Saturday, November 6, 2010

Silo Christmas Tree Farm

A few weeks ago we set off with our good friends the Smiths. Destination: Silo Christmas Tree Farm. Objective: obtain some pumpkins with which to cook wonderful goodies with. (don't mind my grammar...) And, of course, to have a good time in the process. It was a beautiful day, and we took in the sights, picked out some pumpkins, and fiercely competed at the duck races. We may have to tone that down in the future to set good examples for our children. But probably not. Here's a few shots of our day there...


James, Ashley, and Olivia

James always thinks Daddy is fun!

Ron and James discussing something engineering related, I'm sure :)

James first sees a pumpkin!




mama and James

Monday, October 4, 2010

more adorable James...

I never get tired of it, why should you?









I guess I'm one of "THOSE" mothers, who pull out their wallets and out drops 50 pictures of their kid. But my wallet is my blog, and you're only here because you want to be, anyway, so... get used to it. I am going to post tons of pictures of James :) And maybe to some of you they will all look the same :) but, of course, each one is different and priceless to me!

I actually particularly like these last two, and am thinking about getting one or so of that set (I have more, you know it) blown up.

What James is up to today: growing a tooth (you can already see it and feel it, but it still needs to pop up proper like...) and sleeping with his eyes half open. I don't know if the Goodmans do this, but I have seen my little brother David, do it. It is freaky looking!

And, for those of you who don't know yet, we are planning a short trip to Virginia this month. It was a last minute sort of decision, we are still applauding ourselves for being spontaneous travelers (for once!)... although, we had been talking for months about wanting to join mom and dad and the kids when they went, just didn't think it would happen. Then... their trip coincided with Ron's 6 days off and we thought we should take the opportunity. I haven't been to see that side of the family since I was about 10. I am looking forward to seeing/meeting relatives, showing off James (the theme of this entry, I guess), and seeing my great grandmother's grave. And grandma and grandpa Burchell's graves, too...

It will be a time of remembering for me. I will look at that old farmhouse and remember how excited Sarah and I were to sleep under a canopy bed, for instance... or how Grandma Davis killed that snake on the guesthouse porch. And then a lot of memories from before that time. And a lot of thoughts and words that I never got to say to any of them.

And we will get to see Dad's family that will embrace us and feed us southern cooking and gush over us. And through it all I will get to play with my siblings, and they will get to exclaim over how big James has gotten. And to see Mom and Dad... these are the best things. the living things!

It will, I think, help ease the longing for home at Christmastime. But who am I kidding, we'll still long for home then, even while we have a wonderful time making our Christmas with James here.


Saturday, October 2, 2010

spinning

Ron had to show James the washer "spinning", since he liked it so much himself as a child. I don't know if James knew what to make of it, but he seemed to enjoy it. James is really more into ceiling fans himself, and likes to laugh at ours :)

Monday, September 27, 2010

sleepy James



i love that he took one sock off here :)

improvise...

getting ready for bed with Dad.

We call this "magic daddy"... When all else fails.
This. Always. Works!


Thursday, September 23, 2010

first oatmeal

I think Ron is more excited at this point :)

overall, we thought it was "ok"... maybe we'll try again, James says...

Saturday, September 18, 2010

our Saturday.

well, we have lived here for a couple weeks now.

still not unpacked. getting there. I thought briefly of the Incredibles, when she unpacks the last box three years later, says it's official now, and laughs *hahaha*. I realize that moving around the country every year or two or three from now on, I do not have that kind of time :)

Some big boxes that are in the way right now of everything are rummage boxes. I don't know where we found all this junk or why we still have it, but we are purging now. In a few short weeks, someone else can have my junk. I would gladly give it away, but if they want to pay me for it, all the better.

James :)

James rolled over last Sunday for the first time! He still gets his little arm stuck under him (back to tummy), but I still considered it a roll. He continues to try to conquer that final trick. He will try so hard, alternately shrieking frustration or sighing resignation. Sometimes he gets tired of trying for a bit and will plop his little head down for a small rest and thumb suck. So adorable.

I see that gleam in his eyes, like he's already ready to be exploring my bookshelves and cupboards. Only a little bit of time left before he will be able to, and then... what then? How will I get anything done during a day? I have the feeling he will be a good and thorough explorer, too :)

Ron is working this weekend again. Our weekend is coming up, though (Mon-Wed). Today I will probably be meeting a friend for lunch, trying to unpack something, and working our way through the library books for James.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

If you can't get a hold of me...

try calling my cell phone.

We will probably be without internet for a few days, maybe a week! I feel like I'm heading into withdrawal... I didn't even know what the internet was when I was a kid. And our first computer didn't have a desktop background or anything. Just a blinking little bar... Even now I don't consider myself very technically savvy, but the internet. Now that's something I really use to communicate with people and check up on everyone! Hopefully I will not miss seeing those first pictures posted of Grant, my amazing new nephew! :)

Off to finish packing, then to move our little lives. I have thought about how good this house has been for us. How nice it's been to start a family here, despite some inconveniences. The house is special to me because we made it a home, and we loved it so it loved us back. I think 3825 will always be fond of us, just as we will of it. No matter all the differences with the landlord and manager, 3825 knows who we are. Has seen how we live, has watched us love and grow here. It's almost like we will still share a secret with this house long after we leave. So goodbye and thank you, little house. I will hold nothing against you. I will think of you fondly. I will remember the country roads that saw many walks/runs/bike rides...

The other side of the coin is a longer story full of injustice and tears. So we move :) I have learned some lessons here. Not just about being more careful about who we business with in the future, or keeping meticulous records. I have learned about myself. And I'm going to stop there, and just think about those nuggets rather than tell you about them...

I am looking forward to settling into our little duplex, with the ugly brown carpet that I knew Ron would love. That's exactly what he said when he saw it :) It's always exciting to arrange things in a new place. Tomorrow I will set up my kitchen.

The other day I killed a banana spider. Countless cockroaches have been squashed here. I don't go barefoot in my own house. Today a mouse scurried out of my way. These are things I won't miss. But I'm sure it could be worse :) Regardless, I don't think the new place will have the kind of problems we've had here with pests!

Rather anticlimatic way to end this post, but I must be going! Ron is home for his 6 day "weekend" and we are excited to pack!!

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

sleepy James

I just had to show you this picture of James this afternoon. This is the fastest I've posted anything on my blog to date! I just thought he looked so adorable, and when I checked on him playing I had to laugh at what I found!

moving...

Just across town.

But we are excited about the whole thing. We have loved our little house in the country, but it is time to leave it. Even more thrilling than the prospect of living in a duplex with central air and heat, we are excited about our new management there. A nice woman who also likes to keep things legal. I think we'll get along :) It will be like a breath of fresh air in that respect.

There are perks. The central heat and air, I already mentioned, but it should be mentioned again. In Texas, central air is... amazing. lovely. desirable. Also, we will be in a stroller-friendly neighborhood, which means we can take our after dinner walks again when the weather cools down. That's right. A lot of you that might be reading my blog thinks summer ends about the time August winds down. haha. We're gearing up for more 100+ degree weather here through September. I actually said the other day "wow, it's so much nicer than it has been!!" It was probably... 97 out. plus heat index. however that works.

Other perks, we will be closer to shopping, closer to some friends, a park nearby, a stone's throw from a post office. Yes, I consider that a perk. Also, we get a real garbage can now and we can recycle again! And actual deadbolts, and a fireplace. It's all the little things :) We will be in the same neighborhood as one of Ron's work buddies, too, so they will be able to carpool sometimes.

I will post pictures later. Probably later than you would like, because i am slow like that :( I just finished organizing all the photos from Wisconsin, and will be posting some more of them sometime, too!

Right now my days are consumed with packing, caring for James, designing something that needs to go out this week, and thinking about getting back to my treadmill. I will, I will! In fact, I already committed to run a half marathon this January, so I better get in gear. I will make myself. I must.

Ron has changed work schedules which is actually very advantageous for us. He works longer days Mon-Thur, then has a three day weekend. I don't even notice much of a difference, since he was such a good worker before, anyway :) He just leaves a little earlier and gets home about the same time, plus we get a whole other day off! fine by me! Then his schedule will switch to having Mon-Wed off, and I know it will be hard for Ron to miss church :( when the switch occurs we get either 6 days off or he works 8 straight days. His 6 days off is when we move, which is insanely wonderful, and as they keep coming around will feel like a mini vacation! We actually just had his first three day weekend last weekend, which already felt like a mini vacation! Just imagine how much fun we could have when we're done moving!

I have to go, poor James is bored under his jungle for the time being :)

Monday, August 16, 2010

the wedding we've all been waiting for!

Our good friends from college got married this year on Ron's birthday! Jason and Dana have been together as long as Ron and I have, so after 10 years, everyone was waiting to celebrate! They had a wonderful day, and Ron and I would not have missed it for anything. They are special people to us :) This was also our first Catholic wedding we've ever witnessed, which was really interesting. James did a stellar job, sleeping through most of it, and not even squeaking a lot! He was the only baby at the wedding, and one of two children at the whole thing... that's us in the background and to the right :)

Inside the mansion where the reception took place. We all gathered in the foyer there where they served champagne with raspberries in it for the toasts... very classy. Did I mention we were the only one with a baby there? Everyone else either didn't have babies, were keeping them with the nanny, or they were off at boarding school. Yeah, we'd never been to that type of wedding before :)


Our other good friend from college, Beejay, was one of the groomsmen. James is wearing his "monkey suit" here. har har. Really, he looked quite dapper before the jammies :)


the band. people stayed and danced the night away. Then they attending an after party, which we were invited to. Again, har har :) We went back to the hotel after a dreary eyed James (and his harried parents) finally had enough party. He was really good through most of it :) It would have been nice to hang around more, but we are parents now, it really does change your life! We got up early the next morning, about 4:30 or 5, in order to head home to see my brother and his family as soon as we could :)

chicago

upon finally finding our way out of the parking garage, we find ourselves listening to the Saturday morning exercise group. People would randomly stop and join in, sometimes following the easy going directions, other times just dancing or swaying to the beat. As I sat on a nearby bench and nursed James it made me miss the small town city life of Milwaukee, and wish that someday I might be able to experience big town Chicago city life for a time. People from all walks of life converging on sunny pathways in the heart of the city just for the enjoyment of it. The lawn filled with happy dancing people. No one gawking at me nursing or even taking notice when I had to change my shirt (no worries, I had an undershirt on!)... It was a perfect sunny day, we were enjoying northern weather and Ron's birthday. I could have stayed for hours and hours, but we only had a little over one hour or so because we had to go get ready for a wedding. Someday I would like to vacation to Chicago and just be able to visit and sit and see the sights.

the nearby stage, pretty neat.

Part of the exhibit that was being displayed on the grounds. I liked the "made in China" touch.

people watching, very fun!

this little girl was adorable!

clearly we were not the only tourists. These people are hardcore. Fanny pack, visor, the whole package! the image of the guy on that wall you see in the background kept changing and every so often he would smile and then purse his lips together to squirt water at the crowd, which streamed out of the side of the wall... It was fun to watch!

my boys.





a bit to the right, there were some people up there taking engagement photos! fun!

that's my engineer :) 26 years old that very day!


haha! tried to take a family photo here :)

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

James love a good read!


James always loves a good book. Here, Danny and James enjoy Mary Grace reading them a story this summer. Yesterday I was reading a chipmunk book (as in Alvin, Simon, and Theodore!) to James, and he got so excited! He was even laughing at it!