End of 2008

It is hard to believe that another year is winding down and about to close. 2008 went fast! Maybe it's because I was pregnant for most of it?! The kids had a great Christmas. We went to New Madison and the kids were spoiled by both sets of Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles and Cousins. Shea received a pink bathrobe with her name on it, from Santa, she liked that!! Lots of arts and crafts, trainer ski's from Shawn and I, movies, and my family went together and got her a Wii. We're having a lot of fun with it! Last night she liked baseball and was doing well at it!! Will received toys, a bouncy/walker car, new bath toys and my family went together and got him his first Craftsman toolbox. It was too large to bring back home so it is in Grandma and Grandpa Godsey's for a bit. (The car was already loaded down!) I think Shawn was in heaven that his boy now had a toolbox for the garage! Saturday we took the kids to Indianapolis to the Children's Museum, this was another gift from us. It was a neat place! We'll be heading back for sure. We stayed over night at the Hyatt so Shea could swim in the indoor pool. She loved it!!!! When we got back to our house Sunday night, Santa had left a big box for the kids. They got a swimming pool- 12ft x 3ft!! Shea asked me today if Spring was coming soon. I think she wants to use it.

Will enjoying his new ride.

Shea modeling her new robe.

Shea & Will on a real submarine at the museum.

Today is New Year's Eve and Shea wanted to do something special. With the kitchen all tore up we didn't get to do our annual cookie baking. Yesterday I bought pre-made peanut butter dough. This morning we rolled them, put them in sugar and baked them. Then added our kisses! This was a fun Mom/Daughter thing to do!!! Tomorrow is Chief's birthday so Shea decorated one just for him. He can eat it on his 8th birthday.

Our cookies & Chief's special one!

Since Chief can not have chocolate, Shea placed two candles and an American flag in his. So creative!! We hope that everyone has a safe NYE. Wishing you all peace, love & prosperity in the New Year!

A Christmas Program

Last night (December 18th) was the St. Patrick's Pre-School Christmas Program and our little Shea was going to be on stage!! In class they have been practicing for this night for a few weeks. Here at home, we practiced everyday, Shea's choice! We didn't even ask her to practice, she just wanted to. Last week she came home and told me that she and two other class mates were going to be speaking. This I knew we had to practice. Olivia, Blaise and Shea were going to welcome everyone to their Christmas Program before her class performed. I tried to get a photo of this but the lighting was awful in the gym and it did not turn out. We have it all on video. Both sets of grandparents made the trek to London to see her first performance. She was thrilled we were all there. This first photo is of her walking to the staging area. The girl beside Shea is her friend Blaise and the boy is her friend and neighbor, Matt. He's a hoot!

She did smile and wave to us (as did all the children) when she appeared on stage. It was so darn cute to see them all up there!! The first song they did was Jesus Loves Me. You could tell they were all a little nervous, they did well. Her teacher, Mrs. Nicki, said the kids voted on which songs to perform. The next one was a big crowd pleaser. The title of it is, Bean Bag Boogie. The kids had bean bags and there was music playing. They placed the bean bags where the song instructed them to, while they were booging down. One boy, Ryan, really was a good dancer and had everyone cracking up. This song was just so cute and it was so fun to watch the kids dancing. I can't wait to watch this on video. Here they are...

The boy in the tux next to Shea is our friend and neighbor, Sam. After the program we had the two of them stand in front of the Christmas trees to get future black-mail photos. Shawn video taped it and Jodi took some pictures, I hope hers turned out. If so, I'll post one. They looked like they were going to prom. It was SO cute!!! After all this we went to a local restaurant to eat dinner. We had to celebrate Shea's first on-stage performance! Shawn even interviewed her on camera, pretty funny stuff. I can't wait until her 16th birthday to pull these tapes out!

Will did get dressed in his Christmas best to attend her show. He did well, except he did not like all the clapping. He's into the phase now of not liking loud noises. Poor child, it's loud around here with the re-model on going. We sure hope everyone is enjoying the Holiday Season so far. Next week at this time, Santa will have been here. Can't wait to see what he brings!!!

Merry Christmas!

Will at 3 months; Shea meets Santa

Can you believe it? Will is 3 months old! Where has the time gone? He has started sleeping more through the night, YEA!! Some nights he eats between 5-6 am. While other nights he doesn't wake up until 7 am or after. Needless to say, the first time it happened I went in to check on him. Even though I figured he was fine, I couldn't help myself. He's become quiet the jokester. He is laughing more, making these high-pitch sequels. He cracks himself up sometimes. Which then makes us all laugh. Saturday night Shawn's boss and his wife had everyone who works for them and some friends over to their house for a Christmas party. It was adults only. This was the first time I'd left Will with anyone for an extended period of time. Sure, he's been with Jen for a couple of hours but this was going to be the whole evening. He was staying with Aunt Nan and Uncle Red. We got to their house early enough to stay with him for a few minutes. This photo is him laughing at Shawn saying good-bye to him.


Off we went and we did not get back to their house until 12:30!! We were party-animals. Nan said he did fine and really only fussed right when we left. We had a good time at Mike and Lisa's house. I did miss the kids but enjoyed the adult time.

Will has also taking to liking bath time now. He was all smiles after one the other day. Check out his hair- it gets all curly when wet!!!

Will at 3 months!

Mom and Dad came to pick Shea up on Saturday. Since we had to go to the party and Shea was to go to the Fire Dept. Christmas party on Sunday, this was good since we went out. Our friend, Randy Mikesell took photos of the kids and adults as they sat on Santa's lap. He sent these photos to me. Aren't they precious??!! Shea told Santa what she wants for Christmas... "Anything you bring me will be fine". Shopping for her is hard, since she has SO much. But, on the other hand, Shawn and I were very proud of her that she told him that. We're hoping she does like what Santa will be bringing!

Shea and Santa 2008

We hope you are enjoying the Holiday Season thus far! Now, I have to get all the wrapping finished up. That's a chore!

Drywall Work...What fun!

We have made more progress in the kitchen and everyone has been asking to see photos. Shawn is off of work this week, we hope to make a lot of progress on all this drywall work! Things started on Saturday. Shawn & Shea began to take down the cabinets. More totes came out to pack the contents of the cabinets in. We ran out of room to store them in the kitchen, they are now in our bedroom! I trip over them every night.

Tear down

Shawn took down the filler piece that was at the top of the old cabinets. We've decided to go with 42 inch cabinets, for additional storage. I was thrilled to see this tile go away!! Shawn found it easier to take down all the old drywall & put up new.

Old drywall


New drywall

As you can see, I have no working sink in the kitchen now. We are eating off of paper plates. I can wash cups & silver ware in the bathroom sink. The other major thing that has happened the last few days is moving of electrical. You see the new yellow wires sticking out of the wall? The one up higher is for the to be build in microwave. The one by the stool is for the refrigerator. The stove is going in the island, Shawn ran the electric for that & put my old stove over there, it does work. We're getting a feeling of how the island will be! We like it. Now...more sanding is going on at present. I'll let you know how the week progresses.

What a great morning!!

What a great Friday morning this has been!! This is a long story to tell you why it is so great, but hang in there with me. It all started Wednesday night. Barry called us, he was shopping at the Sears in Hilliard and as he was walking out the door an oven caught his eye. We'd been discussing them with him the previous weekend when he and Shawn were brain-storming about the kitchen re-model we have going on. I told him Jen's oven is my dream oven but I've priced them and they are WAY out of the budget. Theirs was too but Barry had found a deal and that's how Jen got it. Back to Wednesday night. I was thrilled to hear Barry had found an electric slide-in oven just like theirs and it was on clearance! I had him talk to Shawn about it. The next day the kids and I headed into Hilliard to check this puppy out! Plus, Shawn wanted me to go to Appliance Smart and see what deals I could get there. I started at Sears. There were two floor models left in this stove Barry had told me about. One a lady bought right in front of me as I was looking at the stove! The nerve, she was a blue-hair! As we were walking out of the store, on the phone with Shawn, I see the stove. I could feel the twinkle in my eye. I'm scurrying to write down the info as the blue-hair walks out after buying the other stove. She STOPPED TO LOOK AT THE ONE I'M CURRENTLY LOOKING AT! Man did I give her the dirty look. Off we went to the next store. They had good deals on fridges and only two slide in stoves, which were not nearly as nice as the one I'd fallin' for already.

Shawn came home last night and I was researching fridges and stoves, and looking through Craigslist to see what they had. I told him my first, second and third choices. By this time, I had a raging headache and it was time for The Office. I was up last night with both kids and just thinking about the oven. We couldn't possibly spend the money, this isn't the house we'll be in forever. Shawn must have been up thinking about it too. As he was leaving for work I was getting up. He says to me, "Go get the oven at Sears, you deserve it and I love you". After a few moments of hesitation, I then smiled and said OK!

I get the kids ready and we head out to the truck...which doesn't start! UG! Not going well. Load them back into my car and we're on the cuff of being late for school. But we made it on time! I had it arranged with my neighbors to pick Shea up if I was going to be late. Will and I were on a mission to get this stove.

I get to Sears and the floor model was gone. I talk to the sales lady and explain to her the one on the floor had a yellow tag on it yesterday but some lady bought it. She went and checked (this took a while) and to her surprise, I was right. She had pulled the wrong stove back to storage. The one already marked sold was indeed sold. The floor model I'd seen by the exit door was available. HOORAY! But, I can't let her know I'm excited. We talk about the price and I can get it now for this mega on sale price or wait until next Thursday, when they lower the price again. In my mind I'm saying, "It could be gone!!". I tell her I want the stove but I'm going next door to Kroger to get gift cards to purchase this with. I wheel Will over and we get the cards. FYI- Kroger is doing double fuel points on any gift cards purchased. We'll be getting cheap gas next month :)

Back to Sears I go. Now, the computer won't let the lady enter all my gift cards. After more time spent figuring this out, we pay for the oven. IT'S MINE! Here is a sneak peak at what it looks like. Minus the cabinets.

It's a smooth top, electric slide in, convection oven with...are you ready... a warming oven!!!! I about did cartwheels out to my truck. I didn't want to spend the money but we did get one heck of a deal. Thank you to my loving husband for telling me to go get it!! Thank you to Barry for finding this deal. Since the truck wouldn't start for me, Shawn has to fix that tonight so he can go in tomorrow and pick this oven up. I can't wait until it's in the garage. The lady is even going to shrink wrap it for me, how exciting. This is our first purchase for the remodel. Scary but fun. I can't wait to make a great meal on it. When the island is build and the oven is in, I'll let you know how it looks. I'm sure fantastic.

After all that, I had to pee so we stopped at Target. How lucky, I had a coupon for a free coffee at Starbucks so I got my Peppermint Mocha and finished Christmas shopping for the kids (since Shea wasn't with me). All this and it was only 11 am. Needless to say, I'm tired now. Plus, I had to re-schedule my much needed hair cut. I must have really wanted the oven! What a great Friday!!!!

Snow and Christmas Lights

This weekend proved to be productive on many fronts. Shawn was able to get a couple more coats of mud on the walls, which are looking great. Now you can't tell that we had to do work on the wall!! Plus, he grinded the ceiling in the kitchen. That was a total mess, we had to put the plastic back up. Will loves the sound of the shop vac!! He'd sleep anytime Shawn turned it on, what a saving grace.

Saturday we did get a little bit of snow and ice. Made driving a bit tricky but we still went into Hilliard to check out a cabinet place our friends the Jones' told us about. They too are re-modeling their kitchen right now. We found some we liked! Sunday, Shawn decided that he was going to hang Christmas lights outside and get rid of the rotten pumpkins. Shea just wanted to play in the snow.

Shawn hanging up lights

I helped Shawn get Shea all bundled in her snow suit, hat & gloves. Out they went. She had even went in the storage area above the garage & got her sled out- all by herself. Chief really wanted her to chase him. I dressed Will and out we went. It didn't take him too long & he fell asleep. This is the best picture I could get of him, for his first snow fall.

Will, 12 weeks

Shea on the other hand had taken her hat off & after the photo, her gloves. Mom was not happy! She wanted to throw snowballs at me. Poor Will took the brunt of one.

Shea having a blast.

Chief running through snow & eating it!

Shawn did an excellent job hanging the outside lights. I'll try to get outside at dusk tonight & take some photos. I hope everyone has all their decorations up now. I just need to finish my Christmas cards & shopping!!!

Christmas is coming

The tree is finally up & the stockings are hung by the mantle with care...In hopes that St. Nick will soon be here! Shea received a pink tree last year at Christmas, this had to be the first one up this year. I downsized the amount of decorations & trees that I normally put up. With the kitchen remodel on going and Will who consumes so much time...I did the best I could! Shawn & my Mother informed me I HAD to put the big tree up. Ok, I did so on Monday, Christmas can now come.
This afternoon I subjected the kids to the annual Christmas photo shoot. I just clicked away. There were a few that turned out good, others were just hysterical!! I loved the oh get this over with look on Wills face for this photo. Shea is in the stage of giving very goofy smiles, making it hard to get a good picture of her.

O Christmas Tree

This is our tree this year. Shea helped me put the ornaments on it, I had to go through and re-arrange a few. They all seemed to end up in on general area. My friend Jen is asking us to post photos of our favorite ornaments. I'll try to do so soon.

This year I also made the mantle more simple. Just stockings and Peace On Earth. I love it though!! I got us all new stockings. Pottery Barn, love it, had a sale early on their stockings so I took the opportunity. Chief also got a new one, just not Pottery Barn quality. I hope your Holiday Season is going well thus far!