Summer update in pictures

Happi over at The Berger Buzz gave a picture update of all their summer happenings. Since I am so random at blogging, I thought I too would do the same. Really, I just am not as creative as her and steal everyone's ideas...oh well.

We had a fantastic time at the Milwaukee Zoo with Auntie Janna. She even took Ash on their yearly camel ride...Here is one big backside (the camel's that is)



We attended my cousin's wedding in Georgia where I sang and Mike walked babies around.



We also danced the night away (and Avery fell asleep).


My Uncle T baptized me and my little sister Jessa in the pool at Howard Johnsons. I know, interesting place to have it. My Granny got very creative to make it happen! Something I should have done a long time ago. It was great to have someone close to me do it though. Don't worry, he's a pastor, so it is official. :)


Went to our first movie with my friend Jamie.



SOOO much more happened. I will post more pictures and bring us into July on the next post!

Sleeping children means I should be sleeping too!

Meet the family...

For all those out there that read my blog (all two of you), I thought I should introduce you to my family. You've already been introduced to my two kiddos, Ash and Ave, but I've also talked about the bottom 5...siblings that is. I have an older sis (shout out to Janna...I'm so hip, aren't I) who is in the upper 2 perfect children with me. When I was ten, my parents started the second half...or the little kids (Jaime (15), John (12), Josiah (11), Jessa (9), and Josh (5)) Looking back, I may not have always loved having such little brothers and sisters. When is it cool for your nine month pregnant mom to pick up you and your date for homecoming? But it was fun to be a junior in college with a newborn brother. I am grateful that Asher can relate so well the little kids, especially since Josh is only two years older than him. I count it a privilege to have such a big family. I love the chaos (perhaps naming us all with a J helped that), never really being bored, and the craziness that comes with a big family. Now that my mom is most likely falling over if she is reading this...here are a few pictures from our time out in Michigan.

Asher and Uncle Josh


Jessa and her Asian mini-me


Jaime and Avery at the zoo...she can relate to the stares people used to give me at her age when I would have to do that!


The Toledo Zoo was great (but 98 degrees!)..they had these random little statues of animals everywhere. My family of course hops on all of them!

Bed Sharing...

is never fun with a toddler!

Once again, this week I was out watching the little kids for my parents. I say little, but they are 5-15..not so little anymore. We had a GREAT time "family bonding" by going to the park and zoo. Most importantly, there is someone always here to entertain Asher in the basement of toys!

All week long I've had to share a bed with Asher. Avery sleeps in my parents' bathroom whenever we are here because it is massive! Seriously, bigger than some of my bedrooms growing up. Who needs that much space to do those things! Anyway, Asher and I had the joy of sharing a bed. I have had the joy of being kicked in the face every night this far. Oh, he snores too. I would hate to leave that out! But, even if he lies sideways over both our pillows the entire night, I can't complain. How many more times am I going to have the opportunity to snuggle with my favorite two year old every night for a week? I value these moments because we all know they aren't going to last forever...even if it means I have a soggy slobbered on pillow in the morning.

Birthday Fun

So today was my birthday...and I found that I was quite surprised about several things:

1. I'm not really enjoying them as much as I get older. It was fun when the milestones were 16, 18, 21. But now that my next milestone is 30 (in four years), it isn't as much fun. I wonder why?

2. Facebook is a wonderful thing! I was surprised how many people wished me happy birthday on facebook. Isn't it great when you have something to remind you of someone's birthday? Thanks everyone! Now I have no reason to forget theirs either though. Need to work on that one.

3. I have the BEST little brothers. I am watching my 5 younger siblings while my parents are out of town. When I walked in this morning, they all sang happy birhtday. Much to my suprise tonight, they made me their version of my dad's homemade milkshakes that I love! Pretty good for a 13 and 11 year old!

4. My husband is so sweet...okay, already knew this one...but remembering flowers when he wasn't there was nice. Thanks honey.

5. I really do love birthday traditions. Ever since we were little, my family from the south has called and sung happy birthday over the phone. They never fail, even when I'm turning 26 and am not the youngest cousin anymore (by far).

6. I'm officially missing my younger body! Things do not look the same as they did before children. I miss being skinny! I'm officially on the get skinny by my husband's ten year reunion. I've already threaten that if I get back to my size 4's from before Asher that I am never having another child. We can ADOPT! :) Any tips from people who have lost baby weight...anyone needing a partner to cry with when you just want to eat chocolate? Give me a call! :)

Don't you just LOVE GPS?

I will be the first to admit that I am horrible at directions. Thankfully I have a built in GPS system named Asher. He has the way to places memorized and will quickly tell which way to go. I'm actually quite impressed that a two year old can get me to my in-laws house which is 25 minutes a way. Often I hear..."not that way mommy" or "green means go mommy." Just wait until he has his permit...I'm going to give it to him. :)

Asher is obsessed with "monster trucks" lately. He finds them a says in a very manly voice "woh mommy, monster truck.." It is really quite cute. However today, I was telling him to look out his window for some. He said that he was looking out his "nonow" (window) for one. I didn't really understand what he was saying, so I asked him to repeat it. He said to me quite seriously (and very cutely), "Mommy, me not know how to say that word." At least he is honest.

It's amazing what some floaties can do...

I am a swimmer. I love to swim (minus the bathing suit part). Before I could walk, my mom would drop me off the diving board in swim lessons, and I would swim back to the side (and no, I didn't walk at 5). To press the point further, my mom made me follow in her footsteps and do something that is great to watch on tape (for everyone but ME). I was a synchronized swimmer. Maybe I'll post of a tape of me in the early days when I look like I was half drowning. Oh, you may mock the sport, but it is HARD people! I suppose I was okay at it since I went to competitions in several different states. But, really, I'm not bragging. I will actually be hanging my head in shame the next time I see anyone who I know reads this.

So that is why I insisted that we do swim lessons with Asher. I'm doing a parent/tot swim at the park district pool. We had a lot of fun at our first lessons, doing "Wheels on the Bus," playing with duckies, and getting each other wet with big cups. But you can't leave a two year old's side in the pool...and even with swim lessons, they still can't swim alone.

So we invested in floaties. Like any bad parent, I valued my vacation time in the pool and let my child cheat just for a few days. Trust me, I'm dreading swim lessons on Saturday when he finds out he can't wear his "besial best" (special vest) and his "foaties" (floaties) to hold him up. Which stinks, because he was EVERYWHERE in that pool and didn't need any help at all. Oh well, he needs to learn to swim b/c you can't use floaties when you're twenty-five (plus, the chicks don't really dig it).

Asher before his first swim lesson...


Swim lessons (we're the little speck)


On VACATION...the easy way.



Avery has the right idea.

Actually completing a tag...

So I was tagged by Happi at The Berger Buzz. I'm supposed to pick the book closest to me up, turn it to page 123 and read the fifth sentence. After that, I'm supposed to type the next three sentences...but the closest book is a picture book with all of 28 pages. So, I'm reaching a little further for a "grown up book." Luckily I'm past page 123, so I won't spoil it (even though if you know me well, you know that I ALWAYS read the endings of book b/c I hate to not know what is happening and I have NO self-control at times).

So here goes..

Ron was out of prison and back in Ada. When his mother died in August 1985, he was in jail awaiting a competency hearing and staring at two more years in prison. Annette and Renee reluctantly sold the small house where they had grown up. When Ron was paroled from prison in 1986, he had no where to live.

From John Grisham's "The Innocent Man"

I HIGHLY recommend this book if you are interested in the legal system at all. I'm half way through it and can hardly believe that it is a true story. It really makes you think about how our country handles crime.

I am also reading "Getting Things Done" by David Allen...it's a great self-help book. We all know I need all the help I can get!

Of course, I'm always reading the Bible. :)

Now, I tag anyone reading this...since I"m still building my blogging friend list.