Well about a month ago I gave into the constant requests for another fish. After some research, I discovered you can have Goldfish in the same tank as a male Beta. The lady at the Fish Dept. confirmed this and was more than happy to sell me a larger tank, filter etc... and all the other "essentials" I might need. Cole and Gavin picked out the fish they wanted, a medium sized white goldfish with black and orange spots. Being that our blue Beta is named Blu, I'm sure it won't take you long to guess what they named this newest member to the family.... Spot. Things were going well, Blu had adjusted to yet another tank change and Spot appeared to have ADD with Hyperactivity Disorder, but seemed happy nonetheless! Two days after our return home from my mom's I found Spot wedged between the filter and the tank. I broke the news to Cole as he watched me fishing Spot out of the tank and placing him onto the paper towel coffin I had fashioned for him. I think Cole took it pretty well since after I placed Spot on the paper towel he said "Yep- he's dead." I couldn't bring myself to flush him, so we wrapped him in the papertowel and put him in a Ziplock baggie, which I later took out to the trash. Blu seemed to be taking it quite well as he sought out solace in his much larger, new and improved tank which he suddenly found all to himself! Gavin still goes to the fish tank and points and says "Spot, Spot." Cole suggested we solve this problem by placing a sign on the tank that says "Spot is dead. " As for Blu, Cole has suggested we place another sign on the tank that says, "Blu: you will never see Spot again. He is with Red." (Red is his other Beta that he got at the same time as Blu, three years ago.) We have decide not to replace Spot. I only hope things go much better when we decided to get a dog...
Friday, October 19, 2007
Fish Story- A visit to Grandma and Papa K.'s
Well at the beginning of October we loaded up the kids and braved another long trip. This time we went to Winter Wi, were my parents live. The kids actually did pretty good, they started to get restless the last 45 or so, but hey who's complainin'! Cole discovered the joys of peeing outside (Todd chose the ideal location- A Mennonite Church!) and then feigned a full bladder at the most inopportune times. Overall we got there unscathed and all still friends. The weather did not cooperate quite as we had hoped and unfortunately the kids had to spend much of the time indoors. We did spend an afternoon in Hayward, shopping and having lunch during which time Cole announced to one particular shop owner that he had to "get out of here" because "this store is old!" With that we quickly exited while Grandma and Papa finished their purchases! The highlight of the trip for Cole was when Papa and his his Dad took him fishing. Grandma bought him a new Spiderman fishing pole and he was ready to go. He had saved some Gummy worms from the day before for bait, had multiple layers of clothes on and was ready to go! Cole caught his first fish, a bluegill, and a smile from ear to ear! By all reports Cole loved casting- A LOT-! Gavin just had fun running around seeing how quickly mom and dad and everyone else could get up to save him from the stairs, and he loved looking out the window for the dog, Lilly. He has not stopped calling for her to this day! We all had a great time visiting with my parents and seeing their new home and business. The trip back was fantastically uneventful, Cole watched movies, (or I should say a movie, over and over) Gavin called for Lilly and Todd and I listened to Cole's movie "Everybody's Hero" for the 7th time that week! We returned home to find everything just as we had left it!
Monday, October 15, 2007
Dancing Cole
Cole loves to dance! Over the summer I used to take him to the zoo on Wednesday nights when they would have bands playing. I caught him on video with my cell phone- Enjoy!
Anniversary
This Wednesday, October 17, 2007 will mark our 9th wedding anniversary and 13 years together! It's hard for me to believe I'm even old enough to have been with anyone that long, but it's true! We celebrated the occassion with an excellent meal in downtown Milwaukee, at Bacchus. If you have not been I highly recommend it- you will not be disappointed. Afterwards we headed over to the Bradley Center to see a performance of the Blue Man Group. It was really great, and I would definately see them again. Todd and I really had a wonderful evening. When we got home both kids were tucked nicely into their beds, rooms clean, with nothing but shining reports from their babysitter- what more could we ask for!
HOME: For Sale
Back in the end of July (I think) we decided to put our little abode on the market. We've been here since April of 2002. We are ready to move on to bigger and better things, so to speak. I will be a little sad to say goodbye to this place (if it ever sells!), since there are so many wonderful memories here! So far lots of lookers, no takers!
Friday, October 5, 2007
Favorite photos
Looking back through photos came upon these two.... I love them! They look more alike then I remembered them to!
Stone Fire Pizza CO...
If you have kids and have heard about this place and have not gone yet, all I can say to you is GO! It's well worth the money. Forget Chuckee Cheese. It's ok, it will do... but it pales in comparison after going here. We all had an awesome time, and the food is acutally good! Cole got to bowl, go on miniature rides, which Todd and I went on as well, and hey! they were pretty fun! There was so much interactive things to do with him. It is more expensive then Chucke Cheese no doubt, but well worth it! We all had a blast!
Cole is 4!
June 25th Cole turned 4! It's hard believe he's that old already! He had a great time on his birthday with many visits over the week to celebrate from his aunts and from his Grandma and Papa, and of course everything was Baseball themed! Todd and I took him to Stone Fire Pizza Co. as well which we truly loved!! Todd and I are continually amazed and how fast he is growing and how truly smart he is! Having children is the best decision (second only to saying YES! to Todd) that I have made. Their birthdays for me are reminders of some of the best days in my life! Here's a few pics of Cole on his happy happy day!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Nikki turns 32
Well we celebrated the day as a family. The kids and Todd made me a cake, yellow cake with Chocolate frosting (my favorite)and Todd made me dinner. He made me a pork soft taco with grilled red onions and mangos with some cilantro and rice. It was quite tasty and I didn't end up sick so I think he dun good!
St. Jude's Trike A thon
Cole and Gavin's school had a trike-a-thon to raise money for St. Judes Children's hospital. Cole participated and raised I think $190! They set up cones in the parking lot at school and had all the kids ride around in circles. I volunteered and handed water out to the kids as they went around. Many of them I had to force to stop and take a drink because their little faces were getting so flushed! He had a terrific time, and he learned about helping and giving to others. I hope this is a lesson we are able to continually instill in him and as an adult he gives back and tries to make a difference!
T-Ball
Over the summer we enrolled Cole in T-Ball through the Waukesha Park Dept. He had so much fun. We were quite impressed with his hand/eye cooridination and can really hit the ball. He does so well that we've had to start using a less dense ball here at the house because he was hitting the neighbors house! His first session he played for the Dragons and the second he played for the Brewers. He couldn't have been more thrilled! He did an awesome job and made some new friends. He loves baseball so much. He wants to be a "big hitter" like Prince Fielder. His aunts and grandparents have spoiled him loading him up on Brewer gear. He also went to 2 games this year which was a gift from his Grandma and Papa K. He got to sit right behind the dugout both times and one of the base coaches threw him a game ball after the game was over. At the second game he got to run around the bases. Here is a link to see him cross home plate: www.brewers.com/fanfoto then click on "Sunday, September 16th vs CIN" Gallery 37. He amazes me continually!
Meet Isabelle a.k.a. Elizabeth, a.k.a. Belle
Meet Isabelle. I rescued her out of a dumpster at school in the fall of 1999. She is lovable, and huggable. Her friendliness and perseverance for attention usually wins over even dog lovers and so called "cat haters!" She is known as Elizabeth by my father-in-law, and by just "Belle" at the top of his lungs by Gavin. Other times Gavin simply points to her and says "MINE!" That's usually her cue to make a run for it!
The kids also have 2 fish. Blu and Spot. Blu is a three year old Beta Cole recieved for his birthday from his great grandma Swanson. How we have managed to keep it alive this long is a mystery even to us! Spot is a goldfish I bought the kids 2 weeks ago. They have lived harmoniously together so far...
KEY WEST!
For Mother's Day this year Todd took me to Key West! After the trip to Texas it was definately a nice change of pace! We flew into Miami and rented a convertible and drove down along the highway into the Keys. It was a beautiful and well deserved trip! Todd and I enjoyed the sunsets, seafood and shorelines! We did some sight seeing, some shopping and mostly just enjoyed the time we had to spend with each other. I highly recomend this as a vacation spot. It's an island you don't need a passport to get to and there is plenty to do no matter what your interest is. Also the atomsphere is laid back and friendly. We will definately go back. My inlaws kept the kids and wore each other out with hikes, museums and birthday parties!
Texas Reunion
Well, April brought us our first official "family vacation." We traveled many times down to Southern Indiana to see my in-laws, but this was going to be different. We were driving across country to Texas! We are also taking my in-laws with us! My husband's cousin, Meredith, was getting married. We hoped to be present for her nuptials and give my mother in law a chance to see her sisters. They are spread out over the country so it was in deed a rare occassion to have them all in one place. Also in the almost 13 years Todd and I have been together, I have never met any of his mother's family! So, for me it was a first!
The trip started as Todd and I awoke to the sound of a crying child. Cole had thrown up all over his bed at Gommie and Grandpa's! We had hoped it was a 24 hour thing! 3 days and over 1000 miles later we found ourselves at Denton Presbyterian Hospital. They gave Cole a long medical diagnosis which amounts to inflamed lining of the stomach and severe dehydration. I spent the next two days at the hospital with Cole with many visits from Daddy, Gavin, Gommie and Grandpa. Cole was discharged under the premise we would stay in town another day. So, he was discharged only to throw up all over the restaurant floor within hours after we left the hospital!
Our stay in Texas was not as planned to say the least! My inlaws got to spend a little time with their family, but certainly not what we had hoped for them. I missed the wedding but Todd went with his parents and Gavin. I did get to meet Barbara, Sherry, and Diana briefly. I also got to say congrats to the beautiful bride, right after Cole threw up all over the floor at the reception!
So, needless to say we left Texas and did not look back! My father in law insists he's NEVER going back! Apparently after his last trip there my sister in law became sick and was hospitalized as well!
So, our trip had all the elements of a Lampoon's classic! (Ohh yeah I forgot to mention the unspeakable condition of the hotel, and the hooker!- but those tales are for another day!)
However, we did manage to capture a few photos of people smiling!
Monday, October 1, 2007
2nd surgery
Somewhere along here Gavin had his 2nd surgery in a little over 2 years. He had had a chronic ear infection since before Christmas. He had been on antibiotic after antibiotic with no results. We then resorted taking him to the doctor 3 days a week for 2 weeks to get 2 shots each time. It was a very strong antibiotic that they had hoped with clear it up. Of course it didn't and he was scheduled to have tubes in his ears. The whole procedure went pretty quickly. We were only at the hospital about 3 hours. Part of that was because the surgeon overslept! The surgery itself only took about 10 minutes they said. Acutally his surgeon told me it took longer to fill out the pre and post paperwork than it did to acutally do the surgery! However don't be fooled the cost of surgery did not however seem to reflect this! I am happy to report however that Mr. Gavin has not had a single ear infection since! Which has made everyones lives much happier!
Easter!
As usual I had to work but a few days before Easter we colored eggs with Cole, and then on Easter morning Todd hid the eggs and some plastic eggs we had bought and filled with candy and coins. We also hid both kids Easter baskets. Since the weather was not what we had hoped we hid everything in his bedroom. He had a great time.
First haircut
Well it was time for Gavin's first "official" haircut. We made the decision and scheduled it for March 6th. I know the camera says 06/06/2007 but it always inverts the month and date! I had tried here at the house several times to cut it here and there but Gavin would not sit or stand still if you can imagine that! So... I broke down and took him to Kiddo's. It's in Milwaukee on Appleton Avenue. They have special little cars/jeeps etc.. for the kids to sit in and a flat screen TV in front of each car and the kids can pick a movie to watch. It is where we have been taking Cole for quite some time now. Much to our suprise he did a great job- and looked incredibly handsome at the same time!
The Cutest Cowboy
Cole loves cowboys at it looks like Gavin is following right behind him in his footsteps! Grandma and Papa got Gavin this horse for Xmas and both kids have definately given it a work out!
Gavin's Birthday!
We started January off with a bang! January 14th was Gavin's first birthday! We kept it low key we spent the day just the 4 of us. We had birthday cupcakes, which after taking a bite Gavin decided the floor might just like it better than he did! We did get him some big balloons which he loved. His Grandma and Papa came over later in the week to celebrate! Later on Gavin's birthday Todd and I took the time to reflect on the previous year and while it sounds corny we were thankful for each other and our family. Gavin's birthday is not just a celebration of his life but a reminder to us how quickly it can all be gone.
MEET THE ARMSTRONGS
This is my first post, so I thought I should start by posting a photo of us! This was our first "family photo" it was taken last year in Novemeber. It's hard to believe that was almost a year ago! Well I'll try to update everyone with a recap best as I can! Enjoy!
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