Dains Family

I'm a Grandma!!!!

2008-03-04T16:04:00.006-05:00

Bootsie finally had her babies! She gave birth to 6 tiny little kittens this morning. Rick didn't realize that she was even giving birth until the whole process was almost over. He realized it when he started hearing little meows. He gave me a call at work and I was home in 3 minutes (it usually takes me around 5 to get home!). It will be a fun eight weeks and than they will all need to find new homes. If you're interested let me know!

Susan and the kids have already chosen their little kitty to take home!

8th Wedding Anniversary!

2008-02-24T11:52:00.004-05:00

Rick and I are celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary on the 26th of this month! Time flies so fast. Here's a little comparision of where we were 8 years ago compared to today-

Then: Only one child (Nicholas - 4 years old)

Now: House full of kids and animals (Nicholas age 12, Ellie age 5, and Aiden age 3). To date we have 2 cats (soon to be many more, Bootsie is prego and due any day!) and 1 fish that's swimming and 2 that are floating.

Then: Apartment living - rent $625 a month

Now: Home owners - Mortgage way too high to disclose (more than double what it was 8 years ago!)

Then: Not active in church at all

Now: Very active (in fact it's pretty rare that we miss a Sunday). I currently teach Aiden's primary class and love every second of it!

Then: Rick - 20 lbs. lighter, Lindsay 10 lbs. lighter

Now: Just bought a treadmill and will be back at that pre-wedding weight at no time!

Then: Lindsay - full time college student and working at a pharmacy as a technician. Rick - working construction as a rough framer (lucky to get a 30 hour work week in!)

Now: Lindsay - full time sales position with Wireless Resources, Inc. Rick - full time postion with The Home Depot (he's working on 7 years!!)

We've come a long way over the last 8 years! Happy Anniversary Rick!

The Christmas Spirit!

2007-12-21T16:37:00.000-05:00

I can honestly say that I've got one of the best kids around! Every year for Christmas the Home Depot chooses a family to play "Secret Santa" for. This year Rick recommended that the Home Depot sponsor one of his friends that has been having a really hard year. The poor guy had some really bad luck with finances, sewage in the basement (been there, done that!), and just trying to keep food on his table. Last night was the deadline to bring all the gifts in for the kids. This morning Rick told Nicholas about what the Home Depot was doing for this family and how there was a 12 year old boy that wouldn't be getting much of a Christmas without others help. In their conversation it came up that this young boy would really like a handheld video game player. Nicholas than proceeded to gather up his PSP, a handful of games, and a really nice carrying case to give to this child that was less fortunate than him. Rick was in shock (if you've ever met Nicholas you're well aware of his true passion in life....video games are his world!!!). He couldn't believe that Nicholas had so much compassion to give a child that he's never met before something that he loves and enjoys so much. It not only choked up Rick, but the 12 year old neighbor girl was also over and also had tears in her eyes. I can't describe the feeling that you get when you watch you're children make such amazing choices in life. Nicholas, along with my little two, are such good kids. I really have been blessed!

The Bithell Curse Strikes Again!

2007-12-12T21:12:00.000-05:00

Earlier today I needed to take some Christmas presents downstairs. I had a huge box that I was carrying down and I couldn't see over it. When I hit the basement floor my foot landed in around six inches of water. I hurried and put the box down and saw that my whole basement was flooded with water. I could deal with the water being everywhere (if you're a Bithell, you're use to it!), but I totally broke down when I saw all of my Christmas presents ruined. Every single gift was water logged. I got on the phone and had Rick come home from work, and of course tried to reach my parents (their pro's with water problems!), but they wern't home! Rick brought one of his plumber friends home with him and he was able to get the sump pump working. It only took around 20 minutes for all the water to drain....now everything is soaked and ruined. We've been hauling garbage bags to the curb and have a cleaner here at the present moment trying to get things squared away. I do have to say, I have an amazing insurance company. I called them and told them what was going on and they had the cleaners out here with in two hours. Not to mention, I'm compiling a list of all that was lost and they will be taking care of it. I guess that $40 a year sump pump rider that I have on my home owners insurance really came in handy! And, I guess the situation isn't too bad....I get to go shopping all over again!

Who's George?

2007-11-15T15:01:00.000-05:00

When Nicholas was around age 4 he had an imaginary friend. He always talked about his friend "George". Rick and I didn't think much of it, other than Nicholas was a little odd (which he still is!). About a year ago, Ellie started talking about George, her friend. We laughed and thought it was a little freaky that our kids had the same imaginary friend. Now for the kicker- Aiden adores his friend "George"! He talks about George all the time. When you ask him questions about George he gets so giddy. He loves talking about him. So- who's George? Do I have a realative named George that's passed on? Maybe there's a spirit that's just really taken a liking to my family. Than again, maybe I've gone some odd kids....they did get my genes!

The Cruise!

2007-10-01T18:08:00.001-05:00

What an amazing vacation! We went to Key West, Grand Cayman and Jamaica. My favorite destination was Grand Cayman but the most gorgous was Jamaica! In Jamaica we climbed the Dunn's River Falls- what a trip! I haven't had that much fun in a long time!

In Grand Cayman we went to a Sea Turtle Farm and snorkled.

When we weren't on land we relaxed by the pool....there we're many to choose from! We also spent WAY too much time eating! I've never eaten soo much food and sooo much GOOD food! Lobster tail, prime rib, tons of deserts!!!! Yummy!!!!

As much fun as we had, I'm glad to be home. I really missed my kids (more than I even thought I would!). I think I'll be ready for another vacation next year!

Beef Stroganoff

2007-09-13T10:23:00.000-05:00

I've never been a huge fan of Beef Stroganoff, don't get me wrong, I liked it I just didn't love it. Last night I was in the cooking mood so I decided to cook up a batch (it's one of Rick's favorite dishes). I went online and got this recipe- I can honestly say that I am now a true lover of stroganoff!

INGREDIENTS
2 pounds sirloin steak, cut into thin strips
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine, divided
1 large onions, chopped
1 (14 ounce) can beef broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
salt and pepper to taste
1 (4.5 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup sour cream
cooked rice or noodles

DIRECTIONS
Dredge meat in flour.

In a skillet, melt 1/4 cup butter over medium heat; saute onions until tender. Remove from pan; set aside.

Melt remaining butter and brown meat on all sides. Add broth, basil, salt and pepper, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce and onions.

Cook until mixture thickens, about 15 minutes. Just before serving, stir in sour cream. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve immediately over rice or noodles.

It's even better the next day for lunch!!!

For Those Of Us That Thought We Knew It All!

2007-08-23T12:49:00.000-05:00

*****************************************************************************
The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as a substitute for Blood plasma. ***************************************************************************
No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven (7) times. Oh go ahead...I'll wait...~ ****************************************************************************
Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes. ************************************************************************
You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television. **************************************************************************
Oak trees do not produce acornsuntil they are fifty (50) years of age or older. ****************************************************************************
The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum. *************************************************************************
The King of Hearts is the only king WITHOUT A MOUSTACHE ***************************************************************************
American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987by eliminating one (1) olive from each salad served in first-class. **************************************************************************
Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise. (Since Venus is normally associated with women,what does this tell you!) *********************************************************************
Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning. ***********************************************************************
Most dust particles in your house are made from DEAD SKIN! ****************************************************************************
The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer. So did the first "Marlboro Man." ***************************************************************************
Walt Disney was afraid OF MICE! **************************************************************************
PEARLS MELT IN VINEGAR!*********************************************************************
The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.**********************************************************************
It is possible to lead a cow upstairs... but, not downstairs. ************************************************************************
A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why. ************************************************************************
Dentists have recommended that a toothbrushbe kept at least six (6) feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particlesresulting from the flush. (I keep my toothbrush in the living room now!) ***************************************************
Richard Millhouse Nixon was the first U.S. president whose name contains allthe letters from the word "criminal." The second? William Jefferson Clinton(Please don't tell me you're SURPRISED!!!) *********************************************************
And the best for last..... Turtles can breathe through their butts. (I know some people like that, don't YOU?) ********************************************************************* *********

Happy Birthday to you and you and you!

2007-08-09T19:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Aiden, Emily and Susan!!!! How special that 3 birthdays in one family are all on the same day.

My Daughter Has My Jeans!

2007-08-04T18:13:00.000-05:00

I really have to laugh sometimes. My daughter has my sense of style! I was playing on the computer when she came inside and decided to change her outfit (something that she does a dozen times a day). This time it was a doozy- ballerina leotard, stripped tights, and water shoes! She's such a beautiful little girl!

The Police Are Coming!!!!

2007-06-29T21:25:00.001-05:00

Yes, that is Susan in the back seat of a police car! This past Thursday my work had an Open House because we just moved locations. The company I work for outfitts police and emergency vehicles. Of course, my family had to represent!!! There was a ton of food, door prizes (which was rigged...and not in my favor), and good company (the Bithell's are always good company!). Susan is such a nut and had to play around in one of the cop cars and I couldn't resist snapping some pictures. Here is a close up....too hysterical!

Dains Family Reunion

2007-06-18T21:05:00.000-05:00

This past weekend we took a family trip to a little town in Illinois for a Dains Family Reunion. It was a really nice trip. Everyone, except for Nicholas, enjoyed themselves. I feel so bad for Nicholas, he was the only one his age and he really didn't have anyone to hang out with. He mainly stayed glued to his PSP. We did make it up to him by stopping in Indiana on the way home to buy some illegal fireworks! The little kids had a blast. They played with their cousins and had a great time. My favorite part of the trip was a visit to Pines State Park. It was really beautiful. There were parts of the park where we had to drive through a river- the kids loved that. Enjoy the pics of the family!

Baby "A"

2007-05-28T08:26:00.000-05:00

I was planning on blogging about my newly planted garden and retaining wall, but my little baby Aiden got me on a roll!

When I was pregnant with Aiden, Rick and I were going through a really rough time. There was a long while when I conteplaited giving Aiden up for adoption. I couldn't stand the thought of raising three kids by myself and I thought it was really unfair to Nicholas, Ellie and Aiden. Bottom line, I wanted what was best for everyone. Thankfully, Rick and I worked through our issues and Aiden came home with me from the hospital. I think about that time period in my life when I look at Aiden and think about how my life would be without him. No one could ever love him as much as I do. No one could have ever have loved him when he was a colicy baby for nine months. No sibling could ever love him more than his older sister Ellie. He is such a happy smiling baby. He truly makes my heart melt. He really is the complete link in our family.

Slacker!

2007-05-26T15:38:00.000-05:00

Sorry guys......I've been a slacker when it comes to keeping my blog current. To be real honest, we've had really nice weather lately which puts me outside most of my free time. My next blog will be pictures of my freshly planted garden and my new retaining wall that Rick built. It rained today so I don't want to take the pictures yet.

Rick and I chaperoned Nicholas' field trip to the Tigers game last Thursday. Let me just tell you- this whole event just re-confirmed to me that leaving the teaching profession was the best choice I ever made! If it was just the three of us we would have had a blast, but we had a handful of other kids that we had to keep an eye on and they were lame. It was 90 degrees and I just don't like kids. We left the school around 9am and didn't get back until 6:30pm......way too long of a day to be hanging out with 11 year olds in the hot sun. I did snap some pictures of the trip with intentions of blogging....since my friends have pointed out that it's been a month since my last entry! Enjoy the pics!

What a Weekend!

2007-04-24T20:20:00.000-05:00

This past weekend was absolutely amazing. If you live in Michigan you are already well aware that there are a few days each year where the weather is absolutely perfect (the rest of the year is either too hot and humid or way too cold!). This past weekend fell into the "perfect" category!

To enjoy the beautiful weather we went to the fair one day and the beach the next. The kids had way too much fun. Aiden was a little dare devil at the beach. He couldn't have cared less that the water was only 50 degrees. He was still wet up to his waist. The rest of the kids were content playing in the sand. Enjoy the pictures!

Bootsie!

2007-04-19T07:22:00.000-05:00

We have a new addition to our family!

Bootise is 5 weeks old. She is the sweetest little kitty around. Nora (our older kitty) has even taken a liking to her. Most of my time is spent trying to keep her safe from Ellie and Aiden. She is a welcomed addition to our family!

Easter!

2007-04-07T09:05:00.000-05:00

It's that time of year again! Last night we had family night and dyed Easter eggs and watched Charlotte's Web. It wasn't exactly thrilling for Nicholas, but he entertained the two little kids. We'll be going to an Easter egg hunt at our neighbors house later on today, hopefully I'll snap some cute pictures to share.

I had to throw this next picture in because I thought it was so hilarious. Ellie got a new Easter hat to wear on Sunday so we were playing around in it the other day. This picture makes me laugh because it totally doesn't look like her. It's the goofiest expression.

Happy Birthday Sam!

2007-03-27T20:18:00.000-05:00

Happy 30th Birthday Sam! Your family loves you and cares about you. Try to make the most out of every situation....every if it's a crappy one. Take care of yourself- love lindsay.

(For those of you wondering why I would bother with a post for Sam knowing that there isn't a chance in this world that he will see it anytime soon- I've been printing the blogs out and sending them to him. He will get to see this little message. If you leave him a comment I will be sure to print those for him also. If you are reading this and would like his address, e-mail me and I will send it to you.)

Congratulations Mark & Minnie!

2007-03-22T09:30:00.000-05:00

We had a wedding this past weekend. Mark (Rick's brother) married Minnie. It was a beautiful ceremony. Congratulations!

Ellie & her cousins

Nicholas, Ellie, and Aiden with their cousins.

The Family Tree!

2007-03-22T09:21:00.000-05:00

I should have known by now that when Rick says he's going out to "talk" to someone about a purchase that it really means he's going to buy it right than and there!

Yesterday Ellie and I had the worst case of the 24 hour flu. There is nothing worse than kissing porcelain! All I remember in my daze of sickness was Rick saying that he was going to "talk" to a guy about getting a new tattoo. We'll, three hours later he showed up with a new one!

Here's the history about the tattoo- for starter's the tattoo is not finished. This is just the outline. I think Rick got a little scared if he spent any more money in one trip that his wife may go a little crazy and secondly if he was gone any longer while having two sick people at home his wife, once again, may loose her mind!

I love the fact that there isn't room on the tree for new names! I love my kids to death, but three kids is enough for me!!! Also, I love the fact that is we ever get a divorce his new woman will always have a nice little reminder of ME!!!

The Bithell Curse

2007-03-11T08:56:00.000-05:00

If you were born one of the lucky bearing the last name Bithell, you are probably already aware of the curse that also follows that name. It has to do with having a wet basement. Basically, any Bithell that owns a house with a basement is guaranteed to have major problems. It's just the facts!
So here is my problem. Our neighbors lived in the City of Warren before it was established as a city. In fact their house is one of the first farmhouses that was built in Macomb County. If you live in Warren you are suppose to be connect to city water and sewer. They are not. Not a big deal if your house isn't right next to their septic field. Still not a big deal unless you complained to the city earlier in the year about flooding in your front yard and the city so nicely re-routes the flooding to dump in their septic field (which the city was not aware they were doing). So now we have a septic field which I think is too full. I hate to be a witch and all, but the thought of my kids playing in the poop filled puddles outside just don't sit well with me. So now I have to complain to the city once again and have them deal with my neighbors and their pooh. My neighbors have made it clear to us that they have no intentions on connecting because it would cost them $$$ to do so. I guess I have no choice other than to be a bitchy neighbor.

Back to the curse, not only do we have puddles outside, but that poopy water has also found its way into my basement. I guess that's what happens when you put gallons upon gallons of water up against a cinder block wall. The curse lives on!!!!

A face this cute should not have to play in poopy water!

My New Toy!

2007-03-02T19:06:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited, I got a new toy! I finally got a digital camera. I have been using my video camera for my stills and it just wasn't cutting it. It's a Sony 10.1 megapixel camera. I promise to post so amazing pictures!!!

This One Is For Cabby!

2007-02-22T21:10:00.000-05:00

My two best friends! I know it's cheesy but it's true. We had such a fun time spending time together at Christmas. It seems the older we get the less time we get to see each other, but those trips down memory lane are always a riot! Love you guys!

Sisterly Love!

2007-02-19T20:14:00.000-05:00

This is what you get when your best friend is your older sister!

Ellie and Aiden love to play dress-up, poor little Aiden will someday realize that most boys don't wear dresses and skirts!

Nipples?

2007-02-07T16:43:00.000-05:00

I never knew socks had nipples.

The other day I was trying to get the kids dressed and out the door when Ellie busted out with "I hate these nipples on my socks"! I looked at her kind of strange and asked her what "nipples" she was referring to. She then showed me the stitching along the toe of the sock. I guess it all makes sense, in a way they are kind of like "nipples"!

There's never a dull moment at the Dains house!

Happy Day!

2007-02-04T20:28:00.000-05:00

Happy 31st Birthday to Lindsay!

I had great intentions to take pictures of this great celebration of a day, but I got a killer cold and didn't feel much like snapping pictures. In fact, by the time I had made it over to my parents house for my Birthday lunch I was an absolute mess. I was a 31 year old crying baby. I have serious issues with getting sick and not being able to function like a normal person. Getting the kids bathed and dressed just about knocked me over and then getting myself ready to go put me over the edge. It sounds stupid, but this cold put me on an emotional roller coaster.

Putting this miserable cold aside, it really has been a nice birthday weekend. Rick took me out to lunch and dinner yesterday and then today I had lunch with my parents and dinner with my in-laws. So much for the diet this weekend! Rick did get me a new pair of tennis shoes for my birthday so I'll guess I'll have to start working out again and burn off all this food I gorged on this weekend!

Once I get over this near-death cold, I'll start snapping some more pictures. No more excuses!!!

Cruising!

2007-01-17T09:20:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! Rick and I have booked our first ever cruise. We got an amazing deal through a guy that Rick works with. It is a 6 day cruise taking off from Fort Lauderdale going to the Bahamas, Grand Cayman, and Costa Maya. We don't leave until September 23rd, so I have a couple of months to diet and save money for a boob job! I WILL look amazing on this cruise!

If anyone is interested in joining us, let me know and we'll give you the info for the lady that we booked it through. It should be an amazing time!

150 Things

2007-01-15T09:55:00.000-05:00

150 Things
In bold if I've done it. In italics if I want to. Enjoy!!

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
o2. Swum with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Ridden in a Ferrari
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Bungee jumped
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and seen the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to an Olympics game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on Dom Perignon
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day (I've pretended to be Chinese but I've also done Ava dahhhling)
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched wild whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Taken a midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Ireland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone snorkeling in the Caribbean
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Visited the Great Wall of China
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River
82. Appeared on television as a featured guest
83. Received flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sung loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Published one or more books
106. Lost 100 pounds
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours (I was really sick)
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream (sometimes a nightmare!)
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Christmas Morning!

2006-12-31T14:14:00.000-05:00

This little video clip is absolutley hilarious! Ellie was given a "Doodle Bear" for Christmas. Her response to the question "what do you do with it" is too funny. Enjoy the clip!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-19T21:54:00.000-05:00

This year there will be no Christmas cards. Not like I ever really got around to doing Christmas cards in past years! However, I thought a virtual Christmas card/letter on my blog site would be a great way to keep everyone updated. So here it goes, here's the run down on all of the Dains family.

Rick is still working at Home Depot. He was recently moved from working the midnight shift back to working days. Working 10pm-7am and then having to take care of the kids all day just about killed him! I am still with Wireless Resources. This August will be my 5 year anniversary.

This year Rick and I spent time re-doing our house. We tore out the carpet in our dining and living room and put down hardwood. Rick also installed a fence all around the back yard. It kept the dog in for the short while that we had her!

Nicholas is in the 5th grade this year. The child is almost taller than me! Nicholas' passion in life is computer/video games. What ever happened to Pac-Man and Dig-Dug? The games these days are so involved!!! Nicholas has also spent this year working on his money collection. I've always said if one of my kids is going to be rich someday it will be Nicholas! He collects everything from coins and currency from other countries to unique money finds. He's a good kid.

Ellie is my princess! She is so stink'in sweet. She just had her 4th birthday. Ellie is most known for her unique style. This girl will change her outfit 10 times a day. Sometimes she'll wear numerous outfits all at once. It's not rare to find her wearing her bathing suit under outfits, just in case some one might want to go for a swim (it's freak'in cold here.....the girl is such an optimist!).

Aiden just turned 2 years old. He is the spitt'in image of his father. He loves any thing sports related and anything that is boyish. He is also a very tender little boy. Every day this month that little sweetie has wished me a Merry Christmas! I guess he's really excited for Santa to come!

This year I've learned a lot. Most importantly I've learned to be thankful for all that I've been blessed with. I hope that 2007 brings happiness to all my friends and family! (I know that was a little cheesy, but what the hell, it's a Christmas card!). Merry Christmas!

Rick's IQ

2006-12-15T21:14:00.000-05:00

Rick is smarter than we all thought! After a long night and a very full stomach from eating at Red Robin Rick finally agreed to take an IQ test. I thought for sure he wouldn't score higher than me.....I guess this is what I get for being so arrogant!

How Smart Are You?

2006-12-02T08:05:00.000-05:00

I can only imagine how bright I really am. Let me explain, while I was taking that IQ test I had Aiden literally climbing all over me, Ellie rollerskating in the dining room in the buck, and the TV blaring in the background. I should also mention that it's only 8am.....not that that's a huge factor, but I haven't really even woken up yet. I'll just assume that I'm much brighter than the test has marked me as.

Merry Christmas!

2006-11-28T09:09:00.000-05:00

The holiday season has officially arrived!

Last night we loaded the kids in the car and drove to downtown Rochester for their annual light show event. We had never gone down to the event before, in fact, I never new the event existed. It was well worth the 30 minute drive and the 30 minute wait in traffic. Downtown Rochester is aprox. 1/2 mile long of fun little shops. They had decorated all of the shops with thousands of lights and then had a count down to the lighting. We made it just in time for the count down. Santa was also there (which Aiden was more than geeked about!). The crowd was crazy. I felt like I was at a Grateful Dead show (not so much of the people that gathered, but the crowd in general). The lights were truly spectacular. The picture really doesn't do it justice, the lights went on a lot further and lined both sides of the street. I love the holiday season!

Apple Pie

2006-11-13T20:43:00.000-05:00

Let me start off by telling everyone that reads this that I have the most amazing apple pie recipe. I found it on the website allrecipes.com, which I absolutely love. I tried the recipe a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with it. The crust reminds me of the crust from an apple pie from McDonalds, life just doesn't get any sweeter!

Let me get to the point of my blog, I made this amazing apple pie for my mom and Ben's birthday celebration (Happy Birthday Mom & Ben!!!). The plan was to go to church and then head over to Susan's house to celebrate. I loaded up the pie and placed it securely on the ground of the van. When we got to church things got a little hectic with trying to get out of the mini van (easier said than done when there's 5 people trying to all get out at once), then I looked over and Aiden had so suavely placed his foot right in the middle of my pie. I seriously couldn't believe it. I wanted to have a fit, but I was in the church parking lot so I contained myself.

Regardless of the footprint, the pie still tasted great.....we all just ate around the footprint!

If you want to try this amazing apple pie (minus the foot) here's the recipe-

Ingredients:

1 recipe pastry for a 9 in double crust pie

1/2 c. unsalted butter

3 T. flour

1/2 c. white sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/4 c. water

6 big apples

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in four to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, and water, bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Pour almost all of the sauce over the apples (I left out around 1/4 of a cup). Cover with apples with the top crust. Cut a few venting strips in the crust. Brush the crust with the remaining sauce.

3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and continue to bake for 40 minutes.

4. Enjoy!

Nothing New!

2006-11-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

I never thought I'd be so delighted to share that I have absolutely nothing new going on in my life! With the last couple of months being crazy, hectic, and out of control, it's finally nice to have nothing new and no drama. We spent the weekend working in the yard (I've never seen Nicholas work so hard....I think I have a pyro on my hands, he really liked burning the leaves). We also went to an alcoholics anonymous club. I'm trying to be upbeat and supportive with this whole NA/AA drama, but that club was about as boring as it gets! It was nice to get out alone with Rick, regardless if the club was lame. I hope that my next blog entry is as equally as lame as this one!

Ellie's Look Alikes

2006-10-25T19:59:00.000-05:00

I just couldn't stop myself from posting Ellie's look-a-likes. Take notice that another Osborne made it on the chart!

Celebrity Look Alike

2006-10-25T19:38:00.000-05:00

Rick was listening to the radio this morning and heard about a website that you could put your picture on and then it will tell you who which celebrity you look like. I'll been having soooo much fun! I had to post my picture because I thought it was so histerical. I can't believe I look like the Osborne kid. I've been doing it all night with picture after picture. If you want to try it, the website is www.myheritage.com. Have fun!

Happy Birthday!

2006-10-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday Dad! Sixty years old and still wets the bed!

Fall in Michigan!

2006-10-21T16:40:00.000-05:00

Autumn in Michigan is the most beautiful time of year! We spent the day getting our yard ready for the winter...it will be here way too soon! Nicholas had a blast buring the leaves and Ellie and Aiden were content playing soccer with their Dad. It was a gorgous day!

Casey Sky

2006-10-06T08:15:00.000-05:00

My niece, Casey Sky, made it into this world without any trouble! She is a beautiful little girl. She weighs 6lbs 14oz. She looks just like her sister! I can't believe how amazing my sister-in-law looks after delivering a new baby! Congrats!

New Baby!

2006-10-04T08:01:00.000-05:00

I figured it's time to move on from those dreary previous posts! I have some extremly exciting news, my baby niece is being born today!!!!! I love watching our family grow. I'll post pictures and details as soon as I hear. Congratulations Steven & Candice & Family!!!!

Foot Prints

2006-09-28T09:34:00.000-05:00

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the LORD.
Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand: one belonging to him, and the other to the LORD.
When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand.
He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints.
He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times in his life.
This really bothered him and he questioned the LORD about it:
"LORD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you'd walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why when I needed you most you would leave me."The LORD replied:
"My son, my precious child,I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering,when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."

This poem always makes me cry....

Stability

2006-09-28T09:23:00.000-05:00

I won't go into details, but this has been one of the most trying years of my life. Just when I think things can't get worse, they do. I've been thinking a lot about that "Foot Prints" poem where it talks about life getting too hard and having the Lord carry you. The Lord is carrying me right now!

There is one thing in my life that has always brought comfort/joy/stability. As stupid as it sounds it has been Sunday dinners at my moms. We have always (since birth) eaten Sunday dinner as a family. My mom has still continued that tradition even though we're all grown and out of the house. This past Sunday she made the most incredible Shepard's Pie. I have yet to come across anyone that can make a better dish! I had my dad take a picture of it because not only did it taste amazing, it also looked amazing! The dish stood 7 inches high!!!! My mom really knows how to cook!

2006-09-19T08:26:00.000-05:00

I'm such a blond! Rick and I took the kids up to Franenmuth this past weekend and of course I forgot the camera. I forgot the camera because Saturday morning I woke up and went outside to get my paper and what did I find on my front porch....a baby kitty. So of course I had to take pictures of the little kitty. With all of the excitment the camera was left on the counter.

Franenmuth was a blast. We went through a mirror maze, rode pony's, went on a hayride, walked through Bronners (a Christmas all year store), ate tons of fudge and popcorn, and did tons of walking around town. I would have had a ton of cute pictures...but oh well, there's always next time!

I will share some pictures of the baby kitty (which ended up belonging to a kid down the street). You'll have to excuse Ellie's fro....when you've got curls you have good days and bad days! By the way, if your wondering why Nicholas isn't in any of these pictures it's because that kid will sleep till the moon comes out...pre-teens are so much fun!

FOR THE LOVE!

2006-09-12T07:22:00.000-05:00

Ok- I searched all night and finally found the picture of me prior to the ballet recital (as you can tell the tights are still dry!). It's a little on the goofy side, but hey, we can all use a good laugh!

My Dancing Queen

2006-09-11T18:46:00.000-05:00

My little girl started dance tonight! As many of you already know, if you have the Bithell genes then you are a born dancer! If you doubt that comment just ask Tom Bithell to do a little dance and you'll see what I mean.

Ellie will be going to tap/acrobat every Monday night. In June she'll have a recital (we went to the neighbors recital last June and surprisingly it was very cool!).

I'll have to scan in the photo of myself when I took ballet a couple of decades ago. It is probably the most ridiculous picture that anyone has ever seen. I would have been the most beautiful ballet dancer, but at my first recital I accidently wet my pants on stage. It wasn't nerves, I just really had to go! Before Ellie left for dance tonight I asked her repeatetly if she had to pee. Thankfully we didn't have an accident!

She is the sweetest little tap dancer around!

Food For Thought

2006-08-31T08:27:00.000-05:00

As many of you already know, I'm a little on the bizzare side or should I say excentric! Rick gets a little tired of my wierd'o'ness, but hey, he knew what he was getting into when he married me!

We were sitting around the dinner table the other night eating an amazing meal of marinated grilled chicken, fresh corn, and basmati rice. I love rice so much that I blurted out that I could live off of rice the rest of my life and eat nothing else. Rick laughed and said yeah right and then refered back to the comment I made not to long ago about how I was going to give up sugar because I wanted to really know what it was like to go through withdraws (as many of you know my brother has been trying to keep a drug habit for a long time and I felt if he was going to give up drugs I would also try to give up something I was addicted to). Needless to say, the whole sugar thing didn't even last 2 days....what can I say, sugar is in just about everything! Sorry Sam, I tried to be supportive and keep my habit with you, but I just couldn't do it!

Back to the whole rice deal- it sparked a conversation about what food you would choose if you could only choose one food to live off of the rest of your life. Rick chose Polish Sausage.....how gross! Seriously, one food in the whole entire world and he choose's sausage. That gives me a stomach ache just thinking of it. I posed the question to a couple of co-workers and they both agreed on pizza. Once again, I have to say that it makes me ill to think of living off of pizza. You just can't go wrong with rice. I'm sticking with my first choice!!!! What would you choose?

Peaches

2006-08-28T07:02:00.000-05:00

We have a new addition to the family! Her name is Peaches and she's 5 months old. She is the sweetest puppy around! Rick has been talking about a dog ever since we got married. Last year when we bought our house he started planning for its arrival. He installed a new fence (which at the time he said was to keep the kids in, but in reality it was for a dog), and has been talking and bringing home pictures and books about dogs non-stop. I was really starting to get annoyed with the whole subject, I tend to be more of a cat person or no animal at all person. Then, the people that live on the street next to us had a puppy that they were getting rid of. Rick was right there begging for the pup. To make a long story short the couple that we got the dog from broke up and they were arguing who would get the puppy, since they couldn't decide they choose to give her away. Their lose, our win! She really is an amazing pup. She loves the kids and is a lot of fun to be around. Now were thinking of re-naming our cat, Nora, to Cream. Then we'd have Peaches and Cream!

2006-08-22T13:54:00.000-05:00

Ok, I'm a little ticked off right now. I sent some good quality time blogging about this past weekend and how we had so much fun at the Dream Cruise and then I went to spell check it and the whole dang thing disappeared. Sorry to tell all of you, there will be no more spell checking! And, I'm not going to apoligize for misspelled words.....I just don't care!

As for the lost blog, I will try to sum it up nice and sweet. We all (my family, Susan's family, and mom & dad) went to the Dream Cruise this past weekend. It was a lot of fun. Ben, Susan's husband, was a big old goof ball and danced around on the front lawn of the Chapel trying to make the cars with hydrolics dance with him. If you've never seen a car dance before you're missing out. It really is cool how they can get them to hop around.

The original blog had more details, but that's life people......you get what you get!

Aiden Turns 2!!!

2006-08-15T07:12:00.000-05:00

Last week was a busy week. My baby, Aiden, turned 2 years old! My Aunt Nancy once told me that she celebrated her birthday for a week, she figured if the Jews could celebrate Chanuka for a week, why not celebrate birthdays that long too. I absolutely loved that idea, so ever since birthdays in my house are a week long celebration.

We started off the week celebrating at my In-Laws house. Not only does Aiden have an August birthday, but so does everyone else that lives in Michigan!!! Happy Birthday Day- Emmy, Cindy, Hunter, Susan, Emily, and Nicholas! Aiden got to go swimming, eat cake, and open gifts with his Emmy and Poppy.

On Saturday we had a little birthday party for the neighborhood kids (I figured since there always at my house anyways, this was a great excuse for them to bring gifts!!!). The kids had a blast. My neighbors recently had a pool installed, so we made it a swimming party. Aiden more than loved the attention.

We ended the week celebrating Aiden's and Susan's birthday at my mom's house. Aiden got the Superman pj's from Grandma. When Nicholas was his age he had a pair that he looked so stink'n cute in, so of course Aiden had to have a pair too.

I know you can't see the cake too well in the top picture, but I have to explain all that went on it. My mom really wanted the cake to be fun for Aiden and Susan so she first thought about decorating it with M&M's (one of Aiden's favorite treats). She then thought about Susan and her favorite treat, Mallow Cups. Not only is the cake loaded with M&M's, but it is also topped with Mallow Cups......it was quite the hit!

Happy Birthday to all the August Birthday's!!!!

Favorite Pictures!

2006-07-21T10:56:00.000-05:00

I'm kind of bummed because my new camera that I got in February is having issues. The lense won't open so I can't take any new pictures. I have to send the camera into Sony for a partial warranty repair. They will cover parts but I still have to pay $129 for the labor (which I think is totally unfair because it is still pretty new, but ohh well that's life). So I've decided to post some of my favorite pictures of my kids. That way, people who don't live around us can still see how they've grown.
Nicholas is turning 11 on August 26th, Ellie turns 3 on Dec. 10th and Aiden turns 2 on August 9th. Enjoy!

This is a pretty recent picture of Aiden. He's turned into such a happy baby (the first 7 month's were grueling...colic sucks!).

These pictures were taken right before Easter. She's such a little princess!

I couldn't resist this picture of Nicholas. He was a punk for Halloween last year. The picture doesn't do the costume justice. He had piercings all over his face, a huge mohac, and all the jewelry to go along with it. I can just imagine in a couple of years him wanting to dress like this all the time! By the way, he is flipping the camera off....that little punk!

2006-07-17T09:19:00.000-05:00

Ok, everyone else has already jumped on the bandwagon of blogging, so I figured I'd start my own! There's nothing worse than being the last one to jump on a new trend!

This past weekend Rick and I took the kids up north to Caseville, MI. We had a great time hanging out at the beach, it was a blast. Aiden is my little dare devil! He was jumping into the little waves with no fear. Ellie was more interested in the sand and digging herself a whole than the water, don't get me wrong, she spent hours in the water, but the sand was her thing. As for Nicholas, I would occassionaly look off in the distance to make sure that he was still alive. That poor child is so sunburned!

As fun as the beach was, I'm glad to be home. I really missed the air conditioning and my daily routines. I spend hours each day out side tending to my garden (I ate my first tomato from my garden yesterday!!!!). Now I'm back to work and very content with it.

I promise to blog on a regular basis, but I guarantee it won't be as much as others. Time is such a precious thing. Enjoy the pictures.