Creepy crawlers

On Monday we went to the Muylle's house for a BBQ. While we were eating Taylor spots a spider on the table cloth just off the side of the table. Keep in mind that Taylor has got a huge fear of spiders. (This is the same kid that puked while cleaning his deer after shooting it, and stopped puking to run from a spider.)
Anyways, after we left the house my Father-in-law calls and says "they caught a huge spider in the kitchen". Now I'm think OK big spider, but then they brought it over to show us.


Well the body of this thing is a full inch. YUCK!!!

But it gets better. We are keeping it as a pet. I got a cotton ball put it in water placed it in a coke cap and Mike went out to find a cricket. He brings in a cricket the same size as the spider and we had the best show ever. The spider must have be real hunger, it drank some water and then attacked that cricket and ate the whole thing. WOW

It was awesome.

Poor Taylor will never have another good nights sleep until the spider dies.

Braces are gone!!!

After three long years Tiffany finally gets to say good bye to her braces.
We have been thinking all week what she will pick to eat. I think we decided on corn on the cob. However the poor girl is in more pain now and is unable to suck a noodle.

They do things different now, they do your impressions while you still have your braces on. This way the day you get your braces off you have a retainer to wear. This means your mouth hurts like you just got your braces tightened, and your month has to get used to a big chuck of plastic on the top and bottom. Poor girl will have to wait another week of her corn on the cob.

I can't believe I had to get up this early


On our way to the dentist. At 7:50am after a long day a cedar point the day before.


Getting ready and wishing my mom would put the camera way! heheh


They are finally off!


Putting in retainer.

Retainer in for the first time! (ouch!)

They are off and my teeth feel slimmy.

Cedar point

Woohoo, the long awaited trip to cedar point has arrived and so has the heat.
We were on the road by 6:30am on Thursday the 15th of July, and arrived to Dawn's disappointment 1 minute after the had park opened. However the ride down there was entertaining. I'm sure my children will be talking about Dawns iphone music for years to come. As well as the singing that came from the front of the van that provented everyone from sleeping except Audrey.

Well standing in one of the lines for a water ride, a group of girls changed there minds and were jumping the fence to get out of line. When one of the girls fell face first onto the ground. Her poor face swelled up so fast. As we were trying to find someone to help, she ended up passing out. What a sad situation, a group of 16 year olds at the park with no parents and a freak accident ruins there trip.

As for our group it was a great trip I think all of the kids enjoyed there time at the park. Steve ran out of energy shortly after lunch and was ready to sleep for the first time in 36 hours. However the rest of us were energized after a snack and ready to hit the rides. We left the park at about 9:10 and were on the road by 9:45 after most of us changed our clothes and ate a sandwich.

It was Mikes turn to drive and all seemed to be going well until a group of semis caused me to have a little anxiety. So Dawn and Amy got to see and hear my Hic-a-burps in action. (I'm so glad I did not vomit!) Althought it sounds funny to others it sucks for me.

We arrived home in good spirits and tired.

Here are a few pics of our trip, not many pictures were taken due to the heat the camera was left in the van after lunch. I was replaced by frozen water.


Audrey slept the whole way.
Dawn the walking jukebox

Amy at the controls of the iphone

Taylor enjoying Stroke it! LOL

Steve and Tiffany wondering when they will hear a song from at least the 90's.
Maxair




Roller coarsters












Dawn and Amy thanks for helping to make our vacation a great one.

SURPRISE!

Here is how my Thursday was planned.

I had to work from 6:30 to 1:30, clean house, do laundry, pack for up north, make a list for the pet sitter, hope to go to doctors, take Taylor to work, eat super and go to sleep early because I have been feeling under the weather. With all of this to do, of course I leave work late, get stuck by a 15 minute train, and in the process of sitting there waiting the doctor calls. They need to see me right away. I call Mike and tell him I will be late getting home.

At the Doctor's office I find out I'm taking medication that is causing my sinuses to swell, making me sick. He gives me a shot, 3 prescriptions, and an over the counter pill.

Now I'm way behind on getting my list finished before I collapse.

I rush home and Mike is mowing the lawn, so I go in and make a list, start laundry, take Tay to work and head to Walmart. It took what seemed a life time at Walmart to get my prescriptions filled. So I thought I would be productive and plan supper. I'm going to grab steak and a marinade, so we can just grill and eat.

When I go to pay for everything I notice that the pills the doctor tells me to by over the counter is $20 for thirty days and I could get it for $4.95 with a prescription because my insurance will cover it. So I call the Doctor and have them call it in and now I have to wait another 45 minutes.

So Tiffany and I run home, put the groceries away and start to marinate the steak and chop food for up-north as well as for dinner. I remember that we had just recently ran out of propane for the grill so now we have to get that before we can eat.

(I know I'm babbling but with reason it was an eventful day.)

By this time we have to go get the prescriptions, fill up the gas for the grill, and oh I forgot I bought the first bottle of pills so I do have to return it before we leave Walmart for the second time. (And the returns line was huge!) I can almost see supper on the table when Tiffany says Lauren wants me to come by and look over what she has packed and if its the right stuff for up-north. I'm thinking "Are you kidding me!". I tell Tiffany to call Amy and make sure I have to do this, cuz I think Amy should know what is ok, but no, Amy tells Tiffany that it would be better if I would just double check.

So we decide to stop on our way home from the store. As I'm getting out of the car I see that Mike stayed put so I say to Mike "Come on in and make sure Lauren has the right underwear packed!" As I walk in the door I hear a lound "SURPRISE!" and low and behold they all got me!

The big 40 birthday did not go unnoticed.

I got several wonderful gifts, had a lot of great company and wonderful food. (while the steak I was marinating sat on the counter getting warm!)
By the way I also had the greatest B-Day cakes! I will have to post pictures later, because I did not have a camera.

Thank you all:
Dennis, Amy, Lauren, & Emily
Joe, Dawn, Tommy, Austine, & Ashley
Paul & Lisa
Paul O
Mike, Steve, Taylor, & Tiffany
Jeremie
Lupe
Susie
Kristine

Boredom comes to an end!

With Mike being off of work for a week with his illness, everyone has gotten bored staying home. So today I had the day off and decided to try and fill the day with free activities.

Taylor had to work at 3:30 so there is a time restraint. As we are walking out the door, I feel we need to make sure both of our kittens are not in the kitchen with the dogs. Low and behold we can not find one kitten. Everyone looks through the whole house at least three times and the kitten was nowhere to be found. It seemed like forever and I was about to give up thinking that he must have gotten outdoors somehow. The kids are sad and I'm worried to leave with out knowing the cat is OK, as the children will not enjoy the day. As I walk back into the house here sits the kitten looking at me like I'm nuts. What a wasted 20 minutes of my time!!!


So we started the day with a fishing and swimming trip to the Muylle's.







Then for part two of the day we went to Bay City to see the River Roar boats practice. We had never been to the River Roar and did not know anything about it. What an exciting activity. We will definitely be going to the River Roar again in the future.






Now everyone is ready for a nap!!!

You do the Dishes

Our last outing for the school year was a trip to You Do the Dishes.
Most of the staff attended and here are our master pieces.





Amy's is the bowl, Lisa's is the cup, Susie's is the box, Dawn's is the lg. jar, Kristine's is the monkey cup, Gabbie's is the butter dish, and Mine is the mug with feet.

They all turned out great and I think I can speak for everyone, we had a great time!

Country Music Fest here we come. (bummer it's on family bowling day!)

We ended up all going to the Fest together. We checked out the car show and the crafts as a family and then Taylor and Mike left Tiffany and I at the Island and went bowling.
Tiffany and I met up with Steve and Jessica to see the concert. It was a great day for an outside concert, however after 5 hours in direct sunlight we had enough of the concert and left before the end.







We walk about half way home and then had Mike come and pick us up.
When I got home, Mike calls me into the bathroom to show me his arm.




What a mess. He caught poison oak over a week ago and it was not going away. Come to find out that he got a secondary infection and it turned into cellulitis. The poison oak was between his fingers and the secondary infection started to travel from his hand and up his arm. All I know is that he felt horrible and he is driving me nuts with his boredom. He has been unable to work since Monday and he is not to exert himself (which means lay on the couch and do nothing!).

All I can say is Lord help me!!!!!!!!!!!!