Still Learning

I have recently admitted to myself that I am not a nature lover. I have fought this admission for some time now, but it is just not worth it. Now, don't get me wrong, I don't mind being outside I just don't get a thrill from it. I like gardening, or walking, or running outside, but just being there and relaxing is not my thing. I don't know if I am just not a "be-er" yet, but I really only like being outside if I am doing something. I attribute this lack of desire for wanting to relax outside to three main things: 1) The atmosphere is never right outside. It is either too hot, or too cold, or too windy, or too dusty. 2) The furniture for the outdoors is not very comfortable. 3) BUGS. I really don't like bugs and we must admit that you can't be outdoors without encountering them unless it is very cold which would point us back to reason number one. A screened porch is my ideal for relaxing in nature--the fresh air, comfortable furniture and a greatly reduced bug population. This is why a screened porch is on my list of must-haves for any future abode.

Precious Moments

So many precious things happened today that I felt I should record them so on those no-so-precious days I can look back and remember. I wonder though, are these things happening everyday and I just don't notice them as much, or are some days just more precious than others?

We have a new habit. Every morning when the kids wake up they climb the gates on their room doors--the gates that somehow give me a sense of peace that they won't fall down the stairs in the middle of the night--and come into my room, crawl under the covers and wake me up. Laina usually wakes me up while trying to get into bed because it's a little too high for her to climb into by herself yet. They ask if they can watch Martha, which is a PBS show about a talking dog that we enjoy, me for the vocab. and style of animation and them...I guess I don't know why they like it. They stay there until Ryan gets in the house so we can go down and have breakfast. Today, Ryan was late. I wanted to get up because I was hungry and the to-do list for the day was weighing on my mind, but Kaleb informed me that (paraphrased slightly) "we have to stay in bed until Daddy comes in and you tell us to hide and then he finds us and tickles us." Yes, I was held hostage in my bed.

Later we went over to Ryan's grandparents' house for coffee time, also a regular occurence for the kids, and Ryan's grandma started teasing Kaleb that he was her big boy. Kaleb came over to me and told me to tell her he was mine. Apparently this is a teasing that happens regularly. As we were about to leave Grandma called Kaleb hers again and Kaleb said "No." Then to me exasperatedly, "Tell her again, Mom."

We went out to play in the snow after that as cabin fever is hitting hard and I think it might be melted most of the way by tomorrow before it snows again Wednesday and the kids love playing in the snow. We went on a walk toward the back of the farm and on our way back Laina fell. I was in the lead and they were walking together so when I turned around to see how they were getting along I see Kaleb bending over his sister, who is sitting on her bottom on the ground, trying to lift her up. This didn't work so he yelled to me to come help her. I told her how to get up and then they walked to me holding hands.

All this before lunch.

Growing up

I think Laina is almost potty-trained. The era of the diaper is over. We still use pull-ups when she sleeps, just in case, but she hasn't had an accident while sleeping for quite a while. She sure was easier to train than her brother. Although she seems to desire being a baby with the baby talk and crawling sometimes; mostly baby talk.

Kaleb is learning to write letters and what sounds letters make. He doesn't have a ton of desire to do so, but I keep reminding him that he can't go to school until he learns these skills. I don't know that homeschooling is going to work because I can't seem to figure out how to motivate him well. Maybe I just need to practice.

I head to Houston tomorrow for a little over 24 hours to attend my aunt's funeral. Weird to think that I am in that stage of life where my elders start dying, although she wasn't old--right around 50 I would guess. A sad trip.

Check out the new link on the blogs I follow, quiet musings from home. It is written by a college friend who allows us a peek into her daily world.