vacation photos....FINALLY!!

I spent well over 2 hours trying to get these photos uploaded and made into a montage. It's a bit 'busy', but hang in there and enjoy the pictures! It only took me 2 months to get them organized! :) Click on the picture below, but let me warn you - it's 10 minutes long!



Florida Vacation, 2008

It all started like any other day...

It started like any other Monday, I set my alarm (okay, my husband set my alarm) and I woke up at 7AM with the toddler up soon after yelling, "Daddy, I'm done with my nappies". (she always calls for him in the morning, but he's long gone for work)

I got her all set up with breakfast and PBS and threw in a load of laundry before heading up to take a shower. Today was a school day, so we had an hour and a half to get ready before heading out the door.

I went up, took a shower and was getting ready when I heard this "THUD" downstairs. I waited and hear the cries start about 2 seconds later. I ran downstairs and saw the preschooler sitting next to the cat's food/water crying, "I slipped and fell". I saw there was something wet on the floor. My first reaction, "Did you accidentally pee on the floor?", "no" she says. My second reaction, "Did you spill Pookie's water bowl?", "I slipped on the water, it was just spraying everywhere!" she responds. I was confused, but then looked around.

I saw water EVERYWHERE!! It seemed to be coming from the laundry room.....yes, the washing machine (a front-load) exploded!! (not literally, of course). There was water all over the floor, spilling out into the dining room area. I rushed to get towels and started sopping up the mess. It was all under control and I thought everything was fine...

...until the washing machine door blew open again and water started gushing out once again. I ran to shut the door and turn off the machine, but not until after at least 3 gallons of water sprayed all over the floor again -- my newly cleaned floor (HA!) So, I ran to get another set of 10 towels to sop up the mess. I also got the floor fan to attempt to dry some of the water and set the washing machine to spin -- I wasn't going to dare try to run the machine again without supervision.

As the water lay on the floor and towels attempting to dry some of it up, we rushed out the door (only after spilling my coffee, of course!) to go to school (only 5 minutes behind schedule, not bad!). But, then we ran into a 'dead' train -- sitting on the tracks. I turned around and figured out an alternative route, only to run into the train tracks again! Did, I also mention it was pouring down rain at this point.

I finally gave up and parked my car at the train tracks, called the school to tell them we would be late and just sat and enjoyed the moment. We ended up only being about 8 minutes late for school and I am back home drying some towels and cleaning the floor once again....nothing like a shiny tile floor, huh?

Since coming home, I have found water in the basement, wet boxes of dishes (note to self, only store items in rubbermaid containers!). I have the dehumidifier running, cleared out the 10x4 foot area where the water is located, have a small space heater and an occilating fan from our neighbor running as well to dry out the area.

Things couldn't get worse, right? Well, at lunch I spilled my glass of milk all over the table, just missing the library books we just checked out!

I think I'm going to take a nap and hope that this afternoon is better -- if it's not, we're sitting on the couch and reading books the rest of the night and I'm not laying my fingers on another item in this house!!!

Please let my day go a bit smoother, I promise to slow down and enjoy the moment -- I think God was speaking to me this morning and telling me to stop, listen and relish each moment -- instead of trying to do too much. Sometimes you just need the message thrown in your face or sprayed across your floor to realize He's speaking to you!

Who are those blue guys?

Do you know who these little blue guys are? I'm sure if you're old enough to get onto the computer, find my blog and read the blog then, in fact, you should know who these guys are:


But, I found out how old I really am when my daughter and I completed this 100 piece puzzle and took ot over to share with the babysitting family. Jeffrey (age 5) scrunched up his nose while looking at the box and said, "Who are those blue guys?" in a somewhat hesitant voice -- not knowing what to think of them. Yes, I guess he wouldn't know who they were, huh? Why would he? They were on TV quite a while ago......and quite a while ago now I was a child.

Funny how time flies and all of a sudden you realize that you are an adult, a mother and quite possibly on the edge of being at the "middle of you life", closer to 'mid-life' than you really feel comfortable being...

We're HOOKED!

...on America's Got Talent (our daughter calls it, "America's STILL Got Talents")

here's two of our favorite acts.....we've even gone crazy -- we voted for our favorite performers!




From Door County, Wisconsin:

Does she know something?

We haven't told our preschool daughter that we're having another baby yet. Last time we told her and then had to tell her that "God isn't ready for us to have a baby yet" when we had a miscarriage in October of last year. That was one of the hardest moments of my life. So, it's hard to sit down and tell her when both my husband and I are hesitant to get excited and 'connected' to this baby growing inside me yet. We are both optimistic, but it's still hard not knowing from day to day how everything is going inside there. I am 'officially' 14 weeks and go back to the doctor next week.

Anyway, our daughter loves to draw pictures of people and her most recent family photo:

She told me this was a picture of, "daddy, mommy, {her name} and a baby". This was drawn on July 1st. I was only 2 weeks pregnant at this time, so I know there's no way she was picking up on 'baby' by the size of my belly yet. (it's quite obvious by now -- I'm in maternity clothes already). So, I guess she had some insight we didn't even know about at that time!

Another instance: she was watching TLC yesterday morning and after the "Magic School Bus" show starts regular programming and "The Baby Story" was beginning. Before I could change the chanel, she saw a lady having an ultrasound. I told her, "Oh this is a show about mommies having babies". Her response, "I know, I saw you on there" (!!!) I asked her what that meant and she just said, "I don't know".

Interesting what children pick up...I think she really knows there's a baby in my tummy. But, I don't know if she really understands what the means. She's the queen bee at our house right now. When her 'reign' ends in late February, there will be uproar in the Reilly kingdom!

The First Day

Well, it's come and gone and we've all survived: the first day of school!!! Daddy worked from home today so we could all go together (and for some emotional support for me if needed). I tried to get the preschooler to stand by a tree or some significant area in our yard -- you know, so we could do a tradional 'first day of school' picture every year, for the next 15 years. But, as many parents of preschoolers/toddlers know, that was almost impossible! Here's the best shot I could get:

I'll keep trying in the next couple of days to get a better "first day of school" picture...at least by a tree or something -- so, we can watch her grow over the years....


The preschooler in our house has been excited about starting school, that is, until we were driving there and almost at the school. You see, she often pretends she is "baby Yoshi", a character from the Mario game on Nintendo GameCube that they play at the babysitter's house (long story, maybe I'll go into it sometime...). At least 90% of her days she is "Baby Yoshi" and not my real daughter. This morning was no different. However, as we were pulling into the drop-off line at school, she announces, "I'm Baby Yoshi and babies don't go to school"!!

I don't even remember what we told her to get her out of the car...but, I think when her teacher came to the car door she forgot about being "Baby Yoshi" and remembered her real name.

Here we are, at school. Her teacher, Mrs. F (I'll protect her identity) came to the car to pick her up. We are beginning to learn the drop-off and pick-up line rules: the teacher comes out to get them and the teacher brings them out to the car. No parents allowed to bring them into school. I'm sure it's for organization and so the morning run a little smoother with structure.

After the special first day of school, the preschooler got to choose what restaurant we went out to for lunch. At first she chose Portillo's, but then as we pasted Red Robin she yelled out, "I mean I want Red Robin!". So, that's where we went and she even got to share daddy's chocolate milkshake.

What a special day!

Our new "project"

I'm ready to make the 'formal' announcement now: WE ARE PREGNANT!


I am 'officially' 13 weeks and 2 days, but have been measuring about a week bigger - so, more like 14 and 1/2 weeks. I haven't been wanting to make the announcement on the blog, for fear of something happening. With everything that happened back in October of last year, I've been hesitant with saying too much. But, I decided today was the day to make the announcement!

It's not been an easy road, even though I was expecting smooth sailing. I was in the ER 3 weeks ago with bleeding and ultimately, I think I miscarried a twin. My hormone levels were so high at my 8-10 week appointments, that my doctor was questioning twins!! But, right now I have one healthy, growing baby in my stomach and for that I am very thankful. My doctor is watching me closely and I'll keep updating on here...

We having told the preschooler yet. My fear is that we will tell her and then have to tell her (again) that "God doesn't want us to have a baby right now, maybe later". Although my stomach is growing quickly, I suspect she may know more than I think!

The little boy at the babysitters told her the other day about the baby (spilled the beans!). The preschooler's response: "Oh, I love babies", and then proceeded to keep playing. She hasn't mentioned anything to us yet....so, I'm not quite sure she fully gets it. We'll tell her in a couple of weeks...

First Impression

This past week the toddler, her daddy and I went to the toddler's school for "parent orientation" -- yes, it's crazy they have 'orientation' for preschool!

The toddler went to play with some other children in a classroom while daddy and I listened to the director telling us about drop off and pick up routines, dress code and of course, tuition!

We were all able to meet the toddler's teacher, Mrs. Figola. The toddler (I guess I need to call her the preschooler now, huh?) was THRILLED beyond words to meet Mrs. Figola. You see the 5 year old at the daycare house, Jeffrey, also had Mrs. Figola as a teacher!

When it was time to leave, after an hour of orientation, the preschooler started crying and screaming, "I WANT TO GO TO SCHOOL, I DON'T WANT TO LEAVE!". Daddy had to grab her by the hand and lead her outside, through the throngs of other parents staring at our preschooler.

Nice first impression, huh?

Body Art

What's more fun than laying on the driveway, looking up at the passing clouds and outlining your toddler with chalk?


...having your toddler trace your large body and it coming out looking more like a monster than human.

For boys only?

I don't really think of myself as a feminist or a huge 'women's right' movement proponent. Not that I'm against women's rights, of course I am for them. But, I also don't feel prejudiced against or not given opportunities because I am a female in this day and age.

But, since having a daughter I have noticed quite a few instances where we as a society need to do a little work:



You see, my daughter likes race cars. For those of you who know me and my family you know my daughter LOVES the movie Cars and LOVES Kasey Kahne (see previous posts) and my husband and I see no problem with that and we let her have her little obsessions. (although at times I want to tell her the movie is broken because I'm SO TIRED of watching it!)

She also likes to color, so when you can print coloring pages off the internet of her favorite topics (and Kasey Kahne's car at that), that's even better!

However what I'm offended and upset by is the website. Take a look:

Can you see that address? coloring-pages-book-for-kids-boys.com WHAT?!?!? For boys? You mean if you're a girl a) you can't view/print this page and b) you must not like cars ????

That's a ridiculous website -- I still can't believe it! My husband printed the pages. If I found that website, I would have refused to print the page and kept looking. I suppose the princess pages are "for-girls" only, huh? It's the year 2008, come on people -- get with the program: equality for all! (yes, that's a very liberal statment for me)

My feminist blood is still boiling...