Josh is a Senior!

My youngest brother, Joshua, spent a few days with us this summer and I convinced him to let me practice my photography "skills" on him. I learned alot about my new camera, and we came up with a few nice pics. He was very patient and cooperative with his annoying sister!

The Gator...

This is the old, but new again, entertainment at our house lately. Ken brought this little machine home last summer for Bradyn and Hunter to play in as a surprise while they were at grandma's for a week. It was great fun for them then, but spent the better part of the summer in the garage due to a broken gear. I guess they don't make toy parts out of very strong stuff, but Ken decided to take it apart and have a look. Now, knowing Ken, you know he can fix just about anything that can go wrong with a mechanical part. So, a few screws and lots of Daddy grunting and muttering later, the gator is in working order again. It's once again their favorite toy, and Hunter is able reach the pedals this year. He even does a pretty decent job of shifting gears...if only he could get the steering down! It's a bit nerve wracking to watch him tear off around the house or down the sidewalk because he almost always waves at me and keeps waving until he almost hits a tree...or a fence...or my flowerbed...but he is SO proud of himself for being a "big boy" and I don't think he can cause any real damage. I never knew watching my kids enjoy their childhood would be so much fun. :-)

No, I have not had my baby!

Ok, so it's been awhile since I posted ANYTHING on here. Sorry about that. Life has been busy, as you would expect with two little ones adjusting to a schedule of homeschooling and a very pregnant mama trying hard to keep up with all that needs done. I just had to put this in writing so that everyone knows...YES, I AM STILL PREGNANT! :-)

As we were taking a walk around the neighborhood last evening, chasing the kids as they drove their John Deere gator around the sidewalk in high gear, and waddling full tilt ahead, my neighbors kept asking about the status of my pregnancy. The most common phrase was "Haven't you had that baby, yet?". Also popular has been "Are you STILL pregnant?". However tempting it may be to respond with "No, I had the baby, the huge bump under my shirt is a watermelon", I resisited and we kept on walking and smiling. But then, I realized that there are probably alot of my family members and friends who are actually wondering if I am, in fact, still rotund. So, yes, I am. I am officially over a week past my latest due date. This little one is quite comfortable in there, and all of his test results say is he is doing just fine. We are planning to let him stay there for +/- another week or so before trying any medical intervention, as long as he continues to do well on his non-stress tests. Hopefully, he will just decide to arrive before then, and we will have some happy news to post. It will be nice to finally have our little one in our arms, and to be able to sleep on my stomach again! :-)

Happy 3rd Birthday, Hunter!

I can't believe our little guy is 3 years old already! The time does fly! His actual birthday was yesterday, the 18th, but he had a little birthday party tonight and I will try to post some pics of that tomorrow. Lots of little kids running around, and lots of noise = lots of fun for both of our little guys! Tomorrow morning we are planning to go "bunny rabbit" shopping for his birthday gift...he says he will name it "three". :-) He is such a sweet natured little fella', always full of hugs and kisses for us, and with a smile to brighten the day. I am trying to remember every moment, even the mischevious ones, and store them away for the days when he doesn't come so easily to my lap. But for now, I love to hear him say " hold me, momma" and " I lub you"! If ony there were a way to save the feeling of little arms around your neck...

Deployed

Well, it is official. My brother Ryan is deployed. He is currently in Kuwait awaiting a move on into Iraq that should take place in the next couple of weeks. The flight over was a long one, about 20 hours plus stop over time in Germany. He was able to call home and talk to my parents after he arrived, but the phone lines went out, and the internet is not much better. He paid by the hour for the internet service...which is slower than dial up here, so be thankful for your cable and dsl...and was able to tell mom and my brother Josh that he is already experiencing sandstorms and high temps. He seems to be positive about the whole experience, and eager to do something to help the war effort. I, on the other hand, am rather worried about him even being over there, much less fighting. I am proud of him for wanting to give what he can to help protect the rest of us, but it is hard to watch him do it, especially knowing that it is not easy for him. His tour of duty in Iraq is 15 months long, approximately. It seems that the army doesn't tell you much before you get your orders, and then only what you need to know at the moment, so we won't know alot until we hear from him. I will try to keep my blog updated on his progress as we get word. As of now, we don't have an address for him, but in a couple weeks, we should. If anyone wants to send him mail I will be glad to give you his address as soon as I know it. You can email me and I will give it to you. Having someone in my family serve overseas definately makes me see things that I have never seen before. The sacrifices of our soldiers and their families...every one that reports for duty...not just the heroes that we read about, but the quiet heroes who do their job and are willing to give up the control of their own lives for a cause. Every day is a new sacrifice, for the soldier who sleeps on a cot in the desert, and the mothers and fathers, husbands, and wives who do their best to carry on while they wait for their soldier to come home. It isn't easy, and so many of us don't even think about it. Ryan said that means the armed forces are doing their job, if the citizens of this country don't have to worry as they go about their day to day lives...but it would be nice to show some appreciation when we get the chance. Thankyou, soldiers.

Summer Flowers

I have been playing around with some photos of flowers...and sneezing as I take pics. They are around for such a short time and it takes so much work to keep them looking nice, that I thought I would snap a few pics to keep them around a bit longer. I just ordered a new digital SLR, and I am super excited to start taking pics with it as soon as possible. I'm hoping that I can master lighting and exposure times with a little effort. Any of you who have experience in that area(Julie, Amy, anyone else??), feel free to help me along with advice!

McKenna

This is a little girl with whom Bradyn seems to get along almost perfectly. Every time he sees her he tells me she is his best friend, and he reserves that title for her 90% of the time. They are only around 2 months different in age, and have been little buddies ever since they were tiny. I know we all have a friend or two in childhood that we remember as vividly as if it were yesterday...good foundations for a growing child. I'm thankful that Bradyn chose a friend that I feel comfortable having him spend time with. I know that she will be a positive influence on him, and I never have to worry about what kind of things he will learn and bring home when he is with her. I think a large part of that is because she has wonderful parents who spend time patiently teaching her...and it shows. :-) Now that both our family and her family is planning to move in the near future, we are starting to wonder what will happen to this little friendship. They seem to enjoy writing letters to each other now, so maybe they will be "penpals".