Battle Scars

Grama Here. Today starts the first full week of school for Ian and Chase starts on Thurs. Look how proud Ian was on his 1st day of 1st grade.

On Friday while Konni watched Chase & Gavin, I went out to sew the netting on the trampoline from that wind storm we had a few weeks ago.  As I stepped out of the tramp, I put my foot down on the wooden steps, the steps rolled and I fell right on top of them with all of my weight landing on my thigh.   I laid there awhile rubbing my leg.  Enter my 1st multi-colored battle scar.

Then on Saturday I sadly took Konni to the airport, Popa (Kevin-Laurie's Dad) took Chase to his gym class and then I took Ian to a pool party.   I made a promise to Bryan & Laurie that I would get their 3 boys to Church, every Sunday at Elevation Church.  So Sunday I was busy getting the kids ready, came downstairs with my arms full, and stepped over the gate at the bottom.  My foot caught and I made a 4 point landing.  My right knee, right replaced shoulder, my upper lip and my nose smashed flat on the floor!   No pictures coming from that one.  Got the kids in the car and started off, only I forgot their backpacks-back home we go.   I grabbed 3 small boxes of raisins, 2 backpacks and an open bag of frozen peas.  Back out to the car and we're off!  After the kids finished their raisins they wanted more.  These crazy kids love frozen peas as a snack...*idea*... so I had them pass their empty raisin boxes forward and put some frozen peas, that I was using on my face, in the boxes!  Then put the frozen peas back on my face ;)  We ended up 15 minutes late to church but we got there.  Now, don't they say that things happen in 3's-oh woo is me!  But do they have to happen to the same person??? 

After we got home from church and McDonald's for lunch, Chase was running and he tripped and fell on the cement sidewalk=one bloodied knee :(    After naps we headed over to the Open House at Gavin's school, he's going to start in Sept, Tues & Thurs mornings.  It ended up being some clowns, some balloons and a sandwich supper and while there, Gavin took a tumble off of the chair he was sitting in. 

He was more surprised than hurt and after being held & rocked by Grama he was fine.  OH NO!  That's 4 things-are we starting over??  Let's hope not.  Please pray for Bryan, Laurie, Zeke, the 3 kids here...and me.

First Grader!

No more Kinder-cookie here!  Ian's in first grade today!

 

Tiffany caught this photo with Ian and Kenna and Andey for me before everyone went to their respective schools this morning.  Because of transfers and whatnot, they aren't in the same school this year, but they can still see each other off in the mornings :)

It is so weird for me to miss a first day of school, but LOVE that with the magic of Skype, I was able to see Ian before he left and chat with him about his day when he got home.  He told me that his new teacher is the most fun teacher in the whole school except for Chase's preschool teachers, AND he knows 3 friends from last year's class. Awesome :)

Here's to another excellent school year at Waxhaw!

Back among the Living!

Grama here!  Hi again, it's been an active and sick 9 days!  After Erin left, I picked up Konni, my sister-in-law, who's more like a REAL sister/best friend than anyone.  Thank God she was here.  My 'head cold' sent me to the Minute Clinic and the Doc said I had a fever, ear infection, raw throat, stuff in my lungs that was 'near-pneumonia'!  Konni stepped in after ONE day of 'training' and had the kids' routines down!  She even let me sleep in a couple of mornings while I recuperated.  Took my last antibiotic today and am only left with a little cough.  Chasey is on his second antibiotic which is working and he is much better now.  Had Ian to the Doc's yesterday with a cough but she said it was allergies.  Little Gavin is still going strong...knock on wood.
Yesterday, all 3 kids, Konni and I went to Ian & Chasey's 'Open House' at school.  I was amazed at how many adults were giving Ian & Chasey 'high fives' and welcoming them back to school!  I told Ian that everyone knew him and he informed me that, 'that's because I went here last year'!  Chasey got lots of hugs and "I love your glasses!"  Gavin just stomped around the hallways (he loves to hear the 'slapping' sound his sandals make) and Konni spent the whole time telling people he was NOT Chasey's little sister (in Chasey's classroom).  I went with Ian into his 1st Grade class room and within minutes he knew where his desk, cubby and backpack cabinet were.  He looked so proud.  We told his teacher, Mrs. Marx about his parents being in the Ukraine adopting a new brother and told her that Grama would be here if she needed anything.  Ian showed me all around the school and took me to the Computer Lab so we could get the 'Car Riders' sign for the dashboard.  All in all it was a great introduction to school starting today!  And it was a little strange for me to be in a 1st Graders classroom again, after all it's been 27 yrs since my youngest was in 1st grade!  Ian got up with his alarm today at 5:50 a.m. all by himself and was dressed and downstairs by 6 a.m...OMG that's early!

Another little note.  When I was here before, Laurie used 3 pointed little blue balls in her dryer instead of dryer sheets.  When I did laundry the first two times this time, no little pointy blue balls were anywhere to be found.  After I cleaned and organized the playroom, guess what I found?  Two pointy blue dryer balls amongst the many toys.  How they got from the dryer upstairs to the playroom downstairs I'll never know.  BTW the 3rd ball is still MIA!
Ordered a cable for my camera so I can include pictures in about a week.  Sure hope Bryan, Laurie & Zeke come home soon!!

Larsen/Maddex playdate

From Tiff

I got the privilege of watching the Maddhouse minions today while Gramma DiPiero did the airport switch. I got to have all three of  my surrogate boys here and I.loved.it. I got millions of hugs and squeezes from Chase. I got a couple of hugs and squeezes from Gavin (he wanted his Mama really badly) and I got to make a cake with Ian for their dessert tonight. Weston and Guy decided to act out some weird play on the stairs that included underwear helmets and paintbrushes. Chase decided to take a stroll next door to his house but was quickly recovered back to the Little Larsen's. Ian was all about choosing his cake flavor tonight for dinner. Butter pecan was his choice.

All in all we had a  fantastic day with a very very full house.

**I would also like to note that the genius that I am with the baby fuzzed brain that I have I totally posted this on the wrong blog at first. Ooops :)

Sick & Tired

Grama here.  Well our first sickness has arrived.  Chasey came down with a low grade fever and a yucky nose.  Went to the Doctor and he's on antibiotics.   Erin, their cousin goes back tomorrow with a bad head cold.  And today I started with it.  : ( 
One other small note.  I'm amazed that their appliances talk to me!  Literally, they talk to me.  I was timing something on the microwave.  I hit Timer, put in the amount of time and hit Start...nothing.  So I cleared it and did it again, still nothing.  Then the readout on the Microwave said: "Press Timer Again" !!  Also when something has finished cooking in the Microwave, it beeps, if I don't get it out it keeps beeping till I do.  The refrigerator talks too.  If a door is left open, even a crack, it beeps at me and even shows me which door wasn't closed.  The dishwasher beeps at me if I stop a cycle and don't start it up again within a certain time.  When the stove is done cooking it beeps till I turn it off.  So, when I sit down to relax at the end of the day, some appliance in the kitchen is apparently talking to me!  None of my applicances talk or beep.  Modern age or no peace for the wicked, I guess.

Guest Blogger Tiffany

Hey everyone, this is Laurie's neighbor Tiffany hacking her account and blogging. Just kidding,she gave me the super secret password. I thought while Bryan and Laurie are away I would give a quick update on what we have been doing here. Ian has been living at our house (okay not living persay, just visiting a lot) to play with the Little Larsen's. It has become the norm for me to see a towhead fluffy hair running amongst our Larsen Crew. In fact as we speak I have my little blond extra here now. And he would like to say a few words. I will of course be his scribe.

" I love you so much and I hope you are having a good time (Spoken to his parents). I am going to teach him English and let him get to know us a little. I have been playing DS a lot and Wolfie. Chase and Gavin have been watching Toy story and Shrek. Fred took us on a wild Goose Hunt. My favorite dinner is Tiffany's BBQ chicken (I SO DID NOT BRIBE HIM HERE!!). I am ready for my mom and dad and brother to come home. That is all."


We are just chugging along here, waiting for school to start in a little over a week. I guess that Erin will be leaving the Madd house on Wednesday. We are all anxiously awaiting on the arrival date for the newest Maddex Member to arrive. I was teasing Laurie that hands down she wins for longest.labor.ever.

I also snuck over today to borrow some paper from the Maddex's and grabbed a quick hug and picture with my other two favorite Maddex Boys. Guy was very intent on making sure I saw his Monkey. As in I had to take a picture of it along with him. Chase looks adorable (I mean handsome) as ever in his glasses. All the members of the MADDhouse are thriving .Grandma DiPiero is doing a fantastic job. Hurry Home Bryan and Laurie!! You are missed and loved :)

Updates

Grama here.  We've had bad thunderstorms every day since the tent shelter disaster but I've ordered a new frame so hopefully it'll be here soon.  Guess we'll have to take it down daily so it doesn't try to fly away again!
Had one 'potty-training' incident.  Gavin has good control and holds himself until he can do a 'big potty'.  The other day, Chase stood there watching Gavin doing his peepee,  When Gavin excitedly jumped up and was running to me singing 'I did peepee in the potty', Chasey picked up the bowl and heaved it!!  Now we had peepee all over the floor, rug, couch and Chasey.  OUI!!  Cleaned it all up and Chasey sat in time out-he knew what he did was wrong.  Never a dull moment!

Ianism:  Ian is a little pokey getting anything done, drags it out forever.  As he stepped in the shower I said, "Don't take two years".  Ian said, " if I took 2 years I'd be an old man!"

Took Chasey to get his glasses adjusted, which he's doing a pretty good job of keeping on.  It was sprinkling when we went into WalMart.  Getting ready to leave there was a downpour, so I bought an umbrella for our trip out to the car as it wasn't letting up anytime soon.  Was carrying Chase and holding the umbrella with my denim purse on my shoulder-all good.  Until I was trying to buckle Chasey into his car seat & hold the unbrella, by the time he was all set my purse, shorts and blouse were soaked thru!  But Chasey was dry ;)

Laurie's blog, http://addingtothemaddness.blogspot.com/ is just beautiful with her running commentary on her and Bryan's journey to adopt Danila (Zeke), be sure to follow it.  Keep those prayers coming, will check in again later.

Grama Here!

Thought I'd update you on some of the happenings here at the Madd House!  Not cousins Erin & Shannon who are here for a very short time but me, Carolyn DiPiero, Bryan's Mom-better known as Grama.  I'm here for the duration of this journey-spending 6 weeks with my grandkids, Ian, Chase & Gavin till Bryan & Laurie get home with Danil (Zeke). 
What a whirley-dervy of activity!  These 3 boys are in high gear for most of the day!  Working on Gavin's potty-training, keeping glasses on Chasey and trying to keep up with Ian's activities is definitely a full-time job.  In my 'down' time I'm trying to crochet a blanket for Zeke, just like all of my other 8 grandkids received from me at their birth.
Two days ago we had gale force winds & rain that took us be surprise, Tiffany had even checked the weather before she went grocery shopping and this was not even predicted!  We looked outside and saw the trees waving madly, so Erin & I were trying to get the tent like structure down when the wind caught it and it took off with Erin & I hanging on!  We managed to keep it from flying away, so I practically laid on one leg while Erin & Shannon went to get help from Brandon next door.  When he got there he ripped the tarp off and said it was acting like a sail.  While Erin & I were waiting on him we watched a life jacket from the pool next door fly up past the electrical wires and disappear!  The next day Brandon, Tiffany & I determined that the metal frame which was ripped, torn apart and bent was un-fixable :(  So if anybody knows where I can get another First-Up Outdoor Shelter frame-please let me know.  Also the trampoline between our two houses moved over it's total width!  Will have to do a lot of sewing up the netting.  Other than that-we are all safe and sound.  Never a dull moment!!  Will try to update you occasionally on the happenings at the Madd House but probably will be weekly instead of daily, or as often as I can.  BTW be sure to follow Bryan & Laurie's adventure on  http://addingtothemaddness.blogspot.com/ because Laurie is writing daily on their journey to bring Zeke home.  Thanks for your continued prayers & support!

Where in the World...?

In case you are missing us and wondering where we are...make sure you check out our adoption blog at Adding to the Maddness!!  We have many adventures to tell about :)

In the meantime, I'm going to give our cousins Erin and Shannon (and of course, Grama, too, should she have time to sit down and say a few words!!) rights to this blog to keep you (and Bryan and I) updated on the goings on at home.

Enjoy!!