The Brletich Family

Annual cookie decorating

2012-01-03T11:57:00.002-06:00

Thanks for joining us Arnold Family!

Drew turns 9!!!

2012-01-03T11:56:00.002-06:00

Halloween 2011

2012-01-03T11:51:00.004-06:00

Pirates and a parrot. Not the great pic to show off how super cute Alex's costum was...but it was super cute!!! My neighbor made it!

Evan turns 3!

2012-01-03T11:46:00.003-06:00

This is often the face our very excited Evan

He didn't care for our singing!

Super happy!

Evan has been one VERY energetic boy. He is into everything. Running, jumping, climbing, hitting, talking (finally). He comes up with some of the most hilarious things. He is very glad to have some space to run in the basement now. We are all glad that he has it to run off some of the boy energy.

Alex! Baby #5

2012-01-03T11:36:00.005-06:00

Alexander Philip Brletich was born September 1, 2011. At 12:43 weighing 8lbs 1oz and I think it was over 19 inches. He looks a lot like Drew....but in the picture below it seems to be more of Izzy and Evan.

We have since taken many more pictures of Alex on our cell phone and posted them to facebook....perhaps after a catch of I will have a chance to post more off our quickly growing baby.

Meet the teachers!

2012-01-03T11:32:00.004-06:00

We had an open house/meet the teacher the night before school started.....

Mrs. Brown. Amazing teacher....poor lady had to have neck surgery the month before school started. She is doing great and Izzy is loving her.

Elaine is loving Ms. Smith.

Don't ask Drew if he has a crush on his teacher....he will get rather upset! But we can all see why he would Miss Hanneman is a cutie.

Right before heading off to school!

Been awhile...catch up time

2012-01-03T11:17:00.002-06:00

I am been dreading and dreaming about catching up on the blog all at the same time. Let's see how this is going to work....one really long post....or small ones with each thing...I think we will start with the small ones just in case I can't get it done all at once. Here is the story....on June 28 my Father-in-law past away. We came down that evening leaving the kids with some friends with church. I went home the next to pick up kids and get things together to come back to Indiana and help out. While packing the car on July 1st to go to the wake I feel and broke my ankle....drove on it in the worst rainstorm I have ever been in. Then the GPS went out as I get into town and had no idea where I was going. Found Kris' parents house dropped kids and went to the ER. Remember I was 8 months pregnant at the time too. Ever try to balance on crutches with an extra45 lbs and a huge belly. Not fun, I could hardly walk. Long story about needing to have surgery on the ankle and not being able to because of being pregnant....we basically just crossed our fingers and hoped for the best. We stayed in Indiana for a week or two....I can't even really remember how long it was looking back. We decided to move in. So on August 12th we moved in. August 15th, my cast came off. August 17th had my first OB appointment with my new doc. Kids started school on August 24th. Mom came out that weekend, and stayed for two weeks! So helpful. I wasn't able to pack my house or even really unpack it. I had an amazing ward and those Relief Society ladies came over did it all! I mean all! Between the RS ladies, and the missionaries they did most of it. The Elders Q did come pack us and the new ward came and unloaded the trucks. Since then I have had a baby, 2 kids had birthday's, Halloween and some other daily fun things. I meant to blog earlier but the computer was in the boy's bedroom and the only time to blog is when Evan is napping and I can't type with him sleeping. Hopefully I will be better at this now that the basement is finished and our space is set up! Ah it is so nice!

Been fun? NOPE

2011-07-14T19:08:00.003-05:00

So a lot has happened in a very short amount of time. I figured I would update the blog...since I have been a slacker. In this order.....
Father-in-law passed away (sad)
Broke Ankle (ouch-really the cast in more of a pain in the rear that what the ankle is)
Turned 33 (eh)
Had my one year NED (no evidence of the disease) date for Melanoma-(BIG DEAL!)
Decided to move family in with Mom-in-law (lots of work)

and I have no pictures of any of it. I might go into more details later, but most likely not...by the time that I have time for details I might have a newborn and have much funner things to blog about.

Meet Cooper

2011-06-18T08:43:00.000-05:00

Who might be just as camera shy as Chevy was!

Elaine's glasses

2011-06-18T08:40:00.003-05:00

second time!

Chevy 2000-2011

2011-06-09T08:06:00.005-05:00

So it feels really weird to blog about this, but I need to. I am a cat person.....you don't have to let them out, if you go out of town you just make sure that they have enough food & water, you know they are simple and they are not so in your face with excitement all the time. Besides I never really had a dog growing up. When Kris and I got married we had discussed kids but not pets. We honeymooned in San Diego. On the way home I knew that it was just the perfect time to ask for a cat. He hates cats. I mean HATES them. Kris wanted to know where I planned on getting this cat I had in mind. I thought we would rescue it from the pound. The very next day that he had off....I think it was a Saturday and only a day or two after we had gotten home we headed for the pound. When you are at the pound you have to check out all the animals....just like going into the pet store when you pass by....I hate snakes and reptiles but for some reason you still have to walk by them. The pound didn't have any cats. Nope-they sure had a couple of cute dogs. We got a couple out to play in the little yard....one of them was Chevy. He was SO SUPER CUTE! I wish I had a picture-but that was before our digital days and I have no idea if we even have one or where it would be. He was tiny...and really really fun....Kris found his dog. How in the world we ended up with a dog when we went for a cat....no clue. We later found out that he was between 5-6 weeks old when we got him. Boy was I not prepared for a puppy. By that next Thursday night I was going C-R-A-Z-Y. I called Kris up at work and said..."I know you really like your dog and all, but I am going nuts....let's have a trainer here by Saturday or the dog goes." I don't know that we had a trainer by that Saturday but it really was just a short time later. We learned so much! Still til this day we say "that was the best $300 we have ever spent". Really it was. Get a dog-get a trainer.

Chevy has been moved all over and handled it well. He had traveled, loved the car, gotten mad and sulked when he wasn't invited to go along, he has protected my kids, not let people in the door, bitten the pizza guy (really if I tell you not to pet the dog, don't do it). He has made me feel super loved, annoyed, protected and irritated at times. He even bit Kris in the butt one time-protecting someone he took a liking too. I think that he may have made us laugh the most though. He was funny....in a very sly (stinky) way. Looking back at his life I think he may have been a little camera shy. I had a super hard time find any pictures of him. The one that I did find-well you can tell that he wasn't happy at all about having to sit and have his picture taken.
We tried dressing him up for Halloween once, not happy about that either. Overall he followed me around the house, and it was great-when he was little, he moved faster and I wasn't always tripping over him. He mainly just did his own thing around the house. When we first to Michigan and he had his first experience with snow-he pranced. Oh he hated it. He would cower over having to go out in it and use the bathroom. It took a snowball fight to get him used to it. He even had a few people that he just loved....when my dad or Kris' dad would come for a visit, we had to let the dog outside to great them. He would just get so excited he would piddle on the floor. Lately he has been constant mess. He learned that Evan would feed him if hung out around the high chair-which also means that we constantly being pelted by something. The last experience was strawberry yogurt-nice pink splats on his black fur. I would really love another dog just like him.....I mean-JUST like him. Stinky gas and all.

Sunday we came home from church and by the end of the evening he made a couple of messes in the house. Poor dog not feel good at all-not acting different, but you don't vomit for nothing. I notice that in one of his piles there was a corn cob. So I got on-line and googled "my dog ate a corn cob". The many message board that came up basically said that he would either pass it or he needed surgery. The signs we needed to look for were vomiting, diarrhea, not wanting to eat or drink, discomfort. If the dog had these signs to rush him to the vet. When did we have corn??? A week before-an entire week! By the next morning he had gotten sick two more times and was just not himself-we got him into a vet and sure enough corn cob on the x-rays. Bowel blockage. We did have the option to do surgery. BUT he is (was) old. There could be complications with anesthesia, and the vet really wouldn't know what he was in for until he got in there.....he bowel was already really swollen. The minimum surgery cost would be $1,200, going up for any complications. He was old. It was better just put him to sleep. We asked if there was something that could be done to comfort him so that we could take him and give the kids a chance to say good-bye then bring him back in the evening.

Nothing like coming home from your very last day of school and hearing that you dog is going to die. I warned them the day before that he was sick...really sick. After we told the kids.....Elaine was upset and started to cry, Drew said "cool can we get a new dog?". Izzy was okay for a bit and then she ended up being the one that took it the hardest. Evan, he is asking about the dog from time to time but doesn't really get it. I made sure that kids got some pictures with him before I took him in. He still tried to slyly walk out the picture.

The girls spent time making cards for the dog. I took them with me. He was such a trooper. I have had this experience before, and this time it was different, he was peaceful. The funny thing, he seemed like he knew what was happening and was ready. The vet assistant came in and put a blanket on the floor...he wouldn't lay on it. He found himself a comfy spot on the floor and that was it- right beside the chair I was sitting in and smashed up against the door. When the vet came in and looked at the dog, in his selected very odd spot in the room...I shrugged and said "at this point he gets to pick his spot". Right now I am missing his ears-odd thing I know but they were super soft and I didn't touch them much...

He will be missed, but it was time....soon than we expected, and really not at all how we thought it would happen....come on it was CORN! We will get a new dog soon. The kids are really looking forward to it.

Favorite talk from General Conference

2011-05-23T09:49:00.004-05:00

This was my favorite talk from General Conference this year. I needed to hear it.

Easter 2011

2011-05-23T08:32:00.003-05:00

This post is long overdue. I am sure that my mom has been waiting so patiently to see pictures of the kids in their Easter clothes.....they look great mom-THANKS! She was even our here the next weekend and never got to see the pics. Overall Easter day was ruff. I must have just been hormonal. I didn't even take pictures of the egg hunt after church. No one wanted to cooperate for their pictures...and I was hurting.

Drew would not take a normal picture.

Getting a group shot is always so much fun...zoom in on Evan's face.

Why do you need a fridge lock???

2011-05-23T08:31:00.002-05:00

So we don't waste the sour cream.

We are having a.....

2011-05-02T18:36:00.003-05:00

BOY!!!

I thought for sure that it was going to be a girl. Kris knew it was going to be a boy. I was surprised. I was so sure that I agreed to his name if it was a boy if he would agree to my name if it was a girl. I don't like his boy name. It is weird. In a cute weird way. My girl name was Anne. When the ultra-sound tech was doing her job she spent a lot of time on the heart. I kept telling her..."it doesn't look right to me". Knowing that she could not discuss anything with me. Well turns out that there was a bright spot on the heart....it is called a left ventricular echognic focus. The doc says that nothing is wrong with the heart. BUT that it is a genetic marker for Down Syndrome and Trisomy 18. Do you know anything about genetic markers? Well I didn't. It doesn't mean that my baby will have it, just increased my chances from 1 in 750 to 3 in 750. Well, that and my age add to the increase risk. Am I old???? I didn't think so, but I guess I am old enough to have it increase the risk. With it being a 3 in 750 chance it is still less than a 1% chance. The next test to figure anything out would be an amnio. Not interested. My chances of having a miscarriage are higher doing that than having any issues with the baby. I didn't have anything else bring up red flags. I also had the triple screen blood test and everything came back normal. So one "soft" marker, huh? Does the chance of having a child with either one of these conditions scare me? Oh yeah.... Trisomy 18 is very scary. VERY VERY SCARY... down syndrome...not so much. We are not guaranteed anything in life. Just one more bump in the road to my blessing. Oh and one more thing...this little guy has Drew's ears!

Melanoma

2011-05-02T18:00:00.002-05:00

May is Melanoma awareness month. So I thought that I would do my part and make you more aware of what the fact are, just in case you didn't know. Some of them I find crazy and I am sure that you will too. The first time I met with the surgeon even before introducing herself she asked if I had ever had a really bad sunburn? My question was "A?" While holding up 1 finger...."yes a really bad sunburn?" Holding up just one finger. My answer-"I was kid in the 80's growing up in Southern California." I can't even count the number of sunburns (even really bad ones) that I have had. I love the sun-The sun sucks! I find myself or use to find myself loving the sun. Cover those nasty spider veins right? Tan skins helps that. Plus don't we all just want that little bit of a healthy glow? Not anymore I don't. Ever see people that oh so orange? Now I just shake my head over it. I have heard other people say "don't you just want to walk up and slap them for not getting it". The sad thing, we don't realize how bad it is....it is just skin cancer right? Cut it off and you are done? NOPE. Farther down you see some facts about it. Australia is trying to ban the use of Tanning beds to minors. I am not sure if I am for or against this. I have heard the argument....make them aware and then give them a choice. Anyone ever had to sign the paper that they are aware of the risk before entering a tanning bad? I have....the problem with that is that NO ONE GETS IT. As a society we just don't understand those risks that are spelled out for us. We need more awareness. People seem to shy aware from it. Famous people have died from Melanoma.....let's talk about Bob Marley....ask someone what he died from and if the person knows anything about Bob you will most likely be told "brain cancer"....well nope...it was cancer in his brain....it was Melanoma that started on his foot and then because he didn't take care of it, it did end up in his brain. So to keep this from getting any longer...just one last thing...all of my friends....we all know that we hate the little facebook status post about "if you know someone who has or has had cancer....". I am asking that you fill someone in, or spread the word somehow. Help me bring a bit of awareness to this cancer. Just one person maybe? Did you know that there are times when doctors say "I wish I could tell you that this was breast cancer, instead I am saying it is Malignant Melanoma." Can you believe that it is better to have breast cancer than melanoma????? We are so much more aware of Breast Cancer....just a bit of awareness would help. Don't you think. Now I am not saying that having Breast Cancer is not scary, and that people don't die from it, it is just more treatable. There is more awareness for it. THANKS! in advance.

Here are some facts about it from melanoma.org.

Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US.

Melanoma is the most deadly form of skin cancer. Every hour a person dies from melanoma.

Melanoma is one of the fastest growing cancers in the US and worldwide.

Melanoma can develop anywhere on the body, including eyes, scalp, hands and feet.

Melanoma is most common in men over the age of 50; in from of colon, prostate, and lung cancer. (Funny we hear a lot about those cancers don't we?)

In ages 15-29, melanoma is the second most common cancer.

The incidence of people under 30 developing melanoma is increasing faster than any other demographic group, soaring by 50% in women since 1980.

Today 1 in 58 people will develop melanoma. It is estimated that this year there will be 68,720 new cases and 8,650 people will die from melanoma.

Melanoma can develop on anyone-no matter their age, sex or race.

The majority of melanoma is caused by exposure to UV light and sunlight.

It takes only one blistering sunburn, especially at a young age, to more than double a person's chance of developing melanoma later in life.

Exposure to tanning beds before the age of 30 increases a person's risk of developing melanoma by 75%, and younger people who regularly use tanning beds are eight times more likely to develop melanoma than people who have never used them. Occasional use of tanning beds triples their chances.

The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer reclassified tanning devices into the highest cancer risk category (carcinogenic to humans).

Unlike all other cancers, melanoma is visible on the skin, making it easier to detect in the early stages.

Most melanoma is curable in the early stages with an 90% survival rate.

Cuddling on the floor

2011-04-14T17:35:00.000-05:00

Orange Julius anyone?

2011-04-14T17:27:00.002-05:00

See that mustache!?!?! MMmmmm YUM! Homemade Orange Julius. He loves it!

6 oz. Frozen OJ concentrate

1 cup milk

1 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

8-9 ice cubes

mix it all up in the blender. I like more ice. Don't try it with regular already made OJ and then adding more ice....I just doesn't work. Trust me I know. I have heard that you can replace 1/2 of the regular sugar with powdered sugar and it makes it creamier. Haven't tried it. I like it better than the Orange Julius in the mall....or at least better than the last half a dozen times I have purchased it...they just make it too watery. Hope you enjoy.

Izzy had a Birthday!

2011-04-14T17:22:00.001-05:00

Helping Dad

2011-03-23T18:38:00.002-05:00

Evan sticks his tongue out the same way I did (do) when I was (am) trying to do something that takes concentration.

Scouts

2011-03-23T18:37:00.002-05:00

Time to go shopping!

2011-03-23T18:35:00.001-05:00

Vaccinate your kids!

2011-03-13T17:04:00.002-05:00

A while ago I posted this blog, and now I have even greater reason to talk about the importance of vaccinating your children. Check out my friends post about it....click here. This post is LONG overdue but I have been sick with thing or another for the post couple of months and I am now just getting to it. Instead of typing it all just check out the 2 post and tell me what you think.

President Brletich

2011-02-12T08:11:00.004-06:00

In school Drew wrote a paper. It was so funny I thought I would share it on here.

God Bless America!
If I were president I would make sure there are no credit cards so we can make our country richer, so that the people will have more money to save. I want no taxes so people can buy more things, we can travel more, and people can ride in taxis. No guns would be allowed because I want to he animals to be safe, innocent people not to be killed. That's why I want to be a president.

He did a good job, and when he wrote it all out it actually took up a whole page.
Apparently he has heard us talk a little do much about the American debt and thinks that it is tied to credit cards. We don't really use them here at our house and have make it very clear as to why. We have also talked a lot about our new income tax hike. Chicago is getting a new Mayor soon, and with all the campaign TV ads going on....I guess he has the Chico ad one too many times about some luxury tax hike and it happens to have a taxi on it with the cabdriver saying "pay the Rahm tax". Boy does he ever absorb everything. I guess I need to let him know that his favorite meat comes from animals.....but they are not shot.....unless you go to Uncle Carl's house.

Blizzard of 2011

2011-02-02T10:27:00.004-06:00

I have been hunting around on the Internet for exact amount of snow that we have but I can't find it. I do know that we supposed to get between 1 and 3 inches per hour. Glad it's over. We have a ton of snow but it is hard to tell how much we really got because of the drifting. At one point they announced that they were pulling the snow plows in and calling in the national guard for rescues. I took some other pics of the backyard but I did it with the cell phone and I am not sure how to get them off and on here so these will do. The kids had a blast playing outside. It was Evan's first time in the snow and he was in LOVE!

Baby #5!

2011-01-26T10:11:00.003-06:00

I can normally see things in ultra sound pictures. Circle and a blob is what I see here. So does not look like a baby! BUT it is!!!! I am calling it my complicated blessing right now. I had the verbal okay to get pregnant from both my new dermatologist and new oncologist. Then I went to see the new oncologist and apparently the melanoma that I had over the summer was much more aggressive than he originally thought. If he had know that he would NOT have given me the okay to get pregnant. I can't do scans or anything being pregnant. He also is requesting that my pathology slides be sent to the best melanoma lab in Pennsylvania. Once again I could use some thoughts and prayers. Hoping that the original diagnosis of those four cells that were in the lymph node just being basic mole cells still remains the same. I had the first OB visit yesterday. Everything is looking great from that end. The little heartbeat was so tiny, but made it all so real. I have been nauseous and VERY tired. A tad bit crabby too.

Elaine has a BIRTHDAY!!!

2011-01-26T10:07:00.001-06:00

I can't even believe that I have a 10 year old! How did this happen???? I understand that she isn't a baby anymore, but I have her stuck at 5 maybe 6. She had a good time. Requested Orange chicken for dinner, it was super yummy! Opened presents and had cake after dinner. Overall a great day. Happy Birthday Elaine!

A little of Evan

2011-01-26T10:05:00.003-06:00

Evan has figured out that he can "ride" a broom and not just sweep with it.

He cleans. I love it!

Christmas 2010

2011-01-02T17:22:00.008-06:00

Warning!!! Picture overload!!!

My parent came for Christmas! We picked them up from the airport on Christmas Eve. We didn't even tell the kids....a couple of times it slipped out but we covered it. Drew did figure it out but boy was he good at keeping the surprise. We had to circle the airport a couple of times and tried to play it off as if I was lost and kept missing the exit. Mom called and talked to Kris and they were loading the back of the car with luggage before the kids even noticed! I even had to tell them turn around. Right when we got home the kids got to open the P.J.'s that they get every year from Grandma and Grandpa. The pictures above were Christmas Eve, the ones below are Christmas morning.

Passing presents out.

It really wasn't Raisin Bran.

And THE MESS!!!

Blackhawks Game

2010-12-23T16:52:00.003-06:00

Christmas Cookie decorating

2010-12-23T16:49:00.002-06:00

Here are some pics of the annual Christmas cookie decorating.

Locks of Love

2010-12-20T14:32:00.003-06:00

Izzy has been wanting to have her hair cut. I have been putting it off. She has such beautiful hair. I was just sure that Kris would hang me if I had it done. So I told her about Locks of Love, and of course that only made her want to have it cut even more. She has been talking about cutting it for a few months. We finally gave in. I was in a hurry to post these pics so I took it when she was eating pizza...loving that sauce on her cheek. She loves her new SHORT do. I think it is pretty cute too.

Drew's Baptism!

2010-12-20T14:28:00.003-06:00

What a great day! After all it is great to be eight! He so proud of his new suit. He had to be dunked twice....Kris forgot to say "Amen" so the first immersion didn't count. We had many of our favorite friends so up. The room was full of old friends, family, and new friends. We had lunch at our home afterwards, and it was just a good day. We enjoyed the company and loved seeing everyone again.

Drew turns 8!!

2010-12-20T14:22:00.003-06:00

Drew is so excited about turning 8!!! I made the cake this year. A complete experiment. I can bake. I am sure glad that I know I can bake....this cake sure was NOT proof of any baking skills that I have ever had. He liked it, and I guess that is what counts. He has fallen in LOVE with Teriyaki chicken and that was his request for dinner. We had a great and he had a great birthday. Tickets to a Blackhawks game....he so excited!

Halloween 2010

2010-11-16T20:19:00.002-06:00

Ah...the one Halloween picture that I manged to take. We didn't even manage to find the time to carve the pumpkins....BUT we did mange to get Halloween costumes in time to go trick-or-treating at the new house. I miss doing the theme costumes but it was just too tricky after just moving in a few days before hand.

Good-Bye parties

2010-11-16T20:06:00.002-06:00

The kids were so sad about leaving school, friends, and starting over at a new school in the middle of the year. I checked with the teachers and asked if I could bring in cupcakes for a "good-bye" party for each of them. Thinking that it would make it just a smidge easier. It worked. Below are pics of the kids with their teacher....Izzy's teacher was out sick that day so we have her class aid. Mrs. Wrath.

Just in case you didn't catch that. We moved! Kris quit General Mills and now working for Kellogg's. Loving it. He is on the day shift instead of the night shift. It is taking some getting used to on my part. He isn't home when the kids get home so getting dinner going and doing homework all at the same time is new to me....it was REALLY nice having him home at that time. I keep meaning to add a pic of the new house but I only have one on my cell and can't download it. It is smaller, but we are enjoying it.....I am in heaven with a double oven....but really I have forgotten that I have two and sometime end up just trying to bake in just the one. I think the double oven is what sold me on moving. We are STILL unpacking and it seems to be a MUCH slower process than it was last time we moved. I got here the Tuesday before Halloween. I am loving it. I thought that we would end up going into Chicago much more than we have so far. I did take the kids down to the Field Museum about a week ago and would you believe it is 34 miles from the house?

Evan turned 2!

2010-11-16T19:59:00.002-06:00

I know this is LONG overdue....Evan turned 2 on October 14th! I can't believe it, these two years have gone by so fast. He had a little cold again just like last year. Here are a few of the pics that got. My cousin Michelle and her clan made it down for his Birthday dinner. He loves chocolate. He even says it....in his own little way. Must take after mom.

Yes, he is holding the ice cream with his hands. Never complained about it, loved every minute of it.
I don't know if you can tell in this picture...but when he blows he sticks his bottom lip out so the air shoots straight up and fluffs his hair. I think he kept wanting to touch the candle or cake, or something....Kris had to hold him back.

First Day of School for 2010-2011

2010-09-16T14:29:00.005-05:00

The first day of school went well. We were all very excited about the teachers that they got. I had a bunch cute things that Izzy got from being in Kindergarten...from the teacher. I tried to save them but since it is now the 4th week of school and I am just now posting this I of course can not find them. Enjoy the pics!

All the other details

2010-08-06T14:24:00.003-05:00

So you know the beginning and the end and here is the middle....

Went in for surgery on Monday morning and I was such a BABY. I was scared out of my mind. When I was in holding I just wanted anyone to talk to me about anything. I was asking everyone odd questions just so they would talk. All the nurses handled it so well. One of them got the picture that I didn't want to be alone and went and got Kris and he got to stay with me until I was taken to the O.R. at one point I was so worked up that I asked him to say a quick prayer for me and at the very moment he ended his prayer I just had this calm feeling come over me. IT WAS GREAT! Going under was not near as bad as I had thought that it would be but waking up was! I thought that I did great on Monday. Our Bishop and his wife stopped by and later and I talked with her later that week, she surprised me by telling me that I was not doing good at all on Monday. Was I ever glad that she didn't see me on Tuesday. Perkacet kicked my rear. After that I didn't want anything. NEVER AGAIN will I take that nasty stuff....I have added on to my "allergy list" even though I am not really allergic to it. Such a bad reaction to it that I ended up staying an extra night in the hospital and then did fine on Wednesday with just Tylenol 3.

I went to see the Oncologist on Thursday but we didn't have any of the reports back from pathology yet. We had a plan, if it didn't spread to the lymph nodes I was fine and then would just have to see a dermatologist every 6 months and a the oncologist every year for so long. If it has spread they would do more test and chemo. I got the pathology reports back from the first doc on Friday. I kind of freaked out, Here is the exact working of it, I have added anything that is "( )".

Ten cross sections of four different lymph nodes are examined on multiple slides. All cross sections are immunostained for HMB45. On one slide only, slide B2, in a subcapsular location four cells exhibit immunoreactivity for HMB45 staining. The cells are not cytologically abnormal (not obvious cancer cells). I cannot say with certainty they represent malignant melanoma. They could represent nevus cells (mole cells) within a lymph node.

The first time that I met the surgeon I told her no matter what the results were I automatically wanted them sent somewhere else for a second opinion. Just to be sure. So everything was sent onto the Mayo Clinic. I hear that they really are the place to go for things like this. Yesterday the doc called and said what I wrote down in the previous post and then today I went in and got a copy of the actual pathology report from Mayo. Interesting. Here it is... word for word...even the things you probably don't care about....

"I am writing regarding the material that you sent from RB, a 32-year-old woman. These are very interesting and challenging slides (not something that you want to hear). I am in complete agreement with the original diagnosis of malignant melanoma on the right leg. There are occasional mitotic figures present with this lesion as well as the measured depth of 1.1 mm. Sentinel lymph node is quite interesting (there is that word again). on H&E, there is a clear-cut deposition of melanocytic type cells present within the capsule of the nevus. A few of these cells stain positive for HMB-45, but the vast majority of them do not stain for HMB-45. This is an interesting (again) pattern in that the majority of capsular melanocytic nevi are Melan-A/Mart-1 positive, but these cells as well as their architectural location that these are most consistent with a capsular melanocytic nevus.

The only other thing on the lab report that is worth sharing is....Thank you for sharing this difficult case with me in consultation. If I may be of any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact me. (Difficult case??????)

So to some it up I was an interesting difficult case....and I have typical moles inside just like I do on the outside....hum? Interesting.

The surgeon says that I am healing nicely. If you want to see a really gross picture of the back of my leg...let me know. I only have it on my cell phone so I will have to text it as an attachment. It is REALLY GROSS.

The Call from the Doctor

2010-08-05T20:01:00.004-05:00

Today is the day that I found out I DO NOT HAVE CANCER ANYMORE! Yippie! I wonder if I will remember August 5, 2010 for the rest of my life. I sure do remember July 21st, but this is an even better day.

Here is what the doctor had to say when she left her message...
"Ranisa, hi its Dr. "B" Hi how are you? Listen I got your stuff back from Mayo Clinic, it is all good news. So I just thought I would call and let you know they did not think that it is in the lymph nodes and I will give you a copy of the report tomorrow when I see you. But I had to call and let you know. Alright take care and I will see you guys tomorrow."

I missed the call!!! The phone rang when we were eating dinner with some friends and I panicked...."get the phone, it might be the doctor!". Somehow that phone call got messed up and we weren't able to answer it, but Kris flipped through caller-ID and noticed that the doctor had called 2 hours earlier. I was frantic, after listening to the message I AM SO EXCITED!!!!

I was wondering how I was going to tell the blog world about it, I wanted to post a picture of myself and say something about this being the face of a cancer free gal...but I didn't shower today! So you get to share in our excitement without seeing my super happy grin! PLEASE GET YOUR MOLES CHECKED!!!!

The BIG 'C'

2010-07-23T12:19:00.005-05:00

So here it is...in January I went in to the dermatologist and had some moles removed. With it being January I of course had on pants and didn't notice any of the moles on my legs. There was one mole on my side and under my arm that I wanted off and the doctor took the wrong one off and then told me that the one that I was wanting off was too big and that it need to be done in a surgical setting. No worries, I just needed to come in at a later date and have it taken care of. A few weeks later I noticed a mole that had changed on the back of my right calve. I didn't worry too much about it but realized that I would have to have it looked at when I had that other one taken off. I ended up back in the dermatology office on July 7th. After seeing the mole on my leg he said that he was worried about that one and that it needed to be taken off. Got them both removed and made an appointment to have the stitches taken out and went on my way. A week later the doctor calls and says that the mole on my leg has atypical results and wanted my permission to send it onto another lab for a second opinion. The other mole was fine. My follow up appointment was set for 2 weeks out. The day before the appointment the doctor called and left 2 messages on the phone asking me call him right away. We had gotten home from a trip pretty late and before I had a chance to call him in the morning he called and ask me to come in and made sure that I was bring Kris. When a doctor says "bring your husband" you know that it isn't good. We went in and the results of the biopsy are that I have stage 2 melanoma. A little info on melanoma...they measure the thickness of it, how deep it goes into your skin. Most of the mole was .88 mm, if the measurement is under 1 mm they considerate taken care of and you are good to go. However there is a extension of cells that reaches to 1.1 mm. So that extra .1 puts into the stage 2 category. We got lots of details and met with a surgeon the same day. We are following the standard procedure for stage 2 melanoma. I am scheduled to have a wide biopsy of the area on Monday morning. They will also inject some type of dye around the area and wait a bit for it to travel up to the lymph nodes, then take x-rays of it so that they know what lymphnodes to biopsy. Because the area of the wide biopsy is a few inches and too big to close with stitches they are doing a skin graft. I hear that is the most painful part. We will get the results from everything a couple days later.

Now for my feelings. Wednesday when I found out the news I was a bit shocked...really it is the worst news of my life to this point. I have a positive outlook and I am holding onto the fact that it is just .1 mm from being considered a stage 1. I will try to update the blog after surgery when I feel like I can function. Who knows maybe Kris will do it. Don't be too worried if it is a couple of days until this is updated. Please feel free to call. My parents are coming in to take care of things, be with me, and help out with the kids. Boy am I ever great full for that. We are also trying to get my brother home from Iraq. We have an appointment with an oncologist on Thursday. Maybe I will plan on updating after that.

Kris freaked out for awhile and is doing much better now.

We told the kids....we sat them down and asked them if they knew what cancer was. They said no, so I explained that we have good cells in our bodies and cancer is bad cells. When I had my mole removed they did some test on it and found that there were bad cells in it. Then explained that I am going to go and have surgery so that the doctors can take more out and make sure that they got all of those bad cells out. They understand that I will be 'lazy' laying around the couch and that there are people coming to help take care of them. Elaine at one point asked if I had to have surgery so that I didn't die. I told her that we didn't need to think about that right now, the doctors are doing what they can to help me.

We have a sense of humor about it. At the same are still worried a bit, and being positive all at the same time.

I tried to remember all the details about that day. There are a few things that are frozen in my mind, the elevator button on the wall as we went up stairs to the clinic. The fabric pattern on the chairs in the waiting room. Odd details. Yet it seems that some of the important things I forgot. This is the same clinic that I take my kids to, that I go see the OB/GYN at, that I see the family doctor at. I waiting to go back again and see all the the odd details in my mind and I am hoping that I don't have these odd flashbacks triggered by elevator buttons and pretty patterns of fabric on chairs.

Again call if you want to talk, we appreciate all the thoughts and prayers.

*Update....it is a stage 2A, for all of those that have looked info up.

*****NEW UPDATE******* Cancer was a 1B. What great news!!!! Derm guy din't know what he was talking about!

Curly Hair for a change

2010-06-23T12:03:00.004-05:00

Ladies-help me out. How do I get the front to look like the back does? Any tricks?

Sleepy Boy

2010-06-23T11:59:00.003-05:00

Big shoes to fill

2010-06-23T11:57:00.002-05:00

The Rootbeer story

2010-06-07T22:50:00.002-05:00

A few have not hear this. This happened right after we moved into this house. Boy am I ever glad that he has grown up a bit.....and Monster Truck races are on the TV really early in the morning.

Adventures of Drew
I love my son. I love my son. I love my son. I am grateful that he is still a happy little boy after this morning. So here's the story. We all know that everyday, yes everyday, Drew does something that makes a huge mess. I mean HUGE mess. Sunday it was spraying tile cleaner over every surface in main level of the house which included all of the computer stuff, luckily the only thing that no longer works is my computer keyboard, oh yeah and a few of the birthday card that I made for the ladies at church got a little wet, they might not even notice. Everything else survived. Monday it was those little instant oatmeal packages, you know the kind with all the extra sticky gooey flavors added to them. That was all over the freshly mopped kitchen. Yes I do watch him, but when I was mopping another part of the floor he got to the oatmeal in the kitchen. Tuesday, hum so long ago, what happened Tuesday? Don't recall, but since there is something everyday I do know that something did happen. Today was the fun one. I love soda, I seldom buy it. I believe I might buy a 12 pack of soda 2-3 times a year. Yesterday was one of those times. Some root beer sounded good. Love root beer. Left the case on the counter when I went to bed, didn't even think about what could possibly happen. I was so excited the rest of the house was clean and I was going to wake up to a clean house. Every housewife-every women knows what it is like to wake up to a clean house-it just starts your day of on the right foot. Drew often times gets up before I do. He is in stealth mode is what we call it. No one hears him, we don't even really know what time he really does get up. We just know that he is normally up before us. We have even thought of installing a little alarm on his bedroom door-when it goes off we would get up. Once again Drew is the first one up this morning. Today he decided to wake Elaine up. I get up and call Elaine upstairs to take a bath and get ready for school. She of course complains about Drew waking her up but doesn't tell me about the kitchen, maybe she didn't even know about the kitchen. She must have just went straight to the couch. After she is all ready for the day and go downstairs to get breakfast ready as I see Drew siting in the living room with a can of root beer-not so bad there doesn't seem to be any spilled on the carpet or couch. We can handle this. Enter the kitchen, I see what Drew's adventure was for the day. Hopeful this is the only one of the day. That pack of root beer-yes the hole pack is laying across the kitchen floor, a few of the cans are open and seem to be completely empty. The kitchen is covered in soda, I mean from about 2 1/2 feet down on everything. The walls, fridge, cabinets, dishwasher and the floor is flooded with root beer. I like to sleep as late as possible. So of course the morning has go smoothly minute by minute. This is the time for breakfast. We don't do anything else but eat. There is no time for anything else. I mange to tip toe around on what bare toe sized spots are clean on the floor. I get the kids breakfast and then wipe up the soda with a towel. Mop the floor twice-with the tile cleaner that we had left over from Sunday's adventure. The hardest thing to clean was the walls, they are textured, and the soda had started to dry. I was so happy that I manged to get it all cleaned up as fast and as easy as it was. We were even still running on schedule. I toss the mopping towel up on the counter, it tips over the white board which smashes into the candles (no broken ones) and yes the rest of the cans of root beer that where sitting beside the sink to get rinsed off. Once again a few of them fell onto the floor and because of the pressure thy burst open and spin in circles around the floor. Coating everything in the kitchen with root beer once again. Only this time it seemed to spray a little higher than two 1/2 feet, and I was standing in the middle of it all.

He walks!!!!

2010-05-26T20:45:00.005-05:00

A couple of weeks ago Evan started walking. It was about time he is over 18 months. He was so proud of himself. We all clapped and cheered him on and soon he was clapping and cheering himself on. He still has yet to figure out that he can stand up on his own. If he falls he has to crawl to something that he can pull himself up on. BUT he is getting there! Way to go EVAN!!!!

Ice Cream

2010-05-26T20:42:00.004-05:00

Gosh it was cold....

Must have had a nice nap

2010-05-26T20:40:00.001-05:00

Drew forgot about THE rule....

2010-05-26T20:35:00.007-05:00

.....if any of the kids ever want a hair cut they just have to ask and it will be done. I mean done right away. I will pick up the phone and call that very minute. Even if it is just a pretend haircut....

Yes, he can pick his nose with his tongue....and no we don't encourage it.

Izzy's 5th Birthday!!!!

2010-04-10T08:39:00.005-05:00

I can hardly believe that my Izzy is 5! I know that I say that each time one of them has a birthday but really it feels weird for me. She got to have her first party with friends over.

We started with pizza.

Then since it is so close to Easter and we all know how much fun I think it is to plan fun kids games.....we had an Easter Egg hunt...hey that checked off the games and the treat bags!

Then we did cake and ice cream.

Then presents.

One of the funniest things is that my parents sent her a present but the package was a weird shape so my mom put it in a box....a cell phone box....you can guess what happened as soon as that paper was off she was jumping for joy that she got a cell phone! Good thing she wasn't terribly disappointed that it was really a My Little Pony.

Easter

2010-04-10T08:24:00.004-05:00

We had an Easter Egg hunt on Easter morning. I died eggs the night before....what a boring mom I am I sent the kids to bed and then did it, and yes you guessed it the died eggs are still in the fridge. Ah, maybe next year I can be fun! Here is our egg hunt. We didn't have church on Easter morning because of General Conference which was great, we got to sleep in and then be in P.J.'s for most the morning. I didn't get too many pics of the bigger kids, they had no interest in standing still for a picture. Evan however is starting to be quite the ham.

The Easter Bunny and mom both forgot to get Easter baskets so the older kids used there trick or treat bags, and I just tossed Evan's eggs in his P.J.'s.

The other VERY exciting news of the day.....Drew lost his first tooth! He is 7....and was starting to feel a little left behind in his class. Heck there are kids in Izzy's preschool that have already lost teeth. He just takes after me......I was 7 too.

Evan

2010-04-10T08:15:00.003-05:00

Evan is learning and experiencing a TON of things....walking isn't one of them.....but here are a few pics

He cleans like a pro. Give him a wipe or even if he finds the broom on his own and he is one happy baby. They say that kids learn from example....he make SO MANY messes that he is always seeing me with the broom or towel cleaning up after him!

First Twinkie.....and he LOVED it!

I just missed the cutest picture opportunity....he was trying to crawl into the vent. He had his legs in it and was trying so hard to squish himself down in it. I am sure that the water bottle there ended up in the vent. He hides things and comes back later to get it. I guess he does take after me......and no mom I haven't given him a hard boiled egg.

Master of Messes

2010-03-25T18:13:00.004-05:00

Why is it as mothers we are always doing things that we don't like but it really ends up being a situation where it is the lesser of two evils? Here is a great example. I hate, and mean HATE those child safety locks for cabinets. I think that they are just a pain. When we moved into our house in Michigan the previous owner had them on every single thing that opened in the kitchen. I took them all off and told Elaine what drawer she could not touch, and she never did...yes she was the perfect baby. Drew came along and I had to reinstall all of them and then he broke them off by the time that he was 6 months. I don't recall how Izzy was about stuff. BUT Evan loves cereal. He always getting into the cabinet and taking a box of cereal out, pulling the bag out of the box, and then emptying the bag on the floor. He is the dogs best friend. Here is his latest cereal adventure. I am really tired of sweeping it all up...not to mention the expense of going through cereal so fast. The worst part in the itty bitty tiny crumbs that are left at the bottom of the bag. The broom doesn't get them all, and then the Swiffer only gets them if I see them and go over it. The worst is Life...those sugar crystals stick to everything......but mostly my socks. I am doing the happy dance. We now have a safety thing installed on that cabinet. I don't mind of they play with the pots and pans or the plastics. I can't wait to see how Evan is when he discovers he is no longer Master of the Cereal Mess.

Sad day

2010-03-24T09:28:00.002-05:00

Sad, sad, SAD day. Or maybe I should say sad week! Only about one thing (everything else is great)....my camera is broken. No repairing it, old and dead. I thought it was the battery, but I replaced it and it still doesn't work. Sad, sad. I think I might have to cry big crocodile tears. I have a big Birthday coming up for Izzy....I have to have a camera!!! Where are my really close friends so that I can barrow one??? Or better yet, when are we going to win the lottery that we don't play so that I can get a really awesome camera. I need some reviews. Tell me what kind of camera you have and if you like, and what about it you do like, AND let me know if it is going to break the bank.

I'm back!

2010-03-11T19:03:00.002-06:00

So I think that I am back! I took a little breather, but I might be blogging again...maybe.

10 year anniversary

2010-03-11T18:55:00.002-06:00

10 years! WOW! 10 years. We can't believe it either. I wonder if there were people that gave a number of years? We joke around and say "we are celebrating the fact that we made it to 10 years without killing each other". Yes we think we will make it another 10, and another and another.....We are truly very different people, but we did it and I think that we are both pretty happy. So this is the only picture of us on our wedding day that I could find on the computer. I have little book of a bunch of them, but this one somehow got scanned in to the computer at one point or another. We did go and celebrate. Long story but we ended up in Chicago. We had a good time. Thanks mom for coming out to watch the kids!

Elaine is 9!!!!

2010-03-11T18:44:00.003-06:00

I really can't believe that she is 9, I mean 9!!! Can you believe it?

This is the only pictures that I got of while she was opening her present AND looking at the camera.

I asked Elaine what kind of cake she wanted. She said light pink and light purple flowers. Then we agreed on a round cake. The above pic is what we got. They did call and say that they didn't have anymore round cakes but they would do a normal one.....but really does this look like light pink and purple to you? Well, at least Elaine loved it. It was one of those occasions when you say "well I am glad that you like it" (there is an inside joke about this, ask me sometime).

New Glasses

2010-01-05T09:48:00.002-06:00

They both got new glasses. Sad thing is that they both look very similar to ones that they had before. BUT that is what really looks the best on them.

Christmas 2009

2010-01-05T09:33:00.003-06:00

Here are the Christmas pics. Sorry not too much to explain.

We did also take the kids down to Indiana to spend sometime with Kris' parents. We stayed at our favorite hotel and got to celebrate a late Christmas with Phil and Judy. I of course forgot the camera and Phil took pics but I haven't had a chance to look at them. Being as behind on the blog as I am, I just decided to post what I had. BUT we did have a great time!!!

Chrimstas cookie decorating

2010-01-05T09:21:00.005-06:00

Every year we try to decorate sugar cookies for Christmas. This year we had some friends over to help. We did just over 100 cookies, and all the kids seems to have a good time. The two babies, Evan and Grant. Who had both just turned a year old liked exploring much better. Here are a few of those pics.

Yes there is a cookie under all of those sprinkles!

Evan exploring

Grant exploring

All in all I think it was great fun for the kids, and I love it because I like to eat all the extra cookies!

Drew' Birthday!!!

2010-01-05T09:12:00.004-06:00

I can't believe that I haven't blogged about this BIG event yet!!! Well, life gets in the way and with the big day being so close to Christmas I was spending time with the family instead of on the computer. Here are a few pics from Drew's Birthday.

All in all he had a great day. Last year he kept saying "This is the best birthday ever!" This one didn't start of the greatest for him, at dinner time he even said "this is the worst birthday ever"! I was so sad. Kris and I had a little talk with him and soon it was "the best birthday ever" again!

In the mind of a boy named Drew

2009-11-18T08:04:00.004-06:00

Drew has been bugging my about decorating for Christmas. REALLY? I can't do it until the evening of Thanksgiving at the earliest....so we had this conversation this morning....
Drew: When are we going to decorate for Christmas? Everyone else is.
Mom: I bet those Pilgrims are rolling over in there graves because everyone is skipping Thanksgiving....we will do it after Thanksgiving.
Drew: The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Native Americans....the real ones that lived in T-pees and chased buffalo.

As if I was going to go think that it was some other Native Americans, 'real ones'! After I got done laughing about the image of a politically correct "Native American" chasing a buffalo I just had to tell him that they celebrated the first Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims. He acted kind of surprised about that one.

Boobs and Bra's

2009-11-06T10:55:00.009-06:00

ALL MALES

HALT!

STOP!

if you are male this is your warning that you don't want to read any farther!

No really I am giving you a chance to stop here, stop reading scroll down and look at the Halloween pics!

I am telling you.....males you don't want to read this.

Fair warning? Some girls might not want to either!

Q: What did one saggy boob say to the other?

A: "We'd better get some support or people are gonna think we're nuts!!"

Do your boobs hang low?
Do they wobble to and fro?
Can you tie them in a knot?
Can you tie them in a bow?
Can you throw them o'er your shoulder
Like a Continental Soldier?
Do your boobs hang low?

Do your boobs hang wide?
Do they flap from side to side?
Do they wave in the breeze
From the slightest little sneeze?
Can you soar above the nation
With a feeling of elevation?
Do your boobs hang wide?

Do your boobs fall off
When you give a great big cough?
Do they lie there on the ground
Or bounce up at every sound?
Can you stick them in your pocket
Just like Davy Crocket?
Do your boobs fall off?

Yes you guess it, this post is all about Boobs, and well ... Bra's.

These thoughts started from a conversation that I had with my mom the other day. They had an office discussion on Bra's. I have an opinion on Bra's. I love a good bra. Ever noticed that if you don't have a bra that fits right everything else doesn't look quite put together? REALLY it is very true. Go and get measured! I have a friend who for some odd reason thought I said this quote (it wasn't me, but I really liked it) "my boobs look as if they are a grape hanging a plastic bag". No wonder we are consumed with perfect breast. Not me. I have been everything from a 38 L-ish (yes that is an L you see there) to a 32A. I loved that A. When I was engorged after having Izzy I had to go and find a bra that fit, even if it only fit me for a few days or a couple of weeks. I couldn't find one. I went to the store to find a nursing bra and just said...give me the biggest one that you have....it was still too small, so that L cup was just a guess. Here is a sad, but very funny confession. I had to go to Sam's Club right before heading to the mall to look for that bra....I had breast shells on. With cotton inside of them to collect the milk that was leaking into them. I was so huge I couldn't clip the top of the bra closed...so I really thought that it would just stay up....well it didn't....and the breast shell fell out and onto the floor at Sam's. Yup. At that moment I was so embarrassed. Bending over to pick it up I kicked it, and it went spinning across the floor. Yup, even more embarrassed. So I left Sam's....FAST! I didn't even stop to see if anyone noticed, or anything. Yup left my kart right there where I was standing and headed for the door.

So now for the bra advice. I love a good bra. I will say it again I LOVE A GOOD BRA!!! I have found that my favs are Victoria Secrets. Go in, get measured and try them on. They are not all made the same. Last time I went in, I was measured and had been squeezing myself into a bra that was 4 cup sized to small. BUT I really loved that style so the sales lady got me that exact bra in size I needed. Well, it hurt right under my arms, digging into my armpit area. It was too tall in that area. So I really thought I was out of luck. Nope....she went and picked out a bra that has what she called "a lower side profile". LOVE IT! The part is once you figure out what size you really are, and you have tried on every style in the store in that size, go home get online and order it! There are many things to save money on Vicky's Bras. The first is to do a coupon code search from Google. At the checkout on-line you can enter up to 3 discount codes. Be careful and play around a bit with the codes getting yourself the best deal. I promise you wont regret it! Here is an example.....I am of the frame of mind that in a bathing suit for me it is all about being modest and making those girls look like 30ish year old girls and not 80 year old girls. So I like a little lift in a bathing suit. I went online and ordered 4 suites and 2 bras. With the bra's in the store being around $50 and the bathing suits being between $70-$120 I wanted some good coupons. I found them, order all of them. Really I only wanted 1 bathing suit, but you have to try a few on to find one that you like and then you can send the rest back. Oh they gave great lift! BUT they run small. Another confession apparently when my jeans are a size 8, I can't order a size 8 swimming suit...nothing fit so they all went back. Really sad rolling it up my legs, only to get to my knees and then realize that it really isn't going any farther without ripping, or having to cut it off to get it back down. The point to the ordering on line is that my order total was going to be around $400, and with the coupon codes it ended up costing around $170. HUGE savings. So pick it out at the store and shop online.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T10:40:00.008-06:00

We had a Knight, a Queen, a Princess and a Dragon!

These last two are of Izzy at her Halloween Program at school. I didn't want her wearing her dress to school so I talked her into being a cowgirl.

Can you believe Evan is 1!!!

2009-10-27T11:43:00.008-05:00

We had a fun Birthday! My mom flew out and enjoyed it with us. She has been to each one of the kids first birthday parties. The above was taken on the 14th....his REAL Birthday. He was so sick, poor guy was just miserables...he would just cry and cry....and that is just not our typical Evan. The rest are from the day that we actually had his BD party. The 17th. As you can tell, he was just starting to get better.

He dedided he was done and took off over the presents onto something else.

He loved the cake...but not the ice cream.

First Day of School for 2009-2010

2009-10-01T10:56:00.007-05:00

I know this is VERY long overdue...but what I can do, I haven't been blogging!

This is Elaine in 3rd grade! I can't believe that I am the mother of a 3rd grader!!!

Elaine and her teacher Miss Long.

Drew is in First grade.....as hard as it is believe that Elaine is in 3rd grade...I am so excited that Drew is in 1st!

Drew and Mrs. Cicora

Izzy started a couple of weeks after Elaine and Drew.....It even got colder and she wasn't able to wear shorts like the other kids. Boy was she ever ready!

Izzy and Mrs. Ezop.

Izzy was all about painting. She is also my clingy child. She said the funniest thing. We pulled up to the school and I turned off the van and opened my door and she says "Mom I thought you were just droppng me off!" My reply is "well I am going to walk you in and say 'Hi' to your teacher and things." She wasn't happy about that "BUT MOM I know the way to my class!" My clingy girls was more than ready to be left at school by herself! When we went to the open house just a week or so before it, she wouldn't leave my side and if someone came and talked to her she even hid behind me! I was so proud and a little sad all at the same time. It was as she was saying "I really don't need to right now".....and I thought she would.

Brother Brumble

2009-09-19T18:42:00.002-05:00

Sorry this is such a wide shot of a great guy! He is amazing! When Kris was in Michigan he came to mow the lawn....EVERY WEEK!!!! I can't tell you want a relief that was. I am really perfectly caple of mowing the lawn, but it was so nice!!!! If you read this Bill....THANK YOU!!!!

Ice Cream

2009-09-19T17:03:00.005-05:00

Each month I go visiting different ladies at church. We call it visiting teaching. Last month I had to cancel right before going. Evan had stayed up a good part of the night and finally went down for a nap. I was not going to wake him up. Izzy was extremely upset. She wanted to see Sister Brumble and Addy. I teach Addy in Primary and Izzy thinks that she is just the greatest girl. Pam and I have become good friends too. Pretty much just get Izzy to stop whining about it we made an Ice Cream Date for the girls. We started off at a yummy place in Rockton, which happen to be closed when we arrived so we went to another place and spent most of the time chasing bees away!

A little of Evan

2009-09-19T16:52:00.005-05:00

I know what you're think "It's about time!!!!", right? Here are a few quick pics....just random. This first one is right before he got whiny while getting a haircut. < This is what happens when Izzy get ahold of the camera when I am driving.

I came home from something and this is what I found.

The side of me that few see.....

2009-09-06T13:45:00.005-05:00

I am not the testimony baring type, or at least not in my blog. People know what I believe, right?. BUT this is my blog and this is what I feel like sharing.......

Kris is gone. Well just for most of September. I don't do well without him. He is VERY hands on with the kids. Since he works 3rd shift he is at work when they are sleeping. He is normally home when then head off to school and so he gets to say good-bye most of the time. He normally gets up around 3pm, and the kids get home about 3:30. The kids go to bed around 7 pm, and Kris normally leaves again between 8-9 pm. My kids have their dad ALL THE TIME. They love it. I love it even more. This past week was my first full week ever having all of my kids by myself without any help. I love my kids, but there were days when I was going nuts. Tuesday and Friday. I really wanted to get them out of the house on Saturday. I wanted to go far, and spend. I was thinking of Medieval Times. BUT that is just way too much money. We are of the mind set right now...FREE FREE FREE FREE. I do know that there are lots of things to do that don't cost anything, but I was on this "I am irritated" kick. I know there is always the park, but I don't like the park. So Saturday morning I call Kris and I am complaining about taking dinner to someone that night. I couldn't go and do anything, I had to cook dinner. I can't go to Madison and go to the FREE zoo, I can't go down to my In-laws, I can't go up to My Aunt Dawn's house. HECK I can't do anything and be back here in time to get a "good" meal cooked and over to someones house......I was ranting, I even woke Kris up when I called him at the hotel. After all he is one of the ONLY people that I would call and complain to about serving...... His response was simple....."Serve with a glad heart". Oh that was humbling. I love to serve. My heart hurts when I don't. I had this sudden moment when I thought to myself...."Oh my gosh what am I doing?!?!?!?! Who in their right mind complains about serving, HELLO!". So I decided that I can do something with the kids and still manage dinner......It is a simple thing after all. I hang up the phone and few minutes later our new Bishop calls, and asked for Kris, but since he wasn't home I asked if there was a message to pass along, or anything that I could do. He wanted us to go and pick green beans at the ward garden. Again, I was just reminded that I love to serve. I have 4 kids, and one of them is a baby.....how do pick green beans with a baby on your hips??? I was going to find away.....the bishops daughter watched Evan, and off the rest of us went. It took maybe 20 minutes to pick all the green beans, and durning that time Elaine says something on the lines of "Mom the Bishop should always ask us to pick green beans." My response is that she can tell him that. Next Drew says "I bet Jesus is going to like these green beans." My heart melted. I now remember that when we serve we are the service of our Lord. I know that there is some Scripture reference, but I don't know what it is. That is not why I love to serve, I just do. I am thankful for the kind reminder from my husband, and that I had an opportunity to serve with my kids, and even more that they enjoyed it. That was amazing.

Done....

2009-09-03T20:57:00.003-05:00

I have decided to be done posting CA things. There has been a few things that I have wanted to blog about and yet at the same time I want everything to flow in an order how how it happened. We have been back for awhile now, so it seems times to move on. Besides I think I got most of it done.

The Brice's

2009-08-26T15:06:00.006-05:00

I met Tiff when she was home for the summer from BYU in 1997, maybe?? We quickly became the best of friends, and she now lives in Vegas with her hubby and three kids. She came down for the first weekend that we were in town. We used to spend every Sunday up at her parents house after church. Dinner and milk shakes....man I miss those Sundays.

Tiff and I will all of our kids
just the kids

Evan sitting on Jeff's (Tiff's dad) lap

Elaine being Elaine

Brice and Izzy. They are exactly 2 months apart.

kids playing on the trampoline....we used to sleep on that in the summer.

Evan fell asleep between the piano and the TV cabinet.

The Beach

2009-08-26T14:29:00.007-05:00

So excited that we made it to the beach! We had such a good time. ONCE we found it! Yeah, we got lost. I did take a picture of looking back at all of the umbrellas....it was post-card like. BEAUTIFUL. Even better we got to spend it with my mom, Michelle and her family and her mom got to come too!

Lizard hunting

2009-08-26T14:23:00.002-05:00

The morning after we arrived my mom decided to take the kids out lizard hunting..... we found one .... I jump and screamed (like the girl that I am) and that intern scared the kids who originally thought that it was cool....and I believe they were going to catch it....EW...GROSS...and to think I really forgot about the CA lizards.

Mr. J's donuts

2009-08-26T14:01:00.007-05:00

This is Mr. J....or at least it is his donut shop....I really don't even know if he is the real "Mr. J"?
This is the donut shop

One table.....

The other table

Evans first donut-the boy was LOVING it!!!

If ever in Redlands you HAVE to stop by Mr. J's donuts. The best donuts. Fresh, and fluffy, and just scrumpcilousish (is this even a word???? and if it is I am sure that it isn't spelled right).....it is across the street from K-Mart. I just had to. We went multiple times. In high school it was tradition to go in your pj's for my friend Michelle and I. So one morning when the kids got up EARLY I woke dad up and we went. My parents were just too cool to follow the pj's tradition....but it was 6:30 in the morning. I was not changed yet, and the kids loved it. AND yes that is my Redlands High School gym shirt....yes the one that I wore in high school, and yes it has seen better days. It makes a great pj shirt.

In N' Out

2009-08-26T09:10:00.006-05:00

We just had to stop. It was on the list of place that we HAD to eat at. Our list was small this time around. Cuca's, Surfer Joe's, In N' Out, El Pollo Loco, Carl Jr., and maybe one more....oh...yeah a restaurant in San Diego...we never made it. Both Kris and I were disappointed in Cuca's. BUT we did enjoy In N' Out. Two of the kids had a VERY hard time choking down a hamburger....can you tell which ones?

Palm Springs Children's Museum

2009-08-26T08:07:00.010-05:00

Grandma's Attic

Making Pizza

Police Motorcycle

Grocery Shopping-it was so cute...it had play money and an ATM card.

Judy and Phil playing blind tick-tax-toe.

The next two is the kids painting a car that was at the museum

Climbing a wall

Each of the kids using a pulley system to pull themselves up.

Disneyland

2009-08-20T13:57:00.006-05:00

That is the hat that Drew wanted....notice that it is a tail sticking out of the top....yup it is Mickey's pants-upside-down.

"Rats with wings!"

Ah-my dad let me drive.

We went to Disneyland and loved it!!! We only did 5 things and everyone seems to enjoy Pirates of the Caribbean the best. Dinner it self was VERY expensive, but the best ribs I have ever had-and I am a rib girl! Check out the BBQ place up by the Gold Rush-is that the name of the roller coaster??

Swimming

2009-08-20T09:04:00.016-05:00

I love swimming, or maybe I better say I love being near a pool....my kids love swimming. The only person that I still see from High school is my friend Michelle. We are still super close. I think that we even talk almost every weekday. Her parents still live in Redlands and have a great pool. We were up there 3 days. I think we should have done it more, I just didn't want to take advantage of them. My kids and Kris both said that first they liked Disneyland and second swimming at the Barger's house. WE LOVED IT. Here are some shots of the kids enjoying it. You know how some people can pick out a few pictures and you get the idea....I can't so I am posting a TON.

Carter (Michelle's yongest) and Elaine.

Michelle is one of the few people who could get away with pushing my dad in the pool with all of his clothes on! Good thing he did just remove his Cell phone. Everything drying out.

Hidding behind my dad.....

Judy just "loves" getting hugs from Kris - even when he is all wet!

Michelle and I filling up water balloons

Evan and his first popscile that he was able to eat all on his own (I normally just share with him)

Kelly (on the left) and Elaine are friends from Utero.....I don't know if they understand that. Elaine was a week late and born on the day Kelly was due and Kelly came a week later.

Evan just loved Ryan (Michelle's oldest)

The next couple are backwards....but I am not monkeying with them....it is Izzy first and only jump off from the diving board.

THE WEDDING!!!

2009-08-20T08:26:00.003-05:00

Here is the entire reason for our trip. Well, I have been talking about going back to CA for about a year and Kris really didn't seem too interested in it. Once I found out that my cousin Jackie was getting married it made up my mind.
Izzy had quite the fun experience being the flower-girl. She loved it!!! The rehearsal and dinner was on Thursday night and she started to say that she wasn't feeling good. We were supposed to go to the beach with all the extended family that was there on Friday, but I just didn't want to take her if she wasn't feeling good. She ended up sleeping most of the day on Friday, ran a fever of 103.6 and then when she woke up on Saturday (the day of the wedding) she said that she felt better and then threw up on my parents living room carpet. Still with a fever....at that point we didn't think that she would be able to go.....she kept asking if she could be the flower next Sunday.....I think that she really expected Jackie to postpone the wedding just for her. I called around and figured out that if she didn't throw up again and we could keep her fever down with meds we might be able to at least get her through the wedding. It worked.....There I said that she was drugged, my Aunt Colleen nicely corrected me and said that the correct term was "well medicated" it does sound a lot better, huh? Well here are the pics of the wedding in no order.....at least I have a single wedding post....

Jackie, Phil, Foster-the ring bearer, and Izzy-the flower girl

Isn't Foster CUTE!!!!

This is my dad and Jackie dancing....he doesn't dance.....

My Aunts having a good time

Evan and Uncle Garry (Father of the Bride)

Elaine and Jackie dancing

Isn't this hilarious??? I just brought her dinner and she wasn't happy about it, she yelled out "I want cake!" and then looked at me like this! She didn't get her cake. Shortly after this Kris took Izzy and Drew back to my parents house.

My mom holding Evan....he slept for a bit.

Elaine

The start of CA

2009-08-20T08:24:00.003-05:00

I am finally starting to blog about CA. I am hoping to do it in some kind of order.....There are a TON of pictures. So when I am done I will have something posted on the top blog so that you know that I am done. I will most likely go through everything and rearrange and add and delete pics too.......so until you so the top one that says that I am done it really is still a work in progress.

To vaccinate or not????

2009-08-18T09:20:00.003-05:00

There has been much talk about vaccinations lately. I seems to run into it EVERYWHERE! Even the mother's lounge at church. I have strong opinion on it. I am sure that other disagree with me. AND I get so frustrated with other people opinions that I sometimes can't get my own thought straight.....check out this blog....she has spoken for me.

http://www.dooce.com/2009/04/07/word-or-two-about-vaccinations Check out comment #8...makes you think, huh???

Oh yeah, about those pictures from Cali......I will get to it! I have my nose stuck on a book, so every chance that I have I am reading and NOT blogging.....this simple blog took what a minute? So I had just a minute for that. I promise soon.....I have about 150 pages left of book 4 then I will blog. Hope that I am not making such a big deal that you all disappointed when they finally do come.....

Back on-line

2009-08-10T12:05:00.002-05:00

WHEW-HEW!!! I am FINALLY back on-line. AND soon I promise pictures will be posted, but I fully expect it to take DAYS to do it all so just keep checking back in. I say days because I really should spend the days with my child and only being able to blog and catch up on all of my favorite TV shows after the kids go to bed....it really will take me days. The phone isn't hooked up yet....but again soon. Maybe I'll do, maybe I'll wait for Kris to come home from work.....we shall see how ambitious I feel.....In the mean time check this out.....click here....oh yeah let me know what you think????

Soon very soon.......

2009-08-07T08:38:00.003-05:00

We are back safe from California and I promise to post LOTS of pictures soon!!!!! We switched phone companies (our # is still the same) and in the process (unknown to us) our Internet was disconnected as well. We are using our cell phone to talk to people because the new phone service runs off of DSL, so with no Internet we don't have any phone either. The Internet company can't come back out until Monday to get it fixed. All of it happened when we were in California. So we are looking forward to having access again soon. Right now I am able to check things out from Kris' work computer placed in a very awkward position on top of a bucket on the back of the love seat. So happy that someone around has unsecured Internet that we can tap into. Thank you, Thank you.....whoever you are. I don't have a wireless connection on my desktop.....so it will be awhile before I am able to upload pics. I am very surprised that I havne't totally gone nuts with the internet. Yet without the home phone ringing all the time it does seem very quite around here.

On a side note it look like Kris is going to be in Michigan for a month. At least this time I wont be trying to keep the house absolutely spotless hoping that someone will come and look at it and buy it. If you live close to me....please check up on me and make sure that I haven't lost it.....come September.

Drew things

2009-07-17T09:10:00.002-05:00

All of the kids loved the plane and showed their excitement. Drew got on and sat down next to a lady that was very chatty with him...then he noticed the "no smoking" sign and started talking about it with this lady...she asks "Well are you a smoker?" and he yells (I am sure that people in the back of the plane heard him) "NO! I am a recycler!" I was laughing so hard. Of course it has turned into one of those things that I am telling everyone because I thought that it was so cute. Makes us sound like the the total earth friendly family....and as sad is it is to say....we are so far from it!

So we have arrive safely, and I havne't taken a single picture. Sorry.

Evan-well child check

2009-07-14T19:38:00.001-05:00

Our baby is 9 months! ;o( Where does the time go???? His stats are:
Weight: 18 lbs 3.5 oz 28%...he seems to be thinning out. Doc wasn't worried said he would catch up at 18 months or so. Babies get active and slow the weight gain for a bit.
Height: 29 1/2 inches....90%

Kids and their "creations"

2009-07-11T11:07:00.003-05:00

All I wanted was a nap.....and I got "fruit salad" too..........do you want some?

Invitations.....so cute!

2009-07-11T11:03:00.002-05:00

I made baby shower invitations.....love them!!! I miss being crafty. I really haven't done much with all the stamping stuff that I have lately....I need to go back....I find it relaxing.

Family Fun Fair 2009

2009-07-01T09:07:00.013-05:00

Here are the pics of our family at this years Annual General Mills Family Fun Fair. I must say that it was much, MUCH better than last years. The weather was even better, hot and sunny, with a few brief periods of cloudiness....better than cool rain last year. Of course Kris did the new version of the dunk tank again and the kids had a blast dunking Daddy.

Can you tell who is the one that takes after daddy?

At first the water was COLD!

The next few pictures are of each of the kids near the horses....Drew and Elaine liked them, Izzy stayed as far away as I would let her, and Evan didn't care.

The kids seemed to enjoy the slide the best. AND I think that is where we spend most of our time.

Wouldn't this be a fun wagon to have?

Right before we left Kris had the older kids and had left his funnel cake sitting on top of the canopy to Evans parts of the stroller....and me, completely not thinking, closed the canopy sending the funnel cake flipping upside down and all the powdered sugar went into the mess and all over Evan. He was a sweaty sticky mess.

All and all we had a good time.

Little escapees

2009-06-23T18:02:00.004-05:00

The above picture is Drew....he learned VERY early on how to lean out of the bouncy seat and get to things that he wanted. Most of the time it was into the dishwasher. It seems like Evan is finally taking after him in the escaping. The next few pictures where taken right before I hopped into the shower this morning. Evan recently decided that he doesn't like sitting in this chair. I only ever put him in it when I am in the shower. I really do make sure that he has toys. But today he wanted the trash. EW....bathroom trash. I am so glad that the straps are tight....he could have flipped himself right out.

The Dora Slide

2009-06-23T17:55:00.003-05:00

Last night Kris decided to get out the Dora Slide. It is a Dora version of a little Slip n' Slide. The kids love it. Then somehow Evan ended up in it. I don't recall how the conversation went, and let's just say he didn't like it, but as you can tell from the picture of him wet and in Kris' arms...he sure liked it when he was done.

Kindergarden graduation for Drew

2009-06-21T17:10:00.003-05:00

I know that this is LONG overdue, but I really havne't felt much like blogging lately. I just like to read everyone elses stuff. BUT at last I know that some people have been asking for more pictures. I really thought that I had a better handle on the camera taking, but I didn't. I can't believe that I didn't take more pictures....even at home. I will try to do better, not promising just trying.

Wow Drew has graduated from Kindergarten. Can you believe it? I am so excited for him.
We had the Grandma, and Kris' parents here for the big day. We always let the kids pick out what food we eat for dinner or lunch when it is a special day for them. Drew wanted Peanut butter and Jelly Sandwich's....for everyone. He was even insisting that everyone had to eat ALL of the crust. He held his ground until the day before and then Kris managed to talk him to giving everyone a choice of Peanut butter and Jelly or meat. Boy was I ever grateful. Everything went great. He kept telling me that he was going to make me cry....AND I kept replying that I wasn't.....who was right? DREW was. I tried to hold it back, but I couldn't.
Here is when Drew got to "walk the bridge" to first grade, get his Kindergarten diploma and shake hands with the teacher. I think he forgot about the shaking hands part, he just kept trying to pull the paper out of her hand, it was like a little mini-tug of war.

Such an excited boy.

Just a little something Kris and him do.

This is Karina and Drew. We have mentioned her before. They are buds. Right after this picture was taken she turned to Drew and laid a big fat kiss right on his cheek.

Drew and Mrs. Anderson....I could not have dreamed of a better teacher for Drew!

My how people love to tag me.

2009-06-20T20:46:00.004-05:00

I've been tagged again! These are pretty fun :)

A - Age: 30-not for too much longer
B - Bed size: queen. And sometimes it still doesn't seem big enough
C - Chore you hate: catbox, putting clothes away
D – Dessert: AH...yeah....all of them...tonight it was Bread Pudding from Famous Daves!
E – Essential(s) to start your day: Thyroid meds
F - Favorite flower: Orchids and Lillies
G- Gold or Silver: Silver, I guess, or white gold or platnium
H - Height: 5 feet and 4 inches
I - Instruments you play(ed): People beg me not to
J - Job you had in high school: Receiptionist at a hair place
K - Kid(s): Elaine 8, Drew-6, Izzy 4, and Evan-8 months
L - Lunch spots: my own kitchen
M - Mom's Name: Lynne
N - Newest item bought: crayons, craft sticks, stuff to make cheesecake, milk and chips.
O - Overnight hospital stay: 4 kids
P - Pet Peeve: when someone answers a question with a question....yes I do it too.
Q- Quote from a movie: Savor it
R - Right or left handed: Left
S - Siblings: Tyler
T - Time you wake up: when the kids are in school and on Sundays it is 7:20 with one hit of the snooze bar.....other days whenever
U - Underarm deodorant?: The Dove clinical one.....very good
V - Very surprising fact: I don't like surprises....other than that baby shower
W - Ways you run late: kids can't find there shoes, or Kris forgot to let the dog out
X - X-rays you've had: teeth, CT of head 2 times, ankles a lot
Y - Yummy food you make: garlic chicken
Z - Zoo animal: otters

I tag:
Tiffany

Oh and I promise I really do have pictures and other fun things to post....It will wait.

Taggged

2009-06-10T20:04:00.003-05:00

People must know that I love these things....and this one is super short.

1. What is your favorite color? it varies...somedays its red, others yellow, I am doing orange a lot lately.
2. What is your favorite song? God Bless the USA by Lee Greenwood
3. What did you do this month, that was your favorite? saw Drew graduate from Kindergarden
4. What is your favorite candy? Candy? Favorite....I love it all!
5. What is something that you really want to learn to do? quilt, play the piano, and knit
6. What is your favorite flower? orchids and lillies
7. If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go? Europe without flying over the ocean

I tag...

everyone....if you're reading it....fill it out!

Evans first haircut

2009-05-28T09:33:00.003-05:00

Evan just got his first haircut last night. I have trimmed the top before just to keep it even. Then sides were driving me CRAZY! In these first 2 pictures you can see how it sicks over his ears really bad on his left side.

We stuck him in the Bumbo chair and put a cape over him....you have to catch as much of the hair as possible so they don't itch. We had Drew holding Evans hands under the cape and Kris manning the camera..... soon enough Kris had to hold Evans head and Elaine was manning the camera. He did great! Never once cried, just wanted to see what was going on. I like it so much better!

<
ALL DONE!

That'll teach him!

2009-05-25T17:36:00.004-05:00

Evan doesn't like to feed himself......I figured this would work......it did wonders. He is truly one of the family now....he loves Oreo's. Are we supposed to feed them to him this young? I don't remember...no citrus, no strawberries, no real cows milk, and no nuts...right? Oreo's okay then? I think so.

Memorial Day Weeknd

2009-05-25T17:23:00.003-05:00

We have had a great and very busy weekend. Starting Friday night we somehow managed to go out with some friends. It was a milestone for us....the first time leaving all, yes ALL of the kids with teenagers for babysitting! I must say they did a great job. Then on Saturday I got to shop the sales for a good part of the day....loved it, and I was very good at keeping to my list. Sunday after church we headed up to Edgerton to see Aunt Dawn and Uncle Brian, and we were so happy to see that even more of the extended family made it out too. It great catching up with everyone. I managed, or Kris managed to catch just a few pictures. I am hoping that next time we have a family thing we remember to get more pictures of everyone instead of just us. BUT hey at least I remebered the camera this time. Then on Monday we went to a VERY yummy pancake breakfast at a park with everyone from Church. We even had Waffles with this homemade Strawberry Syurp....delisous.....I asked for the recipe....simple....blend fresh strawberries and sugar....lots of sugar. It was suggested that I use between 1 and 1 1/2 cups of sugar for a normal size thing of strawberries, grocery store size, not Costco size. It is worth it.... I could of just drank the entire bottle. Here are a few pics from Sunday at the campground.

Izzy was already asleep on the way to the campground.....and boy they all were tired on the way home.

Elaine and Drew playin together.

Great Grandma Shirly and Great Aunt Jo with Evan

Grandma and Evan

The boy's

2009-05-25T17:21:00.002-05:00

Evan was sitting with Kris at the computer and Drew decided to join in....so here is a pic of "THE BOYS".

Congradulations Kris!

2009-05-25T17:16:00.005-05:00

Kris recently graduated from his Master's Program....Engineering Management, from Eastern Michigan University. We very excited to have it over with! Here are 3 pictures of the our party....yes only 3. Remember, I suck at being the camera man. I did try to get a picture of him grilling, but he put a stop to that fast, and so instead of trying so hard to be a good camera man I decided to join the party instead.

Letter to President

2009-05-25T16:04:00.004-05:00

I couldn't have said this better myself. Do you people still support him like the once did???? There is just something about him.....I don't get it. I did try to call Kathleen, and it is a real #, but no one answered.

April 27, 2009

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington , DC 20500

Mr. Obama:

I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally.

You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America. You are responsible to the citizens of the United States.

You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth. I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of Europe? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about?

Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century? Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this?

Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of S audi Arabia. You don't show20Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia . How dare you, sir! How dare you!

You can't find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you don't want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey . You offended our dead and every veteran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What's the matter with you?

I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you. You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it.

What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members - on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer.

You haven't said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely didn't! Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that's $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million - not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven't you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now.

I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you. I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country.

Sincerely,

Every Real American

P.S. I rarely ask that emails be 'passed around'.............

PLEASE SEND THIS TO YOUR EMAIL LIST......it's past time for all Americans to wake up!

Ms Kathleen Lyday
Fourth Grade Teacher
Grandview Elementary School
11470 Hwy. C
Hillsboro, MO 63050
(636) 944-3291 Phone
(636) 944-3870 Fax