New Year's Eve

We have plans to go to our friends' house tonight for dinner. We haven't seen them in forever! I know we'll have a good time hanging out with them - even if we don't make it to midnight! Last year we left at around 10:30pm, and were at home in bed an hour later. I just don't have it in me to stay up late anymore! Ah well... that's the way it goes I guess.

So much has happened!

Wow... I can't believe that it's been this long since I updated this! 2 months have gone by, and so much has happened. We visited our favorite vacation spot - Disney World - with Jeff's parents during the week of Thanksgiving. We had a great time! It was crowded, but it was so much fun!

Jeff and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary on December 3rd. Let's see... What did we do to celebrate? Hang around the house of course! It was fine though - just being with my family. It's amazing to think that we have been together for this long. Our first date was November 6th, 1992, and not the greatest date I had ever been on! I never thought that 15 years later that we'd be married with 2 kids! He is truly my best friend and I cannot imagine my life without him. I'm so lucky!

Christmas has come and gone, and the boys (of course) got WAY too many things! I need to start working on cleaning out some of the older toys that don't get played with to make room for the new ones. Brendan's favorite gift was a Nintendo DS. That was really all he wanted, so he was SO excited when he saw that Santa had left one for him! Jake was none too impressed with the train table when it was still in the box, but once we put it together - he was thrilled! Choo Choo Train!!!

More to come... Especially more about our trip to Disney with the in-laws!

Love to Kramer

This has been a pretty rough week. Jeff and I had a long talk last Friday on the way home about Kramer. Poor dog has been having so many issues. He walked with a limp, couldn't jump up on the couch to lay in his favorite spot, was going deaf, and couldn't control his bodily functions. We decided that it was time for him to go on to a better place. I called the vet and scheduled an appointment for this past Monday (10/22). Brendan said he wanted to go with us, so the three of us took him in and held him and told him how much we loved him. As hard as it was, and as sad as we still are, we know it was the right decision for him.

Everyone in the office showed so much compassion for us - it was very nice. They let us know what would happen after he was gone and let us have all the time we wanted with him. They called tonight to let us know that his remains were back and waiting at the office when we were ready to go get him. Jeff went right then and picked him up. There was a nice cedar box with a tiny padlock (and key), and a brass plate on top with his name on it. They had also enclosed a nice sympathy card signed by the staff as well as a candle.

Kramer was the best dog and always showed love to everyone. He will be missed!

We love you Kramer -

Longaberger!

I had such a good time on Thursday! Mom and I went to Ft. Hood for the Longaberger Basket Fest. We got to shop, and make our own baskets! We took a bus trip down with a bunch of other women and had a great time! We won prizes and had tons of snacks. It was such a long day, but so worth it!

I'm a bad mom...

I feel so bad today that I didn't go to Brendan's soccer game. It started at 2:15, which is right at the time Jake needs to be taking a nap! I've never been the sort of mom who follows a super-strict schedule with my boys, but I know that it would be unbelievably hard to keep Jake entertained at the soccer field when he's tired. We had a hard time with him a few weeks ago when there was a 7:15pm game. By the time the game was over, Jake was whining and screaming because he couldn't get what he wanted and he was beyond tired. I think Brendan understands this... At least I hope he does. Watch - this will be the game where he finally scores a goal! Ah, the joys of having more than one child.

Sometimes I'm Amazed!

We get home tonight and B wants to play outside with his friends. OK - we say - if homework is done first. He finishes up some and out he goes. Jeff and I go out to the backyard to talk to the landscapers about what is needed next. (What is needed is some money!!) I give Jake some dinner and check on him every few minutes. When we're done talking outside, I go in the house to find that B has gotten Jake out of his high chair AND washed his (Jake's) hands! I couldn't believe it! He also washed his own hands and helped with dinner without being asked! I was amazed! It's times like these that I know he has it in him... I just wish I knew how to see it more often!

October 8, 2007 - B gets a new Webkinz

I've started a blog! I really don't know how to do this, or what I'll write about, but I think it will be a good way to keep a record of stuff that's going on in my life. The boys do so much every day and I want to remember every second of it!

Today B had the day off for Columbus Day. Jeff took a VC day to stay home with him and they ran around together. B has been talking about getting a new Webkinz for a while now, so Jeff took him to the Hallmark store and let him pick one out. He chose a black cat because - according to him - "They're very rare!" He was trying to come up with a name and decided on "Scream". Why you ask? Because we're coming up on Halloween and Scream is a scary Halloween-type movie. What the?? This is the same kid that for years was totally freaked out by the Scream mask after we saw a kid in the back of a pickup wearing one. I can't figure him out sometimes! I told him I was going to call him Oreo, because I just like it better. (and I just like Oreos!) He seemed OK with that. :)

Jake is quite a character. He is talking more and more. He has his own Jake language that no one understands, but he also says a lot that we actually do understand:

Bee = blanket (sleeps with)
Kicky = Mickey (Mouse - that he sleeps with)
Benben = Brendan
Cackuh = cracker
Key = cookie
Hi, mama = Hi, Grandma
Hi, papa = Hi, Grandpa
pease = please
tank oo = thank you

It's so cool to watch him and listen! I am trying to soak this all in and remember it always because I know there won't ever be another little one in our house. I'm trying to remember what it was like with Brendan, and it's hard! You think that you won't ever forget, but time has a funny way of messing with your memory!