Car repairs day 1

As a stay at home Dad my husband is privileged to spend so many glorious hours with the children. They have learned so much about each other. This resulting in the children often shadow him in the household. They love to do the things he does especially when it come to being able to touch the things they would normally have to stay away from.

What do little boys like more than cars? Getting to help fix them! This day nothing was wrong with the car more than needing to replace a headlight but that is still a big deal to them. They were so excited. While their Dad was gathering the tools he would need the boys were scurrying around the house collecting their shoes and coats to hurry out side to work on the car too.

All three went outside and what would probably take my husband no time at all took well over an hour. They opened up the hood and excitement rang out of the little mouths. Cheers and praise yahoo its the engine! Stares of amazement and laps around the car. Yahoo cheap entertainment!



Okay now lets take the do hickey off and twist and turn the thing a ma jig (this is probably the same terminology my husband uses too). All right I think we are now ready to screw, plug in or whatever you do to replace the headlight.



All done. After a long hour of "what's this, what does that do, is this supposed to come off?" Daddy and the boys are done. We now have both working headlights.

While Daddy puts away the tools our little Evan is planning another repair day for Dad. Oh surprises are so much fun.

A year in review

Welcome 2009! I often can't believe how the years have moved on so quickly. I know that sound like a beginning to am old reminiscing story but I think its gonna be.

In 1999 I was sitting at my house just outside of Seattle, WA with all my emergency gear, bottled watter, and extra food, watching it turn Y2K all across the world. Nothing was happening. The world was okay and we got to see many large cities illuminate their landmark.

To quickly the years passed and hear I am in Amish country, PA with my husband and 2 kids. We did nothing for New Years. My husband made us a bountiful feast, that was delicious! I had to work both New Years Eve and New Years Day so late night parting was out of the question. I put the children to bed and kissed their sweet heads as I wished them a Happy New Year. At 5 1/2 and nearly 4 they are still to young to understand. Watching a ball drop would mean nothing to them. I curled up on the couch under warm blankets and yup fell asleep. I believe I made it to 11:30. I rose the next day went to work and yes wrote the wrong year on everything. And often still do. To me it was just another day. The changing of one digit at the end of the year. No big deal? Not when you have a family not when you enjoy life. 2008 was a big deal because I had a great time with the children living it.

I thought the best way to celebrate was to recap. To relive the highlights of 2008.

JANUARY

We had a great time at ICEFEST in Chambersburg, PA. We saw the amazing scupitules and really loved the chili cook off. We are very much looking forward to going again in a few weeks.
Febuary

Celebrating Valentines day is a week long event at our place. A holiday devoted to just love is HEART warming.
MARCH

Birthday month. SO many, to many, we are sick of cake by the last one my fathers. This year we held Evan's at a place. Oh how the kids all loved it.
APRIL

We planted so much around the house this year, it truly turned out beautiful.
MAY

Memorial Day and our brand new pool. The beginning to a fantastic summer.

The boys first trip to the National Zoo. Mema came to as it was a birthday party for her.
JUNE

We spent nearly the whole month Camping.
JULY

It was Grogory's birthday are little firecracker.
AUGUST

We went back to the beach. This year also to celebrate my brothers wedding.
SEPTEMBER

We wnet to Hershey Park!
OCTOBER

We had fun at so many fall activities and concluding with Halloween.
NOVEMBER

Thanksgiving
DECEMBER

Christmas!


I was a wonderful year. And 2009 is looking to be even better.

A good attempt

He dressed himself.

Oh Christmas Tree

On the first day of December we got out tree! This is very unusual for us as we normally wait till a week or so before Christmas. However, the excitement of a certain 5 year old this prompted us to jump in the car and head out. We went to the same lot we have been going to ever since we moved into this house. They are nice and it is close to home so all together it works for us. Last year Jay went out by himself and got a nice tree, expensive tree. This year was the first time we all went and we looked around pulled out a few and then settled on a smaller, full, wonderful tree. And the best part it was only $25! All right it pays for me to come along.

We through it on the roof rack and took it home. The boys pleading to put it up. It really was not as hard as normal to get it up this year. Maybe because we have done it so much now, or maybe because we got a new tree stand. Either way it was up and I was tired. But that would not do tonight. The kids simply would not rest with out decorating it. I saw a beautifully decorated blue, white and silver themed room in a magazine that I so wanted to recreate in my house. It would have worked so well since I have such a beautiful colored blue room. But to buy all new decorations...I just could not afford it this year. My husband said lets just use the stuff we already have and after Christmas we will buy new stuff for next year. Fine with me. So we pulled out the many Rubbermaid tubs marked Christmas and opened up. The children of course were like kids in a candy store. Ohs and ahs pulling everything out. Since we are using the previous decor we wrapped the tree the classic white lights and adorned it with a bunch of gold, silver, and frosted balls. I through on a few gold bows too. It is very pretty, classic and timeless. It is the beautiful tree I remember from years past.

A plan for fun

Today is the day. The circled day on the calender that we have been waiting a whole month for.its our Halloween Party !!!! We have so much fun planedA pla ahead I am tickled with spooky excitement.

Fall at the farm

There is a farm about 10 minutes from here that we visit every year. There are so many things that the children can expend their energy on we spend hours of enjoyable fun there. It has a huge boat that they climb all over. I wish we had a yard that could support one of those Noah's Ark play sets. Maybe one day, until then there are a few around town I can take the children to play on.

They have tricycle race tracks, tunnels of fun, hay piles, and hay barrels to climb over.



They have a small animal feeding area. You can feed sheep, cows, and goats. The boys definitely was the goats. Those billy goats climbed up ramps super high only to await the food that was being sent up by kids. Mine feed them over and over as they got a big kick out of turn the wheel making the can go up.



There is a huge hill. I am not sure if it is a pile of the dirt that was collected from leveling out some of the fields or if it was just an abnormal mound there. Either way it is great for sliding. Up and down we all went time and again. It can be a work out to run up that hill that many times.




One thing that is really neat is they had two corn mazes one for adults and a half the height one for kids. How cool we made our way through that one and it prefect size for Gregory.



We had fun. We will be back and if it were up to two little boys we would have never left. Their unhappy faces are apparent as we hulled them out of there crying. Oh well a quick nap and then they will be happily charged to play again.

Away for the day

Today we are jumping in the car and heading south to my parents and the home I spent most of my childhood years in. I primarily grew up in Washington D.C. and I loved it! I wish my kids could grow up there too but that is not in cards right now. My husband hates it there. And yes he did give it a try. We lived there for a little while and he just got to claustrophobic. He does not like lots of people, big crowds, heavy traffic (who does?)and many other reasons. His dislike for it is the main reason we do not live there. The second being the high cost of living. We simply can not afford to live there. So I will go down there today and enjoy it while I can but then return to my small quaint affordable country home. We both love it here in Amish country. What a difference?!