Clarebel the Cow 10-08

We had a very laid back weekend, which was just what we needed. We have not had one weekend at home, with nothing major to do since before I left for Virginia in early September! Unfortunately, this was out last free weekend for the next three weeks, so we made sure to enjoy the slow pace. Friday night we stayed home and had an evening of Mario Cart fun. Landon certainly loved it. I actually had fun too. We all played and Noah just kind of played with toys around us, so it was just lovely.

Saturday morning I took Landon shopping to get some birthday ideas. I always enjoy doing that...looking, not buying. That way when I do decide to buy I can research and make the best choices. That afternoon we played outside and then went for what will most likely be our last fall hike. These pictures were all taken in a beautiful area about .5 miles from my house. We are so blessed to have something this beautiful so close to our home! That evening Jon cooked chilli and we bought some cinnamon donuts and made hot apple cider. It all felt very fallish...I only wish it would have been close enough to Halloween to carve pumpkins ~ I have an almost 5 year old who is DYING to cut into those things!

And do you see the cow in the hiking pictures. That thing was with us everywhere we went all weekend. When I picked Landon up from school on Friday he was very proudly holding Clarebel and informed that he got to take care of her all weekend until Tuesday when he (and I) were the special helpers in his class. He took his job very seriously...and literally took her everywhere we went. And he loved her. Landon doesn't love too many stuffed animals, but for whatever reason, he attached himself to this one. Last night as I kissed him good night he said (and I could hear the tears hiding behind his voice), "Mom, I kissed Clarebel goodbye." I don't know what it was but tears immediately sprang to my eyes. I think it brought back feelings from my own childhood or something. Whatever it was...he bravely handed her over to the next kid today, but again, I could see the tears in the back of his eyes. I love that kid. He may look like his daddy...but his heart is my own.

So as many of you know I joined facebook this weekend. Don't you worry...xanga is my home and I will most definitely stay put here. I enjoy blogging and getting more in-depth than the occasional wall hello. But I like that for networking with people I haven't talked to/seen in years. I have wanted to sign up for months, but refrained from doing so until grad school was over. Well, I am about two hours of work from that being true. My paper deadline was extended at the last minute to next Sunday, so I can't quite bring myself to finish the proofing. I should....because after I proof that thing, I am officially and completely done with all of my coursework. Did you hear me?!?! Can this possibly be true?!?!? This journey has been so long and so difficult and I couldn't have done it without my husband and my mom who both helped so much with the kids...and even Landon, he has sacrificed for this degree. I heard him talking to his friends outside today. He had just peaked in the window at me and saw I was working and I heard him say, " We can't bother her right now, she is working on grad school." I hope that somehow he has learned persistence, perseverence, determination, and dedication through all of this...I know I have!

The busyness never ends around here. Noah got five shots this afternoon (pray for him tomorrow and for me...for patience) so I anticipate a rough few days. He is still finishing his antibiotic from the ear infection. We leave Thursday for Chicago to see my sister for a day or two. Landon's birthday party is Sunday afternoon. I am making a Star Wars cake. Ideas regarding this would be highly appreciated.

The picture of the flowers in my pocket...they were from Landon...along the hike he randomly picked me flowers. These boys of mine, they keep me hopping. But boy do I ever love them.

Facebook 10-18-08

Facebook

I have been saying for months that my reward for finishing grad school will be to finally get a facebook account. I haven't allowed myself up until this point because I am already stretched so thin, I didn't want to add yet another distraction to my life. But I am on the verge of handing in my final paper....so tonight I signed up!!! So I cheated a little bc my paper isn't actually turned in...but I am so so so so so close

Please find me and friend me. I feel totally overwhelmed on there right now...

I like my safe and comfy xanga I need a few familiar friends on facebook to make it feel a little more homey

Thanks friends.

Chronicles of Us 10-17-08

Chronicles of Us

It has been awhile since I have done bullets, and this post has been swirling through my head for days, meaning that it may be long (sorry Jaime!) and that it may be all over the place. Bullets seem to be the way to go...that way if you want to skim, it may be easier to do so

• Wednesday morning Landon was brushing his teeth and afterwards, came running out to the living room to show me that he had lost his second tooth. I was all excited for him, but when I asked where the tooth was, he didn't know. I searched the bathroom, but it was no where to be found. He didn't know if he had lost it brushing his teeth or in his bed...he had no idea. But it was bleeding a tad...so I think he brushed it out. Now you are probably assuming he just swallowed it, but you have to understand Landon. The kid could pick out a grain of sand in a mouthful of food. Nothing gets past his mouth that he doesn't want in there. He has a gag reflex of a champion. There is no way he swallowed that tooth. The only other option is that it fell down the drain. But the drain was half closed, so it would be a stretch. We decided to leave the tooth fairy a note under his pillow that night, and she still obliged him with a little reward. But in my perfectionist mindset, I am greatly perturbed about where that dumb tooth is. When I was a kid I always wondered how other kids could lose teeth and now know when or where they went. Everything has a place and a time. I guess my child is teaching me to stretch a little in that area...but I still scour the bathroom at least a few times a day hoping to find that dumb thing. I am just sure it will turn up...eventually.
• Right before we left for our trip Noah went through some crazy sleeping problems. You have to understand, that child has slept perfectly since day two of his life. He goes down happily, puts himself to sleep and you never hear from him until morning. Like clockwork. But suddenly, I was putting him down and he would just scream and scream and scream. I tried rocking him, but then I felt like that was making the problem worse. I began to think he must have an ear infection (he was just coming off a cold, wasn't sleeping and was refusing his pacy), so I took him to the doctor with no other symptom than that he wouldn't sleep. I wanted a resolution before camping. I really labor over taking my kids to the doctor. I don't' like to do it unless I am confident there is a good reason to do so. But Noah's sudden sleep change had me so concerned (probably bc it was bringing back nightmares from child 1). But the verdict: no ear infection, perfectly healthy. So we went home and put some tough love into action. About three days later, Landon handed me Noah's pacy and said, "Look Mom, it has a hole in it." Sure enough...the thing looked like it had been shot. There was my answer. I had inadvertently broken Noah of the pacy and didn't even know it. A pacifier with a hole in it is not suckable...that was why he was screaming and not going to sleep and refusing the pacy. It all made sense. You would think I was a wise mother and since we had gone through the trouble of breaking him (albeit without knowing it) we would roll with it. But no...we were about to go camping, and I needed the security of knowing I could stick something in his mouth to keep dirty hands out and loud noises in. So he is back to using it. I am going to kick myself for this, I know.
• The irony in the above story is that the night we got home from camping, Noah was back to screaming at bedtime again. I thought he was spoiled from the trip (sleeping next to us...you have to improvise on a camping trip). So I let him work it out. For a looooong time. I did try rocking him twice, but everytime I put him back in his crib he was screaming again. I had no idea what was going on with him (I even gave him a new pacy...just in case). You would think I had learned the first time. I took him Tuesday for his well-baby check up. The poor child has an ear infection. The moral of this story: if your child is doing something totally out of character, it is probably safe to say there is some reason for it, be it obscure (like a hole in a pacifier) or rather obvious (intense ear pain).
• I love going to bed at night and laying there listening to the quiet. There are not many times in a day that my house is silent. I just find such solace in those few moments of quiet. I love it. On that same note, my neighbor had my kids for a few hours yesterday while I worked on my paper. Towards the end of my working, I stopped for a moment and noticed the silence and how uncharacteristic it was for that time of day. No feet pattering across the kitchen. No playing noises. No calling my name. Just silence. I loved it...but at the same time, it was kind of lonely. Children fill a home with life. They really, really do.
• The colors around here are absolutely amazing right now. GORGEOUS. I wish it could remain like this for the next 6 months, instead of 6 days
• During the course of this ear infection, Noah has been extremely clingy to me. As in, I can't walk two steps without him literally wrapped around my knees. Sometimes I want to throw up my hands and scream in frustration, because I can't get anything done. But other times, I cherish the closeness that I know is fleeting. Yesterday he woke up from his afternoon nap crying so I got him up and came and laid on the couch with him. He promptly fell back asleep on me and stayed that way for over an hour. As the time inched closer to 5pm, I knew I needed to get dinner in the oven, but I could not move (since he was on me). I battled back and forth for awhile, until finally I just succumbed to not moving. And I fell in love all over again with the little toddler rhythmically breathing on my chest. And we ate a later dinner...so what. Those moments are so precious...
• Last year when we went camping, Landon called the trailer, "The trayrow." We thought it was so cute and we laughed about it and mimicked it all year. Unfortunately, this year...he can say trailor...except that his L's are w's...so now it is "The traiwer." Not quite as cute as Trayrow.
• Landon is turning 5 on the 28th of this month. I have to say that this birthday is throwing me a little. I don't feel old enough to have a 5 year old, and I also can't quite get my mind (or my heart) around my first born baby being 5 years old. Five just seems so old. And yet, right before my very eyes he has become a boy. He talks like a boy, he plays like a boy, he thinks like a boy. More on all of this later. I am sure a sentimental post will accompany his birthday...if you aren't sappy...you can skip that one
• Landon just asked me a question about this slime toy he has. I answered and he promptly said, "Maybe Daddy will know more about this than you." When I asked why, he said, "Because boys know everything and girls don't. Girls only know how to water plants and take pictures and make sandwiches." What do you even say to that? You know how all the experts say that around age 5 and especially by age 10 most boys begin to separate themselves from their mother and attach to the father figure. This is normal and healthy. In small ways, I am beginning to see this with my son. It makes me happy because I know it is healthy and that it is part of the process of him developing into a man. But it does indeed tug at my mama heart when I ask him if he wants to come somewhere with me or stay with dad, and he, without any uncertainty, chooses daddy. It didn't use to be this way. But he is growing up, and with that I know I need to let him be a boy...in order to one day be a man.
• And I think that officially meets the criteria for the world's longest post. Have a great weekend, friends!

Covered Bridge 10-14-08

We are back safely, so I will let you all in on where we spent our last five days...we went to the Covered Bridge Festival down in Indiana...the middle of nowhere actually. My parents have gone down there for the past 30 years...so it really is a family tradition. I have more memories there than I could ever recount to you. We camp in the woods, surrounded by the sound of leaves falling and animals scampering. We hike the gorges and shop the festival towns (old, historic villages actually...the nearest Walmart is an hour from there). Every rock and tree has a meaning for me, and now I get to share that with my children. It really is such a joy to take them there. Landon is to the age where he can truly take it all in, and that he did! I think he had more fun than anyone...he loved the hikes, the campfire, helping daddy and Papa with the trailers, playing with my mom, even the historic craft fairs. He even loved going to bed at night...I think bc there is something so unbelievably peaceful about falling asleep to the sound of crickets and leaves gently moving in the wind. I was able to take him to my old favorite spots and even showed him where I had carved my initials into the Rock (a huge rock on the coast of the lake). I then had to explain why my initials said K.C. instead of K. H.. He didn't quite get that...but he was really interested in how I got my initials into the rock. We even tried to get his on there...we got an L....maybe next time we can get the H. Anyway...we had such a beautiful time. We stayed in a pop-up camper next to my parents who have a real camper. My dad cooked chocolate chip pancakes and bacon and eggs nearly every morning and we cooked out every night. Such good food! thursday we went to Turkey Run State Park (my favorite hiking spot..with the most gorgeous trails) and my parents treated us to lunch at the old inn there...some of the best food I ever had! Friday, Sat and Sunday we shopped at the historic towns (we always hit the same three...Bridgeton, Mansfield and Rockville).Noah slept great at night..horrible for naps. But we just kept him going and he was fine. He loved camping...but basically lived outside the entire five days. I think his favorite part was all the time he got to spend with Grandma. My boys love their grandma...let me tell ya!

We had a beautiful time...no cell service (and obviously no internet) so we got to spend a lot of time together as a family, enjoying the beauty of the fall. I always feel so surrounded and engulfed in God's presence there. Everywhere is so beautiful...the leaves are changing colors (and this year we had the most beautiful weather ever...mid 80's every day!) and the sounds are so peaceful. How can you see something so beautiful and not fall in love with the One who created it?!

So there is the catch up on our life. My final paper is due on Saturday and then I am DONE with all academics (aside from studying for my comprehensive exam). I am a little stressed, but filled with anticipation for the freedom I know I will feel come Sunday. Bring it on!

Fall Fun

We had a very fall-ish weekend, and the weather was perfect for it. Jonathan had to work this weekend, so I loaded the kids up bright and early Sat morning and took them down to my mom's for the weekend. When we got there my dad made us chocolate chip pancakes and yummy yummy bacon...that man can cook a good breakfast, let me tell ya. Or maybe it was just so good because of nostalgia...whatever, it was awesome. Then we took the kids to the orchard of my youth...except it has changed a lot since then. My mom happened to have four free admissions (yeah!) so the kids got to do a little of everything. We got lost in the cornmaze and Landon found the way out for us...for real. Then we went through the Caterpillar crawl and played at the park. Then we went on the hayride and picked pumpkins, went fishing in the pond (and caught the first and only fish of the season...literally about two seconds after I threw the pole in), and ended with three trips through the haunted school house. It wasn't really that scary, so Landon was able to fulfill his dream and conquer the haunted house. Papa took him through three times (I accompanied them one of the times...that was enough for me). It was a gorgeous day and the kids just loved every second of it. We ended with caramel apples and cinnamon donuts. A practically perfect day!

That evening we got pizza and a homemade apple-raspberry pie and took it over to my grandparents house. My other grandparents also joined us so I was able to catch up and chat with all of them for a few hours. It was truly lovely. You have to cherish times like that...you know.

Sunday afternoon I went to a bridal shower of a family friend and then I packed up the kids and we came home last night. This morning Landon and I had dentist appointments and my dad watched Noah and then treated us to lunch at the boys' favorite restaurant...Boston Market. Tomorrow is school for Landon and errands for me...and then Wednesday is the big day that Landon has been waiting for forever. We leave to go camping!!!! Yes, I know we are a bit crazy to go in October, but it is family tradition so my parents and my sister and my family will all travel to this festival spot (I don't want to reveal which festival until we come home...you know, for safety reasons), camp in the gorgeous forest, and hike hike hike. I love it. I love the smells and the sounds and feel of the place. I can't wait. I am just praying for health...both boys have something sinus-y going on. So we leave Wednesday around noon and will be home the following Monday. Yeah!!!

If you all think that we have had a lot on our plate and been super busy...just wait until I tell you what else has been happening the past months in this house. The big reveal will come eventually...not yet though. But soon...

We went to a new dentist today and while checking out my teeth he talked to me about how easy it would be to fill the gap in between my two teeth. He even had the lady draw up a cost estimate with what insurance would pay, etc. You know...it might be kind of nice. The only thing is...I have had this gap for my entire life. Is it weird that I may have a hard time letting something go that is sort of characteristic about me...even though I don't like it all that much? I don't know if we will do it or not...the cost was more than a drop in the bucket...but not enough to be totally out of the question either

Noah learned to say Boo this weekend and he gets this super cheesy grin when he does it. He learned it from Landon...nearly everything Noah says and does, he learned from Landon. It amazes me how much they are starting to sound alike...Noah mimics every sound that he can that Landon does...sword sounds, crashing sounds, even Landon's laugh. Noah's got it mastered. Two peas in a pod those two...most of the time