I'm big now!

On Nathan's birthday, I made him a strawberry cake (all he asked for was a "strawberry birthday" and rather than buy him a Strawberry Shortcake doll, I went for the cake). He could not figure out how to blow out the candles. We tried and tried, but Nick got so frustrated that he finally went over and did it for him!

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After all of that practice, you'd think he'd have it down for his party. Nope. Jim stepped in at the end and blew them out for him. Look at nick in the background, trying SO hard to not just do it for him!

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It's also important to note that this was the birthday of the silky pants. Nathan wore gojamma pants all day, which gave him the urge to hold his penis all.day.long.

Blah blah blah

Well, I've officially started school. Fortunately, it looks like I'll be able to manage my schedule pretty well this semester, but I'm not so sure about May. Oh, May, May, my favorite month. It will be a rough May this year as I travel to Nebraska and draft my dissertation proposal. I'm VERY, Very nervous about that. I'm just starting my first classes in the program and I'll start working on my book in just a few months. Holy cow! Okay, enough rambling about me. I just wanted to get that off my chest.

Quick updates: Nickolas is sick (the tummy kind...gross). Nathan is well (for a monkey, that is). Basement is progressing (slowly). Traci's curtains are in the same state they were in last week, and I still haven't started our bedroom curtains.

Here is a quick one to make you smile:

GQ

I forgot to post this on New Year's Eve. Lady's man.

More prayers, please, of varying types

Don't they just look like trouble? Holy mackerel! I must have been a real stinker. Yikes! I'm imagining them in six or seven years. Oh,my! Nick is fearless on the four wheeler. Nathan, well, he just looks tough. REAL tough.


Okay, and I'm making a leap of faith, too. I'm going back to school. Don't fret, pals and friends. I'm not moving. I'm working on my Ed D from home :) I'm enrolled in a distance program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. I'll need to go out there once in a while to actually meet people and make presentations, and then to defend my dissertation, but the bulk of my work will be done right here at the kitchen table. Woo hoo. Guess I'm a Spartan and a Husker now.

On a serious note...
It was just over six months ago that I thanked you all for your prayers for Coleen's health when her brain surgery for BC Mets was successful. Well, if you would please add her to your prayers again, we would be grateful. I'll keep you posted, but we need her doctors to act swiftly and have intelligent foresight, and Coleen needs strength, for both mind and body, and comfort. It looks like her BC Mets is back again. Further testing is being done in the coming weeks. 'Nuff said for now.

Getting big

Well, in the past month, the boys have outgrown most of their clothes and shoes, not to mention their mom/monny. Nathan is the poster child for two-year-old independence-seeking, while Nickolas is just really, really smart. I'm partial, I do realize that, but what three-year-old appropriately uses the word "actually" in a sentence. Example:

Me: Nick, what is in your shoe?
Nick: Actually, mom, it's a frog.
Me: Really? A toad or a frog?
Nick: It's actually a frog, mom. It came from the pond.

Creepy. Weird. Whoa.

Nathan is really working on his sentences and words. He is much easier to understand, but that isn't always fun. Example:

Me: Nathan, please put your head on your pillow. It's time for bed, buddy.
Nathan: I no wanna take a nap.
Me: Well that's good, 'cause it's bedtime, not naptime.
Nathan: Get out of here, Monny!

It's been a fun summer.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you about Nick's new habit. "I'm sorry." Wonder where that comes from...

Please come, Spring

I know you can't tell by the pictures, but there is five inches of snow on the ground. It is getting old. We've been playing pirates for hours every day. And that picture of Nathan on the inchworm? Let's just say that it has been spending quality time in the garage - by itself - because it is so. flipping. obnoxious. Please, please, pray for Spring.

Don't let it fool you

Awwwwwe! Aren't they so sweet? [See title of post now].

Okay, it is pretty cute. For the past week, Nathan has been jumping into Nick's bed at naptime. He covers himself up so quickly; it's like he thinks I won't notice. Today, I let them try it out.

The fellas shared a bed for almost 20 minutes. I went in at that point because Nick was coughing a lot. When I walked in, I saw that Nathan was almost asleep. OMG! I took him into his own bed (he is in a big boy bed now...see picture below) and he sobbed. He wouldn't calm down until Nick came in and gave him a good night kiss. That is pretty sweet.

Birthday boy

Nathan's second birthday is tomorrow. Wait a second...I'm wiping away a tear...

We celebrated last night by having a delicious ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery. Yum! We had lots of fun watching Nathan dive into his presents, tossing clothes to the side and screaming "Mine!" when Nickolas tried to touch his new toys. This morning, all we've heard from Nathan is "No! Mine!" While it is getting old, it's

 kind of nice to hear him playing and running around again after a week of being sick and clingy. 

Here are a few photos from the party. 

Wii love to play games

I swore that our boys would never play video games. We made it almost three and a half years. Nick was sick this weekend, complete with a fever of 103. After a couple of days of constant whining, we decided to bust out the Wii and let him try his hand at bowling.

Nathan did not want to miss anything, so he pulled out his own controller and "played" along, too.

Speaking of Nathan, I have to tell you something HILARIOUS. It requires a little bit of background. Gram and Umpa (my mom and dad) bought a place mat with all of the presidents of the United States on it for Nickolas. Nick knows a LOT of them now, even if we show him different pictures than the ones on the mat. Pretty sweet. Anyhow, Nathan has not been ignoring this mat. Nathan keeps pointing at a picture of Martin Van Buren and saying, "Bumpa!" Bumpa, of course, is what Nater calls Umpa. Ha!
(Dad, we tried to call you and tell you, but you didn't answer. Sorry!)

Christmas prayer

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for presents, Polar Express, my family, listening, for not being sassy.

I love you.

Come, Lord Jesus, come!

I love you.

We decorated a Christmas tree for you.

Thank you for being happy.

Be proud.

Amen

(from Nickolas)