fingers and toes...

we are on our way to the the lake of the ozarks on friday! we need a vacation, and some family time together! jim has been traveling a ton lately.....hmmm hope we still like each other when we get back!!!! my sister-in-law took the girls to the mall yesterday for a pedicure, and a manicure, and a little shopping at claires. they picked out their own color scheme. isabelle wanted black, and i told her no way!

do you see anything missing??

My niece Olivia lost her front tooth today! She is going to be a first grader this year! Miss Livi is growing up way too fast, and I don't like it! She is delicious!!!!

nobody drowned.......

today at swimming lessons you were supposed to wear your clothes over your suit. they are going to teach the kids how to use their clothes as floating devices.....jack my nephew was so excited he had butterflies in his stomach, he said "do you think Miss Kim will let us drowned"!?? HA! all six of them jumped into the pool....they all started out fine, but as they began soaking, they started to panic a bit, and so did their moms!!! my sister and I had to jump ship, and leave. it was hard not to dive in and help them!! ....grant said it was good they had their crocks on because they float...grant will probably become obsessed with this and wear his crocks 24/7.....thank goodness we don't live by a large body of water!


grant jumped in first!

miss kacey making sure the children were safe!

here they are in survival mode......

get on your back, and relax! swimming lessons are now over.....miss caroline had to stop at the urgent clinic on the way home....ear infection........no pool for her for 10 days!

hold your breath!!!

The kids are taking swimming lessons again this year. There is a great family that lives close by ...... the mom and a couple of the daughters are swimming instructors......the lessons are in their pool in the backyard!! The Fidlers Three and The Roush House all go together. Works out great for my sister and I!! Isabelle held her breath today for 1 minute and 15 seconds. She is the all time record winner for this summer! Way to go Issy! I tried to do it.......I think I made it to 15 seconds......my lungs must be old.......hopefully I can get some good snapshots tomorrow!

My little brother Steven turned 40 last friday! I supposed I should stop calling him my little brother! His wife Kelly took him on a trip......my sister and I watched their two boys while they were out of town! Benjamin is 7, and Nicholas is 2. Mr. Nicholas is busy, busy, busy. Here he is trying to get into the pool without his lifejacket......no no Nicholas........


Here is Issy trying to convince Nicholas he can't get into the pool until he puts his life jacket on......NO Issy!!!!
MINE...his favorite word!!!
Look how darn cute he is!!!!

Cousins having fun splashing!!

And my mom and dad thought they would only have two grandchildren.....now they have ten, and eight of them are 10 and under!!!

The best part of the whole weekend.....this is what my brother and sister-in-law brought back as my gift for watching their children.....I almost cried, the box is even beautiful!!!!! I'll watch their kids any time!!!!

a walking miracle.....

My dad went to The University of Iowa Hospital to seek a second opinion. The Doctor was amazed how good my dad looks!! He said 60 to 70 percent of patients with Esophagus Cancer pass away within the first year. My dad was diagnosed last May, so he has already passed the first year mark! His esophagus cancer is gone, but he does have a small lesion still on his liver. The Doctor in Iowa City said my dad is a "walking miracle"..... that is how my dad wants to be referred to now! He said when he walked into the room, he expected my dad to be skinny, and frail. He did have a few suggestions on different chemo's, so the Doctor in Iowa City will now be contacting the Doctor in Des Moines. Of course I have my theory.......I took my dad to church for their healing service........what a blessing!!!

lunch with old friends & new

My sister and I had lunch the other day with an old friend of ours. We also met her new little boy Nico...we had a nice time visiting, and holding the baby. There were a lot of baby hogs there, so there were a few fights!!! HA!

treatments begins again

My dad will start treatment again tomorrow. He will begin chemo tomorrow through Saturday. Sometimes I forget that my dad has cancer. He looks good, feels good......but when treatments start I get that pit in my stomach....He is also going to University of Iowa Hospitals to have his liver checked out. Since he only has one lesion, they might be able to zap it away! Please pray for my dad, and my family.......and ME!!!!

baby be blessed

My nephew Nicholas was baptized last weekend. Jim and I are his Godparents, I ordered him this little lamb dressed in a cow suit! It is adorable, it has his name on the lamb, and the scripture " I can do all things through Christ who Strengthens me". The name of the webiste is Baby Be Blessed Dolls. If you need a special gift, you have got to go and look at all the cute things she has, it was hard to choose!

friends.....

My friend Vancy was in town for a visit. We were able to reconnect after not seeing each other for six years! We had a nice time catching up! We laughed until we cried! She now lives in New Jersey, and has invited me to come for a visit!!! Our kids played so well with each other, after 10 minutes it seemed liked they had known each other their whole lives. It meant so much to me that we could spend some time together!