The thing I dislike most...

Promises aren't being kept. This time it's ME who is making me upset. I wanted to write more on here in the year 2014...and I have really NOTHING to show for it.
However my kids are happy and my house is more in order and I've been knitting wonderful items so that has kept me busy.

Right now I'll give you a little update on my wonderful family.
Rick (my husband) is in his 3rd year of Residency, when he is done in June 2016 he will have a duel degree in Family Practice Medicine and Neuromusclar Medicine. Which means he can go and teach at a DO Medical School at some point in his career..PLUS that makes him more competitive for a job. WHICH he already has for when he is done. We are heading to Wisconsin after this. We are excited and ready for the journey and I know the hospital/clinic is going to be a perfect fit for him...AND with time the town will be a perfect fit for our family!
Zeke (my now 6 year old Autistic boy) is doing great in school. He is in the same school as last year, in the same classroom, with the same teacher and a lot of the same paraprofessionals and classmates. He has settled down earlier...although homework nightly is not always fun for him...or me. He is progressing in his speech and he tries to say the words we are saying. He is also working on those social components that come naturally in other kids, saying Hello, Good Morning, Thank you, Bye...He is a boy though too...he likes to play with his cars, ride his bike, climb trees, go swimming, loves being outside in nature...he also loves his instruments. (Which is sometimes on the "loud" end of things)
Aspen (my SOON to be 4 year old girl) is loving her preschool. She greets the teachers with great joy and love! It's amazing that she is that excited! She goes Wednesday morning through Friday morning...She LOVES the time away from me I think too. And I love being able to be kid free for 3 mornings of my week. She is coming along in her speech too...but she will be getting evaluated soon. There are somethings that she mispronounces and letter sounds she hasn't quite got a hold of yet.
I have been busy keeping up with 2 kids, making up meals for our dinners as well as making up a plan for Freezer meals for later on this winter, I've also been trying to keep up with main area of the living area organized and clean which is nice to walk in and not see TONS of clutter everywhere. I just need to work on my crafting nook area (where I have the sewing machine that I haven't really worked for a while and my yarn) Sometimes the kids rooms look tornadoes have gone through them, sometimes our bedroom is not organized...but we just close doors when people are here...I mean who doesn't do that! After taking off the summer of knitting and creating...I'm back at it and I'm SO happy to be back.
Who knows when the last time I'll be here...hopefully sooner rather than later. After all I like to write about those mundane things in my life. Cause I know I don't get my words out otherwise, I mean I get words out when chatting with kids...but those are not what is that deep part of my heart. I love the conversations I have with my kids...but they aren't really always deep (after all they are only 6 and almost 4)

Out with the old...

and on with the new...
Well Happy New Year! I welcome 2012 like NO other! 2011 was a hard one for me and my little family. A lot of trials that I wish we didn't have to learn from. But I do know that during all of it we have had some pure God moments.
I thought I would do a little recap of 2011 and a little preview of what we "expect" in 2012.
January - Kids growing, Rick learning his medical stuff, me trying to be a good wife, mommy among other things

 

February - Dedicated Aspen at our church, Z started doing Early Access at our house to help with his speaking and learning, Rick still learning and I'm still doing my thing

 

 March - Rick had a medical conference in Colorado Springs so we went there with him, got to go to the zoo, see Garden of the Gods, go to the aquarium, see Grandpa Tom and Grandma Jean along with Great Grandma Bobbi (we also lost our second vehicle there. :( all well, we are a one car family yet again)

 

 

 April - kids growing and learning, Rick learning and me doing my thing...also had a wonderful Easter celebration at our church.

 May - BASEBALL season is well underway and we loved going to the Iowa Cubs (triple A team for the Chicago Cubs)

 June - Rick went to Alaska for 2 weeks (on a medical rotation) and the kids and I went to Florida

 

 

 

 

 July - Celebrated the 4th of July with friends, Celebrated my birthday as a family (me and the kids above), enjoyed the free "splash pads around Des Moines to stay cool, I learned how to be a "solo" mom while Rick was on rotations, going to the zoo, talking on the phone and doing skype calls with Rick, amongst other things

 

 

 August - Rick had a rotation out in Colorado, so the kids and I drove out there to spend Z's birthday there and a week there too.

 

 

 

 

 September - Rick is doing his last OMM Fellowship Block, Z started school after Labor Day (4 days a week for a little over 3 hours during that time) One last trip to the Iowa Cubs for the season

 

 

 October - Enjoyed a Sunday afternoon and a couple different Iowa Farms enjoying the WONDERFUL weather! Grandpa Tom & Grandma Jean came to celebrate Aspen's 1st Birthday, Got our family pictures done, moved to another house and spend the end of the month and the beginning of November in Florida

 

 

 

 November - In Florida we went to the beach, the fair to see the animals (only in Florida will you see sharks at a fair), saw some manatees, Rick had a conference as well as an interview. Back in Iowa, we got used to new home (it's a HUGE blessing!), got back into the routine of school, Rick went to Wisconsin for an interview and then down to North Carolina for 2 interviews, spent Thanksgiving with our DMU family, as well as enjoyed the nice warmer weather while we could.

 

 

 

 December - Z and I made his teacher's Christmas gifts (pics above), got to go to an Iowa Energy game, Rick finished off his OMM Fellowship Block, Z helped me bake some this season, drove down to Florida via North Carolina (so I could see where could live later in 2012) got a really awesome present this year a new niece!!! also got to spend some great time with the family.

 

 

 

 

Hope you liked my year in review, next post are what to come in 2012, what's Rick up to next, maybe a crafting one...who knows...

Catch-Up...

I really mean to blog more then once a week HOWEVER things have been really busy...SO you will see LOTS more blogs to follow from the past.

Such as...
-Pictures of Christmas Decorations
-Craft updates
-Handmade Holiday List...
-Holiday Baking List
-To Do List

Hmmm...Right now; I am going to leave you with one picture of my little "Z-Man" sleeping...SO cute!!!

It's been crazy here.

That is why it's been so long. Let's see here...I'll give you all a quick summary.

I was "let go" from my job as a nanny. (The dad was working in Florida and having a lot of dizzy spells) I do miss those girls though. This past week was the first week I wasn't working. It feels weird but the timing really couldn't be more God sent. We signed a lease for a 2 bedroom/2 bathroom condo and we are in the process of painting ALL the walls and starting the move in process. So without a job I can focus on that. My last week of work I was working and then painting in the evenings I can't believe I didn't fall over in exhaustion.

As of right now, Friday morning, we have 1 more coat of paint to put in our bathroom. We are working on making our own "Rapp" masterpiece in our bedroom. Artwork right on the wall because we didn't want to buy a new picture and frame. Plus we wanted to be creative. We started that yesterday and I am pretty excited to get the next steps started and see the finish product. I will give you a photo tour when we are all moved in and ready to go. If you are in the area and like to help move we are moving on Tuesday evening. But we will be packing all that day. Mainly I would like the big items moved and possibly anything else I have packed. Oh the joys of moving...

Our little family did go to Chicago over the 4th of July weekend. We stayed in a hotel Friday night...we walked down to Navy Pier (got to see some fireworks) then we went back to the hotel, slept well, ate breakfast and got ready for the Chicago Cubs game on Saturday. We got all decked out in our Cubs gear and stood in line early. It was our first time going to a Cubs game and we got bleacher tickets. "Z" was the hit of the section. Not so much the Cubs (because they lost) but it was a fun experience and we are hoping to do it yearly now.

Rick took his first step of Boards on June 23rd (I think) and he still has another month before he finds out how he did. Every now and then the nervous/worried looks come but they don't stay for long. For him this being time off has been good for his mind to recollect itself and focus not on school but on God and his family. I have also like him home more because I have done more things with my family and was able to leave "Z" with Rick knowing I would be home in a little bit.

I have also been knitting...I am done knitting Baby Blueberry's Michigan color baby blanket. Of course I had a brilliant idea (that my friend Christia helped me) of putting my initials in the blanket in SCARLET & GREY!!!

Sorry there are no pics right now "Z" totally lost it and thinks life is ending!!! But I hope to be back a little bit later.