You're What????

It is a drizzly Sunday and so I am doing what I like to do after my nap, Indexing for FamilySearch online and I hear something rattling in a cup behind me (that would be originating from the livingroom). I turn around and get up because I see Bug with the cup by the tree --Jeff had to put the tree up yesterday to get in the mood, no decor, just the prelit tree. I look in the cup and start to laugh. "What are you doing, Bug?"

"I'm collecting the lights!" he triumphantly exclaims.

"You're What????" I furiously laugh as I walk into the kitchen to share with Jeff.

The little stinker pulled the lights out of the prelit tree very nice and quiet-like and now it has patchy dark spots! Kind of defeats the purpose of a pre-lit tree? Guess Jeff will have fun finding those sockets!

Love that Christmas mood - and that cute little boy. I wonder what he was going to do with the lights?

Happy 13th Birthday Jar!

Well, today puddin-bones-jones turned Hoover has turned 13 - officially early this afternoon! I can't believe he is this old and I've been married this long. Time has sure flown. . .

My little boy who dragged his Bob Cranberry teddy bear everywhere and used proper grammar while correcting mine, who loved to play in the mud and the rain, who slept with us until he was five because he never slept through the night, who didn't like chocolate, who loved the Utah Jazz and played pretend as John Stockton has grown up.

Now, he sleeps with his 75 lb mutt, often corrects my grammar while lazily trying to get me to write his papers for him, spends all that energy he used to have for the outdoors plugged into a video game, sleeps in his own room - but with the dog when he doesn't get caught, doesn't sleep in and tries to get as few hours of sleep as he can, loves chocolate at Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Bald Man in NYC (and at home too - providing it is not accompanied by nuts), and can't bear to watch the Jazz play.

What are we going to do with him? Love him I guess. I really am pleased at who he can be. I enjoy spending time with him, he reminds me so much of my brother and often Jeff's brothers. I enjoy watching him play with his brother for whom he waited so long. I am impressed by how quickly he learns and remembers things, how he excels at music and enjoys music of all kinds, and how much of a gentleman he can be. One of these days he'll be a man and we can be friends. . . but, for that I can wait a few more years.

Thank you friends and family for your influences on him over the years.

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Announcing....

Did that get your attention? No, we're not adding our family to the growing list of those expecting, but we are proud to announce. . .

Jar made the Dumbarton (yes, that's the school's name) Honor Orchestra, after making 4th chair violin, and just this week he came home to announce . . .

he is a proud member of the All County Middle School Orchestra!

We are pleased in his talents and the dedicated practice he put in - it would be amazing to see what he could do with lessons and REAL practice!

Really, though, he is an amazing kid and is doing well in school and orchestra and scouts with little help from his parents.

Trick or treat? - Treat of course!

Dressing for the big night!

The Great Flying Pumpkin arrives home Triumphant!

Looks like a succes for all - candy is gone - none for Jar to give Bug

Hello all! (Yes I cheated - this is an email I sent out tonight to family)

Hope you each enjoyed your halloween night. I'm sorry Bug wasn't much for talking, but he conversed with nearly everyone on their porch last night as he trick-or-treated! He was really funny to watch skip and jump down the sidewalk singing, "Trick-or-treat, Trick-or treat....Happy Halloween" from Little Einsteins. Often he would say Thank you, or Happy Halloween or even "May I have two pieces please? After taking two pieces, or course. There were a few decorations he warned the owners about being too scary and one he asked them to close - the lid of a skull with a fake fire inside! That was funny.

Jar was disappointed to stay home handing out candy, but it seemed he enjoyed it. He played pyro with his 35 lb pumpkin while the neighbors looked on. He drank soda and conversed with the neighbors - even trading candy. I enjoy seeing him when he doesn't realize I'm watching and I can see his maturity and how kind he can be. He really is a great kid! It turned out that he wasn't the only one barred from trick-or-treating, but he was the youngest. All in all it was fun. We stayed up til 1:00 am watching Harry Potter IV in preparation for the upcoming movie - an annual tradition we will miss after the last movie is made.

Happy Halloween! It truly was a lot of fun last night. Hope it was for you too, whatever you were able to do.

Still can't remember that the computer can't rotate the video - stay with me - I fix it in just a few seconds!

Tribute to Husbands

Aren't husband's wonderful?

I read my friend's blogs and hear of the great things all their husband's are doing and sometimes I forget all that mine does for me just because he is different and we are in a different stage of our lives - teenage parenthood! This is a crazy existence.

Most days I do what I want: Dad takes Jar to school, I go to the gym or leisurely start my day; he comes home to eat lunch with us and give me adult talking time and often puts Bug down for nap (and embarassingly enough he often fixes lunch); he comes home to a tired wife who is absorbed in her own thing (blogging, email, RS, genealogy) and often fixes dinner; usually he does dishes. He even puts Bug to bed after a day like that.

He is amazing and I take him for granted a lot. I am thankful for him and for how he was raised. I'm glad he can nurture the kids, bring home the bacon (and yes, he goes to the store too), put up with me, cook and clean. I am happy to have him for a sounding board and a support in my calling and to see how he works tirelessly for the scouts.

Right now, he's upstairs reading a story to Bug putting him to bed while I am sending email, talking on the phone, and blogging.

I did help with dinner and I walked to the store with him and I cleaned up after dinner, but how does that compare?

Thanks, Dad!