Bad Blog

For anyone that still checks in...So sorry to disappoint. I am a total blog failure. Ha! There is just no way that I can keep up with everything these days. School is really taking up most of my time. I love my family and I love my kids so any free time I do have....I try to spend it with them.

Luca is 19 months old and he is a hoot! He deserves a post of his own detailing all that he is doing.

Jack is 4 and a half and at times acts like a old man with all of his idiosyncrasies. Other times he acts younger than Luca!

Todd is working hard at the tenure process.

And I am simply trying to survive my last full semester of classes.

Well... let's see how long it is before the next brief update!

Pots and Pans

An activity intended for Luca, but enjoyed by both boys. :-)

Halloween

Our little family had a nice fall weekend. We enjoyed some much needed family time. We had a little BBQ, ate outdoors, carved a pumpkin, roasted some pumpkin seeds and watched a good football game. Here we have Sporticus and a Skunk completing the weekend with a little trick or treating.

Luca-15 Months

At 15 months Luca:

1. is little. At his 15 month appointment he weighed 19 lbs. He is the smallest in his Mother's Day Out class but totally the cutest! ;-)

2. is developing language daily. Words: Mama, Dada, cracker, up, get down, shoes, and choo choo..Baby talk: Bubu for bubbles, baba, for ball, da for dog, wawa for water, ticka, ticka for tickle, tickle and occasionally mimics things like thank you and go go. :-)

3. likes to eat waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, bacon, quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, sometimes turkey, fishsticks, fruit, yogurt and raisins. (He is not a big meat or vegetable eater.) However, he is starting to try new things. His most recent items are broccoli, strawberries, oranges and couscous.

4. likes to read books, play with balls and cars, blow bubbles, play outside, sing songs, dance to fun music, and play with his big brother. (Their most recent fun time has been playing under the dining room table with an empty car seat box.. they play, giggle and scribble on the inside of the box. It is super cute.)

5. likes watching Baby Einstein's Baby Beethoven and requires us to watch it with him.

6. makes animal sounds for the cow, dog, lion, duck, rooster, and monkey

7. got bitten on the head by a girl at Mother's Day Out.

8. is totally a Momma's boy right now. Although this does not allow for me to eat, go to the bathroom or even walk in or of a room without him wanting me to carry him.... I know in the blink of an eye this phase will be gone so I am trying to embrace and love him as much as possible. He is quite the sweetie pie. :-)

Hello

Just a short hello and a background change for today. Note: I am not the butterfly type. Just the only thing I could find that kind of goes with our banner. I need a complete blog overhaul. In November that photo up there will be a whole year old!!

June Swim Lessons

The summer is quickly coming to an end and I haven't shared many photos of our summer. Jack took swimming lessons in June and this about sums it up..

Sometimes he went willingly.

Sometimes not so willingly..

He was not a natural in the water and was terribly afraid of putting his head under water.

He was definitely one of the younger and smaller kids in his group!

Overall, Jack did a great job. And we are proud of him. He went everyday and he got in the water each day. He attempted everything that was asked of him. It was rather humorous watching and listening to him negotiate head submersion with the instructor. :-) He is quirky kid and we love him!

My Office

This is my home office. Not really. But it is some of the stuff that would be in my office if I had one. :-) I don't often blog about myself but I thought I would take a little break from studying to solicit prayers. I have preliminary exams the week of August 2nd-August 5th. I am in the trenches right now. The above picture is the material I am responsible for knowing. If you are a friend or family member and you wonder why I haven't called or emailed you, it is because I have my nose in the books right now. I promise to emerge back into the world once this is over.

Please keep Todd and the kids in your prayers too! He is playing the role of Mr. Mom right now.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.