Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Spider Bite

I am trying to convince Braden that he now has a cool Halloween story.

Because of the worry I updated about below Braden and I were waiting at the doctors office at 8am.

Dr said it was a good thing that I had brought him in. He immediately ran an Xray not to see if anything was broken but to look for infection in the bone.

It seems sometime during the early morning hours a spider bit him. 3 prescriptions later we are home. We have strict instructions to follow in case it was a brown recluse spider, we should know that by the end of the day, but in the mean time hopefully just a plain old spider that he happened to be severely allergic too.

I told him it is cool to be bitten by a spider on Halloween. His response "Mommmmmmmm it is not cool".

He is such a trooper through everything.

Now I have to call Austin docs and see what this does to surgery shedule for next week and treatment plans that were in place.

Ugh...no sleep since 12:30 am, a trip to the doc, meds...I think I need a nap, but it must wait until after the little homeschool gathering we are having at our house in about 10 minutes! Of course then choir practice, halloween fun, ugh.

Braden does not think it is funny when I say now he could be spiderman for Halloween!

Worries *updated

12:30 am that is what time the clock said when I woke up....I could not get back to sleep. Got up but thought not going to get on the computer, so I read. An entire book back to bed at 4am...to try to sleep...no such luck.

I need an off switch, one that lets me shut off all the thoughts of worries, uncertanties, doubts.

* fast forward about 30 minutes after this post. Braden comes in with his ankle swollen HUGE! redness....I am thinking a bite but I see no marks. I have taken a marker and marked where the redness is and the time that it was. I am going to call the doc at 8. Not what any of us needed today, but he is acting fine and walking just says it hurts a little.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Moving Out

Me: Braden I am about to get in there and clean your room.
Brae: No if you do I am moving out.

Guess he likes his things just like they are.

Another week

We had a semi productive weekend. Got yard work done. Hubby bought me an electric hedge clipper, oh boy I love that thing. In the past I am out their with scissors trimming the bushes and trimming down the rose bushes for the fall. Not this time, it went so much quicker.

I am on day 3 of healthier life style. I wont weigh for awhile. I have excercised 3 days in a row now and done good about watching portions, etc. I will keep everyone updated on how it is going. Anne I think it is a great idea for us to each have a goal of 25 before I come to see you the end of March. I am all for it!

This week I will be preparing myself both physically and mentally to take Braden back to the Children's Hospital in Austin. We will leave on the 5th and be gone an undetermined amount of time. It will just be the kids and I. Luckily I have some family down there.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

Wake Up Call

I had a doctors appointment yesterday. It did not go well. But it did wake me up. I deal with stress in bad ways. With Brae's medical issues seeming to crop back up in full force stress has been upon me lately. I knew I had gained some weight. I didn't realize how much...OMG...it was outrageous...I knew things were tighter, not fitting so on, but I had no clue. How silly is that? I didn't even realize how much I had gained.

For me, a person with high blood pressure and heart issues anyway this is not something I need to do. Also it ticks me off because I had lost all of this before and kept it off for over a year and then quit excercising, quit my healthier habits.

So I am back on again, I have to get healthier. I have to be conscious of when I eat because I want and when I eat because I think chocolate fixes everything.

All my meds for blood pressure, and everything has been adjusted. I have also added some meds for my feelings of not being right here lately.

So far it is 5:00 pm on day one and I have done good, and excercised....ticks me off that I couldn't do near as much as I did three years ago. I will get back there, I needed this wake up call.

Friday, October 27, 2006

Favorite Foto Friday

Yes the time is correct on this post it is 3:25 am. I have been up since 11:00 pm. Storm woke me up and I wasn't able to get back to sleep. Good thing is I did get both Britt and Brae's lesson plans done until the week of Thanksgiving.

Two more fav pics of their halloween costumes of the past.

Brittney as Pooh! (She was 2)



Braden was not too happy but he still made a cute Bob the Builder. (He was 3)

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Wore out!

Mu hubby helps so much around the house. SO MUCH! So much so that when he is gone and I am doing the single parenting thing I just want to cry I get so wore out.

Yesterday we left the house at 7:30 am and didn't return till 6:00 pm. It was a full day of errands, appointments, etc. Then home to do the things here that needed tending too. Luckily the kids were so good they went to bed about 7 with movies to watch. I took a hot bath and went to bed myself.

I feel refreshed today. Of course I could be feeling refreshed because I know tommorow my hubby returns!

It defiently makes me appreciate him more and wonder how all those wonderful single moms do it. I know they do it because they have to, and if I had to I would do it too. But I am so thankful I don't have to, and also that hubby is off next Monday and Tuesday which means I get to be extra lazy!

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Works for Me Wedensday - Crockpot

I have posted this before but I thought I needed to redo it for Works for Me Wednesday.

I love my crockpot and use it often. My fav crockpot product that makes clean up SO easy.



These liners make clean up a snap and you dont have to scrub!

I love that you can make about anything in a crockpot sometimes I will have two going because you can do an entree in one and have dessert going in the other!

TACO SOUP
2 lb. ground beef add onion if desired
2 cans corn
2 cans ranch style beans
3 cans stewed tomatoes
1 can water
1 taco seasoning packet
1 Hidden Valley Ranch dip mix
Brown meat and onion (I do mine in microwave). Drain grease and pour in crockpot. Add corn, beans and tomatoes, water, seasoning packet and dip mix. Stir and heat 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low. Serve with tortilla chips.

OKLAHOMA STEAK SOUP
3 c. water
3 sm. chopped onions
3 stalks chopped celery
2 sliced carrots
1 (1 lb.) can tomatoes
1 tsp. pepper
1 (10 oz.) frozen vegetables
1 lb. sirloin steak, cubed
2 to 4 tbsp. beef bouillon
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. flour
Put all except butter and flour into crockpot. Cook low 8 to 10 hours. 1 1/2 hours before serving, turn up to high. Melt butter add flour stirring until smooth. Add to soup to thicken

HAM AND SCALLOPED POTATOES
6 to 8 slices of ham
8 to 10 med. potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 onions, peeled and thinly sliced
1 c. grated Cheddar or American cheese
1 can cream of celery or mushroom soup
Put half of ham, potatoes and onions in crock pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then grated cheese. Repeat with remaining half. Spoon undiluted soup over top. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours in crock pot or high 4 hours. Variations: sausage instead of ham and omit the cheese.

Chicken and Dumplins
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in small chunks
2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1/4 cup onion, finely diced
2 cups water
2 10 oz packages refrigerated biscuits
1 chicken bouillon cube
Combine all ingredients, except biscuits, in slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours. 30 minutes before serving, tear biscuit dough into 1-inch pieces. Add to your slow cooker; stirring gently. Cover and cook on HIGH for an additional 30 minutes or until biscuits are fluffed up and cooked through.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-8 oz. bottle Catalina salad dressing
1 envelope dry mix onion soup
10 oz jar apricot preserves
Place chicken breasts in your slow cooker. Pour remaining ingredients on top of chicken. No need to mix. Cover and cook for 6 to 8 hours on low.

Lemon Pepper Chicken
1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts or four large breasts
the juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Place chicken in the slow cooker. Squeeze lemon juice over the chicken. Sprinkle with pepper. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours. Add more lemon juice if needed.

Beef and Broccoli
3/4 pound thin beef strips
2 cups fresh broccoli flowerets
1 package McCormick Brown Gravy Mix
1 cup water
Place beef and broccoli in the bottom of your slow cooker. Mix together gravy mix and water. Pour over the top. Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Crockpot Meatloaf
2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 eggs
2/3 c. Quaker Oats
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1/2 c. catsup or barbecue sauce

Reserve 2 tablespoons catsup. Combine beef, eggs, oats, soup mix and remaining catsup. Shape into a round loaf for crockpot. Put into crockpot. Top with remaining catsup. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours or on high 4 to 6 hours

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Embarresing Moments

Carmen at Mom to the Screaming Masses is sharing moments of idiocy/embarresment.

Here are some of mine. Not nearly all of them but a few that stand out.

When I was 15 I decided to walk down the road about 1/4 mile to flirt with the cute college guy who was mowing his yard shirtless. I walked by all cool waving my cute little I am too cool wave. Then I tripped fell in the ditch my ankle popped and cute guy had to carry me to his car and take me home so my mom could take me to ER and have them set my ankle. Not my finest flirting moment.

Of course the kids have given me many many moments of embarresment. One that stands out with Braden. Even though I really wasnt that embarresed I just love this story.

He was in Kindergarten, his teacher was on maternity leave. Braden was having a hard time with the substitute (she was my 8th grade teacher and retired that year if that gives you a hint on her age). Anyway Braden's aide had told me that the teacher was really hard on Braden basically mocking him on things because of medical issues he couldn't do. So I told her that I was unhappy that Braden didn't like her and I was having trouble getting him to come to school. I guess she thought she would prove me wrong, because she gets that sing song voice and calls Braden over to us and says "Braden you like me don't you?". Braden looks at her in the eye and says "No I don't not at all not even a little". That's telling her Braden!

I could go on and on I am sure, times that I have said something totally inappropriate.

One example of that is a friend was going through a divorce, and we were at McDonalds trying to cheer her up so I shared the gossip I had heard the day before about one of the moms of a little girl we knew having an affair. You guessed it her husband was the one that she was having the affair with. I was embarresed and felt awful.

Of course I also have tons of klutz moments, and on and on and on.

What is your embarresing moment?

Monday, October 23, 2006

It is definetly a Monday!

Brittney had a wonderful birthday. Now trying to find a place for her haul of goodies.

Hubby is at cooperate this week. That is never fun.

Tommorow night I am hosting a baby shower. Suppose to be having help but so far the help has offered to bring a cheese ball. I ordered a diaper cake off ebay. Normally I make my own but I thought it is worth the money not to have to run around town looking for the things, putting it together, etc. Problem is it has not arrived. Suppose to have been here today and it didn't make it. Ugh this is what I get for trying to save time.

I have the house cleaned up if I can keep the kids to keep it that away.

It has just been a busy day. We had slacked the end of last week so we had a lot of school to catch up on today which made it an even busier day.

Good thing is hubby will be back Friday, bad thing is I have full days everyday until then.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

Happy Birthday Baby Girl!!

My baby girl is turning 9. Boy time has flown. I remember being scared to death to bring you home from the hospital, I felt so inept. I keep looking back at your album thinking how fast the time is flying and how I want to hold on to every moment and memory. You bring blessings to our life you wont understand until you have your own precious blessing. You are so kind hearted, and giving. You enrich our lives daily and we are so happy to be celebrating your 9th birthday. You are getting older but you will always be mommy's baby girl.

















Friday, October 20, 2006

Birthday Cake

I could critique the cake and myself all day but what is important is Brittney thinks it is totally cool!

This is for her bath junkie birthday party tonight. She won't actually turn 9 till Sunday.

Favorite Foto Friday

She also had a Jesse Doll from Toy Story that she dragged everywhere for a while.

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Mid Week...Almost

I LOVE what Bluebird Blogs did for me. Her prices are so reasonable. I really like what she came up with for me and I think it fits my personality well.

Matt's school board meeting was in his words "not pretty". Another rough one will be on tap for next month.

No news on the car yet, suppose to let us know something tommorow.

Trying to get everything planned for us to go to Austin the first week in November.

Hubby has a trip to cooperate next week. So getting that prepared.

I have on my to do list to get things to make Brittney's birthday cake for Friday night. If I can get it to look how I want then it will be adorable. Her party will be at bath junkie so going with a bathtub/rubber ducky theme. The cake pic I found is a little girl in a bubble bath then going to do rubber ducky cookies around the cake.

I am also planning on hosting a baby shower for a friend next week.

Do you need something done? Seriously I just have all this extra time and nothing to do...UGH...and the sad thing is I am getting better at saying no and I am still swamped.

Time for a horse and buggy

Gas prices finally went down and now what happens?....Car goes into the shop ugh...just another reason to get a horse and buggy.

Don't know the damage yet for the car...of course it is right past it's warranty...OF COURSE. Ugh vehicles!

Monday, October 16, 2006

It's Monday

I will be getting my new template up sometime this week. Hubby got it done for me from bluebird blogs. I liked what she came up with. Should be up soon.

A busy week, today cleaning, catching up from being gone this weekend, preparing for this week. It is suppose to rain all day which means what I will want to do is curl up and nap. We will do homeschool this morning, then cleaning, then speech. Tonight Matt has an important school board meeting. I have been praying for him and this whole school board situation it is just a mess, this small town has some big problems with the school system. It is sad really. Brittney will be excited all week as she turns 9 next Sunday. I know this week will fly by as it is busy, we are planning for a party, and hubby leaves out next week for corporate office and that always gets here quicker than I want it to.

Here are some pics from this week. Didn't take too many. The zoo is so fun during these campout I think I counted approximately 45 tents camping out. I love walking around at night. The animals are so active. Of course I couldnt get any good pics of the animals because for the flash to work it has to be up close when it is that dark. Most of the kids pics they have chocolate all over their faces from one of the craft stands set up at the zoo. It was making muddy birds feet (marshmellows, pretzels, dipped in choc).







Saturday, October 14, 2006

First crash

We had fun at the campout. I will have to post pics later. I am posting from my aunts computer and hers doesn't use my card. It was cold but we stayed pretty warm and had lots of fun.

This morning we came over to my aunts house and then headed out for the day. Some shopping then to Incredible Pizza.

The kids and Matt wanted to ride the nascar cars. Braden is way over being tall enough to drive by himself so they each got their own cars. Matt pulled out first of the pitt to get to the starting lane, then Brittney, then Braden. Well the guys were not paying attention and had not controlled Braden's cars speed and it zipped out of the pit and SLAMMED and I do mean slammed into a wall. His glasses went flying, his head hit the steering wheel, seat belt scraped his neck, and his knee has a bruise the size of an egg on it. Thankfully he is fine. But at first I wasnt so sure, his forehead looked awful, and I was scared to death he would have a seizure. Talk about getting special treatment. The car rink manager ran out yelling at the young kid in charge of the ride, we got Braden and brought him to sit down. The manager came out and stayed with us. Braden was feeling better, he brought Braden a free game card for games, came and brought us a copy of the accident report in case we needed to take Braden to the doctor, Braden got VIP treatment the rest of the visit. He even ended up getting on the race cars again (this time as a passenger with Matt) and the main manager stayed out with him the whole time. I have given him some Motrin because I know he will be sore tommorow. I guess we can say now he has had his first car wreck and believe me it was enough for mom I don't even want to think about real ones and driving real cars!

Friday, October 13, 2006

Off for the weekend

What a week. Oh well that can be behind us now we are outta here for the weekend.

Tonight will have us at the "Starry Safari" overnight campout at the Tulsa Zoo. Going to be a chilly night which will be fun for camping lots of blankets and extra layers. Going to get to see the zoo without many other people, walk around with our flashlights, have a buffett dinner, breakfast is also provided, plus special things just for the kids to do, train rides, and animal trainers out and about.

Tommorow morning we will pack up from the zoo and head to my aunt's house and clean up and head out for a day of fun in Tulsa. Since Britt's birthday is soon to be we are going to go have fun a little early at Incredible Pizza. I am sure a trip to Target and Gordman's will have to be done (or else there will be lots of whining....by me). We will stay Saturday night at my aunt's then head home on Sunday. Then we will prepare for another busy week.

It will just be nice to get away, Matt off of work, family time!

Favorite Foto Friday

Halloween from when he was 4 but even though he has grown he is still my little stinker!!!!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Homecoming Parade

Tonight was our small towns homecoming parade. The theme was "Haunt the Savages" my kids are the two ghosts! The cold weather made wearing sweats while riding the float a must!







Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Works for me Wednesday

Math treasure hunt

I have two kids on different levels of math and this is how I make a fun and educational treasure hunt.

I take 3 x 5 cards (green are for Brae) and (orange are for Brit).
Example of one for Brae
9 + 3 =
a) 11 - look behind the pear tree
b) 6 - look under the slide
c) 12 - look under the green bench

so the kids would go look under the green bench where I would place probably an orange card so Brit could answer this one and then they would be off to the next card and so on and so on until they get to the treasure. The treasure could be as simple as a snack, a fun project to do together, or a special treat.

They love this! It can be done indoors, outdoors and with verying ages to make it easier or more difficult.

Check out more at Shannon's

Monday, October 09, 2006

Not what I meant

When I posted below that I hoped to get up early to do some legal work I was not hoping to wake up at 12:30 am and be unable to fall back asleep.

Yuck...insomnia.

It is now 2:30 I didn't get any of the actual legal work done but all my work is sorted out and organized into two neat piles. Now when I get ready I can just come in grab a file and know that all the paperwork is in it.

Of course now I am heading back to bed to try to catch a few hours of sleep before a busy Monday begins.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

Weekend Wrap Up

Got a few things done this weekend of course not enough of what I need to do, but that is normal.

Did get Brit to decide on a Halloween Costume. Brae's has been picked out since May. Britt took longer to decide. So now for Halloween I will have a Lilo and a Stitch. Should be cute we had gotten Braden's at Disney. I ordered Britt a red and white Hawaiin print dress and a black wig. It is a simple costume and she was excited to match with her brother.

Plan on getting up in the morning early so that I can catch up on some legal work, hopefully that will happen.

Another busy week planned but I did cancel two extra things that I had scheduled. One was a hair appointment and another a lunch out. I figured I could do without both and keep myself a little saner.

Saturday, October 07, 2006

Biting me tounge.

I have about 3 seperate situations going at the moment that are causing me to bite my tounge. I play a game in my head after each and every conversation for these seperate conversations. In my head I get to go off and tell them to go away, that I am done, that they are not worth it. But then I know that if I tell what I really want to it spins off things and is getting things off my chest worth a family rift, or a loss of friendship, etc.? Right now the answer is no it is not worth it, right now I am just biting my toungue and hoping they see that they are hurting me and not being and/or doing what they should. I find myself getting ticked off at little things and remembering things that normally dont bother me or that I dont usually care about. Ugh hopefully it will improve soon, I doubt any of the three will, but it would be nice if it would.

Friday, October 06, 2006

New Toy

Okay the post below I was stressing out, but now I am playing with my new toy..LOL...so fun making picture slide shows. It is a freeware project and so easy to use.

Farm Field Trip (Barn Goddess I thought of your blog and all your awesome horse pics when I was snapping pics of horses!!)

Girl Scout Party this one I added music to the slide show.

I am working on more!

Favorite Foto Friday

Doing Halloween photos this month for my favs. This is a long time ago...my prince and her frog.

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Have you ever...

I got this from In A Shoe

Have you ever....(Mine are highlighted)

I have....
01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said “I love you’ and meant it

09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game (and survived the crush afterwards)
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby’s diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs

57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Posed nude in front of strangers
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater

66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”
83. Got flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Had a one-night stand
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (working on this one)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Petted a stingray
110. Broken someone’s heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Seen the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days1
26. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Petted a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office (I am couting PTA)
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone’s life

What have you done?

Monday, October 02, 2006

Making vacation plans

We had a little family pow wow last night to decide next years vacation plans. I know I am obsessive and plan ahead. We had several options we decided to go to South Dakota, Brae actually has been the one wanting to go as he studied it recently. We had planned to go in March, problem is still too cold there and none of the fun stuff opens till after memorial day. So now we get to have even more fun because we are planning a mini trip in March to see Anne. So REALLY looking forward to that. Keith was little when we saw them on vacation together in St. Louis.

We moved the South Dakota trip to first of June.

The kids and I put our new magnets on the refrigerator this morning. It is a full map of the United States but we are only placing on it the states the kids have visited. We will add more each time we travel. The kids are already looking to add 3 states in March with Anne and 4 when we go to South Dakota!

Here is their map of where they have been so far.