I Am So Excited To Announce...

Chris has officially resigned from his job. Chris has been employed there for six years and has used these years to prepare for his journey into the self-employed world. Or should we be more positive and say the entrepreneurial world. He will still be gainfully employed until February 28th. I am so excited for him. I am so excited for him. I am so excited for him. I am so excited....
...Actually, I am excited for Chris. It's been hard for me to accept that we are giving up such a good thing. But we know it's the right time. And I have great faith in Chris and his abilities and don't doubt his decision one bit. i AM so excited for him.

EDSTER

I have to say, that if my darling children would clean up after themselves, they wouldn't have to worry what I may find under their beds, or in their closet, or in plain sight for all to see. I was in Eddie's (Or the Edster's) room, cleaning up and I saw the papers on the floor. They were rock lyrics. He and his good friend Sam, or is it Samster, apparently have plans to form a band. More power to them. I just had to save the workings of greatness.

I'm just saying

This is Chris typing with Jayne sitting to my right, adding her two cents.

Just a few quick things recently heard in our home:

1) A Sunday afternoon at the kitchen table. Noah says "Dad, Lana called me a dork this morning." Lana explained to me "I said 'no offence'." While I'm trying to explain to Lana that saying 'no offence' means you probably shouldn't be saying anything - sort of like 'I'm just saying...' - Noah is protesting in the background: "No! She didn't say 'Noah fence,' she said 'Noah dork!'"

2) After watching one of the Star Wars movies, Noah turns to Jayne and says: "I want to marry Star Wars."

3) A funny friend of Eddie's was visiting us. Apparently, he knows his pharmaceutical disclaimers but some of the finer points of health education still elude him. We were watching a show and a commercial for some drug came on and he was matching the voiceover, word-for-word... "do not take Vytorin if you are pregnant, or nursing or may become pregnant" etc. Then he asks the room "How do you 'May become pregnant? Oh wait, I know - you drink lots of Sunny Delight." "What?!!!" Jayne shouted. He then explained that he'd seen the movie 'Juno' (don't ask) and he saw the girl drink a ton of Sunny delight and then she was pregnant. Voila! We decided to let his parents burst the bubble... or not.

4) 'Bingo'. Lots of 'Bingo'. This has been for some time but Noah uses 'bingo' as a positive exclamation - sort of like 'awesome'. E.g. "Mom, can I watch Star Wars?" "Sure." "Bingo."

all for now

FINALLY...

So, I'm thinking it was a very long time ago. Maybe even 3 or 4 months when my oldest children, Ceily and Eddie, came home. They came home from school and each gave to me a piece of paper. On these papers were marks and checks and numbers and a note from the school nurse. It was recommended that I take Ceily and Eddie to get a "professional" eye exam. Well, I was really torn. Do I listen to the school nurse? Are Ceily and Eddie just faking it? I guess it can be cool to wear glasses. I mean, Chris and I wear glasses and we are pretty darn cool. Just like every little boy and girl can't wait to get braces, every little girl and boy wants glasses as well. They just want to be like their mom and dad. That's it. They are always wearing my glasses or Chris'. Both Chris and I have had to locate our glasses at one time or another.

Back to the story, I didn't take them. And I kept hearing about it. Ceily: "Mom. Mrs. Roberts keeps saying I need to get my eyes checked. Mom, every time I squint, Mrs. Roberts shakes her head at me and tells me I really need to get my eyes checked. Mom, did you call the eye doctor today?" Eddie: "Mom. I can't see at school. Mom. Remember when the school nurse said I needed glasses? Grandma. The school nurse sent a note home that said I have like 50/200 vision. Mom wont take us to the eye doctor." So, even Chris chimmed in. "You really haven't taken them to see the eye doctor?"

So on January 3, I took them. They loved it. It was like a carnival ride. They were giddy. It was a realization of a dream. And yes. I'm a bad mom, because it was all true. The kids were not "faking." The nurse was not lying. Mrs. Roberts was justified with her head shaking. Ceily and Eddie really did need glasses. They are nearsighted. Ceily more than Eddie. And all I can say is I'm sorry. We knew it would happen one day. I got my glasses when I was in 8th grade. Chris probably got his when he was 2. (Just kidding. Maybe he was 6.)

And today, January 24th was like Christmas all over again. The glasses have arrived and they were 5 days early! And I have to say they do look cute. Now let's see how long it takes to break or lose or destroy one or the other. I'll keep you posted.

I Turned 39 Yesterday...

I turned 39 on January 6th. I really can't believe I'm 39. That means I'm 40 years old next year. 40! I'm old. Chris told me that 39 is the new 29. I told him to stop talking.
The kids were cute with their gifts. Eddie gave me a note he had written. "Eddie's Good Deads. Just call me when you need me and I'll come. (Except if I'm at my friends' house.)" Ceily gave me a book of coupons. One allows me to take her to dinner. I can also cash in on a toy room clean-up, a week of her doing the dishes or she will make my bed or babysit for free. All are good for one year. Noah "read" his gift to me..."I love you and will give you kisses and hugs." Noah asked me if it was still my birthday today. I wish. Then Chris would make dinner again and give me a foot rub and let me take a nap. Actually, he does that for me a lot. I really can't complain. Yesterday was fun. I love being 39...can't wait to turn 40!

Christmas 2007

Christmas has come and gone. I'm always amazed how quickly it passes. It's funny to me that when we look at our years of pictures, or watch our years of video, most recorded is Christmas Morning. Hours and hours of just Christmas morning. I wont bore you with our hours and hours of documentation of happiness and glee, I'll only pleasure you with a few bits and pieces. You know where we live if you are interested in legions of memories.

Chris' Family in Powhatan, had the pleasure of housing our celebration this year. Grandma Jacqui got the children Christmas PJ's, and I think they wore them 4 days straight! I did manage to wash them Christmas Eve.

Noah's favorite gift was his Spiderman Arm, and his Spiderman Potato Head, and his StarWars Light Saber, and his Pirate hat and scarf and his Crash Shake and Go track. He also loved his Darth Vadar Transformer. Every picture with Noah and Grandpa Jim we see them trying to get it out of the packaging. He was extremely excited when he heard Santa's bells outside the window. And he and Lana swore they heard his footsteps upstairs.

Lana and Ceily were in love with their American Girl dolls. Ceily was very surprised. She has been begging for one for years. Lana knew for sure she was going to get one because she wrote her letter to Santa and he got it. She never had a doubt it wouldn't be under the tree. She was also seen this Sunday with tattoos on both cheeks thanks to Grandma Jill.

Eddie was surprised and shouted for joy when he caught a glimpse of his iPod. He was seen with his gift in hand every minute thereafter. He also loved the Wii. He would carry around his Calvin and Hobbes collection, but it weighs 100 pounds. He settles for his Ripley's Believe It or Not and Guinness Book of Records instead. They can be found in his backpack. He has learned all the phases of the moon thanks to the new Moon In Your Room and Planet on Your Ceiling.

I think I did good with Chris' gifts this year too. Well with most of them. I'm still looking for someone to buy the iTouch I got him. He wasn't too interested in that. He keeps telling me every morning and every night he loves his gifts this year. "I'm usually a stinker when it comes to presents (iTouch) but this year I love them all." I think his favorite is the electric toothbrush.

We loved being with family. After every trip home, I am reminded how important family is. That's what it's all about. And this is the year we realized we need to be closer. 10 hours in the car is too far.