let the camping season begin

Gary and I have made a pledge that we will use our camping trailer as much as possible this year. The past few years we have only made it out a couple times, but this year we have already been out 4 times! We love going camping so much, especially our type of camping which includes hot water, satellite tv, and a bed to sleep in.

The kids have so much fun playing in the dirt, doing activities with Yogi Bear, and of course the smores. Brienna like to "help" get things set up as you can see with the light strand strung around her neck like a necklace!

We of course are preparing for the biggest camping weekend of them all this coming weekend, Memorial Day. We are looking forward to being at the site with a packed house. We don't have the older kids this weekend, but we are going to have friends come visit so we will still be able to do some of the activities.

The camping season has started out really well, and hopefully we continue to luck out with weather. Nothing is worse then camping during a storm when you can feel the trailer rocking in the wind!!

HOT weather in may

This past weekend we had unbelievable weather! It hit 90 degrees on Sunday. After we came back from camping we set up some water activities for the kids. They all really enjoyed themselves. Brienna spent a little time trying to figure everything out, but she LOVES the water so she was thrilled!

Of course all the warm weather this early means that we are going to more then likely have one hell of a hot summer. I have been trying to talk Gary in to getting one of those temporary set up pools. I would really like to have an inground pool, but that is just a dream since they are so incredibly expensive!! Based on how much Brienna enjoyed the water, I have a feeling we will be taking advantage of the pool in our community a lot this summer!

oscar

So there are many days that I think life is crazy, but can it ever really be crazy enough. I have always had two dogs, and think that it is more fun when a dog has a playmate. I had been looking a long time at getting a dachshaund, and one day on my way home I stopped at a puppy store. There I saw this little guy and his adorable floppy ears and beautiful markings. I was in love immediately! Over course I had to take the night to convince Gary, which was a little bit more difficult. However, the next day he gave me the go ahead and Zach, Brienna, and I went to the store to pick him up.

He has been with us now for almost 2 weeks. He is my little baby for sure! He loves to be held, and will only sleep at night balled up next to my head. Since he is only 5 lbs he doesn't take up too much room in the bed. That is better in the alternative of the crate which we tried for the first couple days and he literally cried and howled all night long with NO breaks! Mia has taken to him immediately, and the two of them are best of buddies.

The potty training is going okay...I did find out that dachshaunds are not great potty trainers but he is doing good with the puppy pads. As much as I love puppies, I am really looking forward to him being a year old. He is already such a smart dog, that I think he will be absolutely perfect once the puppy in him is all gone!!

mother's day picnic

Since I have been so busy over the last month, I have so many pictures to post. Business has really taken off which is an absolute blessing for us during this economy, but with that comes more and more evenings with my face buried in my computer invoicing and returning email. Trying to entertain two kids during the day along with balancing my workout schedule and play dates I found myself spending less and less time in the office during the day. I have now put the kids in daycare two days a week which gives me two full days to catch up on work and now I have my evenings to enjoy time with my family!

Mother's day was a busy day for us. We had gone camping for the weekend but packed up early on Sunday to get Rylee back to her mom and Gary had reserved a terrific brunch at Villa Olivia for me and his Mom. After eating way too much food at brunch we headed over to a forest preserve in Wheaton where my mom's family meets every year for a cook out. It was such a gorgeous day so we went out there to see my Grandma and my mom. My mom's side of the family is so big, it is great to be able to see everyone all at once like that.

There is a big lake right by where they set up so of course Zach (with the aid of my cousin Annie) spent a good portion of the day fishing. He loved it! Brie was running around everywhere and I spent the first hour getting her to realize she could not go any where near the water! She gave up after a while and few temper tantrums!

By the end of the day everyone was wiped and we came home to spend the rest of the day relaxing. I really enjoyed spending the day with all of my family. Gary of course hit a home run with my gift. He (and the kids) got me the new book reader The Nook by Barnes and Noble. I have been wanting an electronic book for a while, and this one is so cool. It actually shows you the color covers of the books before you choose which ones to by. It has free cellular service so you can download books, newspapers, and magazines from anywhere. He really knows how to spoil me ;)

so proud of you dad

After a few years of retirement from being the Fire Chief in Streamwood, my dad has decided to go back to work. Not many people are as lucky as him to have retired in his mid-50's, but apparently the hard worker in him was "bored" at home. Nevermind the business him and my brother started after leaving the alarm industry, and how successful they had made it over the last couple years. Bottom line is though his heart is and always will be with the fire department. After several weeks of testing and interviews he accepted a job offer to become the fire chief in Antioch. Of course this means some life style changes for him and my mom. My dad has to secure residency in Antioch, which means he will be renting a house out there. It has the perfect small town feel that my dad loves, so he will really excel in this position.

A couple weeks ago we attended his swearing in ceremony in Antioch. This village hall was taken over by my mom, my dad and our family which included all my dad's 7 grandchildren. He was so grateful to have us all there, and we were more then happy to drive the hour to witness the event.

I am so proud of my dad, he has always been a hero to me. Someone that I was quick to share stories about. I have always considered myself to be a Daddy's girl, and with all of his accomplishments at 31 years old I am still proud to admit it!

Congratulations Dad on reaching another milestone in your life!

end of the school year already

I can't believe that this school year is a mere 3 days from being over for Zach. He has grown in leaps and bounds this year. He is so much more "mature" (and I use this word for lack of a better) then he was when he first started preschool last year. I was a little nervous about the idea of full day Kindergarten next year, but I really think that he will do well. Of course I have to credit some of the improvement from his Occupational Therapy and the ADHD medicine.

This past week he had his end of year program, and "graduation" presentation. Of course stupid me left my memory card in my computer so I was only able to take a few pictures, but they were good ones. His class put on a presentation of the Little Red Hen. It was extremely cute after weeks of hearing Zach practicing the songs he was learning to actually see them being performed.

This was his preschool director, Mrs. Kesse, she was a wonderful help for Zach. She really related well to him, and always found a way to incorporate his needs into the daily activities. I know that Zach will miss her a lot, and hopefully she will still be involved in the school in a couple years when it is Brienna's turn. She really makes the school worth every penny.

This week is a week of fun and games, ended with a school picnic on Friday. I am really looking forward to him moving on the Kindergarten next year, but it is again another reminder that my little man is growing so fast. I have already set the plans for his 5th birthday coming up in July. Holy crap, 5 years old already! Amazing, but with every year I enjoy him more and more. He is my shopping buddy, and certainly my comedian.