Funny story! The other night after the kids where asleep I walked into Monkey's room because I heard talking coming from his there. As I got closer Monkey said, "Hi baby Red. Red, Red are you sleeping?" I figured he was dreaming about Red so the next morning I asked him if he had a dream about Red. He said, "No I was dreaming I was buzz lightyear." What a goof :)

The last few days have been so relaxing for me. Friday I got a full body massage it was a gift from the hospital where I delivered Red. That night we went to see Liz play volleyball and after the game we had some friends over to play cards. Then this morning I went over to my friends house and got a facial. That was nice. My face feels so good. Tonight J and I were sitting in the living room and Monkey was sitting with J and GG and Red were sitting with me. J was whispering to Monkey things to say to me. It was so funny. J told him to tell me. "You look very attractive." It came out, "You look like a tractor." He was saying other things that came out funny too but I thought that was the best one! The kids have 2 more weeks before school starts. On Monday GG is going to meet with her new teacher and pick out her seat and locker, she is very excited about that. Well I need to go to bed we have church tomorrow morning and last night was a late night and this morning was an early morning. Not to mention I had a super hot Monkey sleep with me last night. He was on fire but during the night his fever broke, it was vaccination related which makes me so mad. I won't go into that right now.

We didn't make it to church this morning J didn't get home from work until after 4am and the kids and I went to a church by our house last night. We have friends that go there and so I thought I would go check it out. Anyways, I was getting the kids dressed this morning and Monkey reminded me of something silly he said last weekend by saying something similar today. Last Sunday when we were on our way to the Children's Museum Red was crying. Grandma was sitting in the seat I normally sit in. Monkey then asks her, "Grandma, do you have a big boob?" The car got quiet. So he asked her again. J didn't understand why he asked her that and told him that wasn't a nice question to ask. I was sitting next to Monkey and asked him if he wanted to know if grandma could nurse Red. And he said, "Yes does she have a big boob to nurse?" Then grandma told him that hers don't work anymore!!! So this morning when I was getting them ready Red started to fuss and Monkey said, "Mommy you have big boobs so you should go nurse Red." I am thinking at least my men will *know* why boobs were made....to nurse babies!!!!

Last night we went to my dad's house to talk about this huge family vacation he wants to go on next November. GG will almost be 6, Monkey almost 4.5 and Red will be 18 months so it should be pretty fun for everyone. This morning I took the kids to VBS and then Red and I went to Silva's for a playdate. It was a lot of fun and we are having another one next week at our house. Come school time Silva and I are going to start a Bible study and I am really looking forward to that. Well that is all the update for now. Oh yeah I found out my bil and sil are having a boy in Jan :)

So much has happened these last few days here are some highlights! Friday we had a date with Wal-mart, we needed toilet paper desperately, and then a lunch date with grandpa. Saturday we had a picnic dinner at the park and daddy met us there while he was working. Then the kids played for about 2 hours then came home washed them up and off to bed we went. Sunday we got up and went to church then g & g M. met us at church and we headed downtown to the Children's Museum. That place was so cool. There were two levels and so much stuff for the kids to do. One room was called Water Ways and the kids had to put on raincoats so they could play with the water and not get too wet! GG and Monkey each got to be bubble bees on a big computer screen. They painted their faces, climbed on things, built things, and used their imaginations. When we had seen everything and done everything we went for some ice cream. Then we took my parents back to their car and headed over to J's parents house. Joe and J left to go fishing and we ate Phil's pizza for dinner, it is one of my favorite pizzas. Now we are at today! We got up and dropped the kids off for VBS at school. Then J, Red and I went grocery shopping. It was amazing how much stuff we got done with the other two gone this morning. I love having them around but I am looking forward to school starting and getting playgroup started. We just got our newest member July 31st!!! While the kids were gone I made dinner for us and our friends who just had their baby. Then we got to bring the meal to them and meet the new baby boy. He is a cutie!!! Ok that is it for now.

I woke up this morning with the realization that school starts in 6 weeks and I haven't worked with GG at all. I was planning on reviewing things she had learned last school year but with 3 kids my world has totally changed. I had gotten papers for her to work on over the summer from the school but I have only done a couple of them. So I sat her down and explained to her that she needed to sound out the word then color the picture of that word. To my amazement she did great with no help from me. I thought she would have some problems but not her she is so smart. I have decided that the rest of the summer she will be doing homework to prepare her for school coming up. I want her to be confident in her ability and I think this will definitely help with that. Cute story about my GG...the other night we had a really bad storm and there was thunder and lighting. I was on the phone and I hear her calling my name, I thought she was scared. I go in there and she says, "Mommy the most wonderful thing just happened." I asked her what happened. She said, "Look outside. That tree fell apart. There was light then the branch fell off." Sure enough I look outside and our tree branch fell off and on to a truck. It was pretty funny that she thought it was the most wonderful thing!!! Anyway this morning we took the kids to Jumps and Jiggles, that was a lot of fun. When we got home we ate lunch and the kids were in the living room re-enacting the VBS program from church. They used the microphone from the karaoke machine it was beyond hilarious. Then this afternoon we did an "art project" it was basically just letting the kids practice cutting and GG promised not to cut her hair this time. Last time she cut a chunk in the front about 2 inches long off, I was not happy but it isn't noticeable and I believe she has learned her lesson. We just got in from riding bikes outside, we wait til after dinner when it isn't so hot now it is off to bed!

My friend Marni just left, she came over for dinner. I met her in college and she was in J and I's wedding and I am glad we are still friends. J found out today that one of his friends from High School is expecting their first baby and that is pretty cool. This weekend was a girl's weekend with the exception of Red who is always with me!!! First we shopped at the mall and had a blast then we went to dinner at TGI Friday's and then to the movie Must love Dogs. It was so relaxing and completely what I needed! The kids had a great weekend too, they spent the night with J's parents (not planned) and then went swimming twice and had the VBS program and root beer floats. J's brother Joe is in town as well as Liz being back from camp it was a lot of fun for them. Today we took Liz out for lunch and heard all about the new guy :) Cute story about GG...we had a really bad storm the other night and a big branch fell from one of our trees on top of a truck. Well I was on the phone and I heard GG calling my name. I figured she was just scared because of the storm, it was loud. I went back to her room and she says, "Mommy the most wonderful thing happened." I said, "what?" she said, "Look outside! That tree fell apart. There was light then it fell off." It was pretty funny especially that she thought it was wonderful... Monkey had his 3 year check up a few days ago he is 36 1/4 inches and 33 lbs and I also weighed Red to see how big he has gotten and he was 13lbs 13oz I couldn't believe it almost 14 lbs!!! He started out barely 6lbs only 2 1/2 months ago. I asked my friend Marni who she thought Red looked like because I have a theory. She said Monkey like I thought she would. My theory is people who are related to Red say GG and unrelated people say Monkey. So far my theory is true. It really doesn't matter to me who people say as long as he looks like one of our family members!! He has really started to smile and giggle more. He wakes up every morning with great big smiles for me that last about 10 minutes or so. What a blessing he has been.

Well today is J's birthday and he has to work. Monkey had a blast with J water skiing/tubing. J said he fell asleep on the boat sitting up and they all got a kick out of that! After they got back we went out to eat at Photo's not Subway, Photo's gives kids free ice cream :) Then we went to a baseball game and had a very fun time as a family. Anyway, this week we have VBS at our church so it has been a very busy week. We have to be at church by 8:45am and with rush hour it has taken us about 40 minutes to get there which on Sunday it only takes us 20 minutes. I am working in the kitchen with a girl named Erin and we are having fun. She is a couple years younger than me and has two kids 18 months apart just like mine, so all week long we have heard "Where are the little old ladies that usually do snack?" But we have been told that us working in the kitchen is great because the snacks are better this year. We actually had nothing to do with planning them we are just making them...the old ladies only made cookies and would never do anything different. I am having fun and Red is with me so we are all happy. I would totally work again next year! Anyways, J is working in the gym and he is having a great time too, yesterday he came home soaking wet from water games. GG and Monkey are loving it, too. It is a great family activity. This year's theme is "Boot Camp" and we are training for the war against Satan, very cute. Then next week we have nothing planned but the week of Aug 8, I signed the kids up for another VBS at their school and it is only a 5 minute drive!!! That will be a nice break for me and a great time for them. Other than that Joe, J's brother, is coming to town on Friday and he will get to meet Red for the first time!

Ok it has been awhile since I got on here! This is some of what we have been up too. Saturday we had Monkey's birthday party and it was so much fun. The kids went swimming in the pool :) Monkey got some really great gifts and he absolutely loves them all. One of my favorites was the carpet of streets for his little cars. He just loves them all so when we asked what his favorite was he practically named them all!!! He got a big boys bike from J and I and GG picked him out an airplane and car. He also got a flashlight, so much fun for a 3 year old. It was a great party. Then afterwards we went to the Hotel my mom was staying at and the adults went swimming. The next morning we all went to church and then the kids and I went to Brookfield zoo with my mom, step-dad and brothers. We saw the dolphin show and that was really cool. I just wish it wouldn't of been so hot and humid out that day. Then my brother Kolin stayed with us for a few days and the kids really loved that and it was nice for me too. Another gift Monkey got was a ticket to see Veggie Tales Rockin Live Tour, which we went to yesterday. It was pretty cute and the kids loved it. We went with the family that bought his ticket and then went to eat at the Olive Garden afterwards...YUM. I love that place :) I am a big fan of the soup, salad and bread sticks. Today J took GG and Monkey fishing, Monkey used his new fishing pole and had a blast. We are going to get his pictures taken today in about an hour. When we get home J is going to run the sprinkler and let the kids run through it. Tomorrow J is taking Monkey water skiing as his father/son time. I'm a little upset about that because it is his birthday and I won't get to see him until the middle of the afternoon. We are going to take him out for his birthday dinner when they get back. As of now Monkey said Subway was his choice but we'll see if that changes tomorrow. Well that is about it from me. Oh yeah J and I bought GG a DVD of Mary Poppins.

This morning J and GG got up and went fishing. GG caught her first fish and it was pretty big! It was a large mouth bass about 2 pounds and at least a foot long. Yesterday morning Monkey went with J but they didn't ketch anything but still had fun. J is loving his father's day present...the fishing pole they have been using :)

J had Sat., Sun., and Monday off and we had so much fun. Saturday morning we got up early and J's dad came over and we all drove up to Camp Awana where Aunt Liz and Grandma were. I have never been there before and of course neither have the kids. There was so much fun things to do there the kids didn't want to leave. We had lunch there and then went into town for some ice cream. We got home from camp around 5pm and went to Subway for dinner no one felt like cooking :) Then Sunday we went to S.S and church came home and eat lunch real quick then headed over to the Festival. What a blast that was. The kids got wristbands to ride all the rides they wanted. This year GG was barely big enough to go down the Big slide by herself and the guy almost didn't let her go down which would of been no fun. But she went down that about 10 times and Monkey went with either J or I and it was great! They also went on the dragon roller coaster about 5 times and each of the other rides either once or twice. We were there for about 3 hours!!! We also went on the ferris wheel and I don't like that ride at all but J talked me into going on it again this year. Monkey got in trouble from one of the workers there, he took his belt off during the ride and the guy had to stop the ride to put it back on him, he told both Monkey and I if he took it off again he couldn't ride anymore. The worst part was that the guy knew he was related to a police officer because of the wristband, he called it the VIP band. Needless to say Monkey didn't take it off again but he did cry for about the first minute of the ride after that. We came home and ate a really late dinner and put the kids to bed. Both kids feel asleep in a matter of seconds after their head hit the pillow. So that was Sunday and then Monday the kids and I got up and met J at the parade. He was working it and had saved us a parking spot right where he was located. I love having that kind of privilege, it's nice. Then we went to our friends Matt and Sara's for a bbq. There were so many kids there it was a lot of fun for GG and Monkey and we had fun too. Then we went to the fireworks, which J also worked. The officers roped off parking for everyone at the bbq so we didn't have to look for parking so nice. We watched the fireworks and then came home. Today we got up and went grocery shopping, came home ate lunch and then the kids went to their sports class. They did bowling today. When we got home the two older had quiet time for a half an hour then GG made a bead necklace and Monkey colored then got out his train tracks so I thought I would update real quick while they were occupied but now I need to go make dinner. Tomorrow we have a playdate with GG's friend from school Alina so that will be fun!

It is sometimes overwhelming when I get the chance to write on here to remember everything that has happened! I will try my best though. On Friday night my dad came over and took us to the movie Herbie. It was a really cute movie and great for little children. GG was clapping and cheering it was funny to watch her. After the movie when we were in the car GG said monster trucks are big but God is bigger. I love that she can grasp that concept. Saturday we went to the mall and I got some new clothes and then we went out for lunch. We had coupons to this new place and it was really good food. Plus the restaurant has free ice cream on Saturdays so that worked out good. When we got home from that J took both the kids and they put on a play. J was the narrator, GG was the princess and Monkey was the worrier. It was really cute and funny. J even recorded it so we can watch it again when the kids get older!! Yesterday was church. Today was grocery shopping. The kids and I stopped into to school and we got to talk to Mrs. Sherry. I am so excited she is in charge of the preschool next year and that she is Monkey's teacher. She is such a great lady. As for this week I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow it will be 6 weeks since Red was born, can't believe how fast that has went. The kids have their sports class in the afternoon. Wednesday we are going to my dad's to have a playdate with the kids' cousins. In the afternoon I might either go to a playgroup or the AH library not really sure yet. Thursday Red has a doc appointment and Friday J and GG have a dentist appointment and if we don't go to the library on Wednesday we will go Friday afternoon. Then Saturday J is off so we are going to go to camp Awana and see Liz for the day then church on Sunday and we are going to go swimming at the free pool by J's parents house. So our week is pretty full and hopefully it will be fun.

We just got cable internet a few days ago and it makes being on the internet so much faster. I can get on here and update my journal and be done. Anyways, my dad and step-mom just got back from Arkansas and want us to come over for dinner tonight so they can give the kids presents. So we are going over there for pizza!! YUM. The real reason I got on here was to write about GlamorGirl. This morning she wanted to play with her beads, she isn't allowed to play with them without mommy or daddy. So I told her that when Monkey took his nap I would play with her. If he was awake he would want to play too and the beads are really little. Anyways, when we were done Red woke up hungry so I nursed him. GG runs to get her baby doll Melody and says that she is hungry too. She sits down next to me and nurses her baby. While nursing Red pooped so he needed to be changed. While I finished nursing him GG got everything set up for me to change him...a new diaper, laid out the changing pad, and got the wipes. It was really cute. Then she grabs her baby and gets all her stuff ready to change her diaper! We have little cloth diapers for baby dolls. Everything I did or said to Red while changing him she said or did to her baby doll. It was really funny and super cute to watch. She is such a little mama. Then there is Monkey who wants to play with Red so bad he ends up startling him. He took the soft ball today and tried to play catch with Red...when he started crying because of the ball hitting his face startled him Monkey felt bad. All he wants to do is play big boy games with him, like he plays with GG. It is just so fun to see the differences in our children, it makes me love them even more for being them.

Today is Father's day yeah and we have a wedding to go to! We have decided that we are just going to go to the reception which is adult only. We got a girl from the soccer team to come watch the kids and they really like her so it all works out. They are all sleeping right now even J :) I have a cute story about my GIRL. I was nursing Red the other day and this is our conversation.
GG: Mom is Red eating or drinking?
Me: He is eating but his food, my milk, is like drinking.
GG: Oh ok this is what we'll do then. If he is nursing on this boob he is eating and if he is nursing on this one he is drinking.
Then this morning when we got up Red was hungry so I nursed him and GG walks in the room and says, "He is drinking this morning." It was funny and I couldn't believe she remembered which side was for what! But I guess it was really important to her to know which side did what for Red :)

What a day we have had today, not in a good way either. It really started with the fact that J and I stayed up way too late last night talking. The talking was good it was just that I am extremely tired today because of staying up so late. This morning we had a Kirby demonstration in the house were they come and show you how their product works and how *good* it cleans. Well the guy wasn't watching what he was doing and vacuumed up my mother's day present that was on the entertainment center, why would you vacuum an entertainment center?? Who knows. But the real question is why wouldn't you look what you are doing especially in someone else's house? Needless to say the company is going to replace my necklace. Then I get the kids ready for their sports class and we go with the directions from the park district. They were wrong and I got lost. Then we get there late to find out that the class was on Tuesday. I swear when I signed them up it was a Thursday class. That was just frustrating on top of everything else that had happened. So the kids and I went to school to visit grandma and then we went to the park and J met us there, he is working tonight. Then our friend Matt came over to get something J is letting him borrow and he moved a big chair for me that I just couldn't do and then he played with the kids for about 30 minutes. That was nice. We ate dinner and I read GG more in her book. Oh yeah we checked out the Little House in the Big Woods book from the library it is the book version of the Little House on the Prairie. She loves reading that book. So after we are done with this book we are going to get the second book, then the third and so on. What a great series! Ok time to get them to bed.

Well Red will be 4 weeks old tomorrow. J started back to work today and so far everything is going good. Dinner time will be the test :) Because J will not be here to help me. I will say I have really enjoyed having J at home, we have been able to get things done on our yard, take the kids to different play places, and he even set up our pool that the kids have played in a few times. Life with three is definitely more interesting!!! But I love it. And I know the kids do as well. Yesterday we went to Liz's graduation and the kids had a blast showing off their little brother. Ok that is it for now because I need to go......

Ok quick update! Since Red has been home...when I nurse him Monkey comes up to me and grabs my boob and says, "Mommy, I'm helping nurse Red." What a little nut :) Monkey and GG love him so much sometimes it is just a little too much. I was changing Red's diaper and Monkey drew a picture on the magna doodle for him, well he went to show it to him and got a little too close and hit him in the head with it. Monkey was shaking (he didn't mean to hurt him he just wanted to show him the picture he drew) and saying, "I'm so sorry baby Red" over and over again. Then today Red was sleeping on the floor in the living room and I was sitting right next to him. Monkey brought the pitcher of lemonade to me so I could fill up his cup. Well after I got the cup filled up Monkey decided that he was going to climb on the rocking chair and ending up falling off and knocking over the lemonade. Needless to say Red got woke up by a nice ice cold bath of lemonade. So Monkey helped me give Red a bath and he kept kissing him and telling him he was sorry. He isn't even 2 weeks old yet and it seems Monkey is always saying sorry to him for something. So those are the stories of my two boys. This next story is just down right silly and I still crack up every time I think about it. Before bed a few nights ago I was reading stories to all three kids. Monkey had picked out a wordless book so I had him tell me what the pictures were on each page. One of the pages has a picture of a bucket. When we got to that page he said, "Bucket. Mommy a kid a the park kept calling me bucket." I looked at him and said, "What?" He said, "My name isn't bucket but the kid was calling me that." I asked him what his name was and he said his name minus the r sound. J was sitting in the room with us and said that when we were at the doctor's office the day before the doctor asked Monkey his name and the doctor repeated back to him Bucket. I was busy with Red when this was going on so I didn't hear that conversation but it just made me laugh and laugh. Who in their right mind would name their child Bucket??? It is one thing for a kid to think that but an adult, the doctor never asked J to clarify his name. It was just too funny so now Monkey has a new nickname which is...you guessed it BUCKET! He thinks that is pretty funny, a lot better then the first time when it made him sad the boy was calling him that at the park. Ok that is all the silliness I can handle for one night.

Wow where to even begin with this...Monday was my last day of work, because Red ruptured my water bag. So I had to go to the hospital and be induced, which stunk. But since the bag broke he had to come out because of the risk of infection to him. It was a long night because I had no contractions on my own they had to be medically helped along, OUCH. I finally after 4 hours of nothing happening and being extremely tired I got an epidural. Soon after Red was born! He got to come home with me on Thursday which was touch and go for a while and I am very thankful they allowed him to come home. Well I should go get something to eat before he wakes up and wants to eat. J has the two older ones at the soccer game.

Today the ladies I work with threw me a baby shower. It was so sweet and a lot of fun! We ate a yummy lunch while my kids stayed in the preschool and ate lunch then played and they had a blast!!! It was nice to relax with my co-workers. And Red got some really cute things :) Most people don't throw a baby shower if it isn't your first but I think that every baby is special not just the first. So it was nice to know they think he is as special as the other two. My friend threw me a baby board book shower when I was pregnant with Monkey. We love to read books and it helped build our reading collection. I was excited to get two more books and two we don't have yet!!! I am getting ready for him to make his appearance in this world. I had a doctor's appointment yesterday and I didn't gain anymore weight :) Then we had the kids' tested for sensitivity to foods and environmental things. Monkey has the sensitivity to cats just like grandma. They both had things we need to avoid but now we know what those things are and the coolest part was it only took 20 minutes each. The girls had another soccer game yesterday and they won, of course. That is about all for now, need to go make dinner.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms who read this! I had a great day today and yesterday for that matter :) J took the kids yesterday morning for 2 hours and bought my present for mother's day. When they got home they were so excited about the gift they just bought that gave it to me! It was a mother's necklace, GG gave me her charm and Monkey gave me his. I really love it and feel really special when I am wearing it!!! While my family was gone yesterday I finished GG's dresser (didn't get to it on Friday) and then got all of the baby's clothes put away up til 6 months. I have the 6-9 months waiting for me to go through so that won't take long. We got the baby car seat today so I can wash and get that ready the only thing I have left to get finished before baby comes is the hospital bag which won't take long!!! I am so ready to see my little man. Anyways, back to today, Jeff brought krispy kreme doughnuts home for breakfast, YUMMY. He got me a corsage to wear to church and a bouquet of flowers. Then we went to lunch with his family and now we are at my dad's house for dinner. I had to make no meals today...I can't tell you the last time that has happened, wait I think it was when I was in the hospital after giving birth to Monkey! The kids made the cutest necklaces for me in Sunday school. One side was a close up picture of them and the other side was a picture of all the kids in their Sunday school class. GG planted some flowers for me in children's church, when I came to get her so was excited to give the flowers to me. But after about 2 minutes she said she wanted to give the flowers to daddy because he didn't get anything today. I thought that was very thoughtful of her so we explained how next month there will be a day that we give all the presents to daddy called Father's Day. Then she was more than happy to let me have the flowers she planted. What a sweetie to think of daddy, she didn't want him to be left out of her giving of gifts. Well that is it for now.