These Are Days

Update

2009-11-14T19:53:00.003-06:00

Well, we survived our time without Matt. We cheated a little; we spent Tuesday night at a hotel for a little mini-adventure, complete with pool time and Chinese food food delivered right to our door. On Wednesday, Matt's sister watched the kids while I worked and we invited ourselves to crash there Wednesday night. It was very nice to get out of our big, dark house for awhile. Matt came home at 4:45 AM on Friday morning and insisted that the boys stay with him while I went to work. We all slept really good on Friday.

As a reward for keeping us safe and warm all by myself, Kirk and Kasey came for the weekend. Oh, they also came so Kasey could finish her rural hospital experience in Broken Bow, but mostly they came to distract the boys long enough for me to take a shower.

Here goes

2009-11-08T17:55:00.004-06:00

Matt is on his way to Racine, Wisconsin for tractor school, or something, and the boys and I are are staring down the barrel of a week of single parenting. In the spirit of positive thinking, I decided the pros of this arrangement are 1) a menu plan consisting of pancakes and grilled cheese sandwiches and 2) okay, that's all I've got. The cons are EVERYTHING ELSE. We passed the time today by going to a birthday party and doing an art project that turned out, surprisingly, nothing like the picture in the magazine. Twelve hours down, INFINITY to go.

Still catching up

2009-11-04T17:10:00.003-06:00

When we were at my parents' last month, Mom brought home an Animal Sounds Bingo game to play with Ethan. She humored Evan by giving him a card as well, but to our surprise he played like an old pro and really got into it. The look of concentration on his little face was priceless, and Ethan sweetly shared his expertise as needed.

Ahoy

2009-10-31T21:22:00.004-05:00

We had a fantastic Halloween and the boys looked fiercely adorable in their pirate costumes. Mom made the vests, pants, and sashes with creative direction from Tessa. The challenging part was getting all the pieces on all the boys at the same time, so you'll have to use your imagination to put the ensemble together from the various pictures here. They did wear the completed outfits for the actual trick-or-treating, but of course I left my camera in the car. I hope I never forget how much fun that was. They tromped up to each house excitedly and chimed 'Trick or treat' so sweetly. Evan was saying it by the end of the night like such a big boy. Then tay day, he would say as each handful of sugar went into the bucket. It was better than I had ever imagined.
Don't worry, that is a clean diaper on the floor behind him.

Kirk models the earring and sword .

Ethan is not actually posing as a pirate, he is trying to whack Evan. Looks good, though.

Evan gets stitches (unrelated to above).

The hat. And the harmonica from Kasey that he did not put down for one second throughout the weekend.

A happy, sugared-up boy.

The only picture I managed to get of them both in their Halloween shirts, even though Ethan proclaimed that he was going to wear his forevah. (He only made it 3 solid days and nights.)

So there you have it!

2009-10-22T20:17:00.003-05:00

Autumn? What autumn?!

The perfect snow day begins with Belgian waffles. Extra powdered sugar, of course.
Followed by desert:A Lightbulb Moment: Relatively clean faces, picturesque scenery...let's take a photo for the Christmas cards! I'll get them ordered early and just sit back and relax in December... wow I am supermom!OK, maybe not. We can still sit back and relax, though.

The Tooth Hurts

2009-10-18T20:07:00.001-05:00

So, recently, because I am a big naive idiot, I mentioned to a friend that Evan hadn't bitten anyone in quite a while and maybe he had outgrown that lovely stage.

You can see where this is going, right?

No permanent damage, though.

Put Me in the Zoo

2009-10-10T13:39:00.003-05:00

Chores

2009-10-07T18:06:00.002-05:00

The boys and I spent a few days at my parents' home last week on a working vacation:

Gathering eggs
Feeding the horses

Helping Grandpa Eggert fix the combine

Another Day at the Park

2009-09-26T21:04:00.000-05:00

These are from, you guessed it, another day at the park. Do those kids look too big to be mine, or what?

Dates

2009-09-22T11:33:00.005-05:00

The boys and I went to the free matinee at the movie theater on Sunday. Ethan sat enthralled, carefully balancing his popcorn on his lap and trying not to get closed up in the seat. Evan played around in the aisle with the other too-little-but-their-mothers-and-siblings dragged-them-along-anyway kids. It was a lot of fun and I was glad to learn that Ethan is old enough for a real movie before springing for a $7 ticket sometime.

Last week we ate lunch at an adorable little restaurant in Broken Bow. Ethan and I used to eat there after my doctor appointments the summer I was pregnant with Evan. It doesn't look child-friendly and the first time we went I was concerned about what kind of damage my 22-month-old would do, but Ethan sat there like a little gentlemen and we talked and I was amazed at what a cool little person he was becoming. That summer, I worried so much about what life would be like with two boys and I was sure that the baby was going to ruin this awesome thing I had going with Ethan.

Sometimes it is just as insane as I had imagined.

Mostly it is a hundred, million, kajillion times better.

To Tessa

2009-09-08T22:03:00.003-05:00

Ethan's latest obsession is pirates. We read a book about Pirate Pete 15 or 20 times per day and any flat surface can become a ship merely by jumping around on it and screaming "arrgh", then knocking each other down. So when http://www.diapers.com/, the awesomest website EVER, included a pirate accessories kit in the Halloween costumes (already?!) section, I couldn't resist ordering 3 sets. (One for each of them to destroy now, and one to save for Ethan to wear on Halloween. Unless he is so totally over pirates by then, and on to... I don't know, woolly mammoths.) The package arrived today and Ethan was ecstatic. "Thank you so much, Mom. This is just what I always wanted!" he enthused. Evan was ecstatic, too, but he didn't know why until they were both decked out in "standard pirate issue wear" according to Ethan. (According to the Pirate Pete book, the line is 'standard issue pirate wear.' For a complete listing, ask Ethan. Do not under any circumstances subject yourself or your family to the book.) Ethan wanted to call Tessa and tell her "to come to my house and see my pirate standard wear" and after a long, detailed conversation (he told her he had an eye patch, and she worried that he had an actual eye injury...probably thinking immediately of Evan) she texted me a request for a pirate blog with pictures. Even though I just told her that I can't figure out anything on the new camera. So here's all I got:

Aargghh!

The Little Garden That Could

2009-08-30T21:57:00.005-05:00

We've been wearing more hoodies than tank tops lately, and the house always smells like zuchinni bread (or zuchinni cake, or zuchinni brownies- we have a lot of zuchinni) so it must be time for my annual "I love autumn" post. We are in full-on canning and freezing mode around here. The kitchen is perpetually sticky and canning jars are balanced precariously across every available surface, but I just love this whole process. I especially love the connected-ness to women all over the world who have spent/are spending time lovingly preparing food for their families. Well, mostly lovingly... occasionally the phrase "What the *&%$ am I doing up at #%*&ing 2am?" runs through my mind, but overall it is a very peaceful process. And the results are much more satisfying than the ol' laundry, dishes, vacumn routine.

My garden has surprised and delighted me with a colorful bounty of veggies. I was pretty sure that I had neglected it right into oblivion this summer but apparently some plants are able to thrive in dry, weedy environments. Works for me!

I have been searching for recipes to mix up our zuchinni consumption and last night I made this fantastic side dish but I can't remember what site it came from. You could probably use whatever vegetables you have on hand, and if you want some zuchinni or butternut squash, COME AND GET IT.

* Random thought: If you were playing a drinking game with this post ('cause what else are blogs for) and you took a drink every time I said zuchinni, you would be freakin' wasted right now.

Garden Squash Skillet

2 medium zucchini
2 medium yellow summer squash
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and cook, stirring, for about 8 minutes, or until tender but still a little crisp. Add butter and toss with the cheese. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. * I added more cheese and quite a bit of salt. Enjoy!

Bubbly

2009-08-30T16:40:00.002-05:00

Mom brought another gallon jug of bubbles when they were here last weekend. Or BUH BUHS, as Evan demands insistently 23875543 times per day. But check it out: such close proximity to exposed flesh and no one ended up with teeth marks. Miracle Bubbles, indeed.

Thanks

2009-08-24T12:34:00.002-05:00

Tessa and my parents came this weekend, saving us from turning on each other like a pack of rabid wolves. In addition to making salsa, fixing fence, and lots of cowgirl-ing (rounding up the cattle, treating 20+ for pinkeye, and moving them all to a different pasture), Tess even had time to take pictures!

When did my baby start looking like a little boy? Does this mean I have to stop calling him Baby?

The Impatient Patient

2009-08-20T13:41:00.002-05:00

Ethan and Evan are taking advantage of the extra snuggle time with Daddy. We are all surviving Matt's recuperation but can't wait til he is back on his feet.

Catch up

2009-08-12T08:12:00.003-05:00

I got a new camera (thanks again, Grandpa!!) last week but haven't had time to, you know, take any pictures. So here is one more unillustrated post, then I am pretty sure I will be on top of my game enough to take the camera with me, snap some shots of the boys, and upload them to the computer before they go off to college. Really. Sure.

Evan knows colors! The only one he says is "ello" but if you ask him to hand you the blue or green or anything one, he can do it 100% accurately. He is also saying more animal names and can do most of the basic noises. My Dad taught him to say chicken and er-er-er-er-oo when he was at their house, and it is pretty gosh darn adorable. So is his attempt at snorting like a pig. I'll have to videotape it because it's impossible to spell.

Ethan is going through some kind of odd phase: when Matt and Evan go out in the evenings to bale hay or whatever, Ethan has been choosing to stay inside with me. We have had some very pleasant chats and I can't get over how helpful he is. His newest chore is folding washclothes and dish towels, freeing up even more time for me to lie on the sofa and eat bonbons.

In between our rousing games of 'Who's Got The Kids?,' Matt is trying to get all the hay put up before his hernia repair on Tuesday (boo). I have been even less help than usual, what with working and all, but hopefully we'll get everything caught up (ha ha ha ha ha ha). The other thing I promise to stay caught up on is this poor lil blog. Really. Sure.

My kids are weird

2009-07-23T15:02:00.003-05:00

While I was searching for something in the fridge, Evan exclaimed "Ah!" and triumphantly snatched the bottle of maple syrup. He then wrapped it in a receiving blanket, kissed it, and has been carrying it around the house for the last seven minutes.

:::

We were playing Hide & Seek when I found Ethan under the dining room table. "Do you want to play again, Mom?" he asked. Well, of course, who wouldn't. (Ugg.) "OK, you count and I'll hide wight here," he instructed. Good thing I had a hint like that; it's tough enough to find Evan standing right behind me, giggling.

Home again

2009-07-19T16:20:00.007-05:00

Reporting live from under a pile of laundry (photography by Tessa) (hair/makeup/dirt by Nature):

Fired up:

Ready to go:
Tessa & Ethan's view fron the hammock:

Fishing:

A cozy place to make a snow angel:

Family portrait, Fishing Edition:

More fishing:

Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion (hint: it involves fishing).

Too much

2009-07-08T17:53:00.003-05:00

My mom and my aunt Laura were here for a few days, doing all of my work, and I still couldn't manage to get anything written. Not only do I feel guilty about letting all of you down, I have been rationalizing that the empty baby books are okay because of all the information (and wisdom) I am documenting on the worldwide Interweb. But here we are with more empty pages, each one admonishing me to get a grip on my life. Some people go to work every day, for crying out loud. You don't see them stressing out because their DVR list is 94% full and they are about to leave on a weeklong vacation. Speaking of vacation, I still need to pack and do a few million other things so today's tidbit will be less wisdom and more random things I don't want to forget. (What, you don't remember seeing any wisdom here? Oh, maybe I'm thinking of someone else's blog.)

Ethan is spending less time as a puppy and more time as "Dad". You may also call him "Matt" or "Ethan's Dad" but never under any circumstances are you allowed to address him as "Ethan." That part is currently being played by Evan, although he hasn't figured that out so does not respond to directions from "Dad" and also is disappointed 10 times a day when Ethan, I mean "Matt" announces "Dad's home!," referring, of course, to himself and not to Evan's beloved Dada. The good news is that "Dad" does not insist on eating out of a bowl on the floor.

Evan now says off, which has slightly decreased the number of times a day he says up, and it is a very useful word as he has appointed himself Supreme Leader of Anything With An On/Off Switch. He says see you wayteh and blows kisses as he zooms away. He also asks 'huh' all the time and actually I wouldn't mind forgetting that one because it's really annoying. He is very much into pretending right now as well. Being a puppy is his favorite but occasionally he moos and insists that you feed him from a sippy cup as though he is a baby calf drinking from a bottle. Oh, you know what, maybe I should say that being a shark is his favorite activity because OOWWWWWW with the biting.

Well look at this! I can cross update blog off my list and go on to, damn, weed garden. It's going to be a long night. See you all next week!

Briefly

2009-07-02T01:44:00.000-05:00

I wish I had a really good excuse for neglecting this poor little blog, like I was busy writing a novel or finding the cure for cancer, but this is not the place for grandiose fibs. (That place, obviously, would be among a group of fishermen. Or perhaps a new mothers' play group: 'My baby slept through the night at 2 days old.' 'My baby aced his early admission exam to Harvard.') And if this blog had feelings and felt neglected, all it would have to do is look out at my garden for a shocking portrait of REAL neglect. Or look at the boys' long, filthy fingernails. Shudder.

Instead I've been: Playing 'puppy' with Evan, decluttering (feels so good), potty training, trying to choose the perfect camera, finalizing details for upcoming vacations, trying to keep the bucket calves in their pen, caring for the screamingest infant I've ever known (and I've known some pretty screamy infants), praying, raking hay, feeding people, swimming, and, oh yeah, occasionally going to WORK. So far I am loving my job and Matt is loving the extra time at home so that's working out well. It's been quite challenging to get out the door at a specific time but I am trying to act like an adult about it. (Specifically, an adult who can manage a schedule, not an adult who has been doing whatever she pleases for the past 4 years).

Ethan is spending this week at my parents' house. We are missing him but it has been fun to have this one-on-one time with Evan. He has grown up so much lately- practicing big boy postures like leaning against the wall on one leg and standing with his hands on his hips; really helping around the house; and choosing imaginative play games that actually make sense. He uses new words everyday and continues to communicate very clearly with non-verbal cues as needed. Once in a while I can step back from the everyday madness and really look at the boys. I am constantly surprised and delighted by what amazing little people they are. I can't wait to get my hands on Ethan this weekend. Til then, I think I'll be able to keep myself busy.

Facebook cop-out, part 3

2009-07-01T23:10:00.002-05:00

1. What bill do you hate paying the most? Insurance
2. Do you miss being a child? Not at all, I love being a mom.
3. Chore you hate the most? Oh so many... cleaning the bathtub, putting away laundry, vacumning.
4. Where was the last place you had a romantic dinner? Um, prom?
5. If you could go back and change one thing, what would it be? I would not have bought a bunch of size 0 pants right before I got pregnant with Ethan. Yeah, I'm still bitter.
6. Name of your first grade teacher? Mrs. Wylie
7. What do you really want to be doing right now? Sleeping.
8. What did you want to be when you grew up? As a child, I wanted to be a vet. As a teen, a social worker. (Check.)
9. How many colleges did you attend? 1, Dana.
10. Why did you choose the shirt that you have on right now? Relatively clean.
11. What are your thoughts on gas prices? Oil companies are sticking it to us.
12. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? What the f* is that noise?!
13. Last thought before going to sleep last night? Sh*t, I didn't put the clothes in the dryer.
14. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Barack & Michelle Obama. And Jon Stewart. And Mike Rowe. And Dr. Sears. And... just kidding.
15. Have you ever crashed your vehicle? Umm, yeah. A few. Okay, a lot.
16. If you didn't have to work, would you volunteer? I would love to volunteer more, especially at church.
17. Get up early or sleep in? In theory, get up early. In reality, sleep as long as possible.
18. What is your favorite cartoon character? The Man in the Yellow Hat
20. When did you first start feeling old? When I got married, now I look back and can't believe how young I was
21. Favorite lunch meat? turkey
22. What do you get every time you go into Wal-Mart? toilet paper
23. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? no, it's a lifesaver
24. Favorite movie you wouldn't want anyone to find out about? Enchanted - I'm not afraid to admit it.
25. What's your favorite drink?Diet Pepsi... I only wish I could take it intravenously.
26. Who[m] from high school would you like to run in to? Dawn, with Preston of course
27. What radio station is your car radio tuned to right now? NPR
28. Sopranos or Desperate Housewives? Neither, my limited TV time is dedicated to the Daily Show
29. Worst relationship mistake that you wish you could take back: Taking out all my frustrations on Matt
30. Do you like the person that sits directly across from you at work? yeah, I like my kids (most days)
31. Have you ever had to use a fire extinguisher for its intended purpose? not yet
32. Last book you finished reading? Marvin K. Mooney, Will You Please Go Now by Dr. Seuss
33. Do you have a teddy bear? They've all been commandeered.
34. Do you go to church? Not as much as I should and as I would like to.

Missed

2009-06-18T21:06:00.004-05:00

My camera bit the dust last week, and here are a few of the things I wish I could have photographed lately:

- the way Maddie's tiny feet, Evan's chubby feet, and Ethan's enormous feet looked all tangled up on a blanket in the yard
- the look of shock on Evan's face when he ran through the sprinkler for the first time
- the look of ecstasy on Ethan's face while running through the sprinkler
- the boys holding our baby kitties
- the basketful of arugula and spinach we picked from the garden
- the supercute pajamas my mom can't stop buying for the boys
- how happy all my boys looked when we celebrated Matt's birthday on Tuesday

Not that I have time to take pictures, anyway, because I am now working part time at a youth home in Broken Bow. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be part of the CEDARS organization and to use my skills -and degree- with these troubled children. It has been an adjustment for my own kids, of course, but Matt and I have been able to juggle our schedules enough for one of us to be with them most of the time. He has been very glad to have some extra time at home- at this rate the ranch work will be caught up in 10 or 15 years. Since the boys are such good help.
So lots of new adventures and laundry piling up, but I am excited to see what this summer will bring us.

Sweet, sweet babies

2009-06-13T21:14:00.002-05:00

No, no, not mine. Are you crazy? Although mine does look deceptively sweet here:

The boys and I made a quick trip to Lincoln last Monday and got to meet Preston on our way home. Isn't he adorable? Matt and I have been friends with his parents, Nick and Dawn, since high school. We just love them to pieces, even though Dawn once shut Matt's head in a car door (hmm...that actually explains a lot).

The other aforementioned sweet baby is that little Maddie we're watching. Evan has gotten over most of his possessiveness of me and has followed Ethan over into adoration-land. "Tiddoo, tiddoo," he'll grin as he tickles her feet. "Look at her tiny little toes," Ethan coos as she lays on the blanket. "Look at her tiny little ears. Let's talk about them." So we talk about how tiny babies are, and who takes care of them, and how wonderful it is that God gives babies to mommies and daddies.

Huh. I guess mine can be pretty darn sweet, too.

Happy birthday, Grandpa!

2009-06-12T20:19:00.004-05:00

Today is my Grandpa Joe's birthday, and we are all really sad not to be in Lincoln celebrating with him. He is an amazing man and we love him very much!

Food, glorious food

2009-06-10T22:40:00.001-05:00

Meal times at our house remind me of The Very Hungry Caterpillar: for supper tonight, Evan ate through one container of yogurt, seven steamed carrots, two servings of corn, five bites of roast beef, and one potato. Ethan is finally branching out of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich obsession with variations such as: "ONE bread with ONE jelly," a slice of bread with peanut butter, a slice of bread with butter, and a plain old slice of bread. That's my boy. He still eats more fruits and veggies than anyone I know (besides Evan), and drinks tons of milk so I haven't been too worried about his general diet but Matt is beyond baffled by the meat boycott. He also feels strongly that each boy should eat whatever I prepare for dinner (and eat it with a smile on your face!) and thinks I am enabling bad habits when I set a PB&J on Ethan's plate while dishing up pot roast for the rest of us. We usually maintain a solid united front on parenting issues but it is really hard with this food situation. I was a really picky eater and I turned out fine. Matt always cleaned his plate... and turned out fine. I figure that I am the one making dinner and making the sandwich, so it should be my call. I'm not offended at all, I'd rather prepare something that I know will get eaten (and by 'prepare' I mean buttering a slice of bread, seriously) than spend the whole dinner with someone in tears over hostile negotiations. Matt thinks the whole concept of 'taste preferences' is ridiculous and there's no reason not to choke down whatever is on your plate. Taste is of the utmost importance to me, and I am living proof that spoiled, over-indulged picky eaters can grow up to eat green veggies, and lots of them. Besides, one of Ethan's first sentences was 'mowe bwoccowi, pweese.' We can't have screwed up that much in the last 3 years, can we? Hopefully this will phase out soon and we can stand united together against the next soul-sucking obsession. Hmmm, another bedtime boycott, perhaps? Or something even MORE fun.