Happy New Year

Well, Christmas is finally over. It was quite a busy week. It started last Sunday with Christmas at my parents' house. Then we had Christmas Eve at Peg and Stubby's. Alex had a good time with Paige. Paige was trying to wrestle with Alex. Needless to say, Alex did not like that. Christmas Day we opened presents from Santa, then it was off to my grandparents. Saturday we had the Broerman Christmas. Talk about a busy week. Now it is time to recuperate and find the house. I have managed to find a home for about everything we had gotten for Christmas. Alex seemed happy with all of her gifts.

Jerold has been out hunting some during his shut down. The weather is not cooperating very well for him to get out everyday. I am looking forward to hunting again maybe on New Years Day. We will have to see how tonight goes first. Jerold and I are going out for a bit for New Years. It will be a small miracle if we make it to midnight. I can think of only 2 that we made it to midnight. Talk about getting old.

Well, until next time...I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I figure that I had better tell everyone Merry Christmas now because who know when I will get back on here this week. Well, we had a busy weekend. On Saturday Jerold and I took my dad and brother goose hunting. We went up to Braidwood Lake Hunting Club. It is a pretty nice place. We all got our birds and had a good time. That was the first time goose hunting for everyone but Jerold. It was quite an experience. I am glad that we did go on Saturday instead of Sunday though. Yesterday was just awful.

Sunday we had the Ruff family Christmas at mom and dad's. All of my brothers and their wives (girlfriends) were there. It was nice. Alex got to play with Autumn all day. Needless to say, she was wiped out when we left. I am sure the girls had a great time though. Mom got them matching pajamas to wear. So, of course we had to take pictures of the girls in their new jammies. They are adorable.

So, now it is another work week. I only have kids 2 days this week. I am looking forward to that. I may get a little bit of stuff done around here, but who knows. I am hoping to have a living room again by the end of the weekend, but I doubt that would be possible. We will have to see what happens and how much stuff we get from the holidays.

So, we have Christmas Eve at Jerold's parents house that night. Then we have Christmas Day at my Grandma Ruff's house. My aunt Peggy is going to be home. She has not been home for Christmas for a few years. It will be nice. Then I get a day off. Then there is the Broerman Christmas on the Saturday following. We also have a wedding reception to go to that evening. BUSY!! Hopefully the weather will be good for everyone in their travels for the holidays. Well, I guess that is enough for now. I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and safe holidays. By the way, Jake is doing well also. He is still growing. Someday he will slow down. I hope. Happy Holidays!

Where did it go?

Where did the weekend go? It has just flown by. Saturday was a non-productive day. Alex and I were running errands all day. We did catch a moment to finish up our Christmas shopping and see the big guy himself "Santa Clause." That was exciting. It was fun for me even because Alex actually talked to him and to him what she wanted for Christmas. You have to love that. I did get a couple pictures of that for all to see.

My brother had his annual Christmas party Saturday night, so Jerold and I went to that for a bit and then it was Sunday. Alex had her first Christmas Program at church. She is quite the character. Her class sung 2 songs and had motions to go with them. Alex did great with the first song, but then one little boy decided to talk into the microphone and it was on from there. Alex would walk back and forth and push kids out of the way to make room for herself during the entire song. I believe I actually had tears from laughing so hard. That's my girl. She had a great time though. The whole program was cute.

Jerold got in some hunting this weekend. We are going up to Braidwood next weekend for my dad's birthday. I won a hunt up at Braidwood Lake Hunting Club. I am thinking that it will be a fun and entertaining experience for all of us. Jerold is the only one who has hunted goose. We'll just call him the veteran. Well, that is about it for now. Until next time.

Well, let's see...

Well, since my last post nothing too exciting has happened. Jerold learned that he will be laid off for about 2 months come February, Alex has a Christmas program coming up this weekend, and I still have a daycare full of kids. It is definitely getting closer to Christmas. The kids are getting antsy and talking about the "big guy" Santa. I found it rather entertaining listening to them. I am glad that they enjoy this time of year.

As I said before, Jerold found out Friday that he will be laid off for about 2 months come February. That has is so excited. So, now we are working out we were are going to do with him for that time. I could probably put him to work at the daycare, but then he may not come back. We will have to see. I am sure it will all work out someway.

Alex is excited about her Christmas Program. She keeps telling me about her friends ans the songs that they sing. Brings back memories of my days when I was singing in the choir. Fun! She is doing well though. We have been lucky so far and no one has gotten sick from last week. Hopefully we keep it that way.

Jerold has plans of going goose hunting this weekend. Hopefully he will do better than last weekend. Next weekend we are taking my dad goose hunting for his birthday. He is looking forward to it. It will be something different for him. I think that my brother Greg may be going to. I can honestly say that I think that it will be a fun and productive day. At least that is what I hope. Then we are having the Ruff family Christmas at my mom and dad's on Sunday next weekend. It will be a full weekend, but what weekend isn't this time of year.
Well, that is all I have to report for now. Have a wonderful weekend. Until next time...

Since last time...

It has been another busy week. We had a busy Turkey day. We went to my grandma's for noon and on to Peg and Stubby's for supper. Later on that night I went up to Huntley to do some shopping. The outlet mall opened at midnight for Christmas sales. Needless to say, I got quite a bit of my shopping done. I returned home at 5 a.m. and went straight to bed. It was a tired, but productive affair.

Jerold has been busy working and hunting. More the hunting though. It will be interesting to see how much work he has after the new year. I know that is a concern with most everyone anymore. Hopefully everything will turn out. The daycare is still going strong. I have a new little one starting after the first of the year. I am excited about that. It will definitely be a change for the business. I am looking at trying a few things different after the first of the year. Hopefully all of my plans will work out. We have had a couple of kids out this week with the flu and strep. Hopefully I have disinfected enough that no one else will get sick. Tis the Season.

Alex is doing well. She is getting ready for her Christmas program at Sunday school. She is really enjoying going to Sunday school. She says that all of the kids are her new best friends. The funny part is that I went to Sunday School with all of the kids parents, or at least half of them. She is starting to be more vocal also. She now sings the words to the songs. Before she would just listen and watch the other kids. Now she sings and does all of the actions. Granted we will have to see how she does at the program. Anyone interested in attending, it is at the Methodist church on Sunday, December 14th at 10:45 a.m. It is a whole service, but mostly full of the kids.

Well, that is about it for now. Until I have more to update. I hope that everyone has a wonderful week.

Update

It has been a little while for me to get this updated. It has been pretty busy here. Jerold went deer hunting this weekend. It was first deer shot gun season. He got two deer first thing. He was pretty excited. He then learned how to butcher them on Saturday. It would figure that as soon as he was done with those 2 deer, the locker would call and say that the other deer were done from bow season. So, we had to come home and find room for 4 deer in our freezers. Needless to say, we will not need to buy meat for a while.
Alex got a Christmas present early yesterday. I went and picked up her new bunk beds. She thinks that they are pretty cool. (Her words) We also went and picked up a kitchen cupboard that my dad and uncle Mike had built for me when I was Alex's age. So, that is also in her room. She thinks that it is awesome. We got a lot of work done around here this weekend. It will be nice when I get the house decorated and see the finished product.
Call me crazy, but a friend of mine and I are going shopping Thursday night. There is an outlet mall in Huntley that is opening at midnight after Thanksgiving. So, we are going to go and see what good deals we can get. I am actually hoping to get most of my holiday shopping done that night. I am looking forward to it. I have never gone on the day after turkey day. I figured now is a good of time as any. Wish me luck...
Hopefully this week will fly by. I am ready for a couple of days off. It should be a good week though. Hope everyone has a great Turkey Day! Until next time...

Here are the pictures

Alright, here are the pictures that I have promised. The top one is Jerold looking at both of the deer that he got last Saturday with the bow. The turned out to be a 13-pointer. He was a big deer. The littler one in the back is a doe that he also had gotten. Next time you see Jerold ask him about his hunt.
The next picture is of the Ross Goose that he had gotten a couple of weekends ago. It is a pretty bird. It looks like a Snow goose, but a bit smaller. He was pretty excited about that also. I guess you could say that Jerold has had some good luck hunting so far this year. Hopefully it stays this way.

The third picture is a picture of Jerold posing with the biggest deer he has ever gotten. He is pretty proud. Enjoy the pictures.

What a weekend!

Another weekend has gone by without it really even being here. It was a good weekend though. Jerold went deer hunting on Saturday afternoon with his bow. He got 2 deer. One was a small doe and the other was a 13 point buck. Let me tell you, he was a big deer. He really made any other deer look small. Jerold has decided that he is going to go ahead and get the buck mounted also. How often do you get to shoot a buck that sized. Needless to say, he is excited. I will have to put pictures on here a bit later.
Alex got to hang out with grandpa Robby and Autumn all day on Saturday. Grandpa Robby said that they had a great day. Alex had a blast. All she talked about was daddy's deer and Autumn. She really enjoys spending time with her cousin. She is going to go with me on a road trip this next weekend. Alex and I are going to see a friend of mine in Wonderlake. We are going shopping and just spending time up there for a day or two. I am looking forward to it. I think that it will be a great time.
It is a light week to start this week with the daycare. It is kind of nice. Wednesday it will be back to normal. Hopefully the week will go by fast and everyone will be healthy for the weekend. There is a lot of sickness starting to go around already. So far none of it has been in the daycare. I am a firm believer in Lysol and Purel right now. Hopefully I will be able to keep most of the nasty bugs out.
Well, I do not have much else to report for now. I will try to get the pictures on this week. Hope everyone has a good week.

Another week has gone by

Well, we took Alex trick-or-treating on Friday. She had a blast. She now thinks that every time she gets dressed up she is going to go trick-or-treating. I am glad that she enjoyed it. She really enjoyed being a princess.
Jerold went hunting this weekend also. No surprise there. The surprise is that he got a Ross goose. It is a very pretty bird. It is actually going to be mounted. It looks like a snow, but smaller. He is very proud.
The daycare is going well. I still have a full load. Hopefully things will continue to go this way. Alex really enjoys having the other kids here. She is going to have her boyfriend here a couple of days coming up. I am not going to tell her though. This will help with my sanity. She really enjoys playing with Michael.
What about this fall weather...I believe that fall is finally here. I am not looking forward to all of this rain, but the leaves changing colors are beautiful. There really is not a whole lot else going on right now. Hopefully everyone has a great week.

Trick or Treat

Well, Alex got to go trick-or-treating for the first time on Sunday. We went with a couple of friends from Lexington. Let me tell you....IT WAS COLD. We went out for about an hour and that was it. I could not believe how many kids there were out with as cold as it was. I did take some pictures of the little princess to show. Doesn't she look beautiful....Anyways, she did pretty good for only being out for an hour. Just what we need, more candy.

Jerold got to go out and hunt this weekend. I also have a picture of his with his first ducks and geese for the season. I thought that I would share those with you also. He really enjoys his time hunting. At least he enjoys it when he is able to see the animals instead of spending his time site seeing. Alex gets excited when Jerold comes home with supper.

While we were in Lexington Alex tried on a few other costumes. They are not quite the ones that you would picture on a 3 year old, but she had fun. She got to dress up as a werewolf, football player, Michael Myers, and some really scary looking creature. At least she was not too freaked out by some of the costumes. I also have pictures of those. I would have to say that I like the princess dress much better. The dress is actually her flower girl dress from my brother Greg's wedding.

Well, it is on to another busy week at the daycare. Hopefully everyone will be healthy this week. Friday I am closing up shop early for trick-or-treating. Alex is looking forward to going out again. She will however be the princess. At least it sounds like the weather will be good for it. Hope everyone has a great week.

Update

Well, it has been a little while since I have gotten this updated. Let's get started...Alex had her play date with her "boyfriend" a week ago. They had a great time. After the "date", Alex got to go for a ride in the combine. She was nervous at first, but then she thought that it was pretty cool. She keeps asking when Michael can come over again. She really likes spending time with him. Don't they just look so cute together.

Jerold is starting to get itchy for hunting season. Duck and Goose open on Saturday. He is very excited about this time of year. Hopefully he will have some good luck this year. I am actually going to go hunting a couple of times this year also. I am looking forward to it. Alex may even go a few times this year. We are going to see how well she handles it. Hopefully she won't think that daddy is killing her goose friends. Jerold is still hoping that things at work are going to pick up. They have 4 non-production days this month. This of course gives him more hunting time, but also not good on his vacation time. Oh well...

Alex is still growing like a weed. I went to some garage sales this weekend to look for some clothes for the growing child. I found a couple of outfits that are cute. Jerold's cousin sent some clothes over from her girls for Alex to try on also. That will help a bit also. My little girl just keeps growing. This picture is an outfit that Alex likes to wear to Sunday school. Aunt Sandy got it for Alex for her birthday. This is our "pink dress."

Speaking of growing...Jake is getting to be a big puppy. He goes back to the vet tomorrow for another round of puppy shots and a check up. He has probably gained another 10 pounds in the last 3 weeks. He just keeps on growing.

Well, the daycare is still going well. I have a full house. There really is not much else to update for right now. Hope everyone has a great week.

Another Week Gone By

Well, today is my Friday with the kids. I have a training to attend tomorrow for my DCFS hours. It is usually an interesting training. Alex gets to spend all day with my dad. She is excited about riding in Uncle Robby's truck. I think that they both will have a lot of fun. I am sure Autumn will be around in there sometime also.
Jerold has a few non production days this month, but he still has a job. The contract was signed finally. Talk about being stressed out and waiting. He will probably be hunting most of the days that he has off now that it is getting to be almost duck and goose season. He is still trying to get that deer for the freezer also. Only time will tell if that happens.
Alex is getting along well. She missed Sunday School last week because of so much going on. She is looking forward to going this weekend. I am glad that she enjoys it so much. She is looking forward to Saturday also. Her "boyfriend" is coming over for a play date. She cannot wait for Michael to come over. She has asked me everyday for the last month. We are making it work this weekend. She will then hopefully get to ride in a combine when we go to take Michael back. They are busy doing field work right now, so Alex can go for a ride with his mom and Michael after their play date. That part is a surprise.
Jake is still growing. I think he is part pony. He eats like he is starving and keeps on growing. He is really starting to enjoy being outside all day long. He has free reign. I got him a little bit of a longer cable so he now has more roaming room. He is sleeping all night for the most part and doing better about getting house broken. Hopefully soon he will be completely potty trained. Well, until next time...I will keep you updated as things come up.

It's Friday!

Well, it definitely has been one of those weeks. On a good note, it is Friday. We have a busy weekend in front of us this weekend. I am going to be involved in a hunter safety course on Saturday and Sunday at the Sportsman's Club. Alex is going to be having daddy time on Saturday and a play date on Sunday. Jerold is going to a trap shoot on Sunday in Fairbury. Somewhere in all of this I need to find the house for the next week.
Jake went to the vet yesterday for round 4 of his shots. He has gained 10 pounds in 3 weeks. The vet told Jerold that we are going to have a BIG dog. We already knew that, but she emphasized the word "BIG." Other than him eating like a horse and getting more playful everyday, he is doing great. If I can only get him to sleep until 6 a.m. that would be even better. He really likes being outside though.
I do not have any other news to update you with, so I will try to keep everyone updated as things come up. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Another busy weekend

It was another busy weekend this past weekend. I am still waiting bor a weekend without so much running. On Saturday, the Sportsman's Club had their annual trap shoot and also a calling contest. That was pretty interesting. Alex and I went and watched the contest and shoot for a while. Jerold got me to shoot a few trap. I hit 2 clay pigeons. I was proud. It turned out to be a late evening once again. On Sunday Alex had Sunday school. We decided that since it is getting cooler, we would bug bomb the house. So, we did that and killed some time around town. Then it was off to the surprise party for Stubby. We all went out to eat at Pour Richards last night. It was a nice time. By the time we got home I had to start cleaning before all of the kids come in today.
Next weekend the Sportsman's Club is having their hunter safety course and yours truly will be participating in that. It is both Saturday and Sunday. Jerold is in charge of Alex on Saturday and she is having a playdate on Sunday. At least that is the plan. Hopefully it is nice weather for the course. I may have a free weekend after this is over. I am sure something else will come up.
Alex is doing well. We have had our first set of breathing treatments for the season. It could be a long fall and winter if this keeps up. Alex is pretty good about taking her treatments though. She does not usually fight them. She is happy to have the kids back today. One of the girls that I watch is Alex's little buddy. The 2 of them play very well together.
Jake is still growing. I believe that I am going to have a jumper on my hands. He is jumping onto everything and then back off. He still needs to perfect his landings. He has jarredhimself a couple of times.
The waiting game is still going on for Jerold and his job. We will be glad when this is over with. It is frustrating not knowing what you are going to be doing for work. He has 4 nonproduction days this month. Hopefully next month will be better. Well, everyone have a good week and I will keep you updated.

Is it Friday yet?

Well, this week is going by slow. The kids have been wild this week. I am not sure why, but they are off the walls. I had forgotten to tell you about Alex's first sleep over. It went great. The girls had a good time, and did not trash the house. I am not sure how to take that. The house is trashed on a daily basis and I went 24 hours without that happening. I did remember to take pictures of Jake for my update. He is growing so fast. He is going to be a big dog. I am not sure if I am ready for that yet. He is getting a little better about the house training. Only time will tell. He really likes being around the kids though. They are definitely his entertainment.

We have kind of a busy weekend again. I will be glad when we are not going all of the time. I know that is a funny thought. As if that would ever happen. Jerold has to set up for his trap shoot and calling contest at the Sportsman's Club. That is an all day event on Saturday. Sunday I am hoping to go golfing if we have time. Alex has Sunday School and we have a dinner that evening. Then home to get ready for another week with the kids. I have decided that I am going to take some time off in November. I am calling it "me time." Granted all that will probably happen is house cleaning or grocery shopping. It is the thought though. Well, here are the pictures of Jake. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

Weekend Update

Well, it has been a good weekend. We could not have asked for better weather. Jerold and I got quite a bit of stuff done around outside yesterday. I have hopes of getting more stuff done this week. Alex loves being outside also so that helps. She definitely loves to help. This afternoon I am hoping to get outside and clean up around the house. I have to however get the inside work done first. What fun...

Today after Sunday school Alex and I went to the pumpkin patch with grandma Ruff. We went through the Pumpkinland. Alex thought that was pretty neat. She would like to go again sometime. I am looking at a couple of different places to go on our next adventure. We picked out a few pumpkins and got them cleaned up and put outside. Alex is starting to get into the whole decorating thing. I took a few pictures of her at the pumpkin patch. The three pictures below are Alex talking to 2 of the 7 dwarfs, Spongebob and his house, and the gingerbread house. I took a few other pictures while we were there, but these are the ones that she picked out. While we were going through the pumpkinland, there was a goose standing by the creek. I tried to get a picture of it with Alex, but of course the silly bird wouldn't stay put. The picture up above is Alex ready to go to Sunday School. She wore this dress today for the first time. She said that it is cool and she really likes it.

Jerold went with the guys today riding in Seneca. I am sure that he is having a great time. Hopefully their day is getting better than how it started. If it was not one thing going wrong, it was another. I am sure there will be some good stories when he gets home this evening. Well, until next time.... Enjoy the pictures. I will try to put pictures of Jake on here next time.

Another weekend...

Well, it was a busy wet weekend. Hopefully no one floated away. We had a few different things going o this weekend. It was not too bad though. We went and visited with my grandmother from Arizona on Saturday night. It was nice to see some family that I have not seen in a while. Alex had Sunday school and then it was work around here day.
Jerold is still waiting to see about this job. It would be nice to know what was going to happen. In the mean time he is getting antsy about hunting season. He is actually hoping to take Alex a couple of times this year. Hopefully she will like going. We will have to wait and see. Right now she is going through a mommy thing. She needs to be with me all of the time. Hopefully that will start to get better soon.
We had to postpone Alex's sleepover until hopefully this weekend. There was just too much happening. Hopefully this way the girls will be able to have fun and not feel rushed around. Alex is definitely looking forward to it.
the daycare is going well. Still busy. My after school care is down a bit, but that is just fine. I can keep things going the way they have been all day without adjustments. Stability is great when it happens.
Jake is still growing. Jerold took him to the vet last Thursday. He weighed 17 lbs. 4 oz. He is sleeping all night for the most part. He is getting better about getting house trained also. As long as he does not get too excited around the kids, he is great. I have a feeling that he is going to be a big dog. He is doing good though. I will post some more pictures soon of him and Alex. Well, on to another fun week.

Sorry, it has been a while...

Well, not a whole lot has happened since the last time I updated this. We went to a Labor Day party at Rod and Nikki's on Sunday the 30th. We had a good time. Jerold was convinced that he needed to win as many games at bags as he could. We also went to the Prairie Dirt Classic on that Saturday. We had a good time. Alex got to spend the night at her friend Ella's that night. She now wants Ella to come to our house. That is a possibility on Friday. We will have to see how the week goes.

Alex still loves Sunday school. She looks forward to it every week. I am glad that this is working out. She keeps talking about all of her new friends. The poor kid cannot stay in her clothes lately. I had bought her some new shoes 2 weeks ago for her Sunday school outfits, she has already out grown them. We now wear a size 9. My little girl is definitely growing up. She has graduated to girl sized clothes also. We no longer are in the toddler section too much. Some things fit her still there, but not like they used to. I know that this is supposed to happen, but not this fast.

We had a somewhat busy weekend this last weekend. Saturday we went to my parents for a get together for mom's birthday. I believe that she enjoyed herself. We would not let her cook or anything. It was time for her to relax. Sunday we went to Tanner's Orchard. Alex and I went with Grandma and Grandpa Ruff. It was a fun quick trip. I will definitley have to take Alex back over there closer to Halloween. Hopefully we will be able to go trick or treating this year. Alex was sick last year. She has not decided what she wants to be yet. It is a toss up between about 10 different things. It will probably be a last minute thing because she can't make up her mind. We will see.

This week is not too busy. Jerold is getting things ready for the DU Banquet next week. He has a meeting again this week and then next week right before the shindig. Saturday seems to be quite the busy day. My grandma is going to be in the area from Arizona. So, we are going to go up to mom and dad's to see her. Jerold has a few things that he would like to do that day also. We will have to see what happens for the day. If everthing goes well, Alex gets to have Ella over on Friday. Her first sleep over....what am I getting into? Sunday is just another day at home. We have Sunday school in the morning and then house work to play catch up after the weekend. Fun...Fun...

Jake update....
He is growing like a weed. He is going to be a big dog. He goes for his third set of shots and rabies shot on Thursday. We are switching vets and taking him to Eastside in Fairbury. We have been told by a lot of people that we need to take him there. It can't hurt to try. We still have the late night visits to the outdoors. I will be glad when that is over. It would not be so bad if I was not the only one hearing him whine. It is just like having another newborn. The good times and the bad. Well, I hope this helps everyone get caught up. I will try to put on some pictures next time when I get the camera working. Have a great day.

Another Week...

Well, we made it through another weekend. Alex had her first day of Sunday School. She loves it. She really did not even want to leave when it was time to go. She wanted to stay and play with the toys. I am happy that she has found this exciting. After Sunday school we went across the street and saw Alex's Great-Great Grandpa. She was a bit shy at first, but then I could not get her to be quiet. It really brought a smile to his face. Saturday night Jerold and I went to a Delta Waterfowl Banquet. It was pretty neat. We got done there and then went out for a little while. It was nice to have a night out.
This week looks like it could be busy. The kids are starting to adjust to school. Once they get into their new schedules things will be getting a little more calm. The younger kids are starting to get into the new routine also. About next week things should start to become normal.
Jake seems to be adjusting well. He is still not sure about the kids, but he seems to be doing well. He definitely likes all of the attention that he gets from them. He had his first doctor appointment on Saturday. Alex and I took him. I wanted Alex to understand that Jake has a doctor also. Other than that, things are going well here in Chenoa.

What a Week...

Well, we made it through Alex's birthday party. She was spoiled once again. Now the trick is to find a place for all of the stuff that she got. She was very happy though. Alex got a lot of clothes that are well needed for this fall. She also got her very own mini golf course. Uncle Rod and Aunt Nikki got that for her. I am not sure who wants to play it more, Alex or Jerold. She also received a few cool toys and Barbies. I am doomed as far as Barbies go. All of those shoes and outfits. I think Alex really enjoyed riding around with her cousin though. I was able to take a picture of them riding Alex's 4-wheeler together. They always have a great time together. Autumn started school this week. I think that she will really enjoy it too.

As for the daycare this week.....It has been crazy, but interesting. School started here in Chenoa today. I now understand why my mom was always happy for school to start. I am very happy that school is started. The kids really need to get back to their routines. In about 2 weeks things will be getting back to normal. I have had my niece Paige this week. It has been fun. She is just such a sweet little girl. Alex thinks the world of her. She is always checking to make sure everything is alright. She is very protective of her cousins. As far as the rest of the week...I am hoping that things will go smoothly. I have actually had my neighbor coming over and giving me a hand in the afternoons. It is a little extra money for her and a little bit a assistance for me. She has been a big help.

Jerold is still working in Bloomington. We are so patiently waiting to find out what Mitsubishi is going to do with their contracts. It is just so much fun waiting to see what they are going to do every couple of years. I believe that they have 9 more days before the contract expires or however you put that.

Jake is adapting well. I am not getting much sleep though. It is almost like having a newborn. The only difference is that he barks and cries when he needs to go outside instead of crying when he is hungry. It could be worse. He is not so sure about the kids right now. They want to play quite a bit more than he does right now. He is more interested in playing for a little while and sleeping a long while.

Well, I have posted a couple pictures from Sunday. One is of course Alex riding her 4-wheeler with Autumn and the other 2 are pictures of Alex's birthday cakes. Grandma Peg made them of course. Alex had to have Swiper the Fox and Dora and Boots. Well, I believe that this is enough of a catch up for now. Until next time....

A New Addition to the Family

Well, Jerold went and got the puppy today. Alex is excited about the new addition to the family. I have taken some pictures of them, hoping they will turn out on this. I would like to introduce everyone to "Jake." This is the name that Alex picked out for him. Luckily it is not Boots or Swiper. I am hoping that the puppy works out for all of us. Jerold is hoping for a hunting dog and a guard dog. I am hoping for a dog that won't eat everything. Wishful thinking. Alex is looking forward to her birthday party tomorrow. She is all excited about the presents. Hopefully it will be a beautiful day for it. Well, hope everyone has a great weekend. It sure is beautiful today.

Alex is 3

Today Alex turns 3. She has not quite figured out that she does not need to tell everyone else Happy Birthday, but that it is her day. She is excited. It is all about the party. We are going to take her to McDonald's tonight to play in the play land and then go for a ride. She loves going for a ride. Jerold and her get on the goose calls and start honking up a storm. She loves to do that though.
We are picking up the puppy on Saturday. Jerold is going to go and get while Alex is getting her eyes checked. I was informed that it could be a long day afterwards. The puppy will definitely be a good distraction. We are still trying to come up with names for the puppy. We are a little reluctant to have Alex pick out the name. The puppy will probably end up with the name of Swiper or Boots. We are not going to tell her about the puppy until Saturday after her appt. This way she will go to her appt. and be excited when she comes home.
It is a full house today. The daycare is going well. I am still looking forward to school getting back in session. I am trying some different things with the older children while the younger ones are down for naps. That seems to help with keeping everyone happy.
I should get things going for lunch. It is such a beautiful day today that we will be outside as much as possible. Burn energy burn.

Let's see how this works....

I have seen a few different blog sites and thought that I would try it also. This way everyone can be up to date on the happenings of our lives. I hope that everyone enjoys the blog. There really is not anything exciting going on this week. Jerold is back to work in full swing and the daycare is going well. I have a full house most days. I am waiting for school to get back in session. The kids really need to get back to their routine in school. Alexandra turns 3 on Monday the 11th. She is excited to have a party. It is all about the party. We are going to have a party for her on the 17th. She does not know it yet, but she is getting a puppy for her birthday. She has been wanting a puppy or baby brother. I believe that the puppy will be coming before the baby brother. The puppy is a black lab. I really hope that it works out. Jerold is hoping for the puppy to be a good hunting dog. The parents have good hunting blood lines. Hopefully it works out.

Well, I hope that this is a good start to a home page for the family. This should be itneresting to see how it works out......