A Tigger Cake

We celebrated A. birthday last night. All the Grandparents were there as well as a couple of uncles and aunts and Great-Grandpas and even a great-and and uncle. WE had a fun time of eating and visiting. We have so many family in the area that birthdays tend to be a big family get together. We don't have room to invite friends. A. requested a Tigger cake, so I abliged. Some how it worked out and he recognized it as Tigger so all was well. He enjoyed all the gifts that everyone gave him even though he's still figuring out the whole opening birthday presents thing. Once he finds a toy he likes he would be content to just play with that and leave the other gifts for later. Maybe we need to alter they way we do it and give him gifts throughout the evening. Oh well, I'm sure he'll have it figured out by next year. Of course this morning he was up before anyone else and was playing with his new "Thomas" tracks.

Preserves

I'm finally getting around to making my years supply of jam. The berries have been ripening this summer and I just didn't feel up to it. It was hot and sticky and the thought of standing by a hot stove making and canning jam just wasn't appealing. However, I did get some berries in the freezer, so this past week as the temperatures got a little cooler I started. I had forgotten how fun and satisfying it is. There is something about seeing all the colorful jars on your shelf knowing that you made all that jam and that your husband and boys will have good homemade jam to eat on their morning toast and peanut butter and jam sandwiches for the rest of the year. It makes me wish as was just a little more motivated to cultivate a garden and preserve all it's goodness for the winter months. Maybe we'll do a little of that next year. Dan and I have finally decided on a spot for our garden and have started killing the sod so that the ground will be easier to till next year. Let's just hope that we can keep our many many many groundhogs out of it as well as the rabbits, dear, and any other critter that thinks people plant gardens for their enjoyment.

Tired.

I've feeling quite exhausted at the moment. We were out last night having a get-together with our bible study group. Great times, great conversation, great fellowship, but a late night. Dan didn't have a good day at work, so by the time we got to bed and he de-briefed his day it was already 12:30. Sudenly, just as I'm drifting off to sleep there is the pitter patter of little feet. Over the next hour or two A. was up in our bed, using the potty, or complaining of his finger being hurt. I just wanted to go to sleep. It hasn't made it a wonderful day. I'm so thankful for air conditioning so that I don't have to deal with the humidity as well.

Mornings with A.

One of my favorite times of the day is in the morning after Dan has left for work. A. is my early riser and is often lying in bed awake when I get up. He likes to sit at the table with Dan and I while we eat our breakfast, and if he's up soon enough he get's to eat with us as well. After Dan leave for work it is A's and my special time together, just the two of us, before N. wakes up. Sometimes we read a book, sometimes he sits on my lap while I check email, sometimes we sit on the couch and cuddle, talking about dreams, ideas, anything we want. I treasure this time with my second son, since he seems to get so much less individual attention. I like to think that this will continue, and as he gets older he will treasure the memories of just him and mom in the morning the way I already do.

Shaggy Dogs

The boys were looking pretty shaggy. I finally got around to giving them hair cuts tonight. Their getting pretty good about it and only fuss a little. What can you expect? They're three and five.

Camping

This past weekend, Dan, the boys, and I went up to Lake Arthur Family Campground. It was a perfect weekend for camping and it is a favorite family activity that we all love. In fact as we were packing up Sunday mid-morning, A. was saying that he wanted to stay at the camp ground and sleep in the pop-up. Saturday we went hiking at McConnel's Mill. The boys really enjoyed this, even though they had to hold mom's and dad's hands to avoid cracking their heads open on the rocks. then in the evening after nap time we went to the Portersville steam show specifically to watch the tractor pull. Unfortunately we couldn't stay to watch the really big tractors pull because the boys were tired and both were saying they were ready for bed. If they say they want to go to bed, they must be tired. Sunday was a nice slow day with family devotions in the morning and packing up. Just was we were cranking the camper down the last couple of inches it started to spit. We tried to have a picnic lunch at Moraine, but all the pavilions were taken and it was crowded since the Ragata was going on. But then we tried McConnel's Mill again and found a lovely Maple with such good coverage that we were able to eat under it. It was a wonderful weekend.

Family times

Yesterday, being a hot sticky day, Dan and I decided to go for a quick swim with the boys when he came home from work. Friends of ours are on vacation this week and had invited us to us their back yard "puddle" while they were gone. It's one of those circular pools with the inflatable ring around the top. It's only about 2 1/2 feet deep which was perfect for our boys. Once we showed them that they could touch they had a grand old time. A. wanted to play games! and enjoyed jumping on his tip toes. N. wanted to play a game in which I put my head under water until he told me to come up. I don't know where he comes up with some of his ideas. After a nice while in the pool we went through the drive through for dinner. The boys had coupons from the library for a free meal at McDonalds. I really enjoy those family times.

Exercise

Well, August is here with true August weather. It is hot, sunny, and sticky. It's getting better as the day goes on. It's only in the upper eighties now instead of the nineties of earlier today. Not the kind of weather that motivates you to get up and do stuff, and yet I find myself anxious for the boys nap time so that I can do stuff. It's just so much easier when the house is quiet and they aren't under foot or asking questions, or asking for me to do something or get something for them. (don't get me wrong, I dearly love my boys, but I do enjoy the quiet time each day) Just this week I went to Walmart and bought myself a Gazelle Edge eliptical trainer. I've been feeling the need for more physical activity in my life. Besides I'm going to be a bride's matron (I guess that's what you would call it) in my brother's wedding, so I better start getting myself in shape. I'm almost out of time, less than two months until the big day. It feels good to be exercising again.