Christmas 2010

Christmas vacation started for Payton at noon on the 23rd! She got off the bus just minutes before Brian's parents and sister's family arrived. We had a nice day celebrating Christmas a little early with them (they headed back to the UP that night), and the girls were just giddy about that!

Christmas Eve was pretty low key. My parents and uncle came early in the week and stayed with us, so we all watched National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (My favorite!), went to church, then all the Korby's (Nicole's family, Val's family, us, my parents and uncle) headed to Olive Garden for dinner. That was SO nice! We got a room to ourselves and I didn't have to clean my kitchen when we were done:) Nicole was working nights over Christmas, so we went to her house for a bit before she had to leave. The girls were so excited for Santa that there was not a peep from them after we got them into bed. Because of my family staying with us the girls were both in Payton's bed (it is a full size bed), so bedtime involved a lot of giggling and kicking each other...

Brian and I were the first ones up on Christmas morning. Who gets up before their kids? Seriously! But the coffee was made and we were ready to go by the time the girls came down. Val and her family came down mid-day, Nicole and family joined us all for dinner. And the best part... we all sat down together in our kitchen:) We had a house full, and loved every minute (well, maybe minus the kitchen clean-up:)). At the end of the day we were all just pooped.

Some favorite gifts that the girls got were their Zhu Zhu pets (we officially have a small herd), Payton got her coveted Ruthie (american girl doll) , Addie got her magic rise oven from Santa, and Santa brought me an Amazon Kindle (hoorah for me!). Brian got a lot of stuff that I won't drag on about! Let's just say he needs to get going on his workbench downstairs to put it all away. Payton is off this entire week from school, so she is busy putting all her new toys to good use, and Addison is pretty happy to have her at home with us:)

Gearing up for Christmas!

Friday night the girls went to my sister's house for a few hours so that Brian and I could finish up the daunting task of gift wrapping! And I am happy to say we are nearly done! We went and picked up the girls and did a Christmas light tour of Appleton. The best part? The girls fell asleep in the car on the way home:)

Saturday morning we decided to head to the mall to get the last couple of gifts we needed. Fortunately we headed out early and knew exactly where we needed to go, so that trip went just fine. And we had to stop at the tea store to get a couple of holiday teas to try out before we couldn't get them anymore! Love that store! Then off to lunch with the girls. Then we FINALLY (I say finally because we have been meaning to do this for weeks) took the girls to see Tangled. We don't often take the girls to movies, but when one comes out that we know they would love we go for it. Payton especially liked it, and Addie didn't try to run off, so I guess that means she liked it too!

The highlight of our Saturday was going to a local "production" of "The Streets of Bethlehem". It was an actual "street" with people, houses, shops, animals, manger... all set like it would have been back when Jesus was born. We had to wait in line only about 35 minutes or so to get in, but it was a great thing for us to do, and Payton and Addie seemed to enjoy it too. As we were leaving Payton asked "But I thought Jesus was a grown up?" Which then we had to explain that the newborn baby in the manger was not the actual Jesus, but a baby "pretending" to be Jesus so we could see what it would have been like for him... Kids are so literal, and funny!

After Bethlehem our niece and nephews came over so Nicole and Jason could have a couple of hours to do some of their Christmas wrapping. It was a Wii extravaganza! All in all a busy, but good day. Now to cleaning the house, laundry, baking.... to gear up for the families this week:)

Welcome December!

December first has brought us a winter wonderland outside! After spending Thanksgiving weekend in Negaunee the girls are ready for winter. They got to play in the snow a lot and loved every second over our long weekend up there. Payton was almost sad to get home and see that there was still no snow at home. She keeps saying "Winter is my favorite season!" She was not disappointed this morning when she left for the bus stop as it started to snow:) And looking at our forecast it seems that it is here for a while.

Payton's 6th Birthday

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October 2010

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Big Week For Payton

This week has been a whirlwind for Payton, and it isn't over yet! Started on Sunday with Halloween, which everyone in our house loves. Wednesday was her 6th birthday! It seems hard to believe that she is 6! On Tuesday night before she went to bed I told her all about the night before she was born and the day she was born (without all the gory details that is!). On Wednesday her good friend Caitlin came off the bus to play. Caitlin is the friend in Payton's class that is moving. So this was the last time they would get to play together after school. We then had the Korby clan over for dinner, cake and presents. What a wild night we had:) It was wonderful! Payton had a pile of presents to open, and of course a Barbie cake to eat.

Yesterday was Caitlin's last day of school (she left for CA today), and Payton came home saying that she was going to cry at school tomorrow because Caitlin wouldn't be there. I feel sad for her just thinking about it... I did volunteer in her class room this morning, and her teacher and I talked for a bit. Payton has been doing very good today at school, no crying! That may be because she has her birthday party tomorrow! My mom and I made a big castle out of boxes for the girls to play in tomorrow when they get here. It is turning out pretty good! So it seems that having a birthday the same week as your friend moves away is a good combo. Look for photos to come soon.

Today I am picking up Payton early from school for her 6 year well child check/ asthma recheck. I am crossing my fingers that we don't have to start a steroid. She seems to be doing pretty good now that the pneumonia has cleared. And she will also get the flu shot. Ever since she had her kindergarten shots (you parents out there know what I mean about that!) she has been just petrified of getting a shot. Lets hope the screaming only lasts a couple of minutes...

Halloween 2010

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Our yard before and after Trees!

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Busy October!

October started with a bang when I had 7 girlfriends from Minnesota come to spend the weekend with me. Brian took the girls to the lake in MI and we had the house to ourselves! It was so nice to see everyone, and I really felt humbled that they would travel all that way to see me. We had an awesome weekend!

Unfortunately after that weekend sickness fell on our house! Brian and I had horrible colds that lasted weeks. I finally got better (after strep and that cold I was just exhausted...), but Payton's asthma flaired up. I ended up bringing her to the doctor to find out she had pneumonia! We increased her inhalers and added an antibiotic. We go back next week for her 6 year well child, and because her coughing is still not great I am thinking we will move forward with possible allergy testing. Her pneumonia didn't keep her down for long! After her diagnosis Brian was still feeling pretty sick and after a couple rough days he went in to the doctor to be diagnosed with pneumonia as well! Addison just got a small cold through all this. We are all on the mend now, and hoping that November is better for us with illness.

The girls have had a couple of friends at their schools that have had birthdays, Payton just finished up her soccer season. And Addison is still loving dance. I have been volunteering at the school for different things, and it is so fun to see Payton when she doesn't necessarily see me! She has a lot of friends she plays with and we have found another friend of hers that lives in our neighborhood. At a birthday party this weekend with Addison I was talking to the mom of the birthday boy to find out they lived in our neighborhood as well. We are so lucky! Brian is crazy at work, but hoping that some restructuring will turn things around and free up some of his time there. Fingers crossed on that one!

We finally have trees in our yard. We got a landscape plan done for us and decided to have some big trees put in this year. We ended up with 4 beauties! Brian went to the tree farm and hand selected the ones we wanted. We have a purple ash (we had this put in at our MN home and love it), silver maple, autumn blaze maple, and a hawthorne (my personal favorite!). When they came to put them in last week I was shocked at how big they are. Brian can't get his hand to touch around the base of either maple. We haven't had a chance to get out there and take photos, but expect and before and after shot soon!

Too Funny!

Payton and I went to her school last night for a reading "Camp Out". We were there for about a hour. The kids all got a book and we read stories and had smores... It was a nice evening. The funny part came when Payton and her little bud Caitlin saw their teacher. Those girls ran up and started to jump up and down along with their teacher. Man, that women is meant to be a Kindergarten teacher. I chatted with her for a little bit, and she asked me if I was a nurse. When I said that I was she told me that Payton told her I was sick this week. Payton then said to her "She is a nurse and she couldn't even fix herself!"

Our September

Payton has been in kindergarten for 4 weeks! She goes for the entire day, leaving on the bus at 7:30am and getting off the bus at 3:30pm. And lets just say that she adjusted just fine! She loves her teacher, riding the bus, her friends (she is constantly begging to have friends over), art, the library, hot lunch.... the list goes on! We now have a desk in her room and she sits there and works on her homework at night (it usually is just a worksheet about her day). She has soccer practice with Daddy on Mondays and games on Saturdays. She is loving that as well. I think she loves it more because Brian is her coach, but at times it is tough for Brian because the girls (there are 14 on their team) LOVE him. They just crowd around him and hang on him. And of course Payton is always at his side. I personally think it is cute how much they like him:) Payton loves to be the goalie... She has really taken to spending time in her room working on "projects". Right now she is working a writing a story book called "the missing doll". SO cute!

Miss Addison has been a busy girl too! She goes to her daycare 2 days a week. We are starting a new school on Friday. It is closer to home, has a pre-k program she can start next year, has a huge playground, a great pre-school room, and it is affiliated with a Lutheran church here in Appleton. We are pretty happy that we are able to send her there. We had to pick 2 specific days (we were going week to week with our schedule before), so we had to wait and see how my job worked out. So we passed on them in the spring, and now that my job is settling into a routine I called the new center and they had room for her. She is so excited to start there! It is a block away from Payton's school as well, so that makes it very nice! Addie also has started dance class. She goes every Thursday night. And it is just the cutest thing! She loves to dance around the house, and she really has taken to going to class! She is doing ballet and tap, but she loves tap the best right now. But who wouldn't with those cute shoes that click, click, click!

Brian is as always super busy at work. He has been able to use his office at home finally, and that has been really nice for him. He has not been working as late days either which has been nice. I am into a nice routine at work and have been picking up a lot of hours in our outpatient infusion room. That is what I am used to, so that is a nice thing for me. We do some outpatient chemo there as well as a lot of blood transfusions. And the best part is that the infusion room on our unit is only open 8:30-5. So the hours work out really nice for us! We are working with a local landscaper to start some plantings in our yard this fall. Our grass is coming in nicely. Brian is actually going to mow the lawn this week, which believe it or not is exciting!

Right now I am recovering from strep throat and really hoping no one else gets it! I ended up going to urgent care a couple of days ago with fever, chills and severe sore throat. I still can't believe I got it somehow. I haven't had strep throat is probably 20 years! But I am starting to feel like my old self again. Payton had her first cold and of course this flared up her asthma. So we are back on flovent again. Thankfully that seems to be helping some. We are looking forward to the fall. It is our favorite time of year!

Friends September 2010

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Payton Starts School!

Well, I am a week late posting, but Payton's first day of Kindergarten was September 1. We had an open house the night before to meet her teacher and classmates, see where they lined up... The night of the open house I felt quite overwhelmed. My little girl was going to be in school all day! She seemed quite shy that night, but I could tell that she was going to LOVE her teacher Mrs. Collentine. We had her clothes all set for her first day (she was so excited because I finally got her a pair of Twinkle Toe Sketchers), and her backpack was all ready.

Brian and I were a little curious as to how she would do getting going in the morning. When we brought her to pre-school/daycare she always had breakfast there, so it was a new challenge feeding her before she left. Brian went to work late that morning so all of us could walk her to the bus stop together. She was ready in record time and every time a school bus drove by (there were a couple) she screamed "MY BUS JUST WENT BY!" We assured her that we did know when her bus was coming and we would get her there on time. We all walked down (it is one block down) to the bus stop and met one of our neighbors. They just moved in in July and have a first grader named Jordan. Payton latched on to her for the first couple of days. The bus finally came, and Payton ran up the steps and didn't look back.

That afternoon Brian came home early (I was at work) and was here for Payton when she got off the bus. She talked, talked, and talked some more about her new friends and even some girls she met in summer school that happened to be on her bus. It was so cute to see her so happy! We put money on her account for hot lunch and figured we would see how it goes. And she loves that too! Nice for us not to have to pack a lunch every day!

Now that a week has passed they have assigned seats on the bus according to grades. Payton's two sidekicks on the bus are Ella and Addie. Both little girls that were in Payton's summer school class. The goal every day now it for Payton to remember one of the kids in her class! So far she only remembers the girls names:)

Korby Girls Labor Day 2010

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Crystal and Craig's Wedding

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Our New Home

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House Work...

has taken over my life:) We closed on our house 3 weeks ago, and we still have a ton of work to do! We started the first weekend after closing emptying out our apartment. So on night 2 we were able to sleep in the house. Although because our king bed was still in storage Brian and I claimed the guest bedroom for a couple of weeks.

Brian and my 2 brother-in-laws started on the big storage unit that weekend as well. That unit had all of our furniture (that we didn't have at the apartment) and the remainder of our house stuff that the movers moved for us. It was VERY full. And as they started to move stuff out we realize that it was maybe too full. Because of no air flow and the wet summer we have had we had mold on everything that was touching the concrete floor! It was mainly chest of drawers, bookcases, filing cabinets, and our 2 cedar chests. Our biggest concern was our king bed and our sectional from our living room that were in the very back of that unit. So our garage became "decontamination zone" and we began the process of cleaning mold. My parents and uncle came the next week (Brian was out of town for work, lucky guy!) and we emptied that storage unit into our garage. Thanks goodness our bed and sectional were shrink wrapped well, and not a speck of mold!

While my parents were here my dad's youngest brother was sent to the hospital with an infection. After I talked with his doctor in the ICU on Friday morning the family decided that dad and my uncle Bill had better get back home to see Uncle Allan and talk to the staff themselves. Mom stayed here to help me while Brian was gone. Early Sunday morning mom and I woke to news from the hospital that Uncle Allan was in trouble. Dad and Uncle Bill were on the way to the hospital when my Uncle Allan passed. He was in poor health to begin with, but this was not expected at all. We traveled back to MI last week for the funeral. We have a close family, so this was a very hard time for us. It was a lovely service and being that Uncle Allan was in the fire department for 30 years, the fire department had a honor guard at the funeral for him. He would have been proud.

Brian and I were planning on staying for only 2 days so we could get back to work, and Payton stayed back with my mom and sister. Nicole was going to bring Payton back with her in a couple of days. Payton work up vomiting the next morning. So she stayed with my mom for a couple of days to get better. We still don't know what she picked up, no one else in the family got sick. My in-laws drove he back with them last weekend. They brought with them Payton's Auntie Christina's bedroom set. Payton LOVED staying at Grammy Betty's because she loved that room so much. So now Payton has a big girl room of her own. The first night she slept with her "new" furniture she asked me "Mumma, am I going to be a grown-up here? Because this is the best room that I have ever had!" Awwww.

The girls bedrooms and their TV room downstairs are the only rooms that are completely done! Betty and I got the rest of the furniture cleaned over the weekend, and Brian and his dad finished up emptying and cleaning out the apartment. Brian had a walk through with our apt. manager and we are finally out of there! It worked for us for 5 months, but we are SO happy to be done with it forever!

This week Brian started as Payton's soccer coach. Her first game is September 11. Payton is SO excited that her Daddy is her coach. Brian is hoping it is going to be as fun as it sounds, and not a ton of work on his part! He is one of 3 coaches, and all 3 coaches have daughters on the team. Another fun thing for Payton is that their team shirts are pink:)

Holy Rain!

So for the last week or so we have been getting incredible amounts of rain. My sister teases me that they have not seen this much rain since they have lived here (which is over 10 years) since we moved to town! I think we are over 8 inches for this month!!

My story begins last night when making dinner I decided to run to the grocery store quick while it was cooking to get coffee. I didn't realize we were out, and I need my morning coffee! There was a sever thunderstorm to the north of us moving east (or so we thought...). Turns out the storm took a turn south as I was in the store. It was not raining when I went in the store, but about 15 minutes later as I was making my way to check out I noticed everyone standing by the check outs staring out the front doors. Oh boy. It was raining and hailing so hard it actually looked like a winter blizzard out there! My cell started to ring of course, and Brian told me to wait it out. So I checked out and waited until the rain was barely a drizzle and I headed out. Brian had said it was clearing at home too. I was about barely out of the parking lot and realized that the storm drains were going over... I knew I needed to hurry because I really had nowhere to go on the street I was on... I was sticking to the middle and I thought "I am going to make it! The water isn't even covering the road yet!" Then a car was approaching me and I had to move to the side more... Yes, that was me. The car you see on the news that is in now in too deep of water and died. I don't know if I have ever freaked out more. I called Brian to tell him where I was. And in the couple of minutes I was on the phone I realized I had better get out of the car. The water had risen about 6 inches in a few minutes and as cars were zooming past me my car was rocking in the water. I stepped out of my car (really wish I had the Traverse at this point!) into knee deep water. Ugh!

Thank goodness for good people that lived near there. Brian was on his way and they offered me shelter in their house while I waited. Thankfully the water receded a bit by the time Brian got there and with the help of some nice people on the street we pushed the car out of the water into a driveway and a guy walked up and help Brian with the engine. Got some water out and removed a filter and it finally started.

Other than the wonderful people that live on Mason Street. The best thing about the whole thing was that when we got home and I gave Brian a big hug for helping me and staying calm on the phone while I was freaking out. He didn't say anything (I thought maybe I was in for a little lecture at least!) but "Don't worry about it Tina. It happens to people all the time. No harm done." Love my guy:)

House Photos

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Lake 2010

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