That is the question.
Well, we still are on a roller coaster, just one that isn't so hight and so low. My Dad is getting better.. for over a week he has been off sedation. He has a trach still, but he is off the ventilator. He is eating but still has a feeding tube for back up. He gets dialysis three times a week, but they are still optomistic that he will not need that forever. He has lost about 30 pounds, some of which he could have stood to lose. And he can talk! Now that he is with it, you can truly see the joy on his face when us and the kids come and visit. We walk in and he smiles and he keeps telling us how much he loves us (and us to him). Things are really looking up. Sounds like the next step is a rehab facility where he can get physical, occupational and possibly speech therapy.
Of course on one of the visits to the hospital we got knocked down a peg when ours and my brother's friend's car got towed out of a lot. We assumed that even though it said M-F you couldn't park because it is a school lot, that since that Monday was Martin Luther King Day - which meant no school, that we could park. So that really sucked.
We got to see the goodness of life when our friends gave birth to a little girl last Tuesday. Their new little girl looks a lot like Samantha when she was born since she has a full head of black hair.
Nick has been around more, which is a mixed blessing because he said all year long that he would be around more come winter, but yet he gets frustrated when he cannot work.
I joined Curves two weeks ago. I just want to lose a weight a some inches. I have my friend Roxanne's wedding at the end of the year and want to look good on the beach of the Bahamas.
That is our January so far... I really should get some new pictures up.. I will plan on doing that soon.
C-Ya!
Saturday, January 27, 2007
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Bu-bye 2006, He-llo 2007!
An optimist stays up to see the New Year in. A pessimist
waits to make sure the old one leaves. - Bill Vaughan
How about both? This was my feelings about 2006. It SUCKED! We had the most miserable year, between deaths, illness and other various things. I think if Nick and I didn't go on our trip to the Florida Keys in December, 2006 would have to be buried 6 feet under. Plus, we ended 2006 with another tragedy that I haven't felt up to writing. So we are glad that it is 2007!! I only hope when everyone says that they have had a bad year like that, they never say bad years, and that it is true.
So HAPPY 2007!! And may this really, truly be our best year ever!!
C-Ya!!
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Christmas Card 2006
I know I have many online friends who I could not send Christmas Cards to.. so I hope you don't mind me sharing it here with you. Due to everything going on these got sent out right after Christmas, but before the New Year. Enjoy!
A very joyous holiday season to all,
For The Pickerts, this year has been quite the roller coaster... we are hoping that 2007 brings more of the even keel of a lazy river.
Unfortunately we lost our Father/Father-in-law/Bapa Gar this year. Nothing could prepare us for the shock and sadness of losing him so unexpectedly this past May. Our house seems so much quieter without him here. Nick felt so grateful for his love and support throughout the years and knows he is watching us from above. Jeffrey and Samantha still talk about Bapa all the time and wish he could come back to us.
The end of last year brought another new family member. Right before Christmas we got another dog. This time a Shih Poo (Shih Tzu/Poodle) named “Maggie”. For those of you that remember our letter last year, yes, we did get two dogs in a two week span. Max is now full grown and hangs out with Mollie all day long. And we also kept Gar’s dog Scooter, so we now have a zoo!
Just over five years after Nick’s burn we had to visit the HCMC burn unit again in November. Jeffrey was scalded by boiling water while Melissa was cooking spaghetti. He is healing well, and as of today only has one spot on his shoulder that needs to heal.
Earlier this year Nick made changes to his business; one of the biggest noticeable changes was the addition of his new partner, *** ; the other big change was the name to “Pepperberry Gardens”. He has had the biggest year yet, which has kept him quite busy, and is expecting to have a bigger year next year.
To help Nick grow, Melissa quit her job to stay at home with the kids in June. This has been great for her because she does not have to get up at 6:30am anymore. And it has been nice for the family because there is less rushing to do things, whether it was getting places or getting things done around the house (though if you ask Nick, Melissa could still get more done around the house, sad part is that she agrees!). The kids seem to enjoy her being home all day long. And as soon as Melissa left her job she joined the local MOMS club and has gotten to partake in many fun activities (including some various kid free nights out).
If Nick and Melissa are not at home (or work) they are spending time at their church, Our Lady of the Lake. Nick joined the Knights of Columbus this past year as well as started back up as a Catechist. He also is involved in the Landscape Committee and Ushers and will say Yes to anything they call for! Melissa is in the choir and joined the M.O.M.S. group. They are part of T.O.O.L (marriage group) and were a part of the Alpha group that met earlier this year. Jeffrey is four and growing and getting smarter every day. His speech has gotten so much better in the past couple years with help of a therapist at school. He is enjoying his second year of preschool at Hilltop and is looking forward to riding the bus to kindergarten next year. We also celebrated him becoming completely potty trained this year.
Samantha is three and is always trying to keep up with her older brother. We have never had to worry about her speech skills; she always has something to say. She is enjoying having the house “to herself” when Jeff is in school. Next stop for her is potty training and then preschool next year.
We learned first hand this year how scissors and children’s hair do not mix when Jeffrey gave Samantha a haircut (and took a nick out of his own hair). It took 6 months for her hair to grow back and only recently was she ok with going to a hair salon.
A big event for the Pickert men this year was Nick taking Jeffrey pheasant hunting for the first time at the ***** Farm. They (along with Mollie and Max – who had his first time out as well) enjoyed spending time out there and even shot some birds!! One of Jeffrey’s favorite parts was getting to hunt with his Great Uncle ****and still talks about him often.
Nick and Melissa just returned from their first trip together since having kids. While our friends, The ****, graciously watched our children, we enjoyed the 70s and 80s in December that the Florida Keys had to offer. We stayed at a beautiful condo in Islamorada, and have to admit some of our favorite parts of the trip were when we were laying out soaking up the sun. Due to it being “winter” there (which involves 70s and windy/partly cloudy!) we did not do all the outdoor activities we wanted to enjoy. We did take a day trip down to Key West and found that to be quite the experience.
You can always keep updated with the Pickert Family activities by checking out Melissa’s blog at http://empress4.blogspot.com. And you can check out the Pepperberry Gardens website at http://www.pepperberrygardens.com.
We hope and pray that next year brings better things to come. We also want to say a special prayer for Melissa’s Dad who is going through treatments for Multiple Myeloma (Cancer) and is in the hospital this holiday season. The hill seems like a tough climb but we know he is a fighter.
Merry Christmas,
Happy Hannukah,
& Happy New Year.
The Pickerts,
Nick, Melissa, Jeffrey, & Samantha
Mollie, Max, Maggie & Scooter
“Love you Dad (Bapa)”
A very joyous holiday season to all,
For The Pickerts, this year has been quite the roller coaster... we are hoping that 2007 brings more of the even keel of a lazy river.
Unfortunately we lost our Father/Father-in-law/Bapa Gar this year. Nothing could prepare us for the shock and sadness of losing him so unexpectedly this past May. Our house seems so much quieter without him here. Nick felt so grateful for his love and support throughout the years and knows he is watching us from above. Jeffrey and Samantha still talk about Bapa all the time and wish he could come back to us.
The end of last year brought another new family member. Right before Christmas we got another dog. This time a Shih Poo (Shih Tzu/Poodle) named “Maggie”. For those of you that remember our letter last year, yes, we did get two dogs in a two week span. Max is now full grown and hangs out with Mollie all day long. And we also kept Gar’s dog Scooter, so we now have a zoo!
Just over five years after Nick’s burn we had to visit the HCMC burn unit again in November. Jeffrey was scalded by boiling water while Melissa was cooking spaghetti. He is healing well, and as of today only has one spot on his shoulder that needs to heal.
Earlier this year Nick made changes to his business; one of the biggest noticeable changes was the addition of his new partner, *** ; the other big change was the name to “Pepperberry Gardens”. He has had the biggest year yet, which has kept him quite busy, and is expecting to have a bigger year next year.
To help Nick grow, Melissa quit her job to stay at home with the kids in June. This has been great for her because she does not have to get up at 6:30am anymore. And it has been nice for the family because there is less rushing to do things, whether it was getting places or getting things done around the house (though if you ask Nick, Melissa could still get more done around the house, sad part is that she agrees!). The kids seem to enjoy her being home all day long. And as soon as Melissa left her job she joined the local MOMS club and has gotten to partake in many fun activities (including some various kid free nights out).
If Nick and Melissa are not at home (or work) they are spending time at their church, Our Lady of the Lake. Nick joined the Knights of Columbus this past year as well as started back up as a Catechist. He also is involved in the Landscape Committee and Ushers and will say Yes to anything they call for! Melissa is in the choir and joined the M.O.M.S. group. They are part of T.O.O.L (marriage group) and were a part of the Alpha group that met earlier this year. Jeffrey is four and growing and getting smarter every day. His speech has gotten so much better in the past couple years with help of a therapist at school. He is enjoying his second year of preschool at Hilltop and is looking forward to riding the bus to kindergarten next year. We also celebrated him becoming completely potty trained this year.
Samantha is three and is always trying to keep up with her older brother. We have never had to worry about her speech skills; she always has something to say. She is enjoying having the house “to herself” when Jeff is in school. Next stop for her is potty training and then preschool next year.
We learned first hand this year how scissors and children’s hair do not mix when Jeffrey gave Samantha a haircut (and took a nick out of his own hair). It took 6 months for her hair to grow back and only recently was she ok with going to a hair salon.
A big event for the Pickert men this year was Nick taking Jeffrey pheasant hunting for the first time at the ***** Farm. They (along with Mollie and Max – who had his first time out as well) enjoyed spending time out there and even shot some birds!! One of Jeffrey’s favorite parts was getting to hunt with his Great Uncle ****and still talks about him often.
Nick and Melissa just returned from their first trip together since having kids. While our friends, The ****, graciously watched our children, we enjoyed the 70s and 80s in December that the Florida Keys had to offer. We stayed at a beautiful condo in Islamorada, and have to admit some of our favorite parts of the trip were when we were laying out soaking up the sun. Due to it being “winter” there (which involves 70s and windy/partly cloudy!) we did not do all the outdoor activities we wanted to enjoy. We did take a day trip down to Key West and found that to be quite the experience.
You can always keep updated with the Pickert Family activities by checking out Melissa’s blog at http://empress4.blogspot.com. And you can check out the Pepperberry Gardens website at http://www.pepperberrygardens.com.
We hope and pray that next year brings better things to come. We also want to say a special prayer for Melissa’s Dad who is going through treatments for Multiple Myeloma (Cancer) and is in the hospital this holiday season. The hill seems like a tough climb but we know he is a fighter.
Merry Christmas,
Happy Hannukah,
& Happy New Year.
The Pickerts,
Nick, Melissa, Jeffrey, & Samantha
Mollie, Max, Maggie & Scooter
“Love you Dad (Bapa)”
Monday, December 18, 2006
Prayers needed for my Dad.
I need prayer warriors from everywhere to help my Dad right now. I have never been so scared (myself and for him).
About 19 years ago he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (cancer) and was doing well till earlier this year. This is what happened the past couple weeks.
A week and a half ago (Wed 12/6) they started giving him Chemo so they could do a stem cell harvest.. he got out 2 days later on Fri. He was having a home health nurse come out and give him these shots. Well this past Wed (12/13) the nurse didn't like what she saw, so Mom came home and put him in the hospital (in protective isolation). His white blood cell counts are the lowest they can be.. which makes it hard to ward of infection. On Thursday they found pnemounia. On Friday they found his kidneys were failing so he started dialysis. On Saturday he was having a hard time breathing and they found fluid on his lungs so he started on a bipap machine (like a cpap used for sleep apnea). Well they moved him up to ICU then because those nurses can handle that machine. On Sunday they said his breathing was better buy his fluid in his lungs wasn't.. they still let him go back to a "regular" room and off of the bipap. Well overnight last night/this morning they didn't like what they saw so they brought him back down to ICU and started the bipap machine.. that wasn't working so overnight he went on a ventilator.. this also means he is sedated. Mom says he is hooked up to all sorts of machines.I have been there every day since Friday and he seems to look better one time and worse the next.
So we could all use some prayers.. of course mostly for him.. but also for the loved ones in his life so they don't get sick - because if we do we cannot visit him. Also, my Uncle ans Sister are out of town and just don't know if they should fly in.
One Dr. overnight told my Mom he is a long way from dying.. I really hope he is telling the truth.
I do know my Dad doesn't want my kids to lose both their Grandfathers in one year.. so he is fighting for them.He is at Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis. As of right now I think I will be going down once Jeffrey gets out of preschool this morning.
BTW... Jeffrey is looking a lot better.. just has a couple small spots on his shoulder to heal.
Plus, Nick graciously cleaned my parents house on Saturday.. and helped put together a fake tree one of Mom's coworkers is borrowing her. So her house may be in the Christmas spirit. Can't say the same for ours. We bought a Poinsetta the other day.. otherwise you wouldn't know it was Christmas at our house.
Thanks for any and all prayers.
C-Ya!
About 19 years ago he was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma (cancer) and was doing well till earlier this year. This is what happened the past couple weeks.
A week and a half ago (Wed 12/6) they started giving him Chemo so they could do a stem cell harvest.. he got out 2 days later on Fri. He was having a home health nurse come out and give him these shots. Well this past Wed (12/13) the nurse didn't like what she saw, so Mom came home and put him in the hospital (in protective isolation). His white blood cell counts are the lowest they can be.. which makes it hard to ward of infection. On Thursday they found pnemounia. On Friday they found his kidneys were failing so he started dialysis. On Saturday he was having a hard time breathing and they found fluid on his lungs so he started on a bipap machine (like a cpap used for sleep apnea). Well they moved him up to ICU then because those nurses can handle that machine. On Sunday they said his breathing was better buy his fluid in his lungs wasn't.. they still let him go back to a "regular" room and off of the bipap. Well overnight last night/this morning they didn't like what they saw so they brought him back down to ICU and started the bipap machine.. that wasn't working so overnight he went on a ventilator.. this also means he is sedated. Mom says he is hooked up to all sorts of machines.I have been there every day since Friday and he seems to look better one time and worse the next.
So we could all use some prayers.. of course mostly for him.. but also for the loved ones in his life so they don't get sick - because if we do we cannot visit him. Also, my Uncle ans Sister are out of town and just don't know if they should fly in.
One Dr. overnight told my Mom he is a long way from dying.. I really hope he is telling the truth.
I do know my Dad doesn't want my kids to lose both their Grandfathers in one year.. so he is fighting for them.He is at Abbott Northwestern in Minneapolis. As of right now I think I will be going down once Jeffrey gets out of preschool this morning.
BTW... Jeffrey is looking a lot better.. just has a couple small spots on his shoulder to heal.
Plus, Nick graciously cleaned my parents house on Saturday.. and helped put together a fake tree one of Mom's coworkers is borrowing her. So her house may be in the Christmas spirit. Can't say the same for ours. We bought a Poinsetta the other day.. otherwise you wouldn't know it was Christmas at our house.
Thanks for any and all prayers.
C-Ya!
Monday, November 13, 2006
Poor little tough guy.
I, unfortunately, have found out that I have one really tough son.
Last thursday was like any thursday around here... I was cooking dinner and waiting for Nick to get home so I could go to choir practice. I was making one of our favorites, spaghetti, and going to try it with ground pork. Jeffrey was up on a chair closer to the spaghetti pot and not the meat - which is where he normally stands. And I had stepped away to go to the bathroom.
This is when it happened.
I do not know how Jeffrey slipped, if the counter was wet or the chair got unstable.. but I had just walked back to the food and he slipped, hit his chin on the pot and it started falling over on him. And he got burned... technically scalded by hot water.
And as much as it didn't have to happen, I also know it could have been worse because I got the pot or it maybe would have gotten all over him.
My first response was to tear off his shirt and I ran him in the bathroom.. there I stripped him down and turned on a cold shower.. but the poor guy really didn't want to be under it. Then I called Nick and finally 911.
You see, I really had a hard time calling 911. 5 years and 2 weeks previous, Nick had been burned in a terrible fire outside. Thankfully, due to quick thinking and a great burn unit at HCMC he recovered with only one little scar near his ear. And then 6 months ago I had to call 911 when I found my father-in-law in the bathroom, and it ended up he unfortunately had passed away.
But I also knew that if I called 911 they would be able to take him to that same burn unit at HCMC. And so I did, and they came, and Nick got home.
Thankfully the burns weren't as bad as Nick's. Jeffrey's seem to be first degree burns, whereas Nick's were 2nd and 3rd. In something really freaky though, they almost seem to be in the same spot. On his face and right shoulder and chest (Nick's also were on his right arm/hand when it happened to him).
The ambulance took Jeffrey (and me - a first for the both of us) downtown to HCMC, and Nick and Samantha came in his truck. Also my parents rushed down too (they ended up having Samantha for the night).
Again, thankfully it wasn't worse, we only had to spend one night in the hospital (and found out they do have a stupid rule that only one parent can stay in their kid's room at night)... and we were out on Friday.
We have since been back on Saturday to get his chest re-dressed and will have to go back every 3 days till it is healed. Because of Nick's experience he is doing an expert job cleaning and putting bacitracin on his face and changing his bandages.
And to top it off, yesterday was Nick's 31st birthday and everything we had planned the whole weekend was cancelled.
I will say, one of the hardest things about being a parent is seeing your child in real pain, even worse when YOU should have done something better so it didn't even happen. It also was very hard to be back in the HCMC burn unit. I do feel like Jeffrey had a guardian angel, his Bapa, making sure it wasn't any worse.
And now.. a couple days later.. he seems to be healing really well. They said it should be about 14 days.. but I wouldn't be surprised if it was quicker.
Of course.. a couple prayers wouldn't hurt. Thanks.
C-Ya!
Last thursday was like any thursday around here... I was cooking dinner and waiting for Nick to get home so I could go to choir practice. I was making one of our favorites, spaghetti, and going to try it with ground pork. Jeffrey was up on a chair closer to the spaghetti pot and not the meat - which is where he normally stands. And I had stepped away to go to the bathroom.
This is when it happened.
I do not know how Jeffrey slipped, if the counter was wet or the chair got unstable.. but I had just walked back to the food and he slipped, hit his chin on the pot and it started falling over on him. And he got burned... technically scalded by hot water.
And as much as it didn't have to happen, I also know it could have been worse because I got the pot or it maybe would have gotten all over him.
My first response was to tear off his shirt and I ran him in the bathroom.. there I stripped him down and turned on a cold shower.. but the poor guy really didn't want to be under it. Then I called Nick and finally 911.
You see, I really had a hard time calling 911. 5 years and 2 weeks previous, Nick had been burned in a terrible fire outside. Thankfully, due to quick thinking and a great burn unit at HCMC he recovered with only one little scar near his ear. And then 6 months ago I had to call 911 when I found my father-in-law in the bathroom, and it ended up he unfortunately had passed away.
But I also knew that if I called 911 they would be able to take him to that same burn unit at HCMC. And so I did, and they came, and Nick got home.
Thankfully the burns weren't as bad as Nick's. Jeffrey's seem to be first degree burns, whereas Nick's were 2nd and 3rd. In something really freaky though, they almost seem to be in the same spot. On his face and right shoulder and chest (Nick's also were on his right arm/hand when it happened to him).
The ambulance took Jeffrey (and me - a first for the both of us) downtown to HCMC, and Nick and Samantha came in his truck. Also my parents rushed down too (they ended up having Samantha for the night).
Again, thankfully it wasn't worse, we only had to spend one night in the hospital (and found out they do have a stupid rule that only one parent can stay in their kid's room at night)... and we were out on Friday.
We have since been back on Saturday to get his chest re-dressed and will have to go back every 3 days till it is healed. Because of Nick's experience he is doing an expert job cleaning and putting bacitracin on his face and changing his bandages.
And to top it off, yesterday was Nick's 31st birthday and everything we had planned the whole weekend was cancelled.
I will say, one of the hardest things about being a parent is seeing your child in real pain, even worse when YOU should have done something better so it didn't even happen. It also was very hard to be back in the HCMC burn unit. I do feel like Jeffrey had a guardian angel, his Bapa, making sure it wasn't any worse.
And now.. a couple days later.. he seems to be healing really well. They said it should be about 14 days.. but I wouldn't be surprised if it was quicker.
Of course.. a couple prayers wouldn't hurt. Thanks.
C-Ya!
Friday, November 03, 2006
Halloween!
Ok.. Halloween was a couple days ago... but you are getting your recap now!!!
We started out the "festivities" on Sunday (10/29) when we got our pumpkins. We went to the pick your own pumpkin place that we went to last year. The one downfall this year was the up and down temps.. so many pumpkins that froze were soft with the warmer weather. This also made them just icker! Though, we did find 7 good ones and a gord so we took them home (and paid a great price for them).
That night I started carving them.. got 3 carved and did the other two that I planned to carve done the next 2 days!
It just so happened that last year someone gave us a lion costume for Jeffrey for this year and he had been a lion a couple years ago for 2 straight years.. so Samantha could wear that.. so they matched!! And I decided to do the old witch thing.. ho hum.
On Monday (10/30) Jeffrey had his preschool party.
Then on Halloween, we started the day at the MOMS club Halloween party, the kids got to make crafts, get our pic taken together and eat pizza and get goodies!
They of course got stains on their costumes.. but I found out the Tide To-Go Stick really works well.. and they disappeared so they could wear their costumes later.
Here are my cubs:
And here is us again:
Nick thankfully volunteered to take them out this year, especially nice because it was in the 30s!!
And while they didn't go to many houses.. they did say they had a great time.. and that is what matters. And I got to enjoy handing out candy to about 25-30 kids, which was a lot of fun for me!
And now the holidays is over.. next one.. Thanksgiving!!
C-Ya!
We started out the "festivities" on Sunday (10/29) when we got our pumpkins. We went to the pick your own pumpkin place that we went to last year. The one downfall this year was the up and down temps.. so many pumpkins that froze were soft with the warmer weather. This also made them just icker! Though, we did find 7 good ones and a gord so we took them home (and paid a great price for them).
That night I started carving them.. got 3 carved and did the other two that I planned to carve done the next 2 days!
It just so happened that last year someone gave us a lion costume for Jeffrey for this year and he had been a lion a couple years ago for 2 straight years.. so Samantha could wear that.. so they matched!! And I decided to do the old witch thing.. ho hum.
On Monday (10/30) Jeffrey had his preschool party.
Then on Halloween, we started the day at the MOMS club Halloween party, the kids got to make crafts, get our pic taken together and eat pizza and get goodies!
They of course got stains on their costumes.. but I found out the Tide To-Go Stick really works well.. and they disappeared so they could wear their costumes later.
Here are my cubs:
And here is us again:
Nick thankfully volunteered to take them out this year, especially nice because it was in the 30s!!
And while they didn't go to many houses.. they did say they had a great time.. and that is what matters. And I got to enjoy handing out candy to about 25-30 kids, which was a lot of fun for me!
And now the holidays is over.. next one.. Thanksgiving!!
C-Ya!
Samantha's birthday - a recap
Last Saturday, October 28, my little girl turned 3 years old!! Hard to believe that I have been the Mom to 2 kids for 3 years!!! I don't know if it is because she is a girl, the second child or just her personality... but she really seems to have matured differently then Jeffrey. She talks more and is defenitely more independent then Jeffrey was at that age.
Because her birthday fell on a Saturday we decided to have her party on the actual day. Not a lot of people came, I think it is the mix of it being right before Halloween and other things that makes for a low turnout.
I decided to make the cake again.. I made the same one two years ago for her and I thought it to be appropriate.
Samantha had a great time
and Jeffrey helped his little sister celebrate her day
Happy Birthday to my "Little Angel"
C-Ya!
Because her birthday fell on a Saturday we decided to have her party on the actual day. Not a lot of people came, I think it is the mix of it being right before Halloween and other things that makes for a low turnout.
I decided to make the cake again.. I made the same one two years ago for her and I thought it to be appropriate.
Samantha had a great time
and Jeffrey helped his little sister celebrate her day
Happy Birthday to my "Little Angel"
C-Ya!
Friday, October 20, 2006
Happy Birthday Max and Maggie!
October 17 my Yellow Lab Max turned 1!
October 20 my Shih Poo Maggie turned 1!
Happy Birthday to my Babies!!!!
C-Ya!
October 20 my Shih Poo Maggie turned 1!
Happy Birthday to my Babies!!!!
C-Ya!
My 2 Hunters!
This afternoon Nick and Jeffrey along with Mollie and Max the Labs left to go hunting in Watertown, South Dakota. They are meeting up with Nick's Uncle, a long time family friend and his Adult Son. This is an annual tradition (baring Nick working and not getting injured). This is also a big deal because it is Jeffrey and Max's first time hunting. And this is an emotional deal because my father-in-law, Gar, was supposed to take them out for their first time. It has been hard on Nick and myself to think that this was the most important thing to Gar and he is missing out.
Nick did go with Jeffrey and get hunting clothes.. here are some pictures...
And Nick got a couple things.. so here is him and a pick of Samantha trying to do the same pose (both pics by Jeffrey)...
Of course I will have more pics after this weekend.. they will be getting back Monday or Tuesday and I cannot wait to hear all about it.
C-Ya!
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Newcastle Reality Group at Plainfield Real Estate is a Realtor that specializes in Northeastern Illinois homes and has over 1,000 visitors a month. You can check it out if you are considering a move into or within the Chicagoland real estate market. For those relocating, Newcastle has relocation experts who can help provide information on population, schools, income levels, houses of worship, commuting possibilities and other areas of interest. Newcastle has recently retained an Operations Manager with over 17 years experience, Jeffrey T. Schutter. Mr. Schutter maintains three Illinois state licenses in the fields of real estate appraisal, mortgage loan origination and of course real estate sales.
Friday, October 13, 2006
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Would you like to check out the number one Condominium listing site for the Seattle area? Then check out Seattle Condos. This site is for those trying to buy or sell a Seattle Condo and gets thousands of unique visitors a day, all while getting rid of the need for middlemen due to the site listing the contact information for the listing agent or owner of each condo.. There is also a special category of "building specialists" who generally specialize in luxury high rise condos or other particular condo buildings. If you want to live on the West Coast, check out this site today.
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Jogging Quote
The trouble with jogging is that, by the time you realize you're not in shape for it, it's too far to walk back.
Franklin P. Jones
Funny... I kind of felt this way yesterday... the kids and I went for a walk and it was pretty far for Jeffrey to go - Samantha was in the stroller - and I was so worried we wouldn't make it back. He only started giving up about a block from the house... but he made it (and so did I!)
That is why I have said I love treadmills... if you can't make it you can just hop off!!
C-Ya!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
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In my opinion I would love to live in Hawaii or at least have a "home" there. For those that feel the same way check out Hawaii Condos. This site is for those trying to buy or sell a Hawaii Condo and gets thousands of visitors a day, all while getting rid of the need for middlemen. There is also a special category of "building specialists" who generally specialize in luxury high rise condos. Say Aloha to this site!
Quote for my 350th post
Ok... I just saw this and had to post.
This coming from one of the world's biggest procrastinators who should be cleaning the house or something instead of on this computer. But I can always do it tomorrow, right?
Ah well... off to figure out dinner.. can't quite put that off!!
C-Ya!
Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.It.is.so.true.
Don Marquis (1878 - 1937)
This coming from one of the world's biggest procrastinators who should be cleaning the house or something instead of on this computer. But I can always do it tomorrow, right?
Ah well... off to figure out dinner.. can't quite put that off!!
C-Ya!
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Vote for Mollie and Max!
Ok.. so per Roxanne's suggestion, I entered my dogs in a photo contest... if you would like to vote, go here: 1800petmeds.com
Thanks in advance!
C-Ya!
Thanks in advance!
C-Ya!
Friday, October 06, 2006
No Consequences
Ok... Stacy posted the latest blog challenge question on Scrapshare a couple days ago.. here is the challenge:
And I have been doing some thinking.
Well I would start off the day with hiring a helper. Someone who could change diapers, make meals and take care of the kids in the evening. I would then sleep in and wake up next to Nick, who would also be sleeping in. We would get up and the helper would get the kids dressed and have a scrumptuous meal of waffles and sausage and all sorts of other breakfast goodies prepared for us.
Next we would head to the Mall of America in our Corvette Convertable (rented or bought just for the occasion) for a (half) day of shopping. Nick and I could update our wardrobe, while Jeffrey and Samantha could get some fun toys. Next, my helper would take the kids on the rides and Nick and I would head off to a spa for a half day of treatment, massage, facial, the works!
We would meet back up with the kids and any one else who wanted to come for a dinner at an expensive restaurant.
And we would finish up the night with my parents watching the kids and us going to a Radisson hotel for the night (because they have Select Comfort beds).
Yea.. it is probably similar to what a lot of people would do... and since I only have a day, it wouldn't be worth it to add traveling to this. I guess the biggest thing would be a day of not worrying about money.
C-Ya!
Q: If you could live one day without consequences, what would you do? Would you
get a tattoo just to see what it was like? Would you skip work or school and
sleep all day? Would you have a one-night-stand, or would you buy a yacht, or
would you tell your parents what you REALLY think of them? If you could live one
day without consequences, what would you do?
And I have been doing some thinking.
Well I would start off the day with hiring a helper. Someone who could change diapers, make meals and take care of the kids in the evening. I would then sleep in and wake up next to Nick, who would also be sleeping in. We would get up and the helper would get the kids dressed and have a scrumptuous meal of waffles and sausage and all sorts of other breakfast goodies prepared for us.
Next we would head to the Mall of America in our Corvette Convertable (rented or bought just for the occasion) for a (half) day of shopping. Nick and I could update our wardrobe, while Jeffrey and Samantha could get some fun toys. Next, my helper would take the kids on the rides and Nick and I would head off to a spa for a half day of treatment, massage, facial, the works!
We would meet back up with the kids and any one else who wanted to come for a dinner at an expensive restaurant.
And we would finish up the night with my parents watching the kids and us going to a Radisson hotel for the night (because they have Select Comfort beds).
Yea.. it is probably similar to what a lot of people would do... and since I only have a day, it wouldn't be worth it to add traveling to this. I guess the biggest thing would be a day of not worrying about money.
C-Ya!
Fall "poetry"
It is a sad day in Twinsville,
there playoff hopes have been dashed
And in homes around Minnesota,
homer hankies have been stashed
The air outside is changing
A little cooler and crisper
But today a warm wind blows
like a summer whisper
It is October they say
And spooks are a saying boo
With witches and pumpkins
and skeletons too
Another big milestone
at month's end
Samantha turns 3
and invites we will send
And now I finish
this terrible poem
Tonight I hope you journey
to your safe, warm, home
C-Ya!
there playoff hopes have been dashed
And in homes around Minnesota,
homer hankies have been stashed
The air outside is changing
A little cooler and crisper
But today a warm wind blows
like a summer whisper
It is October they say
And spooks are a saying boo
With witches and pumpkins
and skeletons too
Another big milestone
at month's end
Samantha turns 3
and invites we will send
And now I finish
this terrible poem
Tonight I hope you journey
to your safe, warm, home
C-Ya!
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For thirteen years, Cappella University has offered around 100 graduate, undergraduate and certification programs to students in 50 states and 63 countries. Check out online college and see why 16,000 students are currently students at a college that is a leader in online education, committed to academic excellence and balance business growth. Capella University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, is a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and is based out of Minneapolis (here!!).
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An online version of Epocrates mobile drug and formulary guide has just came out. Neurontin provides information on over 3,300 drugs including dosing, pricing, potential drug interactions and Medicare Part D formulary coverage. This is the same information healthcare professionals have been able to get on their PDA for years and provides a one-stop shop for all the information they need. There is also a premium version that features additional content including pill identifier and pictures. Epocrates has built a network connecting 500,000 healthcare professionals and is an Inc. 500 company.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
...before your Dad gets home.
I find myself saying to my kids to "do such-and-such before your Dad gets home". And after saying that for the 5 billionth time, I have come to a realization. Mom's (and Dad's if the Mom is the sole "provider") sometimes say this, not because the Dad will get mad if it isn't done, more that Moms want a "threat" that works.
Can you tell it has been a stressful day with the kids?
Right now I am trying to get them to clean up their toys.. and of course I want it done before Nick gets home because that gives them a deadline. He is so tired and stressed with work, he doesn't notice the messes as much.
I know how I am going to feel that day based on if the kids wake me up or not. This morning, they woke me up and were already driving me nuts.
And of course they had their daily fight that results in a double time out.
For the first time in my life, I am truly feeling stress.
*sigh*
C-Ya!
Can you tell it has been a stressful day with the kids?
Right now I am trying to get them to clean up their toys.. and of course I want it done before Nick gets home because that gives them a deadline. He is so tired and stressed with work, he doesn't notice the messes as much.
I know how I am going to feel that day based on if the kids wake me up or not. This morning, they woke me up and were already driving me nuts.
And of course they had their daily fight that results in a double time out.
For the first time in my life, I am truly feeling stress.
*sigh*
C-Ya!
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