FIVE

FIVE is a big number around here right now as Rylee's birthday is quickly approaching. I saw this on another blog moments ago and just knew that I had to post it here. There is a book by Compendium called "5". If you haven't seen their products, you should go check them out. I personally love their books although I only own one. This new one is going on my Christmas list!

The video made me think and so I am thinking out loud so that I can look back on it 5 years from now to see where God has taken me. Where do I want to be 5 years from now?

1. Having a better understanding of God's word and a deeper relationship with Him.
2. Continuing on life's journey with my husband and best friend - even more adventures and laughter!
3. Home with my children to greet them after a long day of school.
4. Working part-time from home doing something I love to do - What does that look like? I have absolutely no idea! I know that I am happiest when I am doing for others and crafting (cards, scrapbooking, paper crafts, fonts/typography etc). So, where that takes me is a mystery.
   
5. 30 lbs. lighter!! Hey, it's the truth - I need to put it out there!!
   

Where do you want to be 5 years from now?

Quarantine

We've got IT! We are not completely sure what IT is, but we've got IT! Last night was a lovely night - lots of sarcasm and slurring of words. It all began at 1 AM with Ryan crying in his sleep. Then came Morgan getting sick, Ryan's bloody nose, and Rylee getting sick. UGH!! Just as Mike and I would get everyone settled and we would start to drift off to sleep someone different was waking us up. This is the scene this morning...

I absolutely hate it when my babies are sick!! Thankfully, they came down with this when they did as we have a big excursion planned soon. Oh, where is our little carrier, Ryan? Well, he is pacing the house because he has no one to play with and he isn't allowed to "hang out" with Morgan and Rylee. Looking back on the week, he did not eat much mid-week and there were several times that I thought he had a temperature. He was acting fine and looked fine so, I didn't think much about it. But now, I think he brought IT home!

What do Noah and Soccer Moms have in common?

Rylee, of course! Our weeks are not complete without Rylee's insight on the world...

Morgan's hair has gotten a little shaggy. So, while I was discussing with Morgan that we needed to get him a haircut, Rylee piped in with "Are you like Noah or somein'?"

From this.... To this...

Side Note: Last Friday, the Reagle Cinemas hosted a family outdoor movie for our bible study class and we watched Evan Almighty. Rylee seemed a little disturbed by the fact that Noah's (aka Evan's) hair kept growing...

On to the soccer moms... At dinner the other night, I said something to Mike about seeing someone we know in town and knowing that it was her because of her son's sports stuff was all over the back of her car. Mike made the comment about "soccer moms". Morgan proceeded to ask what a soccer mom was...Rylee looked at him and said "Mommies that play soccer!"

There you have it! Another addition of the "The World According to Rylee". If you have any puzzling life questions or just don't understand what something means, feel free to email us and we will forward your mail on to Rylee. If your question is chosen, we will include it in our next edition of "The World According to Rylee".

Pictures from the O.R.

Project Herbie is still undergoing renovations and the "doctor" is doing an awesome job! Mike has had Herbie for nearly a year now and has been so frustrated that he hasn't been able to take him out to play. Just when we thought we had found someone to do the body work, that person for one reason or another could not do it. Although as frustrating as it has been, it is clearly evident that we have the right guy working on Herbie. And, boy was it worth the wait! He seems to be enjoying the project and it is evident that he loves what he does. He is very meticulous and keeps Mike updated on the progress. Mike is growing more and more excited by the day and I have not seen him so excited about anything, except maybe the Phillies World Championship last year. New parts were ordered yesterday and it appears that we are still several weeks away from seeing Herbie complete and home where he belongs! Here are some pictures of the progress... (The whites in the final 2 pictures are different due to lighting, but he is being painted the true Herbie "pearl" color.)

Proud to Be An American!!

This project is one reason I have not been keeping up with the blog. Morgan has been working on this video and I have been serving as his technical assistant. Enjoy the show!! Thanks Grams and PaPa for the awesome trip!

Out of the Mouths of Babes III - Courtesy of None Other Than...

Rylee!! Rylee must have sensed that Mommy really needed to post to the blog. True to fashion, she gave me a goodie to share! Lately, I have really been trying to work with Ryan on following directions. He is our wanderer and dreamer and getting him to focus on what he has been asked to do is sometimes a challenge. Often he is not distracted, but rather choosing to ignore me. So, tonight I asked him to do two things and gave him ample time to get those things done. Well, he totally missed one of the two tasks (same order every night) and was standing naked in the bathroom moving on to things that he would rather be doing such as eating the toothpaste off of his toothbrush. So, I had to "assist" him to time out since he refused to go. After sitting his little self down in time out, I started back down the hallway where I see Rylee standing naked in the middle of the bathroom with her head bowed and her hands folded. I couldn't help but giggle - Oh, how I wish I had a photo and could post the corresponding picture, but I am sure that you can picture the scene. She saw me standing there when she looked up and said "I was praying to God!" After praising her for following my directions and after getting her to bed, I asked her what she was saying to God. Her response "I was praying for Ryan that he listen. I was also saying that parents obey their children." I quickly praised her for talking to God even though it wasn't mealtime or bedtime and told her that God likes to hear from her throughout the day and not just at those times. Oh dear! This girl never fails to make me laugh! Makes me think... How often do I stop and pray during my day in those "out of the blue" moments - You know, God doesn't care if we are naked or not - He just wants to hear from us!!

Reporting Live from the Heart of Washington D.C.

We have received a daily report or two from Morgan since he has been gone. Here is a quick rundown of his reports:

Thursday - Arrived in Washington D.C. After much frustration and chaos due to the CI* and National Security scrambling the GPS signal, they eventually located their hotel along the Potomac River. Their first and only stop was a visit to Arlington. They saw the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and visited my dad's uncle's grave site. Several funerals were going on. So, Morgan was able to hear the 21 gun salutes and see the coffins being pulled on horse and carriage.

Friday - The weather was not cooperating. So, they began by riding the subway for the first time and visiting 2 of the Smithsonians. Morgan reported that he saw the Hope diamond (we learned about it this summer), Seinfeld's puffy shirt (Yes, he is his dad's son!), the dresses worn by the First Ladies, Julia Child's kitchen, the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, and the flag that Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangle Banner about (I think that is what he said). They also saw the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial. During their travels that day, they were stopped as the president's motorcade passed by. Morgan thought that was really cool and supposedly video taped it!!

Saturday - I received a call from during their March on Washington excursion. Morgan was enjoying that and I was told he was even chanting with the crowd. Oh my!! He told me he was carrying a yellow flag that said "Don't Tread On Me". Instead of pronouncing it "t-red", he was saying "t-read". After I told him how to pronounce it, I asked him what that meant. He said he didn't know. So, his assignment was to find out what the phrase meant from his PaPa. Nothing like carrying something and having no idea what it means - teachable moment #2! ;o) I know that they stopped by the White House during their walk and made their way to the capital building, but am not sure what else was on the agenda for the day.

That is the trip thus far as it has been reported from our lil' roving reporter. Pictures and more details to come as he is due home tomorrow night.

Got Sleep?

Thursday night and all day Friday Mike had the "pleasure" of going through a 2nd sleep study. He slept there overnight Thursday night and then Friday they had him take 20 minute naps every 2 hours. He has had sleep issues for quite some time, but they have gotten progressively worse over time. He finally gave in and went to a new specialist at the recommendation of his new physician. He fights sleep constantly - even the 15 minute drive home from work. Mike told the doctor that it was painful trying to stay awake while driving and the doctor corrected him by saying "No. It's dangerous!" Oh how I was fighting back the "Amen! Brothers!" - "Tell him!" - etc!! We really hope that they are able to pinpoint the problem this time as the last time they really could not give him any answers. I could not imagine sleeping with wires everywhere, sleeping with people watching me sleep, taking naps on command, or staying in a motel style hospital room not being able to go anywhere for an entire day. UGH!! Want a good laugh? Here is a self-portrait of the subject in the clinic bathroom... Warning: Children do not try this at home!!

Move Over Elvis...

Rylee can really move those hips!! I have absolutely no idea what Ryan is singing nor what language he is singing in... Rock-n-Roll!!

Washington D.C or BUST!

Yesterday, Morgan headed to Washington D.C for a somewhat spontaneous trip with my parents. My dad is very passionate (some might say "opinionated") about politics. He majored in political science when he was in college. He was born into a military family and retired from the Air Force himself. He is a very patriotic and loyal man who loves his country! I think the older he becomes, the more outspoken he becomes either that or I am just more aware of his thoughts now that I am older. A few weeks ago, he began talking about the big "Tea Party" or March on Washington which takes place on September 12th. He had attended the event here in our town several months ago, but we didn't know if he was really serious about going to Washington D.C. or not. Guess what... He was serious and my parents and Morgan are headed up there as I write this post. We were able to apply for an "educational waiver" for Morgan so, it was an experience that we could not pass up. No matter what your beliefs or political party, how many countries can you speak up for your beliefs regarding the government without putting your life at risk!?! They plan to visit to Arlington (where my great uncle is buried), the Vietnam War Memorial (my dad served in Vietnam), the Smithsonian, the Lincoln Memorial, and whatever else they can squeeze in during their time there. Yes, they will be participating in a portion of the march. The day before they left, I took Morgan to the pediatrician as he was complaining of his ears hurting and his allergies have been going berserk for weeks now. Once we found out that it was a double ear infection, I requested non-refrigerated antibiotics since he would be traveling. Well, the pediatrician asked him what he was going to Washington D.C for...His response "I'm going to protest O**m*!" Yes, I wanted to crawl under my chair... Instead, I began explaining all of the things they would be doing on top of the march. She thought it was the funniest thing as she has been his pediatrician since he was 2 years old and it never fails he has a funny response to her questions. I can't wait to hear about their adventures and are so thrilled that he has the opportunity!!

FINALLY!!

Well, it is official - All kids have finally returned to school. It took us three weeks to get there, but we are there! Miss Rylee has been so patient and so ready to get back to school. This morning, she could not wait to get into the car and get on her way. She is still only going 2 days a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays), but it will enough to channel her energy and meet her need to socialize. On Mondays, she is taking gymnastics. Wednesday nights, she attends Mission Friends and a music class. So, this really could not work out more perfect for her! Standing in line with Rylee to check her into school today and seeing all the young mommies (and daddies) bringing their children to school for the first time, I realized that it is our last year with preschoolers! It is a little sad to be saying that, but so exciting at the same time! Hope you are having a wonderful day at school, Rylee!

Ridin' the Rails...

Hey, L*cht*nw*lners....Guess what we did! Yep, we rode the rails. We are so excited because we actual found a "Rail-to-Trails" trail in our area!! You see, we have heard about these from a certain family in Pennsylvania for quite some time and we have always been disappointed that there really are no places in our area for families to ride their bicycles. Well, I am not sure how we stumbled upon this, but we found a trail in our area and it appears that KY is trying to establish more of these trails. Our state ranks 45th in total rail trail mileage (total of 35 miles). No wonder we couldn't find anywhere to ride! I even went into a popular bicycle store not far from us and asked them about trails that a family could ride similar to these and they told me there were none. From our understanding "Rails-to-Trails" is a conservation program that attempts to gain the land that was once used for railroads and turns those lines into trails for biking, jogging, or bicycling. From what we can tell, KY is attempting to construct a 109 mile trail. Now, the trail close to us was only 1 mile, but we love the idea of riding these as they are relatively flat and we can ride without worrying about the kids and traffic. We have promised Rylee that the next time we ride, she can ride her bike. Today, was a great relaxing way to spend family time!

Halloween Is Just Around the Corner...

I know, I know... The last child is not even in school yet. But, I must say that this year I am already thinking about costumes. I do not do costumes well and have never really had to because Morgan has always dressed up as a Phillies player. Not too hard to pull the jersey that currently fits out of the closet, pulling out the remaining accessories and possibly picking up a pair of white baseball pants depending on the year. So, I decided that I was not going to be a last minute gal and try to pull it off. I had an idea and was going to run with it before I changed my mind another 100 times. The kids are excited so, I am off and running. I must say that it is coming together. Ryan's costume was found on Eb** - Did I say that I love Eb**? If not, I love Eb**... I got his costume for $3.91 - Let me rephrase, his brand new costume for $3.91. Less than $9 with shipping. Rylee will go with his costume and we could add many more people if we wanted. Morgan is not gung ho on the idea of joining them. So, I am not sure what he will do... He did say that he is tired of being a Phillies player - shocking, I know!! I am going to keep it all under wraps for now, but let me just say that I am in the midst of creating Rylee's costume... Here is a sneak peek....