Home from the fair

We had a very productive week at the fair this year. Morgan showed her two goats that she raised from birth and she placed second and fourth in her classes. She was pretty excited.

Olivia also had a blast riding the rides at the fair.....as usual. :)

We camped at the fairgrounds which was really nice since we didn't have to fight traffic or get up early to drive in to do our chores. We sold all of Morgan's goats so she gets to take a little break from barn chores until next spring.

OWWWIEE!

I have been having problems with my feet for about a year now. Lots of pain first thing in the morning and by afternoon I am limping around the house. I can't be out walking around for more than an hour and a half and I can barely put my feet down. It started out mild but by late spring until now it is almost unbearable. Well, today I finally took the bull by the horns and went to a podiatrist. I have Plantar Fasciitis w/ mild heel spurs. It is a fairly common ailment but I have a pretty bad case of it. (Basically the ligament that goes from the heel of my foot to the balls of my foot is in bad shape. It is torn and not able to heel because I have to walk.)

Treatment: Well I started out by getting cortisone shots in my feet (OW!) and then they wrapped my feet. I got anti-inflamatory meds. and I have to wrap my feet in heating pads for 20 minutes two times a day. I also have to stay off my feet as much as possible for the next 3 days while the cortisone starts working. He also gave me heel pads to put in my shoes and next week I go in to have cast molds made of my feet to have special inserts made. We are crossing our fingers that this will all work and I won't have to have surgery.

Hodge Podge

Busy, busy summer. Here are a couple of our latest activities.

Painting inside the playhouse...

Those involved include...Rachel (mom), Katie (big sis), Morgan (playhouse owner) and Alex (friend of Morgan's).

New and fun things to do with the inflatable bouncer Olivia got for Christmas. (not originally intended for the pool.)

Target practice with Katie's boyfriend Sunny (who has never held a gun before this day let alone shot one.) I think Mike is just making sure that Sunny knows he is not afraid to use his guns and is a pretty good shot.

Finding a "mate" for our sweet little Annie who should be due in August.

And Evan....well just being Evan.....

Morgan and Olivia's new playhouse

Today we got a playhouse from a friend. This is how we brought it home (9 miles down the road going 12 MPH). It was crazy. The driver (our friend) could not see over it so he had to be guided down the road and he kept standing up to look through the windows.

Here we are setting it in place.

Now all we need is a coat of paint, the deck and steps put on and the electric run to it.

New Website

For those that know me, I have been selling Mary Kay for almost 12 years. I now have my own website at www.marykay.com/rstahley

so anyone who wants to order Mary Kay through me can do it easily.

Soooo busy...

We just got home from two weekends in a row camping. Man, it just seems like time is flying by! To catch up from the last couple weeks....

We have gone camping two weekends in a row.

Olivia started Bible School today at a little church just down the road from us (not our church, but it is so close I couldn't resist signing her up).

Morgan has started her summer job babysitting twin 14 month olds for the summer. (More work thatn she thought it would be.)

Walking goats several times a week to get them ready for fair at the end of July.

Trying to keep our swimming pool looking good this summer. (That is a part time job in itself!)

Took Olivia to her first "Chinese playgroup". There are a group of moms and dad that get together once a week and let their little ones play-they are about 45 minutes away. I decided to finally go and meet everyone and their adorable kids.

Going to graduation open houses. (still have one more to attend at this time)

Just hanging out and enjoying the summer. :)

Then and Now DVD

Someone in my DTC group put together a DVD for our group of our little girls "then and now". It is our referral pictures of our girls and then pictures of the girls one year later. You can see it on You Tube. Click the link below. (Olivia is in the Guangxi daughters group)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ljJmrCbEIsk

Olivia is moving in on Katie's territory. HAHA!

Camping

This past weekend we went on a campout with three other families. Thirteen kids in all. A fun time was had by all.

Olivia is 3 today!!!

A friend of mine made her cake for her and Livi had friends and family over for her third birthday party today. She was SO excited. She has been talking about it for two weeks. It was so fun this year. Last year she had only been with us for two months and she didn't really know what a birthday was. This year by the time her birthday came around again she had been to a few birthday parties and she was waiting for HER cake. And in the words of Olivia..."It is beautitul!" (PS: that is not a misspelling on my part for beautiful.)

BTW

Update...
My kitchen is totally done now. When I get the chance I will post a picture of it (gotta clean it first) :)

Also, Livi is doing great on the potty issue. She hasn't wore a diaper since she "went" in the toilet a couple weeks ago and she hasn't had an accident either. She is also VERY self sufficient. She goes all by herself and wants/needs NO help.

Our New Toy

Here are a couple pictures of our new toy.....

We got a really good deal on a used camper so we decided to splurge and get it. We are going on our first camping trip this weekend. If I remember to take my camera there will be more pictures to come.

The evasive poo

We finally have accomplished the last potty training hurdle. We have conquered the "poo" issue. Livi was doing great with staying dry but I believe she was having a mental block on the poo issue. A couple days ago she was caught in the act and was rushed to the bathroom and FINALLY had made an accomplishment! YEAH! Ever since then she has been dry and poo free. Just like that. Day and night. She is so proud of herself. Now if she could just get over having to tell everyone. I am sure all the people we passed in Menard's the other day were not as impressed as she was that she had "pooped in the toilet and now wants a treat". But she thought it was her duty to tell them all anyway. I am sure this too will pass. *sigh*

Living in a mess

Well after wanting to tackle this project for quiet a while I finally dove in and decided to redo my kitchen. Not MAJOR renovations. Just new paint, countertops and flooring. Well you know how those things go. One thing leads to another. Hee, hee.

Okay so Spring Break week I start by stripping wallpaper and I repaint the kitchen.

Then this last weekend we have to tear the old flooring out to make way for the new flooring.

Well it didn't go so well, and we ended up having to take all the base cabinets out too (to repair the toe kicks that fell apart). Also, the old flooring went underneath the old cabinets so they really needed to be taken out to remove the old flooring. NOT what we had planned on doing at all.

Also, the countertops came in....problem is the one that the sink goes into was damaged. That means we had to reorder it. Fine, BUT we had to take the old sink out cause we had to get that cabinet out. So now I will be without a kitchen sink for 1 1/2 weeks while we wait for the new coutnertop to come in. UGH!!!

On the bright side, my new flooring is being put in today. Soooo, tonight all the rest of my cabinets, fridge and stove should be put back in place. (God willing!)

My husband HATES my projects. I always say.."But honey, I am ONLY gonna do ______." He says it NEVER turns out to be an only anything.

By the way...this is what my dining room looks like right now.

More pictures to come. :)

Not to be outdone by her little sister.....

Morgan decided to get 5 inches cut off of her hair last night.

Before.....

After....

Easter Morning

Morgan was our "Easter Bunny" and hid the eggs and treats for Livi. She had a blast looking for the eggs and really got into the fun. (Because of 30 degree weather and snow, we had an indoor egg hunt).