Late August 2008

Simon's Handwriting on August 11, 2008

Evie wearing her big brother's shirt and hat (in following pictures) 

so that I could prove how cute she looks in brown!

Check out those cute, pudgy hands !

please pick me up ... and the end of the photo shoot

Evie with the hairbrush she loves so much.

The other night at dinner we were all taking turns saying what we were thankful for.  When we were finished, Simon chimed in, "I know what Evie is thankful for -- her hairbrush!!"

I organized this last week!

And I finally finished our file cabinet mess.  

We were trying to downgrade from a three drawer cabinet to a single drawer cabinet.  

We have lots of papers to be shredded now!  

Matt, however, will probably burn them instead as he did last time we had a huge "to shred" basket.

Simon drew this.

It is a van or bus with "scaring things" (guns) on top.

??????

Check out those cute baby legs!

Any picture we ever take in our living room always turns out too dark!  Sad.

The first of a sequence of interesting sister-brother pictures.

This picture makes me laugh because I look so unfriendly and Scott looks so smirky.

This picture looks like Scott might be praying for me, but he wasn't.

He was trying to "focus" for that perfect picture.

Ethereal, aren't we?

And this one looks like we are gazing upon our impending doom with acceptance,

because there is nothing we can do.

Matt and his new favorite toy -- an ice-cream maker!  He has been wanting to make ice-cream all summer, so my parents bought him an icecream maker (for his birthday) that is both electric and/or manual!

We used to have one, but lost it.

We're not sure how we misplaced an appliance.

Simon and his friend Eli.  (The "new" Eli)

Just weeks apart in age.

A great neighborhood discovery.

Simon drew this and I asked him to tell me about it.

Two of the guys are putting the other guy in jail.

The jail is in the background.

Let me explain this one...

The other day it was about 5:40 p.m. and Matt would be home soon.  I thought it would create a fun and relaxing atmosphere if he came home and the Olympics were on.  So, I turned on the television, saw a Michael Phelps interview, assumed it was the Olympics, and went back into the kitchen to work on dinner.

Matt came in just a few minutes later, and the first thing I head was,

"What are you watching?"

Well, I wasn't watching it, but Simon was still in the living room.  And it was the news, not the Olympics.  And they were highlighting a local crime story (I guess this was right after the Phelps interview); hence, the inspiration for Simon's picture.

Simon outside right as it started raining ... again.

We've had a week or so of rainy, rainy weather.

So thankful.

I think it is over, though :(

Simon and his bamboo "bonnet"

The pictures on the refrigerator are 'souvenirs' of Simon's Birthday dinner at Chuck.E.Cheese!

Too cute.

Simon and I baked peanut-butter cookies on Wednesday because on Tuesday he was having a very intense cookie craving as we drove home from prayer meeting, but we didn't have any cookies!  So, I thought it would be fun to make his 'dream' come true the next day.  

If only we were so easily pleased!

If someone were to write a book of recipes from the Old Testament, here are a couple of ideas ...

Forbidden Fruit Cobbler

"Better than a Birthright" Stew

Okay, that is the end of my cleverness :)

Sweet Simon making a funny face

These are the cookies right before we put them in the oven.

And, exactly 11-13 minutes before Simon received a 1st and 2nd degree burn from the cookie sheet that had just emerged from the 375 degree oven :(

He was smelling them, and I only cautioned him to be careful, instead of asking him not to be near the pan.  He would have obeyed me, but I thought he could smell the cookies and not get burned, but he slipped or something, and has a nice, crescent-shaped 4-5 inches in length burn on his jawline that will most likely leave a scar in certain portions of it.

(sigh)

I am glad we went to the doctor yesterday.  I wasn't going to.  I called the pediatrician office the next day (Thursday) to make sure I was caring for the burn properly.  I was also seeking my friend Kellie's counsel (in Asia) which was a fun, bonding experience.

They wanted us to come in, and I was really surprised.  I thought they were just going to tell me how to care for it, but they were concerned about the details in the size and severity of the burn.

So,  I am glad I called.  We have a prescription for Silvadene (?) which is an ointment used for 2nd and 3rd degree burns that will help guard against infections from the open skin and might help with scarring.  As you can imagine, it is a bit difficult to gingerly care for a painful burn on an active 4 year old who does not want it touched!  We stocked up on gauze and tape last night at CVS!  Plus, my heart breaks whenever I see the burn!

Simon checking out the aloe-vera images on Google.

He pronounces it, "alabama gel."

I don't have an actual pic of the burn.  It's kind of appetite-turning, so you can all say "thank you" later :)

Evie Grace and Ruthie posing for a picture.

We couldn't get a good picture of them.  

Evie kept sliding or they kept politely snatching a toy from each other :)

These girls are 5 weeks apart.  Ruthie will be one at the end of September, and Evie at the end of October.  Both of them do not crawl ...

Ruthie used to crawl, but doesn't anymore as she has been walking for well over two months!

And, Evie, hasn't even crawled yet.

I can just imagine Ruthie encouraging Evie, "Now, if you would just apply yourself..."

I never realized before that Matt and Brad look like they could be brothers!

The gauze job Dr.Bill did for Simon at his appointment.

When we were leaving the doctor's office, I commented to Dr.Bill that I was thankful we lived in America and had health insurance.  He was kind and said he'd take care of us either way.  Did that mean he would come to another country to treat us?  I think he meant he'd help us out w/ the bill, which was very kind of him.  No wonder he is everybody's favorite !  (And this is before we "bribe" him with the old-school Dr.Who videos that Matt plans on giving him!)

I know Evie is only 10 months old (almost) but there is a certain air of elegance to the curvature of her neck and shoulders!

Contrary to the reality that Evie is poking the doll's eyes, she LOVES this baby doll!

I can't wait to pick out a special doll for her for her birthday!

If you think she looks excited in the above picture, you should have seen her in her first grocery-cart ride a couple of weeks ago at Cost-co!

It will be the only cart she can ride on (for a while), because they are super-clean and nice (straps work) and because they are designed for two kids to sit in them!

Thank you, Cost-co!

Seriously, I felt like we should have been PAYING someone for the cart-ride.

That is how much fun she had.

My friend Megan helped me start making my own baby wipes.  So easy.  I saved up 4 old baby wipe containers.  You cut a bounty roll (has to be bounty, from what I hear) in thirds w/ an electric knife.  Put the roll in a container after you have mixed a solution of a cup or so of water (start w/ less and add more if they seem dry.  If they are too wet then it's not much fun for you or the baby!), 1 T of baby soap, 1/2 T baby oil, flip the wipe container over for a few minutes and there will be no more water solution, the towels will have absorbed it.  Open it, remove the brown cardboard and feed the inner layer of paper towel through the top of the wipe container.  With the right wipe container, they are even pull-off wipes.  So, I figure each wipe box now costs 33 cents!!

The 4th container is for when I get down to one container, I will use the three empty ones to make another "batch."

Now, I don't feel guilty using wipes for after-meal clean up.

Only 1/3 of a paper towel sheet per face!

Brilliant.

Thank you, Megan!

This shirt is a little big for Evie.

It is 4T, but I thought I could pull it off as a dress or something.

Sigh.

It will have to wait a couple of years.

This picture was with a flash, so it doesn't turn out pretty, but you can see Evie's actual complexion better.  And maybe you can see why I like the fabric so much and tried to force it to fit a 10 month old when it is a 4T .

This picture cracks me up because it give me a glimpse into what our life would be like if we were crazy enough to have another baby at this point.

Evie is crying.

You can kind of see part of Simon's unclothed self on the red chair - neglected (it was before bedtime)

And the baby doll (which could represent the new baby) thrown haphazardly on top of a pile of laundry on the same red chair.

I discovered my new FAVORITE sandwich last week.

Peanut butter, banana, and pretzel!!!!!!!

Amazing.

And peanut butter has to be natural or it is just, well, unnatural.

I'm glad Terri left that bag of pretzels over here the other night ... :)

I look mean and kind of depressed, but I am neither (at the moment!)

We are going to a 70s-themed birthday party this weekend for a dear friend; these are my fabulous $1.10 glasses I found for Matt to wear.  I myself have a $1.19 pair (I know, a bit expensive :), maybe b/c they were new (unused) and still had the original sticker on them back from the 70s ....)  I'll have to get family pic made on Saturday night.  Evie has the cutest green terry-cloth dress/shirt with a bright yellow/white flower ($1 at same thrift store) and Simon has a Tae-kwon-do outfit that we bought at the same thrift store for $1!  I thought w/ a head band and sunglasses, he could look late 70s, early 80s!  

Matt couldn't get over these glasses.

He was ecstatic.

He said, "These are even more ridiculous than I imagined!"

Engaged

Scott and Tania are engaged!

We are so happy for both of them!

They seem to genuinely treasure each other.

I have postponed posting a picture of them until I remembered to take one of them together with the official ring, but I keep forgetting to take a picture!

So, here is an oldie (pix) but it still works.

Borne Supremacy Tournament

We hosted a Borne Supremacy Tournament for both old and newbie Mille Borne Fans.

Pictured above is JD's pre-game tutorial.

Even Ava is paying attention.

We all contributed to a French-themed spread.

Stephanie and Summer observing the tutorial.

This is the porch where two of the three initial games were to take place.

You can see the chalkboard that had the tournament ladder.

We were taking this seriously.

Of the top tier, Amy and Rachael/tagteam Stephanie championed over Alex and Sally.

JD and Chrissy triumphed over Matt and Terri.

And of the newbies, Casey and Tony pulled in ahead of Katie and Erin.

Around midnight, people had to start leaving, so we didn't get to finish the official tournament

This was the huge rug inside where the other qualifying round was taking place.

The aesthetically pleasing set of Mille Borne was discovered by Rachael and I in Half-Price books.

Of Frogs and Plagues

Sweet interactions at the breakfast table.

Oh, at Evie Grace's well-baby check-up yesterday, I was reminded by the kind nurses (again) that Simon is behind on some boosters.  So, I asked if we could get them, and they said I could just get them at his 4 year well-child.  I either didn't know about a 4 year check-up or had forgotten all about it.  It will be a good chance to get Simon's hearing and vision checked as well as to finally get those shots!

I love this little old-fashioned collared outfit on Evie!  It seems made for a long and thin baby!  And then it is too cute to see the little collar with the little baby face and no-hair!

Evie's 9 month well-baby was yesterday.  She weighs 15.6 (only up one pound from her last visit 3 + months ago) and I can't remember how long she is.  I do remember that Dr.Bill said her height was right at the 90% and her weight ... in the 13%.

He'd be worried, but she is content (meaning she isn't striving for food and not getting it) and is advancing developmentally at a normal pace.

This works out well for Evie.  Matt absentmindedly said, "HEAVY EVIE" one day and then commented, "Oh, no.  Evie better be one skinny chick."  Ha ha, if she isn't, we'll call her Evelyn.

Simon turned 4 last week.  

I plan to do a whole 'birthday post' whenever we finish his birthday celebrations.  We still have a family get-together and one with boys his age.  

We're kind of waiting for one specific boy to get back in town ... :)

I wonder who that is ... ?

Evie - I love her in white!  I think it is her best color.  Well, white and brown, but we don't have many brown outfits to use with her (yet).

So, Evie, even without hair is all girl!

These are her favorite things to play with, and if you try to take them from her, well, we recommend having an eye-catching replacement in hand.  She's got quite the grip and you have to pry these from her:

her hairbrush (ironic, I know)

any type of phone

empty clothes hanger

I think this is an indication of how her teenage years might be ...

Notice the sweet loving going on between Evie and Simon !

And even more sweet loving.

I'm so glad I ran into the kitchen to grab our camera!

Matt and I were the leaders in Kids Korner last Tuesday.  This is our first time back since Evie came around.  Anyway, this is a true, funny story:

We asked what songs they would like to sing.

We only had two requests: Rylie mentioned "Lullabies" but we had a feeling that she wanted it to be more of a solo than group singing.  And, Simon's request was "Transformers."

The other morning Simon walked in the living room fairly early (for him).  My kids are on a crazy schedule that is pretty much the same as other families, just two hours behind.  So, Evie's morning nap is 11-1:30 and their afternoon naps are around 4.  Anyway, it works for us at this point, but I'm realizing we could have more of a daily social life if we got our naps in sync with other families.

Simon said, "Were you praying for God?  

Because, I was praying for Jesus."  ???

Simon asked about the letters, and Matt was giving him an explanation of guitar chords.

I've walked in several times to Matt "teaching" Simon about music. 

Kids are so funny...

Simon and Rylie were looking at a children's book of Bible stories at our house the other day. 

 I heard Simon say, "That's IKEA."

Then Rylie said, "Yeah, that's IKEA."

My interest was peaked, and I walked over there to see what they were looking at, but before I got to them, I heard,

"IKEA was a wee little man, and a wee little man was he ...."

This is a conversation I overheard between Simon and Rylie (both are 4) last week as I put their lunches on the table.

**************

Rylie:  Simon, what do you want to be when you grow up?  I want to be a mommy.

Simon:  I want to be a daddy.

Rylie:  Oh, that's what you want to be?  You can do that.  

You can be my daddy, and I'll be your mommy.

Simon:  I don't look like your dad.  I think I will grow up to be like my daddy.  

My name can be Matt.  I want to grow up like my dad, to work like my dad, I think.

Rylie:  Oh, maybe we could be married.

But, I'm not sure about that.  (keeping her options open)

******************************

Look at all of that watermelon he'd already eaten!

He had a 'brain freeze' but wouldn't stop eating!

It was so funny!

Mmmmm....This was Matt's birthday breakfast.  I offered to make him anything, but this was requested.  We will be so sad when fresh blueberries leave Cost-co's aisles.

Anyway,  Evie gave Matt a Starbucks Card because of all the sleep she's cost him.

Simon gave him a new pair of sandals, since he keeps him moving.

And I gave him a boxed 5 cd set of Ennio Morricone (Italian composer) because I bring music to his life (and I knew he'd love it).

Warning:  Very disturbing news

We had a very heavy rain yesterday.  When we arrived home, I was hysterical when I saw this toad ... IN OUR TOILET!  I have heard of such things as snakes getting in toilets, and it has always scared me.  

That fear is now understandably rekindled.

Simon and Matt thought it was great fun, though.  

Matt videotaped his retrieval of new home outdoors.  

The following video is not of that, though. 

After Pictures

This is Simon AFTER his friends left on Wednesday.

Don't worry, he cheered up fast.

This is a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich.

I was going to make onion rings for an Olympic party we were having (opening ceremony.)

Good thing we did a trial run on those onion rings the night before.  We'd borrowed a fry-daddy type appliance and gave it a try.  But, I couldn't handle the grease smell.  Matt for some reason decided to make the above sandwich -- not sure what possessed him.

Anyway, so instead of making onion rings to represent the Olympic Rings, I went to the other end of the health spectrum and cut up colored bell-peppers instead.

Simon wanted to write JESUS.

Simon being creative with the carrots.

He said, "Look Mom, I am a rhinocerous."

Mom:  Simon, what you doing?  

(In reference to him picking up my purse and putting it on his shoulder)

Simon:  I'm pretending to be a mommy.

(then he picks up a sword)

A mommy that fights people.

If people are scared, I will protect them.

(the purse fell off his shoulder and kind of around his leg)

Oh, no!!!!  It got me!!

Help, Help!

(then he 'destroyed' the purse with the sword)

The other afternoon at nap Simon wanted a story from the Bible (he chooses from stories centered on the fictitious Johnny that lives on White Oak Mountain, Batman, or the Bible.  The Bible doesn't usually win)

He wanted to hear about Daniel in the Lion's Den.  He loves the part where the lion can't get Daniel.  I asked him to tell me the story instead.  This is what I got.

Simon:  Once upon a time ... I don't know anything.   Mommy, you tell it.

He is also fascinated with Ninevah and how there were "bad people" there.  He wanted me tell him the story the other night as I was feeding Evie her veggies, and I couldn't remember what happened after Jonah obeyed and went to Ninevah.  I forget the sequence of events and how Jonah handled mercy, etc.  So, it was kind of sad that I had to ask Simon to go get me a Bible so that I could finish the account of Jonah !

I find it funny and amusing to read people's comments and reviews on Amazon.  Who are these people?  They will review ANYTHING.  

For example, sometimes I buy groceries on Amazon.  Weird, but strangely enough for some items it is actually less expensive, with their incentives and free shipping and discount ---

I was floored when I saw that someone had posted a review on RITZ Crackers.

I had to click on it, and here it is:

"This is a reliable cracker to have on hand for snacks -- either by itself or with toppings on or with it."

Dad was tightening up Simon's tricycle, but this picture looks like Dad is about to go for a ride!

These are a couple of pictures from the very end of our stay with my parents.

********************************************

The other morning Simon woke up right after I came inside from watering the plants.  That prompted this discussion.

Me:  Simon, if you wake up one morning, and I'm not in my room or in the kitchen or in the living room, guess where I might be ...

Simon:  I don't know, where?

Me:  Outside.  But you can't go outside, just sit right here on the couch (pointed to a spot on the couch) and wait for me.

Simon:  (taking it literally -- where I had pointed)

That's small.   (it was just a small square)

Me:  Well, anywhere on the couch.  You can just sit here and then in a few minutes, I would be back inside.

Simon:  Mom, if you wake up and don't see me .... I might be in the mountains in Georgia.

Me:  How would you get there?

Simon:  I would run fast.

Simon loves these books.  

Mom treasure them also.  

My father's father picked these out for us when we were little, which is why mom treasures them so.  She even wants to get one of them rebound because the binding is loose.

The next three pictures show the progress we made with the picture project.  All of the photos are in their categories, awaiting the purchase of albums.  At our leisure, we will systematically put the photos in albums!

More picture proof of progress.

We went to the Beth Moore live simulcast that weekend!  Mom, Tania, and I went with a group of 20 or so ladies from Keystone.  And, my sister in Georgia was attending the same event at the same time at a church there!  

I was inspired and motivated to sign up for a Beth Moore Bible study (Stepping Up:  Psalms of Ascent) that starts in a couple of weeks at a local church (Prestonwood)  

I love Beth Moore studies ( though I have a love/hate relationship with all of the homework).   They have recreational activities for ages 3-5 and 'really' have Bible study time with them, too!  .Good practice for Simon for school or preschool.  Evie will be well taken care of, and we'll get practice being separated.  So, it's a win, win, win for all of us!

The other night Simon was scared.   I walked him back in the room.  And he said, "Mommy, pray for me....Pray for me while you scratch my back."

Classic.  He LOVES a back scratch and is very specific in the technique also.  He'll say, "No, like this" and show you how to scratch his precious little back.

By the end of this play session, Matt and Simon had used EVERY block as part of their creation.  It was a "cheese factory."