By way of Updates

It's been a while since I've given any kind of update on the kids. So...

Audrey: still growing like a weed, NO POTTY ACCIDENTS in WEEKS!, loves going to the park to play with her cousins (or anyone for that matter), has successfully cut her TV intake to less than 8 hours a week (not her choice, of course). When she can't watch regular TV (only on Wednesdays) she will ask for her "Jesus Movie" which is a narrated scripture slideshow or "animal movie" which is BBC's Planet Earth. We will almost always let her watch these shows as they are spiritual and/or educational (clever girl!). She received her first ever french braid last night after bathtime which was a bigger accomplishment for her mother but props to her for standing still long enough for me to muddle through it. She asks all the time to go to school and is always disappointed when we tell her she has to be five. As an update since the last blog, she played with her new flannel board during church today and was better behaved than she has been in weeks! Yay!

Some recent, funny Audrey-isms:

When kissing me goodnight she pats my cheeks, "Mama you're not ouchy. Daddy is ouchy, he has polka-dots on his face!"

Singing to herself the other day, "Patty-cake, patty-cake, bakers man, bake me a cake as fascist you can..."

Oh, and she LOVES playing kickball.

Henry: still growing like a weed, is walking so well it's strange when he decides to crawl and is "this close" to running, has been trying to cut his molars for weeks and just might break them out in the next few days, loves his mom and dad so much that he doesn't like when they leave for ANY reason at all (even if it's to get him some milk), will stay in nursery only if mom or dad is in there with him (he just MIGHT be ready to go in by himself by the time he is 18 months old), loves going on the swing at the park, loves when dad throws him high up and catches him. He is learning how to go down stairs backward, but most of the time forgets and starts going up again. He does the cutest little "ant stomping" dance where he stands and stamps his feet and giggles.

He is also learning what the camera means and is turning into quite the ham.

In case you haven't heard, Ben has been accepted to UofU and starts there this fall. He will be gone a lot more, but (hopefully) will be done in 2 years or less. We should also be paying in-state tuition (hooray!). He gets up for work at 2:30 every morning and catches naps here and there throughout the day, but it's been great to have him home for the summer. He works out in the yard every Thursday and has made some serious improvements. He and Dad built my garden bed (which I love!), the new side yard gates, and miles and miles of pruning, weeding and mowing. He's still a devoted NASCAR fan (boo) but has recently started watching movies with yours truly (yay!)

As for me: The crafts, if you read regularly, have been logged. I have at least another 20 projects waiting in the wings though, so look out! The gardening has yet to be logged... it's going fairly well. I have corn, pumpkins, watermelon, cucumber, carrots, radishes, beans, lettuce, peppers, sunflowers and various flowers sprouting all over my garden. I also have an enormous quantity of elm seeds trying to sprout as well and are getting mixed up with the flowers.

My writing has been waylaid by special events going on in the Flyff world. I know; waste of time, but it's a FUN waste of time. I also picked up some new reading habits lately and haven't been getting to sleep until after 11pm every night, which wouldn't be bad if Ben didn't get up at 2:30, Henry at 4:00 and again with Audrey at around 6:00. I've taken to letting him out of his crib at 6 and letting him and Audrey play in the room until I can drag my fanny out of bed.

I made some amazing shish kabobs tonight that were a hit with the crowds here (thanks for grilling them, Ben). It's astounding what a little fresh rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper can do. They were too pretty to eat, but we did anyway and they were awesome! I will be attacking the leftovers tomorrow at lunch time.

Keep an eye out for more new blogs. I have a few brewing in my noggin... Until then.