He's 4 Now!!

So on Tuesday the little guy celebrated his 4th birthday! We had a great time that evening. But I should probably start at the beginning...

Tuesday I was working from home, so I got to sleep in that morning (LOVED IT!), first time in quite a while. I woke up to a boy climbing into my bed and saying "It's time to read, mama!!" Needless to say, it brought a huge smile to my face. So of course, before I read a book I had to ask him if he knew what day it was. He answered its my birthday today, and he also answered that he was four years old. When I asked if he knew how old he would be next year, he told me five!

We had a nice leisurely morning, then Grandpa picked up the guy for the rest of the day. I ran a couple errands and settled into work.

Party time came and it was good. We had his great-grandparents (both sets), grandparents, and an Uncle to help us celebrate. Pizza was the meal, with a Scooby Doo cake for dessert. Someone got into the cake earlier that day however, so Scooby looked a little worse off for the wear and tear. (Little fingers and a table knife can do substantial amounts of frosting damage.)


He enjoyed all the presents he received, and even liked the clothes! I think, however, that his favorite was a truck set he received from Aunt Cindy and Uncle Dale. He had that set-up in the kitchen in no time flat!!

Since then he has used the fact he is 4 years old to try to get his way - or to deny he is 4 years old if there is something he doesn't want to do. Stay tuned as I delve into Christmas and the other crazy antics of my lovable child!!

Who dares to cross my bridge!?!?!

Early this week I finally came through on a promise I made to my mom several years ago. I showed up to help sort through, organize, clean up my old bedroom. It is now her sewing room - and sometimes a nap room for the almost 4 year old. And I admit I had a lot of stuff in there over the years, and slowly Mom has been giving me bags of things to do with as I will. But I was never there to help in the first place... until Monday night.

The biggest thing to go through was books. Now I have always loved reading, and I think the little one is following in my footsteps. He loves to have a story read to him, and if you can't - he will sit down and tell the story himself. (I love watching him do that.) Back on topic, though... I could not believe how many books we had tucked away in that room. A three-row book shelf was stuffed with books, and the closet... well let's just say I don't need to buy any books for quite some time for the little monster that I have. Of course, some are going to stay at Mom and Dad's while some go home with us.

I had forgotten all the books I had when I was little. To see some of these books for the first time in more than 10 years (some more than 20!!) was like stepping back in time. I am looking forward to sharing my favorite stories with the young one. There were a few that he picked out right away... a Fox and the Hound pop-up book, anything with Curious George or Clifford the Big Red Dog, and a teeny little book called The Three Billy Goats Gruff. (When I say teeny, I really mean teeny. The book is maybe two inches by three inches and no more than a 1/4 inch thick.)

This book tells the story of the three goats who need to cross a bridge, under which lives a troll. The troll under the bridge loves goats, I think it even states that goat stew is his favorite, but hey - you can go to the library to check it out to make sure! The little one of mine has decided this is his newest game to play. Someone has to be the troll and ask the all important questions "Who dares to cross my bridge?" and he answers "the little billy goat gruff because I want the green, green grass to eat and get fat." If I can ever capture the look on his face as he gets ready to "race across the bridge" I will post it with an update. It is so darn cute!!

Halloween Fun!

The little one experienced his fourth halloween this year. I have a picture of him in his outfit posted further down (Davy Jones in the picture is the daughter of a great friend of mine). It was so cute... he was Thomas the Tank Engine, and I was to be James. (Just check out this link if you are not sure what I am talking about.) Of course - I didn't find out I was to be James until about 3 minutes before heading into town for that childhood favorite of free candy. So I was just mama for the evening. But according to him that was okay. (I wish I could put his voice in here somehow - it is so fun to listen to him talking.)

Now that he is getting older - his concept of how this all works is getting better. He knows that he needs to say "Trick or Treat" and "Thank you", however - we are still working on the part of when to say those words. Most often on Tuesday night it was "Trick or treat thank you." And at the houses where people were dressed up he just had to know who they were! It was the cutest thing... a guy all in black without a visible face and skeleton hands was not scary!! Just brought up questions like "what happened to your hands? Who are you? Where is your face??" I think the best things was that no one deliberately tried to scare us - you know jumping out and yelling "Boo!"

It was funny to see how much like me he is (or maybe scary is the better word to use here). We went to the houses of people I know, and for that matter that he knows also. So it wasn't just saying the words and then moving on... it was stopping to chat and catch up with people that I haven't seen for days, or weeks, or months. And most of the people he knew so it was his conversation and mine that had to be finished before moving on to the next place.

Here are the pictures that I have from his last three Halloweens. (Don't have an electronic format yet of his first year... If I manage to create on, I'll modify this post and add it in.)

2006


2005

2004

What he knows...

Work has been very good lately. We have been busy, and for that I am grateful. Yes, I know I complain sometimes, but all in all it is a wonderful job and the brisk pace has been great.

The little one is picking up on work - if he visits the office with me he is the one who has to use the keys to let us in the building. We don't usually go there during normal hours - we go after hours, less disturbance this way ;-) He knows how things work in the rooms we visit. If something is missing, he asks where it is. He knows the people I work with, and expects to see them if we go to the building... when he doesn't see them, he asks where they are.

But the most amazing thing is just "he knows." Really - he is not quite four years old. (And the thought of this December bringing his 5th Christmas is doing things in my head that we won't talk about right now!) But the things he knows just amazes me. He observes and processes and remembers and knows! Places to go, people to see, items to find, how the day of the week determines what we do. Lately that last one has meant it was either a day for Mama to work or a day for Sunday School and Church Service, but the Holidays are coming and with them some well deserved time off.

Okay - so I sound like one of those Moms that are always bragging about how smart their child is or whatever - but here is the deal. My child just amazes me (I know, I'm repeating my self from above). There are things he does very well (identify capital letters), but there are things he does not (count to 20). It is watching this learning process and sharing his joy as he learns something new that is just so much fun!

So here are some pictures of him doing things he now knows- and having fun doing it. Hope you enjoy!

Technically Savvy?... You betcha!

Yes, I will admit that I consider myself to be a technically savvy kinda girl. I mean, part of my job requires I be able to figure out how to fix computer issues, projectors, media cabinets, etc. Since I still have my job I figure I must be doing okay in that area of responsibility.

I have been surfing the web for quite a few years now as well. It started for just plain fun, then moved into research for school, then moved into research for work, and now culminates in a combination of research for work and creating this little blog here for fun. Oh, and we can't forget the daily edification through comics strips... mainly Andy Capp, B.C., For Better or For Worse, FoxTrot, Frazz, The Meaning of Lila, and Pickles. Now here are people with TALENT!!

Yet... when I try to find a store near my home that handles scrapbooking supplies I come up empty. Actually I come up worse than empty - I come up with phone numbers that beep-bip-boop in your ear about disconnected numbers when you call to determine hours of operation!! Now I know I have never specified what part of Michigan I live in (and who can blame me???? There are a lot of wierdos out there...) but let's leave it that I don't live in the UP where a scrapbooking store would be understandably hard to come by.

So why all the drama over trying to find a store that sells scrapbooking supplies?? Well, admittedly I don't have a lot of time. But sometimes I just get this itch to create another page for the scrapbook. And when the itch strikes, I like to be able to scratch it - and in order to do that you need supplies.

And really - who can blame me for the scrapbooking urge when your little one decides it is time to grow a mustache and you happen to get a picture??

October means.... Snow!?!?!

Okay - so I am sure that talking about the weather all the time has got to stop. And one day it just might. But right now I am in utter shock!!

Who ever heard of snow in Michigan... (wait for it) in OCTOBER!!! On Halloween, you say, we have had snow many times. Yes, you are right! But that is practically November. We haven't even hit the middle of the month yet and we had snow that was sticking to the ground in Michigan.

But enough complaining for now... my friend and her husband have an amazing story to share about God's grace and healing. Check it out here. And remember when things get tough, the tough keep praying.

Until next time...

The Summer That Wasn't

Do you know what day it is?? It is five days before my parents have their annual End-of-Summer party. Five days?!?!?!? Where did the time go? Am I really at the end of summer??

Apparently - I am. I remember starting the last posting thinking that I would jot a couple things down about what I was expecting for my vacation and that has obviously not happened. And no, I was NOT on vacation the whole time! I do, however, now understand what the draw of the West is. Colorado was fantastic. I have way too many pictures to post them all here, but I'll see if I can't get a few on the page.

They say (whoever it is that "they" happen to be) time flies when you are having fun. My vacation was over much too quickly. But I was positive that the summer could not possibly fly by because I had nothing fun scheduled. Well, as I stated at the begining, I am now just five days away from the end.

And the longer I take to complete this posting the more I wonder if summer really did fly by. If I look back over the summer - the start of it - with a trip to San Jose seems way far back. Heck - even the 4th of July is looking a little distant at this point. (But I had a wonderful time with the family at my Uncle & Aunt's place.) So it must come down to that saying by Albert Einstein - that although sitting next to a pretty girl for an hour feels like a minute, placing one's hand on a hot stove for a minute feels like an hour.

I Do Come Back - Really, I Do!

This is the picture that shows me home after a week of travel for work and the little one wearing his matching shirt that I brought home for him. He was sooo excited, and it was really cute to see. My son missed me, he really, really missed me!!

It is at least 3 sizes to big for him, but he loves to wear it anyway.

Vacation Time... Here I Come!

Life has been crazy of late. Early mornings, late nights, Summer is officially here, and it seems like just yesterday that I was writing about Spring and how glad I was to finally have it arrive.

It's Springtime in the Midwest

It has been a couple of weeks now since the robins returned. One morning, as I groggily pulled myself from bed (at the dog's insistence on it being time to go outside), I happened to look over the yard and there it was. The first robin I had seen this year. While I was still groggy, a smile appeared on my face. At last... I was looking at the possibility of only one, or maybe two, freak snow storms and then the sunshine will be here to stay. (Excepting, of course, for when it rains.)

One of my favorite times in the year is when color starts returning to the world around me. (My other favorite time is when the colors change, but I think we will save this for later in the year to talk about in detail.) I love how the sun stays up longer, the trees get that fuzzy appearance until the leave break out, and that you can be outside without a heavy winter coat weighing you down. For the past couple of days we have had a lot of wind – and I even love how that feels as it whips through my hair.

So where is this leading to? What am I trying to say, here?? Absolutely nothing!! I just felt it was time to lay it all on the line and admit it – I LOVE SPRING!!!

I hope you are enjoying the change in season as much as I am. And if not, well… I guess there isn’t a whole lot that I can do about it.

Have you ever noticed...

That one great line from a person, quickly becomes the great line of many?

And I feel like sharing one of my favorites. Currently I have a line from Douglas Adams running as my screen saver... Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so.

Now believe me when I say people give me wierd looks at the lines I choose to use for my marquee screen saver. But it is put there for my enjoyment. Just like you do things for your enjoyment. Right?!?!?!

Some other favorites come from everywhere you can think of... music, movies, books, interviews, etc. There is just a strange enjoyment that can be received from using a line in general conversation, just trying to be witty, and seeing somebody else recognize the line and share the humor.

To be able to pull lines from Shakespeare, Monty Python, Adam Sandler, or just about anywhere is fantastic. To see someone else catch and appreciate your demented sense of humor is even better.

Here is to great friends and wonderful senses of humor... may they all continue long into the night hours.

In the beginning

I had this great idea about what I was going to do with myself. Now? Who knows - but it is sure to be a fun ride.

Welcome, as you have found my blog. I hope that you enjoy any random things that I may end up placing here. I know I will have fun being creative!