Day 2

Whew, we made it through another day! Today not as crazy as yesterday thank goodness! I took the boys to the park after dinner. Needless to say due to the extreme heat we didn't stay long. We stopped at Casey's and got ice cream then ventured home. I bet it didn't take 5 minutes before they were in the house putting on there swim trunks! *In case anyone is wondering why you never see Jace in the pool, well you won't! he is petrified of the water for some reason? bath time, hes' fine?* Weird, I know! Anyway, they only swam for about an hour before the rain came. The rest of the afternoon was spent playing inside which was still a lot of fun! Hopefully it doesn't rain to much tomorrow so we can have another adventurous day!

Boys will be boys!

Oh my, what did I get myself into?!.........

Yesterday, before we left the reunion, my cousin Kalena (whom I am like "sister" close to) informed me that her son Dylan, who is 6, wanted to come stay with us before school started. We talked for a while and decided I was going to take him home with me. Not for a few days but until Sunday. WOW!!

I'm sure it will be fun, but the first day of this adventure has already been something else! I always wondered what it would be like once Jace got a little older, well now all of my questions and wonders have been answered and it's only day one!

This is how our adventure started....two very innocent sweet boys.......
Then came the MUD hole!
Cute huh? at 10 AM in the morning?
I told them the had to be hosed of before ever coming in the house or getting into the pool! They made many trips in and out of the pool before ever coming inside!
BATH TIME!!
and they still were playing at 8:30 in the evening!!! I wish I had that energy!!
This is what my clothes line looked like at the end of the day! It was just wet, muddy, yucky clothes that needed to dry!! 4 pair of underwear, 4 shorts, 5 shirts and 1 pair of broken flip-flops about 3 toads lives, lots of bike rides, and only 1 skinned knee make us through one fun day!

I'm actually kind of excited for the rest of the week with Dylan, tomorrow we plan to go the the park, and then Wednesday we are going to thousand hills to swim, and as far as the rest of the week I'm not sure but I know it will be fun!! I almost don't want to take him home!!

Family Reunion

Saturday we went to Riverside to my moms, had a fun eventful evening with the parental units! On Sunday we had the Reichert family reunion in Muscatine to attend. Rode to Muscatine with Mom and Ron and had a fabulous time at the reunion, it was held at Issac Walton shelter which is right next to the Mississippi River. Got to see lots of family I haven't seen in a while!......

Back to the beginning.....My great grandma who is 92 years old was the 3rd born of 15 children(could you imagine 15 children??!!) in the Reichert family, all originated from Muscatine Iowa. All but 6 of her siblings are still living! The oldest of the bunch (Aunt Vera) is 95 years old. (I think I have that right?) :) Anyway it was a lot of family and a lot of fun! On a sad note one of the major reasons we attended is they paid special tribute to my gramma who passed away April 20th 2008 and obviously could not attend. She had organized and planned many of the Reichert reunions it was something she held very dear to her, It was a very special time for my family to be there! My granny who is not in good health but in very good spirits, hugged, cried and laughed all at the same time. She was so proud to have all of us there to live on the legacy my Grandma(her daughter) left for us to endure.
-the one who is "hooking" Jace with the cane is granny-


Ally didn't get to attend which was disappointing but she needed to see her mom, she hasn't seen her in over a month! Jayden had a blast, he was so amused by the boats and the barges that passed along the river! The train tracks were right next to the shelter so he got to witness 2 trains pass by as well! We took him down by the river where he found 3 empty clam shells too! Way cool for a 4 year old!

The big T-W-O

So here he is....the pint size biker man!!

We had so much fun tonight! Jace was very good and very in tuned to what was going on! He knew
it was all
about him and he took advantage of that :) We had a pretty good turn out as far as guest go,
Grandma and Grandpa Buckallew, Grandpa Billie, Grandma Vada, Randy,

Mary, and Rachel, Jon and Lyndsi, Jeff, Jeanne, Shelby, Megan, and Tana and Big John.
So it came and it went just like that.....and I wish you could see him now, OUT COLD!! Poor little guy is wore out! To speak of it I'm pretty sure I am too!

Now hopefully we will be in for a nice quiet weekend with nothing going on! :)

it's official!

Well today is the day, and I can't hardly believe it! Jace is 2! WOW! Seems as if it was just yesterday he was laying so peacefully and calmly in my arms! Now he's not so much of a baby anymore and I can't hold him in my arms that way[[tear]]. [[Yes, he has been big enough that he doesn't let me hold him like that anymore, it just seems as if the label of "2" completely puts in in perspective.]] He is very independent and I like that! I hope he stays that way. On the upside of things I guess I have so many more things to experience with him! I know he will just get more fun as he gets older! Pictures will come either tonight or tomorrow of his little party we are having for him. Ally, Jayden and I have worked all day to pick up and get everything arranged for tonight, they have done an excellent job helping me today. We were hoping to do some of the festivities outside the the rain pretty much ruined that for us, o' well I'm sure we will have just as much fun inside!

back from yesterday.....

It feels nice just to sit down and actually do this. It seems as if I haven't been home since last Friday! Even though I have, we've just been pretty busy.

Yesterday morning I woke up to a phone call that my mom was in the hospital. I took the kids to Dannie and went on my way to Iowa city. Found out mom had been in the ER since 1AM. They did an ultrasound and found it was her gallbladder, thought maybe she had a stone lodged in one of the passageways? Dr. took her in for surgery at 1:30 PM, took it out and she was done at 4:00. Everything went really really well. Seems as if it was a good thing they went to the hospital when they did or it could have been worse! I stuck around at the hospital until about 6 or so to make sure she didn't have a reaction meds. (my mom is like allergic to EVERYTHING!) she didn't though thank goodness! I stopped by her house in Riverside on my way home and cleaned up a little bit so she wouldn't have to worry about it. Then on my way back home! Talked to her today and she was at home feeling pretty good!

Monday the kids and I made our way to Kirksville to get things for Jace's b-day party. Do you think we could find anything in Kirksville that was "farm animal" themed?? NO definatly not. So we decided we would just order the cake first and work with colors and things like that. Picked up Jace so he could look through the book with me. I wanted to see what caught his eye! Looked at horses, trucks, tractors, cars, then came the motorcycle cake. He screamed "MIMICOCKLE" so yep that's what we got! Instead of "cows" I guess we are going motorcycle! It was a lot easier finding things to match the cake anyway! I think he will be excited about it!

Sunday my grandpa came down from Columbus Junction to visit. He took us out to eat for all of our birthdays. His is the 23rd, Jace is the 24th, and mine is the 25th. We had a great time, he spent most of the day, sat outside and watched the kids swim. The neighbor girls came over to play they just had a blast! At times it's weird to see grandpa without grandma but I'm glad he still comes and visits us when he can!

Whew......Saturday, well we went to Kris and Megan Campbells wedding. They had a beautiful ceremony. Came home for a little while, played with the kids until Grandpa Billie got here to watch them for the evening and then went off the the reception in Downing. Had so much fun Matthew got to see a lot of people he graduated with. Had lots of laughs, beer, and fun!!

Friday we went to the big NEMO fair with Jon and Lyndsi. Our whole intentions were to see the tractor pull but that failed! it rained and rained all night! The only place to go other that home to get out of the rain was the beer tent. Do you think we made the right choice? NO we didn't go home, ended up in the beer tent all night!! We had so much fun though, got to see quite a few people I haven't seen in a while, danced and danced, they had an awesome band performing. Lyndsi and I also found out that night, if you want to feel good about yourself just go to the fair!! WOW!

So just to clear up a little bit, no we were not completely wasted all weekend!! We actually didn't hardly drink at all just had a lot of fun and some parts did involve some alcoholic drinks!! Didn't want you all thinking we were complete alcholics! :)

Well that sums up our week so far! still lots to come, tomorrow is Jace's b-day (wow I can't believe my baby will be 2) :( I also can't believe school is going to start pretty soon! Just weird I guess, as we get older how everything goes by so fast! I almost hate it! Well here is lots of reading and no pics, I decided I don't like to post without pics but I really didn't have any to put up this time. Off to clean the house!

whew!

I have a lot to say,but it's going to have to wait until tomorrow, I just don't have enough time right now to get it all done!! Sorry about the wait but just thought I'd let you all know! I just got home from Iowa city. I got a phone call this morning from my dad saying that my mom was in the hospital and they were going to do surgery!! WHAT!! yeah that's all I had to say! Well apparently she had a malfunctioning gallbladder. So being my mother, yes I rushed to IC to make sure everything went ok. More tomorrow, off to bed!

thanks

I also wanted to thank you Andrea!! You have got me hooked on Matt, Liz, and Madeline!! I've spent all day trying to catch up with his story and I've just continued reading!! It's very interesting though!! :)

zoo talk

So, the kids made it home from St. Louis around 9pm last night. They were so wore out they didn't have much to say, but let me tell you today things were just running out of there mouths! So cute, Ally had been there before so it wasn't much excitement from her but Jayden WOW, he was impressed! He is sort of an animal fanatic anyway and seeing all those animals that "you know mom, they don't come from around here" he was just fascinated! "Mom did you know that penguins have to live where it's cold?" "yes Jayden I did", "well mom at the zoo they had them in a freezer thing"! "And mom, do you know how bad elephants poop stinks, oh it's bad". Mom giraffes are so much bigger when you see them than what they are in my books". It was question, after answer after question today with him! I'm so thankful the grandparents took them on this expedition this summer as we won't get to until next year, Matthew doesn't get vacation til' October. I really wish I could have been there with them, but this is something the grandparents do every year so I guess I can leave it as "there time".





On the flip side, I really got to see Jace in a whole new light. With both Ally and Jayden gone I really tuned in on the little things that make him "Jace", just those little things you don't recognize very often because you have other children as well. Him and I had a lot of fun for 2 days! I really appreciated it! We didn't do much, but really we didn't have to, he is really into reading and just playing on the floor, so that's what we did. When daddy would come home, he would just forget me and play with dad, and which I'm sure dad really loved it! Jace is also into everything dad does!

Well I don't have much else to post for today other than I have been walking lately to gain some muscle! Matthew has decided that we "together" are going to do the 5k walk/run "even though he has in mind run" during Antique days in Memphis, so I've kind of been in major training the last few days. It's not until August but I'm pretty out of shape. I have been working really hard to try and quit smoking, I've got the prescription to help but I'm going to try and do it on my own. I've done pretty good so far, as long as I keep busy it helps a lot!! Kind of a boring post sorry! :)

Didn't work

So, I still can't get those videos to post, I did figure out how to but they just for some reason it won't take it. I'll get out tomorrow and get some pictures of Jay on his bike!

I don't have much to say tonight as we really did a whole lot of nothing today. Matthew and Jayden went and worked on Jeff's truck and Ally, Jace and I just sat around watching movies! It was so cold outside so we just thought we could hang out. Today has been the first time in a long time that I haven't had to clean house!! I did it all Friday in hopes for a fun weekend but the weather today kind of ruined that! :( Well I better get back to work (if you want to call it that) Jace's birthday is coming up and he has and obsession with cows so we decided we are going to have a "cow" themed birthday party, I'm looking online for some good ideas for "cow birthday party's"?? (if anyone has any let me know) I hope to get one cowboy out of one my boys!! Jayden is a MOTOR head for sure, so maybe Jace will be my cowboy :)

ok so I can't wait

I know I just started this blog but I'm so excited to share Jayden's latest achievement. Jayden is my 4 year old, he decided the other day that he was to "big" for his training wheels. We didn't tell him any different, Matthew went to the garage and got the wrench and took off his training wheels. On he went for 2 days trying to ride that bike, he is one of those -leave me alone and let me do it type- well yesterday after all of his effort FINALLY got that bike to go!! He is so proud of himself for getting this accomplished. (I cannot at the time upload the video because I don't know how!!) I guess I will have to wait and figure it out tomorrow??!!

Not leaving Jace out, he is my almost 2 year old, he will be 2 the 24th of July. He has decided that he wants to pee on the potty! YAY Jace go you!! I'm super excited about that. I'm not going to push him considering he is only 2 but I'm not going to look down upon it either. I am really glad he has and older brother to look up to and see what he does, Jace thinks if Jayden can do it so can he! It will be a long road of potty training but if he already has a start on it, it may not be that bad. I'll just be happy when the days of buying diapers and pullups are over with!

And then there is Ally.......O Ally, she is something else! she is 7 going on about 18! She has been on one of those kicks lately where I'm always wrong and can do nothing right to please her! I dread the day she does turn 18 or even 16 for that matter! I still love her to death and don't know what I would do without her! She is into Hannah Montana and all that other Disney crap.....anyway she thinks one day she will become a singer/dancer. I don't want to be the one to tell her but she definitely does not have it going for her! :) I had a video of her as well but obviously can't get it to go! It is for sure a sight to see! she is so funny! I'm glad she has the imagination to dream big, and I guess you never know maybe someday she will make it big?! Either way it doesn't matter, she has all the confidence in the world and we are proud of her for that!

*don't mind the woo-hoo I think I was more excited than he was!

I guess......

Well here goes nothing.......I've been thinking about doing a blog, and I guess reading everyone elses has got me in the mood to actually create one! I wasn't going to and then I got talking to Lyndsi and she had stated that "times like this you could really blog about"........what was really funny was that all we were doing was acting like kids jumping on the trampoline! But then I was like "yeah that would be fun".....my kids are absolutely crazy and unpredictable and it would be nice just to sit down and write about your day. I'm not good by any means of keeping things wrote down about the kids so maybe this will help me?? I really enjoy reading everyones blog, at times it just puts a laugh in my day so I hope I can do the same for someone else :)