new adventure, new blog

Hi friends!
We have started our new adventure!  Naturally, I started a new blog to document it.  Let me know if you need the address!

Whirlwind

That describes our life right now.  A whirlwind.  I'll try to catch up on some things...

We are in the process of packing up and dispersing our stuff for our big move.  It's crazy to go through all your stuff to figure out what, if anything, you store.  I've been texting friends to see if they certain items.  We have had a couple garage sales and might still need to do one in January.

And of course, it's also almost Christmas.  Not great timing.

What cuties!  This is Kate's best friend and her little sister.  The whole gang sitting together.

I love James' hat!  And Kate was so cute in her boots!

Our little man is 8 months old now!  Can you believe it?  He's so big.  He's still a cuddler, still laid-back and very chill.  Still loves his sister.  He waves, often on command.  He's friendly, flexible, and so ready to be really mobile.  And he likes to eat!  I love those eyes!

Happy Halloween!

 The princess and her frog.  I don't think these cuties could scare anyone.

 These are the babies James goes to church with.  It was so funny trying to get them all in this picture. James is just a happy little frog watching all the commotion.

Out at the Harvest Fest. 

 Carving a pumpkin with daddy.  Getting to see all the yucky stuff inside.

 My little pumpkin!

What makes me happy

Stuff and Memories

A friend asked me today how I was doing with getting rid of most of our stuff in preparation to move.  A lot of things have been easy to part with.  Things that are going to someone who needs it are also easy to part with because it's good to be able to help someone else out.  Going through my books is hard.  The ones I can donate to the church library or give to someone are easier.  It's the ones that don't have an obvious new home that are hard.  Those books that I like to have on the shelf in case I want to read them again or look something up in them or just remember them. 

I ran across the course book from the University of Seville from when I studied abroad in 2004.  The course book!  The book that lists the courses offered that semester.  Yes, I still have that!  But getting rid of it seems so sad.  No one is going to want that but it seems too cool, too original, too special to throw away. 

Those are the things that are hard.  The "things" attached to memories.  The books I haven't yet read but want to.  Even if they've sat on the shelf for 3 years and I haven't read them.  Yet. 

The dishes that remind me of a certain friend and our time in Europe.  The mugs Josh and I got during certain trips.  Blankets my Mima made for us.

It's the memories that are important and the memories will stay.  I'm too sentimental for my own good, I think.  Most of it's just stuff anyways.  I think it's having to part with things and having to give up the convenience of having it "just in case I need/want it" that's hard. 

So this process is good.

Big Time Now!

James here.  Check me out!  I'm sitting on my own now!  Yep, pretty big time.

 Since I'm sitting up now I get to help mommy do things.  Like the other day I got to help her sort through magazines...

I was really helpful.  Mommy said it reminded her of when my big sister Kate started sitting up.  She liked magazines, too!

 There she is!  My beautiful sister back in her magazine tearing days.  I guess we are a lot alike. 

Gotta go! 

Catching up

Apparently I play with my kids too much to keep up my blog.  That and I just don't sit down and do it. 

So let's see.  A month ago we went to Colorado for a conference.  It was great to see friends and wonderful to be out of the 100 degree heat. 

Kate enjoyed collecting rocks. 

We got to see our friend Jeff again.  He recently got married and we were sad to miss the wedding but logistically just couldn't make it happen with our two young kiddos.  So Patty and Jeff drove over from Nebraska to see us.  It was perfect timing too because Jeff first met Kate when she was about the same age that James was here in Colorado. 

After Colorado we came back to scorching heat and no rain.  It's been a pretty lame summer what with having to stay indoors most of the time.  We do get out to a playground sometimes.  Now is when I would like a neighbor with a swimming pool.  =) 

 Our boy is getting big!  He is attempting to sit independently these days.  I haven't gotten a picture of that yet because I have to be ready to catch him when he starts to topple.  But he's getting there.  He has rolled over once from his tummy to his back and will not repeat the stunt no matter how much tummy time he gets.  Silly boy.

 So Kate wore these pajamas when she was 9 months old.  James is 5 months and already wearing them.  Oh my.

 Loving hanging out with their daddy.  This is a toddler face we see occasionally.  She has gotten quite adept at using the pouty lip.  Most of the time we get cute smiley faces for pictures but this was not one of those times.   

Five months old!  He's getting big, growing out of all his clothes, and developing more of his personality.  He is still really chill and laid-back.  He loves to laugh at his sister and has recently been kind enough to laugh for his mommy's tricks.  Still a cuddler and a sweetie. 

We are still preparing for our move.  We are fundraising and speaking at different groups and churches.  It's a busy time.  Soon we will need to start selling furniture.  Crazy!

That's it for now.  I started this post yesterday so I need to just get it done.  More later!

He's Huge!

Yes, that is one way to describe our little guy...who for his age, is not so little.  At his 4 month check-up (which was actually at about 4 1/2 months) he weighed 18lbs 3oz and was 25 3/4inches long.  That translates to 90th percentile for weight, 75th for length.  That translates to a big boy!

I'm trying to remember to take a picture at each month. 

James has gotten really good at holding objects and grabbing them if they are lying next to him or if you hold them out for him.  When I put him in his crib to sleep he tries to grab my hand so I can't go.  He loves to watch his sister and actually laughed at her the other day.  He was watching her shake her head around, acting silly as usual, and he just all of a suddenly chuckled.  Then that was it.  Try as she might to get him to laugh again he would not.  Such a funny boy.