what's been going on?? part 2

Figured I'd fill in with photos.

Happy 25th birthday to the Make A Wish foundation. We were invited to their birthday bash at Miller Park, since Kaycey was a wish recipient almost 4 years ago. Unfortunately, this is as close as we got to Corey Hart...there were SO many people there for the event!!

Which was cool and sad at the same time...cool that so many people were able to come out and that likely means healthwise they are doing okay (maybe not 100%, maybe not cancer free, but okay!) Sad that so many people's lives have been inflicted by some sort of life-threatening illness or disease. Partial group shot of all the wish kids there (There were so many other parents trying to take pictures, so I was squeezed in up in front, so I couldn't even fit all the wish kids in the lens!!) Kaycey's in the bottom row, center, in a pink hat. Ironically she was sitting next to a little boy named, Riley. I met with Riley's parents back when he had been diagnosed Stage 4 NB after Kaycey had gone home from her transplant. Riley is doing well, which is such wonderful news with all the bad news I read about from kids with Neuroblastoma.

My first gelato ever, July 10th. I've been on a gelato hunt ever since: ) In Chicago with Ashley (also prego, due in October, with baby boy Finn)

Me & Fran, July 11th...hadn't seen her in 8+ years. We were the best of buds for years, and even lived together. What was funny is that our lives took such similar paths after we last had seen each other. We were always 2 peas in a pod. It was nice to see her again.

Another old friend, Joe, with my friend Sarah and I. Hadn't seen him in just as long! We got to meet his boyfriend and a bunch of his super fun friends, too.

Other random news: with any luck, I will have a piano in the house by the end of the night. Provided it doesn't kill anyone and no one kills it (trying to get it in the house!!) Also I am tired of the neighbor burning branches, etc. He has decided to do it within 5 or 10 ft of our lot line, and unfortunately the wind has been blowing our direction every time he burns. If I have the windows open, the whole house smells, and not a good smell. My curtains in our bedroom have a smokey odor now, too. He has the biggest lot on our street I am guessing. Why couldn't he burn in the middle instead of right next to our house?? UGH. I thought our house was on fire the other day when I pulled up to the house!

School starts in less than 5 weeks. I am so eager to buy backpacks and notebooks, it's crazy!!

And baseball is almost done! Cal has a tournament this weekend, Kaycey has one more game. I love baseball, but I was baseballed out.

I had another ultrasound today to study baby 4's heart. Since Mike had a congenital heart issue at birth that required open heart surgery by age 2, we had the option to have a study done to make sure her heart is A-OK since it tends to be hereditary. Everything looks fine, and I asked the U/S tech if she could print me more pictures (last time the gal handed me an envelope of ultrasound pics...but they were all the same picture!!) This time, this particular gal went to town. It was like a photo shoot in utero. I'll try to scan or post 'em soon. I even got two photos in 4D, which honestly looks a little scary and alien like, but still pretty neat : )

what's been going on??

*not much computer time AT ALL
*kids swimming in our CLEAN and CLEAR pool!
*baseball, baseball, and more baseball. Season is done next weekend. On to soccer for Kaycey. (Cal wants to take tennis lessons. Anyone with suggestions on where to take tennis lessons, let me know. I don't know of anything out our way.)
*sorting through baby stuff (realizing I don't have as much little baby girl stuff as I thought. Lots of summer 0-3/3-6 months, which was from Kaycey, and I don't think Maddie got much, if any, use out of. This babe for sure won't get to use most of that *adorable* summer stuff.)
*making lists of everything I want to get done in this unfinished house
*making lists of things I want/need to buy (top items being a pack 'n play and a crib; both of which we have, both of which seem ancient [our playpen is 10 yrs old and crib is 20+years old] and I really like the newer pack 'n play models with the bassinet thing. Hoping to find a good deal at a rummage or resale shop on both items.
*have been going to rummage sales looking (haven't bought anything)
*saw 2 friends for the first time in 8+ years because of facebook in the past week or so. Yea for facebook!!
*my friend, Sarah, has been staying with us for the past week. She just finished pilot training and got her wings as an officer in the USAF. Been hanging out with her (only see her twice a year, approx.)
*been getting landscaping ideas
*kids went to Vacation Bible School this past week through our church/new school and LOVED it.
*been able to tell it's getting closer to August...kids are starting to get a little restless!
*laundry, laundry, and more laundry
*cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning
*discount shopping off the clearance racks at Boston Store for summer clothes for next year
*I'm WAY too excited for fall to come (not just because of a new baby, I love fall!! Favorite season. School shopping, fall clothes, leaves...)
*pretty sure our baby girl has a name. I'm not telling : ) yet, anyways.
*in the process of rouding up a team for our annual Make A Wish Walk/Run, August 22 (if you are interested in joining or donating send an email or message! : )

My Sister's Keeper

So I was in Walmart a while back, and this paperback book was only $6. I knew what the story was about for the most part, and heard it was a good read. So I bought it. I've been looking to read more. Anyhow, it sat in a bag for a month. I thought maybe I shouldn't read it, given our history...that maybe I'd be an emotional wreck and relive the past (to a point). But, I finally pulled the book out the other day and began to read.

I am only about 50 pages into the book. Rather than being an emotional wreck, quite honestly it is making me angry because it is too eerily familiar. Angry at the doctor lingo, angry at the danorubicin and cytoxan (chemo drugs), angry at the lack of info for the parents, angry that I know so much about all of it. Geez, Elizabeth, it's just a story. But it's so real. I honestly feel like the author took some of my very words and thoughts from 4 years ago and put them into this book (mostly from the mother's point of view in the book so far). Hmmm...do I keep reading??

Welcome, Norah!

We visited our new niece/cousin today. She's a little doll!! I don't remember the last time I held a brand new baby.I think I forgot how to hold a baby. I guess I better get used to that... : ) Though I was sort of freaking out! And I don't know that Maddie has ever held a new baby, really. Cal didn't want to hold the baby (actually he didn't want to wash his hands, and was much more interested in playing catch with Uncle Scott!).

Those poor boys. The ratio of boys to girls in Mike's family (our kids and Mike's siblings' kids) will be 3 boys to 7 girls. Even if you take my Mom's side of the family and count first cousins, second cousins along with their kids, I think the ratio is 3 boys to 10 girls. Cal was the first boy born on my Mom's side in about 30 years. My Mom's little brother was the last boy before Cal to be born. Apparently the girl genes dominate on both mine and Mike's side of the family!!

God Bless America!!

The fourth of July is absolutely my favorite holiday. I usually even buy the kids red, white, and blue outfits or t-shirts (usually on clearance the year before-though I didn't last year), but we all wore red, white, and blue anyhow, of course!

We celebrated by going to a parade, listening to the AWESOME Brewers game, & a family party in the afternoon (my side). Then every July 4th for as long as we can recall, we've done fireworks in Greendale with my sister, Dad, and stepmom.

Auntie & the girls

Grandpa Bo & Grandma Ria

How Blessed we are to live in this country and have such freedom. God Bless the USA!