Friday, April 30, 2010

A Tribute

A sports-writer captured Jill's passion and love in this article, and I wanted to share it with you all so that you could "know" the remarkable woman we now miss with heavy hearts.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Ready.....Break

That is how I felt this morning, picture Brad and I, hands in the middle of the circle like sports teams do before they break the huddle, that was us this morning, our family was splitting up for the next few days, the first time we have done something like this and it just feels odd. Brad and Olivia left this morning for Roanoke where his parents were going to snatch her up, they will spend two nights in Bassett and then head back to Richmond Friday evening.  Brad has planned a special Daddy/Daughter Day Date on Saturday, and Olivia couldn't stop talking about her special trip with Daddy to see Bina and PawPaw. I was so worried about her feelings being hurt since Avery and I are hoping a plane for Northfield this evening, but she didn't even bat an eye. She actually pointed her finger at Avery this morning and informed her that "You are NOT coming with me"...so she clearly isn't phased by Avery and I going on our own adventure....

An adventure it will be. Our first flight leaves Richmond at 8:19, bound for Washington Dulles...keep in mind Avery's bed-time is 7pm. We arrive in Dulles around 9pm, and depart for Hartford at 10pm, arriving into Hartford at 11:29pm...a solid 4.5 hours PAST Avery's bed-time, its going to be a heavily flight. But we know why we are going and the purpose for our trip, so we aren't going to complain, we wouldn't dream of missing the events at home.

Jill's obituary was in the paper today, along with her sweet baby boy Chase...I must have read it 33 times, and I can admit that it feels more real today, but still, after reading it 33 times I would have expected it to feel even more real than it does, I still feel like someone has made a mistake, that this can't really be happening. Tragic isn't even the right word, it doesn't do the situation justice...please keep her family and friends in your prayers now and as they navigate the months ahead.

Side Note: Yesterday was Riley's 5th Birthday, we got him a cake and everything, he will get his own "I'm 5" post when I return, but I don't have time to upload the photo's right now.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Numb

That is exactly how I am feeling right now, numb, I am in shock. My dear friend Adam's older sister Jill passed away today suddenly, she was 7.5 months pregnant, and the little darling didn't make it either. I can't even begin to express how sad I am, and not for me, yes, I knew her well, and yes I loved spending time with her and thought she was one of the best around, but for her family, my heart breaks for them, her husband of just a year, lost his precious wife and his unborn child, her brothers, her father, and her mother, oh my goodness, her mother. They are best friends, they have one of those mother-daugther relationships that people write books about, I wish I could help ease her Mom's pain, but there are no words for this type of pain and loss. Losing your daugther, it just hits home, no my daughter isn't in her 30's getting ready to have a child of her own, but losing a daughter is losing a daughter, and it can't hit much closer to home than that. I don't have a legit, blood sibling, but I can't imagine that pain either.

(Jayden, Adam and Jill)

Adam and his sister also had one of those relationships you dream of, very close, always there for each other, each other's biggest fans, defenders of each other to no end, and the admiration they had for each other could move mountains, and moves my soul just thinking about it. While he may not know it now, or even be able to grasp it anytime soon, he was beyond lucky to have her for a sister, and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, she felt exactly the same way.

Life is precious, far too short and gone before you know it, I don't have the words, I don't know how to put the sadness I feel on paper (or the screen), but I know that I need to do a better job of telling those that I love how much they mean to me...and often. I have a lot of sadness around me right now, with the loss at work and my dear friend is who is watching her mother lose a battle with cancer...I just wish I could do something to help ease the pain of those who are losing or lost their loved ones.

To break the ice...here is a funny Olivia story. I was sitting at the dinner table with her tonight, I was sad, she could tell, she asked me why I was so sad, I told her it was because my friend had gone to heaven tonight, and that we now have another angel watching out for us. She said "Heaven.....I wanna go", and I looked at her with tears in my eyes and said "Oh honey, I want you to go too but not for a very, very long time" and then she said "But can I go to a hotel first? Is Heaven like a hotel, because I wanna go to a hotel", clearly I have some educating to do...but at least she made me laugh.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Sad News...

I got to work on Wednesday to some bad news.  My co-worker, Jason's father had been rushed to the hospital after suffering a seizure at work (He also works at Capital One), and I got a call today, he passed away this afternoon around 1pm. The timing was strange, because I had just sent Jason a text message letting him know that I was thinking about him and his family, he wrote back right away, little did I know at the time his Dad had just passed away about 30 minutes before.

And my friend "D"'s father-in-law got some tragic news earlier this week.  A few weeks back he was given a "cancer free" diagnosis but on Monday started feeling a little dizzy, after several tests they found 3-4 tumors growing rapidly in his brain. From what "D" has told me, he is going downhill quickly, please send your thoughts and prayers to these two families.

Our super busy Saturday turned out to be very low-key. The weather coupled with Olivia waking up feeling like garbage sidelined our Carnival plans, we had hoped Olivia would rally for Bella's Birthday Party this afternoon but she just kept getting worse, and woke up with a 102 degree fever, so needless to say we didn't go.  I ran out and got a pedicure, grabbed an Iced Chai Latte at Starbucks, hit up Costco and grabbed a few "Parents to Be" cards at Hallmark and left Brad home with a screaming Avery. That child has not slept well all day and has been in a foul mood because of it. She walks around stomping her feet because she is so tired she doesn't even know what to do with herself.

Speaking of Parents to Be...my highschool pal, Shane and his wife Katherine are expecting their first child this fall, along with my cousin Drew and his wife, Jessica. I am so very excited for both couples, and I am thrilled that I will get to see Drew and Jessica in just a few short weeks to celebrate their good news. Too bad we won't be able to toast to the little babe...who am I kidding, I sure as heck can toast, its just Jessica that will have to sit that one out.  And while we are on the subject of babies...this is the second week in a row that I am on the "want a third" kick...I was so hoping the urge would go away, with Olivia acting like a demon and Avery screaming her darling little face off, I was sure the urge would subside, but no such luck. But don't you worry your pretty little heads, there will be no baby news in this household for quite sometime, if EVER.

My boss will be back in the office on Tuesday, if you recall he's been on vacation for the last two+ weeks, its been wonderful, leaving at a reasonable time, not having to run around like a crazy person putting out firedrills left and right....but all that ends on Tuesday. This whole work thing is really putting a damper on my free time - HA!.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Easter - Take 2

(Please excuse me looking like a homeless person, but take a gander at those darling little peaches, aren't those dresses PERFECT, also, please try and ignore the fact that Olivia looks like she hasn't slept in weeks, in actuality, she had just been woken up from a 3 hour nap)

The girls are going to be photographed on Sunday (as long as the rain holds off) at Byrd Park, and these dresses are going to be one of their outfit changes, I just adore the dresses and didn't get any good pictures of them wearing them on Easter, so I figure why not just stage the shots again...I am still debating what other outfits they should wear.

Olivia has been going through a "I don't feel like listening to anything my Mom or Dad says" phase. Its fabulous, in fact its so great I just don't want it to end.....NOT. Its horrible. I lose my patience with the blink of an eye, I am not proud of it, I just can't seem to help it. And this morning, trying to get both girls to school in the pouring rain, Olivia wanting to jump in every single puddle, count every single rain drop and all the while Avery has been up since 5am, already taken a 45 minute nap, its now 9am and I am very late to work...phew. But nothing beats me having to drag her across the floor at my Parents house the other day to get her into timeout. I had Avery in my arms, Olivia went "dead" on me, so of course she wasn't going to walk herself there, so I had to drag her, it was miserable, and where was Brad during all this you ask....IN THE BATHROOM. I swear, World War 4 could happen all while he is using the bathroom, its amazing.
(Our Sweet Olivia)
We said goodbye to my Parents on Monday Night, and while we are going to miss them terribly, we know we are going to see them again in just a few weeks.  They will be driving down her before we head to Reynolds Plantation, Georgia for our Hoskin Family Reunion, I can't wait. Olivia is going to have 3 cousins her age to play with. Jason and Priya turned 3 in February, Mallory will turn 3 in May and of course Olivia will be 3 in July. My two girls are the youngest of the 6 (Matthew is going to be 6 in June) Second Cousins. I can't wait to see everyone, we haven't all been together since my Cousin Drew's Wedding in April 2006. My Grams hasn't even met Avery yet, so that will be a treat, Avery getting to meet her GG Sandra.

This weekend is another busy one. Saturday we are going to take the girls to the Jacobs Road Elementary School Spring Carnival, that is the Elementary School right around the corner from our house and the one the girls will both attend, and then after naptime we are going to head out Mosley, Virginia to Bella's 3rd Birthday Party. Bella and Olivia are Little Gym friends and Bella has a little brother Connor, who is just a week or two younger than Avery, we adore their parents and can't wait to see them, its been too long. And then Sunday Sweet Baby Campbell is going to be Baptized in the morning, we are still debating how to handle bringing the girls to church, it might end up that Brad stays home with them, but we shall see, I kinda wanna bring them and dress them up in cute chuch clothes, but I don't want to cause a scene, and we are sure to do that with these two hoodlums. And then Sunday afternoon is our session with Nicole Vance at Byrd Park, fingers crossed the weather holds out.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Olivia says the....

darndest things....

We were sitting down at dinner, at my parents house and my Dad took his hat off as he was sitting down, Olivia looks up at him, starts to giggle and says "GaGa, you need a haircut, your hair is a mess".

Of course, the serious man that my Dad is, he tried to put on a mean face, but it didn't last long, she had cracked the old grouch into a smile...funny girl that Olivia Turner.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Like Father, Like Daughter....

(NOTICE: At no time during the filming of this episode were any children in danger, no need to call CPS)

(This is what I found when I went outside)

Brad was home before 10am, which was nice, we had the whole day together, after the girls nap we joined our neighbors who had already set up shop in our yard. The children were sprawled all over the grass, the boys were passing out beers and Molly and I just supervised. Poor Insley was busy bush-wacking (as we like to call it) with her Mom....which really means she was landscaping her yard, but using powertools to do it.  The Dad's had some quality time with their sweet baby girls...

(Avery enjoying a nice Coors-eenie)
Earlier in the day we had lunch as a family at Chiptole and then hit Costco on the way home. Olivia loves Costco on the weekends, she loves "the nice men that give her special treats", which in adult language means the sample ladies/men.

(Sweet Baby Campbell, or Baby Camel as Olivia likes to call her)

(Brian and his daughter Campbell)

(Justin and Juliette...or Baby Ette as we all like to call her)

(Nice isn't it?)

(She looks miserable, thats because Brad just made her turn around and ruined her playing in traffic fun)

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Good Luck Daddy

Brad left bright and early Friday morning with his racing buddy Scott for a weekend of racing and riding...in Leesburg. Its a 12 hour race...yes, 12 hours, that wasn't a typo. I can't even imagine riding my bike for 3 hours let alone 4 times that. Good Grief. So its just me and the girls...and of course YaYa and GaGa who are still here for a few more days.


Yesterday I checked out of work on the early side so that I could swing by UKROPS and actually grocery shop for the second time in two months, pathetic I know, but I honestly can't find the time, what is this world coming to when you can't allocate an hour of time to procuring the nourishment that keeps your kids healthy? Shame on me. I snagged some grub for me and the kiddos, snagged the kiddos from school on the early side and off to YaYa and GaGa's we went.  My mom offered to keep Avery over night and I quickly took her up on that offer, these 5:30am wake up calls are for the birds...took bad the bugger woke YaYa up at 5am this morning, I was hoping since it was a weekend she would "sleep in", not so much.


Olivia and I had fun just the two of us last night and this morning and then it was off to YaYa's to pick up Avery before we headed off to Isaac's 3rd Birthday Party (his Mom is my friend Courtney, who is pregnant with her second little boy and happens to look super cute pregnant). Olivia had a blast. Isaac's Grandparents bought him a Bouncy House for his Birthday, so that was the #1 attraction, too bad some kid checked Olivia out one of the door, she met the ground with a quickness, but after a small fit got back up and went right back in for some more bouncing. The girls had fun and I met this super nice Mom who happened to have a box of 4T clothes in her car she was going to take to Goodwill (her daughter is 5 and no longer wears them), so she gave them to us, how sweet is that?


Avery fell asleep on the way home which squashed my dreams of her taking a nice long nap this afternoon, as I type she is wrecking havoc and chowing down on some "Baby" Goldfish. The little brown baby that she is got some more color today at the party, this Mom of the Year totally spaced on the sunscreen and about 90 minutes into the party asked to borrow some from the host...whoopsie daisy. As for Olivia....that mayo baby could use some color - HA.


I commenced our Disney Trip planning yesterday, BUT was quickly shot down by the fact that Disney doesn't release their 2011 pricing until August, so while we are going to continue to fine tune our plans, we won't be able to put anything on the calendar until later this year. Our plan is to go late 2011, either November or maybe even December if the rates are discounted.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

What a Weekend!

Well, going in, I knew it was going to be a busy one, and I had high hopes for a good one, but this one topped the charts, it was a great one...weekend that is.

Friday - I grabbed a few beers with some peeps from work and was home around 7:30 to grab Olivia from my Parents house - Avery spent the night at my Parents house.

Saturday - Olivia and I slept in, we got up around 8am, too bad the dog had gotten me up a few times prior to that, but at least I was able to catch a few extra Z'ss after his first wake up call. Jeni, Lily and Mark (Marc...Lily, how horrible is it that I don't know how to spell his name?) arrived around 11am, the kiddos played together for a few minutes before we set our for Don Pepe for a delicious lunch. Rochelle, Ronin and Danny joined us at Don Pepe and the kiddos had a blast sharing a "Mexican Pizza" while us gals chatted and caught up. We then all piled into our cars and set out for Maymont, what a beautiful day for a few hours at Maymont, the babes had a blast together and us adults had fun walking around, getting some sun, enjoying some ice cream and chatting.  Avery ate an ENTIRE ice cream cone, it was hilarious and super cute. I am hoping Danny got some cute pics of the girls chowing down on their cones, Olivia was a mess.

The girls fell asleep on the way home from the Park and we spent the afternoon enjoying the company of our neighbors in our front yard...one of our favorite pasttimes. The boys enjoyed a few beers while the girls just chatted...like we always do. And then I quickly got ready for my girls night out with Jeni and Rochelle, which I just have to say, was an ABSOLUTE blast. We talked and talked and talked and I honestly think we could have talked for days. I am so thankful for their friendships...and just wish they lived closer.

Today Brad got up with Avery and I slept in until about 7:45am (notice the trend, a great weekend and I got to sleep in BOTH mornings - amen), YaYa came over and watched the girls for a few hours during their nap while Brad and I went shopping...for some suits. Jos A. Banks was having a Buy 1 Get 2 Free sale, so we spent what felt like 2 hours buying Brad 3 new suits. It was the first time we have run errands together without the girls in what felt like FOREVER. I forgot to mention that we also dined alone at Jimmy John's...one of my new favorite sub places. I am actually a little addicted to subs these days...strange, I used to hate deli meat, but don't get me wrong, most deli meat still grosses me out.

Then this afternoon we enjoyed the sunshine with our neighbors again before we all piled into our cars for dinner at Firebirds to celebrate Justin's Birthday. 6 Adults and 5 Children under the age of 4...at Firebirds. HA! Actually it was delicious and the kids were great...and Insley, Molly and I found our next Girls Night venue...the Firebar at Firebirds...can't wait. Sign me up. Anyone else wanna join in the fun?

I took some cute photographs of the girls playing together today, but haven't had a chance to upload them, and honestly after looking back at them, I don't think you guys will think they are all that and a bag of chips, but it was just the moments and the sounds associated with the photographs that make them just perfect for me. They were talking to each other, and laughing and forming that sisterly bond that will last a lifetime, and I got all teary eyed as I tried to snap a few shots...so precious.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Busy Busy Weekend

Here goes nothing...

Friday - Brad is out of town, I have meetings all afternoon and likely will need my parents to get the girls, which should work out best for everyone since they haven't had much YaYa time this week. And then Friday Night will be just me and the girls.

Saturday - Rochelle and Ronin, and Jeni and Lily are coming into town for a girls day/night, so we are meeting for lunch around 11:30 and then heading to Maymont for the afternoon. Brad should be home late afternoon just in time to keep the girls while Rochelle, Jeni and I hit the town for a little girls night out, long over due :) Can I just tell you, I am so stinkin excited to see these girls. I haven't seen Rochelle and Ronin since October, but lucky me has seen Jeni and Lily twice since February.

Sunday - The girls are going to be photographed by Nicole Vance Photography late afternoon at Byrd Park, I am looking forward to the finished product, and hoping that I pick the right outfits, I haven't spent much time thinking about what they are going to wear, but I will tackle that this evening...

I took a walk last night by myself, after our family walk, and it was heaven. I jammed out to my girl Britney and listened to a little Michael Jackson...two of my favorites when it comes to workout music. Brad and I are seriously considering starting P90X, we are on the hunt for the DVD's so we don't have to buy them...I figure we can fit in 45 minutes of workout together, we'll just replace the 45 minutes of TV we used to watch. And as soon as Avery starts sleeping past 5:30am, I will be able to do it in the mornings...good grief 5:30am comes early.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Tough...

So last week while I was traveling Brad asked me if it would be okay if "M's" Mom ("M" was a Fraternity Brother of Brad's, who passed away a year ago) stayed with us for the night, she would be passing through town. Of course I was thrilled to be able to host her and keep her out of a hotel, but I wasn't sure what to expect. I had only met "M"'s Mom at his wedding and while Brad was close with her throughout college, he hadn't kept in touch all that well until "M"s passing in March of 2009, but since then Brad has kept in touch with his parents quite well, I am proud of him for being that guy to them, sounds like they have had a tough time and needed one of "M"s friends to be there to vent to, etc.

Well she arrived and she was great with the girls, Olivia was a nightmare at times in full show-off mode, but overall she was great and Avery was a hoot, a true wrecking ball. She told us the story of his passing, which of course brought me to tears and then she went into how difficult the last year has been on her and her husband, and her other two daughters.  You probably recall me blogging about "M" passing, he left a wife and two sons behind, and while I can't even begin to imagine what any of them are going through, the whole situation just breaks my heart. I am sad for "R" who lost her husband, I am sad for M & M who lost their Dad, and my heart aches for "K" and "M" who lost their son, its just tragic. I can't begin to judge what they are all feeling and whether their reactions and actions are appropriate, because clearly I have never been in this situation, but "K" shared with us that "R" has been seeing someone and living with someone since Halloween, so she had moved on about 7 months after "M"s passing...like I said, I can't begin to judge how "R" is grieving, it just makes me think, would my life go on without Brad? Would I throw myself into my children's lives even more so than I already do? Would I even make time for myself? "R" and the boys let off a few balloons on the 1 year anniversary of "M"'s passing, the boys sent the balloons up to heaven and sent along some bottled up hugs and kisses for "M", talk about the sweetest thing huh? Good Grief, its so sad.

I have told Brad before, but I am putting it on record, by blogging about it, so knock on wood, but if sometime were to happen to me, I would totally want him to move on, but with the right girl, the right girl for him and most imporantly the right girl for our girls. A girl that I would approve of. I did tell him however though that I would have some conditions of satisfaction - HA.  (I just tried to type them out and now I can't stop crying, so that will have to wait for another day). And would I move on...who the heck knows, does anyone ever know until they are in that situation, probably not, but Brad isn't so sure he would want me to move on, he is feeling pretty good about me mourning him for the rest of my life - nice of him, isn't it? Totally kidding...well actually I am not, I think he did say that, but I think he was kidding...

Enough talk about that stuff...jeesh, that is depressing and scary and super duper sad. I realized today when I was writing in a few Bridal/Baby Shower events on our Family Calendar that we basically have something on the calendar every single weekend until late July after Olivia's Birthday...how is that possible? Good Grief.

Boil Them, Color Them, Hide Them...and then Find Them.

Eggs that is...

(Brad supervising)

(Olivia getting ready to color eggs)


(Now that is one excited little girl)

(And this is one little girl who had just woken up from her nap looking like a crazy-haired baby)



(Olivia's Easter Basket)


(Avery's Easter Basket)


(Olivia's First Easter Egg Hunt of the day)

(Sisters)
We had a nice Easter at home...we spent the morning just the four of us, finding the Girls Easter baskets, and then eggs that the Easter Bunny himself hid for the girls to find. And then around 12 we strolled across the street our the 2nd Annual Easter Egg Hunt with The Koehler Family. 

(Taking a break from the hunt to sample the treats, found in said eggs)

Olivia really got the hang of it this year, last year she just toddled around and Brad had to help her find the eggs, but this year she was a force to be reckoned with. Avery didn't really have much to do with the eggs, but once we dropped one at her foot to stage a photo op, she was very cooperative and made us proud.

Then after naps we strolled back across the street to join The Koehler Family (including extended family members and my Parents) for the 2nd Annual Easter Dinner. The kids played very well together and this year Olivia ate about 4lbs of ham.

We didn't get any good pictures of the girls in their adorable Easter Dresses, but I have decided that I will get some professional pictures taken with these dresses, they are just too cute to pass up.

e are working on scheduling a photo session with Nicole Vance Photography (I won a free sitting fee at a consignment sale), it might be as easly as next Sunday, we are waiting to hear back from her.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Operation Bridesmaids Dress

So here goes nothing, I need to kick start this diet of mine with a quickness. Tomorrow is a new day, and so therefore I am starting the week on a good note, on a healthy note, on a need to drop some serious pounds note. I will keep you all posted with my progress. I had lost 15lbs since January 1st, prior to my trip last week and prior to me eating my face off this weekend, so we shall see where I end up tomorrow when I get on the scale...I don't think its going to be pretty.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Idaho & Colorado...

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