June 20

I am a little behind on the blogging as I try to do it on Sundays.

Bob has been home this last week and just left again this time for Utah. He was supposed to be in Nebraska last week and in fact left to go last week, but was felled by an especially nasty kidney stone that required ambulance and emergency room time. He got well, but drugs were utilized.

Baby Cash also went to the emergency room. Since it was a weekend, and he had thrush(basically an infection in the mouth) Rachel's regular doctor insisted that she come in merely to get a prescription. Of course then she had to wait for six hours with a sick baby, unable to give him any medicine. They only worked with her AFTER she got up and said she was leaving. Cash is fine now. Huge. He is one month old.

Rachel is well and very busy. She is taking four on-line classes. She was a huge help to me this past week with some of my own responsibilities.

Veronica is finishing up summer school this week and staying with her daddy. She is still just a joy to be around. Rach might argue that when it comes to the non-stop whistling.

Drew is flying and working. All is well for him, although he misses some of the friends he has made at college. He wore his suit this past week and it always still surprises me to see him look like the man he now is instead of the boy I remember.

Ryan just finished Driver's Ed. I think he enjoyed it and learned a lot about driving. His teacher is such a nice man. He spent some time over at his friend, Ethan's house last weekend riding a four-wheeler.

We spent Sunday with Bob's parents for Father's Day. Bob's mom was getting around better. We also brought home their tiller for some work, but as yet it is not ready.

I am working on my two college classes and being as successful as I can be given the challenges of my everyday life.

The most significant news of the past week is our family friend Frances Osborne passed away. Frances truly was my second mother and she and my friend Robin have been a part of our entire family's life as long as I can remember. Although she was ill and we are happy her pain has ended, she will missed. I am so grateful we were able to take Baby Cash to see her in the week before she died. Frances just loved babies and I think it was one of the last joys of her life to be well enough to sit up and hold Cash.

I am also grateful that Robin's family was able to come all together at the end to be with Frances. I hope despite their differences they will be able to come together without her.


And of families, all of mine was very helpful to me. I was over the line of stressed and they helped me however I needed! It's a good thing when we work together.

June 4-10

Here's what's shakin'

Bob returned Saturday from Nebraska. They want him back but maybe he will get to stay a few days. He is enjoying the LAST episode of his beloved Sopranos.

This week has been interesting for me. I am doing the summer bridge program for my 8th-9th graders. It has gone well. I also started my new workout routine. Yeah, I have one. I am working out at the gym. Apparently I am a weight-lifting stud! I can lift more weight than all the other girls. Finally, some sporty use for all this size. We took a walking field trip last Friday. I still stick at that! I also know the joy of muscle relaxers. Another thing I did was attend my writer's group and met an agent. She was very informative.

Rachel, Veronica, and Cash and I went to visit my friend Robin and her mother Frances. Both were very happy to get to hold the baby and Veronica and Robin had a good time talking about Junie B. Jones.

Veronica and I surprised her mother with a new bench and a flower garden. Rachel continues to be very busy with Cash and her on-line college classes. Cash is growing and looking around more.

Drew is working and flying and enjoying time with his friends.

Ryan is going through Driver's Ed. I think the backing through the cones was a challenge. He was excited that we got the flight arrangements for Michael to come here and Ryan to go to CT for a summer visit.

Cat is alive. Our wild foxes spen a lot of time in our yard and on our porch.

Well I start my on on-line class tomorrow, so I best get some things done.

Have a great week!

Now it is June

Another week has passed and we have gone on.
This week we had my co-workers and former co-workers over for a tailgating party on the last day of school. Rach did the grilling and we all had a good time. Then Bob, Ryan, his friend Dalton, and I went to a Royals game with my co-workers and half of Holden. No win, but the boys just kept eating dipping dots.

Ryan, Veronica and I are doing summer school starting Monday. Ryan is doing Driver's Ed. Veronica a variety. I am teaching a transition program for the high school.

Bob was here this week, working each day in the city. The Nebraska site kept calling for him. Then Saturday he returned to Nebraska "never to be seen again". He says he will be back next weekend, but we've heard that before. They want him back again in a week to work into July. Frankly, he is tired of it. I am tired of it. Holding down the fort gets a little old.

I finished work this week. My best advice is not to open the cabinets in my room. It was a shove and hide situation. In August, it will be sort and organize situation. I must be getting older, because I was actually quite happy that the school year was over. Lots of drama among co-workers. Much to my surprize I was put into another graduate class for summer. Apparently, the head of the department bumped a student so that I could take the class. Now I have a night class and an on-line class. Good news is that I will be finished finally with my Masters in the Spring. With the way graduate hours work and the number of them that I have, it may be to my benefit to look elsewhere for employment after next year.

Rachel and I did lunch with the children on Friday. It was an experience. It took Rachel three hours to get everyone ready to go and I think she has accepted that her life has changed forever with two children. We also got lost, chastised by the police, and all that is amazing considering we were trying to go to Powell Gardens. Yesterday we watched Dreamgirls and it was good.

Drew has been taking his flight lessons. He has landed "two and a half" times. The half concerns me. He drove down to Dallas this weekend with several of his anime club friends for a convention. I am not entirely certain what goes on there, but I believe it involves costumes. Afraid to ask!

Veronica has been busy this week and enjoyed a playdate with her friend, Luccee. She is doing better with the whole new brother thing. She is very proud of him.

Cash is growing. He can actually see and focus now. It is funny to see him studying you. He has started eating a lot.

Those are the highlights and maybe some lowlights.

Pictures of our little ones!

Aren't they beautiful? Veronica isn't smiling quite as much as she was at first. I think she is figuring out that Cash is here to say.

Also in the photo, a rather racy shot of Eyeore. Who knew?

Our Week as of May 27

Bob has finally returned from Nebraska where he has been on a job for weeks...months. He is overjoyed! He did stop and have a pizza with his folks. Now that Toni has returned home from the hospital from a kidney infection and some physical rehabilitation, they are doing well. He shared that his sister Ellen has been having some issues with her ex over custody. Hopefully, things will get better for her soon. Bob was especially happy to finally get see Baby Cash and Veronica who has missed him!

I spent most of this week at school. Made it through the last few days with the students and worked on Thursday in my room. Friday I took off and took Rachel and Baby Cash to the doctor for their one week checkup. This morning I have been watching our foxes. We have a whole family that frolic in our yard daily and eat our cat food. I am going to be finishing up some Career Ladder work today. (Special program from the state that allows teachers to receive extra compensation for work completed. I am the chairperson.) I am going to be teaching a summer transition program for three weeks in June. I thought I might be changing jobs next year, but decided to stay where I am for now.

Rachel had Baby Cash a week ago. She just returned to her house after being here for a few days. She is doing well. She is finding a nine pound baby much different from the three pound baby she had last time. She is spoiling little Cash all over the place! We are all!

Drew has had an interesting week. He is taking flight classes and is enjoying them. He is also working, but not enjoying that as much. He and his friends are going to Houston, TX this week to an anime convention. He is driving.

Ryan finished up his sophomore year this week. He did well on his grades and we are very proud of his accomplishments. He had a friend over for a couple of days. In another couple of weeks he starts Driver's Ed. He is looking forward to summer visits with his CT family. Then he will start his junior year and will be taking Computer Repair and Servicing at Vo-Tech.

Mikey is doing well when we talk to him on the phone. If all works out he will be coming to Missouri for a short visit this summer. It will be nice to see him!

Veronica finished Kindergarten! She tells everyone she is a first grader. She is going to enrichment summer school and will be learning Spanish among other things. She is having a little trouble adjusting to the new baby. She seemed to handle Mom holding Cash okay, but had some difficulty with Grandma Goldie doing it. I have been giving her a little TLC and we went bike riding yesterday. Today she is spending the day with Aunt Bebbie, my sister, and that should help.

Baby Cash is wonderful. He actually gained weight his first week instead of losing. He now weighs 9 lbs. He is a good eater, obviously, and easily switches from breast feeding to bottle with no trouble. He gets up once or twice a night, but Rachel is easily handling it. Our friends have been really nice about sharing baby equipment and clothes and diapers with us.

Our cat Xena is managing to live with us. She isn't too thrilled about the foxes, but she is managing that too.

That's the update.