We went to visit a neighbor on her 82nd birthday, and while she and I visited, the kids played in her yard. They turned on a hose, made a huge, very deep puddle of black mud (I suspect it had already been started by her sprinklers) and made a terrific mess. They had a ball, and luckily she thought it was funny becuase I had to clean it up and she didn't! (And possibly because we had just brought her some chocolate chip cookies for her birthday!) One of the advantages of being old, I guess. I took these pictures after I cleaned them up a bit so we could come home, but I finished hosing them off before I would let them in the house.

 

 

Our house

I forgot that I never posted about our new home! We love it. We are still intending on building the fence, and we should be able to get it done sooner now that Jerome will be starting a better job. I can't wait. I bought a little gentle sprinkler for the children to use in the backyard a few days ago. It's been really hot here the last week, and they have had so much fun using it! Even Abrie will run through the edge of the spray. I've painted most of the inside. I really like it now that it's painted. It looked like an old lady house before, but now the inside is a pretty green. I chose a golden yellow for the hallway. I'm not quite done, and am trying to decide what color to do the kitchen area. I may just stick with the color that I have done in the livingroom. I have big plans for landscaping. I want to plant two trees on the west side of the driveway and garage to help keep the heat down there in summer. Something that grows quickly, but not too big. I don't want it hanging into the neighbors yard. We still need to uproot some bushes there, and weed, and I have found a couple of plants (bushes and flowers) that are going to have to go. They are seriously ugly. I think we will focus this summer on the fence, and getting those bushes out. Maybe in the fall we will plant the trees, so they have all fall, winter and spring to settle in before the heat of summer. I'm having fun with my plans, but it's a lot of work and we'll have to take it one step at a time!

Changes...

These pictures I took a couple of days ago. They were cuddled up on the couch; neither one felt good, but they didn't mind cheesing for the camera! In the first, Abrie is winking at me.

Our family has been sick for two weeks! We've had some kind of respiratory infection. I even had to take Jake to the doctor and he was really sick. I thought they were going to admit him to the hospital, but they sent us home with some antibiotics and told me that if he got worse or just didn't get any better to take him straight to the ER. He is now doing much better. We stayed home from church today; we are all still sick and Abrie has pinkeye that is not going away becuase she squeezes her eye shut every time I try to put the medicine in. Jerome has to hold her down, Sam holds either her feet or her hands, and I try to open her eye to get the ointment in. Jake had it also, but he is big enough to open his own eye for ointment, and his is pretty much cleared up.

The good news for our family this week is that Jerome found a new job!!!! He will be starting work as a Team Leader (a shift supervisor) for ConAgra Foods in mid-June. The pay is about 60% higher than what he has been making at Coca-Cola, so our family is very excited! It is a great starting wage, it's here in town, there is lots of potential for advancement, and it's doing what he went to school for. As soon as he finishes his training, which is a work-at-your-own-pace thing, he will get a raise and a promotion. I am hoping he will finish it quickly! (It usually takes about 2 years, from what I hear, but some have done it in one year. It depends on motivation.)

Swimming lessons start soon, and the boys are really excited about it. I'm trying to decide on a good time. Last summer we went at 8 am, (and were never late, thank you very much!) but this year I think 8:30 or 9 would work better for us. It takes me longer to get out the door now than it did when I could just put Abrie in the car seat and go. We'll see. Fortunately, I can try one time for two weeks and change after, if I need to.