Happy Father's Day, Todd!!!

Todd and Elisabeth in March 1997


Todd and Isabella in September 2006






To a dad who just keeps getting better with age :) We love you!!!

Sara and Isabella eating our last dinner together at Cici's Pizza before she left for CA.

Elisabeth and Elizabeth trying their best to pose NICELY for a picture.

Our goodbye gift to Lizzie was a soft soccer ball that she could blow up and deflate on her own. Elisabeth's gift from them was a melon because she always ate all their melon when she was at their house.

We'll miss you Sara and Lizzie!!!

UNCLE!!!

I have had it with the heat. I am done. Cooked. Finished. It was 88 degrees in my office today. Even my butt was sweating-TMI, I know. The superintendent visited the schools with no air conditioning and ran out and bought all the fans she could find at Lowes. It was nice but what can a fan do sitting in a 90 degree hallway but move the hot air around?? Cancel school, I say!!! Luckily there are only 2.5 days left and it is supposed to 'dip' down into the 70s on Monday. WHOOOOOO HOOOOOO!! Elisabeth has a play on Tuesday and I have 2 more IEP meetings and then we will be finished with everything we have to do. Wednesday there is only half a day but it will probable be the saddest for me. The 5th graders are the last of the students to leave the school and everyone lines up to wave good bye to them. It will be Elisabeth's last day at my school....so sad. I cry everytime I think about it. I will probably be bawling that day. "Probably"??? Right! Maybe I'll call in sick?!

Pictures

Lauren (Elisabeth's best friend's little sister) helping Isabella smile :)

Elisabeth and her soccer friends on the day of their last game.

Isabella in her pretty pink picnic dress BEFORE she peed all over the playground equipment.

Elisabeth and her 2 good friends signing their 5th grade memory books.
Elisabeth and her soccer team... Todd was one of the coaches.

Lauren and Isabella

Dirty but cute :)

HOT, HOT, HOT

It is so freakin' hot here, I cannot stand it!! I actually took Elisabeth home from school yesterday at noon because her classroom was over 90 degrees. Ridiculous. I also called the superintendent's office to complain-their solution....give them bottled watered. Again, ridiculous. They can close school at the hint of snow...but won't close it when 6 of the 9 elementary schools are not air conditioned. UGH! It was nice to come home to the AC, though :)

On the adoption front, things are going very well for a few of my friends. Joyce and 2 of my friends from the internet are in Vietnam as we speak and have their babies :) One of my friends has known about her baby for over 10 months and didn't think she was ever going to be able to go and get here. All babies are fairly healthy and happy and should be home some time next week!

Speaking of friends...Sara and Lizzie, friends we got to know when we lived near each other a few years back, are moving in 2 days to LaJolla, CA. Sara had a great 'good bye' dinner over at our pool house for all of her friends. They will be missed.

Only 5.5 days of school left! On one hand, I am very sad because it means Elisabeth goes to a different school next year but on the other, we can't wait to sleep in and go to the pool all day!!! Plus, Isabella and I will get to celebrate our birthdays on the 20th and 27th! Can you guess who will be 2 and who will be 39??

Happy Birthday to my brother Blake whose birthday is today :)

Guess who is swimming on her own???

Isabella finally let go of me tonight and swam away independently. Of course, she has her floaty suit on but she has to kick her legs and move her arms to stay upright and actually move from one place to another. She is so proud of herself!! She says, "Good girl, Bella Boo!" She also jumps off the side of the pool and goes underwater! Amazing!!

Elisabeth had a great time at her 5th grade pool party. Apparently, all the boys in her class screamed when she came out in her bathing suit (a cute little bikini). One of her seat mates screamed first and then the others followed. She just laughed at them and jumped in the pool. Thank goodness she still thinks boys are gross-I am thinking it won't last much longer.

Thank goodness for pools!

Elisabeth's DARE Graduation - she is in the top row, 6th from the left


Looking at her DARE diploma - she wants to frame it :)

Jumping in the pool-our house is in the background on the far right.


Our neighborhood is the ONLY one in town with a private pool for us to use and it is wonderful. Eventhough our house is air conditioned, you can't stay inside all day with 2 kids. Isabella loves the water as much as Elisabeth does.

Elisabeth doctor's appointment went well. She got 3 shots and only cried once. Today she has her 5th grade party at the high school indoor pool. She is looking forward to it and it gives Isabella and I some time to bond:)

Elisabeth's 135 Month Check Up

Also known as a 6th grade physical. And yes, we are whining up a storm here. Afraid of what they will do and afraid of the shots. It stinks getting old. But the good thing-we get to spend the whole day together :) Of course, we can't talk about where we might be going to lunch, where we are going shopping, and when we are going to the pool UNTIL the dreaded appointment is over. Thank goodness it is this morning!!

Weekend with Mom

Ladybug crawling up Isabella's arm.

Elisabeth swimming underwater at our pool.

Elisabeth satisfying her need to be Isabella for a few minutes.

Eating a cookie before bed.


While Todd took off for Florida to surprise his 98 year old grandfather, my mom came down to spend some time with the girls:) We shopped, of course, and went swimming. Oh, and we found time to eat too!! It was a very relaxing, peaceful weekend. Isabella loves the water and is learning to swim with her floaty suit on (a bathing suit with floaters in them). Usually around the time she is completely wet, she decides that she has to pee. Thank goodness she hasn't figured out she could just go in the pool!! Today we did not hurry enough and ended up tinkling on pool deck and then dancing in it. This is going to be a great summer.

Pee and Sleep

She is doing both now-on her own!!! YEAH:) She is actually telling us when she needs to go to the bathroom and wears 'big girl' underwear all day, every day. She still wears a pull-up to bed but it is never wet in the morning. She has really taken to peeing AND pooping in the grass, too. Her favorite time to do this is at soccer games. Fun.

Sleeping has also gotten tremendously better!! She goes to bed without a drink and without a fuss and puts herself to sleep. So nice!!! She actually responds better to Todd and my mom (whenever she is around) so I let them do the deed. I am sure there will be nights when she pees her pants in her bed AND won't go to sleep but right now, things are looking up on the toddler front!

Wonderful weekend

Elisabeth Connors-Kos and Elizabeth Connors :)

Isabella, Elisabeth, and Sadie

Playing at a park

Isabella's new past time...picking her feet.

Elisabeth with her teacher after returning home from Gettysburg.

My 2 favorite girls at Cracker Barrel

My new favorite picture :)

Isabella and her new beaded Santa Claus bracelet


Elisabeth arrived back in town safe and sound and only 30 minutes late! She had a wonderful time in Gettysburg and amazed us with her 'war' facts. She even bought us all gifts from the gift shop!! Oh...and she took 100+ pictures :)

We had a great time in Syracuse-we arrived at 1 am on Saturday morning. J, J, and Sadie had arrived the night before. We went shopping, of course, and then mom ad dad took care of all of the girls so we could go out on a double date. We had an awesome dinner and then went to see "India Jones". I must not have closely watched the other 3 because this one DUMB and supposedly it was just like the previous ones. I thought it would never end. I now realize why Karen Allen had about 5 lines and gave up acting so she could open a knitting store-she is a HORRIBLE actress! J and J loved it so it was a success for half of the group :)

On Sunday, we went to church and out to eat and then home for a 3 hour nap:) Today we went shopping and I got Isabella a new duvet cover for her big girl bed. Hope you enjoy the pictures!!

Gettysburg, here she comes!

Elisabeth took off this morning at 7:15 am with her pillow, blanket, sunscreen, and lunch to Gettysburg with her entire 5th grade class. Five parents from each class were chosen randomly to go...I wasn't one of them. On one hand, I am thrilled to miss the 3 hour bus ride down and back plus the shleping around that we would have to do once we got there. But, on the other hand, I am sad to be missing it and a little pissed I don't automatically get to go because I work at her school. No special treatment EVER and it stinks. I am amazed how well she did this morning-she, unfortunately, inherited by anxiety genes and I thought for sure she would wake up with a stomach ache with threats of puking but she was fine!!! We pick her up tonight at 7:30 and then drive to Syracuse for the long weekend. Sadie, Jacqueline, and Jim are come down from Canada so we will get to be together for a few days :) Can you say...outlets??!!!

Elepants and swings :)

Ever since Todd and my MIL took Isabella to the zoo, she has been obsessed with 'elepants' (aka elephants). Yesterday, she got her own Build-A-Bear elephant from my dad in the mail. She was so HAPPY and went skipping off with it when all of a sudden it let out this loud elephant noise. She dropped her prized possession and ran for the hills!!!! "Ever since Todd and his mom took Isabella to the circus, she has been obsessed with elepantsElepant scare! Elepant scare!" My dad thought she would love the noise it made when you pushed his hand but she hated it. We had to go upstairs and get Elisabeth's elephant and give her that one because IT didn't make the noise. Then, to make matters worse, Elisabeth decides she doesn't want to switch elephants-she likes her own. So...we swapped E's elephants clothes for I's elephants clothes, shoved the noise-maker down into the elephants butt, and gave it back to I. If you can figure that one out, I"ll buy you a real elephant!!! We are just praying that she doesn't roll over some night and hit the noise box. She will never forgive us!!

Thanks Mom and Dad for my new swing :) I LOVE IT!!!

Lucy and Liam Pictures :)