Wisconsin

2004

My boys went to Wisconsin till Wednesday. Boo-Hoo! Hoo, Hoo Hoo.....I mean it, I really miss them. It is so quiet here. Zac and I play and read books and wrestle, but it is still quiet! The last time we went as a family was in 2006. I have never had the boys gone this long.

Grandpa & Grandma Larson

Everyone went except us, Joe and Mya. I will probably see them tomorrow. But so far, Zac and I have stayed home. He ran a fever last night and this morning. (Probably has to do with allergies, mine are bad too.) Even my best friend is gone. My parents aren't close by. I hope to see GiGi and Papa while they are gone. Other than that, not much. Maybe clean up and do a little touch up painting. As Parker would say "Bor-ing"!

New Orleans

3 years ago, in June of 2005, Aaron and I went to New Orleans. We rode with our friends Martin and Kelly. Kelly's family lives there and they were having a wedding shower for them. Aaron had free hotel nights, so we went. It was the first time since having kids that we went somewhere longer than 1 day. We drove all night and spent all day Friday, Saturday, and Sunday before coming home Monday.

Let me tell you, that city was Amazing! It was so full of history and sights and oh, the food. It was so Yummy. That was 2 months before hurricane Katrina. I am so glad that we went before that happened. We walked in the French Quarter, rode the trolley, went to the cemetery, took a tour of the bayou, sat at Gatemouth Brown's table in the House of Blues restaurant. Years from now, when it is rebuilt, I would love to go back with my family. There is so much to see and do and taste.

I am praying that Gustav is not as bad as they are predicting. The people there really need a brake.

New Countertops

I finally had new countertops put in. They look so good compared to the old ones. Now I don't know what to do for the backsplash. Any suggestions? We think that we want tile, but are not sure. We already updated our appliances, sink, and faucet in 2007 and had a cabinet taken out above the countertop also. I used to hit my head on it all the time. Oh yea, new cabinet hardware and paint in 2005.

It all started because we had a pipe leaking under the kitchen floor, so we put in a new sewer line outside the house in 2006. Aaron and I dug 80 ft. of line, with help from Joe and our plumber friend Bill. Then we had to rebuild the rotten bar cabinets and that is when we took out half the cabinet above the bar. We also had to put in a new porch too. It was hard work.

digging the trench

rebuilding the cabinets

laying the new porch

(old countertops and appliances. this is a terrible picture)

school pics

I have the pictures up of the first day of school finally. Scroll down to aug 14th.

Saving Money

This is just very random. I am thinking of all the things I want to do right now and two of them are meal planning and organizing my home. I want to get in the habit again of planning meals. I use to be so good at doing it and sticking to my plan, but now I am too busy (lazy) and don't really know what to make. I am bored with all the meals we have been having. I really want to save money when I buy groceries and I know that planning better can do that. What do you people out there do?

Linda, what did you do when your kids were young? I will try anything and really want to learn to make some new dishes. How do you plan ahead and make time to get a good dinner on the table? I really want to know what everyone else does to get organized and have time to spend with my family, instead of cooking and cleaning up. And not just in the food department, I need to get organized all over the house. I have a spare room that is full of stuff. I really want to be able to go in there and sew or have crafts for the kids. Kristen, I may need your help with finding a place for the stuff in our spare room. You seem good at doing that at your house.

On another subject, I need to make some money. I have thought about photography, but don't really know where to begin. I would really love to work from home. (Kristen's friend Kelly has the ideal job for me, but she hasn't quit yet.)

If anyone has any ideas, please let me know!

Gifts from Aunt Ginny

Aunt Ginny sent us the coolest stuff. Zac got a car, and boxer shorts.

Alex got a coin book, coin, and an awesome notepad with his name.

Parker got an awesome notepad and a "Cars" keychain.

Ginny even made me a notepad too. I use it all the time!

Thanks Aunt Ginny for thinking of us, we love you! We took tons of pictures of us opening the box too! (Can you tell)

Just a little something

I planned on picking the boys up from school and going straight to the pizza place for a quick dinner. On the way, Alex needed to use the bathroom, so we stopped by our house. I heard a giggle, then he came out and asked if I noticed anything. I didn't. Then he said, "I wore my shorts this way all day, and I didn't even know it."

His shorts were backwards. All day at school! He didn't notice, because the shirt covered it up and my kids never unbutton to go the bathroom. Alex said no one said anything to him. It looked so funny. He wouldn't let me take a picture, but I wanted too so bad. He has put his clothes on wrong before, but someone has always noticed and he fixed it quickly. It was pretty funny! Alex is so cute and funny. I don't see how he sat down comfortably all day, but he wasn't even bothered. I just love that boy.....

pictures

Here are a few of my favorites. I like the ones on Kristen's blog too. But in these she is busy doing her own thing and doesn't notice that we are working hard for her. This is one of my favorites. It is not edited.

I love the above picture. It is one of those that if they had just looked at you, then it would be the greatest ever. But oh well. It is still cute.

If you look close, you will notice that Mya has a handful of gravel, and later dirty hands because of it. It was still fun!

Mya's 2 yr pictures

Last Sunday, Grandma Kathy and Aaron took Alex, Parker and Kennday to see a movie downtown. Kristen and I were chatting on the phone and she asked when I could take Mya's picture. So we decided to do it that day. Let me tell you first off that I was very nervous! I always worry that the pictures won't turn out or the person won't like them. Zac can be hard to take places sometimes and he had to go with us, and on top of that, Mya is 2. That is a whole paragraph by itself!

before

But I can honestly say, that I had the greatest time ever! Joe pushed Zac in a stroller and he did so good. I hardly ever heard a peep out of him, he had a great time. Mya was so busy going everywhere and running (without shoes) and Kristen and I are trying to keep up. But I have to say that the pictures really did turn out great! My favorites are when she is not looking at me because she is so busy getting into something. Kristen said that all the blogs she reads from photographers say that they are getting a workout just taking the picture and I believe it. My legs have hurt all week like I did squats and my back is killing me, not to mention that my shirt was completely soaked down the back with sweat.

after photoshop

We went to OU Health Science Center and then to the state capitol. The last set of pictures were taken on the steps of the capitol and Mya ran up and down them many times. If you saw them you would know why my legs were sore. Aaron has been editing them in photoshop, so they are going to be awesome! I can't wait to take more!

First day of school

Wow, it's the First day of school. Parker is in all day Kindergarten and Alex is in 2nd grade. I don't know what to do. My house is quiet and clean and Zac is napping. This is hard to get used too! I know that it will be fine. I am excited for the boys to go, but a little sad too. Summer goes by too fast. It will be just Zac and I now all day.

We took so many pictures of the boys in the morning. We always walk to school on the first day because of the terrible parking. So we have pictures of the boys standing outside our house, walking down the road, in front of the school, in the door.....you know the rest. Probably too many! Well, anyway, here are the photos to enjoy.

vacation

Aaron was on vacation this week. We had a full week. It started out by Zac spending Friday night at Grandma's house for the first time.

To celebrate this occasion, Aaron and I took the boys to get haircuts and then eat at Red lobster. Saturday they played the Wii really loud before we went to get Zac. Monday, a trip to the library. Tuesday, the store for school supplies and eating out for lunch.

Wednesday, the splash park with the cousins.

Later on the zoo with Grandma.

Thursday, "close to home fishing" at the Little River park, which is less than a mile from our house. Friday, Aaron spent working on shelves for the boys room. Saturday we stayed home.

Sunday, Grandma and Aaron took the 3 big kids to see Wall-E (the movie). I took Mya's 2 yr old pictures, while Kristen tried getting her to look at the camera and Joe pushed Zac in a stroller.