The mom of a school-aged daughter...

WOW! My little girl is in school...preschool that is! I am excited and horrified. She isn't even THREE yet...What was I thinking!? I guess that I needed a break...or that she might meet some new friends (I guess nursery isn't enough for us!?)...or that I needed to spend money on her EVERY month? I don't know. But I will be thankful for this chance and  hope she remembers how to be kind.... 

"Mommy WOW, I'm a big girl now!!!"

We are now OPEN!!!!!!!

The store is open...it's still a little unorganized, but the doors are open for all to see. We have more things to order...we will be COMPLETELY ready when we have our GRAND OPENING in a few weeks!!!

It's an exciting adventure. Even with a HUGE lack of sleep (thanks Parker and Conny)! I have faith...a knowledge that this is where we need to be, we can learn and grow living in Kodiak. We'll have fun and enjoy our stay!

TON OF FUN parties and more...

1614 Mill Bay Avenue

Tuesday - Saturday

10:30am - 5:30pm

come check us out!

You can NEVER have enough lipgloss...

Tomorrow is the first day of school. HURRAY!!! The kids are excited. We have changed things around a little. Emily and Conny are both sleeping on crib materesses on the floor. Matilda, Hanna, and Emily are in one room while Chloe and Conny are in another (this JUST happened tonight). 

After 15 minutes of visiting I decided to pay the girls a visit. Of COURSE Tuda was talking up a storm and Hanna was pretending to be asleep since "MEAN Aunt Rach" walked into the room. I gave them both a little thump and told them it was TIME TO GO TO BED...Emily was missing....She wasn't in my room so I figured her and Conny were having a yipee new bed party so I opened the door...NO Emily. Chloe was quietly singing the primary songs that were playing and Conny was passed out with SOMETHING in her mouth. I thought it was a tampon (she's a FAN of unwrapping those and shooting that magic little cotton out). When I got close enough to RIP it out of her mouth I saw it was the top to a lipgloss...and there in her hand was the lipgloss container. She had a TIGHT grip on it...so tight, it woke her up when I tried to PRY it out of her sweet little hand! 

NO worries, Em just needed to use the potty!!!

the streaker!

Yesterday we were workin' at the store, it was great fun but a L O N G day. (notice all the progress! *giggles*) It's coming along great, we've even received some of our stuff!!! 

Conny and Em disappeared into the potty for a bit and I KNEW it was bad news when Em came out smiling... "Conny wet her pants and is naked in the bathroom!" It was NO surprise to me, she has to change if she spills water on her shirt. I didn't have any extra clothes so I ran out to the van to get one of Parkers diapers (thankfully she's a skinny minnie and still fits in a size three when need be!) and the next thing I hear is Crystal yelling Connys name. I couldn't figure out WHAT the problem was...until.............I looked down and there beside me was a naked booty, naked tummy, a COMPLETELY naked child....out in public...on the main road....right there for the WORLD to see!!! I jumped her into the car, strapped that diaper around her and THANKFULLY had one of my shirts (left over from the Anchorage trip) I put on her "mommy, it's too big, it no fit". We had to come home for dry tiny hiney clothes. It was a GOOD happy day! *giggles*

*rants*

The store takes up a lot of time...

    but it gives us time for bonding...

 time for ignoring...

     togetherness...

It's been a GOOD day, the sun was bright, we've spent the day with many a friend, the kids are bathed and SO AM I!!!! But as I read my email a ting of sadness swells within my heart. There is this lady...a lady I'm so lucky to have in my life...a lady I know has had it rough....this lady has taken me in with open arms, loved me...ALL of me and yet I begged my husband to bring me so far from her. So far from the support she's given us, the love she's granted us, the ease of life she's let us live. 

As I listen to the fussy baby bouncing by my side, begging me to hold him, I think of her....right now SHE would LOVE to have him in her arms...to watch him grow...to see that naughty sister of his even with all of her mischief. Tears run down my face. Tears of sorrow, tears of the unknown, tears of joy. I am thankful to this woman for sharing the best thing in life she could with me...her WONDERFUL, TERRIFIC, CLOSE TO PERFECT son. I want nothing more than to squeeze her tight and tell her how much I LOVE her, but for now I will hold my baby tight and sob thanking my Father above for the sweet miracles he's given me....

Staying or going....

It looks like we're STAYING in Kodiak for now. We have a good job here and lots of potential. Brand told me to get a place...Guess we'll be here for a while. The job in Texas got pushed back 'til who knows when. I'd better get upstairs and make some calls... There will be tears, lots of them. But I'll try to make most of them happy. 

Brands new schedule is 3 day weekends and 4 10 hours days! It's getting better!!!!

It was a fun adventure....

but we're glad to be home! The best part is being able to snuggle up close to Brand...the worst is listening to Chloe and Hanna bicker. Don't worry, I'm gunna FIX that!

Get ready....we've signed the lease, gotten the keys, and started to move in! Ton of FUN is on it's way!!!!!!