Our Aweful Beautiful Life

When I was a kid, my favorite part of making cookies, was getting to lick the cookie dough straight off the beaters when Mom was finished. Honestly, what kid doesn't love that part the best? Here's proof that tradition lives on in my own children: Smiling, happy people! :) Happy Girl! Closeup! What, doesn't everyone lick the beaters right before bed in their jammies? :)

I remember growing up, Mom was always on Dad, because he'd complain and complain and complain about not being able to find something, and it NEVER failed....the minute she'd go in search of that missing object, she'd find it instantly. Ketchup in the fridge hidden by a gallon milk. Toilet paper that wasn't directly next to the toilet but was in the cabinet. That favorite sweatshirt for fall harvest that must be lost...behind the seat of his pickup truck. I always just laughed and said, "oh dad". Now...I totally get why Mom was always so frustrated! :) They say you will marry a man who has many of your father's traits, and all I have to say in reply to that is, ain't that the truth! Jason carries two cell phones -- a nextel phone for work and our his personal cell phone. One evening about a week ago, Jason was searching "high and low" for his missing work phone. He'd looked in all the obvious usual places, and couldn't find it. The ...

Are you ever the recipient of a random act of kindness that just completely makes you day? After all, it's not often we get something in the mail...actual SNAIL MAIL these days (besides bills, but of course, they don't count!) Recently, I received two notices in my mailbox of packages that I had waiting on me. (I could use this point in my story to insert a rant about how the stupid Brookston post office has stupid hours that can't even be qualified as bankers hours, because that'd be being generous....but I won't go into that stupidity here...) So, when the day finally came that Jason could get off work in time to RUSH to the post office before it closed at 4pm...he called me and told me that one was a tastefully simple package...that I'd been waiting on, and the other for the kids from Aunt Marsha! Aunt Marsha is a one of a kind aunt. She lives in Minnesota (yes, you must say it with an accent) and doesn't get home NEAR often enough. She's got a hear...

I'm stealing this concept from my cousin/friend Lacy, who also blogs. A few times now, she's simply noted the things she hears around her household, and I love it, because there are so many things the kids are saying/doing (not to mention their father) that I just want to capture. Since this is basically a working time capsule, I figure it's a great outlet to capture those moments. So...if you will...here are a few of the things I've heard lately. Colton:  (When asked about his bible verse for preschool last week...which was "Be Glad in the Lord"...he couldn't remember it, so I offered help by saying, "Be...") "I-N-G-O??" "Mom, you don't know how to do this, because you don't go to my school. I'll do it" (MR. INDEPENDENT) "Mom, hurry up and drive fast to Pammy's, I've got to poop!" (about 10 seconds later) "Never mind, I just farted" Emmalyn:  "Yeah" -- this might ...

Well, we survived the first week, but not without distress, of course. Not for Colton -- he was geared up and ready to go, all morning actually. It was Mom who could have used a hand to hold. We dropped Emmalyn off, and Colton and I were off. We were running early, so I stopped in the gas station for a pop and of course, like any good mother on the first day of school, I allowed Colton a sip or two! :) Then off we went. When we arrived, as Colton was getting out of the van, he kind of non-chalantly said to me, "This is gonna be kind of scary". Big Gulp. He'd been so good all morning, so brave, and now, as reality is smacking me in the face, the kid starts to buckle. Go figure. However, he must have caught a second wind, and I did okay too....although, he looked awfully nervous in his pictures with his friends. A hug & kiss, and off he went. I couldn't hardly get to the van fast enough before the tears started to fall. I'm not sure what it was eith...

Remember this - That same little booger is going to his preschool open house tonight. How did 3 1/2 years pass by so quickly? All I have to say, is they grow up way too quickly. I'll post more on Tuesday. His official first day. I'm just spending my days hoping and praying that he's always as excited to go to school as he is right now.

I've always been told that the older I get, the faster time will slip before my eyes. Let me just tell you, that's the truth. Each time I get on here to blog (typically because someone has scolded me that it's been far too long since I've updated), I realize how much time has passed since my last post, and take a quick minute in this busy world to reflect on the fun we've had.   Since June 24th...we've done a lot of fun things. Colton's gone fishing with his Daddy for the first time, Em & Colton were in their first 4th of July parade in Wolcott, we hit up the county fairs, we have went to Columbian Park Zoo with Grandma Hall, and celebrated Jason and I's 6th Wedding Anniversary with a trip to the Indiana Dunes!   In between all of that, we've helped a great friend welcome a her husband into our cooky family (Congrats Kendra & Kent) and I've put in a lot of overtime, which makes nights running through the sprinkler, feeding the calves, t...