Baloon Fest and Corn Fest

So, we had the Balloon and Art festival here in town. Friday night Zack got to help the clown fish balloon "Walley" and Mike along with some friends from church helped with the balloon on Saturday. Crewing a balloon is alot of fun, but hard work! Saturday Zack also had to help the Boy Scouts sell food from their stand downtown. After church on Sunday we headed up to Bloomington-Normal for the corn festival. We ate corn and then walked around some of the shops and vendors that were set up! I am gad I don't set up for either of these festivals, I enjoy going to them too much:)

First Day Of School!

Today is a short day, but it is the first day of school for 4 of my kids. Bella will be homeschooling for Pre-K, Moriah is in Second grade, Isaiah is in third grade (him and Moriah will be in the same classroom all day), and then Zack is in sixth grade! They are all growing up so fast! So the girls did this pose today. They wanted to show their book bags in the picture so here is their picture. Here we are at the school. these are the Zion kids this year!

Zack made it to his classroom.

Moriah is at her desk and Isaiah sits right next to her (we will see how long that takes for them to fight sitting next to each other!!)

and Here is Ellie in Isaiah's chair, I guess she thinks she can be in the 3rd grade too!!

Last week of Summer vacation

This last saturday we went to the Corn Crib with some people from church. We saw former Cubs and Cards players there. Before the game we got to go on the ball field and get autographs (Isaiah was so excited about that, He had gone thru all his ball cards to get the players out that were going to be there so they could sign them!)The boys wanted to sit out there to see if they could get a home run ball!!The girls showing their Cubs spirit. they ate blue ice cream and blue icees!And the results: The Cubs won!

So this is the last week of Summer vacation and time sure has gone by fast, here is the way the week has gone

Sunday- Mike went to the Cub-Cards game in St. Louis with the "in-laws" of the family. Zack had a birthday party to go to and then the rest of the kids went swimming at Katie's house.

Monday- Mom's Birthday. we stayed home and the kids played all day

Tuesday- we were going to have a play date with Emma before school started, but her little sister wasn't feeling good so we stayed home and I worked on bows. Zack picked hamburger and gravy for dinner.

Wednesday- Moriah made out menus for everyone to pick what they wanted for lunch, we made everyones lunch and put them in a brown bag with their names on them and headed out to Madigan State Park. We had a picnic and then went on a 2 mile hike looking for deer and whatever else we could find. (I already did a 4 mile walk/jog in the morning!!) we watched Planet 51 as a family. tonight Isaiah picked pork chops for dinner.

Thursday- Chrys and the boys came over for a play date and we worked on bow stuff. We had left overs for dinner tonight. i went for my jog tonight because it is the first day of school tomorrow for the kids!

Friday- here we are at the first day of school. Took the kids to school and then Bella, Ellie and I came home and we did school with Bella! Tonight Moriah picked dinner and it will be Chilli.

Week of Ethan's Wedding

This has been a crazy busy week!

Monday- was the normal back doctor and hanging at home. Worked on taking off and adding a orange flower to the girls flower girl dresses for Saturday.

Tuesday- I had a cheer squad come over to pick out what they wanted for the ribbons this year and I was sooo sick. I went to bed when they left and I slept almost the whole day! I have awesome kids though. Zack made lunch for the other kids, and they actually tried to stay quite so I could rest and they played with Ellie!! I love my kids!!!!!

Wednesday- Ellie's First Birthday! I was feeling better so Mike took me to Bloomington so I could see my stores up there and change out their bows, went to Toys R Us and looked around at what the kids might be interested in for Christmas (yes, I said Christmas. With 5 kids we need to start early!!!). Came home and sang Happy birthday to Ellie and played with her!!Moriah's (and Isaiah's) teacher came over for a home visit.Thursday- day went as it normally does then we surprised the kids by taking them to the family swim night at the rec. they thought that was fun!! Friday- we went to the store and got food for the house and for the wedding. then later on we had the rehearsal and the dinner.Saturday- the big day for Ethan and Nicole! We went to Melanie's house and she did the girls hair for me, they looked soo pretty! We had to be at the church early for some pictures (which they didn't do any with the flower girls they were doing those after the wedding, I didn't know that!) and one hour before the wedding was to start Bella is sick and goes to the bathroom and throws up all over her dress and shoes! my thoughts are "great, I waited to get you dressed until we got here and now you puke all over yourself!!". got her cleaned up and then it happened again, and again!! Changed her out of her dress and laid her down and she went to sleep. Nicole felt so bad for her that she wanted to do the petals so bad!! We asked her right before she was to go down the isle and she decided yes she could do it, we got her dressed in the "just out of the dryer" dress and off she went with Moriah! We made it!! she was ready to lay back down so I took her back out and she did it again! (really, this has to happen to me, and on a big day like today! ok, I can handle this) I went to sit in the back so I could watch the rest of the wedding and here comes Moriah running towards me. Yes, she puked in the church before we could make it out!!! I took her to the bathroom and cleaned her up and sent her to lay down with Bella! Then I helped the ladies clean up the church floors. the wedding is over, I missed it. I missed the first kiss (they had never kissed til the wedding day!), I missed the whole "Mr. and Mrs. Ethan Hoinacki! With that being what I got out of Ethan and Nicole's wedding day here are some of the only pictures we have of the girls on the Wedding day! (I took these after I got them ready for the day!)Nothing great, but it is a picture!!Now is the time for the reception at the Chateau in Bloomington
My Nephew Ethan and his Bride Nicole!

EE dancing with Maxton!

after we left the reception (only Ellie, Zack, Isaiah and myself went from my family) Ellie and Isaiah started to get sick and throw up! (really, now i need to deal with 4 of the 5 kids sick!!) Got home and the girls were not looking good. I called the Dr. and they said take all the sick ones to the ER! Off I go with the 4 kids (left my sick hubby with Zack at home) got home at 4 in the morning!! Can we say tired mommy? yes, we can!!

Sunday- we stayed home from church and I have done 10 loads of laundry so far. The boys (Zack and Isaiah) went on the train to the Cubs game with grandma Prater. The house has been cleaned today, so tomorrow it will be a bow day!

Little Lady 1st Birthday Party

Ellia's first birthday party was today (along with it being Mike's birthday). Kallie made her the ladybug smash cake for her and then the sheet cake was made by a girl from church. Everyone had to write a little lady advice on little cards that I had. She didn't really know what to do with the cake since she has never had it before. She just put her finger in the dots of the ladybug.

Isaiah bought this special t-shirt for her. He has been looking all summer for a Cubs shirt with a players name and number on the back and he finally found one!!

She liked opening her stuff when she finally figured it out.

My little girl ladybugs at the party!