mid-september pictures

So it's the middle of September already. The middle and end of months freak me out a little bit b/c they just keep coming. And it's another month in the books. Yikes! 

Kindergarten is getting better everyday. Ted now asks me to not walk him to the bus so he can get on by himself. He says he loves Kindergarten and that he's going to "rock it" today. Art and Music are two favorites. He started fall soccer this week. Loves it! He's super into learning to read, spelling words and reading chapter books together which is fun.

I'm working 2 days a week. Trying to stick it out one more year w/o working more full time. Sophie is going to "Tuesday School" - a Mom's Day Out - one day a week. I love it. She loves it. I so wish it was 2 days a week. It's so cute. I share a sitter with a friend one day a week. It's crazy when I can come home to work and no one's here. A taste of next year when Sophie will do PreK. It's a freedom of sorts. I'm enjoying my other days with Sophie. We have a lot of fun together. 

So, some pictures from the first half of the month . . .

We spent the morning of the Marshall game at Urgent Care for Ted. He ended up on some sort of antibiotic. We missed Ben's first sermon at South Ridge Church. Bummer.

So then we had to wait at CVS for the prescription to be filled. So we played in the toy aisle.

Sophie had some blood work done last week. She has inherited her father's elusive veins. She got stuck in both arms and they had to dig around. She was a TROOPER! The ladies were so impressed with her demeanor and not crying that they gave her a coupon for a free smoothie at the coffee shop in the lobby.

I got Ted a notebook that we write in a couple of days a week. A journal of sorts that will help him with spelling, writing and reading. And will hopefully turn into a habit in a spiritual sense. It's already fun to look back at it!

Ted likes to make lists of words he "knows." Once we hit phonics we'll be golden. He has to learn to spell and write Theodore at school. He's been practicing a lot.

Sophie is a water coloring fool these days. Sometimes she water colors the table, her shirt and most of her arms.

Sophie on her way to school. This was actually her second week b/c the first week it was pouring down the rain and we didn't get that far.

august pictures

posing for pictures at woodburn hall on campus

woodburn hall and two little people sitting on the stairs

a birthday sign ted hung on john allevato's door on assignment.
that's a zipline in case you couldn't tell.

sweet friends of ours moved to town a couple of weeks ago. i've so enjoyed spending time with my great friend bethany - one of my longest friends! we went to a parade shortly after they moved here. right now, we have a 2 (Hudson), 3 (Sophie), 4 (Ellie) and 5 (Ted) year old.

found them like this the other day on the couch playing with my phone

took ted to the eye doctor last week for headaches he's been having. this was when they dilated his eyes and he borrowed some cool shades. he ended up getting glasses. don't have a picture of that yet.

tears after sophie dropped her after-school-popsicle and millie ate it

watching "free willey" the other saturday morning

waiting for new tires on the van at sam's. this was one of those "surprisingly good behavior times"

the frog's going to walmart

family photo from the river

june pics

This was ice cream celebrating Ted's last day of preschool and Sophie's 1st day of preschool. I started working at a preschool 3 weeks ago. I'm half teaching for their summer program and half working in their office. Sophie goes with me. We're doing 5 days a week. There's too much to write about it and now isn't the time. It's been an adjustment. It's getting better. It was a rough first couple of weeks. Thankfully they gave me the month of July off for assignment. I'll start working 3 days a week in the fall when the preschool program returns to full swing. I think it's going to be ok.

I love when kids sleep in the car and it's sweet.
Ted has been Ben's sidekick this month. He's going to WVU Kid's Camps 3 days a week and hanging with Ben 2 days a week while I work. While it wasn't my first plan for the summer, it's been a good one (which I'm super thankful for b/c it was all my idea and could've been a disaster waiting to happen)! Honestly, if you would've told me how much fun they would have together I wouldn't have believed you. Ted has gone with Ben to shoot program videos, shop for camp, to the office to do mailers for the area, clean out the basement with all the YL stuff for camp and a hundred other things. He's been a real trooper and a great side kick for Ben. It's given them great time together. Seriously, he's such a big kid now. I'm really proud of Ted for being helpful, non-whiny and a good sport.

I hate when they sleep in the car and you know it's just going to
be straight up painful when they wake up.

Sophie has moved to a booster seat. So much easier! It's our first "pink" purchase of an accessory.
She picked it herself and is thrilled to be in a "big kid seat."

Ted & Sophie playing house. Notice the babies covered at the bottom of the bed. They had the baby potty right beside the bed just in case the babies had to pee in the middle of the night. They wanted to make sure they were fast. I love to listen to them when they play house. Hilarious!

I believe this was about 7:45 am one of those really hot mornings.
Nothing like sand in your underwear first thing in the morning.

You can never be too safe when taking your baby for a ride in your truck.

And you have to make sure you have all the right stuff for the road trip.

Sophie's 1st Day of Preschool

february catch up

Whewee! Young Life is HAPPENING here in the Mountaineer Area. Leaders are investing in kids, we're investing in leaders, committees are being built, money is being raised (we continued getting paid by the complete grace of God), the camp trip is full (94 spots filled and the trip has a waiting list), Work Crew training is wrapping up this weekend (I did training this year and loved it!), Young Life College is evolving, interest meetings are happening for 3 new schools/ministries (Lincoln High School, Clay Battelle High School and WyldLife at Mountaineer Middle School) and the YL office is GONE! That's right. For those of you who have prayed us through getting out of that money-pit, you can start saying your "thank you's" After many, many hours by many, many volunteers, the finishing touches and walk-thru with the landlord happened on Thursday. And, as of March 31st, it will not longer be leased by Young Life. It's all so big. It's all so exciting.

At the same time, it's a lot. It's overwhelming. To keep up is impossible. Last week, Ben was out 6 nights. Sunday was leadership. Monday he plays guitar at UHS's Club. Committee meeting in Bridgeport on Tuesday and playing guitar at club in Bridgeport on Wednesdays. Finishing up on the office Thursday. Interest meeting for Clay Battelle High School on Friday. Thankfully we had fairly restful days on Saturday and Sunday. Minus the blazing toothache Saturday night that will most likely require a root canal sometime this week. Thankfully a new friend of ours is a dentist who only does root canals. The Lord's provision. We're learning how to figure this out. Boundaries. Balance. Rest.

Today was an absolutely beautiful day. We broke out Ted's bike, Sophie's stroller and Millie's leash for a family walk on the rail trails. Ted has grown so much over the winter judging by the way he almost doesn't fit his bike anymore. And it's lightening and thundering right now. This has been the craziest February. So here is the last of our February . . .

This is the card Ted picked out for Ben for Valentine's Day. It's one of those singing ones. Sponge Bob singing "Happy Birthday." Funny thing is, they don't watch Sponge Bob. There's not one redeeming thing about that show. Anyways, Ted told me what he wanted to write. I wrote it out for him on a piece of paper and then he wrote it. "I Love You Forever. Love, Ted" 















The other week was absolutely beautiful. I washed the van and gave it a good dust bust. At least got the big crumbs out. Sophie "helped" me by turning all the knobs and pushing all the buttons.



















Sophie and I grocery shop every Monday morning. And a funny tid-bit of information, I usually spend within $10 of the same amount every week. Weird, I know. Anyways, she picked these flowers out all by herself on Valentine's Day. (Don't let the Halloween shirt fool you about what is the actual holiday.) Funny that even 2 year old girls love flowers!




















On a 60 degree day, the kids decided to do some sled riding. The hill in our backyard is steep enough that you really don't need snow. Good to know.



















Play-doh is my new best friend and pre-dinner entertainment. I've never been a big fan. Don't know why. But both kids love it and play nicely together. We cleaned my utensil drawer - orange peelers, baby spoons, chop sticks, pumpkin scraper and cookie cutters. Thank you, Doh, for the Play Doh set. It's been hiding on top of the dryer since Christmas. Like I said, never been a big fan. But it's a HIT!





























So, there you have it. The end of February. Can't believe it's March on Tuesday. Spring is near. And it looks the groundhog (or beaver if you're Ted) was right!

in no particular order

Before my camera died at the Buckwheat Festival . . . a goat finding Sophie's leftovers in her stroller!


Ted has been very into coloring (inside the lines) and drawing recently. He and Sophie hang together at the table and Ted is "teaching" Sophie about colors, shapes and letters.


A couple of weeks ago, Sophie and I went with Ben to a regional meeting in Pittsburgh. We did a little fall shopping for Sophie and hung out with Shawna at her new, beautiful house. It was one of the first cold, rainy days we had. As our afternoon continued, Sophie slowly stripped down to her diaper. She didn't seem to mind.


Ted has been playing soccer every Wednesday afternoon. We missed the real soccer game sign-ups. So this is like a little clinic. Not really worth the money I paid for it. But he likes it just the same. He wears his England soccer uni every week.


While at soccer a couple weeks ago we saw the Good Year blimp. You can't really tell what it is. But it was around Morgantown for several days.


The pigs at the Buckwheat Festival. This is just so GROSS!


This was in a hotel parking lot last week. The things you see here. . .


We have leadership with all the college leaders on Sundays. Ben meets with all the guitar players for club 30 minutes before to practice club songs for the week. There's usually about 3 more that fit in here. It's a pretty neat sight!


Sophie and I watch program music videos at lunch sometimes. You can never get enough of those!


Sophie giving her foot a "bath." She had an ingrown toenail last week so we had to soak it and get some antibiotics. I swear, antibiotics are amazing!


Ted playing with the new bat for the Wii that Grandma gave us. Thanks, Grandma!


At Rockbridge, a cabin had Snuggies as volleyball uni's. They left them around so the Assignment Team got 1 per family. Ted digs it. I've made fun of Snuggies for a long time. But now I'm just going to say that I wish I would've thought of that and made my million.


Sophie hanging at Walmart.


Ted could entertain himself FOREVER in the Halloween aisle.


Uncle Andy came for the WVU game on Thursday evening and stayed the night. Friday morning he had breakfast with the kids, played dress-up (hence the too tight basketball jersey) and drew some pictures. He was trying to teach Ted about pi and square roots and crazy math facts but Ted was very uninterested.


This is one of two Care Bear costumes my aunt made. My cousins wore them. My sister and I wore them. And now this is top costume in Ted's dress up box.