Best Life

Today's goal - empty, clean and wash our 1999 Suburban and put a FOR SALE sign on it.  Since the kids have all purchased their own trucks and we no longer tow anything heavy (horses, cars, etc), why not.  Purchased in 2012 this truck has taken us many miles.                                                                      Scott and Gypsy 2014                                                            Scott and Gypsy 2015                                             Driving ...

 Our goal today - finish the fence!  With only one small section to go, we should be done early.  But before we start  - a trip to Lowe's is required.  Thinking we  would sneak in a trip to Tractor Supply we headed to Woonsocket.  Detour.  Another detour.  Still another detour.  Mom figured out about the parade before we did (I was on the phone with her).  Ugh.  We regrouped and headed to North Smithfield.  After 39 minutes we arrived at Lowe's (had we headed there initially - 8 minutes at the most).  No more side trips are now possible.  Grab our items and head back to Kevin's.   While Paul had a quick cup of coffee, I thought I would start dinner.  Teriyaki chicken in the crock pot.  Easy peasy.  Paul started the fence while I finished prepping dinner.  For the first time in all my years cooking I experienced an electrical arc.  Yikes!  Kevin checked that the breaker did ...

 I am truly feeling blessed today!  Charlotte is the daughter of my daughter.  Holding her is holding a piece of my heart.  Such a tiny being that evokes such huge feelings! And though I was not there to witness Brianna meeting her new baby sister, I know the sister bond is like no other.  Charlotte is so lucky to have Bri as a big sister!                                                            Brianna and Charlotte Our goal today - finish the fence at Kevin and Isis'.  With Kevin and Mohammed, friend of Kev's, we managed the very back right corner before the rain began in earnest.  (Only one small section to go!) Then a visit with Nick, Linda and Lennie.  She is now chattering, singing and moving fast!  Very entertaining and super cute!       ...

 Welcome home Charlotte!                                               Charlotte dressed for the season! My plan today - spend a couple hours finishing laundry, horse care and dishes at Megan and TJ's.  First task - check in with Mark, the farrier.  Though neither horse has shoes, their hooves still grow and require trimming every 7-8 weeks.  Both horses are easy and Mark was done quick.  Thank you Rebecca for completing morning care and field mucking.   I moved to the house where I found the dishes done  (Thank you again Rebecca!).  Okay, I'll make a quick batch of pineapple salsa and toss in a quick load of laundry.  That's when my day turned in to something I never would have imagined.  There was no water!  I ran out to the barn to check the water hadn't been running continuously and the...

 Charlotte arrived last night at 9:46 pm after a measly 16 minutes of labor with 8 pushes.  My overachieving daughter seems to have passed that trait to her daughter.  Though more than 3 weeks early she weighed 6 pounds, 7 ounces and is 18 inches long.  Perfect in every way, we are all excited to finally get to know her! The team at Women and Infants Hospital made the journey pretty amazing.  Dr McCleary and her team (most from Memorial Hospital) were engaging, comforting, encouraging, calm and confident.  Everything a mom in labor needs.   Thank you Lisa for the awesome room assignments (all private in the quietest parts of each unit) and for the late night snacks!  Also thank you for the ride home at 5:30 am.  Always good to laugh before heading to sleep! Today Charlotte has met and was held by Grandpa.  She has had her first bath, passed her hearing test and expected to pass her car seat challenge.   After enjoying lunc...

 Today was not anything like how I thought it would turn out.  With an early phone call that Megan's water had broke, everything shifted.  Thank you Don for taking Paul to his appointment while I headed to Women and Infants Hospital with Megan and TJ.  The staff, alerted by Lisa and Donna, were waiting for us.                                                              Part of the hallways we walked on ACU. A quick admission to ACU where progress started slow until I pulled out a puzzle and ordered dinner. Thank you Katie for being a part of our adventure!                         I chose the smallest one and still we only managed a dozen pieces before leaving. Then we were hurried to the labor room where Megan found...