In no Particular Order

I fear I've fallen out of blog love. I just can't seem to find the groove I feel when I write something that really entertains me or says to you just what's in my head. That doesn't mean that nothing is going on around here to keep me entertained, though, and I don't want to be stingy. So, for our mutual entertainment, here are a bunch of things that have been going on here, or at least occupying little corners of my mind.

Peter is the cutest baby you've ever seen. He is also pretty mischievous. He is drawn, like our other two children before him, inexplicably and unrelentingly to toilets and trash cans. He also really likes to eat crayons. And, recently, he discovered the kids' watermelon flavored toothpaste to be quite a treat. He loves to play with Kylie, Alex, and their toys in their bedrooms. And he poops more than should be legal.

Alex is just funny. If you've met him you know about that probably. He alternates between angel and demon many, many times daily. He loves to correct people's pronunciation and grammar (as he sees it) and can hardly believe it if you tell him he may be wrong about something. He makes up stories and people and events and relays them flawlessly so that you never really know whether you're hearing fact or fiction. He is enjoying TaeKwondo and is insisting that he wants to take yoga classes with Kylie this year. Last time it turned out he just wanted to play at our yoga instructor's house while the other kids did yoga, so we'll see. He's decided not to go to college or have a job when he grows up. All he wants to do is ride his bike. He gives the world's best hugs, and he openly admits that he loves Ryan more than he does me. I'm already plotting my revenge. I plan to be a truly horrible mother-in-law to his wife one day just to get him back for all the *joy* he's brought to my life. I do, however, realize that it will be difficult to get him married if he doesn't abandon his lackluster career plans. We'll work on that in 1st grade maybe.

Kylie is a beautiful, smart, talented 7 year old, but she tries her hardest to hide it. More often she oscillates somewhere between 14 and matronly. If she isn't turning on the tears at the drop of the hat, she is smothering her brothers with her special brand of back seat mothering. She is my biggest fan and harshest critic, and she's not shy about it. She enjoys all things "homemade" and "from scratch," and she will decorate anything that will be still long enough for her to tape a drawing to it. She keeps everything. Everything. She tries hard to be a really good friend to others, and she gets her feelings hurt when her friends turn into little turds, but she is quick to forgive. She is excited about being baptized in October, and she wants everyone she has ever met to be there with her. Saturday she drew a picture of our family to send to Ryan's mom, and she drew all 3 of the boys in t shirts with the word, "GEEK "down the front of them. How could you not love that?

Ryan has been busy working. So busy it could be said twice. Ryan has been busy working. Are you convinced? Seriously, nearly every weekend and most nights, he's plugging away. Last weekend he was able to take some much needed time off to spend with the family. Oh, no. Wait. That's right. He was able to take some much needed time off to spend with the nerds at his annual We Are Microsoft Charity Challenge weekend in Dallas. He loves going to this each year since it started, and it's great for me because he comes home knowing that he owes me for letting him go. We're a team like that. Really, he gets to go and hang with some really nerdy nerds. He says he likes being the dumbest one in the room so that he can always be learning from others. It's a nice change from work where the nerding has to happen within a business construct with plenty of rules and red tape. That is not to imply that we are not just stinking grateful that the man has a great job, and while we can't complain one bit, we have come to realize that smart people keep their options opened. Hence the weird resume story from a few days ago. We'll let you know if anything exciting happens.

Did you want to know something about me too? Well, I am busy at work as well. I am working on several unofficial resolutions for this year. In general, they involve being more organized, having more fun, cooking more meals at home, saving money, exercising more, eating cleaner and healthier foods, and projecting a positive attitude. My sass meter (Ryan) said I didn't do so great with that last one this morning, but I am reminded that perhaps the most important part of resolving to do anything is not giving up when you fail. In other news, since you all realize what a grown up I am by now, you won't be surprised that I have recently decided to keep score, and that Ryan owes me. So, I am impatiently waiting for his work circus to wind down so that I can cash in a weekend away I've just about decided to take. Anyone interested in a girls' weekend away? No kids, no husbands, no whining, no telling boring stories about how you miss Utah. Just kidding about some of that, but you can figure out which parts on your own.

Have a great week. Til next time. . . .