It seems like yesterday-

This time I will not be writing about Izabella. I will be writing about that day 10 years ago. I remember it just like it was yesterday.....

Bill and I were not even married yet. We were driving to Dallas to visit his cousin, wife and new born baby girl. It was a long drive so Bill and I were taking turns driving and sleeping. We were stopping for gas and switching and Bill came running out of the gas station saying a plan hit the Twin Towers. I thought to myseldf how can I be dating a guy who joked like that. Sadly it was no a joke. He told me to turn on the radio. Within two minutes plane number two. Sleep now longer seemed important. We could not turn off the radio. We heard of the pentagon and Shanksville. This hit me hard because my cousin was working not far from the Pentagon. We pulled off to get something at a Walmart and people were lined up at the gas station stocking up on gas. When walked into Walmart they had TV's on and were showing it over and over again. It was horrible but we could not turn our heads away. Bill used some words not often spoken (those mother uckers). He turned and saw an older lady and apoligized for his language. She said" I could not say it any better". When we finally reached Dallas, I called my parents. I knew they would be nervous. It had never been so good to hear their voices. I wished I could reach through the phone and hug them.

We were suppose to fly back to Chicago. Since flights were canceled we opted to make the long drive day. I remember at one point we were driving and a cop pulled up next to us and gave me the slow down sign. Did not pull me over. I was never so excited to be home from a vacation.

I remember it like yesterday. I think today of the families who were not able to give that hug again. If this has changed anything,I realize life turns on a dime. I never get off the phone with my family without saying I love you. You never know when it is you last. I thank our soliders fighting for our freedom, our police and fire. and their families. God Bless everyone in my life.

My Baby is Five!

Waiting for friends at my carnival party!

Where did the past five years go? Yesterday we celebrated our long awaited Carnival Birthday. We decided to wait for the weather to get better a couple weeks after her birthday. Well that never happened. As you see we had coats on. However, the rain held out. Izabella had 23 friends. They enjoed carnival games, carnival food such as corn dogs, pizza, popcorn and watermelon. They also brought home some cotton candy. We also enjoyed a pinata. Mostly it was a great chance to see friends.

Some of my family feels I always need to have an over the top party. Yes I do enjoy it. This is the way I see it. She is currently my only child. Not like it would change with others. This was a big birthday. I know that does not explain the other 4. I however feel that she deserves it. Almost 5 years ago, we did not know what her life would be. If she would even make it at times. Now we are Five and heading off to Kindergarten in the Fall. She is a great kid except when she is sassy but that is girls. As her parents there are things we can not always afford to give her but there are three times a year I like to spoil- her birthday, her heart birthday and the holidays. Some people think I am creating stress and I will go on the record and say at no point do I feel stress. I just like things organized. That is just me. I am not a fly by the seat of my pants person.

I want to thank everyone who came to share with us. An extra special thanks to my parents, my sister and brother in law and our friend Maggie for helping. I hope all your children enjoyed it as much as we did.

Way too long

I can not believe it has been over a month since posting so I will try to catch up. We are currently getting ready for summer around here. Bella is signed up for camp 3 days a week. I went back and forth with this but the truth is first is very expense to send her all week. So she is going Monday, Wednesday, Friday from 9-1. This will give us afternoons to do things with friends. She also is going to continue to take swim lessons. She is making progress. She will also continue gymnastics. We are trying to make decisions for the Fall. Since she will be starting Kindergarten, there is a lot of things that go on at her school and I honestly do not know if we will will have time for gymnastics and dance. So at the end of the summer we have to make a decision. At her age, it starts to become a huge commitment both sports and we want her to have time to be involved in school stuff such as Daisies. She also in the Fall, will be starting Sunday School.

Bill has been trveling a lot lately. It has begun to become very hard on Izabella. When he come home she either becomes very attached to him or ignores him. Which of course breaks Bills heart. I have been trying to go out a little so they get time alone but then Bella is in tears that she wants me.

The next two weeks are very exciting here. Izabella will be turning Five next Thursday. I can hardly believe it. She is so excited. We will be having a family dinner on her actual birthday and then her party with friends in June. 35 kids here for a carnival birthday. I hope the weather holds up. She also has preschool graduation on the 26th. I have already started buying tissues. I have really been lucky this year with school. She has learned so much. She is reading, doing basic addition and subtraction, and is writing stories.

Overall things are good here. We hope you are all well too!

Spring Break 2011

Fashion Show with Abby

Sleepover at my friend Abbys

Tales and Scales with my friends from school

Make a Messterpiece

Waterslide at the waterpark

Betty Brinn Childrens musuem

Last week, Bella was on Spring Break. WHy do they call it that? It is not like we sit and take a break. I know friends and family are saying your fault Lisa. Here is the thing, Bella is an only child, and if we are at home, I have to keep her busy. I mean how often can you play Barbies or American Girl. Also how many time can you watch ICarly or Bubble Guppies? So off we went.

Monday- Since mommy had a root canel, Bella went with a friend to Jump Zone and then met friends at night at the maze at the YMCA.

Tuesday- We went with the Douglass Boys to Make a Messterpiece and Sweet Tomatoes. When we left from there, we picked up Bella's best friend Abby. That evening ended with the birth of Abby's sister Taylor Anne. Also a melt down because she wanted to go to the hospital to see her.

Wednesday- Izabella and two friends from school met at the library to see Scales and Tales. It is a traveling animal show and then lunch at McDonalds.

Thursday- Since mom and Bubbe went shopping for Spring clothes. Izabella went mini golf with Papa.

Friday- We used our new pass at Peggy Notebaret Musuem with Debbie, Ruby and Lila

Saturday- We had our mini vacation. We all drove up to Milwaukee and stayed at a waterpark and also went to Betty Brinn Childrens Musuem.

Monday- We ended break with a trip to Go Bananas with 4 friends with passes Bubbe won.

All and all we had fun. Tuesday, Bella was dropped at school and Mommy rested on the couch.

Good old family time

Fruit loop rainbow we made while waiting for jelly

Perfect cookie

Bella and Daddy cutting dough

I love that jelly!

Tasting jelly

We rarely get time to just hang out on the weekend. This weekend, no birthday parties, family or friend commitments, just a day to spend in our PJ's. So we decided to spend the weekend doing things we put off. First was making jelly. We picked the strawberries in September. It is a long, messy process but so good at the end. We now have 40 jars of jelly. It was great for our next project, making hamantaschen. For those who do not know what that is, it is a cookie made for the Jewish holiday Purim. They are triangle in shape with jelly in the middle. They are awesome. Bella also loved the jelly on pancakes for dinner. Check out the pictures.

Our Valentine Day Fun

Chicag Blizzard 2011

Bella playing in the snow

Bella sledding down the middle of the street

They had been talking cabout it for days. There was part of me hoping they would be wrong(at least with the totals) but they weren't. Tuesday, I sent Bella to school. Her teachers said to feel free to pick up early if the snow started. About two o'clock, I decide to go out, stop and get movies and crafts to prepare. When I went into Hobby Lobby for about 15 minutes, when I went to check out it was white out. So off I went to get Bella from school. I knew it was going to be bad when it took us 20 mins. to get home when it usually takes 5. We watched and watched the news, hundreds of cars stopped on Lake Shore Drive for 10 hours. I was glad we were all save at home.

The morning brought shock when we saw the amount of snow. Our back door was stuck the snow was half way up it. We measure the front yard and there was 23 inches (some was over 4 ft with drifts). Bill did a great job getting us plowed. About noon, Bella and I geared up to go out. We got our sled and Bella rode it 5 blocks to our friends The Douglass, down the middle of the street ( the only way we could go). Just a side note this brought us no school for the day.

Thursday, Daddy was able to get out to go to work but streets were still bad. Besides that the temp was sub zero, so we were not able to go out. This day brought us lots of crafts. Since again not school.

Chicago is use to snow but this really stopped the city for days.