Ahhh! Three days?!!

Nothing to say....just panicked. AHhhhh!

Deep thoughts about the future of print media

Last week, I read a story about the Christian Science Monitor moving from its traditional printed publication to a web-only publication. This bold move was followed by today's announcement that the US News & World Report will be following suit. While I'm not at all surprised, I am disappointed.

I am a lover of books and paper and all things tangible. I love the smell of the newspaper when I spread it out on the kitchen table. I adore flipping through the pages of a new book to get a brief glimpse of "new book smell." Oh, I'm trying to read more digital media. I maintain a couple of blogs and I am a regular reader of dozens of them. I read the daily news online, too. I even read Gone With the Wind on my iPod touch. Talk about a challenge!

My disappointment is not in the change or the technology, but in the impersonal experience digital reading provides. My laptop and iPod just don't form to my hands the way a magazine or book would do. And falling asleep on either of them is just uncomfortable.

I guess I'm just feeling melancholy about the days gone by. I remember reading books late at night, snuggled up in my bed, experiencing Laura Ingalls-Wilder's pioneer life, wishing I didn't have a light to click off, but a candle to blow out like she did. What will my boys do when they get older? Will they, too, long for paper texts? What does this shift to digital texts mean for the meaning of the texts? Our experiences with them are certainly going to change; in what direction will they lead us? Or will we lead them where we want them?

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.

Star of Bethlehem

Isn't she beautiful? And she smells like spring. Gram brought me a start of it and I'm so afraid to kill it like I do most of our other houseplants. Sigh. If you have any tips for raising this beaut, please let me know.

Fall is here and almost gone

Wordle

This is a Wordle. Isn't it cute? And it's free :)  Check out Wordle and make your own.

Blast from the past

I was surfing through some photos and found one of Jim and I nine years ago. I'm pairing it with one from last weekend. Awe..

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...

Crazy busy

We've been crazy busy. I can't even find pictures to upload. I swear that I'll get back here soon.

Power of prayer

As many of you heard, two weeks ago we learned that Coleen’s (Jim’s mom) breast cancer has returned again. This is the third time around for her . She had an “all clear” mammogram on March 10, but when we all noticed strange behavior a few weeks ago, she went in to her doctor for his advice.

He swiftly ordered an MRI which showed trouble. A roughly 2-3 cm tumor was found in the left temporal lobe. She was put on steroids to reduce the swelling to relieve some of the pressure on the brain tissue. On Wednesday morning, Coleen had surgery to remove the tumor, which the doctor feels certain he removed completely.

I have to say that I am speechless about her recovery. This picture is on Friday afternoon; just two days after surgery. On Saturday, we all went out to breakfast. On Sunday, they took a stoll through Ann Arbor, and today Nana is resting with all three grandsons. We are sure that it was through the grace of God that she is doing so well. Thank you all for your prayers.

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.

Economic Stimulus Package may mean more FABRIC!

Oooh. Here's a link to the amount of cash you could be lucky enough to receive from Big Brother. 

While I know I should use it to pay some creditors or save it for the fellas to go to college, I really want to buy a few things. I'd like a sewing machine that does embroidery, LOTS of fabric to play with, and a babysitter so I can crop and stitch. 

Here's a lousy picture (taken from my cell) of a dress I made. I used a pattern but didn't exactly know how to follow it. It fits, but it isn't as cute and trendy as I was hoping it would be. It's definitely something I will wear to work or church. 

And of course you want to know how the fellas are doing. They're great! Nathan is learning to count (eight, nine, ten) and say his ABCs (i, b, i, b, i, b...). Nickolas can write his name and is practicing other names, too (for Nathan, he impressed us by sounding it out and spelling "NTAOAN"). 

I heart contests

A Valentine Giveaway 

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. 

Princess Bride deleted scene

This is hilarious!

All thumbs, no thumbs

Since I have not done any scrapbooking in over SIX months, I've started a new hobby: sewing. I'm teaching myself to sew. I'm not great, but I have learned a ton in the past week or so. Apparently, however, I have not learned to avoid slicing my thumbs with my rotary cutter. I actually could probably use a couple of stitches on my left thumb, but I'm just sticking with bandages for now.

I've made some super cool things, including window treatments, a little drawstring bag, and table runner, some coasters, and half of a purse. Don't ask.

I don't have any pictures of my new stuff, but I can assure you that they only look super cool because of the fabric I used.

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!)

Vote intelligently

If you aren't sure who to vote for, try this little quiz at Glassbooth.org to see which candidate is the best match for you. You can learn more about the issues and each candidate's position on the issues.

The site paired me with this fella and this one. I agree. I think Duncan was the third runner-up.

She's crafty

Check out the "craft center" (no, I do not actually call it that) in the den. You should also notice that I attached a curtain rod to the kids' table so I could attach their roll of paper. 

I do realize that A.) the boys will climb on the table to reach the top bulletin board and chalkboard, and B.) they will color on the walls with the chalk and crayons. I'm prepared with Mr. Clean's Magic Eraser for the latter. As for the climbing, I think we're out of luck. Our kiddos would climb on anything.

New Year, New kitchen

And family room, den and mudroom, too. Sorry about having the mudroom photo on its side. I have no clue how to change it. I've tried...