Christmas - the good and the hopeful

We are all so blessed that the Lord has given us this time with each other. That is has never been more evident than the past few days. Our holiday has come with mixed emotions.

At the start of the week, Todd's grandmother fell and broke her shoulder and scapula. She is a feisty, spirited woman, I often compare her to Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies. I know it won't impair her for long.

Todd had dental implant surgery on Tuesday and is still trying to recover. We don't usually fix a Christmas feast, so this year, it is definitely out. That was the day of the ice storm and I still had shopping to do. I decided to go to Minute Clinic for myself (since I knew there was no getting into my doctor at the last minute) to get checked out for a sinus infection I have been battling x 3 weeks now. So, I got what I wanted - antibiotics! They are kinda killing my appetite. That evening, I decided to venture out to get those last minute things taken care of, when I went sliding on the ice and took out a mailbox with my car. The owner was cool about it and said to forget it. It's nice to know there are still good people in the world.

Later that night, Todd's grandfather had a stroke. They rushed him to the hospital and found out he was also in renal failure. They moved him to a nearby hospital were he could start dialysis.

Christmas Eve was a disaster at work. When I came in at 11 am, there were at least 7 people waiting to go to surgery - all of whom which had fallen on the ice the night before. The orthopedic surgeons had been doing surgery non-stop. I imagine it was the same all over town.

That night, things were looking up. We went to Bob's for the annual Christmas Eve pizza dinner. The boys all opened presents and had a blast. Jake liked playing with Bob's dog, Rascal. It would be nice to get a dog, but I just don't think I'm up for it now.

Christmas Eve at home found the boys staying up until 11:30 despite our best efforts to convince them that Santa wouldn't come until they were asleep. Todd and I were up until 1am setting up gifts. We got the boys some of the classic cardboard jumbo blocks which we had to assemble. I have to say that setting the presents up ahead of time is definitely the way to go. You don't have to deal with the dreaded twisty ties and plastic wraps when the kids want to play with it NOW.

This morning, we woke up late (9am!!!) and got started. Christian wasn't too into the new toys, he wanted to play with the one's he got from Nana and Bob the night before. Jacob is still abiding by the toddler rules of property - everything is mine! As I'm typing, he is playing with his V Smile and having a blast.

Here are some pics of the boys enjoying their presents:

Christian playing with his farm from Uncle Bob and Aunt Bev

Christian enjoys some candy from Santa

Jacob playing with his remote control Rocket

Jacob with Papaw Craig and Lori

The Polar Express

We took the boys on the Polar Express Saturday night. It was so much fun for them. We went to the Fisher's train station, where they read the Polar Express. Then, we got on the train and headed for the North Pole (Noblesville). At first, I was disappointed because we sat on the right side of the train, which had more of an industrial view. But, when we got to Noblesville, things were a lot better. The court house was all lite up and it was on our side of the train. Also, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the polar bear waved from the right side, so we got a good view in the end. They all boarded the train and journeyed back to Fishers with us. Jake absolutely had a blast.

Christian seemed to enjoy himself too.

And finally, I have to share a couple of pics. This one is Christian whose fatigue got the better of him while he was trying to eat.

And here's one of Jake making an improvised train with my laundry baskets. Yes, I later found all of our clothing on the floor. He decided to pick up the house during the process.

Happy Birthday, Jacob

Well, as many of you know, my son turned 4 this week. It's hard to believe that it has been that long ago. As I look back over the last 4 years, I remember many things. A tiny baby with jaundice who came home with a bili blanket...

The boo-boo face...







And let's not forget "D"

The first birthday...

and the happy-go-lucky boy..

We went to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate. I wasn't too sure how he would react. Jacob can party with the best of them or clamp down. He really enjoyed himself. Didn't want to eat a thing, just play. It was a nice evening. We were joined by Nana and Papa, Uncle Bob, Aunt Bev, and Riley. Randy and his family also joined us.








Jake got his picture taken at one of these sketch booths, similar to the old Create-a-card stations (only one token!).










So I opted to get one of Christian as well. Christian was wondering around, checking everything out.








The boys crashed on the way home, so Jake didn't get to open his presents from us. He opened them the next day. Now that all of that fun is over, it's time to get ready for Christmas!

Thanksgiving Wrap-up

Well, the holiday went pretty well.

I was suppose to work on Thanksgiving Day, but we were so slow that they sent me home 3 1/2 hours early. Nice, but I lose out on the holiday pay.

We made the 2 hour trip up north to Todd's mom's for Dinner on Friday. The boys liked playing with their cousins, but they didn't eat a thing. Well, except cookies. Great! They were actually pretty good during the drive there and back. We borrowed my mom's DVD players. Jake fell asleep on the way back and missed the pretty flashing lights in the rear view mirror. That's right. Todd got pulled over. We were coming into a small town and he didn't slow down fast enough. The cop let him off with a warning.

We did our Thanksgiving on Saturday. Again, the boys didn't eat at all. My mom cracks me up. She was really wanting a picture of the boys, so here's what we got:

As you can see, children are never all in a good mood at the same time. Todd also put up our Christmas lights (and beat Julie, haha).

Sunday, we put up our tree. In case you don't have kids, this is what the typical tree looks like in a house with toddlers:

(no ornaments around the bottom, several up top, and a few on the floor).

Well, Jake's 4th birthday is tomorrow, so we are going Chuck E Cheese for the first time. More to come, I'm sure....

I Got A Deal!

I have mentioned that I booked our vacation to Disney in February. Well, today, I saw that they are offering "buy4 days, get 3 free." Additionally, if you travel January through March, you get a $200 gift card. So, I decided to call them and ask if I could apply it to my booked vacation. We were going to stay 5 days, but I have no problem with adding time. It turns out, that I did qualify for the offer, and it is $50 cheaper than it was before! So, now our vacation is longer, cheaper, and with free spending money. You can't beat that!


I decided to check out some airfare, since I have kinda been on the fence about that. Northwest and Airtran both want about $1000 for 4 to fly roundtrip. (Christian is free at the park, but we have to pay for him to fly). I checked out Southwest and found out that they were only $600 - almost half the cost. Plus, they don't charge for bags (yet!). The only downfall is that they don't assign seats. When we flew with them last, we had to split up. It says that families get to board second, so that shouldn't be too bad. I could alway say, "Excuse me. Could you scoot over so my 2 year old son and I can sit together?" If they don't, they'll have to deal with him. Good luck with that!

In other news, Christian FINALLY got approved for speech therapy. I'm looking forward to starting that soon. That way, we don't have to play the catch up game like we are playing with Jake.

That Was Fun (Not!)

OK, I just finished voting. Stood in line for an hour and Christian screamed the whole time. At least Jake was good. What irritates me is that "our" precinct had the 1 hour line, while the 2 other precints had no line = open voting booths. Hello??? Am I the only who has a problem with this?

It could have been worse, I guess. I went earlier when Jake got out of school, and the wait then was 2 hours. Todd was smart - he voted absentee.

In other news, I went to Jake's school this morning. The theme for the month is occupations, so I talked about being a nurse. I brought in gloves, masks, and xrays. I also gave everyone a bandage and let them all play with my stethoscope. It was very cute!

Happy Halloween!

The boys had a great time trick-or-treating last night. They both dressed up as pirates. Jake had a lot of fun. He really got into it this year. Christian wasn't so sure. He didn't mind people talking to him, as long as they were giving him candy.

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yes, I am another year old. I am starting to get to that point in my life where I wish it wasn't true. Todd and I celebrated my birthday early. On Friday, we went to Benihana. The guy sitting next to me blew my cover (it was his birthday too) and "ta-da" the entire "birthday experience" was mine. They did take a nice pic of Todd and I.

I worked the weekend, so nothing eventful happened. Although, last night I was surprised by roses and my favorite cake (white cake with chocolate frosting).

The boys could have given me a break today, but they didn't. Jacob has been making messes all day. I'm not talking 'pick-up-your-toys-mess.' Today, he has dumped out the Coffeemate, dumped out the bread crumbs, and, as I am typing this message, gotten hand soap on the floor. Christian has spilled a Coke and this afternoon, threw my jewelry down the stairs. For about a half hour, I couldn't find my engagement ring. I didn't know if he swallowed it, or if it was just lost. Finally found it, thank God. Little Angels, right????

Take care all!

Hayride!

Saturday night, we went with our church group to the Salsbery farm for a fall evening out. The boys enjoyed themselves. Christian turned from Mr. Stranger Anxiety to Mr. Social, walking around and "talking" to everyone. We ate a bit and sat by the bon fire, then close to dusk, went on a hayride through Mr. Salsbery's farm.

About halfway through the ride, we all got to grab a pumpkin from his pumpkin patch. When we got back to the barn, everyone got glow in the dark items. Jake wore his around even after we got home.

The boys got quite dirty, but it was worth it. Now the trick is how to NOT carve the pumpkin. Jake remembers last Halloween and came home right away and grabbed a knife. We suspect Christian is allergic to melons, gourds, and such. He has eaten squash, zucchini, and a pumpkin cracker and been violently ill each time. So, naturally, we are concerned about carving the pumpkin and him getting into it. We will see. Maybe we can carve it and leave it outside.

Earlier in the week, it was raining. Jake decided to check it out. He put on his Spiderman sandles and sun hat and went outside. I gave him our golf umbrella to play with. As you can see, it is as big as he is.

In other news, we bought our tickets for the "Polar Bear Express," a train ride that goes from Fishers to Noble-tucky and back during December. They read the Polar Express on the way and Santa gets on board for the ride back. Sounds like fun!

I almost forgot my shameless plug. I am running the Operation Christmas Child project for our church and it revs up into high gear this month. If you want to help me out with a gift box or $$$ donation, let me know.

And. To Bright House. THANK YOU VERY LITTLE! Now I have to watch Survivor online and we have to watch the Colts game over the air! Quit being cheap!

Nothing New

Not much going on these days. Christian started First Steps for his speech. It is going well, but it is a little early for him. He is usually still sleepy and isn't too interested. I saw him doing this the other day:

and he has decided that the love seat is for diving practice. What's bad is that Jacob is learning bad habits from him and not the other way around.

I did catch Jake drinking from my cup though:

Jake has a field trip to the zoo this week, and I get to go with. Hopefully, he will be a good boy.

Last but not least, I found out a couple of my friends at work are pregnant, Ashley and Christina. Congrats girls! You will be great mommas!

This Kid Will Sleep Anywhere

I thought it got quiet today. First, notice the foot.

Here is the top view of Jake asleep inside Thomas.



Here are a couple of other pics that prove this kid will sleep anywhere:

On top of the ottoman...

In his brother's bouncer...



In the garage...



What can I do (besides take pictures)???

In other news, booked our Disney vacation today. Can't wait. I need a break.
Todd and the kids can come too.

Road Trip

On Sunday, Jake and I went with my mom for the White reunion. It might have been fun, I wouldn't know. I had to stay at the jumper with him all day!




I did get to meet my Great Uncle, Ebert. I also got to spend a little time with my aunt and cousins. We took my mom's mini van up there (2 hour drive). I would get one, but man, those things are so slow! I guess I am use to my Turbo engine.

In other news, Christian starts First Steps this week for his speech, or lack there of. Hopefully, he will be chatting with us soon.

First Day of School!

Jacob was off to his first day of 3 year old preschool this morning. He gets to ride a bus with other kids in his class. He was quite ready to get going this morning, so we went outside about 10 minutes early.

Then, the bus pulled up right in front of our house. His bus driver and assistant gave him a nice welcome and he was all smiles. We waved bye-bye to him, but I could see him start to pucker up as the bus drove away. His teacher, Miss Kelly, said he had a good day at school. And he enjoyed the bus ride home.

Fun at the Fair - 2008

Well, with weather like this, there is no excuse not to go to the Indiana State Fair. We have been planning this trip all week, and you couldn't have asked for a nicer day: slightly overcast, temps in the 70s, light breeze. We started the day by getting the boys something to eat at Mickey D's ( since food is expensive at the fair, and since they hadn't eaten breakfast). Then, we took the Fair Train down to the fairgrounds. The price has went up a bit, but I think it is still worth it considering the parking nightmare at the fairgrounds. (When we got off the train, you could see signs saying "All lots full."). Jake enjoyed the train ride. Christian fell asleep somewhere in Broad Ripple.

It is really nice that children under 5 are free at the fair. I think this is the first time in my life that I have been to the fair and not to the Midway. God, I am getting old. We checked out the ponies, the elephant giving rides, and the Nursery. The boys weren't terribly impressed until we got to the FFA area. They had so much fun. Definitely geared toward toddlers and preschoolers. Todd and I got separated briefly. (Did I mention how incredibly necessary a cell phone is these days? Tangent - I saw a hillbilly yelling at her kid because they got lost from their group - obviously, NO CELL PHONE!) So, the kids had fun there.

Todd and I decided that we did in fact need some nourishment, so he got a Ribeye Sandwich and I got a Beef Sunday (aka a KFC Famous Bowl with beef instead of chicken - or , as we call them, Hillbilly Bowls).

We could tell the boys were getting tired, so we called it a day and headed back to the train. On the way back, both boys decided to take a nap this time.

What Star Wars Character R U?

I was looking at Karen's blog, when I stumbled across her friend's MySpace page and this link . Here are my results. I've got a lot of Jedi names on my list. The Force must be strong with Me. :-) If you take the quiz, post a reply and let me know who you are!

A Day Of Firsts

Today, Jacob went to his first movie at a theater. I think it went very well. We went to see the Veggie Tales movie, "The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything" at the Free Family Movie Series this morning. Jacob was a good boy and stayed right by me as I got him his Kids Meal. I could not believe how crowded the place was. The parking lot was filled. They had Veggie Tales on 2 screens and Alvin/Chipmunks on 2 screens. Still, we had to sit in the second row in front. He was fine though. He watched the movie and stayed occupied the whole time. He was a little scared in the beginning, but we had "D", so life was good. I really think he enjoyed himself. Here's a pic of him at his first movie (Yes, I am the loser mom taking pictures in the theater):

Later in the afternoon, we went to the zoo. It was hot and it wasn't very crowded. Jake had fun in the petting zoo area. He got a little giggle when he touched one of the goats horns. Later, he took a pony ride all by himself while Mommy stayed with Baby.

In other news, Becca, Karen, and I all had a mini reunion at Texas Roadhouse, where I stuffed myself silly. It is a shame we weren't able to spend more time together. Maybe we can have some kind of virtual get-to-gether online, somehow. Didn't snap any pics at that one.

We have a busy week coming up. Tomorrow - TV delivery (good thing we got the warranty. A recent storm blew out the sound. So, we ca$h in and get a new one!). Thursday - First Steps comes to evaluate Christian with his speech. Friday - Bunk Bed delivery. Then, I have to work the weekend. In charge, as usual (booo!).

A Night Out for Mommy and Daddy

My mom was gracious enough to come over and give us an evening out. That hasn't happened in at least 6 months! We decided on dinner and a movie. We went to the Journey on 96th Street. Not bad. Steak could have been better. Seafood was excellent. Sushi was good (although I am no sushi expert).

Then it was off to the show. We were trying to decide between Hancock and Journey to the Center of the Earth. We opted for the second Journey of the evening. We went to UA on 96th Street and they were showing it in 3D. The movie itself was OK. Definitely geared toward kids (not very realistic story line). But the effects were great. Not quite Disney quality in my opinion, but definitely cool. We brought home the glasses and our left over popcorn, so they boys got something out of the evening too.

Todd started his new job at IPL this week. He is in awe I think. An office... with a door! Huge computer screens. Cafeteria. Battlefield at lunch time. Better than Delta. Much better than RedCats. I think he is in heaven. He is just on contractor status for now. Hopefully, he will be officially hired in a few months.

Otherwise, not much going on. It is eat, sleep, and play outside for the Fletcher boys. I am planning another zoo trip in a couple of weeks. And Becky (sorry, Becca :-) ) is coming this way soon. And then, school starts mid August.

Bye-Bye Binky

Yes, I know. We are mean parents. But the time has come to get rid of the binky. Christian will be 18 months this weeks, and I have noticed that his teeth are starting to have a different shape to them. His dentist said that it isn't a problems and they will realign themselves easily. So, we threw out the binkies Friday morning. He did manage to find a few during the day, which we promptly snatched away. We did crack and let him use it Friday night (4th of July) because of all of the outside noise. He has been fine ever since, and he is starting to talk more. I love his little baby voice.

I have been working and it isn't over yet. Worked the 4th, 5th, and 6th. Off today. Work the 8th, 9th, and 10th. It wouldn't be so bad if they weren't 12 hour shifts. I think they are trying to kill me.

And by the way... I HATE working July 5th because you can never get any sleep. I understand people want to light off fireworks, but come on! Must we do it all night????