Zoo Fun

Today we surprised the kids and took them to the Louisville Zoo for a field trip.  They have been learning about vertebrates/invertebrates and habitats. What a better way to learn than to go see their favorite animals!  I am so tired so just going to post a few pictures.  The blog picture at the top is from today as well.

My goofs!

This is how you wear them out!

Summer Adventures

This summer has just about flown by. I can not believe that we are now in the count down till school starts. For our family this year it will be filled with all kinds of changes. Not only has our oldest, Jaron completed elementary school he is now considered a pre-teen, middle school age student. He is in those middle years where it is hard not only for him but for us. This school year we are onto a new adventure! HOME SCHOOL! Yes home school. Wow did I just really say that? Oh my word what am I thinking?! Seriously though, I have wanted to home school my kids since Jaron was a toddler. With the younger ones being so close in age it just was never something I felt I could accomplish to the best of my abilities so this year we are starting with Jaron. Although I have full confidence in the school system here we want to have a stronger influence in his life during these young preteen years. So 3 of them will be heading off to elementary school and Jaron will be home with Sean and I. But I get ahead of myself don't I!

I mean this post was suppose to be about our summer adventures...My parents, brother Ron and 3 of his kids, as well as another niece Kaelyn came up for a couple of weeks from Florida. Kaelyn stayed here in KY with my Dad as he continues to work on his wonderful cabin. Last week we were blessed to have Kaelyn come and stay with us for five days. I use to watch Kaelyn when she was younger, she was like a big sister to the kids from the time Jaron was born till we moved to IL in 2006. So having her with us was a real treat (smile)!! They all got along really well and for that I am grateful. Sara was in heaven having her older "girl" cousin here to spend time with.Yesterday we took a detour before heading out to the cabin. Along the way I found a bunch of the barn quilts but only stopped this time to take a few pictures. I do plan to head back to take pictures of the ones we missed along the way. We headed to Broken Leg Falls in Menifee Co, Ky. What a beautiful place.Kaelyn and Sara on the way down the trail to see the falls.

Sadly my camera batteries died while there so I didn't get as many pictures as I wanted but here are a few I did get as well as some of the barn quilts I found along the way:Right along that line of concrete directly under that rock ledge there is a dirt path that you can walk along all the way around the falls. It wasn't moving very fast just a gentle stream that day but all the rock walls were definitely wet and slimy. The kids LOVED walking under that ledge!
My diaperheads...and Kaelyn was once part of the crew, a little older but most definitely like a daughter to me. I love this picture of them because of how the sun rests on Kristofer. He was so excited about being there. Part of the adventure of going to places like this is Kristofer's excitement. He wants to see everything as fast as he can and it doesn't matter if what and how he wants to see it is dangerous or not. This picture was taken after he had gone to look at every aspect of the area with Sean or I after him to keep him safe. The picture almost looks like an angel is sitting next to him or he is sitting on the angels lap. I know he keeps his guardian angel on guard at all times. I am thankful that God "places His angels in charge of him...us"!
This was our favorite find I believe. Kristofer and Eli were amazed that in that little hole was a small pool of water that was flowing down the rock wall. They as well as Sean and I had to put our hand in and feel the water and look inside. Had the camera batteries not died I would have figured out how to take a picture of the inside just to see if we could see where they water was coming in. The water was very cold, clear and refreshing to wipe your forehead with. The kids naturally wanted to taste it but we said, "NO WAY!"

The Make Shift Pool

The kids were desperate for some water fun this hot weekend. So we purchased some water guns and a hose and the kids have had a blast this afternoon. Although I believe in these pictures they are trying very hard to make it appear that they need a pool ... LOL! Little do they know that we are planning to get them one, not a big one just one they can get wet in.

And the Award Goes to.....

JARON DANIEL KELLYHe did it! He graduated Elementary School with flying "A's" in all subjects, in all grading periods and his final grades for the whole year 98-101%!!!! How awesome is that! We are so PROUD of him! Today was the 5th grade graduation ceremonies at his school.

Here he is walking across to receive his Certificate of Completing Elementary School :)

To his and our surprise Jaron received not one but 5 awards this year! FIVE!!!! WOWSA!!! Talk about a proud Momma moment! :) I couldn't stop smiling and neither has he!
His first award was the Presidential Academic Excellence Award signed by Pres. Barak Obama and a letter from the President as well! He had to work hard for that! Having a GPA of 3.5+
(his was 4.0) all year, receiving high marks on on his state academic testing, recommendation from the teachers, guidance counselor and the principle.
VERY PROUD MOMENT!!!
Jaron had to point out the Presidents Signature!
He received awards for Jr Beta Club and Academic Team.

In each class 1 or 2 students were chosen for a Citizenship Award and our Jaron received one!!!
Way to go Jaron!!
After the initial ceremony we were released to take our children home if we desired to. Before doing so we were to meet in their classrooms. There, Mrs Miller handed out their rewards that had not being given out during the ceremony, their report cards, a special poem she had written them (which was beautiful and made me cry!) and another award that the students themselves voted on. There were only 5 given out and once again Jaron was chosen :) This time for the Best Student of Social Studies/History.
His wonderful 5th grade class!
Jaron and Mrs. Miller...she has been a fantastic teacher , Jaron really enjoyed being in her class.
I can't believe the school year has come to an end. We are very proud of Jaron but are equally as proud of our other three children as well. I truly can not believe that this coming fall we will have a JR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT! Seriously, where did the time go? I want him to be that cute bumbling 2 yr old that was in love with kittens and lizards again...sigh!

How Not to Start the Day

Today was a day of odd things happening. It is never a dull moment in the Diaperhead house I can tell you that! This is how my day started...

5:18 AM Oddie (our puppy) woke me from a great dream (I was dreaming we owned a big old farm house, Sean was pastoring a church again and I was helping him).

5:25 AM Pull Oddie up on the bed and he ended up sitting on my head and licking my face. :) I love puppy kiss just not that early. Oddie snuggles under the covers and I fall back to sleep.

6:30 Alarm goes off...late. It's ok, really, I don't need a full hour to get all 4 kids up, dress, fed and ready for school.

6:45 Laundry Monster strikes again! SERIOUSLY! Who is eating all the socks and Jaron's jeans??? Searched through Jaron's room and the laundry room for 15 minutes searching for his jeans and socks for the kids.

7:00 Return from the basement adventure - I really hate the laundry monster! While searching the dogs found Kris's pet frog (dead) and brought it upstairs. :( Which has Kris whimpering in the corner of the couch. When asked what was wrong (I was unaware) BIG crocodile tears start streaming down his cheeks. I spend 10 mins trying to calm him all the while trying to get the other 4 diaperheads socked, shoed and out the door with their daddy of whom disappeared during all this saddness about the pet frog.

7:15 Kids are FINALLY in the van and headed to school with their dad. (Shew! Thank God they do not ride the school bus...it comes at 6:30 and it would most definitely mean I would be getting them up at 5 AM UHM NO WAY! )

7:15 I begin to make smoothies for Sean and I. Not two seconds later and the blender explodes (not sure what happened ~ seriously!) my response at this point was "REALLY?" I now have berry smoothie covering me, the walls, cabinets, floor (dogs enjoyed) and counter top...not to mention the mess all over the blender!

After cleaning up that wonderful mess, I start cleaning the livingroom and slam my big toe against the exercise bike...OUCH! THANK GOD I have no feeling in my feet (it's actually sad - I have neuropathy in both feet and lower legs) but on days like to day I am thankful for now feeling. 2 hours later I look at my big toe and I now have a huge dime size blood blister on the tip...OUCH! Still can't feel it (thankfully) but now I have to poke it and drain it and pray it doesn't get infected. And yes it has to be drained...it's too large to just let it be.

So where is that restart button anyway??? BTW if you want to see where I found this wonderful picture of the laundry monster go here. I do have to say now that I look back over the adventures of the morning I can laugh! Like I have said...there is NEVER a dull moment in the Diaperhead House!

Kentucky

My niece Anna stayed with us for most of June. She was with us for 3 weeks. The kids loved having her here. We took her to the zoo of which was her first time ever going to a zoo :)

We really enjoyed having her here with us and although it's nice to just be "us" again, we miss her. The zoo was fun. HOT HOT HOT but fun! Got some great photos...too many to post here but here are a few of our favorites...This past weekend the kids and I took Anna to KY to meet up with my parents, her dad and younger sister and brother. On Sat. my Mom and I took my 4 and my niece and nephew to Twin Knobs Recreation area at Cave Run Lake in Morehead, KY. It is a great lake and place to swim. It was the first time my niece and nephew have ever swam in a lake before. They really enjoyed it. My nephew Timmy even stated...I love the lake there are no alligators or sharks to eat us :). Remember he is from Florida so those are things he would most definitely think about.

Holding our Aunt Linda's pet chicken...Kris loves them and wants his own now.

Sara and Lexi...Lexi was a bit nervous but Sara was like an old pro holding this chicken.

Friendly little bats roosting in the rafters of my parents cabin!

The kids and I had a great time in KY! The kids love KY and ask every time we leave when God will move us there. I just keep telling them it's in God's hands. Right now He is using us in IL and until He opens the doors there and shuts doors here we will keep serving Him here.
I have to agree with them though. I too LOVE KY! A piece of my heart is buried there with our oldest son, SeanPatrick but I just love KY.
While there Sara became sick. You would never have known it the way she played but her stomach was in great pain. She has been dealing with stomach pain for some time now (2 yrs) and the doctor has repeatedly stated that the umbilical hernia has closed. Well this weekend is flared up and guess what IT'S NOT CLOSED!!! Poor thing! Her little belly button looked like a golf ball was sitting under the skin. We had to cut our trip short unfortunately but I wanted to get her home to see her doctor. At the advise of my sister n law we drove straight home from KY to the ER at home. The ER was a nice 3 hour visit-Sara & I got home at 4 am. UGH!
Ya know I really do not like ER doctors. They always seem to act like we are there to waste their time. That is how we were treated and I made sure to let that doctor know that my daughters health and welfare is of up most importance to me.
We were sent home and told to give her motrin or tylenol and see our family doctor. Xrays and lab work came back fine. But when we saw our family doc I was told that the bruising in the belly button was not a good sign :( and now we are off to see a surgeon next week.
UGH!!!! I would rather it be me than her in this pain. It breaks my heart to see her in such pain. I hope that the surgeon makes a good decision and fixes this hernia asap!