Okay, so there's so much to tell ....

Saturday, July 10th ... honestly I don't even remember how the day passed, but I know it was pleasant. Mom, Kimbra and I had a really nice time chatting and just being together. Koel and Khiana are great friends and we enjoyed watching them immensely! In the evening, Mom, Kennedy, Kadi and I went to Stacey's baby shower. On the way we stopped at Target to buy some items for a game for Chrissy's shower. That was FUN! I knew she would like that! So, then to Stacey's shower ... it was nice. I didn't eat anything. I was full from ... OH THAT's what we did on Saturday ... we had lunch at Bandana's in St. Charles off of Jungerman and then we went to Walmart ... it was fun! So, at Stacey's shower I was soooo full. Bandana's was fabulous! Kimbra had never been before. She was much impressed! We all ate very well for very little. Great food. Great price. Anyhoo ... Stacey's shower. My mocha cake was a hit. I'm so glad. I made the melted ice cream cake with a devil's food cake, belgium chocolate icecream and some coffee and eggs. It was pretty much devoured. Stacey received some very nice gifts. It was nice. I wish they would name that baby Julian! Should I tell her that? It is so much nicer than Decklin and it has meaning behind it!!!! I don't understand! Ah well ... not my baby.

Sunday, July 11th ... Being in Church today was awesome. It was about trusting God. Worshipping together was a beautiful experience. We were so reminded of how our faith is to be ... pure and total. When we worry and doubt we are telling God that he can not handle our fears and problems. It is not that we are worried about a circumstance, we are worried that God can't handle it. My, that's not okay. Will led us in "Holimess" ... a different look at the song "Holiness" ... the verses we sang were all about our wants and needs ... yet with the chorus ... HOliness is what I long for .... the point was well put across. How we WAnt things. My, how I do. Yet, HOLINESS is to be what drives us. Not things. Not this world. Not our worries. Christ and His Holiness that he offers to us! That is what we are to strive for! we were all so moved by the worship that Jamie decided to forgo the sermon and we spent time in small groups sharing and praying together. It was so refreshing! I was very grateful!

After church, it was time to get Mom, Kimbra and the kids home so I could run out the door to Chris' shower. I decided to take Kennedy and Kadi with me. I'm glad I did. It was so much fun. I just enjoy so many of the people who were there! Chris, Lauren, Jenny, Laura, Brandi, Abbey, Lisa, Allison, Cindy, some of Chris' friends who I now recognize, ... it was a nice time. AND I must say Chris and Jackson did very nicely! Allison was fun. She was all in a tizzy making sure everything was okay ... so much so that she forgot to turn on the oven to cook the Spinach Artichoke dip! I giggled. What was even funnier .... when you throw a surprise party and tell the guests to arrive at 1:00 ... do you show up with the guest of honor at 1:00 also???? NO ... that was funny when at 12:55 Chrissy arrived! People were still parking all the way down the street and walking to the house! AND what makes it funnier even still is something that I won't write down because I don't know who'll read this ... but Chris, I know your secret! He,he. Kennedy played with Beverly. That was sweet to watch. She is such a beautiful baby. Kadi and Kennedy both tried to help in the gift opening ... I think they were helpful. I know they were after the party ... they helped Jenny and Cindy load all of the gifts up in Cindy's van to drive it to Chris and Eric's house! Busy little bees! I was quite pleased with them. After the shower, we walked to Chris and Eric's house and got to see Jackson's room. Too cute. Light and airy ... cheerful. Perfect. I wanted to sit and read in there ... very peaceful!

At home later, we relaxed ... well, I did ... Mom and Kimbra were already relaxing.

Monday, July 12th .... We went thrift store shopping! IT was so much fun to take my mom shopping there ... I already knew that Kimbra liked it ... but I think Mom caught the bug ... she found three pairs of pants, a shirt, a vest and a Pierre Cardin bag to carry it all home in ... ALL for $5!!!!! Fabulous! I was so proud! Kimbra loaded up too for Khiana and the baby. We had so much fun!

In the evening we took a journey. Lauren, Kelsey, Justin, Jenny, Mom, Kimbra, Khiana, Keenan, Kennedy, Kadi, Koel and I all loaded up (in two cars) and headed over to Pete's place ... her little casa. Her abode. We all oooed and ahhhed. Of course I had seen it already! It was quite pleasant. And while there, Jennifer found a book about economic levels and decided to quiz me on what level I belong on. I could survive reasonably well at poverty level. Just fine in middle class and not at all in upper class. Funny. When listening to the questions that would relate you to upper class, I found I'm really not interested at all in that kind of existence. Truly.

After oooing and ahhhing, we all loaded up ... Jami Petey too, and went off to get Snow Cones. That was a good time also. Poor Justin spilled his, but they gave him a new one. All the kids had Bubble Gum flavored snow cones.

(Kadi just came in and told me ..."Mommy, sissy broke my feelings.")

Tuesday, July 13th .... was nap day. Mom, Kimbra and I all took naps. It was also the day of 'waterpark' in the backyard for the kids. That was cute. Khiana and Koel especially had a great time! I took pictures ... I'll make sure and include one on my blog! I cooked steak for dinner and we had green beans, mashed potatoes and garlic bread also. We invited Kent over for dinner ... and I had a Karen appointment. Good day.

Wednesday, July 14th ... Woody and Rose came from Chicago to get Kimbra and Khiana. We shared some frozen pizza and a bit of playtime for Grandpa Woody and the grandkids. It was hard to say goodbye to Khiana. She is such a doll. And I must say I truly appreciated the visit with Kimbra. It was so refreshing to see her so relaxed and peaceful. .... After they left, Grandma Margie played Clue with Keenan, Kennedy and Kadi while Koel slept. Then I joined in for a game of 1313 Dead End Drive ... that game went rather slowly let me just say .... Then, when Koel woke up we went to Lauren's house so she could have a crochet lesson from Mom. I giggled a lot. She did very well though. And while we crocheted, the children swam .. all but Koel and Justin ... Koel played and Justin slept. We had McDonalds for dinner ... because ... Keenan, Kennedy, and Kadi cleaned the living room and kitchen without asking earlier in the day! So fabulous! Then, after dinner, Jenny came over and all of us loaded up in two cars again and went to Cosco out in St. Peters. It was interesting. I must say I like Sam's better. Mom says Cosco was nice because it didn't smell like tires the way Sam's does. That made me giggle. After we arrived home, Momma and I talked until midnight. I enjoyed that. I hated to go to bed, but I was soooo tired.

Thursday ... July 15th. I went to sleep before 12:15 this morning, but I was awake at 4:54 and have been up ever since. I tried to go back to sleep ... but I could not. So at 5:45 I was up and working in the office. I accomplished a couple of things this morning that needed desperately to be done, so that is good. But I so tired! Here's a kicker ... my girls were up between 6 and 6:20, both of them ... they have Mom radar I think ... if I'm awake, they are too. I made them both go back to sleep, which they did.

I think the funniest thing happened this morning ... EVER ....I will include pictures of it in a moment ... Koel got a hold of my water hose while I was talking to Scott our neighbor this morning .... he was watering our flowers! Hilarious!!!! Of course, he also tried to water Keenan and me ... he was soooo pleased with himself! I just had to get pictures! It was great!

So, here I sit ... at 9:50 a.m. Ready for a nap, but not able to take one ... just yet.
Koel is wired and causing messes ... Grandma is getting a bit flustered, so I must go and help out with my own offspring ... he,he