Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
New House!
Well, after a couple of bids, some counteroffers and a lot of shopping with our lovely, lovely realtor, Dee...we have an approval from the bank on a home! We will close within 45 days...yes, read: OMG I have to pack up our house and we are actually moving inside of 2 months now. Holy. Crap.
So we ended up with a really great space- a home on a culdesac, with a fenced in yard, a shed, and an enclosed porch. It has 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths...but we'll use the downstairs bedroom for a playroom/guest room, and Ian and Gavin will be introduced to the wonderful world of sharing a room. They've been so cute having "sleepovers" in Gavin's room on the past few weekends, that I think making the transition to sharing a room all the time won't be that difficult.
We have some work to do- new flooring, pouring a slab in the enclosed patio, and lots and lots of painting...but hopefully we'll be able to bang that all out pretty quickly and start using the busing system for the school that the older boys are in now. That will make afternoons a LOT less hectic for the babysitter.
Speaking of which, our wonderful Mary Poppins nanny is not going to be taking care of the boys anymore. There were some health issues that she was concerned about, so she is going to step back and be our "back up" for emergencies. BUT- with every door closed, another one opens...and my awesome friend Kristin (through the DSAC) will be stepping in to be our new after school nanny. I could NOT be happier- she's completely amazing, and one of my best friends, AND her kids are already friends with mine. And did I mention that she took the boys to My Gym for us while we were in Ukraine? She knows the chaos that is our family and is willingly stepping into it on a regular basis. Answered prayers, I tell you.
So, yeah. Never a dull moment.
Anyone want to rent our house in Monroe? We have great neighbors...! :(
So we ended up with a really great space- a home on a culdesac, with a fenced in yard, a shed, and an enclosed porch. It has 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths...but we'll use the downstairs bedroom for a playroom/guest room, and Ian and Gavin will be introduced to the wonderful world of sharing a room. They've been so cute having "sleepovers" in Gavin's room on the past few weekends, that I think making the transition to sharing a room all the time won't be that difficult.
We have some work to do- new flooring, pouring a slab in the enclosed patio, and lots and lots of painting...but hopefully we'll be able to bang that all out pretty quickly and start using the busing system for the school that the older boys are in now. That will make afternoons a LOT less hectic for the babysitter.
Speaking of which, our wonderful Mary Poppins nanny is not going to be taking care of the boys anymore. There were some health issues that she was concerned about, so she is going to step back and be our "back up" for emergencies. BUT- with every door closed, another one opens...and my awesome friend Kristin (through the DSAC) will be stepping in to be our new after school nanny. I could NOT be happier- she's completely amazing, and one of my best friends, AND her kids are already friends with mine. And did I mention that she took the boys to My Gym for us while we were in Ukraine? She knows the chaos that is our family and is willingly stepping into it on a regular basis. Answered prayers, I tell you.
So, yeah. Never a dull moment.
Anyone want to rent our house in Monroe? We have great neighbors...! :(
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
(365:27) The most comfortable way to watch TV if you are 2 1/2 yrs old
*stains on the couch
*Tables and chairs piled with all of the school stuff that was dumped on the way in the door
*Messy computer desk
*Scary red eyes.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
(365:24) bus
An impromptu bus ride from the long term parking lot at the airport turns out to be an adventure and not so much an inconvenience. Plus it ended with a chance to catch up with Willard and Brenda, our missionary friends from Ukraine!
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
The Differences Between the Firstborn and the Lastborn
I think that the birth order studies are so interesting. I really think that there is a behavioral pattern due to birth order.
Take today, for instance.
Ian, when he was Guy's age, really didn't push limits. I mean, yeah, the occasional defiant behavior, but for the most part, if I said something, he listened.
Then, take Guy, who just asked me for a banana. I told him that we were having dinner in a few minutes, and that he needed to wait on the banana. I went back to what I was doing, and 3 minutes later he stands next to me and says, "Hey, Mommy! Look!" And I turn around, and he's standing there with a banana, looking straight at me as he opens it, peels it, and takes a bite. All with a little smirk on his face.
It's so weird. It's defiant, yes, but not in a malicious way. It's like he needs to show his independence or something- he wants to show off how big he is, or that he can do things all by himself, whether we like it or not. And he also knows that he is incredibly cute when he does it.
Admittedly, it's a lot of my fault. I give in a lot, but many times I let him get away with it because I initially thought he wasn't able to do something on his own, and it turns out that he can...so why make a big deal about it?
Anyway. I'm not really going anywhere with this. I just think it's interesting.
Take today, for instance.
Ian, when he was Guy's age, really didn't push limits. I mean, yeah, the occasional defiant behavior, but for the most part, if I said something, he listened.
Then, take Guy, who just asked me for a banana. I told him that we were having dinner in a few minutes, and that he needed to wait on the banana. I went back to what I was doing, and 3 minutes later he stands next to me and says, "Hey, Mommy! Look!" And I turn around, and he's standing there with a banana, looking straight at me as he opens it, peels it, and takes a bite. All with a little smirk on his face.
It's so weird. It's defiant, yes, but not in a malicious way. It's like he needs to show his independence or something- he wants to show off how big he is, or that he can do things all by himself, whether we like it or not. And he also knows that he is incredibly cute when he does it.
Admittedly, it's a lot of my fault. I give in a lot, but many times I let him get away with it because I initially thought he wasn't able to do something on his own, and it turns out that he can...so why make a big deal about it?
Anyway. I'm not really going anywhere with this. I just think it's interesting.
Guyisms
Me: Gavin, you are a smart cookie!
G: I'm not a cookie! I'm a Guy-Guy!
As I was looking up a recipe on the computer:
G: Move, Mommy! I wanna see da muffins on da poo-dah!
G: I want some more mints.
Me: Mints? Where did you get mints?
G: No, more mints. (then shows me his empty bowl of almonds he was eating- al-mints)
G: I'm not a cookie! I'm a Guy-Guy!
As I was looking up a recipe on the computer:
G: Move, Mommy! I wanna see da muffins on da poo-dah!
G: I want some more mints.
Me: Mints? Where did you get mints?
G: No, more mints. (then shows me his empty bowl of almonds he was eating- al-mints)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
365- kind of 15, but I took this yesterday.
It's a three day weekend, which I love. Weekends aren't long enough. Ever.
Bryan and Gavin have been sick- Gavin bounced back fast, but Bryan has been hit kind of hard. He's spent the last couple mornings getting some extra sleep...which brings me to one of my favorite times of the day: breakfast.
The past few mornings have been SO nice...all the kids have been happy, helpful, and wanting to participate in making breakfast. That sounds like a fairy-tale, I know. But seriously, I think that the mornings are their absolute best times. They are all just happy to be awake and home-- I love that.
We've made oatmeal and a couple different kinds of muffins. They gather all their chairs around the kitchen island to "help", sometimes I have to rearrange everyone so that I can get in there, too. Gavin tends to dump the dry ingredients the wrong way, which results in a snow-covered counter most of the time. Zeke loves to pour things in, and Chase and Ian are partial to licking the bowl.
Zeke and Gavin almost always wait by the oven to watch their creations as they bake (hats are only a fashion statement. We DO have the heat on!).
It's a happy time. If I have to be up before 6am, this is the way to do it.
(*sidenote, I've been better about loading my coffee pot before I go to bed at night. It makes mornings a bazillion times easier!)
Bryan and Gavin have been sick- Gavin bounced back fast, but Bryan has been hit kind of hard. He's spent the last couple mornings getting some extra sleep...which brings me to one of my favorite times of the day: breakfast.
The past few mornings have been SO nice...all the kids have been happy, helpful, and wanting to participate in making breakfast. That sounds like a fairy-tale, I know. But seriously, I think that the mornings are their absolute best times. They are all just happy to be awake and home-- I love that.
We've made oatmeal and a couple different kinds of muffins. They gather all their chairs around the kitchen island to "help", sometimes I have to rearrange everyone so that I can get in there, too. Gavin tends to dump the dry ingredients the wrong way, which results in a snow-covered counter most of the time. Zeke loves to pour things in, and Chase and Ian are partial to licking the bowl.
Zeke and Gavin almost always wait by the oven to watch their creations as they bake (hats are only a fashion statement. We DO have the heat on!).
It's a happy time. If I have to be up before 6am, this is the way to do it.
(*sidenote, I've been better about loading my coffee pot before I go to bed at night. It makes mornings a bazillion times easier!)
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
(365:11) Chase puts himself in time out
Disclaimer, I do not put my kids in a small box for punishment. Chase chose to fold himself up here.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
(365:9) Guy goes to the dentist
And gets a full cleaning, xrays, and thus cool shirt...just like a big boy.
Incidentally, Zeke also had a cleaning with no problems, as did Ian.
Chase was the only one that I had to physically restrain. Sigh.
But, all in all, 4 boys at the dentist really wasn't too bad!
PS- no cavities for anyone!
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Friday, January 6, 2012
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
(365:4) Ice Cream Makes Everything Better
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Monday, January 2, 2012
Sunday, January 1, 2012
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