a bit of bad news...

Hello all my friends and family...we have a little bit of bad news. We have not escaped the wrath of this terrible economy. Daniel found out recently that he will not have a job as of June 1st. We are shocked and sad. I have loved Orlando and our situation here. We are nervous about finding something else with no one retiring right now and no one hiring. Now is just not the best time to find a job! :) But we know that God will provide. He has surrounded us with loving friends and family to support us. Daniel and I realize that we are so blessed in so many ways that have nothing at all to do with money. We trust that God is with us and has a plan for our lives. Don't mistake me to say that we are great thru all this...no. This is a hard time for us. This royally STINKS. I have been thru lots of emotions! :) Thankfully so far this crisis has made my marriage stonger, as we have had to take turns supporting each other and together try to figure out what in the WIDE WORLD we are going to do now. :) It's still a stressful time. But no matter what, God is with us. He does not change or fire us...he is holding us no matter what (Natalie Grant's song Held has helped...even though I know the terrible things in that song are much worse than what we are going thru).
-
Daniel is calling all over this great nation to see what options we have. He has talked to people all over that talked of opportunities in Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Arizona, California, ...and the list goes on. :) So who knows where we will be! Your city next?? :) maybe an orthodontic tour of sorts?? :)
-
Just wanted to let you all know what is going on with us...
-
We would love your prayers thru all of this.

a few more...

Today on the way to church, Daisy said, "Mom, my nose is dry. I think I have a nose reflection."
(infection)
-
And she has been frequenting this phrase..., "Isn't this a wonderful day? It's a beautiful day to enjoy a ______(fill the blank with something edible)__ out in the sun?" Today is was "box of Nerds" that she had for dessert. :)
-
Today her happy comment was followed with, "AND I love everybody...even Chinese people." WHAT? How random! While we wholeheartedly agree with that statement...we're not sure why they were singled out...and we may never know. :)
-
And Isaac's new thing is nodding for yes. STILL he won't attempt to say it (heaven forbid!) but he has started to nod. Previously he was shaking his hands up and down for an adamant "YES"...and now the nod. It looks more like a slow motion head banging, if you can imagine. He slowly begins to throw his head back first and then forward and then repeats. We purposefully ask him questions with "yes" to see him do it. Oh, and he has had "NO" down for quite sometime (saying it and shaking his head!...little stinker.) :)

Stories

Few stories...


I was reading Daisy's preschool newsletter yesterday. All the kids were asked what kind of job their parents had. Daisy said, "My dad puts braces on people and my mom does the laundry." :) So your dad is an orthopedic? and your mom is a maid? pretty much on the second one. :)


I have learned that the worst cereal a stay-at-home mom can like is Life. I mean I pour it, add my rice milk...and if I have ONE SMALL interruption (which is highly likely) then I am eating mush central. oh well.


We were at Chick-Fil-A yesterday for dinner. It was family night I guess and there were kids EVERYWHERE. And the kids were not preschool age...I am thinking maybe lower school. But regardless...they were "big kids." They were all over the play place (even though half of them were taller than the arrow by the cow on the door). Isaac was getting knocked all over the place. I decided to leave much to my kids dismay. But on my way out in all the screaming and chaos I heard from way up in the bowels of the play place, "HEY! YOU ARE ONLY 10! YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO LEARN" from some random to kid to another. HA.


(and I can't remember if I have blogged this story yet or not...) The other day I was in my room and I heard Daisy yell from the kitchen/dining area, "MOM! ISAAC'S CHECKING HIS EMAIL!" And I came in to the room and sure enough...there was Isaac with deer-in-the-headlights look, at my laptop (that was on the table), his little chubby dimpled hand on my mouse. Busted. Cracked me up. Then I tried to think of what his email would be...bigboy07@aol? thunderthighs@hotmail? iheartcars@gmail? toeheadjones@cox.net? ahhh...silliness.


---So my baby boy LOVES cars. I mean LOVES LOVES them. We were in Walmart and I saw some Cars sandals (you know the ones...cheap foam, velcro with cartoons on them). For the longest I resisted character shoes with Daisy. I guess I am worn down now. I showed them to Isaac and he loved them. I tried them on him and when I went to take them off...he LOST HIS MIND and didn't want me to take them off. So I thought, "aww...he loves these...I have to get them." When I brought them home Daniel saw them was NOT impressed. This says a lot coming from a man who likes colorful mismatched shoes (see previous posts). He said it's something about guys in sandals...and I can see his point somewhat. These are not cute...but Isaac loves them. SO the other night I put them on Isaac for a walk. He spent most of the time walking, looking down, yelling "CARS! CARS!" and then grinning huge and shrugging his shoulders til his neck disappeared. He was so happy! But when bath time came...he freaked out when we took them off. Then he kept reaching for them after the bath. SO I put them back on him with his pajamas. When it was bed time...I went to take them off...again...freaked out. So, he slept in the shoes. The next morning Daniel went to get him. When he brought him to me...there he was...sleepy eyes, sucking his fingers...shoes still on. Sweet boy.



The pics below are at a carnival fundraiser for Daisy's school. Most of our tickets went to the pony ride. The first pic is of Isaac and his famous "cheeeeeeeese." :)

He figured it out...

(this is Isaac's "cheeeese"...said with the least amount of emotion possible. And where are the kids EYES??)

Ok, so while we were in Arkansas we began the new dilemma with Isaac.

One morning Mom and Dad let me and Dan sleep late. When I got up she said, "It was so funny to see Isaac just walk in the room this morning....and that Daniel just got him up and just sent him out!" We both laughed. Ha ha ha ha. :)

Then later that day for Isaacs nap we put him down in the pack-n-play like usual. When about 2 hours later I heard his door open (Jeeg has those long handle door handles...Isaac was LOVIN' those.) and he walked out with sleepy eyes, holding sheep-sheep (his blanket). I was thinkin, "what tha..." and I even called for Mom thinking that she was trying to be funny again by sending him out solo. NOPE. It was all him. He learned how to escape the pack-n-play.

Thankfully there was only one more night there to deal with this issue. We put him back in and watched how he did it. First he put sheep-sheep over the side. Then he threw his little chubby foot up on the side all the while grinning, mind you. Then he worked the rest of his leg up there and made his way over, finally plopping down to announce "uh-oh!" And then grinned even more. Dad, Daniel and I were cracking up.

But soon that "laughin' turned to cryin'" (as Nanny says) when it was bed time and we weren't letting him come out. We took all the hazards out of the room. We wedged his bed between the footboard of the bed and the dresser. Then we put some blankets on the floor so where ever he landed/slept...that was the bed. We placed TWO babygates (tall) in the door way to keep him in. He would open the door...WAIL AND CRY. Close the door and continue over and over. It was pretty miserable. He was sniffing and so on. He called out "MaaaMaaa" thru his wails. It was rough. Daniel encouraged all of us thru the hard time. Mom, Dad and I were on the edge of our seats waiting to get the "go ahead and rock him" from Dan. It never came. :( He eventually fell asleep. (thankfully we had 24 to preoccupy us...which was AWESOME btw) in the door way.

So we are home. And he got out today during his nap. But he stayed in there and feel asleep again on his floor. I know because he had carpet face when I went in to get him. Poor Isaac.

So...all this post to say...

WHAT DID YOU DO?

I really can't imagine him doing well in a big boy bed yet. But not super sure I love the crib tent idea. But we are up for anything. :) Thoughts? What worked for you?

more of our time in Arkansas (we leave today! :( )

Jeeg and Papas house (excuse the garage)

watching the construction across the street

check out HIS FACE! ha!

isaac and jeeg watching the bulldozer in the lot across the street.

before bed time last night.

Daisy and her art at The Wonder Place (a really cool childrens playplace here in Little Rock).

Isn't isaac gifted???

Isaac in the mirrors at the Wonder Place

For those of you with kids, you can imagine the "fun" Isaac had at this station. the waterproof smock was a neat idea...but he was soaked after 2 mins at this station.

Daisy and Isaac playing hide and seek in the closet. Looks a little more like 7 minutes in heaven in this pic. :) Under duress!

One skill learned by Daisy this trip was Candy Land trash talk. Papa the master trash talker taught her everything she knows. She really got into it in this pic. (at first, sweet little Daisy was like, "what is his deal?" Then she kept telling him to quit being sassy.)

Here it appears that Jeeg is tossing some trash talk Daisys way...but she wasnt. She's not too into that until you push her to it. Then it just gets down right nasty. But that didn't happen over Candy Land. :) Oh, and please excuse my Dad in the white v neck with chest hair exposure. :)

Daddy's finally with us in Arkansas!!

isabel (Joel and Emilys) and daisy at dinner in searcy (we went back and got to see Joel and Emily after they moved to Searcy on Sunday.)

Clayton (Jeffrey and Missys) who just got back from skiing in CO. This is seriously one of the sweetest kids on the planet.

Daisy and baby Molly (Jeffrey and Missys)

Gracie (Joel and Emilys), Isaac and Daisy all waiting for dinner.

This is a hodge podge of pics from our trip. We leave today (which will include some weeping and gnashing of teeth, tearing of clothes and ashes on our heads...it always does!). I already have a knot in my stomach. :( But we have had a blast! Now we count down til May when mom comes to keep the kids while Dan and I go out of town. :)

Wye Mountain

(ok, I am still retarded...and can't arrange my pics for this post. They are outta order but oh well. )






ahhh...motherhood. One day she is telling everyone to look away so they don't see her "privacy" and the next she does this.

Daisy captured Isaac in his true form...

daisy took this of herself...(above)

and she took this of me above...

unfortunately Isaac can't read...

with car in hand...he explores the field...

"CHEESE!!"

typical of the time spent there....(above)

and typical of isaac the past few days...(Dan, get here so you can deal with him!)

this was the best pic we got! :)

We visited Wye Moutain today where a small Methodist church has planted a HUGE field of buttercup (Jonquil?) flowers. It's so pretty! Today was cool and over cast. And Isaac has been a fuss pot for days...so you can imagine/see how well he photographed. :) Throw in a cold breeze, not washed bad choice haircut on me, and Daisy removing various clothes (pants once, shirt once...what's the deal??)...it was not an ideal photo shoot. But hey, we got outta the house. :) Plus, I didn't have my big camera. I shoulda brought it! ...Jeeg was there. But I was not allowed to take her pic. :)

the great state of Arkansas

we are visiting my parents in Little Rock for 2 weeks. We are having so much fun! We went to Searcy and saw family and friends there. I will show you the first part of our trip with pics...for some reason my luck with out of town blogging is NOT good. I did a whole post and it was erased. then the computer i originally uploaded the pics too wasnt working right....all that to say i type here defeated....and can only put pics in this post and tell you about them. they are also ALL out of order...but at this point...who cares.

these pics are for you Dan! We love you and miss you!!

Isaacs sweet toes covered with chalk from the sidewalk.

Dad came to orlando on tues before we left wed. he was my traveling support. Am i spoiled or what?? :) I couldn't have done it without him.

When we got on the plane they asked Daisy if she wanted to see where the pilots sit. It was so neat! They were so sweet to her and showed her everything. they even said, "Do you have a camera? wanna take pics?" Do I have have a camera?? HA! they had no idea they were asking Clicky Clickerton herself! :)

out of order...Dad chasing Isaac around the terminal.

(ok, so I got a new haircut...it was not a good choice. But it will grow.)

believe it or not...the above playplace is at a local church in Little Rock! Its at Rock Creek church. It's open to the community. The kids had fun!

This is Uncle Phil and Aunt Judy (my moms sister) in Searcy. Uncle Phil was playing with katie (my cousin jeffrey's little girl) and daisy. they were loving it!

my cousin caroline came over with her boyfriend Kris and their dog Silas. Silas and isaac were big buds. Then I think Silas wanted to take their relationship the next level..(YIKES)....We had to try to keep them separate. :)

Uncle Phil took all the kids on a 4 wheeler ride. Daisy LOVED it. katie cried cause she didn't want to to get off. Daisy said, "Mom, we were in the woods, not even walking, for like 20 minutes!"

I went to visit my friend Jen Russell who is a freshman at Harding. She and her family were our "family" while in Gainesville (Gary and Shelleys daughter). She is living in Sears Hall and that brings back some SERIOUS memories! :)

We ate lunch at Harding Place with Daniels Grandparents (Lewises and Grams) and Aunt Cheri. It was so great to see them and visit. My sweet babies were like tornados in that place. but I think everyone there didn't mind.

grams

Grandma Lewis (Grandpa had a procedure that morning and wasn't feeling well. We visited with him a little bit and then he rested in his room.)

on the plane with isaac

Isaac on the way home from Searcy...wide eyed....

And sweet Daisy...she had a fun day in Searcy...and was WORN out. :)

above: the big dam bridge in Little Rock. We went for a family adventure there on Saturday. :)

Way to go uncle scott...pushing the stroller AND carrying the bag! :)

Scott and I saw the new Guess Who? game with extras on a commercial...and guess what we played last night? YUP. It was so fun! it was such a throw back! Now there are new sheets you can choose to play with (people, household items, monsters, animals, kids...). IT WAS AWESOME. Scott and I both chose the same character on 2 games (you can do that with the new game)...the cheese grater and sheep. HA!

Uncle Scott and Daisy speller her name in lumber from the empty lot next door.

This is baby Molly (jeffrey and missy's)...isnt she adorable???

Isaac has to wake up slowly...so he was doing that with Uncle Scott after his nap on Saturday.

Here's the fam on the big dam bridge! :)