Piromsuk Family News

An Update From Me!

2011-05-06T20:51:00.000-05:00

Well, a lot has been going on the last few months including an new Mac computer which has been a little adjustment. I have also started working from home doing IT and Marketing work for two different clients. The kids (and me) have a busy schedule...gymnastics and karate after school.

I am also thinking about transferring my blog to Wordpress since that is what I work with every day with my new client. I want to be able to blog but also promote my new crocheted hats and bags. I do have a new Etsy store - you can view my items at http://www.etsy.com/shop/npiromsuk. I haven't really promoted it yet since I am still working out some details on how I want to go about this little business.

Soooo...now you know why I have been MIA lately and I will post some new pics and stories this weekend to catch you up. See ya soon!

Natalie

Love that Photo!!!

2011-02-24T19:22:00.000-06:00

I took this photo at Karate with my new MacPro computer. There is a program called Photo Booth and the kids love this program. It records photos and videos with the web cam and you can choose different effects such as black and white and sepia.

The only problem now is that Paige bugs me constantly to play with this super cool program...Ughh!!

Missing in Action!!

2011-02-18T17:48:00.001-06:00

Well, I haven't been around for awhile because I have recently re-entered the work force - working from home. I belong to site called hiremymom.com and they have tons of new jobs every day for moms that need to work from home.

So I have two part time jobs now. One of my jobs is a Marketing position for an online knitting pattern company called Sweaterbabe.com. I am in charge of the contests, giveaways, etc. for her company.

The other position involves creating blogs and websites for another online company called johnnybtruant.com. I love this work - it is challenging, fun, and getting me back to what I used to do.

The best part about these jobs is that they are flexible and allow me to be at home with my two little ones. I do hope to post more in the next few days. I usually can catch up a little on the weekends!!!

Paige’s 4th Birthday Party

2011-01-13T11:54:00.001-06:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Teacher Gifts

2011-01-11T12:07:00.001-06:00

I worked very hard the month of December making homemade gifts for the teachers. I took composition books and made personalized journals for the teachers and Eddie’s co-workers…12 in all! For the bus drivers I got holiday Glade candles and made Christmas labels to wrap around them. Everyone got Lindt and Godiva chocolate truffles, too! Everyone loved their gifts.

Shiah and Orange Belt Grading

2011-01-11T11:37:00.001-06:00

Shane participated in a Karate competition (Shiah) last month and competed against three other students that were in his age range. There was two different categories – Kata (Practice Form) and Kihon (Fundamentals/Basics). Shane received a silver metal in both categories – second place. This was great for him. He was so happy and so proud. His medals are hanging on his closet door where everyone can see them! He also had his testing for his orange belt and he did great!

To view all pics go to http://npiromsuk.smugmug.com/Karate/Shiah/15062131_MyQHA and http://npiromsuk.smugmug.com/Karate/orangebeltgrading/15061815_Hyqbg

Go to www.mokarate.com to learn more about our dojo!

Cookie Time

2011-01-11T09:02:00.001-06:00

I couldn’t go through the holidays without making some frosted Christmas cookies so we decided to try the Trader Joe’s Christmas cookie kit. The dough still required mixing, chilling and rolling out but it was still easier than making it by scratch. It came with 3 different cookie cutters – snowman, tree, and star. The frosting came in a packet but there wasn’t quite enough to cover all the cookies. I frosted the cookies and Paige did the sprinkles. We used some other decorations from last year to make them a little fancier. Anyway, here are some pictures:

Playing Catch Up!!

2011-01-11T08:46:00.001-06:00

I am super backed up on my posts as usual but I will try and catch up a little today. They might not all be in order so bare with me! My New Year’s resolution is to be a better blogger…haha!

Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree

2010-12-21T08:49:00.001-06:00

Click the link if you can’t view it here: http://npiromsuk.smugmug.com/School/PaigePerformance/15144055_aNRvu

Outdoor photos

2010-12-02T22:29:00.001-06:00

Eddie took some great photos outside last weekend so we could get a few shots for our Christmas card. Here is one that I really like of Shane. I am also trying out SmugMug for hosting my photos and videos. Click here to go to this album. Take a look and let me know what you think!

P.S. A SmugMug Power membership for Christmas would be an awfully nice gesture!!!

Aunt Lacy Comes to Visit!!

2010-11-24T10:27:00.001-06:00

	My sister, Lacy, and her kids came to visit us last week. They haven’t been here in over a year so we were very glad to finally have them visit. We only had four days with them but we did a lot. There was a lot of play time outside since the weather was mild. I got some really cute photos of them enjoying the outdoors together. The link to the rest of the photos is below.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/npiromsuk/sets/72157625460057130/

Shane’s School Photo is In!

2010-11-08T19:57:00.001-06:00

I was so excited to get Shane’s school photo back so I could put it up next to Paige’s but I discovered that it didn’t turn out quite as nice as hers. He has a hard time smiling on cue – usually forces it too much. The pictures on the left is last year (kindergarten) and the one on the right is this year. He looks older and now has two new front teeth!

Matching Costumes

2010-11-02T08:56:00.001-05:00

This is too cute not to post. Paige went as Tinkerbell for Halloween and Moose (Auntie’s dog) has the same costume from a while back. I had to take pictures of them together because they both looked so cute. Moose was not thrilled to have a costume on but he tolerated it for a little while. We had to keep Rudy away from him because he just wanted to tear it off.

Paige’s New Best Friend

2010-11-02T08:46:00.001-05:00

Paige’s new friend is named, Murrin, and we went to her birthday party a few weeks ago. It was a barbeque dinner outdoors and we all had to bring a macaroni and cheese dish. I don’t cook much so my dish obviously wasn’t the best! Anyway, here are some pictures of Paige and her buddy (she just turned 4 years old). As you can see below, they have the same jeans and shoes on. Murrin had to put them on so she could match Paige.

It’s amazing to me out close they have become in such a short time.

A Worthwhile Video

2010-11-01T07:15:00.001-05:00

The Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, teaming up with over 130 NFL Alumni Philadelphia Chapter Cheerleaders and UnitedHealthcare of Pennsylvania, invite the world to help "Team Ra-Ras Kick Breast Cancer." To encourage viewers to share the video with others and increase breast cancer awareness, UnitedHealthcare will donate ten cents ($.10) per view to The Philadelphia Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure up to a maximum donation of $100,000.

Paige’s School Picture is In!

2010-10-28T07:35:00.001-05:00

I had to scan this year’s photo and last year’s photo so that you can see how much this little girl has changed in only one year. She looks older, taller, wiser, more mature, and, of course, more beautiful. My little girl has grown up so much in the last year and has truly become her own little person. I am thankful for our wonderful school district for providing her with such great assistance in speech, etc. Any who, let me know what you think!!?!

Shane’s Halloween Festival

2010-10-17T16:09:00.001-05:00

Shane and Paige dressed up last night for Shane’s school festival. Shane was a soldier and Paige went as Tinkerbell. I was able to get some awesome photos outside before we left.

We had dinner there – hot dogs, chips, and dessert (of course). We played several games – knocking down cans with bean bags and getting frogs into a bucket. We decorated foam pumpkins and also did a ring toss. The kids had a great time! There were lots of good costumes including a homemade iPhone costume!

Anyone for a game of Sorry?

2010-10-15T09:46:00.001-05:00

I took a picture of this because it is just too cute! Shane drew the the Sorry game board on his Doodle Pro. He got the pawns from the actual game and found a die and he and Paige played Sorry on his Doodle Pro. He makes me so proud to be his Momma!!!

Grandpa and Grandma’s Visit

2010-10-15T09:43:00.001-05:00

Grandpa Mike and Grammy Cheryl came for a visit at the end of September. We had a great time together. The kids got to play Sorry and Angry Birds with them and Grandpa Mike taught them the thumb dance (see below). Shane got to show them his cool karate moves on Saturday morning. We were lucky to get a babysitter so that we could do a nice dinner with them. We finally tried out Andria’s Steakhouse and it is excellent!

Strange Bird Encounter…

2010-09-29T23:04:00.001-05:00

I have been watching the birds around our home for the last several years and these weren’t your typical sweet birds. Eddie pointed it out to me – there had to be 15 to 20 birds right under the bird feeder. They kept trying to fight each other off for a place at the bird feeder. It was the strangest thing. I took a few pictures from the window but when I tried to open the sliding glass door they all flew the coop!

Fun at the Zoo!

2010-09-29T22:18:00.001-05:00

We all decided to do the zoo together Labor Day weekend. We thought early Sunday morning would be the best time but the line into the Zoo was incredibly long. The weather was great and the animals were active. We got to see a super cute baby elephant splashing and playing in the water…and I did get a video!

You can see all the pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/npiromsuk/sets/72157625063660478/

Shane’s 7th Birthday DAY!!!

2010-09-14T22:56:00.001-05:00

We celebrated Shane’s birthday on his real birthday – August 20th. I can’t believe that he is now seven years old! Paige and I stopped by Costco and picked up chocolate chip cookies and brought them to Shane’s school for his birthday snack. We had a great time – Shane passed out cookies to his friends until his hands started getting messy and Mrs. Higgs took over.

Paige loved being in class with the older kids – I think she will love kindergarten. All of Shane’s classmates were so nice and thanked me for bringing cookies. I took Shane home after school and we waited for Dad to get home.

We drove to Dave and Busters that night to do dinner and games with Shane that evening. We had a nice dinner but the kids were excited to get to the games. There were a few cute games they liked but it was just not a kid place. We played for a bit and got home kind of late. I made cupcakes for Shane – vanilla with a Sponge Bob candle. Jeanette and I sung a quick happy birthday song and we ate our cupcakes.

More pictures at http://www.flickr.com/photos/npiromsuk/sets/72157624959368414/

So Very Behind the Game…

2010-09-14T22:25:00.001-05:00

I have been extremely exhausted since school has started and I have not been able to get my self on a routine, yet, but I am trying. We have been very busy the last few weeks and I have taken many pictures but just haven’t had the time to upload all of them. So, I am committed to upload at least one file of pictures per day until I am caught up! I will be sure to post links so that you can view them. Anyway, please forgive me for slacking!!

Shane's First Karate Test

2010-08-29T18:44:00.001-05:00

Shane tested for his first belt last Thursday. He did very well...better than I expected! We find out Tuesday if he will receive his full yellow belt or one of the step up yellow belts. After the test, his Sensei said that he did perfect so we are hoping for the full yellow belt. Of course, I almost cried like a baby while I filmed it. I am so very proud of him!!!

http://youtu.be/DQ2kRMHw1i4

An Amazing Little Girl…

2010-08-18T10:41:00.001-05:00

Rhema Marvanne - 'Amazing Grace' REVISED 6/11 from Black Olive Media.com on Vimeo.

In Memory of Her Mother.

NODCC Conference 2010

2010-08-13T11:55:00.001-05:00

Eddie, Shane and I attended the 2010 NODCC conference in San Jose, CA, while Paige stayed back with Auntie Jeanette. We flew out to California a day early to go to California Great Adventure which was within walking distance from our hotel. We stayed at the Marriott located right in the middle of Silicon Valley. Yahoo! was across the street and other companies nearby were Intel, Citrix, and McAfee.

On Thursday, before hitting the amusement park, we ate a little lunch at In and Out Burgers. What an awesome burger joint. We walked the park and rode rides for about 3.5 hours and we were exhausted. We had Mexican Food for dinner but it was cut short when Shane fell asleep at the dinner table.

We ate at IHOP the next morning and hung out at the lobby at the hotel while people were coming in for the conference. Shane and Eddie went back to the room while I stayed and met several new people new to the conference. That part alone is worth going to the conference.

The actual conference started at 1pm on Friday. We checked Shane into the kid camp and Eddie and I attended two lectures. We picked Shane up for dinner and then had another regional group meeting after dinner. What a long day!!!

I won’t bore you with all the details but they held a pizza and dance party on Saturday night and

Shane danced like a fool…check out the video on the right. On Sunday, Eddie and I were asked to speak on the panel for parents with children with DCC. That was such an honor. After lunch was over on Sunday…we hit the pool and I got some major sun…the weather was so incredible there! We went to another Mexican restaurant (Pedro’s) with our new friends from Westchester, NY. They have a son who is 11 years old and has partial ACC. The four of us hammered 2 pitchers of margarita in 2 hours!

We had such a wonderful time!!! There is no conference next year but will be another one in San Antonio in 2012. We are going to make a family vacation out of that one…go to Schlitterbahn! So next year we are trying to do a regional conference with a smaller group. I am in the process of working on that right now…seems like a big task but I am going to try!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7148488@N02/sets/72157624574952655/

Paige at My Gym

2010-08-05T21:30:00.001-05:00

I have so much to post but so little time right now. Things should calm down pretty soon and then I will do some major posting!!! In the meantime, here are a few pictures of Paige at My Gym. She just had her last class and will probably be starting soccer in the Fall.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/7148488@N02/sets/72157624653590502/

Paige’s New Uniform

2010-07-26T21:50:00.001-05:00

Paige finally got her new uniform for karate and I had to take some super cute pictures of them together. I hemmed the pants but I still need to hem the shirt. I just wanna eat them!!!

John Legend under the Arch

2010-07-24T22:57:00.001-05:00

Jeanette won some VIP tickets to see John Legend downtown at the Arch so we decided to make a night of it. We got a babysitter and the three of us had dinner at Wasabi (sushi) before heading into downtown which was super busy. We got to park free inside this gigantic parking garage which went several stories down. After parking we then had to walk about a half mile into the park. Wow, was it crowded!!!

Our seats were directly under the Arch and about 30 feet from the stage. Right before the concert started security let in people in from beyond the gates. It got a little crazy at first because everyone wanted in but things settled down when the concert began. The music and weather was great. After the concert there was a magnificent fireworks show began but we decided to get on out of there before the crowd did. The walk back to the garage was super difficult…Eddie was leading, Jeanette had her hand on her shoulder and mine on hers. If we got separated we would not be able to find each other. When we got back to the garage the attendant said we had better hurry unless we wanted to be stuck down there in traffic for several hours.

Overall, I don’t plan on going back anytime soon but if we do – we are definitely taking the Metro! See more at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7148488@N02/sets/72157624450466955/

Paige’s 4th Birthday

2010-07-24T21:33:00.001-05:00

We decided to take Paige to Chuck E Cheese’s on her birthday evening and decided last minute minute to go ahead and throw her a small party with just a few friends. We had pizza, wings, and cake and played a lot of games. Paige did try her hand inside the ticket booth goggles and all but when the air turned on she absolutely freaked. She started crying and when we turned it off she was so upset that she couldn’t do it. They gave us 200 tickets since she couldn’t catch any herself.

The party lasted about 2.5 hours and turned out great. Her cake was from Costco and she chose chocolate cake with a big blue dinosaur on the front. That’s what she wanted. Overall, the party was a hit. See the rest at http://www.flickr.com/photos/7148488@N02/sets/72157624574557628/

So Much to Post – So Little Time!!

2010-07-24T19:35:00.001-05:00

Once again I have gone too long without posting what is going on in the Piromsuk Family. I think I will start with Paige’s Birthday party (July 5th) and end with our trip to Maryland last week. There might be a few stray stories here and there about my new found hobby but I won’t try to bore you too much. Here goes nothing!!!

Big News from Maryland…

2010-07-16T06:36:00.001-05:00

As some of you know I am in Maryland visiting my sister, niece, and nephew. I got the pleasure of experience an earthquake at 5am this morning. I have now experienced an earthquake on the west coast, Midwest, and east coast – not to mention a few hurricanes in South Florida. I woke up and knew exactly what was going on but the kids didn’t wake up so I went back to sleep.

I woke up and talked to Lacy who didn’t believe me that there was an earthquake. She was just mad that Jason shook her awake at 5am this morning. He kept telling her that he didn’t. Finally, we turned on the TV for confirmation of the 3.6 earthquake that hit Gaithersburg, MD. That is where my sister lives…on the epicenter.

We are on our way to a 7 acre park this morning. There is a heat advisory of 96 degrees by 11 am so we are about to walk out the door. I will keep you updated on any aftershocks!!

Baby Birds: the Final Chapter

2010-07-07T23:57:00.001-05:00

My two plants are finally back to normal…no more nests, baby birds, and constant chirping. Last week I pulled down the plant one last time to take my final pictures and the birds were scared and flew out of the nest. Three of the baby birds were able to fly into the tree but one of them did a little flutter to the ground but couldn’t fly up. He ran around the grass and into a bush. I took a few pictures and wondered how he would fare that night. I haven’t found any little dead baby birds so I think they are doing fine. I have seen a few of them around and they seem to be doing fine. Here are some pictures of them from start to finish:

Too Cute For Words!!!!!

2010-07-03T16:25:00.001-05:00

I Totally Forgot…

2010-07-03T16:21:00.001-05:00

I was able to get a video of Paige doing karate a few weeks ago and forgot to post it on my blog. She has really taken to karate and is getting her real uniform next week. She is a very talented little girl…I don’t know if she really loves it or loves to do it because Shane loves to do it!

Photos by Jeanette

2010-06-15T22:07:00.001-05:00

Jeanette took my camera and got some really good shots of the kids and the doggies. I had to share because they are just toooooo cute!

Another project finished…

2010-06-15T21:34:00.001-05:00

I am working on my third project right now (blanket) but I finally finished Eddie’s scarf. It took me a long time because I used a thick tweed yarn and knitted a very tight basket weave. I know I made plenty of mistakes but I think it looks pretty good. Eddie was very impressed and said he will wear it this winter. We will see!

My Baby Birds

2010-06-15T20:56:00.001-05:00

Well, I have had a long journey with a little bird family living in my hanging ivy plant on the front porch. About 1 week after I got the plant I went to water it. To my surprise there was a perfect little nest with 4 little light blue eggs. I immediately put the plant back and watered my other hanging plant. I kept my eye on the babies and took as many pictures as I could. I checked the plant about 5 days after seeing the eggs and saw this little we tiny bird with its mouth open. It kind of freaked me out so I didn’t take any pictures. I just put it back. I checked again and there were 3 little fuzzy balls sleeping together. They grew bigger and bigger and 2 days ago the last one flew away. When I went to remove the nest and try to save my plant there was still one egg in the nest. I guess it didn’t make it :( Here are the pictures:

The next time I went to water my other hanging plant I noticed another perfect nest with 5 little blue eggs. I was amazed that both of my plants were being used for raising baby birds. I am also keeping my on that one. The kids got a peek of the baby birds and were amazed and tickled. What a neat opportunity. Now I have to deal with a chipmunk living in my garage!!!

Our New Pool

2010-06-08T22:31:00.001-05:00

We decided to join Cedarmill pool this year to try something different and meet more people around our neighborhood. We pay a yearly due and actually own a share of the pool - all the members help take care of the pool. There are lounge chairs, tables, and even grills to use. There is a concession stand but it isn’t open all the time – only when there is someone to run it.

Shane and Paige absolutely love it there. I caught a few pictures of Shane showing off in the pool. He sure loves to swim! Paige is still a little scared of the water is in major need of swimming lessons.

Putt Putt

2010-06-08T11:56:00.001-05:00

It is time to catch up again. We hit the mini golf course a few weeks ago because Shane’s nagging wouldn’t stop until we did. We went out to lunch at Indigo Joe’s and hit the course by noon on Sunday, May 23. It was unbearably hot but we weren’t getting out of it (close to 90).

Shane and Paige were so excited to get started. Shane had a hard time holding the club but improvised quite well. Paige picked it up very quickly. She held the club correctly and stood on the correct side of the ball. We were very impressed!!!

We didn’t keep score but I think I did pretty darn well. Shane was the only one that made a hole in one. He was extremely proud of himself. I brought several bottles of water but they were finished by the end of the game. Paige barely made it to the end of the game. Both of them were overheated when we got home. Paige cooled down but Shane kept complaining of a headache. Poor guy ended up throwing up then sleeping for 13 hours that night. He was fine the next morning but now I am very careful about his time in the heat. He takes after his mommy.

My Little Strawberries

2010-05-23T17:20:00.001-05:00


	I decided to get a strawberry plant this year because Shane just loves them. It took awhile but the berries are getting ripe. I picked 3 yesterday and they were sweet and soft…tasted awesome. I think we are going to plant more of them we we get our garden going. Just had to share!

Fun Fair 2010

2010-05-23T16:47:00.001-05:00

Pierremont Elementary holds a fun fair every year for the entire school. I took Shane to the fair last year to let him see his new school. This year Shane, Paige and I took on the fair together and had a wonderful time!

Paige and I arrived just as the helicopter was landing in the field behind the school. The entire school and staff was outside waiting for the event. We met Shane back in his classroom and then headed outside to the obstacle course. Paige and Shane went together except for Paige needed a little help getting in. Once she was in she did awesome.

We walked into classrooms and played some different games. Paige did great! They shot basketballs into baskets (Paige got one), flipped frogs into baskets, and threw magnetic darts. After about 30 minutes of games we decided it was time for a snack. We went outside and got snow cones and popcorn. Of course, it ended up being a little too messy but tried! We called it a day after that. The kids told me that had so much fun…I did too!

End of the Year Party

2010-05-23T09:35:00.001-05:00

Paige’s end of the year party was last Thursday in her classroom. They made ice cream sundaes and played. Paige brought me books to read to her and now I know why she has been saying the things that she is saying. The other day she asked me if I was “Ezda Lodge” (she has trouble using her r’s). I figured out she was asking me if I was extra large. I could not figure out how where she would learn this until I read the book. Apparently, the mom in the book was the extra large person. I had to correct her and let her know that I was a medium.

We took pictures with friends and teachers. At the end they had circle time and sang and danced. for us. It was too adorable! I was so glad I could come.

Tinkerbell Birthday Party

2010-05-23T07:56:00.001-05:00

Paige was invited to a birthday party by one of her little friends from St. John’s Early Childhood Center. There were a lot of little girls there for Paige to socialize with. She did very well up until they started singing happy birthday. She started screaming and covering her ears. I had to take her into another room to calm her down. She said it was ‘too loud’. She’s kind of funny about things like that but I think it is getting better.

Time to Catch Up AGAIN!!!

2010-05-23T07:37:00.001-05:00

I finally feel well enough to catch up on my blog. I have had a terrible cough that is finally fading away. Anyway, there has been a lot of things happening and I still have been taking photos so I will take today to catch up on everything. This is a busy time of year since school is coming to an end so I will have a lot of post. Stay tuned!

Chicago Getaway

2010-05-09T18:01:00.001-05:00

Eddie and I had a great time in Chicago last weekend. We stayed at the W hotel and did a lot of walking. Eating was a big past time, as well. Here are some pictures of the trip. We definitely want to take the kids next time on the train. I think they would love it!

Happy Mother’s Day

2010-05-09T17:55:00.001-05:00

I had a terrific Mother’s Day today. I came downstairs and Eddie had made coffee and French toast for breakfast…yummy. I watched a few episodes of Private Practice and knitted Eddie’s scarf (almost done) and then all of us went out to eat at a place called Mai Lin. It has great food! They serve Vietminese and Chinese dishes. I did receive tulips from my two kids in the mail on Friday and they are gorgeous. All in all…wonderful day!

Two Links to Share

2010-04-23T08:12:00.001-05:00

I found two sites that I think are totally awesome. Most of you know about these already but I thought I would share anyway.

The first site is called Groupon. They feature a deal every day in your area and if enough people purchase it then you get the deal. It is free to join and they send you an email on their daily deals. Click here to find out more about them. Of course, they have a referral link so I thought I would share that two. Click here to join: http://www.groupon.com/r/uu1853242

The other cool site is called Ebates. If you do any online shopping, you would go through this site (which is free) and make your purchase. There is a great number of stores that participate…especially the popular ones. I certain percent of your purchase comes back as a rebate in your account. Every month they cut you a check or add the funds to your Paypal account. I have received over $10 dollars and so has Eddie. To sign up (for free) click the link:

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=myt9Zj50IgeQ7TFCs%2BTrxw%3D%3D

Let me know what you think of them. I think they’re brilliant!

Easter Fajitas at Cecily’s House

2010-04-14T11:59:00.001-05:00

This year we attended my friend, Cecily’s, annual Easter celebration. She makes fajitas every year and they are absolutely awesome!!! The guacamole was to die for!!! This year was unseasonably warm outside which made it a great day for an egg hunt. Each each year she hides hollowed out eggs filled with confetti. When the kids find all the eggs they start cracking them over each others’ heads and parents’ heads.

Usually it is not painful to have one of these cracked on your head but Paige hit me just right on the noggin and her egg never even cracked. Needless to say I had a bruise on my head for a few days. All in all we had a blast!

Trip to Purina Farms

2010-04-14T10:45:00.001-05:00

My friend, Michelle, brought to my attention that Purina Farms (had never been) was having an Easter Village where the kids could see the Easter bunny and all the little baby farm animals. I decided to take Paige out of school and go on a little field trip with Michelle, her son, Lucas, and a neighbor girl.

When we got there a dog show was in progress so we were able to avoid most of the crowd in the barn. We looked at cows, horses, sheep, bunnies, chicks, dogs, and a few more. After the barn, we walked over to where are the dogs and cats resided. We saw a beautiful black standard poodle, a boxer, and different terriers. In the middle of this building was an extremely tall house structure. Apparently, all the cats lived inside. It was cool because it really mimicked a real house. There were couches, chairs and other furniture. I know it was mainly for looks but it was cute!

I managed to get a few cute pictures of Paige sitting on the steps but she couldn’t sit still. I know when she gets just a bit older I will be able to get some awesome shots!

Finally Catching Up….Again

2010-04-14T07:13:00.001-05:00

I got pretty sick this weekend and just didn’t feel like being on the computer…can you believe that? Anyway, I have several pictures to post and stories to right so I will do the best I can to remember everything. It is important to me to document these times so that I will remember them in the future. I do plan on having my blog printed into a book so I always have it!!!

First Easter Egg Hunt

2010-03-28T09:30:00.001-05:00

Logan College of Chiropractic held a huge egg hunt on their campus yesterday. There was a fire truck, petting zoo, balloon artist and Easter bunny came down in a helicopter. The only bad part of it was the weather. It was so cold yesterday…about 43 degrees and really windy. We took shelter inside the science hall while we waited for the hunts to start.

My friend, Kelly, and her kids were in town so they came with us. Paige and Bennett were in the three year old hunt. It was hilarious! Paige had no urgency whatsoever. She would pick up an egg and open it before moving onto the next one. She did get six eggs and we were proud of her. Shane’s hunt started about 20 minutes after. He did pretty good…showed a little more urgency than Paige. After he was finished, he kept saying, “I followed directions”. He was so cute and so proud. Hopefully, next year will be warmer but I doubt it.

Yo Gabba Gabba Live!

2010-03-28T08:42:00.001-05:00

Eddie and I took the kids to see Yo Gabba Gabba Live at the Fox Theatre last Sunday. I couldn’t believe how many people were there…it was packed! There was a line to get into the building and even a longer line to get ushered to our seats. I could tell the kids were very excited to see the show. Shane kept smiling and giggling and Paige was silent and had her eyes glued to the stage.

The show contained great music and the original cast from the show. Not only did the kids enjoy it but we did too. That doesn’t always happen. I love that we can take Shane and Paige to live shows…they seem to get a lot from the experience.

Boynton Beach Trip 2010

2010-03-24T11:40:00.001-05:00

We had a great time in Florida last week. Paige and I took a trip to see my mom, my sister, Lacy, and her family. I am sad that Shane couldn’t come with us but he got to spend some quality time with Daddy at home.

I was able to take quite a few pictures on our trip. The coolest place we visited was the The Girls Strawberry Patch. The picture below was taken on Delray Beach. Paige did not get to swim but she had a great time playing on the sand and picking up shells.

Lacy and I were able to do happy hour on Delray Beach and Mom and I had lunch at a great Cuban restraunt. Overall, it was a great visit!

You can view all the pictures at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/7148488@N02/sets/72157623670564746/

My First Finished Project

2010-03-22T11:50:00.001-05:00

Well, I finally finished my first knitting project – a scarf for Paige. It was fairly easy so I plan to move on to harder projects. Paige just loved her new scarf. She wore it out last night when we went to see Yo Gabba Gabba and didn’t take it off the rest of the night. I am so happy she likes it!

New Found Hobby

2010-03-08T14:35:00.001-06:00

Well, I know I have been away for awhile but that is because I have discovered knitting. I met a girl named Stephanie at a scrapbook crop last month and she told me that she was in a knitting group. I joined her last Wednesday in Fenton, MO, at a Barnes and Noble and she started with the knit stitch. I have been working on my own and this is what I have so far.

Another interesting story…there was a girl named Kelly, and she said that she worked as a music therapist for the Parkway Early Childhood. I said that my son was in music therapy there and she asked me his name. Come to find out that she has worked with Shane numerous times when his normal therapist was out. How crazy is that?!

My Latest Photo Book

2010-02-28T09:31:00.001-06:00

Click here to view this photo book larger

Sugar Cookie Recipe

2010-02-17T15:01:00.001-06:00

I know several people who were interested in this recipe. I make the frosting with powder sugar and milk but there are a lot of frosting recipes on allrecipes.com.

New Makeover…

2010-02-13T10:12:00.001-06:00

I am in the process of changing up my blog a bit to make it a little easier to navigate. I am also going to change the face of it since it is getting a little boring to me. I have some lessons I need to read about how to do this so it might take me a little while but I think it is going to look really cool. Stay tuned!!!

Been So Busy!

2010-02-13T10:09:00.001-06:00

I am so sad that I am so behind in my blogging but this week has been a little crazy. We finally got our laundry room fixed this week. New drywall, new paint, new sink, and new cabinets makes a fabulous laundry room! Now I have the task of putting all the stuff that is sitting in the dining room back into the laundry room.

We did a few Valentine festivities this week. We made sugar cookies again and decorated them. I was sort of in a rush so I didn’t get many pictures but I did get a few of the finished product. We gave some to the teachers and mommy mainly ate the rest.

The same evening (Wednesday night) I dropped Shane off at Auntie’s house and I took Paige to her school for a ‘Be My Valentine’ workshop. She made a card for Daddy and few other cute items. She really had a good time and was very focused when she was creating her masterpieces. I loved watching her in action and do so many things on her own. We even worked on cutting flubber with scissors…if you know what that is?!? Here are a few photos of her in action. The last photo was at very end of the workshop. She loves to play with her fake food….especially when it is something sweet!

A New Discovery!!!

2010-01-30T13:24:00.001-06:00

I decided to take Paige to this place called Rainbow Recreation. They sell very nice playground equipment and trampolines. They have an open play from 10am-3pm everyday. It only costs $5 and you can play as long as you want. Paige absolutely loved it and didn’t want to leave. I had to bribe her with McDonalds french fries to lure her out of there.

Yummy Mold!

2010-01-30T13:18:00.001-06:00

Well, we had another leak start underneath the kids’ bathroom again. It was the seal around the toilet that our previous contractor didn’t install correctly. We only discovered it because my in-laws were in town and they were flushing the toilet a lot. We started noticing a little mold growing on the wall and some water in the basement so we decided to call our carpet guy who specializes in water damage. He brought an expert with him and they opened up the wall and saw…

We are having it removed right now but our laundry room is destroyed. We are getting new cabinets and a new sink. We are hoping that our homeowners insurance will cover it but we still have to pay the deductible. What a mess!!!

Super Interesting!

2010-01-29T07:41:00.001-06:00

This video talks about the corpus callosum and how it plays such an important role in the brain.

Trying To Catch UP!

2010-01-26T21:54:00.001-06:00

I know I have been away lately but I have been very busy with my new workout schedule, running Shane to karate, and having my in-laws in town from LA. I haven’t taken too many pictures lately…I think this winter weather is getting me down a bit.

Any who, here are a few pictures of Irene and Komson’s visit. Thankfully, it wasn’t to cold here that weekend because they are not used to the cold. On Saturday, we hit the casino, Ameristar, in St. Charles.

On Saturday night, Irene, Komson, and Jeanette, took the kids to Emperor’s Palace while Eddie and I went to a party. Irene cooked us a Thai feast on Sunday. She started cooking first thing in the morning and did not stop until lunch time. Jeanette invited our neighbor, Rochelle, over and her friend, Sarah, from work. We had Irene’s famous chicken and rice and a soup with melon that I cannot pronounce. Even Shane and Paige decided to eat a little. For dessert, we had this two layer brownie cake thing with cream cheese frosting that Rochelle brought over. It was awesome!

Just Had to Share This…

2010-01-14T14:48:00.001-06:00

Weekend Update

2010-01-12T21:24:00.001-06:00

This weekend was great except for one little problem we had with the heat. Friday night was about 0 degrees and our heater decides to quit. I woke up in the morning and had 2 little munchkins in bed with me along with my big munchkin. We stayed there forever not wanting to get out of bed. Eventually, the kiddies started asking for cereal. Eddie had turned on the fireplace downstairs but it didn’t do too much. It was so cold that I was shivering in my kitchen! We called Indoor Comfort Team and someone came out in 45 minutes. We were so thankful that it was only the burners that had gone out and could be fixed right away. They only charged us for the service call.

Paige went to ballet with Jeanette and Eddie and I took Shane out to lunch and then we headed to the grocery store. We watched Angels and Demons Saturday night and I got to go scrapbooking all day Sunday. It turned out to be an enjoyable weekend. My In-Laws are coming this weekend!

Just a cute little story…

2010-01-07T08:49:00.001-06:00

I have to share something adorable that my son said a few days ago. He was playing a game with his sister (Dad was overseeing) and Shane lost a few times and got really upset. I told him, “Sometimes you lose and that’s okay. You have to be a good sport”. Well, he replied back, “I’m not a sport I’m a boy….and boys are sad”. It was just too cute even though he was upset. He got over it and went back to playing with his sister. He really is a good sport!

New Family Portraits

2009-12-30T19:55:00.001-06:00

Well, since Eddie was off work this week we decided to head over to Portrait Innovations and get some portraits done. Paige was a natural, as you can see, but Shane had a tougher time. He just couldn’t get his smile right. We don’t know if he was just trying to hard or just being silly….maybe a little of both. Anyway, here they are!

My Christmas Doggie

2009-12-26T20:28:00.001-06:00

New Family Tradition

2009-12-24T15:21:00.001-06:00

Shane, Paige and I baked Christmas cookies earlier this week to give to their teachers and bus drivers. Shane helped me spread the icing and did the sprinkles. Paige helped me draw designs on the cookies with the tubes of icing. We didn’t get to eat many because we were giving them away. We put the cookies in little Christmas tins and the kids couldn’t wait to give them away.

Holiday Fun

2009-12-24T15:00:00.001-06:00

I have had a busy two weeks and not enough time to post all my stories and pictures so I am going to try and catch up over the next few days. Both Paige and Shane had super awesome holiday parties this year. I am so glad that I got to attend, participate, and take pictures. I am very blessed to be able to stay home and be involved in their lives.

At Paige’s party we had some treats, did some crafts, and played some games. She made a cool bell necklace that she didn’t take it off all day. I think she had a really good time!

Shane’s holiday party was yesterday and the homeroom moms did such a good job. They had several games planned and, of course, lots of yummy treats. He had a blast and was so glad that I was there with him.

Paige and I attended Shane’s holiday concert last week. It was a whole school production but the Kindergarteners had just a short little song to sing. They were super adorable. Afterwards, Paige and I went to Shane’s classroom and hung for a few minutes. Paige loved it in there and wouldn’t leave. I had to bribe her with a cookie from Target just to get her to come with me. You got to do what you got to do!

New Photo Obsession

2009-12-16T10:18:00.001-06:00

I have been editing photos lately to create interesting effects. Here are a few I did yesterday. Just wanted to share!

Santa Photo

2009-12-16T08:23:00.001-06:00

We decided to get the kids dressed up this year to have their picture taken with Santa. I was worried about Paige not cooperating or getting too tired waiting in line but she was a little trooper. They did so well and we got an awesome photo. Had to share!

My Snuggle Bug

2009-12-12T23:18:00.001-06:00

I had to take a few cute pictures of Paige in her coat and hat this week. The temperature got down to a low of 9 degrees this week so I wanted to dress her as warm as possible. These pictures were take on December 3rd and 9th. She seemed to really dig the winter garb!

More Baking…

2009-12-12T23:00:00.001-06:00

Well, tonight I made the Russian Tea Cakes (recipe from allrecipes.com) and they turned out perfect! They were made with a lot of very finely chopped walnuts so they are a little dry if you try to put too much in your mouth at one time. This happened to Paige. She just let some drop out of her mouth and chewed the rest.

My Lego Genius

2009-12-12T22:52:00.001-06:00

Shane’s new obsession is Legos. He loves to build all types of things like cars, buildings, and even spelling words out. Today, I caught the kids playing together and Shane built a house that was so big that I had to take a picture. It is so cute to see Paige trying to be like her big brother. She would add a door or little person on to her green board and say, “See, Daddy”? She truly wants to be just like her big brother!

A Little Muppets for You!

2009-12-09T09:00:00.001-06:00

I had to post this because it made Paige and I laugh this morning. Something different…

My Sugar Cookies

2009-12-09T08:56:00.001-06:00

I forgot to post this last week but I wanted to share my experience making cut out sugar cookies. I wanted to do something different for all of Paige’s and Shane’s teachers (at least 6) this year so I thought cookies would be fun. I used to make Christmas sugar cookies growing up and I loved putting icing on them and decorating them.

Since I am not a good baker and have never used a rolling pin before, I thought I should do a trial run before actually making the real thing for the teachers. I was very impressed with myself. The first two batches turned out perfect but the last batch I didn’t bake long enough. I made a very simple icing and colored it with food coloring. Shane and I had a great time decorating them and, of course, they were gone within 2 days. Now Shane keeps coming up to me and says, “Sugar”? I know what he is talking about and I have to keep reminding him that we will do it again soon. This time I bought some extra goodies to decorate them with.

Now, I am thinking about trying my hand at Russian Tea cookies…you know…the little powdered balls that melt in your mouth? They recipes come from allrecipes.com and they are fabulous. I couldn’t help subscribing to Christmas cookie countdown. No self control :(

Just a Little Holiday Fun!!!

2009-12-05T13:18:00.001-06:00

First Bowling Trip

2009-12-01T10:24:00.001-06:00

We decided to take the kids bowling Sunday morning. Shane has been wanting to go bowling for a very long time so you can imagine how excited he was. Of course, we used the bumpers so that we all could have a chance at hitting some pins. Shane rolled the bowling ball down the lane with two hands but Paige used the rolling guide (made for children too small to roll a ball). We all had a blast…and didn’t do half bad. Here are some videos but you can go view the pictures here.

Thanksgiving Dinner

2009-12-01T10:02:00.001-06:00

Our Thanksgiving dinner turned out perfect. Jeanette cooked the turkey at our house and made the sides at her house. I did the rolls and Eddie made the stuffing. We ate around 3:30 and we were starving this time since we didn’t do all the appetizers before dinner (I did make a few deviled eggs which were gone in minutes). Shane tried a little of everything but loved the rolls, of course. Paige did not want to try anything except the rolls. When she wanted more we told her that she had to try a bite of green bean casserole. She actually took a bite of it and did not spit it out….wow!!! We were excited but tried not to show it. I guess she decided that it was good because she ate several more bites and forgot about her rolls. It was a major breakthrough and I am very thankful for it!!!!! You can look at all the Thanksgiving pictures click here.

Gobble Gobble

2009-11-30T21:15:00.001-06:00

I attended Shane’s first play last week and it was wonderful. It was a turkey play and he had two speaking lines. I did get the entire play on video and plan to post it as soon as I can. I did get a few snapshots of him in his turkey costume. He was very uncomfortable in his costume causing him to be very fidgety but he hung in there. I was so proud of him!

I’m still working on it…

2009-11-23T22:30:00.001-06:00

I am almost done downloading the photos from our Disney Cruise. I will probably have them up by tomorrow evening. I took over 300 photos and I still haven’t downloaded Jeanette’s photos. Stay tuned…

First Bus Ride

2009-11-18T15:55:00.001-06:00

Paige is now attending Parkway Early Childhood Center four mornings a week. Her first bus ride was yesterday and I got a few cute shots while we were waiting for the bus. She was very excited and she rode the bus like a pro. It was very strange to see my little baby get on a school bus.

Our Awesome Vacation

2009-11-18T15:16:00.001-06:00

I am still in the process of weeding through hundreds of pictures from our trip but I wanted to post a few now. I will be uploading all my photos up to the Shutterfly website and will let you know when I am done. We had a wonderful vacation and the cruise was simply amazing. We had great food, great shows and awesome service. We have already booked another cruise on the Disney Dream for June 2011. Anyone want to join us!?!

Disney

2009-11-07T10:33:00.000-06:00

We are waiting for the bus to take us to our cruise ship. We had a fun two days going to Downtown Disney and Magic Kingdom. We went to awesome restaurant on Thursday night in Downtown Disney. If was called T-Rex. It was sort of like Rainforest Cafe but with dinosaurs. It was scary for Paige because every 20 minutes there was a meteor shower and there was thunder, lightening, and loud dinosaurs that move.

The next day we went to Magic Kingdom and made the mistake of riding Pirates of th Caribbean first. Shane got so freaked out by the dark walk that he started screaming and crying and did not want to go on. That in turn freaked Ava out and she went hysterical. Shane did fine on the ride and the rest of the day. Ava did not. We stayed until about 4:30 and headed back. We were all asleep by 9:00.

I tried to upload my photos and could not but I will try and do another update in a few days. Have a great weekend!!!

Trick or Treat

2009-11-03T07:51:00.001-06:00

Shane and Paige just loved Halloween this year. They were both really excited – but Shane showed the most excitement. He could not wait to go trick or treating. Here is a few pics of them in action. They were just too cute!

Shane’s Class

2009-10-28T22:44:00.001-05:00

I found Shane’s school class picture in his backpack today and just wanted to share. He has the happiest smile of them all and the only one with no front teeth!

Fall Leaves

2009-10-24T15:21:00.001-05:00

I told Shane that he should go ask Dad if he could help with the leaves. He agreed to it and got his shoes and coat and helped out Dad by holding the lawn bag open. He was a little scared at first but then he got the hang of it after a few bags.

Paige’s Preschool Class

2009-10-22T08:12:00.001-05:00

St. John’s Early Childhood Center

Made My Day

2009-10-19T14:25:00.001-05:00

I got a hold of both Shane and Paige’s school pictures today and they turned out so good. It is amazing how fast their growing up and how much they are changing. Both kids love school and I hope it always stay that way. Anyways, enjoy, and let me know if you want a copy. Shane’s picture is digital and I had to scan Paige’s in.

Mall Outing

2009-10-18T11:05:00.001-05:00

Paige and I went to the mall last Thursday since her music class was canceled and we had a great time shopping. We ate at St. Louis Bread Co. after bribing her with a pumpkin muffie and a ride on the carousel. On the way down in the elevator I noticed I didn't have enough cash for a token but looked in my little wallet pocket and found an extra token.

I was so relieved! We stood in line and Paige handed the lady the token and ran in and started up the stairs. As I started walking the lady told me that we gave her a Chuck-E-Cheese token. I was very embarrassed but more nervous about taking Paige off the ride. I started to call Paige's name and the lady told me to go ahead and ride for free. I was so amazed and happy but didn't question it. I just hurried on and walked Paige up the stairs. Sometimes people can really surprise you. I was so happy to dodge that bullet.

Brand New Baby

2009-10-11T09:04:00.001-05:00

I had to show this picture of my friend, Kelly’s, new baby. Her name is Avery and she is almost 3 months old. Her smile lights up the room. I loved holding her and making her smile!

Paige’s New Boyfriend

2009-10-11T08:16:00.001-05:00

Paige and I took a trip to Springfield, MO, this weekend to visit my good friend, Kelly, and her two kids. Bennett, who is 2.5 loved playing with Paige and they became friends very quickly. We went to Battlefield Mall yesterday and Bennett took Paige’s hand and they held hands the entire length of the mall. Everyone stared and made comments on how cute it was. I, of course, took as many pictures as I could but only a few came out. It is just too hard walking backwards in a crowded mall and trying to take a picture of two moving toddlers! Take a look!

My Baby’s Sweet Voice

2009-10-08T21:24:00.001-05:00

I was taking pictures and I decided to get some video of her singing the nursery rhymes that she has been learning at school. She likes Hickory Dickory Dock and Baa Baa Black Sheep the best!

New Digital Layout

2009-10-04T21:15:00.001-05:00

I have been working on a Christmas scrapbook and I just completed this page. I think it turned out pretty nice. I still have a lot to learn in Photoshop but I am getting there. As soon as I have the album done I will make a Shutterfly book and post it on the Shutterfly share site!

A Little Magic!

2009-09-29T08:53:00.001-05:00

I finally decided to see what the big deal was with taking a photo in raw format. I took a bunch of flower pictures outside and opened them up in photoshop elements to see how it all worked. I opened a picture of some orange flowers that were taken in raw format and made a few adjustments. I cannot believe the difference! I am going to take all my photos this way from now on!

An Angel from Heaven…

2009-09-23T22:18:00.001-05:00

Auntie Jeanette came over this afternoon and took both kids off my hands. She took them to the park and out to eat at Spaghetti Factory. I got a few hours of peace and quiet. Then when Auntie was leaving Paige said, “Night night with Auntie”? Jeanette took her for the night leaving me with a quiet evening and a peaceful night of sweet. She’s the best!!!!

New Hair Cut

2009-09-23T22:09:00.001-05:00

My youngest baby, Rudy, got his first haircut yesterday and he did very well. He had doggie playtime for 2 hours before to wear him out and then they groomed him. I took some pictures of him…he is pretty active but I was able to get a few good ones!

Our New Space

2009-09-20T09:54:00.001-05:00

Well, our basement is finally finished and furnished and we absolutely love it! The kids probably love it more because they have so much space to play in and all their toys are out everywhere!!! The paint and carpet go great together and the new couch is very comfy. Check it out!