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While we were in California, I told people that my life would improve by at least 50% with a yard. I would say that was definitely underestimating. I believe Ranger would agree.

So Random:January photo roundup

We spent a lot of time doing this in January:

 

This was the day that all FOUR of us were sick. So fun.

Crazy kid!

 

It's definitely the rainy season right now. Between sickness and rain, we couldn't wait to get out of the house. The first day it was pretty, we loaded up the bike trailer and headed to the park.

 

Yay!

 

While I was getting ready one morning, Ashyn started folding laundry! I was so proud. (I didn't even refold them.) Later, she put them away! She'll be doing all of her own laundry soon!

Christopher is always the one to remind us that we need to pray before eating, even when it is just play eating.

They love each other!

They also love to help cook. They got to make their very own pizza, and it was such a BIG DEAL.

Christopher was helping roll out the pizza dough.

Christopher has been quite a MESS since turning two. Just a few examples from ONE day:

For a few weeks, he wouldn't wear pants.I struggled to put his pants on him one day, then went to take a shower. He removed the pants, then carried his pants into me, saying  "Duh, duh, duh duh, DUH!" in quite the indignant voice and threw down the pants.

Christopher grabbed Ashlyn's doll and ran away with it, her running behind, screaming.

Later that night, when he again wouldn't put on pants, he removed his diaper and stood there, peeing onto the carpet.

Christopher colored on the couch with an orange crayon.

When we left the dentist's office, Christopher started walking into a HUGE, DEEP puddle. Fortunately, he stopped and turned around when I yelled, before his rain boots filled with water.

I have said NO more to him in the past month, then I think I have to Ashlyn EVER. I am definitely reminded of the forward from  No, David! "of course, yes is a wonderful word, but it doesn't keep crayon off the living room wall!"

Seen and Heard

I know that I haven't been updating the blog much, we've, of course, been visiting playgrounds.
Christopher is a bit more comfortable at going down slides again. He didn't even want to go down the slide with me after he burnt his leg.
Ashlyn has been riding her bike.
We've also been feeding the ducks and geese at yet another park.

Last weekend we went to Fairyland to see a production of If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. Ashlyn had to wear her princess gown. It is Fairyland, after all.
MOUSE!
Before the show.
The kids enjoyed the show. Our family really likes the whole series.
The kids love to "help" make cookies. I make cookie dough and then keep it in the fridge and make a few at a time. I caught Ashlyn sneaking cookie dough and she said "you didn't see me eat the cookie dough yesterday."
Both kids love our shoes. Ashlyn is also trying to show off her new manicure.
Christopher is "talking" a bit more. A dog says "ffff." A cow says "mmm." He occasionally throws out a few more things. He's coming along slowly.

Ashlyn wanted to use the timer to take a photo of all of us. Yes, that is marker on Christopher's face, and a headband.
We met Allen for lunch on his drill weekend at (where else?) a park.


Ashlyn was reading to Christopher and insisted that he sit in her lap. He was done with listening. I'm actually pretty amazed at how many books she has memorized and will "read" to Christopher.

The kids have also been in swimming lessons the past two weeks. Of course, the weather turned a bit chilly just in time for the lessons. Ashlyn is still going to take lessons for the next couple of weeks. These photos are not from lessons, though. I'm in the pool with Christopher there, so no photos.

Going in the deep end.
Ashlyn made binoculars in day camp. We talked about how she could see far away with them. Unfortunately, far, far away is also how we have described where her friends and family are. She looked through them, and wanted to know why she couldn't see Bella and Maddie (who are in Kansas and Germany.)

When we were at the commissary, an older man started teasing Ashlyn about her patch. He asked her if she was a pirate. I just kind of laughed it off and said that she was a pirate. It did irritate me, though. I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt that maybe he thought it was a toy patch?

News Roundup

I ordered a new camera. Allen and I were both upset about the loss of the camera. We were both upset about the money, but I was more bothered by only having a crappy camera to use. I ordered a more recent version of my old camera (hey! They don't sell the version I had anymore. I HAD to upgrade.) I'm feeling less hostile towards my new sewing machine now. And, the new camera is really great. I love it.

Christopher was evaluated for speech this morning. He now has a standing appointment on Friday mornings for a bit of help.

Ashlyn has been crossing her left eye. It started about 8 weeks ago, and she was closing that eye for part of the day as well. It was becoming more frequent. She went to an opthamologist last week. She is now the proud owner of a pair of pink glasses. She also has an eye patch to wear for part of the day. It fits over the glasses lens of her good eye, to get her other eye to work better.

Again no pictures

On our second full day here, I was sitting in the park, watching the kids play. The weather was beautiful, and I found myself thinking, "I'm not going to want to leave here."

We've moved a lot: six different states/countries in the time we've been married, plus a couple of home changes at those places. I don't move well. I can unpack quickly, even have a bit of a system, (though there always ends up with unpacked boxes somewhere.) That's not the part I mean. I tend to be "homesick" for the last place, the old friends, old job, etc. I eventually settle in, make friends, and the new place is home.

I have barely gotten things in order. We don't have living room furniture. I haven't actually met anyone, much less made friends. Somehow, I feel differently here. I know, I've been here less than a week, but the place has definitely made a very positive impression so far. I'm not even sure what it is that I like so much.

Ashlyn makes friends in just seconds, though. Today she just started running after a girl about her age. They were giggling and holding hands. Ashlyn came to tell me that she had a friend. She never learned her name, but still talked about her friends at the park. She included two other little girls who she just saw there. From a child who didn't speak AT ALL at daycare for the first 3 years of her life, she has really blossomed into a friendly little thing. She tells people on the elevator or park, that her "dog is Ranger, and he belongs to her. But she doesn't have two dogs, just one. Granny has two dogs. Her name is Joy. Her dogs are Bubba and Penny. This is my brother. He's Christopher. I'm big, but he's little...."

The rest of the Arkansas photos

Ok, I had all of these photos ready to blog about, but didn't get to them. I will share photos from our new neighborhood soon.

Ashlyn really enjoyed getting to see her grandparents. She keeps asking if she'll get to see this or that grandparent or cousin "tomorrow."

Ashlyn with Granny Christopher patting the baby

My friend Amanda drove over from Mountain Home. Our girls had fun playing. Too bad I didn't get a picture of us, just the girls.

On the 4th, we went to my sister's house to celebrate Katie's 7th birthday.

Ashlyn and Grandma

Ashlyn and Jacob

Christopher loved riding Jacob's bike, until someone put a helmet on him.

Uncle Bill pushing Christopher.

Singing to Katie

Christopher enjoying cake.

Kriste and I took our kids to the park in Harrison.

Here's Joshua.

Ashlyn and Joshua checking out the birds.

Christal and Jackson came over another day. Here Ashlyn was supposed to be in time out, but Jackson and Christopher joined her.

Christal and Christopher Christopher on his "horse."