If you've read my previous posts, you'll remember how busy we've been lately with the kitchen remodel (and other stuff). Life has been more than chaotic for the last couple of months in preparation of the remodel, so I haven't had the chance to post Brooklyn's 7 and 8 month Bossier pics. Well... here they are.
Dylan and Brooklyn agree that there are some serious fringe benefits to getting a brand new kitchen --- like the tons of really big cardboard boxes!!
Today we are right in the middle of the kitchen remodel, and the cabinets are being installed. A couple of cabinets have already been mounted, so the empty boxes have now become a playground. 
Dylan has built a cardboard house with the empty boxes --- complete with front door and skylight. As more boxes are emptied, he has plans to add on to his existing house --- perhaps a dining room, kitchen, bedroom, and a room for his little sister.
Brooklyn... well she's supervising the construction from her little area of the yard.
Me... I'm just SO grateful for an absolutely beautiful (and somewhat warmer) day so that they can play outside --- out of the electrician and installer's way!
So, I missed posting Brooklyn's 7 month pic with Bossier and haven't posted anything since Michigan week, but that doesn't mean I've been up to nothing. There has been so much going on around here that I've just completely forgotten about blogging altogether. We're about to undergo a complete kitchen remodel --- fun, but chaotic!! The cabinets arrive on Tuesday, and hopefully, between the installer, the electrician, the plumber, and the painter (that's me!) we can get things back in order before Christmas! I know, you're probably thinking "Why in the world would anyone attempt a kitchen remodel during the month of December?" Yeah... I wonder the same thing! Actually, the financial incentives were too good to pass on and since we're here until we leave for Passion '07, we've got the time. I just hope we're not eating canned chicken noodle soup off the camp stove on Christmas day...
I will get Brooklyn's pics up soon... probably along with her 8 month pics!
It's Michigan week here in Columbus. In a normal year, it's a big game, but this year it's even bigger --- it's the #1 vs. #2 matchup. All eyes will be on Columbus, and evidently we're not very nice to Michigan fans. This safety alert was released by Michigan this week in preparation for the game here at the Horseshoe...something about it made me laugh!
I wouldn't exactly call it the "First Snow," but we definitely saw the first flurries this morning. It snowed --- pretty good-sized flakes --- for a couple of hours, but of course, it's not cold enough to stick around. Hard to believe that autumn is nearly over and winter is close behind. What an interesting sight to see the snow falling against the backdrop of red, yellow, and orange leaves falling!
Living in Ohio does have its benefits... we have a real FALL --- Real maple trees, real leaves changing colors and falling to the ground, real cool, brisk weather, real pumpkin patches and apple orchards, real sweaters and jackets, real farmer's markets... Living in Houston and Louisiana never provided the type of autumn excursions that we've had up here.
This weekend we visited the pumpkin patch at Freeman's Farm.
When we arrived at the patch, a friend of ours gave Dylan a bag of animal crackers. He took a bite of the first cookie and a bee landed on his cracker. Somehow in the process of getting the bee off the cracker, the bee stung him on his bottom lip. Immediately, it started to swell, and it got really tight. The first few pictures taken at the pumpkin patch didn't go over so well. Check out the size of Dylan's lip... and this was before it got really big! (Sanders Fam... think Submarine tour guide at Pearl Harbor, circa 1992) He didn't know what to make of the whole thing (it was his first bee sting), but he was a good sport. 
Evidently bee stings must happen often because when I asked the lady in the market for a bag of ice, she gave me an entire bee sting kit. Whatever was in that thing worked... the swollen lip quickly went back to normal, and Dylan went right back to being Dylan. 
He chose two large pumpkins to take home, but found it more exciting to push them around in the little wheelbarrow.
Brooklyn, on the other hand, had a much less dramatic day. She hung out with everyone --- all bundled up --- and enjoyed the hayride and hot dog roast. I think her favorite part was snuggling up with her Daddy all day.
For those of you who have asked about our family in Hawaii... they are okay!! They definitely got quite a shake yesterday morning, but everything seems to be fine. I haven't heard from all of them, but those we've been in contact with seem to have been spared any damage.
For those of you who don't know... my mother is originally from Hawaii, and most of her family still live there on the island of Oahu which was about 100 miles or so from the epicenter.
We are just grateful to God that they are all safe!
Brooklyn celebrates her 6 month birthday today, and as she does every month, she indulged me by posing with Bossier the Bear and smiling as big as she could... For the past couple of weeks, she has been going through her biggest growth spurt yet. Hawaii agreed with her very much as she put on a little weight while we were there. For her, that's a great thing! She is still very "petite" or as this man at church says "She's little miss itsy bitsy!"
She's a pretty happy baby most of the time... she loves to smile and laugh, and she has discovered that she can have a lot of fun in her exersaucer --- now that her feet can reach the bottom.
She has two teeth now (they broke through around 5 months) and more working their way in... that means that there is lots of drool and gnawing on the fingers taking place!
It's full-blown fall around here --- temperatures are very cool and varying greatly from day to day. Unfortunately, since she is so tiny that means she'll never wear most of the cute little spring/summer clothes she was given when she was born.
While we were in Hawaii, Grandma and Aunty Gwen bought the kids some "Aloha" shirts and some fun clothes... the outfit Brooks is wearing in these pictures is the one they gave her. While it seemed a little out of place in Hawaii, it's perfect for fall in Ohio. Thank you Grandma and Aunty Gwen!! (And by the way, Dylan loves his orange jacket... wears it everywhere!!)
The annual Open House at the Worthington Fire Department made Dylan's day today! He climbed all over the fire trucks and medic trucks, and even did the junior firefighter obstacle coarse where he shot water from the firehose. He rang the bell of Engine 102, and we learned that Engine 102 made the long trip down to Louisiana during the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina to help out with relief efforts... small world, huh?!?
We're back... Hawaii was amazing (as always)! The highlight of the trip was hanging out with my family... and if a picture is worth a thousand words, then there are 45,000 words about our trip on my sidebar.
And yes... Brian took this picture from one of our long-time favorite spots on the North Shore of Oahu, Haleiwa Beach.
A few pictures from Brooklyn's 5 month birthday... She was so excited and wiggly that Bossier the Bear barely made it into the picture. I have to admit, though --- these were taken on her good day! She's cutting teeth, and "cranky" hardly describes her this past week. I did notice today that her bottom teeth are starting to finally break through.
You may also notice that our weather has been all over the place lately. In some pictures she is wearing a sweater and jeans, yet in others she has on a sleeveless sundress... oh well, fall temps are just around the corner, but first --- HAWAII!!!
Yeah... I know... these pictures are really late! Dylan's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, but I am just now getting around to posting a few of them. He's three... still can't believe that! 
We had such a great day with him. Brian took the day off, and we had breakfast at our favorite spot. Then we paid a visit to the Columbus Santa Maria, a life-size replica of Christopher Columbus' flagship parked along the Scioto River in downtown Columbus. 
After the tour, we went back home to "celebrate." Dylan had his first of two train cakes --- this was the "homemade" one, and trust me, it looked homemade --- and we opened a few presents and ate his favorite dinner --- hot dogs!
Later that week, we had a little birthday party with some friends, and Dylan had his second train cake --- this one looked much more professional. To his delight, many of the gifts he received had something to do with trains. He added to his Thomas collection and set of viaducts, a battery-operated "James", a Thomas the Tank Engine beach towel & puzzle (thank you Auntie Lisa), an entire collection of Thomas the Tank Engine Railway Rhymes (thank you Auntie Cayenne), and a James from "The Trouble with Trees" (thank you Mr. Joe & Mrs. Judi)!
I think he really enjoyed his birthday, and for me and Brian, the highlight was when he looked at his homemade cake and said "It's w-w-w-w-wonderful! Mommy, it's so beautiful!" Believe me, to most people, that cake would have never been considered beautiful, but it was exactly what he had been asking for for the last 8 or 9 months, and he loved it... makes me wonder why I even spent the money to buy the professional one for the party. Now, he asks for a train cake almost every day. I guess the truest pleasures in life really are the simplest...
Dylan and Brian are practicing their snorkeling techniques
Okay... Brian had his shot a few weeks ago. Then the LA Tech Band did something to their webpage with the MP3 files, and I couldn't post my song. It's back now, so it's my turn... September is just around the corner, and in this land of Scarlet and Grey "nuts" --- okay, "Buckeyes" --- I have to make my southern bulldog voice heard. So, turn down the volume if you're not for the "Old Red and Blue" and if you are --- well --- sing along!!
If you're a mother, you know that sometimes you reach a point where you just need to get out of the house --- alone! No kids, no diaper bags, no sippie cups, no goldfish crackers... just you! This has been a long week, and I must have reached that point because Brian came in to the room where I was changing Brooklyn this morning and suggested I take the afternoon off. I didn't hesistate a bit! I got on line and picked out a movie --- one of those mindless, entertaining ones. Then I ran upstairs, threw on my "long" jeans (you know, the kind you have to wear heels with), put on a little gloss, hit the ATM, and headed to the theater. I knew I couldn't be gone too long --- nursing babies have a way of getting very attached --- but I intended to make the most of my time. So, I went to the movies... alone!
For years, my dad has gone to the movies alone. I used to think that was kind of strange, but after my little outing today, I think he's on to something! First of all, you have sole control over what you see. You can pick the stupidest movie or the most thought-provoking one, and it doesn't matter to anyone else. No need to settle for a movie that you would rather rent for $3 in a couple of months. Today I picked a complete "chic flic" --- one I know Brian won't even want to rent! It was a movie that was for entertainment purposes only --- brain not required to enjoy! Secondly, you can eat anything you want to from the concession stand provided you've brought your entire paycheck with you! You can pour butter all over your popcorn or leave it off, mix in the M&M's or eat them separately... whatever you want! Thirdly, you get lots of elbow room. For whatever reason, human tendency is to leave a seat between you and the next person if that person is not "with" you. So, if you're alone, that means an empty seat on either side!
Daddy evidently has known the secret to the theater for years... I only discovered it today, but what a wonderful discovery! I came home relaxed and ready for another week of taking care of my little ones. Thank you Brian for giving me the day "off"!
Oh, by the way, the title to this post should give you a little hint of what movie I saw...
Every year on my birthday Mom calls, sings Happy Birthday, and says "I remember when..." She then proceeds to tell me all about the day I was born. I expect it every year, and now it is my turn to "remember when."
Tomorrow is Dylan's 3rd birthday, and you know what --- I remember when! I remember the day he was born as if it were yesterday. It was one of the craziest days of my life. The day before he was born I was scheduled to bring dinner over to some friends who had just had a baby too. It was a Sunday and I wasn't feeling great, so I opted to stay home from church, rest a bit, and then head over to their house later that afternoon. Brian was away on business in San Francisco, and he wasn't scheduled to come home until later that night. I made dinner for my friends and then rested all day. Going into labor was the last thing on my mind since it was a full six weeks before my due date.
That afternoon while resting I started having contractions. I didn't think too much of it because they weren't painful at all and were very inconsistent. I loaded the food into the car and headed off to the Kelleys to drop it off. They lived a good 30-45 minutes away (remember we were in Houston back then and everything was about 30-45 minutes away... even if it were only 3 miles away!). While I was visiting with them, the contractions started to get stronger, and this got my attention --- something was definitely wrong here. I went home (another 30-45 minute drive) and called the midwife. She thought I was probably dehydrated and told me to go on to the hospital. After all, it was mid-August in Houston! Thankfully, Brian had just returned from the airport, so we jumped back in the car and drove another 30-45 minutes to the hospital. On the way to the hospital, a recliner fell out of the truck directly in front of us as we drove down Hwy 290. Somehow we missed hitting it and made it to the hospital safely. For whatever reason, that always sticks out in my mind!
Turns out I wasn't dehydrated at all, but was in full-blown labor. They tried hard to stop it, but God intended for Dylan to join our family that day. The hardest thing was leaving the hospital without him... seeing his tiny little body hooked up to so many monitors, IVs, feeding tubes, and not being able to hold him and feed him anytime we wanted. But that difficult week passed, and three years later, most people would never even guess he spent those first few days under such constant scrutiny.
So... Happy Birthday Dylan! We're so glad you're part of our little family.
4 months old today... time does fly! Brooklyn had her check up today... she now weighs a little over 11 pounds and is 23 1/2 inches long. She is such a good baby... sleeps through the night (on most nights) and laughs and plays all day (well, at least until around 5:30 when she kicks into her fussy mode until she goes to sleep for the night). Yes, her eyes are still blue... very blue! She's still a mama's girl... does not like to be left by herself and loves to go everywhere (especially shopping) in her sling. I really don't know how I would keep up with Dylan without that sling. 
Brooklyn & Bossier, 4 months oldHere's a video of her "moving" and "cooing" --- that's all she does these days!
Dylan made his first official visit to the dentist this morning to have his teeth cleaned. He sat in the chair perfectly still. I couldn't believe how still he actually could be... He is never still around us! He sat up in the chair, opened wide, and let Mrs. Margaret clean his teeth just like a grown-up. Then he let Dr. Moats check out the "snaggle" tooth --- the front tooth that portrudes a bit as a result of a nasty fall last winter. He investigated all of the equipment very carefully--- x-rays, lights, mirrors, those strange sharp and pointy tools, the automatic spinning toothbrushes, the automatic water fountain. He even asked if the drain you spit into was the same drain Nemo went down to get to his Daddy... pretty perceptive, huh! Wish y'all could have seen him. He was such a little "boy" --- no toddler here anymore!
Open wide...
Those lights are really bright!
VBS is over!! We had a wonderful week, but I am completely exhausted and the house needs a little attention. This was Dylan's first year in VBS, and Brooklyn was officially the littlest VBS-er! She and I worked in the nursery... those poor little babies were stretched so far from their normal routines, but they hung in there till the very end. The theme (like 80% of churches around the country) was Son Treasure Island, and I've been dreaming of the Caribbean-like theme music every night... I can't get it out of my head! 
Dylan's First VBS!
The 3 year old class
The "Rowdy" Boys
So... Brian and I were talking about how to post sound files to my blog the other day. Well, I figured it out (really easy too!), and I decided to post an appropriate mp3 file (Aggie War Hymn) for Brian --- only because I love the man more than ever and married into this spirited university. Turn down the volume if you're not a fan...
It's so good to hear a little familiar music up here in this land of crazy nuts --- aka the Buckeyes! No, they're not crazy, but their mascot is a nut.
Tune in later for my fight song!
Dylan finally completed his 12 hours of summer reading this week. The library rewarded every kid who read for 12 hours with an art kit, so Dylan was inspired to be very creative this week. Most of the drawings and paintings he made were typical 3 year old scribble scrabble, but when he stuck both of his hands into the finger paint and made this picture, I knew it would be priceless (at least to me and Brian). So here are Dylan's hands at age 3.
