Oh my gosh, we're back again...

Did everyone see NKOTBSB on the AMA's?  If not, here it is-



Can I just say that I love them?!

Anyway, yes, I am finally back.  To tell the truth, after my last post, I was really at a loss for words.  Then, time kept moving forward and I felt like everyday was September 17.  I was very sad and it overwhelmed me.  My Papa was such an incredible man.  I really had a hard time with it...harder than I thought I would have.  But, he is with God and not in any pain anymore and for that I am thankful.  I still have hard days, but I know where he is and that's what helps me. 

So, we missed some stuff, huh?  This year my mom and I decided to go to the pumpkin festival with the kids.  The last time I went was when I was 14 and we went with my Papa.  So, mom and I wanted to go back and Ry wanted a tall, skinny pumpkin for the front porch!:)  When we walked into the first booth on the street, they were playing Edelweiss.  For those that don't know, this is an old german song which is also on The Sound of Music.  It was one of papa's favorites and it made mom and I tear up thinking that he was there with us in spirit. 

Anyway, we had a blast there, although it was super hot outside.  It was unusually warm, but we braved the weather and had a good time. 

Then there was Halloween and it was super fun!  Ry wanted to be Indiana Jones, which is so funny to me considering he has never seen the movie!  He has the Lego Wii game though and loves it.  And little Reese was a cowgirl.  A cowgirl that hated her boots and refused to wear them.  She rolled around on the floor saying "shoe...shoe!" and was a bear for the 5 minutes she had them on.  So, they went back to the store.  LOL

Aren't they so cute?:)

So, another thing I have been up to is running.  I have ran in the past, just short distances and always have told myself that I would run a half marathon and I just kept putting it off.  I also complained about my weight, but never did anything about it.  Until one night Lee and I were talking and he said to me, like he has before many times, to do something about it.  He told me that I was the only one who could make myself happy.  And you know what?  He was right...just like the ten times before.  But, something was different this time.  I actually believed it.  So, I started using SparkPeople.com and their app on my iPhone and running 4-5 times a week.  And you know what happened?  In about 6 weeks, I have lost 17 pounds and 10 inches!  And I am now running a 10 minute mile (one of my goals) and my longest run to date has been 4.5 miles.  I can't believe it!  I feel so much better about myself!  It has helped me with not only more energy, but not being so sad anymore.  I am a person, who like most people, wants instant gratification.  So many times I have given up because the results I wanted didn't happen the way I wanted.  But, being patient has certainly paid off!:)

So, I am going to try to be a better blogger. I have missed it. 
Here is a recent picture of the kids.  Ry has become obsessed with Nerf guns.  He switches them all around and makes new ones.  Reese...she just likes the glasses.  Haha. 
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

DFW 10/27/30-09/17/10

Our Heavenly Father called home a wonderful man today.
How grateful I am to have been blessed to have this incredible man in my life as my Papa. He was the kindest man and had a heart of gold. I have so many fond memories that I will later share.

Mr. Don Fredrick Walz, age 79 years, of Jackson, Mo., formerly of Jefferson City, Mo. passed away Friday, September 17, 2010 at Jackson Manor in Jackson, Mo.
Don Walz, a beloved husband, father and grandfather, was born at St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City, Mo. on October 27, 1930, the fourth child of Milo H. Sr. and Esther Beck Walz. He attended Trinity Lutheran School and was a 1948 graduate of Jefferson City High School. Don went on to graduate from the University of Missouri-Columbia with degrees in Business and Finance. During this time he began a 60 year career with Milo H. Walz, Inc., a company founded by his parents, Milo H. Sr. and Esther Walz, in 1923 on the Southside of Jefferson City.
After graduating from college, Don entered the United States Army as a finance officer and was stationed in Ft. Lewis, Wa. during the Korean Conflict. Although serving during war time, he enjoyed the opportunity to see the Western part of the United States and make life-long friends. It was his time in the Army that he discovered his passion for snow skiing. He also shared that passion with his wife, Norma, and they enjoyed many trips to Colorado.
After serving his term with the United States Army, Don returned to Jefferson City and joined his father’s company, Milo H. Walz. Each one of his siblings had their own niche in the company and Don’s was Hardware. In 1963, he and his family opened Walz True Value Hardware which stood on the Southside until 1997. In the late 70’s they expanded the hardware business to Holts Summit. One of Don’s greatest prides was the expansion of the Jefferson City Hardware store in 1987. He enjoyed working with the staff and spending time with his customers.
On January 16, 1965, Don married the love of his life, Norma June Smith. Together they raised four children; Rick, Denise, Donna and Steve.
During his career, Don served as Secretary of Milo H. Walz, Inc and President of Walfam, Inc which included development properties of Millbrook and a development track on Missouri Boulevard. He also managed M & E Enterprises and other various companies that were involved with Milo H. Walz, Inc. In 1996, Don and his brother Bob sold the retail businesses in Jefferson City and Columbia and retired. Milo H. Walz was a permanent fixture on the Southside of Jefferson City for over 73 years. Don served as the President of Milo H. Walz Real Estate until his death which encompassed properties both in Columbia and Jefferson City. Milo H. Walz, Inc. operated in Jefferson City, Columbia, Osage Beach and Holts Summit.
Don also found time to serve his community that he loved so much. Don was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church. He served as the President of the Faith Lutheran School Board and spent many years as part of the choir. He joined the Jaycees in 1954 and in 1961 was elected president. He and his brother Milo (Bud) were co-chairmen of the Jaycee Cole County Fair. They were instrumental in moving the fair from Industrial Drive to the location where it now stands on Fairgrounds Road. He along with many others started the Trinity Lutheran School Alumnae Association. He felt fortunate to serve as President for 2 terms. He served in many capacities in the Southside Business League along with his father, brothers and sister. In 1978, he served as Vice-President of the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce. He was also elected to a two year Board of Director position for Memorial Community Hospital. Don took great pride in serving the Jefferson City community for the majority of his life.
In 1971, Don was asked to join the Western Association for Hardware and Implement Dealers. He served as their President as his father had before him. In 1975, he was elected to the National Retail Hardware Association Board of Directors. He served on the board for 12 years and was elected as President in 1986. That same year, he was asked by the International Ironmongers Association to speak in Stockholm Sweden on retailing practices which was one of the greatest highlights of his professional career. While on the national board he served a year with the Mueller Foundation. Don retired from the National Board in 1990 after 15 years of service.
Don was a gifted pianist, painter and singer and an avid Missouri Tigers and South Florida Bulls fan. He had a passion for traveling, especially snow skiing which he enjoyed until he was 75 years old. He enjoyed golfing with his cousin, Elroyd, and gardening. He loved water skiing and spending time at the Lake of the Ozarks with his family. His greatest love was enjoying his grandchildren. They were the light of his life.
In 2009, Don and Norma moved to Cape Girardeau, MO to be near their daughter. Don was currently a member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Cape Girardeau.
Don is survived by his loving wife of forty-five years, Norma; his four children, Rick Thrash and wife Amy of Jefferson City, Denise Willroth and husband Mark of Jefferson City, Donna Ward and husband Todd of Jackson, MO and Steve Walz and wife Shelley of Tampa, FL.
Don and Norma were blessed with 6 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren: Missy Holmes and husband Lee and children Rylee and Reece of Jefferson City; Anna Thrash of Columbia, Tom Thrash of Jefferson City, Charley Thrash of Columbia, Henry Walz of Tampa, FL and Lily Ward of Jackson, MO. There was truly no Papa loved as much as Don Walz was by his grandchildren.
Don is also survived by brother James Walz and wife Marinell of Jefferson City; a sister, Ruth Downey of Texas; sister-in-laws, Claudia Walz, Janet Walz Urzi; and his “7th” brother Elroyd Renfrow all of Jefferson City.
Don was preceded in death by his parents, Milo Sr. and Esther Walz; his beloved sister, Doris Walz; and brothers and sister-in-law’s, Milo H. Walz Jr (Bud) and Pat Walz, Herbert Walz, Robert Walz Sr., Jim Downey, Richard “Dick” and Gerry Walz, and Susie Renfrow.
A visitation will be at Freeman Mortuary from 4:00 until 7:00 pm Wednesday, September 22, 2010.
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am Thursday, September 23, 2010 at Faith Lutheran Church. The Reverend Tony Alter will preside over the service to celebrate Don’s life. Graveside services and interment with full military honors will be held at the Walz family plot at Riverview Cemetery.
Pallbearers at Don’s services will be Steve Walz, Rick Thrash, Mark Willroth, Todd Ward, Tom Thrash and Charley Thrash, and Honorary Pallbearer is Don “Henry” Walz.
In lieu of flowers, Don had requested any contributions be made to Faith Lutheran Church and the National Alzheimer’s Association and Southeast Missouri Hospice.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of Freeman Mortuary.

blogging!

I have a confession...I am obsessed love the blog world! I love all things that have to do with blogging. I mean seriously...look at my blog roll.
I love the craft blogs, where I draw inspriration. There are so many projects that have been added to my "list" of sewing, crocheting, mod podge-ing, crafting, and the list goes on and on and on! These people are seriously talented!!! I am in the process of beginning my own craft blog, so I hope to inspire others, too:)

I love the personal blogs and reading about other people's journeys through life. I have learned so much from each one of these that I follow. I have learned to be a better friend, daughter, wife, mother and to appreciate life so much more! I am so inspired by the testimonies I have read and by the faith these people have in our God. It is constantly making me strive to better my own faith in Him. These people are incredible!

My plan is to hopefully organize my blog roll into different categories, but for now, they are all mixed together. Take some time to meet these inspiring people. You won't regret it!:)

Hope that have a Happy Thursday! Here are my two sweet babes!

Come for the ride...

Here are the kids dancing to a Thomas the Train sing-a-long last weekend. They sure are little dancing fools:)
This was such a fun night filled with singing and dancing!

Happy Wednesday!

Breakin' it down

Woohoo! I figured it out:)

I have been meaning to post this video for a while to share with you all. What a funny little boy that we have. This was taken at our favorite mexican restaurant, in the bathroom of all places! We asked Ry where he wanted to eat after surviving his first day of school and he chose there. He and Lee went to the bathroom to wash their hands and when Lee turned around, Ry was dancing.

Enjoy!:)

I love these kids!

So, I have been trying to post a video of Rylee, so when I figure it out, I will post it. It's darling:)

Anyway, we had a wonderful Labor Day weekend here full of a whole lot of nothing. Sometimes these times are the best! We hung out, bbqed, danced, played outside and just enjoyed life.

Last Thursday, my Aunt Donna and Grandma came into town for a funeral(sadly), but we got to spend some time with them that evening. Aunt Donna snapped this picture of us four generations at my Mom's house. I feel so completely blessed to have these women in my life.


Also, last week I was remminded of how great our God is. I was having a down week and needed some uplifting. So, not once, but twice in the same day no less, God showed me he was there. What an amazing and loving God we serve! The first was in the morning on the way to take Reesie to the sitter and the second was taken by my loving husband while I was at work and he told me that he was thinking of me.<3




And last, but definately not least, I will leave you with pictures of these kids I love. They are my life and my heart. They truly are my everything:)








I also have another video of them dancing from this weekend, so hopefully I can figure out how to upload it!

Hope you all had a great labor day!

A beautiful sky

Just wanted to share with you the sky that I saw this morning on my run. I discovered today that running to me is just relaxing and putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying God's work. It was a beautiful run and a beautiful day to be alive. God is so good!:)




Hope everyone had a great Monday!

This little piggy...

Reesie's first piggies! Her hair is finally long enough for pigtails! Mama is so proud:)

She sat so still on my lap and let me brush her hair and put it up. Lucy even got in on the hair doing action!

Happy Thursday!

First Day of School

We, uh, I mean I, officially survived the first day of school! Woohoo! Rylee was so excited and was ready to go. Lee and I (and Reesie, too) parked and walked him up to the building. When we finally reached the doors after several pictures he told us that he we didn't need to walk him in, he was okay by himself. Yeah right. Like that was gonna happen. My baby, first day? Um...no. He remembered where his classroom was and when he walked into the room, (after more pictures), he proudly announced "Good morning, Ms. Leake!". After hanging his book bag and giving daddy a quick hug, he took a coloring page and sat down in his seat and began talking and coloring with the little boy next to him. He was ready. He was such a big kid. Wow.

So, his first day was great. His favorite part was lunch (they had pizza) and recess ("We went outside two times!") and they got to visit the library and do a spy mission. And you all will be proud to know that the only time I got weepy was when I was waiting to pick him up in the carpool line and it all hit me. Good timing, though because who wants to look over and see a blubbering idiot in the carpool line. Haha. Oh, who am I kidding? The day isn't over yet.

August 10, 2004

Tuesday August 10, 2004, God blessed us with the sweetest and most compassionate little boy. I had been in labor for 20+ hours and finally at 5:41 p.m., Rylee made his appearance. He weighed in at a whopping 8.4 and was 20 inches long. The moment that I held him, I knew that my life would forever be changed. We both did. I know that a lot of people say that they can't remember their lives without children, but I can tell you that since the birth of our beautiful son, I am forever changed. I don't remember what it was like before him and I don't even care. All I know is that these two children have made me the happiest I have ever been. (Yes, yes I am such a sap!) Every day is not rainbows and butterflies and trust me, I do get frustrated, but it's all worth it. God is so good!

So, fast forward six years and here we are, with a young man, on the verge of his first day of Kindergarten. This year we let him choose what he wanted to do for his birthday and he decided he wanted to have Wendy's for lunch and go to Bonkers with his cousin and have fun. So, that's what we did. Here are some pictures of the kids from their afternoon fun.





So, tomorrow is the big day! Rylee starts kindergarten. And for those who know me, it is going to be a bittersweet day for me. I am so excited that we have reached this point and he is sooo ready, but at the same time it's a little sad to send my baby off on a new adventure. I know deep down in my heart that he will do amazingly well, so I have no worry there. So, in the spirit of the last day of summer, I leave you with a picture of the kids on their first SnoBiz of the year.


Happy last day of summer!:)

My baby is 6?!

Well, he isn't a baby anymore! I can't believe that my little boy is six years old. Since his birthday fell on Tuesday this year, we decided to have his party on Sunday. He is in love with Super Mario Brothers, so I decided to have craft time and draw and color some of the main characters to put up at the party. He had no idea that we were even having a party, so he was very surprised!



(Isn't this cake fabulous?)

We are so blessed to have such great friends and family who helped make the party a hit. It is so fun to watch him at this age, because everything he opens is "just what I have been wanting"! He got all kinds of things and was filled with excitement!

Shorts from Aunt Amy and Uncle Ricky

Cool Nerf Gun

All of the kids...Not sure what Reese is doing! LOL

Connect Four

With Cousin Jordan

I want to thank all who came and especially want to thank my friend Lyndsey for taking all of these wonderful pictures. The iPhone wasn't gonna cut it that day:)

Boys will be boys!

Reese and her new friend Katherine

The birthday boy and mama

Our latest family picture

Hope you all had a great week and a good Friday the 13th! Suprisingly enough (considering how neurotic I am) I have never disliked Friday the 13th. It's just another day and I don't mind the number 13. :)
I will post more this weekend about what we did on Ry's actual birthday and the getting ready for school next week!

Officer of the Year! and a Happy Birthday!

Here is it! He is officially famous now...lol! Just kidding:)
Click here to check out the article in the Sunday edition of the News Tribune. I couldn't be more proud of him! And to top off of the excitement, today is his birthday. I am so very thankful to have Lee in my life. He is an amazing father to our kids and an incredible husband and best friend to me. God has truly blessed me. It is so crazy to think that this is our tenth year together. Here's to many more with the man I love!


photo by the newstribune

Something on my mind...

So, I know that I just posted today already, but I have to post about this family. They had a tragic accident a couple of weeks ago and I felt the need to help.
You can go to their blog, patrickandashley.blogspot.com, to read all about their story and there is a donation button to click to help. This story has really effected my heart and has made me thank God for the gifts He has brought into my life. I am so blessed and the love, hope and faithfulness of this family has made me want to not only be a better person, friend, wife and mother, but also a better follwer in our God. Please click to help. I can't imagine going through this and admire the strength that God has given to them
Preslee's Song

Well....took me a while, huh?

Yeah I know...I have a lot of catching up to do. I am a total slacker! This past 8(wow) months have gone by so super fast! We has a fabulous Christmas with our families and Reese really enjoyed her first! By the way, this picture was taken right when she got up one morning, so she doesn't look too happy at the moment! Ha!

The new year brought in some cold weather and a ton of ear infections with it. Our beautiful niece, Ashley got married to a wonderful man (Alex)in January. The wedding was beautiful and it's hard to believe that she is a grown up!


By the end of February, everyone around here was ready for spring! It finally came and in April, we celebrated! It was so much fun and it still is hard to believe that my baby girl turned ONE! We did a "Reesie in ONE-derland" theme and my cousin Anna made these beautiful cupcakes! Her website is pinkcupcakescolumbia.com.






May brought in some beautiful weather and also my big 3-OH MY! Yeah, I know it's hard to believe that I am 30. They say that you are only as old as you feel and if that's the case, I am still a teenager;) I'm just a big kid at heart! My wonderful and amazing husband made my birthday so very special! He first took me to get the tattoo that I have been wanting for forever! It is a sparrow with my kid's initials and star bursts around it. The sparrow symbolizes a new journey in life and always knowing your way home. The initials are obvious, but I wanted them on my foot because my kids keep me grounded. There is also a blue horseshoe for my loving husband, a green star for my bright boy Rylee and a pink wishbone for my Reesie girl because she has a wishbone birthmark. They are all symbols of luck, which is how I feel every day! God is so good!

Then we went out with some friends to dinner and to the Penguin, which is my favorite piano bar in Columbia! I am so thankful to have such great friends and we had a great time! Here are a few pictures that we snapped.





So, my big surprise for my birthday this year was tickets to Cirque Du Soliel's Alegria. Lee got me 3rd row seats and it was incredible! We went up a little early and walked around the SLU campus and it was beautiful. (The show was at their basketball arena.) They had some amazing gardens and the weather was just perfect. Since their mascot is the biliken, I had to get a picture of me rubbing it's belly. It is said to bring you good luck:)




In the middle of May, two of my niece's friends and I threw her a baby shower! (Yes, that makes me a great-aunt! Now I feel old...ha!) I made all of the decorations and I thought that they turned out fabulous! I wanted to make everything so she didn't have to throw anything away. I also broke my camera that day:( I am on the "prowl" for a new one right now. So, every picture taken these past couple of months have been on the iPhone!






June brought summer heat and fun in the sun. We had an amazing father's day and are incredibly blessed and fortunate to have Lee in our lives! He is an incredible father, husband and best friend! He has been busy working his little heinie off this summer for his school, conference and other things with work and it has paid off! He won the Missouri School Resource Officer of the year! The news tribune interviewed him yesterday, so as soon as the article comes out, I will post it!


July was hot! We had an awesome fourth uptown with Lee's mom. We walked around and ate funnel cake and corn dogs! We were too tired to wait up for the fireworks, so we bought some fountains, tanks, poppers and snakes and set them off. I am pretty sure that we were asleep by 10! Haha!



Also, my mom finally finished Reese's painting for her room! It turned out fantastic and am so proud to show you all!


And then the end of July brought wonderful news to our family. On July 28, our great-niece Addison Marie was born! After 33 hours in labor (poor Ashley!), she finally came into this world. There were some complications at first and she had to stay in the NICU for an extra day, but everything is fine now and she is beautiful! We are so excited for both Ashley and Alex and so thankful to God that all is well!


So, now we are to August! And this month is full of birthdays! My father-in-law is 60 on the 5th, my husband is 34 on the 9th and my baby boy is 6 (YES, 6!) on the 10th! I can not believe that! And to top it off, he starts kindergarten exactly one week later! For those that know me...yes, I will be bawling my eyes out!

So, I think that I am caught up now. Here are some current pictures of these crazy kids I love! I am going to try again to be better about blogging! Thanks for listening:)