Apple Orchard

We took a trip to the apple orchard today. We picked lots of apples and brought home a couple of pumpkins, and I don't mean my kids. :) They had a great day. I worked about four hours this morning, What? Work on a Saturday, I haven't had to do that in a couple of years, but we are really busy right now, so everyone keep going out to eat. I keep my job that way, LOL!! I came home and we went to Stuckey farms. We first went and picked out a few good pumpkins. It was tough, they were really picked over and all of the best ones were picked by the farm and just available for anyone to pick up. Where is the fun in that? Anyway, then we picked almost 30 pounds of apples. These are some yummy apples and they were only $.62 per pound. Then we went to Old Navy and used Luke's birthday gift card and got him a couple pair of jeans. We went and shared some of our apples with my sisters family on the way home and now we are home and ready for bed. Here are some pictures from today.

Look at the difference

I cannot believe the difference in T from last year to this year. She has certainly become quite the little beauty. L hasn't really changed much, but he doesn't look like my baby anymore :( The first two pictures were taken in July of last year, but the last one I took last week.

They start school next week. I can't believe it. It is 91 degrees outside and still summer. We never started school before the last week of August. We still want to get up to Lake Michigan this year before we run out of time. I wish it was a shorter drive, but it is a nice day trip and it certainly helps that gas is down to the $3.70's this week. Ok, not much to update, but I wanted to post these pictures.

Brookfield Zoo

I don't have much time, running late for work, but I wanted to post a couple of pictures from when we went to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago. THE BEST ZOO EVER!!!!

Of course I have never been to San Diego, so not much to compare it to.

Here are a couple of pictures of my kids. Wait here is Luke, I don't have time to edit the pic of Tati.

I will when I come home.

Bye for now, I am LATE, no shower yet and must leave in 15 minutes.

Amy

No, I have not died, or dropped off of the earth.

Ok, it has been what, 9 months since my last post. Since that time I have had my tonsils removed, gotten a Wii for Christmas (takes up a lot my spare time, well not so spare either). Luke had Fall soccer and then spring soccer. Tatiana is a complete and total handful. We ended up needing to get her on ADD meds before the end of the school year. It was getting to the point where she was in time outs more than time ins. Since the meds, completely different girl. After she started her meds, she was able to focus and concentrate. She really suffers from the high frustration level Luke does. Let's see what else has happened, Oh one of the hamsters Luke got for his birthday died. I am not going to say for sure, but it could have died from hunger. The other one is doing very well now, and is checked on often.
We (Hubby) planted a garden, and it is going very well. We are reaping the benefits of some yummy strawberries right now. I have been enjoying non-alcoholic margaritas quite often. I don't drink liquor, but I do use the margarita mixers in the store and I have to say they are pretty good. We are going to have some Green Beans, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, watermelon, cantaloupe, potatoes and carrots. Can't wait on the beans so we can have smoked sausage, beans and potatoes, mmmmmm.
Work has been good, a little slow right now, but with gas so high, a lot of people are not eating out as often and that of course hurts my business since we make food for many restaurants. I have had to come home early several days and of course that hurts the ol' paycheck come Friday. When we first got our van it cost us at most $50 to fill from empty to full, and the other day I put gas in it when there was still 1/4 tank left and it cost $85.50. It has a 25 gallon tank so with gas being $4.20 now it will be over $100 to fill, who can afford to do that. I have started driving DH's car to work and when we first got it, we paid at most $18 to fill it, now more than $45. It is horrid! Pretty soon, we won't be able to afford to do anything but sit in our house in the dark, and eat ramen noodles because our whole check will be put in our gas tank.
I know it has been a long time, but here is a picture of the kids. I don't even know if anyone even checks here anymore, so if you are there. . . . . . . . Hi!

Whooo Hooo!!! First Gotcha Day for T. . .

One year ago today we were in a courtroom in Ukraine and the judge finally told us we were T's parents. After waiting for soooooooooo long it finally happened. This first year has not been a cake walk by any means, but it is definitely improving. She is beginning to act like any American preschooler that doesn't always get her way. We love her more than imaginable and so does her brother. When he got up this morning he ask "Is today the day that T became my daughter?" LOL! So we had a very lengthy discussion of what Gotcha day is and when his is. He is such a good boy!

L, by the way, scored a goal at soccer on Saturday!!! We were proud parents. I think that once T is old enough though, she will blow him out of the water. That girl can play some soccer.

I went Friday to Portrait Innovations and got the kids pictures taken. Mostly for my Mom's birthday present, but I actually had not gotten one taken previously and I really needed to get it done. Doggone it though, those things are not cheap! Here is the best picture of the two of them together.

I also am posting the individual pics of both kids as well.

Well, i guess now I need to do the annual report.

Night all!

Indianapolis Zoo

Well, we went to the Zoo on Sunday and the kids had a blast. They now have a shark pool with dog sharks that you can touch. They have the coolest looking eyes. Their eyes actually look animated they are so neat. My dear dumb husband came home from work early on Friday because he was so sick he couldn't be there anymore. I asked him if he wanted to go the the Dr., he said no, urgent care after hours, no so by Sunday he had not mentioned feeling bad anymore. We are at the Zoo and I bought a bottle of water and ask if he wanted a drink. He says sure, so we all share the bottle of water (I mean after all it was a $2.00 bottle of water) we stayed the day, came home. Monday morning comes along and what does he say, "my throat is still killing me, I think I have strep and should go to the Dr." So he did and he does have strep. Well, guess what I woke up this morning a little tired but not feeling bad. Went to work and around 10 am I started with a small sore throat on the right side and a ginormous gland in my neck. By noon, i could barely swallow and by 1 my ear was in a tremendous amount of pain. Called the doctor since he just saw DH yesterday and he called in my prescription. I told DH I hated him and how come he didn't tell me he still had a sore throat before drinking with us. His response "I don't know, I didn't think about it" can you say DUH!!!! so now I only hope that I am able to go to work tomorrow, I am extremely susceptible to baaaaaadddddd strep. I don't just get it a little.

Anyway, we saw the baby elephant and the 2 baby giraffes at the Zoo. I got a picture of T feeding the giraffe that looked like he has some sort of bump disease on his head and horns. L was with us alone for a while. DH's family had T with them, so it was kind of nice to give L that one on one attention for at least a little while that he has not really experienced much of in the last year.

Speaking of last year, I just went back and read the blog for this day one year ago and I remember it like it was yesterday. I do miss Ukraine and Masha and her family :(

I want to finish the book I am reading before Big Brother is on tonight so I gotta go.

Here are some more pictures! Enjoy....

L's First Soccer Game

Well today was L's first soccer game. He got a sticker for best defense. I could have disputed that but I was proud of him all the same. The biggest problem is that his little "girl"friend from school goes to our church too and she was on the opposing team today. Everytime he saw her he got all shy and was all about her and not the game. I guess that is possibly the only valid reason there should not be coed sports, but he plays Upward and it is really about sportsmanship anyway and not the competition. All kids play regardless of ability and I really like that as well. We went to one of the local parks after ward and then did a couple of errands. I am posting pictures of our visit to Target as well. We didn't buy the masks, but they wanted to try them on anyway. We are going on an outing with my husbands family tomorrow to the Indianapolis Zoo after church. The kids are really excited. Then T's birthday is coming up in a couple of weeks, September is a very busy month.

I just wanted to post some pic's.

Have a great day everyone.

Amy