Riding bikes...

Wish I had a picture of the girls and I yesterday riding our bikes! We decided to go for a bike ride yesterday as Chris had taken off on the 4-wheeler for some guy time. The girls had a friend over for a while and then it was time for the friend to go home. I then asked the girls if they wanted to go for a bike ride and simultaneously they said YES! I have been very leery of riding my bike with both of the girls on their bikes, because Haley has had a little bit of a listening issue in the past when she rode her bike and it made me uncomfortable as I could not control her bike and mine at the same time. Well I felt like we could give it a try again with all 3 of us on our bikes and it was great!

The girls handled their bikes very well and we even made it competitive to see who could stay in the lead, me laughing as Haley was peddling as fast as she could to pass Rachel and me laughing as I was trying to not pass them both and act like I was really trying to!

It is so amazing to think that I can take a bike ride with my girls....how the time has gone by, but I am having so much fun with them as they grow into the different stages of their lives....but please tell me how to get them to quit bickering and fighting......but then I do remember my sisters and I doing the same thing.....memories gotta love them!

So it has been 2 nights and....

Haley has slept in her bed all night long! Hurray I say as this has been a big deal in our house. Chris and I are not sleeping well when Haley climbs in our bed as she is an octopus......arms and legs going all the time! We have bribed her (which never worked), we have told her that her favorite toys will disappear (which they have and it still has not worked), we have told her there are no monsters in her bed as Dora and Boots will save her (that is who she has on her bed sheets), we have tried a lot of things. So it came down to her telling us that our bed is more cozy than her bed and her bed is cold and ours is warm.

Well my sister Julia had gotten a new bed and on her old bed she had a memory foam mattress pad they had put on their bed for some more cushion. They did not need it and gave us a chunk of the mattress padding. I put that piece on Haley's bed to see if maybe the cushion from it would make her bed cozy and also keep her warm as the memory foam does keep your body "cozy."

I did not say anything to Haley about this, so after she had fallen asleep in our bed (a nightly routine of reading books with the girls as our bed is the one that fits us all) I had taken Haley potty (yes she is asleep, but she does potty still) and put her in her bed. For the last 2 nights she has slept all night in her bed. I have woke up a lot more rested the past 2 mornings and Haley is not grouchy like she usually is in the mornings. Chris woke Haley up this morning and her first words were "Dad did I sleep in my bed all night?" She was amazed, I have been ecstatic and now we will see if this continuous.

But my words to my sister are THANK YOU! If I would have only known I would have bought a memory foam pad a lot sooner! Everyone have a wonderful day!

rain, rain go away........

Can we say spoiled Saturday! YES we can! It was an awesome day with the windows open and the kids playing in the sandbox and on the swing set and on the trampoline. Wouldn't it be nice for it to be officially springtime! I so want the wind to quit blowing, the sun to come out and the magic fairy to come and tell me I do not have to work for the next 2 days.......so much for wishing! Everyone have a wonderful Monday and enjoy Tuesday, cuz old man winter is knocking at our doors.....argh!

My Cat....

You know when you have an animal for over 13 years you are kind of attached to them. Well our cat Racer had lived his life to the fullest with being a little bit on the timid side where he liked to bat at most anyone that came through our door. Yes he would sniff them and then take a big old swing with his front paw and yes you felt it. He was a #14 cat. He was called the devil cat at times, but he was our cat.

He had in the past year or so started sleeping on Rachel's bed and following her around in the house. He had not quite warmed up to Haley like he had with Rachel, but he was doing better. Well in the past month he was kicked out to the garage because he was using the Christmas tree skirt as his litter box. Do not get me wrong, I was torqued beyond belief that he would do this but I also reminded myself that he was getting old.

Every day for the last month he would be waiting for us to come and go through the garage so he could get some loves and pets from all of us. I was really surprised at how much he let the girls pet him and give him cat kisses (rub nose-to-nose). So cute and wished I would have gotten some pictures, but you know how that goes.

Well this weekend he quit eating and did little drinking of his water. He had not been acting quite right as he was not walking around with his big furry tail held high in the air and strutting his stuff. I suppose he knew his time was coming. Yesterday morning he had about 4 accidents in the garage and boy they were enough to turn my stomach. Usually it does not get me, but these were oh indescribable. He went outside yesterday and wanted to come back in last night. He hopped up on his perch, a blanket we had put him on so he could see us come and go. He crapped again last night and this time it was more potent smelling and we knew the way he looked and the way the pooped looked it was not good. So this morning after Rachel went to school and Haley went to Judy's we said our goodbyes and took him to the vet.

Usually when he goes to the vet he is more than pissed off and not wanting anything to do with anybody. I put him in the cage and rubbed and spoke soft words to him! Oh so hard to someone you have had for 13 years, but knew he would be better off and he is. The vet said he barely moved a paw when he went to pick him up, the vet knowing this is not the same cat he has dealt with before.

Anyway Haley came home at 1 p.m. and asked where Racer was. I avoided the question and waited until Rachel come home and told them both that Racer was in Heaven. Rachel had a hard time and Haley finally understood when I told her that his spirit was in Heaven watching us but his body we would put next to the garage.

We went and got our special cat and the girls and I dug the hole. We said our goodbyes, Rachel fell apart and had to go to the house. Haley and I talked as daddy fixed the special spot for us to ponder Racer and all the fun we had with him. He has a special thinking rock where he is so we can sit and know he is having the time of his life in Heaven.

Rest in peace my special kitty, we love you lots!

1000 words thought for Thursday

So you know when you are in the check out line at Wal-Mart really needing to hurry as you need to be somewhere in 20 minutes on the other side of town.....yes that is 20 minutes, doing good, should be fine with making it there on time. NOPE.....did not happen. Yes it was 20 minutes of the guy checking us out making funny faces at Haley (which is fine with me if I was not in a hurry), talking about this and that, going one at a time as slow as he can (when you have 20 packets of Kool-Aid), asking if we needed bath towels (as if he needs to know why we are purchasing bath towels), asking what Haley did to deserve a Barbie horse and carriage (thanks to Grandma Sue for the B-day gift card), wondering if we need that box bagged (heck no just get us checked out). UGH........FINALLY getting to the grand total and he screwed up the cash total that Chris gave him (thanks honey for paying)......mind you this has already been a 15 minute check out that should have been at tops maybe 5-7 minutes. He cannot figure out what he did, would not let us figure it out, called for another associate to help him figure it out........go figure just put in the other $100 that he did not put in and magic he gets the change he owes us. Meanwhile Rachel is waiting at church for us and frusturated that she is the last one.......do I blame her no, was it our fault, not this time.....so the lesson learned tonight is not to go through the checkout line with the young, babbling man that can give a care less when you tell him at the beginning of this process that you have to be somewhere and would really like him to get us checked out.....Have a wonderful day!

I'm still here.....

Just a quick post to let everyone know I have not fallen off the earth. We have been busy with this and that and then just plain lazy...if you know what I mean. This weather is enough to drain anybody.

I did major house cleaning this weekend with getting rid of toys and rearranging and trashing stuff that has not been seen for a while. Maybe some day my house will be more organized, but until then I can say I have been trying. Everyone have a wonderful Tuesday!

Memories...

Well tomorrow marks another milestone in our life. Haley turns 5! Yes another birthday. We have to love December and January......seriously we need to do half birthdays for the girls so they can at least enjoy their gifts and not get them all at the same time......we might eventually do that.......I have tried and it just does not happen.

Anyway this time 5 years ago I was one miserable person. I remember feeling like I had wet myself the night before and did not say anything to anyone about it...who wants to tell that you wet yourself. Well my doctor called that night and we talked and she told me I had probably better be checked out and she would meet me at the hospital. I arrived at 8 a.m. on January 13, 2004 like I was suppose to (leaving Chris at work telling him I would call if I needed him). As I parked my car, I spotted Andrea's car there too....yep we were in the hospital at the same time....kind of neat I thought.

The doctor checked me, after the nurse told her that I could not have the baby as they were full, me taking one of the last open beds. Well my first bag of water had already broke on it own and the second bag was still intact...yes I had two bags of water. I called Chris and the rest was history!

I asked the nurse to let Andrea know that I was there and she stated that she could not for policy reasons, but my doctor was also Andrea's and she so kindly let Andrea know I was there. Andrea and I were in the two delivery rooms at the same time......who will go first was the question. Andrea visited me for a little while, until she decided she might toss her cookies...

Needless to say Emma arrived a little over an hour before Haley. My sister and mom reported on Emma's weight as she was weighed right outside my room. Well it was Haley's turn to arrive in this wide world weighing in at 9 lbs 5 oz. Yes I went from a 6 lbs 6 oz baby to this 3 month old baby (it seemed like it to me).

Oh how the time flies when you are having so much fun! Haley is definately a joy, I really think she is going to be the class clown as much as she goofs around. I hope not, but we will see. She is so excited about starting kindergarten this fall.

This morning she stated as Rachel was getting on the bus "Am I ever going to be able to ride that bus Mom?" I stated "Yes, soon enough you will be riding that bus." I do not know if I am ready for it, but I know she is!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!