Togetherness

Logan and Taylor got Legos for Christmas and I'm happy to report that they are still playing with them a month later.  Score! 

But then again, they are Legos.  We never really outgrow Legos, do we?

They recently worked together on a model of our house, including...  

a garage, complete with a car and bicycles,

Taylor's bedroom,

Logan's bedroom,

and a living room/Mom & Dad's bedroom.  (I guess we don't get a room to ourselves.  That's okay, we get the T.V. in our "room.")

Now, changing subjects completely, I remember how excited I was when Logan was able to read books to Taylor.  I thought it was so sweet.

Last week, I caught Taylor reading to Logan.  I thought that was awesome too.  I can't believe how fast the kids are growing up.  They are getting so independent in some ways.

Again, changing the subject, James is in the thick of it in school.  This week starts proficiency testing and midterms.  But the other evening he came home and laid down on the couch.  So of course the kids had to tackle him.

 

Ah, isn't that sweet.

What's funny, is what the picture doesn't tell.  What it doesn't show, of course, are the sounds I heard.  "Ouch! You poked me!"  "Sorry!"   "That was my ear you just yelled in!"  "Sorry!"  "I'm getting squished!"  "This is not comfortable."  "Just be still!" 

Of course there was lots of laughing too and that was the best sound of all,  James with his kids, having a great time!

Logan asked James to wake him up in the mornings so he could see his dad before school.  He was always so disappointed when he'd wake up and James would already be gone.  

So they've started spending time together over the breakfast table.  I can't express how great I think this is.  It's a time for Logan to have his dad's undivided attention.  It's a time for them to just visit with one another.   It's one on one, father/son time.  I'm so glad they found this time to be together.  I know it means a great deal to both of them too.

Swimming Lessons

The last time Logan was in swimming lessons, it was called, "Water Babies and he was nearly 2 years old.  I was several months pregnant with Taylor and he hated the water.  He clung to me and I just walked around the pool, carrying him.  

Now he's 7 & 1/2 years old.  He's going to get baptized in 6 months.  I know my son.  He dislikes change and anything new and/or unfamiliar.  So I was starting to have visions of him, all dressed in white, standing at the entrance to the baptismal font, refusing to go into the water.  I can see it now, him, starting to panic, shaking his head furiously with his eyes wide.  "You want me to do what?  Put my head under the water!!! Are you crazy!?! Noooooooo!!!!"
 

So I enrolled him in swimming lessons, thinking it would take a few months to warm up the the idea of going completely under the water.  

I'm happy to report that it only took 3, half hour lessons before he was dunking himself all the way!  Him, by himself, not the teacher pushing his head under the water or anything like that.  

There he is, coming up out of the water, after going completely under!  I'm so proud of him!!!  He's doing so much better than I dared hoped for.

All these moves have their own special name.  I think this one is the "steamboat."  I don't know, but Logan could tell you.

He absolutely loves swimming lessons and going under the water.  He's always disappointed when it's NOT a swimming lesson day.

Taylor goes with me of course and we watch Logan "swim."  She constantly asks, "When is it my turn to have swimming lessons?"  "Will you sign me up to do swimming lessons?"  "Can I go to swimming lessons tomorrow?"  "When I'm in swimming lessons..."

Well, her turn is next.  She can hardly wait.  She's so excited, but it's hard to be patient.  (She didn't even know she wanted to take swimming lessons 3 weeks ago).

So, anyway, I just had to brag a little about Logan because I'm just so pleased (and relieved) that he's doing so well in the water.  I think we're going to have a baptism this summer after all! 

Snowy Outside, Cozy Inside

I've really slacked on keeping up to date on the blog.  And I was doing so well.  I wish I could say that I've been too busy, but truthfully, I've just been too lazy.  I'll try to be better.  

It's been pretty cold and even snowy outside, so we've just been hanging out at home.  James is back in school now.  It's week 2 and he was already hoping for a Snow Day.  The snow came, but it came on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, when it was already a holiday.  Now that's irony for you.  (Actually it didn't snow enough that they would have canceled school).

It did snow enough last night though, that it delayed the University's start time, but didn't cancel it entirely.  So he's off at school right now.  

The kids have been enjoying the snow too.

I think it's time to go in and warm up with hot chocolate!!!

This freezing and snowy weather is perfect for curling up on the couch and reading a good book.  I just got done reading a great one to the kids over Christmas break.  James and I enjoyed it as well.  It's called "Tuesdays at the Castle" by Jessica Day George.  It's about a magical castle that changes every Tuesday, mostly adding a room or even an entire wing.  If the castle likes you, it will give you large comfortable rooms, but if it doesn't like you, you'll receive the opposite.  Great book!  Kids loved it.  

We've also been playing games and making forts.  We've, okay, I've also taken up knitting.  I tried teaching the kids, but lost patience with that.  I'll try again after I get some better yarn.  The kids have been diligently practicing the guitar Taylor got for Christmas.  And of course there's the Australian Open Tennis Tournament to follow.

Good times! 

We hope you all are enjoying good times too! 

 

Happy New Year's

Happy 2012 to you & your family. Hope your holidays were wonderful.  We went to Eugene for New Year's.  We attended my niece's baptism.  Immediately after Emme was baptized, Taylor & Logan said, "That was so cool!" and "It was awesome!"  

On our drive to Eugene it was raining pretty hard.  So hard, in fact that we couldn't carry on a normal conversation, we had to shout above the pounding rain.  Logan shouted, "I don't like the rain!"  James shouted back, "Well it's wintertime and we do live in Oregon."  Logan yelled back his solution, "Let's move to Texas then!"  

The kids had a wonderful New Year's.  They got to see Grandparents and Aunts & Uncles and cousins.  We all had a great time.  

The kids have been having fun playing with the play-doh 

that Logan made Taylor for Christmas.

According to our rain gauge, we had 4 & 1/2 inches 

of rain in December.

We started out with such a dry, cold December.  I think all our rain for the month came AFTER Christmas.  (Well, our rain gauge month includes the first few days of Jan.) Still, crazy rain lately! 

It's been raining ever since.

I haven't been very busy yet this month, but I have many things that I want to do and organize and set in place.  Maybe tomorrow I'll gather some motivation to get busy... just maybe.