Way too long....

Gideon posing it up with his spiked hair...he thinks he's hot stuff with his new do...... :0)

How cute are these cheeser's....they love eachother...sometimes.....

This pic was taken at sunset at Warren Dunes...it was absolutely beautiful...the kids LOVED it! The trip was a big success. Other than the fact that 60% of Warren Dunes folige is poisen ivy the atmosphere was perfect. There was plenty of dune climbing...tons of floatin and swimmin in the waves...taking walks...on cement paths (all wooded paths were covered with the infamous ivy)....an astronomy lesson....lots of good food...good fires and a smores extravaganza.....we had regular smores...smores with monstorous marshmellows....strawberry smores....smores with fudge shop cookies and cookies and cream chocolate bars...and smores with Reeses cups....delicious...other than the loud neighbors and an annoying baby praying mantis that settled itself between our tent roof and canopy..we slept amazingly well. The kids were thouroughly worn out when we came home but very happy too! I think we all want to do it over again next year.

Since then our lives have been crazy. I was sick for almost two weeks with what they thought was a possible kidney stone....but ended up being a combo of the new birth control pill I'm on, a nasty UTI, and an adverse reaction to the antibiotic combo'ed with my newly diagnosed IBS...that made me feel like crap for awhile...things are evening out a bit now though....(if you don't know what the pneumonics for the above mentioned things are ...you don't want too :0)..) Anyway so I've been out of service. However...still busy.....we've been running around doing all sorts of thngs to prepare for the start of school...because Gideon starts in just 2 weeks...can you believe it....I'm so not ready for summer to be over....luckily they get out May 20th and don't go back in next fall until Sept 7th....just need time to finish the school for the move in 2011...and Lucy's debute Kindergarten year....anyway...this summer stinks because it's so short but we're dealing.

Yesterday Keith and I celebrated 10 years married...actually...I celebrated...Keith forgot..hahahaha...I didn't think you were suppose to forget at 10...I thought that came later :) Anyway it doesn't really matter because we leave Sunday for a whirlwind trip of Vegas, L.A., Laguna Beach and San Diego.....I'm so excited...even though it's a work trip for Keith...I can't wait. The kids are staying with mom's and dad's and I even though I want a break from them...I know I'll be incredibly missing them by day two....such a typical mom :0).....

Anyway so that's the scoop...when we get back in a week it's going to be...go school/upper MI shopping....and then vacation/school start....and then on to September...where I'm headed to see Traci and the baby for a week and Keith goes up north on his annual fishing trip....throw in the Fair, preschool, therapy, Lucy's b-day and dance class and we've got a busy fall...hopefully I'll be able to write again soon!!

On your mark...Get set....GOOOOOOO!!!!

And we're almost off.........so we've been planning since about April to go on this camping trip to the dunes with the kiddos...I know...some may say we are completely nuts...taking 3 kids under 7 on a camping trip...but...it's only one night...I'm hoping we can hack it......we shall see....luckily it's camping... and it's only one night...so there really is no need for makeup, shampoo/conditioner and most "body cleaning" products/ lots of clothes....who wants to get all cleaned up only to sweat in a tent and get up the next day and go to the beach....pointless....so that significantly decreases the amount we have to take....food however...is a must and options are also a must...so the majority of things we are taking is food and tent-gear. We are hoping for a successful trip...oh and Jacob is coming with us!! So not only do we get to spend some quality time with our smart, talented and high quality nephew but the extra pair of hands will help too! When we come back from camping our summer will be on the fastforward setting...with Drew, Mel and Walter home next week and swim lessons every night...not to mention a make-up t-ball game...and work for me...it's going to be a busy one....followed by a busy week of Bible School and outings with friends that are in town and coming from out of town...then our trip to Vegas....a week to get ready for school to start....and then......school starts and we skip it to go on vacation in MI....whew......I don't know if I can handle this speed....hopefully I can hit the pause button in there somewhere to actually enjoy the summer :)
Update on Gideon- he hit two home-runs during his t-ball game a few weeks ago and we are currently (on the suggestion of Keith's cousin Kelli) almost done reading The Chronicles of Narnia...which both Gideon and Lucy (because her name is in it) have had their ears glued to the past week....(I did change the beer part to root beer for the kids...gotta make it pg)
Update on Lucy- She's doing great in her PT....she's having more body awareness....able to swing on the stand-up swing without falling off...jumping keeping her arms at her side....coloring a mural while standing on a teeter tottering board (I don't know if I could do that) and riding her bike better every day. She's also excitedly awaiting preschool this fall :) :)
Update on Ella- she's a stinker as always ....her favorite phrases right now are "leave me alone" and "get away"...in her manic state she also says " I loves you mama" and "I need to hold ju" when she wants to be held....Keith and I need to buy her a Ken barbie as she has been making her girl barbies kiss eachother a lot :) :) :)
Keith's keeping busy at work with lots of new responsibilities and projects....he seems to be enjoying it but feels the stress of living up to expectation.
I am doing ok...feeling old and out of sorts but ok :) I've been having some medical issues the last 6-9 months and haven't felt very good most of the summer so far but hoping that the five-million drugs I'm taking and trying to be positive will help all that :)
Hope all are well and having a great summer