House

Here are some pictures of the house today. The basement walls are coming up...later this week they will have the main floor down. It is really starting to look like something! We are more excited everytime we visit!

Sometimes I forget....

We had the boys' birthday parties today.



It is so hard to believe that Evan is 6 and Isaac is 4...I am not sure where the time has gone. It seems like I just blinked and it was 6 years later! It is so exciting to see them grow and change, but also so sad to know how fast the time is really going. Things are so hectic and hard at times that I forget to enjoy life. It seems like I concentrate more on surviving the day that I forget to stop and play...I forget that sometimes kids don't listen. It doesn't mean I am doing it all wrong, it just means that they are being normal kids. I forget that sometimes kids are wild and goofy when there are people around. I foget that sometimes kids would rather eat candy and play with toys than eat their lunch like they should. I forget that sometimes I should just relax and not expect so much out of my kids. I am really going to work on this and I hope that I can begin to enjoy life as much as 6 year olds and 4 year olds. I know that it is going to be hard...I am not sure if I can do it completely perfect, but I am going to really try to slow down, and play more. My children are growing up right before my eyes...I feel like I am not enjoying it because I am too worried about other things.



The party went well today. Most everyone could come. We missed seeing Gina and Grandpa. Bob went to work at 6:00 this morning and he is still there (it is 10:03 pm) He is working in Parkersburg after the horrific tornado that ripped through their community. I cannot imagine what they are going through and how devestating that must be for the familes that are without a home tonight...I feel guilty for being upset at our situation. I often get frustrated because all of the belongings I brought with me are in our bedroom...we have stuff stored all over this part of Iowa it seems. I can't ever find things and I feel like things are such a mess. We chose this. We chose to build a house. We chose to sell our house first and move to Clarksville with Ben's parents. These families did not choose this....it is so hard to understand why this has to happen to them.



Tonight when Evan was saying his prayers, he said a prayer for the people that were in the tornados...when he got done, I told him that it was very nice that he remembered them. I explained that that was what praying was all about...He told me that sometimes he prays for peope that aren't even his family and he doesn't even know them! He is such a compassionate kid. It is hard to put into writing what the conversation sounded like and how "moved" I was, but it really was sweet.



On the other hand, I must share a conversation that Rhonda had with Isaac the other day. He too is a compassionate kid, but not in the same way. Isaac is our "great thinker" I would love to see what goes through his little mind on any given day.



side note...

When Uncle Jason is home, he is often found entertaining the kids with his magic show...he pulls toys out of their ears. His favorite toys to trick the kids with are the rubbery, magic spiders that appear in the kids' ears.

with that being said....



Out of no where the other day, Isaac asked grandma a very serious question.



"Gamma, how come when Uncle Jason pulls magic spiders out of our ears, they don't have ear wax on them?"



Hmmmmm.......have you ever given that any thought yourself??? Me neither....only Isaac!

I made it!!!

This weekend I did something I never thought I could do. I graduated with my Masters of Science in Education degree from Buena Vista University's School Guidance and Counseling Program. Three years ago, I decided to take a leap and sign up for classes. For the past three summers, I have traveled to Storm Lake for the month of June. Leaving Ben and the boys was the hardest thing I have ever done as a mother. I struggled with so much guilt for leaving my family behind. At times in the summer, it was almost more than I could handle. It felt so good to actually do something for myself, but I felt so bad for leaving everyone behind. It felt so good for walking across the stage on Sunday to receive my diploma. It was very emotional to think of all that was sacrificed for the degree. I could never have done it without the support from my family. They stepped in to help Ben take care of the kids. I could never thank people enough for all they have done for me. When I signed up for the program, one of the deciding factors for starting when the kids were so young was that I wouldn't miss summer activities that the boys would be in. Tonight is Evan's first day of t-ball...I am so happy that I get to be there! 

House progress

This is the side of the house.

This is looking at the front/side. Evan is right beside the single stall on the garage...right beside it is the double stall.

Looking in the big windows in the basement family room.

The back of the house. The bump-out part will be the dining room (upstairs)

This is the view from the back. You can see the windows to the family room. 

The side of the house. The windows on the side will eventually be bedrooms. 

Boys doing what they do best....playing in the dirt and mud.

Inside the basement. 

As you can see, progress is being made on the construction. There has been some beautiful weather lately, so they have been able to get a lot done. 

We are counting down the to the end of the school year. We have 6 days left! Things are pretty busy right now trying to wrap things up at school. 

I graduate from BVU this weekend!!! It has been a long road and not easy so it feels great to be done with grad school! We are leaving tomorrow to go to Storm Lake. We are staying at the AWAYSIS. It is a big indoor/outdoor waterpark hotel that they have been building the last three years while I was in Storm Lake. The kids are very excited. I am even more excited! I cannot believe I am done. Three years ago, I was very reluctant to even sign up for the program because I didn't think I could do it.

Life is good....

Things so far with the house are going well. They have been able to work each day since they have started.  The rain we got the other night was fine and didn't hold them up. They have the hole dug and are planning to start the footings today. Soon it will have basement walls! We took the boys out there yesterday and let them look in. Ben yelled at them as they were running towards the hole ... "stay out of the mud" HELLO....it had just rained the night before and it was a big dirt hole. A little impossible! We both laughed after he said it. 

When I picked up Eli from daycare,  his eyes were red and mattery. Looks like pink-eye. I called the doctor and got some drops. Even if it isn't, the drops won't hurt and hopefully clear up whatever is irritating them. They were still red and goopy this morning. I like to think that they would have been a lot worse had I not gotten the drops. Hopefully I am right, and I was actually one step ahead of things. I have to work a track meet tonight so I didn't have time to deal with it today. Glad I called yesterday.

We are trying to cut Eli back on his Reglan. I just HATE having him on medication. He is still spitting a lot. He is now taking it 2x a day instead of 4. I may try to cut that back to 1x and see how he does. He is still a ton better than where he was. 

Eli tried peaches last night. It is safe to say, HE HATES THEM!!! He gagged, and coughed with every bite. He even shivered with the first few bites. It was pretty funny! But I did feel bad for torturing him like that! We will try a couple more times. I think they say it takes three times to acquire a taste for something new...I don't think I made that up, I really did hear that somewhere. Evan did the same thing with peaches. He used to spit them out and there was NOTHING that boy didn't eat. I tried them last night and they are pretty tart! Maybe next time will go better. He is eating the puffs now and loves those. He giggles with you put them in his mouth...and he chews and chews. Every so often he gags, but not as much as I thought he would! He loves them. 

There are many great things that are happening in our lives right now. Sometimes it is hard to remember that. Life is so hectic right now. Both Ben and I are feeling the stress from work, and not having our own place. It is probably the hardest thing we have ever had to do. I know this is the most stressed I have ever felt trying to figure out life for everyone. It will get a bit better once school is out. We are trying to be patient with each other and with the kids....it is so hard though. Life is really rough right now and it is difficult to see all the great things going on too. We keep reminding each other that despite all the stress and chaos... life is good......

We have a hole....and probably lots of worms

Here are some pictures from today. The basement hole is dug out. The boys thought this was the coolest thing ever. They got to watch the diggers in action from the car...they wanted the windows down so they could hear the sounds. While we were watching, Isaac made a connection....."There are probably woms (no r) in there...." I said that he was right. Then he wanted to know if we would have lots of "woms in our basement" I sure hope not!!

Dirt...

Dirt seems to be the theme around our house. Isaac and Evan have been covered in it the last few days. They have both become obsessed with worms and millipedes. The last few nights, that is all they wanted to do...catch them for pets. In fact, Isaac tried bringing a few worms home with him from daycare yesterday. He put them in his cup holder on his car seat. Luckily, we found them before we headed down the road. He did cry all the way home because he wanted to suck his thumb....but was covered in worms and dirt so I told him he couldn't.  Last night he continued his quest to find all worms he could. We found him with a worm on the side of the house. He was dangling it in front of the vent....what was he doing? We asked him, and his response: "Heating up my woms (no r)" 

And speaking of dirt...yesterday they began digging at the house. They did the sewer and water yesterday and were hoping to begin digging the rest today. The boys thought it was pretty neat to see a real life digger at our place! It is going to be so exciting for them to see the house take shape. I am excited to see what was done today. It is a beautiful day out, so hopefully they were able to dig away. I find myself becoming more and more obsessed with the weather lately! 

7 months old....preview to summer

Eli got some new summer clothes today so of course we had to play dress-up. We are all antsy to have some warm weather. The swimsuit that Eli is sporting was a 75 cent garage sale find. Fits him perfect so hopefully he will get to use it this summer.

Eli is 7 months old today! We are all amazed at how fast this time has gone. Seven short months...it seems like Eli has been part of our family forever!