this week

No pictures, just words!
Sunday  -celebrated Pete's birthday with one last family dinner

Monday- Girls started a camp from 9-noon each day at Kim Plumbs house. Each day crafts, swimming, games, snack and more. They love it. Each day there is a theme, princess day, garden day, under the sea day, etc.
After camp I took the girls to get a hair cut and then we went to Calvin's school to see his belt testing. He got his blue belt. It was amazing seeing him in Karate. He led the class in warm ups and did a great job. He is has done so well at school. It is such a great place for him. I hope that his next school will be also.  Then we spent the rest of the day at aquatic and came home for bed. I might have mentioned to Clare that I take them out to have fun so they'll get tired and be ready for bed!

Tues - Calvin's last day of school. After school we went swimming at the Whiteheads and then headed over to say hello to the Konolds, love them so much, and then to the  McBrides for dinner and more swimming. Julie and I sat in the hot tub for an hour talking when the kids went in to play wii. It was such a special time. We are so busy we don't have nearly as much time to spend together as we'd like.  Got home at 9 and went right to bed.

Wed- This morning Veronica Brown and Valerie Sabin came to help pack my kitchen. Literally as fast as I could get dishes out of my cupboards, they were packed away. We got it all done in a couple of hours. Valerie stayed and helped until I finally threw her out at 4:30. She is an amazing worker, even in my super hot house!! I could hardly keep up with her!  Jo stayed with Paula most of the day and after camp the girls went home with Amy Sabin to play. Jonny Franz came over to play with Calvin.  Lots of work done today and we're really starting to look packed up. Many more hours of work left to do but today was amazing. So thankful for the help.

I have to say that so far we're having so much fun making the rounds and saying good bye that it's not even sad yet! I'm sure it'll eventually hit me, but for now I'm loving spending all this time with dear friends.

Tomorrow - Girls have the last day of dance class. Clare has book club (book is Sarah, Plain and Tall) and then no plans in the afternoon. Elijah Castillo will come over to hang with Calvin for a bit.  We'll probably watch Heaven is for Real. I also need to let Jo catch up on some sleep. She's been several days without a nap and with lots of activities and is really dragging.

keeping super busy!

 It is really fun but also tiring. I think next will be just as busy but I figure when we move to TX we'll have plenty of time to sit around and relax as we try to adjust to time zone changes!

Yesterday my church friends had a going away party for us. Darling Hillary Meacham hosted at her gorgeous home in the trails. The kids swam and moms chatted. It was great, and nobody even went inside. She has an amazing backyard layout that is so great for hosting parties.  It doesn't really feel like goodbye yet since we'll see everyone several times yet....


The kids had so much fun in the pool. They swam for 3 solid hours.

So many kids + there were several babies not pictured. So great!

That evening after another swim at home we went to the cliffords for dinner and a movie. The kids played so long outside that we only got to watch about 30 minutes of the Avengers before heading home. Paula was also helping me with a little project.

Lexey and Jo are taking a little summer dance class. It is 4 Thursday's in July. Today was the 3rd day.  They have a great time and are super cute!

 

 

After dance we stopped at the store for a couple of items and some popsicles since it was already approaching 90 and we were so hot!  Then we did a few jobs and Clare, Lex and I watched The Book Thief while Jo napped. There were a LOT of tears. Especially from Clare. She was sobbing for a good 20 minutes even after the movie ended. It was very sad...everyone dies, but it was also a very sweet film. I liked it and also had read the book a few years ago and loved it!

This evening we met Annika and her family at the swim and tennis club for a swim and poolside pizza. It was so nice of them to plan this fun activity especially since they are going out of town so this was our last chance to say goodbye. Annika is a such a great best friend for Clare. They get along so well and really love each other.

The kids enjoyed a quick but noisy game of air hockey.

Annika was so sweet to bring a couple of presents for Clare.

Jo was thinking maybe it was still her birthday!

 Such cute BFF's!

So hard to say good bye. This was our first real good bye. It is easier to say good bye when we think we'll be back in a year so thank heavens for that! It will be fun for these girls to be pen pals for the year they are apart. 

fun summer days

Sunday July 20th, my 35th birthday.  Church -we were an hour late due to some Calvin hesitation in wanting to go - but made it without too many battle wounds.  After church, quiet time and swimming with the Hussmans who just got home from 3 weeks vacation! Then Jessica, bless her, brought over the most amazing dinner and dad, bless him, brought over a mother load cake from claim jumper. Great day.

Monday - Clare had voice lessons with Jessica. The little girls and I went to the library for a few minutes while we waited for her. Then we came home and the girls played super well together while I  packed. Jo's room is pretty well organized. A few things left to pack but closet is 100% empty. Great. Office is about done, Calvin's room is done....leaves the kitchen, my room and some miscellaneous stuff. The miscellaneous stuff is always the worst. Jo took a short nap while the girls watched a move. When Calvin got home we went to JC Penny to get him glasses. This of course took forever but the kids were pretty well behaved. $50 on glasses with a summer special (normally $330). How long 'til he breaks them?  Cliffords came over for swim, dinner and FHE and cake. We will be eating cake for a week! Awesome day.


Jo decided that since her mother didn't want to potty train her, she'd potty train herself. she insists on wearing underwear all the time and does great. I try to get her a pull up for nap and bed and am usually successful at least for bed time. Jo is awesome. She is in that funny stage where she INSISTS on doing everything on her own, is COMPLETELY offended if you offer help or call her small/baby/little, and yet needs a little help now and then. Funny, wonderful child.

 

 

This was a month ago, Jo's first time going poo on the potty. At our dentist office they have a cute little potty that is just the right size for a 3-5 year old.

Happy Birthday cute Jo!

Last week we celebrated Jo's 3rd birthday! It is so fun celebrating with older kids.I have to admit that when Calvin and Clare turned three I probably did next to nothing for them, but with the siblings who care we now have to do something special even for our at home family birthday parties! It is nice.  We picked up a few party supplies at Target. While I was putting Jo to bed for her nap the girls did a bunch of decorating on their own! The put up some streamers and balloons. It is interesting how resourceful kids can be when they want to. Then when you ask them to do something for you, the act like they are going to die because it is too hard! haha

Jo is so cute!  We had lasagna for dinner and worms and dirt instead of cake.

 

 

 

 

 

 
Jo

 Jo was very excited about her presents . a frozen sticker book, a frozen shirt, a new cup, a place mat and the dress she is wearing (from the kids). She had lots of helpers opening up her presents. She also got cute clothes from Kari and Jessica and a planes book from "the boys" (parker and Austin).

Oh, and of course she loves her sunglasses. She requested new sunglasses for her birthday since hers had broken!

 love these two of her with the candles

 After dinner and presents the kids went for a swim with uncle pete! Love the 3 floating kids in there with water wings! So fun!

So great to have pete home with us.

 

Jo is such a doll. She is a delightful and smart little girl and I am so blessed to have this little miracle baby in my life. 

 

 

Favorite color: all the colors

Favorite food: watermelon

Treat: m&m's

Play: my bike

Place to go: playground

Movie: frozen

Toy: toy story legos (duplo)

When Tressel did die

I finally had to take Tressel in to put him down July 19th - 3 weeks after we tried the first time.  He was for sure ready to go this time as he had stopped eating dog food (but still eating hot dogs, hamburgers, eggs and  yummy food). He completely stopped eating off the table and floor, wouldn't go out except once a day to go to the bathroom and cried 24 hours/day. It was sad sad.  I made an appointment at 11:15 but we also had pictures at 10am so I couldn't tell the kids very far in advance. I had been gearing them up for it all week though trying to help them notice how tressel wasn't eating or getting up and was very sad.

Saturday morning I made him one final breakfast of ground beef and scrambled eggs which he ate (but it didn't give him any extra energy). We went out for pictures and then got home at 11am.  I loaded up Tressel and noticed he was really easy to get into the car.  I thought Clare and Lexey would come, they said they wanted to, but they both said they were too sad to go and stayed home to watch TV. Palmer was over that morning to hang out with Calvin and Jo so it was fine to leave the girls too. They sat downstairs, listening to music and crying while I took him in. 

I checked in at the vet and then had to step outside to cry while I waited with Tressel for them to call us. We waited about 10 minutes before they came to get us.  I walked with him to the very last room and the vet tech explained the process.

Then they took tressel to the back to weigh him (as I had asked) and put in the catheter so that he'd be ready.  That took another 10 minutes. I heard Tressel cry and yelp a few times. I'm sure it was hard to get that in him plus he is a pretty big baby.

Tressel was down to 101 lbs. A little over 25 lbs less than he had been six months ago. he had lost so much muscle.

They brought him back into the room and he came running to me. I pet him and then he laid down in the corner and started going to sleep. They had given him something to help calm him and he was very sleepy.   I sat by Tressel petting him and then the vet came over and gave him a medicine that put him to sleep (not dead).  It worked very quickly and within a minute he was totally asleep. I talked to him and he didn't stir at all. At that point I gave him a last hug and kiss and walked out since he wouldn't need me anymore. I didn't stay to watch them give him the lethal medicine. I walked out of the room with my sunglasses on crying all the way out.

I had to stop at Target on the way home to get Clare a b-day present for a party that afternoon.

 (doesn't lexey look like Jo in this one?)

puppy tressel with baby lexey - one of my all time favorite pictures

 

 

The first night Clare was at a dance recital with her friend Annika and came home to tired and late to talk much about Tressel, but when I put lexey to bed she was pretty sad. So, we looked at puppy pictures on my phone of possible dogs we want to get next!  Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Golden, golden doodle? All sooo soo cute! Lex totally wants her own dog.

 

Last night was my bday so once again it was kind of late and busy.

 

Tonight was a different story.  Now the girls are pretty sad. They love to carry his collar around so we keep hearing the sound of Tressel coming, but it is just the girls. They were fighting over who got to sleep with it tonight. Also, they were crying/sobbing in bed tonight, both of them saying, "I wish I were dead so I could be with Tressel".  I have to say I am not looking forward to adding a move, 2 our time change and new everything to their lives in the next few weeks. It is going to be a wild ride!

 

 

RIP our sweet Tressel Feb 14th, 2009 - July 19, 2014 

When Tressel almost died

We have known for a while that we'd have to put Tressel down. The vet told us that he will not die on his own but will eventually get to the point that we have to put him down as the pain will be too much for him and us to bear. Over the last few months we have been watching Tressel go from an amazing strong 120 pound powerful dog, to a pathetic creature in lots of pain. Especially in the last few weeks we have seen him decline. A few weeks ago when he started crying round the clock we felt so bad for him that one night I slept on the floor with him, one night the entire family had a sleepover on the floor and then another night dave slept with him on the floor. The girls also slept on the floor a couple of other occasions. Finally after so much lost sleep dave decided to let tressel sleep in our bed (which he was never allowed before and he lifted tressel into our bed . He still cried most of the night. We knew then that it was probably time since he was not consolable. So, we made an appt to take him in and have him put down. All the kids came with us. When we got there however, Tressel got his second wind.  He jumped out of the car, ran all over the parking lot sniffing everything and all the other dogs. He was wagging his tail and seemed so happy. I felt we couldn't' really follow through with our plan. I paid for the service but then we asked if we could talk to the vet first. We sat outside waiting to talk to the vet for about 30 minutes by which time our handicapped child was using all kinds of profanity and throwing a huge fit which added to the fun of the outing!  The vet said that dogs do often get a second wind, an adrenaline rush, when they come to the vet but that it was ultimately up to us. That being said, hew he asked us if tressel was still eating, which he was, and sat and observed him for a few minutes and said he looks like a happy dog so it was our choice what to do and if we wanted to take him home for a few days or weeks more we could do that. So we did. Our poor kids. we are all happy to have a few more days with Tressel. So far it's been 2 weeks and he is still declining. He cries round the clock and is not eating as well. I'm guessing it won't be too long now. Sad sad sad.

family pictures with tressel

family sleepover on the floor with tressel (we put jo in her real bed. After the picture, dave slept in between calvin and clare.

saying goodbye (the day before we thought we'd put him down) .I was pretty much sobbing as I took these pictures.

Our favorite dog friend Steve came over to say goodbye to Tressel.  Tressel was so happy to see him it gave him several days of a energy boost!

Still looks like a ferocious guard dog, right?

On our bed at last!

The girls sleeping on the floor (in their closet) and taking pics of each other laying by him

fasting for dave

So this morning while the kids were doing their morning jobs Clare came to me and said, "Can I fast for daddy?"  "Why?" I asked. "Because he is away from home.," said Clare.  "Okay," I answered.  At first I was very impressed with her spirituality and sensitivity.  After giving it a second thought I realized she was just trying to get out of one of her morning chores (eat breakfast).  I told her it wasn't a real fast unless she said a prayer, so she did.  We love daddy!

my therapists AKA walking buddies

This is my walking group. I love these women!  Most mornings we meet at 9am at Holli  Ewells. Not every one is there every day but 90% of the time someone is there to walk with me. It is great. I love these women so much. Now that it's summer we can't get out as easily and I really miss this. It has been a great part of my life for several years with Holli and this year with Gabby and Sara.

I met Gabby when she was walking around my neighborhood one day. I recognized her because I had seen her at painted rock and knew she had a daughter in Lexey's class. When I saw her out walking I pulled over and talked to her. We met the next day to walk and have walked together almost every day this year! What a lucky find!  I am sure she thought I was completely crazy when I pulled over! haha

Gabby Meadows, Sara Riley, Holli Ewell, and me.
Also pictured Austin Riley, dog Teddy and Jo
not pictured Zach Meadows and Tressel who happened to be missing that day.

full days

The days are so jam packed I feel like we have a week of experience in each day!

This morning Gabby and Zach with Zoey and Sara and Austin came to walk with us. The girls were on scooters and the babies in strollers. Jo was super upset to be considered a baby and strapped in the stroller and pretty much yelled the entire time. Tressel was so happy to have some friends over and pretty much wore himself out while we were all gathering shoes and scooters. On the walk he only made it about 3 houses down the street and then I had to bring him back.

I went and met with a friend who will be taking over wee sing for me. It was fun to hand over the reins. I still have some work to do to upload lesson plans and music to make more accessible to her so it's a little easier.

Dave's brother Mark and family Niccole and kids - Aislee, pete and Luke came over. We watched a little world cup. I couldn't believe it was 5-0 at half time and then the final score was Germany 7 - Brazil 1. The highest scoring game I've seen in ages .We only got to see the 1st half because then Calvin arrive home (early on Tues) and was VERY distressed to have unexpected visitors and to learn that our usual playdate with Palmer had been rescheduled to tomorrow. We had an hour of tearing, breaking, dumping, etc...

Everyone swam in the pool for a while and then we had dinner together. It is always nice to have company over. Around 7 Mark and Niccole left and my kids got back in the pool for about 30 minutes and then we came in for bed. I told them no warm bath after swimming which is kind of hard on them but helps get them right to bed.

 clare hiding from the camera

Jo decked out in her new birthday swim suit and ready to go join the fun with her new birthday water bottle as well!

Sweet little luke loved Tressel!

giving kisses

kids making fruit loop necklaces - Luke, Jo and Pete

Niccole Aislee and Lexey

Concentrating hard

 All the cousins!

Love my sweet jo!

Dave called to say hi a couple of times but we only talked briefly. He usually gets home between 6-8pm our time (which is 8-10pm his time -- we are going to have a year with no dad a lot of the time), but with that timing it's hard to sit and chit chat for long since it's dinner/bed time here. By the time kids are in bed here dave is also in bed there.

To keep myself busy in the evening I watch Downton Abbey. I love it. I am not much of a TV junkie but this show is like heroin to me! haha. It's nice to watch without Dave making fun of it.