we just got back from our trip to illinois for hannah's baptism.  it was great to see everyone and finally meet our newest niece and godchild.  she's so sweet!  two new albums are up.  one is just some silly stuff from at home, the other is from the trip.

the pictures from micah's birthday are up.  how prompt am i???!!

we have a ton going on right now, but nothing too significant to report.  just crazy, busy as usual.  dave is taking classes twice a week, which means he leaves before the kids get up and gets home after they go to bed.  layla is taking it the worst (major daddy issues there), but only slightly worse than i am.  he's also helping coach shane's soccer team - fun for both of them. 

shane is playing on the same team as last year and totally loving it.  they're doing great, lost the first game, but none since.  that's the same pattern as last year and they ended the season with only the one loss.  his playing has improved so much since last year it's amazing.  it's like watching a different kid.  he looks like he knows what he's doing, like he actually wants to get the ball, and like he's having fun!  he scored the first goal of the game last saturday.  he's also doing 3 HSN classes and the YMCA homezone program again this year.  we decided to drop cub scouts this year.  he wasn't that excited about it and it's one less thing.  he was a little overloaded i think. 

layla started preschool in september.  she seems to like it a lot.  it's 3 days a week, which sometimes is too much for her, but mostly it seems okay.  socially and academically and all that, she's totally ready for it, but she doesn't always handle it well.  meaning the rest of the time.  it's hard to describe, but she's kind of a pain after because she's so tired.  a few times i've managed to get her to take a nap, but that's a disaster too, because then she won't sleep at night.  hopefully we'll even out soon. 

micah is quickly approaching his first birthday (waaaa!).  he'll be 1 on friday and i'm not handling it so well.  i don't want him to not be a baby anymore.  he's not walking yet - fine by me, but it doesn't stop him from running away and chasing shane and layla down.  he's close, but who knows what that means.  he's been close for like 2 months.  he's getting a little bit naughty, but he's still mostly angel.  yes, he has beautiful curls and eyelashes.  yes, people ask me a lot if he's a boy or a girl.  no, i won't be cutting them anytime soon.  it's not like i dress him questionably.  blue sweats and shirts with trucks on them usually indicate a boy, do they not?

i'm same old, same old.  (but not OLD, of course.)  still just trying to get everyone where they need to be on time, remember to feed people, try to keep the mess at a minimum and maintain my sanity all at the same time.  that's plenty for me, thanks.

we're looking forward to seeing family (and meeting our newest niece) in a couple weeks.  i'm sad that shane and layla can't go, but at least dave and micah and i can make it.

that's our update for now.

the pics from shane's birthday party are up... plus swimming in the cold weather.

ok, so i now have the pictures from layla's party up there too.

we have some new pics up here of random household happenings and shane and layla's birthdays.  i have pics from layla's party that someone else took that i need to figure out how to get up here.  she had a 'finding nemo' themed party on sunday.  shane's party is in a few days and i'll post those pics then.

so we're apparently horrible at taking pictures lately... what's over there are the only pictures we have from our 2 week trip to ohio and california.  oh well, i know dave has some pics on his phone that i'll have him add to this.

 

we had a good trip.  ohio was a bit chaotic between doing family stuff and trying to see friends we haven't seen in 2 years, and shane wanting to get out on the tractor with fred as much as possible... a week was definitely too short.  if you want to see what really went on, look on joe and mary's site since mary is a responsible mother and actually takes pictures of her kids and family gatherings and momentous occasions like ordinations and birthdays... not to mention trips to the zoo!  our trip to EG was a little more relaxing, with less obligations while there.  we went to anthony and chalane's wedding and the next day went to san francisco (without any kids!!!) to see a giants game.  while in the bay area, we had dinner with grandpa dick and then swung over to pick up nana and brought her back with us for a few days' visit.  the kids, meanwhile, had fun with the godparents (well, micah's at least), amy and nolan.  it was a nice time, but for the most part, it was nice to get back home, even if the weather here stinks!  it's not even 60 around here. 

 

since then, things are winding up around here for the summer.  shane's hsn classes are done now, baseball finished last weekend, his last ymca class was yesterday, and the end of year picnic for cub scouts is next monday.  what are we going to do with him all summer??? he's got another week of regular school and he's really come a long way since last year.  his reading is great, does good in math and spelling, amazes me with his drawings and seems to have a bit of a poetic side lately.  he's looking forward to soccer in the fall and possibly starting some music lessons.  he still says he wants to be a farmer, more than ever now, since a return to farm country and more time out in the fields with fred planting the soybeans and doing 'chores'.  i wish he were that excited about his chores around here!

 

layla is still crazy layla.  she's cute, hilarious, fearless, and insanely frustrating.  she's looking forward to her birthday and is already telling people that she's 3.  we're still trying to figure out what we're doing for birthdays.  she still watches cars and finding nemo on an all too regular basis, although the cars dvd is currently lost, so we get a little break from that.  she's always pretending.. ususally that she's some sort of animal (lately it's been a lion, but very often it's a dog or a cat) and spends a good share of her time drawing.  she still is looking forward to preschool and tells me at least once a week that she wants to go.

 

micah is on the move!  he's doing the commando crawl.  he's not up on his hands and knees, but he sure can get where he wants to go and he can get there fast!  he's still adorable and incredibly well behaved and mellow.  but he's a typical male when it comes to food.  when he decides he's hungry, you better start shoveling something in soon or he'll let you hear about it!  i can't believe he's almost 8 months old!  his 3rd tooth came in the other day and i'm sure #4 isn't far behind.

 

i think for the most part, we are sticking around here for the summer.  our big trip is done for the year and we don't have anywhere else we have to be until labor day weekend when we'll be going to portland for my aunt and uncle's 50th anniversary party.  don't tell shane, but i think we'll be staying in a hotel - with a swimming pool!  that is the ultimate in excitement for him!  hopefully the water won't be toxic like at the best western in napoleon.