Updates and personalities

Summer is here and we are busy. Family Update:

Caleb won 2nd place in kid wrestling this year...he did a phenomenal job. This summer he has been in wrestling, jujitsu, junior golf, and summer camp. Right now is now in Texas staying with his Uncle Jeff. He loves hangin with his cousins Layla and Rocco. He has a wrestling camp in Iowa in mid-July, and then the football season starts at the end of July. I've said it before...and I'll say it again -- this kid is busy.




Grace loves her summer camp. She has been taking swimming lessons for the past week and has been making great progress. She comes home and shares all of her accomplishments. She is such a girly girl, and would love to start modeling. She is a beautiful little girl with personality--- I think she just may be famous one day. I can't keep her out of her platform sandals!





Ronan started t-ball this year, and he did a wonderful job. There were times in which he thought the dirt was more entertaining than the game. He is such a little athlete --- scooping up the balls, hitting to the outfield, and even running the bases. He recently turned 4 on June 28th. We had a pool party at our neighborhood pool. This kids is a fish & a dare devil. He literally will do front flips off of the diving board.


Lucie is...well one of a kind. She is actually a perfect combination of all of the kids. She is smart like Caleb, beautiful & prissy like Grace, and sweet and athletic like Ronan. She truly is the "baby" of the family...she has everyone wrapped around her tiny finger.



Bryan has been training like a mad man. Biking, weight lifting, cardio, swimming. He and his friends are training for adventure races. He will be participating in a 40 mile bike ride this weekend in Ottawa to benefits cerebral palsy. On top of all of that, he finds the time to spend with the kids by taking them on bike rides, to the pool, games & practices. We even find time for family movie night...which entails the latest horror flick. Yes, I let my kids watch that shit!!

Me -- well, I am just busy taking care of the kids & working. I have my monthly bunco night with a great group of crazy ladies. My friends (aka The B's) have gone out numerous times to celebrate...love those Bitches! Bryan and I have even been able to sneak away to enjoy a dinner for two --- not six. Life is good.

The House: The yard is in and the landscaping is almost completed. Whew!! Hard frickin work.

From 2008 to 2009...

This busy year is almost over…

Wow, we have had an incredibly busy 2008. Six birthdays, sold a house, built a home, moved out, moved in, sports, three kids in school, holidays, ½ marathon, 1 family vacation, 10 days in the hospital…are just a few of the major events this past year.

Grace celebrated her 5th birthday on December 4th. We always celebrate birthdays with our family and closets friends; but this year she had her first “friends” only party. The party was a success, thanks to the help of some of my closest friends.

On the day of Gracie’s party, Ronan suddenly started complaining of a tummy ache. He was so ill that he didn’t even get to partake in the birthday festivities. At first we thought it was the nasty stomach flu…if it only would have been that simple. He continued to vomit and complain of severe stomach pains throughout the day, evening and wee hours of the morning.

Early Sunday morning we took a trip to the ER --- at which IV’s were given and x-rays taken. We were sent home with the diagnoses of a terrible stomach bug. Ronan only got worse. He was admitted to the hospital on Monday morning. Bryan, my mother (an RN) and I tried to convince the doctors that it was something other than the flu. We begged & in most cases forced them to take tests, scans & x-rays. Still, as of Tuesday mid-morning, the diagnoses was still flu & severe constipation. Wow, were they wrong!

Late Tuesday afternoon an adnominal scan was ordered (keep in mind we begged them to do this scan earlier that morning). The scan confirmed a bowel obstruction. Ronan was rushed to emergency surgery that evening. His recovery time took a bit longer than expected, and he was put through procedures that could have been avoided with the right care. He was a resident of the hospital for 10 days – finally discharged on December 18th. Thankfully he is now recovering nicely. Eating, pooping (huge milestone), and playing at almost the same pace pre-obstruction.

Christmas couldn’t have been better…Ronan was home and well.

New Year's Eve was pretty mellow this year. We took the kids and headed over to Chad & Cissi's house. It was actually a miracle that I didn't fall asleep before midnight --- I was so damn tired. I am usually up until at least 1:am everynight -- just doing crap around the house after the kids go to bed. I think it all caught up with me on 12.31. Go figure! It probably would have been different if I could have thrown down several cocktails. Plenty of time for that in 2009.

Goodbye 2008...hello to 2009.

Ronan's last official picture of 2008 --- so fitting!

Lulu's last picture of 2008 --- wow almost 2!

Hello 2009.

Cheering in the New Year!