The Percifuls

FUN IN THE SUN & Other News

2010-05-12T15:22:00.003-05:00

Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Texas, so I let the boys play in the sprinkler & eat watermelon in the back yard. They had so much fun. Logan actually made it a full hour before stripping off his swim diaper and going au natural. :)

In other news, Logan has an appointment for a speech evaluation tomorrow at 11 am. When we first moved here, there was a 4-month wait at Integrity Rehab. Well, we got lucky. They had a cancellation, so he's getting in tomorrow. Looking forward to resuming his speech therapy. He's talking much more than he used to, but it's still hard to understand him. Hoping this will help!

You're Invited!!!

2009-09-26T11:04:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow is my 36th birthday. To celebrate, I'm hosting a Premier Jewelry party, which will double as my birthday party! All of my girlfriends are invited. There will be a huge cake, which I decorated myself with the help of my good friend Susan Woole. There will also be a cooler filled with Smirnoff Ice, for anyone who wants one. The party will start at 3 pm, at Leanna Floyd's house. Her address is 28 Rebecca Ln, in Conway. Call me if you have any questions. Hope to see you all there!

Speech Evaluation

2009-09-25T10:55:00.002-05:00

Logan still isn't speaking very much at all, so he went in for a speech evaluation this morning. His comprehension level tested as about a 1 1/2 year old. His verbal skills are at about a 1 year 4 month level. They've recommended three 45-minute sessions per week. We'll start in about 2-3 weeks, once the paperwork is processed.

Comin' Through

2009-09-22T22:57:00.001-05:00

Tonight, on the way home from community group, Tristan rolled down his window and started yelling at the cars driving past us... "Hey everybody! Hey all you cars! Stop! My mom's comin' through!" He yelled it over and over again, at every single car that passed. I was absolutely cracking up. Thank you God for the gift of laughter!

(My) Lesson for Today

2009-04-04T21:51:00.004-05:00

In the car today, Tristan announced to me,

"Mom, I want EVERYTHING I don't have. And I don't have LOTS and LOTS and LOTS of things."

I told him that #1, we can't always have everything we want, and #2, God wants us to be thankful for what He has already given us.

BIG GULP... Maybe this was a good lesson for Tristan's mommy, too!

Thank you, God, for teaching me through my children. :-)

Meet George

2009-04-04T07:06:00.003-05:00

I'd like to introduce you to George... our "new" dog. George is a Corgi, and my parents got George when he was just a little puppy. They already had another Corgi named Gracie, so they named this little guy George (as in George & Gracie Burns). His official registered name is Smokin' George Burns II.

Fast forward to this week... my parents are moving, and don't have room for all of their dogs at their new place. We had been wanting to get a dog, and they offered to let us take George. After very little deliberation, we accepted.

George is the most gentle dog you'll ever meet. He just moved in with us yesterday, and the kids are delighted. George loves to follow me around the house, laying at my feet whenever I sit down somewhere. He slept on the floor beside my bed last night.

We are all very excited to finally have a dog. Welcome to the family, George!!!

Watermelon! Yum!!

2009-04-04T07:01:00.002-05:00

Logan has always loved watermelon, but this is the first time I just gave him a chunk & let him go to town. He was in heaven! He ate another whole piece after this one!

Happy 2nd Birthday, Logan!!!

2009-04-01T19:47:00.005-05:00

Birthday Marshmallows

2009-03-31T06:16:00.002-05:00

For breakfast, Tristan asked if we could have marshmallows. I said sure, for Logan's birthday. Why not? Tristan dug in, but Logan just looked at his. It took him a minute to figure out what it was.... and then he plugged it in his ear. :-)

Happy Birthday, Logan!
We can't believe you're already 2 years old!!!

Mud

2009-03-30T08:57:00.002-05:00

To give equal time to both boys, here are some pics of Tristan. The only problem with our new house is the yard. It LOVES to turn into mud when it rains a lot... and lately, it has rained... a LOT. Tristan, of course, doesn't see this as a problem, but as an opportunity. Matt said that his poor drowned cars looked like New Orleans, when he went with the Guard to help with Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts. Poor cars...

Sleepy

2009-03-30T08:27:00.003-05:00

OK, so I haven't posted in a LOONNNNGGGGG time. Sorry, guys! There's just been so much going on. Lots of sickness, and we moved into a rent house (which we love!) Anyway, just had to post this video of Logan from Friday. Poor guy woke up super early, refused to take a nap all day, and then fell asleep in his pork chops at dinner. Sorry the video is sideways... I forgot that you can't rotate a video. Just turn your head sideways. :)

David Cook Rocks!!!

2009-02-26T13:28:00.004-06:00

Last night, I got to go hang out with some of my girlfriends & see David Cook in concert. It was AWESOME!!! Many thanks to Anna for the tickets in the middle of the third row. They were absolutely the most perfect seats in the place. I've posted all of the pics I took on Facebook, but here are a few of my favorites...

Happy Anniversary

2009-02-21T18:58:00.004-06:00

Last night, Matt and I went to stay at the Doubletree Hotel in Little Rock for our 11th anniversary. (Many thanks to Mom for staying over & keeping the kiddos!) We had a great time. This hotel used to be the Camelot, and that seems like a more appropriate name for it, since we felt like a king & queen. We stayed in the executive suite on the 14th floor. When we got in the elevator, the guy in there asked us what floor. When we asked him to press 14, he said "Wow!" I felt very special! We even had to use our key card in the elevator, just to access our floor.

Our room was beautiful. We had a king-size bed with a cool headboard. There was a walk-in shower in the bathroom, along with combed terry towels, jumbo robes, and Neutrogena bath products. The television was a 42" swivel flat screen. Sweet! We even had a private balcony with a view of the Arkansas River. It was beautiful.

There was a private lounge on the 14th floor, where we enjoyed free hors d'oerves, and happy hour prices on wine & beer. We each had a Heineken for only $1.50 each. Not bad! The woman working in the lounge, Linda, was wonderful. She took our picture for us, and even sent some food back to our room for us. The pictures of her are when she was packing up the food for us. What a sweetheart!

After we left the lounge, we watched Dream Girls on HBO while enjoying room service. I ordered a sandwich, and Matt had the New York strip steak. We had shrimp cocktail for an appetizer, bread pudding for dessert, and 2 mini bottles of champagne. Delicious!!

After a wonderful night's sleep on the most comfortable hotel bed I've ever found, we had a leisurely morning hanging out in the room, followed by a breakfast buffet downstairs. We got back home, totally happy & relaxed, at 11:30 this morning.

Wow! I can't believe we've been married for 11 years. We've definitely had our highs and lows, but I can honestly say that I love my husband now more than ever. And I can't wait for the next 10, 20, 30, 40+ years with this man. He is my dream come true. I love you, sweetheart. Thank you so very much for the most wonderful anniversary ever!

I love my Logan Logan!

2009-02-21T17:46:00.003-06:00

Logan loves his Daddy!!

Idol Watch

2009-02-11T07:42:00.003-06:00

Last night, our new friends, the Petersons, invited us over to their home to watch American Idol. Here are some pics...

Doug, Lori & sweet baby Miley

Tristan and Haileigh playing

Matt, with a lap full of Peyton & Logan

Monday at the Park

2009-02-11T07:13:00.005-06:00

Monday was a gorgeous day, so we headed to the park with the boys. We had a great time! Check out these pics...

I Love Kroger!!!

2009-02-10T17:44:00.002-06:00

Last October, I posted this...

http://thepercifuls.blogspot.com/2008/10/im-jana-perciful-and-i-approved-this.html

about why I love Kroger. Now I have another reason. Today, after I picked Tristan up from preschool, we ran to Kroger for a few items. When we were leaving the store, it was pouring rain, and I was trying to load child & groceries into the car as fast as I could. A couple of hours later, we received a call from Kroger. The "cart guy" (the guy that brings all the carts back in from the parking lot, who probably doesn't make a ton of money) had found my wallet in the cart. Besides a debit card & credit card, it also had $40 cash inside. Everything was still intact when Matt went to retrieve it. Wow! I hate to think what a pain it would have been if they hadn't found & returned it.

Thank you, Kroger! I continue to be a loyal customer!

A Fan of Sand

2009-02-08T11:26:00.002-06:00

Tristan stayed a few days with my parents, so he wouldn't catch Logan's RSV. Yesterday, Dad & Mom had to go to Hot Springs for Stephanie's dance competition, so Tristan spent the day with my friend Holly. He had a blast! These are some pictures she sent me of him playing outside in the sand. :-)

Good Friends

2009-02-07T14:02:00.003-06:00

Logan is still sick with RSV, and Matt is still gone with the National Guard (he's been helping with the ice storm in NE Arkansas), but I'm making it with a little help from my friends.

Special thanks go out to...

Dad & Mom - for keeping Tristan so he won't catch RSV

Holly - for keeping me company yesterday, bringing me Starbucks iced coffees, and for keeping Tristan all day today while Dad & Mom are out of town

Stuart & Ruthie - for driving up from LR to bring me a casserole & some Smirnoff Ice Light :)

Britney - my wonderful babysitter, for coming over this week & letting me get away for a haircut & a bit of "me" time

And thanks to everyone else who has called and sent messages & e-mails. You're all appreciated more than you know!

I sure do love that man of mine!

2009-02-05T06:24:00.004-06:00

This month, Matt and I will celebrate Valentine's Day and our 11th wedding anniversary. Here's a picture of the present I'll be giving to Matt. It's called Entwined Hearts... very appropriate, I think.

If you know Matt well, you know that he loves working with rope, doing knotwork of all kinds. So this tattoo will have special significance for him. It will be in the center of my lower back. He loves the idea. My appointment is for 7:30 pm next Thursday, and by 9:00 I'll be inked. Wish me luck!!

Ponytail

2009-02-04T09:59:00.002-06:00

Look what I can do! After 10 years, I have a ponytail again!!

Sleep Apnea

2009-02-03T19:49:00.003-06:00

Several years ago, I had a sleep test performed at Saint Vincent. They diagnosed me with sleep apnea, which means that you stop breathing repeatedly during sleep. Each time, your body jolts you partially awake, to cause you to start breathing again. Way back then, the doctor prescribed a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine for me. It's something you wear while sleeping that continually forces air into your nose, to keep you breathing consistently. I haven't actually used it the past few years, but lately I've been so very tired. I'm pretty certain that sleep apnea is once again disturbing my sleep. So tonight I dug out all the parts of the machine, and was delighted to find that it still works. I'm going to start using it again immediately. So if I'm extremely perky and rested next week, you'll all know why. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Updates

2009-02-03T06:07:00.003-06:00

Matt did end up with a mission. They went to Jonesboro, then they're heading to Marmaduke today. He's helping to deliver supplies to people without power. He expects to be home Friday night.

In other news, Logan woke up at 4:44 am with croup. I know the exact time he woke up because when I looked at the clock, I made a wish. It didn't work. He kept coughing. I got him up, we stepped outside for a few minutes, and the cold air did its trick. Now he's just awake, but not coughing. Tristan was awake until 12:30 last night, so between the two of them, I've slept just over 4 hours. I'm verrrrrryyyyyy (((yawn))) tired.

Masterpiece

2009-02-02T19:56:00.002-06:00

Look at what my sister did with the picture of Tristan. She used a site called Dumpr.net. Pretty cool, I think.

New Haircut

2009-02-01T15:33:00.004-06:00

I decided after Tristan's last haircut that surely I could do that myself, for less than $10. So I bought a pair of clippers at Target, and we tried them out this morning before church. Not too bad for my first try! Yep, he's still a heartbreaker. Yes, I may be a little biased, but seriously, couldn't you just eat him up! :-)

Update

2009-02-01T06:05:00.002-06:00

Matt got a call from the National Guard on Friday, asking him to get ready to leave for NW Arkansas, to help with the ice storms. He left home 3 hours later, heading for Monticello, where his unit is located. (Yes, I know that is actually south of us, but that's the way the army does things!) They left Monticello yesterday morning, and only made it to the Searcy armory before the mission was scrubbed. Why? We don't know.

He's currently "on hold" at the Searcy armory, waiting for a new mission. If they don't receive one, I suppose he'll get to come back home, probably by way of Monticello again.

In other news, I can't wait for the superbowl party at Eric & Becke's tonight. I'm making cheese dip with chips and a strawberry trifle. To be completely honest, I don't even know who's in the superbowl this year. (I usually do!) I'm just looking forward to rooting for somebody (I'll pick my team later today), laughing at the commercials with good friends, and eating some yummy food!

Also, have to mention something cute Tristan said yesterday. I had fixed my hair with lots of curls, and asked him if he liked it. He touched it gently, and told me that he liked that it felt like doll hair. :-)

My Little Heartbreaker

2009-01-31T11:08:00.005-06:00

"Hey there, gorgeous! Wanna come over to my pad? I've got some rockin' play-doh!"

Recent Tristan Pictures

2009-01-27T14:55:00.005-06:00

HELPING DAD

HANGIN' WITH DAD

CHEESY SMILE

YUM YUM

Friendship & Phone Calls

2009-01-27T14:10:00.002-06:00

Tristan & his friend Conall are both home from school today. I just let Tristan call Conall. Here was part of the conversation I overheard...

"Conall, do you know what I am? Do you know what I am, Conall? I am your friend. I am your friend, Conall. "

Awww...

Awe Inspiring

2009-01-25T06:47:00.003-06:00

An early morning sky recently... once again, the boys had gotten me up indecently early. But I was rewarded by this sight...

and a little bit later, after the "fire" had faded...

Our God is an awesome God!

The Magic Daddy Touch

2009-01-25T06:35:00.002-06:00

Matt has some kind of special connection with Logan. Logan is NOT a snuggly baby... usually. But ever since Matt got back home, all Logan wants to do is cuddle with daddy.

Last weekend, Logan's eardrum burst from a severe ear infection. These pictures are from later in the day. Logan was really miserable. He crawled up in daddy's lap, and within minutes had gone from crying to fast asleep. They're adorable together, aren't they?

Zoo Fun

2009-01-24T17:40:00.007-06:00

Yesterday was a gorgeous day, so we decided to go to the zoo. We had a blast!

Exhausted...

Logan with Granddaddy

2009-01-24T15:21:00.002-06:00

A Violent Bath

2009-01-16T20:26:00.002-06:00

We were getting Tristan ready for his bath. He asked to have 2 water coloring tablets in the bath tonight. He wanted blue and purple, because blue and purple make violent. We laughed and laughed, then told him that he was close, but blue and purple actually make violet. :-)

Who Do You Love?

2009-01-11T06:49:00.002-06:00

Tristan woke me up at 5 this morning. We've been just hanging out in the living room together. We just went to wake Daddy up, and had the following conversation...

Me: Wake up, Matt. We miss you! We love you!
Me (to Tristan): I love my husband. Who do you love?
Tristan: I love Savannah, and Rodney, and April.
Me: Um... And your Dad, too?
Tristan: Yes, him too. And you. I love Savannah's parents, and my parents.

You just never know what you're gonna get with Tristan. :-)

THE BIG REVEAL (drumroll, please...)

2009-01-07T22:41:00.010-06:00

I've been trying for a while to get the house "put together", and I've finally made some real progress! I'm so excited to be able to show you pictures of what I've accomplished so far. (If it's not pictured, I haven't gotten to it yet. :))

(the sign says "Kindness melts away the pain in the world")

****UPDATE: Here is the most important change, made later in the day. I think it's the best of all... :)

Prayer Request

2009-01-07T07:25:00.003-06:00

My sister, Jennifer, just bought a new house in December. In the past 24 hours, her city has received 2 inches of rain. The basement of her new house is now flooded. There is standing water in the basement, the carpet is most likely ruined, and the bottom of all of her boxes are soaked. Despite all of that, she is remarkably calm. Please pray that she would be able to take care of the flooding without too much trouble, or expense. Thank you!

Matt Update & New Camera Pictures

2009-01-06T10:09:00.003-06:00

In case anyone doesn't know, Matt went back to Camp Shelby for a medical check. He had an MRI done last week on his neck, back & knees. They finally read it yesterday, and have determined that he is suffering from "normal wear and tear", which means no treatment at this point. If he has further problems in the future, the treatment will be paid for by the Army. He has a little bit of paperwork to finish, then he'll head home, probably tomorrow.

In other news, the kids finally destroyed my camera. I bought a new one on eBay, and received it a few days ago. It's an Olympus Stylus 840... 8.0 megapixels, 5x zoom. I really like it! It has tons of cool settings, but isn't too difficult to use. Here are a few pictures I've taken with the new camera...

This last picture is of a "letter" that Tristan sent to Luke Wanamaker over the weekend. He asked me for paper, envelopes, and stamps, so he could "write letters" to his friends. Each letter was a page covered with stickers. We mailed letters to Spencer Kravitz, Luke & Anna Wanamaker, and Becke' Stuart (all his choices) before he lost interest.

A Prayer for New Year's Eve

2008-12-31T05:29:00.004-06:00

Going forward into a new year, I want to stop to thank You for the special people who walk through the triumphs and trials of life with me. Thank You for my friends. Amen

(this is a play-doh creation Tristan and I made, earlier this week)

Fun and Happy

2008-12-20T10:06:00.004-06:00

Last night was our annual community group Christmas party. We had a blast! Shane & Anna hosted this year, at their beautifully decked out home. Anna made taco soup, and for dessert we had brownie sundaes. I won't tell you how much I ate, but it was pretty shameful! After dinner, we played games. The highlight of the evening was when the gals beat the guys at Trivial Pursuit. But don't worry... we did let them get some wedges before we beat them... we wouldn't want to crush those fragile egos entirely! =)

I meant to take lots of pictures, but I forgot. Here's the only one I got, of some of the gals...

*******************************

This morning, Miss Anna Banana called to ask if she could drop something off to me. Of course, it was 9:00, and we're all still in our pajamas, but Anna wouldn't care. She showed up 20 minutes later with "some happy" for me. That's what she called it... "I brought you some happy." Boy, did she ever! Check this out... a vanilla latte, fluffy house slippers, and a festive Christmas hand towel. Just what I needed to get going this morning! I'm wearing my slippers & sipping my latte as I type. I love you, girl! You hit the nail on the head! Well, I'm off to clean my kitchen now. Gotta break in my new towel. =)

He'll be home for Christmas...

2008-12-17T17:47:00.003-06:00

Matt just called... he's back on US soil again. He'll arrive at Camp Shelby sometime tonight, spend 3-5 days there, then hop a bus for home.

Woo-hoo! Come on back to me, baby!

The Mom Song

2008-12-16T20:50:00.001-06:00

A friend of mine posted this on Facebook today, and I just have to share it! It's everything a mom says in 24 hours, sung to the William Tell Overture. Just try to keep a straight face.. I dare ya!

Sick

2008-12-10T08:16:00.003-06:00

Sunday afternoon, Logan lay down for his nap feeling fine. When he woke up, he had a 101.5 temperature. He was sick for about 24 hours, with fever and stomach complications. Yesterday, Tristan's preschool called me at 11 am. When I got there to pick him up, he was laying down on the couch in their lobby, just limp. I got him home, and his fever was almost 102. I tried to give him some medicine, but he refused anything. He kept telling me over and over that he didn't want to eat or drink anything, or do anything. I could tell that he really felt horrible. He just lay on the couch all day, sleeping off and on, mumbling at times. It was really scary. I've never seen him like that before. He threw up once, about 5:00, but besides that it was just fever and listlessness. Stephanie went to the store at 5:30, and got some tylenol suppositories for him, since I couldn't get him to take medicine any other way (and he usually LOVES taking medicine!) He agreed to the suppository, and finally started feeling better. But then he went downhill again. Even with the medicine, he still felt just awful last night. He finally collapsed in exhaustion at 3:45 am. He doesn't seem to have a fever this morning, and he is still sleeping soundly, so maybe the worst is over. I just hope I'm not next!! And I hope that I can catch a nap sometime today. I'm really, really tired.

No thanks, mom

2008-12-03T20:03:00.003-06:00

Tonight at 7:30, Tristan and I were sitting in the living room, looking at the kitchen clock. I was showing him when it would be bedtime. "When the big hand is on the 12, then it's your bedtime." He tried arguing with me. He told me that after the hand went past the 12, then he could play some more. So I told him that no, that would still be bedtime, and that if he talked back or argued with me again, he could go straight to bed. That's when he looked at me and said, "When the big hand is on the 12, then it's your bedtime." I asked him if he was talking back to me. "No, I'm just giving the words back to you, because I don't want them." I had to leave the room, I was laughing so hard!

Almost Four??

2008-11-20T15:46:00.002-06:00

I can't believe that my baby is almost four years old! Preschool is out next week for Thanksgiving, so they decided to celebrate Tristan's birthday today. (His birthday is Nov. 28th, and he only attends preschool on Tue & Thur.) They had asked me to supply cupcakes for 20, but then Tristan asked me this morning if the kids in his class would be getting presents, too. He wanted everyone to get a present for his birthday. I've really tried to teach him about the joys of giving, so I was delighted when he asked what he could give the other kids. I went to Wal-Mart and bought some small cellophane gift bags ($1.39 for 20), and filled them with gum, candy, stickers, etc. then dropped them & the cupcakes off at school this morning.

This afternoon, Logan woke up from his nap with 103 fever & congestion. Dad was nice enough to pick Tristan up from school for me. When Tristan got home, he told me that his party was great, because the cupcakes were "yummy", and because the gift bags were "a surprise, the really good kind!" Then he opened his gift bag, and the first thing he did was ask me which sticker I woule like to have. I love this child so much!

And by the way, I did call the doctor's office about Logan. They said to keep him dosed on Tylenol & Motrin today & tonight. If the fever is still as high tomorrow morning, they'll see him then.

I Love My Soldier!!

2008-11-11T19:11:00.004-06:00

So today, for Veteran's Day, I thought I'd send a shout out to my favorite soldier... my husband, Matt! Thank you, Matt. I love, respect and honor you for all that you do... whether you're at home or deployed. You're definitely my favorite soldier! We can't wait until you're back home!

I love, love, love, love, love, love, love you!!!

MOST--The Bridge

2008-11-06T20:58:00.001-06:00

very touching...

"Will you be my lovey?"

2008-11-03T19:02:00.004-06:00

Jonah

2008-11-03T18:43:00.003-06:00

At church recently, we taught the preschoolers the story of Jonah and the whale. This was Tristan's artistic rendition of the story.

Halloween Pictures

2008-11-03T07:49:00.003-06:00

OK, sorry it's taken me so long to get these posted. Here are my adorable sons, dressed as a fireman and a lion. Tristan loved his costume, complete with smoke smudges on his face & arms. Logan hated his costume. He wanted to eat it, not wear it! :-)

I'm Jana Perciful, and I approved this message

2008-10-31T07:57:00.003-05:00

Last night, I needed some groceries, so I packed the kids up and headed to Kroger. I loaded the kids into a race cart and headed into the store.

I was surprised to find out that they were having a Halloween celebration. As we neared the middle of the store, smiling employees wearing costumes offered my kids free bags of candy. Unfortunately, the candy was all chocolate. I told them thanks, but that my kids have peanut allergies and can't eat chocolate. Then I continued on, only to be chased down a minute later. They had looked around and found alternate gifts for my peanut-free children. They gave Tristan a really cool pumpkin necklace, which he loved. Logan got a small orange thing of bubble blowing solution with a wand. He was delighted when I blew bubbles for him throughout the store.

On the other end of the store, a really sweet woman was doing face painting and giving away balloons. Tristan got a pumpkin on one cheek, and a red balloon. They took his picture, and then a picture of him standing next to Logan, and told me I could pick up the pics in a few days. This woman also had candy to give away, but this time it was all peanut-free, so Tristan got a bag.

At checkout, I was telling the checker lady what a nice time we'd had. I wasn't paying any attention to the guy bagging up the groceries. He'd loaded all my groceries into another cart. Now I had a problem... babies in the race cart, groceries in another cart. Nope, no problem. My checker happily moved everything into the race cart for me.

On the way out of the store, I asked for the manager. They called him over, and I thanked him for our great experience in his store. Every employee we'd encountered was helpful & smiling. They went out of their way to make sure we were happy. What great customer service!

These days, you run into so many people who are just doing as little as possible. I've dealt with lots of employees who are rude, in bad moods, and not at all helpful. Some even act as if you're putting them out just asking them to do their job! The guys and gals at Kroger last night were so wonderful, I just had to share.

And no, this is not a paid endorsement. But if someone from Kroger happens to be reading this, and wants to mail me some coupons, or give me a discount on future shopping trips, that would be just fine with me! :-)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-29T22:49:00.001-05:00

My Little Angel

2008-10-25T11:31:00.003-05:00

Here is a conversation that occurred at my house this morning...

Me: Tristan, can you come over here for a minute so Mommy can talk to you?

Tristan: OK

Me: I just wanted to let you know that Mommy is having a hard day... (Mommy starts crying now) I just really miss Daddy since he left, and I'm so sorry that I yelled at you earlier.

Tristan: (climbing into the chair & hugging Mommy) Well, that's ok. I'm here. I'll make you happy while Daddy's gone.

Me: You will? (Mommy starts crying harder) Thank you, honey. You're so sweet.

Tristan: I will make you happy by having chocolate for breakfast. See? (Tristan goes and gets the bag of Hershey's Bliss chocolate.) I will climb up in the chair with you, and we will have chocolate for breakfast, to make you happy.

Me: Tristan, do you know how much I love you?

Tristan: I love you, too. (hugging Mommy again & then feeding her a piece of chocolate)

Photo Shoot

2008-10-16T11:17:00.006-05:00

As promised, here are some more pics from our photo shoot yesterday. I had trouble picking my favorites... there were so many good ones! Matt's mom spent a few days with us this week, so we asked her to sit in on some of the pictures. I think they turned out great. We love you, Mom!

Thanks again, Becke'!

Thank You, Becke'

2008-10-15T18:18:00.003-05:00

This morning, our family had a wonderful opportunity! Becke' Stuart offered to take some photos of us before Matt heads back to Iraq. We met at a beautiful chapel in town, and Becke' started shooting. I'm so delighted with the results! I have a CD of all the pics, and will post lots of my favorites on the blog sometime tonight or tomorrow. In the meantime, check out Becke's blog, http://moopandsaba.blogspot.com, to check out some of the pics she posted today. If Becke' ever wants to start a career (besides super mom), I think she'd make a great professional family photographer!

Thank you so much, Becke'!!!

Date Night

2008-10-11T05:42:00.001-05:00

Love shortens time, charms the hours. Love is invincible. Many waters cannot quench it, nor the floods drown. The supreme happiness of life is the conviction that we are loved.

7 Things

2008-10-10T17:20:00.003-05:00

OK, I've been officially tagged by Casie. So here are 7 weird/interesting things about me...

1. Whenever possible, I like to have something to read while I'm eating. I've had this quirk since I was a child. I remember reading the same cereal box so many times that I almost had it memorized!

2. I'm a stickler for correct grammar. My mom was an elementary school teacher, and dad was a newspaper reporter, so they both really stressed the importance of speaking well. As my sister says, I am the grammar snob about whom your mother warned.

3. I'm allergic to metal. For years I haven't been able to wear any jewelry except silver & gold. I'm finding now that I can wear most jewelry made by Premier Designs (thanks Anna!), but not all. Right now, I have an ugly rash with blisters on my left wrist from my watch. Ugh!

4. I once tried to open a tube of superglue with my teeth, and the tube exploded. The only reason I didn't end up in the ER was because I quickly gargled some nail polish remover.

5. I dropped out of high school in my senior year, later received my GED, then attended the UCA Honors College on a full scholarship, before dropping out of college also. Lesson learned: being "book smart" doesn't get you anywhere in life if you're lacking common sense & a willingness to work hard .

6. I love eating frosted strawberry pop tarts with butter on top.

7. During our very first date, I told Matt that I knew we would end up married. Everyone (including Matt, probably) thought I was crazy. Ten years later, we're still going strong! :-)

***I tag any of my blogging friends who haven't completed this yet.***

Bubbles

2008-10-10T08:31:00.002-05:00

Yesterday afternoon, Matt was kind enough to let me take a bubble bath... by myself! He was watching the kids in the living room when Logan made a break for it. Within seconds, he was happily splashing in my bath and eating the bubbles. I don't know when I've laughed so hard!!

Together Again

2008-10-07T11:31:00.002-05:00

Last night at 8:14 pm I was reunited with Matt. (Not that I was anxiously watching the time or anything!) His flight was scheduled to arrive at 8:00, but was a little bit late. Mom kept the boys while I went to the airport. I was so excited to see him walking down those steps. I think I may have injured his neck when I hugged him!

On the way home from the airport, we stopped and picked up a bottle of champagne. Once home (the kids were both asleep already), we laid out a blanket and had a candlelit picnic on the floor of the living room... cheese, summer sausage, crackers, strawberries, grapes, etc. It was wonderful to be able to reconnect and just enjoy being together again. I knew our time alone wouldn't last long!

Sure enough, Tristan woke up at 3:30 am, and climbed into bed beside me. "Is Dad home?" he asked me. Then, he looked past me & spotted Matt. At that point, he was wide awake! I told him that Daddy was very sleepy, and we would need to let him sleep at least a little bit longer. But not Tristan. There was no way he could go back to sleep, so I set him up in the living room with his own little picnic... raisins, graham crackers & juice. I turned on the Cars movie for him, and went back to bed.

Finally, at 6:30, I told Tristan we could wake Daddy up. I shook Daddy gently, and told him that his big boy had been waiting to see him for 3 hours. Matt sat up, and Tristan told him excitedly, "Dad, you're home! Guess what? I'm big and strong like you, and I'm brave like you, and I have short hair like you, and I'm funny like you, and......... You're home!!!"

So far, Logan isn't clinging to Daddy, like Tristan is. He's just smiling at him a lot. He definitely knows that it's Daddy, and he knows that he likes Daddy, but he seems kinda confused. Like, why is Daddy here and not on the computer screen. I predict that by tonight, Daddy will have two boys all over him. I'm really glad that we got some alone time first!

So, he's here for 2 weeks. What are our plans? Well, Mama B (Matt's mom) is driving up on Thursday, and one of his best friends, Pierce, is flying in for the weekend. Then there are all of our local friends & family. So we'll be spending lots of time hanging out with the people we love the most, and just enjoying having our family back together again, if only for a couple of weeks.

For everyone who helped me get ready for his visit, for everyone who prayed for his safe arrival, and for everyone who put up with me talking nonstop about my husband for the past 2 weeks, thank you! We love & appreciate you all!

All Done

2008-10-02T16:28:00.001-05:00

Brothers

2008-09-30T12:11:00.002-05:00

Being a mother to two boys can be exhausting. But it is also FUN! Tristan wasn't very interested in Logan when we first brought him home. (To be fair, Logan wasn't very interesting... eat, sleep, eat, sleep, etc.) Now that Logan is older, Tristan is quick to tell you that Logan is his best friend. It is so much fun to see how they interact these days. Interestingly enough, Logan is usually the leader in activities. He doesn't normally join Tristan in play. He does his own thing, and Tristan follows his lead. If Logan wants to play on the couch, so does Tristan. If Logan wants to rock in the chair (see previous post!), Tristan wants to help him. If Logan gets on his "bike", Tristan goes to find his too. They obviously love each other very much, and this mommy thinks it's a joy to watch them together!

Rock-A-Bye Baby

2008-09-30T11:26:00.002-05:00

Rock-a-bye baby
In daddy's chair
I could get hurt
But I just don't care

First stand up tall
Then bend at the knees
Throw myself backwards
Mom, look at me!

I found a new game
What a fun way to play
I don't want my toys
I'll just rock all day

I know that I scare you
'Cause I'm only one
But you know what, mom?
That's part of the fun!

Tristan's FUN Playdate

2008-09-29T16:58:00.003-05:00

Today, Tristan went on a playdate. This morning, my friend Kirsten came to pick him up about 11:30. Her son Spencer is about Tristan's age, and the boys are friends from church. First they went to Sonshine Academy for some gymnastics, then they picked up some McDonald's and had a picnic at the park. After that, it was back to Spencer's house for an afternoon spent playing cars.

Tristan got home about an hour ago, and he is still talking about all the fun he had today. I think we'll definitely have to do this again!

Here are a couple of pictures of Tristan with the ambulance that Spencer let him borrow.

35 is gonna be great!!!

2008-09-28T19:09:00.006-05:00

Here are some pictures from yesterday. I celebrated my 35th birthday with the girls. We went to my favorite restaurant, Fuji Japanese Steakhouse. The food was yummy, the show was pretty good (I think our chef was new), and I even got cards & presents! But the very best gift of all was being able to spend my birthday with such good friends. Thank you! I love you all!

CARS

2008-09-28T18:59:00.001-05:00

**update - I've had a few people ask me, so I thought I'd add a note to this post... yes, Tristan did draw the cars himself. (Pretty good, I think!)

STRAWBERRIES

2008-09-28T18:36:00.004-05:00

SISTERS

2008-09-28T18:12:00.002-05:00

More Park Pics

2008-09-24T08:47:00.005-05:00

Yes, I know I've posted lots of pictures from the park recently. But we've been to the park a lot recently. For the longest time, we didn't go. Logan wasn't content to just sit in the stroller, and he was too heavy for me to carry around for very long. Plus, Mommy really doesn't like hot weather! So I promised Tristan that once Logan learned to walk, and it was cooler outside, we would go bunches. :)

Tristan

2008-09-22T07:38:00.002-05:00

Tristan is an absolute joy! At 3 1/2, he is kind, compassionate, funny, (usually) obedient, curious, and 100% boy!

His favorite thing is still any kind of vehicle. That hasn't changed since he was 6 months old. He knows the names of literally hundreds of vehicles (from Dodge Charger to Audi to Mini Cooper to a Duesenberg!) He has a couple hundred vehicles (mostly Hot Wheels cars), but always begs for a new one when we go to the store. A boy can never have too many sets of wheels, I guess.

His cars go with him everywhere. He takes them to church, to the store, to visit friends, to the bathtub (where he gives them very thorough baths), even to bed. Most kids sleep with a favorite stuffed animal or blanket. Tristan sleeps with cars!

Tristan has a strong sense of fairness. He really took to the concept of bullies, and tries to be careful to never be one himself. He is quick to share, and also quick to tell other people that they have to share, too! He asks me repeatedly to tell him stories of bullies doing bad things. He loves the part of the story where they're stopped - by a parent, a teacher, or if they're really bad, a policeman.

He's amazingly empathetic. If someone is hurt or upset, he always wants to help. One day at church, a girl in his class was really upset & wouldn't stop crying. His teacher told me that Tristan kept going over to her, and saying, "It's ok. You don't have to cry. You can play with me!" If someone gets a "boo-boo", he wants to give them kisses & a band-aid. Recently at the park, a little girl fell down & got hurt. As her mommy was trying to comfort her, Tristan walked over and told her, "I'm gonna say something nice to you to make you feel better.... It's ok. You're gonna be ok."

Forgiveness is another concept he really loves. Several weeks ago at church, he learned that you should forgive someone 70 x 7 times. Ever since then, he's very quick to apologize when he does something wrong, and the correct answer is always, "That's ok, Tristan. I forgive you." He's also quick to forgive others. He loves forgiving so much that sometimes he'll hit himself, just so he can say, "That's ok. I forgive me!" :)

Tristan is a quick learner, and wants to know about everything around him. All day long, I hear, "Why?" and "What?" I think he has his daddy's photographic memory, because he rarely forgets things. Unlike his mommy, he usually only needs to hear something one time. We continue to expand his vocabulary, not because I think it's important for kids at this age to know lots of big words, but because he loves learning new words. His newest is "non-negotiable". He'll tell you that it means that mommy will not change her mind. :)

Tristan also has great potential as a parent. He loves to "help" me parent Logan. He knows all the things Logan shouldn't do, and never hesitates to forcefully tell him, "No, Logan! No, no, no, no, no!" He tries (unsuccessfully) to block Logan from things he shouldn't have, and is very careful to keep toys away from him that Logan could choke on.

Finally, Tristan is just plain funny! He has a great sense of humor, and is always cracking me up with the things he says. I've tried to list several of them on the blog, because I know I'll forget them otherwise. He loves playing games. Board games and puzzles, yes, but also games we make up. Last week we had "backwards day", where we said & did things backwards all day long. When he got hungry for lunch, he told me, "I'm really full! Don't give me any food now." When he sat down, he told me he was standing up. His vehicles all drove around backwards. You get the idea. We really had a blast!

In case you haven't figured it out by now, today is a day for getting my favorite memories down in writing. I've seen several friends do it on their blogs, and I think it's a great idea! While I think I'll remember these things, I know that I'll probably forget a lot if it's not written down somewhere. Someday I'll use one of those sites that turns your blog into a book.

One last word, although I doubt I'd ever forget this....

I am a very proud mommy!!!!

Two of Tristan's favorite things... vehicles & finger paint!

Logan

2008-09-22T07:07:00.003-05:00

I can't believe how fast Logan is growing up! And I can't believe how different he is from Tristan. When Tristan was this age, he just didn't get into things. He didn't climb on things. When I said "no", he actually listened to me. Tristan spent a lot of time sitting & playing, especially with wheels!

Logan rarely slows down. And when Logan wants something, there is practically no stopping him! He is the definition of "strong-willed"! I have to really watch him. No matter how many times he's fallen off, he continues to climb onto the chair, couch, and ottoman. He climbs up, then stands up and jumps. He's a wild man! I also have to protect Tristan frequently. Tristan knows not to hit or push Logan, so he depends on me to defend him. If Tristan has something Logan wants, or if Tristan is just in his way, Logan will hit, kick, pull hair, push, etc. And Logan is really strong!

Logan is also absolutely delightful. His smile & laugh can brighten any day. He is so inquisitive. He is extremely ticklish. He loves to play games, and catches on to new ones very quickly. His favorite things are his lions, his balls, and the stars on the ceiling in his bedroom. At bedtime, I say, "Stars, stars, where are you?" Then I turn out the light, and say, "Boo!" It gets him giggling every time. Oh, and he's also really fond of his mommy. :)

One thing Logan does that always makes me laugh... he tries to figure out where the picture on the television is coming from. He'll go over & stand at the side of the entertainment center. He leans around to look at the front of the screen, then quickly ducks behind it. He seems sure that if he does this fast enough, he'll catch his favorite characters -from Blue's Clues, or The Backyardigans - behind the television. He never seems to tire of this game. It's really adorable!

Here are some rare pictures of Logan actually sitting still, stacking blocks. You can't see it very well, but when he's really concentrating on something, he sticks his tongue out a little bit. He's doing that in the last picture. So cute!

Lookin' Like My Dad

2008-09-20T09:05:00.004-05:00

Yesterday morning, Tristan announced to me...

"I'm big and strong like my dad, and I'm brave like my dad, but now I have long hair, so I don't look like my dad anymore!" He was really upset. He's always been proud to tell people that he has really short hair, just like his dad. He wants to be like his dad in every way!

When we got to Wal-Mart, he announced to everyone in the salon that he was "at the haircut house, so all the hair can fall down", so he could look just like his dad again.

Check out these pics... he really does look like his dad! (And I love the second picture, because it shows Logan as a blur. That's the way he usually looks these days... constant motion! That kid is into everything, and he is fast!)

Logan Dancing

2008-09-19T20:13:00.003-05:00

Today, while watching a music video featuring The Backyardigans, Logan started dancing. I mean, he was really jamming. I'm so excited that he's inherited the dancing gene... even if he did get it from his Aunt Stephanie!

Oh yeah, baby! Get on down with yo bad self! :-)

At The Park

2008-09-17T20:54:00.003-05:00

Here are some pictures from two recent trips to the park. The boys love it!

"What was I thinking? This is yucky!"

My dad joined us yesterday. Extra fun!

Tristan told me, "The letter of the day is L ..."

"... and the number of the day is 10!"

THE BEST NEWS EVER!!!

2008-09-17T20:54:00.002-05:00

Matt just found out that he's going to get 2 weeks leave sometime in October! Yep, that's right! He's coming home for 2 weeks!!

Yippee!!!!!!!!!

Woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, I know, this post has a lot of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But, ya know, that's just what happens when I get excited!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:-)

Sleepin' With My Dad

2008-09-15T17:10:00.003-05:00

Matt's childhood best friend, Pierce, sent a present for the boys recently. Tristan immediately named it "the daddy doll". Here was what I saw the other night when I went in to check on him. The next morning, I asked him who he'd been sleeping with. He told me, "I was sleepin' with my dad."

Roar!

2008-09-12T18:04:00.002-05:00

If you've been following my blog for a while, you know that Logan loves hair. He loves to yank, tug, pull, and even eat my hair. Ouchie!!

So a while ago, when we were in Kigsport visiting Jennifer, I had a great idea. We went to Wal-Mart, and I looked for a stuffed animal with lots of hair. We found this great lion, and sure enough, Logan loved it. He loves to yank, tug, pull, and, yes, even eat the hair. Well, within a month, that lion was looking kinda rough, so I went to the Wal-Mart here and bought him another one. He totally bonded with these lions. He carries them everywhere, snuggles them, has to have both of them cradled in his arms before going to sleep, etc, etc. By last month, they both looked pathetic! Almost totally bald! Check out these pictures...

So I went back to Wal-Mart to look for new lions. Sold out! I went to the other Wal-Mart in town. No lions! I was starting to get frantic... desperate even! I had to find a new lion, before he managed to remove the last tiny bits of hair from his lions!!

So I called Jennifer, and begged her to go back to the toy section of her Wal-Mart. Buy me ALL of the lions you can find! Well, they only had one. Because she's a dear, she bought it, mailed it to us Priority Mail, and within days Logan had his majestic, hairy new lion...

He hates it! Won't have anything to do with it! I give it to him, he throws it at me. I guess he really has bonded with those poor bald lions. If you've seen The Chronicles of Narnia, you'll probably agree with me that his lions resemble Aslan on the Stone Table, after they've shaved his mane. Oh, well.

Here's a nice family picture of all 3 lions. :)

Playing House

2008-09-10T20:13:00.003-05:00

One day last week, I got really creative and made Tristan a new house. I took two large boxes, deconstructed them, and then taped them together to make a big house with a front door. He loved it!

On Monday, we invited Savannah over for a playdate. April and I have joked about setting up an arranged marriage for Tristan & Savannah. They get along great, and at least we know we'd get along with the in-laws. :)

Well, I'm happy to report that they seem to be all for our plan. Tristan was delighted to invite Savannah into his "home". Savannah was in charge of the decorating, and immediately called for the magic markers. Here are some pictures of their domestic bliss...

Had to laugh

2008-09-10T07:54:00.002-05:00

OK, I have to post a couple of other funny things Tristan has said recently. If it's not on the blog, I won't ever remember it happened.

The night Barack Obama gave his speech at the DNC, Tristan just would not go to sleep. I finally told him to come in the living room with me. At one point, Tristan said, "Hey, mom! Barack Obama is just like Bob the Builder." Huh? I totally didn't get that one.

Well, if you've ever seen Obama give a speech, you know the audience always chants, "Yes, we can! Yes, we can!" So Tristan said that he was "Barack the Builder"... Can we fix it? "Yes, we can!"

*********************************************

I try to teach Tristan new words often. He has a real flair for language. (As in, he never stops talking!!) Anyway, his new word this week is collaborate. I told him it means to work together, like a team.

Last night, Tristan wanted to go play in the back yard. I said OK. Then, he said he wanted all of us to go outside together. I told him no, because I was trying to get dinner together, so I could get ready for community group.

"But mom," Tristan said, "I want us to collaborate, by all playing in the back yard together. Would that be collaborating, mom?"

Yes, Tristan, I guess that would be collaborating. He won... we all played. :-)

I stand corrected!

2008-09-10T07:12:00.002-05:00

Isn't it funny how the things we tell our kids come back to haunt us?

Whenever we're in the car, Tristan loves to shout out the names of his favorite vehicles. If we pass a fire station, he yells, "Fire truck!" If a Fed Ex truck drives by, he hollers, "Fed Ex truck!" He has lots of favorite vehicles, so car rides are usually quite noisy.

Yesterday morning, on the way to preschool, I spotted a dump truck at a 4-way stop. Tristan didn't notice it, so I loudly said, "Dump truck!"

"OK, OK," Tristan told me. "You don't have to yell. You can just talk!"

I laughed the rest of the way to preschool!

But I still wanna be mommy

2008-09-01T21:48:00.001-05:00

This week, Tristan has decided that I'm no longer mommy. My new name is "Hey, Mom!" I thought your kids were supposed to call you mommy at least until they started kindergarten. I have to admit, I'm pretty sad. I'm trying my hardest to teach Logan to call me mommy, but he's just not working with me yet. :(

Happy Birthday, Matt!!!

2008-08-27T20:58:00.007-05:00

Here are a few people who wanted to wish you a Happy Birthday. Also, follow the links over to the blogs Arkhiker's Vicinity, The Bear & The Bug, and Bugs & Sunshine, for more birthday wishes. We all love & miss you, Matt! (Birthday wishes from wife & kids coming later today!)

Car Town

2008-08-27T14:40:00.002-05:00

Tristan loves cars. I mean, he really LOVES cars. More than a year ago, he started building "car towns". Since then, they've become larger, more elaborate, and more creative. This is what he just built on the living room floor as a "surprise" for me... he called it a "diamond car town".

New Name

2008-08-27T13:57:00.001-05:00

Tristan is so funny! He's constantly cracking me up. Lately, I've been telling him, "You're so goofy!" Well, this week he announced to me that his whole name is Tristan Goofy Matthew Perciful. I like it. Kinda catchy! :)

He Loved It!

2008-08-19T15:32:00.003-05:00

Tristan loved his first day at Central Christian Academy. According to him, his favorite thing was playing with all the cars. His least favorite thing? Nothing. He said he liked everything.

Here's his recap of the day... He ate cheerios for breakfast. For lunch, he had a sandwich, peaches, and "black-eye peas with black-eye pea soup" (this was actually beans & franks, according to the school menu :)

He played, sang, read lots of books, made new friends, had rest time, and even had time left over for instruction. Yes, instruction. He told me that there was one bully in his class, a boy who did "everything not nice." So Tristan told him, "God would like it for you to share!" Oh, my.

Overall, it was a resounding success. I enjoyed the quiet at home, and a long nap. Tristan wore himself out, and is now sleeping soundly. Next year, I think I'll let him go M/W/F instead of just T/Th. :)

First Day of School

2008-08-19T09:26:00.003-05:00

Today was Tristan's first day of preschool. We visited the school last week, and he loved it. We signed him up on the spot, and he's been begging to go to school every day since then. We've been doing a countdown. Tristan would ask if he could go to school, and I'd tell him, "Just 2 more days!" Then he would respond, "Two more long days?" He really couldn't wait.

Well, today was the big day. I was so excited, I woke up at 5:30 and couldn't go back to sleep. I went to wake Tristan up at 7:00. I said, "Tristan, do you want to go to school today?" He was wide awake instantly. The first thing he said was, "I'm not scared! I'm just excited!" Then he smiled at me, and told me that was his happy face.

We got ready, and Dad came over to stay with Logan while I took Tristan to school. When we got there, I had to stop at the front desk to sign Tristan in. When I turned around, he had disappeared! I found him already playing in his classroom. His room is the rainbow fish room, with decorations from the Rainbow Fish book. It's really cool.

I did manage to get Tristan to pose for a few pictures, but he was really more interested in playing, and saying good morning to their class pets (a gerbil and hermit crabs).

After a few minutes, I asked Tristan if it was ok if I went back home. No response. Again, I asked him if he was ready for me to go. No response. He was too busy playing. Finally, I said, "OK, I'm going home now. I'll come back to pick you up later." At this, he stopped playing, to protest. "But Mommy, you said I could stay all day!" I had to laugh. I told him that was right, that I'd be back to pick him up after all day. He went right back to playing, and I left without so much as a goodbye from him. Wow! My "little boy" sure is growing up fast!

Blues Clues Smoothie

2008-08-12T22:34:00.003-05:00

This morning for breakfast, Tristan asked for a Blues Clues smoothie. I wasn't exactly sure what that was, but... um... sure. No problem. Just make a smoothie, add several drops of blue food coloring, and voila!

Jump Zone

2008-08-12T21:42:00.002-05:00

This morning, Savannah came over to play. Here was the scene in my living room....

They had soooooo much fun!

Funnies

2008-08-12T07:45:00.002-05:00

When I was changing Logan's diaper the other day, Tristan said, "Logan isn't potty trained, is he, Mommy?" Nope, I said. Then, Tristan informed me that Logan is just "diaper trained". Hadn't thought of it that way before!

On the way home from church Sunday, Tristan was begging for McDonald's for lunch. I kept telling him no. He finally said, "But Mommy, do we have McDonald's for lunch?" No, I said. He responded, "We DO!" I added, "Not!" His comeback, fast as lightning, was "YET!" (No, he still didn't get McDonald's for lunch, even though I had to admire his quick thinking!)

Hello Again

2008-08-06T07:19:00.003-05:00

OK, a quick post. Yes, we are all well. Logan was only sick for 24 hours, thank goodness. We seem to all be completely over the "bug". Unfortunately, my internet has been sick. It has been down for the past few days, and my internet provider can't seem to figure out what the problem is. I just noticed that it had turned on, and I'm not sure how long it will stay on. Hence, if you want to contact me, please call me, until further notice. Thanks!

Here's a quick recap of the past few days. We missed church & the annual church swim party, due to Logan's illness. By Monday morning, he was fine again. At Wal-Mart on Monday, we bought Tristan his first pets. He has 2 betta fish now, which he named Flippy & Sif. (No, I have no idea where he got the name Sif!) Swim lesson on Monday was great. Tristan is really getting brave in the pool! Stephanie spent the night Monday night. Tuesday morning, we went to Jump Zone, for a play date with several friends. The kids had a blast! Last night, we went to Aunt Mindy's house, for dinner & a swim in her pool. That's about it. I'll try to post pics & better updates once the internet is fixed.

And Matt, if you've been trying to Skype me, I'm so sorry! I'm going to call them again today, and insist that they figure out what the problem is. We miss you very much, and can't wait to see your face again!

Sickness & Kindness: Part 3

2008-08-02T18:11:00.002-05:00

Yep, you guessed it. Logan caught it, too. Fortunately, I was only sick for 24 hours. Many thanks to my wonderful mom for coming & taking care of us while I was too sick to function.

My internet hasn't been working since yesterday evening. I called my internet provider, and they suggested that I needed a new splitter. So after Logan's nap today, we packed up & headed to Best Buy. We had been in the store only about 2 minutes when Logan started spewing all over the place. Thankfully, there was a sweet lady nearby who had a purse full of kleenex. She offered these to me, to help clean Logan's face somewhat. Also, the store manager quickly produced a trash bag for Logan, in case he needed to throw up any more.

I'd left the diaper bag in the car, thinking I wouldn't need to take it in for such a quick trip. After "the incident", the manager told me he'd be happy to find the splitter I needed, and have it waiting for me at checkout, so I could take Logan to the car & clean him up.

When we returned to the store, several people in checkout let us go ahead of them, so I could get my poor baby home quickly. Just one of the reasons I love this town... people are always so quick to offer help!

Sickness & Kindness: Part 2

2008-07-31T19:30:00.003-05:00

Well, Tristan is totally well, but now Mommy's caught the stomach bug. I felt great until early this evening, then all of a sudden... Ugh! I do NOT like throwing up. But I've just taken some phenergan, and I've had some Sprite, thanks to my good friend, Michelle. I just hope that my bout with this only lasts 24 hours, same as Tristan's did. And, I hope Logan isn't next. Thanks for all the prayers & offers of help. I love you all! Headed to bed now. Night, night.

Sickness & Kindness

2008-07-31T09:09:00.003-05:00

Late Tuesday afternoon, Tristan started throwing up. Poor kid. He was projectile vomiting all over the house. By bedtime, he had thrown up on most everything in the living room. All the couch throw pillows, and the covers for the couch cushions, had been in the washer. I had cleaned puke off the chair and the floor, my clothes & his hair. Ugh!

But even in the midst of all that, we had a really sweet moment. I was feeding Tristan ice chips, and rubbing his back, while he lay on the floor. I told him that when I was a little girl, Grandmommy would feed me ice chips & rub my back when I was sick. He said, "That's right, because Grandmommy is your mommy. So she taught you how to take care of me when I'm sick." Awwwww. I almost cried. There's something powerful in doing for your children what was once done for you. Thanks, Mom, for all the times you patiently & lovingly cared for me when I was sick. You always knew just how to make me feel better. Actually, you still do, come to think of it. I love you, Mom!!

Tristan was supposed to have swim lesson at 5:30 yesterday, but I called Katie to cancel. He hadn't thrown up since early that morning, but I just didn't want to take the chance of him throwing up in the pool. That probably wouldn't make us very popular at the gym! Katie said we could reschedule for Friday instead, and said she hoped Tristan got better soon. Well, a couple of hours later, she called me back. She said she'd started thinking about how Matt's gone, and what would I do if I needed something, but couldn't leave the house since Tristan was sick. She asked if there was anything she could do to help us out, or if I need her to pick anything up for us. How sweet is that? I only met Katie about 3 weeks ago, and we only see her for 1 hour a week. But she still thought to ask if we needed any help. Pretty cool, huh?

Doctor Updates

2008-07-30T21:56:00.003-05:00

Sorry I haven't been posting as much lately. To be honest, I have trouble getting inspired about much of anything when it's so dang hot. I've heard of a disorder called SAD. Apparently, people get it in the winter, when the days get shorter, when there's less sunlight. For me, it's the other way around. I start feeling lethargic when the sun is out for hours on end, beating down on everything with unrelenting heat. Ugh! Give me fall & winter anytime! I mean, heck, you can always put on more clothes, ya know what I mean?

Anyways... I now have the updates for you on my numb feet. In case you missed my earlier post, my feet have been going numb when I work out at the gym. It happens every time I get on the treadmill, or the bike, or the crossramp machine. Not painful, but annoying just the same. Well, I went to the Sports & Orthopedic clinic first, where he asked a lot of questions, then ran several blood tests. The tests all came back normal, including the one for diabetes. When he called me with the results, he said he was stymied. He had no answers, and said maybe the neurologist would figure something out.

My neurology appointment was yesterday morning. The doctor performed a nerve conduction study. The doctor was great, but I definitely wouldn't recommend the test. First, they send electrical shocks into the nerves in your legs, to check that the nerves are properly conducting impulses. The shocks near your feet aren't so bad. But as they go further up your legs, the nerves apparently get deeper, because he kept turning up the power on the electrocution machine. With every shock, you involuntarily jerk and yelp. After a while, I started laughing, just because I felt so silly squirming all over the table! Part two was the needle torture. For this part of the test, the doctor takes acupuncture needles, and inserts them into various muscles in your legs. Then, he wiggles the needle around, as he listens to your muscle. Finally, he asks you to flex your muscle, as he wiggles the needle around. Big ouchie!!! At the end of the testing, he said that I did better than a lot of people. He said many people tell him to stop, and actually leave the office without completing the test, saying that it's the worst pain they've ever felt.

Final results? He teased me that I'm obviously just crazy, since I (that is, my nerves & muscles) performed better on the tests than about 95% of the population would. He said he's seen other cases just like mine, where no cause is ever found. The answer is to just deal with the numbness, and be really thankful that the experts didn't find anything, since if they did, it would probably be "really bad". So, there's my answer. There is no answer. But hey, I'll definitely take that over a "really bad" answer anyday!

I love the things Tristan says!

2008-07-28T10:16:00.002-05:00

A few minutes ago, Tristan made this request...

"Mommy, can you please get my Things That Go book for me? It's right over there. Can you do me that favor, please?"

So sweet!

Fun Fruit

2008-07-27T20:42:00.004-05:00

Both of my kids are very easily entertained... just like their mommy! Here's a video of Logan eating his snack yesterday. I just love his laugh!

He Can Too!!!

2008-07-27T20:26:00.003-05:00

At the gym, you can leave your children in the child care area for only 1 hour, until they learn to walk. Once they learn how to walk, they can stay for 2 hours. That means that you actually have time to do a good workout, and then go swimming, get in the hot tub or sauna, and then take a shower. Cool!

So at the end of last week, I decided to take advantage of my new freedom, since Logan is walking now. I worked out for an hour, then spent some time in the hot tub, sauna and pool. After that, I took a hot shower, got dressed, and dried my hair. After 1 hour & 40 minutes (and feeling stupendous!), I went to pick up the kids. They met me at the door.

"We've been looking for you!" Oh my gosh! Are my kids OK? What happened? "You know that you can only leave Logan for 1 hour!" But, but, but, I stuttered. He's walking now, so he can stay for 2 hours. They informed me that they have never seen Logan take a single step. They've never even seen him stand up on his own. And then they asked me if I was sure he knew how to walk. Can you believe that?

Well, I have news for them! My child can too walk! I have video proof on my camera, from yesterday morning at my friend Anna's house. I plan to show it to them in the morning. Just because he's taking total advantage of them, and getting them to hold him the entire time he's there, doesn't mean that I'm lying. It just means that they're suckers.

So there! Take that, gym people! :)~

Our Brave Boy

2008-07-27T20:06:00.003-05:00

Tristan did a great job in his swim lessons last week. Tristan & Katie did all kinds of fun stuff. Then, on Wednesday, Tristan surprised us both by letting go of her, and swimming by himself on his noodle. He was kicking like crazy, and he even did a pretty good job of steering himself around. (Not an easy feat, steering a noodle! lol) We were both so proud of him! Like Tristan always tells me, he's really brave, just like his daddy!

You're Invited!!!

2008-07-22T15:12:00.003-05:00

Hey, gals! My best friend, April Tindall, has just started her own Mary Kay business. This is a great opportunity, and I'm really excited for her. Her debut party is this Thursday night. This isn't going to be a typical Mary Kay party. It's more just a chance for us to help April celebrate the opening of her new business. There will be refreshments, door prizes, a special pampering beauty treatment, chances to play with some of the new beauty products, and most importantly, the chance to show April that you love & support her. I know it would mean the world to her if you came. Here are the details...

Date: Thursday, July 24th

Time: 6:30 pm

Location: April's house - 2445 Mountain Park Rd

RSVP: April @ 329-1829

Come on, y'all. Let's really make this a great night for April. I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Fun Weekend

2008-07-21T16:27:00.003-05:00

My fun weekend started Friday night. Our community group gals went to On The Border mexican restaurant for a night out. April & I drove up together, and dropped my kids off at Stu & Ruthie's. (Thanks again, guys, for babysitting!!!) We all met at the restaurant about 6:00, and I didn't pick my kids up until about 8:30. We had so much fun eating, talking, eating, laughing & eating. Thanks for such a fun night, girls! (I tried to take pics, but it was too dark inside the restaurant... oh well.)

On Saturday, we went out to Rodney & April's house. We all played and hung out, and Rodney grilled hot dogs & hamburgers for us. For dessert, we had watermelon. Yummy! Logan especially enjoyed the toddler swing outside, and practicing his walking inside. Tristan had a blast on the seesaw & tricycle outside, and playing with cars inside. April let me go shopping in her "Mary Kay store", and we had fun practicing our supermodel poses, complete with hairdos by Logan. Thanks for another fun day, guys! We love y'all!

He Walks!!!

2008-07-17T20:06:00.002-05:00

Just within the past few days, Logan had started taking 1 or 2 steps. It didn't really seem intentional, though. More like he forgot that he didn't know how to walk. As soon as he realized what he was doing, he would plant his bottom firmly on the floor again.

Tonight, we went to Granddaddy & Grandmommy's house for dinner and a visit. Suddenly, something seemed to click in Logan's brain. Ohhhhh, that's what walking is all about. He took 2 steps, then 3, then 4. Within an hour, he was walking back & forth, balancing well, obviously very excited. Mommy is very excited, too.

Go, Logan, go!!! You've just made your Daddy a very proud man! (I love you, Matt!)