Bella

Since my lasts post were less then creative, I decided to just post photos and captions in Bella's post. Enjoy!



Bella loved pulling her Valentine's Day cards out of the envelopes.

Nik playing with Bella

Bella helping Mommy fold the laundry....trying to make less work for me by putting Daddy's sock on.

Determined

Forget it I will just play with the sock

Bella playing with Louis at the Cimmino's Superbowl party. Yep, she plays with trucks and GI Joes....well rounded young lady!

Your Valentine's Day cards are still in my backpack....addressed, stamped, and ready to go....I just forgot to send....and by the way this was the best photo I got of the three of them....why can't they just sit, smile and be perfect for a quick moment for me to get a perfect photo??

Helping Daddy pull the car into the garage

This is the cutest outfit!

We went the a Pep Rally at the boys school. Bella kept walking up to the lady on the MC. She finally let Bella address the crowd. She babbled something and everyone clapped for her. She is well know at St. Ann not only among the staff but also the students!

Nik

Nik always played hard despite the score!

Nik with the chocolates he made in SPARKS.

What can I say....anyone that knows this kid knows he is laid back easy going and a ball of energy! He can wear me out just watching him some days. He is just like his Daddy! So much at times it is scary. He is super bright and knows it. I know he thinks I am an idiot already!

He was recently asked to be in SPARKS at school. SPARKS is our gifted program. He loves it. He goes three days a week. Unlike Zak, he never tells me what is going on at school, but on SPARKS day I get the entire scoop.

He just finished up a VERY LONG basketball season....God bless them they lost every game. We considered it a good game if the score was within 20 pts of the other team. PAINFUL!! He had a good time though.

He loves Bella very much, but plays really rough with her. He just does not get how fragile she is. Bella loves him too, but I think sometimes he is overwhelming to her.

Zak

This was one of Bella's Christmas gifts....his sense of hummor is a riot at times!
(his teacher just do not see it as funny....)

Holy Mother of Time, he will be 12 in two weeks!! It is amazing to look back at photos of him just since we arrived in TN. I am taken back at how adorable he is sometimes when he comes downstairs hair gelled, decked out in his Ambercrombie, he is a "big boy" now. He is looking forward to baseball starting in a few weeks and continues to do well in school. He is still giving us a few fits with his behavior, but in the grand scheme of things he is a really good kid! I remember being his age, it is hard to find where you belong.

He is such a big help with Bella. She adores him! She loves Nik too, but we can see there is something special between Zak and her. She YELLS his name when she cannot find him....ZAAA ZAAA ZAAA! When he is at school, she will walk into his room, point to his bed and say ZAA ZAA ZAA. It is priceless! He spend so much time with her. Today he was sitting on the floor playing with her and her "Lego's". She got up walked to steps and sat on his lap. It was so cute! She just sat there babbling. Those are the moments I wish I could bottle up and hold on to forever!

Larry and Jana's Happenings

Daddy helping Bella open Valentine's Day Cards

Since I have been a blogger slacker I thought I would post individual posts for the family verse one really long one....this gives my readers a chance to read what they want.

Larry is taking comp. finals this semester. He is really busy reading and studying, so our time is limited. He is doing a great job juggling both work and school. I know he is looking forward to his turnover this summer so he can be a full time student.

Last weekend Larry and I went to the boys Mardi Gras Auction/Dinner/Dance at St. Ann. We had a nice time, but did not "win" a thing this year.....oh well it cost us A LOT last year:)

I am back on the training kick. I am tired of being over weight and flabby. I do not have the courage to say how much I have to loose or how much I have lost, but I will say I am on my way. I feel like I am climbing straight up hill with no peak in sight, but I know I will get to the top of my hill soon. I am doing the "P90X" training DVD's and Weight Watchers. Neither are enjoyable, but I am starting to see results. Wish me luck that by summer I will be back to pre-Bella body.

Are You Kidding Me; Update

After another week without an oven, I finally have mine in working order! A very nice man from APlus appliances came out on Wednesday and fixed mine. It is now working like new!

The checkbook merge so far has gone off without a hitch! Woo Hoo....Success!

Are you kidding me??

So, in an effort to cut all ties to Illinois and stop living the dream we will ever return there Larry and I have decided to sell the house there and close the bank account we have there. I have been on the phone for 2 hours with some of the coolest folks ever and some of the dumbest folks ever! OMG....
Example of conversation to timeshare co....
Me: state name and calling on Larry's behalf
Dumb Guy #1: You are not on the account
Me: yes I am. I just booked a vacation with your co last week.
DG#1: Yes, but you are not authorized to make payments.
Me: wanted to reply WTF~so I can steal Larry's time at a resort, but I cannot pay you??
Result.....NOPE, Larry will have to call to give the info I easily could have given. I get the whole i.d. fraud thing, but do ya really think if I wanted to give em' money I was stealing an identity??

Call # 2 MLGW Power Co
Me: state name
Lady on other end: Confirm address
Me: Confirm address
Lady: give me all the info you want changed
Me: whew! I will be successful with this one! Give all the info....new checking accountt number ect.....have the date we will now be billed....thinking I am in the clear!
ERRRRT!!!! Oops....she is sorry. I will have to manually fill out all the info on the forms she is going to send me in the mail tomorrow. Again, WTF~ why did you ask me all the info in the first place?

Call #3 Wells Fargo ****Note this in the BIGGEST monthly payment we have set up on Auto pay
Me: state loan #
Gene(oh sweet man): Thank you now confirm your last 4
Me: last 4
Gene: What is the new routing #
Me: Routing #
Gene: new account #
Me: new account #
Gene: Please listen to the terms and conditions of what you are asking Wells Fargo to do.
Me: listen....press 1 to accept......Gene comes back on line and WHAM just like that I have changed the auto pay for 3.1.09!
My friends how in the hell is it so easy to pay my mortgage, but the power co needs a sig????

I will tip my hat to Verizon, USAA, and the City of Bartlett because they also made this process painless. The other two co.....AHHHHH!

Gripe #2....My oven broke 2 WEEKS ago this coming Sat. Yep....2WEEKS! One would think in this "starving economy" I would have had a repair guy at my house the next day. Nope, it took till last Sat. Well, I miss Nik's basketball game to wait for Mr Repair Man only to have him call me and say I know "a" is wrong with your oven, so I will order the part on Mon, receive it on Tues and be out on Wed to fix it. I did not hear from them yesterday so I called this am. Oooops they forgot to order it....thus, no "fix-e" today! Are you kidding me....I will not have a working oven till Monday now! I am dying here friends. I NEED/WANT my oven in working order!

Wow, I feel better now. I really needed to vent.

Now, on to happier news. Last night our dear friend Ann Marie came over for dinner. We had such a good visit and look forward to her next one.