Last Night

What a great time we had! Mom, Dad, Kris, Yelena, Mike and I went to the Doobie Brothers/Chicago concert! It was such a great time!!!

Happy 8 Month Birthday Boy

I just can't believe that our son is 8 months old already! He is so big. He is just EVERYWHERE! You can't get him to stay still. He's so very close to crawling. He isn't too motivated though because he gets everywhere he wants to be by Butt-Scooting across the room. Zach really likes to follow commands! If you tell him to clap his hands he will start clapping like crazy. If you tell him to do "silly silly" he will do a funny dance. He will also stand for a few seconds holding onto things. Not too long and I'm really going to have to be on my toes! He is happiest when he is around Loren! She makes him smile like crazy. They play games together! They will squeal together and roll around on the ground! Man this kid is going to be tough after he survives Loren!

Happy Father's Day

Michael, my love! What a wonderful father you are! Your ability to love, protect, comfort and train our children makes me fall more in love with you every day. I am beyond thrilled that you chose me to be your wife. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for my dear children. I love to sit back and watch you play with them. I love the songs you make up for them and the hilarious rhymes you say to them. It melts my heart every night to hear you read Lorén's Bible Story to her and pray with her. You are beyond the best father in the world. I'm proud of you.

Zach waiting to Give Daddy his gift!
Lorén going up to deliver her gift to daddy.

Lorén peeking at the gift again! It was hard to keep her from pulling it out! I had to repackage it over-and-over again until daddy got out of the shower.

Daddy with the loves of his life and his cross. Mike has been asking for one since we lost his early in our marriage. I was waiting for the right time and for the right cross. It reminds me of the boy I fell in love with at 19! Ahhhh amore!

Zach waiting to give his gift to daddy. Zach had the box pretty well chewed up by time Daddy came down to breakfast!

A wallet! Daddy has needed a new one for a while! I really liked the cross on it! I made him pancakes, sausage, bacon and fruit for breakfast.

Happy Birthday Uncle Kris

Well, baby brother Mister Bister turned 24 today! We celebrated his birthday at Grandma and Granddad's house. We were happy that Yelena (Kristopher's girlfriend) could be there with us. Lorén had such a blast helping me make the cake, putting the candles on the cake, blowing out the candles on the cake and opening presents. Oh wait. . .was it Lorén's birthday or Uncle Kris's?

You know the best part? Kris and Yelena watched Zach and Lorén later that night so that Mike and I could go out on a **gasp** date!! Yipee! We went to see the new Indiana Jone's movie.

Uncle Kris with his niece and nephew!

Kris and Yelena waiting for our dinner!

Zach loves to give kisses now! I just love this picture!

Bringing in the cake!

Happy Bird-day to you, happy bird-day to you, happy bird-day Unc. Kris, happy bird-day to you!

Blowing out the candle son the cake! Loren helped me make this cake. She insisted on lots and lots of sprinkles!

Lorén opening Uncle Kris's gifts.

Summer Time Fun!

Today was a great day to break out the slip-and-slide. Lorén didn't quite get it! She would walk down the length and then PLOP at the end on her rear! It was a blast! Her best friend Cissy and Ryleigh came over to help her have water fun! I remember those good-ol' slip and slide days. I do remember I got my first bee-sting while slipping and sliding. My had slid right over it! OUCH!

Lorén waiting patiently for us to set up the slip and slide!

Walking down the slide while Cissy and Ryleigh wait in the background.
The end! This is where she flops down and rolls in the water! Adorable!

Zach is so happy just standing in his exersaucer as long as he can see everyone!

I have 1 person!

Come on gals! I have one person growing their hair out until January 2010!! Anyone else?? Come on Janna!!!

Anyone want to join me?

I've decided to grow my hair out again for Locks of Love. The first time I did it I grew it out for 2 years and chopped off nearly 15 inches!

Last week I cut my hair up to my ears in preparation for my ZERO haircuts until 2010! This will be a huge challenge but worth it! Any volunteers to join me??

The Joy of the Lord!!

I am a woman truly blessed!

Happy to Report

I'm happy to finally report that my Miss Michelle is POTTY TRAINED! She's been dry for a month (with maybe two accidents) and is now telling me when she has to potty! She even has been dry during the night for the past month! I haven't had a wet night-time diaper in a month!

Three Cheers for the Big Girl!!!!

The past two days were amazing!! Mom and I took Loren to Six Flags on Thursday and then to the Zoo on Friday! It was such a blast! You would not believe how well Loren did at Six Flags! She loved all of the characters! She absolutely adored the rides! You should have seen her ride Thunder River! She giggled the whole way. Every time she got wet she just laughed and laughed! She also loved to fly Grandma around in Looney Toon Town!

At the Zoo she went nuts seeing all of the animals! She just adored the Children's Zoo where she got to pet animals. I'll be darned if she didn't kiss every animal there! She kissed the mice, the Guinea pigs, the goats. . .gag. She was happy though! We did take Zach to the Zoo. He had a great time screaming at the animals! They fascinated him! Right as we left there was a torrential thunder storm! We had to run across the zoo in the pouring rain! We just thank God for Grandma and the time she gave to us this week! Thank you Grandma!
Loren loved the Characters! She would run up to them every time she saw one! She loved on them! She wouldn't hug the coyote but the others she adored!

This was her favorite ride! She just loved riding "Daddy's airplane."

Being the conductor of her very own railroad!

It was so nice in Toon Town that adults were able to ride with the kids. Loren just loved this ride!

Keeping Grandma "safe" on the Colossus Feris wheel! It was so cute!

How do you keep a tot entertained while waiting in line? Well, just let her go nuts on the bars in line!

Nap time outside of the park grounds!

Playing in the water at Toon Town. She just loved it! It was fun to let her get all wet!

Petting a baby screech owl at the children's zoo.

Riding the giant hippo. She really liked watching the real ones!

Petting the baby goats!

Penguin love! We had one come so close to us that we could have pet it! It was awesome!

The merry-go-Round at the Zoo. Zachy loved it! Grandma could not be happier!

Don't know what to title this :)

I'm trying to be a good stay at home mommy! I am trying to come up with activities to do with Loren that are fun and engaging. I find it to be fun but also trying! I've been trying to set up play dates for the month, maybe one a week. We went to truck day at the park. Loren really enjoyed the time but it was (pardon) hell for me! Trying to chase her around the park with Zach. Ugh! I slept WELL that night! This week we are going to Six Flags (no Zachy for that one!) and strawberry picking (mom is coming to help me with that one). This is what else we have planned:

1) Free Movies at the Theater

2) Walk at the lake

3) Fire station tour

4) Picnic

5) Park Play

6) Zoo

My question is, What are you doing to keep busy this summer?

Loren waiting for Daddy to come home!
Daddy's girl!

Mike's song for Loren "Whose that wild child there with that wild child hair. Whose that crazy, crazy boo with that crazy, crazy do. Where's that crazy girl a-going with those crazy curls flowing? Whose that silly silly boo with that silly silly do!?!" Loren loves her song and sings it to herself often!

On a rainy day I built a "house" for Loren. She had books, babies and snacks inside!"

Painting Play Date with Ryleigh and Cissy.

Cissy is Loren's best friend! I asked Loren if I was her best friend. She said no! That Cissy was her best friend!

Zachy just watches as happy as can be!

Sweet boy has taken to sleeping on his tummy! He starts off on his back and he just rolls right over! Look at those thighs :)! I love it!

Zachy was crying so Daddy asked her to to go give Zachy some love! He came in to this!

By the way, this is all Loren will eat these days:

Pancakes, Fruity Pebbles, Salami, Macaroni and Cheese, Peanut Butter and Jelly, Go-gurts, Fun fruits, fruits, green beans and some shredded carrots. That's it. I mean IT! Nothing else. NOTHING. It's frustrating!

Home made play dough! What a great time :)!

Loren is taking a "bath" with her scrub brush! I thought her pretend play was so cute!

NOW THAT'S MY GIRL!! Vacuuming in high-heels! I love it! She loves to vacuum so I let her!!!! It's awesome! I give her the vacuum and she just goes! Good thing is that I get my floors clean!!