Memorial Day Parade

I've never been to Spring Arbor for any of their parades.  At least none that I can remember, there may have been a time when I was a teenager and spent most of my time at my friends house in Spring Arbor but nothing rings a bell.  I tend to have scattered memories of those early teen years anyhow, must have repressed the heck out of them.  Anyway, I saw a few people talking about the Spring Arbor Memorial Day Parade on facebook so I figured what the hey and grabbed Addison and our sun screen to make an afternoon of it.  I was pretty impressed as far as how long it was, lots of cars and tractors!  But it was nice and Addison had fun.  We happened to run into our babysitter and her kids as soon as I parked the truck so we ended up sitting with them to watch the parade, which of course made Addison and her little friend Nichole happy!

Puddingstone Farm & Nursery

Sunday after we had gone to the Zoo the day before and I was disappointed again that Detroit has no petting zoo area.  I decided to take Addison to a local Greenhouse/Petting Farm.  It's been open a few years but I have never made it out there (seriously no reason for not making it other than just plain forgetting its only like 5 miles from my house!)  So momma got a few plants & Addison fell in love with all the critters.

Especially these two guys.

But she yelled, "hi goat, hi pig, hi hosey" to each animal that she saw.

And then she told me "Hosie wa-wer" and ran to the goat pen and said "goat wa-wer".  The girls got it down.

I'm pretty sure we'll be making another trip over there in the next week or so.  Momma need's some veggie plants & Addison had too much fun to not go again, especially when the entertainment is free.

It's Zoo Season

I want to post all these wonderful things, then I get busy, don't type it out and forget what I had to say...ugh.

So anyway, Addison and I went to the Detroit Zoo this past weekend with my best friend, her kids & mom.
 We met up with some of my friends from work and their kids (or borrowed children).

 It was a beautiful day, and they were doing a humane society pet adoption there also which meant the place was crazy busy.  One of our friends from work couldn't get  in to park so they ended up missing out on the day and one of my friends from high school that was going to bring her daughter for her first zoo trip also ended up missing out because of the parking/population problem!  GEES  who knew the zoo was so popular!

But those of us who got in made the best of our sun soaked day!  I didn't get to do it lounging around like this little fatty though.

My child was the terror that I assumed she would be about riding in our wagon, basically she threw a hissy fit screaming and screaming when I'd make her sit down.  (This I don't have to do a damn thing you say I have to do is her new thing, and she knows how to protest...very loudly.  She is stubborn and feisty, quite honestly she gets it from her parents but oh man is it irritating when it's directed at you!)  Seriously the kid is getting her "terrible two" attitude ready I believe.

But as soon as she got to ride with another kid she was just as happy as could be.

       

We had fun seeing all the animals, it's a lot more fun this summer than last because Addison notices them on her own and points things out to me now.  You can see her excitement over them which makes it more fun for me!

She growls and tells you "Lion, Tiger or Bear" she tries her hardest to tell you about the Tee-Pac's

She loved the Giraffe though I hate that they don't get up close to you like they do at Binder Park Zoo.

And the Ooo-Ooo's are always a hit!

All in all a good zoo day...Well for some of us at least.

Wordlessish Wednesday

Last week my step-mom called me to let me know that Dad's headstone had been placed so we made a trip out that night to check it out.  It turned out very nice, and it is MASSIVE, slightly taller than Addison and just as thick as the base that it is sitting on. 

Gail (my step-mom) had a picture from their wedding day put on the stone, I didn't even know that they could do that until she mentioned that she was going to have it done.  Addison didn't even have to be told anything before she walked right to the picture and said "Papa".  So sweet. Happy to see a permanent stone there now!

Linking up with Parenting by Dummies, the Papermama, live and love outloud, and then she snapped, & Jenni from the blog

Because I feel like the blog has been lacking a whole lot of Addison

How cute is this kid?!

Am I Mom Enough? A Motherhood Wish List

Did you read this article?  Cause if you haven't you should have.  I think this is the most well put list of hopes anyone could have for their child.  <3 this one.  Am I Mom Enough? A Motherhood Wish List - 24 Hour Workday - Boston.com:

'via Blog this'

O Amber, where art thou?

Hi Blog, remember me?  I'm Amber.  You thought that I forgot about you didn't you?  Gees, life has been crazy, sometimes I feel like I don't get things done because I am crazy busy then other days I feel like I get a chance to take a breath and lazyness abounds and I accomplish NOTHING.  So what's new in the life of me you ask?

In the past month or so I applied, interviewed, got hired & started a new position at work!  I'm still in the same department, but now working in the Animal Surgery & Operating Room as a Vet Tech.  YAY, finally back to what I went to school to do.  Lucky for me doing anesthesia has been a bit like riding a bike and after 4 years of not doing it, it's all come right back to me.  So far I'm in my second week at my new job and I'm loving it.  I have new work hours so life outside of work has been a little crazy on my work days cause I'm on a 10 hour shift now so that makes me be gone from home for 12 hours a day right now (will be 12.5 when my new vanpool starts up).  But, I only have to work 4 days a week, so that's a huge plus. Eventually I will be on Mon-Thurs. but for now I'm working with my supervisors schedule so it kind of moves around to the days that we need to be here for coverage.  It makes for 4 day weekends every so often so I'm down for that!  The good thing about staying within the University is that I don't lose any of my seniority, vacation time, benefits, or retirement so all good things.

I've been doing quite a few photo sessions lately and a couple of weddings on my days off, it keeps me busy but I absolutely love doing it and it doesn't feel like work to me at all so that's good.

Addison is 21 months old now, seriously, how does this keep happening?  She continues to have a great personality, she's pretty easy going most days, we have toddler tantrums but they are generally easily controlled.  She's super friendly, not shy at all (unless I am carrying her for some reason she puts on a shy front)  and a motor mouth, she says so many things and most of them are clear as can be.  She will pretty much try to say anything that you tell her.  My favorites lately are "What Hap-pon to shoe?"  what happened to your shoe, which shes been repeating from me all week,  "Da-Bee" which is the letter W, "papple" for Apple, "Cass-e" (my step sister), and when we go outside or she can see Nick & Joey's house out the window of our house she will say "Nick's House, And Jo-ee".  She says the name of the baby sitters daughter still as "Cole"- Nichole.  And she LOVES SpongeBob, she probably could listen to the theme song all day!  And now she like to tell me "Help you" "Addison Help Momma" or "I Help" when she thinks she needs to help me with anything.  She's learning her manners and will tell us "please" "tank you, momma" (its always momma no matter who she's telling), and "sorey".  Her sponge like absorbency of everything lately is impressive.  Love that crazy little girl.

Just thought I'd get back on the blogging wagon, maybe....MAYBE I can keep up now?