I'm a little behind, but still not doing too bad.
The kids had a great Halloween - absolutely adorable as Mickey and Minnie Mouse. On Sunday we went to Auburn to visit all of their cousins and trick or treat them. Olivia kindly gave Haley her kitchen set, which both kids LOVE.
The next day we did the traditional trick or treating. Kent had to work late (figures) so I took the kids to trunk or treat at RUMC. There didn't appear to be a lot of trunks or trick or treaters there, but the kids had fun and it was nice to see church members we hadn't seen in quite a while. After that we came home, waited for Kent, and then went back out to trick or treat the firehouse and a friend of ours.
Other than Halloween things have been pretty normal here. We had the Taft family reunion last week, very poor attendance. I love big family get togethers, it makes me sad that most people are too busy to care.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, October 20, 2011
I have the most beautiful children
Alex just cracked me up this morning. 2 days ago Rocket Dog stole a tub of butter off the counter when I wasn't looking and ate it/chewed it up. So we've been using stick butter because I'm not making a trip to the store just for a new tub.
Alex was very interested in this 'stick butter'. This morning he came into my room and woke me up (yes I use my kids as alarm clocks. I'm not a morning person, I'm not getting out of bed until they make me!!!). He asked if he could have waffles for breakfast....wish 'squished' butter. LMBO!!!! Too cute. Of course he meant stick butter but I think squished butter is funnier.
Haley is in her height of cuteness lately. She's adorable and she knows it. Alex is adorable too but Haley just acts like because she's cute she can get away with anything. She's been tempermental lately too - throwing herself on the floor crying if she doesn't get her way. It's rough being almost 16 months old.
Otherwise not much else is going on. Still plugging away at my doctorate classes. I have my class schedule figured out for next semester, it's not ideal (schedule-wise) but I am pleased that I get to teach two classes, 2 of them 201 which I haven't taught for over a year. So mixing it up a little bit will be nice. I've decided to only take 1 class again for my doctorate. I'm not sure how much trucking work Kent will have this winter. Curry kept them busy all winter, but McLeod doesn't have the coal contracts that Curry did either. And of course less work is less money....plus there is the fact that my required class is on Public Management. Something I know absolutely nothing about. I'm anticipating having to do additional research just to be able to keep up. So my tentative plan is to do 1 class this fall, my 1 required course this summer, and then next fall start on my electives.
Kent is doing well. He's training for McLeod, something that we were told was a bad idea because of the bad pay (they promised a small weekly bonus, which isn't near enough of to cover the loads he drops because the trainee slows him way down). However, they made it right and compensated him for the loss loads. I hope they continue to do so. They really seem to care about their employees and want to take good care of them. Yes the getting up at 4am sucks, and he has never once complained about it. I really did marry the greatest guy on the planet.
Alex was very interested in this 'stick butter'. This morning he came into my room and woke me up (yes I use my kids as alarm clocks. I'm not a morning person, I'm not getting out of bed until they make me!!!). He asked if he could have waffles for breakfast....wish 'squished' butter. LMBO!!!! Too cute. Of course he meant stick butter but I think squished butter is funnier.
Haley is in her height of cuteness lately. She's adorable and she knows it. Alex is adorable too but Haley just acts like because she's cute she can get away with anything. She's been tempermental lately too - throwing herself on the floor crying if she doesn't get her way. It's rough being almost 16 months old.
Otherwise not much else is going on. Still plugging away at my doctorate classes. I have my class schedule figured out for next semester, it's not ideal (schedule-wise) but I am pleased that I get to teach two classes, 2 of them 201 which I haven't taught for over a year. So mixing it up a little bit will be nice. I've decided to only take 1 class again for my doctorate. I'm not sure how much trucking work Kent will have this winter. Curry kept them busy all winter, but McLeod doesn't have the coal contracts that Curry did either. And of course less work is less money....plus there is the fact that my required class is on Public Management. Something I know absolutely nothing about. I'm anticipating having to do additional research just to be able to keep up. So my tentative plan is to do 1 class this fall, my 1 required course this summer, and then next fall start on my electives.
Kent is doing well. He's training for McLeod, something that we were told was a bad idea because of the bad pay (they promised a small weekly bonus, which isn't near enough of to cover the loads he drops because the trainee slows him way down). However, they made it right and compensated him for the loss loads. I hope they continue to do so. They really seem to care about their employees and want to take good care of them. Yes the getting up at 4am sucks, and he has never once complained about it. I really did marry the greatest guy on the planet.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Let the haunting season begin!
Ok I promise the next time I post I will figure out how to post pictures!!
Life is going great - very busy! The haunted house opened last night. Usually Kent & I tag-team working out there, one of us scaring and the other staying home with the kids. I usually get Friday nights because he has to get up at 4am on Fridays and go to work and he's wiped out when he gets home. Scaring takes a lot of energy, more than you'd think. Last night I had a headache, was tired and getting over a minor virus (I felt pretty yucky Wednesday and Thursday) and decided not to push it. Kent is out scaring tonight. I will save my energies for next Friday.
This year I'm going to expand my horizons and try being a clown one night. I've wanted to try that part for a while, but we had some AWESOME clowns (who happened to be triplets) and didn't want to interfere with their magic. But they're gone now so I want to give it a try :-)
Kids are doing great, Alex still loves preschool (I've been wondering how long that would last). He got sick at school on Thursday, apparently on one of the other kids, I still feel bad about it. He played HARD all morning. He only ate a couple of bites of his lunch, I didn't think much about it because he kept asking to be finished to go play (he'd been playing monster trucks). Considering I was also feeling pretty yucky I should have realized that he didn't feel well either. Oh well, live and learn.
Haley is learning new words and just getting cuter by the day. Her newest word is "cookie" and usually accompanies her new stuffed Cookie Monster.
Overall life is great. God has blessed me in so many ways. I need to quit updating now and go work on homework. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me once I finish this degree!
Life is going great - very busy! The haunted house opened last night. Usually Kent & I tag-team working out there, one of us scaring and the other staying home with the kids. I usually get Friday nights because he has to get up at 4am on Fridays and go to work and he's wiped out when he gets home. Scaring takes a lot of energy, more than you'd think. Last night I had a headache, was tired and getting over a minor virus (I felt pretty yucky Wednesday and Thursday) and decided not to push it. Kent is out scaring tonight. I will save my energies for next Friday.
This year I'm going to expand my horizons and try being a clown one night. I've wanted to try that part for a while, but we had some AWESOME clowns (who happened to be triplets) and didn't want to interfere with their magic. But they're gone now so I want to give it a try :-)
Kids are doing great, Alex still loves preschool (I've been wondering how long that would last). He got sick at school on Thursday, apparently on one of the other kids, I still feel bad about it. He played HARD all morning. He only ate a couple of bites of his lunch, I didn't think much about it because he kept asking to be finished to go play (he'd been playing monster trucks). Considering I was also feeling pretty yucky I should have realized that he didn't feel well either. Oh well, live and learn.
Haley is learning new words and just getting cuter by the day. Her newest word is "cookie" and usually accompanies her new stuffed Cookie Monster.
Overall life is great. God has blessed me in so many ways. I need to quit updating now and go work on homework. I can't wait to see what God has in store for me once I finish this degree!
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
So let's try this blogging thing....
I've been wanting to start a blog for a long time. I used to be very good at writing periodically and miss it. This blog is mainly to provide a written account of the goings-on in the daily life of my family, but don't be suprised if I get on my soapbox and rant about something every so often!
I actually created this blog quite a while ago - and even for the last week keep trying to write a first post and get interrupted before I get through the first paragraph. Hence a short first paragraph today!
So what's new with us? In short, life has been very busy. I lost my mind and decided to go ahead and go back to school to work on my doctorate....might as well stop delaying the inevitable. I'm only taking one class this semester, which dosen't do much to speed up my graduation time but I can't sacrifice too much family time. It's too important to me. So I sacrifice sleep instead....I stay up all night doing my work instead of sleeping. It worked for my Master's, no reason it won't work again! My babies will only be babies for so long.
So in addition to my one doctorate class, I'm teaching 3 sections at LLCC, which is the most I've ever taught in a semester. Not much different than teaching two sections, just a bit more grading. It's a good semester, I have great students. I love my job - not too many people can say that. Hopefully when I'm done with my doctorate I can get on someplace teaching full-time. Kent wants me to apply to Hawaii Pacific (which is where I wanted to do my Master's but he nixed that because "he couldn't take his truck"...fastforward to our honeymoon in Hawaii and he was asking my why I didn't apply to grad school in Hawaii....oi.). So I don't know - our family is here, and I don't want to take that away from my kids. I grew up with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins all around, living out in the country...my parents gave me an awesome childhood, and I want to replicate that for my children. That said, I don't think I could turn down a short-term assignment in Hawaii. :-) But that's a long way off. First to survive the doctorate program, which I am a bit worried about just because I'm doing it in Public Administration (emphasis in public policy) which isn't too far from my political science background, but I still have a lot to learn about public admin. My hope is it will qualify me to teach a wider array of courses, not just political science.
Kent is still working at McLeod and really likes it. He usually hauls to Tuscola, which is a good paying run that has him home at decent hours. Problem is Tuscola is shut down (the plant...not the town for you literalists) so he's been running to St Louis and Southern Illinois/Missouri which is still good paying but much longer hours. I shouldn't complain, it's much better than it could be.
What to say about Alex.....my little man is growing up. He started preschool this year He absolutely loves it, he can't wait to go when he gets up, although he has to wait until noon. He's getting so independent and he is so loving and sweet. I think the thing I love most right now is watching him be a big brother. He is such a good big brother to Haley. Yes, they have their moments but for the most part he is very gentle and affectionate with her and loves to try to teach her new things. And she absolutely ADORES him. Once she's old enough to take directions I'm worried because I have no doubt she will do whatever he tells her to do! Of course right now Alex is in farming mode, he's been helping grandpa and grandma out in the field. When he comes home, he's been busy shelling the corn in his room. He's got a bucket full of corn mom gave him, I said he could bring it home if he promised to keep it in his room and picked up. He's doing pretty good with it, it's usually on the floor in a pile, but he's pretty careful not to get it scattered around. He'll load it up in his combine, then move it to a wagon, then one of his dump trucks...then take it to the 'elevator'. So darned cute.
Haley is just growing like a weed. She is so stinking adorable and she knows it. We're going to be beating the boys off of her in about 15 years. She is also very smart and quick to stand up to herself...more than once she's gone after Alex when he has a toy she wants or if he accidently trips her or something! She's got quite a few words and learning more everyday. Her favorite thing right now is simply walking - anywhere and everywhere. Preferably outside, she'd walk until her little legs wouldn't let her walk anymore if she could. For the most parts she's a good girl but I think she's going to be a bit more destructive than Alex was....he was always content to play with toys..she just walks the house looking for something to destroy!!! I can't believe how big she's getting. And she's so loveable. Very cuddly little girl.
Well that will do it for this inaugrural post. Next time I will try to put up pictures! My goal is to update this once a week...we'll see!
I actually created this blog quite a while ago - and even for the last week keep trying to write a first post and get interrupted before I get through the first paragraph. Hence a short first paragraph today!
So what's new with us? In short, life has been very busy. I lost my mind and decided to go ahead and go back to school to work on my doctorate....might as well stop delaying the inevitable. I'm only taking one class this semester, which dosen't do much to speed up my graduation time but I can't sacrifice too much family time. It's too important to me. So I sacrifice sleep instead....I stay up all night doing my work instead of sleeping. It worked for my Master's, no reason it won't work again! My babies will only be babies for so long.
So in addition to my one doctorate class, I'm teaching 3 sections at LLCC, which is the most I've ever taught in a semester. Not much different than teaching two sections, just a bit more grading. It's a good semester, I have great students. I love my job - not too many people can say that. Hopefully when I'm done with my doctorate I can get on someplace teaching full-time. Kent wants me to apply to Hawaii Pacific (which is where I wanted to do my Master's but he nixed that because "he couldn't take his truck"...fastforward to our honeymoon in Hawaii and he was asking my why I didn't apply to grad school in Hawaii....oi.). So I don't know - our family is here, and I don't want to take that away from my kids. I grew up with grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins all around, living out in the country...my parents gave me an awesome childhood, and I want to replicate that for my children. That said, I don't think I could turn down a short-term assignment in Hawaii. :-) But that's a long way off. First to survive the doctorate program, which I am a bit worried about just because I'm doing it in Public Administration (emphasis in public policy) which isn't too far from my political science background, but I still have a lot to learn about public admin. My hope is it will qualify me to teach a wider array of courses, not just political science.
Kent is still working at McLeod and really likes it. He usually hauls to Tuscola, which is a good paying run that has him home at decent hours. Problem is Tuscola is shut down (the plant...not the town for you literalists) so he's been running to St Louis and Southern Illinois/Missouri which is still good paying but much longer hours. I shouldn't complain, it's much better than it could be.
What to say about Alex.....my little man is growing up. He started preschool this year He absolutely loves it, he can't wait to go when he gets up, although he has to wait until noon. He's getting so independent and he is so loving and sweet. I think the thing I love most right now is watching him be a big brother. He is such a good big brother to Haley. Yes, they have their moments but for the most part he is very gentle and affectionate with her and loves to try to teach her new things. And she absolutely ADORES him. Once she's old enough to take directions I'm worried because I have no doubt she will do whatever he tells her to do! Of course right now Alex is in farming mode, he's been helping grandpa and grandma out in the field. When he comes home, he's been busy shelling the corn in his room. He's got a bucket full of corn mom gave him, I said he could bring it home if he promised to keep it in his room and picked up. He's doing pretty good with it, it's usually on the floor in a pile, but he's pretty careful not to get it scattered around. He'll load it up in his combine, then move it to a wagon, then one of his dump trucks...then take it to the 'elevator'. So darned cute.
Haley is just growing like a weed. She is so stinking adorable and she knows it. We're going to be beating the boys off of her in about 15 years. She is also very smart and quick to stand up to herself...more than once she's gone after Alex when he has a toy she wants or if he accidently trips her or something! She's got quite a few words and learning more everyday. Her favorite thing right now is simply walking - anywhere and everywhere. Preferably outside, she'd walk until her little legs wouldn't let her walk anymore if she could. For the most parts she's a good girl but I think she's going to be a bit more destructive than Alex was....he was always content to play with toys..she just walks the house looking for something to destroy!!! I can't believe how big she's getting. And she's so loveable. Very cuddly little girl.
Well that will do it for this inaugrural post. Next time I will try to put up pictures! My goal is to update this once a week...we'll see!
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