always wear a helmet when . . .

you are playing in the sprinkler.

potty training

Since Caley is in school now I thought this would be the perfect time to potty train Blake. So we started last week and he's been doing great except for the few expected accidents that we've had. But this week I've resorted to bribing (2 smarties if he goes #2), it worked yesterday so hopefully it will work today and then he can get that one figured out. Other than that little inconvience he's been doing great and we are one step closer to not have to be buying diapers.

Physical Education

On Caley's second day of school she gets home and tells me she doesn't want to go to school anymore. I ask her why and she tells me it's because she doesn't like PE. I ask her why she doesn't like PE and she proceeds to tell me it's because they won't let y ou do anything and you have to be quiet and follow the rules.

I've been trying to figure out why she wouldn't like it and these are the conclusions that I've come to with a little help from my sister and mom:

1. The gym is really loud and echoey.
2. There is probably at least 2 classes of Kindergarten kids in there.
3. It's not just free play like in preschool.
4. There are rules and you need to follow them.
5. One teacher is a guy and the other is a girl.

So on Friday last week she gets home and we ask her how school was and if she had fun. I then ask how was PE and she says, "it was much more gooder today." I say that's great I'm glad that you had a fun time. How come it was better today and she says that the teacher who's a guy wasn't there and it was just the lady teacher and that's why she likes it better.

First Day of School

Well the first day of school and come and gone. Caley was very excited to go and meet new friends and especially to ride the bus. I on the other hand wasn't too excited about that part but we let her ride the bus anyway. I thought that she would get to the top step of the bus and see all these unfamiliar faces and turn right back around and want us to take her to school. That was not the case at all she walked up the steps and kept going and found a seat. After school I asked her who she sat by on the bus on the way to school and she replied, "A big kid." It was very cute I thought. So here are a few pictures from that first day.

Caley eating breakfast on her first school day. Cheese toast, eggs and juice.

Caley and Blake were waiting for the bus at 7:50 and the bus doesn't come until 8:21. She was very excited!

Here she is our kindergartener. Getting ready to walk two houses down to the bus stop.

Now we are at the bus stop.

Have a fun day at school Caley!

She made it safely to school and into her class with Mrs. Barrett.

Poor bunny

Today it's been so rainy here in Topeka. I was standing looking out the window in the basement bedroom when all of the sudden this poor little bunny runs in front of the window and underneath the slide. I feel bad for the little guy just hanging out waiting for the rain to stop.

Craft time with Daddy

Caley and Daddy had a fun time making construction paper masks.

Daddy's mask.

Caley's mask.

2008 Book List

For those of you who don't know me well I love to read. My mom thinks I'm a little bit nuts but I like to keep a list of what I read each year. I guess I'm a bit OCD on this, I've been keeping a list since the summer of 2003. I like to know what I've read and if I pick up a book that seems familiar I can go and check and see if I've already read it. So I thought I'd post my list from this year so far. If you need a good book I've read some this year. This year I've also tried to read some books other than Christian Fiction because that's what I normally would read. I'll try and keep this list updated every few weeks so you can check back to this post for new books. The most recent reads are at the bottom.

• Between Sundays by Karen Kingsbury
• Last Light by Terri Blackstock
• Valiant Hope by Donna Fleisher
• Night Light by Terri Blackstock
• Amazing Grace by Danielle Steele
• True Light by Terri Blackstock
• Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez
• Escape by Carolyn Jessop
• White Chocolate Moments by Lori Wick
• A Night to Remember by Walter Lord
• Someday by Karen Kingsbury
• Surrender Bay by Denise Hunter
• Cassidy by Lori Wick
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See
• Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury
• Chosen: The Lost Diaries of Queen Esther by Ginger Garrett
• Dawn's Light by Terri Blackstock
• Bachelor's Puzzle by Judith Pella
• Sabrina by Lori Wick
• The Convenient Groom by Denise Hunter
• In the Company of Secrets by Judith Miller
• Moon over Tokyo by Siri L. Mitchell
• Hattie Big Sky by Kirby Larson
• To Love Anew by Bonnie Leon
• Counting of Grace by Elizabeth Winthrop
• Sister's Choice by Judith Pella
• Whispers Along the Rails by Judith Miller
• Yellow Star by Jennifer Roy
• The Englisher by Beverly Lewis
• The Brethern by Beverly Lewis
• The Sand Castle by Rita Mae Brown
• A Bride most Begrudging by Deeanne Gist
• The Mailbox by Audrey Shafer
• Sundays at Tiffany's by James Patterson
• Sail by James Patterson
• The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman
• The Senator's Other Daughter by Stephen Bly
• The General's Notorious Widow by Stephen Bly
• The Diplomat's Wife by Pam Jenoff
• For Such a Time by Elyse Larson
• The Kommandant's Girl by Pam Jenoff
• Sunset by Karen Kingsbury
• Jessie by Lori Wick
• An Uncertain Dream by Judith Miller
• Anathema by Colleen Coble
• Moment of Weakness by Karen Kingsbury
• Halfway to Forever by Karen Kingsbury
• Mending Places by Denise Hunter
• Saving Grace by Denise Hunter
• The Purpose of Christmas by Rick Warren

A new chapter unfolds

You know when you have your first baby and they are so cute and all they do is eat and sleep and go to the bathroom. Those times were so fun and easy most days. I thought that it would last forever. When your baby is little and you think they are going to be with me always and then all of the sudden they are 5 and starting kindergarten next week! I didn't think that this day would come so quickly. I thought, "wow I have 5 years till she starts school." Then in April my friend whose daughter was in kindergarten this past year brings me the paper for Kindergarten roundup. I thought to myself, it's happening to soon. So I thought over the summer we'll have so much fun and do lots of stuff which we have and it's been a great. But it's going to come to a screeching halt next week when my baby gets on the school bus to go to school. She's very excited and I know she's ready it's just another adjustment in our lives that we have to accept and deal with even though it's come to quickly.



Today was enrollment day so we went to the school and turned in all the paperwork that you need for your kids to go to school. Caley was excited and wanted to know if she could ride the bus home today. I had to tell her, "no, that's next week." I signed up to help in her class like all mom's do and I'm excited to be there and be involved but I still think to myself, "is this really happening?"



On Monday of next week we get to go and meet the teacher and have ice cream and hopefully meet some new friends and if they rode on her bus that would be perfect. Then she goes to school for real on Wednesday. Poor little Blake will be lonesome without his big sister to play with during the day. What will we do?



So I guess that we are entering a new chapter in our lives that we thought was in the far off future. So we'll embrace this chapter and enjoy it while it's here because before we know it, it will be gone and another one will come.



So now we'll cheer, "Go Junior Blues!"

A God Moment

The other night at dinner we were eating as we normally do when all of the sudden Caley and Blake started asking us questions.
- who made the sun?
- how did God make the sky?
- how did he make the animals?
- how did he make the ocean?
- how did he make people?
- how did he know how to make everything?
- why did he do all that?

So David and I are trying to answer their questions so that they can understand the wonderful God that we have. Hopefully they understood our answers. The next morning which was yesterday before I was reading Proverbs 3 before church. (Our church has being reading through the Proverbs this summer each day of the corresponds to one Proverb) Anyway in Proverbs 3:19 it says:

"The LORD made the earth, using his wisdom.

He set the sky in place, using his understanding.

With his knowledge, he made springs flow into rivers

and the clouds drop rain on the earth."

I think that it is so great that even when we as parents don't know all the answers God will continually show them to us if we are faithful to him. Although I don't think my kids would understand this verse right now. I know what to tell them in the future when they ask these questions.