Lilypie Kids Birthday tickers

Saturday, May 26

If a Tree Falls

and no one hears it, does it make a sound? After last week, we thought we were done with the bad luck (replacing a radiator and a car window, vehicle getting towed, grandma going to hospital - all this AFTER the basement flooded). But of course when it rains, it pours - no pun intended. It was fairly windy Thursday and we have gigantic mature trees around our house. We've always "joked" that some day one of them is probably going to fall on our roof. Close, how about just our Jeep.




Really? Is this happening to us? I didn't even hear it. I was home alone with the kids and the neighbor knocked on the door to let me know. Unbelievable. Is this some omen that our house/lives are cursed? Should we just pack the car up and start driving away?


In happier news, the kids are doing well. Kelsey is taking a couple steps between Craig and I or the between the furniture and one of us. She thinks it's a game sometimes and will just start leaning forward instead of actually walking! Drew has been doing some head-butting. I can't tell if it is supposed to be sweet, like a high-five, like the sea turtles in NEMO giving "noggin" or an aggressive response, as in "get outta my way". Either way he hasn't hurt anyone yet, especially not himself, but Kelsey isn't too fond of the gesture.

So far this holiday weekend has started out yucky - it has been raining all morning. I am just so excited to get the kids out of the house this summer, since it felt like we were a little confined last year. We were hoping to get out and watch softball, get in the pool, be outside on this unofficial start to summer. It is possible the weather will cooperate eventually...(I am not a patient waiter).


This is actually a mild head-butt

Her hair is long enough for pig-tails! (and old enough for silly faces)


Monday, May 21

Lemons

I'm sorry it's been a week since I posted. I will save you-all the whiny details and just sum up last week as "sucky". But the show must go on and that's what you do when life happens. (And when too much "life" happens, there isn't much time to do the things you WANT to do.)

Anyway, while we were busy dealing with unexpected life events, we were also planning/getting excited for Craig's birthday. It was beautiful weekend and we had LOTS of things planned - boating, Brewer game, Hank Aaron commencement speech, presents. Craig also had to spend some time at his summer job, preparing the pool for next weekends opening.

The kids have been very interested in climbing lately. They aren't walking or talking, but CLIMBING on everything! And consequently, falling OFF of those things. Oh well, live and learn;)


Drew with Dad on birthday morning


If she could climb in there, she would!

This is how we sit in our big kid seats! So much room for activities:)



This is how we sleep in our big seats! Too much fun with Uncle Derek.

I hope you can read what his shirt says - total daddy's boy!

Tuesday, May 15

A Mom's Day

We were all over the state this weekend. Saturday we drove to Wausau for Craig's niece and nephew's combined birthday. It was about 10 degrees warmer there than in Milwaukee so of course my hot box Drew was burning up. Thankfully (sarcasm) he is so good at pulling off his socks, he was able to cool himself :) We spent the afternoon there and headed home - which Drew slept MOST of the 3 hour trip!

Sunday was another absolute gorgeous day. The kids took a nap while I grocery shopped. Then when I got home I thought Craig had to run an errand before we left for my mom's house. But when he got home and we started packing up the car, I climbed in the front seat and saw my gift (even though I stated I didn't need/want anything, just happy babies) - an Edible Arrangement. It was perfect - the kids loved helping me eat it :) Kelsey grabbed a strawberry and started eating it like an apple, oh yeah, miss independent!

This week, in ALL my free time, I going to try to get rid of the mud/dirt in the basement. I'm not real sure how - when I mop, it just seems to "move" around and not "pick" up. So I'm going to try multiple avenues of vacuuming!

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend! Looking forward to more beautiful weather and another busy weekend!!


Drew snuggling with great-grandma


Auntie Tara and grandpa

Drew picking on Uncle Derek


Monday, May 7

You Know Who Your Friends Are

...when your basement floods. And you're texting people because you don't know what to do, because you are helpless against the water flowing freely into your finished basement. And you never say, "please come over", they just show up with whatever they can get, at 8 p.m. on a Sunday - no questions asked. They stay and try to troubleshoot the water, help you decide what can be salvaged, what can be done at such a late hour on a "school" night. They get a little wet, work in the mud, in poor lighting, and even do some heavy lifting once we decide it's probably best to get the soaking carpet out ASAP. Even though we are exhausted, a little sore (me) and banged up (if you could only SEE my smashed finger!), today was a billion times easier because of Jason and Tom. We can't thank you enough.

There are pros and cons to the flood happening at a late hour - the kids were already in bed and fell asleep soundly and never moved even though we were all coming in and out of the house numerous times. But all the hardware stores were closed, disabling us from getting a pump to move the water away from the house. And we both had to stay home from work to clean up. We now have multiple dehumidifiers and fans running and everything seems to be drying up. Although there is significant amounts of mud left behind and the baseboards/molding needs to come out and we have to investigate the walls yet.

Our morning started driving around the southeast part of the state to borrow my brother's truck (for hauling wet stuff), picking up extra fans/dehumidifiers from my dad, getting my finger looked at because I can't bend the top knuckle (it's all sorts of purple and swollen), and Craig meeting with a landscape company to talk about pitching everything away from the house. There are 4-5 bags sitting in the dinning room containing standard-issue white rice and our soaked electronics. I'll let you know if any of it dries out (I have my doubts). We filled the entire bed of the truck with carpet. Also we concluded that the "drain" next to our house MUST be clogged, so we dug out the "exit" and realized it was back filled with mud, with tree roots growing through it- super. So that pipe has a "date" with a roto-rooter:

As our elderly neighbor said as she stopped to see how we were doing, "This too shall pass, right?" It's only stuff; we didn't lose anything that can't be replaced.

Saturday, May 5

Get Up, Stand UP







The kids have been standing on their own alot lately. The picture above is Kelsey free-standing (even though it looks a little like she's kneeling). Neither has taken any steps but they are standing alone more frequently . Tonight is Craig's "Teacher of the Year Recognition Gala". We are meeting his parents, principal, and co-workers downtown for the event. I'm excited to get out, it's sure to be a good night!