Substitute mom and other pictures

WIll decided that he needed a rest.  Only thing is he was laying in his tool bench.  This reminds me of when Keith was little and got stuck in our play shelves and while he was crying mom gets the camera and takes a picture.  Will thought it was a great place to rest.

Will decided that pink baby needed a feeding since her mom (Caroline) was at school.   He has the baby bottle in his hand and he is rocking himself by pushing off with his foot.

Last Sunday we went out on Mom and Pete's pontoon boat for a picnic lunch.  It was fantastic and this is one of my favorites from the boat ride.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!  I will get costume pictures posted later.

Birthday girl

You don't know how glad I am that all the pictures are still on here.  This is now the 3rd time I am trying to post this birthday message.  The first time (yesterday) the pictures didn't save because the power went out while I was still downloading and then the second time (this morning) was fine but then Caroline peed on herself right infront of the toliet and I didn't get to finish and then this afternoon when I went back and wrote comments on all the pictures the internet wasn't working so it didn't save it!  Ughhh!

So finally I get to hopefully finish.  I have pictures of Caroline from every year but number 2, I think.  The first one is of her 4th bday and her new dress and doll.  Finally something that matches to wear to preschool.

Caroline at 3 and it was a little warmer last October than it is this year.

And this is my precious little girl about to turn 1.  She never did learn to crawl.  She would walk holding someone's hands like in the picture everywhere she wanted to go.

This picture was taken when Caroline was about 10 hours old.  My friend Kristin is the one holding our sweet angel (I use that term loosely today!).  I can't believe how time flies and how big she has gotten.  Her personality is great and she brings such joy (most days!) to our lives.

We love you sweet Caroline!!!

A Momma's boy

My cousin wrote a blog about how her little girl is very attached to her.  it reminded me of just how attached Will is to me as well.  Must be something about the second children.  Will loves to cuddle with me and I have always loved to as well, but with him turning 2 in September I feel that it is time for him to sleep trough the night.

Will still wakes up most nights a least 2 times.  then at around 330 he is wanting to get in my bed a cuddle with me.  Just me not Justin, he will actually kick Justin if I put him inbetween us!

He is just finishing crying in this picture.  But last night was the turning point and i was going to let him cry himself back to sleep if he woke up wanting to sleep with me.  It happened at about 4 and I got up and went to see what he needed.  I gave him a sip of water and his paci back, got him settled and sat beside his bed for about 10minutes and he kept waking up and asking to cuddle mommy.  So I told him good night and that we could cuddle in the morning.  He only cried for maybe 15 minutes.  I couldn't really tell you since I fell back to sleep and it didn't wake Caroline up and they are in the same room.  But putting him to bed was a different story.  I usually sit beside his bed and it can take up to 40 minutes some nights which is way to long if bed time is about 845.  So I told him that I was going to sit beside him for 20 minutes and then I was going downstairs.  I sat and he didn't fall asleep so he ended up crying on and off for about 30 minutes.  Which kept Caroline up until 10pm!  Needless to say they had great naps today!  

This is on our way to Mimi and Granddaddy's house this past weekend.  We had a great weekend seeing lots of family and friends.  

Beating to your own drum

Alright here it is, the long awaited pictures of Caroline's outfits!  I have told a few people about what Caroline wears some days and they have always requested a picture.  The first picture is missing the turquoise sweater.  Even though this outfit matched (the tights pulled it all together) it was cold outside and this is a sleeveless summer dress.

Ok, this is a great example of a "Caroline outfit."  I had her in a jean skirt but it didn't twirl so she went back up stairs and picked the lovely green one out.  It twirls!  Since it was about 36 this morning I told her that she had to wear closed-toe shoes, not your sandals and this is what she gave me.  Pink boots that are 2 sizes too big!  I was thinking I am glad that her shoes at least match.  Since she is known for wearing two different shoes.

And this is what she wore to preschool today!!

Fall Festival time

It was that time of year again when we go to a Fall Festival at Walter Reed.  A lot of the kids wear their costumes and it is always a great time.  It also gives us an opportunity to let the kids wear the costumes for more than one night.  Will was Curious George and Caroline was a princess.  She is going to be Little Bo Peep but the costume wasn't ready yet.  This was a dance recital outfit from June so it was nice to be able to reuse that too.

One of the many things that they had a the festival was horses.  Not ponies, but the Park Police brought 2 BIG horses for the kids to ride.  I had to leave the party early to go to water fitness training so I asked Justin to take pictures for me.  

Will obviously loved the horse ride.

As did the princess!  

Some of the other things they had were face painting, bean bag toss, a pumpkin patch, a haunted house, crafts, raffles, a silent auction, and the Army band strings section came and played.  All the food was donated  and the desserts were homemade by a church.  The volunteers that served us were also from a local church and a high school football team was there to help out as well.  The small amount of time I was there it was great as always.  They have these great parties about 4 times a year but we were out of town for the summer one.  I am looking forward to the Christmas party already!

Random pictures

Will making a swing for himself out of Justin's back pockets.  As you can see he thought this was a great idea.

A family picture on the bank of the Youghiogheny (yaw-ki-gay-nee) river in Ohiopyle, PA.

Caroline took this very flattering picture of my backside!  I guess I was wiping my hands!  

I love my crazy kids!!  They got these crazy glasses from Nana and Papa and thought they needed to wear them in the car one day.  It was too cute not to get a picture.  Caroline loves to wear crazy clothes but I don't think she realizes that they are crazy.  She is a HUGE fan of wearing mismatch shoes.  People get a big kick out of this.  I chose not fight with her about her shoe choice.  But yesterday she was wearing  green dress, loud striped tights, mismatched shoes, and a turquoise sweater.  I am sorry to say I didn't get a picture of this great outfit!  But she did wear it to preschool.  Her teachers loved it.

shhhhhh! i hear a deer.

Some people have the gift of story telling with good timing, suspense, and the appropriate level of resolution at just the right point.  I am not one of those people.  I love to tell a joke; even though my timing is less than perfect.  I love to tell stories; somehow, it winds up being a bit of a ramble (much like now--but who says tangental thinking isn't a beautiful bridge to multitasking?).  

However, I'm beginning to think that Will might be a natural.  He takes full advantage of the cuteness and innocence of his 2 year old appearance.  He reels in his listener and then "POW!" out of no where, he springs it on you!  Another quick aside is that the kids normally don't startle me easily; many things do, but not the kids.  It has something to do with the fact that my children are genetically similar to me and I can see what they would do before they do it, because, hell, I did it in the 70's and 80's when it was cool.  It also has something to do with the fact that they can't keep a straight face.  Of course, they'll learn when the stakes get higher....most likely after questions like "who did this?"  or "what just happened?" or "where did you learn that?"

This brings me to dinner on Monday night.  The family is stationed dutifully at the table on the back deck, ravenous due to a long ride in the van preceded by 3 wonderful days in the woods of south western Pennsylvania.  So, Will looks at Julie and says "Oh, I see a deer." He playfully (almost everything he does is playful) cocks his head and points a crooked pointer finger to nowhere.  (One thing that Will has developed is the ability to notice things that aren't completely obvious to Julie and I in the hubbub of daily living.  For example, a train will pass by the house-fairly far away, but noticeable if you're paying attention.  Will will be the first to tell you.  A siren is another great example.  Long story short, Will is on it.  All senses turned on, all the time.)  Based on the fact that Will sees/hears/feels these things that aren't altogether obvious to me, I ask him where.  He gets very quiet and says, "I see a deer."  I say, "where?".  He says almost inaudibly, "I see a deer.  He's gonna get me."  I say, "where?" and at this point I'm leaning in toward him.   I am consumed by him at this point paying all my attention to him.  Now, he mouths, "I see a deer, Gonna Get me."  His eyebrows are raised, mouth wide in an inaudible statement, eyes bright with excitement.  I lean in further and say "Where?".  (at this point I am about 10 inches from his face.)  He mouths again "I see a deer, he's gonna get me."  (i want to reinforce that he is saying nothing...just mouthing the words).  At the end of this last "mouthing", he looks carefully over to the right....and screams "right there!"  

I almost pissed my pants.  I might have shouted a little.  No kidding.  

I love my children.  Caroline laughs uproariously as if she knew this was coming all along.  Julie smiles and laughs along and at this point I am laughing hysterically.  Good times.  Sweet moments of just having a family.

A few pictures from our camping trip

A van full of kiddos!  It was very quiet since they were all napping at this point.  

Will loves being in the back pack and of course he loves sticks.  He was in hog heaven.

I was trying to get a picture of them but Caroline being her usual funny self didn't let me.

Some of the beautiful fall foliage.

Will loved being in the tree.  Ashley didn't like that Will's foot was pushing down her pants but other than that they all loved "climbing" the tree.  Caroline was playing the role of a big sister and holding on to a branch with one hand and Juliet with the other.

Where'd moon go?

This is a question that Will asks me almost on a daily basis.  This is also a little beyond his realm of understanding to start a discussion about how the earth rotates and all that.  So it is very helpful that my cousin lives on the other side of the world.  We talk a lot about Julianna and baby Lydia so I just tell Will that the moon went to see Julianna so she could go to sleep.  He is very satisfied with this answer so at least for the next few years I am hoping this works.  Will then adds Ju-nana night night.  It is so neat how their little minds put things together and he knows that when the moon is out you go to bed.

We talk a lot about Laura, Julianna, and Lydia.  Sorry Matt!  We look at Laura's blog everyday and when Caroline has clothes that are too small we always set them aside for Juliana.  Plus caroline loves seeing pictures of Julianna in her old clothes.

where I have been

Ok, sorry to all my loyal readers!  After missing several posts last weekend because of the 3 day walk I was busy again getting ready to go on a 3 night camping trip with our neighbors.  This was Caroline and Will's first camping trip and it was a successful trip.  Will only asked to go home one time but it was at 5 am!  Caroline's only comment was that her bed at home was more comfortable!  We had a blast hiking and playing in a creek and seeing beautiful waterfalls.  

I will post pictures later but I just wanted to let you know that I am still here and will be better about posting this week.  At least I am going to try and be better!

A few pictures

This is the lunch tent and walkers having lunch on the first day.

That is the line of people flowing into the lunch area.  There were 3000 walkers and it paid to be in the first hundreds of walkers into lunch and then back at camp to get showers.  I have to say that I am proud that my team and I finished in the 500s the first 2 days then finished 325 coming across the finish line!

The 3 day provided all of us the wondrful pink tents!  Here are about half the tents that were set up.

This is the dinner tent.  There are a few smaller ones that had the food and then you took i to the big long tent that had tables and chairs and a stage.  IT reminded me of a circus tent.

And the final picture is my team mates doing what they like to do most!  They are all sitting at a pit stop working on their feet.  This drove me crazy and I was always waiting for them so we could get going again.

Walk update

My weekend was so many different things that it is hard to explain.  This was by far the most uniquely challenging experiences of my life.  It was also very emotional and I cried several times and I didn't even stay for the closing ceremonies which I am sure were going to be even more emotional than the other days.  I have had kids with out any medicine, done several triathlons, and had back surgery with only advil for pain.  Nothing compared with the pain the last 9 miles had.  The worst part was all the stopping.  We were walking through DC and all the crosswalks meant severe pain when you started back walking again.  I only had 1 blister and it was covered so it wasn't the problem, the problem was having to stop and everything getting tight while you waited for the light to change.

Well I started this post Sunday night and now it is Wednesday and I am jsut getting back to it.  All the soreness is gone and I have had a few days when I have napped with the kids so I think I am back to my normal self.  I also made my fundraising goal on Monday so I was very pleased with that.  Oh, I forgot to mention that I did walk all 60 miles!

A half dozen kids!

Well, as I am writing this there are 6 kids age 4 and under in my house.  While the kids were napping I had picked up and even mopped the kitchen floor.  Now after the kids being outside playing with the sand box and having a snack it looks like I did nothing at all today.  Sometimes I wonder why I even bother at all!  I also cleaned the bathroom only to have the kids wash the purple sand of their hands and it collect in the bottom of the sink.  

On another note I am getting a little nervous/excited and somewhat anxious you could say about this weekend.  I start my 3 day, 60 mile journey early Friday morning.  I have almost raised all the money I had to raise so I am please and relieved about that because I knew I could walk but I was more concerned that I couldn't raise $2,200.  So while I am walking Justin is taking off work on Friday to be with the kids.  He will be taking them to gymnastics and being a great stay at home dad that day!  Justin will also be running in the Army 10 miler this weekend so we had to enlist the help of my ever willing childcare helper, Susan.  Justin will meet susan and graham in the city on saturday and hang out.  Hopefully I will get to have dinner with them saturday night.  Then Justin will stay at a hotel in the city since his race is early Sunday morning.  Susan will watch the kids while Justin is racing.  I have not only getting my self packed for this weekend but then getting the kids stuff ready for saturday night and Sunday.  I also hope to have dinner ready for Justin to warm up for Friday night so he won't have to worry about that.

With all that for this weekend to think about I also had to take my new van back to the dealership to get new tires and get detailed.  They gave me a rental car then caroline and I came home and got the other rental car and took it back.  Enterprise then brought Caroline and I home.  Yesterday afternoon I finally got my van back and that is all settled finally.  Oh I forgot to mention that until this afternoon we were dog sitting too.  Well I am off to start picking up some toys.