A lot has happened since I blogged last. In my defense and what has been the biggest contributor to my lack of posts...Simon spilled water all over my laptop and it is now sitting on a desk in the basement, opened up, drying out and completely fried! Yes, we were able to recover the pictures and some other data and unfrotunatley, this isn't rhe first time our household ahs ruined a cpmuter. So now, we are set up in the basement at a desk with a nice large monitor and a Mac that Thomas used to use until it flew off the hood of his car! It works fine but the screen is shattered. ANyway, it's working great for now and I'm actually liking the fact that it is immobile and can't get spilled on, sat on, jumped on, spit up on, etc...Now, here we are, a month later and I do my best to get caught up with where we are at in life!
Christmas came and went so quickly but not wihtout a lot of laughs and good times! The boys had a blast in West Branch prior to Christmas Day with cousins, friends and family.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Monday, December 12, 2011
Party Weekend!
This past weekend we celebrated Ethan and Ava's 5th Birthday. EThan has been talking about his party for some time now and has been absolutely thrilled that he will be turning 5 very soon. He is so excited to be 5 that he insists on checking all of his clothes to make sure that they read 5t. Unfortunaely I have had to explain to him that I will have to do a little shopping to fill his drawers with 5t clothing and I am trying to reassure him that th 4t clothes still work, despite the fact that he isn't 4 any longer...difficult concept, yes, I know :) It's pretty m..l,;k.huhjhnnknmkm
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
25 days and counting! It's hard to believe Christmas has snuck up on us so quickly and yet, December is here and my list of things to do is getting longer and longer. We have checked a few things off the list already...Christmas tree...check!
Christmas Cards sent...check!
Christmas shopping...almost!
This year I did most of our shopping online and it was great! The cyber Monday deals seemed ok and not having to wait in lines was well worth it. I do however love to be apart of all the hustle and bustle of Holiday shopping but when we go, it's nice to not have an agenda of gifts that I need to have bought. So, at some point we will all head down to the mall in DesMoines and take part in the Holiday cheer, walk around, maybe buy a thing or two, and enjoy all the Christmas decorations and Holiday music playing!
This is our tree that we picked up from Lowe's. Can't beat Lowe's $30 tree and service! The boys thought it looked pretty good when THomas pulled it out. They were, however, a bit distracted when THomas told them to help hold it by the some 50' Santa Clause standing nearby. We had to get a picture!
So, with only 25 days left until Christmas, I actually think we're doing pretty well. The shopping is almost complete, gifts will need to get wrapped, Holiday cookies to friends and neighbors will get decorated and baked, we'll make one stop to the nursing home to drop off some Holiday cards we made, we'll visit Santa and finish with a trip to Grandma and Grandpa's House. Our tradition is to go to West Branch for a few days prior to Christmas, drive back on Christmas Eve and spend Christmas morning in our home, followed by brunch at my mom and dads. It's a fun tradition that I think everyone will grow to love more and more. And we can't forget that in the midst of everything going on...we have one special Birthday coming up very soon! Ethan is pretty excited to be turning 5 in a few days! December is a crazy month!
Monday, December 5, 2011
Check out this basement!
These final months of finishing up the basement have seemed to drag on however with some help from Thomas's Dad and my brother, Jon, the final touches have come together quickly. The basement is livable and quite comfortable. We have already enjoyed hosting quite a few suppers down there while all the International guests were here for the Summit Conference that our church hosts. We had some men over from Nigeria along with some others from the states. We set up a long table and brought all the chairs that we own down into the basement so that we could fit everyone in. It was wonderful to finally be able to fit everyone at the same table and I also liked that after the meal, everyone got up and sat on our sectional for a more confotable spot to chat and hang out. It was great and I think the kids really enjoyed having so many people in their home. Thomas and I were so glad to have a space where we could enterntain comfortably. The lighting, the sectional, the flooring...everything looks great. Thomas did a fantastic job. Even though everything looks great, Thomas and I still know there is a lot of work to do. The trim needs painting and Thomas needs to do some wiring for the new 50"tv that we bought on black friday. He managed to get a fantastic deal on a television and even though we had no idea we would end up with a televesion that large, it actually fits nicely down there. It seems like we are going to the movies when we all sit together on the couch with the lights turned low. THe boys are pretty excited to have our first movie night with popcorn and hot cocoa! It hasn't happenned yet but I'm sure we'll get there soon. We also had a dance party with the boys and we would never have guessed that our boys love to dance as much as they do! They had us going strong for almost an hour...dancing to all types of music! It makes us quiestion whether or not we should even look for carpet to put down (our intentions were to cover the floor with almost wall to wall carpet). We may have to reconsider...maybe even invest in some wall mirrors for practicing good technique :)
The boys enjoying the couch and ready for MOVIE NIGHT!
Friday, December 2, 2011
Halloween 2011
So, once again, I'm behind...It's almost Christmas and I haven't even posted any of our Halloween pictures yet! Yikes...I have a good reason to be behind...right?!? This Halloween was a blast! I kept saying to Thomas when Samuel was first born that Halloween this year would be great! The kids would be so much fun in there costumes and by then Samuel would be sleeping through the night (as any 3 month baby should be). Well, the boys did have a blast, trick-or-treating on Main Street and again later that evening in our neighborhood and well, Samuel, let's just say he looked cute too...we're still working on sleeping ALL the way through the night for mommy and daddy :)
This year Ethan wanted to be Buzz Light Year and we went on a search to find the perfect costume. Aunt Lauren let us borrow an old costume that was the suit and yet Thomas felt as if something was still missing. So Thomas, being the amazing father that he is, took the time laboring into the late night hours (the night before Halloween and after a few trips to Lowes) constructing some way cool wings for Ethan's costume. They turned out absolutely amazing...better than anything you could buy in the store. I don't know all the technical terms, but Thomas used all sorts of gadgets to get these things to open and close with a simple pull on the string! Amazing...YES!
Simon wanted to try them on as well.
This year Simon wanted to be a DINOSAUR and was able to comfortably fit into Ethan's costume from last year...with a little extra room :) He was probably the cutest dinosaur walking our block! I was concerned that he might not want to wear the hood but he was all about it this year!
We started the day at the library with some friends and from there met up with Thomas and went trick-or-treating at all the shops on Main Street! Such a beautiful day and so much fun. It was a bonus to have THomas there with us! Then we went home for a quick nap and rested up for the evening festivities. After dinner we headed to the neighbors and stopped for an extended stay at Dennis' house (our neighbor who has the model train in his yard) The kids love his train and he tries to have it running any time he knows kids might be walking by. It's great and I think every year, he adds more! Thanks Dennis for some great train viewing!
Here's a good shot of the back of the kids costumes, and the train!
After we did some hard core trick-or-treating, we head back to the house and Thomas ended the day with his now, going on two year tradition, of letting the kids play in some dry ice! They love this new tradition and I think Thomas loves it just as much.
All in all, I would say Halloween 2011 was a success! New traditions were formed and we all had a blast!
Monday, October 24, 2011
Good News All Around!
Here we are, October 24th, 2011 with several wonderful updates...
* Thomas is off crutches! We were beginning to think that this day would never come however last Wednesday when he went in for an x-ray, the doctor said everything looked good and is healing well so she gave him the ok to head out without what has been his "lifeline" for weeks...crutches! He has been taking it pretty slow as not to aggravate his foot and he is sore when he walks on it too much, but all in all, he says it feels pretty good and he is just thrilled to not have to go everywhere with crutches. It's amazing how long this process has been and I'm sure glad I didn't know it was going to take this long when it happened. SOmehow it was better just not knowing and dealing with it week by week. He got his cast taken off (which was a very painful procedure that shouldn't have been...poor guy) and is not wearing a large boot. Next week, he is hoping to wear regular shoes with a small boot over them. Yay for progress! He's already talking spring soccer...
* Thomas turned 30! Yes, Thomas has reached his 30th Birthday and we wanted to make it big! It fell on a Thursday so the boys and I wanted to make his day special with decorations, fun finger foods, cake, and presents. I also had been planning a surprise party for him that weekend. I bought Thomas a nice watch, and a few other nicer gifts this year...hey, why not, you only turn 30 once! EThan knew about the watch and was helping me do all sorts of research! It probably wasn't the best idea to let him in on the secret so after he somewhat spilled the beans, I did all sorts of things to convince Thomas that he wasn't getting a watch. I think he ended up surprised. We had a great day and he had no idea of what was coming that weekend! Saturday morning we went out for a while as people came and arrived at our house to set up. I made a ton of appetizers and finger foods for the party. I made one big sheet cake in the shape of an apple computer with an apple logo on it. It was fun to make! I hid everything for the party without Thomas knowing at all what was going on. We got back to the house and our friends and family were there to surprise him and hang out for the afternoon. It was fun and again, I'm pretty sure Thomas had no idea! I'll post pictures soon!
* The basement is finished! My brother Jon came and finished up all the molding and framed in the windows. I had everything cleaned up so that we could show off the basement for the party. It looks great! Thomas has seriously done an awesome job and I couldn't be more proud of him. There are several things that still need to be done but it is definitely livable and we have already had Mom Fawcett stay on the bed down there (the sectional that we bought also turns into a full size sleeper) and we had friends over yesterday for coffee and enjoyed it down there! It's so nice to have that space useable and I love how the lighting and color came out. It's so warm and welcoming. It's really fun to think of all the work that Thomas and other family members have put into it and now enjoy all their hard work. A job well done!
* Samuel is sleeping through the night...almost! Yes, this needs to be included because it's amazing to get 8 hours of consecutive sleep when all you've had recently is 3 or 4! We don't always go to sleep right away and get 8 hours, but we could! Samuel is going to sleep around 7 or 8 and sleeping until 6...and in his own room. Good news...Absolutely!
*
* Thomas is off crutches! We were beginning to think that this day would never come however last Wednesday when he went in for an x-ray, the doctor said everything looked good and is healing well so she gave him the ok to head out without what has been his "lifeline" for weeks...crutches! He has been taking it pretty slow as not to aggravate his foot and he is sore when he walks on it too much, but all in all, he says it feels pretty good and he is just thrilled to not have to go everywhere with crutches. It's amazing how long this process has been and I'm sure glad I didn't know it was going to take this long when it happened. SOmehow it was better just not knowing and dealing with it week by week. He got his cast taken off (which was a very painful procedure that shouldn't have been...poor guy) and is not wearing a large boot. Next week, he is hoping to wear regular shoes with a small boot over them. Yay for progress! He's already talking spring soccer...
* Thomas turned 30! Yes, Thomas has reached his 30th Birthday and we wanted to make it big! It fell on a Thursday so the boys and I wanted to make his day special with decorations, fun finger foods, cake, and presents. I also had been planning a surprise party for him that weekend. I bought Thomas a nice watch, and a few other nicer gifts this year...hey, why not, you only turn 30 once! EThan knew about the watch and was helping me do all sorts of research! It probably wasn't the best idea to let him in on the secret so after he somewhat spilled the beans, I did all sorts of things to convince Thomas that he wasn't getting a watch. I think he ended up surprised. We had a great day and he had no idea of what was coming that weekend! Saturday morning we went out for a while as people came and arrived at our house to set up. I made a ton of appetizers and finger foods for the party. I made one big sheet cake in the shape of an apple computer with an apple logo on it. It was fun to make! I hid everything for the party without Thomas knowing at all what was going on. We got back to the house and our friends and family were there to surprise him and hang out for the afternoon. It was fun and again, I'm pretty sure Thomas had no idea! I'll post pictures soon!
* The basement is finished! My brother Jon came and finished up all the molding and framed in the windows. I had everything cleaned up so that we could show off the basement for the party. It looks great! Thomas has seriously done an awesome job and I couldn't be more proud of him. There are several things that still need to be done but it is definitely livable and we have already had Mom Fawcett stay on the bed down there (the sectional that we bought also turns into a full size sleeper) and we had friends over yesterday for coffee and enjoyed it down there! It's so nice to have that space useable and I love how the lighting and color came out. It's so warm and welcoming. It's really fun to think of all the work that Thomas and other family members have put into it and now enjoy all their hard work. A job well done!
* Samuel is sleeping through the night...almost! Yes, this needs to be included because it's amazing to get 8 hours of consecutive sleep when all you've had recently is 3 or 4! We don't always go to sleep right away and get 8 hours, but we could! Samuel is going to sleep around 7 or 8 and sleeping until 6...and in his own room. Good news...Absolutely!
*
Monday, September 19, 2011
Samuel and Thomas updates
2 weeks have past and Samuel has quickly approached his 6 week Birthday! You would think this would mean that he would be sleeping longer and taking somewhat consistent naps...Not so! He is very sporadic at this point and I have to say that we are not getting any more sleep than the day we brought him home! Fortunately, when he is awake, fed, changed, not overly tired, ect...He is a very happy boy! He smiles just at the sound of a familiar voice (which makes my heart melt and I quickly forget about the late night hours that I have suffered with him through the night) and has such a sweet expression when anyone shows him attention. The boys love him so much! We have recently gone back and looked through all of Ethan's and Simon's baby photos and videos on our computer and the boys all look so much alike. Of course they all are unique and we can easily tell them apart but there will be no denying that they are bothers. I love that! We have had so much fun with Samuel and I have to say that Thomas and I have enjoyed this baby phase quite a bit. It might be because I have had so much help and I have an idea of what I'm doing this time!
Here's a quick update on Thomas. He went back to the doctor to get off crutches and found that he had re injured his foot and had to go in for surgery the next day. That went well and he is staying off his foot more now so as to not do any more damage. Last week, which was a week after his surgery, he went in to have a cast put on...doctor put that off for another week because there was more swelling and she wants to see the swelling go down completely before casting it. So, this Wednesday, we should have a cast on and then he will probably have another 4-6 weeks on crutches. At his point, that seems like a lifetime, but we know there is an end in sight and this will all be a blip on the screen very soon. I'm sure we will laugh down the road at the season in our lives, but there is no laughing yet!
I managed to snap a picture when they were playing with Samuel on the floor!
Being on crutches hasn't stopped Thomas from doing much. Bless his heart, he is still keeping up with the kids and doing his best to help me out with Samuel. Samuel is a pretty lucky baby because he gets to be held by Thomas on the couch often and loves to fall asleep on Daddy's chest! Maybe this is why he isn't sleeping well in his bassinet...I would much rather cuddle up with Thomas and fall asleep too!
This is Thomas putting together a track for the kids that we picked up at a garage sale this weekend. He was determined to get it together!
Thomas managed to put down almost all the flooring this weekend. His Dad started it for us and Thomas picked it right up and has almost completed the entire basement. We're getting close! I did paint the basement a few days ago and have been really pleased with the color. It's a warm color that has some yellow in it, although very subtle! I think it is very welcoming and bright and perfect for a basement! I would say we have about 2 more weeks and we'll be finished. Perfect timing for our couch to arrive!
Here's a quick update on Thomas. He went back to the doctor to get off crutches and found that he had re injured his foot and had to go in for surgery the next day. That went well and he is staying off his foot more now so as to not do any more damage. Last week, which was a week after his surgery, he went in to have a cast put on...doctor put that off for another week because there was more swelling and she wants to see the swelling go down completely before casting it. So, this Wednesday, we should have a cast on and then he will probably have another 4-6 weeks on crutches. At his point, that seems like a lifetime, but we know there is an end in sight and this will all be a blip on the screen very soon. I'm sure we will laugh down the road at the season in our lives, but there is no laughing yet!
I managed to snap a picture when they were playing with Samuel on the floor!
Being on crutches hasn't stopped Thomas from doing much. Bless his heart, he is still keeping up with the kids and doing his best to help me out with Samuel. Samuel is a pretty lucky baby because he gets to be held by Thomas on the couch often and loves to fall asleep on Daddy's chest! Maybe this is why he isn't sleeping well in his bassinet...I would much rather cuddle up with Thomas and fall asleep too!
This is Thomas putting together a track for the kids that we picked up at a garage sale this weekend. He was determined to get it together!
Thomas managed to put down almost all the flooring this weekend. His Dad started it for us and Thomas picked it right up and has almost completed the entire basement. We're getting close! I did paint the basement a few days ago and have been really pleased with the color. It's a warm color that has some yellow in it, although very subtle! I think it is very welcoming and bright and perfect for a basement! I would say we have about 2 more weeks and we'll be finished. Perfect timing for our couch to arrive!
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