Really nice day

Today was a really nice day. It began with a picnic with my mother at a great park with a splash pad.I really like the fact that they are free and just perfect for the little ones. Olivia still enjoys them too. Rome not so much, but hes a good sport about it. The weather was beautiful and the kids really enjoyed themselves. Last night the two older children and I visited Romes new school and I cant tell you how excited I am for him to go there. The school is in the same community as the amazing elementary he attended and has an outstanding record for top test scores, the best sports programs and great parent involvement among many other things. A rare thing Rome and I got to do this afternoon was go shopping together, just him and I. I let him splurge and get lots of good stuff for school and he was very happy and thankful.I was glad I did and glad we got a few hours together just us, to talk,joke around, shop and eat together, where I was able to give him my undivided attention...it was nice. I cant believe on Tuesday my oldest child is starting Jr high and a month and a day after he'll be an official teenager. Seems like just yesterday I brought him home from the hospital, a teenager myself without a clue. And now almost 13 years later I'm proud of the young man he is. Kind, strong, confident and still mama's boy (shh) Good Luck on your first day buddy, your going places and you'll do great

Knitting, Waiting and more

MT Rushmore in SD

Little Dom @ the beach, hes a crawler now!

Panning for gold in SD



Summer is winding down here and the weather has gotten a little bit more tolerable, just a little. Today the humidity and heat reminded us that summer is not over quite yet.  School shopping is upon us for our 2 oldest and an exciting new school year is only 10 days away. Romeo will begin 7th grade this year and  will be going to a new school. I am excited for him and just hoping the transition is smooth. I know some good friends of his will be going to the school he chose as well, so that should make it easier.

SD

Gabriel sitting with the goat @ The farm in SD

What a busy and fun summer we have had. We took a trip to South Dakota in July for a family reunion, visited many parks, pools and beaches. The older children spent some days with grandma, and we did so many other fun things. I personally am pretty content to be home these days, but not my children, they love being busy doing things and being around extended family and friends.

Just hanging around with Uncle Dan

Over the summer I have been working on my knitting, teaching myself more and trying more difficult projects. I knitted my first project in the round, a cowl for myself and it turned out ok I guess, but I think either I knitted it a bit to loose or perhaps used the wrong yarn fiber. I also decided I would knit all my children something for their upcoming birthdays. I just finished Dominique's. I made him 2 different balls.  I made a few mistakes but overall they look ok. Now on to the next 3 projects. Hope I can get them all done in time, we'll see.

These past few weeks have been filled with some stress, excitement, hope, and prayers. We are waiting on finding out if our plans to move will happen. After being in this house for 8 years we have more than outgrown not only the house itself but also the neighborhood. Everything is in place and now whether we can house hunt or not is just a phone call away. Say some prayers for us please. Our family really needs this change.

One of those days

Today was one of those challenging days you have as a parent. You know the one that begins with a sleepless night before where you are woken up in the morning by the child that kept you up half the night that you thought for sure would have to sleep in but is in your room starving bright and early. It was one of those days when the house is a mess,the laundry is piled high,the little ones are having meltdowns right as your patience is running thin and you are dang near melting down yourself. Meanwhile in the background the older children are doing their best fighting over the dumbest thing you ever heard. It was one of those can I please get appendicitis type days so I can go to the hospital and get a break for a night!? It was definetly a cant wait till your husband gets home to help but when he does is just as exhausted as you are and all hope for some relief goes out the window. Yup it was one of those days when you force yourself to cook because you have to and it turns out awful and noone wants to eat it and they are all whining cause they are still hungry... Yeah its been a tough day. There was a lot more to this crazy day but I'm too tired to go on and if you've been here you know you just cant wait for the day to end. So as I lay here now in this quiet moment breathing a sigh of relief knowing I should have been asleep an hour ago, I'm thankful for this day. I am thankful for my home thats so full of life and even though its been disastrous,I wouldn't change it for anything.