Closer to Heaven in 2007

You try to come up with a motto that rhymes with 2007 its not that easy is it Karla....Well another year has come and gone. I spent New Years at home with Rob and Logan they were so happy and I cant get out of my mind the New Year means it is really going to happen that wedding. I go to my Moms house earlier today and she gives me some towels with a B on them because in her own words "there are no Barry's anymore" she already has some monogrammed towels with a F on them. I had to seriously fight the urge to flush them down the toilet and while that seems wrong it might of made me feel better. Only 13 days left now. I know I really should get over this. I am sure that at the end of 2007 I might not even remember the wedding happened. This is going to be a big year for us. Rob is going to go to kindergarten, Logan hopefully will be potty trained completly. I am sure there will be a lot of great things about the year...and who knows maybe I will flush those towels down the toilet.. One never knows what the year has in store.. Happy New Year.

Christmas 2006

What fun it is to have a three and four year old at Christmas. Before they went downstairs Christmas morning Rob said " I hope Santa got my messages..I hope he did. The magic of Christmas has never been more real to me than seeing through the boys eyes. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

Not to be outdone by my little Brother.....

We had breakfast with Santa at the nursing home seemed like a good idea but we had 110 kids and old people. Whew it was a lot of work....
For those of you who think they are more computer savy than there big sister all I can say is I may be slow but I always get it in the end,..sorry little brother.....

I am getting quite good at this blog thing Karla are you impressed..

| View Show | Create Your Own

And I think to myself its a wonderful world

It is at some point in each of our lives we are either the one getting the spanking/giving the spanking...making the mess or cleaning up the mess....and one of my new found favorite riding in front of the sled or riding in back of the sled. The boys cant get enough of the snow. So we have been putting on tons of clothes and sledding every day because in there own words the snow may turn to water tomorrow...So off we go down the "big hill" and I swear I have never been on a sled so much in my life. It reminds me of the Calvin and Hobbes last cartoon where they ride off into the sunset. Calvin says its a wonderful world Hobbes oh buddy ..Lets go exploring...It is a wonderful world. (link to it in case you missed it)http://www.geocities.com/SoHo/7879/last.htm

SNOW DAY

We finally got enough snow to sled. The boys thought they were in heaven. I know its not Colorado but pretty good for Missouri.

Trotting with the turkeys

This year we started a new tradition the high school close by built a new track and so I decided we should all go after dinner and run a few laps. It was really fun we called it a turkey trot. The weather was beautiful and the company wasnt so bad either. Even my niece who is 15 said that was pretty cool . Rob was the winner he in his own words "smoked the family". As you can see by the picture we all had to wear turkey pins (yes I am a dork I made them ok) anyway pictures of the big finish and the participants. Happy Thanksgiving....gobble gobble,

Conflicting memories

I have a memory one of my favorite that comes back this time of year it is of my brother and I driving around in my Old little dodge omni looking at Christmas lights it seems we did this a few times maybe it was our way of getting out of the house minus all the chaos that was out family during that time. I just remember being happy looking at those lights maybe even honking at the houses ( I am not sure why we did this but it seemed ok at the time) one house even had music they played in the yard so you could hear it as you drove by..which was good cause the Omni had no radio..I wonder what my memories will be of this year. My moms wedding that is all too close and all she thinks about...I hope not. I wonder why looking at lights with my brother is such a vivid memory in my mind, and I wonder why our whole family didnt go. It almost seems that I have erased most of those years and the holidays other than that.I am really going to try to have a good holiday season this year minus the wedding. Maybe I will drive around and look at a bunch of lights I wonder if the one yard still plays music.......

NO words necessary ...

A picture is worth a thousand words right?

Sometimes it is so good to be from St. Louis!!!!!!!! And yes Phillips player is eating a chicken wing..... What a night.

Saturday at the apple orchard

We went apple picking yesterday it was a great day Phil entered and came in third in a pie eating contest. The boys loved the tractor and the riding the ferry. I cant imagine living somewhere where there wasnt four seasons. Who could resist the beautiful colors on the trees, wearing sweatshirts, the cool temperatures, the smell of leaves burning. It was a great day.

So yesterday Logan threw the fit of all fits at the McDonald's play place he didn't want to go and it was time so he yelled and screamed and yelled some more and hit me yes you read right smacked me right across the arm and oh yea yelled some more I picked him up and said in his ears when you get home you will be in trouble and he let the whole crowded playplace know we were leaving....I hate days like that I hate the fact that my kid is the one being so lound and unruly so we get in the car and Rob says Logan you are taking years off my life..I am not sure where he learned that but it made me laugh. We got home and Logan went to a much needed nap and I thought well they all cant be good days. So today we went on a bike ride after church and it was perfect. Perfect cause it was beautiful weather it was a perfect 70 degrees, I didn't get slapped by my 3 year old perfect because we were the only people at the park we went to so we could play on all the cool things..And perfect because it reminded me that even though this job called parenting is hard the benefits are amazing.

The GOOD stuff..

Not to take anything away from the Kenny chosen song with the same title but what can compare with a crisp fall evening, some marshmallows roasted over a campfire, some chocolate and graham crackers and my family along with sisters family enjoying a improptu bonfire. Maybe Kenny and I should get together and write a sequel to his first song. The boys were so happy and I guess I was too.

The other side of things.

Often on weekends when Philip works which is ever other weekend I get really grumpy. Sometimes the thought of getting of at work on Friday and looking forward to a whole weekend of preschool games really bums me out. Not to mention all the laundry. seven meals to cook and clean up and a bath or two or three and I wonder wouldnt work be easier...I think a lot of the mood comes from that I miss Philip being home with us it has been a year that he has been working out of the home and sometimes I still get angry over it. But today while we were finishing up decorating the house for Halloween I snapped this picture of the boys and I thought what are you complaining about...Some people would give anything to switch with you. Isnt it funny how we always want what we cant have...I am sorry I complained.I think actually the word is more I am humbled. I would never trade all the work in the world for my buddies.

Now I really am a soccer Mom

First came the minivan now both boys are playing soccer this year at the YMCA. So now I am officially a soccer Mom complete with more laundry with the soccer jersey, the knee pads, the cleats and oh yes the snacks for the team...Good thing I got that minivan.

FIRST DAY OF PRESCHOOL

Just in time for Halloween

I wonder how we have come this far
To have your teeth fall out in the car,
Driving down the road today
I have a hole in my teeth you say
Daddy says leave it alone
We see a surprise when we get home.
A little baby tooth on the floor of the van
And a jack o lantern smile from Moms little man.

Second time around

My "baby' is getting big. Yesterday when we were leaving for church I snapped the first picture of Logan he looked so old.... no longer like the little guy who would say " I hold you Mom when he wanted to be picked up" and tonight he had his gymnastics recital...again a reminder that he is no longer my little baby. It is sad when they grow up. I want them to grow but that childlike innocence is so great. I hate to think that is going to go away. Logan starts preschool next week I swear it was just yesterday I was sitting beside the toilet sick as a dog from being pregnant with him and now he is starting preschool. I think this is why people have more because you think NO way until they get to be this age and they go dont need you so much anymore and you miss them. You even kinda forget how bad being pregnant is well almost...

So help me if you can I got to get back.......

To the house at Pooh Corner by 1:00. Logan and Rob wanted to wear these costumes all weekend long. They wanted to be "characters" . You know what they say if you cant beat them join em..Can you think of anything better to be doing on a hot August day. Youd be surpised theres so much to be done..Count all the bees in the hive, chase all the clouds in the sky. Back to the days of Christopher Robin and Pooh.

Pizza Dudes

This was nothing but excitement at my house tonight to make the smiley face pizza. Rob and Logan really enjoyed it.

What could of been

As me and my friend Karla were spending a delightful afternoon on some wonderfully designed well ventilated benches at the children Hospital I heard myself say these words " I never thought I wanted to but I am was born to be a Mom. All you have to do is love your kids and spend time with them." Later as I was driving home it hit me. That's it... just love them . I love Rob and Logan the ghost or dinosaur or even Logie for that matter. I am so blessed to have two healthy kids. I was visiting a friend at the childrens hospital their boy was born with Downs Syndrome it was a painful reminder of what could of been. The ironic thing is I didnt do anything to deserve to be the Mom of Rob and Logan but I was chosen. I never knew what unconditional love was until they came along. My heart is heavy tonight for my friend and her new addition. I am also overwhelmed with the thought that they are only ours for a little while. I was born to be a Mom. Thanks Karla for the conversation next time you want to hang out in the halls of the hospital you know who to call. My heart is full tonight.

Can't help thinking about New Orleans.......

So for you non St. Louis people I will let you in on the fact that it has been a bit of a adventure here in the last couple of days to say the least. It is been hot really hot like 100 plus but Wednesday night it rained and so it knocked down a lot of trees and power lines and that is where the fun begins. I watched the mayor talk on Wednesday night about how it was the worst storm in the history of the city and thinking ok yeah yeah..Wednesday morning I get a phone call early ok it may not have been early but I was still in bed so it was kinda early saying a nursing home that is our sister home had no power or lights. When I got there it was amazing there were trees down everywhere and no power. We decided to move people to the local hospital and so we began moving three at a time via van. No problem huh but there were 80 of them 80 people some so confused some not able to talk in wheelchairs moving . Somewhere around 25 people we decided we needed more help b/c it was so hot and it was a slow process...So we called Bi-state and they came three full on buses came and then we were on. We moved them on the buses and four hours later and one tv camera that was done..Ok so here I am going back to my nursing home and I get a phone call saying hey there is another nursing home in the area that lost power and they want you to come help them and bring some people to our home. So off we go again. Same scenario more chaos cause it was hotter. So we moved more people this time unto school buses and that is no easy task.......I left there again to return and then I went back to work and received a phone call that three more were coming from another home around 8 via bus...As the day progressed we heard local hospitals had lost power and 8 other nursing homes we heard stories of residents sleeping on cots and again lots of chaos. We finally recieved our last resident around 8:30 that had been loaded on a bus hours before dropped off to us alone no family. It made you think.....I bet this is what it was like.. When I left work that night I was amazed at the damage in the city all the trees down, there was no power and that translated into no gas that I ever found at gas stations, no street lights, no stop lights I saw stores that had no power and people were lined up so they could go in one at at time...people had no where to go to get out of the heat. And today it continued only I saw truckloads of National Guard members riding around checking on people, keeping the peace, cleaning up the city. Looking back over the last couple of days I think is this real...a good indication of what could have been and another reminder again of how serious this business of watching old people is...I never felt so glad to be home in my life. Then again I wonder how those old people feel or the people in New Orleans some of them never even went home did they. Hopefully the city will have power restored soon and this will all be put behind us.

Its Super Fun Day

What do you ask is Super Fun Day well it is a day that you do whatever you want you have as much fun as possible...Phil and I both took off it is a bit of a holiday here so heres to Super Fun Day everyone should experience one at least once a year.

Does it get any better than this?

In my world it is the best way to spend the day in the summer. Happy Fathers Day to Phil and my Dad and a special shout out if you will to my Mason he is one today!!!! I wanted you to know we celebrated here in St,Peters your birthday by taking a nice swim.......It was the perfect day. ( if you look real close you can see me in one of the pictures)

Enjoy the summer!

This ones for you Uncle Jeremy

Rob finished his first race today I thought you might enjoy these pictures. He was really proud to have ran he had no idea it was only half a mile.

It's that time of year again..

Saturday, May 27, 2006
Its that time of year again..
I love summer. I like the sun, being outside in the pool, the ice cream man, the Muny, Fair St. Louis or what ever it goes by these days, swimming in lakes, boating, carnival rides that are set up overnight, who doesnt love the scrambler oh yeah and the sun. There is only one problem I hate working in the summer. I really think we should not have to wear long pants God forbid panty hose when it is 90-100 degrees does that even make sense to anyone out there? Please it is so hot anyway there should be a law about it I mean it maybe Dan Boyle will run for Mayor and make that a law I would help him get elected if that was his platform. Think about it Dan we may have something here. ( I would run myself but the whole unmentionable thing might come up so Dan you are up) Anyway every day when I have to go to work I feel it stiflingly me those dang pants ............... Even Phil had began to recognize it as being a problem this week when I came home with my pants rolled up to my knees complaining about work he said " Do you ever think its just because you really don't feel like you should have to work in the summer. Well until Dan gets elected I will be spending all my spare time in my favorite chair on my sun porch in search of the sun. Here's to another summer I gotta admit I am excited about it even if I have to wear pants.

Any guesses?

We went for Logans birthday

Logan is at the age where he thinks the characters are real....

Guess where I have been

I have been having some trouble with my new camera posting to this so I will keep working at it.

It all makes sense now...

SO yesterday we went to the Magic House and I saw a sign and it hit me the sign is above and I have what I believe to be a typical four year old and now I know why it is I am so dang tired all the time...Following is a sample of some of the 437 questions I have answered today..in no particular order. Are these my church pants or just pants? Do I have to take them off or can I leave them on for three minutes? Do I like cherry milk? Is is called cherry milk or is that just kool aid? Why is it pink? Is it your favorite? Is it my favorite? Can I eat mayonnaise on bread if there is no cheese and bologna on it? Can we walk or do we always have to run? Can I have a chickie? What do they eat? Can he sleep with me and Logan? Where it dad? Can we visit? Are ducks nice to us? Do they bite you if you are carrying them? Can I blow bubbles? Can we walk in the street? Can we run in the house? DO we have to take a nap? How come you are washing clothes? Can you turn my computer on so I can go on the internet? Do you know how to get to the PBS website?Can I print Connect the Dot sheets for Logan? Can we leave Logan in the car alone? Does Logan have to go with us? Can we go somewhere fun? Can I wash cars for people to help them? Can I go see Uncle Jeremy? and on and on and on................... And somehow in between all this it hit me I am so lucky to be the one to answer all these questions I better connect my own computer to the internet so I can know the answers to all the questions. See you again?

Its roor root root for the CARDINALS............

Saturday we went to visit the new Cardinal stadium. Most of you know the Cardinals built a new stadium anyway they let 30,000 fans come in and see the stadium on Saturday no game just go and look around. We were very lucky to get tickets so we went.It was so much fun. We sat in the bleachers we played in the family area we looked around and took pictures so many about 50 in total . IT was so great . Phil and I spent the early part in our marriage turing stadiums so this was really fun. It is a great stadium. My favorite part of the whole day was spending it with not only my boys but my dad and sister and her family. It was delightful. They had the cards game on the jumbotron and Rob and Logan sat in the stands and ate icecream and watched the game. Logan said on the way home...."It was a fantastic day" it sure was what good memories and hopefully many more to come ......Cause its one two three strikes your out at the old ball game...............

Meet the family...

Introducing Mason I apologize for my absence but my brother was visiting and I was a little busy. It was great to finally meet my nephew and super to see my "little" brother. It was fun to see the boys play with Uncle Jeremy the best thing ever was to hear Rob say "Uncle Jeremy you need to settle down". They love uncle Jeremy keep in mind that Jeremy built the boys a ramp to ride there skateboards on..Rob and Login in there own words are "skater guys now". I wish I saw my brother more I love spending time with him. He is a good Dad it is cool to see him in that role someone is getting old. I thought you might enjoy the pictures.

GOod day to lay in the sun so I dont have ALBINO legs......(hint hint)

Not that I ever have albino legs but someone reading this might need a gentle push now that I know it can be done she needs to get a jump start on it. Today was so stinking beautiful the kind of day I jump up and go outside we drug ourselves to the park with 70 other kids and families yes I counted what else do you think I do on that bench???? Anyway it made me laugh about how suburban that was then I wondered if the lady next to me on the bench wondered why I was laughing to myself. I love sun and hopefully Spring will be here soon.
Ok this may make a few of you laugh to yourself I decided a month ago I was going to make myself a runner. SO I began running daily I now can run a mile and a half which seems like nothing but trust me it is a LONG way to me . I love running. I love it. So for those of you here if you see some really slow turtle on the side of the road running it may be me..Slow and steady wins the race.
lets see what else should I tell you....Um I recenly began corresponding again with my old roommate from college CHEZ! I am so glad about that. I love my girlfriends which leads me back to where I started the sun in up get your legs out in it, and come see me...and bring your little friend in Nashville too......