My Road Trip

We did it. We bought Jeff a new car. Some of us were beginning to think it was never going to happen. Normally I wouldn't have posted about it, but they way it all happened was just so unlike him and it turned into quite the trip for me!

We've been looking for a car for him for a while. He needed one. The Maxima has been good to us and it was the first car we bought together. (insert sigh here) But it was time and he got to the point where he was ready to pull the trigger and be done with it.

After months of looking at dealerships here, looking through the paper, and looking on-line, he decided on what he wanted. He found the car on Ebay. We didn't bid on it, but we watched it. It didn't sell. So Friday afternoon he called the dealer and left a message. A salesguy called him back and said they were closed for the day, but to call him tomorrow . So Jeff did. By Saturday afternoon Jeff sealed the deal over the phone. So unlike him to buy a car that we had only seen pictures of! The catch to the whole thing?

The car was in Columbus, Ohio.

So I made arragements for the kids (thanks again Staci and Cindy!), and bought my plane ticket. Monday morning I got Emilie and Ada off to school, took Sarah to my friend Cindy's and headed to the airport. I landed in Columbus and was picked up by someone from the dealership. I got to drive the car back to the dealership where I signed the paperwork. Then it was just me, the car and a 6 hour drive home.

I think some people thought I was totally crazy to do this for a car. But I will admit I was somewhat looking forward to the whole adventure. I had pretty much the whole day to myself. No one calling "MOM" over and over, no dishes to do, no laundry to do, no cleaning, just me and 6 hours of quiet - ahhhhhh. I checked out of "mommy mode" and just enjoyed the quiet and the fact that I could listen to whatever I wanted in the car. (until my cell phone kept ringing!) :-) The ride was very uneventful and I made it home by 8:15pm.

BACK TO REALITY.

I really debated on somehow stretching out the drive!

Oh - are you wondering what he got? A 2008 Acura TL Nighthawk Black. And yes it was VERY fun to drive!

I think I'm really going to enjoy his car.

I haven't gotten a picture yet of the actual car because it's been too dark to get a good one by the time Jeff has gotten home from work. But this is a good representation of it!

It's Never Too Early

Is it really too early to start thinking about swimsuit season - again?

Okay, not it the sense you are thinking, but if your like me I'm never one to pass up on a cute thing, even when it's not quite the season for it. It's always so hard to find modest swimsuits, so I wanted to share these awesome ones with all of you. There is no doubt these will get you lots of comments because they are HOT HOT HOT!

http://www.wholesomewear.com/page-3.html

If anyone is interested in a bulk order to save on shipping,

do let me know.

Can't wait for summer again!

Our Week in Review

It's been a long week at our house,

so I'm doing a photo essay of our week. Enjoy!

There were times I felt like hitting my head against this or that I would be better off talking to this

(I might have gotten more of a reaction from it)

Too often I felt like this

Gratefully there were times of this

At some point we all felt like this

The girls all had colds, Jeff and I were blessed with strep throat

This is the second time for me in 9 months - what is up with that?!?

There were some times of this

Times I felt like doing this, and times some of us actually did

but not for all the same reasons

There was lots of this

and this

Sometimes the girls were this

and sometimes they were this

We were VERY HAPPY about this

The Utes pulled it out over Airforce

and VERY HAPPY about this
The Cubs clenched the division title

My house is this

We are thankful to have lots of this

and now I'm going to go do this
THE END

The Rains Came Down and the Floods Came Up

You all know the song, and over the weekend we pretty much thought everything was going to be washed away. I know it's not Hurricane Ike, but it's being called a Hundred Year storm. Massive amounts of rain fell Saturday and Sunday, some of it was from Hurricane Ike, all over the Chicagoland area and Northwest Indiana. Anywhere from 6 to 11 inches of rain fell depending on the area. We got around 8-9 inches of rain in our area and there is flooding everywhere. Gratefully our house was spared from any flooding even though our backyard was a bit of a pond, but our sump pump has been able to keep up with all the water draining. Others in our area have not been so fortunate. Everywhere the retention ponds are full of water and some overflowing.

Yesterday during church 20-30 men left to go help a member sandbag their home that is right on the Dupage river. After they finished that house, they went to another members neighbor's house that is also on the river to help her sandbag. After dinner Jeff and I decided to go for a family drive to check out some of the flooding. We went to the members home that they helped sandbag and they don't have water in the house, but their yard is completely submerged. Then we went to the other members house and their backyard is under 3-4 feet of water. When we got there the basement was starting to get water in it, so we went to work helping them move furniture. It was coming through their foundation because the ground is so saturated it has no where to go but into the house.

This morning Staci and I decided to take a drive back over to see it in the daylight. Crazy stuff! We went to the first members house again and the water had risen a few inches from where it was last night, but with the sandbags their house should be fine. We decided to go over to the other members house to see how their basement was and they had more water in it than last night. When we went last night the water was just about to the blue pads on their trampoline and this morning it's almost over it (see picture below), so the water had risen there as well. Staci and I help them rip carpet up and vaccum up some of the water for a while. I feel so bad for them. It's going to at least a week before the water drains from their backyard. We're supposed to have dry weather for the next week which should help.
Here are just a few pictures of what we saw last night and this morning:

(if you click on them it should enlarge them and you can get the full effect)

This is the backyard of the member of our ward. Their house is about a foot behind the sandbags. That is a telephone pole just behind that purplish bush. The river is supposed to be a 3-4 feet behind that.

This is taken from the end of their driveway. You can see their shed which is got about 2-3 feet of water in it.


This is from the bottom tier of their deck which is on the opposite side of the house from the driveway, closer to the river. We were standing on this part of deck last night and the water was right at the bottom of the deck, this morning it was even with the part we were standing on.

A retention pond that is overflowing into a drain

This is the river and it's about 6-8 inches from the sidewalk

This is the other member's backyard that is now a lake

See that in between the trees? That would be their trampoline almost under water

This was part of the riverwalk and bike trail in downtown Naperville

Some contruction they were doing along the river just off the road

The most fitting part of it all is that yesterday was our Stake Conference and all the talks were about being prepared in all apects of our lives so we can weather any disaster or tragedy that may occur. I guess I better get working on my 72 hour kits!

9/11

There are times in our lives that we can remember exactly what we were doing, where we were, even what time it was. 7 years ago yesterday was one of those days. I could probably ask any of you reading this where you were or what you were doing the morning of September 11th and you could tell me. I was 6 months pregnant with the twins. I was sitting at a red light at Rt. 59 and Diehl Road in Naperville, IL on my way to work listening to the radio when at 7:51 am I heard that a plane had crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. Details of what had happened were sketchy at that time. By the time I got into work everyone was watching the TV or listening to radios and they were reporting that a second plan had hit the other WTC tower.

I don't need to recount the rest of the events of that day. I think we all remember what happened. I will always remember. I will always remember those who innocently died that day. I will always remember the feelings and emotions I had and watching our country rally together. I still get those feelings and emotions when I see pictures, hear audio clips or stories from that day. In the darkest day of our nations history, it was also it's finest hour. The stories of sacrifice, charity, friendship and heroism still amaze me and represent the true character of our country. That is why I will always remember. That is why I am proud to be an American.

I am so grateful to live in a country where I am free and I am forever grateful to those who serve our country in the military and preserve the freedom I enjoy daily. I am grateful to those who serve us each day as police officers, fireman, paramedics and those who daily risk their lives to save someone elses.

God Bless the USA

I'm running for President!

Spread the word! I would really love your vote!

http://www.inews3.com/topstory.php?id=4a656e7c4261726e6573

First day of school - First Grade!

Today was a big day at our house. It was

the first day of school

the first day of first grade

the first time Emilie and Ada rode the bus

the first time Emilie and Ada are in separate classes

and for me, today by far, had to be one of the hardest days yet with the twins

Not because they were going to be at school all day for the first time. I was ready for that. And don't get me wrong, I will miss them, but also I love the fact they are in school all day and I have a break. There are a number of reasons why and you mothers you can probably guess most if not all of them!

The reason it was so hard for me is because as previously mentioned - today was the first time Emilie and Ada have really been separated from each other - and I was doing it. It was a decision that I/we have struggled with and debated over for a long time. Kindergarten was a no brainer for us. We wanted them together. But this year wasn't quite as easy of a decision.

It was like the whole riding their bike without training wheels thing. Were they ready for this? Should we give them another year? We went through all the reasons why we should and why we shouldn't. But when it came down to decision time, we decided to let them be put in separate classes. And to add to the stress of it all, I was making them ride the bus this year. I know to most it doesn't sound like a big deal - but those who know Emilie and Ada, they aren't big fans of change.

There had been some discussion with them about being in separate classes, but I'm not sure they really realized what we were telling them. When we got home from the Dells the postcards had come telling us who their teachers were (from what we hear and I've seen they are both great! YEAH!) At that point they realized that they weren't going to be in the same class. The interesting part is that Emilie seemed to be okay with it, Ada was having a hard time with it. Friday we went to meet their teachers and we found out Emilie had two girls and a couple of boys she knew in her class and Ada ended up only having two boys she knew. That didn't help things! I could see that Ada was a little upset about the fact she didn't have any girls she knew in her class. Then last night reality really set in and Ada was having some struggles while Emilie still really seemed okay with it. I kept telling myself "They can do this, they will be fine. They can handle all the changes." But part of me kept doubting my decision.

I took them to school this morning so I could take them to meet their class on the playground. We found Emilie's class first and she walked right up and got in line with her class and was totally fine. We said goodbye and I walked with Ada over to her class. Then the tears started, she buried her head on me and wouldn't let go. She wouldn't talk to her teacher, even one of the boys she knew tried to talk to her and get her to stand in line with him and she wouldn't budge. The cutest part was Sarah. She kept patting Ada on the head trying to get her attention and then kept wanting to give her hugs. Her teacher then came over and took her by the hand and told me I could go. She led Ada to the front of the line and held her hand and walked with her into the school. I can't tell you how grateful I am for her doing that.

But then it hit me, the heartbreak of what Ada was going through. She was being separated from her best friend and her best friend seemed to be okay with it. Emilie wasn't sad like her. Emilie had friends in her class, while she didn't. Emilie seemed to have it so easy. I saw my friend Staci and was talking to her about it and I couldn't help but start to cry. My heart hurt for Ada like it never had before and it was my fault. My thought was "why couldn't she have had just one girl in her class so it could be a little easier?" Was that for me or for her?

As I was leaving the playground I saw Mrs. Zajac who has been so awesome to our kids. She assured me she would check on Ada and make sure all was good. And she did. I can't even explain how much I appreciate her! She ended up calling me two times during the day to let me know Ada was doing great. The second time she called Ada was with her and Ada wouldn't even talk to me! HA HA Staci had gone back over to the school to take her son Bret through a tour with his Kindergarten class and then saw the girls. She called me to let me know they were both doing great as well. Aren't I lucky to have such great friends who look out for my kids?!?

Although I had doubts about this being the right decision, I knew Emilie and Ada would be fine and they will have a great school year. I knew it was going to be hard separating them, but I didn't realize that when I saw and felt what Ada was going through how hard it was going to be on me. I couldn't help but take the blame for it. As the day progressed and I got the updates I did feel better about everything.

I'll admit I was still a little worried about the bus ride. But I also knew it's like most other things with them. They fight it and then once they try it they end up liking it. All's well that ends well. They both had a great day and even liked the bus. Although they said it was really loud and that it wasn't because of them! We're all looking forward to a great school year!

I think the smile says everything!

Paige, Ada, Grace, Lia, Emilie, Bret & Braden