Garage Sales

Today was our neighborhood yard sale. How fun is it to go through other people's junk to find your next treasure. I scored a great pier one picture that I'm going to paint and put in our guest bedroom. Totally psyched. Holden got a new hat and a work bench. He is avidly pounding away with the hammer and turning the screws.
I love how these neighborhood sales allow you to meet and interact with new people. Its fun people watching. Just to see what they'll take of yours and to say goodbye to things that were once treasures. I often find myself looking through the things for sale and sneaking them back in to the house. "I will totally wear that again, duh!" My husband will probably shoot me if I bring one more thing back in the house.
Tonight is Nick's first Alumni football game. Wish him luck. I'll post pics if I get some good ones. Kennedy vs. Jefferson at Kingston. I can tell Nick's so excited and nervous. I hope he does good. Maybe some NFL scouts will be there and scoop him up LOL. At least thats what I keep telling him will happen. Heck, a girl can dream. Tomorrow we will clean up from this sale and I get to paint my guest bedroom. yay! we obviously can't keep busy enough here. Always doing something, wishing and praying for a free weekend and then when it gets here we are bored. I dont know how we'll ever retire someday. Nick for sure.  Off to sweat some more, sell some things that were once treasures to us and now will be to someone else. Xoxo

4th of July Weekend

Hello, happy belated 4th of July to everyone. We had a very eventful weekend. One of the best in a long time. I was lucky to have a four day weekend and it was so hard to come back to work. Friday started off with a visit from Shannon, Taylor, and Dad. We grilled out and played Gin. My family is a little obsessed with card games. Saturday after the girls left we went to the Gehrls for a BBQ. It sure was fun. Holden and Nash even took a bath together LOL. It was nice to have a relaxing time with friends and catch up. I loved watching the little men Nash, Carter, and Holden interact, as well as, the big men beat a giant tv to pieces. LOL.
Sunday we had a nice family day-organized for our neighborhood wide garage sale that is July 9th. Come one come all. Lots of kids in the neighborhood and babies, there may be some great finds. On the 4th we went to Belle Plaine. For some reason small town festivities make the holidays seem so much more fun and memorable. The whole town was out for the parade and our family even drove a firetruck. How exciting. Holden got more tootsie rolls then he could eat in a year. Then Nick, Tod and I went golfing. I love it! I want to be pro and get super good. Thats my goal. So if anyone wants to buy me clubs I'll take them! Its relaxing and yet gives me some sort of drive and determination. I love learning new things.


Ya, I'm so cool!




Walking around at Great Grandmas house



Nick and Holden at the parade.

Yesterday was my first "Mommy" day in a long time. Nick and I took a six mile bikeride. (I dont know how my friend Nate rides more) or how Ragbrai riders ride across the state, as I was so exhausted after LOL. I fell asleep for like 2.5 hrs. So i give you all props.
Short work week, can't wait for the weekend. We're always busy doing something new. This weekend Nick is in a Kennedy vs. Jefferson Alumni game. Go Hlav! Come watch if you're bored. Thanks for listening to me ramble. Happy hump day!

Chocolate Chip Cookies.

This weekend was such a great time. Holden met his Aunt Taylor and Aunt Shannon for the very first time. He really did enjoy them! He got to go to the airport and pick them up. At first he was shy. He did start to smile a little in the car as Shannon started to tickle him. We went to the grocery and got lots of yummy food to make for dinner. MMMMM. Brats and Burgers. She brought us lots of cute presents too. Thank you thank you Shanny Pants :)

Then Shannon made her famous cookies. Yum and Yummier. We had cookie and ice cream for dessert. Needless to say I'm still stuffed from Saturday. Yesterday Shannon helped me make and decorate cupcakes for a baby shower. I dont know how I would have done it without her. I'll post pics later. But we made chocolate and cherry chip and I even showed her how to make homemade frosting. Yum, I love almond extract. Mmmmmmm.

The weekend flew by. Ugh. I wish every weekend was a three day weekend. I always seem to need that extra day. LOL. Well, this week is pretty eventful. Life is never slow anymore. Sheeesh. Tonight I have Dawn's baby shower, Tuesday Nick has football practice (come to his game at Kingston July 9th 8:00pm), Wednesday we have family time, Thursday Nick has softball, Friday needs to come fast, and then I took an extra day off and have a four day weekend yaya! Lots of Mommy and Holden time. Headed out to Belle Plaine to golf, play bingo, drink a beer, and relax. Happy Early 4th friends. P.S. If you're looking for a great funny movie rent "JUST GO WITH IT". Freaking loved it.

To be or not to be...that is the question???

In my journey to find out what I want to be when I grow up I have come to the realization that I am so confused. How is it that I have a teaching degree, worked at US Cellular for 7 years, am now working at the Gazette. I am so confused. I find myself toying around with different ideas lately. I'm creative and love to decorate, yes...I love to do hair and nails and cosmetic stuff, yes...I totally respect and love the medical field i.e. nurses , xray tech etc. , yes. Why can I not take a leap of faith and do something different that I love...MONEY.
Why does Money have to be the reason for not fulfilling my dreams. What are my dreams? I'm toying with the idea of doing in home daycare. I figure if I have 4 kids plus my own i can bring in just as much money as i'm making now but not have to pay for childcare. Plus i could be with Holden and other children. Nick is supportive, my whole family and so many of my friends are too. I figure I could try it out for a year and if it doesnt work out either go to school or back to work, right?? So I am going to start researching and put together an outline of pros and cons as well as needs to do this. I will have to register, take a cpr / first aid class and make sure that I am fully prepared. I think the days will go fast, we will have fun, and i can make a positive impact by teaching children. So we will see. I'll keep you posted. This is my idea in the works. Got to iron out details and make sure its realistic and what I want to do.
Been a pretty boring week, my sisters are coming to town this weekend. They will be meeting Holden for the first time. Yay. I'm mostly looking forward to the fourth weekend. 3 days off woot woot. We are heading to BellePlaine for a parade, bingo, and beer. LOL. should be fun. Adios for now. xoxo

Holden's 1 Year Pics

This is classic Holden, belly laughing

Happy Family

Following in Daddy's footsteps

Lovin' Life and Cake

Best friends Forever we will be

My absolute favorite.

Just Had to share Holden's Pictures from NinaCecilia~Creative Spark. They do such an amazing job.

Well, life hasn't been to different or extra exciting this last week. We hung Holden's swing from our deck and now it's hard to get him to want to stay inside. He is finishing his last week at Yvonne's house and going back to his original daycare Dana. That will be a new change for him next week. I hope he adjusts well.

Tonight I'm going to get a new Tattoo. I am getting a heart with an H in the middle. It can stand for Holden or Hlavacek. But I'm getting it on my wrist as a symbol of love of my family and how family and Holden have taught me patience. Everytime I feel lost, anxious, or happy or sad I can look down as a reminder that I have lifes greatest blessings. I've wanted to do this for some time and tonights the night.
I'll upload a pic soon. xoxo

Beautiful Weekend

Although the heat was ridiculous, the weekend was really fun in the Hlavacek world. Nick was out of town at a softball tournament in Burlington Iowa with his team 911. It was just a perfect me and Holden kind of weekend. Here is what we did
Saturday morning we attended our first Farmer's Market. Holden loved watching all of the people. He insists that when he puts his hat and flippy flops on that its time to go outside so he was ready for the big event.
The rest of the day we napped (4 hrs wahoo) Then our friends Caroline and Nash came over. Nash and Holden love to play. They went down the slide and even rode on the rollercoaster together. What a blast. Target and groceries came next. At home we practiced reading. He amazes me. When I ask him where things are on the page he points to them! We showed that off to Daddy and Grams and they were so impressed.
Yesterday (Sunday) We swam some more in the pool. Holden loves playing soccer and in the water outside so we had a good time. Nick was home too so he let me lay out while he played with Holden. I took a few pictures yesterday and recreated a picture that my mom and I had when I was a baby. Its the one of Holden on my lap in the pool. I thought she'd get a kick out of that.

Thats all for now. Happy Monday everyone. keep Hydrated!! Heat index is 105 today. eeek

Our First Fever

So much for a three day weekend! Holden started a small fever Thursday and we controlled it somewhat with Tylenol, Friday it grew and was up to 102.5 in the morning. 104.1 and off to the doctor. First off, dont go to Urgent Care on Edgewood. They are not so urgent. I was in tears as my baby's cheeks turned neon pink and he moaned of pain. The doctor said its viral, not strep. Can't do anything..control with ibuprofen and Tylenol. Saturday night he was in his room moaning again. Poor buddy. Crying and I checked his temp with the tushy thermometer and it said 106! ER here we went. We were there from 1 to 3 am and thankfully they gave him amoxicillan. Poor buddy had a throat infection. To top all of this he is getting all his big boy molars. Ahh. life of a teething  and sick baby is tough. Our Memorial Day weekend was spent like this.
Monday he seemed to be doing so much better. He even got to go swimming in his little pool. Daddy and Mommy finally got to do outdoor activities and get a tan, I LOVE BEING TAN! And we also got good sleep. Not a super eventful fun weekend, but an eventful weekend overall. Um, I am kind of boring this week, but wanted to continue to write.
I'm in a little burnout/rut however. Missing my girlfriends, missing the gossip, the being carefree, roadtrips, late nights, etc. I feel so routine lately. I am grateful beyond words for my happy family, but the weeks sometimes go so fast and drag at the same time. I feel like i dont get to catch up with the girls as much as i used to, and for sure have less and less me time. I find myself going to Hy-vee like everynight just to get out of the house once Holden is asleep. My little "escape". Im sure its just a little phase or rut and I'll snap out of it. But I must say a girls weekend or even day is a must.
Well, thats all for now. Miss and love all my girls, and our families far away. xoxo!