 10x's! I didn't, but I sure wanted to! When I picked her up, she didn't even want to leave. She was playing w/the blocks w/some little boy. I had to physically go over & carry her away from them.
Yesterday was a long day at work. When I got to the daycare to pick up Cadence, they were outside playing. I figured I'd never get her out of there. However, she was ready to leave (mostly b/c she had mud on her pants). On our way back through the daycare - she took me into her room to show me their art projects. She has made a flower & there's a picture of her in the middle & they also made caterpillars. They were very cute & she was very proud of her work. My mom was going to Alan's after she got off work to run him over to pick up a pizza - I suggested she should pick one up for me. She hung up laughing. Around 6:45, my brother called & said, meet mom outside in a minute, she's got a pizza for you. YAH MOM!! It was yummy & we didn't have to cook it - which made it even better!
This morning Cadence was ready to go to school, that's all she kept talking about - but again, when I dropped her off, she was very shy. It makes me sad, but they said she opens up & has fun not long after I leave.
As for tonite - not much planned, watching Ghost Hunters that was dvr'd last nite & doing some much needed laundry.
Tomorrow nite is home group for church - we're going to have a potato bar & salad for dinner.
Saturday is Dennis' 32nd b/day. Unfortunately (or fortunately if you look at it financially), he has was asked to work. It will be overtime at that point - so it will be worth it.
Since he'll be working, I'll be taking Ranger & Mohawk to the event. Here's to hoping they find their forever homes..
Cadence will go play with Madison - she's pretty excited about that!
Sunday is my weekend to volunteer at the Welcome Center at church - so I'm looking fwd to that.
Have a great weekend!

Happy Easter!

Friday nite I was able to get the house cleaned up. I was pretty tired & crashed about 11:45.
Saturday I got up & finished dusting & mopping. I told Alan I'd babysit Colin while he went to get his car fixed. He dropped off Colin, boy was Cadence happy! Angie came over to work on her paper for school & brought Heaven, so the 3 kids got to play their little hearts out.
Angie left for work & I took Colin home. I went over to Lisa's to run her to the store. Heaven was the only one that was well behaved during the shopping trip. Of course, she was in Lisa's cart- so I would be good too! :)
After I dropped Lisa off, I went back home & got Dennis & we went to Church. The service was great & the music awesome. Although, the first time since we have attended, Cadence's # came up on the screen to pick her up. I went back there & it was Heaven crying. I brought her into the chapel (the auditorium was packed!) w/us & she sat quietly during the rest of the service. She was even clapping when they finished playing the music. We took Heaven to Aunt Vicki's after church & we went home to color eggs.
Cadence had a blast coloring the eggs - loved getting the coloring all over herself...Not long after coloring the eggs, she passed out. We carried her up to bed, hid the eggs, made her basket & went to bed ourselves.This morning we got up & Cadence came down to look for her eggs. She had a blast! She didn't even really care about the basket - well, until she found all the eggs. We made deviled eggs w/the colored eggs & then waited for the family to show up.

She was still pretty tired & ready for me to quit taking pics!

Mom, Lisa, Alan, Jenny, Chai, Colin, Tae & Mike all got here around 3. We had ham, cheesy potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, corn & biscuits. Dessert was brownies & apple pies. It was all delicious! And when my mom is around - there's always something burning up..this time it was a dish towel...
After they left, Cadence & I read some books, then she laid down to watch Ruby & Max. She was out by 7:30. Dennis carried her up to bed. The rest of the evening, Dennis & I are going to watch the dvr, since nothing good is on tv tonite.
Hope everyone had a great Easter!!