No Internet

Currently, because of some remodeling, we don't have internet. It's a bit frustrating but would I have written anything if we did have the internet?  Maybe and maybe not. I probably would have so that way I don't get behind in the saga that is life.  When you last read about the Emerson's you learned about Father's Day and Joel not getting a boy Barbie.  Well, Joel didn't get his Barbie but he did find, for a $1, a Barbie pool.  One that you can put water in. Oh boy.  Can you imagine what happened?  I can't remember why Kylie didn't want anything to do with Joel (this is pretty normal as he's off doing house projects like he needs to be). I suggested he show her what he picked up and he did. Kylie was so excited.  She got out a few Barbies but only one went in the pool because she was the one wearing the swimsuit. She also let her Polly Pockets who had swimsuits swim as well.  They played in the dinning room because it's wood flooring with an area rug and a nice flat surface for the pool.  I don't remember what I was exactly doing when the flood came, I think I was coming upstairs from putting laundry in. Kylie said "The pool broke!"  Oh no. Sure enough, one side couldn't hold the water much longer and bent (it's plastic inflatible), water came flooding out and went on the table, rug, and floor. Now we know that's either an outside toy or a tub toy.

Meanwhile, Chloe last week was not herself. It started with a cough and then turned to fever. I think the cause was the air conditioner blowing air over her at night because she is in the pac n play in our bedroom, that and she has 3 new teeth pop up.  She now has 4 on top and 4 on bottom, that I can see, maybe there is more.  She was just miserable last week. We can tell she is feeling better because she leaves a path of destruction wherever she goes in our house. Joel calls her Chlozilla.

The remodel. What to say about the remodel?  Not that the whole house isn't in remodel already, but for the most part it was the first floor.  Now it's moved to the third floor. At least it seems to moving along quickly, still not quick enough when you have 2 young children that don't really have a place to play.  I feel like telling people "currently we live in a 2 bed, 1 bath apartment." That's how it feels. At least it's nice outside and we have been spending time in the backyard. Joel got a little plastic pool for the girls to sit in, they both love it. Kylie wants to go out every night and sit in it but she hasn't so far this week because by the time we have dinner it's too late to spend enough time outside to make it worthwhile.

So, new flooring, new ceiling, new window, and new paint will complete the room. We are working on clean up of all drywall dust so we can get to 'new paint' stage.  I get bogged down in the details, like there are over 50 shot glasses that need to be cleaned up because of the dust. Mind you, I was not there for the "take down and store things elsewhere phase." I wish I was. Not that it matters too much, the dust seems to be everywhere.  So depending on the hour, I hate this project or I love this project. It will look great when it's all done. I'll see about some pictures. I'm not sure if we really have any "before" pictures.

Father's Day

I'm a bit behind in posting but it's hard when everything in the house is torn apart, literally.
I will say this weekend was a good weekend. Our house is a mess, more than usual, but I managed to put it out of my mind, for the most part (though, women don't forget).  Saturday we went to a birthday party for Joel's niece who turned one. The van we just bought in December had a cracked radiator cap and the stupid tire must have ran over something so Joel had some issues to address while at the party but things worked out and we made it home by 10. Thank goodness this didn't happen when it was just me and the girls going to or coming from Iowa. 

Sunday Joel finished putting a window in our third floor (yes, we had a gapping hole in our house for a week, that story will be for another time). I made Kylie work. She swiffered the kitchen and hall floor then washed it while Chloe slept. In the afternoon we went outside. Kylie ate most of the raspberries I picked off our bushes. Joel got 5 and I had 3, Kylie had 15. Chloe loved going down the slide and the little daredevil was trying to climb up the slides we have, good thing her shoes were wet from playing in a bucket of water and she couldn't get any traction.  For dinner, we took Joel to Smokey Bones. Chloe loves pulled pork and mashed potatoes.  We got Joel a 59 piece tool kit so he would stop taking and using mine and not putting it back.  We did not get him the boy Barbie Kylie wanted to get him. She also wanted to get him flowers which we kind of did, I got two hanging baskets and some petunias for my box garden.

The Farm

Kylie, Chloe, and I arrived safely at my parents house on Wednesday evening. I stopped for an hour and a half in Illinois to let them run around. Chloe isn't as acclaimated to car trips like Kylie is. She'll get used to it. It wasn't too bad. Last year when she needed a bottle was worse. I was able to feed Chloe by reaching behind me with her food and she would grab it and eat it.

We've been having a good time in Iowa. My dad only has 24 pigs left which is quite amazing when he used to have about 2,000 on the farm at any one time. He has also been deconstructing most of the buildings on the farm. Looks very different to me. The one they are working on now I remember being built when I was in high school (I think). I just remember I had to run and tell one of the roofers his wife was in labor so he high tailed it out of there. I guess that was over 15 years ago. Wow! I took some pictures of the girls by the pigs but these pigs are not the cute little ones everyone loves. I believe these will be leaving the farm soon. I need to take more pictures of the girls here to get a good scrapbook of The Farm.

I was thinking of naming this post "Still Tired" or "Even More Tired" because I have not gotten any real rest here. I sleep with Kylie, who sometimes sleep talks and walks. The other night I caught her before she ran off the bed but she jumped up and said "I'm running" I said "no, no, no don't run." Plus Chloe is in the crib in the room and will cry out now and then even though she is sleeping. Ugh. Last night was bad because I choose to have coffee with this delicious cake my brother in law made but the coffee was regular. So I fell asleep at 11:00 but woke up periodically because of crying or feet kicking and then at 1:30 to 2:30 I was awake and couldn't get back to sleep. Then my mind was all over the place. I was thinking "I can't do this anymore." I honestly don't know how I'll make it back to Michigan, I'm going to be so tired. I'm going to try to get some naps in but it's hard because Chloe wants me whenever she sees me and then Kylie gets jealous and hangs on me too. I got away now because Chloe is napping and Kylie is busy playing with her cousins who are also staying at my parent's house. I'm suppose to be studying for an insurance test too. I'd like to take a test end of June but not sure if that will happen.

Time is definitely flying here. I've attached some pictures.

Traveling

Today I will be taking the girls to Iowa with me while Joel stays home. I did this last year by myself and I know I can do it but I'm just nervous. I don't want to forget anything. Good thing there are stores there in case I do :) I trust God will get us there safely. We've got Faith looking out for us too.

My parents don't have internet so I don't know how often I will be updating the blog, not that I've been updating it too much anyway. It'd be great to get some farm pictures.

Other than that, I don't really have too much to say. I'm not in the best of places right now so until I'm feeling better I won't say anything as I don't want to offend or hurt anyone. I don't know if I do it to myself or what. I didn't get the best sleep last night either so that doesn't help. Less sleep = emotional mess.

I sent myself an e-card saying it was from Faith. I'll see if I can post it, but it's a Rascal Flats songs "My Wish to You" or something like that. I just felt that Faith was talking to me and to Chloe through it. I sent it to myself for a reminder: "May your dreams be big and your worries stay small."