So much excitement!

There's been so much happening of late...

Jamie arrived with a full truck of her stuff 2 weekends ago which we now have to find the room for. We're not worried about it - We'll figure it all out eventually. She still has to work for another 3 weeks in Chicago at her Architecture firm so she'll be back permanently around the end of August. We know she's just thrilled about being back home with Mom and Dad... Right.... And if you believe that, I have some land to sell you... She's become a true Chicagoan and will probably end up back there someday.

Congrats to Alex on his new Architecture job! We hope things are going well for him there and that it's everything they said it was!!! Know Alex that you're always welcome to come see us and stay with us anytime you want. You can come see Jamie too for that matter! hee hee...

Congrats to Niki on reaching the triple digits! Wow, to have hiked more than 1200 miles - I just can't begin to fathom! You're my hero and are definitely "Persistant"! I don't know of anyone else who would do what you're doing. Keep up the great work, keep away from the those nasty ticks and snakes, and keep us updated on your web page! I love reading about your adventures. See you very soon...

Congrats also to Melissa and Braden on being happy "unhomeowners"! That's a wierd thing to say, I know, but with today's economy, I'm glad I get to say it! We're thrilled that the closing took place without too much event after the recent thefts of your downspouts. Go figure! Now who would be desperate enough to steal downspouts the night before your closing??? No more dead squirrels, live snakes, or mice for me!!! Your backyard was a wild kingdom for the animals! That's one thing I won't miss!!! LOL!!! I will and do however miss your closeness more than you can imagine!

Ron was busy repairing the french drain from our side yard to the back alley this past weekend. With the last storm and the amount of flooding that occurred in the side yard again, we figured out that the grate we put in didn't fix the problem. It had to be something more. With a lot of digging in mucky clay and rocks, it turns out there were 3 something mores - 3 places where the buried drain pipe was completely busted open and Ron had to replace. Thank you to the people who installed the fence, caused us to be evacuated due to the busted open gas main, busted the french drain pipe, and then walked away. It's been 3 years of floods (one in our basement) and clay filled muddy shoes every time it rained hard. Not fun! Now, believe it or not, we think it's totally fixed and are praying for rain to see Ron's excellent work succeed. At least we have our fingers crossed! So much for maintenance free condo living!!! LOL!!!

Another 11 days and we'll be headed to see the Grupp Clan again! We're counting down the days! Not looking forward to the actual trip through those scary mountains - just the getting there!

Me, well I've been putting in a crazy amount of hours working as I now have 3 huge projects on my plate with more on the way. Funny how my team leader looked at my list of 48 things to be done at that time and told me that it would take me 5 years to get through them all. She's the one who gave me all these to-do's to begin with. Every time I turn around, I get more added and don't have any idea which one takes priority. Guess it's whoever screams the loudest! Ron had to drag me away yesterday just to get me out from in front of my computer. I totally felt guilty about not getting more done, but truly enjoyed the time we had in Brighton just walking in the park, together, alone.

Thankfully, Ron and I get to see Emma and Bela on a fairly regular basis via the computer camera. Today was no exception. What a trip those 2 are! They manage to make us laugh like you wouldn't believe. Today, Emma gave us a rather lengthy but hilarious rendition of a song she was making up on the spur of the moment. She did the dance moves (Irish jig) to it too! I wish Melissa could have taped it for everyone to see. Bela was rather quiet today but that's only because she had one thing after another in her mouth. That girl loves to eat anything and everything - computer cables included! She's awfully quick about it too. Melissa, you definitely have your hands full with those 2.

Well, it's back to work for me. My 10 minutes of relaxation of relating our recent lives is up and over. Talk to you all soon!

Wonderful Week!

Ron and I got to spend a wonderful week with the kids in South Carolina and although I tended to melt in their heat (I think I found every shady spot SC has), we came home with many wonderful memories...

Bela's beautiful big smile at all times, her falling asleep in my arms at Monkey Joes amidst all the music and kid noise, her Superman attempt at crawling (on her stomach with legs and arms up as if she's flying), and the total mess she turned out to be after her meals (Dominoes will never be the same). I still can't figure out how she sleeps with Emma running up and down the hallway squealing with surprise when her cat chases her... What a beautiful little baby she is!!!

As for Emma - she's a whirlwind unto herself! Her never ending energy and ability to run a hundred miles an hour or climb up and down steps - forever (the handrails will probably need to be repainted at Coldstones since Emma's hands were green from all her endless climbing!), how she was able to instantly use her new screwdriver, wrench, and cordless drill (you need to teach Grandpa how to use his... haha!), Emma's lit up face as she bit the pieces off of her candy necklace (yummy!), and watching her climb up to snuggle in her Grandpa's lap to watch her cartoons every morning.

Thank you Braden and Melissa for turning your heads and letting us spoil them just a little. It meant the world to us!!!

The week absolutely flew by and before you knew it, it was time to give our last kisses and say our good-byes. I don't think Ron and I talked for the first 2 hours after we left - it was just too hard...

The trip home!

The weekend home for the entire family was an absolute blur and flew by faster than expected. It was an absolutely fun weekend though as Emma picked up right where she left off - asking for Baby TV, treat milk (chocolate milk), and playing with Grandpa. It was as if she never left. Bela has grown so much in the time they were gone and is starting to scoot around. Before long, she'll be crawling. Sadly enough, the weekend came to an end and we had to say good-bye. Jamie got on her train and the Grupp clan flew back to South Carolina. Monday night there were no running footsteps, no requests for more Baby TV, no cooing in the background, no noises of any sort. The fun just came to an end...

Congrats to Jamie and Alex!

Congratulations to you both, Jamie and Alex! You are both official architects now and we couldn't be prouder of you! We love you and miss you!!!

Mom
XOXOX

Latest

Well, this Mom has finally reached her #1 daughter. Whew!!! I guess I watch too many true crime shows as I had her (in my mind) imprisoned and being tortured by her friend Alex's psycho roommate. All this over many phone calls to her this past week and emails that went unanswered. Little did I know her cell phone was dead and she didn't have her charger with her. Not like her at all not to have that cell phone working... We wish her our best this last week at UIC and hope she does very well on all her finals! You're almost there Jamie...

This Grandma had her heart melted this week when Emma said "I love you Grandma" over the webcam. Not the same as chasing her around the condo or grabbing her and giving her a schla-burp on her tummy as she squeals in excitement - but heart melting just the same. We also got to see Bela sucking her thumb and making all kinds of noises! She's going to be just as talkative and active as her mommy and big sister! Poor Braden!!!

As always, Emma started the webcam conversation asking for her Grandpa. She loves her Grandpa just as much as he loves her! One month and they'll be home for Bela's baptism and then a month after that we'll be together in SC. We cannot wait! draft

Communicating via webcam

Last night we finally got to see the Grupp clan via webcam and although there was a minor technical difficulty, it was a blast to see them again! Bela looked so grown up already sitting on her Mommy's lap facing the camera while Emmma whooped it up on her horse, running behind the doorwall blinds, showing the camera her little foofoos, and jumping up and down. I think she was a little excited to see her Grandpa again! Just as Grandpa and I were excited to see them!!! We've been anxiously awaiting that call for many, many days and it all ended too quickly. We can't wait to see them again!

Last day....

Pics from our last days with the Grupp clan before they leave for their new life... We will miss you more than you can imagine but wish you much happiness in your new home. Love you bunches! Big Grandma & Yellow Grandpa / Mom & Dad

Sweet sleepover...

While Braden, Melissa, and Bela visited South Carolina this weekend, Emma got to spend the weekend with us. I found myself laughing and crying all at the same time knowing my time with her was quickly coming to an end. Watching her investigate every cupboard and drawer, playing gitchoo (tag) with Grandpa and watching her little legs trying to round the corners as fast as she could (she can pretty much outrun her Grandpa now), listening to her imaginary telephone conversations, and playing "No more monkeys jumping on the bed" as she jumped with joy were memories I will treasure forever. We soon found out her favorite food was "caroni" (mac n' cheese no matter what time of day, this is what she requests), you don't give her cookies before naptime (sugar equals even more energy), and if you play a song and she likes it, you're going it hear it again and again and again. MICH (I'm a C H R I S T I A N) and WHOLE (Whole World in my hands) were her favorites and she even requested SHOOBY DOOBY (Pennies from Heaven). I think we heard those at least a thousand times until we all knew the words and could sing them with her. Her discoveries for this weekend: that she and her monkey appear on one computer desktop while Bela appears on the other (she was bowled over by that!), that Grandma and Grandpa won't let you fall asleep on the kid's toys at the Westland Shopping Center play area, and that all of Grandma's handles on her cupboards can spin until they're all loose. Oh, how I will miss her mischievious giggles, her constant bursts of energy, and her ability to wow us with her knowledge (me home! as we rounded the corner from Palmer to Linville - now how did she know that?). We will miss holding little Bela, having her fall asleep in our arms, watching her face light up with a smile when we talk to her, watching her breathe as she sleeps. It makes us sad that we will miss seeing Bela discover her hands and feet, find her voice, and be excited to visit Grandma and Grandpa since she knows she will be spoiled here. Guess there will be lots of trips to South Carolina and lots of requests for the kids to be sent back here for extended stays.

You go girl!

For anyone who doesn't already know about Niki hiking the Appalachian Trail, check out her trail journal at: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?trailname=4802. She's my hero and I marvel at her desire and ability to hike the 2,174 miles. Keep her in your prayers that she stays safe...

Slippers & Boots!

Pictures of Emma and Bela from Emma's infamous swimming lessons! Although she tried to be brave, Emma wanted no part of being in the pool.



A visit from Melissa and the grandkids yesterday resulted in lots of laughs as Emma kept us all in stitches with her love of Grandpa's slippers and boots! She managed to clunk her way around the living room in both sets dodging all the various furniture and toys strewn about. Bela was at peace for the majority of time either sleeping or eating. She does recognize her mommy and gives the biggest smile whenever Melissa talks to her. She definitely looks more like her mommy every day...

Little velcro... 2nd sleepover!

Bela is definitely attached to her mommy already showing her Grandma that she wants no part of being cared for by anyone other than her mom. Poor thing just cries and cries. We even tried wrapping her in Melissa's coat thinking her momma's scent would soothe her but to no avail. She knew we weren't her mom and expressed herself so that everyone in our building knew it. It was reliving Melissa's infancy all over again. I'm sure in time, the lactose intolerance, the reflux, and getting used to us will get better.

Emma got to spend her 2nd night away at Grandma and Grandpa's and although it was a slightly rocky start when Bradon & Melissa tried to leave, Melissa finally calmed her down enough where Emma fell asleep and didn't wake up until 7am the next morning. Oh, how I love to walk in the room after she first wakes up! With a huge smile and with her jumping up and down, she starts naming everything she sees showing you how smart she is. After breakfast, it was a trip to Toys R' Us that brought a smile to her face as she got to pick out a ball - a big blue ball as she calls it - which she then managed to carry throughout the store. Her favorites... Thomas the Train set and the Radio Flyer tricycles which she tested out for quite some time. It figures that she was actually trying to figure out how the different components of the train set worked! There's nothing girly about this little one...

On the way home we stopped and ordered a pizza - one of Emma's favorites - and her and Grandpa went on a long walk while waiting for our order to come up. With a red nose and rosy cheeks, she insisted on walking as much as her little legs would take her. She insisted that only Grandpa could hold her hand as I joined their little party. Too funny! On her walk, she found a little piece of bush on the ground and insisted it was a flower which she then took home to her mom with pride as well as her new big, blue ball. Shooby dooby Emma, Shooby dooby!

Congrats to Jamie!!!

Congrats Jamie on your acceptance to U of M grad school!!! See, all that hard work, long hours, and no sleep finally paid off. You're going to be a great architect in the very near future!!! Your Dad and I are absolutely thrilled and so very proud of you!!!

Latest update

It's March 6th and Spring is just around the corner! At least I hope it is. Jamie was home for the weekend for a school field trip. Her stay flew by with visits to her Grandparents and before we knew it, she was headed back to Chicago. I wish it could have lasted longer. At least we found her a winter coat - one that will keep her warm.

Niki's departure for her Appalachian trail hike is fast approaching. We wish you a very safe and wonderful trip Niki! Take lots of pictures and keep us updated on your trail journal and we'll see you in 6 months.

Jamie, Melissa, Braden, Emma, Bela, and I went to see Ron's last basketball game of the year and what a hoot! Bela slept through all the bells, whistles, and band playing while Emma ran the entire track chasing the "kids" several times. By the end, she was sweating but had the biggest smile on her face. She got to touch the big bees on the walls (the Hornet is Saline's mascot), dance to the music, watch the drummers bang their drums, play "gitchoo" with her Dad and Grandpa, and run to her heart's content. I don't think I've ever seen her so excited! Check out the t-shirt Melissa made for both Emma and Bela in support of their Grandpa. Grandpa #1 and Best Coach on the front/back of the shirts. Too cute! Thanks Eent Jeemie for the pictures... If you have some of Bela in her shirt, please send them to me and I'll post them.

Yesterday, I got to watch Emma while Melissa took Bela in for a doctor's appointment. Emma was napping when I got there so she had quite a surprise when she woke up, called out for "Mommy" and Grandma opened the bedroom door. Her excitement at seeing me absolutely melted my heart. After playing with toys, she asked for Siwuwa (Cinderella) and patiently waited for 1/2 an hour while this Grandma tried figuring out the remote controls with no reading glasses. That was a trip! We could hear the movie and I even got it to play in French before I hit the right set of buttons so Emma could actually watch it. She just sat there on the couch listening to the dialogue with a smile waiting for her Grandma to come to the rescue. Whew! I passed that test but barely!

Deja Vu

Too precious for words... Emma is the summer baby - Bela is the winter baby...

Back in business!

Not sure how it happened, but I'm back in business! I can actually post photos again. Bout time!!!

Here are some newer pics of the grandkids... Enjoy!

Until...

Until I get the IE7 issue fixed with not being able to post pictures, I thought I'd let you know the latest.

Last night, we got a call from Emma who can now count to 13. Sounds like she's having too many time outs yet she's learning her numbers in the process. Too funny!!!

Emma and Bela came to visit this past weekend and it's so nice to have a baby fall asleep in my arms again. I didn't realize how much I missed that. She's a cutie and a definitely loves to snuggle. She gave me the biggest smile - one that melted this Grandma's heart and even started cooing. Maybe she'll be a talker like her big sister.

Emma had a blast sitting in her sister's bouncer with her legs dangling off the end. She had more fun in that thing than she ever did as a baby. She got to watch Bob the Builder, her favorite show, and actually sings the part "yes he can" and asked for Cirella (Cinderella). I can't believe how fast she is growing up.

Not sure if we're heading to Chicago this weekend as I'm waiting to hear from Jamie. I pray that if we go there are no snow storms. We've hit some doozies in the past!

As soon as I can post photos, I'll get them up. Everyone stay safe and warm!

IE7 issues

For those that have blogs, DO NOT update to Internet Explorer 7....

Suggestions?

Anyone have any idea why I can't upload pictures to this blog all of a sudden??? Clicking on the Add Image button does nothing...

Waiting for little sister to come home...

Emma and I had so much fun waiting for her mom, dad, and Isabel to come home. The funniest moment happened when she woke up yesterday morning crying her little heart out asking for Buppa, TV, Buppa, TV... She didn't even have her eyes open yet! Too cute. She spent the 2 days talking a storm up on her telephone having all kinds of imaginary conversations (actually starting the conversation saying hello and ending with bye-bye), reading her Bob the Builder book to her pet monkey, playing "Where's Emma" (hiding her face behind her hands, she thinks she's invisible), putting together her puzzles (she's pretty good at the Curious George one), dusting my floors with a Swiffer, and singing songs (Again, Again, Again...). I think Again is her favorite word... Well, maybe not. TV might be her other favorite word. We did try to limit her TV time and even closed the TV behind the cabinet doors, otherwise, she kept repeating TV, TV, TV. She got a little chocolate ice cream from Grandma and at first didn't like how cold it was, but after a quick swish in her mouth, she got a huge grin on her face and thought it was so funny for us to share!

Isabel came home at about 4:30 yesterday and slept right through Emma's squeals of delight with seeing her Mom and Dad again! All you could see was her little face peaking through her car seat cover with a little pink hat saying "Princess" on it given to her by her Great-Grandma. I can't wait to hold her again! Melissa will be posting her photos on her website so I'll hold off for now. Check back soon though as I'll be posting pictures soon. Check out these 2 - one showing Emma reading to her monkey and the other one of her playing dress-up (it's a little blurry but check out her side pocket!).

Isabel has arrived!

Congratulations to Braden & Melissa on the birth of your daughter, Isabel! 7 lbs. 13 oz. and 20" long, born on Monday the 8th at 2:15pm. She is a beautiful baby with a full head of dark, black hair and has her sister's nose. We can't wait to spoil her when she gets home!!!