I'm so glad Christmas is over and that this year is almost over. It sure has been chaotic, to say the least. Last week was filled with enough drama and trouble than we've had in a long time. In one week, we had a miscarriage, I got laryngitis and Abbey broke her collarbone (this was Christmas eve too). It has to get better, right? I feel like I am just floating through waiting for the storms to pass. Will they? I'm not so sure I want to start a new year. New years come with new problems and I've had enough to last me for quite some time.



My sister got married. She seems very happy. The wedding was nice. It was a long weekend though with all the kids and the traveling, so we are definitely glad to be back home. We have a girl that might stay with us for a while, as she tries to put her life back together. We'll see what happens there.



That's really all. I don't feel like doing anything, even writing so this is going to be rather short. I have to 'discipline' Kaleb now anyway. Off to yet another fun daily task.

Well, in my opinion, the house just looks great! I can't wait to have people over! It seems like there might be a little less room in the living room, but I don't really care. I think it looks good! Tomorrow is the appt. with the psychologist for Kaleb. Should be interesting. Either he has been a little better the last couple of days, or God is better equipping me to handle him. Don't get me wrong...it has still been difficult to try to manage his behavior, but it has been less 'dangerous.' It doesn't help right now that they all, including Kaleb, have colds...so of course he is more whiny and less patient than usual. I can tell he isn't feeling the best because the girls are running around and playing 'school' and Kaleb is just watching cartoons. Kind of unusual for him. But the girls are funny. Abbey is wearing Katherine's backpack and Katherine is taking her around to different rooms, like she is dropping her off for school. It's cute.



I need to get a couple of prescriptions filled. The kids are out of their cough syrup with the codiene in it, so we definitely need some more of that--it helps their coughs too. Ha ha.



Tomorrow is the day before Thanksgiving. Where does the time go? It flies by. It seems like forever since my sister was out here for Thanksgiving last year, but at the same time it is hard to believe it is here again.



I need to get Kaleb out of my closet now and see what the girls are up to. Guess I should start thinking about lunch too. So many of the quick and easy things to make are so messy. I hate getting the kids all messy before taking Katherine to school. It annoys me. Uh oh...Katherine is crying. Must be a mommy now.

My feet are just KILLING me! I cleaned most of the evening. Am still at it. But the fun thing is that for the first time in almost 2 years of living in this house, we rearranged. I think it all looks cool. I just wish it wasn't after midnight and that I didn't still have to sort through all the junk on the table so the kids can eat breakfast in the morning. I thought I'd sit for a minute before going back to tackle some more.



So here is what we did. We have officially made the giraffe room our bedroom. It's kind of like a suite...the room is so big, so we not only have our bedroom stuff, but we also have the infamous pink chair and a love seat. Wouldn't it be great if I could turn the sun room into a master bath? Now that would be awesome!



So, what did we do with the computer and other couch? Well...we moved it to the room where our bedroom used to be. Yeah, we still have to come in here to get clothes out of the closet, but I think it will be worth it. Kris wasn't sure at first what he thought about my ideas, but he likes it now.



The other change we made is to the living room. It is so difficult to really rearrange in there, espcecially since we have this huge sectional couch thing. There's only one place you can really put it, which is why we have not rearranged since we moved in. But we took the middle piece out, and switched the living room around too. I like it actually. It does gives us less room in there, but it looks cool, more of an intimate setting.



I'm really tired right now. I should get back in there and work on the table. I am hoping that now that the rooms are rearranged a bit, it will be the boost I need to get the laundry done and the rest of the house cleaned up. I still have to figure out when I am going to go to the grocery store. I was going to go tonight to get stuff for Thanksgiving, but got carried away with changing my house around. I think Kaleb's room will be next. We moved some stuff out of his room, so I am thinking about moving his bed and dresser around. We'll see. It would force me to clean his room!



I've been so distracted and discouraged lately. Kaleb has just really worn me out. I think I am getting out of that--hopefully. I need to do so much stuff, but have lacked the desire or motivation to even begin. But I am hoping tomorrow will be a better day. Kaleb and Abbey go to the doctor in the morning for their check ups. I think they both get shots but I am not sure about that. Kaleb might be spared...we'll see.



Ok, time to get back to work so I can go to bed in my new huge room.

So today I am toying with the idea of driving to Indiana tonight. Either that or leaving at 7am and going out there tomorrow. My sister told me that tomorrow my mom is having the family Thanksgiving dinner. She knew we couldn't all afford to come out there for it, but I really need a break. So I am considering it. It would be kind of cool if all of us showed up out there, (Kris and the kids) but I/we haven't decided if we want to do that or not. I thought we wouldn't have enough money...but I think that we would be ok financially. Hmm....so many decisions. Another option is to take Cindy with me rather than going by myself. But then again, I know the kids would love the chance to see their cousins. I am also thinking that if all 5 of us went out there, surely there would still be enough food. Hmm....



So, I thought that rambling on about it would help me to decide. I am leaning towards all of us going. We could leave tonight and still get back Saturday night and be here for church. I have to be back Sunday anyway to pick up the bridesmaid dress for my sister's wedding.



Now I'm just frustrated with not know what I want to do. I guess I'll wait for Cindy to call me to figure out what her plans are this weekend.



That was really boring wasn't it? But I guess I don't really care because isn't this kind of like an outlet?? And you can stop reading anytime you want to. :)



Kaleb has been ok today. I'm really stressed. I feel tense all the time. I am hoping that some time away would give me what I needed to make it through next week. I feel really distracted all the time now. Unfocused. Or rather, unable to focus. I am having trouble doing anything around the house-laundry, cleaning, etc...

It has been a really long week. Well...really the last month has been long, but this week has seemed so stressful and difficult to get through. It is actually kind of depressing to me that today has barely started and there is still tomorrow to get through before the weekend.



I took Kaleb to the pediatrician on Monday. He seemed to think that my concerns were valid and suggested that I take Kaleb to see a child phsychologist. He didn't think there was anything physical going on with him.



Tuesday night at counseling Kris and I asked Karen about it. She recommended a lady that takes our insurance...she is a Christian and specializes in working with young children. We have been praying for Kaleb quite a bit. We are thinking that maybe he is sensitive to spiritual warfare or something of the sort. I think the prayers aren't really helping him so much but they are helping Kris and I, I think, to stay focused and try to trust God with how to handle Kaleb.



Today for no reason he just started taking his cereal and milk out of his bowl with his fingers and dropping it on the floor. I just calmly took his bowl and spoon away and out came the anger from him. He screamed in his chair for a while and then got down and knocked his chair over, on purpose. He screamed and yelled and made these ugly noises at me, and then suddenly, he was fine. I don't get it. And recently (this week) he has started to draw these questionable pictures. He is obsessed with his lower body, which the doctor said was not unusual for his age, but twice now I have caught him drawing picture with 'boy anatomy' and he talks about it and laughs as he is drawing them. It's just weird.



There is a fear deep down that Kris and I have, that someone has done something to him. The thing is, we can't figure out who or where or when. We don't leave the kids alone too often and when we do it is usually just with Cindy and Dean, and the thought does not even enter my mind that one of them would be doing something. Kris either. I know that none of us have done anything. And maybe no one else has either. I hope that is the case. But these signs he is displaying and the obsession...it's all just kind of weird.



Anyway, I have an appointment to meet with the psychologist next Wednesday. I hope that I can survive with him until then. On the positive side, Kris only has 3 days of work next week with the holiday and all.



My sister and her fiance are coming into town next Wednesday. That will be fun. We will spend Thanksgiving together and then my sister and I will have our annual (we started last year) stand out in the cold to get some good shopping deals the day after Thanksgiving. That night, as long as we can find a sitter, Kris and I will take Jenny and Raju to the casino, kind of like a bachelor/bachelorette thing for them. It should be fun.



I need to find a stress reliever. I feel so tense and have for the last couple of weeks with Kaleb. It has been very difficult to stay home with him. And yesterday Katherine's teacher told me that for the first time they have had to get onto her for not paying attention at circle time and she has gotten in trouble. I really think it is because of the situation and tension in the home with Kaleb and his behavior. I think it is sad. The fact that she is now being affected during school by it...something is just not right. Hopefully we will get it figured out. I know that God is in control of all things and that He will guide us. I just hope that He gives me extra strength in the process.

Well, I decided that since Jenn and Dacia have started blogging again that I would too now. It seemed like for a while I was the only one blogging!



Life has been rough the past month or so. But by God's grace things are getting better and my relationship with my husband has never been better! I want everyone to know, though I can't go into details about it, Kris was my hero last weekend. He stepped up, was a man, and led our family spiritually and it was awesome to see and renewed my love for him.



Kaleb has something wrong with him. It isn't physical at all. The past 3 weeks he has been so angry and defiant. This is not just typical 3-year-old behavior and anyone that tries to tell me it is can come and live at my house for a while and see for themselves. Kris and I just aren't sure what it is. He has something, maybe emotional or chemical going on with him. At first I thought maybe it was just him reacting to my emotions as for a while I had been in turmoil emotionally. But I have come out of that and the behavior and unreasonable-ness has continued. It is barely 10 in the morning and already we have been through 2 screaming fits, the first of which he got physical and was scratching and kicking me. I can't handle him. I don't know what to do with him and have two times now put him in the sun room and locked the door (I have stayed right there watching him) to keep from hurting him. It's pretty bad. I thought I would be able to wait until next week when he has his routine check up at the doctor, but after this morning, I called and he is seeing the doctor today at 2:30. Something has to change. Kris and I are helpless with him and don't know what to do. Continued prayers would be appreciated, that either God would miraculously take away whatever is affecting him or that the doctors would be able to figure out what is wrong and how to help him. He is just not himself. These moods come rapidly...and then can last as long as a half hour and then immediately he returns to his calm normal 3-year-old boy self. It's strange.



I guess that's all for now. Will update later after I find out what the doc says. Hopefully the appt. will prove helpful and not discouraging for me.

So, here is an amusing and sweet story that almost makes me cry. I am so proud of Katherine and so amazed at how innocent little children are and how big their faith can be.



Abbey decided to take a whole roll of toilet paper and play with it, in the bathroom. Katherine thought she would help clean it up. The yellow trashcan in the bathroom was full, so Katherine decided to just flush it down the toilet.



Katherine came out into the living room where Kris was and said "Daddy the toilet's full of water."



Kris went into the bathroom and decided that the best solution would be to flush it. When asked later (by me after I got home and heard the story) why he didn't just take the toilet paper out, he just had this look on his face. So he proceeds to flush it, causing the toilet to overflow.



In anger, Kris hit the door. It is important to state that this is in anger because it will play a large part in this story. Katherine got upset and started to cry. Kris let her know that he wasn't angry at her and that he was proud of her for trying to help.



They went out of the bathroom and were discussing the whole situation. Kris told Katherine he was sorry for getting angry and said "You get angry too sometimes, don't you?" Katherine said "yes". Kris asked her if she knew what they should do when they got angry. She said "yes" and he said "what?" Katherine said, "I want you to say it with me daddy."



Kris said "Why?" Katherine then said "Because I don't know what it is but I want to say it." Kris told her that they should pray to God to help them when they get angry. They talked some more about stopping and praying when they got angry. So then they prayed together, something about helping them be slow to anger--Katherine was repeating Kris.



Katherine afterwards started talking about the toilet again. She said she didn't know how to fix it and asked what kind of tools Kris had. Kris told her he had a hammer and a saw and some other tools but that they didn't work on toilets. "Let's pray that God helps daddy fix it." So they prayed. Then Kris went into the bathroom, plunged it and the water went back down. Then Kris went to Katherine and showed her that God had answered her prayer. Katherine got really excited. She said, "I can't believe God has tools to fix toilets." And then they just talked about how great God was after that! It was so cute because I came home as they were talking about it when Kat was in bed. And she was SO excited about God answering the prayer about it. It was so cool to see that!



So that was one story. Here is another funny story. It's not the story about how Kaleb keeps painting his fingernails and doing a really good job--that will be saved for a later day. Kaleb 2 nights ago apparently told Kris at bedtime that he had prayed earlier for a baby brother and God said yes. AHH!! Scary huh? But I wouldn't mind if God did tell him yes I suppose. But the problem is that Katherine really wants a baby sister. So tonight, after hearing the toilet story, we were talking and somehow the subject got changed to that of a baby. And we told her that Kaleb had asked God for a brother and asked if she wanted a baby brother. She said no, that she wanted two sisters first and then a brother. (So now I'm up to having 6 kids total!!)



Well, I was getting ready to go out of there and decided to see if she would pray with me before I left. She asked me to do it with her and so I told her I would repeat after her. So she started praying and she said "Dear God..." and then there was this long pause and you could tell she was really thinking about what to say. "God, I pray that I have a sister and that Kaleb doesn't pray for a brother ever again. She thought some more and had this cute smile on her face, and then said "In your name, Amen." It was great!! How funny they can be!

My grandmother turned 80 last week. We had a big bash at my mom's house in Indiana for her. She really enjoyed it. I am hopefully going to get to Florida in a couple of weeks to spend some time with her. It's kind of sad that before this weekend the last time I saw her was 5 years ago at her 75th birthday party. She had never even met any of the kids. Sad, I think. But it is difficult to get to Florida, not to mention expensive. So it isn't like we were avoiding her.



Kris told me a funny story last night. When he was putting the kids to bed, right before they prayed, Kaleb told him "I asked God for a baby brother and He said yes." Interesting. I wonder if that will happen?? We'll see I suppose!



My sister Jenny got engaged this weekend. I can't spell the guy's name-he is Indian and I don't even want to try to mispell his name! He is very nice though, so I'm happy for her. He really seems to care about her and is very kind to her.



Not too much else has happened really. Kind of a boring few weeks.

As crazy as my kids make me at times, I love them more and more each day. Sometimes I look at them and I am amazed that I can feel such great love and appreciation for them. Each day it is more than the day before and if you really think about it, it seems like it isn't possible for that love to keep growing, but it does.



Today they have been so cute. They play "house", or "work" or "doctor"--not the bad kind though, of course. Sometimes they are mommy and daddy and all you hear is their babies crying. That part is annoying, but it is still cute. I start to get onto them for whining and they inform me that it is their babies that are crying. Today Kaleb and Kat were running through the hallway and Kaleb says, "Let's go to my work." I love it when they can actually play well together. And though Abbey can't really talk much, she follows them around mimicking them.



This morning Katherine was singing her ABC's. When she finished, Abbey was sitting there and she looked at her and said "Abbey, sing with me." So Kat started again and you hear her singing and Abbey making all these noises, which is her way of singing. It was adorable!



So, while I still look forward to nap time everyday, I love them. With all my heart. And I wanted to share that.

Kaleb is now 3. We had a birthday party for him Monday night. I think he had fun. Kris let a bunch of the neighbor kids come over. I'll stay away from my perspective on that and just say that I think Kaleb enjoyed it anyway. Kaleb was really excited about all his spiderman deocrations and he got 3 spiderman gifts, so he's loving that. Katherine and Kaleb had a good time Monday morning discovering that they were both 3 at the same time. It was cute.



I need to get back to sewing again. I miss it. I wish that our basement wasn't torn up since all of my stuff is down there. I have projects to work on, but it's so daunting to go down there to get stuff so I just don't. We're all lucky if I get the laundry done. I have it in my head that if only it were main level, I would keep up with it. I think that is just wishful thinking but who knows...it might be true. But I won't know until we have a house with main level laundry!



Having trouble with our van now. We have spent about $1000 between our van and Cindy's (grandad's) car in the last month and now might have problems with our radiator. Hopefully it was just low on antifreeze, but unlikely with the luck Kris and I don't seem to have with cars. Oh well...God has always provided and I know he will continue to.

Well, Katherine's first day of school is officially over. I was so happy to see her again. When we walked into her classroom there was one other boy in there with her--all the other students had left already. And Miss Donna (her teacher, of course) was reading a story to them and Katherine was just sitting there cross-legged listening with her backpack on, waiting to go. I looked inside her backpack and there was a folder in there she had decorated with stickers and inside was this form to fill out, so the teachers and students could get to know her better. I asked Katherine all of the questions and then just put her answers down. I have to share two of them in particular.



There were 2 statements she had to complete: It makes me happy when... and It makes me sad when...



These were Katherine's answer...word for word.



It makes me happy when Kaleb and Abbey and you and Mommy give me a hug and a kiss.



It makes me sad when I have to try to go potty when I don't need to go potty.



I laughed and laughed. It was so cute and funny. That's Katherine for sure!! I'm so proud of her. Right now Kris is making her tell him what she did at school while he videos her. She really had good time and Miss Donna said that she did very well today.

Katherine starts preschool today. It is so exciting. She is SO excited!! Kris is coming home early today so that he can go with me to take her. I feel fine right now, but I don't know how I will feel when it is time to let her go. She will do so well and have a blast and it will be interesting here at home while she is gone, but it is so hard to believe she is old enough to be out of the house without me.



We went to my parents house this past weekend. It was a good trip. Glad to be home though and sleep in my own bed. We are heading back out there in September for my grandma's 80th birthday party. I haven't seen my grandma since her 75th, so it will be nice to sit with her and just play scrabble with her! After all...she is the one who taught and challenged me in that game! Dacia and Jenn....we need to play again!

So, the Evanesence concert was interesting, to say the least. Let's see...the first three bands I did not care for at all. I was hoping that Seether would have more songs that I liked, but no...they just had "Broken" and now I think that the only reason that song is any good is because Amy Lee from Evanesence sings with them. Every band that came out said things like "Hey St. Louis, how the f*** are you?" Or "Let's get this f***ing thing started!" It was horrible. And of course...almost every song had that same word or some form of it in there and so it was just not enjoyable. Amy Lee said that word once in one song...and so it wasn't as bad as the others. And she was really friendly (on stage-because it's not like I met her) and funny. Good performer. Her part of the concert was really good. My tickets ended up being lawn tickets, but it was a beautiful night and Addie and I had a good time. Saw some really WEIRD people there, which we expected but still had fun.



Katherine has her open house tomorrow night for preschool. I can't believe it is here already. She knows her teachers name...every now and then I'll ask her, and she remembers from having been told only 2-3 times that her teacher's name is Miss Donna. I am so excited that she will get to interact with other kids her age and start to learn more than what she does at home. She has a brilliant mind and it will be so cool to watch as she develops. School starts a week from tomorrow. I am hoping that the dynamic between Kaleb and Abbey will change some once Kat is in school. I think it will. I am not expecting miracles with the way that Kaleb and Abbey fight all the time...I just think the whole dynamic of the household will be different and I think it is a change that I am looking forward to. I guess we'll find out.



I had a good weekend. I stayed out at a hotel last night. It was my weekend to be completely kid free. I am really tired right now, so I can't decide if completely is spelled with that extra e before the l or not. I think I have it right. I guess it would have to be otherwise is would sound like com-pleht-ly instead of com-pleet-ly. Anyway, that was interesting and good to know, huh?

So I had a pretty interesting weekend. I kept hearing that Evanesence was coming to the UMB Bank Pavilion on Aug. 13 and so I just started looking around on line to see how much tickets were. But the problem was that I couldn't find anything about it online. Well on Friday I started listening to 101.1 constantly because they were giving away tickets the entire weekend to the 10th caller. So everytime they played Evanesence or Seether, you had a chance to win the tickets. So I started calling Friday night. I got through twice...once I was caller 1 and another caller 3. I gave up for the night and throughout the day on Saturday I made some attempts and never got higher than caller 9. There were two attempts on Sunday and I made Jim and Mary turn their radio on to 101.1 that afternoon while we were playing bridge. So I hear the familiar intro to Seether's song "Broken" and I get my phone out and take my time trying to give the other 9 callers time to get through. Then I dialed. It was busy. So I thought, well, I'll try again.



This time, someone picked up and said "Hi, who's this?" I was kind of in shock, but I managed to say "Jamie." And he says "Hi Jamie. How would you like to be caller #10?" And I said, "I would love to be caller number 10!" So, I won 2 tickets to see Evanesence and Seether this coming weekend! I couldn't believe it. I am still kind of in shock over the whole thing...because I don't win anything...EVER. So, needless to say, I am thrilled and blessed at the same time that though Addie is going out of town for the weekend, she is not leaving until Saturday so she will be able to go to the concert with me, which works out well because I wouldn't want to go with anyone but her! We'll have a blast!



Not much else is really going on right now, but I have to say I have really enjoyed this weather. This morning I sat outside in front with the kids and read while they played...for at least 2 hours. It was nice. It reminded me that I want to go camping again, and soon. Hmm...wonder when we can arrange that.



Katherine has preschool open house next Monday night and then will start school the following Monday. How exciting. Kris is even taking off work that day to take her to school with me. He's cute in how much he wants to see her go off for her first day of school. I bought her a new outfit to wear (my mom always spoiled me that way) and after her open house we will take her shopping for a backpack. She has already informed us numerous times that she would like a Barbie backpack...so that is probably what we will end up getting. She is also very excited about having to bring her own snack to school...I wasn't nearly as excited...but I am going to do my best to remember to send one with her everyday! I figure she and I can go to Sam's and pick out a couple of different snacks for her to alternate. She's going to really like school.

Well, I finally braved the grasshoppers today and went downstairs to do the laundry. Kris' intentions were good...but I am home a lot more than he is. But fortunately, I didn't really see any--yet! I tried not to look or shake clothes out...I just put them in the washer. I'd rather deal with dead ones than ones jumping around as I pick up clothes. I can tell by the weather that I will get a lot done today. I am actually motivated...it could be the thunder outside or the darkness in the house. I like it though because I rarely feel this way, and so stuff rarely gets done!



I can't believe it is already August. Time goes by so quickly. Kaleb with turn 3 this month. I can't believe that. I don't even want to think about the fact that Katherine will be four and going to preschool. Abbey now says mama like all the time. It's cute because the way she says it is just so funny. Her voice goes up at the end and she sounds really emphatic. Her other favorite word right now is uh oh. She has now started to shake her head and say hmm mm...like no. It's funny. If you ask her a question, positive or negative...the response is the same. It will be no time at all before she is talking in sentences.



We finally got life insurance! Very exciting for us. The coverages were a lot better than what we had before from Met and we aren't having to pay more than we anticipated having to pay...and we were anticipating lower coverage. I need to call my mom...she will want to know.

I paid off 2 small credit cards today.  It felt so great!  Sometimes, though I don't understand it, I think the rain motivates me.  Mostly you hear that people feel tired or lazy when it rains.  Apparently I work the opposite way.  I feel tired and lazy when it is bright and sunny out.  I was in a cleaning mode this morning...and it feels good to have some much needed tasks completed.

 

I can't do laundry.  Kris said so, so I will "obey."  He went down last night to put some whites in (he needed socks).  He came back up and said that I couldn't go down there and do laundry...that he would do it.  Confused, but thinking "cool" I asked him why.  Well...we've had grasshoppers in the basement since we moved in.  Apparently, some of them decided to mate and then have babies...right in the middle of the pile of clothes that was down there.  It should teach me to keep up with the laundry...but I doubt it will.  So, Kris was telling me how gross it was, and I was thinking "well, it can't be as bad as the cockroaches we had at the college apartment."  I asked him how bad it was and he said he wasn't sure but he had seen at least 10 small baby grasshoppers!  Yuck!  So, he knows me too well and knows that it will be a bad situation for me to go down there and see them all hopping around.  We need to spray down there.

 

I picked up a Spanish review book/workbook at Borders Monday night and have started going through it.  I am so excited!!  I have so much fun when I am "involved" in any way with Spanish.  What I really want/need is someone hispanic to come and live with me for a while so that I can get some practice conversing.  It's fine to go through grammar and learn vocab...but it would be so much better to actually be able to practice speaking on a regular basis.  Anyone know how I can get someone to come live with me?  I'm serious.  Oh I know...Jenn Reedy, you just come live with me for a while!  :)  You should be pretty good with the Spanish by now!

 

I still need to call a lady about life insurance.  I wish these things didn't keep coming up.  I had made a budget that was going to be really good for Kris and I for after we pay off our debt.  I included everything, or so I thought.  Until today, I didn't realize that it did NOT include life insurance.  There are 5 of us...and we have none at all.  I think I am going to do the Gerber thing with the kids...should be pretty cheap for them at least.  Maybe I'll do that today.

I'm very excited.  Today we got a check in the mail from Metlife for $6500!!  Yippee!!  Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have a bunch of credit card debt to put that on??  Oh well...it will feel so good to take $6000 of that and put it directly on our debt.  That will more than cut it in half!  Yeah...we have a lot of debt!  I say $6000...the downside is that we need new brakes on the van and all that good stuff...so we have to set some aside!



And anytime now, we should be getting 2 other checks from Met.  What a relief it is going to be!  We have vowed NOT to go back into debt.  God help us with that!!!



Abbey was so cute today.  Up to this point, she has not really said "dada/daddy".  Well Kris called today to talk to Katherine about something and so of course all the kids wanted to talk.  And I gave the phone to Abbey and said "tell daddy hi" and she gets this grin on her face and says "hi" and then she said "dada...dada"  It was so cute.  Very very soon she will just take off talking I will not remember what it was like without her talking...but that's ok with me.



Of course the downside to talking is with Katherine right now.  Her favorite phrase right now is "I don't like you..."  Usually it is directed at Mommy...today it was Kaleb, so I told her to go to her room...and THEN it was "I don't like you MOMMY!"  Oh well.  I don't really care.



Jenn...in case you read this and I haven't called you...which day next week (if either of them) work out best for you for dinner--Wed. or Thurs??  Let me know.



I am going out ALONE tonight.  Kris is going camping this weekend, so I get one more night off before the weekend alone starts.  I'm kind of looking forward to it though...the way things have been right now it will be kind of nice I think.  And it will be good for Kris.



Ooh...I was going to take a Spanish class in the fall...but I found this really cool review book/workbook at Borders the other night...and so I am going to go through that.  I think it will be right at my level and very helpful.  I'm very excited about it.   Andy and I were going to take the Spanish class together but I am going to see if he wants to go through the book with me.  We'll see.

I love that I can put pictures on here now. How adorable they all are! 

And look at this cutie now! 

And my other beautiful one, Abbey. So tiny they used to be.