what we have been up to

These are going to be in "reverse order" just because that is the way they uploaded, and it really is not easy to move them around. Sorry - just start at the bottom if you would like. :-)



Last night, the boys and I were going to watch a movie. (sesame street numbers, just in case you were wondering. the 1986 edition at that!!) Anyway - Nathan went over to the couch and put his feet on the ottoman and scuffled around the blanket, getting it 'just so' and telling me that he 'saved me a spot - right HERE' (pointing at the couch next to him). Noah, on the other hand - went straight to his throne. Given the option of "nap time" or "quiet time" Nathan normally picks "quiet time" and plays quietly in his play tent, and sometimes falls asleep. RARELY ever does he PICK 'nap time' - on this day he did b/c Gran had just left two days prior - and he wanted nothing more than to lay on "Gran's bed". What a sweet boy!!!

Dressed up like burritos for some free Chipotle dinner on Oct 31st!!

Nathan drving nails into some old wood . . . just seemed like a fun thing to do at a festival I guess. He liked it!

The boys and I had a great snack of Nachos and Cotton Candy!!! This was their first encounter w/ cotton candy - but I couldn't hardly eat it in front of them w/out sharing!!! They didn't know what to think about it at first, but warmed up to it quite nicely. :-)

Getting ready to go out to play! Nathan is a Physical Therapist and Noah is a doggie. Nathan also had a goniometer and pen to wear so that he could "measure people" and "do some notes"! I LOVE IT!!!!

Here are some pictures of our camping trip.

First tastes of toasted marshmallows:

Nathan working to help 'saw' some firewood

Mommy's turn with the backpack carrier

Daddy's turn with the carrier

The boys had a great time playing football together and trucks

Noah was helping Richard set up the tent. At one point he went and sat square in the middle of it. We realized, he was waiting for it to blow up - he thought it was going to be a bounce house! lol

Noah: "my mom is not right!"

GREAT video and more!!

I guess little boys get giggly when what they expect to happen doesn't!! (ie. gravity!)

They have both seen and held helium balloons before, but I guess this one took them by surprise! :-)

Richard and Aunt Carol got to take the boys to "Day out with Thomas" a few weekends ago. A friend had some tickets, then her little one came up sick, so was unable to go. (THANKS LISA!!!) I had to work. :-( But I am SO GLAD Richard got to take them!! Nathan was absolutely derliriously excited! I don't even think he knew his own name when that train pulled up!!! (I know - I was trying to get him to talk on the phone to me.)

The boys had an old and VERY ugly dresser that we picked up for them. It was 70's style shiny "wood look" wall paper on particle board. Oh yeah - you know the kind! Even better the previous owners had drawn all over it w/ sharpies! I made a project of it and sanded it off and painted it. I like it better now! :-)

Finally - pictures of the new house

So . . . I was GOING to post them here, but blogger really does take a long time to upload pictures, and I can only do like 4 at a time . . .
So instead - click on this

my photo album

If you click on the first picture you will be able to scroll through them larger and with captions.

:-)
~Ann

What we have been up to . . .

Some "Texas-sized" yardwork:

We are fencing in a play yard for the boys.

Richard is drilling post holes for the new fence with the Bobcat that our new neighbors graciously let us borrow. After the first 8-10 inches of dirt, we are on SOLID limestone! This machine weighs 10,000 pounds and you can see in the picture the amount of force it took to get through the rock. WOW!!

I, on the other hand, was focussed on moving some smaller rocks. :-)

I like my new 'all purpose' lawnmower!

Nathan is ready for his first day of preschool:

He had a GREAT time and got very complimentary notes home from his teacher. :-) (proud Mama!!)

I know it doesn't seem like much a draught, since the last post was about rain . . . but this is the ONLY moisture we have had since that last one. Our lakes are at 40% full only!! Even though we were VERY happy to have a TON of rain today - there still stands the question of what to do on a rainy day . . . This is what we (Richard) came up with. (GREAT idea sweetheart!!!)

They had a BLAST!!

recent happenings

Here are some pictures from Missy and Joseph's wedding:

Nathan stacking all of his trucks up together:

Nathan and I dancing and playing in the rain! We haven't seen much rain - so when we do get it, it is very exciting!!

pictures

I brought the old Boppy out to take pictures of and sell on Craig's List - I guess Noah had other plans for it!

Nathan playing at a friend's pool.

Cow-appreciation day at Chik-fil-A. Nathan and I made some cow costumes for the whole family and we all got free meals for it!! What a deal and what fun!!!

Noah drinking lemonade - he had this reaction w/ each drink, but kept coming back for more! lol

observations on eating vegetables

Wow - does that sound like great reading or what?!?
So really - we had mixed vegetables at dinner tonight and I noticed that Nathan, Noah, and I each had a pattern to how we ate them.

I'll start with Noah. I can only tell you what he did, but I cannot tell you why . . . he didn't tell me. (I do have a guess though!) First he picked out all the carrots, then all the corn, then the lima beans, then peas, then lastly ate the green beans. Wow - he is one! He was very determined to do it just so. If he accidentally got one in the wrong order, he would spit it out and put it back on his tray for eating in its appropriate order. (sorry Dad W - yes, he comes back to it to eat it after spitting it out, don't worry, it wasn't chewed yet!) Here is my guess - the carrots are the sweetest, followed by the corn - he was picking the two he likes most. Next were the lima beans, they are easy for him to pick up. Next the peas - slippery, rolly little things, but easy to eat once he gets them. The green beans take some extra chewing and work to eat - so he had those last.

Now Nathan - a very different approach. He likes to have one of each on each spoonful. Maybe two of some (ie. corn) but not much more. Now here we know (b/c he tells us) that he really likes corn. We also know that he really dislikes the lima beans and green beans. My thought is that instead of having some really 'good' spoonfuls and then some really 'bad' spoonfuls - he decided to average it out for a whole bowlful of 'just ok' bites.

And yes, sadly - I found myself eating them in a certain way as well. I ate the lima beans first - b/c I like them a lot and don't have them often. Next were the green beans b/c they stick out more from the others. After that I just tried to get mostly corn or carrots or peas on the fork. I don't know that I prefer any over the others - but I think I just like them seperate more than together.

well . . . there you have it - a family (minus Dad - who was at work and missed all the fun) of meticulus vegetable eaters.

Sorry to say - that is three minutes of your life that you spent reading this and will never get back.