Class of 2023

Ruthie had Kindergarten roundup the other night. She loved it. She has been ready for school since her 3rd birthday when we drove by a school bus and she said "turn around they are probably going to our house to pick me up since I am 3!"

The parents go to a parents meeting in the gym and the kids are sent to the different classrooms. They colored, and went and saw the bus (which after the motion sickness fiasco of Disney we will not be riding). The teacher's aide mentioned to me that "Ruthie was MORE than ready" for Kindergarten.

My hope for her is that she has fun, learns a thing or 2, and makes some good friends!

At the meeting one of the speakers gave a speech and welcomed the class of 2023. That gave me chills.

** Another thing about learning something new everyday about your husband. I told him that gave me chills and I was all sentimental. He was like what are you talking about? Apparently that is not something they do in England, refer to classes by their graduating year. The American school system is going to be a drastic change for Simon.

Our Luck

**As soon as I write something positive it changes.
Lucy was up ALL night coughing her head off! Then this morning her face was so flushed I was convinced she had a high fever. Just 100*. For now. Ruthie just woke up walked into the room crying that she can't breathe and her nose is stuffed!

** Simon has been out of town, so I am on overdrive trying to keep the girls occupied and not cying about daddy and guernsey all day so we go for a bike ride last night. About a mile into it Lucy wipes out. I thought for sure she was going to leave more skin on the sidewalk than on her body but just got her elbow. She was SO amazing, after some crying got back onto the bike and rides to my friends nearby to get bandaids. While there, Ruthie wipes out on a scooter and skins her knee really well. She is limping and complaining. GREAT. We get on our bikes and ride 1.25 miles home. And they both sob until they get into bed.

** We have playdates, picnics, trips to the park, trips to the mall, bike rides, trampoline jumping, school. I havn't slept all week with Simon gone and our watchdog gone and a crazy sleeper Ruthie in my bed. I am counting the minutes until Simon is home. I AM EXHAUSTED!

10 on Tuesday

My friend Erin updates her blog like this on Tuesday and since I have been horrible lately at blog posts thought this might help....

1. We finally have gotten every one's allergies under control! We have the girls on 2 daily medications, have not had to use the neubelizer lately, and I am the only one starting to feel congested so a little worried about that.

2. Lucy is crazy lately, so funny, LOVING school, she learned to snap and not only has been singing and dancing all over but snapping too. I am loving her great mood.

3. Went for a killer bike ride last night (killer as in, hard as heck, I need to get out more) I am sore and ready for more. Have been missing the gym but have enjoyed exercising in the great weather. Still trying to get used to my new wheels.

4. Simon has been crazy busy with work. He is 2 weeks away from finishing his second to last class. I can so see the light at the end of this Master's tunnel! I just hope he can.

5. Ruthie has Kindergarten roundup this week. I can't believe we are registering her for Kindergarten. She is more than ready and super excited.

6. We are still working through missing our Guernsey. Our Kennel (which Guernsey LOVED) sent us a sympathy card with a picture of a Chocolate lab on it and I just sobbed. They said how awesome he was and how much he will be missed. He really was a great dog. And everyone knew it. He would let kids sit on him, let the girls walk him, slept on their bed, so protective.

7. He just got sick, real quick was only 9 and it was his time. Diabetes, lost 20+ pounds and was really distant and wanted to be outside. It was his time. Still doesn't make it any easier to come home to a house where he isn't barking and running to greet us.

8. I have already come to terms with a new puppy in our near future. Not till the fall, but my Ruthie is just lost without her dog. I am just praying I don't end up with a Marley dog.

9. I owe Ruthie a mani/pedi this weekend. She said that might make her feel better.

10. I am finally coming to grips with no more snow. With the Midwest you never know. I think this weekend we are going to pack away the snowpants, snowboots and coats. Spring Cleaning is officially on for our house this weekend. (you know it is going to snow once we pack our stuff away)

10. *** Nothing makes Simon more happy than to hear #10.

Guernsey - Good Bye Old Friend

I Had to send Guernsey to Heaven last night......

It was awful.......

We hit the road to get away from the sadness....

We are all taking it hard, but Ruthie is taking it the hardest.

American Girls

Walking to the store

We took the girls to AG in Chicago for their birthdays. They had an amazing time! We asked them if they wanted to go for breakfast, lunch or dinner and they chose breakfast. We took them for shopping and fun and FUN was had by ALL.

They were so excited looking at everything and enjoying everything. Ruthie chose a trundle bed and outfit for her doll and Lucy chose a backpack and a ballerina outfit for her doll.

They were so funny begging to make this our team birthday tradition, and having so much fun with all they could experience.

Simon and I kept looking at each other the entire time with huge smiles on our faces.

Look at that dad with his cute kids toting his treasures from AG. TOO CUTE!

Chicago!

We took the girls to Chicago for their birthdays. To American Girl and to see Grammy Ruthie.

We had an AMAZING time. We first went to see my Grammy, the girls Great Grandma - Grammy Ruthie. (Obviously Ruthie's namesake) Ruthie is AMAZING She was so loving and understanding at the nursing home. Telling Grammy how much she loved her and not afraid at all. She loved playing in the wheelchairs and hanging out in Grammy's room.

We also loved playing at our cousin/Aunt's house in Highland Park. The girls loved playing with Kelly's dogs and cousin Kelly is great with kids!

When we finally made it to Chicago in the mid-afternoon on Easter the girls were thrilled that the Voigts were still at their condo. We hung out with them and went to dinner at Gino's East. Pizza and writing on the wall was tons O fun for everyone!

Only thing......Why does it ALWAYS rain whenever we go anywhere!



Walking to dinner on Sunday night.

Seriously, it is getting kinda old!

Happy Birthday Lucy

Happy Birthday Lucy. Wow 4 years old! We no longer have any babies at our house. Nothing but big kids.

Lucy's birthday request was a princess party! She had specific requests for the cake - a castle with princesses on it, the decor - wall hangings to make the inside of our house to look like a castle, a costume party, a castle pinata, and a tea party.

Pinata

Well, she received it all! Nothing was left out. When I brought the cake home before her party and took it out of the box, she was speechless. Took a huge gasp and had the BIGGEST smile on her face you ever did see!

We humored the boys that attended and let them dress up as Pirate's full with foam swords. And even let them do a pirate craft instead of princess.

Her party was just a few hours before Ruthie's so we had a very full day of activity! But I know that she was SOO happy with the way her party turned out!

Ryan the pirate

Happy Birthday Ruthie

Who is having fun!!!

cupcake

obstacle course

throwing confetti

Happy Birthday Ruthie!!!! I just can't get over the fact that we have a 5 year old. It really seems like it was just yesterday we were at the hospital with our brand new baby girl!

We had tons of family and friends stay at our house for the weekend so that we could all enjoy the festivities. And enjoy we did. The girls LOVED celebrating in Michigan and unfortunately for some this may be a new tradition. But we have tons of room and love visitors!

Ruthie shared her birthday with her great buddy Ryan from school. His mom, is the photographer that took our awesome pictures and is my wonderful new friend. Their birthdays are only a few days apart and they both wanted to have their parties at Jungle Joes (The indoor bounce place)

Their were lots of school friends and family friends and tons of bouncing, food, and fun. I am a firm believer in parties away from home now! There was something awesome about seeing the mess and walking away from it!

Uncle Marty - he is literally about 2 stories up on a bounce castle.

Ruthie, Ellie and David

Gammy and Lucy

Harper and Lucy

My shopping buddies

Oh my gosh, were they really this little?

Today was a wonderful day. Weird in a way. I had the most amazing fun day with my girls. I needed to go shopping for the girls summer stuff and I had to take them since I would need Ruthie who is so hard to shop for so she could try stuff on. With the closest mall being 25 mins away, it was easier to bring them with me, than to buy stuff, bring home, then return. The first store, we PILED our arms with clothes and away they go to the fitting room and they must have tried on about 100 different items. At that point they both had huge smiles on their faces and said they were having SO MUCH FUN!

***Funny side note, Lucy has decided she will not wear anything unless it has yellow, orange, or pink in it. She even went as far to pick out the brightest orange Keen's you ever did see. Great, may as well embrace it with her. Ruthie even picked out a few dresses!

Then off to the mall, we went and tried on more clothes, where we had even more fun. At one point Lucy says to me.... Mommy, shopping with you is SO MUCH FUN!





Off to the carousel for a ride and then McDonalds in the mall.





They were having the time of their lives, while this shopping trip was something I was dreading, they were the best sports and I had a huge smile on my face.


Yes I know, this is not exactly a great thing and I had huge fast forwards of when they are 16 and 17, but today was a wine and I am taking it and putting it in the WIN column. Check summer shopping off the list.

Thank goodness for friends and family coupons!


***** LUCY is hysterical. Not only did she have a great time last night after her shower we couldn't get her to put on anything other than her new clothes and yes my friends...... SHE SLEPT IN THEM!!!!!

LUCY The Great!

At the very old age of 3 years and 11 months, Lucy road her bike without training wheels this week for the first time! What a big kid! She is doing so totally awesome!





She REALLY wants a new disney princess bike and has been kinda talking about it alot. Simon and I talked and decided we weren't going to get her one until the summer once she has been riding her bike a little more frequently. So since she wouldn't stop talking about it we told her that maybe we were going to wait until she could ride without training wheels. Seeing as we never really tried to do that and her balance is not necessarily her strong suit we thought we had a good few months.



Monday while Ruthie was at school and it was beautiful she brings up the bike again and she gets the same response from me..... "Well, Lucy how about we get you a brand new big kid bike when you ride without training wheels." She looks at me and at Ruthie's old Dora bike we brought out for one of Ruthie's friend last week and says "Well then lets go!"



She started just going down our driveway balancing, without pedaling then after a few runs of that she started pedaling! Then she was off. The first day was rather comical as she couldn't turn very well so she would end up running into all the snow banks on the side of the road but that girl was determined!



She was soooo funny, she said "When daddy gets home and watches me he is going to cry!"



Now that she has a few days under her belt she is starting and stopping all on her own and turning too! Ruthie has been working with her because she feels like if you are on your bike you need to ride as fast as possible, yet Lucy is a little more cautious!



Ruthie's Bike Story



I can't believe my girls are getting SOO big!



Of course now, she is like..... Ummmmmm, where is my new bike? Guess that plan backfired!