Monday May 28

Today we got to relax a little bit!  Well kinda...Randy finished the deck, or what he could.  He got the rest of the decking put on (all we are doing now is redecking the old deck and adding steps).  So he got it all redecked now we just wait for tomorrow when the inspector comes over to let us know what we need to do for our steps.  Hopefully, in the next week we will be able to get steps added and then be done with our deck!  What a fiasco! 

Yesterday afternoon we went to Grandma Palmer's house for dinner.  She made the boys' favorite, waffles!!!  They are pretty good!  They kids also got to play with Tony, which they all love their Uncle Tony!

Thank you Tony for sending me this picture!  What a nice picture, too bad Memphis isn't paying attention!

Sunday May 27

Today we headed to Creston for a BBQ at Grandpa's house.  We had a great time as the kids played outside in the sprinkler and Memphis tried the sprinkler for the first time but he wasn't a fan as the water was pretty cool and so we decided that he better just sit and watch.  However, watch out next year he will be running around with his cousins and big brother!

We also headed out to the cemetery to visit Grandma Carralou, Uncle Monty, and Grandpa Dale's graves.  We got a great picture of Grandpa and the kids at Grandma's grave.  It took us a while to find Grandpa Dale's grave as our marker (a huge tree) was cut down!!!  Thankfully, a call to mom, she was able to help me find it.

Once we got home Sunday night we headed over to our neighbor's house for a bonfire.  It was a great time to just sit around and relax with great company.  We are so blessed to be around great neighbors!!

Memphis and Randy hanging out by the pond

Everyone feeding the fish at the cemetery. 

Jaycee, Emma, Memphis, Noah Grandpa Bill and Riggins all at Grandma's grave.  I know that my Grandma was smiling down at us that day as we were all together.

Saturday May 26

Today we were very busy.  We started our day at the farmer's market with Tyler, Tori, Jaycee and Rigs.  We had a nice time downtown, except for the nightmare of parking.  We waited for about 45 minutes to park!  UGH!!!  But a nice cold beer helped ease all of our nerves when we got there...well for the adults anyway!

Later this afternoon, we had JJ's graduation party.  It was a nice time and Congrats JJ!!!  Good luck in the fall!

Saturday night we headed to Chris and Sara's house for a BBQ.  As Randy's cousin Christine was in town with her kids.  It was wonderful to see her and the kids. 

**pictures to come soon, I forgot my adapter for the camera**

Thursday May 24

Last night I went to the Winterset v. Creston game and it was a great game.  It took the Winterset Huskies 11 innings to win, but they pulled it off with a walk off homerun.  Way to go Huskies!
It was great to see so many people that I haven't seen in a long time and that includes all of my players!  The Creston and Winterset game has always been one of my favorites, and last night was no different.  It was nice to sit with my family (Tyler, Tori, Rigs, Jaycee, Dad, Tara, Emma and Grandpa) who all made the trip. 
I also have more pictures, but I just haven't downloaded my pictures yet so more to come from the game.
Yesterday afternoon, I sent this picture to a few of the girls just to get them ready for the game!  I think it was their GOOD LUCK CHARM!

Yep, I think he was the good luck charm, I mean how could he not be?!?

Wednesday May 23

Today Noah is helping me write this post!  Noah wants everyone to know that he only has 2 days of school left!!! 
Here are some things Noah wants to do this summer (and in no particular order)
1) play with his friends
2) have fun
3) play with family
4) ride the motorcycle with dad
5) swim (especially doing cannon balls into the pool!)
6) going on vacation to Milwaukee!

Noah also wants everyone to know he likes to ride his bike, so this summer if you want to find him look for him riding his bike, or maybe he will be swimming in the pool, maybe he will be riding the motorcycle!  But I bet where ever you find him he will be having FUN!!!!!

Monday May 21

Today is my last day of school!  I am done at around 11:30 and then I am heading to lunch with some friends to celebrate.  YAY!

I celebrated my birthday over the weekend.  Had a nice time as we went down to Winterset to a few graduations, always good to see my friends from there and catch up with them!

On Friday, when I got home from school I went to let the dogs out and noticed that sitting on my deck and asphalt patio that I had a LOT of NEW chairs and a new umbrella for the table!  They look awesome and thank you to Peggy, Craig, Tony, Chris, Sara, and Gma Palmer.  It was a nice surprise to come home to my patio furniture!  Thank you! 

Friday night we also had dinner with Gma Bailey and Nancy for my birthday at the Olive Garden (oh, how I love that place!) and got some very nice gifts from them.  Thank you so much!  I will be celebrating with my side this coming weekend (Memorial Day weekend and then with Mom when I head up there in a few weeks).    Thank you everyone for a wonderful birthday!! 

There are also two more chairs on the deck!  Now I think I need a small fire pit and that would just top it off!

Hope to add more of the colored chairs soon!

Thursday May 17

Bad News....patio had to come down last night as we were turned into the city because we didn't have a building permit for our patio.  Now, yes we should have had a building permit (not upset about that).  Upset that we were turned in by a neighbor (we think the guy a couple of houses down on the corner).  When Randy went to speak to city hall yesterday about our patio he asked how they knew we were building and they said that someone turned us in.  Really?  Come on people you have nothing better to do than worry about what I am doing in my backyard!!  (sorry I had to vent, all done!)

So we had a choice to make: build to code and spend more money or just replace the old deck with the new decking we bought and add new steps.  We decided that it was going to be the replacing the old deck with new decking boards and add new steps!  It will still look nice, but it will not be the big patio I was hoping for.  But the good news is that we (Randy, Peggy Craig and I) did some talking last night and decided that there is some landscaping we can do around the asphalt patio (this was already there) to make it look nicer and more like a patio.  Pictures to come as we continue our patio escapades! 

A big thanks to Peggy and Craig for helping us build and then tear down!  Also thank you to our neighbor Heather who had a slushy wine thing waiting for me when I got home yesterday.  That helped a lot and it also became my new summer drink.  It was good!  Now I just need to get the name of it so that I can have the stuff at my house too!

Noah and Kingston (neighbor boy) going for a ride around the backyard.

Whoa!  Watch out here we come!

Wednesday May 16

Last night we continued to work on the deck.  He had some more help from Tony and Peggy.  We got so close to being finished when we ran out of deck screws!  SHUCKS!  Hopefully, tonight Randy will be able to finish it and we will have an awesome patio to relax on and maybe even have a few cold beverages out on.
We did have a bit of a scare last night as Enzo escaped from the back yard.  She rarely leaves but if the gate is open for too long she will take off and that is what happened.  Thankfully, Tony and Randy went running and caught her and our neighbor was driving by and gave them a ride back.

Randy working hard!

Peggy working on screwing in the screws

Tony doing what he did best...watching or some call is supervising!!!

That is all we have left!

Tony did help a lot with the kids by keeping them entertained.

Tony giving Noah an underdog!

Monday May 14

Over the weekend, we started to build our patio that we are adding onto our deck!  It will be so nice once completed.  Thankfully, we have gotten help from Craig and Peggy.  We started late Saturday afternoon and worked until it was dark.  Then on Sunday we didn't get as much done as wanted as we were busy with Mother's Day and getting more stuff we needed!  (by the way this is my Mother's Day and Birthday gift as I have been wanting a patio for a while now).

I did have a wonderful Mother's Day.  But then again how could I not with the cutest little guy ever and a great husband!

The start of the patio!

Craig and Randy already needing a break!

Randy and I taking a quick picture of what we got done on Saturday night.

Peggy supervising!

Our big helper Memphis!  He was so good outside playing!

On Sunday, Peggy and I screwed in a bunch of supports onto the frame

Craig working hard

Framing all done now we can start the decking!

Friday May 11

I finally planted my garden.  However, I had no idea what I was doing and realized that one should buy pepper plants (guess I should probably go buy those) and not plant the seeds unless you want to start those inside first!  It will be interesting to see if we get anything, if not well, I have a nice spot in the backyard that is tilled and I can plant grass there!!!  hahaha!

Last night Noah had another baseball game.  I didn't get any pictures but he struggled paying attention when he was in the field.  He did hit the ball which was great!

What I hope my garden will look like

What it might look like!  Keep your fingers crossed for me that I am able to have a nice green garden and not a brown one!

Thursday May 10

Last night Randy and I were able to go to bike night.  Thankfully, Peggy watched Memphis so that we could enjoy a little bit of free time together!  We meet up with Chris, Sara and Craig and had a nice time just walking around (or sitting on the curb if you are Sara and I), good food and the band was also pretty good (is it sad that I thought it was way too loud, does this mean I am aging myself by saying that?)
All in all it was a good night and I was so thankful to get on the bike with my husband and spend some time with him!

Wednesday May 9

Another reason why I can't wait for summer vacation!  I get to play and have fun with this little boy too!  He will do what he can to keep me on my toes as we always have to be on the go!  Love you Noah Matthew!

Tuesday May 8

Today is National Teacher Appreciation Day.  Do you think my students will know this? (HA!)  However, I am down to about 7 days of school left.  And then bring on SUMMER!

I have a lot planned this summer; playing with Noah and Memphis, painting a garage, cleaning house, going to spend 5 days with my mom and nan, playing softball (yes, I get to play again, now that I am not coaching), maybe doing a little golfing, some swimming with the two boys, working on a tan, and going on a summer vacation and not having to plan it around high school softball season!

Can't wait to play with you all summer long Memphis Dean.  I know you will love the pool, playing with your big brother and cousins.  Oh, what a summer it will be!

Monday May 7

Happy 2nd Birthday Riggins!  We got to celebrate Riggins' Birthday a day early yesterday.  We had lots of fun and I think Rigs did too.
Last night I was able to get my tomatoes planted in my garden, now I just need to get the rest of my garden in.  My goal is to have the garden complete this week.  However, if the rain continues it will continue to push off me getting it done.

Happy Birthday Rigs!

Make a wish!

Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday to You, Happy Birthday Dear Riggins, Happy Birthday to You!

Tara, Memphis and Jaycee playing

Jaycee attempting to hold Memphis, but she was happy to hold him!

Riggins not sharing his new toys!  No way was he going to let any one else play  :)

Randy putting helping Rigs get his toys ready for play!

Thursday May 3

Last night I had the Teacher Appreciation Dinner out at Camp Dodge, so Randy and Memphis had to fend for themselves.  When I got home, Tony was there to keep them company.  Memphis just loves his Uncle Tony, especially when he is talking to him in his chinese accent!

Yeah we are cool and we know it.

Check out Memphis' teeth!!!  He has 3 on the bottom and 1 on top with his other front one on its way in!

Monday May 2

Happy Birthday to Nan (my grandma) or GG as the kids know her!  I hope your day is wonderful!  And we can't wait to see you in June and then again in July.  (Nan, just so you know be aware that I will be snapping some pictures of you when I see you as I have no pictures of you at all!!!)

Last night Jaycee and Riggins were over at the house for a little bit while Tori and Tyler went to Jaycee's Preschool Parent's Night.  It was nice having the kids over but again, so that they could all play together.  I can't wait for Memphis to really start playing as him and Riggins will be the best of buddies being just a little over a year apart!  It will be nice that they will always have someone they can play or hang out with :)

No pictures today...maybe some will come tomorrow.

Tuesday May 1

May is finally here!  It is a wonderful month full of school getting out, birthdays and warmer weather.  This month is becoming a busy month of baseball for us.  Last night Noah had another game and he got to catch last night.  He had never caught before and for never catching he did a pretty good job!  We have some things we need to work on but he said that he really liked it.  Now we literally need to learn to catch much better.  He got another hit last night and was so happy.
Thank you to all that came out to watch Noah last night!

Noah catching!  We need to work on getting all the way down but by the end of the game he was getting down further!  I can't wait to help him out, we already have plans to practice on Sunday.

Tony and Great Grandma Palmer

Zach and Sara

Noah taking a big swing but missed the ball.

All ready, lets try that again!!!

A much better swing!  He really is improving each night.  We love watching him play and improve each day.