Workin' Outside

The weather was great on Saturday, so Michael decided that we needed to clean up the backyard. Our backyard was still a mess from all that rain we got. It was a pond for about a week and at one point the box of outside toys got pushed over and the toys were scattered. It was my job to pick them up and clean them off. Michael cleaned up some of the garden areas out front-- he even added an outlet to the side of the house. He's so handy!

Nora was not feeling great, so after about an hour of hanging out with us she went back inside to watch Einstein. She didn't last long!

Confirmation of Sick Kid #2

She has a temp of 103. Poor kiddo.

Another Sick Kid?

Nora spent yesterday with Nana... they shopped and fished and ate at taco bell! Here's Nora showing off her new umbrella that Nana got her (the pictures aren't great because I didn't have enough battery power to use the flash).

So what did Buddy do while Sister was away? He whined a little bit, walked around the house looking for Sister, refused to play with any toys except for balls, took a short nap and demanded that I let him talk on my phone. He can now unlock my phone, so I have to be careful when he plays with it-- he almost called Michael at one point!

This morning Nora and I were the first ones up, as usual for Saturday mornings, and we decided to go ahead and do some grocery and Christmas shopping. About 20 minutes after we started shopping Nora got really quiet-- she didn't even ask for candy when we went down the candy/ chip aisle! I asked her if she was OK and she just shook head. So I picked her up and carried her the rest of the time. She felt pretty warm and just laid her head on my shoulder. I can't find the thermometer but my Mommy-thermometer thinks she's around 100. Hopefully I'll find it when I pick up the house today. She's playing with Buddy right now, so hopefully she isn't too sick. We'll see as the day progresses.

The Holidays

Ask Michael how excited about the Holidays and he'll roll his eyes! I'm already making holiday cookies and listening to Christmas music. I can't help it! I just get too excited that I can't wait! There's a recipe for spiced buttercream frosting that is just calling my name. I would have already made some but the powdered sugar canister is frighteningly low. That will be remedied during my next trip to the grocery store.

Amidst all of Michael's ba-humbug is pity for my holiday fever. He even took me Christmas decoration shopping last night. We're searching for a new tree and I wanted something simple, yet pretty, to put in our yard. We have yet to find a new tree but I did find some pretty yard decorations. I also bought some really pretty new ornaments and a few picks to complete my Christmas wreath. And today I was able to check off most of my Christmas list (thank you online shopping and free shipping deals!).

But it's not just the pretty Christmas trees, lights, yummy spiced cookies and frosting or gifts that put me in this giddy mood... this time of the year I am reminded over and over of God's love. You can't help but see it in every nativity scene or Christmas song that praises the coming of Emanuel. These reminders get mixed up in all the over-the-top secular Christmas things that are front and center in the world. But while the stores might be pushing out Christ at Christmas, they can't push Him out of my mind. God has firmly planted Himself there. So much so that every snowman, let it snow sign and Santa Clause I see reminds me of the season and my Saviour!


I don't have any new pictures to post, so instead I'll post some from Christmas 2008. Can you believe how big these kids have gotten? And now we'll have little Tyler to add to the mix this year!

Collin: An Update

Collin and I stayed home from church last night since he is still sick. He didn't take a nap yesterday, but I hoped that after 24 hours of having the antibiotic he would lose the awful side effect. It seemed to work-- he went to bed at 7:30 last night and slept all night! I ended up going to bed at 8. I didn't realize how tired I was!

Today he is a bit cranky, but he has no fever or runny nose. He took an early, but long, nap this afternoon so hopefully everything will go back to normal!

Playing with Daddy

Pumpkin #2

I think this was my favorite of the two pumpkins:

Pumpkin #1

Michael thought he sent both pictures of the pumpkins, but only this one came through. I'll ask him to try again.

Collin is still sick-- I started him on antibiotics tonight. His fever doesn't spike as high, but he's still warm. And right now he refuses to go to sleep. I've tried laying down with him in his bed, bringing him to my bed, reading to him, giving him a bath, letting him have a sippy cup of pedialyte... nothing has worked. He's in his room crying as we speak... or, um, type. Luckily I have several good books from the library just waiting to be read. I might get through a few of them tonight!

The pumpkins

Ms Vickie-- Michael took pictures of Mr. Mike's pumpkins Saturday night but they are on his phone. He said he would email them to himself so I can post them. I'll try to do that today!

We miss you!!

The Good and the Bad

The Good: My oh-so-handy husband fixed the water issue!

The Bad: I opened up my thesis document on the computer and found several paragraphs missing. Not sure how that happened... but now I have the unforunate task of trying to remember what I wrote. And the trying to re-write it.

The Good: Collin is in a much better mood today, which hopefully means he feels better.

The Bad: He threw up on me this morning.

The Good: Nora wants to help me clean.

The Bad: Collin wants to create messes (he constantly pulls rows of books off the bookshelf.