photo dump

Lack of internet has made it difficult to post...more to come...

He got picked to blow up a balloon against an elephant...guess who won...

So sweet, but so strong willed. Wonder where that comes from?

Taste of St. Louis...

Not very impressed with sippy cups!

been a while

So, it's been a while since my last blog, sorry! My camera died on the first day of school and I have been mourning it's loss... I borrowed a camera from my mom though and even though I don't like it as much I will have to start using it, I'm missing so much! School is going pretty well, I have a good group of kids this year. My patience is low with my kids though, because I'm exhausted all the time with work and home stuff and the baby still getting up once at night. Jackson is really liking his teacher, which is nice and he is starting to adjust to real, EVERYnight homework (oh my!). Elliette is doing well with daycare. I love being able to just hope down to the other building and check on her during the day. The first week there she didn't sleep, but has adjusted enough that she is taking 2 2-hour naps which his good. She's rolling around all the time adn on her belly can spin around in circles. She thinks her brother is HILARIOUS and loves any chance she gets to jump and bounce. We are working on big girl foods, and so far peas, avocados and carrots are her favorites. She doesn't care to eat food in the morning and we have yet to find a fruit that she actually likes except watermelon! She's been teething for what feels like forever, but still no tooth!! Oh well, gotta go, but here is a picture of her in Jackson's first Bridge Of Hope shirt.

One week down...

The first week of school is over!! Well, it isn't 'school' school yet, but we're getting there. I feel like my classroom is NEVER going to be ready. I was really worried about having to leave baby girl. Cried a lot Sunday night and when I left her Monday morning; but we both did really well. I was so busy most of the time that I almost didn't have time to miss her, which is nice I guess. She was with Josh's sisters and grandma last week, but will be at daycare at work starting next week. I am looking forward to having her so close so I can just go check on her when I want. I can't believe how big she is, SHE'S ALMOST SITTING UP! With a little assistance or padding she can sit and stay sitting for a pretty long time. Here she is on the couch, with a pillow on one side and my leg on the other...

We took her in for shots this week and she's 14.5 pounds and 24 1/4 inches. I think they said she's like 75% height and 50% weight, or maybe the reverse of that, I don't know!

I was eating a bowl of fresh fruit one evening and had a bunch of raspberries. Elliette stuck her hand in and grabbed some, which of course squished all over the place. She and I both though it was kind of funny so I let her keep going. Eventually she and I were both covered in raspberry goo and had to be rescued by daddy. Later I decided that it was probably a decent sensory motor activity so maybe we will do it again some time!!

Life Cycles

Tonight on the way home Jackson started asking me questions about 2nd grade and if I knew what he was going to learn. Having been working on my own science curriculum today and comparing notes to other grade levels, I said "Well, I know you're going to learn about life cycles". Obviously he wasn't sure what it was, so we talked about how it is just like how something goes through from birth to death, we talked about butterflies since he has observed their life cycles before. He figured it out and then sat for a few moments before announcing..."I have a funny life cycle. Egg, chick, chicken, chicken nuggets!"

Back to school, back to school...

I can't believe it is time to go back to school. I report back Monday and I am so not ready! All the work/school stuff I said I wanted to get done this summer just didn't happen and neither did most of the fun summer stuff either. With Elliette being so young there were just so many times we couldn't go out and do things because of the heat. I am starting to look forward to cooler weather though when we can take her to do things (and when I can wear hoodies!).

Jackson is pretty much ready for school. All the supply shopping is done, new backpack and uniform clothes purchased and he's started to get excited. He has a teacher who is brand new to our school this year and that is worrying him a little bit. He knew the other teacher that he was supposed to have and her classroom and he was looking forward to it. Now that teacher took an administration job at another school and his classroom got traded from the big bright one to one of the less cool rooms with no windows!

Baby E will be starting daycare too and that has mommy a little nervous. In some ways I am excited for her to be able to socialize with other babies (there are so many this year) and maybe break out of her 'only mommy' phase some, ut that is what scrares me a little too! She is such a mama's girl and a lot of nights won't even let Josh put her to bed or down for a nap; so I am a bit concerned how she will do at daycare. Plus she has to go from all my attention on her to it being spilt at daycare. I just keep reminding myself that this isn't a bad thing and she is just a building away from me if she needs anything. I really wish they'd just let me put a pack in play and toys in my room and let her stay there!!! I definately need to get back to work. Being at home everyday is starting to make me a little crazy. Not to mention with not being able to take her outside for walks with St. Louis heat, this staying at home thing has made loosing baby weight almost impossible!

Oh well, guess we all will adjust! Here's a picture to make you smile...

a prayer...

Heavenly Father, Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.


Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.


Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to get a job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.


Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father, remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, how patience, empathy and love.

Wordless Wednesday