No, this is not an actual picture of our property. Some know that after the flood, the creek that used to run beside our neighbors home now runs directly through their backyard beside our garage. We had a thunderstorm that dropped two inches apparently, and their ENTIRE yard filled with water...yikes! We took everything that we could upstairs to Isaacs room and left for Mom and Dads. The storm subsided and the water went down. This weekend will be a different story however. If people have trouble with flooding in their homes, then I imagine we will be in trouble too. I think that our garage will get hit very hard...possibly the house. I dont think it will get to our first floor, but we of course have one of those old stone and dirt basements which the foundation could get pushed off...and oh what a mess that would be! So continue to think of us and pray. FEMA is coming today to talk to the neighbor on the far side, and will make their way to talk to us...the creek needs re-routing, and they perhaps will put some pressure on the folks that need to make that happen . We shall see.
Isn't this Little Red School House lovely? I really like Robert Duncan paintings, but I think I might add this to the mix...You just can't imagine how many red school house prints there are! I think they are so quaint...I also love to read books that have the one room school house too :-) But that is not why I have it posted it...it is because school starts on Tuesday for Cory, and Wednesday for I-man. I know I wont get any sympathy having had him all summer long unlike the rest of working families, but I truly will miss him. Both hims. I have one more trip to Corys classroom to make to put finishing touches on...apparently he thought it needed his Yankee Baseball flag, and Terrible Towel on the wall...he was sneaky to do it when I wasn't there! It is as if he thinks this classroom belongs to him!
Have you ever tried Constant Comment Tea? It is my favorite! I drink a cup of this tea every morning. I really enjoy coffee, but don't want to make a pot for just myself...plus, I dont want to have the habit of needing it everyday. I don't feel like I have to have my tea every day, it just makes the morning seem a little brighter and warmer :) This tea is sort of an orange spice kind of tea...really yummy. Try some today!
Well, Cory and I have been wracking our brain trying to come up with some good baby names. It has been difficult. Any that I say he comes up with the heckling nickname. For instance Martin is nice...Corys response Fartin Martin...Marty? Farty Marty. On and on it goes. Anyways here is a list of some winners....perhaps. Tell us what you think.For a girl:1.) Gracelynn Jane Valentine (named after my moms middle name Grace, and Corys Moms middle name Lynn. Jane is for my Aunt Jane.) We most likely would call her Gracie. This was actually supposed to be Isaacs name if he were a girl...but the middle name would have been Gayle...2.)Miriam Jennelle Valentine (not named after anyone in particular. we are not sure how we would spell Jennelle yet...maybe just one n.)3.)Ruth Julianna Valentine ( not named after anyone in particular. )For a Boy:1.) Elijah Joshua Valentine (we would probably call him Eli)2.) Micah James Valentine (I dont really like this one...Cory does) He would want to call him Mick...(I dont think so)3.) Mitchell James ( I really like the name Mitchell....but it would be hard to get used to Mitch)(Oh, the James would be after Corys Dad.)
There are some who have been asking when I would blog again...if ever...the answer is today...Ha! You see, I have been hard at work growing arms and legs, and ears on my baby...what have you been doing? Hmmmm. HA! Well, I only said that to bring up a point I wanted to make, and that is that I am very proud of my Mom. My Mom is an R.N. and works at a rheumatologist office giving remicades...and IV drug for those with arthritis. Anyways...Mom saved one of the elderly patients life yesterday. She noticed that she wasn't walking very steady, and asked her about it...she said she was feeling dizzy...so Mom asked her what other symptoms she was having and immediately checked her pulse, which she had none. She was very quick to act, and listened to her heart which beat so rapidly that she couldn't count it. This poor lady was 78 years old, and had been having symptoms since Monday! Mom was on the ball, and was a credit to the staff there. I always knew she was an excellent nurse/care giver~ but I was so proud of her for being so intuitive. Mom talks about it like it is another day at the office, but really ...who can say that they saved a life yesterday? Good Job Mom, I am proud of you. School starts back very soon and my kids are antsy. They are simply beside themselves to go join in the fun. Today we revealed Isaacs teacher and classmates to him and he was so excited! Esther is equally excited because she is the "snack girl" on the first day of school...which means I am the Snack Mom who stays and helps out in the class. Cory and I have been working in his classroom. He is teaching 3rd grade this year at a different school in the same district. He is so excited and happy about where he is. He got his list of students, and I created his bulletin board for him, and we are just putting finishing touches on the room itself. Isaac and Esther are going to start soccer pretty soon. We checked out gymnastics for them, and well we cant afford it. It was really cool however, they do the parrallel bars, pummel horse and everything, but it was way too much for both kids to join...even one. So soccer it is! Pregnancy is going good. I really dont feel pregnant like I did with the others. Odd. My pants are getting tighter...blast! But I am not big enough for Maternity clothes just yet...drat! All in good time however. I was just reminding Cory of how when I was pregnant with Isaac I was sooo huge, and I got stuck in the tub on all fours somehow, and could not get out...I said it was like a stuck rhinoceros..he laughed, but I didn't say it to be funny...he had to lift me out of the tub, it was really embarrassing. Oh well...enough of that. Hope everyone is having a good week. Is anyone else craving Peaches?
This is a picture of my brother in law John. He shares a birthday with my sister JJ on August 17th. John is very new to the family and hasn't been around long enough for us to know all of his embarassing stories...Just you wait John! One thing that I do know about John is that he loves to FISH...he fits right in. Hopefully next year I can have a whole slew of juicy tidbits to list about this guy! I am sure Manda will oblige. Happy Birthday anyways John!
This is my older sister J.J. I stole these pix off of my Moms blog by the way. (Thanks Mom.) Some Interesting Facts About J.J. ~* JJ used to dip her finger in toilet water and hold it under my nose until I wake up..(why me?)* JJ likes to ride in ambulances*JJ got thrown from a horse and got knocked out...the neighbor girl that was with her was scared that she died so she left her there and went home.* JJ broke a classmates fingers...all of them ...only one hand though.*JJ got grounded for putting the toilet paper on "backwards".*JJ wrecked her bike and flipped over the handle bars and lost her memory.*JJ had a giant Teddy Bear named "Big Teddy"I guess I will have to save some for next year. JJ always amuses me...Have a Happy Birthday anyways JJ.
Yesterday I got the best news! My Brother Paul and his wife Amy are expecting their 5th baby! I am told that it is to be a girl! The family is very excited! Amy is due right before Christmas. I am so happy for my own new baby to be able to have a cousin to play with when we visit! Mom and Dad will have 9 grandkids altogether...Wow! Congratulations Paul, Amy, Joyce, Paul III, Daniel, and David! We can't wait to meet this new little girl!
Happy 29th Birthday to my little sister Amanda ! I hope your day is very special. I wish I could be there to celebrate with you! Manda has the pleasure of having consecutive birthdays with her husband and also our sister J.J. who share an August 17th birthday. Yes, I know it is early, but I wanted to be sure to be able to get my best wishes in! Some things about Manda~ *Manda LOVES pickles...(she is also known to drink the brine.)* Manda salts her ketchup...(do you think she likes salt?)* Ketchup must never touch any other food on her plate!* Manda and Wendy once enjoyed spoonfeeding each other from a large glass bottle of Dimeatapp...until Grandma caught us. We still love it...dont we?* Manda had a doll named Tootsie...that she carried around without a head. She had a baby car seat on the back of her bike, and off she and her headless doll would go.* Manda got her tooth knocked out with a cow pill shooter..(Pauls fault)* Manda got her other tooth knocked out by clamping down on a towel and having it yanked out of her mouth...(Paul was on the other side of that towel.)These are just some little "Manda Tid bits" I will have to save some for a later time.Have a Happy Birthday Manda.!
August 13th is Dads Birthday. He will be 62 years old!!! While I cannot be there to celebrate, I am really hoping that one of my sibling friends could take this guy to Primanti Brothers and buy him his coveted sandwich with coleslaw on it! Every time we pass it he mentions that he would like to go there. I 'll tell you what Dad...if nobody can take you, when I am home next...we will make the trip! Have a really great day Dad...wish I could be there!
Today is Wednesday, and Cory is at a workshop. I am home with the kiddos and have not accomplished very much sadly--and yet here I sit blogging...HA. Cory has been going to Football Camp this week. He leaves before supper and comes back around 9:00 or after. This is just a sampling of what is to come for football season! School is just around the corner and I am feeling bittersweet. While I dont want the kids to leave me, I do crave the routine that it brings. Somehow summertime for me doesnt allow for such routine, at least not as rigid. We are forever somewhere else besides our own home...and are working at someone elses home besides our own...We have been thinking about "scheduling " some time at home so that we can accomplish some goals that we made before summer started...I hope we can. Yesterday, I went to check on our tomato plants to find that we had tomatoes!!!! There was one plant that I had just about given up on, it looked incredibly sickly...it had the largest one...what do you know! Esther has been helping water them since she helped plant them...she is feeling very proud of her efforts....now only if she LIKED tomatoes it would really be a treat! I hope everyone has a great day...I am hoping to make a dent in the laundry today...no real huge goals...just the laundry today...and a little picking up. Enjoy the Sunshine.
Today was my very first Doctor appointment. I was lucky to be scheduled for my 1st ultrasound the same day! The kids and Cory came with me to the Ultra sound appointment, where we found that the baby was 7mm long, and that I am 7 weeks. The kids were rather unimpressed...it certainly did not look like a baby to them :) Everything seems well. She mentioned that I had a cyst on one of my ovaries, but that it would go away at 14 weeks. I was a little nervous about it, but she said it was probably where the egg came from, and that it was actually a good sign...a sign of a healthy pregnancy..so then I thought ...oh good...I have a cyst. HA. Anyways, the kids got their very own picture of thier newest sibling, and were feeling very important :-)Next was my appointment with my regular OB Doc. Everything was fine, and I have to get my bloodwork done sometime this month. He also gave me a big bag full of lots of goodies! I am very excited...and hardly feel pregnant...and yet I am almost 2 months! Please pray for me to have good health during this time. Last time my sugar was not fantastic...Doc told me he gave me a "D"...which means watch closely! I am hoping to have no bad reports at all this time round:)
Happy Birthday to my main man Cory! I tried to post photos, but for some reason it keeps telling me the page has expired...is anyone else having this same trouble? Anyways...just picture a guy sitting in a boat with a big fish...yep thats Cor. Or maybe a guy in a baseball uniform...A very happy birthday to a fabulous person, and my very best friend :)
The I-man had a really great time playing T-Ball this summer. We had both kiddos signed up for swim lessons again for this summer but due to the flooding the lessons were cancelled. We have had quite a busy summer anyways, so it has been nice not having to cart the kids somewhere every day :)
HOORAY !!!!!
No, this is not an actual picture of our property. Some know that after the flood, the creek that used to run beside our neighbors home now runs directly through their backyard beside our garage. We had a thunderstorm that dropped two inches apparently, and their ENTIRE yard filled with water...yikes! We took everything that we could upstairs to Isaacs room and left for Mom and Dads. The storm subsided and the water went down. This weekend will be a different story however. If people have trouble with flooding in their homes, then I imagine we will be in trouble too. I think that our garage will get hit very hard...possibly the house. I dont think it will get to our first floor, but we of course have one of those old stone and dirt basements which the foundation could get pushed off...and oh what a mess that would be! So continue to think of us and pray. FEMA is coming today to talk to the neighbor on the far side, and will make their way to talk to us...the creek needs re-routing, and they perhaps will put some pressure on the folks that need to make that happen . We shall see.
Isn't this Little Red School House lovely? I really like Robert Duncan paintings, but I think I might add this to the mix...You just can't imagine how many red school house prints there are! I think they are so quaint...I also love to read books that have the one room school house too :-) But that is not why I have it posted it...it is because school starts on Tuesday for Cory, and Wednesday for I-man. I know I wont get any sympathy having had him all summer long unlike the rest of working families, but I truly will miss him. Both hims. I have one more trip to Corys classroom to make to put finishing touches on...apparently he thought it needed his Yankee Baseball flag, and Terrible Towel on the wall...he was sneaky to do it when I wasn't there! It is as if he thinks this classroom belongs to him! 
Have you ever tried Constant Comment Tea? It is my favorite! I drink a cup of this tea every morning. I really enjoy coffee, but don't want to make a pot for just myself...plus, I dont want to have the habit of needing it everyday. I don't feel like I have to have my tea every day, it just makes the morning seem a little brighter and warmer :) This tea is sort of an orange spice kind of tea...really yummy. Try some today!
