happy Graduation day Sara

On friday night Sara graduated from High school. Seems crazy to think since she has been a part of my life since i was 13 years old. The ceremony was held at night, but thankfully my kids did great through it. We then went back to my sister's the next day to the party..only i didn't take a single picture... i'm nto sure anyone did. Oh well, i can tell you that my kids played downstairs with the toys, ate a bunch of sweets and spend a long time in the pool. 

Elly in the band

had to get use out of our red clothes :)

It's offical

Max was totally done for the night, but stuck in a picture anyhow.

before graduation I took the kids to get hair cuts and then we went to eat at the train station restaurant. Bella ate well, Max was a stinker. But both got hair cuts and did great there. 

Cookie making

Sunday was a crazy day it seems. I had choir practice at 9, so i left the house with the kids ready to go and Josh setting his alarm to make sure he was ready to leave on time.  Practice went well. I'm kind of bummed i won't get to see on Christmas Eve, but Bella wants to be an Angel. Unfortunately those are two different masses. It's ok since I'll have many more chances where there are only a few for Bella to be an Angel.
Josh and the kids made it just in time for church even getting seats since it was pretty packed up in the choir loft. After church we put the kids in my car and drove to the park and ride to drop of Josh's car. Then headed off to my sister's.
The day went by quickly there. The kids were all over the place.. all of them! I think we made about 7 different types of cookies. My sister's kids were in and out too, so it seemed to be people doing something different all the time. Josh was attempting to rest and be pain free. It's a good thing that my brother in law has had so many back problems as he had a bunch of good ideas for Josh. Around 2 Josh and I left the kids with my mom and sister and headed to Target.  We have quite a few Angels living on this earth that are looking out for us. One of them sent us a gift card to target so we used it to get some new pants for Josh, nightgown for me,  food for all of us and water
bottles for the kids. The only problem was target was crazy since it was the last weekend before Christmas. But we made it back to my sister's just in time for Josh to be able to watch the packer game with Andy, who was watching it on delay.  The kids continued to play and spent the time catching up with my sister.
We left at halftime, which was probably long enough for Josh. We had to stop and get his car at the park and ride and arrived back home around 630pm.

These two are the next generation of Peanut Butter Ball makers. Both Tracey and I have failed.  (ps i' not that upset that i can't make them, i'm just happy to eat them. )

Cut out Cookie decorating! 

Aunt Tracey found a cookie that's made with candy to get Max to make. I think he ate more then he made

Drew and Bella made a gingerbread house..only got drews though

Sara came home from work and got put to work decorating gingerbread

This girl and her godmother! 

A boy and his godfather

One guess who didn't want his picture taken?

She loves her cousins!

Day 2

Today I’m thankful that we moved closer to my family and friends, and really closer to some of Josh’s family too. Yesterday we were able to attend church and then the pancake breakfast at our school, before heading off to Whitewater to see Sara’s cheer team perform. Bella and I made it in to a girls day while the boys stayed at home and mostly napped  

We had a lot of fun and thankfully it wasn’t too crowded. Bella got to make Sara a sign and I got to take pictures. Bella also got a new bow  

We got home and the boys slowly woke up. Then it was off to the great outdoors. The kids got to play with the neighbor girls and I started to rake up our many leaves. I regret wishing for leaves when we lived on the farm. After an early supper we have a movie night with “hotel Transylvania “ The kids really enjoyed the movie.

If anyone wonders why I’m doing some cancer awareness:

Little did our family know that Josh would get this awful cancer and his uncle would die from it only months later, weeks after the doctors found it on him. Now I worry about my children even though there is currently no gene that my husband carries to explain all the cancer between his mom and dad’s families.

Happy Labor day

What a day. I wasn’t sure how it going to go. We had a really long hot day the day before, so today was just a the luck of the draw. We woke up to storms at 3am, then Josh woke up again around 6 and decided he was going to go fishing with matt. I guess they had a good time, as they came home later then josh planned and had fish to clean!

The kids and I enjoyed a nice quiet slow morning, but Josh was ready to leave and we loaded up to head to my sister’s house. The kids did good in the car and the traffic wasn’t too bad.

The time at my sister’s was good. My mom was there too, so it was my whole family together for a relaxing time. We had a cookout, the kids ran and played with their cousins, the kids enjoyed the pool with Uncle Andy, Josh and Andy got play pool together and I went shopping in my sister’s outgrown kids clothes (fyi those I pass on boy clothes too, I have a lot!!!)  It was just really nice and peaceful. only one bad part was we kind of left a little later then I had hoped, since there was still supper to make, baths to take  and get ready for another school/work week.

Tuesday June 23

Tuesday was a busy day, but yet we didn't do a whole lot. Josh went back to work so it was strange to not have him with us. The kids and I were lazy. Well I started the quest to get caught up on cleaning up. With josh not feeling well and then back in the hospital, i just let the house take a backseat, the laundry monster was out with a vengeance!  The kids didn't mind not having to do anything or go anywhere.

Around 1130 we got a quick lunch, Bella got changed in her swimming suit and we headed over to my sister's. We decided to try swimming lesson via Elly at my sisters' pool since i couldn't figure out where locally to put her in.  So Bella got a swimming lesson in, and max got to play with Drew. Once Bella was done in the pool the kids played with all the fun toys and had a snack before we headed back home.

WE got home just for Josh did. Quickly chores were done and a bath for the kids. Then we loaded up and headed into Madison. We were on our way to Gilda's Club for Support group meetings. Once we told Bella what was really happening and the fact that the outlook isn't so great, i knew our family needed something more. I had troubles finding anything close by or something that address cancer as the big issue. They have a supper for everyone and then support groups for each of us. Because its summer, it was a smaller group, so Max got to be on his own and do whatever he wants. Which turns out was to hang out with the big kids. I felt like i was in the right spot and comfortable with my group. Even Josh agreed it was good for him, too. I think we were in the car for 10 mins before Bella asked to go back again. 

It was passed bedtime when we got home, but totally worth it.