He Ain't a Baby No More!

First Day of Kindergarten!

So last night we talked to Iain about going to school today, and how he is such a big boy now.  We made sure he remembered his bus number, the bus rules, classroom number and his teachers name, as well as which character on the gym wall he goes to to line up with his class.  (He just looked at me like, yeah Mom, I got this already!...*eyeroll*)

This boy even wanted a brand new alarm clock because he is such a big kid!

In the process of transitioning him to being this big boy, we also moved Lachlan to his own room, because Lachlan goes to bed easy and Iain still likes us to lay down with him, and we thought this might help the process.

Little did I know what I was in for!   I am already a little sad that my little boy is a big kid going on his first day of school, but Iain really took me for a loop!  When I went in to lay down with him in bed, he told me "Mom, I don't need you anymore!  But I still love you"   He went to bed by himself for the very first time last night.  I cried... and I think I am still crying a little.

When he decided he was a big boy, that was IT! PERIOD!

So in the last week, my little boy learned to ride his bike, is going to school and finally kicked us out of his room at bedtime.   Now I guess we have a little man! LOL!

3 Weeks...

I can't believe that time has been moving so unbelievably fast through the last few weeks.  It doesn't seem possible that the last 8 years are already past, and that we are finally going home...

I will admit that as today is the last game I will ever work at Creek my emotions are running a bit high... It doesn't seem possible, but I think I will actually miss these kids... OK... I know I will.

3 weeks left to pack... I gotta get my butt in gear, even though I know we have packed boxes galore, it just deesn't seem like anything is quite done... lots of packing... my room is yet untouched, and believe me that room alone will take a week it seems... so there is much to do this weekend.

I find myself to be terribly impatient... I am at the point of waiting, sitting here wanting to know about this job... I know it feels like a great fit, and I find myself wanting this job more and more... I just really don't want to be disappointed... hoping for the best.

Lost Loved Ones...

So ,I was just sent the obituary of Aunt Garnett, and thought I would share it, when it just got me thinking of how many loved ones we have lost in just the last few months... it just doesn't seem right to lose so many wonderful people in such a short time.. I know it isn't a loss, but rather a temporary goodbye, but for some reason or another, it just doesn't make it any easier while we are here, because these precious people leave such a huge imprint on our hearts.  I just wanted to post these, so I have them, and so they are here.
Lynx, Ashes... I haven't forgotten you either....

March 17, 2012

Wilma Jane (Frye) Kuhn

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TERRE HAUTE — Wilma Jane (Frye) Kuhn, 81, went to be with the Lord at 2:20 p.m. on Friday, March 16, 2012, at home surrounded by family and friends.

She was born in Edgar County on Aug. 31, 1930, the daughter of Leslie L. and Vera Marie (Leasher) Frye. She married Clayton E. Kuhn of Marshall on June 25, 1948, in Clark County.

She is survived by her husband; five children, Debra (Larry) Dickson of Marshall; Curtis (Mary) Kuhn of Grand Prairie, Texas; Sheila (Kevin) Davidson of Marshall, Darrell (Kathy) Kuhn of Marshall, and Vanessa (Danny) Pinkston of Parksville, Ky.; 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren: Jason and Kirsten Kelly, Anne and Orion; Daniel Kuhn; Aimee and Allen Smith, Iain and Lachlan; Leslie and Russell Moran, Russ; David Kelly and finance April Scott, Autumn, Ethan, Logan and Anthony; Lucas and Toni Floyd, Alexis and Haley; Matthew and Sarah Davidson, Xander, Raylee, Ezra and Zoe; Charity and Abdiel Palafox; Aaron and Delonda Floyd; Kristen and Ryan Sullivan; Jordan Davidson; Justin and Joy Kuhn and Amber Kuhn; and many nieces and nephews.

Wilma is also survived by two sisters, Pauline Beauchamp of Paris and Darlene (Max) Elliott of Union, Mich., two stepsisters and one stepbrother.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Vera Marie Leasher; her father, Leslie L. Frye; her stepmother, Undine Eldredge Frye; her brother, Earnest Eugene Frye, and one stepsister.

Wilma was a devoted wife and mother who enjoyed being involved in church activities and spending time with her family. Her hobbies included sewing, crocheting, and gardening. She practiced hospitality and always opened her doors to those in need.

She was retired from TRW and Charles Industries in Marshall. She was an active member of the Marshall church of Christ and also attended the Paris church of Christ.

 Wilma was loved and cared for by her caretakers Dawn Mead, Marilyn Duzan, Kay Adams, Kathy Cox, and previously by Kay Martin, Teresa Brewster, Marilea Plew, Janice Wallace and others.

Celebration of her life will be at the Marshall church of Christ on Monday at 10 a.m. with Gordon Wonsey, minister of Paris Church of Christ officiating. Visitation will be Sunday from 3 to 7 p.m. at Pearce Funeral Home in Marshall and also one hour prior to services at the church on Monday. Burial will follow at the Marshall Cemetery. For those desiring, memorial contributions may be made to the Marshall City Band.

Garnett Lucille Floyd (May 9, 1927 - April 21, 2012)  Send Flowers Send Sympathy Gifts Send Sympathy Card Sign Guest Book | Send Private Condolences Mrs. Garnett Lucille Kelly Floyd 84 of Shelbyville died Saturday, April 21st, at the Christian Care Center of Bedford County. She was born May 9, 1927 in Paris, Illinois; a retired employee of Musgrave Pencil Company and a member of the Church of Christ. She was the daughter of the late Jesse and Mildred Fuqua Kelly and the wife of the late Charles A. Floyd. She was preceded in death by a sister, Mary Ellen Ashby. She is survived by three sons, Robert L. Floyd of Shelbyville, Charles Edward “Chuck” (Dorothy) Floyd of Houston, Texas, Russell Eugene (Cindy) Floyd of Marshall, Illinois; two sisters, Nora Lance and Carolyn Comstock of Paris, Illinois; five brothers, Forrest Kelly, Herman Kelly, Jim Kelly, Jack Kelly and Wayne Kelly all of Paris, Illinois; eighteen Grandchildren and thirty-one Great Grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 A.M. Wednesday, April 25th, at Hillcrest Funeral Home Kevin Smith officiating. Burial will follow at Hollywood Cemetery. Visitation will be Tuesday from 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.

Obituary For: Garnett Lucille Floyd | HILLCREST FUNERAL HOME and CEMETERY

LEO WINSTON HINDSLEY 

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Leo Winston Hindsley, 82, went to be with the Lord on November 29, 2011, with his wife at his side. A memorial service will be held at Holly Hill Church of Christ on December 8, 2011 at 11 AM. Leo was born on November 15, 1929 in Rochester, Texas. He is survived by his beloved wife, Darlene; as well as three daughters and sons-in- law, Kathleen and Mikel Pistole of Almont, Michigan, Rebekah and Barry Pate of Plano, Texas and Cynthia and John Michaelis, of Ponce Inlet, Florida. Other survivors include his grandchildren, Rhonda Stroud and husband, Dwayne, Jennifer Strbenac and David Kunz, Gavin Pate and wife, Elizabeth, Vanessa Logue and husband, Trey, Andrea Mead and husband, Marc, Eric Michaelis and wife, Laura, Owen Michaelis and wife, Erin; as well as 11 great-grandchildren. He also leaves one surviving brother, Duyane Hindsley. Leo and his family served as missionaries in France from 1957 to 1963. This stage of their life opened up the door to much travel, which became a shared pastime for the family. After returning to the U.S., the family resided in Michigan where he ministered to several churches of Christ in the Detroit area. He completed his university education at this time, eventually earning his Ph.D. from Michigan State University. He taught History at Michigan Christian College (now Rochester College) from 1968 until his retirement in 1992. After retiring, Leo and Darlene moved to Murray, Kentucky for seven years, where he pursued his passion for raising horses and boating. In 1999, they settled in Port Orange, Florida, where he taught Bible classes at Holly Hill Church of Christ and served briefly as an elder. He later helped establish the Port Orange Church of Christ. He continued to breed horses and received much pleasure from watching his horses graze on his lovely property. Leo was admired for his gentle spirit, his brilliant mind, and his dedication to serving God. To know him was to love him. He will be sorely missed by his extended family and his many friends throughout the world. Condolences may be shared with the family atwww.dalewoodwardfuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the Holly Hill Church of Christ Food Bank for helping in feeding the many homeless children in the Daytona Beach area. The mailing address is: Holly Hill Church of Christ Food Bank, 1725 Ridgewood Avenue, Holly Hill, FL 32117. 

And, my beautiful Kitties... I miss my girls... a bunch!

                   Lynx - my beautiful old girl  - she was so sweet all the way to the end... Love her.

Ashes - " Gray butt", "Bug"

in her favorite spot in the weeds under the rose bush.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes!!

Yup...Changes are on the way.  It is well over due, and time for those changes to come.

It is official, we have made the plans to make changes to address, jobs, state, etc.   And it is scary to think about.  Seriously, when you have been in one place for nearly a decade and you make the decision to leave it all behind, it is quite daunting.

After going home over Christmas, and hearing the doctor say that Mom had cancer, it really opened my eyes to the fact that we need to be near family.  Thank goodness, we ended up with much better news than originally thought, but either way it made me realize that changes needed to come.

So, we are packing boxes, going through old things, throwing a lot away, and donating plenty more.   It is interesting to look at old yearbooks, remembering the days of when life was so easy and the biggest worry was if we would have dessert after dinner or not.

Can I just say that I really hate the packing part... I wish that I could afford to hire movers and packers to just come in and do it for me, because there is just a certain sadness to watching the shelves starting to empty, the drawers become  more sparse and realize that what has been a really good place for us is coming to a close.

I have made so many wonderful friends and some who I count as my extended family, and I will most definitely miss them dearly, but moving on to be near to family so that the boys can know them, and grow up in a small town with small town values is going to be worth the move.

Now if I can just find a job and make this sustainable.  ={

Hi Mom!

Hey Mom!

I know you have been waiting forever for me to update my blog... so here it is... Love you!

Catching Ya'll up... considering I've been completely gone from here for FOREVER

To summarize the big stuff since my last post...

• Went home for Christmas... enjoyed the fam!  
• Iain got to play in some snow... Yay!
• Came back to work and became UNBELIEVABLY busy with our winter playoffs 
• Iain had a great birthday.. .I made a FUN construction cake for him.
• Lachlan went to emergency room, and had to have emergency surgery to remove a little piece of glass... glad that is over!
•  Iain FINALLY finished potty training.  Hallelujah!
• I had my wisdom teeth removed... OUCH, but overall not as bad as I expected.
• We finally had time to clean the yard and paint the patio chairs
• Iain got to drive a front end loader.
• Put up a hedge around the backyard... praying it survives the full sun and sandy soil
• Had my birthday...uneventful and quiet... and Iain sang Happy Birthday to me!  SWEET!
• Lachlan turned 1... Super cute, smashing cake all over his face!
• Went to weekend family spiritual growth retreat with our church family...Was amazing!
• That's about it.  Really doesn't sound that busy, actually

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The Clines's Photo Shoot

I absolutely had a blast working with the Clines, and hope my pictures live up to what amazing people and wonderful friends they are!

The Tomazewski's

I just did Kelsey's senior pics this year, and after taking those pictures, her mother asked if I would take some family portraits when everyone was in for Kelsey's graduation.  It was an eventful night for pictures.  We started at the beach hoping for some portraits there, but it was just far too windy and the tide was in so there just wasn't much beach to work with.  So needing a place I suggested my standby place of Sugar Mill Gardens, and we get there only to find out that the gardens had locked the gates an hour before we got there!  I was so frustrated, but after taking a quick look, realized that outside the gate was a cute little bench, and the setting wasn't that bad after all.  Here are some of the results... BTW...her grandparents are just TOO cute!  They are such a fun and sweet family, and I just love them!

New Link to Lachlan's Journal

So I found this REALLY cool website that I WISH I had known about when Iain was born, but just found out about today.   I love it because not only can I blog about my boy, but it also lets me update his medical records, upload pictures, as well as give a timeline etc... I can also order a book of everything I have added to the site...pretty neat I think!  If you want to take a look-see... just click on this entry title!

He's Here!

Wednesday morning I walked into Iains room to wake him up and send him to daycare, pretty well knowing at some point during the day (or evening ) that Lachlan would finally make his way into the world.  So I decided to ask Iain a couple of all important questions.  It went something like this...

Mommy: "Hey, are you ready to meet baby brother?"

Iain: an emphatic "Uh-HUH!!"

Mommy: "Iain, do you know how baby brother is going to get here?"

Iain: " BIG white dodge!!!" (dodge being his word for truck)

Mommy: "And who will drive the truck?"

Iain: "Big green frog!"

Sometimes I wonder... =)

So anyway to get to the real point here, about 6am on Wednesday I started to feel those annoying crampy contractions that you can't really measure, but you know what they are.   So I got Iain ready for school and took him there, by the time I got home at about 9:15 I knew the contractions were for real... I was able to measure them at 2 minutes apart and lasting about 30 seconds... by 10:30 they were 2 minutes long and 1 minute and 30 apart, so I called my OB's office and they said to go ahead and get checked... so we picked up Allen at 11:20, and stopped back at the house to get our bags and headed to the hospital, knowing this was it...by the time Allen got back to the car there was no talking through my contractions anymore, as I could tell things were moving quick, so we head on our way, with me in the front seat trying my best to guide Mom to the hospital...  Can I just say riding in the car with my Mom when she has NO IDEA where we are going and under stress is completely UNBEARABLE while in labor!!! (sorry Mom!) Trying to give directions while in transition contractions...unreal... I wanted to scream...

All I know is thank God we made every green light, if we hadn't, we may have been having little man in the parking lot instead of inside the hospital.... we got there at 12:00ish (I honestly wasn't too aware of the time understandably.), and went straight to triage where I was measuring 5cm... by the time I left triage and got the the second floor and in my delivery room (5 minutes tops) they measured me at 9cm!!   I just remember the nurses SCRAMBLING to find a delivery team, and me dying to push... with them telling me to breath through and and not push... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?  This kid was making his way outta' there and all we needed was someone to catch him!  All I could think was let me push this baby out NOW... anyway when all was said and done, Lachlan Archer was born at 12:39, after only 20 minutes of pushing.  WAY better than the 2 hours of pushing I had with Iain!  There was no time to think of pain meds, so this was completely au naturale... and it really wasn't that bad...

Kelsey

sneak peek

So I am really trying my darndest to get these pictures for my AWESOMELY patient seniors... and I just wanted to show off a little sneak peak of the poster some pics I have done for a couple of them... I obviously have a lot more, but this is all I have time to post for now.  I sure hope they like them... I do!

A Day at the Zoo!

So, now that I am getting a little closer to little man #2 getting here, I am getting a little bit more sentimental about the time I spend with Iain.  Last night, I was thinking about how he just turned 3 years old, and how this time has absolutely flown by.  It seems like he has been in my life forever, but at the same time it seems like these years have passed in the blink of an eye.  It is amazing how quickly life speeds up when children come into our lives, and I want to make the most out of these last 6-7 weeks we have with Iain before another little guy starts to take some of that attention too. 

So, even though we didn't necessarily have the money to do it, we decided we would make a way to find ourselves at the zoo.  Iain absolutely loved porcupines, the jaguar and the snake house.  He kept talking about the BIG kitty cat and how it says "meow, meOW!", and the "lirtle nake, and BIG nake" at the snake house and how they like to say "SSSssssssss...."  We even spent time sitting in the middle of the boardwalk learning our letters from the names of donors engraved in the boards, while everyone else walked around us giggling at how funny we were.... it was simply great, even if we were in the way of everyone else!

If I can, I would like to try to do something special like this again before Lachlan gets his eviction notice, but even if it isn't anything "big" the rest of this time will be nothing less than special for us all.

I LOVE my boy!

So this morning when I dropped Iain off at daycare, one of his classmates Christopher was coming in with his mommy at the same time, but was obviously having a bad morning.  When we got inside, Iain noticed that Christopher was crying and came up to him and gave him big hugs saying "aww..ok"

Then just a minute later when Chris stopped crying (thanks Iain!) he was trying to get his jacket off... Iain came up to him again and said "I help" and he helped him pull his jacket off....it was absolutely the cutest thing!  He's simply the best, and he's all mine!  =)  =)  =)

Sr. Shoot

OK...so my computer is being stupid right now and the pics aren't here directly, so you will have to follow the link  (click on the title)... sorry! 

I have TONS more to work on, and will post more later...

It's Pouring!

So if the adage has ever been correct, When it Rains it Pours... it is definitely true right now.

This past week has been the most unreal, crazy, one thing after another, weeks that we have had it quite some time...
It started last Monday night with Iain getting a fever and we found out the next day that he had Swine Flu.... So we dealt with the never-ending fever and fatigue associated with that through the week... by Friday little man was finally feeling better, but I couldn't walk due to the pain from my heel spur so off I headed to my podiatrist for a lovely cortisone injection in the heel.... can I just say... (OH MY GOODNESS... I WANTED TO SCREAM THAT SHOT HURT SO BAD!!!!!!)  I couldn't walk for the rest of the day, and guess what?!  I STILL have pain in my heel.  grrr.....
  So Saturday came and we thought we would splurge on Pizza... I had cheese, Iain and Allen had pepperoni... well, ends up the boys got food poisoning from the pizza... so more fun dealing with 2 sick boys in the house all weekend... By yesterday though they were finally feeling up to snuff...
   To add insult to injury, last night our car would not start when we got out of Target... our 45 minute quick trip to Target ended up becoming a 3 hour ordeal while we waited for the tow truck to show up, and finally load our car up to take it to the dealership's service dept.  It was 9:30 before we ever made it home.
  And to top it all off, I called the dealership to check on my car this morning (to make sure that it made it there and that he dropped my keys off).. and go figure he dropped it in the middle of the service road in front of the dealership, and locked the keys in... so I was late for work because I had to drive up there to unlock my car for service to move it and fix it!   GRRRRRR... I can't stand stupid people.


Ok... I feel better now... thanks for lettng me vent....=D

STOMP!

So this is a bit of an old video I found, but I just loved it and forgot how cute Iain was when he was doing this.

I especially love the "attitude" he copped at the first part of the video!

Original Video - More videos at TinyPic

I hope you aren't too squeamish...

This is the result of my son's adventures last night... 2 inch gash and 3 staples.... and the little twerp was such a good little patient. When the nurse came in to take his BP, HR, Temp, and O2 sats, he kept looking at the monitor and jumping up and down whenever the lights would light up or the machine would beep, but he didn't mind any of the temp probes or any of that stuff... I think he was actually quite fascinated with it all.

Then when his nurse came in to put the local anesthetic on his scalp to get ready for the doctor, she finished up and looked at him, and before she could say it, he said "all done!' and started to walk out the door....

Doctor comes in to do the staples and Iain leans his head over and held really still for him to do his job... He's one tough little cookie!

Rachael's Maternity shoot

took forever to get these done, with interruptions like a month of football practice, but I FINALLY finished them and got to try out some new tricks! This is just a few of them, but some of my favorites.

I HAVE TO PEE!!!!

Aaaaagggggghhhhhh!!!!

I hate being a teacher and being stuck in class....with no one to cover for me... I have three more minutes and don't know if I can make it... my eyes are watering... I can't sit still.... and my students think I am on a major caffeine high...LOL!!!