so far behind....

so I'm so far behind - here is the 5 minute catch up so that I'll stop being overwhelmed and just say I'll catch up later....

lets see...we've been busy!
Brandon: got to sleep in for Father's day, didn't have to go to Congo for work (yet), is getting back to running
Abbey: work work work (at work and at home) I'm still so thankful to get to stay home part time! Trying to become a runner - knees are hurting!!! Dang ACL reconstructions---need a good Physical therapist! Had our dog Cream shaved for the summer - she's a whole new woman.
Parker: busy with school, addicted to anything makeup like or glittery, finished soccer and dance class, taking swimming lessons at school, going on awesome field trips at school - they visited the site of her tragic face planting episode (The T-bones baseball stadium) and she came away unscathed. Loves water day at school.
Meyer: such a sweet boy!! All full of smiles almost all the time, sleeps for 11+ hours a night, rolling over, eating cereal, loves to stand up with help and is not content to be held "like a baby" wants to sit up! Still likes to cuddle up on a shoulder when he starts to get tired. Puts himself to sleep in his bed by covering up his head w/ his blanket....scary! - only use crocheted blanket that has LOTS of holes.
Dogs: obnoxious as usual, Cream - much cooler since the shave, both are loving to go on runs.
KC in general: HOT!!!!!!!!
kisses to all!
Ab

just doin' our thang

Well my loving husband reminded me that I had not blogged in a while - I told him it was because nothing crazy had happened lately!
Let's see last week started with me returning from my girls weekend away. Thank you so much Brandon for not only taking care of our two kiddos for the weekend, but for encouraging me to take a much needed weekend away, it was great fun, but I was happy to return home too! I got back into town just in time for Parker's soccer game. We were still very proud of her for not having any tears during the session. Maybe next week she'll get in there and get after the ball. She did kick it once or twice and had TONS of fun running around the outside of the herd. Thanks to Neanie and Papa Bob for coming to watch our little Mia Hamm. Monday night we headed out to the "New K" for a Royals game. Thanks again to Bob and Jeanie for letting us have their awesome seats. Even if it did rain on us a little! We managed to avoid Slugger (the large headed Lion mascot) because Parker is totally not into adults in costume. Which made me recount our version of the Christmas story 2008. Parker still is not into seeing Santa up close and personal (again, not into adults in costume) and on Christmas morning when she still wasn't up at 9:30 I went into her room to find her bright eyed but laying in her bed. When asked if she was ready to go downstairs to open presents, she quickly replied by asking "Is Santa gone yet?"
But I digress...the game was fun, Parker got her cotton candy, our friend Amanda went with us, the catcher for Toronto (our seats are on the third base side above the dugout) tossed Brandon a game ball for Parker and we made it through the whole game rain and all!
The rest of the week was pretty uneventful, work was good, home was good. Wednesday both kiddos stayed home with me which was fun (and a lot of work!) Friday both kiddos were home with me again, Parker and I had a lot of fun, we got all our laundry done and Meyer took two really good naps! Saturday brought Parker's dance class which is a hoot and Sunday was soccer again. They had team and individual pictures - Brandon and I were on the same page thinking maybe this was a bit too much - I mean the league is a whopping 6 weeks long and we'll have a whole 6 hours invested in the whole shebang. I think the pics I took out in front of our house will do just fine thank you. We wrapped up the weekend with dinner at our house with Amanda.
I must say that after 3 days in a row at home with the kiddos (Brandon was gone a portion of the weekend days at our friend Brett's house helping him dig fence post holes - with a rented auger) I was ready to head back to work today! I love my kiddos, but I don't think I'm built to be a full time stay at home mommy! Anyhoo - here's to having a great week!

Back to work

This week marks my first week back at work. I've gone back to work "Part time" I'm working Monday, Tues and Thursdays from 7:30 until 6. So far, so good. The days are a little long, but not bad...of course since I'm just getting back my schedule isn't really full either.
I'm really enjoying being back amongst the adults and the people I work with are tons of fun, so that's nice. I think I even somewhat remember how to be a Physical Therapist. It has been a slight change to remember how to stretch someone's shoulder without the huge belly out in front of me!
Meyer is staying with a gal named Annie who watches several children in her home about 5 blocks from our house. I'm very pleased with her...and Meyer hasn't voiced any complaints! She has been either a nanny or doing childcare for about 19 years. Parker is still at "school" at Hillcrest Christian Child Development Center which we still just love for her. Meyer will likely go there someday as well. The plan is to have both of them home with me on Wednesdays and Fridays, but there are some days I'm sure Park will go school - like tomorrow they are planting a tree, so she doesn't want to miss that, so I think mostly we'll play it by ear - much like the rest of our lives!
This weekend I'm going to the Ozarks with a group of girls for our friend Lauren's bachelorette weekend. It will be my first time away from Meyer, but I must say I'm excited for a little girl time/no responsibilities! woo hoo!

Herd Ball

Parker started soccer this last weekend. She is super excited about it. We had to get shin guards and all that jazz. Park is at a decided disadvantage since neither her father nor mother know a single thing about soccer---I was very concerned over the order of donning socks and shin guards...we finally settled on socks and then guards with the super long socks rolled down over the top of the guards...I think it was a good solution :-)
While the weather was not fabulous...a little cold - imagine that on a spring day in Kansas and super windy, but we were not deterred. Parker is playing in a league called Happy Feet put on through the Johnson County Parks and Rec and I couldn't be more pleased with it, it's way laid back and very age appropriate. Yay!
I'm not sure we have the next Mia Hamm on our hands or anything but she sure did have fun. We were most proud that she was one of the few kids that never came off the field crying...of course she never got knocked down either, but that was mostly due to her clever strategy of staying mostly on the edge of the herd. All in all it was a fun afternoon!

Note the Hannah Montana ball

Meyer in his green cap out in support of the Kangaroos

Of course looking good is the most important part

Little Mommy

The other night Meyer was having an atypical fussy moment...or as Park calls it -being fuzzy. I had done all the mommy things and he was still crying some. So Park comes to the rescue and our conversation goes pretty much like this
Parker: Why's Meyer crying?
Me: I don't know, he's just a little fussy
P: why's he fuzzy?
M: I don't know
P: Did you feed him?
M: yes
P: Did you change his diaper?
M: yes
P: Maybe he wants his binky
M: he just spit it out
P: Did you give him some gas drops?
M: _________________
My little 4 year old just wanted to make sure that her baby was taken care of and had all the bases covered and she even knows about the joy of gas drops!!! (and yes, I had given him some gas drops)
Park walked off to get her jammies saying I don't know, I guess he's just fuzzy.

I'm also including some of Parker's latest photography work. Pictured here is her self portrait, a close up abstract of "Florida Monkey", Mommy and Meyer, and just Mommy - on a day that a shower and hair fixing actually occured - wow!

quick update

just wanted to give a quick update on Park's condition. She's getting better every day, and as Neanie said, Good thing we weren't planning on getting cute Easter pics taken!
I'm pretty sure this was Thursday evening

these were taken tonight (Monday 4/13)

Birthday Bonk

so is it really any surpise she has two black eyes right now? This was from her birthday fun, I think she did this same thing for about 15 minutes. She would even fall down if the pylon missed her...what a ham!