the Daily Life...

2-15-2011

2011-02-15T13:49:00.002-05:00

It's Tuesday...only 3 more days and we are on our way to Florida! Can't wait to feel the hot sun and not worry about bundling everyone up just to go outside! Usually by now I have everything packed and thought out...not so much this year. I don't know why I'm leaving it to the last minute, but we'll see how it goes! This year the weather is supposed to be in the mid to high 70's with maybe a few days in the 80's!!! Just what the doctor ordered! I've been working on some sort of point system for the kids to make our trip to Florida (20 hours in the car) a little fun and rewarding! For every hour they behave and get along with one another they can earn 100 points! There will be rewards set up for 200 points, 500 points and so on! I don't have all the rewards planned out...still working on that! I ordered a Kids Road Atlas and a couple other traveling books that will hopefully help entertain them. A friend of mine mentioned having some colored pipe cleaners handy in the car as something the kids can do to be creative...what a great idea! I can already picture the crazy, fun things the kids will make out of them! Another item for my list of things to pick up before Friday :)

Yesterday Craig took Levi and I to Bahama Breeze for lunch! Yummy! The kids had fun at their Valentines parties at school and we had a quiet evening at home together as a family! I love those quiet evenings...

Drew & Autumn both have 100 day of school projects to do so we got creative and came up with some fun ideas...pictures to come! Drew took a square lego board and we took 100 little legos and spelled out "100"! It was my idea and he really resisted at first. I decided to start building it and see what he thought. Once he saw how cool it was going to be he got excited and finished it up! Autumn wanted to do Legos too, but I told her we could come up with something better that suited her better. I picked up a big white poster board and we laid out pink heart shaped marshmellows to spell "Autumn"! Looks so cute! Now just hoping the glue will hold them on the board!!! I have never been a crafty mom, but always wanted to be...if that even makes sense. I don't like the mess and clean up, but I love to see my kids as they are working hard on projects and the finished project is always so fun to see!

This post is all over the place...just some random things I'm doing and thinkin about this week!!!

February 7, 2011

2011-02-07T21:41:00.002-05:00

Monday...

We had another busy weekend...last Friday I drove down to Perrysburg, OH to visit my sis-in-law and the boys and pick up my computer that my brother was working on. He cleaned it all up for me and it's working great...thanks Chris! Levi had fun visiting with his cousins and I enjoyed my time with Mandy. Levi slept all the way home. He got home around 2:00 and had no power at the house. We already had plans to go to Ellen's in the evening for small group so I packed up some clothes and our pillows in case we had to stay the night. Picked up the kids from school and they said school was without power the last hour too. We got over to Ellen's and I got a text from a neighbor saying power was back on! We ended up staying at small group pretty late...kids in bed by 10:30pm.

Saturday was a stay home day around here...we all slept in and got to work cleaning up the house. I started in the living room and told the kids to work in their rooms. Next thing you know, we were cleaning out and rearranging both big kid rooms. It was fun, but a lot of work. The kids were excited for bed that night in their "new" rooms! We got another 3 inches of snow so once the kids went to bed I headed outside to shovel it off the driveway.

Sunday was a another great day! We went to church at Walled Lake Central and Autumn's friend Melissa came home with us to play for the afternoon. They had fun dancing, playing dolls, and putting on make-up. Melissa's favorite part was playing with Levi! We drove Melissa home around 5pm and headed to Ellen's for a Super Bowl Dinner and a little bit of the game! We got home after half time and Craig was home.

Today the kids had school and Craig, Levi & I just hung out at home. It was nice to do nothing! We've been trying to plan our April vacation to Florida. There are lots of people to see while we're there, but since it's Craig's vacation week we really wanted a nice, fun place to stay. We went onto www.vrbo.com and found a great house to rent right outside of Orlando. 4 bedroom, 2 1/2 bath house with a private pool in the backyard and a clubhouse with pool, gym, video game room...it's going to be great! Can't wait!!!

BUT first things first...I have a busy week ahead...Bible study tomorrow, Thirty One party on Thursday night, Girl Scout Cookie Pickup on Friday, then packing, packing, packing for our trip to Florida next Friday! I am ready for some sunshine and warm weather!!!

January 31, 2011

2011-02-01T11:08:00.002-05:00

Just another Monday....

Back to school for the kids and a trip to the grocery store for Levi and mommy! It wasn't just a regular day at Kroger for us...it was crazy! There were people everywhere. The weather man says a BIG snowstorm is coming Tuesday to Wednesday...I've heard 8 to 10 inches and as high as 10 to 15 inches. I guess we'll have to wait to see what we really get! People forget we live in Michigan and snow is expected in Michigan. Most posts on facebook are about the snow coming or the crazy grocery stores!!!

Snow like this just reminds me how blessed we are...food, shelter, family, friends...the list goes on. We have it all! Everyday I dream of a new house, new furniture, new everything...I don't need it. God has blessed me with so much! I have a great husband that works SO hard to provide for our family. We are in a position of saving some money and not living pay check to pay check like so many around us. We have a house big enough for all 6 of us (and a pull out couch when Ryan comes!!!), 2 vans that get us where we need to be or where we want to be, we are blessed! I am blesed to be a stay home mom and wife. It is easy to get caught up in what we want and what we don't have...I am guilty of this for sure. Time to count my blessings!!!

January 30, 2011

2011-02-01T11:03:00.002-05:00

Sunday...

The kids and I started out our day at church at Walled Lake Central at 10am!!! It was a good service. Worship was really good and I didn't hear much of the speaker cause I was out with Levi and his runny nose. I went back and forth...do I go to church and get as much as I can since Levi won't be in the nursery or do I just stay home and hang out with the kids...well, being the "social" person that I am, I chose to go to church. The kids love it and want to be there so that was a good enough reason for me. Plus, I take Levi in the service with me and at least get to worship before he gets antsy and needs to go in the hall! I made the right decision for sure!!

After church we grabbed a bite to eat at Wendy's while Levi napped in the car (much needed nap) and then Alex had another Flag Football game. He is loving this sport and is really good at it. This is the 3rd sport he has tried and really succeed at! I'm one proud sport mom!!! The Buccaneers pulled off another win by 1 point in the last few seconds of the game.

The rest of the afternoon and evening we played games by the fire and relaxed! Craig got home around 7pm from a 4 day trip. Levi gets so excited when he sees daddy walk in the door!

January 29, 2011

2011-01-29T20:52:00.002-05:00

The Weekend!!!!

The boys ended up spending the night with Josh & Uncle Robby! Hannah spent the night with Autumn & me! The girls played all morning and then we packed up and took Hannah home so we could pick up the boys and head to Drew's soccer game! He was pretty tired, but still managed to play hard and score a goal! After the soccer game we grabbed a bite to eat and headed to Brownstown...it's about a 45 minute drive! We went over to Lori & Brian Bell's house. I haven't seen them in awhile so it was fun to hang out a little. Joy & Shawn came down the street with their kids too. The kids all played in the basement and we had a nice time catching up! We got home, kids took showers, Levi got a bath and they all went to bed! I am relaxing for a bit and going to bed early myself. A couple late nights in a row make for a tired mom and kids!!!

January 28, 2011

2011-01-29T20:45:00.002-05:00

Friday...

The kids had a day off of school so I was hoping they would sleep in...no such luck! Last night we stayed up later than usual watching a movie...LEGO Adventures of Clutch Powers! It was a good movie. The boys really loved seeing all the LEGOS come alive! So...this morning Drew came in to wake me up a little before 7am and I sent him back to bed. After breakfast the kids and I got to work on cleaning the house...Alex worked on the Living room and the kids' bathroom, Drew worked on the boys' room and Autumn worked on her room. I did the rest of the house with Levi!!!

Around 10am one of Drew's classmates came over...Zeke with his mom (Kara) and two little brothers! It was fun! The kids played and had a ton of fun and I had some good conversation with Kara while we watched the little ones! We made lunch and then it was time for naps so they left and I laid Levi down. A couple hours later Ellen dropped off Josh, Hannah & Grace so she could take Emily on her Girl Scout Camping Trip! Rob picked up the 3 boys and took them to the Plymouth Whalers game with friends (Dennis, Dominic & Antonio). The girls watched a movie and I had fun playing with Levi & Grace. They are so funny together! Another great day...but SUPER busy!

January 26, 2011

2011-01-26T21:43:00.002-05:00

Another busy day for me...

Got up to get the kids ready to school and wasn't sure if I would go to my Bible Study (Coffee Break at Fellowship Church in South Lyon). It's a great study and I LOVE the Moms in the group. I dropped off the kids at school and decided if I got home quick I could take a shower and still make in time for the 10am study. I was SO glad I went. I spent some time with my friend Lisa running some errands and the rest of the afternoon with Craig and Levi...great day overall!

LEVI...I have been trying for MONTHS to get Levi to use sign language to say "Please". He would always just look at me or whine to get what he wanted. Today Craig was on the phone with his brother and talking about Girl Scout COOKIES. Levi heard that word and went to the gate asking for a cookie. When we didn't respond cause we didn't really know what he wanted...he came over to me on the couch and did the "Please" sign!!! My heart melted and I realized what he was asking for...of course we gave him a cookie! Later on this evening he heard the kids asking for dessert and a cookie and did the same thing to Craig...so cute! He finally gets it!!! OR he is figuring out we melt when he does those new things!!!

I LOVE being a mom!! Greatest, but hardest job there is. I read this quote from Charles Swindoll in my Bible Study book today (Training Up A Mom By Vollie Sanders)...

"There is no more influential or powerful role on earth that a mother's. As significant as political, military, educational, or religious figures may be, none can compare to the impact made by mothers. Their words are never fully forgotten, their touch leaves an indelible impression, and the memory of their presence lasts a lifetime."

Wow...that is a LOT to take in.

January 25, 2011

2011-01-26T21:33:00.002-05:00

Had a quiet day at home with Craig and Levi. Got some rest and some laundry done. Even made a run to Kroger for groceries! I've been fighting a head cold and didn't want to do anything, but was glad I pushed through and got the stuff done while Craig was home to take care of Levi.

On the way home from picking up the kids from school I asked them what game they wanted to play, gave instructions on what needed to happen once we got in the door (backpacks, lunch bags, homework folders, etc...). I really struggle with the whole homework thing! Thank God my kids don't get much homework each night, but the do all have to spend some time reading. I feel like the evenings go by so fast and a lot of the nights I am just too tired to deal with it all. With Levi, dinner, dishes, getting ready for the next school day, showers, baths, etc...it can be overwhelming. Since Craig was home I decided to take the time to really spend some quality time with the 3 older kids. Alex got the Sorry game ready, I put a log in the fireplace and we all sat around playing the game while Craig graciously made dinner (spaghetti...yum)!! It was a special time for us and so easy when Levi was still napping! After the game we had some time to read so each one of the read to me by the fire. That one on one time is so important...I've known that for a long time, just didn't always take the time to do it. It isn't always possible when Craig is traveling, but I am going to make a HUGE effort in taking at least 15 minutes for each Alex, Drew & Autumn!!!

Going to bed early in hopes that I get a good night sleep tonight. Levi has been waking up in the night the last few nights and staying awake for almost 2 hours crying. Poor kid. Teething is NOT fun!!!

January 24, 2011

2011-01-24T12:24:00.002-05:00

It's a brand new year and the first month is almost over...

I want to take a little time each day to just jot down what we've accomplished, struggled with, are blessed with...but I just don't take the time to do it. Here we go again...another attempt at blogging!!! I've realized it doesn't have to be long, or perfect with pictures every day...just memories!!!

Today it's been quiet around the house. It's snowing again so a perfect day to stay inside! Craig went to work this morning for a short out and back and should be home later this afternoon/evening. The 3 Neville kids are at school so it's just me & Levi! We enjoyed some play time this morning looking at books and playing with Little People! I am looking forward to the K-2nd grade concert tonight! Autumn is excited to wear her pretty Christmas dress and Drew doesn't care what he wears!!!

Yesterday we went to church at Walled Lake Central and it was good to see some friends and worship together. After church Autumn went home with Ellen and Josh came home with us! The boys played video games the whole time. It wasn't long until we had to head out to Alex's Flag Football game. His team is the Buccaneers! He LOVES this sport! They lost their game, but Alex did get a breakaway and scored a touchdown! He is really fast out there on the field! I love watching my boys play sports! Autumn, my little Daisy Scout had fun selling her cookies and we sold 71 boxes...not too bad. I volunteered to be the "Cookie Mom" and took some time last night to put the order in the system...I think it was around 640 boxes we sold as a troop!

Time to clean up the kitchen from breakfast...

1st Day of School & Fall Sports begin...

2010-09-13T14:51:00.011-04:00

School started over a week ago and so did fall sports...

This is the first time I have really had time to sit down and blog. Our first day of school is great! the kids were up early and excited to get ready for their first day. Craig was out of town Monday night to Tuesday morning and was supposed to get home AFTER I left to take the kids....which means Levi was going with me! We took our pictures by the fireplace and started to load the mommy bus (our minivan) and Craig pulled up. I was so thankful...he kept Levi and I could concentrate more on the kids and making their day special. We got to school and walked Alex to his locker at Mrs. Freels class. Next we walked Autumn to Mrs. Hagerty's class and finally Drew to Ms. Isaac's class. All 3 kids were happy about their teachers and had a few friends in their class from last year. A great start to the new year.

After I got the kids settled, I went to Katie Swaggerty's house...her oldest Ethan was starting at Hardy (our school) this year in Kindergarten. I watched Katie's other two boys (Luke & Malachi) while she took Ethan up to school to meet Mrs. Thomas (Drew's teacher last year who we really loved)! I had so much fun with the boys and was again thankful Craig had Levi with him at home. Luke, Malachi and I were playing Candy Land, reading books, and playing with their trains. Once Katie got home I left to go pick up Levi and head back to school for the noon pick up. The kids were all smiling when I picked them up excited to tell me about their first day. We had to take turns talking!! We went to Wendy's with Lisa McCormick and her kids and got a yummy lunch to celebrate! Craig made our favorite Homemade Chicken Nuggets for dinner, I went through all the paperwork the kids brought home and it was a GREAT day/evening!

Now a week later...the kids are still LOVING school and I am so thankful for that. I am enjoying my time with Levi and Craig when he is home. We are in the full swing of baseball for Alex and soccer for Drew. Autumn's Daisy Troop will be starting later this month.

I LOVE fall season!!!

Pictures...

Kids first day of School! So excited!

Alex - 3rd grade; Drew & Autumn - 1st grade!

Levi...Go Blue! & a day out with mom & dad!

Drew & his friend Jessi at soccer! Alex at baseball!

September Already???

2010-09-03T15:44:00.003-04:00

September is here. The summer is coming to an end. This is our final weekend before school starts on Tuesday. We had an adventurous summer vacation going lots of fun places. Tennessee, Atlanta, Chicago, Up North, Mackinac Island, Turtle Cove Water Park, Skate Park, movies, bowling, birthday parties, etc...

While in Mackinac Island with our friends...Autumn got her hair cut! It looks adorable and fits her sassy personality just right!!!

The last 2 weeks my parents have been taking one kid at a time (my 3 and Ellen's 3 big kids) to spend the night, go out to eat, pick out a new school outfit, and then while nana was sleeping in the next day, papa would take that kid on a special adventure. Autumn was the first to go. She spent the night on Sunday and Grandma Donor was still in Michigan so she got to take her to the airport and go pick out her clothes at Kohl's. She came home SO excited about her pretty skirt and shirt! Mommy approved...she did good! Drew was next...he went on Monday night and had fun picking out a motor cross shirt and skate board shirt and eating dinner at Logan's Steakhouse. He said it was the best place ever cause he could throw peanut shells on the floor! The next morning he was going to roller blade while papa jogged. Drew woke up with a headache and was sick to his stomach. He laid around and papa took care of him. That afternoon he came home and slept for almost 3 hours then he woke up feeling fine. We figured out he has been getting migraines that can be caused from disturbance in his sleep patterns. Alex went next. They went to Chee Burger, Chee Burger and then off to Kohl's again. He picked out a Motor Cross shirt and 3 piece Star Wars sweat suit. The next morning they went on a long bike ride to get some good exercise. Alex loved it! Talk about special memories with nana & papa. My parents are great! Since Drew was sick and didn't get to go roller blading...when it was Josh's turn and he picked going to the skate park, Alex & Drew got to go too and they had a grand old time!!!

We went up to the school yesterday to see the postings of the classes and who the kids will have for teachers this year. Alex has Mrs. Freel, Drew has Ms. Issac, and Autumn has Mrs. Hagerty! I am excited for the year to come and all the things they will learn, friends they will make, and milestones we will see. I can't believe that my Alex is starting 3rd grade and Drew & Autumn are starting 1st grade. To top it off...Levi is going to be 1 year old in 8 short weeks! Levi is crawling all over the place and pulling himself up. He has even taken a few steps already. He has 6 teeth now (4 on top, 2 on bottom). Everybody is growing up!!! :(

For some reason I can't move the pictures so they will stay at the top for now!!!

May flew by and it's already June....

2010-06-12T20:53:00.003-04:00

Wow! May flew by and June is here!

We were busy in May with soccer and baseball!

Drew is an all-star on the soccer field. He played on the Astros team and scored at least 5 goals each game! At the end of the season his coach got each player a trophy and took them to Dairy Queen to get anything they wanted! My son of course goes for the BIG banana split! I was standing there quietly trying to talk him into something else like maybe just a blizzard...then the coaches wife heard Drew ask for the banana split and said he could get anything. So, Drew and the coach both got one! He ate every bite and was very proud!

Alex has been playing baseball for the first time and likes it. Papa agreed to coach his team and that made it more fun and special for Alex. It helped me out too since the soccer and baseball schedules conflicted quite a bit. There team is called the Bulls. Alex has been playing 2nd base and outfield. He is doing good hitting the ball too!

Autumn is my little helper. She goes to the sporting events to help me cheer the boys on! She is a HUGE help with Levi. One day I wasn't feeling too good and I was laying on the couch. She wanted to change Levi's diaper for me...she did a great job from start to finish! She likes to help me feed him his cereal and food too! A little mommy's helper for sure!

Levi is almost 8 months old...I can't even believe it! He is such a joy to have around. He loves to smile and laugh! He is a good baby and I'm thankful for that! The only thing we still have to work on is Levi drinking from a bottle so he can be left with a babysitter sometime...mommy needs a little time away every once in a while...I'm only asking for a couple hours!!! The other day Levi was cranky and I felt his bottom gums and there was a tooth starting to poke out! He loves to sit and play with toys, cruise around in his walker, and he is starting to get up on all 4's...just a matter of days and he will be crawling and into everything!

We had a great week last week with Ryan here from Georgia! He got out of school in mid May so came up to spend a week with us. We kept him busy with baseball games, dropping off and picking up from school and everything else we throw into our weekly schedule! He was a huge help with Levi too and adored him!

The kids are out of school this Thursday the 17th and we are off to Tennessee the 26th... we can't wait for vacation! I have lots of ideas of fun things we can do this summer... hopefully we'll get it all accomplished and have some fun doing it. The kids are too quick to say they are bored so my plan is to have a bucket of chores they can pick from when they are "bored". Maybe they won't get bored as often and find things to do on their own!!!

APRIL 2010

2010-05-06T17:08:00.011-04:00

Looks like a once a month Blog entry is all I'm getting to these days...

April was another busy month for our family! We had a lot of fun celebrating Easter, Spring Break and Birthday's!!!

Alex turned 8 on Easter Sunday! The kids and I drove down to Chris & Mandy's after church for lunch and an Easter Egg Hunt! Nana & Papa met us there and joined us just in time for the egg shaped cake! My big boy Alex is really 8 years old! Wow...I can't believe it! Just this morning we were driving to school and he said something about going to school everyday and I told him just a few more weeks and he will be on summer break and be an official 3rd grader...then I stopped and said, "Alex, I can't even say those words...it's too hard! You are growing up too fast!"

Over spring break we enjoyed some fun activities with friends...play dates, swimming at the Canton Summit with nana & papa, Bowling on Friday once daddy Craig was home. My friend Salena turned 30 so her hubby planned a great surprise party that Saturday! It was a great spring break. Originally we had hoped to travel to Tennessee for part of the week, but it didn't work out with Craig's schedule so I didn't know how the week would go with the kids home...we stayed busy!!!

My nephew Eli turned the BIG 1 year old on the 15th and we had a party in Perrysburg, OH on the 17th. It was a lot of fun to see everyone and watch him open his gifts and eat his cupcake!! After we left the party my parents joined the kids and I at Splash Universe for the night...it is an indoor water park in Dundee, MI. We got a family fun suite with a king size bed in one room, 2 bunks in another and a little living space! The kids loved playing at the park, swimming in the pool, and just having fun! We were tired by the time we got home on Sunday!

The boys have started baseball and soccer for the spring season. Alex is on the South Lyon Junior League...Bulls team! My dad is coaching so that is a lot of fun for him! It is a blessing to me since my dad can drive him to practices and I don't have to sit there with the other kids. Drew is on the South Lyon Rec soccer league on the Astors team...he is a super star out there! He missed the first game because he was sick and the next week he scored 5 goals...the other parents and coach said he was not allowed to miss anymore games! He was proud of that!!! Autumn isn't playing any sports this season, but she is my big helper around the house. She LOVES to play with Levi! One day I was not feeling good and Craig was out of town so she asked if she could change Levi's diaper...she did it from start to finish and did a great job!

On Sunday, April 25th we had the April birthday party at Ellen's house and celebrated Alex, Hannah, Ellen & Chris' birthdays! It was a fun day! Spending time with ALL 10 cousins!

Levi is now 6 months old! I can't believe a 1/2 year has gone by already! He is adorable of course and doing so many new things each week. When Craig is gone on a trip and comes home, he notices more than me the new things Levi is doing. He loves to walk around the house in his walker now. He is sitting up and playing with toys! Levi is a chatter box always talking and laughing. He has the best giggle around. I love it when he is giggling so hard he closes his eyes! Adorable!!! (if I may say so myself)...

Craig and I...same old, same old...he continues to work hard to provide for our family and I am at home with the kids enjoying the time I have with them while they are still little. I am thankful for his days off and the help he gives me around here. He helps with the running back and forth to school and cooking our meals! I am so blessed! I mapped out a couple routes around the neighborhood and started walking...would love to turn that into running eventually...we'll see!

What a month April was...and to think it's only the beginning of May and our calendar is FULL! Baseball games start on the 11th and go twice a week until July. Soccer continues for the month of May. School is winding down and we are getting excited about summer vacation, hopefully a visit from Ryan and our trip to Tennessee!

See you next month!!!

2010-03-29T18:21:00.004-04:00

Wow...another month has passed. March has been a busy month...not that every other month isn't busy for our family of 7!

My birthday was on the 11th...the kids had a full day of school so while they were at school, Craig and Levi took me out to lunch. When we picked up the kids from school we stopped for ice cream on the way home and had dessert before dinner! Levi was laying down for a nap in the morning that day and was fighting it and all of a sudden rolled over from his tummy to his back! He hasn't done it since, so that was a nice little b-day gift :)

I have been watching Grace every Tuesday from 12 to 4pm while Ellen takes the other kids to their reading class. Autumn loves to help me and one week Grace was crying and Levi was hungry so Autumn sat in the rocker and Grace sat with her and fell asleep...it was special!

My friend Lori and her family rented out a roller rink to celebrate birthday's in their family and they invited us to come and I invited Kathy Maurer and her kids...we drove all the way out to Monroe to roller skate but it was a lot of FUN! The kids did pretty good on skates. Drew was on blades and loved it! I even got on skates and pushed Levi in the stroller. It was great because there weren't a whole lot of people there.

Levi is now 5 months old and as cute as can be! He is sleeping really good at night...about 10 hours. He is taking 2, sometimes 3 naps each day. He loves to play in his exersaucer and is now eating rice cereal with applesauce and some squash. He is finally getting the hang of eating off the spoon.

We've had a fun month of spending time with friends and hanging out with family! We are blessed! Now we are looking forward to Easter on Sunday, Alex's birthday, and Nana & Papa returning from Florida (it's been too long), Spring Break and some fun activities to keep us busy, the warm weather and start of spring sports! Alex will be playing baseball and Papa is coaching so they are excited about that. Drew is playing soccer! Autumn, Levi & I will go from sport to sport and cheer them on!

4 months old already...

2010-02-28T19:10:00.005-05:00

Levi is 4 months old!!!

He is doing so many new things...he likes to play with his little toys now and can get them into his mouth to suck on. He likes to sit up more in his swing to see what's going on around him.

Levi finally got to meet his big brother Ryan while we were in Georgia for our winter vacation!

He did such a great job at Magic Kingdom and riding in the car from Michigan to Georgia to Florida and back again!

He got a new Bumbo seat from his friend Brody and he likes to sit up in it and play some.

He also got a Johnny Jump Up from Grandpa & Memaw Pritchett and he is getting use to jumping and playing in that too!

He is on a great schedule for me...sleeps 10 hours at night and takes (2) 2 hour naps and then one shorter one sometime in the evening.

He is a joy to have around...smiling and cooing and giggling! The kids enjoy the challenge of making him smile and entertaining him!

Time is flying by once again and I wish I could stop it right here for awhile... I have to make his 4 month check-up appointment to find out how much he has grown...

Pictures from our winter vacation...

2010-02-28T18:52:00.006-05:00

Here are a few pictures from our trip!

Craig with his 2 boys...Ryan & Levi!

The Pritchett men...

4 generations...Grandma Crum, Memaw, Daddy & Levi!

The 5 kids...we took family portraits while in Georgia! This is one of 123 the photographer took!

Ready for a day at the Magic Kingdom!

The girls (plus Eli) waiting for Chef Mickey!

Levi & Grace in their t-shirts!

Chef Mickey!

Waiting for our turn on Thunder Mountain!

Chef Goofy with all the kids!

Nana & Papa with Levi!

Winter Vacation....Part 2

2010-02-28T18:26:00.002-05:00

Our fun winter vacation continued when we got to FLORIDA! We went to my Aunt Debbie & Uncle Rich's house for a few days and spent some time with them. The kids got to meet their new dog, Molly! We met up with grandma Neville one day and the kids went to McDonald's and bowling! They loved it!

Saturday we made our way to the Bonnet Creek Resort (Wyndham Vacation Club)! It is always a fun and great place to spend some time...we were bummed with the cold weather. It wasn't warm enough for shorts or swimsuits, but that didn't stop the kids and Uncle Robby from going swimming (in the heated pool)!

Sunday we had Breakfast with Chef Mickey at the Contemporary Hotel! Yummy food and fun times with the characters visiting each table! Levi wasn't so sure about all the characters! After our lunch we went to Downtown Disney in search of toys!!! Alex & Drew both got LEGOS from the Lego store...no surprise there! Autumn went with her cousins (Emily & Hannah) and they picked out princess gloves with a little purse and a stuffed animal (Pooh Bear)! Levi got his first Mickey Mouse! The ladies once again made a trip to Wal-Mart for the groceries.

Monday was a relaxing day...we drove about a half hour to see Grandma Neville's new house in Florida. She made us lunch and we got to drive around and see her new community. It looked like a great place for her and Molly! When we got back from there the kids went swimming and we got ready for Tuesday's day at Magic Kingdom!

Tuesday at Magic Kingdom!!! We left the resort around 8am! After we parked, walked to the gate, redeemed our "Give a Day, Get a Day" vouchers, took the boat to the island, and went through security...we were all set for our day. First stop was the Buzz Lightyear ride! I stayed with Levi & Grace while everyone else went on the ride. Levi slept for about 3 hours that morning and I was glad since it was cold and he stayed warm in his carseat/stroller! It was a long day of rides and lines and potty breaks and diaper changes, but we had a great time! I couldn't believe how much the kids loved the roller coasters. Space Mountain was a little scary to me, but Drew & Autumn LOVED it! They couldn't wait to go again!

Wednesday was another day at the resort. The ladies went to the outlets for a little bit to help my mom pick out clothes for all the spring birthday's. My dad and Rob took the kids on a scavenger hunt the resort was hosting. They had fun! Mom & I drove down to my aunts house to pick up my grandma Donor for dinner. It was a great night...we had dinner and celebrated mine & Colin's birthday a little early since my parents are still in Florida for the month of March!

Thursday was another day at the Magic Kingdom. My mom was super tired and decided to stay at the resort and get much needed rest. The rest of us headed out again at 8am and were home by 9pm...my dad left around 4pm to meet up with my mom for my Aunt Debbie's surprise 50th b-day party! My uncle Rich had flown in their best friends and grandkids the Vitarelli's!

Friday was pack up day and one last day to swim and relax! That night our 3 bedroom condo was filled with: 10 kids (age 10 to 3), 4 babies and 13 adults...yes, 27 people! It was packed, chaotic and loud, but a lot of fun! We had dinner to celebrate Aunt Debbie's birthday!

Saturday we packed up and headed north...Craig & I drove to his parents in Marietta, GA for the night. We got there around 3pm and had some time with his 2 nieces (Ariel & Amber) and his aunts and uncle. We went to bed early to wake up at 3am and head home to Michigan.

Wow...a busy 2 weeks for sure! It was good to be home and sleep in our own beds! Drew was so excited to go to bed that night! The kids were excited to go to school (well, Drew & Autumn were). The next morning we woke up to 6 inches of snow and "No School...Snow Day!" We stayed in our pj's all day and I caught up on laundry and did some unpacking...

Great memories once again of Winter Vacation :)

Winter Vacation...Part 1

2010-02-09T10:07:00.004-05:00

We packed up on Thursday, February 4th and at 3:00am on Friday the 5th we set out for our drive to Atlanta. We made it to Craig's parents house by evening with only 4 stops on the way. Levi and the kids did great! We did have some van problems going through Tennessee. We could smell some fluid and pulled over at a gas station in the rain. Once we got to Atlanta Craig took it in and it was the heater coil (don't ask me what that is)! 3 days and $500 later we got our van back.

Friday night we were exhausted so spent a few minutes visiting with Ryan then we all went to bed. Saturday morning it was fun to see Ryan and Levi together and the other kids too! Some of Craig's family came over for a visit in the afternoon for lunch. Once everyone left, it was time to head out to the American Girl store. Memaw (Craig's mom), Autumn, Levi and I went to the store so Autumn could buy Lanie the new doll that she has been saving her money for! She was so excited! We went on the carousel at the mall and had dinner in the food court. It was a fun evening out for us girls (and Levi of course) !!!

Sunday we had family pictures scheduled at 10:00am so the morning was bust getting everyone ready...they turned out great! The rest of the afternoon and evening was spent relaxing and playing. Grandpa took the boys and me to Target so they could pick out their special toy since Autumn got an extra outfit for her doll at American Girl. The boys both got 3 little LEGO sets so the were busy when we got home.

Monday was a low key day just hanging around. Autumn and Drew came to Atlanta fighting a cold and Memaw and Craig ended up with it so with everyone not feeling the best, it was good to just relax some. Craig made a big breakfast and I slept in some! For dinner, Craig and I took the kids to Chuck E Cheese! They had fun and we ate yummy pizza!!!

Tuesday...today we are just hanging out again. Trying to get everyone healthy. We are thinking about some roller skating later this afternoon or something fun for the kids to release some energy. It's a little chilly here and raining today so not a great time to play outside. Tomorrow morning we are headed down to Florida. The plan is to stay at my Aunt Debbie's until Saturday. The kids will have some time to see their grandma Neville since she moved down here near Orlando. Hopefully the weather will be a little warmer so we can take some walks and enjoy some fresh air. I am thankful we are down south and not home for the 10 inches of snow that is supposed to fall today!

Project Linus Blanket...

2010-01-09T22:04:00.016-05:00

Today was a fun day at our house...

Through Disney's Give-A-Day, Get-A-Day...we did Project Linus Blankets. We made no-sew blankets to give to this charity that takes the blankets to babies and kids in the hospital...it was a great opportunity for our kids to be involved in giving to someone else (especially after the holidays and all the stuff they were given)!!! You sign up for a charity and then Disney sends you a voucher for a free ticket into one of the parks once you have completed your project. Sounded easy and would save LOTS of money when we go in February!

My parents came over around noon, we picked up Ellen and the ladies went to Wal-Mart to buy the fleece and some snacks...we were making 10 blankets total. We got back to my house where all the kids were waiting and started cutting and tying knots! The kids did great! They got the hang of it and went to town...

After we finished the 10 blankets we needed to make, we took the leftover material and made each of the girls a Bitty Baby blanket and then the 6 kids got a little blanket for their Webkinz, dolls...etc... and Ellen and I made little ones for Grace & Levi too!

Such a great way to give back to others...we all decided even if we weren't getting something in return...we want to do it again next year or later on this year. The blankets really are simple to make and with the assembly line we had going, it went smoothly!

Enjoy the pictures...

Ellen and mom cutting the fleece and nana teaching the girls how to tie the knots.

Dad cutting more fleece and Alex & I working on knots!

Ellen helping Drew & Josh get started.

The girls and I working hard...Rob & the girls working hard!

The girls with one of their finished blanket!

The boys with one of their finished blankets!

The end of 2009...

2009-12-31T08:41:00.023-05:00

It is December 31st...the day people look back on the last year and think about the changes they want to make for the new year or the memories good and bad from last year...

Our November flew by with birthday's and visitors to meet Levi. Drew & Autumn turned 6 years old on the 16th. I can't believe they are 6 years old already. I know every parent says that every year another birthday comes for one of their kids...it's amazing how much they have grown over the last year. They are both doing excellent in school and love Kindergarten. I am so proud of them both! Memaw and Grandpa Pritchett came on the 18th and stayed until the 23rd...it was so fun to have them around to meet their new grandson and spend time with ALL of us! My grandma came for the Thanksgiving weekend and we had a great time with her. On the 28th we had a family party to celebrate all the November birthdays...Craig, Drew, Autumn & my mom! Busy month!!!

December came and flew by too with all the holiday activities! The kids had concerts at school, Drew & Autumn sang at church while Alex and Levi played a wise man and baby Jesus on stage for a special song, our Ring family Christmas, Christmas with their dad & grandpa, grandma & Uncle Jeff, a trip to Erie to see our family on both the Donor & Ring sides, papa's birthday...wow, it has been busy. To top it off...Levi is already 2 months old and growing so much. He is now 12 lbs and 11 oz and in the 75th percentile!!! My big chubby bubby!

I am looking forward to what God has for our family in 2010...there were some really great moments from 2009 and some hardships and not so great moments. The one thing I know is that God is my strength and the one that gets us ALL through the hard times. I am determined to look at the positive happy moments of 2009 and leave behind the hard ones...

January...A new year!
February...Winter vacation to Atlanta, the beach in Fort Myers and of course to Disney!!!
March...my birthday and finding out I was pregnant!
April...Easter and celebrating Jesus' resurrection and the birth of my nephew...Eli Daniel Ring!
May...Spring after a long winter!
June...Ryan's visit to Michigan and our family trip to Tennessee!
July...Camping with Bella & her boys, soccer camp for Alex and a trip to Erie for a family wedding!
August...a trip to Chicago with Autumn and my niece's birth...Grace Anne Phail!
September...kids starting school and our Anniversary trip to Mackinac Island!
October...the birth of my baby boy...Levi Isom!!!
November...visits from family, birthday parties and being THANKFUL for everything we have!
December...celebrating the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!

Wow...actually writing it all out...I am truly blessed and have so many great memories from 2009!

Craig's Birthday!

2009-11-10T09:01:00.005-05:00

On Saturday, November 7th Craig turned 43!

Our day started with my dad picking up the 3 big kids to take them out for the day. After they left, I fed the baby, Craig and I got ready and we went out for a bit. We stopped at a few stores to pick up a few things Craig was wanting with his birthday money! It was such a beautiful day here in Michigan that we stopped at our favorite park in Northville, put Levi in the stroller and went for a little walk and sat on a bench by our favorite stream. After a little bit in the park we headed home. We enjoyed the quiet afternoon with Levi and then my parents brought the kids back and we all had some Rice Krispie Treats (Craig's favorite) and hung out for a little bit.

Overall...a great day to celebrate an incredible man, husband, and dad! I am so blessed to have found a man of God who loves me and takes care of me like he does. He stepped into this family as the head of the house and took on 3 little kids! That is amazing right there!!! Now I get to watch him take care and love our sweet baby boy! God is good!

A few pictures from our day:
Levi in his "Daddy's Champ" outfit!

Introducing...Levi Isom Pritchett!

2009-11-07T10:57:00.014-05:00

Wow...what a busy few weeks we have had...

On Monday, October 26th I started having some regular contractions that weren't super strong. Tuesday evening they were really strong but not very consistent...very confusing! By Wednesday morning, they stopped all together (after keeping me up most of the night with some strong pains). By 4pm when I was picking up the kids from school the contractions came back and I called the doctor so I could see what they thought before the office closed for the day. The doctor on call at the hospital said to come on in! Craig and I got our stuff ready and dropped off the kids at Ellen's house on our way to the hospital. We checked in and my contractions were really strong and only 3 to 4 minutes apart. My parents met us at the hospital. The nurse checked me and said I was already dilated to 4 or 5 and we would be prepping for the c-section within the hour! Everything went really fast....Craig and my parents prayed for the delivery and off I went to the O.R.

By 8:54pm Levi Isom Pritchett was born!
He weighed 7 pounds and measured 20 inches!
What a joy and blessing!!!

I was back in my hospital room fairly quickly and the Proud Daddy, Nana & Papa all took turns holding Levi!

Soon after, my dad went to my house to re-leave Rob who had taken the kids home and put them to bed for school the next day. Dad stayed at my house and mom went home to get a good nights sleep! On Thursday we had some friends and family visit to meet Levi! Bella, Robyn, and Salena all came. Nana and Aunt Ellen came too. After school the kids came to meet their baby brother! They stayed at Nana & Papa's house for a few days until we came home from the hospital...what a blessing it was to know that my other 3 kids were well taken care of so I could concentrate on Levi and healing myself. THANKS mom & dad!!!

By Saturday, October 31st...we were ready to go home and get settled in!

We have had some sleepless nights and some nights where Levi has amazed us and done really well...we are working a schedule that will help the whole family especially when Craig goes back to work at the end of the month....we are blessed beyond measure that Craig can be home until the 24th of November. We have had many visitors dropping off meals and coming to meet Levi since we came home... The Phail family came over on Sunday to meet the newest member of the family! It was funny to see just how big Grace (the little one) was next to the new little one, Levi!

On the 18th Grandpa & Memaw Pritchett are arriving from Atlanta to meet their new grandson and they will be with us for a few days! Big brother Ryan is planning to come in December for a week during his Christmas break! We can't wait!

What a miracle and blessing a new baby is to a family! God is so good and faithful!

This time next week...

2009-10-25T19:30:00.002-04:00

Let's see...this time next week I will be relaxing some in between last minute preparations. It is a weird feeling knowing that next Monday (Nov 2nd) I will be going to the hospital to have my little baby boy! I can't wait! Part of me would love to go into labor early and have him sooner...I am a bit uncomfortable and getting anxious to finally meet him. The other part of me likes the fact that it's scheduled and all planned out...my parents are set to be here to help with the kids, I already made lists and notes to make things run smoother for my parents and Craig once we get home from the hospital.

BUT, God has His own timeline for things and I am ready for whatever He has for us. We will see what this week and the weeks to come bring for our family. It will be a busy end of the year for sure. Craig is planning to take off the first 3 weeks of November to help me out with the kids and be here with the baby. Drew & Autumn have their 6th birthday on the 16th. His parents are flying in the 18th to 23rd to meet their new grandson. Then there is Thanksgiving weekend and the Ring family November birthday party! My grandma Donor will be here that busy weekend. Then we are into December with Christmas Concerts at school, Autumn's cheer-leading competition, Ryan coming for a visit the 19th until Christmas, and all the Christmas celebrations......what a great way to end the year...surrounded by family!

Only 3 more weeks...

2009-10-10T20:11:00.003-04:00

Wow! Time is flying by and I only have 3 more weeks until I get to hold and kiss my baby boy! November 2nd seemed so far away and now it's so close! I can hardly wait!

Craig and I have been working on the room little by little. Last weekend my mom and I went to Micheal's for a few things and she helped me put some decorations together and then Craig helped hang them on the walls...I love the room! I walk back there throughout the day and sit in the rocking chair and look around. It's so fun and exciting! Craig's parents went onto our registry and bought some stuff for the baby...I have been dreaming about the boxes arriving and I am hoping they come by Monday!

A few weeks ago our church was hosting a Marrieds Getaway to Mackinac Island from Friday to Sunday! Craig and I thought it would be fun since he has never been there and I have never stayed there...with our 2nd Anniversary coming the end of October, we thought we would celebrate early and take the trip... my parents watched the kids and we had a great time. With only horse & buggy, biking or walking on the island...we didn't have too many options. I got a lot of walking in that weekend, but it was relaxing and fun and well worth it! It was the last trip before baby!

One of the pictures came out really blurry...but I still love it!
Other updates...

The boys are both in soccer. Drew's team: The Rockets is coached by Papa (my dad) and cousin Hannah is on the team! It's so fun to watch them play. They are a great team! Drew has scored each game so far and is really into it. Alex's team: The Wizards is doing great too! He is a dominant force on that field and plays most of the game. This season for Alex, they have a goalie which makes it a little harder to score, but he still gets a couple goals each game!

Autumn decided to try cheer leading! She had her first practice last Monday and loved it! It's through Young Champions! We are going to order her pom poms and uniform this next week!

Everyone is doing great in school and still loves to be there! Drew & Autumn wish they could go everyday instead of just 2 1/2! Oh well! They are making friends and really growing up! Autumn has lost 3 teeth since starting school. Drew hasn't lost any, but really wants to! The kids are LOVING the new Wednesday night program at church...Kids Quest! I love how much they are learning and are so excited about it! They take pride in knowing their Bible Verses each week!

We took some time this afternoon to go over to Three Cedars Farm and enjoy the fall season as a family! The kids jumped and played all around then we all got Cider & Donuts! Yummy! Now I feel like the fall season is complete...

Guess that's it around here...we are busy with a full schedule right now, but things will definitely slow down next month when the baby comes!

Back to School...

2009-09-09T07:19:00.006-04:00

Well...we had an absolutely fabulous summer and now the kids are back to school! We did so many fun things and went a lot of different places...it was a busy summer!

Last Tuesday was our first day back to school and it was great! Alex had a 1/2 day and Drew & Autumn just went to meet their teacher and actually started school Wednesday! Kindergarten in our school district is 2 full days and 1- 1/2 day so they will be in school All day Monday and Thursday and Wednesday afternoon. Our school switched start and ending times so school starts at 9am and gets out about 4pm...that is late, but it's working for us so far!

Alex is now in 2nd grade and has a new teacher named Mrs. Alleman! She is really nice and so far he is happy in his class. Drew has Mrs. Thomas and Autumn has Mr. Lloyd. Alex had Mr. Lloyd when he was in Kindergarten too!

I have enjoyed some time with Craig and some time to myself getting things done at home, running errands, or just being lazy! I am enjoying the time while I have it cause in just 7 more weeks I'll be taking care of a baby! Hard to believe the baby will be here that soon....at the same time, I'm ready. I am starting to get a little uncomfortable. He is a growing boy and still very active inside!

Girls Weekend To Chicago...

2009-08-10T18:43:00.005-04:00

Autumn and I had a fabulous weekend with friends in Chicago! Autumn's friend Brieana (my friend Lisa's little girl) was celebrating her birthday at American Girl and we were invited! There were 8 little girls (mostly cousins) and 6 adults!

Our Adventure:

Friday, August 7th at 6:30am...left our house for the Ann Arbor Amtrak station... We rode the train to Chicago and got there around 12:30pm. We took a taxi to our hotel...The Embassy Suites right downtown! We got settled in and headed to the Rainforest Cafe for a late lunch, early dinner! The girls loved it all! We went back to the hotel and swam in the pool for a little bit before showers, matching Bitty Baby Pj's, popcorn and a movie! The hotel gave Brieana and her sister Bailey a really cute doll bed for their babies and Autumn wanted one too...so mommy bought her one from the hotel! It was adorable to watch them play and tuck their dolls in. The girls were pretty tired and so were the adults so we tucked them in pretty early and all got a good nights sleep!

Saturday, August 8th at 7:30am...we woke up and the girls enjoyed playing with their Bitty Babies and American Girl dolls for awhile. Then we headed downstairs to the yummy breakfast buffet! We got ready for the party at American Girl! Took a taxi to the store and the fun began! Most of the girls had never been to American Girl and it was overwhelming for a lot of them....so much to see! Each girl brought some money from home to spend on clothing, accessories, and even some new dolls! Autumn and I walked around the whole store and she changed her mind many times, but finally decided on an outfit for her American Girl doll instead of Bitty Baby! She go the beach outfit which came with a bathing suit, pants & top, hat, and sunglasses....so cute! At 12:15pm we went into the Cafe and had a great lunch! They had a table for the 8 girls and a table for the 6 adults! Our waiter served Cinnamon Rolls to start then brought out yummy Appetizer plates, lunch of their choice (all the girls got the Picnic Lunch with a mini hot dog, hamburger, mac-n-cheese, and fruit scewer! After lunch they brought out goodie bags and the cake! It was so much fun! We headed back to the hotel for presents and some rest! Some of the girls went swimming, a couple of them took a nap! Lisa and I had our girls do a few craft things to just relax some and then we headed out to the grocery store for a few items, walked to McDonald's for ice cream, then back to the hotel. Then we walked to the Disney Store and shopped a little there too! By the time we got back from the shopping, it was dinner time and we went over to the Chilis on the corner by our hotel! After that it was shower time again and hanging in the hotel until bedtime while the moms started to pack up all our stuff!

Sunday, August 9th at 7:30am...the girls woke up ready to play some more! We had another yummy breakfast at the hotel buffet and then packed up and got ready to go. It was a hot and muggy day outside! We got in the taxi, headed to the train station and made our way down 2 escalators with all our luggage and kids to get on the train...it was a little crazy! Once on the train, Lisa made PB & J sandwiches for everyone, we entertained the kids as best we could with their dolls, coloring books, and a few had DS's...the train ride home was the hardest because we were all tired and ready to be home. We got to the station in Ann Arbor around 6:45pm (should've been 5:45pm). Autumn and I went to Ellen's to pick up the boys, we came home and all enjoyed sleeping in our beds!!!

A great weekend filled with so many memories for Autumn and I! The boys were home with Craig until Sunday afternoon when he went to work and they went to Ellen's!

Weekend in Erie, PA.

2009-07-27T12:54:00.002-04:00

Friday after Alex's soccer camp the kids and I drove to my parents, loaded up into their car, and headed to Erie, PA. The kids and I stayed at Aunt Sue & Uncle Rick's and had a blast! We had dinner out on the back porch and the kids played outside. Later that evening my parents brought Aunt Debbie, Uncle Rich & Grandma Donor over for dessert! Stacy, Tom and 6 teenagers (plus Ringo the dog) came a little while later!

Saturday morning we woke up and Uncle Rick made some yummy waffles! We got ready and headed to the beach at the Peninsula! Alex decided to stay home with Aunt Sue and watched a movie, helped bake cookies and Aunt Sue taught him how to tie his shoes! He had a great time and the rest of us did too! It was cloudy and a little chilly, but the beach is always a fun place to be! We went back for lunch, I took a shower and got ready and off to my cousins wedding I went. Aunt Sue, Uncle Rick, Stacy & Tom watched the Neville & Phail kids during the wedding. The wedding was great! Stephanie was beautiful and Pat was so excited to marry his bride! We had a great dinner and lots of laughs around the table.

Sunday morning was another lazy morning with yummy muffins made by Aunt Sue. We cleaned up and packed up and around 11am the rest of the Ring family came over for a picnic. It was great to see Uncle Chuck & Aunt Mary, Uncle Tom & Aunt Carole, Grandma Ring and everyone else...around 3pm we loaded up back into the car and headed home. It was great to sleep in my own bed last night, but the trip was fun and memorable!

Another fun activity to add to our "What we did the summer of 2009!" list!!!

So much to do...so little time!

2009-07-19T18:31:00.005-04:00

The story of my life...so much to do, but so little time! I am trying really hard to plan ahead and be ready for this baby early November. I have been wanting to paint the baby room and organize everything in there. I have all of the boys clothes from 3T to 5 stacked on the floor and I need to get them into Rubbermaid containers and get them to my sister-in-law who will use them before I am ready again.

Yesterday Autumn was saying she was bored so I took the opportunity and the 2 of us went into her room with 2 garbage bags and got to work. We went through everything (except the closet) and organized, threw away, and cleaned up her room. She loved the end result and I did too. Now if I can only get her to truly understand the concept of "When you are done playing with something, put it away BEFORE you get something else out!"

Today I decided I would tackle Drew & Alex's room. They share a room now since we are preparing for the baby. They were in the same room for awhile with the toys in the extra room and in the last few months I moved them into bunk beds to have the floor space for their toys...you wouldn't think it would get so dirty so fast. Their room was worse then Autumn's. Probably because they have so many LEGOS and those little pieces were in everything. I worked for a good 2 hours this morning, left to pick up Alex from soccer camp, fed everyone lunch, went to the park, relaxed in front of the TV for an hour and got back to work...it still isn't completely done. I have 2 bags filled with junk and that makes me feel good.

The only problem is...I look around the rest of the house and see where I need to purge and organize too...I am going to start with the back half of the house (kids' rooms) and work my way to the master bedroom!

To Do List:
* finish the boys room
* clean out Autumn's closet (clothes from 3T to 5)
* get clothes out of the baby room
* paint baby's room
* bring in from the shed...car seat, swing, any other baby gear and clean it
* move dresser from Autumn's closet to baby room and organize Autumn's clothes on shelves
* put crib together and sell other crib on Craig's list or something (anybody have a friend or relative in need of a crib????)

That's a start...don't want to overwhelm myself too much! Plus, half the projects I will need Craig's help anyway and with his schedule it could take us awhile :)

Update on the Pritchett/Neville clan...

2009-06-17T15:22:00.005-04:00

Well...last time I blogged I mentioned that it had been too long and yet this has been a longer span of time. I want to get better at this and more consistent! I guess with Facebook I keep up with a lot of people, but I still want the blog to look back at years from now...here is our update:

Alex - turned 7 in April and finished 1st grade this month. He did great in school and made some good friends. Alex is really into reading "Chapter Books". I love his desire to read. He played soccer this spring and was a great asset to his team. He is signed up for a soccer camp with British Coaches this summer that he can't wait for.

Drew - finished preschool in May and also played soccer with Alex. They loved being on a team together. Drew keeps amazing me with his LEGO skills!

Autumn - also finished preschool in May. She has been in a gymnastics class with Drew and loves it. My sassy little girl! She loves to be in charge and always wants to be playing with friends...my social butterfly!

Craig - working faithfully to provide for this family! He still enjoys his job and travels to Atlanta at least once a month to see Ryan and his parents. When Craig isn't working he is home playing his trumpet and hanging with the family! Ryan finished his Freshmen year of high school and played every sport he could fit in his schedule. He is one busy guy! We were so thankful he fit in a week of time with us in Michigan. The kids loved having him here and Craig and I enjoyed having our whole family together!

Me - let's see...the big news...I am pregnant! 19 weeks right now and we just found out it's a BOY! I am feeling good and trying to keep up with the kids and keep them entertained. Feeling the baby kick and move around is always fascinating to me and I love it! I have a lot to do to get ready for the baby (paint the room, clean out the closet that became our storage area, wash baby clothes...)

Vacations - The kids and I were able to spend 2 weeks in Florida this past February. Craig had the first week off of work so we drove down to Atlanta and stayed a couple days, then we went to Fort Myers Beach, FL and stayed with my grandma a couple days...we had a lot of fun with family and then playing at the beach. We went to Orlando after that and stayed a few days with my aunt Debbie and uncle Rich. Craig flew home to work the 2nd week while the kids and I met up with my parents, Rob & Ellen, Chris & Mandy and all the kids at Disney World! It was a great week of fun! I have been getting ready this week for our annual trip to Pigeon Forge, TN! We leave Saturday morning to drive down for a week of family and fun! Craig's parents are meeting us there for a few days with Ryan and possibly our nieces (Amber & Ariel). The mountains is always a fun place to explore and make more memories!

Guess that's it...it's been a busy 1st half of the year! I am thankful for family and friends that surround us! I can't wait to see what the next 6 months of 2009 have for our family!

Time is flying by...

2008-12-19T11:00:00.009-05:00

October & November flew by and it's already Christmas! I have been busy with the kids and my schooling! I am thankful to make have made it through another semester...only 1 more class until graduation! Here is the update:

October was a fun month with trips to the apple orchard, halloween, the Alex & Drew were in soccer, and Autumn & Drew were in gymnastics, we did a fun family trip to Chicago to visit LEGO Land and American Girl, Craig and I celebrated our 1 year Anniversary....a busy month!

November was another busy month: Craig turned 42, Drew & Autumn turned 5, and we did a surprise party for my parents that are 60 this year (mom on Nov 19th and dad on Dec 27th). The party was so much fun! We got them to our house thinking they were going to help with a project in our shed. Ellen & her family and Chris & his family were all here and they were surprised! Then Aunt Debbie (my moms sister) from Florida came out and asked if they had a room she could stay in for a few days! It was great! We had babysitters lined up so we could all go out to dinner at the Melting Pot then we came back for presents, cake & ice cream!

December is here. Today we are home from school on a SNOW DAY! The kids were a little disappointed because it was their Holiday Parties at school, but have enjoyed staying in their pj's and being a little lazy around the house. We are all excited that tomorrow morning Ryan will be here for a few days! The snow came at a perfect time for Ryan to experience a real Michigan Christmas! The next few days will be busy with family and presents and celebrating! This is what our Holiday schedule looks like:

Sat 20th - Kids out with their dad, Ryan arrives!
Sun 21st - Kids sing at church, Christmas at my parents house!, Back to church for the special Christmas service
Mon 22nd - Our family Christmas!
Tues 23rd - Craig goes back to work until the 26th...Ryan, the kids and I will lay low and enjoy some time together
Wed 24th - Ryan and I fly to S. Carolina to get him home, I fly back, the kids spend the day with Grandma Neville and Uncle Jeff (home from Japan)
Thur 25th - Drive to Erie, PA to see my moms family
Fri 26th - another day in Erie, PA to see my dads family

My kids aren't lacking in the present department when they get to celebrate this much! God has been good to us this year and we are excited to see what HE has in store for us in 2009! We have been talking a lot about Christmas and what it is really all about :)

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a fun & safe holiday season!

Brownies...

2008-10-03T18:24:00.007-04:00

Ok...this is funny or at least it was so funny to me that I was crying and could barely talk as I was telling my sister and my friend Jen after we got home...

A little background first...Every school day I wait in the hallway at the entrance of the school with the other parents. The bell rings and the kids come walking down to us. With Alex being in 1st grade this year, a safety walks them down to us. He usually sees me and walks over with a hug. I always ask him about his day and we head out of the school after saying goodbye to friends and the moms I stand and chat with while waiting for the bell.

Today...I was picking up Josh & Emily too since Ellen had Drew & Autumn at her house with our friends Jen, Emma & Natalie! Josh & Emily got out first and came over to stand by me. Next thing I see is Alex walking down the hall and this is what happens...

Alex: "I'll be right be back mom."
Me: "Alex, where are you going?" (Alex keeps walking right past me)
Alex: looking back at me he says, "It's Brownie Day and I am going to get my Brownie!" (Big smile!)
Me: I turned and looked at another mom and started laughing and said, "He thinks he is getting a brownie and it's BROWNIES as in Girl Scouts!"
Alex: comes back with a sad face, "Mom, I lost the safety that was taking me for my brownie!" Me: "Alex, you don't get a brownie today..."
Josh: (big 9 year old cousin) "Alex, Brownies is for girls, it's not food!"
Alex: sad face and almost starts to cry...

Too funny...when his teacher said it was Brownie Day...he thought he was getting a brownie. I am kinda glad he got lost from the safety and didn't get all the way to the room full of girls looking for his brownie!

Poor little guy... He is just like his mom when it comes to sweets...if I was offered a Brownie I would follow the safety to get one too!

Proud Soccer Mom...

2008-10-03T18:19:00.005-04:00

I already told you all that I am a proud soccer mom...Drew & Alex have been tearing up the field at their games! It's so funny to watch them... Last night Alex played a game and was against his friend Brendin from school! He was so excited to play a team that he knew one of the players from. The score was 6 to 3 in favor of the Mustangs (our team)...as we were driving home Alex said, "Mom, the score was 6 to 3 and I scored ALL 6 of our goals!" He did too! The funny part was when a girl on the other team was going pretty fast down the field with the ball ready to shoot it at the goal...just as she kicks the ball, Alex comes out of nowhere and kicks it away from the goal...barely missing the goal post! We (the family) was of course going crazy in excitement for such a great save! He looks over at us and then runs to the goal and demonstrates his smooth move again! It was hilarious...

I love watching my boy so excited and passionate about something like soccer! It's good exercise and good to learn to work as a team...

Soccer Mom

2008-09-28T19:45:00.004-04:00

A busy season of soccer practices and games...

Drew had a game on Saturday at noon...it is so fun to watch these little preschoolers running around the field. A few of them just stand there watching while the others play. Drew made about 4 or 5 goals getting the ball at the one and taking it all the way to his goal. He is a champ! He just loves to turn and watch us as we all cheer him on...my kids are never lacking in the fan department at their games. Mommy (me), Daddy Craig, Autumn, Alex, Daddy, Nana, Papa, Aunt Ellen, Uncle Robby, Josh, Emily & Hannah were ALL there cheering Drew on! He would turn to us with the biggest grin! I will post pictures when I get them from my mom...

I love being a soccer mom! I love that my boys enjoy it and really play aggressive and hard! They make me proud out on the field :)

After Drew's game we drove about a half hour to Josh's game! We all went to cheer him on. It is so different going from preschoolers to a real team. They play with a goalie and they actually play the big field with different positions. Josh was great!

This week coming Josh has a game on Monday, Alex & Emily both have practice on Tuesday and a game on Thursday...busy with soccer, but I LOVE it!

Rain Rain Go Away...

2008-09-14T19:58:00.003-04:00

It has been raining ALL weekend! I shouldn't complain too much...I am in Michigan and not in Texas, BUT with the rain falling all weekend, it really puts a damper on our plans!

Saturday Drew was supposed to have his first soccer game...rained out! I am thankful they canceled instead of standing in the rain to watch for an hour. I ran to Target to get a few things and came home soaked! I was watching Ellen's kids while her and Rob went to a seminar and we really wanted to play outside...it was indoor day, but the kids were really good and played so nice together.

Today was another busy day around here...we went to church this morning, came home to eat lunch and I was off to a Baby Shower for a friend of mine, Lisa. When I got home it was time to load everyone up, drive to Canton (my parents house), drive to the airport (to leave them a car for their return home tomorrow), drive back home...in a bad downpour of rain! We made it and we have been home enjoying the evening together. We were supposed to have a BBQ with our neighbors across the street so we decided to wait for another day this week.

Rain Rain Go Away...rain gives me that lazy feeling of wanting to curl up with a good book or take a nap. I am not very productive when it is raining out. I love to lay around and listen to the rain falling!

Our weekend is almost over. Monday is approaching fast and I have some things to do to get ready for the week...I pray everyone has a great week!

Migraines...

2008-09-11T21:23:00.003-04:00

Migraines...why oh why? Next to giving birth, they are up there when it comes to pain!

I have been getting headaches all summer. They weren't as bad as the migraines I got last Thursday and again today. The headaches were sharp pain when I was in direct sunlight, but would dull enough to function when I came inside or went into good shade outside. The migraines...they give me blurred vision in my left eye, sharp pain on the right side of my head, a queasy stomach, and they last way too long. Last weeks was about 4 to 5 days until I felt NO pain. Today's...I am still dealing with.

Tomorrow I am going to the doctor to find out what I can do or what may be causing them. I need answers and relief!

Help with a birthday party idea...

2008-09-04T17:40:00.004-04:00

Ok...I realize I am 2 months early, but I am trying to come up with a fun idea for Drew & Autumn's 5th Birthday in November. I want to start planning now...

Since it is the Big 5...they will get to invite a few friends (plus family). I struggle with a theme that will suit them both...the last few birthdays worked out great...

2nd b-day - Mickey & Minnie
3rd b-day - Dora & Diego
4th b-day - Backyardigans

Now they are older and want their own thing...I was thinking a western party would be fun. Or I was thinking a Pirate & Princess party, any ideas of crafts, games, activities, decorations???

I am thinking I can do more if I have it at home instead of gymnastics, pump it up, or chuck e cheese...

I NEED your imput...

Last days of summer and first days of the school year...

2008-09-02T20:51:00.015-04:00

Since I haven't blogged in awhile...it was time to share some of the exciting things we have done this summer...

Alex lost his first tooth...

Fun on the beach in Erie, PA with friends & family...(Amanda, Grace & Luke)

Drew's first plane ride to Atlanta for Ryan's birthday party...

Josh, Emily, Alex & Drew at soccer camp...Autumn in her new hat and t-shirt (it sings)...

Camping Labor Day weekend with friends and family on Lake Michigan & the Silver Lake Sand Dunes...it was beautiful! (more pictures of camping to come...)

Today was Alex's first day of 1st Grade...I can't believe it. We were all so excited to take him to school and meet his teacher, Mrs. Hagerty! We are ready for a great year...

Now it's time for me to go back to school...tomorrow I will start 2 of my last 3 online classes to finally finish my Business Administration degree...

Next Monday Drew & Autumn will start their last year of Preschool at the Novi Coop Preschool (where I am on the board and get to help in the classroom 1 to 2 times a month)...

The Pritchett/Neville home will be busy getting use to a new routine over the next few months...Summer is over. It was a GREAT summer filled with lots of fun with friends and family!

August Already....

2008-08-07T17:58:00.005-04:00

I really can't believe it is August already...

Summer is flying by! We are having so much fun this summer. We have been to the library several times for story time, our neighborhood pool, Alex went to VBS with his friend Andrew, the Plymouth Sprinkler Park, to Tennessee for vacation with the family, to Erie, PA for a trip to the beach and Erie Zoo to visit with family (with Amanda, Grace & Luke), to Kathy's house to swim in her pool, to the pool with Lisa (at her moms) to swim, going to the movies (Kit Kittredge, Space Chimps, Wall-E, Speed Racer), hanging out with cousins, the Kensington beach with family & friends, the park to meet up with preschool friends, soccer camp, Chuck E Cheese with Bella & her boys, the list goes on....we are really enjoying summer!

I am torn...ready for school to start, but not so sure I'm ready for all the responsibility that comes with September.

Alex starts 1st grade on September 2nd.
I start Schoolcraft on September 3rd. (2 classes online and only 1 more to go after that one)
Drew & Autumn start preschool on September 8th.

I am going to be busy driving here and there and everywhere! I am looking forward to a routine and a little time for just ME! I am not looking forward to homework, packing lunches, and the cold weather that comes shortly after.

I am going to take the last month of summer and enjoy it even more. We are going camping this weekend with the church! Alex can't wait to see Clone Wars at the movies, Hopefully we will get Drew's first plane ride to Atlanta for Ryan's birthday weekend, and the last weekend before school starts...our camping trip with the Swaggerty's & Curry's and more new families! Fun fun fun!

I am going to enjoy each day and be thankful for what I have and what I have been able to do and enjoy this summer! I am truly blessed!

Trust God...

2008-07-27T20:46:00.007-04:00

My pastor today shared a great message about TRUSTING GOD! He used a lot of great scriptures that I have known for a long time growing up in the church. They had new meaning for me today and that is what I love about church and the scriptures...you can never stop learning and growing!

Proverbs 3:5-6 TRUST in the Lord with ALL your heart and LEAN NOT on your OWN understanding; in ALL your ways acknowledge HIM, and he will make your paths straight.

He talked about how God teaches us to trust in Him when we come to the end of our rope! Last night as I laid down to bed, I sure did feel like I was at the end of my rope when it comes to my kids and their obedience and respect to me as their mom. I prayed about it and really felt like God was going to help me through this and really help me to teach my kids.

Isaiah 40:31 But those who HOPE in the LORD will RENEW their STRENGTH. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and NOT grow WEARY, they will walk and not be faint.

There was a lot more to the message, but the last part of the message was a challenge or question to think about...

Which one of MY ways might I be "holding" back from acknowledging God?

I am still thinking about this one...I know there are a lot of areas in my life that I try to control or take care of on my own...but I NEED God to give me that strength and I NEED to TRUST HIM more and more each day!

what to do????

2008-07-26T20:49:00.006-04:00

I just don't know what to do anymore....

My kids can't get along for 5 minutes of the day. They fight, hurt, tease, and nag each other constantly. I know I NEED to do something about it and I just don't know what to do. I have read so many books on parenting and discipline. I have talked to many friends about this very issue. I guess it boils down to being scared of failing...of not staying consistent (like I know I need to). I want them to listen and obey and treat each other with love and respect. It is so hard...I have yelled most of the day at them. Thank goodness my parents came over for a few hours to visit because I was losing my mind. Of course they were pretty good while they were here. As soon as they left I took the kids to pick out a 99 cent movie at Blockbuster and we got some things for dinner and ice cream for dessert. We got home and of course they started fighting again. Before bed I blew up at them once again because they were fighting during teeth brushing...we do that every night, you would think they would have the system down by now. I tucked them each in and told them tomorrow is a new day and we are making changes around here....I am determined to make those changes and stick to them.........I think for so long I told myself not to be too hard on them, they've been through a lot with the divorce and my 2nd marriage...no more excuses. I need to discipline them because I love them and want the best for them. Don't get me wrong here...I do discipline. It's just not consistent and obviously not working. Ahhhhh....

Off to bed I go to pray and read my Bible and figure some things out!

BFF's...

2008-07-16T08:29:00.004-04:00

The other day Drew & Autumn were playing outside with blankets and backpacks and all kinds of little stuff (junk)! I asked them what they had in their backpacks and Autumn showed me a card that she had given to Drew...it was a Valentine card from Nana & Papa. They both took their cards and changed them to be to each other. Than Autumn says, "Me & Drew are BFF's!" I asked, "What does that mean (just wandering if she really knew)?" She said, "Best Friends Forever!" Then they grabbed hands and walked away together! Oh so cute!

Those are the moments I want to remember! Not the fighting and bickering that has been going on way too much around here. Why can't we just all get along and be BFF's all day every day!!!

Lots going on...

2008-07-05T14:03:00.007-04:00

We have been a busy family this weekend! Craig is off work until the 14th because of a bulging disk in his back/neck. He is going to Physical Therapy three times a week to get back in place. Having him home 24/7 has been good and very different. I find myself so lazy when he is around. I don't keep the house picked up or anything like I usually would when he is gone.

Thursday night we took the kids to the Plymouth Fireworks at McLumpha Park! It was great just late at night! We got there around 8:30pm (Drew & Autumn fell asleep on the way there which was good). We played on the big hill until Grandma Neville (Lou) arrived to watch the fireworks with us. Finally around 10:15pm they started...We got home around 11:00pm. The kids went right to sleep and we did too!
Yesterday, on the 4th of July, we stuck around home until around 3:30pm. We went to my parents house to grill some hot dogs and then went to see Wall-E the movie! It was a good movie and the kids enjoyed liked it.

Today we are once again just hanging around the house. Played outside with the neighbors awhile then came in to eat. We are going to Rob & Ellen's later for a BBQ with our small group. That will be nice. I am not sure how much Bible Study time we will get tonight but it is nice to just get together.

Tomorrow is the end of the weekend but we have plans again...after church we will eat a light lunch and then around 3pm do a BBQ with Michael & Katherine across the street. Their girls, Jessica & Miley, are fun and we are hopefully gonna get the slip in slide out and just relax some more!

I am ready for Monday when we can get back into a routine and I can hopefully get motivated to clean up our big mess of a house! The kids have been playing in the Living Room with "tents" they made out of blankets and furniture! They love it and if they are playing nice together, I don't care about the mess!

Home from vacation!

2008-06-30T16:56:00.005-04:00

We are home from a great week in the Smokey Mountains of Tennessee! My parents figured we have been going there to the Hidden Mountain Resorts for 17 years now.

Craig was off of work a couple days before we were heading down to TN so he flew down to Atlanta to spend some time with Ryan. They went to Six Flags and Craig's shoulder hasn't been the same since...that just means I get my husband around the house an extra week or two! We still had fun on vacation!

The kids and I drove down following my parents starting on Friday (20th). Autumn rode with Nana & Papa and I had the boys! It was great! They watched movies as I listened to my ipod and enjoyed the scenery around us. That night we stopped in Dry Ridge, KY and got a good nights sleep before finishing our journey.

The mountains are just gorgeous. I couldn't help but be sit there in awe while I was driving just thanking God for the beauty around me. We got to the cabin and enjoyed a little bit of time in the hot tub.

On Sunday the rest of the family arrived. Starting with Craig & Ryan around 2pm...we showed them around, played some ping pong, a little pool on the pool table, and prepared dinner. Rob, Ellen, Josh, Emily, Hannah & Ethan joined us around 6pm for dinner! Then around 8pm Aunt Sue, Uncle Rick, Gage & Zack arrived. The teenagers hit it off and had some fun on the Wii (Rob too of course)!

On Monday the 8 guys went on a 10 mile hike up a steep mountainside in the Smokey Mountain National Park! It took them ALL day! We played with the kids and took them out shopping for their new Webkinz! Grandpa & Memaw Pritchett joined us with Amber & Ariel! It was fun to see them and visit some...if you are keeping count, that makes about 22 people in our cabin at some points of the trip! Thank God there were 3 levels to spread out on :) Rob told his kids it was mandatory to swim EVERY day of the trip so we did...Ellen & I sat and watched while Rob took the kids in because the water was so cold. Not a heated pool!

On Tuesday the ladies enjoyed some shopping time, we took the kids to the park, and relaxed some.

Wednesday we all went to Ober Gatlinburg. The guys played at the arcade, Rob & Ellen took Josh & Emily down the mountain slides, the rest of us went up the mountain for another great view on the ski lift! That evening we had some pizza & salad and went to "The Track"...a great place for everyone. The little kids enjoyed the ferris wheel, go carts, swings, and other rides while the big kids enjoyed the Go Carts! The first round the little kids went with the big kids.

Thursday was the day the Pire clan & the Pritchett clan left the cabin. Craig flew home that night to get into the doctor first thing Friday morning. The rest of took some time to relax and just play around the cabin. Alex was into the Wii and playing all the sports. Nana was playing some bowling with the kids. Rob, Ellen & I got away to do some more shopping at the outlets! We had our favorite BBQ chicken kabobs that night.

Friday we all went on a hike up to Laurel Falls. It is a 3 mile round trip hike up a mountain to see some beautiful waterfalls. Papa & Rob took turns pushing Nana in the wheelchair so she wouldn't miss out on any of the fun! The kids did great...the occasional whine and complain but I was getting tired myself so I understood their pain! Almost to the bottom and it started to pour down rain! We went back to the cabin and cleaned up for our favorite restaurant...The Apple Barn! We all sat around and told what our favorite thing was about the trip and then we went around again and said one nice thing about the person next to us. It was nice to hear the kids come up with great things to say about others! After dinner the guys took the kids back to the cabin and once again Mom, Ellen & I hit some last minute stores...we found some GREAT deals!

Saturday was pack it up and head home day! It was a long day! It was so nice to come home and have my hubby waiting to help us unload and greet us after a 10 hour trip in the car!

I am so blessed and it was such a great week. Even thought there were times of chaos, it was fun and once again we made memories we will never forget! I'll post some pictures after I get the disk from my mom & Ellen (I took some pictures but they always take LOTS)

Big Words...

2008-06-16T22:57:00.005-04:00

the last few weeks we have been really talking to the kids about love and respect. Some mornings they are so cranky and tired and won't even say Good Morning...that is rude. We have been talking about using our words to be kind to others even when we don't want to. Alex learned an important word in Kindergarten this year. His teacher Mr. Lloyd had the letters INTEGRITY really big on the bookshelf in the classroom. When I first walked in I thought, "That is too big a work for those little kids." Boy was I wrong. Alex came home the first week of school telling me all about integrity. He says it like this, "Integrity is doing what is right when somebody is looking and even when nobody is looking." That's right...but God is always watching. I thought that was so cool that my little 5 year old could tell me such a big word. It challenged me that maybe I'm not giving my kids enough credit that they can learn more and understand those big words and the impact they have in our lives.

Our key words right now...Love, Respect, Integrity, Truth, Listen & Obey! Such important things to know and really use in our daily life.

Summer officially begins...

2008-06-12T19:11:00.007-04:00

Today marks our official begin to Summer Vacation! Drew & Autumn have done with preschool since May 15th but Alex finished Kindergarten today and is now a 1st grader! I am not the emotional type mom to get gooey about something like that, but today I did! My kids are growing up too fast!

Here are some pictures from the first days of school and the last...

Today was productive. It started with dropping Alex off for his last day of Kindergarten! Then I dropped Drew & Autumn off at my sisters so I could go bathing suit shopping...not fun! I have been looking for a new bathing suit for a couple weeks now. It hit me that the 12 pounds I have gained doesn't look so good in my bathing suit. I can admit that last summer I needed to gain a few, but I don't want all of it. I am working out daily and trying to eat better too! The other day Craig and I were running some errands and my bathing suit shopping began...very depressing. I came home and found a few cute ones on the internet but decided I wouldn't get in time for our upcoming family vacation and if I did get it, it might not even look good. So, my sister was gracious enough to watch the little ones while I went out again...I found one and at Meijers of all places! I also found a cute one at Target but decided I liked the other one better! I feel better now just knowing I have something descent to where. After my shopping spree I went back to the school to pick up Alex. He was excited. Got his report card from Mr. Lloyd, took their picture together and that was it...he is now a first grader! I can't believe it!

To celebrate the end of the school year and beginning of summer, I took the kids to the Plymouth Spray Park...boy was it busy! There were people everywhere but the kids had a blast. Alex's friend Andrew and his mom Robin and brother Kevin went with us and we enjoyed our time together!

I am exhausted and can't wait for bedtime tonight. The kids are pretty tired too and will be going to bed real soon!

Simplifying...

2008-06-05T10:25:00.006-04:00

I think as a mom...we want things as simple as can be. Morning comes and we make breakfast, clean up breakfast, make a snack, clean up a snack, make lunch, clean up lunch....you get the point. It never ends! A friend of mine had some really great trays she uses for her boys. Unfortunately they were purchased almost 2 years ago so the chances of finding those exact trays was not very likely. I loved the idea of having their dishes on their own tray and if any spills were to occur, they would stay right on the tray instead of getting the whole table and floor! After searching ALL around...I found some great trays at IKEA and had to share them with blogger world. Any mom who wants to simplify meal time and clean up time...this is what you NEED!

$1.99 each...they are white (almost clear), oval shaped, with grooves for handles on both sides. Perfect for any little kid to carry his own from counter to table and so forth. They wipe down really easy with an antibacterial wipe or I sponge them down with soap and let them sit in the sink to dry!

So...if you are looking for ONE way to simplify meal time and snack times...this might work for your family too!

If anyone has other ideas on simplifying day to day life...I would LOVE to hear them!

Ouch!

2008-05-31T14:11:00.005-04:00

The kids have been playing so nice all day...we started with setting up ALL the Playmobil in Alex's room. They played in there for an hour maybe. They moved on to other games and things to play. They just asked me to go out with them and play baseball...it's pretty windy out but we gave it a shot. Alex hit a couple good ones. Drew hit some good ones too. Autumn tried but couldn't get it. Drew was up again and hit it REALLY hard. It hit me right below the knee at a fast speed. Ouch! It was red at first but now you can see the outline of the ball hitting like a welt. I am sure it will be black and blue in a little while. I am done playing baseball for now so we are going to have a little snack, color a little, and maybe even watch a movie. I guess I'll tell myself what I tell the kids every time they get hurt...Be tough! It's that time of year when everyone gets hurt doing the fun activities outside!

Ouch - that sums it up!

A great weekend...

2008-05-27T21:15:00.014-04:00

We had an action packed weekend...the weather was beautiful and we managed to attend 4 BBQ's in just 3 days!

Saturday Ellen & I took my mom to "The Tea Room" in Highland for her Mother's Day gift! It's a beautiful and quiet restaurant that we get to enjoy a couple times a year when we can sneak away. My dad (papa) and Uncle Robby watched the 6 kids. By the time we got back, the kids were running through the sprinklers (in their clothes)

A couple hours later our Small Group met at Ellen's for a BBQ...8 adults & 10 kids running around. The guys tried setting up the NEW trampoline, but Lisa had to help with reading of the directions to get it done right! The kids were worn out and ready for a good nights sleep for sure!

Sunday we got up and went to church then went back to Ellen's for a family BBQ! Rob grilled our favorite Chicken Kabobs with yummy veggies! Plus we had corn on the cob, macaroni salad, Ellen's special baked beans, and strawberry shortcake for dessert! My dad and Rob put the finishing touches on the trampoline and we had fun jumping!

Then it was off to Bella's house. Bella is a friend from 8th grade! We stayed in touch pretty much through the years, but got closer when we had our boys just a month apart. We try to get together every few months to catch up and hang out. We had more good food and played for a few hours.
The 5 kids (Alex, Autumn, Drew, Fernando & Antonio)

Monday the kids and I got up and I decided to paint our bedroom. Craig left on Sunday morning for a trip and isn't due back until Wednesday night...plenty of time to do a little project! The kids and loaded up and went to Lowe's, bought the paint and primer, went home and while the kids played right out back in the sprinkler, I started priming the walls! A few hours later we were all outside playing with the neighbors and they put hot dogs and burgers on the grill for all of us...another day of grilling fun! Michael & Katherine are great neighbors! They always look out for me and the kids...especially when I was doing the single mom thing and now when Craig is out of town. We came back home, gave the kids a bath, put them to bed and I ended up painting until 11:30pm...BUT it looks great!

A busy weekend that is for sure, but we had great fellowship with friends, family, and neighbors! I am so thankful for the people in my life...I don't know what I would do with a long weekend without so many places to visit and people to see!

Friends and Family!

2008-05-23T12:20:00.009-04:00

It's Friday afternoon and the kids have been playing so nicely outside (ok, not so nice but pretty good for the most part)! I have the windows open and I can hear them outside with their friends. It started this morning with the neighbor boys outside so Alex & Drew HAD to go out! Autumn got out her bike and was riding around all alone...

I called Ellen and told her we would love to have Hannah come over to play for the afternoon. Autumn was so excited! They got out the food, dishes, dolls, baby high chair and had some fun outside in the playhouse!

I have been working really hard the past week to KEEP my house clean. I am still going through and getting rid of stuff which continues to feel good! Doesn't matter what I do, the kids come around and mess things up. It does feel good to walk around most of the house and have it clean. I could invite someone over and not have to make excuses about my messy house! It's an accomplishment...as I sit here RIGHT NOW typing this, in come the kids and off go their shoes in the middle of the room instead of in their individual tubs by the door...oh well! They are having fun!

Drew decided to bring his flower pot from school inside so he could water his grass! A few minutes later he came out to tell me that the pot of soil and grass spilled all over the bathroom sink!

I cleaned it up and all is good...he had fun making a mess and doing something responsible (watering his grass) :)

I am looking for the balance of loving my house being clean and staying on top of it and letting loose a little and having some fun...

any suggestions???

Family!

2008-05-19T14:00:00.014-04:00

There is nothing like FAMILY! I love my family and I am so thankful for all of them. They all teach me something new each day...Here are a few pictures from the last few months!

My Big 6 Year Old...Alex!

Drew...4 1/2 years old!

Autumn...also 4 1/2 years old!

As you can see, I am truly blessed!

Today in my Bible reading one verse stuck out at me and I have been thinking about it all day...

Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight, O Lord,
my Rock and my Redeemer!

A Proud Mom...

2008-05-13T21:34:00.005-04:00

What a great day...it was busy with running here and there like most days in this house....BUT it was great! It started with the twins Mother's Day Tea at Preschool! I was the helper mom but all the moms came back at 10:30am for a special treat and gifts. Drew & Autumn had made plates for me with their hand prints on them. I have Alex's from when he was in that class a few years back...so precious! Autumn, my little writer, wrote every ones name all over hers! The day ended with Alex's Kindergarten Spring Concert! He was great! Nana was there with me, Drew, Autumn, their dad (Jim) and grandma Neville (Lou)! All 4 classes were together on risers and they sang 8 songs!

Being a mom is so hard and so rewarding at the same time! I was so proud of Alex up on that stage singing with everyone tonight. He is growing up so fast. At the same time I have really been pondering about discipline (and the lack of it in this house)...things need to change. I have been reading that book by Dr. Leman but I haven't yet put things into place. I keep putting it off and I know I shouldn't. Maybe I'm too tired all the time to think about implementing anything new and having the hard times that come before the change around :)

At church (Orchard Grove Community Church in Walled Lake, MI) Pastor Chris started a new series: Life for Dummies. It is a series out of Proverbs. He is talking each week but challenged everyone to read one chapter a day in Proverbs. The chapter that collates with the day of the month (today was the 13th)! I have attempted this method of Bible reading many times before...this time I will succeed. This morning I was reading and what was there in front of me...discipline! I already knew this, BUT God wanted to gently remind me...my kids are my responsibility. I see so many kids running around and I think to myself, "I don't want my kid to turn out like that." Well...this is my job and I guess sometimes I think that they are still young...but this is the time to let them know who is in charge and what morals and standards this family should have. I want my kids to be the leaders, not the followers at school. I want them to be respectful of everyone around them. I want them to show God's love to everyone around them. I want so much, yet I am not doing what I know I should be doing on a daily basis. It is time to start now and time to teach them while they are young and little sponges. I will be doing a refresher on my book and implementing the ideas ASAP!

A great weekend...

2008-05-12T10:54:00.005-04:00

I had a great weekend...so much to be thankful for!

Friday the kids and I took Grandma Neville out for her birthday! First we stopped to get her some flowers and we went to her work. We went to Rebecca's in downtown Northville...very good and highly recommended! After lunch we went to the nearby park for a little while. When we got home there was a beautiful bouquet of flowers for me from Craig (and the kids)! The kids played outside a lot on Friday. They love riding their bikes and just being outside!

Saturday morning we all got up and had breakfast then got ready for a big day out! Craig took the boys to see "Speedracer" and Autumn and mommy went to the mall! I had a return to make and then we walked around and just enjoyed some time together. She wanted to bring her cute little purse with her to be like mommy! After some time at the mall we went to pick up the boys from the movie and headed home. Drew & Autumn needed a nap because they were tired from Friday and I knew we would have a long day Sunday. Nap time was nice and quiet! I ran out to Target and believe it or not, came home with NOTHING. I didn't spend one penny in Target! They just didn't have what I was looking for and I was disciplined enough not to go to other areas of the store. We ended Saturday night with the kids being silly, taking a bath, and some ice cream!

Sunday I was the first one awake. I had gotten some Monkey Bread from the freezer section of Wal-Mart and we tried it...it was a hit! 20 minutes in the oven and yummy it was! The kids loved it! We went to church and it was great! After church everyone headed over to my parents house for some great food and fun! We celebrated Josh & Emily's birthday's too! It was a nice day with family!

Today it is...back to the grind. I am still working on getting this house cleaned out! I finally went through Autumn's closet. Every season I had been putting the clothes she didn't fit in anymore in a pile in her closet. I got them all out today and went through them. Some of them were 18-24 months...I know that is a long time ago. My little girl is 4 1/2 years old now. Just something I kept putting off! Alex is at school, Drew & Autumn are playing "Camp Out" in the Living Room, and Craig is sleeping in the bedroom (he worked all night and needs to catch up on sleep)! Time to get moving on another room in the house...motivation!

In This Moment...

2008-05-06T16:05:00.005-04:00

I was driving to the Fire Station with the kids this morning for a preschool field trip. I had added some new & old music to my Ipod recently and decided to listen to something other than the kids favorite (Jesus You're My Superhero by Hillsong)...so I went to the last Artist listed and pushed play...It was Wilshire. I haven't listened to them in a LONG time. I listened to it through and the last song really spoke to me...

In This Moment...
I come to you this moment
I want to seek Your face
To linger in Your presence
To feel the touch of grace
I want to know Your spirit
I want to learn to pray
Teach me to love You and obey

In this moment
May my heart be true
In this moment
May my eyes see You
May my life be a reflection
Of the light of Your perfection
In this Moment

Turn my mind from earthly things
That never satisfy
And give me deep devotion
For this is my desire
To honor You in all I do
To love You with my life
Oh break my heart and make my heart
Into the heart of Christ

In this moment
May my heart be true
In this moment
May my eyes see You
May my life be a reflection
Of the light of Your perfection
In this Moment

As I seek to find You here
Call my name and draw me near
As I pray to know You Lord
Flood my heart and make it Yours

In this moment
May my heart be true
In this moment
May my eyes see You
May my life be a reflection
Of the light of Your perfection
May I find my true direction
In this moment
In this moment
In this moment

I do want to be close to God and know Him in a new way each day. I want to be a reflection of His love to all those around me. This is my prayer...

God's Beauty...

2008-05-05T17:03:00.004-04:00

I can't believe how beautiful it is outside today! You can't help but be thankful and in awe at what God has created...the trees that are budding with flowers and then turning green, the beautiful blue sky, the smell of fresh cut grass, tulips in flower gardens, kids playing outside, adults taking walks or visiting with neighbors that they haven't seen all winter! Without God and His amazing creation we wouldn't have any of it...

I took Alex to school today and did my grocery shopping. When I got home I told Drew & Autumn to get dressed, it was way to nice out to be playing indoors. Drew was on his bike in no time and Autumn waited patiently for me to help her with her new task of riding a 2 wheeler! She has been practicing for a few weeks but today she did it! She can now get her self started and turn around and just ride, ride, ride! After lunch I decided to go ahead and cut the grass...it wasn't as bad as I thought. It really doesn't take long to cut our little lawn! After some relaxing time on the couch and Craig leaving for work, the kids and I went to pick up Alex from school. We got home and have been outside ever since. Now that they can ALL 3 ride a bike, I put on my roller blades and off we went around the neighborhood. I love that I can sit outside in the cool breeze and work on the computer while the kids play and wear themselves out for bedtime :) Nobody is asking for snacks or even dinner, just enjoying each other and God's creation. I guess it is about time to make some dinner!

I am blessed! Thank you Lord for everything...my husband, my kids, family, friends, our home, church, school, preschool...Thank you Lord for loving me and never giving up on me!

Will it ever slow down...

2008-05-01T20:22:00.004-04:00

Will life ever slow down again? I like to be busy with the kids most days but there are some days that I just need things to slow down.

Today was a crazy one...it started with breakfast and getting ready for school. Alex to school by 8:35am, Drew & Autumn to school by 9:00am, to Ellen's to set up for our garage sale...there was a lot to do. We dug out stuff that didn't sell 2 years ago when we tried this so hopefully the right people will come and want our stuff this time. Of course we added a ton of more stuff from the last 2 years. Or the stuff we were holding onto 2 years ago that we decided we just don't NEED anymore...some of it was sentimental stuff from the kids when they were babies! Pick up Drew, Autumn & Hannah from preschool at 11:30am, back to Ellen's to feed the kids lunch and work more on the garage sale, pick up Alex from school, come home and crash on the couch for a few minutes before making dinner and rushing off to soccer...

It was a tiring day but in the end...it was good! I spent some time with my sister who I love and look up to in so many ways. I love you Ellen. I admire you for what you have gone through this last year and especially the last 3 months. We haven't forgotten about Baby Jacob and how much he means to our family! I know the days and weeks and months are not easy right now but I am praying for you and I know that God is using your heartbreak to touch others and to make you stronger, I can already see it. We never understand why but just like that blog and message from that pastor says...God doesn't have a Plan B even though the plans we have didn't work out. That really stuck with me last night as I was reading that...I watched Alex win another soccer game and work hard out on the field. He is an awesome team player and I am so proud of him for that. I watched Drew laugh and play with my dad during the game (Thanks Papa for making it to the game today, and Nana we missed you but know you were busy with stamp class). AND earlier in the day I laughed really hard as Autumn through a major whiny fit. I was only laughing because if she could only see what I saw...that's the funny part, we don't always see how ridiculous we look or sound to those around us. Things that bother us or hurt us seem so silly to others but so significant to us (at the time).

I am really working on the mom thing...I want to be a fun mom BUT in charge. I want my kids to want to listen to me, obey me, and respect me...and right now they aren't doing that all too often. Ellen told me about a book and I got it right away and it's good... "Have a New Kid by Friday" By: Dr. Kevin Leman...I am learning a lot and I am excited to finish the book and put the principles into practice. What Ellen shared with me and what I am beginning to see is that the changes need to take place in me before I can implement them in my kids. I need to take a step back, calm down and most importantly FOLLOW THROUGH! I am excited because I was sharing a little bit about it with Craig and he is so supportive of me and wants the best for me and the kids. He even said if I flag the important paragraphs he will read them so we can be on the same page and work on this together....that blew me away...that he will take the time to help me do that! God has really blessed me with that man. I know I don't show it enough or even tell him enough how much he means to me. It's funny because people ask how long we've been married...6 months and I still haven't known him a complete year yet :) We met online June 2nd, talked on the phone the 16th, met in person a few days later, went on our first date July 2nd and here we are...in love, married, and happy! Some people weren't too sure about how fast everything went but I knew that Craig was good for me and my kids and that God was in control.

I guess I need to sit back and reflect more often and really see throughout the day the things I could do differently, say differently, the ways I can bless others (even my own kids) in my daily duties as mom, wife, sister, daughter, and friend!

Another day...

2008-04-29T19:35:00.008-04:00

It has been a busy couple of days...Monday Alex is in school ALL day so I took Drew & Autumn to my sister Ellen's so I could clean out closets and get ready for our Garage Sale this weekend. I cleaned out A LOT of stuff. There were tubs hidden in the back of the closet with stuff I really don't need. I have lots to throw out in the garbage tomorrow and found some good stuff to try to sell. It worked out great because the kids weren't there to bug me! I found a box of old pictures from when I was little, High School, and Mt. Pleasant. Brought back some fun memories!

After dinner I went to Ann Arbor to the Aveda Salon where my friend Michelle is going to school. She cut my hair (under the supervision of her teacher)! She did awesome and I love it! I didn't get home until late and went right to bed. That stinks...get your hair all done and lookin good and come home and sleep on it...oh well!

Today was another day...I took Drew & Autumn to school and came home to clean up the house some. Alex doesn't have school on Tuesdays so we played a little and watched some TV and just did nothing. After school Hannah (my niece) came home with us and the kids had fun playing together. Craig and I went out to dinner while the kids were with their dad tonight. It was good...

Another day in the life of Kara Pritchett!

Starting to BLOG...

2008-04-27T18:57:00.004-04:00

I decided to start a blog...I do a little blogging on myspace but I want to do a daily blog (or as often as I can really get on here)! I have been reading my friends blogs and really enjoy keeping up with their lives even though I don't get to see them or talk to them often. Some of these friends I haven't seen in years but with email, myspace, facebook, and now blogging...I can keep up with their lives and they can keep up with mine!

I will start with a little about me and my family...
I am Kara...I am 31 and happy with life right now! I have worked on and off through the years with my kids but I am happy being home with them right now and trying hard to keep up with the housework and their schedules! Craig is my husband...we got married 6 months ago (today)! He is a pilot for Pinnacle airlines. That means he is gone around 3 to 4 days a week. It works really well for our family right now. He gets 2 to 4 days off in a row and it's great because he is home the whole time. Ryan is my stepson who is 13 and lives in Georgia. He is a great kid! Craig brags about him all the time...proud dad! I have enjoyed getting to know Ryan when we see him and can't wait to spend more time this summer with him. Ryan plays all the different sports. Alex is my 6 year old! He is in Kindergarten this year and doing very well. He is my instigator around the house with his siblings but we are working on that! He is playing soccer this spring and we love to go and cheer him on. He scored the first goal and the team (Orange Crush) tied 3 to 3 last Thursday! Drew is 4 1/2 and a spunky little kid! He is a maniac on his 2 wheel bike. I am still amazed every time I see him on his bike going so fast! He wants to take Motorcycle lessons and run track...he is fast! Autumn is also 4 1/2 (yes, twins)! She is my little sassy princess! She loves her make-up, dress-up, and baby dolls! She is also my artsy child...loves to color, paint, and write names! Drew & Autumn are in Preschool at the Novi-Coop so I get to work in their classroom once a month. I am blessed with a great family!

It is Sunday evening...Craig should be home around 8:30ish. The kids and I just had some spaghetti and they are doing "Movie Night"...popcorn and a movie of their choice! They take turns picking the movie and although there is usually an argument or two or three about which movie to watch, they all enjoy watching them! It gives me a chance to catch up on things, sit and watch with them, and just have them relax a little before bed!

I guess that's it for now! I am excited to use this blogging to log my life and all the things I learn along the way...