A Trip To That State Up North

This past Thursday Dave, the kids, and I made a trip to Michigan for Daves lifelong friend Joe's wedding. Christen (the bride) is from a very very small town in Southwestern Michigan so that's where the wedding was. This trip was the very first time either of my kids have ever been out of Ohio so it was fun for them.

We drove straight to our hotel room and had just enough time to check in before we headed out to the church for the rehearsal. Christen choose a very small historic church that her Grandma attends as the place to have her ceremony. After the rehearsal we headed down the road about a mile to Christen's family farm. This fruit farm has been in the Sprauge family for over 100 years and it is still a working farm. Emma and Ian got to play on the playground equipment and sandbox with Christens niece and nephew while the burgers and brats were being prepared.





Christen's dad Bill also started a very nice bonfire for all of us to enjoy and to roast a few marshmallows. After hours of playing we headed back to our hotel room.

Friday morning we got up and headed back out to the farm to pick Joe up. He was in desperate need of a haircut so we took him to a mall in Mishawaka Indiana. While we were there we got some lunch and relaxed a little while the kids played.





Then it was back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. Joe and Christen choose to have a small family wedding with just a few close friends. The ceremony was very sweet. After the ceremony we all headed to a local German club for the reception. The reception was a blast. Christen's brother was the DJ and he did a very good job. He kept us all dancing all night, even Dave danced and not just during the slow song.













Saturday morning we got up and Met Joe and Christen for breakfast at the hotel and then we headed back to Ohio. As much as I am not a fan of that state up north I still had a great time and I was honored to be part of Joe and Christen's special day.

Busy, Busy, Busy

Since coming back from San Diego Dave and I have been at one of the kids events after another. Between Emma's Gymnastics and Ian's t-ball we seem to always be somewhere other than home. If I am home all I want to do is lay on the couch and read a book to help destrss.

I love watching my kids participate in activities and I LOVE that they love it but it can be very tiring for Dave and I. Tuesdays and Thursdays Ian has t-ball at 6 so I have to rush from work to get both them picked up and home. Then I have to fix something very quick and easy for dinner which of course means it's probably not the most healthy meal we could be eating. Then I have to get Ian changed and make sure Emma has something to entertain her in about 30 minutes. Then we are off to the ball field for an hour. By the time we get home it's baths, Emma's homework, and then off to bed.

On Wednesdays it's very similar only I have about 40 minutes to get dinner and Emma changed. Her Gym has toys for kids to play with in the waiting area so I don't have to worry about Ian bringing something to play with. Once we get home it's the same routine as Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Of course once they are in bed my work is not done. I still have to pack Emma's and my lunches, Ian's bag for the next day, and lay Emma's clothes out. By the time all of this is done I crash on the couch and read which ever book I have for an hour or two and then I'm off to bed. It seems right now the only thing that is destressing me from all the madness at work, and there is alot of it, is reading. I am averaging a book every day and half.

So that is what I have been up to lately, how about you?

Sister Update

No no I have not fallen off the face of the earth I've just been a little out of sorts. There has been so much going on in the past 2 months most of which has been very stressful. I think I have moved past most of that now but I'm still dealing with some work crap.

Of course the biggest stress in my life has been my sister's Cancer. Last week my Aunt Pat and I flew to San Diego to be with her during her surgery. We were able to fly in the day before and we toured the city and did a ton of sightseeing.

Wend morning we took Steph to the hospital for her surgery. It was only supposed to last 3 hours tops so when we hit the 3 hour mark and had not heard anything we started to worry. At the 4 hour mark they finally came out and talked to us. Everything had gone fine, the cancer had not spread to the lyphmnodes but there was a nodule on the opposite side from the tumor. They took the whole thyroid just to be safe.

The next 8 hours for Steph were really hard. She had a reaction to the anesthesia which made her very sick to her stomach. I know what it feels like to get sick after having a c-section so I can only imagine how it would feel to vomit after having your neck sliced open. After 4 different medications they finally found one that stopped the vomiting and she was able to get some sleep. They were also able to get her calcium levels up so she only had to spend one night there.

The next few days we took Steph out on some short trips. My sister does not sit still for long periods of time and hates to be confined so this was necessary to keep her sane. My Aunt and I also spent and afternoon with Stephs car doing some shopping while Steph was at home with her boyfriend.

Our last day in San Diego Steph was feeling much better so we all went to the beach on Coronado Island for the afternoon and my feet got burnt.

We fly home on Sunday and my mom fly out Sunday to be with Steph this week. She has had her stitches removed and her post op appointment. It looks like she will have her radiation treatments in about 6 weeks. The type of Cancer she had will require a radiation that you can't be on medication for so this will take every ounce of energy away from Steph but other than that things are looking really good!

As soon as I can find the time I will post some pictures from my trip. San Diego is truly a beautiful city and you should go if you haven't been.

Easter 2010

This year we spent Easter the same way we have the past four years. We started on Saturday by going to my grandma's house. It was strange this year because my sister wasn't there but other than that it was a normal Easter for our family. We ate a great meal and then my Aunt Pat and I laid the trails to all the kids Easter baskets. In our family the grandma's get the kids baskets each year and the way they find their is by following the trail of Easter eggs with their initials on them. We figure since they are 7 and under hiding the eggs would still be too hard.







Once the kids were back inside playing with all their new stuff my Aunt and I sat down to book our plane tickets to San Diego. We leave in just two days and I can't wait to see my sister.

Sunday morning we woke up to Emma nearly in tears because she had come downstairs and there were no eggs or baskets anywhere. Her exact words to me were "but mommy Ian and I were so good I promise! Why didn't the Easter Bunny leave us a basket?" I had to tell her that I bet the bunny just hid them really well. Of course that is exactly what he did. See since it was so nice outside this year the bunny left there eggs and baskets outside. So once Dave and I got up we took them outside to look.





Then it was time to get ready to go up to Dave's mom house for more eggs and baskets.













Finally we were able to come home and relax for a while before bed time while the kids worked on the activity books that the Easter bunny got for them. It was a wonderful weekend spent with family.

The Big Three Zero

On the 23rd of March Dave turned 30. It may not seem like I did anything for him since I have said anything but I did. There was no way I was going to let it go buy without a party.

Dave and I invited all our friends and a large amount of our family to celebrate with us. I think Dave was a little worried about having the odd mix of people all together but it worked very well. It was so nice to have so many people share this big moment with us. I ordered the food from Hoggy's and it was a nice change to not have to run around the night before a make a ton of food for everyone.

We got lucky that the weather was nice that day so allot of people ended up hanging outside until it got dark. Most of our family headed out early which left the friends to hang out and drink and just have a good time. It was nice and something both Dave and I needed. All and all it was a great evening and I'm glad I had the party for Dave.

Of course I can't let you go without some pictures from the evening.

Shanna and Me

Joe, Dave, and Dave

The Cake

Emma and Ian

Me and Dave (ignore the finger please)

Noah and Tif (trying to get him to sleep)