What's New?

Just a quick update...today is Todd's Birthday - Happy Birthday!! We love you. He's getting to spend all day by himself mowing 2 stores. That's never happened before, but this time of year we're short staffed and it just so happened that the guys we usually use this time of year were not available today...soooo, Todd gets to make all the money himself today without any payroll! That's the silver lining.

I'm homeschooling Savannah 1st grade and Caleb K4 this year. They both have a positive attitude about it and are usually ready to start as soon as they get up - before I've had my coffee. Isaac likes to sit with them and scribble with crayons on paper. Keegan is attending Community Baptist Christian School for the 3rd grade and he is loving being back at school. It'll work out better for his personality to be at school than at home.

Keegan and Savannah just spent most of their money buying 2 Red Eared Slider turtles and the goodies that you have to buy with them. We told them that whenever the goldfish die they can use the aquarium for turtles. One died last week and after Todd cleaned out the tank he filled it up for the other one and left it outside because the fish could "use some sun." I don't know if it was on purpose, but Savannah was pretty upset the next day when the water "was boiling" from the warm weather we had (in her words) and the other fish was dead. It didn't take too long for her to get over it because she was pretty excited about getting turtles. Savannah named hers Michaelangelo and Keegan's is Donatello after the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

I actually get to fly to Houston, Tx on Sept 22 for a quick weekend business trip for lia sophia. I'm helping a recruit get started. Pray that it'll all be worth it.

Gotta go and do payroll for Green Grass....

Yes, I'm busy, but it's all good.

Love, Stacey

Happy 10 years to Us with a weekend away to Frankfort, Michigan

The Highs and Lows of a Bunkbed

The highs of turning 4 is getting the "new" bunkbeds put up. He couldn't wait to get to the top. You can just see the glee in Caleb's face...

The lows of turning 4 and getting "new" bunk beds put up, is the fact that you have 3 other siblings that think it's just as cool as you do and they want to "spoil" your fun.

**These bunk beds are the same ones that Todd and his older brother, Scott, had eons ago!!

Happy 4th Birthday Caleb!!???

Caleb turned 4 on Friday, May 19. It was a day he's been so looking forward to. He started out doing one of his favorite things...puzzles. Then Daddy and Mommy made brunch.
After Brunch Caleb and Isaac took a "vacation bath." It's a spa bath every where else. The first time Keegan took one he said, "That was a nice vacation." And it stuck. Sometimes they'll even order drinks and snacks during their "vacation." As every one was coming to his party, I was telling Caleb to come and eat. I made his favorite...mac n cheese. He complained about his belly hurting. I figured it was because he hadn't really eaten since brunch and he was hungry. His Aunt Tori tried to get him to come in the kitchen and take a few bites so he'd feel better...next thing we knew he threw up on the couch. So....the party went on with the food. I went and asked him if he wanted to blow out the candles. He said, "I'll come and blow them out and then I'll come right back." So we cut out a section of his cake with candles on it, so as to not contaminate the whole cake. We sang, he blew, sat for a second, and then crashed on the couch.




He woke up about 1 1/2 hr later as everyone was leaving and wanted to open presents. He opened 3 and then said he needed to lie back down, so he laid down...then he threw up. He mustered up the will power to finish opening his presents but with no visible enthusiasm. The pic with the play doh box was as much "smile" as we could get. He did make us laugh, because when he was all finished opening the presents he turned to Todd and said in his weak voice, "What about my bunk beds?" We promised him when he turned 4 we would set up the bunk beds for him and Isaac (although I'm not quite ready for Isaac to be out of the crib). He obviously had only one thought on his mind besides not feeling well. I was up with him the whole night. :(
The next day Caleb was a different boy. He was overjoyed with all his presents and couldn't wait to play with all of them.

A.W.A.N.A Fun Fair and Award Night

II Timothy 2:15 " Approved Workman Are Not Ashamed..." is the theme verse for the AWANA clubs. I went to them at our church when I was a kid and my kids have been able to go to them through a nearby church. They have books that are according to your grade. You say verses and get patches and jewels on your vest. There's also game time every night and Bible story time. The kids love it. At the end of the year (Sept-May) there is an awards night and fun fair. They get ribbons and plaques depending on which book(s) they've done. They also get "money" based upon how many verses they say to spend at the fun fair.

Mother's Day 2006

Our church has a "Baby Day Parade" every Mother's Day for kid's 4 and under. Two years ago, I had 3 kids in it!!!! This year only 2. Next year only 1!!!!. They dress up and mom's dress up wagons and strollers to a set theme and they walk all around all the congregation and show off. It's a lot of fun.

Savannah the Flower Girl

Savannah was the flower girl in our old babysitters wedding on May 13. She did a superb job, of course. She promised Jennifer a year ago that she would do it. Then about 3 months ago, when I mentioned it coming up she informed me, "Well, Jennifer just has to find a replacement, because I can't do it." She thought she'd be too nervous. Then the week before the wedding she realized she was going to miss a soccer game because of the wedding and said, "Well, just tell her to change the time." I told her this would probably be her last flower girl gig, because she was getting older and most of our family is married. She wasn't happy about missing soccer, but she had a good attitude, and I do believe she forgot about the game during the whole afternoon. The ring bearer is only2 1/2 and ALL boy. It was going to be Savannah's job to keep him from running. About half way down the isle, while all was going well, he turned around to notice the petals "dropping" out of her basket and said "uh! oh!" They had not practiced with the petals and he didn't realize it was on purpose. It took her a little bit to get him turned around and to the front, but they made it. She later told us that she was sooo nervous when he did that.

Savannah the Soccer Star

Savannah LOVES soccer!!! The pic on the left is her making a goal. The pic on the right is her doing the kickoff. She made all four of her teams goals this day. They don't really keep track during the Spring season. It's a non-competitive learning environment. Savannah doesn't care though. She keeps track in her head. At this game in particular she was doing VERY well. I happened to overhear a mom from the other team talking to someone who had obviously just gotten to the game saying, "Watch that girl. She is awesome!" (referring to Savannah who was going by). The next game she played on May 16, she learned what it was like to play against herself. There was a girl on the other team that was just as good as her in footwork and aim, but a little faster. Savannah realized this and told me after the game that I needed to time her in her running so she could get faster! :)

Easter Sunday 2006

Egg Hunting at Grandma and Grandpa Putman's

Isaac had no clue as to what we were doing at first. He didn't even get to color the eggs (we did it during his nap time). He caught on quickly and had a good time finding the eggs.

Keegan found the special egg. His uncle rolled up a dollar bill in a colored-blown out egg.

Savannah lost her First Tooth just after turning 6

Savannah's First Cavity

Poor Savannah had to get her first cavity done on her 6th birthday. She did great and she realized on the way home that her face was not moving right. She thought it was funny what it looked like.

Savannah Turned 6 in March 2006

Daddy surprised Savannah with a present before he left for work...makeup. She put it on all by herself and was so proud. She had a ball opening gifts. I didn't have time to wrap, so she had to close her eyes and was so excited with each present. Her "cake" that evening was iced cinnamon rolls...her choice for our "family" birthday. She got a "friend" and extended family party later in the week. At this point she had her first loose tooth, but it still wasn't quite ready. We had to rush off after the cinnamon rolls to go to the dentist...

Many Faces

Our Big 2 Yr Old

Isaac turned 2 in Feb.

Christmas Eve 2005

Todd and Stacey enjoying Christmas Eve 2005 at Todd's parents.