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Monday, November 22, 2010

Fire destroyed my cousin's house

I found out today that my cousin, Angela, lost her home in a fire. It is a complete loss. Her, her husband, Greg, and their three children, Gregory, Caleb and Aiden, are in desperate need of clothes at the present time. If anyone has any clothes in the following sizes, please let me know!

Women's: size 16 pants, Large or XL shirts
Men's: 34/32 pants, XL shirt
Boy's: 4T pants and shirts
Boy's: 12 pants
Boy's: 16 pants
Men's: M shirts

In addition to clothes, they need beds and dressers. If you can help at all, please contact me. My email is Heather@therhoadsonline.com.

Any and all help is greatly appreciated. Please feel free to pass this on.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Williams family weekend


This past weekend, the Williams family met at a campground for good times, and we were not disappointed!  On Friday night, we swapped stories of soggy camping trips gone-by, while trying to stay out of the mud.  We stayed up late, and met the rain on our way to bed. 

Saturday morning breakfast was biscuits and sausage, with mom's gravy!  Life doesn't get better than that!  After cleanup, mom took the kids to the playground, while many waited to find out their float-fate.  A few hours later, it was announced that the waters were too high for floating, so we cooked lunch and started playing beer pong.

The day lazed along, and we all cooked, ate, and cleaned up dinner.  Then, Holly brought out a cookie cake, decorated with "Good Luck, James" in orange icing. There were horseshoes and washers, and more beer pong.

Then, Gary, Sam and Mason serenaded us with music old and new. We laughed and sang all the words we knew.

We found some nearby campers from Ste. Genevieve, where our family is from, and drank a beer with them too.

There was also a wedding reception in the campground that night, and from what I hear, that was a good time, too!

Sunday morning was all business, as one-by-one each tent was folded, campers were hitched, and family members left for home.  We missed all of the absentees, and hope to have an even better turnout next year!  We've decided to do this again next summer, and not wait another 5 years!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Abby and Gramma



On Friday, mom and i took the girls to see Gramma.  Abigail was very friendly, and talkative, even singing songs to Gramma.  The song she chose to sing to Gramma was the Bushel-and-a-peck song that she learned from her Great Grandpa. Olivia was also friendly, and her giggles made Gramma laugh.  I spent a short time reading to her, out of her brother's book.

After we left Gramma's, mom took us out to lunch.  Olivia figured out quickly that her high chair was on wheels, and she was mobile.  She would push herself away from the table and then kick and flail to try to move forward.  She eventually tired of that game.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

August

Here are some pictures of Abigail and Olivia, taken yesterday. I did take some video, too, and I am going to try to get that posted, too.

 

 

 

 
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Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Tomorrow's Treasures Photography

So, the past few months have been really busy. Trisha and I have been putting in countless hours each day, and doing a lot of shoots to get ourselves established. We've been working on the website, the facebook page, and our portfolio. We have a lot of work ahead of us yet, but we're starting to get some exposure and have booked some appointments, too. I want to thank all of my friends who have visited our sites, and become fans on facebook. For those who don't know or haven't seen either, both websites are listed below.

www.tomorrowstreasuresstl.com
Tomorrow's Treasures on Facebook

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Dietrich Dance Recital, 2010

Abigail's dance recital


Here is a picture of us at Abigail's dance recital tonight! She did so well - and had a lot of fun, too! She performed three times - one ballet, one tap, and one tumbling. All three were precious!
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Thursday, June 10, 2010

June


Wow. It is already June! Spring seemed to fly by. We had a great spring, and are looking forward to summer. Our yard is fixed, the swing set built, and the girls are happiest playing outdoors.

Olivia is walking really well...really taking off around Memorial Day weekend.  Olivia is also on a great nap and sleep schedule, finally going to sleep on her own when we put her in her crib. She babbles a lot, says "da-da", but not "ma-ma". She plays games, loves to roll and tickle on the floor. She is by far the happiest baby I have ever known. She loves to explore and has yet to meet a stranger.

Abigail is having a great spring, too. She has been in dance since February, and her recital is this weekend. She seems to enjoy it, and is excited to come home and show off what she learns. She has also been going to preschool since February, and she loves it! She loves her teacher, and doesn't really understand summer vacation. Potty training has gone really well, and as a reward, Mike and I took Abigail to see Shrek at the movie theater. She thought it was too loud, but enjoyed the movie and the popcorn!

Mother's Day was quiet and relaxed here. We spent the weekend at home, for the most part, and I enjoyed my roses from Mike and the girls. My kitchen smelled of roses for almost a whole week!

Both girls are enjoying the new swing set - and Abigail wants all of her friends to come play with her. Now, we are looking forward to some camping and float trips later this summer.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Abigail's preschool progress report

Today was Abigail's last day of preschool for this school year. Here is a picture of her with Mrs. Clouser, her teacher. I received a progress report today and wanted to share it. Following is a breakdown of categories along with Mrs. Clouser's comments:

Spiritual Development: Abby seems to enjoy "Jesus Time", she listens quietly and follows along with songs and simple prayers.

Cognitive/Language Development: Abby can also identify 12 basic shapes, a few numbers, and letters A,B,C,E,O,M. She can match all colors, shapes, numbers and letters 1-1, consistently.

Fine Motor Development: Doing great!

Gross Motor Development: We have been working with getting our feet off the floor and getting them to do what we want them to. Doing great!

Self Help: Abby seems to be very independent and takes care of most of her personal needs herself.

Social Development: Abby seems to enjoy school and fit right in with her new friends. Abby jumps right in when there is something she wants to do, but is also content to play by herself. Abby also talks and asks questions of her classmates as well as her teachers. Abby is a beautiful little girl and a joy to have in class. Have a great summer!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

G & G Lawn Care and Tree Service

Yesterday, the guys from G & G arrived around 8:30 a.m. and stayed here working all day until 6:30 p.m. They got a lot accomplished - delivering 8 truck loads of dirt and digging trenches to get my downspouts buried. They cleaned out the hole before filling it, finding large pieces of trash that the builders left behind, including a small refrigerator! They also hauled away a large stump - which wasn't in the contract - but that made me very happy and changed the way my yard looked. I can't believe how much bigger the yard appears - and can't wait to see grass grow on all this new mud...er...dirt! After they finish today, I will put up a slide show that shows the transformation of the yard!

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Abigail said...

Abigail said, "You and my poops are the same, but my poops are brown."

I think my daughter called me a pile of shit.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Conversation with Abigail...

Abby: "My butt hurts..."

Me: "Why does your butt hurt?"

Abby: "Because I poked my eye..."

This is a true conversation - I can't make this stuff up!

Thursday, March 11, 2010

March updates

It is so horrible that I only seem to log in here and post once per month, and each time I do post here, I vow to update this more often. Fail, Heather!

February was a busy month for us - with Abby's preschool and dance classes, and also having to renew our license plates, and two huge car repairs. Plus, Mike's birthday was also last month - happy belated birthday, babe!

Now, it's already halfway through the month of March, and we are finally enjoying some nicer weather. This week, we've been playing outside and hitting the park. The kids are enjoying it and so am I. Abby spent yesterday splashing in puddles, and the day before jumping on a trampoline.

Olivia has become much more efficient at crawling, and has her own definite ideas and opinions about what she wants and is learning how to replicate paths to the cat food, power cords, computer buttons and cabinets. She needs to spend this time on the floor, but it is exhausting for me to try to keep her in one area! She has also started pulling herself up to a standing position, too. That seems too fast! She hasn't been truly crawling that long, and BAM - she's already trying to stand! Oh my!

We have scheduled some landscaping to be done to the yard, in hopes of providing more play area for the kids and the dog, and also to prevent water from gathering in our backyard. I am really looking forward to having a usable play space for the kids, and even considering some cosmetic improvements to add curb appeal to the front of the house, too. I am inspired! :)

Below is a slideshow of our recent outings - enjoy! :)



Thursday, February 18, 2010

Abigail - February update

So Abigail finally started school yesterday. She was supposed to start last week, but the school was closed due to snow. She is going to Good Shepherd, and she seemed to really have a lot of fun. Yesterday was their Valentine's Day party, so she came home with candy and presents. The teachers gave out pencils, and she LOVED it!

Here are two pictures of her in tumbling class. She is sitting next to Maddie, who just might be her best friend! She does really well, listens to the teacher, and likes to practice when we get home. She wants to be the teacher and teach me how to do cartwheels and bridges and forward rolls. She doesn't understand that Momma is too old for that stuff!

She has been learning how to do a variety of different tumbling moves, and she's taking a dance class, too. I haven't seen the dance class yet, but she seems to really enjoy it.

We're still fighting with Abigail's sleeping habits. She has good days and bad days...but I am trying to give this some time. I know she needs to spend more energy and I am really looking forward to warmer days and spring and time outside!

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Olivia - 6 months

Olivia is growing so fast! Here are some pictures I took of her this month. She is sitting, but not for long, she dives forward and starts to crawl toward something she wants. The top picture was pure luck. Once she found her shoes, she chewed and gnawed on them like crazy!

She's started exploring now, too. Instead of me being able to put her down in the middle of the floor with a toy, she's now quickly propelling herself to the perimeters of the room, finding electrical cords, cat food, and anything else that she's not supposed to have.

Her tastes in food have broadened a bit - she now likes oatmeal, squash and carrots, too. She is getting better with Cheerios, and tries to pick them up to feed herself. It's comical, though, because she gets it inside her fist, and then, because she can't see it, thinks it's gone, so she lets go to get another one. Cheap entertainment!

Her sleeping habits are still hit or miss. Last night, she went to bed at 8 p.m., but was in my bed by midnight. She didn't sleep peacefully after that, which meant I didn't either. The night before, she slept in her bed from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. - I could do that every night...why can't she?

She is still a very happy baby. She flirts with anyone who looks at her, and her laugh is contagious. Abigail fascinates her - although lately Abigail seems less interested in Olivia.

She has started having her own ideas - wanting things she can't have, and spins like a top in my arms looking for the remote control, the phone, or my glass of tea.

She doesn't have any teeth yet, and there are no signs of them popping up in the near future. I don't see anything when I look at her gums, and she hasn't seemed to feel sickly at all. I am not in a hurry for her teeth to come in - I am still enjoying her being my baby! I am afraid that when the teeth come in, she'll start to look like a little girl!

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Tuesday, February 9, 2010

February...already?

I can't believe it is February already! Olivia is 6 months old now - and crawling! She has spent the last month scooting and rolling and pulling herself along the floor, but the past few days she's actually pulled her knees underneath of her and used them to propel her forward. She's not proficient, and it seems accidental at best...but within the next few days, I fully expect her to get faster and be crawling down the hallway after Abigail! As it is now, if she spots something across the room that she wants, she makes a dash for it, grunting and panting along the way. It is too cute - she is working so hard and growing so fast!

Tomorrow, Abigail starts preschool! She will go from 9 to 11:30 on Wednesdays, and we're both looking forward to it! She has also been in a dance and tumbling class for a few weeks now, too - and really enjoys that. She got up from her nap yesterday and told me that she wanted to go to dance class. I am really glad that she's been enjoying that!

Olivia has also started talking - making more pronounced sounds, repeating consonant and vowel sounds over and over again (da da da da - and Mike hears "Dadda"). She is also eating solid foods now - rice cereal and fruits...she hates the veggies! She is still a very happy baby - even after getting her vaccinations yesterday. She handled the first shot like a trooper...didn't cry...but cried with the second one, and by the third shot, her head was purple and she was so mad she couldn't draw a breath! I felt so bad for her! Within 3 minutes, though, she was smiling and cooing at me again! She is such a happy baby!

Sunday, January 31, 2010

January 2010

Wow...where does the time go? I can't believe that Olivia will be six months old next week! How is that possible? And...we're starting to plan Abigail's third birthday...she'll be three years old in April. Oh my!

Olivia is growing and learning so much right now. It's really fun to watch her play and learn. That has been one of my favorite things with Abigail, and it holds true for Olivia, too. There is something very amazing about that expression that they get when they are learning and figuring out how to do something - an expression of deep concentration and a glimmer of purpose and self-achievement all rolled into one. She is on solid foods now - has been since right after Christmas. She's eating apples, bananas, pears, and to a lesser extent...squash, carrots and sweet potatoes. She has also been pulling her knees underneath her on the floor, and rocking back and forth - I think crawling is coming fast! She can sit unsupported for a brief time, but then slowly rolls back down to her side/back/front. She is still a very happy baby, smiling and cooing and laughing and singing - as long as she has an audience. If you're looking at her, she'll perform! Also, she is grabbing at EVERYTHING! I can't multi-task anymore - I can't hold Olivia in one arm and open mail/talk on the phone/use the computer/eat/read a book for Abigail at the same time...she will grab whatever I have and try to eat it. My only complaint with Olivia is her current sleep habits, but we're working to fix that and making some progress. She wants to sleep with me, and I want her in her crib. She doesn't sleep through the night anymore, and it makes for a very tired mommy during the day. There are nights that she gets up three or four times, and those nights are very hard on me. But, like I said, we're working on it and trying to get her back to where she was before she got sick.

Abigail's sleeping habits aren't much better than Olivia's. She fights sleep during each nap time and each bedtime. She is overtired much of the time, and fights sleep with her iron will. At our PAT visit last week, my parent educator recommended some more physical activity for Abigail, so we've signed her up for a dance class. On Thursday nights, Abigail has a tumbling class. She went for the first time last week and they worked on forward rolls, log rolls, cartwheels, and elephant walks. It was really cute to watch! She's also signed up for an hour-long class on Saturday mornings which focuses on tap, ballet and more tumbling. Her cousin, Maddie, is in both of these classes with her, too. We're still looking into preschools and it is really looking like that will wait until the fall, which was my original plan anyway. Her vocabulary is growing at an astounding rate. She hears a word one time, and begins using it. She picks up phrases, too, and will tell me, "I don't know the word" if she can't communicate what she wants. I LOVE that! She is still a wonderful big sister to Olivia - she hugs and kisses her often, and last week held the spoon and helped feed Olivia. I mentioned above that we're planning Abigail's third birthday party. We're hoping for a party at the skating rink on April 10th - so mark your calendars!


Monday, January 4, 2010

Christmas Thank You

I wanted to express our gratitude to everyone who helped make this Christmas special for both Abigail and Olivia. Our girls received many presents this year, and we thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of our friends and family. Abigail tore through presents faster than I could keep up with, and in all of the chaos, I am not even sure who bought each present. There are a lot of clothes for them both, and toys to keep them entertained - and I want to thank each of the following: Mom, Debbie, Pat, Holly and Gary and the boys, Michele and Mike, Dave and Tracie, Pat and Vic, Sherri and Bryan, Gina and Irfan, Amanda and Andy and family, Danielle and Steve and Shelby, and Chris and Stephanie and Shelby - Thank you all so much for your gifts! There are some pictures posted on www.therhoadsonline.com - Please feel free to check them out.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Olivia's Baptism

I promise to post more pictures later, but wanted to get this one posted today - thank you so much Pat and Vic - it means a lot to us to have you as Olivia's Godparents. You both are very important people in both our children's lives!

The ceremony was beautiful, and Olivia didn't cry when the water was poured on her head, even though it woke her from a very sound slumber!

Abigail was also well-behaved in church today. I was very proud of both of my girls!
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