The lack of Internet access has forced me to consider how much I value that connection to the online world.
Gene and I arrived in sunny San Diego Tuesday around 10:30 a.m. We were able to check into our hotel early and start our day.
We did the tourist thing for two days and spent several hours at the beach. Gene managed to get his ankles wet, but I was all out. I love the ocean and the town of Coronado. We both managed to get slight sunburns despite the sunblock. We have seen Old Town and Seaport Village, only a few minutes from our hotel.
Today is D-day. I will finish "d" grading or I will surely lose my mind. I have also decided to mail the work home because just the folders from my class weigh eight pounds!
Well, back to grading I go. Hope all is well in Kansas : )
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Monday's report and camping
(yes, I should be grading, but I need a break, OK?!)
Took the fellas camping Friday with a 30 percent chance for storms lurking. Should have known given my day that camping was not a good plan. Went anyway. Here's the top 10 things NOT to do when camping with a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old boy.
1) Think you are properly organized when in fact you are NOT.
2) Assume that the baby who usually sleeps in a crib will just "adjust" to the big tent.
(these are not exactly in order)
3) Forget lawn chairs.
4) Camp next to a family who brings other families and has at least 14 kids running around until midnight.
5) Have to run to the store before you leave when it's already well after dinner time.
6) Try camping and mounting bike carrier on car in same day.
7) Ask husband questions when he is putting said carrier on said car.
8) Pack up kids and leave at 2 a.m. because of lightning.
9) Look at lake water. Best just to get in at planned time.
10) Expect children to behave while you are putting up the tent.
Took the fellas camping Friday with a 30 percent chance for storms lurking. Should have known given my day that camping was not a good plan. Went anyway. Here's the top 10 things NOT to do when camping with a 4-year-old boy and a 2-year-old boy.
1) Think you are properly organized when in fact you are NOT.
2) Assume that the baby who usually sleeps in a crib will just "adjust" to the big tent.
(these are not exactly in order)
3) Forget lawn chairs.
4) Camp next to a family who brings other families and has at least 14 kids running around until midnight.
5) Have to run to the store before you leave when it's already well after dinner time.
6) Try camping and mounting bike carrier on car in same day.
7) Ask husband questions when he is putting said carrier on said car.
8) Pack up kids and leave at 2 a.m. because of lightning.
9) Look at lake water. Best just to get in at planned time.
10) Expect children to behave while you are putting up the tent.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
A New Year's Baby?
My sis is pregnant. I have nieces and nephews from Gene's family who are precious and wonderful children, but I'm so very excited to meet MY sister's baby.
Her due date right now is Jan. 2. If she's really good and has him or her (we hope her, but suspect him b/c that's the way things have gone in our family) on Dec. 31, she won't have to wait a year for that awesome tax credit : )
Or she might be online to have the first baby of the year or something really cool like that.
At any rate, I'm very excited. Join me in praying for a healthy pregnancy for mom and baby if you're the praying type.
We love it!
We recommend the trail-a-bike thing to anyone thinking about it. Jacob is having a wonderful time riding with his daddy!
One thing off the list (ha ha)
As my faitful blog followers (mom and Anna) will recall, I had a mission to type up a list of all of our kid books. Well, it's past midnight, but I did finish. Sometimes I just have this overwhelming need to finish a project, mostly to calm down my nutty brain.
Anyway, our boys currently have 376 titles. I pulled the books off the shelves tonight and I likely missed one or two. Starting out, I thought I was on track to have more like 600 books.
A side mission of the typing expedition was also to out the missing library books. Alas, two of the three have been found. Hmm.
I need to go to bed, but first I'm gonna throw a photo or two on my site.
Peace to all ya'll organizer wanna-bees : )
Monday, June 18, 2007
Ramblings of sorts
Coming off of another busy weekend, and yes, I should be grading.
Took the boys to the zoo Friday with two other moms. Five kids to three moms isn't a bad ratio, and we all had an enjoyable trip. No luck in getting five kids, ages 4, 4, 3, 2 and 1, into ONE picture though. I will have to post a couple of the ones I did manage to get.
Was on a mission Saturday to buy Gene a new bike and a trail-a-bike thing for Jacob. It's a very cool addition to a regular ten speed that allows a younger rider to ride with a parent. It's like attaching a kids bike, minus the front wheel, to the back of the adult bike. Jacob loves it! I know Jared is going to have a cow b/c he already wants to ride on it, too.
Sunday we made it to church early. My husband does not always enjoy eating out with our kids. I think his prediction that they might be terrorists at the restaurant comes true, and a better attitude would prove more effective. At any rate, we did the Chili's to go for Father's Day. Then my parents came for a BBQ for dinner. We spent some time picking up sticks and cleaning up the yard.
I have become a recent fan of the library's online catalog. You can look for books and have them mailed right to your house. I have read in my magazine about a few books I wanted to read. Ta-Da. The library has them. Now I just wait for them to arrive. How cool is that?!
Well, I started this little post well before lunch. Now I've been and gone. Folded and put away a load of laundry and started another one while at home. Picked up toys for the 20th time in two days. Yep. It's a regular old work week.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
My family
Here is the photo taken at the reception to honor my grandparents, who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, May 28. They were married in Hiawatha, Kan.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Swimming, Take 2
OK, last night was the second night of the scary swimming.
Jared did much better. The shoes were a definte help. He did not care about the ball, but the ring floatie device proved to be a comfortable distraction.
He actually walked around the pool, splashed and generally had fun. He did go completely under twice, and he did not cry a bit either time. I think the third time will be a charm. I am still getting looks from those who clearly think I am pushing too hard or torturing my child. Trust me. If he was having a major problem, the whole city of Topeka would hear him.
Jacob desperately wants to learn how to swim, but I have yet to sign him up for lessons. I think they will go much better this year.
Hooray!
Jared did much better. The shoes were a definte help. He did not care about the ball, but the ring floatie device proved to be a comfortable distraction.
He actually walked around the pool, splashed and generally had fun. He did go completely under twice, and he did not cry a bit either time. I think the third time will be a charm. I am still getting looks from those who clearly think I am pushing too hard or torturing my child. Trust me. If he was having a major problem, the whole city of Topeka would hear him.
Jacob desperately wants to learn how to swim, but I have yet to sign him up for lessons. I think they will go much better this year.
Hooray!
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Swimming
My baby boy hates the pool, which is not good considering we have to go at least 19 more times to make our pool pass cost efficient.
It took about an hour and a half for him to agree to cling to me with his upper chest and lower body submerged.
Jacob, however, loves the pool and wants to do everything. He was quite sad when the lifeguard told him he wasn't big enough for the rope game at the pool. His biggest problem, like genenrations of others, is not running at the pool. He listened fairly well, which was good because Jared was stuck to me like glue.
Jared hates being barefoot, first of all. Then there's the "shower before you enter the pool area" that he's not a big fan of either. We had not even made it out of the locker room before I my child was hysterical.
He loves baths, so I figured walking into the water would please him. Yeah, not so much. I'm sure the other parents there thought I was a horrible mother torturing my poor baby.
Maybe next time will be better. I've got the pool shoes and I'm bringing him a ball. He loves balls, so surely that will work. (Quit laughing. I need support here.)
It took about an hour and a half for him to agree to cling to me with his upper chest and lower body submerged.
Jacob, however, loves the pool and wants to do everything. He was quite sad when the lifeguard told him he wasn't big enough for the rope game at the pool. His biggest problem, like genenrations of others, is not running at the pool. He listened fairly well, which was good because Jared was stuck to me like glue.
Jared hates being barefoot, first of all. Then there's the "shower before you enter the pool area" that he's not a big fan of either. We had not even made it out of the locker room before I my child was hysterical.
He loves baths, so I figured walking into the water would please him. Yeah, not so much. I'm sure the other parents there thought I was a horrible mother torturing my poor baby.
Maybe next time will be better. I've got the pool shoes and I'm bringing him a ball. He loves balls, so surely that will work. (Quit laughing. I need support here.)
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
10 Years
This Thursday will mark the last day of the first 10 years of my marriage. Wow. Ten years. I am not sure what to blog in this space. Perhaps a rundown of the last 10 years. That could be tricky and really test my memory.
June 7, 1997: OK, that's easy. I married my sweetie at 6 p.m. in Mound City, Mo. I could not wait to walk down the aisle. It was awesome to celebrate with family and friends, but it would have been the same if it had just been Gene and I and the preacher.
1998: I graduated with my master's from KU and Gene gets the job he loves as Washburn's SID
1999: I live in Maryville, Mo., and Lawrence, Kan., as I spend 10 months teaching at NWMSU. A lot of miles on our little black Cavalier. I have a husband and a roommate.
2000: We decide to move to Topeka. We closed on our first house on June 7, 2000. I also start my job in alumni at Washburn.
2001: We work. Back in the these days, I would frequently travel on weekends with Gene to football and basketball games. Of course, I often read my book, but we were together. We work, go to church, spend too much money.
2002: We take a fun cruise to mark what we planned to be our last anniversary without children. Our plans prevail. And, we love cruises.
2003: Our first baby boy, Jacob, is born, March 23. What a screamer. Is this baby ever going to go to sleep?
2004: We start to realize the full impact of parenthood. We were too tired the first year, and I don't actually remember a lot of it. We start thinking we had better have another baby before I lose my nerve. My mom said we couldn't not "plan" children, but we did pretty well. We were hoping for April babies both times and got March and May. Pretty darn close.
2005: Our second (and last) baby boy, Jared, is born, May 26. He was 9 pounds and four ounces. Perhaps God thought my prayers for a healthy and SMALL baby went unheard.
2006: A hard year at times. With my sister facing cancer, it really did change our focus. Jared also got ear tubes this year and was sick a lot. Jacob starts preschool and does quite well. The year ended very well though as my parents were baptized Dec. 30.
2007: The boys drive our world in a big way. We visit the zoo, take bike rides, pull the wagon, visit Sam's Club, ride the train at the park, fix meals that end up on the floor, and watch our boys grow. We love to hear Jacob's prayers from the heart and watch as Jared soaks up everything Jacob says and does. (and yes, that includes the spitting and the sassy mouth!) Gene and I still love to goof around and spend time just the two of us.
I'm a very lucky girl. It's been an awesome 10 years.
June 7, 1997: OK, that's easy. I married my sweetie at 6 p.m. in Mound City, Mo. I could not wait to walk down the aisle. It was awesome to celebrate with family and friends, but it would have been the same if it had just been Gene and I and the preacher.
1998: I graduated with my master's from KU and Gene gets the job he loves as Washburn's SID
1999: I live in Maryville, Mo., and Lawrence, Kan., as I spend 10 months teaching at NWMSU. A lot of miles on our little black Cavalier. I have a husband and a roommate.
2000: We decide to move to Topeka. We closed on our first house on June 7, 2000. I also start my job in alumni at Washburn.
2001: We work. Back in the these days, I would frequently travel on weekends with Gene to football and basketball games. Of course, I often read my book, but we were together. We work, go to church, spend too much money.
2002: We take a fun cruise to mark what we planned to be our last anniversary without children. Our plans prevail. And, we love cruises.
2003: Our first baby boy, Jacob, is born, March 23. What a screamer. Is this baby ever going to go to sleep?
2004: We start to realize the full impact of parenthood. We were too tired the first year, and I don't actually remember a lot of it. We start thinking we had better have another baby before I lose my nerve. My mom said we couldn't not "plan" children, but we did pretty well. We were hoping for April babies both times and got March and May. Pretty darn close.
2005: Our second (and last) baby boy, Jared, is born, May 26. He was 9 pounds and four ounces. Perhaps God thought my prayers for a healthy and SMALL baby went unheard.
2006: A hard year at times. With my sister facing cancer, it really did change our focus. Jared also got ear tubes this year and was sick a lot. Jacob starts preschool and does quite well. The year ended very well though as my parents were baptized Dec. 30.
2007: The boys drive our world in a big way. We visit the zoo, take bike rides, pull the wagon, visit Sam's Club, ride the train at the park, fix meals that end up on the floor, and watch our boys grow. We love to hear Jacob's prayers from the heart and watch as Jared soaks up everything Jacob says and does. (and yes, that includes the spitting and the sassy mouth!) Gene and I still love to goof around and spend time just the two of us.
I'm a very lucky girl. It's been an awesome 10 years.
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