Stuff

Saylor has the stomach flu today.  I spent today sitting at home ignoring any and all responsibility...except for cleaning the bathrooms.  When one has stomach flu in the house, the bathrooms get cleaned.   It feels weird because I haven't left the house today other than taking my kids to school.  My mom picked the boys up from school so I could stay home on puke duty.   In the past 6 months I've had a daily (ok...three times daily) driving by my house routine and its been over 24 hours since I've walked through it.  I'm going through withdrawals.  Staying home all day isn't my normal.

This journal must be going through withdrawals too as I haven't posted in two weeks.  Part of this is due to my drive by the house obsession, and part of this is because my computer no longer lets me upload pictures through Picasa.  I know have to take up to three extra steps to get pictures off my phone and I find it really annoying.  And why post when there are not pictures?  And why post when I'm addicted to Instagram?  Oh the reasons I'm not writing....

So yeah, I'm behind.  Here is an update.

Steve:  Steve is still super dad/super husband/super dentist all rolled into one.  I really appreciate him and I'm sure I don't tell him enough.  He even hasn't complained about living with my parents for the past almost 7 months.  Steve is pretty great.  He called moving into the new house "the impending doom" the other day.  I know he's excited about living there, but like me, isn't excited about the process of moving there.  Oh the humanity.   Other things keeping Steve busy:  working on old Land Cruisers, 12 year old scouts, keeping me sane.

Andrew:  Ski team started again and Andrew skis every Saturday for the next 8 weeks.  Lucky Duck.  He loves skiing almost as much as swimming.  Andrew is also very busy with school.  He is keeping very wonderful grades, with only one class giving him slight grief - Math.  He often misses swim practice because he's staying after school to get extra help and retake tests.  I'm proud of his resolve to do his best, even if it requires extra work.  Andrew plays almost every weekend and we've found that he is happy and we are happy if Andrew has someplace to go Friday and/or Saturday night.   Andrew's also happy if I don't tease him about the cute girls in his life.  (I'm not happy when I can't.)
There is one cute girl who lives in Minico that I teased him most of the first semester.  I think he might have moved on with his "crush" so teasing him isn't so fun anymore.  Yesterday Andrew asked if he could attend a few of the basketball games this girl would be playing here in town against Twin Falls and Canyon Ridge.  It gave me a glimmer of hope that my teasing could commence again.   Poor Andrew...I hope I don't permanently scar him.   Oh, and before I forget, it must be said that Andrew officially uses more hair product than me.  The hairspray cloud is intense at times.  ...and he wants to grow a man-bun.  Wow.  Steve and I said "You bet...it just must be shaved off before you start blessing the sacrament this summer."  We'll see how long it lasts.

Carter:  Carter is growing and his crazy blood sugar numbers are proof.  He is SO 12.  12 year olds are loud and moody.  The ups and downs emotionally are whiplash in nature.  I've lived through a 12 year old before, so I know it is just a phase.  Oh Carter Carter Carter.   Carter is getting fantastic grades and flips out if he gets a B on a test. (I was the same way, so I get it.)  I never have to ask Carter about his homework as he is totally self sufficient and responsible.  I love how Carter takes his priesthood responsibility so seriously and I love watching him pass the sacrament.  He's growing up and getting more and more handsome.  I might die when his voice actually drops.  Even though 12 is hard, I'm not looking forward to him getting any older.  He's loud and sweet all at the same time.  He also hasn't discovered girls yet...yet.  Heaven help me when he does.  Carter has discovered money and is as I type shoveling three inches of snow off my parents driveway and sidewalks for $7.  Carter is a very hard worker...especially when money is involved.  I don't pay for cleaning bathrooms, so he obviously doesn't love doing that.

Colby:  This boy is crazy cute these days.  His grades are through the roof, he's a pleasure to be around, and the only things he gives me grief about are violin practice and toilet cleaning.  Love him.
He recently got nominated to run for student council in his class and to participate in the school wide council.  He has to have a speech ready on Tuesday to give to his class on why he would be the best candidate.   I would love for him to win, but then I would have to take him to school early every Wednesday for his council meetings.  Shoot me.   At his last swim meet, Colby killed it.  He's going to be really fast in high school if he keeps it up.   Maybe he's so fast because he's tiny with practically hollow bones.  Light weight boats are faster right???   Colby's best friend right now is named Carter and he outweighs Colby probably 4 times.  This Carter is not only tall, but big.   They look pretty funny together but are both the sweetest 9 year olds you could ever meet.  It will be a fun friendship to follow.

Saylor:  My six year old is growing fast and yesterday when I looked at her curled up on the couch I couldn't believe how long she is getting.  Saylor loves school and is getting better at reading all the time.  Her lunch of choice right now is always peanut butter sandwiches and fruit.  Her favorite friend to have over is Max Heider.  Saylor is as girly as they come, but she plays with rough and tumble Max happily.   Her favorite toys (at the moment...this could change every minute) are her Beanie Boo stuffed animals.  She currently make a bed for them out of a cardboard box and they sleep in a big pile in this box on the floor next to her bed.   She recently threw a fit about having her own room and has demanded to share with Grady so she could have a bunk bed.  These two have done great sharing a room at my parents house, so we are going to continue with them sharing at the new house.  Saylor has already called which cubbies in the window seat are hers.   She wants to share...but is territorial.  Saylor loves to sing and dance, wants to wear make up, and LOVES clothes.  She is sassy, loving and fun all at the same time.

Grady:  The tyrannical threes are coming up quick and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared.  Grady is showing much more personality and will these days.   He's oodles of fun and happiness when he wants to be, but loves to be a show off and demands to be the center of attention.   His vocabulary has EXPLODED and Grady can say anything and everything.  We haven't started potty training yet, mostly because my mom has asked us not to while living at her house.  Funny.  I have purchased multiple pairs of undies for Sir Grady, but he will have nothing to do with them.   Grady loves to eat candy and chocolate chips and usually demands at least four different items for breakfast...or any other meal for that matter.   He will want toast, then oatmeal, then eggs, then cereal.  It's maddening.   But his favorite food is yogurt.  He would eat it all day everyday if I let him.   Grady now will go into nursery without complaint, still takes a good nap every afternoon, and loves the bathtub more than anything.  He is also becoming a tease.  Steve and I are surprised often by his sense of humor.  I often wonder if Grady will be my wild child.  He's spunky that one.

The house:  It gets its own paragraph because it has sucked my energy more than any child these days.  As of today, we have two weeks until we close.  There is still much work to be done in these weeks that I pray gets finished.  Things still on the to do list:  exterior paint to be finished, carpet installed, electrical wrap ups (a few lights need to be centered and a few more need to be installed)  final pluming fixtures (the incorrect valves were placed at rough in and new Moen shower faucets had to be ordered instead of the Pfister ones I originally chose.), interior paint touch up and I'm sure many other things.  It's been so fun watching all my choices come together.  As always, there have been a few hangups, but for the most part, everything looks great.  We are excited to be in our own home...not necessarily excited to actually move.  Oh. So. Much. Work.  We are also excited to be back in our neighborhood.  It's the best.