Grove City, PA

Pictures

Aaron, Tiffani & Max

Nico's Newest Friend, Max

Daddy & Nico

Two Geniuses

Aaron, Max & Nico 4-wheeling!

Fun Day!!

We sure have had a lot of fun these last couple of weeks, but my body is sure telling me I am old from running around...sad but true!!! On Monday, after we picked up Nico from pre-school we drove to Grove City, PA where we met Tiffani, Aaron & Max and had lunch and a little bit of shopping! I forgot how large that place was and with it only being in the 60's with the wind, it became very chilly. Nico and Max were sports though, being 17 days apart they were perfect little gentlemen patiently waiting for us old geezers to finish shopping!! I got the cutest pair of sandals and 4th of July shirt for Nico, and Daddy got 2 shirts. Poor Tiffani and Aaron who didn't bring a coat, were freezing and Tiffani even had to buy a cute sweater coat. But we bared it out and the kids got to play in the playland, and for the first time I couldn't believe Nico wasn't that interested in the slide but boy did both Max and Nico love the sand!!!!

Then it was off to Aaron's Mom and Step-Dad's house where they have a lot of land, and a 4-wheeler that both boys got to ride with Aaron. I was starting to wonder if they were ever gonna get either boy off the bike!!! But they did, and the boys played, chased each other, read books together...OK looked at the pictures and moved rocks from the driveway. It was so cute to watch them play and see how different two boys can be, but yet the same in many ways as 2 1/2 year olds are! It was great just to visit them who we hadn't seen since Jan. 2005 and just have a relaxing day watching the kids play!! Around six it was time to start heading back to Ohio, and although it was bittersweet to say Goodbye, I know this time it won't be as long until we see them again. The boys were to cute they hugged and said goodbye, and I am sure they'll be friends for a long time. Kind of like Aaron and Bryan who have known each other since 1998 or so, and throughout time and life happenings, when they saw each other it was like they had never been apart....and I hope one day Nico will have friends like that, and he'll see how important friends are. I am sure as they get older I can only imagine the things Max and Nico will get themselves into, just like Bryan and Aaron did back before we got OLD!!!!

Until our next adventure........

P.S. I'll post some pictures when I get home tonight.

HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY, HALEY!!!

Dear Haley,

Who can believe you are 10 today??? Seems like just yesterday you were toddling around like Nico and learning to walk and talk, but today you are 10....a whole decade old!!! You surprise me everytime we see you, how smart, loving and patient you are. You take after Aunt Kelli and Mommy with the love of reading, which makes me so happy and excited!!! Watching you grow up and turn into a beautiful, smart young lady has been the highlight of our lives. Even though you will be moving far from us, like your sister, you'll always have a piece of our hearts with you. So today, we celebrate you and the milestone of turning 10!!!!

Hope you have a great day!!!!!
Love you,
Uncle Bryan, Aunt Kelli & Nico

Fun Week and it keeps going....

What a busy week we have had this past week, with Adriane and the girls staying the week with us and then Thomas the Train Saturday, pictures and tree planting on Sunday and today after Pre-school we are off to Pennsylvania to visit friends we haven't seen in almost 4 years! One thing is for sure, Nico sure is having a great time and it's not even Summer yet!!!

Where to begin....Well our week started off with Aunt Adriane, Haley and Lauren coming into to town before their big move to Korea and it was so much fun! Nico is too cute with the girls and I think the girls just love him to pieces...I am still hearing where's Haley, where's Lauren? All in a week, we went to the Park, to the Cleveland Zoo, had a little birthday party for Haley and Lauren, decorated birthday cakes, ate at one of Lauren's favorites...Mexican, went to the bookstore for Haley favorite place, ran the stairs at McKinley Monument and saw the museum, ate Ice Cream at Nico's favorite place, went to Swimming Class, Uncle Bryan's Fumbleball game, had a pizza/movie party! I am sure I am forgetting something but it sure was a packed full FUN week that Nico and us really enjoyed! Although it was sad to see them go, I am sure Uncle Kenny was missing them and it was time to go to their temporary home. And we can't wait until in a couple of weeks we'll see them again to say Goodbye.....we'll not Goodbye, but see you later!

As our weekend continues...we were off to the Seatbelt Challenge where Daddy competed and lost, but it was fun to watch all the teams try! And Nico got to see Chay, and ate Popcorn at 9AM and drink all Daddy's Gatorade....to have such a life! Then it was off to Thomas the Train in Peninsula, where we got to RIDE Thomas!!! Nico was so excited and it was so crowded, but to see his face light up when he saw Thomas was well worth the wait! I was a little disappointed though that when we were on the train, he wasn't as excited as I thought he would be, but I guess he is only 2....maybe next year if trains are still his thing! After the train ride we went across the street where they had everything you could imagine Thomas! Daddy and I thought he would for sure want a Conductor's hat, but actually he was more into a train that whistles when you blew into it....now just to get Nico to do it! Even though it was a long day, it was definitely a fun day and the little guy was so exhausted he fell asleep before we got home and was ready for the long nap he needed!! Mommy and Daddy needed one too......then after nap and dinner we met Chay and her family for Ice Cream for none other than Nico's favorite place! After Ice Cream it was play time and then bedtime and tonight there was no fighting, because he definitely had his share of fun and was off to bed!

Sunday was no different, we got up and got ready for our fun morning of pictures! Jennifer suggested the neatest place, the flower gardens at McKinley Park where I know she got some great shots by waterfalls, flowers, trees and so much more! I know you'll all be waiting patiently by your mailbox for your copy! Jennifer is the best, she is so patient with a little boy that has other ideas then posing pretty...sorry handsome...for his big photo shoot! After the photo session and lunch, it was off to find a tree for our front flower bed to replace the one the Japanese Beetles had eaten. Off to get Grandpa Tim's truck and drive up to see our good friend Jeff, who always finds us the right stuff! Once we got the tree and everything we needed, we were off to come home for Nico's nap...falling asleep in the car again. Do you see a trend?? I guess we make him a bed in his car seat as he seems to be using it a lot! After dinner it was off to watch Thomas...AGAIN...and before we knew it, it was bedtime.

Finally, today we are off to Pennsylvania to see good friends we haven't seen in almost 4 years and for our boys to meet each other....they are 15 days apart! We are so excited and can't wait for another adventure in what is shaping up to be another fun and busy week!!!!

Until our next adventure....

MY 200TH POST!!!!!!

Can you believe I have been blogging since October 2006 and it's only taken less than 3 years to get to my 200th POST!!!!!!!!!! It seems like just yesterday I was blogging about being a new Mommy or all the funny things I had done when Nico was a baby and now we are on the downward spiral of Nico turning 3!! How is that possible???

So I have decided that my 200th post should be to Thank all of you for following me and all my quirky, funny stories and even sometimes my serious stuff that I feel strongly about but hopefully this blog has shown the love, patience and even mess ups I have done while growing up with my little guy, and that you have seen that Nico has been the best thing in our lives. And I am sure if you have met Nico you know what I mean because his blue eyes and dimpled smiles could have you handing him your wallet if he looked at you in that way...So.......

THANK YOU!!!

And I hope you continue to follow us with our adventures and quirky jokes that Daddy says I only find funny, but if you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at!?!?!?! And that one day Nico will come back and read these stories only to think who are these crazy people writing about me....."Oh, they are my crazy parents!!"

Until our next adventure.........

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY, LAUREN!!!

Dear Lauren,

I can't believe another year has past already, it seems like the time is flying by and now you are 8!!!! We are so glad this past year we have gotten to spend so much time with you and got to know you even more! You have a smile and laugh that makes everyone else smile no matter what is going on, and Nico adores you and calls out your name if someone says your name. It's funny to look back on pictures of when you were young to see that you resemble Nico, and with those big blue eyes, blonde hair and being left handed you guys are so much alike. Thank you for being so patient with your cousin who probably gets into your stuff to much, makes you do "baby stuff" that you would rather not, but you always have the patience like a little Mother. And he looks up to you, which is a wonderful thing since you are a great role model!

So today, we celebrate you Lauren and hope you have a wonderful day and can't wait to see you and celebrate your birthday next week!

We love you,

Aunt Kelli, Uncle Bryan & Nico

P.S. Uncle Bryan can't wait to take you to dinner like you requested, start thinking of where you want to go!

Attitude of Gratitude: May 8th, 2009

I am grateful as always for:

1. Nico who has been a real sport even though he has been sick...he is the best kid ever!

2. For Mother's Day not only for me, but to be able to thank all the Mother's in my life and tell them how much they mean to me.

3. Texting it's unreal how much fun it is and how addicted I have become, I NEVER would of thought I would be saying.......LOL!!

4. Lauren who's 8th birthday is today...Happy Birthday Lauren!

5. I can't forget all my other nieces and nephews you are special too and have a special place in my heart always....Kait and Kourt too!

6. For nice nurses who even when I call because my child has a 102 fever and ask stupid questions, she was very patient and helpful.

7. Thomas the Train who Nico can't wait to see next weekend when we go to Spend a Day with Thomas near Cleveland.

8. For blogs to talk to even if no one wants to hear my frustrations and then letting it go.

9. Good friends, who are always there when I need them!!!

10. Train books that Nico has me read every single night, but totally worth it to see his face!!!

So there it is, my tiny list of things that I am grateful for because I definitely could go on.....

On a side note, please add my friends Pete and Michele to your prayer list. Pete's Mom is at her last stages of Cancer and is not doing well. With Mother's Day approaching it's going to be even harder for them, so please ask God to give them strength to get through this hard times. Thank you.

Until our next adventure........

Soap Box.....

Usually my stories are of the funny nature, we'll I think they are funny at least and you keep coming back to read what I write so you must think I am somewhat funny, right?? That's what I keep telling myself anyway..... :)

So, since I fully disclosed myself if you are here looking for another adorable picture of Nico or a funny story this post isn't about that at all....we'll it's about Nico but in a different kind of way. Anyways..........

I am really disgusted, is definitely the word I want to use that my school levy passed, and even as I type that I know how horrible that sounds but that is the truth. This is a school that my son will NEVER attend, and a school that they had to build the Tamaja Hall and didn't have the money to support the school after it was built, which in my little pea brain says that we should of never built this building whether or not it was from a grant because what is it doing to help us if we can't run it??? I mean maybe I don't have the education that the higher ups do on the Board but isn't that common sense, Brand New Bigger Building that is wired for high tech everything is going to cost us more money and since we can't pass levies maybe we should scale back a bit?? I don't get it and it's not just my school district it's all the schools around. It's like it's a competition to see who can have the best High School around, but if my school had the best test scores maybe then I would be more willing to pay but instead they re-districted and put more kids in our school thinking it would allow more tax money, but instead here we are trying to get more money for a building we can't afford. And throughout the six years I have lived in this district there have been more fighting, knifing in the elementary schools and other things that it seems to me that re-districting wasn't such a good idea. But again, this is just my opinion and the ironic thing is that when this knifing occurred I read it in the paper telling my friend who has a child who goes to this school, and the parents were never informed except reading it in the paper. Personally, I have a real problem with that if my child could of been in harms way, I definitely would want to know how they are going to solve that problem and how they are going to prevent it.

Now I am not naive to think that things like this don't happen in all schools, but this just adds the fuel to my fire and the test scores are acceptable but definitely not something to brag about they just made the Excellent mark overall by a few points. It just seems like for someone like me who has made the right choices in life, paying our bills on time, not taking a vacation when we couldn't afford it or had credit card debt through the roof but now I have to re-align my bills to compensate for the school levy that wasn't published because they wanted to make sure most people who didn't have kids in the schools not vote. I of course keep up with and did vote, as you can imagine which way and now I get to pay the price.

What really got me going to was the fact that when the commissioners needed to increase the sales tax .25%, which equals out to .25 per hundred dollars you spend on luxury items and the public went bananas....like how dare they, but now it's like this is the best thing since Apple Pie for the schools...and I am thinking why did they build this building if they couldn't afford it and I had no vote on building it, but yet I get to pay for it. Whereas the sales tax is for the county who hopefully I never need but if I do I want to know they are going to be there for me...such as the police if I am being robbed or assaulted or something happens to my child, God forbid, but the public things just another tax.....Comme people everyone in this county at one time will need something from the social services or police at one point in their life, not everyone will send their kid to this school. And I just don't say that because my husband risks his life everyday for those people who say NO MORE TAXES but go out and buy a 100" TV without thinking twice about how they are going to pay for it. So I say to those people, when my husband gets a call to your house and you didn't want to vote for the sales tax, he'll be there eventually just be patient because you didn't want to pay his minimal salary to protect and serve you, but you have no problem funding a school that should of never been built in the first place.

So, I guess that's about what I have to say and I am sorry if this offends anyone because that was not my intention. I do value education, and making sure that my son gets the best one he can and I have NO problem paying my taxes for a school worth going to but if we still live in this district we will be looking for other options, and I will continue to pay my taxes to this current school as well as paying tuition for him to have the best opportunity he can possibly have not necessarily built in a building fit for a King.

I promise my next post will be cheerful and the funny nature it usually is....

Until next time........

What do you think happened here??

Before you ask, yes I do dress my child in jammies before bed...LOL!!

Until our next "messy" adventure........

It's back.....I know you all missed my funny stories as much as I missed everyone else's but we are back and here we are being brutally honest about the stuff we could have "NEVER" done. If you want to read more "Not me! Monday" posts go to here.

I certainly have not tried to potty train and pretty much given up as Nico just has NO interest in it, no not me I would certainly never give up!

I surely didn't give in to what Nico wanted for dinner of pickles, cottage cheese and cheese...only balanced meals in this house.

And surely as I am typing this I didn't turn on a movie so I could finish this, my child NEVER watches any TV and couldn't tell you who Dora or Diego was!

And finally, I never would have skipped a shower because I was to lazy and into the latest book I was reading, no not me I would NEVER do that!!

Well there it is my Perfect things I could have NEVER done!

Until next time...

Attitude of Gratitude: May 1st, 2009

It's May already, can we believe?? I sure can't time has flown by!!!

I am grateful for:

1. Bryan who is the most patient, the best Daddy and who I love more than anything in the world...we'll except....

2. Nico who is the most wonderful little man in my life who can always make me laugh even on the headache days!

3. WiiFit working out has become a routine and I really enjoy the time.

4. Springlike/Summerlike weather what a beautiful weekend we had last weekend and hopefully we'll have this weekend!

5. My service person at Park Honda who sold me my first Honda and continues to put up with all my little quirks!

6. Photoshows, I hope everyone enjoys them as much as I enjoy sending them too you.

7. Friends and Family Blogs, or websites how much fun it is to keep in touch with you too!

8. Stellan got to go home!!! What a miracle baby he is.

9. DVR, I know I have said it a few times, but it is a wonderful thing!!

10. Spring Flowers, how it makes us feel when we see the tulips and other spring flowers to know WINTER is gone!!!


Until our next adventure.......

Remember When??

I was just going through some of my pictures I have saved on my computer and I came across this one, which just happens to be one of my favorites of my two FAVORITE BOYS!!! Who can remember Nico being that small........he has changed so much and when I look at this picture it reminds how fast time has gone.

Hope you enjoy the picture and remembering Nico as a baby, not as the Big Boy he has become!

Until our next adventure......

Summer is here?!?!?

I don't want to say it to loud but....................SUMMER HAS FINALLY ARRIVED!!!!

Sorry, I guess I got a little carried away, but with the beautiful weekend we just had..I ask all of you how can we not be so excited!! I truly thought winter was NEVER going to end!!!! I mean think back a couple of weeks and it was snowing for gosh sakes!!!!!

Anyways, we had a great weekend playing outside, getting yard work done and staining the deck yet again this year! I got sunburned which kind of stunk but since it was so nice, I guess that was my stupidity since I lathered my son up, but not me! And even when Nico played with his washable paint set, it couldn't ruin my mood even though he had paint all over him, his carpet and all his craft stuff in his closet.....but how could I be mad when it was my fault for leaving the closet unlocked. So needless to say the paint is in the trash, the coloring books that were stuck together and the playdough container has bit the dust!!!! But like I said nothing could ruin my weekend and I should have taken some pictures because now looking back it was pretty funny, but at the time and the hour and half it took me to clean it up was not so much fun!

Let's all hope that we continue with this beautiful weather and nice breeze in the continuing days because I hoping Summer will last just a couple days extra this year since we could never seem to get rid of WINTER!!!!

Until our next adventure....

Attitude of Gratitude: April 24th, 2009

Who can believe it's Friday already.....seems like time is flying by!

I am grateful for:

1. Good friends and family who helped celebrate my birthday last weekend...I think I ate enough for 3 people!

2. That Baby Stellan made it out of surgery OK, and although things are turning out the way they thought hopefully things will turn around soon.

3. Three pays in April, I know I have used that before but it's still GREAT!

4. Antibiotics that got rid of all my crud I had last week!

5. Along with that the greatest Doctor in the world who continually puts up with me!

6. Nico who is starting to think in the right direction of potty training....I hope!

7. Swimming Classes and Pre-school, it's so good to see him socializing and doing things on his own!

8. Email, Internet and Facebook all of these things help me keep connected with new and old friends even when life sweeps me away from them!

9. Dance Recitals, it is so much fun to see Kait and Kourt work so hard all year and then perform like pros!

10. Thomas the Train who Nico is so into right now, and hopefully we'll be making a Percy the Train purchase VERY soon (going on the big potty for the first time reward).

Happy Friday!!!

Until our next adventure...

Potty Training Update

Just wanted everyone to know that we might be on to something.......

NICO ASKED TO GO TO THE POTTY TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!

Although it was after Daddy had him on the potty, but when Daddy asked him if he wanted to get up he said no "I gotta go to the potty"!!! I know he didn't go but at least he asked, that's the right step.....RIGHT??

Anyways, I am excited and lets just hope he will go so we can buy him Percy the Train he wants so bad!!!

I'll try to keep you updated on his progress!

Until our next adventure........

Sesame Street Live!

We had a great weekend for my birthday, and it started out on Friday when we took Nico to Price Park to feed the "duckies". He is so much fun now, he sees things we miss and loves to learn new things! So taking him to the park this year is always going to be a new adventure! He loves to slide, swing and play with the other kids. We had to bribe him with ice cream to get him to leave, but we'll worth it Almost Heaven has the best ice cream and it's really close to our house which makes it even better!!!

Then on Saturday we got up and Mommy got to sleep in for the first time in......we'll I don't remember but I got to sleep until almost 8:30AM!!! Then it was time for us to start getting ready for Sesame Street Live: Elmo Plays Music and I have to admit I thought Nico would really love and he did for the first half, but trying to keep a 2 1/2 year old entertained for almost 2 hours in a seat is almost impossible but we did it by bribing him with popcorn and grape soda...I know I am a terrible Mother, but in times like this you have to do what you have to do! Anyhow, after the show we went back home for naptime!

All in all it was a fun weekend with Nico, Daddy and Mommy and it was especially nice because the weather was starting to break and we actually could go outside!!!! It's funny how as we get older, and have a child birthday weekends definitely are different then they were before we had Nico but definitely a lot better now!!!

I have pictures at home that I will try to post, but as always if I don't the photoshow will be up next week!!

Until our next adventure..........

Attitude of Gratitude: April 17th, 2009

Here we are another Friday has come, time to be grateful in so many ways!

1. That I wasn't hurt in the car accident I was involved in last Friday, could of been a lot worse than it was.

2. That my car is fixable and should be done with a couple of weeks!

3. That Nico was not in the car with me when I was t-boned last week!

4. That even though I may or may not have been speeding down Diamond, I am thankful the Policeman was as nice as he was and let me go.....plus he is a friend, so that helped too!

5. Nico didn't cry to hard when we left him for Swimming lessons and that his Pre-school teacher Miss Angie is nice even when Nico isn't so much!

6. Birthday, gosh I am glad that another has come around without to much drama this year!

7. Birthday Cards, how much fun is it to come home to find a pile of Birthday cards from various family and friends to show how much you are loved! Thank you!

8. Nice weather, I can't believe that the weather has finally turned and B has the weekend, we'll almost all the weekend off.

9. Motorized cars that Nico finally figured out how to steer and drives around the neighborhood, acting like he is going to get somewhere!

10. Family and friends, when you need them most they are there and when you want to party hard you know who to call.........J/K, I am to old for that crap anymore! LOL!

Hope everyone enjoys the weekend and the outdoors!

Until next time...........

***UPDATE***

As promised, the real story of what happened if you watch closely the second Officer is actually the one who shot the suspect. The suspect was reaching for a second hand gun as he was putting down the assault rifle, and fortuantely the second Officer was there to see him reach for the gun and save the 1st Officer's life.

What my point is that take the New Stories as they are and realize that sometimes the truth isn't always told, and in this case how many were quick to judge..sadly I know I was, and me of all people should know better......

Take a moment to watch this video.

Watch this video and let me know with your comment of what you think happened here and then I will post what actually happened. It caught me off guard even with the open mind of being a Deputies wife, I still was quick to judge. I tease him all the time that he is just a glorified babysitter, but out there it is a crazy world I pretend his life is not in danger everyday, but we all know the truth…..it’s a crazy world we live in and we all need to appreciate our Law Enforcement for what they do for hardly nothing, but for the pure love of their jobs.

Until next time.....

Swimming Classes & Car Accidents........

Not in that order, and thankfully the second part had nothing to do with Nico!! Let's begin with the good news, Nico started swimming classes on his own last Thursday and although I was a little nervous on how he would act...I think he was OK. And the reason I say, I think is because the instructors come and get the kids and towels and then you are instructed to go upstairs and watch them on a TV screen with all the other parents in a room. I guess this is good because they can't see you and won't cry for you, but watching Nico from a 40" screen with 10 or so other sets of parents was a little hard. I can tell you I think he did OK, the teacher never said anything and he sat on the edge of the pool the entire time with the other kids, but when he saw me after then marched them back to the waiting parents he starting yelling, "Mommy, Mommy" and was crying....his face was all red and I am not sure if he was crying the whole time or not. I would think though that they would have said something if he had cried the whole time, right?? Then Chay told me that he cried when he didn't get a toy at the end, as everyone else got a water toy to play with the last 5 minutes or so. So I am not sure what happened and hoping next week is better.........PLEASE!

In other news, yes as many of you know I was involved in a pretty bad accident yesterday but thankfully I was not hurt except for a stiff neck. Apparently even when you have a green light you need to offensive because running a red light is optional...actually the ironic thing is that I watched one guy blow the light and thought OK should be safe now, right?? Not, the guy behind him also took it upon himself to run the light and thought he had a green light...so now my driver side is completely smashed in and his license plate was embedded in my door. Again, thankfully Nico was NOT in the car and I was not hurt. Kiki the best doctor in the world had me call my surgeon and he said unless something changes I will be OK, so I am saying I am on my 4th of 9 lives and apparently it still isn't my time to go! So now since no one was cited and why in the world would anyone stop to see if everyone is OK, it's my word against his.......such is life I guess and I am sure somehow it'll work out, but one thing I do endorse Honda's, I have had two terrible accidents first one in my Honda Accord hitting head-on with a vehicle that turned in front of me and yes I had a stiff neck, but really no injuries...although my car, with $11K worth of damage was hurt but I walked away and now with my Honda Civic being hit directly on the driver side door at 40+ mpg and still no injuries other than soreness....I am definitely saying that I will not buy anything other than a Honda for these reasons and am so fortunate I was not hurt and neither was the other person...I just keep telling myself, "cars can be fixed!"

Until our next adventure!

Attitude of Gratitude: April 10th, 2009

Some much to be grateful for, so little blogging to do!

1. Spring Cleaning: It's nice that I finally got our computer room all organized and even got Bryan to clean out the closet....we'll sort of but we'll finish it up this weekend!

2. Funny stories: I am so grateful for my friend April, who has 3 kids under 3 and a 7 year old who can always make me laugh!

3. Stellan: So grateful that they finally are getting somewhere and hoping that he doesn't have to have surgery next week.

4. Easter Candy: Who doesn't like their kids Easter Candy....oh I mean my candy!

5. Motorized Cars: Thanks to Julie who gave Nico a motorized car that he is finally figuring out how to steer!

6. Pre-school: You won't believe how much he loves it and doesn't even flinch when we leave...growing up so fast!

7. Terri: It's so nice to have my BF at the center to be able to keep an eye on the little guy, and watch him today! Plus there is always the gratefulness that she has been my friend for over 18 years!

8. TGIF: I am so glad it's Friday, even though I have to work half a day tomorrow but sleeping in on Sunday is always fun...OK only til 7 but it's better than nothing!

9. Patience: So glad the swimming instructor has patience and Nico was pretty good, I think, for his first swimming class without us anywhere in site! He is growing up too fast....I'll post about that later!

10. 3 pays in April: What could be better than Bryan getting paid 3 times in April....I love these months!!!

Happy Easter all!!

Until our next adventure...

Sesame Street Live: Elmo Plays Music

Not that Daddy is to excited, but since it's my birthday we got tickets to Seseame Street LIVE!!! I can't wait to see Nico with all the music, characters and fun! Since they are in town, of course we had to get tickets. I am sure everyone will be excited to hear all about our adventure next weekend...

Until next time.......

We got tickets!!!!

I am so excited, I was researching a train ride for Nico because he is sooo into trains these days and found his favorite, Thomas the Train in Peninsula, OH! So of course I had to buy tickets and it happened to be on the weekend that Daddy had requested off!!! I can't wait for Nico to see Thomas and all the fun things they have to offer, he is going to be so EXCITED!!! That or Mommy will be for him...LOL!

Until our next adventure.......

We made it!!

Nico made it through the first day of Pre-school with no tears, no pouting, nothing but pure fun and excitement for his first day of Pre-school!!

We got up this morning, I had to wake him up...got dressed, ate breakfast and brushed our teeth until it was finally time to go! Grandma Beth showed up so she could see where to pick him up and be there for another one of Nico's 1st's! We met the teacher, Miss Angie and he was off to play with all the toys! He met his first friend, Mason who was already there and I am sure many more after we left. After we gave them all his stuff it was time to say goodbye, he gave me a hug and a kiss, and Bryan too and then he was off again to play! Never even looking back or having any tears......we hung up his coat on his hook and I was off to work.

Grandma Beth went to pick him up, and they said he was really good. He colored a picture, played in the big room and I am sure many, many more that hopefully he'll tell me tonight. All in all when I talked to him after school he was so excited and had to tell me all about it. I think he had a great time, and I am sure he can't wait to go back tomorrow!!!

It was also very nice, that my best friend Terri works there and gave me an update that he was doing great!

So there it is the adventures of his first day of Pre-school, and the beginning of the many, many first days of school he has ahead of him!

Until our next Nico adventure.........

Attitude of Gratitude: April 3rd, 2009

I have to say I have really enjoyed these weekly rituals of what I am grateful for because we all have lots of things to be grateful for and writing them down, really puts things in perspective! So of course, I am grateful for:

1. My stepdad's central line being put in without any problems!

2. The nice guy who let Nico ride on the backhoe yesterday!! How nice was that to make a 2 year old's day!

3. Birthdays and lots of reasons to celebrate!

4. Stellan who seems to be at least taking a turn for the better, the prayers are definitely helping!

5. Even though I am sad it's over, I am grateful for growing up with ER and having all those years of watching them!

6. Flower Factory, gosh I could spend an entire day in there and not buy anything, but of course we did last night!

7. Sunny days, gosh how much it has to be able to go outside with Nico after work!

8. Good friends, it's so nice that we have our core group of friends that are more like family to us!

9. Easter time, how much is it to color eggs with the little ones and now that Nico is older I am sure it'll be a lot of fun!

10. Peach tea, I just got some yummy peach tea last night and I am enjoying my morning cup as I type this post!

Well there it is, my list! Hope everyone else has a lot of grateful moments to share too!!

Until our next adventure.....

Please, Digger ride, please!!!

I wish I could download the text I got from Bryan today, it's a picture of Nico on a Backhoe after a friend of Bryan's, Max was talking to Bryan and Nico when his boss came up and unloaded a Backhoe. Of course, Nico who has been eyeing them all week in the allotment went over to the boss of our friend and put his arms up, and said "please digger ride please?" Of course with those blue eyes and cute face who could resist?? So the nice man, picked up Nico onto the "digger" and gave him a Backhoe 101 Lesson. Nico got to control (well he thought he was) the Backhoe for a few minutes by pushing the buttons and making the bucket go for a ride in a circle or two, and pushing a few more buttons, but then it was time for the guys to start working. Believe it or not, I know it's shocking Nico wasn't in their plans today! It was so nice that they let him take a ride and he was in heaven, it made a cute little 2.5 year old day that he'll probably never forget.

Although as he was getting out of the "digger" he said "Dump truck, ride in Dump truck please!" Of course Bryan said no, but it was too cute! If we can figure out how to get the photo off the cell phone, we'll post it!

Until our next adventure.....

Happy 2 1/2 Birthday Nico!!!

Nico's 1st Day home

October 4th, 2006

Nico & Chay, February 2007

Nico-4 months

Chay-6 months

Nico & Mr. Browny
August 2007
10 months old

Nico on his new swing set
July 2008
20 months old

Nico at Ft. Benning, GA
2 years old

Who can believe that Nico is already 2 1/2 and so many things are changing, from starting pre-school on Monday to being in his own Swimming class that week also! He is getting to big to fast, and looking back at his baby pictures I can't believe that he has gotten so big and independent!!! I hope you guys enjoy the few favorite pictures I have posted to take all of us down memory lane....

Until our next adventure....Pre-school.........hopefully Mommy doesn't cry to hard!!!