Monday, September 14, 2009

Oh Canada!

Well, it has been a long time. Half the time I forget what I was going to blog about but most of the time, I just don't have time to sit down and type it out.

Well, this summer was great. We did a lot of swimming (Well when the weather was warm) but it was fun. On July 23rd we also left Cedar Rapids at 12:15 p.m. and drove to Alberta! I drove it alone with 6 kids. It was fine. We got to somewhere (I can't remember where it was) around 6:00 p.m. and stopped for supper and let them run around. I was hoping to get to Rapid City around 10:00 p.m. but it was more like 11:00 p.m. so I just kept driving until around 12:30 a.m. and then parked at a hotel and just slept in the van. I was not going to haul all the kids out. I also wanted to keep going when I woke up. Which I did around 1:30 a.m. so we kept driving. Then I got tired again and so I stopped for about 1 1/2 hours. But by 2:00 p.m. the next afternoon we pulled into my parents. My sisters were great. They called me at 3:00 and 4:00 in the morning to make sure I was okay because they new I was going to keep driving. Heather said I could have whatever I wanted of hers just for driving up. It is a lot to drive up but you do forget about the drive after a while. Even thinking of it now it does not seem so bad. I think 3 weeks and you forget about the drive.

Well, we had so much fun in Canada. We visited friends and family and spent some great time together. I ate my weight in ice cream slurpies but THEY ARE SOOO GOOD! I loved the chocolate bars up there! Wunderbars, Aero, Big Turk, AAAAHHH! They are awesome. My mom actually brought me a box of wunderbars when she came for Ridley's baptism. Anyway, it was so much fun. Neil and his dad took 5 of the kids camping. That was great. I just had Reece for 3 days. It was very nice. I read a book, relaxed. Went out for lunch with Neil's mom and shopping. What a great little break. I NEVER GET BREAKS LIKE THAT so it was really nice. They even had a blast camping. I said we would not go up again for 3 years but I am wondering if we might change our minds. That was a lot of fun for the kids. Neil and his dad had a great time too.

Neil drove up a week after me. We had trouble with his passport in that THEY DID NOT SEND IT TO HIM!!! They said we didn't put his occupation and address of where he works. They said they called 3 times BUT THERE WERE NEVER ANY MESSAGES. Anyway, I was mad at Passport Canada at that point. I ended up calling the border and he got up with his Birth Cert. (since we are canadian) and a photo ID. To get back down to the US. They said he just needed his Greencard. I called 2 different borders 3 times to make sure. If you get someone who is having a bad day letting you through they can make your life miserable. Well, they let us through just fine. They just wanted to take our picture and fingerprints. YEAH!.

Anyway, it was a great time up there. I love my family and friends so much and it was so nice to see them. But I also LOVE Iowa with all my wonderful friends and it was nice to come home to Iowa.

1 week after we got home my mom flew out. She came for Ridley's baptism. Which was on his Birthday . It was so nice. I am so glad my mom was able to come. We had a few days together. It was so much fun. We laugh and laugh and pee our pants. It is fun. Anyway, SCHOOL STARTED which is GREAT!~ I was so excited to get school back in. I love my kids so much but I love when school gets back in. I have just enjoyed my days with 2 kids. We clean, and play and sit and relax and it is very nice. Thank you teachers for taking great care of our kids in school!!!!

Anyway, life goes on. We are enjoying our little family. Reece has started to walk. He loves to play with everything I would rather him not play with. I tell him he has 5 kids worth of toys to play with and he just will not play with them all the time. He would much rather play with everything I don't want him to play with.

Anyway, Austyn has been running in Cross Country and she is doing so good. The kids all love school and enjoy their teachers. They are such great kids and I love them so much. They can drive me crazy but I love them.

It has been beautiful weather. I have been running outside all summer and it has been great. I finally made the 4 mile run. I am so excited and I think I am really enjoying running I ache to go outside for a run. I know however there are days when I run that I don't think I will ever want to run again because it was hard but when I have a good run it excites me more.

Well, I am signing off. Have a great day!

Monday, June 22, 2009

The Friends we have.

I am quite a nerd and I am totally okay with that. But there are times when I get thinking about all the people that I have met in our married life. Friends that are so great!! That we can be apart for years and then talk and get right back to talking like we were never apart. I have some really great friends like this. I always get excited to see the people I grew up with and went to school with. And especially since we are for sure going up to Canada this summer it really makes me excited to see everyone. It makes me think about the places we have lived and I would not have met these people if we were not there. I have some great friends here in Cedar Rapids and I am so happy to be here and be around such wonderful people. But I also miss the people I don't see all the time.

Sisters, I love my sisters very much. Cindy just had her baby and I am so excited to see the little baby. I need to go up and be an auntie. I am excited to do that. And to be around my sisters. We laugh and laugh. My mom was telling Austyn this morning about the time she thought I was eaten by bears in Waterton. We had gone up and along the way to Waterton Lake (I think that is what it is called) I saw a bathroom and I had to go quite bad. Well, when we got to the lake I asked if someone could drive me to the bathroom. They looked at me funny and said just go. Well, I started walking back along the road to where I saw the bathroom. I was a little scared to go in but I did and went and then as I was walking back my dad came driving up in our beautiful 70's or 80's green station wagon and he was quite worried. I had no idea, but they thought that a bear had gotten me because I took so long in the bathroom and apperently there was a bathroom 30 feet away from where we were. Anyway, there are many stories that we talk about that are quite funny. I can't wait to go and be around my family. Even though it can be dramatic and stressful sometimes because I am not always around them and we now have our life here but I do love going and being around them. There is nothiing like FAMILY!

Anyway, friends are great and I love them very much. I can even say my kids and my husband are some of my greatest friends all though I could ship them up to Canada sometimes. Ha, ha, Ha.

Well, there is my sentimental post for a while. As I am listening to my playlist of GREAT songs (so I think) It makes me think of friends and family and how exciting life can be.

So now I need to get back to life, putting the laundry away, cleaning the cupboards out (which I wanted to start today). It is too hot to make some yummy chocolate chip cookies that my neighbor Janet made. They are sooo yummy but it is sooooo hot and we don't have central air. We just have window airs. Anyway, I will go clean the cupboards out and eat some chocolate. Think of your friends and the impact they have on your life!!! Life is great!!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

It has been a while.

I don't know how I could not blog for so long. I have just been busy and I really think of things to blog but I don't spend a lot of time on the computer as of late.

Well, the kids have finished school. I always get to the end of the year and am very excited or it to be done. I was a little nervous because I didn't feel like I had enough off time during the year with Reece being born and so forth but I am excited. These last couple of days of summer holidays have been great. It is nice to kind of do what we want to do. Although we have been busy the last couple of days.

We are going up to Canada this summer. I am very excited about this. Not excited about the drive but excited to see family and friends and just have a great time. It is always so nice to be around family. I was reading a friend of mine's blog when she went and was with her family in Utah and how they laughed and had so much fun. I love that about being around family. We laugh and laugh and sometimes pee our pants but that is okay. It is so much fun and I am excited to have a lot of fun. We will be there for a few weeks and Neil will come up after we have been up there for a week and then he and his dad and some of the kids are going camping. It should be fun. They are excited.

Well, I RAN OUTSIDE AND I DID IT AND DID NOT DIE!!!!, I am running a 5K run this weekend with Austyn (my oldest daughter) and so we have been running outside the last couple of weeks. The last time I tried it I got around the corner and just about died. Well, I finished it by walking. Well, I started running 3 miles on the treadmill and did not stop so I thought I could run at least 1.5 miles without stopping. Well, we have been doing 2 mile runs and last night we did a 3 mile run together. It has been so much fun. I cannot believe how excited I am to run now. I told Neil I would like something to track myself now. He had asked me a few months ago if I would like something like that and I said it really does not intrest me. But I told him I am now a professional runner and would like something. I don't know what I need but we will find it. Something not to technological of course.

Life is good at the Roelofs. The weather has not been too hot which is nice. Life is good. Happy running!!!

Thursday, April 16, 2009

I REALLY hate computers

Okay, I am on a mission to figure out how to get the pictures off my camera and onto the computer. I got everything hooked up and got the disc(the handbook) put into the computer. I read it and was doing what it said. Everything is going good and then I am supposed to click on the DCIM something. I don't see anything that resembles DCIM. Then I attempt to call Sony to have them help me because I think they have to be more knowledgeable than me when it comes to cameras/computers. Well, they are not. Not only that but they don't always understand me and I cannot really understand what they are saying. Finally after being told "Thankyou for holding on the line" about 100 times(not really but many times) I tell them to forget it. It is not worth it to me to stay on the line for 2 hours while they go find something out after everything I say. So, It is all set up and ready to go and I will have Neil look at it when he gets home. Luckily we have nothing going on tonight so we may have some time. Now I just need to remember.

This week was also my 35th birthday. WOW. I can't believe I am 35. I think 40 will kill me. I just don't feel older. Anyway, I am at a loss of words on the subject. my parents are 55 and 53 and they don't seem that they could be that old. I don't know it is crazy. So I had such a great day and enjoyed seeing my friends and hearing from my family. It was really nice. People are really nice and I love my friends and family so much. They are great. Well, I am off to get Regan something he was trying to get on my lap as I was talking with Harvey (they guy from Sony) and I love how my kids do that NOT. So I got him off of my lap and then was done. So I am off to see what it is he needs. I was just a little huffy from my whole ordeal and now I am feeling better. Thanks.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

IT HAS BEEN TO LONG.

Well, I know it has been a while. I really think of great things to say that are also witty, then I forget them once I get to the computer. We had Spring break last week and that was nice. Neil took off the week, so we really did not do much. I need to get our passport stuff done. Since coming down here 10 years ago we have always had our passports and gotten all the kids done. Just because of all the greencard stuff we needed them done. I have to get Reece's in and renew Austyn, Me and Neil's canadian passports. It is kind of a job that you just have to jump in, fill everything out, get pictures and do. I started in February and it is still sitting there. I am GOING to work on it this afternoon once I stop playing on the computer and wasting time. The kids have been good. Well, my mind is blank and I have Regan (my 3 year old) on my lap and he is playing with his cars and sometimes likes to type a long with me. It is quite funny. He is such a big help. Well, here I go to get the passports done. I would like to get them done this week.

Also, I am going to get some new running shoes. I am using ones that I have had for YEARS, I will not tell you the exact amount but they have been good runners. Now that I am running more, I am going to go out and get a new pair of shoes. I am excited to see how they are. I ran today and it was great. Last week was also good. I don't know why though I can run great and not stop on the treadmill and I stop tons when I am outside. I guess I need to do it more outside. ANyway, now Reece is crying and all HE^% is breaking loose. Sort of.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Happenings.

Well, it has been a while. I think of things to say while I am driving, nursing, cleaning, etc. But then I get to the computer and forget them all. Also, our internet has been not working right so it is hard to get onto anything.

Well, I have been trying to figure out if we can make it up to Canada this summer. I would love to go and visit our families and my sister is having her 3rd child in June. When we left the last time we were in Canada she had her second. Like 10 days after we left. I told her to keep walking but she would not. Anyway, I would love to get up there. But when kids start getting older there are more things that keep them busy. School will go until June 11 this year because of the added snow days we had. Then Austyn has girls camp a week after they get out of school. She is able to do the College for Kids thing for two weeks in the summer and since we cannot do session A because of girls camp it will have to be Session B which runs until July 24th. So we have August and I hope it works out. We will see.

Reece is coming up on 5 months now. Very hard to believe. He got his first 2 teeth at 4 months. He has been kind of fussy at nights the last couple of nights and I am wondering if it is more teeth or what the deal is. We will see. He is doing well. All the kids are doing well. We have had a cold a couple of weeks ago and Regan and Austyn were throwing up this past weekend but I am hopeing that is it! I took Ridley to his gymnastic competition on Saturday and it was a couple of hours away. He says the funniest things. He was asking if Canada or USA had the most fields. Anyway, here is how it went.

Ridley: I know who has the most syrup out of Canada and USA
Me: Who?
Ridley: Dah, the canadian Flag has a maple leaf on it and Grandma has a huge bucket of syrup at her house.
Me: Laughing.

He is quite funny and keeps all of us laughing. He came home from a Primary Activity on Valentines day and they had done coupon books to give to people. Ridley showed me his and they all had a video game written on it and various amount of money by it. Then he asked me if after this we could go to Best Buy and use his coupons to get Video games. I told him it is not a Best buy coupon. It does not say Best Buy on it. He told me he could write it on. We talked on the way home about coupons and how they work. It was quite funny.

Anyway, I have a baby who is starting to cry so I better run. Speaking of I told Neil I will run a marathon in Hawaii. He said okay. I have wanted to run a marathon one day and I think going to Hawaii would really, really get me motivated to train for one. It won't be tomorrow but I am wanting to do it in the next 5 years for sure. I am excited.

Monday, February 23, 2009

Ready for Spring.

I am sure everyone is ready for Spring. I am ready. It was cold when I was taking Austyn early this morning and I cannot wait until Spring and Summer come but I am sure I will complain in the summer for how hot and humid it is. Hopefully I don't complain.

Anyway, work has been going well for Neil. He was promoted to a managers position over Christmas. He is leaving his project that he was working with Airbus with so he will not be going to France again. I am sad because I did think that one day we would be able to go but maybe we will just have to go one day. ONE DAY. He was also nominated as "Engineer of the Year" they picked 50 engineers and then he made it to the semi-finals which were 30 people. If we would have made it to the next level we would have gotten a trip which I was really wanting but he didn't make it past the semi-finals. But we are so proud of him. He works so hard and I am happy to see how well he is doing. He loves what he does.

Everyone is doing well, we have had a couple of colds here and there and luckily it does not get everyone but everyone has been pretty healthy. Reece loves to be held so I don't have tons of time in between of holding him and getting things done but I am here quickly doing the post. He is crying in his swing and I am doing this but I will hurry. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well. I know the economy has affected people we know and I hope everyone is well! Take Care.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

Chicken soup for the soul

Well, I am making some homemade chicken noodle soup. I love how Rachel Ray does things fast but I am fine to do this slow when I have all the time in the world. Some of us are coming down with colds. I have one and I don't think it is nice when the mom is sick. Oh Well, I got some throat drops, ice cream, and now making chicken noodle soup. I hope it gets better quick. I finally had friends of mine tell me how to put the playlist on my blog. So YEAH I did it. I have my So What song on their because it gets me fired up. After I listened to the lyrics I am sure I can see why. SHE WANTS TO START A FIGHT. I am not up for starting a fight but it gets me moving.

Anyway, life is good. It is finally supposed to be warm here for hopefully the next week. I went out this morning and thought you dang weather it better be nice like the weather man says or I will be very upset. (Okay I guess I will start a fight if it stays cold)Ha Ha Ha. Anyway, it is supposed to get nice today. I am so excited. I hate going outside when it is so cold. Anyway, I need to run and get Reece because Regan keeps coming in to here and telling me I need to get Reece because he is crying. So I will run. There are my thoughts for today. Have a great day!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

RUNNING

Well, I know, I am blogging 2 days in a row. I have to catch up from all the time I missed. Well, I just finished running on the treadmill. I have been running 3 times per week and do a 30 min run which includes a warm up and cool down. I have been doing the glute toner and waist reducer profile on it and it has been good. Today I did the glute toner and it just about killed me when I first did it because it goes to a 12.5 incline. But I finished it. Today I stayed on the Level 8 and I did not go down a notch. I am very proud of myself. I listen to the radio that is down there. I do have a ipod shuffle that Neil got me, for some reason all the songs are off of it and I don't know how to put them on. (I do have a finger and thumb shaped as an "L" on my forhead). I HATE figuring things out like that. computer stuff, camera stuff, ipod stuff. Anyway, I turned on the radio and "So What" by Pink (I think that is who sings it) was on. That is a song that really gets me pumped up (as they say in the cheer leading world) JOKES. It really does get me pumped up and makes me want to run hard. Next they played "More than words" by Extreme which is slow and a good song that I really like but does not get me pumped up. I figured I needed to get my i-pod going and get all they songs that make me move fast and put them on. The Island Getaway song that Weazer sings is also another one I like. Anwyay, it was a good run and It makes me happy. I tell Neil that my glutes are already showing signs of being toned and my waist is being reduced and he just laughs. Because I have only been doing it for a few weeks, he says it can't happen that quick. I can tell. I can't wait until the spring and we can run together. He likes early morning though. Now me. We will see. Now I am off to get on with the rest of the day.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Here I am.

I know it has been quite a while since I blogged. I do think of great, funny things to say, but then I get to the computer and go blank but also I have not had time to get on and blog. I hear Reece starting to get upset, but I have a few minutes. I really enjoy facebook. I have gotten in contact with friends from high school and relatives. Neil's relatives and I think it is absolutely great. I love family and love being able to keep in touch.

Well, we got through last week. It was Monday, Early dismissal because of a storm; Tuesday, Late start because of said storm; Wednesday, No school because of cold and snow; Thursday, no school because of cold; Friday, NO SCHOOL BECAUSE OF COLD! We got to monday and it was a half day (yesterday). Well, my kids are still alive. No it was okay but after Christmas break not being that long ago I was getting tired of it. We got through and all is well. Today they are back in school. There is a lot of snow out and if there are any more snow days will be going to school for half the summer. Not really but we are already going to June 11th.

Well, things are good here. Reece is growing and no I still have no pictures off my camera (SORRY, SORRY). I know. He is smiling and starting to laugh and is really a good baby. He sleeps good at night also. Well, he is really starting to cry now.

Anyway, I just wanted to check in and let everyone know I am still here. I love to read peoples blogs and don't like it when there are large gaps. So now I am doing that. Anyway, the inaguration (however you spell it) is today and it makes me very emotional to see everything that happens with that. The leaving of the current President and then the coming of the new President. What a great planned out system it is. I really enjoy watching it. I am recording it and sharing with Regan. He watches some Dora and then I watch some of the things on today. Take Care. Everyone enjoy your day and this beautiful country that we live in. (Canada is also beautiful). We just are lucky to be here and have the opportunities that we have here. HAVE A GREAT DAY!