Tired kids and it's only the 2nd day

of the 3 day weekend.

Of course, we had the game Friday night.  We got home so late we all kind of laid around and didn't do too much yesterday.  But, we had promised Miss Chelsi, since last year, that we would go to the parade again.  So we all went to the parade and then Walmart for groceries and my flag supplies.  By the time we got home we had a message for an invite to go watch fireworks.  So, we got my new flag hung up and we were off again.

It was nice just to sit back and watch them and sit with friends.  The kids just ran around an played with each other and the little ones sang and danced while C played guitar.  It's so relaxing to just sit by a fire and do nothing, but chit chat and have fun.

The kids have played outside with the dog all day today and are tired already, so it was time to come in.  We had to give the house a good cleaning since we'd been running for the past two weeks with swim lessons and I worked up a major sweat trying to clean and wash all the sheets in the house.  I haven't done glass yet, but will be tonight or tomorrow....yeah!  Got our zucchini bread in the oven that Chelsi and I made though, so we're going to have some yummy burgers, steaks and zucchini bread tonight.  Really wished I would have bought the strawberries and ice cream last night for shakes.  I totally wasn't thinking clear.  Missed my ingredients for chapjae too.  I was going to make that tomorrow.

Here are pics of my flag and the 3 little kiddos at the parade.

Chelsi and her best friend Miss A watching the parade together.

Another Win!

We have yet to go to a game where the Cardinals lose.....hopefully that doesn't jinx them or us!  The kids had a good time as usual, though it was more crowded than the last game so there was no room to spread out and a night game,we have decided, isn't best for the two littlest.  They did make it through the whole game though.  Chase was still raising her arm for 'charge', but not yelling near as loud. 

1 month of summer is gone

We may not have done the crazy, running everywhere with baseball that we usually do, but it's still been plenty busy.  We've mostly just been trying to do stuff with the kids.

The big boys adopted a dog.  They had a couple of days where the fees were waived and paid for by a foundation and the boys found a 3 year old lab.  I can't complain though.  He's pretty good.  He's housebroken and though we don't have him in the house he's very well behaved because of it.  He doesn't jump or lick like most labs and he LOVES to fetch.  The boys spend hours throwing the ball for him.  He does sleep in the house at night though.  Night is rough for him.  He misses his brother who has a separate family.  For some reason our dog was one of the last ones left.  I think people are afraid of his size.  The boys are loving having an active dog again.  Our beagle is just getting to old to have fun, but he's more Jaemin's size, so Jaemin still likes to sit by him and pet him.

The kids have finished another summer of swimming lessons.  Chelsi has progressed to Level 1.  YAY Chelsi!  Her improvement between last year and this year is amazing.  Much like Kaelin's 2nd year of preschool level lessons were at the same age.  The big boys will be in Level 5 next year and Kaelin will be in 3.

Jaemin was tested for allergies today after getting sick again earlier this month.  We think he still has acid reflux, but we're trying to figure out the cause if he does.  The doctor sent us to an allergist.  They don't test kids this age for much, so there were some major foods and then mold and dust.  He really had nothing.  I even had them test for strawberries since his foster mother told us he was allergic.  Turns out he is no longer allergic to them either.  We're going to remove apples and eggs from his diet for awhile since they were the only things that even remotely showed up, but we're really just waiting on his pediatrician to decide what to do for him next.  I do wonder about the nurse practitioner who saw him today though.  She was real big on asthma diagnosis.  And while I'm not ruling it out I don't think that's it.  I'd almost rather find out if he has something else going on, but that would require a scope.  I'm going to try to sit back and follow the doctor or at least look to him for advice this time.  The allergist's nurse practitioner, however, wanted him AND me on all kinds of drugs and inhalers.  And of course they're a pretty good price too.  I need some proof first.  And we may take him off his ranitidine and see how he does first.  Hopefully, he finally outgrowing his acid reflux, but until this week's testing we hadn't taken him off long enough to tell.

1 1/2 months 'til school starts.  I'm not sure I'm ready for that again.  I like this flexibility and fun of summer.

The biggest wish in the world...and most important

If I could have a wish granted, any wish, I would wish that the two birth mothers in Korea, to my 3 youngest children would know that their children are happy and healthy and loved beyond the ends of the Earth.  I also wish that one day the one birth mother knows that her children are, indeed, together and how blessed we feel.  I truly have no words for how blessed we are.

Odds and Ends

I've just been too busy to write anything down on a regular basis, but I don't want to forget any moments in my life because everyone seems so precious.  Even stupid little details that are extremely boring. 

The older 4 have finished their first week of swim lessons.  I don't think the older 3 are going to pass this time around, but it's normal when you're in higher level classes.  You should be mastering it before you go on.  The boys are thinking about becoming lifeguards, so they have plenty of time to get through the next level.  They're all enjoying it and that's really all that matters.

Jaemin is totally enjoying going along so he can splash around in the baby pool.  There's an Asian man and his daughters that come every week and the dad always comes over to talk to Jae.  He really seems to like him and his girls are the same ages as my littlest two. 

Right now everyone's just getting super excited about our next Cardinals game next week.  Jaemin has totally learned how to raise his arm and yell CHARGE! Too cute!

As of now, we have a new member of the family.  The shelter was having some free adoption days, so the boys finally got to go and pick out a dog.  They found a 3 year old lab that needed a home.  He's pretty well behaved and was actually an inside dog (Jaemin, Chase and I can't take that), but is outside now.  He wants to come in the house so bad though...I do feel bad, but labs are just fine outside.  I'm hoping Brian and the boys can take him to the lake to swim.  I bet he'd like that!  He likes truck rides.

Since Brian was picking up the dog I told him I'd pick up the youngest 3 at grandmas.  We went straight outside so the little kids could see Butter (the lab).  Jaemin kept saying 'puPPy', but wasn't real interested.  The dog is almost 80 pounds, so I think he intimidates J a little.  Jaemin would rather stick to the beagle.  He's much closer to Jae's size and he likes Jaemin too.  Jaemin is SO good!  I watered the flowers and then told him it was time to go in and take showers so we could eat dinner and he just turns around and walks to the door and goes on in.  He loves to sit with me at the baby pool and just play with me quietly.  He probably looks like a great big momma's boy, but I'll take it any day.  He so great about finishing supper if we have ice cream sandwiches to eat afterward.  He's even starting to pick up toys.  He does have a ornery streak.  He likes to grab things and take off running as he laughs the whole way!

I'm telling you if you had seen him one year ago you would never believe this is the same little boy.  He's not somber.  He smiles a lot and he's super friendly from a distance.  He loves to tell everybody hi and bye and apparently one of his favorite daycare friends is Addie.  We love to say "Adddiiieee".  It's so cute.  And yes, he still lets me crawl into his toddler bed with him to cuddle before he goes to sleep.  If he's not quite tired when I leave him he gets up and gets his dinosaurs or trucks to sleep with. 

I never thought I could ever love another little boy so much, but I do!!!!!

Swim Fever

No, not really.  But, swimming and fevers. 

I got to daycare yesterday and when I kissed Chelsi on the head I realized she was warm.  We took her temp and it was 100.7, so we turned around and went back home.  Kaelin had been complaining about a sore throat so I thought we'd get Chelsi tested for strep and UTI.  Sure enough, she had both.  Poor baby.  This time they found trace blood, so they're culturing it and we're talking more in-depth with the pediatric nephrologist.  None of us are sure what to think since she's been drinking cranberry juice everyday for two weeks now.  We've done everything we and the neph can think of to prevent these things and still not succeeding.

The nephrologist's nurse told me that if she is still running a fever today to call them back.  I went ahead and let them know that this afternoon she was back to 103, but it's being controlled with tylenol and motrin.  They're discussing if we should wait for our July appointment or do something sooner...but not sure what.

Meanwhile, last night was the first swim lesson.  I asked the ped if she could go and he said she wouldn't give anyone strep at swim lessons and she'd already have her 2nd dose of her antibiotic so it was fine.  By afternoon yesterday she was at 104 so I asked the nephrologist's office if she could go and they said it would be good for her temp.  So swimming she did go.  She would have been so sad to not go to class.  She's been looking forward to this for 3 months now.  She LOVES swimming lessons.  She even puts her head totally under this year. 

All 4 of the older kids are in swim lessons this year and doing well.  The boys are in level 5 and I think there are only 6 levels before testing for lifeguard.  Kaelin is in 3 and Chelsi is in preschool.  Jaemin played in the baby pool last night, but stayed home with dad tonight.  I would pick the HOTTEST summer in years to sell the framed pool.  It was 94 degrees when we left for classes this evening.  Needless to say we all needed showers are getting home!

When the good things you teach them have consequences

Everyone knows we try hard to teach the kids about money.  But, something need to be kept to themselves.

Today is Father's Day.  Chase was so sweet and used his own money to buy his dad a duck statue to go in the recroom with his other hunting stuff...aka the duck he shot years ago.  Anyways, I had taken Chase to the store awhile back when he apparently first saw it.  Then, one day when he and Kaelin were with their grandma and going to town he asked if they were going to that store and told her he planned to buy this for Father's Day.  He hid it and kept it to himself not revealing the surprise prior to today.  I mean this thing is about 10" or so long and several inches high.  He gave it to Brian this morning and I was telling Brian how proud I was of him for spending his own money on it and having the idea to buy this himself.  The kids don't usually buy us stuff and we wouldn't expect them to.  Kaelin quickly piped it 'it was 50% off!'.  So takes the fun out of it.  Had to give her another lesson in money in that while it is good to be frugal we don't have to share how inexpensive we got something when it was a gift!

As a side note I don't think Father's Day was too shabby for him.  We don't do a lot of buying items for these days.  We just don't have the money or justification for that type of expenditure.  So, yesterday since he wanted to mow and work in the garden I cleaned the whole house.  This morning the big boys got up before him and made waffles.  And Chase made his usual card.  He's GREAT about making us great cards to keep.  Always creative!  I'm telling you he's definitely one of the best dads in today's world.