Reducing Old Posts

Because of scary people on the internet I am going to start saving older posts to my computer, eventually to disk, then taking them off the internet. I will probably leave a couple months up at a time, but I am not comfortable with just anyone out there having access to years and years of pictures of my family.

...this is will probably be a long process, but something I would like to get done before November. :-)

What Do I Want To Be When I Grow Up???

A Dental Assistant!

As of November 19th (happy birthday Gma Nan!!) I will be a student in a Dental Assistant Diploma program. I was accepted today, and am a whole lot nervous! Its already been almost seven years since I've been inside a classroom! (Well, besides my kids'.) The program is 14 months, and they help you find a job after you graduate. Grown-up job, here I come!!!

Ethan's First Speech

Tomorrow Ethan will give his first ever speech in class. He was telling me all kinds of things his teacher said about how to give a speech; stand up tall, keep eye contact, talk slow enough for your audience to understand you, slowly look around at your audience, try not to fidget, and several more. I was seriously impressed! The only time someone told me those things was in my college speech class! He has been practicing all afternoon, so I thought it would be fun to record it and let him (and all of you) watch! I'm proud of my big man!!!

Reading through...

...his speech.

Lack Of Pictures

Not a lot has been going on, so I haven't been taking very many pictures. I keep thinking I need to take some of the kids riding their scooters downstairs, but I haven't yet. So, for now a picture of Nat playing on the computer and one of Max being lazy will have to do!

Back To The Land Of Corn

Roby got back from Texas yesterday safe and sound! The kids were extremely antsy at the airport waiting for him...you'd think by how they were acting that he'd been gone for 5 months again! To say the least, we all like him and are glad he's back! :-) He didn't have to go into work today, so this is the third "all day date" we've had in the last month! Its fabulous!

While down there he went to Toys R Us and got them each a little present. They are both perfect! He got Ethan a new "cool" helmet and pad set for riding his bike/skateboard...now he wont look like a five year old! Wait, I think that's when we bought his last helmet! Natalie's present was two stuffed puppies. One is in a cute little purse and the other has dress. She is obsessively in love with them! She played with them all afternoon, slept with them, at breakfast with them, and was upset that she didn't say "good-bye" to them before she left for school.

Don't think that he forgot me! He got me a new game that I am very much enjoying! This is probably not a good thing because the more games that I get the more I don't want to clean! haha Now that we have found the kind of games I enjoy, I completely understand the video game addiction!!!

Other than that, not a whole lot going on around here...and not many pictures being taken. I could go back through some that I haven't posted yet...but I'm just not in the mood today!

Long Weekend

Although the kids had Friday off, we didn't do anything exciting. Ethan had an awesome weekend. That sounds odd, but he was really good all weekend. There was very little talking back, whining, arguing, etc etc. He was super helpful, put his clothes away before I asked, taught Natalie how to ride her scooter! Fabulous! Natalie had a friend come over to play for a few hours on Friday, then another one of Saturday. Yesterday, while I was doing laundry and cleaning, the kids spent a good 2 1/2-3 hours in the basement riding their scooters and playing with the hockey net/basketball hoop. It was grand! They were able to get a bunch of pent up energy out without getting all muddy outside! The downside to this weekend is that Nat woke up with a fever an sore throat yesterday. When I looked down here throat with a flashlight I didn't see any white spots, so I have been giving her medicine and am keeping her home from school today. Other than that, we are just waiting for Roby to get back. I know he'll be gone less than two weeks total, but I still miss him! :-)

Before Children...There Was Just Us

One of the fun things that come along with organizing/cleaning is finding things that bring back great memories!!! These pictures are from when I went camping with Roby and his mom's side of the family in the spring of 1998. I couldn't tell you where we were, I think somewhere in Oregon...but I remember having a good time just hanging out and spending lots of time with Roby! (Insert fluttering eyes here!)

The below pictures is probably one of my favorite of all time.

I remember feeling head-over-heals in love with him then, and I love him ever more now!!!
Aren't we disgusting?!?! haha

Kids Playing And Finding Old Things

The other week, when it was still warm, the kids played in the backyard almost every day after school. This is a great way for them to get some of their pent up energy out, and I don't have to walk/drive anywhere for them to do it!!! Because it was so sunny out, Ethan let Natalie borrow one of his hats. It was adorable, so I asked them if I could take a picture. I love how she's looking up at her big brother--and they're holding hands!!!

When I organized the basement last week I found a really old stamp set! I apparently go this in 2001!!! I didn't remember ever using stamps before moving to Germany and going to a Stampin' Up party at Tammy's!

These were the Christmas cards I made that year...I like the ones I've been making recently much more. Good effort though! :-)

Eye Level

Max is really enjoying having all the windows in the house being at his eye level! Especially when there are squirrels to watch!!!

Do you see that guy out there, you know he knows there is dog inside!!! haha

Run away Mr. Squirrel!

Max wants to chase him soooo bad!

When I see him watching out the window like this I will sometimes let him out just to see what he does! He will run to the tree and then around and around it trying to find out where they went! I don't think he would try to hurt it, but he would for sure want to play with it!

Delivery

Moving is a process...to say the least! I have many many pictures from when we got our things delivered and the week after when I was trying to find places to put everything...I'll just post a few for those of you who haven't moved in a while. Its not exactly fun! haha

Before our things were delivered, the kids were sleeping in sleeping bags, an we had an air mattress. We weren't sure what time they were going to show up, so we got up, got ready and got this kids up just in case.

A very excited Natalie to have her things! Its surprising how much belongings make a place feel like home!

Ethan playing with his space shuttle that he made last year for a toy project. I'm not exactly sure why his shirt is all wet...I could take a wild guess that Roby had something to do with it!

Roby staring to open things up.

The kitchen area before everything was in the house.

Our front room...we didn't even have somewhere to walk!!!

The kitchen area after everything was in the house...now where to put it all!!!

I am soooo glad it doesn't look like that anymore!

Computer area.

Our bedroom...

Seems how we'll be here for the next 5-15 years (please not that long!!!) we may be moving in the next couple years! UGH I don't want to go through it again, but if we're going to be here that long it would be smart to look into buying a house...we'll see, only time will tell!!!

Update On: The Kids' Rooms

To most people, things like curtains aren't a big deal...but when you haven't gone out and bought them...ever, its a new and kind of fun experience. I really wanted the kids to have curtains, because I am not a big fan of people looking into the front of our house! I finally found some that were fairly cheap, but would still look nice! (And hopefully not fall apart in six months.)

When I made Natalie's duvet cover, that she'd had for at least three years, I absolutely loved it. But as time went on, I started to get really really tired of it. When I was looking for curtains I found this purple quilt on clearance! It is really cute! It has little butterflies sewn into it in bright green stitching! The curtains matched perfectly and with the curtain rod (see below) I found it was perfect for our little princesses room!!!

Color Days

The second two weeks of school, all the kindergarten classes at Natalie's school were asked to wear the color for the day. I tried to take a picture for each day, but I forgot to twice, and picture day was during the second week.

Black Day

Green Day
(The shirt has green stripes)

She wanted a picture of her "green pretty" too.

Red Day

Blue Day
(This is what happens when your daughter wants to wear a skirt every day, and sometimes you just want an easy morning!)

Brown Day

Ethan being a nerd, he wanted a picture that morning too! :-)

Purple Day
Looking for purple in Ethan's shirt...don't you like her purple bow?!

And White Day!!!

The Drive

I only took a few pictures of our drive from Washington to Nebraska...it was a really long drive!!! The kids did awesome, and seemed to find ways to entertain themselves for the most part!

Watching a movie.

Playing games.

Actual haystacks...I'd never seen them before.

One of our first glimpses of CORN!

Sleep is always a good way to pass some time.

...potties...

Natalie took quite a few pictures at the beach, in Walla Walla, and on our drive. When I went to look at them, and put them on the computer the other day the memory card was empty. I have no idea what she did, but all her pics were gone. Oh well, she's already been taking many more!

Nat dancing!!!

Saying Bye To Walla Walla

Before we hit the road on July 30th, we went by Bob's shop to say bye. Do you think he was ready to see us go??? haha

Have to make them post for a picture!!!