Step Stools

This picture above has been our step stool in the main bathroom.  It has been broken for probably a year. I have looked for a replacement, but can't seem to find one. Moreover the biggest trauma in our house is the fighting that happens over this stool. The 4 little feet that need to use this stool to reach the sink can't seem to share it on a consistent basis or take turns. So it is constant fighting and yelling and crying and everything else little kids do when then are upset at their sibling.

So I was on a hunt to find another stool. One just like this one, with the two steps. We have the higher counter tops in our bathroom, like you would have in a kitchen, so we need the two steps for the kids to reach the sink to of course wash hands and brush teeth.

I did a search online and found just what I was looking for and after filling out the online order, about a week later the Fed Ex guy drops these beautiful step stools below off at my doorstep.

They now each have their very own stool with their own name!!!

NO MORE FIGHTING!

NO MORE COMPLAINING!

NO MORE CRYING OVER SOMEONE ISN'T SHARING!!!

YEAH!

And dear Jared isn't near the stage in his life that he can use a step stool...

but I figure I might as well get him one too, cause I am almost certain someday he will also be apart of the 'yelling, complaining, tattle-telling' gang.

I guess Marty and I are going to have write our names on the floor or something so we can have a designated spot too!

Jared's Baptism

Our dear Little Jared was Baptized last Saturday, September 17, 2011.

We did this during the 5:30pm church service at our church, Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Redwood Falls.

Jared handled the service like a champ and did not even let out a whimper.

His sponsors are the ladies in the above picture. My sister Christy and Marty's sister Denise.

We celebrated with supper after church at our house.

We have the lovely Grandparents and parents above.

Grandma Betty and Grandpa Joe.

And here is the "Dennis" that Jared Dennis is named after.

Grandpa Dennis Sohre.

And below is both Grandma and Grandpa Sohre.

And the proud parents with their beautiful new son who has now formally become part of God's family through baptism.

Grandma Betty always crochets a baby blanket for the kids.
This is Jared's. It is such a treasure.

And since it is near to impossible to now get a good family photo here are the dear sister and brother at the celebration. Gracie got the treat of having curlers put in her hair for the event.

And since I think she is so gosh darn cute... here is another one of the Big Sister.

For the meal we had ham, cheesy potatoes, scalloped corn, fresh veggies, snicker salad (per request of Marty), and watermelon fresh from our garden.

Then cake and pumpkin bars for dessert.

We had a wonderful evening and so grateful for everyone that could attend and be witness Jared's wonderful sacrament of baptism.

WELCOME TO GOD'S FAMILY JARED!

Rest In Peace Dear Willie

We regret to say today our dear and beloved dog Willie was laid to rest in a peaceful manner this morning.

I complained about our dear Willie quite a bit, as he was always barking, but today I realize how much I did care for the guy.  I don't think I have cried this much ever!  We sure will miss him.

Willie Joe Malecek

Also known as: Will, Willard, Willaferd, and "Will the Thrill"

Born: February 8, 2003

Died: September 19, 2011

Adopted into the Marty/Terri Malecek family: April 5, 2003

Bringing Willie home to live with us just as a puppy.

We got Willie in April and he lived with Marty until I moved in after we got married which was September. So Marty got the pleasure of potty training him and by the time I moved in he was doing really good.

Willie also got the pleasure of sleeping in our bed with us at night until we moved to our new home in 2007. I remember being 9 mo pregnant with Gracie and Willie getting 1/2 the bed, Marty getting the other 1/2 and I was squished somewhere in between. That Will was so spoiled.

At our first house, this was Willie's favorite spot.

He could then look out the windows and watch what was going on outside.

We attempted to make him an outdoor dog, but it didn't last. He was in the house with us all his life.

Before we had kids, Willie was the center of most of our pictures and activities.

 

He looked good all shaved up and with a full coat of hair.

This is me pregnant with Gracie. Willie would always come and snuggle up to me and my belly.

He loved to go down to the creek below our house and do some swimming and get really dirty.

Then we moved to our new house and this also meant the addition of Gracie.

Willie was not to fond of her at first. It took him awhile to warm up to having a baby in the house.

I think he eventually learned to accept the fact that she wasn't going away and she was going to continue to take over things from him... such as below with his food.

But then Willie learned that kids like to drop food, and Willie loved to devour that dropped food.

He learned that real fast.

Willie with is full coat of hair. It was so cute and curly.

He loved our pool and even got so excited a few times that he fell right in.

He could do tricks. Above is the 'rollover' trick and below is the 'shake hands' trick.

Then came Zach and this meant another kid and even more sharing.

These next photos are from last night. We had a pretty good feeling that the Vet was not going to be giving us a good prognosis this morning so we tried to have a special night. Willie was slowly going down hill this last year. He was on medicine for seizures and thyroid. He had skin infections. He had an ear infection about a month ago. Then the last event was an eye infection that started last Thursday and by Saturday we were pretty sure he was blind. He was scared to go down the stairs. He would run into the walls. It was very, very sad to see and we didn't want our Willie to suffer.

Our special night was watching a movie and eating popcorn. Willie LOVED popcorn so we were sure to give him a bunch. Both kids had fun feeding him as he couldn't see it to eat it off the floor.

Jared got to enjoy Willie for only 2 1/2 weeks.

Below is a photo from about 2 weeks ago. The last good photo we have of him.

We will sure miss him. It already seems so weird in our house without him. At supper tonight our floor was such a mess... Willie always cleaned up the crumbs!

He always would jump up on the couch with us in the evening after the kids went to bed, as this was then 'his' time with Marty and I. We will miss that.

Rest in Peace Sweet Willie.

We hope you are feeling better in Doggie Heaven.

Thanks for all the good memories and good times.

We love you and will miss you dearly.