Well, summer is just about over here in the Beer Household, so it seems fitting that I am just now getting around to telling you about it!
We have had a fantastic summer - full of family, friends and a ton of fun!
Brenden finished the 5Th grade toward the end of May. They were supposed to get out about a week before they actually did, due to the snow days they were forced to make up some time! He was VERY excited to be done with school - it seemed like the year drug on for all of us, so I can only imagine how he felt!
After practicing with a traveling baseball league for a few months, he made the choice to play only on the local league here. He decided that he wanted to have a summer that had more than JUST baseball in it and I can't say that I blame him. The local league that he played on was a lot of fun - they even ended up taking 2ND place in the league tournament. As always we enjoyed watching him play and cheering his team on!
Carson has been growing up right before my eyes! I can't even explain how much he has changed in the past 6 months. His speech has improved so much and his whole attitude changed with it. He is still a force to be reckoned with - I don't suppose that will ever change. He loves to dance and sing and comes home from daycare almost every day with a new song that he walks around singing. He is finally sleeping in a "big boy" bed - which is a twin - so far he has only fell out of it once! He is still getting taller and taller, soon he will be taller than both Brenden and I. I imagine it is quite the sight to see me trying to carry him around already!
Doug and I hosted the Beer family reunion out at the Ponca State Park in June. We were so happy that most everyone was able to make the trip and enjoy some time together. Several of the group went to a baseball game in Sioux City, fished, hiked, played board and card games, went swimming and hopefully just had a good time in general. We were hoping to be able to stay at the park with the family, but Carson had other ideas and made them quite clear the very first night. In all, it was a nice visit for everyone and we liked being able to show off one of our "local attractions"
Doug spent some of the summer (ok most of it) taking summer classes, trying to squeeze a few credit hours in anywhere he could. As expected, he still managed to keep his perfect GPA. I am very proud of his dedication! He did a little work for the US Census, basically until they ran out of work to do in this area. A few weeks ago he was offered 2 different jobs! After some discussion he is now employed by Verizon Wireless in Sioux City. We both think he will enjoy the job and do well at it considering he has a proven track record in sales. He is currently in training which takes him out of the area Monday-Friday for a few weeks. I am adjusting better than expected to being home with the boys on my own, hopefully it will continue to go smoothly.
The weather here, like many places, has been unbelievably hot! I am trying my hardest not to whine too much about it after the long miserable winter we had! We have had a ton of days with heat indexes above 100 degrees and temps in the mid to upper 90's. It is truly what I consider a true Nebraska summer! We have also had a LOT of rain, the corn is taller than I have ever seen it before!
Well.. that's our summer up to today. We still have a lot going on during the next few weeks before Brenden starts school, including; a visit from my little brother Dylan, a Royals/Yankees game and Nifty Fifty's celebration in Ponca. Hopefully I will remember to update as things continue to happen!
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
The Sun is Shining!
I could hardly believe my eyes when I woke up this morning and saw sunlight coming through the windows! It feels like it has been weeks since we have seen the sunlight around here. In fact the weatherman said last night that it has been 39 days since we have had a day that was above average temperatures!! It has been a long, cold, just plain BLAH winter. But for once today, I woke up and smiled instead of groaned! I am refusing to remind myself of the fact that the forecast for tomorrow is once again cold and snowy! For today, I am enjoying the walks to the post office that don't require me to bundle up!
Our lives have been somewhat quiet lately.. but as always things are picking back up! This afternoon Doug and I are going to check out a new daycare/development center for Carson to attend. Up until this point he has been going to a home based daycare.. which has worked well for us and was very cheap too. But now, as it is becoming more obvious that he is struggling with some of his learning skills, it has become important to us, to give him every opportunity to catch up and get ahead! He is currently seeing a speech therapist once a week, which seems to be helping a little. I am hoping this new daycare will help even more as it is far ore structured and "learning" centered. Plus they break the kids up into groups based on age for a majority of the day, so hopefully he will have fun interacting with kids his own age and make some friends too!
Tonight we have parent teacher conferences for Brenden. I have always seen them as a waste of time honestly. As much as I enjoy hearing how great, kind and smart Brenden is... I already know these things!!! :)
Brenden has been so busy lately. He is still competing on a tournament basketball team.. which is what this weekend will consist of for all of us! He has also started baseball practice. This year is his first year on a traveling team.. he is so excited and we are too! I am so glad he didn't get my athletic abilities!
Well I am off to enjoy the sun while it lasts!
Our lives have been somewhat quiet lately.. but as always things are picking back up! This afternoon Doug and I are going to check out a new daycare/development center for Carson to attend. Up until this point he has been going to a home based daycare.. which has worked well for us and was very cheap too. But now, as it is becoming more obvious that he is struggling with some of his learning skills, it has become important to us, to give him every opportunity to catch up and get ahead! He is currently seeing a speech therapist once a week, which seems to be helping a little. I am hoping this new daycare will help even more as it is far ore structured and "learning" centered. Plus they break the kids up into groups based on age for a majority of the day, so hopefully he will have fun interacting with kids his own age and make some friends too!
Tonight we have parent teacher conferences for Brenden. I have always seen them as a waste of time honestly. As much as I enjoy hearing how great, kind and smart Brenden is... I already know these things!!! :)
Brenden has been so busy lately. He is still competing on a tournament basketball team.. which is what this weekend will consist of for all of us! He has also started baseball practice. This year is his first year on a traveling team.. he is so excited and we are too! I am so glad he didn't get my athletic abilities!
Well I am off to enjoy the sun while it lasts!
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
3 months.. in 3 paragraphs or so!
As I was reading through my previous blogs, I realized that I had not posted in MONTHS! Overall, not a horrible thing.. but those months included Carson's Birthday, Christmas and Thanksgiving!! So it's time to update!!!
First was Thanksgiving.. which we spent at my mom and Gene's pigging out! I think I have finally come to terms with the fact that I am an adult when I realized that the best part of the holidays has everything to do with family and food!!!
Next was Carson's birthday! Can you believe that I have a 2 year old now? Time has flown by! He had a great birthday party.. with lots of family and friends! We lucked out on the weather finally, so it was safe travels for all! I was so excited to watch him enjoy his cake! Last year he panicked as soon as the frosting got stuck to his fingers. This year was a whole new story.. he could not get enough!
I also happen to know a very talented woman who makes adorable clothes for kids.. so Carson got his very own "Birthday Outfit" that proudly displayed his age!
And finally Christmas.. or should I say the BLIZZARD that canceled Christmas! The snow started falling 2 days before Christmas. The forecast was bad... they said over 20 inches by the time it was done! My husband the non-believer (when it comes to forecasts at least) laughed as I started to panic, but went along with the idea of moving our "Christmas Eve" to the 23rd. That night, my mom, Gene and my Grandma came over for dinner and gifts. The plan was for all of us to head to Mom's house on Christmas day for dinner and the whole family celebration. Instead we spent Christmas Day snowed in.. while I proceeded to lose my mind. It wasn't that I had somewhere I needed to be, just that I couldn't leave that drove me crazy! The forecast had been correct.. and maybe even a little low in predictions. I think in the end there was close to 26 inches of snow!
Santa, being the trooper he is managed to still make to the house!
Carson has no idea who the Jolly guy is but was quite excited to get so many new toys! Brenden also loved the day...playing in the snow, opening gifts and enjoying the down time at home!
Our plan (pre-blizzard) had been to drive to Chicago the morning after Christmas. Obviously that did not happen... the roads were actually still closed and drifted shut! We did manage to get out on Sunday afternoon - as soon as the roads were opened back up and made our way to Chicago. It was a slower than normal trip.. but we made it! While we were there we spent time with the whole Beer family, which is always a good time! We also went to the Shedd Aquarium, which has been my goal for several trips! If you know me you know I have a love for marine life.. so I was in heaven and could have spent forever there! They also have a great kids area that Carson couldn't get enough of! Thank you to Dave & Joyce for the fantastic gift.. it was a fantastic day!!!
First was Thanksgiving.. which we spent at my mom and Gene's pigging out! I think I have finally come to terms with the fact that I am an adult when I realized that the best part of the holidays has everything to do with family and food!!!
Next was Carson's birthday! Can you believe that I have a 2 year old now? Time has flown by! He had a great birthday party.. with lots of family and friends! We lucked out on the weather finally, so it was safe travels for all! I was so excited to watch him enjoy his cake! Last year he panicked as soon as the frosting got stuck to his fingers. This year was a whole new story.. he could not get enough!
I also happen to know a very talented woman who makes adorable clothes for kids.. so Carson got his very own "Birthday Outfit" that proudly displayed his age!
And finally Christmas.. or should I say the BLIZZARD that canceled Christmas! The snow started falling 2 days before Christmas. The forecast was bad... they said over 20 inches by the time it was done! My husband the non-believer (when it comes to forecasts at least) laughed as I started to panic, but went along with the idea of moving our "Christmas Eve" to the 23rd. That night, my mom, Gene and my Grandma came over for dinner and gifts. The plan was for all of us to head to Mom's house on Christmas day for dinner and the whole family celebration. Instead we spent Christmas Day snowed in.. while I proceeded to lose my mind. It wasn't that I had somewhere I needed to be, just that I couldn't leave that drove me crazy! The forecast had been correct.. and maybe even a little low in predictions. I think in the end there was close to 26 inches of snow!
Santa, being the trooper he is managed to still make to the house!
Carson has no idea who the Jolly guy is but was quite excited to get so many new toys! Brenden also loved the day...playing in the snow, opening gifts and enjoying the down time at home!
Our plan (pre-blizzard) had been to drive to Chicago the morning after Christmas. Obviously that did not happen... the roads were actually still closed and drifted shut! We did manage to get out on Sunday afternoon - as soon as the roads were opened back up and made our way to Chicago. It was a slower than normal trip.. but we made it! While we were there we spent time with the whole Beer family, which is always a good time! We also went to the Shedd Aquarium, which has been my goal for several trips! If you know me you know I have a love for marine life.. so I was in heaven and could have spent forever there! They also have a great kids area that Carson couldn't get enough of! Thank you to Dave & Joyce for the fantastic gift.. it was a fantastic day!!!
Happy Birthday Lilly
A year ago we were dealing with the hardest things that we have ever dealt with. A year ago, we were trying to figure out how to say goodbye to a daughter that we had never met. A year ago, I felt lost, hopeless and desperate.
A year later and sometimes I feel like not much has changed. In a few short weeks it will be Lilly's birthday. What do I do? Do I celebrate, pretend that it isn't? Due to the weather, I have not been to her grave in quite a few months. Honestly, I am scared to go. At first it was so easy and I spent a lot of time there, talking to her. I think at that point I was still numb. I still have daily conversations with her, just not at the cemetary. I have a morning ritual on my way to work..my "Lilly time". I can only imagine what people think as they see me talking to myself. It may seem odd.. but it helps me to keep her close and to share my life with her since she cannot share her life with me.
The past few months I have become very frustrated with myself. I am a strong believer in so many causes and yet I do very little to support any cause. We all know I have strong opinions - but who am I to complain about the ways of the world if I do nothing to change things? This month I finally decided to get involved and in doing so also decided that my whole family would be too! I put together a family team and we are walking in the March for Babies at the end of April. I have always supported the March of Dimes by donating whenever I was asked.. but this time I am walking 4 miles and collecting donations so that I can make a bigger impact. I decided that this walk would be in Lilly's memory, a simple way to celebrate her short life and her birthday - a positive out of all of the negatives that I have been feeling. I have to send a big THANK YOU to all that donated to me and all that have said that they will be. It is so nice to remember what I strong support system I have in place, during both the high's and low's of life!
For those of you who haven't donated.. please visit and donate today! Every donation makes a difference!
A year later and sometimes I feel like not much has changed. In a few short weeks it will be Lilly's birthday. What do I do? Do I celebrate, pretend that it isn't? Due to the weather, I have not been to her grave in quite a few months. Honestly, I am scared to go. At first it was so easy and I spent a lot of time there, talking to her. I think at that point I was still numb. I still have daily conversations with her, just not at the cemetary. I have a morning ritual on my way to work..my "Lilly time". I can only imagine what people think as they see me talking to myself. It may seem odd.. but it helps me to keep her close and to share my life with her since she cannot share her life with me.
The past few months I have become very frustrated with myself. I am a strong believer in so many causes and yet I do very little to support any cause. We all know I have strong opinions - but who am I to complain about the ways of the world if I do nothing to change things? This month I finally decided to get involved and in doing so also decided that my whole family would be too! I put together a family team and we are walking in the March for Babies at the end of April. I have always supported the March of Dimes by donating whenever I was asked.. but this time I am walking 4 miles and collecting donations so that I can make a bigger impact. I decided that this walk would be in Lilly's memory, a simple way to celebrate her short life and her birthday - a positive out of all of the negatives that I have been feeling. I have to send a big THANK YOU to all that donated to me and all that have said that they will be. It is so nice to remember what I strong support system I have in place, during both the high's and low's of life!
For those of you who haven't donated.. please visit and donate today! Every donation makes a difference!
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