| These Whos from Whoville are shouting... we are still here. We haven't dropped off the earth. I think somewhere back around January, I mentioned that I wanted to update here at least once a week... I should never put my goals on paper, that's the fastest way for me not to meet them! My blog header is still the perfect title... there isn't enough time. I have been working a lot of hours at the day job, posting an ocassional blurb to Facebook, spending time with my family and missing my first born. Tyler left for the Marines in early August. He just passed the 1/2 way point last Friday. I cannot wait to meet my new son. Even in his letters, I can see a change in him. They have made him squad leader, (his dad mentioned that he did too, but it was only a week) and he is also the knowledge recruit. He makes up study guides for the platoon, and he has a few extra responsibilities, which leaves less time for letter writing... although they put him on double rations for food, he now gets less time to eat. Go figure. We've been sending him protein bars, the one thing they are allowed to receive, which is completely different from 18 years ago. We had received a letter that he could receive bars over 20 grams and powdered gatorade, but when we sent the gatorade, it was confiscated. Thankfully, he didn't get in any trouble for it. Taylor is learning to drive. She's doing really well. She is more fearful and respectful so far of the power that is in a vehicle. There are times I wish she would go a little faster, or not stop so long at a stop sign, but what she is doing is what we all should be doing. I didn't realize your supposed to count 3 seconds after your vehicle stops completely at a stop sign. I keep waiting for someone behind us to lay on the horn. She hesitates at red lights when they turn green, another good habit. And she never even takes the vehicle out of park before putting on her seat belt, she even reminds me to put mine on as well. She also has a real job at a Burger King. She's learning very quickly that having a job isn't as fun as she thought it would be. She is still with Colby, although there was a brief break-up for about a month. Mark is beginning the cut-wood-like-a-beaver fall. He was cutting trees down tonight, and he's splitting wood and hauling wood. He is thinking about putting a wood stove in the living room fireplace. I'm torn about it though. I love having the fires in the winter time, but they don't always hold a lot of heat. The way he packs a woodstove, we could probably sleep with the windows open and be warm, if he puts the woodstove up here. He's also making weekend trips to the cabin, getting it ready for hunting season with the rest of the gang. Last weekend, he went up to put in a shower, and this weekend is work weekend and he'll finish the shower. I had plans of scrapbooking over the weekend, but of course, I just didn't get to it. I laid down with Nathan Friday night to get him to sleep, and guess who fell asleep first!? I had to take an unexpected week off work earlier this month. It was originally to be two weeks, but last week was rescheduled. As we all know the economy is effecting the manufacturing industry as well. I had signed up at one of my favorite websites to take a class with the fabulous Cathy Zielski called Me, the Abridged Edition. It is patterned after Amy Krous's book, Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life where for each letter of the alphabet there are several entries with ordinary stories or things about the author. Since I don't get to be in too many scrapbook pages, this should be nice for the kids when I'm old. :) I have most of the entries done, but it will take some time to gather the photos... especially since I need some of me. I had planned to work on the class on my two weeks of fakation (as we lovingly refer to it!) but I didn't get far. Abby is still with us... as Tyler said in one letter, "She must still be alive, you're getting her groomed! She's a tough old girl." And he's right. She drives me insane sometimes... if it wasn't for her, I don't know if I'd have to vacuum! But she's so sweet, and Nathan just loves her to pieces. And Nathan, he could be a whole post in himself. He's so adorable. His vocabulary has exploded over the last few weeks. Daddy taught him a wonderful phrase "bull crap, mommy" he's also taught him to shoot rubber bands. His brothers vowed they would teach Nathan all the bad things, since Mark taught their children things like putting scrap washers and bolts in their pockets and sending them home with them, or sticking out their tongues... all those 'cute' things uncles teach their neices and nephews... but Mark is beating them to it. It's so cute to watch Mark and Nathan together. They have a ritual that when Nathan gets out of the tub, Mark puts him on our bed and tickles him until the sound doesn't come out. It is absolutely perfect. Tonight Mark was out back cutting trees down, and Nathan was up on the counter watching him. He loves to ride the lawn 'momer' with Daddy. He loves tractors. Which reminds me, I need to find him some tractor pjs. The ones he has on are 4T, but he loves them even though they are way too big. And, he's making some good efforts with the 'B-Potty' (big boy potty). He's gone a couple times because I've caught him in the act and got him there in time. But yesterday, he stopped me and said, "Mommy, b-potty." We went back, and read a few books (which Mark is convinced he will never be able to go to the potty without reading- wonder if that's what my brother and sister-in-law did with Carleton? hmmm) and when we were done, Nathan had gone both in the potty. So of course, we made a big deal about it, and even called Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop to tell them. Today, he didn't take a nap all day, and finally fell asleep on my lap around 10 pm. He was still squeeling and running around at 9:45!!! That's the update in a nutshell... I won't make any promises when I'll be back, but I'll leave you with a glimpse of our evening!!!  Getting our bath...
 When Daddy came in the bathroom...
 Look at that expression... he was having a ball shooting my hair ties back and forth with Daddy. I know this one will come back to haunt me!!
 The evening ritual. I've got to record this laughter and put it in a scrapbook page.
 Reading Tyler's latest letter. When you ask Nathan where Tyler is, he simply says, 'Boot Tamp.' When Colby had been away for a couple weeks and Nathan finally saw him, he was so excited he could hardly contain himself. I can't wait to see his expression when he sees Tyler. Hopefully he will recognize him and not be scared of him!
 Colby is such a trusting young man!!! Taylor gave him a haircut tonight.
 Nathan is finally learning what to do when we have prayer at dinner. He even says 'Amem.' Oh, he's also beginning to sing his ABCs and the days of the week song. He can't pronounce any of the days but you can tell he wants to. Tuesday comes out Tooodee. Precious.
 And he loves drinking from a big boy cup... of course, he loves sticking his big boy fork in the big boy cup, and adding bites of dinner to the cup, but hey, he's learning!
 Several people have asked me if I took pictures of what Nathan did in the potty... am I really that photo-obsessed!? NO, but I will sneak one of him sitting there... isn't it adorable!? He makes me so happy!!!
|
