Christmas

Our Christmas started on Christmas Eve. Every year we go to Michael's grandparents house. All the aunts, uncles, and cousins and their kids come over. We eat finger foods and watch Christmas movies and visit. It seems to be the only time of the year that we see some of his family. Michael got off work a few hours early that day, which was nice because we didn't have to rush over there like we would have otherwise. We drove over with his parents and looked at Christmas lights on the way.

Christmas morning I woke up before 8am, and against Michael's warnings, I woke him up anyway. I think he was excited too, he didn't complain at all about the early rise. We went downstairs and opened presents. I was really excited to give him gifts this year and spoil him a little extra. He got me the Santa Claus movie set (I had never seen any of them) and so we watched the first two that morning. In the middle of watching the movies, I also needed to prepare the dinner food, so I made the apple bread and prepared the casseroles so they would be ready to just pop in the oven. I had made the pies the day before, so I didn't have too much to do until the turkey went in the oven. That evening Jaime, Jeremy, and Lucas came over. We had dinner, which is a lot of work but it's my one big meal of the year and I love doing it. Everything turned out well, according to them. I'm probably my own worst critic. After dinner we opened presents. It is so entertaining to watch a two-year old open gifts. So much excitement with each tear. The hit gift was the $5 play-doh fun factory, which he went into the kitchen to play with while we finished opening our gifts. When we were done, we followed him in to play with a little play-doh ourselves. After Lucas went to bed, we ate some yummy dessert and played a little guitar hero. Jaime and Jeremy had never played before and they did quite well.

We finished our Christmas yesterday at Michael's parents. His sister and her girls came over and we ate dinner and opened presents. We watched a couple movies, one of which was the Polar Express, which I had never seen. Those animation movies are amazing. I ate too many rice krispy treats and so it was a good time.

All in all, it was a wonderful Christmas. It was so nice to spend time with family. Michael's off work all this week so we'll be playing and relaxing before he goes back to work and I start student teaching. We are also watching Zeus for Jaime and Jeremy and it's good to have both of the dogs together.

The Holiday Celebrations Begin

On Saturday, we went to a friend's for a Christmas party. It was so much fun. Finger foods and board games, is there a better combination? It was nice to get together with my friends and meet their 'others' finally.

And then on Sunday we headed down to Madison to visit with Alex, who was in Ohio for a friend's wedding and alotted an extra day to spend with us before flying home for the holidays. It was so good to see him again. The last time we saw him was at his basic training graduation, about a year and a half ago. We spent most of the time playing the wii, but we took some time out to grab a bite to eat and make some Christmas cookies. He was really good with Lucas and we played blocks for awhile too. He was supposed to leave Monday morning, but the flight was delayed and so I drove back down to Madison on Monday as well. We played on the wii until it was time to drive him back to the airport.

Yesterday was my day to finish all my shopping for Christmas. I had a couple of gifts to get and a lot of groceries--dinner is here again this year. I look forward to making the big dinner, I guess I like to entertain. So today, I'm going to be making some pies and dips and cleaning the house.

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Yucky Days

Well, the last couple of days have been sick, yucky days. I woke up on Tuesday with a headache, body aches, and a really bad head cold. I didn't do much in the morning, but I had a doctors appointment in the afternoon. So I was already not feeling well and I had to go do that and get blood drawn on top of it. I needed to do some grocery shopping, so I forced myself to go to the store while I was in town. It was absolutely horrible. I was tired and achy and all I wanted was to go home and lie down. The only thing that got me through the shopping was knowing that I was picking up stuff to make some homemade soup. It's my Grandma's recipe and my favorite soup. So when I got home I started that up, just to fall asleep on the couch, and the soup ended up burning. Yes, I burned soup. I was so upset. I had to dump the whole pot. And then on top of it, I got a bloody nose later that night, which was bad enough but it was coming out of my mouth too. It was disgusting. Yesterday, after I woke up, I was in the kitchen getting something for breakfast when Michael walked in the back door. Well, I didn't realize it was him (it was the middle of the morning after all, he should have been at work) and I was so upset, as if someone was breaking into the house. I rested most of the day, which means sleeping next to Sammy, which isn't so bad. I ended up going to bed last night with a migraine. So this morning when I woke up with just some congestion, I was more than pleased. So I still have a little nasal and chest congestion but I'm feeling much better than I have.

We had such a great weekend too. We bought ourselves a XBox for Christmas, so we spent the weekend playing on that, mostly guitar hero. We laughed that it was a "hero" kind of weekend, playing guitar hero and watching Incredible Hulk and Hancock. We didn't even plan that. Michael is much better on the guitar than me, but maybe now that I'm feeling a little better, I'll get some practice time in while he's at work. Hehe.

The salt truck just passed through the neighborhood. It only took a day. We got some freezing rain on Monday night and so the roads were sheets of ice yesterday. Most of the schools in central Indiana were closed. I'm always surprised at the delay of getting the roads taken care of here. I remember when it would snow back home the roads would be plowed by the time I left for work/school. Not here, but we just don't get that type of weather either. I'm still waiting for some snow to really stick. It usually does in January when I don't really want it anymore. I guess I'll have to get used to having a non-white Christmas.

Disney on Ice

We went to Disney on Ice this past Friday. It was us, Jeremy and Jaime and Lucas, Jill's family (including Lucas' girlfriend, Abby), and another couple and their baby. It was up in Indy so we all met in Franklin and then convoyed up from there. The only ice show I've seen was on our honeymoon on the boat, and this one was pretty good, but watching the kids was the best part. When I asked Michael later if he liked the show, he said the same thing. Abby sat on my lap and since Michael was sitting next to me, Lucas sat on his lap. They shared cotton candy, held hands, and danced and clapped. It was so great just to see their little faces mesmerized by the show. Lucas loved Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, and at one point when Mickey left, he started chanting "Mickey Mouse, Mickey Mouse!" Abby could name the different princesses that came out, of course. And I think they both enjoyed all the fireworks and costumes. Abby quickly warmed up to Michael; I think this is the first time they've met. I carried her there, but she didn't want me to carry her back to the parking lot. She looked up at everybody and then chose Michael. What can I say, I'm easily replaced. It was definitely a great time and something we will do again in the future.

8 is Great!

Our tradition on the 8th is to put the star on the tree, so we did that last night. It seems like a lot of build-up waiting until the 8th to put it on and then up it goes and we're done, just like that. So I think next year we're going to modify our little tradition to make it more exciting! Either way, our star is up and our tree is finally complete.

Yesterday, the 8th, also concluded the semester! Ah, it feels so good to be done and to know that all that is left is student teaching. We had our meeting last night to learn about our requirements. I am really excited/anxious/nervous/ready to start student teaching. My first placement in January will be my special ed placement. After 40 school days, I will move to a 3rd grade classroom to finish out my last 40 school days.

I don't think I will ever get used to Indiana weather, although I don't feel bad about it, because I don't think the people that grew up here can get used to it either. In the last week it has been rainy, snowy, sleety, and sunny. It has been absolutely freezing cold and then sweatshirt comfortable. It's raining now...we'll see what tomorrow brings.

I went up to Bouncertown with the Toppes last Friday. We met Jill and her girls up there. Lucas and Abby were so cute running around together. When we left, they gave each other a big hug and kiss. It's too sweet to see them together.

Not much else to report. My school break will probably consist of cleaning and organizing the house and subbing when I can. Oh, and relaxing. ;)

Family Night

We went down to Madison to celebrate Jeremy's birthday at family night. It is always so good to go down there and see everyone, and extra good this time with Jeremy home! We visited for awhile and played with the kids before dinner, and then wrapped up the night with some cake and birthday presents. Of course, we forgot our gift for him, but I'll be seeing him on Friday--we're going to Bouncertown!

I'm wrapping up the semester as well. I stayed up late finishing the paper/presentation for today, which is the last big assignment. Monday is the last day and it's just a "be there, show up" kinda day. We also have a meeting that afternoon with our sponsor teachers for our student teaching.

The weather here is still ridiculous. Its cold and snowy one day and rainy the next. We haven't had any snow stick to the ground yet, but I'm still hopeful for some on Christmas day. We'll see.

We've also been thinking about getting Sammy a brother. We found one we really liked (and looked like Sammy!) but he was already adopted when we called. I guess the search will continue but if we don't find one soon, then it might have to wait. I won't get a new dog right before I start student teaching. So we'll how that one goes too.

Thanksgiving

Ahh, Thanksgiving. I love it. The holiday that starts the holiday season and so far, it's a good beginning. We went to Michael's aunt's house this year. It worked out very well. I always enjoy these times. We don't see all of Michael's family very often and so it's a good time to get together for a visit. Dinner was delicious and we stayed for awhile afterwards talking and playing with Michael's cousin's dogs. They're so darn cute together (it's made us want a little guy for Sammy). This long weekend has been a relaxing weekend. We put up the tree last night. I love having the tree up. I want to put the rest of the decorations up but I have to do some schoolwork that I've been putting off....although I'm sure I'll try and cram everything in today. It's raining outside. Definitely not the weather I'm used to for the holidays. I wanted a fire this weekend but it was too warm. Michael even wanted to take the bike out. I'll just cross my fingers and hope for snow for Christmas.

In BIG news, Jeremy came home on Thanksgiving day! I am so happy. Jaime and Lucas were able to visit him for about an hour when he came in that evening. He's at Atterbury now going through the demobilizing process, which should be done by Tuesday. Hopefully we'll get up there today to see him, the last couple of days have been busy for him there and so we haven't gotten the chance. It's just good to know he's safe and on U.S. soil.

Vet Visit #2

The medicine and prescription food seemed to be doing the trick. Well, that was until yesterday when I woke up to find more vomit in the upstairs hallway. Sammy had been back on her regular dog food for about a day and I thought that might be the reason for this. So I boiled up some chicken and rice for her breakfast, but she threw that up that afternoon. I called the vet's office and they said I better bring her back in.

Now, it's not that I mind (minus the cost of course) but Sammy, minds...a lot. It's really not that pleasant for her. Right away in the waiting room she is greeted by pleasant dogs, to none of which she takes a liking to. Sometimes she barks, growls, shakes; well usually all of the above. If you thought Sammy sheds a lot before, you should see her at the vet's office. My coat is covered, the examining table is covered, there are little Sammy hairs floating all around. Today, the vet wanted to take x-rays, just to make sure she didn't eat something she wasn't supposed to. They took her back and I could hear her crying and her nails scratching at the table. Well, when the assistants called the vet into the room, I knew it couldn't be good. I heard more crying, some commotion, and then the x-rays appeared on the computer screen. I later found out that Sammy bit the doctor and sprayed her anal sac. Now, imagine my embarrassment, my dog just sprayed poop on these poor people. I checked this out online and found that wild (yes, wild) animals will empty these sacs as a defense mechanism (this is what skunks do). The article went on to say that domestic animals have largely lost their ability to empty their sacs voluntarily. Well, not Sammy I guess. Disgusting, right? Well, guess where she sits on the drive home? Yeah, gross. The x-rays turned up with nothing, except a steeper bill, and so we left with some more medicine (the vet is saying that it is probably still pancreatitis and sometimes it takes a month to fully heal), a wiped butt, and a little less dignity. Ah, what we go through for our animals.

My Sick Puppy

Poor Sammers is sick. Although you wouldn't really know it from the way she's been acting, eating and playing just like normal...just now she's added puking to the list of daily activities. It started on Halloween night. I thought a trick or treater might have given her a piece of candy or something through the fence. But she's been continuing to throw up here and there (and usually on the carpet) through the week and then on Sunday and Monday she couldn't seem to keep anything down--not even a little biscuit. We took her in to see the vet yesterday. There didn't seem to be any reason she should be sick. She had some tenderness in her abdomen and he asked about how she handled Halloween. She was a mess that night! The pieces started fitting together. The doctor felt as though it might be pancreatitis but he wanted to do some blood work to rule out her liver or kidneys. The blood work came back this morning and he told me that he's diagnosing her with pancreatitis, but that her liver/kidneys are fine. I guess that's one of those "could have been better, could have been worse" kinda deals.

So she's on two different pills, one for the vomiting and one is an antibiotic. I think the medicine makes her sleepy but it's hard to tell, she usually sleeps a lot anyway. She's also on prescription dog food for the rest of the week. She only gets a half a can twice a day. It's not a lot and she acts so hungry it's hard not to give her more. Plus she lost 3lbs this past week. It's supposed to fix itself, it just needs some rest. I read about it online and it looks like it's more common in schnauzers and so that might be a factor as well. My poor baby. I'll let her rest week and then starting next Monday she's looking for a job--she's got a nice little vet bill to pay!

A Fun-Filled Weekend

I decided to go down and spend a little time with Jaime on Saturday. Lucas was going to get his haircut with Mary Jo and so we'd have some time to scrapbook. Well, I left a little later than I wanted to and so by the time I got down there, it wasn't long before little Lucas got home. But it worked out. He wanted to watch a movie so we scrapbooked while he watched Cars (his favorite and one he could watch over and over and over). We were actually more productive than we ever have been I think. We only have a few more pages to go and her pregnancy book will be done...and then the start of Lucas' book!

I left her house a little later than I had wanted, hmm, a trend that day I think. Michael and I were having girls night out/guys night out Saturday night. It was the first time in, well I think ever that we have done that. He was already gone by the time I got home and Charlee was pulling in as I was walking in the door. I got ready pretty quickly and then we headed up to Jill's. We had a pretty good time. We went out to eat and then played darts at a few different places. We ended up back at Jill's and drank coffee and ate muffins and talked until almost 6am, again later than I had anticipated. It was so much fun and much needed.

The really bad part about staying up until 6am and only getting a few hours of sleep? It makes for a really long day at drill the next day. I swear last night was the longest night I've ever had. The clock slowly ticked by and once I looked at it and I thought I was there for several hours and only 2 hours had gone by. The phone was extremely busy too. The Brigade is starting to come home and so their replacements are coming in. I think they have more time on their hands now. Plus, the closer to home it gets the harder it gets so those calls are probably keeping a little sanity.

And on a side note, Lucas is starting to read letters! Jaime called me all "freaked out" because he read a letter (I) on her shirt. I thought something horrible had happened when she called. But afterwards she had asked him about other letters and he could name quite a few. I don't remember which ones but if she updates her blog (eh hm) then she can let you know. He's such an incredibly smart, cute little kid. I miss him a lot after the days I get to spend a little time with him.

A New President Elected

I went to bed last night before the election was final (which is a side note in itself in regards to how much sleep I've been needing!) and so I didn't find out who won until this morning. Barack Obama! Whether you like him or not, it's incredible to be alive during this time and as history is happening. Although hopefully someday, it will not be a matter of race or gender, but just that a new president is elected. I'm excited to see what changes will take place over the next four years. Michael and I voted (and got our fancy stickers) yesterday morning. It was the first time either of us have voted in the polls. Last time we were in Afghanistan and filled out an absentee ballot. I didn't vote the time before that (and Michael wasn't old enough :) ). I was very excited! I had to have the guy tell me how to work the fancy machine but I didn't care. I pushed my buttons and just like that, I took part in one of American citizen's greatest rights, voting.

Quick Update

I passed my PT test! I am done with my enlistment this summer so it was the last time I will ever have to take a PT test again! I couldn't have asked for better weather (especially in November). I was also able to eat in the chow hall with Michael because he's drilling at Camp Atterbury, so it was nice to be able to see him for a bit during drill. It's been awhile since we've been in the same unit and able to see each other on drill weekends.

After I got home, Hallie came over for a surprise visit. We chatted awhile until Michael came home. We ate some dinner and went to the store for a few odds and ends. We also stopped at Goodwill and I got a few more books for my future classroom library.

After Hallie left, we watched a movie and went to bed. I don't know what it is about drill weekends, but they always leave me exhausted at the end of the day. Now to start another week!

Is It Really November?

I just came in from washing the car in my t-shirt and shorts. It's 72 degrees outside! It was cooler last week and I'm sure it will cool down again sometime next week (or maybe the week after!), but I'll enjoy it for now. It's funny to be outside in this kind of heat with fall leaves everywhere. Michael has drill this weekend, his first in his new unit. He won't be in Gary, he's actually going to be drilling up in Edinburgh now, so he won't have that long drive every month. I have drill this Sunday (split weekends so I'll be drilling next Sunday too) to take PT test #2. I've been working on it so hopefully I do better than last month--and hopefully it will be my last.

We ran out of candy about 7:30 last night. Not too bad, about 30 minutes before the end of trick or treating. It's a good thing I stopped at the store on the way home from work to grab an extra bag. The almost constant flow of people at the door and passing by drives Sammy nuts. She's very protective to begin with, so she hates almost everyone that comes to the door, and then add costumes to the mix and she is crazy dog. I put up the gate and she jumped over it. So I raised it up a bit and somehow she squeezed her body underneath. Determination I tell you. So I was on candy duty and Michael was on Sammy duty. Once we had a system, it went fine. I really think Sammy is good practice for children. Like most kids that have too many sweets on Halloween, Sammy threw up. Although I still don't know why. Maybe someone fed something to her outside. She threw up and then went and ate dinner. I'll never understand her completely. But she sure was cute last night with her little Halloween scarf and hat!

The start of November also means that I only have a little over a month left in the semester. I don't know how time goes by so quickly or how I manage to get anything done. Michael's class this semester has a heavy load too, so inbetween my work I've been trying to work with him on his work. I thought things would start to slow down in November but it's not looking good. Somehow, it will all work out, it always does.

Too Early

At 5:00 this morning, I woke up to Sammy barking incessantly. I finally went downstairs when I couldn't take anymore of it to find Michael with a piece of cheese in his hands and a look of desperation on his face. And then I hear the word skunk. Still in my bathrobe, I grab the cheese from his hands and trudge outside to ever-so-calmly coax Sammy back inside. Finally, with Michael on one side of the shed and me on the other, we got her! I headed straight the tub with her, which she gave me a few nice looks for, but eventually got her cleaned up. The house still has the faint pepe le pew odor, but it's fading.

On a positive Sammy note, we are successfully working on her staying inside by herself when we're gone. In the past, she's been crated or outside, but now that it's getting cold again, I hate to keep her outside and I wanted to try and do away with the crate. She has some anxiety when we leave which has lessened as she ages, so I thought why not. We started with 15 minutes and built on that. She's up to 4 hours with no damage to the house or its furnishings. I am very excited about this development! I think my big girl is ready to be a real house dog all the time!

A Very Fall Weekend

Michael's weekend actually started a little early on Friday. He called me from work in the morning, explaining that he was working on a gear when metal flew up and hit him in the mouth, chipping his front tooth. The tooth actually chipped on the back half, so you couldn't tell that he chipped it. He wasn't in pain, but wanted to get it taken care of before the weekend. So we made a trip up to the dentist and they fixed him right up.

Michael's parents came up to visit on Saturday afternoon. We usually go down there to visit and it was nice to see them and not have to drive! Although most of the trips down there this summer have been on the bike. We did a little shopping and went out for an early dinner. They headed back before dark.

The rest of the weekend was nice and lazy. We don't always have weekends where we're just at home with not a lot to do. It's nice. We watched movies Friday and Saturday nights and carved pumpkins today. I just got done cooking up my pumpkin seeds, yummy! We also went for our last bike ride this afternoon. The sun was out but it still was too cold. That wind blows right in my ears and it hurts. It was nice though to go out even for one more short last ride. I'm sure Michael will still be riding that bike for awhile, but I'm done.

We still haven't turned on the heat. It's still pretty nice during the day and we have big warm blankets at night. But we made our first fire of the season Saturday night and we've pretty much had it going since (don't worry, not at night when we're sleeping). I just love a fire in the fireplace. The warmth and crackle. It's so mesmerizing. It really made me feel like Fall is finally here. I don't know that I'm ready for the winter weather quite yet, but I'll enjoy the cooler weather and colorful leaves for now.

Spending Time with Jaime & Lucas

On Saturday morning, Sammy and I went down to Jaime's to spend a little quality time. Of course Sammy was beyond happy when she realized she'd be visiting Zeus. She always starts crying when we turn on their road, just so anxious to get out of the car and run to her buddy. I was starving when I got there so we went down to the Downtowner for lunch (they have delicious BLT's there!). And then we stopped next door at the bird store so we could go down in the basement to "walk through nature." Their basement is set up with all these fake trees and animals, with even a couple of deer. Lucas enjoys it, but I think he thinks that they're real because he doesn't really want to touch any of the animals.

We did a little scrapbooking in the afternoon while Lucas was napping. And by little, I mean little. We didn't even get one full page done by the time he woke up. Granted he had a shorter nap, but it was still an hour long! Yes, this is why we're still working on the same book we've been working on for a year. My goal is to get done with this book (Jaime's pregnancy) so we can move to Lucas' book before the new year. We'll see. Either way, it's always nice to see the look on Jaime's face when a page is complete. She's so excited and it makes everything worthwhile.

One of Jeremy's classmates got married that evening so I watched Lucas while Jaime went to the ceremony and then she came back and picked us up for the reception. I felt a little out of place, not knowing barely anyone, but Lucas helped keep me entertained. We went out and fed the goats (yes, goats-I don't know why they're there) and played on the playground for a little bit. After dinner we went outside to say good-bye to some people and ended up staying for quite awhile talking. Lucas found a little girl to play with and so they ran around for awhile.

Jaime had to pick up JJ from her band competition at 1 that morning so we stayed up for awhile watching tv when we got home. We slept for a little bit on the couch until she had to leave. I went to bring Sammy inside for the night and she wasn't by Zeus, which usually she is curled up next to him sleeping (as cool as it's been, I couldn't imagine why she wouldn't be next to all that fur). I called and called and she was nowhere. I panicked a little when I heard the coyotes howling. It felt like forever, but it was probably only a few minutes later and Sammy comes flying into the backyard. If you've ever seen Sammy really running it really looks like she's flying above ground. So I quickly brought her inside and curled up on the couch and fell asleep. What seemed like a few hours later (I think it was about 6:30am) Lucas comes into the living room and curls up with me. Aw, cuddly baby in the morning; nothing better. So we watched cars until Jaime woke up. When Lucas saw her, he said "hi mommy, hi Jaime!" It's so hilarious to hear him call her by her name. After some breakfast, some dancing around the table, and a bath, Sammy and I packed up our stuff and headed home. I had drill yesterday night so after I got home I took a quick shower and headed up to Atterbury. I was so tired last night but I think I made up for it-I won't even say how late I slept in this morning! Now it's off to school to start another week!

Catching Up

Well, it's been a little bit since my last entry. I've been extremely busy with school. We had full day fields this past week and a few major assignments due this Monday. I took a field trip with the Kindergarten class to the pumpkin patch. We learned about all the different kinds of pumpkins and squash, we were able to pet some animals (including little ducks!), went through a corn maze, and picked pumpkins out in the field. I was surprised that each student could pick a pumpkin to take home. They were very excited about that.

Last Saturday Jaime and I took Lucas to Abby's birthday party. We went to the Fall parade. Lucas really enjoyed putting the candy in the bag, but I think it was the idea of cleaning up than it was about getting candy. After presents and cake, Lucas and Abby went outside to play. I just love to watch them play together. They're so cute. Jill looked amazing and already back into a pair of jeans! I couldn't hold Autumn because I was just getting over a cold, which was horrible to see a baby and not hold her. Next time. It was fun and Lucas didn't last very long on the ride home. Jaime and I scrapbooked for awhile during his nap. We might actually get done with this scrapbook in the next 5 years! Lucas was a little crabby when he woke up from his nap so Jaime decided just to take him home instead of taking him out to eat. Probably a good choice but I felt like it cut our time together short. I'm going down there next weekend so I'll be seeing him again.

We took Sammy to the vet this week for her annual check up and shots. She's overweight. :( She gained about 7lbs. from last year. Oh my! She's supposed to be a 25lb. dog and she's around 29lbs. Not too bad but we'll have to start watching the treats. It's hard when she's so cute--and the fact that she tells me when she wants a treat! (she goes to the "treat" cupboard and stares at it and then "lets me know" it's time to get her a treat)

Yesterday we went on our first big bike run. The money raised went to a little boy who lost his mommy. I think there were about 75 bikes. We started in Seymour and went up to Caddie's in Columbus. And then from there we headed down to N. Vernon. They were just headed back to Seymour, so we split off there. We've never ridden with that many bikes and it was amazing. The rumbling just pounds inside you and the feeling you get being in the middle of that many bikes riding down the road. It was pretty neat. We had a police escort out of Seymour and from there on we blocked our own roads. I felt so above the law! I probably like riding in small groups the best, but it was a good experience.

Last week was a pretty tough week for me and so I'm glad the weekend has gone better. We're celebrating Michael's birthday tonight as well. We'll just go out to dinner and do cake here. It should be a good end to the weekend. Well, my weekend--Michael is off on Monday for Columbus Day and so he'll be going on another bike ride with some guys from work.

Autumn Victoria

My friend, Jill, had her baby on Friday. She is absolutely precious. She looks like her big sister Abby already! She weighed in at 5lb 15oz and 19" long. She was born a little early (36 weeks), but is doing very well and went home today. I went up to the hospital on Saturday to visit. It was very nice to meet her and to be able to hold such a small baby. I didn't want to give her up!

Homecoming

It is actually CNHS's homecoming this weekend, but what I'm referring to is Michael coming home on Wednesday. Yay! I always get extremely anxious a couple days before he's set to be home and so I'm really happy that he's home. And hopefully this time he'll stay here for awhile. He doesn't have any other school scheduled right now, but that doesn't mean that can't change. He did really well in his class. In fact, he was first in his class. And in other guard business, he is getting promoted again. Effective 01 October, he will be a Staff Sergeant (E6)! It's very exciting and we celebrated with a little (okay, a lot) ice cream cake last night. His new unit is in Gary. Not so happy about the distance (about a 3 hour drive), but ya gotta do what ya gotta do. This means he'll be staying up there on drill weekends and not coming home each night. I guess one weekend a month will be okay. I try to schedule my drill weekends the same as his anyway.

I'm getting pretty busy with school again. It always seems like the beginning of the semester is slow and then when we start getting into our projects and assignments things pick up really quick. I'm excited about the classes this semester though. Not necessarily all the work, but what we're studying and reading about is really interesting. I lost my student teaching placement. My special ed teacher has a different program and a very full schedule and so she didn't think that I would benefit from being with her next semester. So my professor pulled me from the school completely and is trying to find another placement for me. I'm not extremely happy about this. I liked the school and grade levels I would be teaching and now that isn't going to happen. I just hope they find me a place before January!

You Never Know Who You'll Run Into

And it usually happens in the last place you'd expect, or in this case, with a person I would have bet a ton of money on I would have never seen again in my life. I have drill this weekend and since the post locator desk is also located in the same building as the MP's and the JOC, many people come in and out throughout the day. I didn't trust my eyes when I saw him walk in and so I didn't say anything, but sure enough he stopped by my desk and it was him...a local I had met in Afghanistan! He worked for KBR in the chow hall. I would practice my Dari with him every time I saw him in there. He spoke English quite well. He now has his green card and works for the Army, not sure doing what though. We talked only briefly, but exchanged email addresses, and so hopefully we will keep in touch. It was interesting to hear about what Afghanistan is like now (much worse! he said it was good when Indiana was there but they don't like the units that have replaced us since and things are heating up again) and how he plans on returning. I would think that America would be quite overwhelming, especially coming from over there. He looks good and seems to be doing well.

Hurricane Ike

I just wanted to write a quick note to let everyone that was affected by the storm know that we are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers. We were lucky here, but southern Indiana (some areas not even an hour south of us) were hit much harder. They are still without power and quite a bit of damage to their homes from the wind and fallen trees. It still amazes me how a storm can travel inland like it has and the damage it can do to so many places. I know it is just devastating down south and I can't imagine what they are dealing with in the places that were hit the hardest. My heart goes out to everyone.

Movies, Birthday Celebrations, Sick Dog, and Storms All in a Weekend

I worked on Friday at the high school in a shop class. Since I don't know anything about it, I basically sat back while the kids worked in the shop area. I guess that's the one thing about subbing, you never know what the day will bring. I also ran into someone that I served with overseas. He is a high school teacher now. It's been over three years since I've seen him and it was good to have a quick catch up. That evening I went up to the movies with Jill to see 'Women'. There were a few other pregnant women there with their friends as well. It was a good movie and probably the only one I've ever seen that doesn't have one male in it. I'm making a note to myself to never buy the popcorn again unless I'm sharing it with many other people. I love movie popcorn but I barely made a dent in the huge bucket of buttery yumminess and at that price, it was hard to see it go to waste.

Saturday Jaime came up so we could celebrate her birthday. Jeremy and I collaborated together to take her to get our nails done, do a little shopping, and go out to dinner. It was all supposed to be a surprise but nothing ever stays a secret for some reason or another and so she knew what we were doing, just not details. I absolutely love getting my nails done. It's my new favorite indulgence. Not that getting my feet and hands rubbed isn't enough, but also get a mini massage in the chair. Ah, so wonderful. I picked out this deeper red color to get ready for Fall. I usually don't put such dark colors on my hands, but I guess I'm up for anything now a days. So after our pedicures and manicures, we went back to the house to get ready. Well, it took us longer to get ready since we talk, so we really didn't have that long to shop. Jaime made me get all dressed up (not in my comfortable jeans and tshirt I am used to). We stopped at the mall in Greenwood to go to Jaime's favorite store. I found a cute pair of earrings and a necklace on sale and Jaime, of course, found a few outfits. Then it was on up to Indy for dinner at Benihana's. The dinner was wonderful and the chef, David-sahn, was very entertaining. Jaime got a balloon hat and they came out and sang to her. She had to get up and dance which is hilarious if you know Jaime. And of course I don't know how to work her camera so I only got the last few seconds of her dance. Mary Jo was at a band competition for JJ in Columbus, so when we got back to town, we stopped at the high school to pick him up and then headed home.

I should have known I wouldn't get a good night's sleep. We went to bed at a decent hour so even thinking that if Lucas got up early I would still have had plenty of rest. Well, I'm not sure at what hour it started, but Sammy got up sick. She went outside and ate a bunch of grass, which she threw up not long after in the bedroom. She continued to get up throughout the night and go outside to puke. I felt so bad for her and a bit worried, but she's fine now. She's sleeping which is normal for her.

We've been getting some of the effects of hurricane Ike today. It's been extremely windy but not a lot of rain. Jaime called when she got home and said it's much worse down there. Trees and power lines down. Shingles are all over her yard. Thankfully she made it home okay, after taking multiple routes trying to find a way that was clear to get home. The power is out there as well. I feel pretty bad for her. Lucas is having one of those days and this doesn't help. My thoughts are going out to all the people down in Texas and the surrounding area that were hit really hard by this storm.

And now I'm taking a break from homework, which didn't get done all weekend. Michael is in Michigan again for his final phase of this new job training. He left on Wednesday and will be back in two weeks. I think the time might pass by a little bit slower, without Lucas here to keep me busy for one of the weeks. I just hope I will stay focused enough to get ahead with some of my schoolwork. So far it doesn't look promising. It's days like this, gloomy Sunday afternoons, that make me miss him the most.

09/11/08

Another anniversary. I've been watching the shows on the History channel since I got home from school. It's still as heart wrenching as when it first happened. Just devastating. My thoughts go out to all of those family members and friends that lost someone that day as well as everyone that has served or is serving overseas. I hope everyone takes a moment today to remember.

Yard Work Pains

When we went down to Madison on Sunday Michael had all intentions of leaving the birthday party early to take care of some of Jaime's yard work. But the timing never seemed right, especially with the ice cream cake being served, and so he never went over to do it. It always seems like something has gotten in the way of him helping out so he promised to come back this weekend. So Saturday afternoon we headed down. Michael got started on the grass cutting right away and I fixed a board on the porch. After I was done with that and cleaning out Lucas' pool, I went over to help cut the grass. I hopped on the mower and Michael started the trimming. Well, no offense to the owners of the trimmer, but it's a piece of junk. So while Michael was trying to get the thing working, he slipped on a board and a rusty screw went right threw his heel. I was just cruising around on the zero turn mower trying to get it figured out, unaware that any of this happened, until I hear my name called (it was not the first time apparently). I walk over, mind you Michael doesn't look to be in any sort of distress, until I see blood gushing out of his foot. So I run to the house to try and find some bandages (Jaime was at drill so she wasn't home) and all I can find at first is Diego band aides. Isn't it funny when you're trying to hurry that it seems to take forever? So I finally find items to clean the wound. Since it was a screw and not a nail, the cut is more chewed up. I made him sit for awhile, but he felt he needed to finish the grass. So he put his shoe back on and continued with the trimming until he ran out of line (and oomph, I think--he was hobbling around the whole time working). So we didn't get to finish everything we had set out to do; if it's not cake, then it's a big fat rusty screw.

Labor Day Weekend

Where do I begin? I guess Friday. We got a couple free tickets (through the guard) to go to the Indians game (minor league baseball). So after work on Friday we headed up. Neither of us had been to any kind of baseball game before (except probably little or beer league) so we were excited and didn't care that it was just the minors. The stadium is right in downtown Indy, across from the Colts' stadium. Our seats were high way out in the left field, but it gave us a good view of everything. To me, baseball games are not that exciting, it's more about the atmosphere and the people that make the experience. But we had a good time and about 3 hours later, the 9th inning ended and the Indians took victory over the Louisville Bats. After the game they had a fireworks show right from the field. It was amazing to be so close to them. The sound is so intensified, and it really made the show so much more to watch.

On Saturday we went down to Bedford to celebrate Michael's mom's birthday. His dad took the cover and doors off the jeep and we cruised the country roads. We stopped in Bloomington to grab some lunch at Cracker Barrel and did a little shopping. Then we cruised back to their house. On the way their his dad stopped at this old one room schoolhouse. It was really neat but I didn't get out of the car to check it out. On the way there I had a mister misty from DQ and I had to go to the bathroom so badly that I couldn't move. I think next time we go down there we'll have to head back out there with camera and an empty bladder. We visited for a little while at the house before heading back home (on the bike, of course).

Sunday we headed down to Madison (again on the bike) to visit with my sister and Lucas and her in-laws. Jeremy's cousin was having a birthday party so we went over there for the celebration. I played with the kids for a little bit before playing a round of corn hole (boys v. girls) with Michael, Jaime, and Trey. We lost but that's okay. We went in early and started eating the yummy cook out food. After presents and delicious DQ ice cream cake, we headed back. Michael gave Jaime a ride on the bike and I think she really likes it. It will be fun when Jeremy comes home and gets his own and we can all go out riding.

And on Monday, because we couldn't get enough riding the past two days apparently, we went on a bike run with some guys from Michael's work. We started here in Columbus, picked up a guy in Seymour, another in Scottsburg and headed south to the river. In total, there were 7 bikes and I think 10 riders. We stopped at this little restaurant, the Dock, for lunch. They have outdoor seating overlooking the river, but there were a million bikers and all the outdoor seating was full. I had a cod fish sandwich that was pretty yummy. On the way back we started splitting off our separate ways until it was just Michael and I again. I was very ready to get home. It was so hot that the wind was enough to cool us off, and in fact, in some areas it felt like riding into an oven. But we stopped a few times to gas up and get water so we would all live long enough to make it home. Even Michael was ready to get off the bike and that never happens. We decided we'd take another long day trip in the fall when it gets cooler. Plus the leaves will be changing and it will be a beautiful ride.

All in all, it was a very full, Labor Day weekend. I think we stopped long enough to sleep. So now I'm not really ready for the week, but that's okay. I'll take having a long, good weekend.

Recognition and Imitation

I haven't updated for a little bit. I guess my life is just not as exciting without a two year old in it. I wanted to toot Michael's horn, because I know he won't. A drill a couple weeks ago, he received an Indiana Commendation Medal for his work on state duty during the flood. I believe it's the third highest state award. He really took charge while he was down there and put in extra hours when everyone else was done for the night. Well, it didn't go unnoticed. His commander and first sergeant put in the award for him. And to tell you how modest he is about it, he didn't even want to accept the award in front of the company. He had the first sergeant give it to him on the side. Well, I'm proud of him and I'm going to let everyone know, even if he's not!

Okay, and the imitation part of this entry is Sammy's. Ever since she started hanging around Zeus, she's picked up a few habits. So, she always seems to be marking her territory when we go for walks. However, now, she lifts her leg to pee on poles and trees! Yes, she's a girl, but I guess if Zeus is doing it, then she can do it too. No wonder everyone calls her a boy. Geesh.

The Adventures of Sammy and Zeus Continue

I decided to start walking the dogs twice a day, so this morning when I got up we went out for a little trot. The dogs were ecstatic, not used to morning walks, jumping everywhere. We didn't even make it down the first block before Sammy crosses under Zeus' lead and wraps around his hind leg. So Zeus goes down and I try untangling this mess and I go down. Before I know it, Zeus is walking down the sidewalk dragging his lead, Sammy is running down the sidewalk, and I am kneeling on the sidewalk with her collar in my hands. The dogs walked away unmarked but I got a little scrape of the knuckle against the sidewalk. They calmed down (as much as they were going to) and the rest of the walk was fine. It takes them a minute to remember how to walk--Sammy's on the right and Zeus is to her left, if she crosses then he jumps over the line. It only took that one mess to remind them.

The main reason I decided to start two walks a day is because the great escape artist decided to jump the fence again, straight into the farmer's field and a bush of burs. This time it was much worse than before, he was literally covered in these tiny things from snout to tail. I brushed some of it out last night and again this afternoon. I've gotten the scissors out and started cutting away hair it's so bad. It's a mess. If I had good clippers I would shave him down completely. It's a good thing we went outside when we did (it's a terribly crazy side story that I won't go into too much detail here, let's just say there was water guns and chasing and outside was my only escape route) or who knows how long he would have been roaming in the field.

Michael's Home

Michael came home on Saturday afternoon. He did very well, second in his class. He was upset he didn't make first, missed it by one question. But he got all superiors on his 1059 "report card" and I'm very proud of him. He's home now for a few weeks and then he goes back again in September for another two weeks. The two weeks went by quicker than usual, having Lucas here for half of it, but the couple days before he comes home I always get real anxious and excited and miss him even more.

Saturday we grabbed some lunch and went for a short bike ride before settling in for the night with a movie. Sunday we didn't do much in the morning, just relaxed. On a whim, we decided to take another bike cruise by the river. We rode down to Aurora and stopped at a restaurant by the river. They had a regatta this weekend so we watched a couple races while we ate (outdoor seating is the best). Since we were down by the river, we ventured over to Belterra. We were hoping to run into Stephanie but we didn't see her until we gave up and were walking off the boat. So we chatted with her for a few minutes before heading out. We plugged $5 into the machines and of course didn't win anything. We're too cheap to be big spenders so we'll never be big winners. That's okay though. I get excited winning 40 cents. The ride along the river was beautiful. The water seemed bluer than normal and the ride was so relaxing. The weather couldn't have been better either. It was probably one of my favorite trips on the bike.

Now it's back to the hum drum of life. Michael's back to work and I start school this week. I didn't get everything accomplished that I had hoped to this summer, but it's okay. It was a good summer and I feel ready to get started with school again.

Adventures with Zeus

I'm sitting at my computer and the door bell rings. It's one of my neighbors letting me know "the big" dog jumped the fence to the farm--she thinks he was chasing after a rabbit. The big dog? Jumped the fence? I knew his joint pills made a difference, but not that much! I thank her and then proceed to panic and throw on some old shoes and run out the door. Sure enough, there he is, well, all you can see is his tail bouncing around through the crops that are growing. I jump the fence meanwhile Sammy is going nuts. I called for him and he came right to me. We had to walk the length of the fence to get back to the other side. I still don't know how he got out, but I guess he really wanted whatever was on the other side.

Night Out With My Girls

Brenda, Jill, and Charlee came into town last night to get together for my birthday. We played some putt-putt before going for some yummy Mexican. Get a bunch of girls together, what's going to happen? Talking. That seems to be all we did all night. We lingered at the restaurant after we ate just talking away. Brenda had to head out (by this time it was after 8 I think) and the rest of us stood in the parking lot, continuing the conversation, until we decided just to head back to my place. There we talked, well forever. Jill finally ended up leaving a bit after 5am and Charlee and I stayed up for maybe another hour. We finally fell asleep on the couch until 9am. Yep, we're wild and crazy girls! It was nice to just sit and get together and have girl talk with no men and no kids! It's not often that happens.

I had my first adjustment at the chiropractor. It was weird. He told me he was going to turn my head and he showed me in slow motion how. Then he did it. It went pop-pop-pop-pop-pop! Then the other side. Well, I'm not paralyzed. I'm going to be going a couple times a week until some of the pain stops and then I'll go less often. Jill (who used to be a physical therapist) isn't too keen on chiropractors, feeling they just try to keep you coming forever so they can always get money instead of trying to really fix it--like by giving you exercises you can do on your own. Charlee's husband has had more improvement with massages, than chiropractic care as well. So we'll just see how this goes. It's funny that insurance covers more massages a year than adjustments!

I finally crawled off the couch. Besides not getting any sleep last night, I've had a major headache all day. It's still there, but I can finally sit up so I'm trying to get a few things done. It's Dad's birthday today so I gave him a call. He's going to be done with this current job in a few weeks and then moving on to Oklahoma for about a week. I hope his next job takes him closer to Indiana. One can wish!

Back to Just Me and the Dogs

Yesterday I dropped Lucas off at Jeremy's parents house. I already miss him. It doesn't help that there's still Lucas stuff all over the house. I can't even go to the bathroom without missing him--his potty seat makes me sad! I know this is rediculous, but I got used to having him around, even if I only had him for a week. I guess it doesn't help when your baby fever is to the millionth exponent.

He woke up at 6am on Sunday, bright eyed and cheery as always. He greets me in the hall and exclaims "I did it" (he climbs out of bed, shuts off the monitor light, and opens the door). We had some breakfast and played for awhile. He only slept less than an hour so he was kind of tired on the way home, but fought sleep. He was excited to see the kitties when he got there and as soon as he entered the house he called for Mamaw. But he clung to me the whole time. He stopped to give JJ a hug and then had to come right back to me. I didn't want to have to put him down and have him cry and me say good-bye (hmm, harder for me?) so I put him to bed. He was tired but not sleeping, just staring at me the whole time as I closed the door. It was so hard, I can't even imagine what Jaime went through when she left and what she's going through now...or Jeremy for that matter. I give you guys so much credit, you really have to be a special kind of strong.

I just got back from my first chiropractor appointment. I've never been, always too scared for some reason. But I keep hearing that it will help with headaches and plus my neck and upper back are constantly hurting, and so I thought I'd give it a try. Wanda recommended Dr. Taulman and he is very nice--and funny. It was just a consultation today. I was amazed at how he could find all my painful spots just by touching. I also got a scan done and my neck and upper back are off the charts for stress points. I have some other stressed area through my mid and lower back, but the levels were about average. I'm going back tomorrow for an adjustment. That's the part that scares me. I always think, what if I tense up right when he's adjusting my neck and it results in paralysis. I know, it's crazy, but that's my thought. After going today, I think it will be fine. I can't wait to start feeling better and live without pain! They had this chart on the wall that displayed points of pain and what it affects. The location of my pain can contribute to headaches, stomach pains, exhaustion, memory loss (that's why I can't remember anything!), and some things I can't think of right now. As I was reading all I could think is yep, I have that and that and that. Well, if there is a connection to all these things, then hopefully regular adjustments will help me feel better all around.

Our Last Full Day Together

Writing this entry finds me really quite sad this evening. I just put him down for the night and the house is quiet yet again, and as it will be for the rest of the week, days included. Now look it, I'm going to make myself cry. I've had a lot of fun with Lucas and although it's only been a week and I know I'll see him again, it still makes me sad. The things I'll miss: seeing him first thing in the morning, there is nothing like that smile right from the start; stopping to smell the flowers (literally) on walks--who does that? Lucas does; dancing around the table; shouting hooray and clapping for the most mundane of things--with a two year old, everything is worth rewarding. He's taught me to enjoy the simplest of things and I'm glad I had the opportunity to spend real quality time with him this week. I know there will be many more visits to come, and I will cherish each and every one. Haha, I guess I'm being a little sentimental here. Note, never write blogs when emotions are running on the surface!

Today was another adventure, starting again with the usual routine. I wanted to highlight on some funny stories from today. At breakfast we were talking and I got the hiccups in the middle of one of my words. Lucas thought this was hilarious and started laughing, which always makes me laugh. So I laughed into my arms on the table. He copied this and continued doing it every time he laughed during breakfast. At lunch I was giving him his medicine and a bit of it dropped on the ground. I didn't even have a chance to turn and get a washcloth and he exclaims 'I got it Beckie!' I turn and look and the spill is gone. He shows my his sock and there's a pink spot on the bottom. He stomped on the spill! While we were upstairs, he was putting babies into Sammy's crate, telling them to go to bed, etc etc. I went into my bedroom to put something away and I heard plastic hitting plastic. I knew right away that it was the humidifier in that room, as we were playing with it the other day. As I was walking towards the room, I asked him what he was doing. I caught him quickly going back over to the crate and he told me 'babies bed.' Do they really start covering up their actions at two years old!?! I couldn't help but to laugh.

We went to the park again today. This time we went up to Franklin and met Jill, Ali, and Abby up there. They all had a really good time playing. Now whenever they go anywhere, they hold hands while walking. It is just the cutest thing. I'm going to start planning their wedding. :) We were there for about 2 hours. They climbed and slid down slides and ran and just about everything one can do at a park. It was slightly cooler today, but still hot when the sun poked out from behind the clouds, so we decided to get some ice cream from Ritters. I got Lucas the "worm and dirt" cup which is just chocolate ice cream with cookie bits and gummy worms. Of course as soon as he saw the worms he had to start eating them. And that's about all he ate. He had a couple bites of the cookie but wasn't really into the ice cream. He did eat my cherry off my sundae of course. Then he and Abby played 'ring around the rosy' while Jill and I finished our ice cream. Ritters has big windows and the kids stood up to the windows and watched them make the ice cream treats. Lucas thought it was so neat to see inside. And, as his timing is always perfect, as we're getting ready to go he says 'poop, Beckie.' This time I had to change him in the car. Not the easiest to do now that he's 2 and too tall to really lie down on the seat.

Tonight we ate dinner and played with toys for awhile. We got a special treat before bath, a call from Daddy. He said a few words, but he usually gets really quiet on the phone, almost like he's shy sometimes. It was so good to talk to Jeremy, especially at home and not at drill. At this point Lucas was getting pretty tired so he just curled up on my lap and listened to Jeremy and I talk (I had Jeremy on speaker phone). I think sometimes he just likes hearing his daddy's voice, even if he doesn't seem responsive. I show him pictures everyday of Jaime and Jeremy and he always squeals with excitement, "mommy and daddy!" He was so tired after his bath he said baby and just wanted to be held. I took advantage of this and held him for awhile. Those are some of my favorite moments. It's rare when he's cuddly. But he had to get dressed and so we got his pj's on and went to bed. Hmm, now I'm sad again.

In other news, since I know Jaime is not updating her blog while she is gone (she barely does it when she's home), she is doing really well in school. She's learning all about carpentry and she's been cutting wood with saws and other power tools. I'll have to put her to some use when she comes home and have her build me a deck! Michael is doing well too. No news yet on the car issue, but hopefully it gets resolved. Sammy and Zeus are doing well. Noisy, especially when babies are sleeping (on a side story, when Sammy barks, I'll hear Lucas say 'quiet Sammy' on the monitor--it cracks me up every time). I think Sammy is really glad to have Zeus here. I'm going to try and get them into this air conditioning as much as I can next week before I shampoo the carpets. Then they're banned from the house!

In some bad news, I just found out (this is why I hate not having my phone!) that on Monday, Christy, Michael's sister, was out riding her horse when some Harleys rode by and spooked her horse. It took off running, and then bucked her off. She hit its leg on the way down and landed on her head. She was knocked out cold. Her two oldest girls and husband were also riding and so they saw it. The girls were pretty freaked out. Chad took Christy to the emergency room. She's okay, no serious injuries, just cuts and bruises and a lot of soreness. We're really glad she's okay but it's still pretty scary. I don't think she'll be riding that one again soon. She just got it not too long ago and it was pretty broken in, but I guess the noise just got to it. So if you ride a motorcycle and you see someone on a horse, go another way.

I'm 28 on 08/08/08!

Yep, it's my birthday today. How crazy is this birthday, so many 8's! And how am I 28 already!?! It's just crazy how time flies. I don't feel like I'm in my late 20's. Well, on most days. As most of you know, I am spending this birthday alone, well, except for Lucas. My two special people are going for military training at the same time. It's okay though. We did early celebrations and I surprisingly woke up very cheerful. The day can only be what I make of it, right? So when Lucas woke up I told him to say happy birthday, so he was the first one to technically tell me happy birthday today. Michael called me early, to be the first to tell me. I received a lot of calls, emails, messages from people, which made me feel good. Thank you everybody. Today just Lucas and I hung out. We played around the house all morning, doing the usual (toys, babies, bike rides, etc.). He also took a bath this morning. He was in the bathroom and said bubbles and I thought why not? He usually gets a bath before bed but I think he just wanted to play in the water. This afternoon we were playing outside and I thought we'd have more fun at a real park, so we headed down to Mill Race Park. He had a blast. He spent the most time on the tallest, twirly slide and these big seat swings. He did not want to go, but we were there for 2 hours and thought we should head home. He fussed a little but gave in. He usually tries to get his way but when he realizes it's not going to happen he's okay. We picked up a few items at the store and then went home. He rode his bike for a little bit, helped me pick some weeds, and repot a plant. Then we went inside to make the birthday cake. He's the best little helper, just loves doing everything. We had McDonald's for dinner. I didn't feel like cooking and I can do what I want, it's my birthday. :) After dinner we sang happy birthday and ate cake. I recorded it on video and put it on the computer and Lucas had to watch it about 20 times, over and over, clapping at the end every time. I think he was just so amused that he blew out the candles. Bathtime went well, until he noticed an ouwy on his hand and knee. Then he was done, almost inconsolable. Same thing happened last night too. I wonder if he's just so tired from so much activity each day, everday, that by the end he's done. He probably needs a good break. I guess that will come next week, because I think he's going to be playing with Abby again tomorrow. He misses her already. When we were in the store he kept calling her name. I told him she was at home and he'd tell me no, and continue calling out for her. He's funny. Well, I'm sure I'm missing some details from today, but I'm pretty tired myself. This birthday girl is ready for bed.

Another Day of Swimming

No new pictures today, sorry. It was just another day here, as I think Lucas gets more and more used to staying here. After breakfast this morning we took a bike ride around the neighborhood (this means me walking behind Lucas as he rides his bat mobile). At one house he saw a flag on a pole and kept saying 'flag flying' and then 'good-bye flag.' We were there forever staring at the flag--he made sure I was looking. Finally we could move on. We played a little in the house, the usual balls and block and money. We also got all the stuffed monkeys down and played with them. I set the laundry basket upside down in my room so Lucas could turn on the light and he decided this would be his jumping platform. Then he made the babies (stuffed monkeys) jump off the basket as well. I put him down for a nap a little early since we were going to the pool this afternoon and I wanted him to be up in time to eat lunch before we left. Well, he laid in bed for close to an hour before finally falling asleep. No Jaime, I didn't let him cry for an hour, in fact, he didn't cry at all. He went right to bed but continued to talk to his babies. I listened on the monitor. I can't remember everything but a couple things he said was once 'quiet Sammy' when she was barking outside and 'no crying, Beckie' and then he pretended to cry like a baby. It was hysterical. Those babies must laugh at him to keep him going so long. Oh, and he counted for jumping (1, 2, 3, go!) and sang Ring Around the Rosy. He woke up after about an hour and a half, with a little crabbiness. He didn't want to talk to Abby or play. He just wanted his hot dog and then it was too hot, which set him off. When he finally woke up he was ready to go.

We had a good time at the pool today. We did a lot of jumping into the water again. We practiced his swimming. When I let go and he was all on his own floating and kicking he was so proud. I think he really liked the feeling of floating in water on his own and not being held. So we practiced some swimming and he was getting to the point where he can start to swim on his own (with his floaties on). His kick isn't strong enough yet to really propel him, but I can put him a couple feet from the edge and he'll swim to it. He gets so very proud when he reaches the side. I also did a modified version of rocket. Instead of throwing him across the pool, I bounced him on my thighs and then threw him into the air, catching him in the water on the way down. He absolutely loved it and kept saying 'rocket!' Then Abby had to do "rocket" so Jill had to play it with her. Abby's a little less fearless in the water though, and doesn't let go to jump. Difference between boys and girls? We got a little more sun than last time, even though we were there about the same amount of time. It even felt cooler today than last time too. So now I'm a pretty red, but just on my front, my lower back and back of my legs don't match the front at all. It's cute.

When we came home Abby and Lucas played in the backyard for a little bit before she and Jill needed to head home. Lucas and I played with the play-doh before dinner. The dogs were in the house and at one point Lucas dropped the whole batch of blue on the ground and Zeus grabbed it. I had to take the slobbery mess out of his mouth and wipe it off. It was disgusting. If you want to see Zeus move quickly, drop play-doh. After dinner, Lucas turned the toy buckets upside down and used those for jumping platforms. He would jump off of them onto the couch. He's so cute when he jumps; 1-2-3-go! He wanted to jump from the couch to the buckets but I put a quick stop to that one. We also played with the stuffed monkey babies again. He would grab a monkey and say mine. I would grab it back, tickle him, and say ours. He would grab it back and it'd start all over again. The bath tonight lasted a total of maybe 3 minutes. I found an ouwy from earlier and started crying. I knew he was pretty tired, but it was still a little too early to go down. So we put on the pj's (the only ones he'll wear now are the doggie ones) and he said 'boom' which he usually does, and this time I said okay (boom means the stairs, he sits on them and goes boom all the way down, so if he says boom he wants to go downstairs). I think he was surprised that I said okay, he's used to hearing a flat no. We went down and read a few books. It was close enough to bedtime by the time we were done so I told him bed, he told me no, and then turned around and put his head on my shoulder and his thumb in his mouth. He was ready. He went straight down and I haven't heard a peep from him since. He's gotta be tired. Every day's a big day so far, although his energy never fails to amaze me.

I also talked to Michael. Things are as good as can be. He's doing really well; he got a 100 on his first test. After chow last night he went back to the classroom to help some other people that were struggling. This stuff seems to come naturally to him and I knew he'd have no problem. An update on the car: the kid that hit the car wasn't insured (like he said he was) but luckily we have uninsured motorist coverage because we don't have collision, only liability. I've been keeping so busy with Lucas it hasn't given me that chance to feel really lonely like I normally do when he's gone. Now I'll have less than a week to get everything done around the house before he comes home (it's my time to deep-deep clean while he's not around to get in the way). I still miss him though, but it's only another week and some odd days. Not too bad.

A First Date at the Movies

Lucas and I met Jill and Abby for the free Wednesday morning movie in Franklin. Today Horton Hears a Who was the featured film. This was Lucas' first time to the movie theatre and he really enjoyed it. He ate all of his popcorn and still wanted more. He was amazed at the big "tv" and just seemed beside himself with excitement. He almost made it almost all of the way through the movie too. I had to take him out, not because he was crying, but because he got up and started singing ring around the rosey. He did really well though for not having his morning nap and waiting for 30 minutes before the show even started. We just went out in the lobby and pretended to play driving games and he danced a little to the music.

We went to Jill's afterwards for lunch and playtime. We ate lunch and then the kids played for a little bit. I don't think Lucas is used to so many "girl"toys and he really liked feeding the baby a bottle. he would hold the baby in his arms and rock it while feeding it the bottle. It was so precious. They played in Abby's tent and with her other toys. When Lucas wanted me to hold him like a baby and he wanted his blanket I knew his was tired and ready for a nap so we headed home. He didn't even last 5 minutes and he was out. When we got home I carried him up to bed and he didn't wake once. In fact, he probably would have slept longer than the 2 hours I let him sleep, but I kinda woke him up. Well, I didn't want him to sleep all afternoon and then not sleep tonight and I wanted to play for a little bit.

After he got up we played games. We danced around the kitchen table singing abc's and Lucas invented another game with the remote. I would dance to the music on the show and he would turn the tv off. I would flop on the couch and then run over and tickle him and then he'd turn it back on. We went into town to pick up a few things and he helped me push the cart around Walmart and put the items in the cart. He also thought I needed some additional items, like tinfoil and pancake mix! The things he was grabbing were so random, but he really felt I needed them. We came home and had some dinner. He didn't have a big appetite, but he ate so much during the day and I fed him again before his bath. After dinner we played with some play-doh. He kept smelling it and didn't really like it when it stuck on his fingers. He hates when his hands are dirty. But he had fun making stacks of play-doh on top of the containers and knocking them over. He also liked sqooshing it and using the cookie cutters to make little people. I was impressed that he made sure to put the right color lids on the containers when he was done playing. After that we played outside. He rode his bike for a little bit, but has become so terribly afraid of bees and he kept seeing bugs fly around that he didn't ride around for long. But he did insist on going into the backyard to play on the swing set. I feel like I pushed him on the swing forever. He never wanted to stop. He had such a good time, just squeeling with enjoyment. He slid down the slide once, but was done after that because it was still wet from the rain. After his bath he grabbed his babies and blanket and wanted to sleep on the couch. This is where he starts getting comfortable in my home. I told him no, laid him down in the bed, and with no more arguments, he went to sleep. He was pretty tired today. He was slightly crabby and needy than usual. He got frustrated easily and let me know he was frustrated. Hopefully he sleeps well tonight. He slept well last night but did call out my name once around 10:30. He never did get up so I don't know if he was sleeping or just went back to sleep. We'll probably have another big day tomorrow so he needs his rest. I can't believe tomorrow is already Thurday!

Bouncertown Bliss

Lucas slept through the night last night. At breakfast I got out Apple Jacks and he said no the other one. So I had to give him Lucky Charms again. He ate the marshmallows first but did eat some of the good stuff too. He had a whole spoonful of yogurt before he was done with that. But he ate more today than yesterday. He likes to sit on my lap so he can see into the living room and watch tv while he eats. I guess that's a start, he's not eating in the living room. It's raining today so we couldn't go outside this morning to play. We played inside, with the dogs (yes, they came inside too) and watched a little Elmo before nap time. He went down for his nap without argument, putting all his babies in the bed before he got in. He's been so good about going to bed. Tonight, again after his bath, he went right to bed. He had another long day though.

We went up to Bouncertown in Greenwood. We stopped in Franklin to get the girls and they played at the house for a few minutes before he left. It took Lucas no time at all to make himself at home. He started playing with the toys in the living room and then without hesitation made his way into Abby's room and took some toys from there to play with. We met Charlee and Grace and their boys and convoyed up there. Bouncertown is a big room with those blow up bouncy houses and slides. There's also games to play that spit out tickets for prizes, like a Chucky Cheese. Lucas is a jumper anyway, so this was his heaven. He jumped and jumped and jumped some more. I kept him in the 3 and under area first but again, it wasn't long before he needed to move on. He did well amongst the bigger kids, even getting trampled a couple times. He really enjoyed climbing up and sliding down on the big dragon. The only thing he didn't go on were the big slides. Just a little too much for him right now I think. He was having so much fun and often got caught up in the moment. He would hug other little kids, often knocking them down. He would fall down with them and just laugh and laugh. Some of the kids (and their parents) didn't appreciate the hugs as much as Lucas did and I had to tell him to stop a few times. I just want to interject one thought here: to those parents that looked at my little nephew with disgust because he knocked down your precious boy, don't come to Bouncertown. He meant no harm and was innocent. I understand your concern for your child, but the looks have got to go. He's two. Okay, I'm done. We had a pizza while we were there, and since we stayed so long (about 4 hours) we also got an ice cream cone too. The nice man put sprinkles on his cone and of course, he at off all the sprinkles. It was a yummy, sticky mess. He was really cute playing with Abby today too. They would jump and play together. They even held hands walking around looking at the games once. If they were separated, I would tell Lucas where Abby was and he would go run to her or Jill would tell Abby where Lucas was. At one point they were wrestling around so much if they were any older it would have been inappropriate in public! They're so cute and I'm glad they get along. They still have their little tiffs as any toddlers would, but for the most part they have fun. Lucas did really well when it was time to stop bouncing to eat and to go home. I thought I would have a struggle but he went without argument.

We got home and started dinner. I had Lucas stand on the chair and pour all the food into the pan and stir it. Then we went and looked at the pictures and videos from today. He thought the videos were just the funniest thing ever. We barely made it through the videos and he was telling me nigh-nigh. We did manage to get through dinner, which turned into a game without me realizing it. I was saying yummy and and moving my head around and Lucas started saying "my turn" and then he would take a bite and say yummy and move is head around. Then I would have to do it and so on. It was a good way to keep him eating. We didn't even have the tv on! He did really well at lunch and dinner and actually snacked on Teddy Grahams the whole way home. I didn't think he'd eat a bit of dinner but he did and a good amount too.

He poo-poo'd 3 times, telling me each time. The first time was just a little bit in his diaper by the time I got him to the toilet. Then he said it again after dinner but it was already too late and so I just changed his diaper. Not even 10 minutes later he poo'd again. It's probably good that it wasn't all in one diaper, would have been a very full load! It was a good time to start a bath and so he had his dinosaur pooping again in the tub. I guess it was a night for #2's! The house is so quiet when he's in bed. I enjoy the time to catch up on housework and computer time, but I kinda miss him. I don't know what I'll do when he leaves, it'll really be quiet.

Swimming at the Pool

Since I have Lucas this week, I'm going to try and record as many details as I can, so Jaime can read about our daily adventures. So if you don't like reading about kids and little details, then these blog entries this week will probably bore you to death.

Last night was the first night I had Lucas. I brought the dogs in, even Zeus against my better judgement, and sure enough around 11pm he was staring at me across the bed, ready to go back out. Sammy, of course, was content on the now roomy side of the bed. Around 2am Lucas started crying. It sounded like a bad dream and I rocked him back to sleep. It didn't take long and all was well. He even slept in until almost 8am. We had Lucky Charms for breakfast, which he picked out all the marshmallow pieces and we had to say the color of each before he ate them. Then the rest of our morning consisted of playing in the playpen (he likes to climb out and climb back in), play with the balls, and ride his bike outside. Since we were going to the pool later, I wanted to put him down for a nap before we went. He went right down, talking to his babies for a little bit and only calling for me once, because I forgot to shut the blinds.

Jill and her girls (Abby and Ali) came over for lunch before we went up to Atterbury to go swimming. We made pb & jelly sandwiches. I don't think Lucas likes jelly because he peeled his sandwich apart and picked the peanut butter off the bread. The kids were a little hesitant of the water at first, both Abby and Lucas clinging to Jill and I. But it didn't take long and Lucas was jumping into the pool and splashing around. The kiddie pool is only 2ft deep so he was able to stand in it. We went into the big pool for a little bit, he really got some big splashes from jumping in that pool. We stopped for a little bit for snacks and then swam for a little bit more. Jaime warned that I might have a difficult time getting him to leave, but he was fine. I forgot a dry pair of shorts so he had to ride home in just his diaper, but he didn't even seem to mind that.

We came home and I put on Noggin while I got dinner ready. We ate some dinner, which he didn't eat much of course (he had string cheese for a bedtime snack) and we went for a walk. When we came back he rode his bike and played on the swing set in the backyard. We put all the toys up for the night and came in and watched about 10 minutes of Dora and he was ready for his bath--he let me know so telling me bubbles and heading up the stairs. He has a little dinosaur bath toy (like a rubber ducky) and it has a hole in the bottom. Well, it got water in it tonight and Lucas thought it was hilarious. He'd put the dinosaur over the cup and say poop in cup. So we had a good time making the dinosaur "poop" in the cup over and over. When he was done with his bath he pulled the drain and said all done. I didn't even have to tell him it was time to be done. I put him in his pj's, brushed his teeth, and he climbed into bed. No arguments, no fussing, I didn't even have to tell him. He just had to make sure his babies were close to him. I knew he'd be tired tonight after the long day but I didn't expect him to run the show tonight. I can handle that though.

So the first day with Lucas was wonderful. He's so cute and funny and he was super well behaved. Michael called tonight and said things were as good as they could be, I guess they really couldn't get any worse. Now it's my turn to wash this chlorine out of my hair and get things ready for tomorrow. It's supposed to rain tomorrow and Wednesday so we might go up to Bouncertown tomorrow.

Some Time with Friends

Not long after Michael left yesterday Jill called, which was good, because I always already extremely bored. Not that I don't have a thousand things to do around the house, I just didn't feel like doing any of them. She came down and we ate a little Taco Bell and then went over to the outlet mall to do a little shopping. They were having amazing deals (back to school shopping is the best time to shop) and we picked up a few things. I got a shirt from Gap for $4! I also got Lucas a few outfits and Jill got Abby and the new baby some clothes. I can't wait until she has her. Shopping for those itty bitty baby clothes makes me anxious for her birth and increases my baby fever. After that, I came home and got into my pj's around 5pm and just got comfortable on the couch to watch a movie and Wanda calls. She was just shopping at the outlet mall with Brittney and wanted to stop by. So they came over and we chatted until 9pm or so. So my first day home alone wasn't really so bad. I did some shopping and saw a couple of my very good friends.

Unfortunately, Michael's first day up in Michigan didn't go as well. He wasn't even there 10 minutes when some Private hit his car in the parking lot. He walked out there and the kid tells him he hit it and it's okay, because it's just a little scratch. Well, Michael can't even open the door (passenger side). The rooms are very small and there's no air conditioning, so he's going to be hot and miserable (he called this morning again and said he barely slept). The chow hall food is disgusting and he thinks he's going to starve for the next two weeks. I feel so bad for him. I'm so glad the government takes such good care of its soldiers.

Home Alone

Michael left this morning. I was fine until I had to say good-bye. I know it's only two weeks, but I'll miss him. I feel silly even saying it, as long as Jeremy's been gone. It's always the hardest to say good-bye, but I know I'll get into my routine and enjoy some me time. Since he'll be gone on my birthday, we celebrated it last night. We enjoyed some delicious steaks at Longhorn's and did a little shopping. It was nice. Jaime is bringing Lucas up tomorrow so it won't be just me and Sammy for long. It will be me and Sammy and Lucas and Zeus. So we'll each have a buddy to play with. I'm really looking forward to spending some quality time with Lucas. I miss him and I don't get to do stuff with him as often as I'd like. Especially just us, like when I took care of him when he was a baby. Should be a lot of fun and we're supposed to have good weather next week too. Swimming pool, here we come!

Getting Things Done

This first half of the first week after school has been a productive one. I painted one of the bedrooms, finished my wedding scrapbook (finally!), organized my old school papers, finished another Lemony Snicket book (#8), and started another book-Into the Wild, plus all the other normal errands and tasks that occur. I feel good. I'm trying to get a few things done before Lucas comes for the week on Sunday. I still have a couple more days before the weekend, I hope to mark some more to do items off my list.

I went to the movies with Jill and the girls in Franklin. On Wednesday mornings, they have a free show. We saw Nim's Island. It was pretty good. Abby sat on my lap for half of the movie. She's not quite three and was so good during the movie. She's so cute and cuddly. Next week is Horton but I don't know if Lucas can handle sitting for a whole movie. We might try it. I think it's great that the theater offers that. It gives kids a chance to get out and do something at least once a week at no cost!

I also finally got my car fixed for good. The shifter was sticking so we took it in, just to spend too much money on a part that didn't even fix the problem. We took it back to the shop and they replaced a different part at no labor cost and the part for cost. I was so mad about paying for the first replacement that I didn't want to spend another dime, but it needed to be done. I also found out that my brakes lights weren't working, and this part would fix both problems. So far so good, but we'll give it the test of time.

I really enjoy the break from school. I am able to get things accomplished around the house that I always seem to put off. But now I find myself bored at night. My usual routine is to sit on the couch or in front of the computer working on school stuff. Now, I don't have that, and just sitting in front of the tv without something to work on at the same time seems boring. Not complaining, just saying. I still really enjoy the break, especially after Block II.

A Trip to King's Island

So the trip to King's Island on Thursday was exhausting but so much fun! We took the bike so we headed out early (7am) because we were taking a few back roads at first and didn't know how long it would take. Plus, Michael was determined to get every cents worth, and had to be there by the time the gate opened. We were. In fact, 45 minutes before the gate opened. But that's okay. It gave us time to get ready and put our stuff in a locker. We went on the new ride first (I don't know the name but it's the one where you're on your back). All of the picture rides are hilarious; me screaming like I'm going to die and Michael sitting all relaxed with a smile. We went on all the rides except the twirly ones that would make me puke. We even went on Son of Beast which I said I would never go on again but I did. They were having specials on the optional rides that cost extra money. Normally they're $25 a person but they were only $5 and $10 per person so we had to do them. The first one we were put in a harness and then pulled back and really high up on a cord. Then we released the cord and did a free fall until the cord caught us. It was a combination of a sky dive and hang gliding. By far, one of the scariest and most exhilarating things there, and now my favorite ride at the park. The other ride, we were put in this ball thing and shot in the air, higher than anything in the park. That one was fun but hurt my head a little. When the cords catch the ball, it twirls the ball some. Michael is the theme park enthusiast. He could ride every ride there as many times as he could, one after the other, and even right after eating. I, on the hand, need a little break, especially after eating. I like the rides, but I'm more prone to getting sick or hurting afterwards. It's hard for me to keep up with him. My (2nd) favorite ride there is the Scooby Doo ride in the kiddy part. So, even though he wanted to stay until close, we left at 9pm. I couldn't go on one more ride. By the time we left the sun was going down, so the ride home was a little chilly, but not the coldest ride we've ridden. We had a lot of fun and got a little sun and all in all it was a great day.

You know it's hot when...

the motorcycle stand leaves this impression in the black top after sitting maybe 20-30 minutes. We're just glad it didn't sink too far and tip the bike. We're not taking anymore chances...the metal plate is going under the stand no matter what surface we're on! In other motorcycle related news, I got a new helmet yesterday! We have 3/4 helmets now but haven't always been wearing them because they get so hot and they're uncomfortable! I know, shame shame. But I got a new half helmet. It's black with pink flames. So cute! Michael had to order his because they didn't have the size in the style he wanted. We're taking the bike to King's Island tomorrow. It will probably be the longest trip we've taken on the bike so far. We've had it out all day before, but usually there's stops here and there. It should be fun!