The final days

Well I got one more day of being 30 and then apparently I am supposed to start being 30 something. Really kinda just over it all. What I am also over is our month of being vegetarian. Yeah we did it!!! Tomorrow will be our final day of no meat and then bring on the steak, chicken and oh how I have been wanting a great sausage gravy with a fat biscuit. It is hard to believe that a month has passed since Ian suggested his crazy plan. I have really enjoyed the challenge and feel that I have gained confidence in the kitchen (not necessarily with tofu.)

Can you believe that I have not written a post in 20 days. Yes I am slapping my hand and wishing that I had forced myself to take a few minutes to write down those 30+ posts that were floating around my head and now seem to be gone for good.

The kids are all gearing up for halloween and we have settled on being a horse, a dog, and a penguin. I don't know what strange farmer/zoo owner is going to take them door to door but they are going to be the cutest animal combo ever.

Sam got all A's on his first report card from second grade and Leah got an A and the rest B's. We are so proud of both of them. Both the kids spent an entire evening in Sam's room with all the craft supplies making me a birthday present and last night, while Josh was here, they presented their gifts to me. Melt my heart!!!!! They had each written and illustrated a book for me. So creative, personal and exactly what I wanted for my birthday.

I am kinda having a hard time this birthday since it will be the first birthday in my life that I won't be getting a card from Safta. But love continues to abound and pouring into my heart and life. Oh and I am getting a new sewing machine (mine died). I am so excited. I have decided to kinda start a little business of selling homemade baby gifts i.e. burp cloths, carseat covers, hats and blankets. I kinda need to cover the cost of fabric and am so in love with sewing and creating cuteness. Speaking of cuteness, Yudi's baby shower is quickly approaching and I am lost in the world of tweet tweets. It is all coming together so well and I am getting so excited. Here is a picture of her diaper cake. :)

So my days are continually filled with activities, friends, projects and family. I remember not too long ago when nothing was on the calendar and my days were blank pages flapping from one day to the next in the wind. Yet now I actually have to write stuff on the calendar so that I do not overbook. Well like today for example, a friend came up and said, "ok so I'll see you on Tuesday" With a blank, concerned look in my eyes I quickly asked, "Ummm what is happening Tuesday?" "Oh the husbands have been planning it, you guys are going to come over Tuesday for dinner" Feeling obligated to explain my flabbergasted expression I quickly exclaimed, "Tuesday is my birthday and we are supposed to go to Ian's parent's house for my birthday dinner" Oh my gosh my husband is sooo fired. Apparently Ian thought my birthday was on Wednesday and ....... yeah

Sometimes admits the chaos Emma feels a little left out (like she is not all that I focus on 24/7) so I always love those days when we have nothing to do but hang out together and my how those days are cherished by us both.

We had so much fun taking out own pictures with all the funny faces we could muster up.
She keeps me laughing so hard and is truly my little delight.

She is all into knock knock jokes right now and her sense of humor is completely taking off to a new level..... just wish that I got her jokes every so often.
Can you roll your tongue? can you?
My handsome boy who I happened to have with me when I was at this cute little garden.
He melts my heart every day and his crazy Sam stories are becoming fewer and farther between but every so often and a few times a week Sam still does completely Sam stuff. Like last Sunday when he came into church and sat down on the pew next to me. Gazing down on him, all smiles from each of us until I looked down at his filthy hands and clutched between his index finger and his thumb was a big, fat, stub tailed lizard. Trying not to laugh out loud and scream I sat down and whispered in his ear, "Sam you can't have lizards in the church" "But mom Hannah (age 11) said that I could" Sam continued to sit there eyes gazed ahead. Again trying not to scream at him so resorting to the clenched teeth growl tone, "Sam you can not have a lizard in the church!!!" He reluctantly got up and walked out of the sanctuary only to return 2 minutes later holding a little paper water cup. Despite knowing the reality of this scene I still gazed into the cup hoping to only see water, and sure enough there was the big, fat, stub tailed lizard frantically and almost successfully clambering to get out of its new habitat. This time I assisted Sam and his lizard out of the church, past the humorous gazes of many other parents, out the front door and into the open air. I was not concerned in the least about this lizards salvation and after watching Sam place the cup in a box among the plants (for later), it appeared that I did not care much for the lizards life either.

Oh and fall is here.... as in the cold days have begun and rain and mud and the cold. Soooo not ready for it. I told Ian that if we have a cold winter I am moving to San Luis for the winter and will be back for the summer. "I'll just be your summer wife" Without missing a beat he asked what he will do over the winter. "Oh you can go ahead and find a winter wife" So maybe craig's list or something but it sounds like we are going to be in for a cold winter and Ian will be looking for a wife.