Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Totally Addicted......


So last week we came across FlavorIce and Kris brought the box, and I thought that was crazy-what do we need more popciles for? He has been eating them like crazy and I had none....until last night. I get so overheated that I eat my way through a box of popciles faster than anyone can believe. I had to have a bit of one of Kris' last night and I didn't stop....I ended up eating a few before bed. So much better for you than the Kit Kat bars. I remember loving them as a kid, but never really thinking of them much as an adult. I like slushing things and not frozen things. Kris bangs them against the side of fridge until they are slushy......I never thought of that, and now I am bashing them against the fridge too! PERFECT! I really think I had one of each flavor last night....

I just can't seem to get enough of Kit Kat bars lately. Everyone knows that I love candy, but this is new intense thing for me. I LOVE them. It is my new craving and I can't seem to get enough! I have always had a thing for chocolate, but the wafer things is what is getting me now. I know that this too will pass but for now and I am really enjoying it. AND over indulging.....no wonder I am packing it on!

Last week was an interesting week for school stuff. Right before it started I mentioned to Kris that I was freaking out, having anxiety problems and such. I kept asking myself these ridiculous questions. "What happens if one of the kids gets hurt at recess? What happens if they walk in front of the bus? What happens if Drew doesn't know where to get off the bus?" Random random questions, but still I was really truly fearful of these things happening to the kids. Well, every single one of the things that I listed has happened.

On the second day of school Elaine comes home and I great her at the door-she has what can only be described as road rash from her eyebrow to hairline above her left eye. I freak out asking "What happened?" She says "There is a note in my backpack that explains it." As if it is no big deal. So I rush to check out the backpack and the only note in there isn't about how she got hurt but how to take care of a child with a concussion. HELLO! ELAINE! I ask her what happened again, and this time with a snotty attitude she says "I told you that note would explain it." After a bit a of pushing and explaining that the only thing that the note said was how to take care of a child who had a concussion was she willing to explain what actually did happen. I guess she was just swinging too high on the wings and fell off.....onto the mulch but the much had moved and it was exposing the mat that is under the mulch. So really no big deal we got over it quick and you can hardly tell that she had mat rash just a few days ago.

The next morning I am at my Stampin' Up club meeting and I call from the school nurse on my cell. Drew has been hurt and has a cut over his eye. Here is the conversation:
School Nurse: "Hi I have Drew here in my office, he ran into a poll in the hallway and has a cut above his eye, we have put ice on it........etc...."
Me: "Do I need to come and get him and take him to get stitches?"
SN: "No, he is doing fine, he never cried about it, and he is laughing." (Anyone who knows Drew I am sure can picture this in there head, Drew really would think it was just the coolest thing to go to the nurses office.)
Me: "Does he want to go back to class?"
SN: "Yes, I think he does."
Me: "Well, with you being a nurse, is it safe for him to go back to class?"
SN: "Oh I think so."
Me: "Great! Send him back!"

There was more to the conversation....basically laughing at the fact that she had both of my kids in her office in the first 3 days of school.

Elaine likes to walk down the middle of the street. The bus driver is tired of this! He told her yesterday that if she does it again he is writing her up. What does that mean? Has anyone ever heard the bus driver writing you up? Does she get detention for it? So I guess that answers my question, if one of the kids walks in front of the bus-the driver yells at them. I can handle that, I am glad that he is paying attention to where the kids are once they get off the bus.

And of course we know what happens when Drew doesn't get off of the bus-they bring him back! I love that each of my questions was answered with simple things and not the dramatic ones that I was coming up with in head.

Last week I had another ultra-sound. Loved it!!! This little guy is moving around a bunch and his big for how far along I am. We confirmed again...still a boy. From the measurements and things is is 4lbs and 12 oz. So that is 12 oz. more that what the norm is. This is so neat.....we had a great profile shot of him and he was swallowing and sticking out his tongue and things we saw it all, it was amazing how clear it all was. I could have sat and watched it forever. He has big lips-almost as if he was puckering, and HUGE checks! Just like Izzy did when she was born. So the date at the present time is Oct. 10thish. I have another ultrasound on the 9th and so the doc said that night or the next day. YIPPEE!!! Still looking like a big baby but with him coming over 2 weeks sooner than any of the other kids hopefully he wont be as big as what we are thinking he could be.

Maybe I should think about blogging more often like I used to instead of having these marathon things....but at the same when things happen I think that are really blog material and then later on I find myself rethinking it and adding a bunch at the same time.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

First Day of School! (super long blog)

Today was the first day of school for Elaine and Drew. So happy! They both were very excited, and I really am happy to get back a normal schedule.... below are a few pics. The end of last week and the beginning of this week was crazy. We suddenly realized that Elaine had grown out and Drew had grown up, and neither one of them really had any shorts that fit. So I had to do some mad shopping-I know every knows that I normally think that is a great thing but I just hurt so bad right now that the idea of walking from the parking lot to the mall entrance seems overwhelming not to mention each of the different stores and then trying clothes on kids, and pushing the double stroller around so that 2 of 3 are at least strapped in. I have been getting really car sick so that threw out actually driving up to the outlet mall. Okay enough of me complaining, last Friday I got the computer and did some online shopping! What did I do before the Internet? I ended up finding a few outfits for each of them on line, and still ended up having to go to the mall. Who knew that all the summer clothes goes on sale in August and you have to pick through things just to find the right sizes!!! Okay, okay being the shopper that I am I really did know that but it didn't make it any less annoying. I am still in pain from my shopping trip on Monday-but I got it done!!!! YAY!
Drew right before heading out.

Elaine right before heading out.

Izzy had to be involved so here is all three of them.


They have so much stuff to take on the first day that I wanted to get a picture of Drew with backpack-how he didn't fall over backwards-I have no idea.

I had the kids sit down next to all the stuff that I had to take with them. There are bags of things that wouldn't fit into the backpacks. When I was younger my mom always took me to school on the first day of the year. I loved it! So I have decided to keep that thing going with my kids. Not that they could even get on the bus and carry all of there stuff.


Elaine at her desk....I loved the crossed eyes!

Drew sitting as his table. I was so excited when I realized that he was using his left hand! I really want one lefty. I know that most people know what hand a child is going to use by the time that they are this age, but Drew has been switching back and forth, and we are letting him decide what feels right, but I really really want at least one lefty!

This is Drew and Karina. She was in his preschool class and they are the only two that moved into kindergarten together. They have a great friendship-I think that she has a crush on him and I have been trying to figure out if the feeling is mutual, but he doesn't say much. They used to ride the same bus and would always sit next to each other and he seems to be her security blanket when she is unsure about things. So neat-she was adopted from Russia and looks just like adoptive mother. They first time that I met her mom I just new that Mary was Karina's mom, just by looking and I was shocked when I found out that she was adopted! Amazing how those things end up working out!


With it being Drew's first day of Kindergartner and with me being pregnant I thought for sure that I would get way emotional over it all. I was teary eyed when we walked into the class room and Kris was fine. Then we left the class room I was okay and Kris was having his moment. We (as parents) got a treat bag....I didn't read the note until we had a "meet & great" the PSA in the school library...then I took a look and got teary eyed again! In the bag was an apple and a note that said:

"An Apple for the teacher

Is really nothing new

Except when you remember

Parents are teachers too."

Isn't that cute!!!! BUT the note on the outside is what really got me....:

The First Day

"I gave you a wink and bright smile

As you entered my room today.

For I know how hard it is to leave

And know your child must stay.

You've been with him for five years now

And have been a loving guide,

But now, alas, the time has come

To leave him at my side.

Just know that as you drive away

And tears down your cheeks may flow

I'll love him as I would my own

And help him learn and grow.

For as a parent, I too know

How quickly the years do pass

And years ago, it was my turn

To take my baby to class.

So please do put your mind at ease

And cry those tears no more

For I will love him and take him in

When you leave him at my door."

I am sure that Kris didn't notice, but when I read that-it was so hard to keep in. I kept looking around to see if any of the other parents were about to let loose. Only one....and she was a back corner-I didn't want to join.

Drew is home now and has had quite the eventful day....I am guessing. We got a letter in the mail from the bus company stating that he would dropped off at the driveway at approximately 12:24. I was out waiting for him at 12:20, so excited to hear how his first day when. When I still didn't see the bus at 12:40 I decided not be that parent that freaks out....and wait until 12:45 to call the bus company and see what was going on. So 12:45 comes and goes and I call trying to make it a laughable situation, but I was kind of freaking out. Come to find out the county is repaving a road today (of all days) and that all the buses are running a bit late, but she was going to call the bus driver just to make sure that everything was okay. So I put on hold and she come back to explain that the bus driver had already been by but he didn't get off, but when she called him name after the phone call he popped up and answered.....he had been sleeping! I think I was out there early enough to catch him but I did step inside for a minute to go to the bathroom and left Izzy in charge of looking for the bus out the window.....maybe I a shouldn't trust a 3 year old! Or hold it? At the same time, knowing that this is the first day of school and he is in Kindergarden you would think that the driver would have been a bit more watchful. I had to explain that he had some delays and probley didn't get it. She wants me to make sure that he sits in the front-I guess I will be sending an note to the teacher.....I am not thinking that he is not going to remember it.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Tagged AGAIN!

Okay so if you don't want to read my tag responses....skip it. BUT someone wants to here about thing...


Tagged by Tarra

A. Attached or single? Attached for .....I am going to say 9 years since that is how long we have known each other and we never really did that separate thing even from the beginning

B. Best friend? Tiff and Howie (Michelle)

Cake or pie? at this point in my life.....both....okay really it depends on what kind it is

D. Day of choice? Friday-date night, or at least it is supposed to be

E. Essential item? hair straightener, or dental floss

F. Favorite color? red or yellow, I am liking orange a lot lately

G. Gummy bears or worms? Bears and Worms!

H. Hometown? I guess Redlands, CA

I. Indulgence? that one to two hour time frame after the kids are asleep and I totally veg

J. January or July? I really love the 4th of July, but there is something about having Christmas done and still having snow......

K. Kids? 3.5

L. Life isn’t complete without? hum? I really don't know

M. Marriage date? 3/3/00

N. Number of brothers & sisters? 1 brother.....and I guess my mom claims that I have 2 additions-they just got 2 kittens

O. Oranges or apples? both

P. Phobias? Snakes

Q. Quotes? It is something never standing taller than when you are on your knees.


S. Season of choice? Fall

T. Tag seven peeps! ....okay at the bottom

U. Unknown fact about me? I am lazy.....I guess a few know, but I am really really lazy

V. Vegetable? tomato's (I know), carrots, peppers.....love most of them actually

W. Worst habits? I really don't have any bad habits....oh yeah I am lazy, (can I write that one again?)

X. X-ray or ultrasound? I would have to say ultrasound right now....seeing the baby is so neat

Y. Your favorite food? right now, yummy stuff from a restaurant.....a good one-I am hungery, and craving an orange chicken bowl from Applebee's.....even though I don't consider Applebee's one of those good restaurants....just a craving.

Z. Zodiac sign? Cancer
I tag:
1. Amanda


2. Michelle-myspace it

3. Megan Westwood

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Lake Ripley and a surpise shower

A couple of months ago my cousin Michelle and I decided to have a "Family Reunion". We even made these really cute invitations.....(okay she made.....I wasn't feeling good). We are going to do this every year! I would post a picture of one of them but that would mean taking one and downloading it and that just sounds like too much effort for now. This past Saturday was the day of the Reunion at Lake Ripley......it is such a great area. It is a park like setting with trees all over the place and picnic tables, then there is a playground right on the beach area. The water right in front of the playground area is roped off for the little ones and it isn't a very steep grade at all. It is great! Everytime we go we talk about going back soon because it is so convient and such a great place. I once again forgot to bring the camera and so here are a few pics that relatives took of the kids and things.
I have no idea how Kris was able to convince Izzy to float over the pink tube floaty thing.....but it sure did turn out cute.
I just thought that this pic was funny AND since people have been asking for updated belly shots...here you go. I know that I am getting big when I can wear Kris' basketball shorts and fill them out!


Elaine must be building something in the sand here. I never did find out what it was.




The view looking up through the trees.

Izzy splashing through the water.


Izzy swimming-or at least she thinks that she is swimming.....in less than a foot of water.

Elaine and Kris talking.....it look like she was getting in trouble for something....or maybe she was cold....I don't know.

I don't have hardly any pics of Drew. I guess it must be because he is such a wild man it makes it difficult to get one of him.


My family totally surprised me and threw a Baby Shower for me when we were here. I had no idea. Not even a clue. AND here I thought that I wasn't a person easy to pull a surprise on. I think that it was Michelle and Jackie that planned it all.....they were late getting to the lake and brought a cake with them. A REALLY REALLY cute cake. I saw the cake and didn't think much of it-other than that it was really cute. Then there were all of the presents set around the cake...and I still didn't get it. The presents were even baby boy themed.....still no clue. My little cousin had a birthday on Monday so I thought that it was for her so I even asked "How come no one told me about the Birthday party I would have gotten a gift? Now I feel bad." The rest of the conversation went...............


"That isn't a birthday cake."


me: "It's not?" Totally not getting it.


"Did you see what was on the cake?"


Me: "Yeah, puppy dogs, snails, and frogs....." THEN I got it. I was really surpised.


Here are a few pics of the cake. I think was Michelle and Jackie's first time with Fondent frosting....I love it. I think they did such a great job. I really didn't make it easy for them to plan this either. During the week before I kept coming up things to do with them. They were so good about, I don't think they got much sleep.....they spend quite a bit of time with me and then did all the baby shower stuff when they should have been sleeping....THANKS GUYS!!! I really loved it all!


Can you believe it....those dogs are made of frosting?

I know that you can't tell from the pic but on the back side of the cake there are flies, and the frogs closet to them are catching flies!

Thursday, August 7, 2008

I got a little chuckle

Yesterday Kris had his Chiropractor appointment, and asked me to wake him at 2 so that he time to get read and be there at 3:15. The office is about 30-45 minute drive from our house. I was having so much fun socializing with my cousins and we ordered pizza for lunch that came way late-1:50pm (now that is a late lunch) I completely lost track of time. I didn't remember to wake him up until 2:40! Poor guy....I go into the bedroom and wake him up-"It's 2:40 you have to get up...." He stares blankly at me at asks "How did that happen?" It sounded like he was asking how it was 2:40 as if it has never been that time in his life. I explained that I was a flake and forgot to wake him up.... He is quick to say that I am not a flake and asks me to call the office and let them know that he sleep in and was it okay that he still come in even if he was a little late? Sure I can call the office. Now here is what I found funny....I call the office and the receptionist answers the phone "Hi, this is Genia how can I help you today?" My response is "I am a bad wife." She laughs hardly and with a slightly flirty/curious tone in her voice asks "How bad are you?" I was so glad that she had a sense of humor about the entire thing and once I explained everything she said that he could just come in.....and no I did not use Kris as an excuse like he asked me to.


Michelle and Jackie (the cousins mentioned above) had come over to help me make me Baby Shower Invitation for a shower that another cousin and are giving in September. Okay-they really did all the hard stuff and even came up with the invite itself. I only picked out colors, the size and cut paper. BOY was I ever glad to have them here. Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!!! Here is a pic of how they turned out. Aren't they cute? I really think so!

This is just another example how Izzy can sleep anywhere!
And now when the zoomed-out version of the pic you can tell that she crawled up and over my legs while I was laying curled up on the Love Seat resting and she curled up in the space behind my knees and feel asleep. This was after Kris and I came home from our get-a-way. It looks like the kids sure played hard.






Saturday, August 2, 2008

Vacation and kids

Let's start with the good stuff....



Drew had his last baseball game, and the good part of this is that I remembered the camera!!! I love this pic. Can you tell that his sunglasses are upside down? I saw him put them on and figured that it was better for him just wear him like that then me to be mother yelling "fix your glasses!"

I came into the kitchen the other day and Izzy was doing dishes. I really do love that she wants to help, and I love the towels already on the floor for the clean up that I knew that I was going to have to do. She cries when I make her stop.

While on our weekend away, Kris and I stopped by a mall that wasn't too far from the hotel....and there was a Sports store that had all kinds of really great stuff in it. Of course Kris had to buy Bears jersey's for the kids. I about had a heart attack when I found out what a kids jersey cost!!! Highway robbery I'm telling you-no wonder they can afford to pay those players what they make! At least everything was on sale! We even got a a jersey onesie for the baby-and yes the baby will wear it along with everyone else when it comes time for games. Kris wanted me to get a jersey too....but I am still a "closet" bears fan and that would just be to much. Beside I really to want to stay part of the Wendtland family.

Now for the not so good, but still turned out okay stuff.....

Kris and I decided that we would take a long weekend before the baby came. Leave the kids with friends and take off. This was really our first time since we have had kids. We have taken a night away and stayed with friends in Ca before but this was different. We had been thinking of doing this for awhile and even had the weekend picked out, but with the house in MI selling and not really knowing how much money that would cost us at closing we put off actually making reservation anywhere. Then we couldn't decided weather to go to Lake Geneva or Chicago for a get-a-way. With the way that Kris has been feeling we decided to go in the quiet Lake direction. Of course while putting this off none of the places that we wanted to stay had any vacancies. BUT we found a really great Bed & Breakfast place up in Oconomoc, WI. It looked great. It was called the Inn at Pine Terrace . Check it out, I am sure that you will agree that it looks like a great place to stay. We reserved room 12....

We dropped the kids off at the Hobbs' and took off. Made a little stop on the way, but managed to get to the Inn about 3:30. Really neat looking place, historic and all that kind of stuff, even had a double Whirlpool tub. When reviewing the Inn on-line I noticed that had Pecan Stuffed French Toast for one of the speciality breakfast.....YUMMY!!!! I was sold on that. We got up to our room-on the third floor.....and it was so hot! Okay I know some reading this don't think 80* is hot, but I am pregnant and one of those way temperature sensitive people.....I get sick if I get overheated. I know I am a big wimp....but that is just how it is. So we are thinking "let's get the air going and see what happens". We stayed about an hour or so in the room and it was just not getting any cooler so we head out for dinner and the lady that checked us in asked me "How's the room?" "Boiling" was the only things I could come up with. I knew that we had to get out of the room or I was going to end up sick. So we head out for dinner and I am already not feeling the greatest because of the room temp. We eat at Olive Garden-the old stand by that Kris hates-actually I just really wanted bread sticks and Alfredo dipping sauce. Not the greatest dinner and then we head back to the Inn thinking that the air would have kicked in and it would cooler. By this point the Inn Keepers are back and say that the air is working. We head back up to the room and it is still 80*. To make a long story short we decided to to leave the Inn because it just was not cooling off-and head toward Chicago and stay in a regular hotel room (which is exactly what we didn't want to begin with!) We left about 7:30 and it was supposed to be about 1 1/2 to get to the new place...but I ended up so sick that it took over 3 hours. I had to keep stopping in order to get sick. I was still really sick on Friday and we didn't even get to really do anything. There was a mall just down the street so we did get out of the hotel room for a few hours but then it was back in bed for me. I felt so bad for getting sick and kind ruining our romantic get-a-way. BUT in the end we talked it over and decided that before we even went the purpose of our trip was just to relax and unwind, just be us together. We did relax.....so I guess we accomplished what we set out too, but it sure would have been nice to not feel like I was going to throw up if I got out of bed.