Doing much

better today! It was a huge blessing to have Rob home yesterday as I know I would still have no energy if I hadn't had the chance to rest so much yesterday. I am definitely not full strength, but am eating some foods (and keeping them down) and managing to get some things done around the house and at church.

Our bags are unpacked. Stuff has been returned to original locations. Laundry is done and put away. The house is (for the most part) put together. Most importantly, no one else seems to be sick.

All very good considering: Company is coming tomorrow. (yea!) More company comes on Sunday. (yea!) VBS starts in less than two weeks.

Back home

and sick as a dog! After dinner last night, I didn't feel great, but didn't think too much about it. I went grocery shopping after the kids went to bed and continued not to feel very well. I managed to get refrigerated items put away and then crashed on the recliner. I woke up a while later and managed to make it to bed. Two hours after that, I woke up and made my first trip to the bathroom where I lost my dinner and whatever else was there. For my third trip, I stumbled to the kids' bathroom because Rob was already up and getting ready for work in our bathroom. He picked me up off the floor in the floor in there and helped me back to bed before he left for work. He went to work for a few hours, but then spent the rest of the day at home taking care of the kids (and me). By noon I managed to get out of bed without passing out, but he stayed anyway. I think the kids really enjoyed their time with him today, and I know I will be feeling better sooner due to his help and care.

Many things on the agenda for the next couple of weeks, so I am hoping to be feeling well tomorrow and that my illness didn't get passed on to anyone else!

Sitting on the beach in Oceanside, CA with Krista and a mucho mango smoothie. We have been people watching ans soaking in the sun. Feels real nice!!!

Robbie the Reader

Robbie has enjoyed always reading- including being read to before he was an independent reader. Since he started reading a couple of years ago, he just keeps reading more and more.

This summer I got out some reading charts for Robbie and Alexa to use. In just two weeks time Robbie filled in the complete chart and had read 2119 pages- he was reading about one chapter book a day!

He got the "Red Plate" last night for doing such an awesome job.

(On the side, Alexa is doing a great job as well although a little disappointed she is not keeping up with Robbie. She is about half way through her chart and has read about 500 pages so far. She is an excellent reader as well, but doesn't quite get sucked into the books like Robbie does.)

Blessed!

I would like to nominate our family as being blessed with the BEST DAD! Rob works many (many!) hours each week and has an unreliable schedule (which means he gets calls during dinner, in the middle of the night, at church, etc., for problems he has to go to tend to, among other things). He works hard all those hours too.

But when he comes home, his family is his priority.

Based on the stories I hear that other people know about, it is obvious we are not far from his mind even when he is at work.

It doesn't matter if he just spent 4 hours outside in 100+ degree weather for practice, if the boys want to play ball, he is out playing ball.

He helps his daughters feel pretty and treasured.

Rob is always encouraging all our children to do their best without pressuring them to be "the best".

He makes me feel special and is supportive and complementary of my position as the mom in our family.

He teaches our children about God, His love and forgiveness, and how that should affect their lives.

Rob prays with and for our children.

He goes to church with us every week that he is town, even if he only got to town a few hours before it is time to wake up and go to church.

He goes to Parent-Teacher Conferences with me.

Although he might not have a lot of patience for the arts and crafts types of projects :), he has the enduring patience to teach the step-by-step things like brushing teeth, tying shoes, riding a bike.

He was open to letting us get a dog even when he knew it would be easier to NOT have one.

He washes the dinner dishes when we have the pleasure of his company at dinner.

He calls home each day when he leaves work to see if we need anything.

He makes us all laugh and loves to laugh at (umm, I mean with) us as well.


I realize some of these features might qualify more for the "best husband" award, but when you are at our stage of life with many young children running around, the roles kind of all combine and overlap and it is hard to distinguish. Anyway, I just know none of us would trade the dad in our family for anyone or thing else!

As part of our gift to Rob, the kids and I wrote little notes of things we like about Dad (mine also included some encouraging quotes and Bible verses) that we put in a jar to send to work with him. He can read one each day, and we hope he feels as special and treasured as he makes us feel!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, ROB!

Wii Fit

The kids are doing a little Wii Fit while they wait for me to fix dinner. Cole just chose to do ski jump and wanted to do it all by himself. He got 57 and 59! I was very impressed for his first solo trip.

Sweet Goodnights

I left Rachel and Cole's room tonight as they were taking turns pulling up their own pajama pant leg for the other one to kiss their bandaged knee. Too cute for words; just hope they stop soon so they can fall asleep.

Three Nights

. . . no troubles! The kids have gone to sleep great each night without pacifiers. As I thought, afternoon naps have been a bit harder, but they don't cry about not having them, it just is harder for them to relax. They didn't sleep at all on day 1, Rachel only fell asleep on day 2, but today they both slept-even for the babysitter I had here.

Rachel and Cole have each asked once or twice for their "pass" but were very accepting that they no longer exist. What good kids! A much easier transition than I was expecting.

Completely Amazed!

After 2 years, 4 months, and 10 days, Rachel and Cole finally said good-bye to their pacifiers last night. They had their pacifiers longer than the other kids (just by a couple of months), but yesterday Cole's last pacifier had a big chunk out of it- where exactly this big chunk went, I don't know? Rachel's had a small split which with the help of my scissors (ssssh-don't tell) became a much bigger split. When it was close to bed time, we showed the kids the sad state of their pacifiers and had them throw their respective one away at which point we cheered and congratulated them on being BIG kids with "NO MORE PACIFIERS!" They joined in the celebrations with a hesitant "I think they might be tricking me" attitude, but cheered with us none-the-less.

Amazingly enough, neither one cried or said a thing about not having their pacifier when it was bedtime! It probably helped that we were going to bed quite late since Robbie played the "late game" last night for baseball. They were totally exhausted! I did expect a few tears or at least sad faces when they realized they really didn't have them -or a replacement- anymore, but nope - nothing!

Another late ball game tonight should help bedtime go okay again; however, I am expecting nap times to be a little rough the next few days. Hopefully any troubles won't last long!

Next task: Master the potty! (I am not pushing this. I probably should be doing more, but I am actually content to be changing diapers right now. Maybe this fall when big kids are both in school all day we can practice the potty thing.)

Athletic Training Room PANO

Clicke here for a panoramic view of the new Athletic training room.

Other panoramic pictures of the new WEZ can be found here: WEZ PANO