Changes

Lots of changes around here lately.

First off the runway is our Plumeria tree which is blooming beautifully, with tons of flowers for the first time. This is what it looked like when we got it...dang, I don't even remember - 3-4 years ago or something.

Yep, that's little Meagan watering the tree.

Now it looks like this.

A tropical oasis in the desert...next to our weed garden. We don't have a lawnmower. Not that I'd mow that. Way too dangerous with all the rocks. I'd have to get out there with hedge clippers and snip it all down, which I've already done once this summer. I'll just wait 'til it dies in winter. That's good enough.

Now, here is a closeup of the blooms.

Ah Hawaii, how do I love thee. Let me count the days until I see you. How I would love to make lovely leis with your plethora of blooms, but alas...there are not enough.

Next up is...

Oh yes, I made a skirt. Here is the lovely Candace holding it up for display for me. Good little helper. I'm sick of not finding skirts long enough. So, being the crafty little mamma I am, I bought a pattern and fabric and whipped one out.

This next bit isn't really something new but I thought it was pretty funny. Imagine finding this when you go to take a shower.

Looks like somebody's living in there. Luckily, that was Justin's towel. Hahahaha!

Of course little Sethy boy is growing lots too. He does a funny little lip flip with his fingers. How else do you describe that? You can hear me trying to get him to do it in the video. Why do kids never perform when you bring out the camera? He stopped as soon as I started filming.

This is what he does when he's really excited about something...which is all the time...except when he's hungry...which is also all the time. *sigh*...boys. It doesn't have a lot of action. Probably the only people that will enjoy watching this is Granny and Grandma, or anyone that hasn't seen him in a really long time.

And last, but not least. This next picture screams MOOOOOMMMMM APPROACHING!!!!!

I've succumbed to the soccer mom minivan. Which is also ironic because we're signing the girls up for soccer tomorrow. What's happened to me?!

It's a 2002 Chevy Venture. We traded this other scout leader for our CR-V. He wanted a CR-V and we wanted a minivan. What a coincidence. I just didn't think I could take another road trip in our small car packed in like sardines. We literally swim in suitcases, backpacks and ice chests every time we go somewhere and the kids' car seats are so tight there is absolutely no room from the left door to the right...sardines. Plus, we want to have another baby in the near future. Kinda need a bigger car for that, but we had no way to afford it. So, we told the Lord "If you want us to have another one, you'll have to get us a car". Whalla! I'm not preggers or anything. Don't worry. I want to go skiing in February.

Probably the best feature is the push-button, automatic sliding doors on both sides. Oh, and REAR A/C FOR LIVING IN TUCSON! My poor baby's were always dripping in sweat when I'd get them out of their car seats.

I felt like I was giving away a child when I gave him the keys though. I've had that little CR-V for almost 9 years. :( So sad to see her go. We'll miss you, little CR-V. May you find easy paths to travel and lots of road to eat on your new journey.

In a bloggy mood...

Sometimes I get on kicks. I didn't post anything for almost a month and now you won't stop hearing from me. I was looking at random blogs today and saw one from a Mormon mother of four. So funny how all mothers' days are the same. I can relate to everything she says. She posted some pretty funny stuff that her kids say all the time. Here's a link if you care to read it. http://sixofonefamily.blogspot.com There's a ton of stuff at the bottom. Gave me a few good laughs.

It also prompted me to make sure I record our kid's lives, 'cause Candace always says some funny stuff but I can never remember what it was when I retell it. We started some powerpoints on each of the kids when Meagan was a baby. I slacked off for a while as life got busier but Justin was secretly keeping up with it. That was a sweet little moment when I saw how detailed he was with recording our kids' lives. We always record their baby milestones and special things we did each year, as well as cute things they did. It's a treasure to go back through and read stuff I had forgotten. I can tell when I wrote about something soon after it happened and when I waited to write, assuming I could remember all the details. Well, most of the details were there but the feelings of the moment weren't. I realized how important it was to record things as soon as you can. I've changed over the years. It's nice to see what life was like back then through the lens of my life now.

I also want to make sure I record promptings, answered prayers, and significant dreams. I was looking back over what Justin wrote about Seth's birth and I wanted to make sure I wrote about the promptings I had that helped me through it. It helps a lot to read over a journal entry a few years later and see promises fulfilled or trials that you overcame, but didn't remember the trial all that much. It's definitely renewed my resolve to keep a record of our life.

Cutest baby ever!

Last night Seth woke up around 10 or so, which he never does. I sat him on my lap while Justin and I were watching a show on the computer.

One of our birds had quite a serious accident with the ceiling fan a few days ago and hasn't been able to fly since. We think she took a fan blade to the face, cracked her beak, and got hit by another blade on one of her wings.

Justin was holding her and checking her wing and feeding her. Seth was seriously interested in the bird. He was staring and reaching up for her so I let him get a little closer. He was so gentle and careful that I am completely shocked and amazed. He didn't hit her or try to grab or squeeze her like he does with everything else at this stage. He just reached up for her and pet her head, trying to keep his fingers as straight and steady as possible. He was concentrating so hard. I couldn't believe how careful he was. What a sweetheart! I love that little guy.

First Day of 1st Grade

Meagan has been really excited to go back to school. We've made it our little tradition to go to breakfast on the first day. Village Inn is real close to her school, and they have the California Skillet. Avocado, swiss, hollandaise sauce, mushrooms...I'm getting hungry already, and I just ate.

I can never get Candace to look at the camera. What a little stinker!

My handsome boys. I love Sethy boy's profile. It's so cute, just like his daddy's.

I'm so glad they have color sheets and crayons at restaurants. Saved the day!

I didn't get a picture of her outside the school because we were late...oops. What a way to start the year. Thanks for taking one for the team, Meagan. She was alright though, she didn't get in trouble. I feel kind of bad though because we didn't go to the ice cream social on Friday either. It's a chance for you to meet their teacher and figure out what to do on the first day, sign up to help out, etc. Justin took the girls on a camp out instead. I hope her teacher doesn't think we're deadbeats.

By the way, it was rather nice to have the night to myself on Friday. Baby goes to sleep at 7 and I have the rest of the night to myself. I'm learning to like it a little more. I still get really lonely but it's getting easier the more Justin's gone. I take advantage of the opportunity to do whatever I want and not feel guilty about eating tons of junk food and watching whatever I want until the wee hours of the morning. (See my version of Brown Eyed Girl on a previous post). I can't sleep alone anyways. I have to completely exhaust myself so I won't notice that I'm by myself. Good times.

30th Birthday Bash

Justin turns 30 on September 14th. Will Gibson is also turning 30 at the end of the month so naturally we had to throw a party. We rented one of those jumping castle type jousting rings because boys will be boys and they wanted to beat on each other...and make it into a competition.

We had to have it in early August because Reina is going to have a baby soon, and we wouldn't want to interrupt that. It was a lot of fun, but it was like beating each other with wet noodles. Here's a little video of the tournament that I put together. It's about 10 min long.

Here's my sweet little man watching the carnage. He's 8 months old now. He'll have his day in the jousting sun when he's older. Daddy will make sure of that.