Monday May 26

Happy Memorial Day!  Today we didn't do a lot.  We hung around the house and tried to get stuff done.  We got to see Jaycee and Rigs as Tyler and Tori had some running around to do.  The kids played and played!  After they left we headed to the cemetery to Randy's grandparent's grave.  The graves had lots of flowers and flags!  Looked beautiful!

Thought this was a great picture of Noah.  Wish Memphis hadn't fallen asleep but he was in the car taking a nap!

While all of the kids were over  at our house I made them sit still for about one minute so I could try to take a picture.  I always try to take one picture when I have all 4 so that I can send it to mom!

Sunday May 25

Today we headed to Creston.  The kids got to play and play and play!  It was beautiful out so we spent the day outside.  It was such a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend to spend with family.  After the kids started to settle down a bit we headed out to the cemetery to put flowers out on the graves.  I do not make it out to my grandparent's graves enough and being out there today reminded me of that.  I sure do miss them terribly but I am lucky to have the memories that I made with them!

Relaxing next to grandpa!

Tyler and Noah

Randy taking it easy!

Visiting Grandpa and Grandma's grave

Saturday May 24

So Randy and I had been talking about possibly getting me another car.  Most of you are thinking...didn't you just get a Kia not long ago...yep I did!  And I told most of you I was keeping this one for a while.  But what Randy and I didn't realize was that there was some issues that were going to be bigger than what he was willing to work on in the Kia.  So we thought lets see what we can get for a car and keep the same payment or lower.  Randy did some looking and he found a Volkswagen Jetta for me.  I took it on a test drive and loved it.  But I was very worried that the payments were going to be too much.  Guess what?  They were not! They got us the same payment I had before and even have GAP Coverage and lifetime oil changes.
We purchased a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta with only 8700 miles, it has all of the warranty and I am happy.  Oh and I should mention I have LOTS of trunk space.  The kia had none!

Don't mind the goofball in the drivers seat!

Friday May 23

In the word's of Alice Cooper, "School's out for summer, School's out forever!"
Okay maybe not forever but for the summer for sure!  I always look forward to this time of year but trust me come August I am ready to be back in the classroom.  However, right now I am ready for summer and spending time with my family and friends!!!

Today we celebrated our last day with students.  We all went out for a few drinks.  Oh the warmth and taste of summer...yes taste...beer tastes so much better on a warm day.

Why, hello Summer!

 

May 22

The end is in sight!  After today I have one more day left with students and then two more days of professional development!  Oh and then summer break!!!!  I am so ready for the warm weather, playing outside with the boys and just relaxing. 
I have a feeling this summer will be a great one.  We do not have a ton planned.  I have a few trips that I will take to Wisconsin to see my mom, we will take trips to Creston to see everyone else and then maybe a few others to just get away!

So to celebrate my almost last day with kids and splurged and got myself Star Bucks!

Monday May 19

So in celebrating my Birthday I am sharing some pictures of me being little.  My cousin Tracy posted a lot of these on Facebook yesterday so I thought, heck why not put them on here!  It is great to look back at these pictures and see how young my parents look.  And then I think back, and they were young 18 and 19 (I think).
I am lucky to have the parents I have.  They have always put my needs first and I wouldn't be the person I am without them.  I love them both and wish they both lived closer to me so that I could see them more often.

Check out mom and dad's hair! 

Grandma, Dad and Mom looking in on me at the hospital

Saturday May 17-Wedding

Mom, Noah and I decided to head to the wedding while Randy and Memphis stayed at the hotel to take a nap and rest up for the reception.  The wedding was beautiful.  My cousin Linzi was gorgeous and just seemed to glow. 
Getting to the wedding was another issue.  We put the location into my phone which lead us to a street that was purely residential not the church!  But with about one minute to spare we made it. 

The beautiful couple Linzi and David Erickson

Before the Reception we stopped at Lake Michigan to take some family pictures and to just look around.  I think this was the first time I remember being at Lake Michigan in Milwaukee.  It was so pretty.  

Seriously the older I get the more I look like my mom! 

The boys

Family picture!

The reception was wonderful.  I was a little nervous to how Memphis would do.  He was a little grumpy during cocktail hour but after that when we had dinner he was golden!  He sat down and ate and played with the toys we got him!  Thank you Target $1 bins!  And Noah was a huge help in playing with Memphis if needed.  The reason I was nervous was because it was a sit down dinner and very formal.  But our boys did great.

My Hawaiian Memphis!

Aunt Sue, Mom and Myself.  It was so good to see Auntie Sue!

Saturday May 17

Today we started out the morning by finding a nearby park to let the kids play for a little bit.  It was really a cute little park!

Mom and Noah climbing!

Randy showing off his skill!

Friday May 16

Today we headed to Milwaukee to my cousin's wedding.  We met up with my mom and stayed the weekend at my grandma's hotel (well not really hers any more, kinda mom's and my aunt's)  but this hotel has so many memories for us!   Most of which make me smile!
So we arrived after about a 6 hour drive and we thought we better let the boys swim.  After about 10 minutes of swimming, Memphis slipped on the wet floor and hit his head on the hand rail and then the floor.  He was bleeding and crying and I thought for sure he knocked his teeth out.  He didn't!  But his tooth almost came through his lip.  UGH!  But he is one tough cookie because after about 10 minutes of crying and cleaning up his mouth he was ready to go back into the pool!  Him and Noah had a great time playing and burning off energy!

Brotherly love!

You can see the bump on his head and the small cut on his lower lip where his tooth tried to come through.  The inside of his mouth looked awful but doing better now.

After swimming we headed out for an early dinner to Marti's Pizza!  YUM!  Mom told Noah he needed to try a Sprecker  (this is rootbeer in a bottle and it was pretty tasty!)

Chugging it down! 

Once back at the hotel we thought we would just play and it became lets spin in the chair!

I think mom was so happy to see the boys this weekend

Monday May 12

Last night we had some pretty severe storms come through.  We had to go to the basement and Memphis was not happy.  As I had to get him out of bed and he says to me, "Mommy back to bed please!"  Oh little buddy I wish I could have put you right back but it was scary at our house, especially when there was no electricity. 

Here are some pictures of the damage...nothing serious but it could have been.

Saturday May 10

This afternoon Memphis and I headed to Creston to celebrate Riggins' 4th Birthday!  The party was at Rainbow Park and Memphis loved being able to run around! 
The party went well and everyone enjoyed celebrating Riggins' Birthday!

Opening his gifts

Memphis was not happy that they are not for him!  HA!

It was tricky to light those candles on a windy day!  But Tori managed and Rigs got to blow out his candles! 

Thursday May 8

This morning my mom posted this Throwback Thursday Picture on Facebook!  This picture was taken when we all went to Disney World for the Millennium (2000) together.  We have lots of memories of that trip!  Yeah those that attended know what I am talking about!  HA!

I love my family and I am happy that God placed me in such a wonderful and fun filled family!

Wednesday May 7

Happy 4th Birthday Riggins!  I love watching you grow up.  You are such a great cousin to Noah and Memphis.  Memphis thinks that you are the best cousin ever and I hope that never changes between the two of you!  I love you little guy!
We can't wait to come and celebrate your birthday with you on Saturday.  In the meantime enjoy your new birthday gifts and cupcakes!

Monday April 5

Today the painters started scraping and priming the front of our house!  YAY!  It will be nice to at least get the front done so that it will look nice again.  Our house looks weird with the shutters taken off.  But we are painting those red again so everything looks fresh!

Randy said Memphis was pretty good yesterday.  You hardly ever see him just sitting like that!!!

Sunday May 4

This weekend Jaycee had her dance recital. I wish we could have been there to watch her dance but with so much going on we were not able to make it!

She looks so amazing and is such a doll face!

Saturday May 3

Tonight Randy and I chaperoned Johnston's Prom.  We meet some of my colleagues for dinner before we all headed to Prom.  The kids always look so nice dressed up and it was fun for Randy and I to be dressed up!
Thankfully, Peggy and Craig watched the boys for us.  They had a sleep over!  We are so lucky that Craig and Peggy are always willing to help us out.  I wish my parents were closer so they could help out more often but I know that Peggy and Craig enjoy the time (I think) they get to spend with the boys!

We do dress up nicely!

Of course I had to take a selfie!

Friday May 2

Today Nan would have been 74.  Gosh, seems so young.  I hate cancer.  Every time I hear, Let Her Go by Passenger I see her again and wish I was able to just sit and talk to her one more time and get that one more hug. 
I love you Nan and wish you were still with us.  Happy Birthday.

This picture was taken at my graduation from Central Missouri State University at the reception.

Wednesday April 30

Today I got to travel to Clinton, Iowa to observe what they are doing in their school with At-Risk/Sped/and even general ed students.  They have a great system going on and we were all super impressed.  I believe we will have lots of great changes coming to my job and I am so excited and ready for it.  I went into teaching to help kids and I might have the opportunity to help even more kids!!!  YAY!
The down side to going to Clinton was that we left at 5am and were home by 3pm and I was exhausted.  Then I go and workout, get home and we have to get the house ready for a showing that we were having and then thankfully Peggy and Craig let us come over and hang out there!  By the time we got to the Palmer's I was exhausted and a headache that was terrible.  Honestly, I think it was from all of the brainstorming we did on the ride home from Clinton!

I did manage to get a few pictures of Memphis and Peggy playing!

Tonight Memphis made grandma guess what was on the card! 

I believe they had lots of fun!

Riggins

Check out this super cute little boy!  Riggins had to get glasses and I think he is ubber adorable!

He kind of remind me of the kid off of Jerry McGuire