Check out these wheels...

Livy got some hot new wheels a little bit ago, but this is the first time that I have been able to check them out. I do have to say it is pretty cool and she's pretty good on it. My mommy and I really like the colors of it too. Hopefully someday I will be able to ride a bike like that...

I'm sure she won't mind if I just touch it...

Let me grab those handle bars...

Well, those are Livy's wheels for now and these are my set of wheels for now...no comment

To check the ads or not to check the ads...

Greyson got up from his nap today about 4:00. So, we gave him his bottle and we decided to take a family trip to the grocery store. Now, let me remind you that I absolutely HATE...yes I HATE to grocery shop. I think I even dislike it more than doing laundry....and that is pretty bad. So, anyway Nate does not think I am the best grocery shopper so he tends to join the ranks when we go, so whatever works. Anyway, there was a big deal going on --buy 5 packs of soda for $10 which is a pretty good deal. So, we get all the groceries we need and our soda and head home. Then Greyson and I decided to take a little trip to granny Ann and papa Mike's house and Auntie Amy was there with the Livster.

We all got to talking about the coupons and ads going on in the grocery stores and my mom says did you see the ad going on at Jewel right now and I said yes we were there tonight and we got our 5 packs of soda for $10. So then my mom proceeds to ask if I got my 2 packs of free brats...yep that's right people 2 packages of brats for FREE when you purchase your soda (and the offer ends July 1st I think or July 3rd). I started to get a little mad at this point and said NO I did not see that part of the deal. Now, you would think that a worker at Jewel would have told us to go get our 2 free packs of brats, but did they---heck no?!?!?!? So, I was a little ticked off by this point....My aunt Amy and I decided to go back up to Jewel....I made sure I had my receipt, went and grabbed my two packages of Hilshire Farm brats, and headed right for the check out lady and she honored it...Good thing or she would have had some trouble...lol! So, auntie Amy got 5 packs of soda and 2 packages of brats, granny Ann got 5 packs of soda and 2 packages of brats, and yes I received my 2 free packages of brats that are now sitting nice and pretty in my freezer...That's two meals for me!! So, I guess the moral of the story is if you get the ads-make sure you read them before you head to the grocery store because it could save you some time and some money! And I think it is safe to say we can all use a little bit more of both!

Some pool fun and just hangin' out...

It was a pretty good weekend here on the home front. Saturday, my cousin Mary had a birthday party so we hung out there for a little bit and enjoyed the fam. Saturday night, I was lucky because my mommy and daddy went out to eat so my Granny Ann and Papa Mike watched me all night, but I was pretty good for them. Then, on Sunday the Riva's and the Ernat's headed to Lake Wildwood for some fun in the sun and relaxed at the pool!

Here we are at Lake Wildwood!

Fun in the pool with daddy

Papa Davey

My two granny's watchin' me...

Gettin into trouble at home...goin' under mommy and daddy's bed...another new thing...

My Uncle Mike....actually great Uncle Mike...

Nosy Rosy...But all of us who know Grey already knew this about him...

Now instead of going to sleep like a nice boy in his crib Greyson is saying..."I want out!" We had to lower the bed in Grey's crib to the lowest one possible because he has started to pull himself up on the bar. He is also pulling down the bumper pads and peeking out. Yep, so yesterday when he was supposed to be napping or so I thought he was this is what I walked into.....So, what do I do.... try to shush him back to sleep-----heck no-----I went to grab my camera of course. Nosy Nosy------

Somebody get me out of here....

Hey mom...I see you....You can't get away now

He's a little frustrated in this one...

I see you...

Bear with me here...Grey takes his morning nap at 9am so Oprah it is...

I am definitely a fan of Oprah in the summer months because I am obviously home to watch it and Grey is sleeping. The past two days of the show has just really got me thinking. Yesterdays show was basically about moms being overwhelmed and trying to do a million things at once. I only have one child of my own and I can already relate so I am nowhere near ready to add baby #2 to the mix. But I guess the main thought here is that it is so important to just take that 15 minute "breather" in there so that we can be better parents to our kids. There is NO perfect mom out there and it is sad that society has put this "pressure" on families. Some moms work, some moms stay home, some moms care for one, some moms care for four. Whatever the circumstances are does not make one mom better than the other.

I first thought that because I had to go back to work that I was leaving my sweet Baby Grey all alone, but my own mom has told me over and over again that it does not make me any less of a mom. Now, don't get me wrong, I would love to stay home with Greyson if I could, but we are all dealt different cards and this is mine. So, I have to take the time off that I have -which I know teachers get a lot of time off so who am I to complain. And I know any other mom who works full time would love the time off a teacher gets.

And today's Oprah-oh my gosh-I did catch myself crying. It was about overweight teens and just how upset they are with their lives. But, one point that really stood out to me was that Oprah said ....."Kids just really want their parents." Let me say that again-"Kids just really want their parents." Ya know I guess we can tell our children how much we love them but we need to SHOW them by spending time with them and just being there for them to listen and really try to feel what they are going through as hard as that might be at times. And -to my very own mom-you have sure been there for me through tough times and you have just sat there and listened to me when I just really needed to get out my anger and basically just SOB---(like when I was 8 or 9 months pregnant and all the other times but that one seems to stick out right now) so I thank you for that!

So, Greyson, I am telling you this now so that someday when you are able to look at this blog you will have heard this from your mom-----I know the teen years are going to come and you might not always think I am the coolest (hah-can you imagine that-lol) and you might not always want to talk to me but I am always here for you and I AM ALWAYS on your side. And I know that I can't always use the excuse that I went through hell with you at birth-there are still going to be days where you just don't want to talk to me or listen to what I have to say. But, I want you to know how much I love you and that your dad and I are always here for you.

Well I think I am done now with my thoughts for this Hot Friday. Just some things I had to get off my chest. Have a great weekend everybody!

Tubby Time in the sink...

Pipe me down, cool me off, and throw me in the sink!!! And who else better to do it than my fabulous granny Ann, the crazy dog lady aka granny deb, and the funny, charming, and upbeat Auntie Mims! Yep you heard it right---we were hangin' out down at Granny Ernat's house and it was hot so I had all the wonderful ladies give me a tubby in the sink. It felt so so good.

Thought for the day:

"Bathtime is successful when your kids get wetter than you do."

Weird Fascinations...

Greyson is very fascinated with a few things around the house these days. Every single time I put Greyson down to "army" crawl all over the place the first things he goes to are the vents/registers in the house and right into the bathroom to grab the garbage can. I don't know what he finds so interesting about these things but he sure does think they are cool for now. He also likes the garbage can in the kitchen and the garbage bag in the basement bathroom garbage can. Hey whatever floats your boat Grey!!! I leave you with a few pics of what I am talking about and of course I leave you with the last picture-that darn mysterious beer can?!?!?!?

Here he is in the bathroom... I know, I know, we disinfect his hands right after

Touching the register

The infamous beer can-isn't it cool?!?!?

Thought for the day:

A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn't act that way very often. ~Author Unknown

Playin' around with Daddy's shoes...

The other day I was cleaning the house and Grey decided to get into his daddy's shoes and play around. So, I used it as a photo shoot. He was even able to stand against the door while I snapped a few photos-way to go Grey!

We used it as Nate's father's day gift, which I owe the idea to the woman full of ideas-Thanks Auntie Amy! Anyhow, we blew up one of these photos and we wrote-
"Dear Daddy, Nobody can fill your shoes." Happy First Father's Day! Love, Greyson Lee...Isn't it just too cute! We thought so...Just thought we would share the idea with the rest of you!

Thought for the day:

Daddy's Shoes

Author: Unknown

We love to wear your shoes Daddy,
As you can clearly see.
Pretending we’re as big as you,
For soon that day will be.
We hope to be like you someday,Strong, Patient, full of love.
You’re the greatest Dad on earth,With quite the shoes to fill.

Happy Father's Day!

All the great men in my life...

We were gonna head to the lake for Father's Day, but the weather was not that great, so instead Granny Deb and Papa Davey hosted a little party. We had some yummy apps, some burgers and brats, and hey we called it a party to honor all our dads! Greyson is so so blessed to have his great grandpa Hank, his papa Mike, his papa Davey, and his own daddy Nate. He doesn't know how lucky he is, but he will soon enough! Here are some pics down memory lane. Some of my favs with all the men in Greyson's life. I say it all the time, but he is one lucky little boy!

Playin with Papa Mike...

Papa Davey...

Great Grandpa Hank...

Just a "few" of my favs of Grey with his daddy...

The Cub fans

Hangin out at Cabela's

Thought for the day:

"Any man can be a Father but it takes someone special to be a dad." -- Anne Geddes

5K Run in Chicago and visit with Uncle Just

Well I would just like to tell all of you that my mom and pops ran the 5K run in 29minutes and 4 seconds to be exact. They did pretty good. We ran the 5K race this weekend in honor of Children's Memorial Hospital. We sure owe a lot to this hospital. We have had many blessings with our Uncle Alex from this hospital so we raised a little money and did some running. I actually got to sit back in relax in the stroller but I actually squealed and talked the whole run. Then afterwards, my mom, dad, and I took a stroll along Lake Michigan and looked at all the beautiful boats and such...It could not have been more perfect weather either. Then after that we visited my Uncle Just who just recently got a place up in the Windy city and he took us to this really cool place for some lunch. It was a really fun day. We have lots of pictures to show you!

This is the fam before the race...

We really could not have asked anymore from our little man...

Here are the girls after the race...We were all a little sweaty...

Daddy and Grey...Nate pushed Grey the entire race and ran too...

Looking at all the awesome boats....Nate hopes to have one like this someday...

The first thing I did when I got to Uncle Just's was headed right for all the cords and his entertainment center...Trouble, Trouble...We really liked his new place...

Out to lunch with Uncle Just...

Mommy and Daddy and me

In front of Just's place...

A little closer...

And this was me on the way home...What can I say it was a good day!