Snow days #9 & 10

Another snow day today...#9 and we were notified before 3 pm today that there is no school again tomorrow.  Although I am saying snow day, it's actually because of the low temperatures.  I think the high tomorrow is 5 and with all the windchills, I think the low is like -30.  Crazy!!  

So this morning Blake gets up and asks if he has school (that's how common snow days are).  Tom told him that he did.  Blake's respons - "Awesome!  Not that I don't want to go to school, Dad, but if we keep having snow days, I'll get to celebrate my birthday at school!!!!!"  

Today was our big day - we signed papers and the old house is officially sold!!  What a huge relief this is!!!  So very thankful!!!! :-)

Welcome 2014

Just like that, we are almost a month into 2014.  I went through my 2013 pictures and got them all organized and ordered so I can start scrapbooking the year.  What a great year we had!!  Some of the things I'm looking forward to scrapbooking include Blake's broken thumb, our hold house and the new house, Blake playing T-ball, Cora's dance pictures, camping in Caseville, swim lessons, Blake's 6th birthday and Cora's 4th birthday, visit to GR, Detroit Zoo, our 11th anniversary, the kids' first day of school, Cora riding her bike with no training wheels, Halloween, New Years and of course Christmas!  Phew...what a busy but fun year we've had!!

I've never before looked forward to a Monday like I am to this coming Monday.  We sign papers for the sale of our old house!!  We are so happy that it sold fairly quickly in this market.  I made a comment the other day to a friend, saying that "we are so lucky!!".  She corrected me by saying, "Shannon, you aren't lucky....you are blessed."  Very true.

Michigan weather has been a little crazy this winter. Blake has already had 8 snow days!!  And January isn't even over yet.  He had 5 days all in a row right after Christmas break (therefore having a full 3 weeks off of school!) due to a snow storm that we had which had lasting affects of icy roads for awhile.  GreenStone even closed the office for 2 straight days, which was a first!!  It's also been extremely cold (negative temperatures) with high winds, which makes it that much harder to bear!  Oh well, just thankful that we have a warm (and well insulated) house! :-)

That's about all the news fit to print for today.

Fall random photos

I can't help but laugh every time I see this photo!!

I think they really do love each other!

Jess and I at our 15 year reunion.

Halloween 2013

Cora's field trip to the library.

Taking a break from our walk in the woods

Grandpa and Cora shooting the BB gun

Blake shooting the BB gun.

Swim lessons

The kids finished up their 6 week session of swim lessons in November.  They are both doing a great job getting used to the water.  Blake can swim all the way across the shallow end without touching bottom!!  Cora is also doing a great job but is not quite swimming on her own.  It won't be long though!  They go to swim lessons at Katie Tovar's in Sandusky.

Blake funnies

While I'm thinking of these, I figure I better jot them down!

When Blake went to the doctor for his six year check up back in August, his dad took him.  One of the things the doctor asked him to do was draw a picture of someone.  Apparently they have to assess how many body parts he associates with the person....I think they are loking for a head, 2 eyes, a nose and a mouth.  Well...Blake is a bit of an overachiever apparently....He proceeded to draw a picture of his dad.....sitting on the toilet!!  Apparently the doctor had no problem figuring out what he drew!!  Phew...glad I didn't take him to that appointment!

We were at church a couple of weeks ago and at one point Blake leans over and whispers to me, "Mom....when's it going to be Black Forehead Friday?"  I bit my tounge trying to hold back the laughter and said, "Do you mean Ash Wednesday?"  He thought for a second and says, "oh yeah!"

September Update

Now that we are halfway through September, it’s time for another update!!  Blake started first grade this year.  His teacher is Mrs. Polewach and he is in a split class which means he is with both first and second graders.  He is enjoying school so far.  This week he had his first real homework – he had to read us a book.  His reading level absolutely amazes me!!  He is such a strong reader and I really couldn’t be prouder.  It amazes me the big words that he knows and his ability to sound out words that he doesn’t.  His first spelling test is Friday and it’s looking like that should be a breeze for him too.  Little Miss Cora started Pre-School this month.  Wow, how time flies.  It seems like she should be too little for pre-school!  She has Mrs. Maitland and Mrs. (Kayla) Keinath for her teachers and she absolutely loves it so far!  She also started dance class and has two weeks in already.  It will consist of both ballet and tap.  She really enjoys that as well. 

August seemed to fly by as well.  We had a garage sale over at my moms and was able to get rid of a lot of stuff that just seemed to be accumulating and multiplying over the last couple of years.  The nice thing is that if we want to have another garage sale next year, we will have our own garage to have it in!  We also went down to the Detroit Zoo for a day in August.  The kids enjoyed it, as did Tom and I (less all the crazy Detroit traffic).  We also went camping out at Forester Park labor day weekend.  Unfortunately Tom was sick and spent most of the weekend at home.

My latest obsession is with doTERRA essential oils!  A friend of mine introduced them to me back in late July and I decided to sign on as a consultant/wholesale member.  I had no intentions of selling the oils, I just wanted to use them for my personal use (they can basically replace every over the counter and prescription medications) but here I am, 45 days later and I have already enrolled 13 people and now my oils are free because I’m earning some money along the way!  They really are fabulous and we have all noticed their benefits.  I have replaced my acne pills and allergy pills with oils over the last few weeks and have had no problems with acne or allergies.  What is great about the oils is that they will not only target the symptoms, they will target the source of the problem (hormone imbalance for acne) and for the allergies, the oils will actually help to build up my immunity to the allergens.  I have used other oils for headaches, digestive issues, and to lose weight.  I just can’t say enough good things about them.  I just wish I would’ve had them when the kids were babies!

I have to share a Blake-ism from yesterday…..We were watching a show on TV and I have no idea what it was about, but Blake started asking about hamburger and where it comes from.  Well, he knew it came from cows because we had told him that before, but I guess we didn’t give him enough of an explanation.  He says to me, “Mom, do cows just poop out the hamburger with mustard and ketchup on it?”  I’m not sure where he comes up with this stuff!!!

July 16th Update

Wow, how things have changed in six weeks’ time!!  The big news is that we have relocated to 1550 E French Line Rd, Carsonville.  We purchased our home 7/1/13 and are now south of Sandusky, only about 6 miles from town – ALL PAVED ROADS!!!  We had been keeping our eye out for houses, but not looking too serious.  Basically if the right house came along, we would act on it but otherwise we were content where we were.  It was a very stressful month of packing, moving, getting a mortgage and dealing with appraisals and unpacking, but I’m happy to say we are all settled in and almost every box is unpacked.  The kids really like the new house and had no problems with the transition.  We now have the old house up for sale.  It is bittersweet, but mostly sweet.  Our new house is 3 bedrooms, 2 bath with a full finished basement complete with my own scrapbooking room/office and exercise room!  We also have a garage with a garage door opener as well as a detached garage a.k.a man cave.  We are on 5 beautiful wooded acres with a pond.  We are very happy with our decision and pray that it was the right one for our family.  It was a risky move, considering we still own the other house and the housing market is not that great right now.  However, we feel that this was the direction that God wanted us to take.  Here are a few pictures of the house.

 view from the front

 playset for the kiddos

 A garage for me and one for Tom too!

 The backyard is very picturesque

 more of the back yard

 nature trail leading to our own little getaway

 path to the back of the property

 Here it is...our little slice of heaven!

 complete with a firepit!

 are you noticing all the PHOTO OPS back here?!?!?  I sure did!

  Main floor

 living room

We were very fortunate to purchase a house that was partially furnished that needed absolutely nothing - not even paint!!!

Blake finished his T-ball season in June and he really enjoyed it this year.  I must say it was more enjoyable for Tom and I as well.  Last year seemed like such a long season and Blake seemed to have a harder time focusing.  This year, he was much more attentive and did a really good job.  Cora finished her swim lessons and can’t wait to start again.  She did a really good job and loves the water.  They will both start lessons again in October.  We’ve gone on only one camping trip so far this summer.  We went to Caseville with Dad & Lyn and Jody & Brian and the girls the last weekend in June.  The kids had such a great time playing together.  We also had a couple of graduation parties in June for Tom’s cousins – Mike Wracan and Ben Edwards.  We also got to meet up with Chuck and Jennell when they were in Michigan on July 3^rd. 

So, what is new with Blake and Cora?  Again, I’m kicking myself for not writing this stuff down.  These kids crack me up on a daily basis and still continue to amaze me with their smarts and wit.  The one that comes to mind is Cora and eggs.  She wanted me to make her eggs, “the way you eat them mom…when you dip your toast in the oil.”  “Oil?” I asked.  “Yeah, that yellow stuff in the eggs – oil.” J  I’m not sure where she comes up with this stuff!

Blake continues to ask questions that I wouldn’t expect him to ask for a couple years now!  He always wants to know the details and “why”.  Of course, this certainly isn’t a bad thing.  He told me the other night that he wants to be a scientist when he grows up, and maybe a cop too – in his free time.

Other news is that I am an aunt again!  Jeff and Tricia welcomed Sophia Grace Regentin to the world on Sunday, July 14^th.  She was 5lb, 15oz and 19” long.  Tiny!!  The kids are very excited and can’t wait to meet her.  When I told the kids, Blake’s questions went something like this –

Blake -  “What’s her first name?”

Me – “Sophia”

Blake – “What’s her middle name?”

Me – “Grace”

Blake – “What’s her last name?”

Me – “Regentin”

Blake – “What’s her nickname?”

Me – “She doesn’t have one yet!”

Like I said, he always wants to know the details!  He is such a thinker too.  For father’s day this year, I helped the kids make a book for their dad “All About My Dad.”  They had to answer several questions about their dad’s demographics as well as his likes/dislikes, etc.  I did a book from each of them, so I questioned each of them on their own.  When I questioned Cora, she would shoot the answer out instantly.  Then there was Blake…he had to mull over every question and think it out, and then rethink it again. He just had to make sure he had the right answer and make sure he thought each question through and through.  It was cute.  Just a way to see the uniqueness in their personalities.

The kids have been playing really well together.  I don’t know if it’s their ages or because its summer vacation and they are spending more time together.  The only boxes not unpacked are a few boxes of toys and they haven’t even noticed that all their toys aren’t unpacked yet.

Blake will be turning six at the end of the month.  August will be kind of quiet for us, I think.  We will be having a garage sale to get rid of lots of stuff and maybe we will squeeze in a camping trip.

Before we know it, it will be “back to school time.”  Yikes.  How does this happen so quickly?  Blake will be going into first grade and my baby girl will be starting pre-school.  It really is hard to believe -  especially after holding a newborn baby the other day.  Time really does fly and it is so precious.