It's arrived

I don't know how I've lived without it for the past 5 years.  Especially since every Sunday, I have to find room in the freezer for this much food:

Our meals for this week, minus a few fresh sides made later: chicken strips, ham steak, baked ziti, cheese tortellini, potato corn casserole, garlic grean beans, pasta salad.... )

My husband found a great deal online, and the newest addition to our family has arrived.  Isn't she beautiful?

Oh, the possibilities!  My fridge/freezer can have some breathing room now.  Buying a quarter of a cow (that's always sounded so gross...but we eat meat....and buying this way is healthier - we know the 'organic' farmer - and more econical.  Buying bulk sales.  I can double even MORE meals!  Store more baby food! I'm just so excited.  Welcome home, new friend.

Makin' a splash

Oh, mud puddles, we love you. You're so messy and dirty. You simply cannot be walked around. We MUST play with you. We go out of our way to stop by and introduce our shiny white shoes to you. We can't help ourselves: we fall into you. You're just so fun. We love the splashing. We love the uckiness. We love the bright sun reflecting off your goo. Thank you, God, for the miracle of mud puddles.

- Love, Ryan & Seth
Thank you, washing machine, for working overtime this weekend.
- Love, One Girl Among (muddy) Boys

Vacation spots?

Where to go for vacation? Where, oh, where? Oh help! It seems like every place we want to go is somewhere we want to take the kids to in a few years. I need some suggestions. We plan to go to Arizona and see some family there this summer but we also plan to spend a week somewhere in late June. I know it sounds random, but we're thinking about San Antonio. Ever been there? What are your favorite family vacation places? If I pick your idea, I'll take you with us. Doesn't that sound like a deal?

Happy Wedding Day!

Dustin and Natalie - congratulations on your big day! Hope you have a wonderful, happy, special day that you'll never forget. Sad that we are not there, but we are sending our love:

God - thank you for my boys

Dear boys,

Ryan: you are silly, unpredictable, and just the perfect combination of rowdy/wild, and sweet/cuddly. You like things JUST SO. You like to say "looking gooooood" as you get dressed every morning. You tell me you love me a dozen times a day, out of the blue. You are obsessed with little scraps of paper, flash cards, tickets, recipes, receipts. You sing songs that make me smile. You preach to me stories thare are not exactly "right", but it shows how smart and insightful you are. You love your brother, your Dad, and your Zekie and your green blanket. You are a picky eater, but you thank me at every meal for my "tookins" (cookings). You are thoughtful, funny, creative, stubborn, and talkative. I am thankful for you and all the happiness you bring to my day.

Seth: you are simply wild. You never stop moving and you've been that way since before you were born. I can see what you are thinking in your eyes. You're the little boy who works at something undeterred until you've demolished it. You are determined and tough one minute, then giving "ahhhhs" the next. You are growing up so quickly and your personality is going to be bigger than life. You love playing with your brother, you love to entertain your Dad and me. You keep me guessing and keep everyone on their toes. You're the #1 reason our dog is fat. You are going to be sensitive and quick to react, an entertainer and a peacemaker. I am thankful for you and that your sweet smile makes even the day-to-day routines a joy.

God: I am thankful to be simply One Girl Among (my precious) Boys.

Do it yourself-ers

Oh man, I just have to reach out for sympathy. As you recall, we're in the middle of a kitchen update and we're doing it ourselves (except for the countertops). Nothing major, but even the little things are a lot of work, you know. So we were replacing the window trim. We got it all cut out, pretty corners, borrowed a nail gun, put it up, painted it....ahhhhh so pretty. And then I tried to open the window. Tuuuuuuuuuuug, yaaaaaank, puuuuuuuuuuull. IT! WON'T! BUDGE! Well, we nailed the window shut.
Oh MAN! So now we get the pleasure of tearing down our beautiful work and putting it back up...again. Maybe this is why some people hire professionals. Bummer.

So it begins....

The beginning of an era...Protective Big Brother. The scene: the JC Play Place. The characters: Ryan and Seth. The plot: poor little girl takes a tumble down the slide and knocks over unsuspecting Seth, who is standing near the bottom. Ryan's eyes grow large. The vein on his forehead sticks out. He clenches his fists. He runs up to girl and says, or rather - yells, "DIRL, YOU STOP BONKING MY SETHY!!!" He gave her a piece of his mind. He was NOT happy. Oh boy, we've not seen this side of Ryan yet. We knew it had to come - all big brothers will protect their siblings...but apparently he has a lot to learn about the appropriate response (and play place ettiquite). It was nice to see Ryan sticking up for "his Sethy" and we were glad that he had the courage to speak up when something was wrong, but the approach was less than loving and gentle. I have a feeling this is the first of many times that the boys will stick up for each other.
And of course, the "bonking" rules only apply to others. Ryan thinks he's allowed to bonk, wrestle, tackle, boom, hike Seth all the time. Shortly after his lecture to the little girl, Ryan and Seth were wrapped up together in an odd headlock/hug/strangle position on the ground....laughing and loving it. Troy was smiling. And there I was - one GIRL among B.O.Y.S.