Seems I can't seem to get our blog updated enough lately and the post seem to be quite boring if you ask me. I have been wondering weather or not I should just quit it altogether or keep it going with the details of our life. Anyone have an opinion about if we should keep writing or are you all bored with it? I guess today I could update you all on our future plans for adding to our family since the whole purpose of our blog to begin with was to talk about adoption. I have talked before about the fact that we don't plan on adding any infants or toddlers to our family anytime soon. By that I mean we do have a completed home study but are not actively seeking younger children right now and don't have our home study with any agency at this time. So that is our plans but there are quite a few people who know we are all approved to adopt so you just never know when we might get a call if someone thinks of us. We love the way things are right now with our family and are quickly figuring out what its like to be a family of 6! We have been discussing getting another foster child sometime but not sure when that will be. We have got several calls about placements but the situations seemed more than we could handle. I am sure some of you were wondering if we would ever turn down a child and yes we have be its hard every time. We do know our boundaries and that we can't take every child presented to us.

Last week seems to be a blur to me. We did go to my grandpa's funeral Thursday in Kearney and then to the burial in Comstock. It was a long day but also great to see a lot of people we don't see often. Too bad we have to meet up on such bad circumstances though. Friday was a very stressful day as we lost Tj for about 2 hours. It ended up being a huge case of misinformation by his school and him not having a way to contact us. He is doing step class every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until 4:15 after school and Friday he was to ride the later bus. The school had told me on Monday that the bus stopped at a certain spot close by our house. Well they actually told me wrong and he had to get off at a different place about two blocks from where we thought he would. He ended up calling his mom from the library the bus dropped him off at and couldn't get a hold of her. He didn't have our number with him either and no cell phone. I knew he wouldn't go with someone he didn't know and suspected he was walking to our house or his moms but didn't see him on the route to our house. Then Scott decided to go the direction of his moms and didn't see him. Then we got a call from his mom and he had walked there. He was very upset and scared not knowing what to do and wasn't able to get a hold of anyone. Needless to say he now has a cell phone to call if something like that ever happens again. It was such a relief when we found out where he was and was OK. Haley also had a friend stay overnight Friday night. Saturday Scott, the girls and I went to more garage sales. Scott found a golf bag and some clubs so decided he's going to start golfing with Tj now. Around noon Scott and Tj went golfing with our friend Alan. They had a great time and can't wait to go again sometime. We watched the Husker game all afternoon and had snack food. Tj went to stay with his mom Saturday night and came home Sunday evening. While he was gone the rest of us just relaxed and cleaned house and the garage.

This week is turning out to be very busy already and it's only Tuesday. We had parent teacher conference tonight for Tj and it went pretty good. He's just too darn quiet and needs to communicate more with the teachers but is soo smart they all said. We already knew that though! Tomorrow I have to get Tj out of school early for an appointment that shouldn't last long. Then he will go back to school for step class. We are doing respite tomorrow night until Friday night for a girl we use to do respite for about once a month but haven't had for about 3 months. We are looking forward to having her again and she goes to school with Tj so they can ride the bus together. She also goes skating on Friday nights so her and Tj know each other from that too. The girls are excited for her to come and her and Haley also get along great. Today my old neighbor and I started getting ready for our garage sale we are having this Thursday to Saturday. We have a lot of stuff that is really cheap so hope we get rid of lots of it because we aren't having another one anytime soon and I don't want to bring any of it home. Then tonight on our way home from parent teacher conference Tj's mentor called and said Tom Osborne called him again to see if him and Tj would like tickets to the game this weekend again. He of course said yes and can't wait to go again. They won't be in the suite again but Tom said they were very good seats! Tj said he actually likes watching the games better from the stands because its easier to see than clear up in the sky boxes. Scott is so jealous! Other than him going to the game we don't have any plans again! I love weekends with no plans because you never know what will happen or what we will decide to do at the last minute. Tate and Keely are doing great as usual. Most days are great but let me tell you when one of them has a bad day they both have a bad day and those are the days I think it might be easier to have a real job! Tatum for some reason can't quit talking about going to school and she has everything you could think of in her backpack! Not really but anytime someone asks for something she will tell you "I have that in my backpack for you" Then tonight to my surprise she was drawing/scribbling on some paper and told me she was going to write a T for Tatum. I could hardly believe my eyes when I looked and she really did! It was a small t but still I was amazed. Keely is changing more every day and has almost as good of vocabulary as Tatum. Her talking is doing great. We tried potty training this weekend with out much success. She can tell us when she goes but I guess hasn't got it down that she needs to tell us BEFORE she goes cause she didn't make it in the potty even once. Maybe we'll try again this weekend. She is young but is interested since big sis does it all the time. Well I better get to bed since tomorrow might be busy. Hope you all are well and enjoying this cooler weather.

Another weekend gone, ready for another week! I think. First I should mention that after Scott's softball game Thursday night we got a call from my aunt that my grandpa that we went and saw a couple weekends ago passed away. He had cancer the last couple years that would get worse then better. He has been in the hospital the last couple months but fairly comfortable. We are so glad that he didn't have to suffer and be in a lot of pain throughout his battle with cancer. Friday TJ went skating then spent the night with a friend. Scott's mom and her husband came to spend the evening with us also and we all went out for supper. After supper we went and watched TJ skate for a while and got to see a girl that we use to do respite for. It was great to see her and see how she was doing. It's hard not to wonder about kids we have had in the past and just hope they are doing well. Saturday morning Scott, Haley and I got up early and went to garage sales. It was a lot of fun and we found some great deals. Mostly clothes for the girls. After we went to some garage sales it was time to go get TJ and take bring him home so he could go to the husker game with his mentor. How lucky to be able to go to a husker game! But you know what is even more awesome? He and his mentor got invited by Tom Osborne to watch the game in his personal suite with him and his wife! He had a great time and it was probably a time he will never forget. There are probably many husker fans who only dream about getting to watch a game in one of the suites let alone with Tom Osborne. Scott and I took the girls to get their flu shots then to Walmart for some shopping. It was a nice quiet afternoon. When TJ got back from the game he was really tired from all the excitement and staying with a friend the night before. Haley and I went to the movies and Scott stayed home with the girls, TJ, and his friend Garret. They spent the evening playing wii. Today we had high hopes of staying home all day and relaxing but every time I think that is going to happen I am wrong. The girls have now got into the habit of getting up at 7am so that includes the weekends! Doesn't give us much sleep in time on Saturdays and Sundays but oh well at least that's 1 hour more than during the week.. No rest for the wicked right! We spent most of the day running errands and taking the kids to PETsMART for the first time. The girls weren't too sure about some of the fish but love to watch the kittens play in the cat house. Well we better leave for now, we are all tired from just playing in a 4 person wii bowling tournament. My arms going to hurt tomorrow..

Monday night

I sure hope you all had a great long weekend! We had a great weekend and it was so nice to have a weekend with no set plans. Friday night we did go to the state fair with Haley and Tj. My friend and her boy also went with us. The kids had so much fun and rode until they were sick! Literally! Well just Tj, he did ride one too many rides and as soon as we got out of the car at home he got sick. I felt so awful for him but at least after he got sick he felt much better. My friend that went with us got a babysitter for the girls and her 3 year old son so it was kind of a relaxing night just walking around and enjoying the fair. The girls had a great time with the babysitter and got to go play at our playground across the street. I was a little worried they wouldn't want to stay with the girl that was babysitting but they did great and told Scott and I both bye bye. Saturday morning we did NOTHING! Haley and Tj didn't even get up until noon and Scott, the girls and I just laid around watching TV. My mom ended up getting to Lincoln in the afternoon. We spent the evening eating out, shopping, and having some fun time at Chuck e Cheese. Sunday we decided we would have my neighbor friend and kids from our old house over that evening for a cook out. Scott smoked a pork loin all afternoon on the grill and I made beans, strawberry salad, and macaroni and corn casserole. It was so yummy but we had way more food than we could all eat. At least we will have some leftovers for the short week this week. Monday most of the day was spent going to the park with the girls several times and while they napped in the afternoon the rest of us took turns mowing the yard. We showed Haley and Tj how to trim with the weed eater too. It was surprising that they both wanted to help out with the mowing but is also good for them to help out with the chores. Speaking of chores, they both have jobs that have to be done and without Scott or I having to ask them to do them. If we have to ask them to do their jobs then they lose money from their allowance. They are doing great with the new allowance system and are learning quickly. It's not much fun losing money that is going to be for weekend fun! I guess I am ready for another busy week to start and hope we can all stay healthy. There is a lot of flu going around Lincoln lately. One of the high schools in town had 220 kids out one day last week. The girls are scheduled to get flu shots next Saturday and Tatum will get a swine flu vaccine as soon as it is available since she has a weakened immune system and needs all the protection she can get from the nasty bugs going around. Tj has had a cold most of the weekend and we hope that's all it is. He seems really tired with a headache and runny nose but no fever thank goodness. I have been meaning to mention to you all that Tatum has been eating so good lately and has learned to snack! I know snacking isn't a great thing to do but she wouldn't even do that before so we are happy with any progress. She has been eating meals really good too even with the snacking in between meals. She really hasn't gained much weight but has grown quite a bit taller it seems. She will be having her 3 year checkup next month so we will see what she weighs then. I don't weigh her often at home anymore and just try to forget all the feeding struggles we have had in the past since she is doing so well now.

Haley and Keely at Great Wolf Lodge

All the kids the first day at Great Wolf Lodge
Tatum and Keely goofing around at the mini golf course

Haley and Tj's first day of school

Scott and I at the fights